Woman, 74, Gets Revenge on Gator With Hose
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - An elderly woman, who was bitten by an alligator while working in her backyard, beat back the reptile with a garden hose.
Constance Gittles, 74, of south Punta Gorda was watering plants Tuesday when a nearly 6-foot-long alligator bit her leg just above the ankle.
"I just whacked him right in the snout with the nozzle," she said. "After that, he took off," Gittles told the News-Press of Fort Myers.
Gittles received three puncture wounds and some smaller scrapes and abrasions from her confrontation with the alligator.
A trapper working with wildlife officials later caught the animal in a nearby pond. It will be killed and the hide and meat sold.
TWW'S CRAZY NEWS STORIES
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TexasStooge
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Arizona Cops Suspended for Sex Toy Prank
SAN LUIS, Ariz. (AP) - Two police officers have been suspended for five days without pay for pulling a prank involving a sex toy, the mayor of San Luis said.
Mayor Nieves Riedel said the incident involved an officer who planted a phallic sex toy in a patrol car as a joke on another officer last week. One of the department's sergeants learned about the incident and an investigation led to the discipline.
She said she was briefed by the city's police chief, Heriberto Bejarano.
"Boys are going to be boys," Riedel said, while adding that officers are supposed to set examples for the community and saying the incident was in "bad taste."
"They didn't stop and think. ... You have got to be careful about the things you do because it reflects on you," Riedel said.
Police spokesman Ernesto Lugo declined to discuss specifics, but said such cases are treated as sexual harassment by the department.
"We have a policy against sexual harassment, against playing with stuff like that in the workplace," Lugo said.
___
Information from: The Sun
SAN LUIS, Ariz. (AP) - Two police officers have been suspended for five days without pay for pulling a prank involving a sex toy, the mayor of San Luis said.
Mayor Nieves Riedel said the incident involved an officer who planted a phallic sex toy in a patrol car as a joke on another officer last week. One of the department's sergeants learned about the incident and an investigation led to the discipline.
She said she was briefed by the city's police chief, Heriberto Bejarano.
"Boys are going to be boys," Riedel said, while adding that officers are supposed to set examples for the community and saying the incident was in "bad taste."
"They didn't stop and think. ... You have got to be careful about the things you do because it reflects on you," Riedel said.
Police spokesman Ernesto Lugo declined to discuss specifics, but said such cases are treated as sexual harassment by the department.
"We have a policy against sexual harassment, against playing with stuff like that in the workplace," Lugo said.
___
Information from: The Sun
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Cops Say Woman Charged Surgery to Bosses
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. (AP) - A woman stole her employer's credit cards and identity to steal more than $12,000, some of which went for breast enlargement surgery, police allege.
Jerri Ann Cozza, 35, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on Monday for investigation of 27 counts of first-degree identity theft, 26 counts of forgery and three counts of second-degree theft.
While working for Liberty Lake Medical Supply last year, Cozza stole her boss's identity, money, credit cards and a payroll check, court documents allege.
Cozza misappropriated $12,734 for breast implants, repairs to her Dodge Durango, new furniture, telephone bills and a variety of other purchases, Liberty Lake police Officer Erin Lance alleged in a report.
Cozza's surgery occurred about the time Christy and Daniel Chamberlain, owners of the medical supply company, noticed office supplies and petty cash were disappearing, Lance wrote.
One of the Chamberlains' credit cards to charge $5,136 worth of breast implant surgery. The total came to $8,433 because 19.9 percent interest was added to the unpaid balance, Lance reported.
Cozza told Christy Chamberlain the breast surgery was being covered by insurance because one of her breasts had to be removed because of cancer, the police report said. But the Chamberlains later discovered there was nothing medically wrong with Cozza's breasts and the surgery was for cosmetic implants.
Unaware they had paid for Cozza's surgery, the Chamberlains went to her home on Dec. 15 to fire her for the other alleged thefts. They sat on new furniture bought with one of their credit cards, according to Lance's report.
Two weeks later, someone using Cozza's address applied for credit cards under Christy Chamberlain's name, court records indicate.
___
Information from: The Spokesman-Review
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. (AP) - A woman stole her employer's credit cards and identity to steal more than $12,000, some of which went for breast enlargement surgery, police allege.
Jerri Ann Cozza, 35, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on Monday for investigation of 27 counts of first-degree identity theft, 26 counts of forgery and three counts of second-degree theft.
While working for Liberty Lake Medical Supply last year, Cozza stole her boss's identity, money, credit cards and a payroll check, court documents allege.
Cozza misappropriated $12,734 for breast implants, repairs to her Dodge Durango, new furniture, telephone bills and a variety of other purchases, Liberty Lake police Officer Erin Lance alleged in a report.
Cozza's surgery occurred about the time Christy and Daniel Chamberlain, owners of the medical supply company, noticed office supplies and petty cash were disappearing, Lance wrote.
One of the Chamberlains' credit cards to charge $5,136 worth of breast implant surgery. The total came to $8,433 because 19.9 percent interest was added to the unpaid balance, Lance reported.
Cozza told Christy Chamberlain the breast surgery was being covered by insurance because one of her breasts had to be removed because of cancer, the police report said. But the Chamberlains later discovered there was nothing medically wrong with Cozza's breasts and the surgery was for cosmetic implants.
Unaware they had paid for Cozza's surgery, the Chamberlains went to her home on Dec. 15 to fire her for the other alleged thefts. They sat on new furniture bought with one of their credit cards, according to Lance's report.
Two weeks later, someone using Cozza's address applied for credit cards under Christy Chamberlain's name, court records indicate.
___
Information from: The Spokesman-Review
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Michigan Boy, 9, Records a Hole-In-One
HOPE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A 9-year-old boy celebrated what some golfers can only dream of, making a hole-in-one during his first round this season.
Porter Brown, who began golfing last year, went to The Gully Golf Course in Midland County with his father and younger brother Monday morning and recorded the ace on the 125-yard sixth hole.
"We were high-fiving each other, jumping around and screaming," Brown's father, Jay, told the Midland Daily News for a story published Wednesday. "We were really proud of the whole situation. It's really nice to have the boys out on the course this year."
The father and brother were the only witnesses, but course officials don't doubt it happened.
"There's no question in our minds that the boy got it," owner Jerry Clark told The Associated Press. His wife, Alma, was working at the time.
"I know he did it," said Alma Clark, who said she saw the scorecard. "They were all ecstatic. It's nice to see little kids golf like that.
