Babbling Bloggery

Kinda like Darwin awards....

2008-05-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

Number One Idiot of 2007

I am a medical student currently doing a rotation in toxicology at the poison control center. Today, this woman called in very upset because she caught her little daughter eating ants. I quickly reassured her that the ants are not harmful and there would be no need to bring her daughter into the hospital. She calmed down and at the end of the conversation happened to mention that she gave her daughter some ant poison to eat in order to kill the ants.

I told her that she better bring her daughter into the emergency room right away.

Here's your sign, lady. Wear it with pride.

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Number Two Idiot of 2007

Early this year, some Boeing employees on the airfield decided to steal a life raft from one of the 747s. They were successful in getting it out of the plane and home. Shortly after they took it for a float on the river, they noticed a Coast Guard helicopter coming towards them.

It turned out that the chopper was homing in on the emergency locator beacon that activated when the raft was inflated. They are no longer employed at Boeing.

Here's your sign, guys. Don't get it wet; the paint might run.

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Number Three Idiot of 2007

A man, wanting to rob a downtown Bank of America, walked into the Branch and wrote this, 'Put all your muny in this bag.' While standing in line, waiting to give his note to the teller, he began to worry that someone had seen him write the note and might call the police before he reached the teller's window. So he left the Bank of America and crossed the street to the Wells Fargo Bank. After waiting a few minutes in line, he handed his note to the Wells Fargo teller. She read it and, surmising from his spelling errors that he wasn't the brightest light in the harbor, told him that she could not accept his stickup note because it was written on a Bank of America deposit slip and that he would either have to fill out a Wells Fargo
deposit slip or go back to Bank of America.

Looking somewhat defeated, the man said, 'OK' and left.

He was arrested a few minutes later, as he was waiting in line back at Bank of America.

Don't bother with this guy's sign. He probably couldn't read it anyway.

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Number Four Idiot of 2007

A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that; measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40 and a photo of his car. Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40.

Several days later, he received a letter from the police that contained another picture, this time of handcuffs. He immediately mailed in his $40.

Wise guy........ But you still get a sign

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Number Five Idiot of 2007

A guy walked into a little corner store with a shotgun and demanded all of the cash from the cash drawer. After the cashier put the cash in a bag, the robber saw a bottle of Scotch that he wanted behind the counter on the shelf. He told the cashier to put it in the bag as well, but the cashier refused and said, 'Because I don't believe you are over 21.'
The robber said he was, but the clerk still refused to give it to him because she didn't believe him. At this point, the robber took his driver's license out of his wallet and gave it to the clerk.

The clerk looked it over and agreed that the man was in fact over 21 and she put the Scotch in the bag. The robber then ran from the store with his loot.

The cashier promptly called the police and gave the name and address of the robber that he got off the license. They arrested the robber two hours later.

This guy definitely needs a sign.

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Idiot Number Six of 2007

A pair of Michigan robbers entered a record shop nervously waving revolvers.

The first one shouted, 'Nobody move!' When his partner moved, the startled first bandit shot him.

This guy doesn't even deserve a sign

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Idiot Number Seven of 2007

I live in a semi-rural area. ( Weyauwega , Wisconsin ) We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the Deer Crossing sign on our road.

The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! - I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'

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(Please note that all of the above people are allowed to vote)

DJ's radio ga ga

2008-03-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

A radio DJ chatted away for an hour - without realising he had forgotten to press the broadcast button.

Radio Teesside's Andy Greener was effectively talking to himself while his listeners heard a back-up tape of music and jingles.

Mr Greener's witty banter, chat about the news and crucial weather update disappeared into the ether, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Meanwhile, station boss Peter Dixon, listening at home, was trying desperately to alert the presenter on the phone.

Eventually, Mr Dixon got through and only then did the DJ realise the on-air light in the studio was not on.

He took a couple of minutes to compose himself, before pressing the right button and start broadcasting once again.

Mr Greener told the Northern Echo: "I've been doing the show three days a week for ten months and always pressed the button at the right moment. Goodness knows why I forgot this time.

"I thought the show would be going down well. The studio phone kept ringing, but I was too busy talking to answer. I now know that some of the calls were from people pointing out the blunder."

Mr Dixon, the station's only employee, will not fire his "excellent" breakfast show DJ, who is one of 35 volunteers at the station.

He said: "It's quite funny he was talking to himself for an hour. We try to do it in a professional way, but the presenters are all unpaid and they just do it out of dedication."

Dwarf crime a 'growing problem'

2008-01-24T10:44:00.000-08:00

Thieves are robbing long-distance coaches by sneaking dwarves into the luggage holds in sports bags.

Once inside, they slip out from their hiding places to rifle through the belongings of unsuspecting travellers.

Then they take their loot back to their hiding place and wait to be collected by another gang member when the coach reaches its destination, reports The Sun.

They have stolen thousands of pounds in cash, gems and other valuables in recent months.

Swebus, which ferries thousands of Brits across Sweden, has been among coach firms targeted.

A spokesman said: "We have had reports about several thefts by dwarves on the stretch between Vasteras and Stockholm.

"We're thinking of installing video cameras."

A Stockholm Police spokesman said: "We are looking at our records to identify criminals of limited stature."

Computer translates dog barks

2008-01-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

Hungarian scientists are working on a computer programme to enable people to understand dog barks.

The software is said to work out the nuances of a dog's barks, howls, yaps and growls, reports the BBC.

After analysing 6,000 barks, it aims to determine when a dog has seen a ball, when it is fighting, playing, meeting a stranger or when it wants a walk.

But the scientists admit the technology only just out-performs humans.

While the computer correctly recognised the emotional state of 43% of dogs, humans did almost as well with 40%.

Csaba Molnar, from Eotvos University in Budapest, told the BBC: "I would say that we proved there are very strong contextual differences between the barks.

"But very long further work is needed to determine which emotional states and which characteristics belong to each different breed."

2008-01-20T17:00:00.001-08:00

Prisoner joined by his bull

2007-08-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

A Serbian farmer has been allowed to take his prize bull to prison with him after an emotional appeal to jail bosses.

Hamdija Djuric, 54, from Novi Sad was sentenced to a year in prison for assault after he hit another man during an argument in a local bar.

But judges ruled he could take his one-and-a-half ton bull Micko with him after lawyers argued that if the farmer went to jail the bull would have to be slaughtered.

They said there was no one to look after him and that the animal was too valuable to the farmer to be put down.

Micko will be kept in a specially converted cell on the ground floor at the prison. If both are well behaved they should be free by Christmas.

Prosecutors cannot find God

2007-07-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

A Romanian convict's legal action against God has failed - because prosecutors could not find God’s address.

Pavel Mircea, from Timisoara, who is serving a 20 year sentence for murder, launched legal action against God two years ago.

In his legal claim he stated: "God and I closed a contract when I was baptised and God did not respect his part of the deal.

"He was supposed to protect me from all evils and instead he gave me to Satan who encouraged me to kill."

And he demanded financial compensation for all the money he spent on candles and church services which he claims did not help him either.

But the prosecutors in Timisoara have decided to drop the case after two years.

A spokesman said: "We could not find God’s address. He has no home address."

School shuns 'hell' of a pupil

2007-07-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

A Catholic school refused to enrol a five-year-old because his surname was Hell.

St Peter Apostle School in Melbourne suggested that Max Hell would only be admitted if he used his mother's maiden name.

His father initially agreed. But when it came to signing the enrolment forms Alex Hall decided to stand firm in defence of his family's name, reports The Times.

"We're quite devastated by the whole thing," Mr Hell, a Catholic father of three said. "So what if I've got a name like Hell? That's my family history and my name."

Mr Hell, 45, who is of Austrian heritage, said his surname meant light or bright in German. "It's 2007, not 1407 - it's not the Dark Ages."

The Hells approached St Peter Apostle School hoping to transfer their son from a state school, apparently because he was being bullied over his surname.

St Peter Apostle agreed it would to receive the boy on condition that he adopt his mother's maiden name of Wembridge.

After Mr Hell publicly complained about the school's refusal to enrol his son, the school later had a change of heart.

But Mr Hell, who said he he was also bullied because of his surname when he attended a Catholic school as a child, said he was now reluctant to consider a Catholic education for his children.

"I've had enough. I was ridiculed as a child... I want him to be accepted as Max Hell, but obviously he's not," he said.

Mother drove son to robbery

2007-05-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

A German woman has admitted she drove her son to rob a jewellery shop so she could make sure nothing bad happened to him.

Daniela Langer, 36, from Dresden, told a court: "He was determined to do it and I could not talk him out of it, so I offered to drive him there to keep an eye on him. I was worried about him."

She said she found out what her son Marcel, 18, was planning when she went to a DIY store with him and he asked her to get him some rope and some duct tape - and told her to make sure she left no fingerprints on it.

