Weird News

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 01:50 PM

Post your weird news clippings here.

Here's one:

A Palm Beach Post writer, making the point that America's obesity problem is not limited to humans, reported from the Boca Greens Animal Hospital (Boca Raton, Fla.) in June that "Pumpkin," a 12-pound Chihuahua, was up and moving well after her recent liposuction surgery. However, the 12 ounces of fat she lost still left her among South Florida's overweight pets, said to be two-thirds of their population. As Pumpkin's owner was reminded, surgery is not to be a substitute for sensible exercise and a modest number of treats. [Palm Beach Post, 6-22-04]

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 02:26 PM

What are the odds?

Pedestrian James W. Dudley, 61, was hospitalized in May after being hit by a car in Glen Burnie, Md.; moments before, he had been discussing with another person at a bus stop the relative probability of being hit by a car vs. being the victim of a theft.

**RIOT** · July 19th, 2004, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

What are the odds?

Pedestrian James W. Dudley, 61, was hospitalized in May after being hit by a car in Glen Burnie, Md.; moments before, he had been discussing with another person at a bus stop the relative probability of being hit by a car vs. being the victim of a theft.

Now if the person he was having the discussion with tried to rob him, and James ran away only to be hit by the car... then that would be weird...

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 02:44 PM

Suckles to be him.

Police Sgt. Randall C. Hoover of Muhlenberg Township, Pa., filed a federal lawsuit in April accusing the police department and the police union of civil rights violations because members allegedly teased him for his pituitary-gland tumor that caused him to grow lactating breasts.

**jitBob** · July 19th, 2004, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by RIOT

Now if the person he was having the discussion with tried to rob him, and James ran away only to be hit by the car... then that would be weird...

Maybe the person he was having the discussion with took his wallet after he was hit by the car.

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 03:02 PM

Outsourcing gone terribly, terribly wrong.

The New York Times reported in June that overworked Catholic clergy in the U.S., Canada and Europe are outsourcing certain ritual prayer requests from their parishioners over to Catholic clergy in India. Priests said such a practice is not new, but that a priest shortage might have caused a bump in numbers. Indian priests said the requests are typically accompanied by US$5 to $10 (much more than they are offered for domestic prayers). [New York Times, 6-13-04]

**Cleetus** · July 19th, 2004, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

Outsourcing gone terribly, terribly wrong.

The New York Times reported in June that overworked Catholic clergy in the U.S., Canada and Europe are outsourcing certain ritual prayer requests from their parishioners over to Catholic clergy in India. Priests said such a practice is not new, but that a priest shortage might have caused a bump in numbers. Indian priests said the requests are typically accompanied by US$5 to $10 (much more than they are offered for domestic prayers). [New York Times, 6-13-04]

Thank God for Martin Luther

**Cleetus** · July 19th, 2004, 03:11 PM

MARYVILLE, Tenn. -- Maryville police say they arrested a 23-year-old man wearing nothing but cheese early Sunday.

Michael Monn was carrying snacks stolen from a concession stand at a pool, police said.

Police found Monn's Jeep parked near the pool and then noticed his clothes and a bottle of vodka in the vehicle.

Then, they saw the naked man running toward the Jeep. Officials say he had cheese in his hair, on his face and on his shoulders.

Police say Monn smelled strongly of alcohol and wasn't fully coherent.

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Cleetus

Thank God for Martin Luther

Amen.

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 03:27 PM

"Not My Fault!"

James Samuel Steward suffered severe brain damage in May 1998 after he took an overdose of methadone that someone had smuggled into jail for him while he was an inmate in Goulburn, Australia. In May 2004, Steward's parents filed a lawsuit on his behalf (because he is now unable to care for himself), claiming that it is the government's fault that their son got tempted, in that it did not smuggle-proof the jail, and the Stewards are asking the equivalent of US$2.7 million. [Sydney Morning Herald, 5-11-04]
Earlier this year, a worker compensation commission in Sydney, Australia, awarded benefits for "psychological injury" to teacher Jeff Sinclair, caused when Baulkham Hills High School fired him. The basis for the firing was his romantic relationship with a student, which began in 2000 when he was 49 (and the married father of three) and she was 15. Sinclair will receive from the government the equivalent of US$19,000, plus US$215 monthly for as long as his "injury" continues. Teacher and student now live together, as Sinclair and his wife have divorced. (And in May, Sinclair's ex-wife said she would soon file a similar claim for "psychological injury," before the same commission, also based on the firing of her then-husband.) [Sydney Morning Herald, 4-8-04] [Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 5-31-04]

**Stalemate** · July 19th, 2004, 04:09 PM

Where's Timmy?

While his dad was busy with a phone call 3 feet away, Timmy Novotny, 7, climbed through the 8-by-10-inch release door of a stuffed animal game machine at the Piggly Wiggly supermarket in Sheboygan, Wis., in January and couldn't get out. He spent an hour among the elephants and rabbits until firefighters dismantled the machine. [Chippewa Falls (Wis.) Herald-AP, 1-4-04]

**Cleetus** · July 19th, 2004, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

Where's Timmy?

While his dad was busy with a phone call 3 feet away, Timmy Novotny, 7, climbed through the 8-by-10-inch release door of a stuffed animal game machine at the Piggly Wiggly supermarket in Sheboygan, Wis., in January and couldn't get out. He spent an hour among the elephants and rabbits until firefighters dismantled the machine. [Chippewa Falls (Wis.) Herald-AP, 1-4-04]

OMG!!!!

There are still Piggly Wigglys????

**amyb** · July 19th, 2004, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

Where's Timmy?

While his dad was busy with a phone call 3 feet away, Timmy Novotny, 7, climbed through the 8-by-10-inch release door of a stuffed animal game machine at the Piggly Wiggly supermarket in Sheboygan, Wis., in January and couldn't get out. He spent an hour among the elephants and rabbits until firefighters dismantled the machine. [Chippewa Falls (Wis.) Herald-AP, 1-4-04]

funny and yet sad at the same time..

(the sad part is from the mother instinct kicking in).

**Stalemate** · July 20th, 2004, 11:45 AM

Football seats mark man's grave

MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — Paul Wellener's family found the perfect marker for his grave: two blue plastic seats from the Three Rivers Stadium auction. Wellener, a lifelong football fan and a Pittsburgh Steelers season ticket holder for 42 years, died unexpectedly on March 16. Wellener's son, Paul, and widow, Mary Ann, bought three pairs of stadium seats for $2,100 at an auction — and knew they had found the perfect gravestone.

**Stalemate** · July 20th, 2004, 12:20 PM

Hungry?

KIEV, Ukraine — A Ukrainian candy company has begun marketing what may be the stickiest, richest and most fattening treat on the market: pure pork fat covered in chocolate. Cracking open a finger-sized stick of ''Fat in Chocolate'' reveals exactly that: a vein of white fat. The dark chocolate product pokes fun at the traditional Ukrainian snack of salo, or salted pork fat, usually consumed with vodka and pickles.