"It was indeed an exciting day at the course for that family," she said, adding that it was the Browns' first time at the course. "I know they'll back."
The course plans to present Porter, who shot a 42 on the nine-hole, par-3 course, with a hole-in-one trophy in honor of his accomplishment.
Jerry Clark said someone makes a hole-in-one at the course about three times per year. The course, about 10 miles northwest of Midland, is seven years old.
_____________________________________________________________
This kid could easily be the next Tiger Woods.
HOPE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A 9-year-old boy celebrated what some golfers can only dream of, making a hole-in-one during his first round this season.
Porter Brown, who began golfing last year, went to The Gully Golf Course in Midland County with his father and younger brother Monday morning and recorded the ace on the 125-yard sixth hole.
"We were high-fiving each other, jumping around and screaming," Brown's father, Jay, told the Midland Daily News for a story published Wednesday. "We were really proud of the whole situation. It's really nice to have the boys out on the course this year."
The father and brother were the only witnesses, but course officials don't doubt it happened.
"There's no question in our minds that the boy got it," owner Jerry Clark told The Associated Press. His wife, Alma, was working at the time.
"I know he did it," said Alma Clark, who said she saw the scorecard. "They were all ecstatic. It's nice to see little kids golf like that.
"It was indeed an exciting day at the course for that family," she said, adding that it was the Browns' first time at the course. "I know they'll back."
The course plans to present Porter, who shot a 42 on the nine-hole, par-3 course, with a hole-in-one trophy in honor of his accomplishment.
Jerry Clark said someone makes a hole-in-one at the course about three times per year. The course, about 10 miles northwest of Midland, is seven years old.
_____________________________________________________________
This kid could easily be the next Tiger Woods.
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Hydrant Returned After Bedroom Stint
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - The hydrant in the bedroom was the elephant in the living room. A 400-pound, green and yellow fire hydrant apparently spent more than 30 years in the upstairs bedroom of a Yakima couple's home before it was returned recently to the West Valley Fire District, after the man's death.
The wife discovered clippings from the Yakima Herald-Republic that detailed how the hydrant had disappeared in June 1975. She called West Valley Fire Chief Dave Leitch late last month and offered to return it, the newspaper said.
"I think it's just kind of neat that something like that ever came back," Lt. Walter Lindsey said.
Lindsey, who joined the department as a volunteer in 1968, said the hydrant was used during training for "make and break" competitions. The drills were popular in the 1970s and '80s as a way for firefighters to practice laying hose and connecting hydrants.
Lindsey said the hydrant apparently fell from a truck while its crew was returning from a practice.
It's not known how the heavy object got to the couple's upstairs bedroom.
Leitch said the wife told him that whenever she would ask about the unusual piece of property, her husband got defensive and wouldn't respond.
"She would ask a couple of times and finally she just gave up, so there it sat," Leitch said.
The hydrant's new home will be at the district's headquarters station.
___
Information from: Yakima Herald-Republic
YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) - The hydrant in the bedroom was the elephant in the living room. A 400-pound, green and yellow fire hydrant apparently spent more than 30 years in the upstairs bedroom of a Yakima couple's home before it was returned recently to the West Valley Fire District, after the man's death.
The wife discovered clippings from the Yakima Herald-Republic that detailed how the hydrant had disappeared in June 1975. She called West Valley Fire Chief Dave Leitch late last month and offered to return it, the newspaper said.
"I think it's just kind of neat that something like that ever came back," Lt. Walter Lindsey said.
Lindsey, who joined the department as a volunteer in 1968, said the hydrant was used during training for "make and break" competitions. The drills were popular in the 1970s and '80s as a way for firefighters to practice laying hose and connecting hydrants.
Lindsey said the hydrant apparently fell from a truck while its crew was returning from a practice.
It's not known how the heavy object got to the couple's upstairs bedroom.
Leitch said the wife told him that whenever she would ask about the unusual piece of property, her husband got defensive and wouldn't respond.
"She would ask a couple of times and finally she just gave up, so there it sat," Leitch said.
The hydrant's new home will be at the district's headquarters station.
___
Information from: Yakima Herald-Republic
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Pa. Man Catches 54-Pound, 49-Inch Carp
ERIE, Pa. (AP) - Dennis Russian just might have a record catch. On Tuesday, the 59-year-old from New Alexandria nabbed a monster fish — a 49-inch-long carp that unofficially weighs 54 pounds, 4 ounces.
"That's the biggest fish I've ever seen pulled out of Lake Erie," said Gary Heubel, owner of Poor Richard's Bait and Tackle Shops, when asked to weigh the fish.
If the fish Russian shot with a fiberglass arrow weighs the same on state-approved scales, it would be a Pennsylvania record.
The record for the largest carp caught in the state was 52 pounds in 1962 in the Juniata River, said Dan Tredinnick of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
The state does not rank fish by length or girth, only by weight.
For Russian's fish to be declared a record, it has to be weighed on a certified scale — those that are inspected by state Weights and Measures officials, Tredinnick said. Such scales are at post offices, butcher shops and grocery stores.
If the fish is heavy enough, Russian has to submit paperwork documenting the catch to the Fish and Boat Commission, which will have a biologist inspect the fish to make sure it is a carp and that there is nothing artificially inflating its weight, such as lead pellets.
"It was really nice to get a record," Russian said. "It was an ugly, yellow-bellied thing. Makes good raccoon bait."
Russian said he planned on taking the carp home, "chop it up and feed it to the skunks and possum. It's good for the ecology."
_____________________________________________________________
Nothing compares to the giant catfish the people in TX caught.
ERIE, Pa. (AP) - Dennis Russian just might have a record catch. On Tuesday, the 59-year-old from New Alexandria nabbed a monster fish — a 49-inch-long carp that unofficially weighs 54 pounds, 4 ounces.
"That's the biggest fish I've ever seen pulled out of Lake Erie," said Gary Heubel, owner of Poor Richard's Bait and Tackle Shops, when asked to weigh the fish.
If the fish Russian shot with a fiberglass arrow weighs the same on state-approved scales, it would be a Pennsylvania record.
The record for the largest carp caught in the state was 52 pounds in 1962 in the Juniata River, said Dan Tredinnick of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
The state does not rank fish by length or girth, only by weight.
For Russian's fish to be declared a record, it has to be weighed on a certified scale — those that are inspected by state Weights and Measures officials, Tredinnick said. Such scales are at post offices, butcher shops and grocery stores.
