The Odd Truth, Nov. 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.

EL PASO, Texas - Border agents last week landed a meaty bust, seizing 756 pounds of bologna arranged into the shape of a car seat and covered with blankets in a man's pickup.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 81 rolls of Mexican bologna Friday at the Paso Del Norte bridge as the pickup entered the United States.

"It puts the ultimate consumer at risk," said customs spokesman Roger Maier. "Who knows how long these products have gone without refrigeration or without proper handling?"

Children were sitting on top of the illegal load before it was discovered, Maier said. The rear seat had been removed from the extended-cab pickup and the bologna was put in its place.

He said the agency plans to pursue civil penalties against the Mexican man driving the truck. Maier said the agency won't release the man's name until the case goes to trial.

Maier said the bologna goes for about $1 a roll in Juarez. When it is sold to a customer in the United States, it can go for between $5 and $10 a roll, he said.

Skin Cancer Claims Snowflake

BARCELONA, Spain - Snowflake, an extremely rare albino gorilla and the most popular resident of Barcelona Zoo, died of skin cancer early Monday morning, zoo officials said.

Zoo officials put the elderly gorilla to sleep after his health deteriorated in recent days, zoo officials said. Snowflake, Copito de Nieve in Spanish, had been dying of skin cancer since 2001.

The gorilla was thought to be between 38 and 40 years old. The average life span in the wild is 25. In his 37 years at the Barcelona zoo, he fathered 22 offspring with three different females. None is albino.

"Until the end Copito enjoyed a fantastic quality of life, interacting normally with his children and grandchildren," said the zoo's chief and veterinarian, Jesus Fernandez. "Lately though, he deteriorated quickly. In the past four or five days we noticed signs of pain and suffering and so decided to practice euthanasia."

Not enough studies have been done to know how many albino gorillas may live in the wild, but they are extremely rare and Snowflake was the only albino kept in captivity.

The gorilla's wrinkly white face is on postcards all over the city. He was a main character in a novel and even had memoirs written in his name.

In September, officials announced his imminent death, and since then Barcelona citizens had flocked to the zoo to say their good-byes to the often grouchy animal, the city's mascot.

"Copito has been an unforgettable companion for our city and we all feel regret at losing him," Barcelona Mayor Joan Clos said. "He's made a great contribution to his species by making the plight of gorillas more known, and the best thing we can do for him now is to continue that work."

Blinded Bandit Busted

MODESTO, Calif. - An alleged bank robber identified by witnesses because he forgot to cut eye holes in his disguise has been arrested - a few blocks from where he pulled off the flawed caper, police said.

Stephen David Walker was spotted Thursday afternoon walking down a Modesto street near the Oak Valley Community Bank branch police say he robbed on Monday.

Walker, 49, was booked at the Stanislaus County Jail on a bank robbery charge, Modesto Police Detective Tom Blake said.

Police said Walker wore a square piece of flannel under a hat and draped over his head during the heist. But, without eyeholes, the bandit was forced to repeatedly lift the front corner of the cloth so he could see where he was walking, Blake said.

Before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect bumped into a door headfirst, knocking off his hat, Blake said, and giving witnesses a look at his face.

Stressed Turkeys Find Musical Release

LONDON - Christmas can be stressful, not least if you're a turkey.

But relaxed birds are better, so the National Farmers Union has come up with a soothing plan.

Officials said Monday the organization has sent 114 farmers a compact disk of sounds including birds twittering in the early morning, wind chimes, whale sounds and the gobble of "happy turkeys," to play to their birds.

"It is well known that a stressed bird is more prone to disease," said a spokesman.

"Most of its energy goes into being frightened rather than growing and putting on weight. Many farmers who already play radios in sheds where they keep turkeys also believe the birds taste nicer. The CD is designed to find out what type of music calms birds the most."

The National Farmers' Union came up with the plan after consulting animal behavior experts at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, where the world's first cloned animal, Dolly the sheep, was produced.

Kansas Town Passes Manditory Gun Law

GEUDA SPRINGS, Kansas - Residents of this tiny south-central Kansas community have passed an ordinance requiring most households to have guns and ammunition.

Noncomplying residents would be fined $10 under the ordinance, passed 3-2 earlier this month by City Council members who thought it would help protect the town of 210 people. Those who suffer from physical or mental disabilities, paupers and people who conscientiously oppose firearms would be exempt.

"This ordinance fulfills the duty to protect by allowing each individual householder to provide for his or her protection," said Councilman John Brewer.

"This is simply using the U.S. Constitution - Second Amendment in particular - to the city of Geuda Springs' advantage."

Geuda Springs has no local police force; the Sumner County Sheriff's department is responsible for policing the area. Sheriff Gerald Gilkey said the ordinance makes him concerned for the safety of his officers.

"This throws up red flags," he said.

The town's city attorney, Thomas Herlocker, also opposes the measure, which has not taken effect because it has yet to be published. He said he plans to ask the council to reverse itself on the issue. The council meets next on Dec. 1.

Many Geuda Springs residents refused to talk about it, and others were tightlipped, saying outsiders should stay out of it.

"It's nobody's business but our own," said Phillip Russell, who owns a motorcycle shop in the town. "Everybody out of town is making this their business."

Compost: Kill Two Deer With, Uh, One Car

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The hundreds of deer killed by cars and trucks as they wander onto roads could spur new life - along the roadside.

Under a new program in Lehigh County, deer carcasses would be taken to a compost facility and turned into raw material for fertilizer to nurture plants along the roads.

The carcasses are now hauled to private landfills or pits on state game lands, and the roadkill recycling plan could save the state money as well as provide fertilizer.

"It's a win-win situation," said Douglas Killough, regional director of the state Game Commission. "The carcasses could be utilized in a more ecological way than by wasting them."

The deer would decompose in three to nine months, creating compost that would be tested for safety before being used, county compost specialist Cary Oshins said.

The state Department of Transportation now hires a contractor for $26,000 a year to haul away 600 to 650 dead deer from state roads in the county. The disposal price per deer has jumped over the years because landfills are requiring more permits from contractors.

"You can compost anything," said environmental engineer Bill Prince of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "You can compost me and you."

The Sweet Side Of Vladimir Putin

MOSCOW - The sweeter side of President Vladimir Putin has gone on display in Moscow: a portrait of the Russian leader entirely in chocolate.

Luxury chocolate-maker Konfael created the edible portrait of Putin on a 3.3-pound slab of white chocolate. Other kinds of chocolate flesh out the likeness - while strawberry juice colors his lips and blueberry juice shades his tie.

The chocolate-makers say the chocolate Putin is a work of art, and they are pricing it at $700. Only two have been created.

"I would regret eating such a portrait," said a shopper, who only gave her first name, Lisa.

Konfael employees said the portraits are attracting attention but no buyers so far. And the clock is ticking - in a year, the chocolate will turn stale.

The chocolate portrait is just the latest homage to Putin, who has already been flattered in books and songs. His face is plastered on T-shirts, posters and matryoshka nesting dolls - most of which can be bought for under $10 at souvenir stalls around the country.