Jockstrip: The world as we know it

850 horns play taps across New York

BATH, N.Y., May 22 (UPI) -- More than 850 horn players have lined 41 miles of rural New York roads to play a cascading rendition of taps, the Washington Post reported Sunday.

Organizers said the event, which took place on Armed Forces Day, was designed to highlight the scarcity of buglers at veterans' funerals.

The song, dubbed "Echo Taps" by organizers, began at Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira, and then overlapped from one instrument to the next through a string of small towns from Painted Post to Campbell to Savona, finishing nearly three hours later at Bath National Cemetery.

"This is just a way of paying tribute to our veterans and hopefully bringing more buglers into the fold," said organizer Les Hampton, a Corning Inc. engineer who served on a Navy destroyer in the Vietnam War. "If there's a selfish reason for doing this, I just hope that when my time comes that I have a live bugler."

Due to a shortage of buglers, taps are usually delivered to military funerals via CD a push-button "ceremonial bugle."

Students use rap to learn Shakespeare

CEDAR PARK, Texas, May 22 (UPI) -- A Texas school is using rap to help students learn the works of William Shakespeare.

Teacher Lisa Dahlstrom of the Running Brushy Middle School in Leander, Texas, told the Austin American-Statesman using rap is a fun way to introduce the 16th-century writer in preparation for studying the plays in high school

She said her students write their thoughts and ideas in rhyme, use some sort of beat, and then the words are performed.

"Shakespeare was for his time what a rapper is for our time," she said. "It's a non-threatening way for (students) to explore the world of Shakespeare."

Dahlstrom, who has been a teacher for nine years, says she got the rapping idea from an episode of the now-defunct TV show "Boston Public."

Pope's former car to go on tour

NEW YORK, May 22 (UPI) -- The head of the Internet casino GoldenPalace.com presented a check for nearly $250,000 to the owner of a used car once owned by Pope Benedict XVI.

More than 8.5 million people viewed the auction on eBay.com for Pope Benedict XVI's previously owned 1999 Volkswagen Golf, according to a statement by GoldenPalace.com.

A team from GoldenPalace.com presented the check for the car to seller Benjamin Halbe on the German television show "Stern TV" in front of an audience of 3 million, according to GoldenPalace.com Chief Executive Officer Richard Rowe.

Rowe said he plans to take the compact car on a worldwide tour.

Houston dog park named best

HOUSTON, May 22 (UPI) -- Dog Fancy magazine has named Houston's Millie Bush Bark Park the best pooch-promenade park in the country, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday.

Millie Bush Bark Park -- named for former President George H.W. Bush's late springer spaniel -- was opened 1 1/2 years ago by Harris County Precinct 3. The 15-arcre park features three man-made ponds, walkways, and fake fire hydrants.

"Never-say-die supporters waged a five-year campaign to open Millie Bush, Houston's first dog park, inside George Bush Park," the magazine said in its June edition.

"And was this Texas-size jewel ever worth the wait."

Dog Fancy editor Susan Chaney said the magazine took nominations from readers and then evaluated the 60 most oft-mentioned parks. Each of the top 10 parks will receive $10,000 each, she said.