CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. - A 28-year-old woman may have kept the body of her roommate in their apartment for up to three weeks, police said. An anonymous caller told police in Wayne County's Canton Township on Tuesday night that the woman was living in the apartment with her dead roommate.

"Our detectives knocked at the door and the woman opened it and there is that odor, and you know right away what it is," Detective Rick Pomorski told The Detroit News.

The body of the woman, believed to be in her 20s, was found covered by items of clothing on the living room floor. The 28-year-old tenant was cooperative with police and accompanied them to headquarters for questioning. She is not under arrest, Pomorski said.

"She knew her roommate was there lying on the living room floor," the detective said. "She did give us a story as to her reasonings. We are hesitant to detail that now. We will be piecing everything together and expect to have better answers when we hear from the medical examiner."

Police said they tentatively identified the victim, but declined to release a name.

Labels: bizarre, creepy, humorous, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, strange, weird

A 43-YEAR-OLD German decided to settle his imminent divorce by chainsawing a family home in two and making off with his half in a forklift truck.

Police in the eastern town of Sonneberg said the trained mason measured the single-storey summer house - which was some eight metres long and six metres wide - before chainsawing through the wooden roof and walls.

“The man said he was just taking his due,” a police spokesman said.

“But I don't think his wife was too pleased.”

After finishing the job, the man picked up his half with the forklift truck and drove to his brother's house where he has since been staying.

Labels: bizarre, chainsaw divorce, funny, funny news, humorous, news, oddball humor, oddball news, strange, weird

Betting weary-but-wealthy baby boomers are willing to do just that, mattress companies are fluffing up their selections of ultra-luxe beds that retail for more than the cost of cars, college tuition and parcels of land.

With a heart-stopping price tag approaching $50,000 — $49,500 to be exact, although the price will climb to $59,750 in April — the Vividus bed launched last year by the Swedish manufacturer Hastens is among the most expensive sold in the U.S.

But the Vividus, which means “full of life” in Latin, is just the latest bed to target a growing consumer appetite for high-end beds made from materials such as latex, flax, memory foam, silk, cashmere, lambswool and hand-tufted horse hair.

“If you could have beautiful, incredible sleep, what’s that worth?” said David Perry, bedding editor of the trade publication Furniture/Today. “The whole idea is pamper yourself, you’re worth it, go for it, live the dream, sleep on a cloud. That has some appeal.”

But it’s the luxury market that’s behind much of the trend. Premium-priced mattresses — those costing more than $1,000 — were 21 percent of sales in 2005, the latest data available, up from 14 percent in 2000.

But does paying a small fortune for a bed ensure the perfect snooze? It depends who you ask.

Chicago attorney Charlotte Wager, 42, has spent more than $13,000 in the past three years to buy Hastens mattresses for herself and two of her children. Wager said she likes the beds and their 25-year warranty so much that she’s considering buying two more for her older children.

“You want to be able to go to bed at night and rejuvenate and rest and recuperate,” Wager said. “And to me, the mattress is an investment in that.”

Labels: bizarre, comedy, funny, funny news, humorous, interesting, news, oddball humor, oddball news, strange, weird

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — Was she casting spells or teaching spelling?

In an unfolding trial, lawyers are debating a former teacher's claims in a $2 million federal lawsuit that she was improperly fired from Hampton Bays elementary school because administrators and others thought she was a witch.

Lauren Berrios, 37, who denies ever practicing witchcraft, sued in 2001 after she was fired following her second year as a reading specialist teacher. She has since moved to the Atlanta area, where she is working as a teacher. The trial in the lawsuit began Wednesday in New York.

While the school district was not under obligation to explain why Berrios was not granted tenure, its lawyer claimed Wednesday that Berrios didn't get along with co-workers, had a condescending attitude and was eventually reported to Child Protective Services after telling tales about imaginary injuries to her own son.

"It's been quite a long time since we've seen a witch trial in this country," defense attorney Steven Stern told a jury during opening statements in U.S. District Court.

But an attorney for Berrios, John Ray, said during his opening statement Wednesday that Berrios was terminated by the principal at the time, Andrew Albano, "after he decided she was a witch." Albano was a born-again Christian who thrust his religion on the public school, Ray said, and viewed Berrios as suspect.

