Jockstrip: The world as we know it.

Magician escapes falling giant pumpkin

CINCINNATI, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Illusionist Phil Dalton said a Cincinnati audience looked "where they were supposed to" but he won't tell how he escaped a big pumpkin before it fell 70 feet.

Dalton was handcuffed before he climbed inside the 879-pound pumpkin Saturday at Berries & Blooms Farm Market. The pumpkin was then hoisted 70 feet up by a rope -- which was then set on fire, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

It might have seemed there was no escaping the pumpkin before the rope burned through but spectator Jason Watson, 28, told the newspaper he was shocked to see Dalton wasn't inside the pumping when it smashed on the ground.

"He had me startled. They had said he was going to escape in three minutes -- and when the rope snapped in 1 minute and 30 seconds, I thought it was over for him," Watson said.

"How did he do that?" a perplexed Jenna McMullen, 6, asked.

A magician never tells.

"Everybody was looking where they were supposed to look," said Dalton, 32. "Burning ropes on a pumpkin make a great misdirection."

Runners go ape for charity

LONDON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- A charity that protects endangered apes says runners in London set a world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as gorillas.

Saturday's sixth annual 7K Great Gorilla Run featured 750 runners raising money for the Gorilla Organization, which protects apes in central African rainforests, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

"The event has got better every year and the atmosphere among the runners and spectators is incredible," said race spokeswoman Jillian Miller, who estimated the race would raise nearly $400,000.

Runner James Burton, 25, an account manager in London, said he runs regularly but finds it that much harder in a "hot and heavy gorilla costume."

Best budgies show draws thousands

LONDON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Organizers say 2,355 contestants chirped and preened this weekend at the 2008 Budgerigar Society World Championship Show in England.

The show in Doncaster Lakeside is the most important budgerigar show in Britain, and arguably the world, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

"The (United Kingdom) does tend to lead the world in terms of budgerigars," said David Whittaker, the society's secretary, noting Britain fell in love with budgies soon after naturalist John Gould introduced them to England in 1840.

The society has more than 3,000 members, with spectators and entrants from as far as Australia coming to the World Championship.

Many exhibitors bathe their budgies in a mixture of sherry and baby shampoo while others prefer cough medicine diluted with water, the Telegraph said, noting the sweetness entices the birds to preen their feathers.

Book festival turns Scottish town around

WIGTOWN, Scotland, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- An organic farmer in Scotland has helped turn his out-of-the-way town into a literary center by running the annual book festival.

This year, Wigtown gets the royal seal of approval, The Scotsman reports. Princess Anne is to visit the Wigtown Book Festival Monday.

Once this year's festival is over, Michael McReath is stepping down as chair. He told the newspaper that running a 600-acre farm and a book festival at the same time is too stressful.

"There were four calves born last night and the chances are that tonight there'll be another three or four," he said Friday. "So I might well be at one of the book festival events or watching the fireworks concert when I get the news that I'm needed back at the farm."

Wigtown, at the western end of the Galloway peninsula, was chosen as Scotland's Book Town at a time when the town badly needed a boost. The largest employers, a distiller and a creamery, had closed, and Wigtown was dying.

Now, there are at least 20 book-related businesses in the town.