Welcome to the Elvis Information Network

First the Terminator....now the Elvinator.....the King of Death: I thought I had seen the last of the WowWee singing Elvis robot last summer when Wilson skinned the thing and gave me nightmares. I was wrong. Instructables user GW Jax has put his Elvinator on display, which combines "The King" with T101, the king of death.

The Elvinator is only part done, as GW Jax has only given the skin a burned/melted look, and outfitted the Elvinator with an LED eye. But he plans to add in a Jaw piston for custom mouth movements, give the bot custom phrases, and endow it with interactive abilities, such as voice recognition and the ability to "learn." Looks pretty damn cool. (Source: http://gizmodo.com/www.epgold.com, June 2008)

Sweden couple told Elvis no name for a girl!: A Swedish couple has been told that Elvis is not an appropriate name for a girl, at least in Sweden. The couple said that they picked the name because they like the sound, The Local reports. The most important quality they wanted in a name for their daughter, now 5 months old, was that it be gender neutral.

"We talked about lots of names and then Elvis popped up," the mother told the newspaper Metro. "We thought it was a name that was both pretty and gender-neutral. We're not Elvis Presley fans at all."

The National Tax Board disagreed, telling the parents that Elvis "is a first name of a masculine type." Last year, a couple that picked the name Metallica for their daughter was allowed to keep it after a long fight with officials. (Source: UPI, June 2008)

Is this Elvis?: An image bearing a resemblance to Elvis Presley has mysteriously appeared on a slate in a garden in the shadow of the Preseli hills and could become a shrine to the king of rock'n'roll.

The phenomenon has rekindled interest in speculation that Elvis' ancestors came from the area, and already fans of the legend are showing a desire to visit the north Pembrokeshire site.

Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo Mississippi in January 1935 and died at his Graceland mansion in August 1977 aged 42.

A TV documentary was made and a number of newspaper articles written in connection with a belief that the singer's ancestors emigrated from the Preseli's.

The slate is a garden ornament at the remote home of Miss Morgan who specifically asked for the location not to be revealed for fear of Elvis fans converging on her home.

Taking up the story she said "My five-year-old niece came into the house and said there was a man in the garden.

"I went outside but couldn't see anyone until my niece pointed to the slate. I was totally taken aback, absolutely amazed. The image was not there when we put the slate in the garden. I just don't know what to think," she said.

Going on to say that one of her friends has already offered a four figure sum for the slate she said "I don't want to sell it. I look at it every day to see if the image is still there."

Shown a picture life-long Elvis fan Gaynor Thomas of Cardigan said: "I'm not entirely convinced it is Elvis but there is a real likeness."

Currently saving to become one of more than 600,000 people who visit Graceland annually she said: "If it becomes possible I will definitely go and see the slate, and I'm sure very many other Elvis fans would be interested." (Source: Charmaine Voisine/ John Adey, Tivy-Side Advertiser, April 2008)

Priest moonlights at night as Elvis!: Romanian-born Antonio Petrescu believes you can worship God and Elvis at the same time: as a Catholic priest and Elvis Presley impersonator, he finds his spiritual inspiration in the late rock legend.

"People ask me 'How can you reconcile Elvis impersonations with your choice of professional work?'" said Petrescu, who puts on his glittery suits and swivels his hips when not working as a parish priest in the Italian town of Avezzano.

Interviewed by Reuters on a church visit to the tiny town of Sorbo -- population, 52 -- in southern Italy, the priest said he believes Elvis is an appropriate inspiration for Christian worship because he sang of "love in
general".

The 34-year-old's Web site (www.antoniupetrescu.com) has two separate entries -- one for the priest, another for the artist, which talks about his "fiery voice" and discography including the singles "Lovin' Arms" and "Reach out to Jesus".

The pop doesn't stop at Elvis: Petrescu also incorporates the lyrics of singers like Celine Dion into his sermons.