Langer, a mother of five, said: "I could not believe it when he said what he was up to but I was so worried about what might happen to him that I went along to make sure he would be safe."

She admitted to driving him to the jewellers shop and acting as a look-out while her son and two other men broke in and stole £25,000 worth of jewellery.

The shop's owner, Joerg Weyrath, 38, was stabbed during the attack and is recovering in hospital.

However the crooks and their look out were caught after they set off a silent alarm connected to the police station during the robbery. The trial continues.

Gherkins ground 105-year-old

2007-04-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

A 105-year-old Romanian has made his first ever trip to the doctors after eating a jar of gherkins past their sell-by-date.

Tudorica Anghel, from Iasi, took himself to St Spiridon Hospital telling doctors he'd had pains for two days and was worried it might be something serious.

But doctors who performed a full check-up on him said he was very healthy for his age, and that he was probably suffering from indigestion.

When they tried to access his records they found he had never been to a doctor in his life.

Doctor Diana Cimpoiescu, who treated Mr Anghel, said: "This was the first time in his life that he had come to a hospital.

"We did a full examination of him and apart from a bit of weak hearing he has nothing at all wrong with him. He is amazingly healthy for a man of his age."

The Bible...New Edition

2007-02-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING. IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU'LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS! IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST. KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.

8, THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA. THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.

Groom weds best man

2007-02-25T08:28:00.000-08:00

A Loughborough man was horrified to learn that he had accidentally 'married' his best man.

Chris Adams, 33, had exchanged vows with bride Gemma Mortell, 19, in a Valentine's Day wedding.

But when the couple returned from honeymoon and checked the wedding certificate they had a surprise, reports the Sun.

Gemma had mistakenly signed her name in the 'witness' space - and best man Paul Hickleston had put his signature where the bride's should have been.

Chef Chris said: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what we'd done. I've known my best man for over 20 years and he's a great guy - but I don't want him as my missus."

Gemma added: "When he told me Paul was down as his wife, I just laughed. I thought he was winding me up.

"But it's not funny. The wedding cost a lot of money. It was the biggest day of our life and we wanted it to be just right. We'd planned it for nine months."

The couple had feared their marriage might not be legal but the Rev Elaine Skinner, who conducted the ceremony, has reassured them.

"I've told them they have nothing to worry about - any mistakes can be corrected and I can issue a new certificate," she said.

Man kept contact lenses in for a year

2007-01-30T10:39:00.000-08:00

A Chinese man had to have his contact lenses surgically removed after he did not take them out for a year.

Liu, 40, started to wear contact lenses a year ago and never took them out because he found it difficult.

"I only have some eye drops for when they feel uncomfortable," he told Chutian City News.

Liu recently felt his eyesight was getting worse, so he bought another pair of lenses and wore them on top of the old ones.

But when his eyesight still didn't improve, he took another startling decision.

"I put a pair of used disposal contact lenses over the other two pairs in my eyes. By then, I was wearing three pairs of lenses," he said.

By the next day, Liu's eyes had reacted badly to his DIY eyecare and he finally sought medical attention.

A doctor was shocked to find the first lenses had grown into his eyes and surgery was needed to take them out.

Geeks in punch-up over game offer

2007-01-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

Police were called in Germany after a punch-up between geeks clamouring to get their hands on a computer game.

Three people were hospitalised and store windows and furniture damaged in the fighting in a shop in Cologne.

The video game enthusiasts were desperate to take advantage of a special offer to buy the World of Warcraft game.

The store said supply exceeded demand and fighting broke out for real after fans realised there were not enough copies of the game to go around.

Snakes used to predict earthquakes

2006-12-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

Scientists in China say they can predict earthquakes - by observing behaviour in snakes.

Officials at the earthquake bureau in Nanning, in southern Guangxi province, monitor snake farms via 24-hour internet video links.

Researchers claim the snakes can sense a quake from 75 miles away, up to five days before it happens.

Jiang Weisong, director of the earthquake bureau in Nanning claims: "Of all the creatures on the Earth, snakes are perhaps the most sensitive to earthquakes.

"When an earthquake is about to occur, snakes will move out of their nests, even in the cold of winter. If the earthquake is a big one, the snakes will even smash into walls while trying to escape," he told China Daily newspaper."

He added: "By installing cameras over the snake nests, we have improved our ability to forecast earthquakes. The system could be extended to other parts of the country to make our earthquake forecasts more precise."

Belgium 'abolished'

2006-12-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

Belgians were thrown into a panic when a spoof TV news report said their country had been 'abolished'.

Government offices were flooded with calls after the report that the Dutch-speaking Flanders region had declared independence and Belgium no longer existed as a nation.

The French-language RTBF interrupted programming to show footage of cheering crowds waving the Flemish flag and traffic jams at the new border.

Even foreign diplomats were taken in by the hoax which the station said was designed to show tensions between the French and Dutch-speaking communities.

Belgium's broadcasting minister eventually ordered the station to flash up the words "this is fiction" over the broadcast, reports the Daily Record.

A spokesman for Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt said: "It was in very bad taste. It scared many people."

RTBF television's head of news Yves Thiran said: "Our intention was to show viewers the real possibility of Belgium no longer being a country in a few months."

Cat 'gives birth to pups'

2006-11-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

Scientists are baffled after a cat apparently gave birth to pups in Brazil.

Mimi's owner says she got pregnant after mating with a neighbour's dog.

Cassia Aparecida de Souza, from Passo Fundo, says Mimi had a litter of six babies - three cat-like and the rest looking like dogs.

Geneticists are testing blood samples to confirm the species, reports the Sun.

Unlikely hybrids have happened before but always between closely related species.

Lions and tigers have produced 'ligers', while a 'wolphin', half killer whale and half bottlenose dolphin, also exists.

Granny lands bouncer job at brothel

2006-11-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

A 70-year-old grandmother has landed a job as a bouncer at a brothel in Berlin.

According to the owner, granny Waltraud Hotzl, known as 'Mumsy', has no problem turning away drunks and other undesirables who never argue with OAP at theFraulein Mueller brothel in Hermannplatz.

Her boss Johann Vepsi, 41, said: "She's got the business perfectly under control. Mumsy is far and away the best for the job."

As well as ensuring customers are well-behaved, 'Mumsy' settles disputes between the prostitutes.

Vepsi added: "If she hears of a squabble between the girls, she will shout 'children, all quiet on deck please'. Total silence always follows."

Roofer nails testicle to roof

2006-10-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

An Austrian workman who slipped while working on a house nailed his own testicle to the roof with a nail gun.

August Voegl, 59, from Jennersdorf, shot the four-inch nail into his left testicle with the compressed air nail gun.

He was unable to extract it or pull himself away from the roof.

Emergency medics were called in to separate the man from the roof after which he was airlifted to a nearby hospital where he is reportedly recovering well after surgery.

Man, 29, passes for toddler

2006-09-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

A businessman flew from Britain to Amsterdam on his two-year-old daughter's passpart.

Mark Coshever, 29, was allowed through airport security and on to a plane after picking up the wrong passport at home.

He did not realise the mistake until his easyJet flight from Luton touched down at Amsterdam, reports the Mirror.

Mark, 29, said: "I was shocked that I could fly to a major international airport on a child's passport."

Airline staff had twice examined his passport and failed to notice the photo was that of toddler Alicia.

Mark, from Rayleigh, Essex, added: "Fortunately I had my driving licence, which has my photo."

A spokesman for easyJet said: "Staff misread Mr Coshever's passport and have been disciplined."

Passenger tried to pass off penis pump as bomb

2006-08-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

A Chicago man told airport security he had a bomb in his luggage - because he didn't want his mum to know it was a penis pump.

Mardin Azad Amin, 29, was questioned after security at the city's O'Hare Airport discovered a suspicious-looking object in his bag.

Amin, who was set to fly to Turkey, told security the object was a bomb, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

In fact, he was trying to disguise the fact that the black object was a component for a penis pump.

Amin eventually told investigators he'd lied because his mother was standing nearby and he didn't want her to know about it.

Amin faces up to three years in prison if convicted, said Andrew Conklin, a spokesman with the Cook County state's attorney's office.

Woman sues weather forecasters

2006-08-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

A Russian woman is suing weather forecasters for ruining her holiday with incorrect predictions.

Alyona Gabitova told the court in the central Russian town of Uljanovsk that she had been promised temperatures of 28 degrees and constant sunshine during her weekend camping trip to a nearby nature park, but instead got wet through when it did nothing but pour down with rain the entire time.

She added that she had come back from the short holiday with a cold and is now demanding the local weather service refund her travel costs, according to Nowyje Iswestija newspaper.

The court is yet to make a decision on the woman's claim.

Escapees flag down cop car

2006-07-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

Three escaped prisoners were recaptured in Australia after they flagged down an unmarked police car.