"He brought his religion into the school," Ray said, claiming the principal would have children sing "Jesus Loves All the Children of the World" over the school's public address system, and make other pro-Christian pronouncements. "He was foisting his own brand of Christianity on the school."

Stern countered that Berrios told co-workers once about going to a coven meeting and taught students about the Salem witch trials, but insisted her firing "had nothing to do with anyone thinking that she was a witch."

Stern said co-workers will testify during the trial that Berrios fabricated stories, including that her husband was in a plane crash and that her 2-year-old son required surgeries and suffered debilitating injuries. She reportedly told others that her son's fingers were severed when his hand was caught in a VCR, prompting her to send a letter to the school staff warning of the dangers of VCRs, Stern said.

Labels: bizarre, comedy, dumb lawsuits, fired for being a witch, funny, funny news, new york news, news, odd, oddball humor, strange, weird, witchcraft allegations

RACINE, Wis. - A judge imposed $50,000 cash bond Friday for a man accused of cutting off his electronic monitoring bracelet to ride by limousine to Chicago and be on "The Jerry Springer Show." Defense lawyer Margaret Johnson argued against the high bond, noting that Mario Sims, 21, of Racine, is already being held on $20,000 cash bond on a bail jumping charge.

She said a second bond was unnecessary, but Racine County Circuit Judge Emily Mueller disagreed.

"A significant bond is legally necessary given the fact he absconded, admittedly for one of the more unique reasons I've heard in my time on the bench," the judge said before Sims was taken to Racine County Jail.

Sims had been freed on a signature bond of $50,000 after repeated delays of his trial on charges filed in 2004 of child enticement and first-degree sexual assault of a child.

According to court records, Sims was out of jail about three weeks when he cut off the bracelet and missed a court date Sept. 6.

His defense attorney at the time, Domingo Cruz, told the judge his client was seen getting into the television show's limousine.

The judge then issued a warrant for his arrest.

Sims appeared on an episode of the show aired last fall.

A TV.com Web site teaser for it said: "Outrageous nuptials! Returning guest Mario is a proud father and is ready to marry his baby's mother - who's also his half-sister ...."

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sims next Thursday on the bail jumping charge.

The 2004 case remains pending. A prosecutor said the primary witnesses had moved to Indianapolis and had not yet been contacted about proceeding with the case.

A message The Associated Press left Friday night for Johnson, seeking further comment, was not immediately returned.

Goosey's imaginings...

I guess this kind of puts a crimp in the producers' efforts to complete their "How to avoid your home arrest so you can go on TV and tell the world about your ho and beat that fool down that done stole her" self-help kit they send to potential guests.

I actually thought this was one of the pre-requisites on the screening questionnaire they had...

Labels: bizarre, comedy, dumb criminals, funny, funny news, Jerry Springer, odd, oddball humor, racine man cuts off bracelet, Springer, strange, weird

FOLSOM, Calif. - The mother of a 13-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly driving her son to a fight with another boy, then cheering him on as he struck his smaller opponent. Police say the mother shouted down another woman who tried to break up the fight across from Sutter Middle School on Monday. A student caught the scene on video.

Renee Ann Honnold, 37, of Folsom, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of two felonies, endangering the life or health of a child and criminal conspiracy, as well as contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor. Her son was cited for suspicion of misdemeanor battery.

"In my eight years I have never seen anything like this," Folsom Police Officer Kurt Knudsen said. "You can hear her on the tape shouting, 'Hit him! Hit him!' The kid is throwing serious punches."

Gayle Williams, who was parked nearby waiting to pick up her son, said she tried to intervene as Honnold's son pinned the other boy down and hit him.

"I thought she (Honnold) was coming to help me, but then she told me to mind my own business. She was out of control," Williams said. "Her rage put me in a defensive mode."

Knudsen said the fight was brief and neither boy was seriously injured. Both boys were suspended for five days.

Kim Williams, the mother of the boy who was beaten and who is no relation to the witness, said it was not fair to suspend her son.

"I don't think my son had a choice (to take part in the fight). Even if he kept walking, this mother would have kept after him," she said.

Labels: bad parenting, bizarre, comedy, folsom mother arrested, funny, news, odd, oddball humor, strange, weird