From: Dustin Herlich <dherlich@gmail.com>
Date: January 25, 2009 8:58:49 PM EST
To: wusbstaff@2600.com
Subject: Re: [wusbstaff] Weird Stories/Goat detained over armed robbery
Reply-To: wusbstaff@2600.com

Oh man, there isn't much better than that...

On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 5:33 PM, Eva Fasolino <january11th@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dustin,

Here's something you can use....

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE50M4XT20090123?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=69

Goat detained over armed robbery
Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:08pm EST

LAGOS (Reuters) - Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery.

Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323.

"The group of vigilante men came to report that while they were on patrol they saw some hoodlums attempting to rob a car. They pursued them. However one of them escaped while the other turned into a goat," Kwara state police spokesman Tunde Mohammed told Reuters by telephone.

"We cannot confirm the story, but the goat is in our custody. We cannot base our information on something mystical. It is something that has to be proved scientifically, that a human being turned into a goat," he said.

Belief in witchcraft is widespread in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Residents came to the police station to see the goat, photographed in one national newspaper on its knees next to a pile of straw.

****************************************** 
In the NY Metro newspaper Thursday, January 22, 2009:

A woman soccer fan from Hatfield, England has been banned from taking her pet parrot to soccer matches after the bird disrupted a game by constantly imitating the referee's whistle.

[picture of parrot with soccer ball]

****************************************** 

From: BRITISH NEWSPAPERS 
 
Commenting on a complaint from a Mr. Arthur Purdey about a large gas bill, a spokesman for North West Gas said, 'We agree it was rather high for the time of year. It's possible Mr. Purdey has been charged for the gas used up during the explosion that destroyed his house.' 
 
(The Daily Telegraph) 

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Police reveal that a woman arrested for shoplifting had a whole salami in her underwear. When asked why, she said it was because she was missing her Italian boyfriend.
 
(The  Manchester  Evening News)

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Irish police are being handicapped in a search for a stolen van, because they cannot issue a description. It's a Special Branch vehicle and they don't want the public to know what it looks like.
 
(The Guardian)

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A young girl who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast guard spokesman commented, 'This sort of thing is all too common'.
 
(The Times)

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At the height of the gale, the harbourmaster radioed a coast guard and asked him to estimate the wind speed. He replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a gauge. However, if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover off the cliff.
 
(Aberdeen  Evening Express)

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Mrs. Irene Graham of  Thorpe Avenue , Boscombe, delighted the audience with her reminiscence of the German prisoner of war who was sent each week to do her garden. He was repatriated at the end of 1945, she recalled - 'He'd always seemed a nice friendly chap, but when the crocuses came up in the middle of our lawn in February 1946, they spelt out 'Heil Hitler.''
 
(Bournemouth  Evening Echo) 

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HEARD ON THE  LONDON  UNDERGOUND TUBE
 
A list of actual announcements that London Tube train drivers have made to their passengers... 

1) 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I do apologize for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home, unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to the Westbound and go in the opposite direction.' 

2) 'Your delay this evening is caused by the line controller suffering from E & B syndrome: not knowing his elbow from his backside. I'll let you know any further information as soon as I'm given any.' 

3) 'Do you want the good news first or the bad news? The good news is that last Friday was my birthday and I hit the town and had a great time. The bad news is that there is a points failure somewhere between Stratford and East Ham, which means we probably won't reach our destination.' 

4) 'Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the delay, but there is a security alert at Victoria station and we are therefore stuck here for the foreseeable future, so let's take our minds off it and pass some time together. All together now.... 'Ten green bottles, hanging on a wall.....'.' 

5) 'We are now travelling through  Baker Street ... As you can see,  Baker Street  is closed. It would have been nice if they had actually told me, so I could tell you earlier, but no, they don't think about things like that'. 

6) 'Beggars are operating on this train. Please do NOT encourage these professional beggars. If you have any spare change, please give it to a registered charity. Failing that, give it to me.' 

7) During an extremely hot rush hour on the Central Line, the driver announced in a West Indian drawl: 'Step right this way for the sauna, ladies and gentleman... unfortunately, towels are not provided.' 

8) 'Let the passengers off the train FIRST!' (Pause ) 'Oh go on then, stuff yourselves in like sardines, see if I care - I'm going home....' 

9) 'Please allow the doors to close. Try not to confuse this with 'Please hold the doors open.' The two are distinct and separate instructions.' 

10) 'Please note that the beeping noise coming from the doors means that the doors are about to close. It does not mean throw yourself or your bags into the doors.' 

11) 'We can't move off because some idiot has their hand stuck in the door.' 

12) 'To the gentleman wearing the long grey coat trying to get on the second carriage -- what part of 'stand clear of the doors' don't you understand?' 

13) 'Please move all baggage away from the doors.' (Pause..) 'Please move  ALL  belongings away from the doors.' (Pause...) 'This is a personal message to the man in the brown suit wearing glasses at the rear of the train: Put the pie down, Four-eyes, and move your bloody golf clubs away from the door before I come down there and shove them up your bottom sideways!' 

14) 'May I remind all passengers that there is strictly no smoking allowed on any part of the Underground. However, if you are smoking a joint, it's only fair that you pass it round the rest of the carriage.'

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