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U.S. rabbits multiply like rabbits

MORTON GROVE, Ill., July 23 (UPI) -- The population of eastern cottontail rabbits has exploded in the United States, resulting in damage to gardens and increasing citizen complaints.

No one is quite sure why the bunny population has risen so dramatically. Some blame the decrease in crow populations; others blame this year's cicada invasion, which provided food for creatures that would normally feed on rabbits, The Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Dena Anastos of Morton Grove, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, said rabbits have destroyed $700 worth of shrubs and flowers in her garden.

"I've been here 47 years, and this is the worst I've experienced," she said.

Chicago's Animal Care and Control Department said complaints involving rabbits are on the rise, the newspaper said.

Man guns for Rubik's Cube title

TEMECULA, Calif., July 23 (UPI) -- A California teen who holds the U.S. Rubik's Cube title is setting his sites on the world championship.

Ryan Patricio, 18, won the U.S. Open Rubik's Cube Championship in Chicago, where he beat the puzzle in 14.17 seconds, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Patricio can reportedly solve the puzzle with one hand, can do two at a time and can even solve it blindfolded. His next competition is in Budapest, Hungary, where he will try for the world championship.

A Hungarian named Erno Rubik invented the puzzle in 1974. The cube is often associated with geniuses.

The Times reported that each Rubik's cube has 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 possible combinations.

Patricio told the newspaper that despite his master "cuber" status, he is not all that good at math.

Ex-con allegedly targets cops for robbery

NEW YORK, July 23 (UPI) -- An ex-con allegedly tried to rob two people in New York, police said, but didn't notice his intended victims were police officers -- in uniform.

Police said 33-year-old Jermaine Washington allegedly was so intent on robbing someone Saturday that he pulled a fake handgun on the two armed police officers as they walked through Riverside Park, The New York Daily News said.

"It was stupid criminal tricks," a police source said. "The guy didn't even look to see who was coming."

After Washington allegedly pulled his fake gun, the two officers drew their real weapons and Washington surrendered after a short but tense standoff.

'Peeping Tom' hoarded porn and sex toys

NEW YORK, July 23 (UPI) -- New documents reveal that a disgraced legal aid lawyer in New York had hoarded pornography magazines, X-rated films and sexually oriented novelty toys.

Peter Barta, 32, faces charges of using a spy camera disguised as an alarm clock to film female colleagues as they changed clothes in their offices.

Barta allegedly had a collection of 90 porn videos, 211 copies of Playboy, anti-masturbation chewing gum and a toy called a "Grow a Girlfriend," among other kinky oddities at his apartment, The New York Post reported.