The Odd Truth, Jan. 24, 2003
The Odd Truth is a collection of strange but factual news stories from around the world compiled by CBSNews.com's Brian Bernbaum. A new collection of stories is published each weekday. On weekends, you can read a week's worth of The Odd Truth.
Doctor Accused Of Uterus Branding
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A woman is accusing her doctor of branding her uterus with his alma mater's initials before removing the organ during a hysterectomy.
Stephanie Means and her husband sued Dr. James Guiler on Wednesday, seeking unspecified damages for emotional distress.
The lawsuit said a videotape of the surgery clearly shows the University of Kentucky booster using a cauterizing tool to write "UK" in letters 2 inches high.
"They want to see that it isn't done to other women," said the couple's attorney, Michael Dean. He added: "This is bizarre. I've never seen anything like this."
Guiler did not immediately return calls Friday.
The doctor performed the surgery Aug. 14 at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington.
Guiler received his medical degree from the university and last year was a sponsor of Wildcat Madness, a fund-raiser for the school's basketball museum.
In New York, an obstetrician lost his medical license after carving his initials into a patient's abdomen in 1999. Dr. Allan Zarkan's lawyer said Zarkan had a brain disorder.
Who's The Bigger Idiot?
LONDON — A radio station that challenged listeners to win concert tickets by sitting on blocks of dry ice was fined 15,000 pounds ($24,000) Friday after three contestants suffered serious burns that left them permanently scarred.
Two women and a man were hospitalized for two months and had to undergo skin grafts after taking part in station BRMB's "Coolest Seats in Town" competition. They sat on the blocks of dry ice — frozen carbon dioxide with a surface temperature of -108 Fahrenheit — for more than 45 minutes.
"My life has changed forever and it is never going to be what it was," said one of the contestants, 27-year-old Helen Terry.
"I don't think I will ever be able to wear shorts or a skirt again, and it has had a major effect on the kind of activities I can do with my kids."
"It was never our intention to place anyone in jeopardy, and we sincerely apologize to the participants and their families for their injuries and distress," said Paul Davies, group operations director for the station's parent company, Capital Radio Group.
In 1999, the radio station was criticized for running a competition in which two strangers got married in return for a honeymoon in the Bahamas, a sports car and a luxury apartment. The wedding sparked outrage among church leaders, who contended it reduced the sanctity of marriage to a game show. The couple split up less than three months later.
Cruelty To Animal Really Backfires
WINCHESTER, Va. - Police say a man tried to beat his dog to death with a shotgun -- but wound up shooting himself to death instead.
Police say the Winchester, Virginia, man called his wife at work and told her that their dog had bitten him and he intended to kill it.
His wife told police she went home and found Raymond Poore Junior unconscious and covered with dog bites. She called an ambulance.
Emergency medical personnel discovered that Poore had been shot in the abdomen. He was pronounced dead at Winchester Medical Center.
Police say the shotgun must have gone off while Poore was using it to beat the 30-pound Shar-pei. The stock of the weapon was broken and there appeared to be blood and dog hair on it.
A Winchester animal control officer took custody of the dog. There's no word on how badly it was injured.
British Courtesy Goes Too Far
LONDON - It gives new meaning to the term "letter of the law."
A British police force announced Friday it has come up with a new measure to combat crime — a polite letter asking persistent offenders to mend their ways.
On Friday morning, 22 men and women in Wiltshire county, southern England, received personal letters from Inspector Geoff Miles telling them they have a choice — get back on the straight and narrow or be targeted by police.
The letters were hand delivered to a group of repeat offenders who have been convicted of offenses including burglary, violence and drug and alcohol-related crime.
"I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that, due to your criminal activity, your name appears on the above data and has highlighted you as a persistent offender," said the letters.
The letter helpfully suggests that the offender "make it a priority in any New Year's resolutions you make from 2003 onwards, to cease forthwith your criminal activities."