If the fish is heavy enough, Russian has to submit paperwork documenting the catch to the Fish and Boat Commission, which will have a biologist inspect the fish to make sure it is a carp and that there is nothing artificially inflating its weight, such as lead pellets.
"It was really nice to get a record," Russian said. "It was an ugly, yellow-bellied thing. Makes good raccoon bait."
Russian said he planned on taking the carp home, "chop it up and feed it to the skunks and possum. It's good for the ecology."
_____________________________________________________________
Nothing compares to the giant catfish the people in TX caught.
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Perpetual Student Wants One More Year
WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) - Despite his 12 years as an undergraduate student, Johnny Lechner realized something was missing from his academic record: he'd never studied abroad.
And so, the 29-year-old perpetual student who was expected to finally graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater withdrew his application for graduation Monday, five days before commencement.
"I realized that if I went one more year, I could study abroad," Lechner said. "That's one thing I haven't done."
Lechner's extended academic career has made him a celebrity of sorts. His never-ending student life has been featured in newspapers and on network television shows, not to mention campus publications across the nation.
By this spring he had completed 234 college credits, or about 100 more than needed to graduate, and was taking seven more.
That qualified him for the so-called "slacker tax," instituted this school year by the UW Board of Regents to help cover the state subsidy for students who stay long past the usual four of five years to earn an undergraduate degree.
It calls for students who exceed 165 total credit hours or 30 more than their degree programs require — whichever is higher — to pay double tuition.
Lechner said he didn't start out to be a long-term student, but it just developed once he realized how much fun he was having at college.
Had he graduated, he would have earned a liberal studies degree in education, communications, theater, health and women's studies.
Michelle Eigenberger, an editor at The Royal Purple, said Lechner may have achieved celebrity status, but most students are tired of it.
"It's getting old," she said. "For the sanity of the rest of the campus, we want him to get out of here."
WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) - Despite his 12 years as an undergraduate student, Johnny Lechner realized something was missing from his academic record: he'd never studied abroad.
And so, the 29-year-old perpetual student who was expected to finally graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater withdrew his application for graduation Monday, five days before commencement.
"I realized that if I went one more year, I could study abroad," Lechner said. "That's one thing I haven't done."
Lechner's extended academic career has made him a celebrity of sorts. His never-ending student life has been featured in newspapers and on network television shows, not to mention campus publications across the nation.
By this spring he had completed 234 college credits, or about 100 more than needed to graduate, and was taking seven more.
That qualified him for the so-called "slacker tax," instituted this school year by the UW Board of Regents to help cover the state subsidy for students who stay long past the usual four of five years to earn an undergraduate degree.
It calls for students who exceed 165 total credit hours or 30 more than their degree programs require — whichever is higher — to pay double tuition.
Lechner said he didn't start out to be a long-term student, but it just developed once he realized how much fun he was having at college.
Had he graduated, he would have earned a liberal studies degree in education, communications, theater, health and women's studies.
Michelle Eigenberger, an editor at The Royal Purple, said Lechner may have achieved celebrity status, but most students are tired of it.
"It's getting old," she said. "For the sanity of the rest of the campus, we want him to get out of here."
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TexasStooge
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Warhol Soup Can Painting Sells for $11.7M
NEW YORK (AP) - An early iconoclastic work by Andy Warhol of a Campbell's soup can has sold for $11.7 million at auction.
The Christie's sale of postwar and contemporary art Tuesday night also saw spirited bidding for three other early Warhol works.
"Small Torn Campbell's Soup Can (Pepper Pot)," a hand-painted work from 1962 showing a large soup can with a torn label, was purchased by Manhattan dealer Larry Gagosian, Christie's said, reportedly for Los Angeles collector and financier Eli Broad.
It was consigned to the auction by Los Angeles art dealer Irving Blum, the auction house said, and had been estimated to sell for $10 million to $15 million.
Warhol's "S&H Green Stamps (64 S&H Green Stamps)," another work done in 1962, was sold to an unidentified telephone bidder for $5.1 million, after five people tried to buy it. It had been estimated to sell for $1.5 million.
The pop artist's silk screen portrait, "Brigitte Bardot," reportedly consigned by German industrialist Gunter Sachs who married the film sex siren in the 1960s, went for $3 million to another telephone bidder. And an unidentified Asian dealer fetched Warhol's 1964 "Flowers," a grouping of 16 silk screens, for $3.9 million, the auction house said.
All sale prices include a buyer's premium of 20 percent of the first $200,000 and 12 percent thereafter.
_____________________________________________________________
You can see this piece of artwork on E!'s "The Soup".
NEW YORK (AP) - An early iconoclastic work by Andy Warhol of a Campbell's soup can has sold for $11.7 million at auction.
The Christie's sale of postwar and contemporary art Tuesday night also saw spirited bidding for three other early Warhol works.
"Small Torn Campbell's Soup Can (Pepper Pot)," a hand-painted work from 1962 showing a large soup can with a torn label, was purchased by Manhattan dealer Larry Gagosian, Christie's said, reportedly for Los Angeles collector and financier Eli Broad.
It was consigned to the auction by Los Angeles art dealer Irving Blum, the auction house said, and had been estimated to sell for $10 million to $15 million.
Warhol's "S&H Green Stamps (64 S&H Green Stamps)," another work done in 1962, was sold to an unidentified telephone bidder for $5.1 million, after five people tried to buy it. It had been estimated to sell for $1.5 million.
The pop artist's silk screen portrait, "Brigitte Bardot," reportedly consigned by German industrialist Gunter Sachs who married the film sex siren in the 1960s, went for $3 million to another telephone bidder. And an unidentified Asian dealer fetched Warhol's 1964 "Flowers," a grouping of 16 silk screens, for $3.9 million, the auction house said.
All sale prices include a buyer's premium of 20 percent of the first $200,000 and 12 percent thereafter.
_____________________________________________________________
You can see this piece of artwork on E!'s "The Soup".
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TexasStooge
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'Blondie' cartoonist to open sandwich chain
By Robert Green
CLEARWATER, Florida (Reuters) - The oversized sandwiches lovingly constructed by Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip will soon be on real-life menus thanks to cartoonist Dean Young, the character's alter-ego.
Young said on Thursday the first of his Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes should open this summer in Clearwater and then spread across the United States and internationally.
"This is a dream come true for me," Young, 66, said at a news conference. He said he has been collecting sandwich recipes for over 20 years.