The men, aged 19, 20 and 27, allegedly broke out of Warakirri Correctional Centre at Ivanhoe, New South Wales, reports News.com.au.

They managed to travel more than 125 miles - but were arrested when they waved down the unmarked police car at Buronga.

The trio were taken to Dareton Police Station and have been charged with escaping from lawful custody.

Man drove tank to buy ice cream

2006-07-25T10:49:00.000-07:00

A Czech man drove a armoured personnel carrier through a historic town centre to buy his kids an ice cream.

Miroslav Tucek, 34, now faces a £300 fine after driving the 12-tonne military vehicle through Hradec Kralove.

He told police it was too far to walk from his home and he had promised his kids an ice cream.

He said he had to use the APC, which he bought from the Czech military, as his car had broken down.

Only light vehicles are allowed in the historic centre of Hradec Kralove in the northern Czech Republic.

Burglar fell down chimney

2006-07-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

A burglar was caught after he fell down a chimney while escaping over the roof of a house he had just broken into.

Police in Maastricht, Holland, arrested the 33-year-old after being called out by the house owners who heard his calls for help.

The man had tried to flee out of a roof window with his booty of cash and jewellery, but tumbled in the dark and got stuck inside the chimney.

2006-06-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

England fans stranded in one way street

2006-06-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

Two English football fans in Cologne lost their car after mistakenly thinking they had parked it on a road called 'One Way Street'.

The pair wrote down 'Einbahn Strasse' - which means one-way street in German - so they didn't forget where they'd left the hire car.

But when they came to find it again they found that every second street in the inner city was called 'Einbahn Strasse'.

It was only when they found a policeman that they were told the sign was to inform drivers that they were on a one-way street.

They finally managed to find their vehicle hours later with the help of the German police.

Home alone teen blows roof off

2006-06-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

A teenage boy, left in charge while his parents went on holiday, blew the roof off their bungalow.

Trouble began for Sean Davey, 18, when he placed a washing basket on top of the electric cooker, reports the Times.

He then accidentally knocked one of the hob rings on before going out.

The heated ring set fire to the clothes, which set alight a nearby bag of shopping which caused a can of deodorant to explode, blowing out windows and lifting the roof.

The blaze caused £35,000 of damage to the house in Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk.

When the teenager told his mother, Joanne Bray, and step-father Paul, who were on holiday in Scotland, he blamed Jet, the family dog, for jumping on the worktop.

"It's ironic," Mrs Bray said. "Sean didn't cook anything while we were away - he survived on microwave meals and takeaways."

Mum worried about love life of daughter, 68

2006-05-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

Social workers called out by a worried mum to speak to her daughter about her loose morals were shocked to find out their ages.

They had to tell the 92-year-old German mother that her 68-year-old daughter's love life was none of their business.

Adelheid Schmidt called the youth department of social services in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, to complain about her daughter Tina's "uncontrollable, immoral and loose behaviour with men".

Mrs Schmidt made the call after she found out that Tina had a boyfriend.

But the social workers told her they could not help her as her "child" was 50 years past the age limit where social services can get involved.

Online radio station for dogs

2006-05-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

The world's first internet radio station for dogs has been launched in Thailand.

DogRadioThailand.com features barking DJs playing vocal and instrumental music around the clock, reports the Bangkok Post.

Owner Anupan Boonchuen believes listening to music has an effect on canine behaviour.

He said: "I've noticed that dogs often respond to music. Some wag their tails. Some lift their heads while lying on the floor.

"At my grooming school we found that when we turned on music the dogs' mood improved. They were more obedient and let us trim their hair easily."

It is reported that ten students from the dog grooming school have been hired to work as DJs

Mr Boonchuen added: "One of the main qualifications is that he or she must be good at barking because dogs are our listeners, the DJs may have to make different sounds, such as whining or barking, to match the mood of music they play.

"And they must be able to communicate with the dogs, even if they can't see them."

Visit to strip club costly for priest

2006-05-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

Police in Romania say they have caught a thief who stole money from a priest's car while he was in a strip club.

The 43-year-old priest was allegedly spotted by the thief in a club called No Problem in Suceava town, reports Evenimentul Zilei newspaper.

Witnesses say he was being free with his money, hiring all of the dancers to perform for him and his friends.

Police say the thief found out which was the priest's car and broke into it, stealing £4,000 he found in a suitcase.

But officers managed to track him down and recover the money, after studying CCTV footage from the club's carpark.

Church authorities said they will start their own investigation into the priest's moral qualifications for his job.

Mummy's boy robber

2006-05-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

An armed robber rang his mum on his mobile phone when he found himself cornered by police during a raid.

The man, 26, was trying to rob an electronics shop in Sao Paulo, Brazil, when police arrived, Agora newspaper reports.

He then threatened the hostages and said that he would not do anything until he had spoken to his mother.

The robber, who had four accomplices, called his mother and, after speaking to her, agreed to release the hostages.

A police spokesman said: "I never saw anything like this before, he was the classic case of a mama's boy until the end.

"He followed everything she advised and all went well."

Serbian cops drop a bomb

2006-05-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Serbian police have admitted they may have accidentally put an explosive device on a plane to London.

It happened after an exercise to test sniffer dogs at Surcin airport in Belgrade went wrong, local daily Blic reported.

Officers had put explosives into luggage destined for Heathrow airport, as well as Paris, Milan, and Athens, and let sniffer dogs loose to find them.

The dogs found all the devices except one before police realised they had not marked the bags and could not find the final package or identify where it was headed.

The bags went off onto their respective planes and no one now knows where the explosives ended up.

Serbian authorities also failed to inform police in the UK or other countries about the incident, which took place on April 15, hoping no one would find out about the unofficial security exercise.

A spokesman for Serbian police told the newspaper: "It was a catastrophic mistake. The officers involved have broken the law. However the explosives were not large and did not have a detonator."

The truth only came out when a local paper investigated the sacking of a police officer over the incident.

One unnamed police officer who said he was furious about the incident told Blic: "What if the police in the country where the explosive ended up found it in a passenger's bag?

"The passenger would be arrested and most probably accused of being a terrorist. It makes our whole police force look bad."

2006-04-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

Parrot held in prison

2006-04-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

A parrot has spent five days under police 'interrogation' in prison in Argentina.

A judge ordered Pepo to be held in custody until he told police who was his real owner, reports UOL.

Two neighbours, Jorge Machado and R Vega, were disputing ownership of the bird.

Judge Osvaldo Carlos decided the parrot should be sent to prison until he said the name of his owner.

After five days, Pepo said Jorge's name and also sung the anthem of his favourite football team San Lorenzo.

Mr Machado said: "I knew he wasn't going to let me down, he is a real friend and we support the same football team."

Man crashes 33 cars in 23 years

2006-04-23T14:50:00.000-07:00

A postman has finally learnt how to ride a bicycle after crashing 33 cars in 23 years.

Croatian Franjo Pozgaj, 39, crashed his first car at the age of 16 and has wrecked at least one a year since.

The postie from Pokupska Luka in central Croatia said: "The first car I crashed was my father's Audi when I was 16 and I once totally wrote off a new Renault just 20 minutes after I had bought it. I just seem to have bad luck with cars."

Pozgaj, who claims he has never suffered more than a few bruises from any of his crashes, has finally decided to hang up his car keys for a while and will try his luck with a bicycle instead.

Woman offered deal on own grave

2006-04-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

A Norwegian funeral services home reportedly sent a letter to a woman containing an offer to engrave her name on a tombstone

Solveig Gronstad was shocked to read a letter from Ellinggard Steinindustri addressed to her "next of kin" which said: "Through a newspaper announcement we have learned that one of your nearest has passed away - our condolences", reports Aftenposten

The letter next went on to offer to engrave her name on a stone for £327.

The 75-year old told newspaper Hamar Arbeiderblad: "I got a shock when I read the letter. This is tragicomic. I am alive and kicking. At the same time, I think it is terrible that things like this happen, they shouldn't."

It is reported the company has now apologised for the gaffe.

Spokesman Per Einar Ellinggard said: "This is extremely regrettable and should not happen. We can do nothing but apologize. I don't know enough about this, but it probably has to do with two people having the same name."

Tin of paint banned from bus

2006-04-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

A pensioner was thrown off a bus - for carrying a tin of paint.

Brian Heale, 73, was told the cream emulsion broke new health and safety rules on the No9 bus in Cardiff.

Brain was left stranded because he was not able to carry the tin home. He took shelter in a cafe where the owner gave him a lift.

According to The Sun Brian said: "I thought he was joking. But he parked the bus and called head office.

"Then he told me carrying the paint was against new health and safety regulations. It's crazy."

Under the new rules paint is classed as a "hazardous article" and can only be carried on buses if it is in a bag.

A spokesman for Cardiff Bus said: "We apologise to Mr Heale for the obvious inconvenience caused. Safety of passengers is our No1 priority which is why the company takes regulations very seriously."

