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Today, we check our collection of news we call ... "Truth is Stranger than....!" Weird, crazy items that are somewhat

hard to believe. We cannot vouch for the authticity, but we assume they are true as they come from the major news gathering organizations. In short ... we'll let you decide....

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Cat fight occurs outside the zoo

ST. PAUL, Minn. (UPI) -- Two women got into a physical fight over a parking space in a crowded lot at a Minnesota zoo.

The problem started Sunday afternoon when a 22-year-old Scandia woman and her friend spied a spot someone was leaving at the Como Zoo in St. Paul. Although a minivan was queued up to take the spot, the woman got out and stood in the space to reserve it until her friend could park there.

While the woman was standing there, the minivan driver moved closer, threatening to run her down, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Tuesday. When she stood her ground, a woman passenger allegedly got out of the minivan and attacked the woman, allegedly shoving, punching and scratching her, as well as ripping her shirt.

The minivan driver separated the two and they took off, police said.

Tom Walsh, a spokesman for St. Paul police, said both women have important lessons to learn, like waiting your turn and not behaving badly because someone else has. As it turned out, the first woman's provocative behavior was for nothing, since her friend found another space while she was standing there.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Tree endangered by sex-enhancement rumor

KAMPALA, Uganda (UPI) -- The alleged ability of the citropsis articulata tree to enhance a man's libido and virility has it facing extinction in the East African nation of Uganda.

Based on nationwide rumors, the roots of the tree known as omuboro have been seen as a sexual medication and now many researchers have begun warning Ugandan officials the demand for the all-natural item may soon surpass the nation's supplies, the BBC said Wednesday.

Researchers offered their warning regarding the tree's troubled future during a recent symposium in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

An employee at Uganda's Makerere University, who wished to remain anonymous, said the alleged sexual enhancer even has been embraced by some local professors.

"I actually know a number of professors who have recommended it and during our field research, locals also recommend it," she told the BBC.

"Some of them are open and tell you that they have used it and it's very good."

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Paralyzed woman offers foregiveness

EDINBURGH, Scotland (UPI) -- A man avoided a jail term in Scotland because the woman left paralyzed when hit by a traffic cone he tossed from a bridge offered her forgiveness in court.

Instead of incarceration, Andrew Smith, 30, of Australia is to perform 180 hours of community service, The Scotsman reported Wednesday.

The woman he injured, Kate Flannery, 24, suffered a broken skull and three fractured vertebrae when injured while chatting with friends outside a pub last November. She is recovering but is expected to have weakness in one or more limbs the remainder of her life.

But the postgraduate occupational therapy student from Ireland told Edinburgh High Court she bore no ill will toward Smith and didn't want to see him go to jail. Judge Lady Dorrian responded by saying Smith, who had been drunk at the time of the accident, had been "stupid, thoughtless and showed a degree of immaturity not to be expected of someone of his age." But she noted there had been no intent to harm anyone.

Dorrian said she had "nothing but admiration" for Flannery.

"She has shown great courage, fortitude and strength of character in the way she has dealt with her injuries," she said.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Man's love of reading costs him his home

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (UPI) -- A bookstore owner's obsession with the written word has cost him his Pennsylvania home after local officials deemed his book collection a fire hazard.

Authorities in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., condemned John Puchniak's apartment this year when a routine inspection raised concern the bookstore owner's collection of nearly 3,000 texts could cause a fire, The (Wilkes-Barre) Times Leader reported Wednesday.

Puchniak now resides in a local hotel, while attempting to limit the stacks upon stacks of books that decorate his condemned apartment.

But even if he can restore the apartment to acceptable living standards, Puchniak has said he cannot afford to appeal the city to reopen his home.

Attorney Jim Hayward has become a champion for the troubled literary fan, attempting to convince local officials to let the 59-year-old store his growing collection as he sees fit.

"Their (the city's) priorities are wrong. This is not the guy they should be going after," he told the newspaper. "The average person may not agree with how John stores his books, but does that mean it's wrong?"