Young's father, Chic Young, created "Blondie" in 1930 and he took over the strip when his father died in 1973. It has more than 250 million readers in 2,300 newspapers in 55 countries.
One of Dagwood's passions has been eating, especially the multi-layered sandwiches of cold-cuts and leftovers he often has before going to bed.
Those Dagwood sandwiches will be the featured item at the new restaurants. The 1-1/2-pound (0.68-kg) Dagwood includes ham, salami, pepperoni, mortadella, cappicola, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, red pepper and a secret Italian spread on three slices of bread topped with an olive skewer.
For those with smaller appetites, the menu includes roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken curry and Cuban sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads, desserts, beer and wine.
The restaurants will be decorated with pictures of "Blondie" characters and a giant plasma screen will show comic strips.
Sandwiches are the fastest growing segment of the restaurant industry, according to Dagwood co-founder Lamar Berry.
"This is an opportunity to become the leader of this category," said Berry, who was an executive with Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Dagwood's will face strong competition from sandwich chains like Subway, Quiznos and Blimpie, local restaurants and the deli counters of grocery stores.
Berry said he hoped the chain could have 250 shops in operation after two years and 1,000 within three years.
The company plans to expand by selling 90 area franchises. The owners of those territories will then sell individual store franchises.
The headquarters will be in Clearwater, where Young lives and has his studio. He will continue producing "Blondie" with the help of his daughter Dana Coston, who he is grooming to take over the strip.
This is not the first time that the "Blondie" characters have been used commercially. A series of 28 "Blondie" movies were made starting in the 1930s and there also were Blondie radio and television shows and even a Blondie slot machine used in many casinos.
When Chic Young started the strip, Dagwood was a rich playboy and one of Blondie's boyfriends. To make the strip more relevant to readers who were affected by the Depression, Young had Dagwood's parents disown him after he married Blondie in 1933, forcing him to get a job.
By Robert Green
CLEARWATER, Florida (Reuters) - The oversized sandwiches lovingly constructed by Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip will soon be on real-life menus thanks to cartoonist Dean Young, the character's alter-ego.
Young said on Thursday the first of his Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes should open this summer in Clearwater and then spread across the United States and internationally.
"This is a dream come true for me," Young, 66, said at a news conference. He said he has been collecting sandwich recipes for over 20 years.
Young's father, Chic Young, created "Blondie" in 1930 and he took over the strip when his father died in 1973. It has more than 250 million readers in 2,300 newspapers in 55 countries.
One of Dagwood's passions has been eating, especially the multi-layered sandwiches of cold-cuts and leftovers he often has before going to bed.
Those Dagwood sandwiches will be the featured item at the new restaurants. The 1-1/2-pound (0.68-kg) Dagwood includes ham, salami, pepperoni, mortadella, cappicola, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, red pepper and a secret Italian spread on three slices of bread topped with an olive skewer.
For those with smaller appetites, the menu includes roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken curry and Cuban sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads, desserts, beer and wine.
The restaurants will be decorated with pictures of "Blondie" characters and a giant plasma screen will show comic strips.
Sandwiches are the fastest growing segment of the restaurant industry, according to Dagwood co-founder Lamar Berry.
"This is an opportunity to become the leader of this category," said Berry, who was an executive with Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Dagwood's will face strong competition from sandwich chains like Subway, Quiznos and Blimpie, local restaurants and the deli counters of grocery stores.
Berry said he hoped the chain could have 250 shops in operation after two years and 1,000 within three years.
The company plans to expand by selling 90 area franchises. The owners of those territories will then sell individual store franchises.
The headquarters will be in Clearwater, where Young lives and has his studio. He will continue producing "Blondie" with the help of his daughter Dana Coston, who he is grooming to take over the strip.
This is not the first time that the "Blondie" characters have been used commercially. A series of 28 "Blondie" movies were made starting in the 1930s and there also were Blondie radio and television shows and even a Blondie slot machine used in many casinos.
When Chic Young started the strip, Dagwood was a rich playboy and one of Blondie's boyfriends. To make the strip more relevant to readers who were affected by the Depression, Young had Dagwood's parents disown him after he married Blondie in 1933, forcing him to get a job.
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'Blondie' cartoonist to open sandwich chain
By Robert Green
CLEARWATER, Florida (Reuters) - The oversized sandwiches lovingly constructed by Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip will soon be on real-life menus thanks to cartoonist Dean Young, the character's alter-ego.
Young said on Thursday the first of his Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes should open this summer in Clearwater and then spread across the United States and internationally.
"This is a dream come true for me," Young, 66, said at a news conference. He said he has been collecting sandwich recipes for over 20 years.
Young's father, Chic Young, created "Blondie" in 1930 and he took over the strip when his father died in 1973. It has more than 250 million readers in 2,300 newspapers in 55 countries.
One of Dagwood's passions has been eating, especially the multi-layered sandwiches of cold-cuts and leftovers he often has before going to bed.
Those Dagwood sandwiches will be the featured item at the new restaurants. The 1-1/2-pound (0.68-kg) Dagwood includes ham, salami, pepperoni, mortadella, cappicola, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, red pepper and a secret Italian spread on three slices of bread topped with an olive skewer.
For those with smaller appetites, the menu includes roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken curry and Cuban sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads, desserts, beer and wine.
The restaurants will be decorated with pictures of "Blondie" characters and a giant plasma screen will show comic strips.
Sandwiches are the fastest growing segment of the restaurant industry, according to Dagwood co-founder Lamar Berry.
"This is an opportunity to become the leader of this category," said Berry, who was an executive with Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Dagwood's will face strong competition from sandwich chains like Subway, Quiznos and Blimpie, local restaurants and the deli counters of grocery stores.
Berry said he hoped the chain could have 250 shops in operation after two years and 1,000 within three years.
The company plans to expand by selling 90 area franchises. The owners of those territories will then sell individual store franchises.
The headquarters will be in Clearwater, where Young lives and has his studio. He will continue producing "Blondie" with the help of his daughter Dana Coston, who he is grooming to take over the strip.
This is not the first time that the "Blondie" characters have been used commercially. A series of 28 "Blondie" movies were made starting in the 1930s and there also were Blondie radio and television shows and even a Blondie slot machine used in many casinos.
When Chic Young started the strip, Dagwood was a rich playboy and one of Blondie's boyfriends. To make the strip more relevant to readers who were affected by the Depression, Young had Dagwood's parents disown him after he married Blondie in 1933, forcing him to get a job.