German sues Easter Bunny

2006-04-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

A German man has taken legal action against the Easter Bunny for grievous bodily harm.

Karl-Friedrich Lentze, from Berlin, has filed a complaint with prosecutors, accusing it of causing addiction to chocolate which leads to heart attacks, obesity and strokes.

Lentze said: "The Easter Bunny is a sadistic and unscrupulous offender who preys on people's sweet tooth.

"Find this evil bunny, handcuff his paws and remove him from shops in time for Easter."

Public prosecutor spokesman Christian Avenarius said: "We will act upon the complaint with speed and diligence."

Mother-in-law for sale

2006-04-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

A man is so sick of his mother-in-law he is selling her on eBay.

Steve Owen, 42, published a photo of 50-year-old Caroline Allen under "Collectables And Weird Stuff" on the internet auction site - describing her as "used".

He has invited bids starting at just £1 reports The Sun.

He posted the ad on the site after Caroline quit her home of 27 years in America and bought a house round the corner from him and common-law wife Tracey, 35, in Alvaston, Derby.

Steve said: "I'm deadly serious. She comes to the house every day trying to change me and make me tidy.

"I just hope someone will take her off my hands. She's single and not bad looking."

Caroline hit back: "He's lazy and I won't stop nagging him until he changes - that's my job. But he could have made the starting bid £100. I look better in the flesh."

Bird woman of China

2006-04-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

A Chinese woman is living in a cage in the middle of a park with 300 birds

The 25-year-old, from Hubei, plans to stay in the cage, suspended 12ft above the ground, for seven days.

The cage is equipped with a bed and a computer with internet access, reports China Daily.

The woman, selected from 70 volunteers, said she hoped to increase her awareness of conservation by experiencing the pain of a caged bird.

Nuclear plant owners lose keys

2006-04-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

German nuclear power station officials have admitted losing the keys to top security areas within their own plant.

The Philippsburg nuclear plant in Germany is now under investigation after owners reported that they have been searching for the keys to vital areas around the reactors since March 10.

The plant is run by German company EnBW, which reportedly took an entire week to inform the authorities about the loss of the keys.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation "against unknown perpetrators" for theft.

The company has announced that the locks are being changed, but German Environment Ministry spokesperson Karl Franz criticised the delay in reporting the case.

He said: "We received no explanation as to why it took so long to report the occurrence."

Man got divorced in his sleep

2006-03-30T18:32:00.000-08:00

An Indian Muslim man has reportedly been ordered to separate from his wife after saying 'I divorce thee' in his sleep.

Aftab Ansari was told to leave Sohela, his wife of 11 years, after he said ‘talaq’ - the Arabic equivalent of 'I divorce thee' - three times while asleep.

Religious scholars in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, told the couple to obey orders or face social boycott, reports Asian News International.

The couple were told the only alternative under Muslim law was a temporary separation of 100 days during which the wife would stay at her father’s house and spend a night with another man who she must marry.

Sohela could then remarry Aftab after obtaining a divorce from her second husband.

But the mother of three has threatened to commit suicide if forced to marry someone else: “I love him and I don’t want to leave him in any case," she said.

But Aftab said: “I think what my society is doing is also not wrong. I think they are doing what they think is right.”

Man blames crash on pretty woman

2006-03-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

A German taking a Ferrari for a test drive wrapped it round a lamppost when he tried to impress a pretty woman.

Alphons Edberg, 33, from Hamburg, was driving a borrowed Ferrari 360 Modena which he was considering buying.

But, according to police, the inexperienced driver lost control after putting his foot down to impress a pretty woman he had spotted.

He crashed the powerful car into a tree, a road sign and a fence before finally wrapping it around a lamppost.

The car was a write off and Edberg is in hospital being treated for head injuries.

Woman sues relative for 'grave-snatching'

2006-03-24T13:43:00.000-08:00

A German woman is threatening legal action after her aunt-in-law "stole her grave" and was buried in it instead.

Christa Jahn, 73, from Frankfurt, bought a grave right next to her husband Hans' and expected to be able to rest in peace next to her beloved.

But she says she was shocked to learn her husband's family had buried his aunt, Johanna Woyte, in her grave.

The widower said: "When I went to lay fresh flowers on my beloved Hansi's grave, I saw in horror that the grave next to his, which I paid for with my own money, was taken by his aunt. I thought my heart would explode.

"Now I understand why Hans' family did not invite me to her funeral this January. It was an evil plot to snatch my grave.

"I now say to the Evangelical Church that runs the cemetery: Give me back my grave, or I will take legal action."

Anneliese Gerlach of the local Evangelic Church community said: "I thought they all had arranged things among themselves and had no reason to think there was any dispute."

Mum is scared of peas

2006-03-22T21:06:00.000-08:00

A Cheltenham mum is to undergo therapy to help her overcome her fear of peas.

Louise Arnold flees restaurants if she spots peas on a plate and gets anxious if she sees them in a supermarket.

Now Louise, 35, is to undergo therapy as part of an ITV show called Phobias in a bid to cure her irrational fear.

She will see counsellors, hypnotherapists and acupuncturists to tackle the phobia which began after the birth of daughter Chloe, five.

She said: "I've got to stop this because I can't bear to be in the same room as peas.

"There have been occasions where I've been out for a meal and asked the waiter for no peas and had to rush out of the restaurant when they forget.

"I can't even go to my local pub because they serve peas on the menu. I'd love to lead a normal life and be able to go into the pub and have a drink."

But she gets little sympathy from her friends, who bought her a T-shirt saying: "Give peas a chance".

Man kissed cobra 51 times

2006-03-20T21:19:00.000-08:00

A Malaysian man is bidding for a place in the record books after kissing a king cobra 51 times in three minutes.

Shahimi Abdul Hamid kissed the deadly snake before an audience at a hotel in the Genting Highlands.

The snake farm supervisor used his agility to avoid being bitten by the 15ft cobra, reports the Star newspaper.

Shahimi, 33, said: "Malaysians should know that if one has sufficient knowledge of reptiles, there would be no problem in dealing with them."

An expert from the University of Malaya certified the snake as venomous.

Robbers hold up cashless bank

2006-03-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

Two masked robbers tried to hold up a cashless credit union bank at gunpoint in California.

They burst into the 'bank' at Benicia with weapons drawn and shouted at employees to hand over the money, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I would say that apparently they weren't really prepared," said Benicia police Capt. Steve Mortensen.

The robbers apparently had no idea they'd attempted to rob a credit union that immediately deposits its money, making it impossible for anyone to access it, he said.

"It's a common theme among a lot of credit unions."

Hair by axe, sword and vacuum cleaner

2006-03-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

A Hungarian hairdresser has ditched the traditional scissors and comb in favour of axes, swords and vacuum cleaners.

Stylist Szabolcs Bodnar has been doing a roaring trade since he dropped the traditional utensils in favour of items which he claims "allow him to express himself better".

He cuts hair at his shop in Budapest by placing it on a chopping block and striking it with an axe.

The hair is then styled using a vacuum cleaner, or straightened using an iron.

For the fitter customers there is also the option of hanging upside down as he hacks away with a Samurai sword, often so fast that the entire haircut is finished in seconds.

Bodnar said: "People never fall asleep when I am cutting their hair. Today's hairstyles allow for more creativity and inventiveness, and that is what I offer."

Ice orchestra's melting performance

2006-03-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

A Swedish orchestra playing on instruments carved from ice had to abandon a part of its performance when a flute began to melt.

Instrument maker Tim Linharts, from Pitea, has carved functioning flutes, violins and a double bass out of ice.

The instruments were played for the first time at a concert in a gigantic igloo in the Swedish town this week, which was said to be a complete success apart from the flute incident.

Linharts said: "The musicians still do not know how to handle the instruments properly. Flute player Gunilla von Bahr's instrument started melting due to her hot breath.

"Next time I will keep ten ice flutes at hand in case it happens again."

According to Linharts, the musicians will keep their instruments in the deep freeze and only take them out to practice or to perform.

Piglets in training for sport

2006-03-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

Russian piglets are being trained for competition by personal coaches as a new craze of pig racing spreads across the country.

The training at the Sport Pig Centre in the Moscow region includes honing the piglet's skills in running, swimming, and 'pig-ball competitions'.

It comes ahead of a competition mid-April as part of the international animal show ZooRussia.

Alexei Sharshkov, vice-president of the Federation of Sport Pig Breeders, said: "The piglets were born just a month ago.

"They are going through general training and only after that will they take up different specialist sports. The piglets are being looked after by coaches and zoo psychologists."

Russian demand for pig-racing has led to special pig racing tracks being set up with one located at Moscow's Crocus-Expo pavilion and many others opening up as well.

And the craze has not been limited just to Russia. Thousands of people came to watch pigs compete at various disciplines at last year's Pig Olympics in Shanghai, China.

