Jockstrip: The world as we know it.

111.4-decibel shout wins contest in Japan

YUFU , Japan, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- A Japanese man out-shouted 100 other people in the city of Yufu with a contest-winning 111.4-decibel yell.

Eizo Ito, 49, won his second consecutive victory at the shouting festival, which invited participants to work out their stresses and frustrations by taking phrases they would not normally say and shouting them at the top of their lungs, Kyodo News reported Wednesday.

One participant declared: "I want to eat safe rice!"

"My darling, I'm going to cut your allowance because stock prices fell," another participant shouted.

The winning yell wasn't reported by the Japanese news agency.

Man threatened doctor over fetus sex test

HALLSTAHAMMAR, Sweden, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- A Swedish man has been fined $555 for threatening to put a gun to a doctor's head if he did not reveal the sex of the man's unborn child.

Prosecutors said the Hallstahammar man became angry after discovering the results he and his wife received from an amniocentesis test -- which was used to determine a child's gender until new policies were implemented requiring doctors to specifically request gender tests -- did not tell them whether they were having a son or a daughter, The Local reported Wednesday.

The man said the only reason the couple asked for the test, which is used to determine whether a fetus has any birth defects, was to find out their unborn child's gender. The couple said they already have multiple daughters and did not want another girl.

After the doctor told the couple the baby's gender had not been determined, the man phoned the physician and asked: "Well what if I come over and put a gun to your head?" the district court was told.

The doctor said he later received a call from the man on his personal cell phone and the father-to-be informed him he knew where he lived and demanded a gender test be performed.

Judge sends God lawsuit to afterlife

OMAHA, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A Nebraska lawmaker says he may appeal after an Omaha judge tossed his suit against God because there was no evidence the defendant had been served papers.

Douglas County District Judge Marlon Polk said another factor in his decision to throw out the lawsuit, which was brought by state Sen. Ernie Chambers, I-Omaha, was the fact "there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant," the Omaha World-Herald reported Wednesday.

Chambers' suit, which was filed in September 2007, had sought a permanent injunction preventing the almighty from bringing about earthquakes, tornadoes and other acts of natural violence.

The lawmaker said he may appeal Polk's decision.

"It is a thoughtful, well-written opinion," Chambers said of Polk's ruling. "However, like any prudent litigator, I want to study it in detail before I determine what my next course of action will be."

Chambers, a 28-year veteran of the state Legislature, said his suit was designed as a reaction to colleagues who sought to prevent "frivolous" lawsuits.

"Nobody should stand at the courthouse door to predetermine who has access to the courts," he said. "My point is that anyone can sue anyone else, even God."

Mom brings son's ashes to his court date

LITTLE SALKELD, England, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- An Englishwoman took her son's ashes to court after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency tried to prosecute him two years after his death.

Julie Strange, 43, of Little Salkeld said she brought the ashes after receiving a summons ordering her deceased son, Paul, to appear before magistrates, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

Strange said the licensing agency had previously sent multiple letters addressed to Paul, who died in October 2006 when hit by a train, claiming he had failed to report the sale of an unspecified vehicle.

"The letter included the registration of the vehicle but there was no indication whether it was a car, a bike or anything else. But Paul did not own any vehicle when he died," Strange said, adding the letters kept coming despite her sending a copy of Paul's death certificate to the agency.

Prosecutors withdrew the case after Strange produced the wooden casket of ashes engraved with Paul's name. The presiding magistrate offered her the condolences of the bench and court staff.

"I just hope now that the DVLA will get the message and send me a letter saying that this whole episode is behind us. It would be nice to get an apology as well," she said.