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Fluffy the boa constrictor is missing

MEMPHIS (UPI) -- A 5-foot-long boa constrictor named Fluffy is missing in Memphis, but its concerned owner says the natural predator is harmless.

Dana Shields said Fluffy managed to escape from her yard this month near the Galloway Golf Course, but she urged residents not to let the snake's looks fool them, The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Wednesday.

"He's not a threat," said Shields, 39. "He can't eat anything larger than a rat. I just don't want someone to hurt him."

Shields said while the boa constrictor would occasionally wrap itself around her neck, it was done out of love and not for food or sport.

But she does recognize the effect Fluffy's appearance can have on strangers, perhaps explaining why he hasn't been returned since disappearing July 8.

"People screech to a halt when they see him," Shields said.

Shields has offered a $300 reward for Fluffy's return.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Crocodiles helping protect Indian forests

BHUBANESWAR, India (UPI) -- The Indian forestry department released 48 crocodiles into the wild last week in an attempt to stop the depletion of the nation's mangrove forests.

Forestry officials said releasing the potentially deadly beasts, which were all bred in captivity, should make poachers reconsider journeying into the wild to gather their ill-gotten gains, The (Kolkata) Telegraph said Tuesday.

"We are pressing into service these reptiles for forest conservation. Once the crocs are firmly ensconced in the water inlets, human intrusion would greatly be curtailed," forestry official Golakh Rout said. "As the people here take the water route to sneak into the forest, we feel the crocs will come in handy to protect the greens,"

The Telegraph said the reptiles were all released within the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, where a large amount of mangrove trees have been felled by area residents.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Refrigerator acted as makeshift cat coffin

MONTREAL (UPI) -- Movers cleaning out a loft in the Canadian province of Quebec recently found 43 dead cats placed in a refrigerator alongside condiments and other food items.

The Montreal loft previously had been rented by a couple in their 50s and the discovery of their grisly refrigerator contents left their former neighbors questioning the couple's motivation, The (Montreal) Gazette said Wednesday.

"The impression I'm starting to get is that they wanted to have their own animal sanctuary," said Greg Wanless, who lives in the loft next door.

The fact that syringes were found in many of the cats' bodies has led some to postulate the couple may have given the felines impromptu medical care.

Another 13 cats were found in the apartment alive and are receiving appropriate medical treatment.

The Gazette said authorities were determining whether they can charge the couple with animal cruelty, since Canadian law states an intent to be cruel must be proven for prosecution.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Estranged 9/11 dad seeks compensation

NEW YORK (UPI) -- The estranged father of a man killed in the World Trade Center five years ago is now fighting for half the $2.9 million awarded to his son's estate.

Philadelphia native Kenneth M. Caldwell hadn't seen his father in 17 years when he perished Sept. 11, 2001.

Yet, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, deadbeat dad Leon W. Caldwell has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Brooklyn, claiming he should be entitled to half the money granted to Kenneth's estate by the federal 9/11 Victims Recovery Fund. Leon Caldwell left his family in 1973 and had little contact with his two sons afterward.

Rulings in similar cases previously have discounted the claims of absentee fathers. Paul J. Bschorr, an attorney for Kenneth's mother, Elsie Goss-Caldwell, said he hopes the judge hearing this case will do the same.

Caldwell, a cook living in New Jersey, could not be reached for comment.

Kenneth was a 30-year-old technology representative in the New York office of Alliance Consulting of Philadelphia when he died without leaving a will. His body was never recovered.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Alleged 'Panty Burglar' nabbed in Denver

DENVER (UPI) -- Denver police have nabbed a man they believe is the "Panty Burglar," who entered houses and took women's clothing and photographs.

Carlos Vigil was charged Monday with seven counts of burglary involving three break-ins, The Denver Post reported.

Investigators say that the "Panty Burglar" was an opportunist who used windows left open or doggie doors to get in.

Vigil was released on $75,000 bail. Another court appearance is scheduled for June 28.

