Ritz creation wins ice cream contest

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Chocolate-covered Ritz crackers, gooey caramel and vanilla ice cream -- it doesn't get much better than that, judges decided at an ice cream contest. Judges said Jacksonville resident Tasha Callister's entry, Puttin on the Ritz, tasted great and had a clever name. The flavor got top prize in the national Ben and Jerry's Do Us a Flavor Contest in Waterbury, Vt., on Thursday. Ben & Jerry's summer-long Internet contest drew more than 40,000 entries, company spokesman Sean Greenwood said. Callister, a Navy meteorologist, and the other four national finalists won ice cream for a year, in addition to the trip to Vermont. She also won an ice cream party for her family and friends. Ben & Jerry's will create enough Puttin on the Ritz for the party, but there are no plans to put the new flavor in production, Greenwood said.

Aussie man tries to drive 310 miles in reverse

SYDNEY, Australia -- A 22-year-old man attempted to drive 310 miles in reverse on a remote Outback highway after his transmission failed, blocking his forward gears, police said Friday. The man was stopped by Western Australia state police on Thursday afternoon after they spotted his car roaring in reverse down the highway at about 40 mph, according to a statement. He was en route to the state capital, Perth, when his transmission failed outside a restaurant in the Outback town of Kalgoorlie, about 300 miles away, according to media reports. Rather than call a mechanic, the man opted to continue driving, in reverse. Police said they stopped the man, whose identity was not immediately released, outside the nearby town of Coolgardie, about 12 miles from where his backward journey began. A breath test for alcohol proved negative, but the man was charged with reckless driving and other traffic offenses, police said. He was ordered to appear before the Coolgardie Magistrates Court on Monday.

Men's garden calendar offers unusual views

WETHERSFIELD, Conn. -- It's not your garden variety calendar. Members of the Men's Garden Club of Wethersfield stripped naked and posed for a calendar intended to raise money for the club and its projects. The man, who ranged in age from 40 to 80, were photographed in the buff in secluded areas around town. Modesty prevailed, however, as garden objects were strategically placed for the shoots. The calendar also offers their favorite recipes and monthly tips for caring for roses. The club couldn't get enough men to pose for each month, so November features a group shot of all the men fully clothed. The $15 calendar goes on sale this weekend at a crafts fair and at Spicy Green Bean Deli and House of Images Gallery on Main Street.

60-year-old man recites pi to 100,000 places

TOKYO -- A Japanese mental health counselor recited pi to 100,000 decimal places from memory on Wednesday, setting what he claims to be a new world record. Akira Haraguchi, 60, needed more than 16 hours to recite the number to 100,000 decimal places, breaking his personal best of 83,431 digits set in 1995, his office said Wednesday. He made the attempt at a public hall in Kisarazu, just east of Tokyo. Pi is a physical constant defined as the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. It is usually written out to a maximum of three decimal places, as 3.141, in math textbooks. But the number, which has fascinated scientists for centuries, has no theoretical limit to the number of decimal places it can be written to. It is a constant that appears in the proofs of many equations defining the universe. All of Haraguchi's activities during the attempt, including his bathroom breaks, were videotaped for evidence that will later be sent for verification by the Guinness Book of Records.

-- From wire reports

California police find critter 'menagerie'

MONTEREY, Calif. -- A menagerie, some 86 critters in all, were found in a Fort Ord home. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officials, going to the home after receiving a call that the household was exceeding the two animals per dwelling limit, were surprised by the number of animals. The woman in the house had accumulated the critters over time and was trying to find homes for them. There were 56 fish, six cats, six rats, five frogs, four geckos, three ferrets, two lovebirds, two lizards, one guinea pig and one dog. SPCA spokeswoman Beth Brookhouser said she does not believe charges will be filed against the woman.

Angry dog stage mothers sue L.A. agency

LOS ANGELES -- Stage mothers for a Rottweiler and other dogs have sued a company called Hollywood Paws for failing to turn their pooches into stars. More than a dozen pet owners contend the company collected tens of thousands of dollars but never delivered on promises to get film and television auditions for their pets. "I lost a lot of money," said Rachel Armstrong, owner of Goliath the Rottweiler. Armstrong said she believed her dog had the "cool" factor that would get him into music videos and paid nearly $2,000 to Hollywood Paws LLC for training. All she got was a rejection from "The Tyra Banks Show." Attorney Cynthia Mulvihill filed the suit in Superior Court last month. Hollywood Paws offers training in such media skills as getting a pooch or cat to crawl, freeze or scratch on command. Hollywood Paws owner Larry Lionetti contends he never promised acting jobs, although he said several animals had won spots in commercials. "Everybody knows down in your town that there are actors and actresses waiting on tables until a part comes along," he said. "Who in L.A. doesn't know this?"

-- From wire reports