Motel maids battle with mop and plunger

2006-03-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

A fight between two motel maids, armed with a plunger and a mop, ended with one in hospital and the other in jail.

The women accused each other of taking toilet rolls from each other's cleaning carts at a motel in Charleston, South Carolina.

Police were called after the fight left one of the women, 52, with a welt requiring hospital treatment, reports the Post and Courier.

The other maid, Deloris Smith, 47, told police she was defending herself from a woman wielding a plunger.

She was charged with assault.

Granny told to remove hat in pub

2006-03-11T14:45:00.000-08:00

A granny has been told to take off her hat in a pub - because it posed a security risk.

Retired school teacher Betty Wilbraham, 82, from Ely, who was asked to remove her rain hat for 'security reasons' at a local pub /PA

Betty Willbraham, 82, was told to take off her hat if she wanted to be served at the Hereward pub in Ely, Cambs.

Staff insisted everyone in the pub is asked to remove their hats so their faces are visible to CCTV cameras in the event of trouble.

Betty had popped in at lunchtime for a meal and half a pint of Guinness.

According to The Sun she said: "I've never heard of a hatless pub. How ridiculous.

"It's the first time I've ever been asked to remove it - and I've been in that pub several times before.

"I'm of a generation who would always wear a hat for lunch."

Man saved by pigeon poo

2006-03-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

A man survived a 30ft fall by landing on 6 inches of pigeon poo.

Phil Harrison climbed a mill chimney trying to rescue a hawk that escaped from a friend's aviary.

As he grabbed the bird at the top, wire mesh supporting him gave way and he fell.

Phil, of Cleckheaton, West Yorks, still broke his neck in the fall. But he managed to keep hold of the hawk.

Firemen had to dig through the basement to reach him according to The Sun.

Phil's friend, Alan Webster said: "It's amazing to think his life was saved by a few inches of bird droppings."

Doctors expect Phil to make a full recovery.

Drunken hearse driver 'bit cop'

2006-03-06T11:11:00.000-08:00

A drunken hearse driver has been arrested in Germany after he bit the policeman who stopped him for driving erratically.

The 42-year-old, from Krefeld, got drunk after being invited back to a wake by a grieving widow following her husband's funeral.

But he was pulled over after police spotted the hearse weaving across the road.

One officer said: "When he finally got out of the car he almost tumbled over, he was that inebriated."

He was arrested for resisting arrest after biting an officer on his hand, and locked up over night until the alcohol had worn off. He faces assault and drink driving charges.

Boy, 12, sticks gum on £850,000 painting

2006-03-04T11:04:00.000-08:00

A 12-year-old boy on a school trip to a US museum stuck a piece of chewing gum to a valuable painting.

The boy damaged Helen Frankenthaler's The Bay, one of the Detroit Institute of Arts' most important modern paintings.

The picture, acquired by the DIA in 1965 and worth an estimated £850,000, is expected to make a full recovery, reports the Detroit Free Press.

Julie Kildee, director of the Holly Academy, where the boy is a pupil, said he had been suspended and that his parents had also taken disciplinary action.

"Even though we give very strict guidelines on proper behaviour and we hold students to high standards, he is only 12 and I don't think he understood the ramifications of what he did before it happened, but he certainly understands the severity of it now," said Kildee.

Becky Hart, assistant curator of contemporary art, said experts were researching the exact chemicals in the gum to determine which solvent should be used to clean the painting.

"I'm always thankful that it was not worse," Hart said. "In the scheme of things, this is upsetting, and it will make us review our policies. But we're confident that the painting will be OK."

Woman faked death to dodge parking fines

2006-03-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

An Iowa woman allegedly faked her own death to avoid paying parking tickets.

Police say Kimberly Du, 36, was caught out after she got another ticket a month after her 'death', reports KCCI News.

Investigators said Du, of Des Moines, faked her own obituary and forged a letter telling a judge she had died in a car crash.

She allegedly included a phony obituary, made to look like a page from The Des Moines Register's website.

"The state still has to convince a jury of 12, but faking your own death is not a good idea," said Bob Rigg, of the Drake Law Clinic.

The case began to unravel when investigators said Du was stopped for another traffic ticket - a month after the obituary was dated.

She now faces up to five years in prison for fraud - instead of the $500 fine she might have expected for failing to pay her parking tickets.

Dentist gives pet dog a gold tooth

2006-02-26T09:25:00.000-08:00

A Bosnian dentist has given his pet dog a gold tooth as a reward for his loyalty.

Milan Vujnovic, from Banja Luka, said his eight-month-old Russian terrier Atos knows the gold tooth is 'special'.

Vujnovic said: "He likes the fact that he has a gold tooth. He often shows it off because he knows it is something different and special.

"The Russian terrier is the smartest of all dogs and Atos deserved a special tooth because he is so loyal and special to me.

"It took me four hours to put the gold cover on his tooth but all the time he just sat there and didn't move an inch. He was as good as gold."

He also said he had no fear thieves might try and steal his dog to take the gold tooth.

"Atos is descended from the dogs that were used by the Soviet KGB. He's not a dog that would ever allow himself to get stolen," Vujnovic said.

Police hunt cross-dressing bank robber

2006-02-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

Police in Australia are hunting a cross-dressing bank robber who they have dubbed the Mrs Doubtfire Bandit.

The man robbed a bank in Bayswater, Victoria, wearing a floral dress, roller blades and brandishing a gun, reports the Melbourne Herald Sun.

He demanded cash and, after it was handed over, rolled out of the National Australia Bank branch and into the street at high speed.

Witnesses said he was wearing a striking white dress with a floral pattern, a pair of leggings and a black wig with a blue stripe.

But they told police his voice and facial features were clearly those of a man.

Sen-Det Robert Dabb appealed for witnesses: "Someone out there will most likely have seen this person roller-blading around," he said.

Thief throws away valuable haul

2006-02-14T20:30:00.000-08:00

A thief who stole two valuable paintings from a church threw away the canvases believing only the frames were worth anything.

Police in Herman in the Czech Republic are now looking for the thief after they recovered the paintings, which date back to the Baroque period and are worth over £25,000, a few yards from the church.

Officers say the thief made a huge mistake because the wooden frames, although appearing to be valuable, are worth no more than a few hundred pounds at most, reported daily newspaper Blesk.

Police chief Josef Backovsky said: "The thief was obviously only interested in the very ornate frames and had no idea how much the pictures themselves were actually worth."

Not so lucky shopper

2006-02-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

A New Zealand shoplifter was caught after a store tricked her into thinking she'd won a prize.

A Mad Butcher shop in Palmerston North put a CCTV picture of the thief under the heading: 'Lucky Shopper'.

But it proved not so luck for Amy Adams who was arrested when she turned up to claim her 'prize'.

Adams pleaded guilty to stealing chicken from the shop when she appeared in the Palmerston North District Court.

She was sentenced to 40-hours community work and ordered to pay compensation.

Con men steal three miles of railway track

2006-02-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

A group of German railway workers were conned into dismantling three miles of railway track.

Two men, claiming to be from German rail company Deutsche Bahn, ordered them to remove the track, in Lohra, Hessen, and load it onto a waiting lorry.

The con only came to light when the workers asked Deutsche Bahn for their money and were told the job had never been ordered.

Police believe the con men were thieves who carted off the steel track and sold it for scrap metal.

DB spokesman Hartmut Lange said: "I have never seen anything like this. We've had cases where cable was stolen, but never the tracks."

Man calls police to report stolen drugs

2006-02-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

A Utah teenager called the police when a burglar stole a big bag of marijuana from his home.

And, after police pulled in a suspect, the 18-year-old agreed to go to the station to 'identify' the drugs.

The 'victim' was then arrested and charged with possession of drugs with intent to supply, reports the Deseret Morning News.

"He actually came and identified it as his," said Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards. "Even the dumb criminals are generally smarter than this."

It began when police received a call from an Olem man complaining his home had been broken into and a quarter-pound of marijuana stolen.

The burglar had broken a window and apparently cut himself while crawling into the home.

The Orem man told police that a 23-year-old Provo man had called him about buying the marijuana but the deal hadn't gone through.

Officers tracked the Provo man to his mother's home where they found 6oz marijuana and a pair of blood-soaked trousers.

The man was arrested and charged with burglary, theft and possession of marijuana with intent to supply.

Man shocked to find corpse on settee

2006-01-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

A Swiss man returned home from his holiday to find a dead body in his living room.

Johann Rauber, from Muenchenbuchsee, called the police when he found the as yet unidentified corpse lying on his couch.

He said: "Whenever you go away for a couple of weeks, you always return home expecting to find that something has gone off, but it's usually a lump of cheese or slice of bread, not a dead body."

A spokesman for the Berne police said the dead man had passed away a few days earlier but it was not clear how or why he entered Rauber's flat.