Petrescu feels his responsibility as a priest is to "walk this Earth in love for Jesus Christ", a task in which he is inspired by Elvis's "search for spirituality in his own life". ( Source: Reuters, Oct 2007)

Elvis costume results in assault: AN Annesley barmaid who assaulted a colleague following a row over an Elvis fancy dress costume avoided the jailhouse yesterday (Monday). Kimberley Turner (23), of Mosley Road, was convicted of assaulting barman Craig Etches (19) with Hucknall man Richard Brown (19) on 22nd December last year during a previous trial at Mansfield Magistrates' Court.

And yesterday Turner was sentenced to a 12-month punishment order with 100-hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £50 in compensation and £100 in court costs.

The court was told how Turner, who worked behind the bar at Hucknall Constitutional Club with Mr Etches, had been given the responsibility of hiring fancy dress costumes for staff for the club's Christmas celebration.

Mum-of-three Turner found an Elvis outfit for Mr Etches at a cost of £35 – but he refused to pay because of the poor condition of the costume.

She then threatened him as he left the club to walk to a nearby bus stop, before Brown punched, kicked and headbutted him after pinning him against a wall.

Brown, of Glendon Drive, was also given a 12-month community punishment order with 200-hours unpaid work and was ordered to pay £200 in compensation and £100 court costs.

Mr Etches suffered a large swelling of the cheekbone, a bloody nose and pain in his stomach and ribs following the attack. (Source: Chad.co.uk, Oct 2007)

Fake Elvis: Suspicious mind made him kill: A blood-soaked “house of horrors” greeted Revere police and firefighters when they answered an Elvis impersonator’s 911 call and found that the homicidal King had pinned a half-naked guest to his living room floor with a 2-foot-long machete.

“It doesn’t get more serious than this,” grim-faced assistant Suffolk District Attorney John Powers said yesterday as the first-degree murder trial of Robert Daigle, 71, got underway - a murder, Powers said, that was “without justification and excuse.”

The Sept. 19, 2003, killing of James Surette, 39, was so grisly Superior Court Judge Linda Giles cautioned jurors to steel themselves against letting pity for the dead man cloud their objectivity. His black pompadour, mutton-chop sideburns and white leisure suit replaced with shoulder-length gray hair and casual business attire, Daigle listened intently as Powers described how Surette’s blood sprayed on the ceiling and walls of the Frye Street apartment he’d stopped by for drinks.

Powers told of how Daigle later shared with investigators “seeing chunks flying off the body” of Surette as he allegedly hacked him with the blade 27 times, having already plunged a kitchen knife through his heart. Daigle, looking more like Neil Diamond yesterday than Elvis, admits he did the deed, but claimed self-defense.

“There is no more powerful human emotion than the will to live,” his defense attorney, J.W. Carney Jr., said in his opening statement. “Mr. Daigle felt that terror in his own home. He did what he had to do so that he would not die.”

The ill-fated fast friends allegedly met at a bus stop on Sept. 18, 2003, and Surette, who also lived in Revere, accepted Daigle’s invitation to come by that night and party. By the following morning, Sept. 19, 2003, Daigle contends, Surette was drunk and becoming affectionate in a “non-sexual” way. Daigle told him to leave; Surette allegedly refused and settled onto a couch to sleep clutching a kitchen knife to his bare chest after picking Daigle up and slamming him onto a glass table.

“Mr. Daigle thought the only thing he could do was to act to save himself,” Carney said. Daigle snatched the knife from Surette and buried it in his chest - a wound that proved fatal, but not before Surette’s skull was crushed and he was butchered with a mail-order machete during a frenzied, two-minute attack.

“Robert Daigle was so frightened that he would be killed,” Carney said, “that he could not stop until he was absolutely, positively sure that he’d killed the man who was going to kill him.”

Dismissing the urgency, Powers noted that Daigle took a shower and changed his clothes before summoning help. (Source: Laurel J. Sweet, Boston Herald, 18 July 2007)

Elvis encourages Tour de France competitor: A spectator dressed as Elvis Presley encourages Linus Gerdemann of Germany as he pedals to the ascent of the Colombiere pass during the 7th stage of the 94th Tour de France cycling race between Bourg-en-Bresse and Le Grand Bornand, French Alps, Saturday, July 14, 2007. Gerdemann won the stage and took the overall lead on Saturday. (Source: AP PHOTO/Richard Martin, Pool, 16 July 2007)

Can you see the King of Rock in this rock?:

A river rock is causing quite a bit of talk in this mountain community. That is because on it there is a mark that has an uncanny resemblance to Elvis Presley.

