Watercooler Stories

Three walk toward world record

BOULDER, Colo., June 3 (UPI) -- The three remaining walkers in a Boulder, Colo., marathon said on their fourth day of strolling that they plan to continue marching toward a world record.

Ulrich Kamm, 60, Debbie Richmeier, 47, and Glen Turner, 48, have outlasted 10 other competitors who began the marathon at 5 p.m. Friday and said they plan to continue walking Tuesday until they break the world record for marathon walking, a feat that would be accomplished at about 11 p.m., The Boulder Daily Camera reported Tuesday.

Participants in the "Extra-Mile Endurathon," which is part of a string of similar events scheduled around the world this year, must remain walking day and night with only 10 minute breaks every four miles. The last walker standing will win a $1,000 if he or she walks at least one mile past where the second-to-last competitor calls it quits.

The last four walkers from the Endurathon, as well as the final four from competitions in Buenos Aires, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo, will be invited to compete for $100,000 in Las Vegas.

Fla. banks want no hats or sunglasses

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 3 (UPI) -- Some Florida banks are trying to discourage robberies by encouraging customers to take off hats, sunglasses and hoods.

The Florida Bankers' Association launched its "no hats, no hoods, no sunglasses" campaign in January, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. The group said that 46 of the 300 banks in Florida have joined the official campaign, while other banks are believed to have used the tactic and made up their own signs.

"It's just like if a business has a sign that says, 'must wear a shirt and shoes,'" Lisa Ehrhart, a robbery prevention specialist with the Broward County sheriff's office, said. "If you're a legitimate customer, you won't have a problem removing your sunglasses and hat."

The association said that the number of bank robberies in Florida rose 40 percent between 2006 and 2007. In 2007, 361 robberies were reported with a total loss of $2.4 million.

Renee Thompson, a spokeswoman for the association, said that customers who refuse to remove head coverings and sunglasses would still be able to do business. But she said they would be restricted to an area with more security.

Lawyer rescues python from Indian dump

CUTTACK, India, June 3 (UPI) -- An Indian lawyer who moonlights running a snake rescue center saved a python that had moved into a municipal dump by following its shed skin.

Residents of Balibhanda, a village on the outskirts of the city of Cuttack, had threatened to kill the 7-foot-long snake because they believed it might harm their children, The Calcutta Telegraph reported.

Bibhudatta Jena, the lawyer-conservationist, found the snake, an Indian rock python, early Monday.

"It was not difficult as the snake was molting and was relatively slow," he said.

Sudhanshu Mishra, the Cuttack forest officer, said that the snake was given to the Nandan Kan Zoo, where he believed it would be safer than in the wild.

The snake was actually on the small side for an Indian rock python. The species is the largest snake in India, with an average length of more than 12 feet and a record length of close to 20 feet.

The species is classified as "near threatened" on international lists. Indian rock pythons have often been killed for their beautiful skins and in some parts of the country for food.

Man arrested after fish assault

FREDERICKSBURG, Va., June 3 (UPI) -- Police in Fredericksburg, Va., said they have arrested a man who allegedly attacked gas station customers with a rock and a fish and exposed his sexual organs.

Police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the suspect, identified as Marcellus Coleman, 21, allegedly threw a rock at a 40-year-old man who was standing at a gas pump Saturday, The Fredericksburg Freelance-Star reported Tuesday.

Coleman allegedly threw the rock, which struck the other man in the neck, because the victim was looking at him. Police said the suspect was singing loudly before the violence erupted.

The suspect was confronted by a 32-year-old friend of the man and Coleman allegedly struck him in the face with a fish he took from his car.

Coleman the allegedly threw a beer bottle onto the car the men were traveling in and exposed his genitals to the two men and a third person at the gas station before driving away from the scene, police said.

Coleman was arrested Sunday and charged with malicious wounding, destruction of property and indecent exposure. He was also charged with assault after he spit on a resident during his arrest. Investigators said the suspect believed the resident had informed authorities of his whereabouts.