Ski instructor's warning backfires

2006-01-27T16:37:00.000-08:00

A ski instructor was buried in an avalanche while trying to demonstrate the risks of skiing off-piste in Austria.

Avalanche warnings and poor visibility led Guenther Muehlenbach, 28, to take his ski group in Vorarlberg to the edge of the slope to explain the dangers of crossing into the off-piste area.

Ski student Alphons Koflach, 16, said: "Guenther was standing there, just off-piste, telling us never to leave the controlled area because of avalanche risks.

"Suddenly there was a loud rumbling and he disappeared in a cloud of snow."

Muehlenbach was picked up by the avalanche and dumped into a 200-foot deep ravine before being buried under 60 feet of snow.

His students called the mountain rescue team who were able to dig the ski teacher out in time.

Muehlenbach is now being treated for shock and hypothermia.

Flames of passion backfire

2006-01-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

An Austrian romeo burnt the house down after making a giant heart out of blazing candles.

Hannes Pisek, 20, from Hoenigsberg in the province of Styria, used 220 candles to make a huge heart on the floor of his flat.

He then lit them and went to pick up his girlfriend from work - but the plan backfired when the flat caught fire.

Pisek was left out in the cold as firemen battled to bring the blaze under control.

He has now lost his home and his girlfriend - she left him afterwards and has moved back with her parents.

Woman seeks sex to cure cancer

2006-01-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

A Russian woman took out a full page advert in a newspaper asking for sex to help cure her cancer.

Divorcee Elisaveta, 30, explained in the ad: "Doctors have discovered two lumps in my breast.

"They have told me the best way to beat cancer and stop the spread is to have sex."

She placed her advertisement in top Russian daily Moscow Komsomolets.

It went on: "The ideal candidate would need to have sex with me every two days for at least a year."

A cancer specialist told the paper: "To avoid this cancer after a certain age, three sex sessions a week are necessary."

Joker's last gag

2006-01-18T12:17:00.000-08:00

A Swiss joker had his last wish fulfilled when his obituary was published as a change of address notice.

The obituary published in the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper read: "Change of address for Roland Jacob.

"My new address is the Rehalp cemetery, plot number 4276. I look forward to your visit."

Female kidney turns lumberjack on to housework

2006-01-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

A Croatia lumberjack claims he started 'enjoying housework and knitting' after he was given a female kidney..

Stjepan Lizacic, 56, from Osijek, is suing his local health authority because he says he's become a laughing stock.

He says his life changed from enjoying heavy drinking sessions with pals to prefering housework after the operation.

He told local newspaper 24sata: "The kidney transplant saved my life, but they never warned me about the side effects.

"I have developed a strange passion for female jobs like ironing, sewing, washing dishes, sorting clothes in wardrobes and even knitting."

He pointed out that before the kidney transplant he would not have been seen dead doing the housework, and expected his wife to do it all, but now found it both relaxing and fulfilling.

He said: "My wife is the only one that is pleased. I do most of the housework now, and I blame the hospital that transplanted me the kidney of a 50-year-old woman instead of a man's kidney."

His wife Radmila added: "If the new femine side to him is confined to housework I am very happy, I only hope he doesn't start looking at other men."

Holland launches Fun Burials

2006-01-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

A Dutch entrepreneur is offering what he hopes will be the latest extreme sport - 'fun burials'.

For 75 euros, people can be buried 5ft down in a coffin for an hour - under a 3.5 tonne concrete block, reports Nu.nl.

The coffin has an oxygen supply, a panic button and is linked by webcam to a computer which friends and family can watch.

Dutch entertainer Eddy Daams, from Eexterveenschekanaal, is behind the idea which he calls Fun Burials.

He said: "After bunjee jumping, this wil become the new extreme kick. It is very safe, nothing can go wrong.

"If the person in the coffin is having a panic attack, he can push the panic button to heave off the block."

Mr Daams is running the project in his own garden and says it should be up and running commercially this summer.

Shop assistant found naked with mannequin

2006-01-08T11:25:00.000-08:00

A Turkish shop assistant was arrested after he was found lying naked with a mannequin in a store window.

The 30-year-old man was discovered by colleagues opening up the department store in Antalya for the day.

They called police after noticing bite marks on the mannequin. Two other mannequins that showed signs of abuse were also taken in as evidence.

The shop assistant allegedly hid in the toilets while the store was being locked up for the night.

The man has been charged with damaging property.

Bakery for dogs opens in Paris

2006-01-04T14:45:00.000-08:00

An award-winning pastry chef has opened a bakery that caters only for dogs in Paris.

Mon Bon Chien sells bacon biscuits in the shape of a cat and bone-shaped cookies made of foie gras, reports the BBC.

The owner is Harriet Sternstein who moved to Paris from the US with her labrador Sophie-Marie.

Sophie-Marie provided the inspiration for the new business for her owner, who decided the best way to make a living was to combine her biggest enthusiasms - pastries and pets.

"Everything is made in the back of the boutique," said Ms Sternstein. "Every day, I make 200 to 300 biscuits and special orders are taken on a daily basis.

"The Parisians come - and the first time they think it's very funny and they look at it, and buy the ones that they think are the cutest. Then the dogs come back and choose which flavours they like the best.

"I change flavours, based on what's going on for the holidays. We did a whole Halloween one, Christmas and next, I think it will be Valentine's Day."

Woman marries dolphin

2005-12-30T17:01:00.000-08:00

A woman has married a dolphin in Israel.

Sharon Tendler from Redbridge, East London, wore a white silk dress and a pink tiara for the ceremony in Eliat, Israel.

The dolphin, Cindy, swam to the side of his enclosure for the ceremony.

Sharon kissed Cindy and whispered "I love you" in his blow hole.

According to The Sun she said: "Cindy is 35 and I've been visiting him on holidays for 15 years. He's lovely."

After the ceremony she dived into the water in her dress to give Cindy a hug.

Pickpocket seized at police Christmas party

2005-12-27T16:01:00.000-08:00

Dec 26, 9:20 AM (ET)

BERLIN (Reuters) - Police in Berlin made their easiest arrest of the year at their annual Christmas party, after spotting a man rummaging through the pockets of their coats in the cloakroom.

Officers of the Federal Police criminal investigations unit said the unlucky pickpocket had not known that the revelers in a Berlin brewery were law enforcers.

"He was definitely surprised," said a police spokesman in Berlin. "He did not realize who he was dealing with."

Confronted with 35 officers, the 45-year-old Albanian, who police said held a forged passport and was wanted for other offences, offered no resistance.

Transvestite nativity shocks Rome

2005-12-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

A nativity scene that includes naked women and transvestites standing near the baby Jesus has caused outrage in Italy.

The scene was created by the Scuotto siblings from Naples, who are famous for carving traditional nativity scenes.

Their latest, more controversial, offering is now on show at the San Giacomo church in Rome.

Father Raffaele has refused to remove the set despite members of the congregation expressing their outrage at the "blasphemous" scene.

Defending the sordid depiction of the birth of Christ, Salvatore Scuotto said: "Such scenes are a part of reality.

"The real scandal is when figures such as Bin Laden or George Bush are used in nativity scenes."

Night visit from gasman

2005-12-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

A couple who waited all day for a gasman to reconnect their supply were shocked to discover that an engineer had called at their home at 3am.

Michael and Catherine Hopcroft from Bristol woke to find a card from Wales & West Utilities on the doormat.

Mr Hopcroft said: "Did they really think we would be up? I really couldn't believe it, I thought it was a joke."

The gas was first shut off at the couple's home as a precaution while workmen dug up the road outside to fix a gas leak.

They were told in the afternoon that the work had been completed and an engineer would visit shortly to reconnect the meter.

The engineer left the card at 3.35am reports BBC online.

A Wales & West Utilities spokesman said: "Unfortunately, due to a high number of emergency situations which were reported that evening, we were unable to keep to the agreed time slot.

"As our business operates on a 24-hour basis, our engineers did return to the property once the emergency situations had been dealt with."

The gas was reconnected the next day.

Md. Authorities Remove 117 Cats From Home

2005-12-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Dec 20, 4:10 PM (ET)

MOUNT AIRY, Md. (AP) - Authorities removed 117 live cats and 184 dead ones from a house near Mount Airy, the Frederick County Animal Control office said.

Officers also found three live dogs and one dead on in the two-story house on Black Ankle Road, Director Harold L. Domer Jr. said Monday.

He said investigators were trying to determine whether the owner of the property lived there or if the house was vacant.

Art expert fooled by chimp's painting

2005-12-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

A German art expert was duped into believing a painting done by a chimpanzee was actually painted by a respected artist.

Dr Katja Schneider, director of the State Art Museum in Moritzburg, Saxony-Anhalt, suggested the painting was by Guggenheim Prize winning artist Ernst Wilhelm Nay.