"The hair, the sideburns and the collar all point to the King of Rock.

LaDell Alexander was the one to find it.

"I'm kind of a rock hound," she said.

She bought the rock, which weighs around 23 pounds, a while back in Colorado not noticing the image it carried. When I got home and was rinsing it off, I could see something in the rock," Alexander recounted, "And there's Elvis, plain as day, because when it's wet the black hair really stands out."

Alexander and her husband, Lynn, live in Texas, but vacation in Estes Park during the summer. That is where the "Elvis Rock" resides now and has started to attract attention. George Frawley owns a bed and breakfast near the Alexanders and visited their house Tuesday to have a look.

"It is the real thing!" Frawley exclaimed. "I don't want to get too excited, but this is big stuff."

The Alexanders plan to put the rock on eBay and donate 10 percent of whatever they get to a charity linked to the Elvis Presley Trust. (Source: KUSA*TV, 5 July 2007)

Got a dog that looks like Elvis?: The Commercial Appeal newspaper is looking worldwide for people - and nonpeople - who look like Elvis. Men, women, children, animals, inanimate objects, even food items, are eligible.

Put on your best lop-sided Elvis smile and send us a photo or a video and we'll include it on our Web site and possibly publish it during Elvis Week. Include your name, if you wish, and where you live. Here are ways to get your photo or video to:

E-mail photo: flickr@commercialappeal.com.

Join the flickr group CA Elvis Lookalikes at http://www.flickr.com/groups/elvislookalikes/

Send us your video on YouTube; e-mail a link to webmaster@commercialappeal.com. For more information, call Peggy McKenzie at (901) 529-2341 or e- mail mckenziep@commercialappeal.com. (Source: The Commercial Appeal, 28 June 2007)

Elvis lookalike saved by trademark quiff...but charged with selling illegal firearms: An Elvis lookalike gun dealer was saved by his trademark quiff when he was shot in the head, a jury heard. Michael Shepherd, aged 56, was hit when a gun went off by accident as he combed his hair, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. The carpenter, who has worked in Greenwich for 35 years, was leaving a Plumstead gun shop when he was hit.

He said: "The owner was showing another customer a gun as I was leaving the shop. "The gunshot went through my hand as I swept over my hair."

Shepherd, who is nicknamed Elvis because of his obsession with The King, is alleged to have sold illegal pistols to two undercover police officers in a sting operation. Prosecutors say Shepherd was caught red-handed after he started advertising on a website. They claim two undercover detectives were sent to call at his house and he agreed to sell them pistols.

Officers seized a cache of around 900 firearms from Shepherd's house in Wentworth Drive, Dartford, on September 13 last year. Of these, only two are now under scrutiny by the prosecution - an 1887 shot pistol and a Montenegran Gasser. Shepherd, a registered gun dealer with Kent police, said the shot pistol was for Tiger shooting in India and the Gasser was given to him by a Kent police sergeant, Mike Spencer, before he moved to Devon.

He blamed a stash of illegal weapons found at his mother's home on his son Clint, who is already behind bars for firearms offences. Shepherd is accused of conspiracy to possess firearms with intent to cause fear of violence, seven counts of selling or transferring a prohibited weapon and five counts of possessing a prohibited weapon. He denies the 13 charges. The trial continues. (Source:thisishertfordshire.co.uk, 24 June 2007)

Elvis in the building...psychics reveal: Psychics have told Daytona Beach resident Jeffery Golden he is the reincarnation of Elvis Presley's twin brother, who died at birth. Saturday, judges will tell Golden and 19 other Elvis impersonators whether they have the right stuff to win the "Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest." Read full story (Source: Daytona Beach News Online, 16 June 2007)

"Elvis" town councillor wants 'nude' pool: Council meetings in Reus could take a turn for the bizarre after the northern Spanish town voted in a councillor who promised to turn up dressed as Elvis Presley and wants to turn the square into a nudist pool. Ariel Santamaria, a former postman, stood for a small independent party dressed in full Elvis regalia complete with sideburns and won enough votes last weekend to take a council seat.

