Off the Beat

Headlines

• Judge, dismayed by strange children names in New Zealand, gets 'Talula Does The Hula' renamed

• Portland, Ore., police officer who left his cruiser in a no-parking spot has to pay up

• Humane society workers find 117 cats, a raccoon and a rabbit in a north Omaha house

• Men arrested in Wash. department store break-in found sleeping on stolen hammock, pillows

• California men behind bars after allegedly setting drinking buddy's crotch ablaze

• Ind. pastor breaks with convention, breaks his wrist by using dirt bike as prop during service

• The 'doctor fish' are in: Tiny carp nibble away at scaly feet of Va. spa's pedicure clients

• It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at World Santa Claus Congress in Copenhagen

• New baggy pants law in Chicago suburb: Can't show more than 3 inches of underwear in public

• Gun group tours Boise zoo in southwest Idaho while openly carrying handguns

• Daytona Beach police officer fired for demanding free coffee at Starbucks

• Texas highway reopens after 5,000 gallons of molasses create sticky 'all natural' mess

• Parachutist lands on band at Kansas military ceremony, hurting 3; and yes, the band played on

• Flush with frustration, Seattle sells 5 of its public toilets on eBay for $89,000 each

• Kentucky boy, 11, in reflective vest tracks down speeders with toy radar gun

• Judge: NY man must apologize for donning giant offensive costume at high school graduation

• Fla. cancer survivor celebrates another victory _ a $100,000 dream wedding

• Mich. cities say hundreds of manhole covers stolen

• Hobart, Ind., police officer's squad car wrecked less than half-hour into his 1st day on force

• Dallas police find cocaine in car used by officers

• Mo. gov. cancels ceremony after honorees a no-show

• Smell Tells The Story: Corpse Flower Blooms

• Colorado book borrower must spend time in prison

• Man robbed buying crack calls cops who arrest him

• 'Beer Pong' game's teen-friendly rating criticized

• Judge tells verbose lawyer to make it snappy

• Fake bouts showing men kissing draw suspicion

• Truck rams Concorde, knocks off its nose in NYC

• Ala. police nab Mercedes-climbing goat

• Man out-spits father, claims pit-spitting title

• Man accused of faking heart attacks to avoid bills

• Oregon lawn-chair pilot plans 300-mile flight

• New Zealand man puts up his soul for auction

• Courthouse with dead opossum almost free of fleas

• Woman seeks $30K after her home mistakenly razed

• Man accused of hitting mom with Polish sausage

• Australians making odd choices for funeral songs

• More than 2,000 guitarists appear to set record

• Runway tractor carrying potatoes mashes car

• Nowthen, Minn., I think our city has a name

• Woman crashes into store then tries to buy beer

• Arkansas thieves take bank ATM -- but not its cash

• British student gets credit for expletive on exam

• Giraffe helps camels, zebras escape from circus

• Pair caught skinny dipping in Portland reservoir

• Man auctions life, but disappointed at bid price