Dr Schneider said: "It looks like an Ernst Wilhelm Nay. He was famous for using such blotches of colour."

But in reality, the painting was made by female chimpanzee Banghi, from Halle Zoo.

According to zoo workers, painting is one of the favourite pastimes of the 31-year-old ape, but her works are often destroyed by mate Satscho.

After the real artist was revealed by the Bild newspaper, Dr Schneider said: "I did think it looked a bit rushed."

Christmas shoppers beat up Santa

2005-12-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

A department store Santa on his way home for the night was beaten up by stressed-out Christmas shoppers in Germany.

Stefan Stettler, 31, from Wiesbaden, was still in character and chatting to other passengers while waiting for his train home.

Police say two men, allegedly stressed after a full day's Christmas shopping, lost their patience when asked to "tell Santa what they want for Christmas".

The men took Stettler's sack of presents and beat him over the head with it, breaking his fingers as he tried to protect himself.

Stettler said: "Around this time of year shoppers seem to get this glint in their eyes and you can just see they are going to go off any minute.

"I should have known better but come on, who beats up Santa Claus?"

Police are still searching for the men but have no clue as to their identities.

Mayor wants to ban death

2005-12-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

The mayor of a Brazilian town is trying to bring in a law making it illegal for residents to die.

Mayor Roberto Pereira da Silva, of Biritiba-Mirim, came up with the idea because the town's only cemetery is full.

He wants to bring in a law that would see relatives of people who die before their time face fines or even jail.

The law would make it an offence for the town's 28,000 citizens to not look after their health properly.

Mayor Pereira da Silva said there was no way of expending the cemetery or building a new one, reports Agora Sao Paulo.

He said: "Eighty nine per cent of the town is rivers, the rest is protected because it is tropical jungle."

The state government had promised to help build a new vertical cemetery - but nothing had been done.

Gym memberships have reportedly shot up since the mayor announced his plans, and more people are visiting doctors.

Woman sent to male prison

2005-12-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

A Peruvian woman spent a month in a male prison in Argentina after she was mistaken for a man.

And, when she was finally discovered and transferred to a women's jail, she asked to be transferred back.

Pagina 12 newspaper reports that Carla Aguilera was arrested for robbery but told police her name was Manuel Martin Aguilar.

According to police in Buenos Aires, Mrs Aguilera was checked by several policeman but none noticed she was a woman.

An anonymous phone call alerted the police to Mrs Aguilera´s real gender and after a medical examination she was sent to Ezeiza female prison.

A police spokesmperson said: "She looks and acts exactly like a man, it was impossible to see that she is a woman.

"She insists she is a man and wants to be transferred back to the male prison!"

Police stop toddler for driving toy car

2005-12-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

A two-year-old boy has been pulled over by police while driving his toy car.

Oliver Smith was driving his toy car at 2mph on the pavement when he was pulled over by a policeman reports the Mirror.

Oliver's grandad Derek was warned by the policeman that the boy could be charged for having no tax or MoT certificate.

Oliver's father Richard from Leyland Lancs said: "My dad thought it a was joke at first - he was expecting Jeremy Beadle to turn up. The officer said the buggy could damage a parked car. He gave a warning and drove off.

"I think it's utterly ridiculous. It's the funniest thing I have heard in my life because you can actually walk faster than these things. This one has a top speed of 2.5mph.

"All the shops selling them should have signs to say you need driving documents to use them in a public place. Because of their size, you can't just use them in a garden."

Lancashire Police said: "We cannot comment on the individual case but a child's toy car that can only travel 2-3mph does not come under motor vehicle legislation. Having said that, we would always advise children not to play near to the highway.

"The ideal place for toys is in a driveway, supervised by a responsible adult."

Man stole car with no brakes

2005-12-03T08:39:00.000-08:00

A Russian thief did not get very far after he stole a car from a repair shop - without realising the brakes had been removed.

The 24-year-old had taken the broken Nissan Primera from the garage in southern Moscow and tried to make a quick getaway.

But witnesses watched him sail through a set of traffic lights and smash into another car just a few yards down the road.

A Moscow police spokesman said: "He told us he had watched mechanics doing a paint job on the car and had seen them leave the keys in the ignition so he decided to take his chance.

"But what he didn't know was the car also needed to have new brakes fitted."

The man was arrested and charged with theft.

Farmer Protects Animals With Orange Paint

2005-11-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

Nov 29, 6:13 PM (ET)

LOGANTON, Pa. (AP) - With deer hunters out all over the woods, a farmer has decided to paint his cows, horses and even his dog bright orange to make sure they aren't mistaken for deer.

Friz Konieczka doesn't want to take any chances because he heard about a neighbor's horse being shot during hunting season several years ago.

Konieczka, a Clinton County farmer, wants his animals to stand out - and they do. Fluorescent orange paint lines their backs and heir sides.

Konieczka said he'd rather spend $5 for a can of orange paint than have one of his animals killed or injured.

He painted his horses, his cows, his goats, his turkeys and even his Dalmatian, Buddy.

Pensioner buys third coffin

2005-11-29T17:27:00.000-08:00

A Romanian pensioner who bought her first coffin a decade ago to prepare for her death is now on her third.

Mariana Stangescu, 72, from Botosani, eastern Romania, outlived the first two wooden caskets.

She said: "I have no family. I am alone. When my time comes to die, I want everything to be ready for my funeral. I went out and bought everything I need, including a coffin, ten years ago."

But she explained her first coffin warped after being left on her balcony in the sun and its replacement rotted after being forgotten at the end of her garden during heavy rain, local media reported.

She added: "But I put this one in my wardrobe and I'm sure it will last longer than I do."

Cheating hubby exposed by parrot

2005-11-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

A cheating husband was exposed after his wife's parrot mimicked his voice calling out another woman's name.

Frank Ficker, 50, has now been kicked out of the family home by wife Petra, also 50, after she heard their 12-year-old parrot Hugo impersonating him on the phone to another woman.

Petra, of Freiburg, Germany, said: "Hugo always liked to mimic Frank and he could do his voice perfectly.

"Frank asking who's at the door, Frank yelling at our nephews, Frank telling me he loved me. And then one day I heard him doing Frank's voice, but saying "Uta, Uta"."

Petra turned the house upside down and found two plane tickets for a weekend break in Paris booked for her husband - and a mystery woman named Uta.

She said: "I kicked him straight out. It's just me and my parrot now."

Safety test burns club to ground

2005-11-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

A strip club owner burned his club to the ground while trying to prove it was fire-proof to health and safety inspectors.

Benedict Frank, owner of the Cabaret Club in Kienberg, Switzerland, started the blaze to show how fire-proof it was when he was visited by safety inspectors.

They had questioned whether his decorations were in accordance with fire safety rules, and he used his lighter to set fire to the paper ornaments in a bid to prove there was nothing to worry about.

But the fire quickly took off and spread throughout the club and the neighbouring restaurant - burning both establishments to the ground.

According to local police no one was hurt in the fire, but the damage amounts to more than £300,000.

Man Hit in Head by Train for Second Time

2005-11-22T12:12:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 21, 2005 11:22:16 PM

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) - A man who was struck in the head by a train this weekend was also hit in the head by a New York City subway car three years ago, officials said Monday.

Parker T. Hall Houghtaling, of Stanfordville, 23, was hit in the head Nov. 18 by a Metro-North train as it pulled into the Poughkeepsie station. He was listed in stable condition Monday.

In 2002, Houghtaling was waiting at a subway station in Manhattan when he stuck his head out and was hit by a subway car. He was hospitalized with a shoulder injury, nose fractures and bruises, according to the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

It was unclear Monday what led to either incident.

MTA police are continuing an investigation, Metro-North spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said.

Girl sold camcorder - with mum's sex film inside

2005-11-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

A Canadian teenager is in trouble after selling her mum's camcorder - with a home made blue movie still inside.

The mother did not even know the camera was missing until her boyfriend complained the video was going around town.

The film showed the mother and her boyfriend engaged in an intimate act, reports Canadian Press.

The daughter, now 19, of Peterborough, Ontario, admitted she'd taken the camera from her mother's bedroom closet and sold it to a friend for £100.

The mother called police and her daughter was charged with theft.

Lawyer Robert Beninger said his client didn't know the tape was in the camera.

"It's an unfortunate byproduct of her taking the camera," he said.

'Police? My onion rings are cold!'

2005-11-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

A US woman was arrested for calling 911 after a restaurant served her cold onion rings.

Sharita Williams, 30, of Houma, Louisiana, told police the food was cold when she received it and the waiter refused to replace it.

So she dialled 911 from the Malt-N-Burger restaurant in Thibodaux, reports the Daily Comet.

Police turned up - but only to arrest Williams for wasting police time. She is due in court in December.

Rugby fan tells how he lost his tackle

2005-11-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

A Welsh rugby fan has spoken out about how he hacked off his own testicles after his team beat England.