It remains to be seen how other parties will take his proposals for Reus, a town of 100,000 people near Barcelona. His platform included plans to paint the town hall pink, plant marijuana in the parks and give the town police global positioning systems to find people who might need a light while rolling a joint. (Source: Reuters, 1 June 2007)

Jumpsuit panther: Unusual picture from ElvisMatters Member Roelof Stabler: “Last March, we visited Jacksonville Florida, and noticed several panthers in all kinds of art decorations. One of the panthers was dressed in the American Eagle jumpsuit. Very tastefully done, as you can see on the attached picture.” Do you have more Elvis related pictures? Feel free to send 'm to us!

(Source: Elvis Matters)

Will Elvis join Lady Liberty?: In New York last week, I drifted onto Pier 17. There, a silver-painted street performer portrayed a herky-jerky mechanical man, emitting machine sounds, for donations. Silver-painted machine men. The poor slobs are probably former Detroit auto workers, subprime mortgage lenders or dead-tree journalists. The way my industry is going, it's pretty clear to me that if I want a pension, I'd better learn the robot.

Anyway, it was amusing to come home and see downtown boosters recruiting such colorful characters to "create atmosphere" in the city center. Well, sure. Break dancers, drummers in dashikis, a trio of Latino guitarists strolling Dean De Carli Waterfront Square on a warm summer night. That would be good. Just please, not that guy who leaps out of bushes and scares the daylights out of you at San Francisco's Pier 39. That act is tragically wrong for Stockton.

However, the booster group, the Downtown Stockton Alliance, is charging fees and issuing performer permits "to distinguish them from panhandlers." Speaking only for myself, I require no help distinguishing a street performer from a panhandler. The poor panhandler has duct-taped shoes and enough peat dirt on him to bring Roberts Island back up to sea level. Dressed as a mime and pretending to picnic? Street performer.

"I would love to see an Elvis," said Kathy Miller, head of the Downtown Stockton Alliance, the outfit pursuing this idea.

Already the alliance has been contacted by a balloon artist, a couple of guitarists and a singer who dresses as the Statue of Liberty, Miller boasted. What does Lady Liberty sing? "I'm not sure. But I have to admit I'm very curious," Miller said. (Source: Michael Fitzgerald, Recordnet.com, 20 April 2007)

Altercation at UK Elvis event leads to suspended sentence and community service: An Elvis lookalike got drunk and attacked four people at a convention for Presley fans, a court has heard.

Justin Phillips, 34, attacked a doorman and three Elvis fans when he was refused entry at the event in Porthcawl, south Wales, last September. Phillips, of Nantyffyllon near Bridgend, bit a woman's arm and "gouged at" two men's eyes after drinking heavily, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

He received 150 hours community service and an eight-month suspended sentence. The court heard Phillips had been drinking at the seaside resort's Brentwood Hotel, decked out for the occasion as the Heartbreak Hotel.

He left the convention - the UK's biggest annual tribute to the King - believing the festivities were over, but heard the Presley tribute band struck up again. He tried to get back in, but was refused entry. The court was told a doorman and three Elvis fans stopped him because he was "too drunk". Prosecutor Richard Evans said: "He became abusive and aggressive towards staff and other Elvis fans.

"One woman became involved and he bit fiercely into her arm. Two men attending the convention tried to make him calm down but he gouged at their eyes with his fingertips."

