Oddities News Archive - September 16, 2008

By The Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - It's a rainy day for the Manhattan restaurateur who sued a supermodel claiming she intentionally damaged his designer umbrella, said to be worth $5,000. State Supreme Court Justice Joan A. Madden threw out Nello Balan's lawsuit Friday.

By The Associated Press EAST MACHIAS, Maine (AP) - An 8-foot-tall mechanical gorilla is back home at an eastern Maine flea market-style store two weeks after it was stolen and later dumped in a cornfield in Vermont.

n Green Bay, Wis. A 33-year-old woman stole her daughter's identity to attend high school and join the cheerleading squad, according to a criminal complaint filed against the woman.

DNA analysis of dog droppings is being used in an Israeli city to reward and punish pet owners.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLUMBIA, S.C. - Paintings featuring the brush strokes and paw prints of animals such as snow leopards and sea lions from zoos around the country will be sold today. The sale is part of an online auction at auctionnetwork.com to raise money for zoo conservation.