"Of course, I'm hoping they will say: 'You're absolutely right officer, I will stop my criminal ways,'" Miles said. "But we are being realistic. I'm sure some will be angry. These are career criminals but we are career police officers. Sending these letters will not do any harm."
Deranged Danes Play Nazi Hide And Seek
COPENHAGEN - A scout group in Denmark now admits that it "may have crossed the line."
The group organized a game of tag in which adults pretending to be Nazis chased children dressed as Jews around a phony concentration camp.
The scout group even put up swastikas and Nazi-type signs. And it had the children wear yellow Stars of David as they were pursued around a school yard.
A woman whose two daughters took part tells the Ekstra Bladet newspaper she was "shocked" by it.
The Danish Christian FDF scout group includes a dozen Danish-speaking teen-agers from northern Germany.
Wishy-Washy Bank Robber Bungle
LINCOLN, Neb. — Police arrested a man who was restrained by bank employees after he apparently thought better of his plan to commit a robbery.
Police Capt. Allen Soukup said the 27-year-old man entered a Cornhusker Bank branch Thursday and asked to use a phone. Minutes later, the man reached inside his bib overalls and told the teller to give him all the money, Soukup said.
As the teller led him to the vault, she asked if he was sure he really wanted to rob the bank. He first said "Yes," but then said, "No." He then said, "Call the cops."
The man crawled under a swinging door leading to the teller areas and was restrained by bank employees until police arrived, Soukup said.
He was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery.
Good Help Is Hard To Find
SAN DIEGO — The driver of an armored car has vanished — along with more than $100,000, police said.
The Loomis Fargo armored car was found abandoned Thursday with its engine running and door open in downtown San Diego, a few blocks from a major command center police have set up in preparation for the upcoming Super Bowl.
The 29-year-old driver had dropped off a fellow security guard moments earlier at a city administration building for the final pickup of the day, police Lt. Jim Collins said. When the passenger walked out of the building 10 minutes later, the truck was gone.
Police were trying to determine whether the robbery was an inside job.
"We're covering our bases," Collins said. "We're treating it both ways."
Every Cabbie's Dream Come True
SEGUIN, Texas - Texas cabbie Pat Kelly had the fare of a lifetime. He drove a man from Seguin, near San Antonio, to Lansing, Michigan. Kelly says he made $1,000 for the 27-hour drive. Even though Kelly was away from home for half a week, he says it was worth it. He says making a grand isn't a bad way to start the new year. Kelly's big fare was also a good host. The man let Kelly spend the night -- and they watched the Ohio State-Miami game before the cabbie headed home to Texas.
When Unruly Geese Attack!
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A woman who says she was attacked by a 3-foot-tall goose is suing the county, claiming it shouldn't have allowed the bird to roam free in a public park.
Darlene Griffin, 30, claimed the goose lunged at her son on Feb. 5 while he was standing near a pond in Okeeheelee Park. Griffin, a medical assistant, said she jumped in between the goose and her son — and the bird bit her in the foot.
"He was squawking at me and he looked like he was coming at me again," she said.
Griffin claims she fell down while fighting with the animal and broke her tailbone.
The lawsuit asserts the goose had a history of being territorial and aggressive, but the county did not have any warning signs posted.
In its response Jan. 8, the county said it had no duty to warn people of the obvious conditions at the park.
Eric Call, the county's assistant parks director, said the goose was removed from the park after the incident. A few months later, the county hired a trapper to remove 22 geese because they had become unruly.
GPS: Girlfriend Positioning System
KENOSHA, Wis. - It's a case of a satellite stalker. Authorities in Kenosha, Wisconsin, accuse Paul Seidler of using a satellite tracking device to keep tabs on his ex-girlfriend. Connie Adams testified that Seidler was able to follow her every move, thanks to a GPS device police found planted under her hood. The calculator-sized gizmo uses the same technology that guides smart bombs to their targets. The GPS receiver picked up satellite signals and kept a precise electronic record of everywhere she went -- ranging from dates to the dry cleaners. Seidler has pleaded innocent. He's being held on $50,000 bond.