Phillips admitted assault, wounding and inflicting actual bodily harm.Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones gave him an eight-month suspended prison sentence and 150 hours community service. Robert Hawkins, defending, said: "He is deeply remorseful and ashamed of himself." (Source: BBC News, 25 March 2007)

Elvis to vote in Papua New Guinea election: The late Elvis Presley plans to be a ghost voter at the 2007 national elections in the jungle-clad South Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea -- if you believe the nation's electoral rolls. In 2006 almost half of Papua New Guinea's 4.9 million registered voters were regarded by the electoral commission as ghost voters and did not exist. The commission has been trying for a year to update voter registration ahead of June 30 elections, but admits voter rolls in remote, rugged highland electorates remain vastly inaccurate. Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen said ghost voters remained a problem with several Elvis Presleys, the U.S. rocker who died in 1977, registering to vote, alongside a handful of Tom Jones, and a couple of kings and queens. (Source: CNN.com, 9 Mar 2007)

Believe it or not! - Elvis in casket item on ebay: Extremely unusual item is composed of a ceramic elvis bust laid in a real Poplar wood casket, reproducing the well known last photo of the King. The coffin was purchased new specifically for this display, which has been featured in a few local newspapers. This would make a great Halloween prop with or without Elvis. The lot includes the casket, the Elvis bust and torso and the visitation hours sign. (Source: E-Cat, FECC, 31 Jan 07 )

Fake "Elvis Cup" sold on ebay: Wade Cummings (the "Elvis Cup" man) reports: The original Elvis Cup has never been sold...A " fake" paper cup...purportedly used by Elvis was scammed on eBay...sold ...trying to capitalize on the real Elvis Cup's fame. (Source: PR Inside, 24 Jan 2007)

see earlier stories dated 24 June 2006, 15 May 2006, 29 March 2005 and 10 March 2005

Elvis back on the building (see original story below): The King is back. A 6ft model of Elvis Presley is safely home again after being stolen from the roof of a pub in Hove. The Argus reported on Friday how Mike Greaves and Adrienne Lover of the Nevill Pub were left scratching their heads after the plaster model of the legendary singer disappeared overnight.

It had taken three men to lift the Elvis model into place on a 12ft high flat roof six months ago. However, Mr Greaves, Ms Lover and her daughter Kara, five, who live in a flat above the pub, did not hear a thing when it was removed.

Mr Greaves said: "I am delighted to say Elvis is back in the building. It turned out that a boy was coming home early in the morning and decided to take the model home to his mum, who is a big fan.

"She knew nothing about where he had got it from until she opened up The Argus and saw the story. She immediately made him bring the model back. He will also be helping me to scrub out the cellar for a few hours as well as a way of saying sorry."

When the model Elvis was taken, he was snapped off and his feet left behind so he needs to be repaired before he can go back on the roof again.

Mr Greaves said: "It should take about a week and then we are going to plan a special Elvis night around the end of January." (Odd Spot, Source: The Argus)

EIN Comment: This is odd. We find it hard to believe one boy could remove an item that took three men to put in place on the roof.

Elvis has left the building: A theft at a Hove pub has left the locals all shook up. A 6ft model of legendary singer Elvis has been stolen from the roof of The Nevill. Landlady Adrienne Lover said: "We are missing him and we want him back." The plaster model is so heavy it took three men to lift it into place six months ago. Wearing his famous spangly white jumpsuit, Elvis stood on top of the 12ft high flat roof above the saloon bar of the pub in Nevill Road.

Opposite: Michael Greaves and Adrienne Lover beneath where the King used to sit

But on Wednesday night, thieves pinched the King, leaving only his feet, which were snapped off, behind. Adrienne, 37, said neither she nor her partner Michael Greaves nor her fiveyear- old daughter Kara, who live in a flat above the pub, heard anything.

She said: "One of the regulars came into the pub the following morning and asked where Elvis had gone. At first I thought he had blown down and then I saw he was gone.

"I do feel pretty upset. It feels like nothing is sacred."

She said Elvis had become a popular attraction since he was bought from a friend and put on the roof of the pub, which is currently for sale. Regular customers grew fond of him and passers-by took photographs. Elvis fans would call in for a drink and recently 20 people who had just attended an Elvis convention turned up. (Source: The Argus, UK, late Dec 2006)

Wales - Bald Elvis all shook up by death threats: An Elvis impersonator has been left 'all shook up' after receiving death threats. Actor Geraint Benney, from Aberdare, claims to be the only Welsh-speaking, bald Elvis in the world. But he says his act, which is performed in pubs and clubs across South Wales, has enraged some extreme fans.

