“Disgruntled neighbors of joyrider Zbigniew Filo sought to put his driving days behind him when they somehow hoisted his souped-up vehicle atop a tree. Filo, 24, awoke to find his car missing, later locating it on top of a huge willow tree in Lubczyna, Poland. Locals have maintained a code of silence over who was responsible for the prank or how indeed the white Ford Escort ended up 20ft in the air, though one villager revealed that a crane had been borrowed for the night. Police spokesman Marta Pierko said: ‘We received a call from a man saying his car was stuck in a tree, and that his neighbours had put it there. ‘After inspecting the site we instructed him to remove it from the tree.” w/ photo

“A Hampshire car enthusiast couldn’t afford the classic Ferrari he’d always wanted – so he painted one on his garage door instead. Chris Smart, 32, spent two weeks sketching and painting the rare 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO with weather resistant paints. Now neighbors and passers-by could be forgiven for thinking the customer support worker has traded in his BMW 1 Series for a classic motor. Drivers even slam on their brakes to catch a glimpse as they pass the garage in Bishopstoke, near Eastleigh. Married Chris, who studied art at college, said: “I hated the garage door before because it was really dull. “I saw garage covers on the internet and wanted one unique to me. I have always loved this particular car and wanted to make it a bit of fun.” w/ photo

“A Nebraska man has changed his name to Tyrannosaurus Rex Joseph Gold. Why? Because it’s ‘cooler’ than his birth name. Tyler Gold, 23, of York, Neb., appeared in district court. In his filing, he wrote he wanted the name change because it’s ‘cooler’ and more appealing than his birth name, the York News-Times reported. “Also, as an entrepreneur, name recognition is important and the new name is more recognizable,” Gold told the Times. Judge Alan Gless asked Gold if he was avoiding debt collectors or law enforcement, but he told the judge no and that his request was innocent, the Christian Science Monitor reported. His request was approved, and Gold is now legally Tyrannosaurus Rex Joseph Gold.” w/ photo

“He’s too good, and that’s too bad. A 13-year-old New York boy who played field hockey growing up in Ireland has been told that after two years as a member of the Southampton High School girls’ team, he is now too skilled to qualify for an exemption allowing him to compete with — and against — girls next season. Keeling Pilaro, whose 10 goals and eight assists earned him all-conference honors on suburban Long Island — he was the only boy in any league — is appealing the decision by the governing body for high school sports in Suffolk County, and a lawyer for his family suggests a court battle could ensue if the ball doesn’t bounce Keeling’s way. An appeals committee said it looked only at his skills, not size or strength, when upholding the decision to keep him off the field. That raises a question of discrimination.” w/ photo

“An attempt to break the world record for the biggest costumed Chihuahua parade has ended in disappointment after not enough dogs and their owners showed up. Organizer Mark Valentine of United Entertainment said around 500 dogs took part in the inaugural Cinco de Mayo Chihuahua parade in Kansas City, Missouri, about 200 fewer than was needed to break the Guinness World Record. But Mr Valentine, who said the event raised $2,500 for the local animal shelter The Pet Connection, was undeterred, vowing to repeat the parade next year. ‘We are going to keep doing this until we run out of dogs in Kansas City and have to start shipping them in,’ he said.” w/ photos

“Russians prefer their Lay’s potato chips dusted in caviar and crab flavors. The Chinese like their Oreos stuffed with mango and orange cream. And in Spain, Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal is served floating in hot coffee instead of cold milk. Americans might get squeamish at the thought of their favorite snacks being tweaked. But what works in the U.S. doesn’t always work everywhere… Food makers long have tinkered with their products to appeal to regional tastes, but getting the recipe just right is becoming more important than ever. That’s partly because people in developing nations such as China and India are gaining more of an appetite for American-style ‘on-the-go’ foods as they work longer hours and have less time to cook. But it’s mostly because snack makers increasingly are looking for growth in other parts of the world as sales slow at home.” w/ photo

“Numerous people in Central Texas awoke to vibrations in the neighborhood, stumping local law enforcement for some time. Several KXAN News viewers in Austin called Sunday morning after vibrations in a Northeast Austin neighborhood awoke people. A flare that burns off residual methane gas, which is a by-product of the landfill, may have been damaged by overnight storms seen in the area. Authorities said the flare never posed any threat… At least one person said she experienced the odd vibrations when her husband awoke to vibrations coming from the window. Elaine Perkins said she was awakened again, this time by vibrating doors in her home.” w/ photos + video

“Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree is hoping to ride into the record books using a speed machine made from an old saucepan. The unique bicycle has been handcrafted by Obree – whose previous speed achievements earned him the nickname The Flying Scotsman – and may be capable of up to 100mph. Speaking to the Sunday Mail, the 46-year-old said the pan was integral to the bike’s design. ‘I used an old pot that I had burned so I won’t miss it – it was ideal for what I needed,’ Obree explained. ‘I wanted a light, flat surface for my shoulder supports and it was just sitting under my sink.” w/ photos

“This unusual flock of sheep are doing their best to stand out from the crowd after being spotted in Germany painted head-to-toe in dark blue paint. It’s in a sheep’s DNA to follow the crowd but it appears this collection of colourful characters, seen here outside Schwerin Castle, want to break the mould. While the true legend of the Golden Fleece has been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years, this tale may have a slightly more simpler explanation.” w/ photos

“Chinese students have shown their love for Transformers by building a gargantuan one of their own. The creative designers made the imposing Transformer from discarded car parts, and erected it at Hangzhou University Students’ Innovation Park yesterday. Standing at ten meters tall, the unique structure is certainly an eye-catching tribute. The students appear to have been inspired by the Transformers films’ hero Optimus Prime, with the sculpture showing off red and blue colors similar to those worn by the robot. It is clutching a red car in its giant hand, demonstrating the innovative design of Transformers, which turn into alien robots from seemingly normal automobiles.” w/ photo