NEW HARMONY, Ind. (AP) - It's a giant zucchini to the rescue. At least naturalist Sally Roth hopes so. She's putting a monster veggie from her garden up for auction on e-Bay. Proceeds will go to help repair a clock in the tiny southwestern Indiana town of New Harmony. It's going to cost more than $16,000 to repair the 1924 clock located in a tower. Its chime can be heard all over town. The Evansville Courier & Press reports the zucchini is the size of a Wiffle ball bat. As of last night, bidding on the giant zuke had topped $140.
EATING CIGARETTES
ELMHURST, N.Y. (AP) - Richie Magic is picking a strange way to kick the habit.
He says he'll never smoke again after chewing up 200 lit cigarettes. The
Scarsdale, N.Y., magician is claiming a new world's record for "orally
extinguishing, chewing and expelling" a carton of cigarettes. He says he chewed
up the smoking smokes in 6 minutes, 3.7 seconds. He performed his stunt in front
of kids at a magic shop. Mr. Magic says the kids told him it was so disgusting
"they'd never smoke."
BIGGEST MARIACHI BAND
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) - Ay, ay, ay, ay! Guadalajara finally boasts the
world's biggest mariachi band. A total of 549 musicians got together to win the
record for the birthplace of mariachi in Mexico yesterday. They played several
songs in just over 10 minutes. A rep of Guinness World Records made it official
at the International Mariachi Festival. Organizers say the old record belonged
to 520 mariachis, who performed in San Antonio, Texas, in 2007.
OLDEST BUNNY
SILVER RUN, Md. (AP) - As bunnies go, Heather is a senior citizen. Guinness
World Records now recognizes the Carroll County, Md., pet as the world's oldest
living rabbit. Owner Jennifer Russell doesn't know exactly how old Heather is --
15 or 16. Guinness says most rabbits live to be only 6 to 8 years old. Heather
is living her golden years in comfort. Russell says Heather spends her days
resting on a comforter, munching on hay and enjoying the sun.
POLICE-WEIGHT LOSS
WASHINGTON (AP) - Forget the doughnut jokes -- but the Washington, D.C., police
department is a lot leaner. According to police officials 800 cops and civilian
employees lost 1,100 pounds in a weight-loss challenge this summer. Police say
almost 200 teams took part. An awards ceremony is scheduled next month and a
second eight-week challenge is planned this fall.
MISSING RING
RENO, Nev. (AP) - David McLaughlin lost his class ring in 1962. Now, nearly half
a century later, he's gotten it back. McLaughlin's ring slipped off his finger
while swimming in Greece. Roger Cullen found it when he was scuba diving in the
same area in 1967. After a decade of searching, Cullen finally tracked down
McLaughlin through the Internet. They met for the first time last week, in Reno,
Nev., where McLaughlin is a retired investor. And Cullen returned McLaughlin's
long-lost ring.
