ODDITIES IN THE NEWS .....

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‘Monster Pig’ was huge — just not wild
Giant hog shot by Alabama 11-year-old was farm-raised porker named Fred

FRUITHURST, Ala. - The huge hog that became known as "Monster Pig" after being killed by an 11-year-old boy was raised on a farm where it had another name: Fred.

Phil Blissitt said he purchased the 6-week-old pig in December 2004 as a Christmas gift for his wife, Rhonda, and they sold it to the owner of Lost Creek Plantation after deciding to get rid of all the pigs at their farm.

He told The Anniston Star in a story Friday that the sale was four days before the hog was killed in a 150-acre fenced area of the plantation.
"I just wanted the truth to be told. That wasn't a wild pig," Rhonda Blissitt said.

The Blissitts said they didn't know the huge hog drawing widespread media attention was Fred until they were contacted by Andy Howell, game warden for the Alabama Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, whose agency found that no laws were violated in the hunt.

"Did you see that pig on TV?" Phil Blissitt recalled Howell asking. "I said, 'Yeah, I had one about that size.' He said, 'No, that one is yours.'

"That's when I knew."'

Phil Blissitt said he became irritated when he learned that some thought the photos of Fred were doctored.

"That was a big hog," he said.
Mike Stone, the father of Jamison Stone, the 11-year-old boy who shot the huge hog to death during what they described as a three-hour chase, has said the hog weighed more than 1,000 pounds and was more than 9 feet long. He told the Star he had been under the impression that the hog was wild, not farm-raised.

"We were told that it was a feral hog," Mike Stone told the Star, "and we hunted it on the pretense that it was a feral hog."

Telephone messages left Friday with Eddy Borden, the owner of Lost Creek Plantation, were not immediately returned.

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California man tops Kobayashi's hot dog record
22-year-old from San Jose scarfs down more than 59 franks in 12 minutes

PHOENIX - A California man smashed the world record for hot dog eating at a contest Saturday, gobbling up more than 59 franks in 12 minutes.

Joey Chestnut, 22, of San Jose, shattered the record held by Takeru Kobayashi of Japan by downing 59½ “HBDs” — hot dogs and buns — during the Southwest Regional Hot Dog Eating Championship at the Arizona Mills Mall in suburban Tempe.

Kobayashi’s old record of 53¾ was set last year at Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, held at Coney Island in New York, said George Costos, who helps runs the regional contests for Nathan’s.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19004354//Approved

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German squirrel on a rampage injures 3 people
72-year-retiree dispatches rowdy rodent with a crutch


BERLIN - An aggressive squirrel attacked and injured three people in a German town before a 72-year-old pensioner dispatched the rampaging animal with his crutch.

The squirrel first ran into a house in the southern town of Passau, leapt from behind on a 70-year-old woman, and sank its teeth into her hand, a local police spokesman said on Thursday.

With the squirrel still hanging from her hand, the woman ran onto the street in panic, where she managed to shake it off.
The animal then entered a building site and jumped on a construction worker, injuring him on the hand and arm, before he managed to fight it off with a measuring pole.

"After that, the squirrel went into the 72-year-old man's garden and massively attacked him on the arms, hand and thigh," the spokesman said. "Then he killed it with his crutch."

The spokesman said experts thought the attack may have been linked to the mating season or because the squirrel was ill.

..... Do ya THINK !!!!!

[Truthknut]

I never thought a .22 would be used to protect from assault!!

Speaking of weird stuff from Germany...............

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No juice: Toddler served margarita in sippy cup
Manager at Calif. Applebee’s accidentally grabbed drink mix instead of juice

ANTIOCH, Calif. - Kim Mayorga was confused when her 2-year-old started making funny faces and pushing away the apple juice he had ordered at Applebee’s. The explanation came when she opened the lid of the sippy cup and was hit by the smell of tequila and Triple Sec.

The restaurant staff accidentally gave Julian Mayorga a margarita Monday. He grew drowsy and started vomiting a few hours later and was rushed to the hospital.

“I wasn’t going to make a big deal about it,” the mother told the Contra Costa Times on Thursday, “but then he got sick.”
The apple juice and margarita mix were stored in identical plastic bottles, and the manager mistakenly grabbed the margarita container to pour the boy’s drink, said Randy Tei, vice president for Apple Bay East Inc., which owns the franchise restaurant and nine other Applebee’s in the San Francisco Bay area.

The Mayorgas will be reimbursed for their medical bills, and Tei said the franchise group’s restaurants will no longer serve apple juice and margaritas in similar containers.
“We absolutely believe it was an honest mistake,” Tei said.

The serving appeared to have been accidental, Antioch police Lt. Pat Welch said. Mayorga said her son is now doing fine.

She said the company has been very apologetic and offered free meals, but she added, “If they think I’m going back there, they’re ridiculous.”