By Robert Green
CLEARWATER, Florida (Reuters) - The oversized sandwiches lovingly constructed by Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip will soon be on real-life menus thanks to cartoonist Dean Young, the character's alter-ego.
Young said on Thursday the first of his Dagwood's Sandwich Shoppes should open this summer in Clearwater and then spread across the United States and internationally.
"This is a dream come true for me," Young, 66, said at a news conference. He said he has been collecting sandwich recipes for over 20 years.
Young's father, Chic Young, created "Blondie" in 1930 and he took over the strip when his father died in 1973. It has more than 250 million readers in 2,300 newspapers in 55 countries.
One of Dagwood's passions has been eating, especially the multi-layered sandwiches of cold-cuts and leftovers he often has before going to bed.
Those Dagwood sandwiches will be the featured item at the new restaurants. The 1-1/2-pound (0.68-kg) Dagwood includes ham, salami, pepperoni, mortadella, cappicola, cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, red pepper and a secret Italian spread on three slices of bread topped with an olive skewer.
For those with smaller appetites, the menu includes roast beef, corned beef, pastrami, chicken curry and Cuban sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads, desserts, beer and wine.
The restaurants will be decorated with pictures of "Blondie" characters and a giant plasma screen will show comic strips.
Sandwiches are the fastest growing segment of the restaurant industry, according to Dagwood co-founder Lamar Berry.
"This is an opportunity to become the leader of this category," said Berry, who was an executive with Popeyes Fried Chicken.
Dagwood's will face strong competition from sandwich chains like Subway, Quiznos and Blimpie, local restaurants and the deli counters of grocery stores.
Berry said he hoped the chain could have 250 shops in operation after two years and 1,000 within three years.
The company plans to expand by selling 90 area franchises. The owners of those territories will then sell individual store franchises.
The headquarters will be in Clearwater, where Young lives and has his studio. He will continue producing "Blondie" with the help of his daughter Dana Coston, who he is grooming to take over the strip.
This is not the first time that the "Blondie" characters have been used commercially. A series of 28 "Blondie" movies were made starting in the 1930s and there also were Blondie radio and television shows and even a Blondie slot machine used in many casinos.
When Chic Young started the strip, Dagwood was a rich playboy and one of Blondie's boyfriends. To make the strip more relevant to readers who were affected by the Depression, Young had Dagwood's parents disown him after he married Blondie in 1933, forcing him to get a job.
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TexasStooge
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Cop Accused of Taser Mishap at Roll Call
EAST WINDSOR, Conn. (AP) - A police officer was arrested Wednesday on allegations he accidentally fired his Taser gun and injured another officer at the police department this week.
Officer John Scavotto was charged with reckless endangerment and third-degree assault. He was released on $2,500 bond and is to be arraigned Thursday at Enfield Superior Court.
The injured officer, who was not named, was struck in the mouth and neck area by the Taser's two darts, which deliver electricial charges. He was treated and released from Hartford Hospital and is expected to return to work Monday, police said.
Chief Edward J. DeMarco Jr. said the accident happened during a roll call Monday afternoon. Police said Scavotto pointed the Taser at the other officer and it accidentally discharged.
Scavotto, an 18-year veteran of the force, has been placed on paid leave pending the criminal investigation and an internal affairs review, police said. The injured officer has been with the department for four years.
EAST WINDSOR, Conn. (AP) - A police officer was arrested Wednesday on allegations he accidentally fired his Taser gun and injured another officer at the police department this week.
Officer John Scavotto was charged with reckless endangerment and third-degree assault. He was released on $2,500 bond and is to be arraigned Thursday at Enfield Superior Court.
The injured officer, who was not named, was struck in the mouth and neck area by the Taser's two darts, which deliver electricial charges. He was treated and released from Hartford Hospital and is expected to return to work Monday, police said.
Chief Edward J. DeMarco Jr. said the accident happened during a roll call Monday afternoon. Police said Scavotto pointed the Taser at the other officer and it accidentally discharged.
Scavotto, an 18-year veteran of the force, has been placed on paid leave pending the criminal investigation and an internal affairs review, police said. The injured officer has been with the department for four years.
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Missing Manure Mystifies Middlefield
MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio (AP) - A case of missing manure in this Amish community has a village street cleaner so upset that she reported the messy poop pilferer to police.
It seems that someone, perhaps a home gardener, is taking manure droppings from hitching rail posts outside stores in Middlefield, located about 30 miles east of Cleveland.
The hitching posts are a common site in the Amish country of Geauga County and are used by Amish to secure their buggy horses while they shop.
Lisza Wright, who gets paid $25,000 a year by Middlefield to clean the three dozen hitching rail areas daily, told police last month that someone has been taking manure, with the manure left behind getting spread out and packed down, making her job harder.
Police Chief Joe Stehlik suspects a gardener looking for fertilizer.
MIDDLEFIELD, Ohio (AP) - A case of missing manure in this Amish community has a village street cleaner so upset that she reported the messy poop pilferer to police.
It seems that someone, perhaps a home gardener, is taking manure droppings from hitching rail posts outside stores in Middlefield, located about 30 miles east of Cleveland.
The hitching posts are a common site in the Amish country of Geauga County and are used by Amish to secure their buggy horses while they shop.
Lisza Wright, who gets paid $25,000 a year by Middlefield to clean the three dozen hitching rail areas daily, told police last month that someone has been taking manure, with the manure left behind getting spread out and packed down, making her job harder.
Police Chief Joe Stehlik suspects a gardener looking for fertilizer.
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Shotgun Goes Off at Auction, Shooting Two
BELLEVUE, Iowa (AP) - An auction to benefit a family whose home burned down went off with a bang. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. Darrell Clasen and John Moellers were both shot when a 10-gauge shotgun accidentally discharged at the auction on Sunday.
Police said a 10-year-old boy put a shell in the gun, which was on a table of things to be auctioned. A man later picked up the gun and it discharged, police said.
Moellers was hit in the shoulder. Clasen was struck in the arm. Both men were taken to a the hospital where they were treated and released.
Clasen said he heard the gun go off.
"It was loud," he said. "I could see the smoke from the gun and then I felt it. It didn't hurt, but it was like a burning sensation."
Clasen said both he and Moellers were going to be OK. He said no one is holding a grudge.
"Everybody learned a lesson," he said.
There were about 200 people at the benefit and the boy apparently was able to put the shell in the gun unnoticed because of the noise of the crowd, police said.
