ODDLY ENOUGH: 2010’s top lie: The one about psychic girlfriend

ODDLY ENOUGH

2010’s top lie: The one about psychic girlfriend

MILWAUKEE

A Wisconsin man has earned bragging rights as the champion liar of 2010 with this line: “I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.”

David Milz, 49, of Bristol, Wis., told The Associated Press he came up with the one-liner over the summer joking around with colleagues. He thought it might be good enough to win the Burlington Liars Club’s annual contest, but the call he received Wednesday was still a surprise.

The liars’ club started in 1929 as a lighthearted way to honor the creativity and humor of good exaggeration. A lifetime membership costs $1, but anyone can submit fibs for free.

About 500 entries came in this year from around the country, with most from the Midwest, club vice president Ed Impens said. He and two other judges sifted through the entries this week and each made a Top10 list. Milz’s entry was the only one that made all three lists, he said.

NC jeweler loses $400K on white Christmas bet

WILMINGTON, N.C.

A North Carolina jewelry store owner made a $400,000 bet against a white Christmas — and lost. Alan Perry, owner of Perry’s Emporium in Wilmington, promised refunds for everything bought at his store between Nov. 26 and Dec. 11 if more than three inches of snow fell in Asheville on Christmas Day. The city got more than six inches.

The total payout will be around $400,000, Perry says, adding he bought an insurance policy to will cover the refunds.

Perry is undaunted by losing the bet and says he’s thinking of a similar promotion for Valentine’s Day, based on how much snow Asheville gets on Feb. 14.

Associated Press