Jockstrip: The world as we know it

Judge loses position over hocus-pocus

SUCEAVA, Romania, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A Romanian judge has been demoted after allegations she was indulging in witchcraft while on the job.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that Judge Elena Simionescu lost her position as the president of the court in the Romanian town of Vatra Dornei after her co-workers made witchcraft allegations against her.

Several judges, prosecutors and other court staff alleged that Simionescu used her magical ways to cast spells on them and bewitch their lives.

"She had many quarrels with people working in the court. We were all convinced that she was casting spells," one local lawyer said. "I can tell you those people were terrified."

Inspectors looking into the matter -- the judge got into deeper hot water when she misplaced an important court document -- later found that Simionescu's actions increased tension at her workplace.

For that reason, the newspaper said she lost her position and 15 percent of her monthly salary as punishment.

Thousands of workers cleaning up Beijing

BEIJING, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Thousands of workers fanned out across Beijing to collect the remains of firecrackers set off during New Year's celebrations.

The city has ordered sanitation workers to finish cleaning up the mess by 6 a.m. each day during the week-long Spring Festival, Xinhua, the state-run news agency, reported.

Sales of fireworks increased this year in Beijing to 380,000 boxes, from 240,000 boxes. The city lifted a 12-year ban on firecrackers in 2005.

Xinhua said 20,000 sanitation workers were on duty to clean up the piles of firecracker debris.

N.D. flies away with snow angel record

BISMARCK, N.D., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Almost 9,000 people gathered in Bismarck, N.D., over the weekend to help break the world record for the most individuals simultaneously making snow angels.

The Bismarck Tribune said that by gathering 8,911 people together on the State Capitol Grounds Saturday to engage in the winter activity, North Dakota apparently shattered the previous record.

Event organizer Marilyn Snyder thanked all the participants who helped break the previous record of 3,784 simultaneous snow angels, set by a group in Michigan last year.

"The people of North Dakota are fantastic. They stepped up to the plate and hit more than a home run today," Snyder said. "I asked the governor to ask the Legislature to proclaim us the Snow Capital of the World."

The newspaper said that by drawing such a crowd, which included North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven and first lady Mikey, Saturday's event also temporarily made the Capitol grounds the state's 10th most populated community.

Death, police defied by energetic dog

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- A small dog led two police cars on a half-hour chase across two busy New York parkways this weekend, eluding both death and officers alike.

With two Westchester County police cars on its tail, the energetic chow chow managed to avoid capture for nearly a half hour Saturday morning, slipping between speeding cars on the Hutchinson and Cross County parkways, the Journal News reported.

"It was harrowing," Westchester police Lt. Henry Cetina said.

The chase only came to a close after pursuing officers managed to direct the seemingly tireless fugitive into the waiting arms of its dog-sitter.

Cetina said all parties involved were glad that the incident ended without injury to the animal or area drivers.

"It was a happy ending," he told the newspaper. "We're grateful the dog was eventually returned to the caretaker and no one was injured."