...My question would be why not .. You'd get great service and your getting free meals .. it's not like you got food poisoning , of found a body part in the soup !!!
.. Moral of the story : If you want free drinks ...!!! bring your own sippy cup ....

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Cat plays furry grim reaper at nursing home
Oscar has predicted 25 deaths by curling up next to patient in final hours

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die. by curling up next to them during their final hours.
His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
“He doesn’t make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die,” said Dr. David Dosa in an interview.
“Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one,” said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.

The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959718//Approved

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N.C. woman, 71, arrested after pot plants found in yard



GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - A 71-year-old woman was arrested on drug charges after a chest-high marijuana plant was found in her yard, a plant she said was meant to keep animals away from her garden.

A sheriff's deputy saw the plant as he drove past Betty Holt Walker's home earlier this month, according to Capt. Tony Caliendo of the Guilford County Sheriff's Department.

The deputy stopped to investigate and found five smaller plants behind a shed, as well as marijuana stems and seeds, and a water bong made from a soda bottle inside the house, Caliendo said.

Walker told the deputy she found the first plant - which had grown to more than 4 feet tall when he saw it - in her garden and repotted it. She said it was a special plant used to keep animals out of her front yard.

"This wasn't something that was meant to keep animals away," Caliendo said.

Walker is due in court Sept. 12 to face charges of manufacturing marijuana and felony possession of marijuana. A daughter who lives in the home was unaware the plants were in the yard and was not charged, Caliendo said.

....Ahha ... you go Granny !!!!

[Truthknut]

pinoy64 said:

gopher said:

N.C. woman, 71, arrested after pot plants found in yard



GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - A 71-year-old woman was arrested on drug charges after a chest-high marijuana plant was found in her yard, a plant she said was meant to keep animals away from her garden.

A sheriff's deputy saw the plant as he drove past Betty Holt Walker's home earlier this month, according to Capt. Tony Caliendo of the Guilford County Sheriff's Department.

The deputy stopped to investigate and found five smaller plants behind a shed, as well as marijuana stems and seeds, and a water bong made from a soda bottle inside the house, Caliendo said.

Walker told the deputy she found the first plant - which had grown to more than 4 feet tall when he saw it - in her garden and repotted it. She said it was a special plant used to keep animals out of her front yard.

"This wasn't something that was meant to keep animals away," Caliendo said.

Walker is due in court Sept. 12 to face charges of manufacturing marijuana and felony possession of marijuana. A daughter who lives in the home was unaware the plants were in the yard and was not charged, Caliendo said.

....Ahha ... you go Granny !!!!

The whole grass thing is so anal especially in the US. In some states it is not criminal in others it is treated like the worst thing on earth. Typical Americans,,they can never agree on anything within their own country.

One question for those in the know. What is wrong with Grass ?? I have tried the stuff in my youth and never had any effect, good or bad so I cannot figure out what the problem is.

Like booze it makes you feel good.

Like booze it can kill you from lung cancer. Booze of course kills you from liver disease.

Other than that whats the problem

A recent article in the Toronto star hinted that our problem with the stuff is that the Americans don't like our approach to possibly legalizing it. I say $crew the Americans.. This is Canada and they have nothing to say.

That's arguable.

A recent article in the Toronto star hinted that our problem with the stuff is that the Americans don't like our approach to possibly legalizing it. I say $crew the Americans.. This is Canada and they have nothing to say.

Nor do we have the right to tell them how many guns they can own, right?

[proudtobeadp]

This never got in the news but it should have! A friend of mine was yakking on the phone with me from Florida when something got his attention outside sounding like his dog. He mentioned he would check on his dog tied up outside and just put down the phone to to so telling me he would be right back. Moments later he told me he would call me back because he had to deal with a big F'nn snake and hung up! Wow!

About 2 hours later he called me back and told me at the time of the call he went out to find a big snake putting a death grip on this Great Dane cross female dog and the snake had her down. Excusing himself he hung up on me to get his gun but not wanting to shoot his dog too be opted for his propane torch, his mobile phone and called 911. With his torch he flammed the snake and got it corned into his fence while he called emergency. 911 sent him an animal control team who then proceeded to want $50.00 to take away his wayward pet!

The wayward pet not being his (a 12 foot pythin snake) he refused to pay them anything as it was not his but some one else's problem. They refused to take away the snake so he stepped forward to finish the snake off at which point they relented, netted and took the snake away. He examined his dog at a vet where he found the dog had 2 broken ribs that cost $50.00 for the examination though there was no way to deal with the broken ribs that would heal anyway. The insult to injury came a week later when in the mail he was mailed a bill for animal control services for taking away the errant snake with a threat that if he did not pay it it would be added to his property taxes for the next property tax year!

Nice to be a pet owner isn't it these days!