Jockstrip: The world as we know it

Bigfoot expert sues fellow believers

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 20 (UPI) -- A California man who bills himself as a world-renowned authority on Bigfoot creatures is suing fellow believers for not paying for his services.

Thomas Biscardi, who has spent 33 years tracking down the mythical half-man, half-ape creature said to roam the wilderness, sued the president and vice president of the Great American Bigfoot Research Organization.

In his suit, he claims the year-old organization agreed to pay him $250,000 to "lend his experience, knowledge and reputation," to conduct Bigfoot expeditions, and to provide the group with use of his library of plaster footprint casts, films, photos and sound recordings, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Biscardi says he's only received $65,000, and the group won't give back his library specimens.

Biscardi's lawyer said the organization no longer has a lawyer. The last one had quit for non-payment. Neither of the group's leaders could be reached for comment by the newspaper.

Family beats up would-be robber

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., July 20 (UPI) -- A suspect is in jail in West Palm Beach, Fla., after allegedly trying to snatch a wallet from a man -- and getting beaten up by the man's family.

Police found Craig Mack, 23, bloodied, tied up with jump-rope, lying face down in the backyard of the home of Mateo and Candelaria Perez, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Mack allegedly had tried to grab Mateo Perez's wallet Monday night as Perez was returning home after a 12-hour day of landscaping.

Perez cried for help from his family, and Mack suddenly felt the pounding of 4-foot-9-inch Candelaria Perez's right hook in his face, a chair flung by 13-year-old Imelta Perez cracking against his head and -- a whip thrashed by 10-year-old Juan Perez.

Imelta Perez tied Mack up with a jump-rope.

When police arrived, officers ordered Candelaria Perez to step away from Mack. But before she stood up, she gave one last punch in the face, the newspaper said.

Spirit Airlines buries 'Find Hoffa' promo

MIRAMAR, Fla., July 20 (UPI) -- Spirit Airlines thought customers would "dig" a "Hunt for Hoffa" online game to promote discount fares, but buried the game after a few hours due to complaints.

"We never set out to offend anybody," said Lynne Koreman, Spirit's senior director of marketing and communications. "It was done all in good fun and topical humor."

Borrowing from the recent FBI hunt for the remains of Jimmy Hoffa, the famous former Teamsters Union boss, at a farm outside Detroit, the airline invited online customers to "Help us find Hoffa with our Hunt for Hoffa game and enjoy fares from just $39 each way," the Detroit News reports.

The point of the game was to dig for Hoffa's body by clicking grids on a screen. Winners who "found Hoffa" by uncovering his name in the grids in a certain number of tries were thanked by the National Spirit Sale Center for their efforts.

"It's marketing run amok," said Michael Bernacchi, a University of Detroit Mercy marketing professor.

Hoffa disappeared in 1975 at age 52.

Carrot attack leads to assault charge

BRIDGEPORT, Conn., July 20 (UPI) -- A Connecticut man set to go back before a judge after allegedly throwing a carrot at his wife -- and putting her eye out with it.

Roderick Vecsey, 46, of Monroe, Conn., told Superior Court Judge Patrick Carroll at his first hearing that it was all a terrible accident, the (Bridgeport) Connecticut Post reports.

Vecsey said he and his wife had gotten into an argument about taking their daughter to the doctor. He was eating a carrot during the argument, he told police, and he threw it at his wife, hitting her in the left eye.

Vecsey's wife, 46-year-old Pamela Vecsey, underwent a six-hour operation at Yale-New Haven Hospital, but doctors could not restore sight in her eye, Assistant State's Attorney Stephanie Damiani said.

Roderick Vecsey was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct and freed on $500 bond until his next hearing, scheduled for Thursday.