Welcome

This blog contains a collection of stories that are all true. In fact, some are so good that it would be hard to make them up.

They are here to illustrate that truth is, indeed, stranger and funnier than fiction.

In any case, I apologize if you feel offended by some of them. Thanks for stopping by.

Gorgonzola Prevents Robbery

A supermarket cashier prevented three armed men from robbing her store by throwing cheese at them.

The masked men demanded the supermarket's daily takings at gunpoint in Berlin-Wilmersdorf, but cashier Martina Bolle, 50, refused to hand the money over. Instead, she grabbed packs of cheese from the delicatessen counter and began bombarding the gunmen with them.

"She hit one of them smack in the face with a very ripe gorgonzola which must have been like getting a dose of natural CS gas," said one shopper.

License to escape

Irish police have solved the mystery of a Polish recidivist who clocked up 50 traffic offenses on different addresses and was never caught.

An internal police memo said that officers taking details of Polish traffic offenders had been mistakenly using "Prawo Jazdy" printed on the top right corner of the driving license, as the holder's name.

"Prawo Jazdy is actually the Polish name for driving license and not the name on the license," the police memo dated June 2007 said. "It is quite embarrassing to see the system has created Prawo Jazdy as a person with over 50 identities."

Naked Hikers Go Home

Locals in the Swiss Appenzell region are appalled by an apparent rise in numbers of naked hikers and have voted to ban them for good. The phenomenon has otraged many in the conservative canton, where women did not have the right to vote until 1990.

The new law was passed at the traditional annual assembly that takes place on the last Sunday if April. Residents also voted overwhelmingly for a fine of CHF200 (132 Euro or 170 US $) to be imposed anyone found to be hiking in little more that their boots and socks.

Undeterred by the cold, German nudist websites which describe naked hiking as "a special experience of nature, free and healthy" have named the Appenzell region the best place for the pastime, pointing out that it dates back to ancient times.

A Kick in the Teeth

After its dismal performance at an away match, a German football team is reimbursing all 600 of their supporters who were present. Energie Cottbus fans traveled 610km to Gelsenkirchen to watch the team play, only to witness its sixth defeat in seven days.

The offer was made through the Cottbus website, and reads: "By refunding the cost of admission for their supporters, the red and whites would like to apologize for the pitiful performance which they displayed at the Veltins Arena."