The benefit was being held for a family whose home burned down last month.
___
Information from: Telegraph Herald
BELLEVUE, Iowa (AP) - An auction to benefit a family whose home burned down went off with a bang. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt. Darrell Clasen and John Moellers were both shot when a 10-gauge shotgun accidentally discharged at the auction on Sunday.
Police said a 10-year-old boy put a shell in the gun, which was on a table of things to be auctioned. A man later picked up the gun and it discharged, police said.
Moellers was hit in the shoulder. Clasen was struck in the arm. Both men were taken to a the hospital where they were treated and released.
Clasen said he heard the gun go off.
"It was loud," he said. "I could see the smoke from the gun and then I felt it. It didn't hurt, but it was like a burning sensation."
Clasen said both he and Moellers were going to be OK. He said no one is holding a grudge.
"Everybody learned a lesson," he said.
There were about 200 people at the benefit and the boy apparently was able to put the shell in the gun unnoticed because of the noise of the crowd, police said.
The benefit was being held for a family whose home burned down last month.
___
Information from: Telegraph Herald
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TexasStooge
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Workers Take 227 Animals From Calif. Home
HESPERIA, Calif. (AP) - Workers wearing gas masks removed 227 animals that were in "deplorable" condition from a home that reeked of urine, authorities said.
The final tally included 98 guinea pigs, 84 cats, 27 dogs, 14 rabbits, 3 potbellied pigs and 1 bird, Code Compliance Supervisor Tony Genovesi said Wednesday.
Two of the pigs had such severely injured hooves that they had turned them in and were walking on a higher point on their legs, officials said.
"I'm surprised they're not all sick with upper respiratory infections because they're breathing straight ammonia," said Susan Bradley, a kennel technician with the animal control department.
Hesperia homeowners are allowed to keep six cats, six dogs and 65 cage animals, Genovesi said. All of the animals were removed from the home because of the bad health conditions, he said.
The residents will get back the ones they're allowed to own once the home is fit for their habitation, he said.
It was unclear why the residents kept so many animals.
A person at the home declined to comment to the Victorville Daily Press.
Officials said they learned of the conditions at the home on Friday, when they served an unrelated warrant on a residence across the street.
Authorities previously visited the home in August 2004 and removed dozens of animals, Genovesi said.
___
Information from: Daily Press
HESPERIA, Calif. (AP) - Workers wearing gas masks removed 227 animals that were in "deplorable" condition from a home that reeked of urine, authorities said.
The final tally included 98 guinea pigs, 84 cats, 27 dogs, 14 rabbits, 3 potbellied pigs and 1 bird, Code Compliance Supervisor Tony Genovesi said Wednesday.
Two of the pigs had such severely injured hooves that they had turned them in and were walking on a higher point on their legs, officials said.
"I'm surprised they're not all sick with upper respiratory infections because they're breathing straight ammonia," said Susan Bradley, a kennel technician with the animal control department.
Hesperia homeowners are allowed to keep six cats, six dogs and 65 cage animals, Genovesi said. All of the animals were removed from the home because of the bad health conditions, he said.
The residents will get back the ones they're allowed to own once the home is fit for their habitation, he said.
It was unclear why the residents kept so many animals.
A person at the home declined to comment to the Victorville Daily Press.
Officials said they learned of the conditions at the home on Friday, when they served an unrelated warrant on a residence across the street.
Authorities previously visited the home in August 2004 and removed dozens of animals, Genovesi said.
___
Information from: Daily Press
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TexasStooge
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Police Search for Caiman in Austrian Lake
VILLACH, Austria (AP) - "No swimming" signs went up Thursday at an Austrian lake after locals reported that it was harboring a crocodile-like creature in the waters.
A daylong search of the Silbersee — a lake near Austria's westernmost city of Villach — turned up nothing suspicious despite recent reported sightings of what experts believe is a caiman, an American crocodile. But police declared the lake and its beach off limits to visitors.
Several locals said the creature was nearly 5 feet long. Experts speculated it was set free by someone aghast at how large his pet had grown.
State-run Austrian broadcaster ORF reported on its Web site that the search would resume Friday.
VILLACH, Austria (AP) - "No swimming" signs went up Thursday at an Austrian lake after locals reported that it was harboring a crocodile-like creature in the waters.
A daylong search of the Silbersee — a lake near Austria's westernmost city of Villach — turned up nothing suspicious despite recent reported sightings of what experts believe is a caiman, an American crocodile. But police declared the lake and its beach off limits to visitors.
Several locals said the creature was nearly 5 feet long. Experts speculated it was set free by someone aghast at how large his pet had grown.
State-run Austrian broadcaster ORF reported on its Web site that the search would resume Friday.
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TexasStooge
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Wis. Couple Marry at Jelly Bean Store
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - Even the giant jelly bean went formal when Lori Woolery married Daymon Tracy at the Jelly Belly Store on Wednesday. "We were looking for something different," Woolery said. 'It's just a really fun place."
She was walked down the aisle by a big, bright red candy — or at least a costumed candy impersonator — in top hat and gold bow tie.
That sight was enough to amaze 6-year-old Jack Downey from Elk River, Minn., visiting the store with his aunt.
"Why would a girl want to marry a jelly bean?" he asked.
But Woolery actually was marrying Tracy and decided on a weekday schedule to accommodate his job as a truck driver.
The Rev. Larry Schneekloth, pastor of Markham Lutheran Church in Markham, Ill., performed the ceremony in a corner of the store known as Jelly Belly Junction.
"Lori grew up in my parish so she called and asked if I would perform the ceremony and I said, `Of course.' That was before I knew where it was," Schneekloth said.
After she told him the location, the pastor said, "I gulped and said `yes' anyway."
William Kelley, vice chairman of the Jelly Belly Candy Co., drove from the company offices in North Chicago, Ill., to be on hand for the event at the Jelly Belly Center, which opened in 2001.
After the ceremony, the couple and the wedding party took a ride on the Jelly Belly train that carries visitors on a tour of the premises.
"We put a `just married' sign on it," said store manager Mary Plebanek.
___
Information from: Kenosha News
_____________________________________________________________
And to celebrate, their wedding cake was topped with Bertie Botts Every Flavor Jelly Beans (from the "Harry Potter" movies).
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - Even the giant jelly bean went formal when Lori Woolery married Daymon Tracy at the Jelly Belly Store on Wednesday. "We were looking for something different," Woolery said. 'It's just a really fun place."
