What the...?!: Man kills puppy for not behaving before Steelers game

The puppy, a 13-week-old pit bull named Flip, had been the focal point of recent arguments between suspect and his girlfriend. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

I'm just throwing this out because it's a slow holiday week, and...

....it's bound to get some reaction. George W. Bush's 2004 campaign strategist explains why Sarah Palin has a shot at the presidency ("SNL" video linked), and what changes she has to make to get the White House. It sounds like this guy, Matthew Dowd, is looking for some work. (Washington Post)

College's Great Dane mascot costume reappears -- but neutered

Damien the Great Dane's crotch was cut out. Charlie Vella, the UAlbany student who wears the costume, won't put it on again because it is "gooey and filthy." The thieves, he says, "probably wore it to play beer pong and thought they were the funniest people alive." (Albany Times Union)

Disabled vet sues McDonald's for $10M in service dog incident

The veteran -- who inspired Sen. Al Franken's first legislative victory -- says he was harassed, beaten, and told that he couldn't take his service dog inside the fast food restaurant in New York City. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Middle school kids suspended for "Kick a Jew Day" activities

What's with all of these kicking days? (Naples Daily News)

Two men arrested after threatening officers in YouTube video

The 28-year-old suspect's mom complains that "what he did was an innocent thing and now he’s being charged like a criminal. He just did a dumb move. ...They didn’t think anything was wrong with what they did." (Boston Globe)

Paper criticized for one-year-after story on Metrodome sexcapade

Remember the story about the two Iowa Hawkeye fans caught having Metrodome bathroom sex at last year’s Gopher football game? The St. Paul Pioneer Press won't let its readers forget it. MinnPost.com)

Man in rabbit suit accused of harassing school kids at restaurant

Police caught up with the guy in his car and lectured him. "I told him you need to act your age," says a cop, who found out that the "rabbit" had just moved to town. "I told him, we didn't do that kind of stuff up here." (Woodward News)

Who knew that foiling an armed robbery could be so easy?

Two men tried to rob an Einstein Bros. Bagels, but one of the employees pushed a bagel cart at the suspects and they fled. (Orlando Sentinel)

Eye doctor might lose his license after telling patient she's fat

More than that, he told the patient she was irresponsible for being unemployed, on Medicaid, and relying on taxpayers to cover another pregnancy after giving birth less than a year earlier. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Here's the guy who paid teens to do nasty things to him

Charles Hersel, 39, allegedly paid a high school student $31 to curse at him, slap him and spit in his face. Authorities say Hersel may have paid other teens to do the same and even urinate and defecate on him. (KEYT.com)

Police say bank robbery suspect gobbled up demand note

Police reviewed images captured on their dashboard-cam and saw the suspect leaning over to eat something off the hood of the cruiser. "He grabbed it in his mouth, just like Pacman," says a cop. "He just ate it right there." (Akron Beacon Journal)

Cop: Teen who broke into house was in search of snack food

Ronald M. Savela Jr., was fingered as the suspect since he broke into the same house using the same window last year. Only this time, the break-in comes with a felony charge, since 17-year-olds are charged as adults in Wisconsin. Sheboygan Press)

Man arrested after showing cell-phone photo of his junk to woman

The woman told police a man approached her in a grocery store parking lt and asked if she "wanted to see something." He then showed her an image of his genitalia on his phone. Cops found more X-rated pics on his phone. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Cop suspended after shooting 12-year-old girl with beanbag gun

The Portland police commissioner overruled the police chief when he ordered that the cop be put on paid leave. (Oregonian)

Homeowner arrested after shooting and killing burglar

The dead man had jewelry in his pockets that belonged to the shooting suspect's wife. The homeowner was arrested because "detectives do not have any information indicating the shooting suspect was acting in self defense," says a sheriff's spokeswoman. They apparently think the guy was just pissed. (Everett, Wash. Herald)

Dye pack explodes while bank robber is on his getaway bus

A tip led police to a hotel room. They knocked on the door, and Thomas John Castro, 54, answered with a bag of crack cocaine. (TampaBay.com)

Purdue student with suspicious package accused of "terroristic mischief"

Police evacuated about 10 people from the building, then used a portable X-ray machine to examine the box. It contained a wheel lock, a parking ticket and $20. (Indianapolis Star)

Man beaten with squeegee during gas pump argument

A man in his 60s suffered injuries to the back of his head and his forearm, both of which were “bleeding quite heavily for being caused by the window cleaning tool,” according to a police report. A 21-year-old man was arrested. (Log Cabin Democrat)

College students arrested for not paying mandatory 18% tip

They said they got shoddy service, and shouldn't have to tip. “Gratuity is thanking you for your service," says a 22-year-old who was arrested. "You can’t give us terrible, terrible service and expect a tip." (Lehigh Valley Express-Times || Philly.com)

Muslim woman's head scarf pulled by angry grocery shopper

A middle-aged woman angry about the Fort Hood shootings took it out on a Muslim woman who was buying her groceries. She made some remarks and tugged on the woman's scarf in check-out line. (Chicago Tribune)

Prankster in chicken costume interrupts city council meeting

Making a few characteristic chicken noises, the animal entered the meeting room carrying a sign featuring a misspelling of "chickens." (Durango Herald)

Man who was Tased on the butt sues the city of Boise

The Boise Community Ombudsman investigated the guy's complaint earlier this year and determined that an officer used a Taser on him twice and threatened to use it in his anus and on his genitals during the arrest. He's now going for the big money. (Idaho Statesman)

This is a guy you don't want to see in a bra and women's undies

It's close to lunch time as I post this, so I'm not going to put up his mug shot and spoil your meal. You'll have to click on the link to see that (KATU.com)

Here is today's call to 911 that didn't have to be made

A 15-year-old boy called 911 after his parents took away his Xbox as punishment. The kid hung up the phone, but police drove to his house to hear his complaint. (Chicago Tribune)

Woman has panic attack after seeing sorority sis who hazed her

The hazing victim's uncle even got involved, telling the sorority sister: "You think you can haze my niece? I'll show you what hazing is!" (Connecticut Post)

Middle-school student sent home for wearing "skinny pants"

The school gave him a choice: Go home, or trade his skin-tight skinny pants for slacks provided by the school. He went home -- and he's staying there. "We're going to home schooling," says the boy’s mother. "He can learn more without the distraction of what to wear." (Dallas Morning News)

Mail carrier found drunk, eating noodles while on the job

Kristine A. Pflughaupt, 46, was found sitting on the kitchen floor of a house on her mail route, eating leftover noodles from the refrigerator. "She was in uniform and had mail and a mail-carrying bag with her," says a cop. (Gazette Online)

He looks like the kind of guy who'd throw darts at bar patrons

The bartender refused to serve any more drinks to Scott D. Leonard because he was throwing darts at other patrons. "Mr. Leonard was angered with this and proceeded to pull down his pants and underwear and defecated onto the rear parking lot," the affidavit states. (TCPalm.com)

Woman gets four years in jail for stealing $500,000 to buy dolls

The 58-year-old former accountant stole more than $500,000 in trust fund money and used it to buy a doll collection. She won't be able to take Barbie with her to jail. (Orange County Register)