UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

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PETA poster equates pubic hair with fur

NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, based in Norfolk, Va., is courting controversy with an ad comparing wearing fur to women sporting public hair.

The poster, which features model Joanna Krupa wearing nothing but a pair of panties -- with long hair coming out from the leg holes -- bears the caption, "Fur trim: unattractive," The Independent reported Thursday.

"Don't ruin your look with fur trim," the bottom of the poster reads.

Woman, 105, invited to preschool

TIERP, Sweden, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A Swedish preschool said a 105-year-old woman received an acceptance letter to its class because she was born in '07 -- but it turned out to be the wrong '07.

The Central School in Tierp said Anna Eriksson, 105, received one of the letters that were sent to more than 60 local children who were born in 2007, The Local.se reported Thursday.

Marinna Eriksson, principal of the school, said the population registry provided the school with the names and addresses of the children, and no one noticed one of the letters was being sent to Anna Eriksson, who was born in 1907.

"Her daughter got in touch and she and I both thought it was pretty funny. The two of them and I could see the humor in what happened," the principal said.

The principal said the senior citizen is still welcome to attend a school open house for prospective students.

"It would be fun if Anna Eriksson wanted to come here to meet the school's leadership and have coffee," she said.

Ankara 'erotic stores' now 'love stores'

ANKARA, Turkey, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Shopkeepers in Ankara, Turkey, said they have been told to change their signs from "erotic store" to "love store" on orders from the prime minister.

An Ankara shopkeeper said municipal officials and police told him he had to change the sign or risk legal action, the Hurriyet Daily News reported Thursday.

The shopkeeper said officials told him the change was mandated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"The municipality warned us that the prime minister was feeling disturbed because of 'erotic store' signboards," the shopkeeper said.

Upside-down shirt cyclist arrested

INDIAN RIVER SHORES, Fla., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said they arrested a cyclist clad only in an upside-down shirt and boxer shorts who smelled like he had defecated on himself.

The Indian River Shores Department of Public Safety said an officer on patrol Nov. 3 saw Sergey Smirnov, 54, swerve into oncoming traffic from a northbound bicycle lane, where he had been riding south, TCPalm.com reported Thursday.

The officer said Smirnov, who smelled of booze and feces, was wearing a button-down shirt upside-down.

The officer told Smirnov he would be arrested if he was seen riding in the street again, and he was arrested about an hour later after again swerving into traffic and nearly striking a patrol car with his bicycle.

Smirnov was arrested on a disorderly intoxication charge.