She was walked down the aisle by a big, bright red candy — or at least a costumed candy impersonator — in top hat and gold bow tie.
That sight was enough to amaze 6-year-old Jack Downey from Elk River, Minn., visiting the store with his aunt.
"Why would a girl want to marry a jelly bean?" he asked.
But Woolery actually was marrying Tracy and decided on a weekday schedule to accommodate his job as a truck driver.
The Rev. Larry Schneekloth, pastor of Markham Lutheran Church in Markham, Ill., performed the ceremony in a corner of the store known as Jelly Belly Junction.
"Lori grew up in my parish so she called and asked if I would perform the ceremony and I said, `Of course.' That was before I knew where it was," Schneekloth said.
After she told him the location, the pastor said, "I gulped and said `yes' anyway."
William Kelley, vice chairman of the Jelly Belly Candy Co., drove from the company offices in North Chicago, Ill., to be on hand for the event at the Jelly Belly Center, which opened in 2001.
After the ceremony, the couple and the wedding party took a ride on the Jelly Belly train that carries visitors on a tour of the premises.
"We put a `just married' sign on it," said store manager Mary Plebanek.
___
Information from: Kenosha News
_____________________________________________________________
And to celebrate, their wedding cake was topped with Bertie Botts Every Flavor Jelly Beans (from the "Harry Potter" movies).
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TexasStooge
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Groomer Launches Web Radio for Dogs
By The Associated Press
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A Thai entrepreneur has launched an Internet radio station to put dogs in a better mood.
Anupan Boonchuen, director of a dog grooming school, said he launched Dog Radio Thailand this week because he has seen music improve the mood of dogs he grooms.
During classes, he turns on music for the dogs because "the music puts the dogs in a good mood and they're more willing to let the groomers handle them," he said.
The programming on dogradiothailand.com mainly comprises Thai pop music, but Boonchuen plans to expand offerings in which the disc jockey will "talk to the dogs in Thai," and the canine listener will be encouraged to respond.
"At 9 a.m., we may have a dog greeting show, in which we'll repeat 'sawasdee' ('hello') over and over... If we say 'sawasdee,' in some houses, the dog may lift both paws in response. In some houses, the dog may lift only one paw. It depends on how the dog was trained," Anupan said.
He said, "If we play a slow song, we may have the DJ howl... because dogs howl, too, when they hear sad sounds."
_____________________________________________________________
Also playing on that station is "Bow Wow (That's My Name)" by Lil' Bow Wow.
By The Associated Press
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A Thai entrepreneur has launched an Internet radio station to put dogs in a better mood.
Anupan Boonchuen, director of a dog grooming school, said he launched Dog Radio Thailand this week because he has seen music improve the mood of dogs he grooms.
During classes, he turns on music for the dogs because "the music puts the dogs in a good mood and they're more willing to let the groomers handle them," he said.
The programming on dogradiothailand.com mainly comprises Thai pop music, but Boonchuen plans to expand offerings in which the disc jockey will "talk to the dogs in Thai," and the canine listener will be encouraged to respond.
"At 9 a.m., we may have a dog greeting show, in which we'll repeat 'sawasdee' ('hello') over and over... If we say 'sawasdee,' in some houses, the dog may lift both paws in response. In some houses, the dog may lift only one paw. It depends on how the dog was trained," Anupan said.
He said, "If we play a slow song, we may have the DJ howl... because dogs howl, too, when they hear sad sounds."
_____________________________________________________________
Also playing on that station is "Bow Wow (That's My Name)" by Lil' Bow Wow.
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TexasStooge
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Britons floss with screwdrivers - study
LONDON, England (Reuters) - More than 60 percent of Britons use items such as screwdrivers, scissors and earrings to remove food from between their teeth, according to a survey on Friday.
The National Dental Survey found that when it comes to oral hygiene, people use whatever is close to hand to pick their teeth.
More than 60 percent questioned by the Dental Health Foundation said they used makeshift items, which included knives, keys, needles and forks.
The survey also found that 23 percent of people choose to leave food stuck between their teeth, increasing the risk of gum disease and bad breath, the foundation, which promotes oral health, said in a statement.
_____________________________________________________________
Here's another method, use a drill to get the food out of your teeth.
LONDON, England (Reuters) - More than 60 percent of Britons use items such as screwdrivers, scissors and earrings to remove food from between their teeth, according to a survey on Friday.
The National Dental Survey found that when it comes to oral hygiene, people use whatever is close to hand to pick their teeth.
More than 60 percent questioned by the Dental Health Foundation said they used makeshift items, which included knives, keys, needles and forks.
The survey also found that 23 percent of people choose to leave food stuck between their teeth, increasing the risk of gum disease and bad breath, the foundation, which promotes oral health, said in a statement.
_____________________________________________________________
Here's another method, use a drill to get the food out of your teeth.
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TexasStooge
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Cheesemakers create "Stilton" perfume
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Some say Britain's pungent blue-veined Stilton cheese smells of old socks. But its fans have turned the rare odour into a perfume.
The Stilton Cheese Makers Association commissioned an aromatics firm to create Eau de Stilton, described on the association's Web site as featuring a "symphony of natural base notes including Yarrow, Angelica seed, Clary Sage and Valerian".
"Blue Stilton cheese has a very distinctive mellow aroma and our perfumier was able to capture the key essence of that scent and recreate it in an unusual but highly wearable perfume," said an association spokesman.
The perfume will be available from http://www.stiltoncheese.com.
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Some say Britain's pungent blue-veined Stilton cheese smells of old socks. But its fans have turned the rare odour into a perfume.
The Stilton Cheese Makers Association commissioned an aromatics firm to create Eau de Stilton, described on the association's Web site as featuring a "symphony of natural base notes including Yarrow, Angelica seed, Clary Sage and Valerian".
"Blue Stilton cheese has a very distinctive mellow aroma and our perfumier was able to capture the key essence of that scent and recreate it in an unusual but highly wearable perfume," said an association spokesman.
The perfume will be available from http://www.stiltoncheese.com.
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TexasStooge
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W.Africans chew hedgehogs as bird flu bites
By Loucoumane Coulibaly
ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Smoked antelope, hedgehog and bush rat sales at Madeleine Aka's Abidjan market stall have never been so brisk.
"There is a huge demand for bush meat ever since the government said there was bird flu in Abidjan," said Aka, sitting on a stool in a muddy market place in the populous Yopougon district of Ivory Coast's main city.
