Jockstrip: The world as we know it

Russian sues NASA over comet probe

MOSCOW, July 6 (UPI) -- A Russian astrologer has sued NASA, claiming the U.S. space agency risked her future and the world's by probing a comet.

Marina Bay is seeking $300 million for "moral trauma," the BBC reports.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was over the moon about Deep Impact, its successful probing of Comet Tempel 1. But in Moscow, the reaction appears to be different.

"Nobody has yet proven that this experiment was safe," Bay's lawyer, Alexander Molokhov, told the BBC. "This impact could have altered the orbit of the comet, so now there is a chance that the Tempel may well destroy the Earth some day!"

Bay believes that, even if Tempel stays away, altering the comet's orbit has changed her life.

NASA engineer Shadan Ardalan told the BBC the effect of the probe on the comet was equivalent to "a mosquito hitting the front of an airliner in flight."

A hearing began Monday in Moscow. A judge is expected to decide in a few weeks if the suit can go forward.

Kobayashi wins Nathan's eating bout again

NEW YORK, July 6 (UPI) -- Takeru Kobayashi, the Lance Armstrong of eating champions, has won his fifth consecutive Nathan's hot-dog eating contest at New York's Coney Island.

Kobayashi put away 49 hot dogs in 12 minutes, using a new technique known as "the three-way" that involves downing three dogs at a time, the New York Post reports. His impressive total was four and a half dogs short of his personal best.

Kobayashi, who was carried into the contest area on a platform decorated with hot dogs, took home the mustard yellow champion's belt once more after winning the 90th Nathan's July 4th contest.

The Japanese have dominated the Nathan's event in recent years, winning the last eight championships. The runner-up and American record-holder, Sonya Thompson, broke her own record with 37, while a newcomer, Joey Chestnut, came in third with 32.

Kobayashi had said he would retire if he set a new record.

"I will be back next year," he promised after he fell short.

Thief leaves his pictures at crime scene

RENDSBURG, Germany, July 6 (UPI) -- Police in Rendsburg, Germany, have solved their easiest robbery case ever after the thief took his own photograph at the crime scene -- and left the camera.

Officers were called to a construction site where a trailer had been broken into and robbed of cash and a digital camera, Deutsche Welle reported Tuesday.

The thief apparently experimented with the camera, and took some photos of himself before leaving and tossing the camera in the bushes.

However, the unidentified 17-year-old didn't erase the photos.

"We don't know if (what happened) was a series of unfortunate events or whether the thief couldn't get to grips with the technology," a police spokesman said.

The youth confessed when confronted with the images.

Brother flunks at passing as sister

MOSCOW, July 6 (UPI) -- A Moscow university rejected the application of a young woman after her brother, disguised as a woman, was caught trying to take an entrance exam for her.

The brother was caught as he tried to join other applicants in taking a psychology exam, one of the tests required for entry to the prestigious journalism department of Moscow State University, The Moscow Times reported Tuesday.

Yassen Zasursky, the dean of the journalism department, told the Interfax news agency that the brother's "especially protruding female features" aroused the suspicion of university security guards, who were on the lookout for cheaters.

"The guards at first thought the student might have stashed cheat sheets there. However, it turned out that they were just fake breasts," Zasursky said.

The brother also wore heavy makeup, he said.

Russian universities and colleges face numerous problems with cheating. Bribery is also commonplace, with students paying billions of dollars every year to gain entry into schools of higher education and to pass their courses.