In a recent case, a man in Fort Collins, Colo., was charged with stealing more than 1,300 pieces of women's underwear from laundry rooms in buildings near Colorado State University.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

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Fried mouse found in Frito Lay bag

HAVRE, Mo. (UPI) -- A Havre, Mo., resident said he would never buy barbecue potato chips again after finding a deep fried mouse in a bag of Lays K.C. Masterpiece chips.

Jack Hines, 66, discovered the deep fried mouse when he reached into a bag of Lays June 19, the Havre Daily News reported.

"I just about put it in my mouth," said Hines. "I was sitting there watching TV in the dark and I grabbed for three fingers of potato chips and I grabbed a mouse. It shook me up a bit and I threw it over my head."

After finding the rodent he contacted Gary and Leo's IGA in Havre, where he purchased the chips, to see what he should do about it.

"They told me to call the 800 number on the back of the bag," Hines said. "The lady that I talked to (from the 800 number) said they wanted the mouse and the bag of remaining chips that were left. They did ask me if I was feeling sick, and I said no I am not."

He said a Frito Lay representative is scheduled to come to Havre to pick up the mouse and bag of chips.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 07/24/2007

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Fancy Vegas hotel suite is $40,000 a night

LAS VEGAS (UPI) -- A Las Vegas resort is setting the bar high for extravagant hospitality, offering a two-story "sky villa" with a Jacuzzi and a butler for $40,000 a night.

Located in the Palms Casino Resort, the Playboy-themed, Hugh Hefner Sky Villa is 10,000-square-feet and has a $700,000 Jacuzzi with breathtaking views of the Las Vegas Strip, as well as a bed that rotates beneath a mirrored ceiling, The Los Angeles Times reported.

The posh digs are the most expensive of 101 U.S. hotel suites featured in an annual survey conducted by Elite Traveler, a magazine for readers with average household incomes of more than $5 million.

Also making the list are the Hotel Bel-Air, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the Beverly Wilshire, the Setai hotel in Miami and the Palms' Hardwood Suite, which boasts half a basketball court and a locker room.

Room prices at the Hefner layout start at $1,500 and include various perks like an indoor pool, personal chef or use of a Maserati Quattroporte sedan.

Doug Gollan, editor in chief of Elite Traveler, said an "amazingly huge concentration of wealth" is creating a demand for the high-end suites.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 07/20/2007

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People Different From Us

Pablo Castro, 26, was sent to the hospital twice in Decatur, Ala., on June 24, once after being stabbed in an argument and, after his release later that day, being stabbed again while arguing with a different person. [Decatur Daily, 6-26-07]

And Tony Hicks was hospitalized in Knoxville, Tenn., for separate wounds on July 1, 2 and 3; he was hit by a car one night, then released from the hospital the next day, but was back in after an intruder attacked him in his home, and after his release the next day, he was back after police shot him in connection with a robbery. [WBIR-TV (Knoxville)-AP, 7-5-07]

A judge in London's Southwark Crown Court sentenced Mr. Bonney Eberendu, 36, to a mental health facility in June after he admitted that he was the one who smeared his feces inside at least six trains over a several-month period last year. Eberendu said the voices in his head had, on at least five occasions, instructed him to go kill someone and that, somehow, he was able to overcome the voices by doing what he did on the trains. [Metro (London), 6-11-07]

In June, the town council in Ledbury, England, turned down Timothy Fry's request to be allowed to exercise his two snakes, Rose and Buddy, in the town's park. He said he'd been letting them roam, leashless, for the last year with no complaints, but admitted that the two (a corn snake and a rat snake) were getting stressed from all the attention they have been receiving. [BBC News, 6-27-07]

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Everyday, news of the Weird and stories that are hard to believe can be found in your newspapers. Are they authentic, we don't really know ... all we can say is they give us a break from the daily happenings of the world around us!!! We'll have more of "TRuth is Stranger than....." again real soon! GGG's will be back tomorrow, we promise!

Little Big Town's Kimberly Roads gives birth