Last week, veterinary authorities confirmed Ivory Coast had the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has killed more than 100 people around the world since 2003.
So far West Africa has no confirmed human infections, though across the continent five Egyptians have died from bird flu.
And Djibouti said on Thursday a 2-year-old girl had caught H5N1 in sub-Saharan Africa's first human case, as it became Africa's seventh country to confirm the presence of the virus.
World Health Organisation officials fear that in West Africa human cases may have simply gone undetected due to inadequate health services.
Antelope, snails and agouti -- rabbit-sized rodents also called bush rats or grasscutters -- have long been enjoyed as delicacies in Ivory Coast and nearby countries. But bush meat traders say demand has soared since the government started culling chickens and banned poultry sales in much of Abidjan.
"Mushroom consumption has also increased," Aka said. "Customers ask for them because they are cheaper than meat. I'm selling nearly 8,000 CFA francs (eight pounds) of mushrooms a day now. A few months ago I was selling 1,500 to 2,000 CFA francs a day."
Nutritionists say mushrooms are rich in essential amino acids, making them a good substitute for chicken meat and eggs, which are important dietary components for many Africans.
Traders and shoppers say some other alternatives have become more difficult to come by for the average household as demand for other meat and fish increases across the region, even in countries which have so far escaped the virus' spread.
"Previously I could easily feed my family fish for 1,500 CFA francs. But now it is difficult, even for 2,500 CFA," said Khadjidja, a mother of five shopping in N'Djamena in landlocked Chad, which consumes a lot of fish from Lake Chad.
Residents in other countries say prices for fish and beef have shot up due to bird flu. As far south as Gabon in central Africa, the price of meat has surged by a third to $2 per kg, according to the state statistics body.
Demand for chicken has plummeted.
"A few months ago we were slitting the throats of 3,000 chickens a month. Now we're hardly doing 1,000, and all because of this bird flu which has not even arrived in Chad," said Abdelaziz, who manages an eatery called "The Youngsters' Place".
"AFRICAN FATALISM"
Some have not been scared off chicken and eggs, but have become more careful about their eating habits.
"I'm still eating them, but I make sure they are well cooked," said Joel Kuegan, a radio presenter in Benin. The WHO says poultry is safe to eat if thoroughly cooked to at least 70 degrees Celsius (158 Fahrenheit).
"Even when I buy cooked eggs or grilled chicken in town, I cook it again at home," Kuegan said.
But for many Africans bird flu is just another threat to precarious life eked out on the continent amid widespread poverty, hunger and a myriad of diseases.
"There is a kind of obsession about bird flu, but some people are still eating chicken, saying that only God can end a man's life on earth. That's African fatalism," said Chadian sociologist Beosso Djerabe.
Nigerian street trader Benjamin Ajayi said he, like many Africans, could hardly afford chicken.
"But bird flu or not, if I get chicken even now, I will gladly eat it," he said.
(Additional reporting by Betel Miarom, Tume Ahemba, Abdoulaye Massalatchi, Orla Ryan, Paawana Abalo, John Zodzi and Antoine Lawson)
By Loucoumane Coulibaly
ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Smoked antelope, hedgehog and bush rat sales at Madeleine Aka's Abidjan market stall have never been so brisk.
"There is a huge demand for bush meat ever since the government said there was bird flu in Abidjan," said Aka, sitting on a stool in a muddy market place in the populous Yopougon district of Ivory Coast's main city.
Last week, veterinary authorities confirmed Ivory Coast had the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has killed more than 100 people around the world since 2003.
So far West Africa has no confirmed human infections, though across the continent five Egyptians have died from bird flu.
And Djibouti said on Thursday a 2-year-old girl had caught H5N1 in sub-Saharan Africa's first human case, as it became Africa's seventh country to confirm the presence of the virus.
World Health Organisation officials fear that in West Africa human cases may have simply gone undetected due to inadequate health services.
Antelope, snails and agouti -- rabbit-sized rodents also called bush rats or grasscutters -- have long been enjoyed as delicacies in Ivory Coast and nearby countries. But bush meat traders say demand has soared since the government started culling chickens and banned poultry sales in much of Abidjan.
"Mushroom consumption has also increased," Aka said. "Customers ask for them because they are cheaper than meat. I'm selling nearly 8,000 CFA francs (eight pounds) of mushrooms a day now. A few months ago I was selling 1,500 to 2,000 CFA francs a day."
Nutritionists say mushrooms are rich in essential amino acids, making them a good substitute for chicken meat and eggs, which are important dietary components for many Africans.
Traders and shoppers say some other alternatives have become more difficult to come by for the average household as demand for other meat and fish increases across the region, even in countries which have so far escaped the virus' spread.
"Previously I could easily feed my family fish for 1,500 CFA francs. But now it is difficult, even for 2,500 CFA," said Khadjidja, a mother of five shopping in N'Djamena in landlocked Chad, which consumes a lot of fish from Lake Chad.
Residents in other countries say prices for fish and beef have shot up due to bird flu. As far south as Gabon in central Africa, the price of meat has surged by a third to $2 per kg, according to the state statistics body.
Demand for chicken has plummeted.
"A few months ago we were slitting the throats of 3,000 chickens a month. Now we're hardly doing 1,000, and all because of this bird flu which has not even arrived in Chad," said Abdelaziz, who manages an eatery called "The Youngsters' Place".
"AFRICAN FATALISM"
Some have not been scared off chicken and eggs, but have become more careful about their eating habits.
"I'm still eating them, but I make sure they are well cooked," said Joel Kuegan, a radio presenter in Benin. The WHO says poultry is safe to eat if thoroughly cooked to at least 70 degrees Celsius (158 Fahrenheit).
"Even when I buy cooked eggs or grilled chicken in town, I cook it again at home," Kuegan said.
But for many Africans bird flu is just another threat to precarious life eked out on the continent amid widespread poverty, hunger and a myriad of diseases.
"There is a kind of obsession about bird flu, but some people are still eating chicken, saying that only God can end a man's life on earth. That's African fatalism," said Chadian sociologist Beosso Djerabe.
Nigerian street trader Benjamin Ajayi said he, like many Africans, could hardly afford chicken.
"But bird flu or not, if I get chicken even now, I will gladly eat it," he said.
(Additional reporting by Betel Miarom, Tume Ahemba, Abdoulaye Massalatchi, Orla Ryan, Paawana Abalo, John Zodzi and Antoine Lawson)
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