Geoffrey Huish, 31, took an agonising ten minutes to perform the op using a pair of blunt wire cutters, says the Sun.

Then he put his severed parts in a blue plastic bag and staggered to a social club to tell fellow Wales fans what he'd done.

Jobless Geoffrey finally collapsed with blood pouring from his groin as horrified drinkers put his testicles in a pint glass of ice.

They were handed to paramedics who rushed him to hospital - but surgeons could not sew them back.

Geoffrey, of Senghenydd, spent several months in a psychiatric unit as experts tried to fathom his actions.

He said: “I’d told my pal Gethin Probert before the game that Wales didn’t stand a chance. It wasn’t a bet, but I said I’d cut my balls off if we won...

“So I started hacking away at my tackle. It took about ten minutes and there was quite a lot of pain — but I just kept going.

“The cutters were blunt so I had to keep snipping. I cut my penis as well. There was a lot of blood but not as much as you would expect.”

He added: “I think about what happened every day and still haven’t come up with a good reason why. I’d had a lot going on and felt a bit down. I can’t have kids now, but still want a family. Maybe I’ll adopt.”

Judge recounts raucous spring break tales

2005-11-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

Posted on Mon, Nov. 14, 2005

LYNN BREZOSKY

Associated Press

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas - Making out with palm trees. Mistaking police cars for taxicabs. Rolling a stolen restaurant barbecue down the road, flames shooting up from the chicken still cooking on the grill.

Such spring-break high jinks have made Municipal Judge David Colwell's courtroom one of the best shows in town. Now Colwell has collected some of the memorable anecdotes from the past nine years, in a new self-published book, "Spring Break: A Judge's View From the Bench," being sold at local bookstores.

Although Colwell recounts some serious episodes of violence and death, the majority of the anecdotes in the 98-page book are humorous.

Most have to do with public intoxication, and the often silly excuses defendants give.

"I am always glassy-eyed, talk with a slur and walk with an unsteady balance," said one.

Guilty, said the judge.

The 60-year-old judge sits in front of a colorful seascape mural and wears tennis shoes when holding court on the weekends. In general, he said, he tries to keep things a little lighter during spring break.

"My primary rule is if I have to sit up there all day, by God, they have an obligation to entertain me," he said. When he hears snickers, he tells those in the courtroom: "Go ahead and laugh. I'm going to laugh with you, because most of the time it's so darn stupid."

Like the defendant who threw a beer can out of a pickup truck and hit a police car.

"I informed him that this is Texas," Colwell wrote. "You are supposed to throw the beer cans from the cab into the back of the pickup, which has been well known for years as a traveling wastebasket."

A student from New York appeared before the judge and did not fight his indecent exposure charge, instead asking what his punishment would be.

Colwell wrote: "Instead of explaining again that in the United States you are innocent until proven guilty, I said, `This is Texas. We don't allow men to go around exposing themselves to young ladies. We have a tree out back, and we're going to hang you.' The defendant turned pale. Being from N.Y., with tales of the Old West in his head, he actually believed me."

The judge said he has sold about 500 copies of the book.

1-Square-Inch of Land for Sale at $1,500

2005-11-12T14:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday, November 12, 2005 2:42:54 PM

SPENCER, Ind. (AP) - A tiny parcel of land in southwest Indiana is some of the priciest real estate in the world. Owen County officials are trying to sell a 1-square-inch plot of land for $1,500. At that rate, an acre of land would cost nearly $7 billion.

No buyers ponied up for the postage-stamp-sized plot during a tax sale.

"It's too small to plant a flower on," said Peter Dorsey, with the county's mapping department.

The parcel was originally part of a 1.12-acre tract under a separate deed, said auditor Angie Lawson. Officials think the tiny piece of land west of Bloomington was deeded to someone in the 1960s, when people had to own property to use a nearby lake.

First National Bank foreclosed on the property owner's mortgage, which covered the entire 1.12-acre tract, and the land was up for bid at the tax sale. There is a minimum bid of $1,500 for tax sale parcels.

County attorney Richard Lorenz said he wants to find a way for the county to get rid of the land and the responsibility of selling it, perhaps by giving it away.

"Maybe we could donate that 1-inch plot to Owen County Preservations as the smallest land donation in history," Lorenz said.

Fire eater set stripper's boobs alight

2005-11-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

A fire eater has been given a suspended jail sentence for setting a stripper's boobs on fire.

Dancer Maria Leeb, 27, was tied to a pole wearing just her g-string while her fire-eating partner blew flames at her.

But the hot new act in a lap-dancing club in Augsburg, Germany, came to a painful end when her naked breasts went up in flames.

Flame thrower Marc Miszler, 22, was handed a 10 month suspended jail sentence for grievous bodily harm by the Augsburg County Court.

"I shouted at him that he was getting too close, but he didn't stop. The oil and glitter that I rubbed on my body must have caught on fire and all I could see were flames," said Ms Leeb.

She suffered burns across her breasts and was treated at a local hospital.

Two Drunken Moose Invade Home for Elderly

2005-11-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 08, 2005 8:38:58 AM

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - They rarely have problems with drunks or rowdy animals, but residents of an elderly home in southern Sweden had to deal with both when a pair of intoxicated moose invaded the premises.

The moose — a cow and her calf — had become drunk over the weekend by eating fermented apples they found outside the home in Sibbhult, southern Sweden, said Anna Karlsson, who works there.

Police managed to scare them off once, but the large mammals returned to get more of the tempting fruits. This time the moose were drunk and aggressive, forcing police to send for a hunter with a dog to make them leave.

Police did not pursue the culprits, but made sure all apples were picked up from the area, local police chief Bengt Hallberg said. No one was hurt.

Priests come to blows inside church

2005-11-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

Two Romanian priests face suspension after coming to blows inside the church they both serve.

One of them suffered a broken leg and was admitted to hospital while the other came out with only a few bruises.

The conflict between priests Iulian Zisu and Iulian Poalelungi reportedly started with an argument over the running costs of the church in Constanta.

Church officials and police have started their own investigations.

No 'Chicken Little' - Kids see suicide

2005-11-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

A Times Square movie theater laid an egg at a showing of "Chicken Little" last night.

Adults and kids expecting to watch Disney's G-rated animated flick at the AMC Empire 25 theater on 42nd St. were instead presented with a foreign film that opened with a young man committing suicide.

"It's pandemonium," Joshua Gallo, 30, told the Daily News as he rushed out of the theater with his 5-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter. "The kids are crying. The mothers are screaming for the managers to stop the film."

Terrified children didn't know what to do as they watched a young boy hang himself from a tree at the 8:45 p.m. screening.

After five minutes, "Andrea," a Spanish drama opening today, was turned off and "Chicken Little" was played.

Patrons got a coupon for a free movie.

Science Project Causes Bomb Scare in Pa.

2005-11-05T14:26:00.000-08:00

Friday, November 04, 2005 11:13:06 PM

PERRYOPOLIS, Pa. (AP) - A bomb squad blew up a metal pipe that had a battery, wires, rope and an electrical switch, only to realize it was an eighth-grade science project.

"An electromagnetic fishing pole," Allegheny County Bomb Squad Sgt. Robert Clark said, holding the contraption with the battery blown off.

A clerk found the device — made from three feet of half-inch metal pipe — near the greeting cards display at a drugstore Thursday.

Police Chief Roger Beadling said he got within six feet and decided not to take any chances. "It definitely appeared to be some kind of explosive device," he said.

The bomb squad used a robot to examine the device, then destroyed it.

A 10th-grader at Frazier High School said the science project is something eighth-graders do every year. "You have to make it so it can pick up metal paper clips, but you can't use magnets," Tiffany Burton said. "I hated that project."

Jim Shahan, owner of a pizza shop a few doors away, said had he seen the device, he might have saved everyone a few anxious hours.

"I just helped make one for my daughter," he said.

Austrian motorist badly hurt after rolling over car while swatting at spider

2005-11-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

KLAGENFURT, Austria (AP) - A driver who swatted at a spider inside his car hit an embankment Thursday and flipped the vehicle over, critically injuring himself, police said.

The victim was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in the southern province of Carinthia after firefighters cut him free from the wreckage, authorities said.

They said he told police he was trying to get a spider off his face when he lost control of the vehicle. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.

Lion found living in garage

2005-11-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

A lion has been found living in the garage of a house in Rio de Janeiro.

Police officers found the big cat in the Brazilian city after complaints from worried people living nearby.

Neighbours in the neighbourhood of Campo Grande reported hearing the lion roaring during the night.

Householder Jesus Teixeira told police the lion was called Baby and had been living with his family for 15 years.

He had kept the lion after he sold his circus but has now been told he cannot keep the animal at his home.

Mr Teixeira told Estado de Sao Paulo: "I'm upset. I raised him, he is very calm and never attacked anyone. He grew up with my kids."