'I have had death threats,' said Geraint. 'One anonymous fan is even threatening to shoot me. Some people think my act is disrespectful because I am bald. But being bald makes me stand out.'

The 34-year-old added: 'If Elvis were alive today I am sure he would have a good old laugh. Geraint said he had informed South Wales Police and officers are investigating. (Source: ic Wales, 8 Dec 2006)

UK - 109 Elvises raise money for charity: Passengers at London's Gatwick airport were treated to a bit of surrealism as they waited for their flights. More than 100 Elvis Presley's were gathered at the hub waiting to board a flight to Las Vegas, reports the Sun. The congregation was preparing to complete a sponsored walk onboard the flight in a bid to raise money for charity. In total, 109 Elvises took part in the walk, which involved walking up and down the isle of a 747 in a relay format. The team, which was made up entirely of employees from an office design company, managed to raise £50,000 and even found time to entertain other passengers while still on the ground. Those waiting for their flights were greeted to renditions of Suspicious Minds and other Elvis classics. (Source: Amber Smith, 5 Dec 2006)

Swedish girls in Elvis handcuff ordeal: In a weird and frightening incident three 14 year-old Swedish girls went to Brighton to learn English, but got more than they bargained for when their host family included a crazed, handcuff-wielding Elvis fan. Read full story (Source: The Local, Sweden, 24 Nov 2006)

USA - Man claiming to be Elvis' son deemed unfit: A man who claims he's Elvis Presley's son and is accused of making threats against Utah judges has been found mentally unfit to stand trial.

Forty-nine-year-old Ernest John Young, also known as Jason Presley, was declared incompetent last week after two medical examiners testified Young thinks he's the heir to the Presley fortune, among other views and beliefs.

One of the medical examiners said it's obvious Young suffers from a delusional disorder of a grandiose type.

Young is accused of threatening several judges on multiple occasions for refusing to file murder charges against people he believes conspired to kill Elvis Presley.

Young will now be sent to the state hospital for an attempt to restore him to competency. (Source: Amber Smith, OOct 2006)

Canada - Even the hound dogs didn't vote for Elvis: His signs urged "Don't be a Hound Dog, vote for Elvis," but the voters left him lonesome tonight.Elvis Aaron Presley, the Independent candidate running in Pelly-Nisutlin, finished last in a four-person race. Although he briefly held a lead after the first poll was reported, Presley quickly fell to the bottom of the count and did not recover. When all the ballots were counted the colourful candidate managed to capture seven per cent of the popular vote - 40 votes in all - but finished far behind the winner, Marian Horne of the Yukon Party, who took 42 per cent of the vote totalling 241 ballots. Presley, whose signs were vandalized during the campaign, resorted to laying in wait at the end of the road with a video recorder, hoping to capture the crime on camera. He was unsuccessful. Presley changed his name from Gilbert Nellis more than a decade earlier. (Source: CBC Canada News, 12 Oct 2006)

USA - He's the mayor -- not The King: One of the hot-selling local items these days is the Jer-vis, a T-shirt that has Elvis Presley's body and Mayor Jerry Abramson's head. Why Louisville is selling the item at festivals, in its Bardstown Road store and at www.whylouisville.com for $15.99. Store owners Will Russell and Ben Peskoe were brainstorming when Peskoe came up with the idea several months ago. (Abramson's head on Yoda's body was also considered.) Russell said Abramson bought one of the shirts at the Forecastle Festival in August. He got it for half price when he could only fish $8 out of his pockets, Russell said.

Abramson said he bought the shirt for his son. However, "Sidney won't wear it," Abramson said, laughing and shaking his head. Russell understands. "When I was his age, I probably wouldn't have worn a shirt with my dad's face on Elvis's body." What's next, a Kel-vis, featuring Kelly Downard, Abramson's Republican mayoral opponent? "Probably not," said Russell, saying that Abramson was chosen because his years as mayor make him a local icon. (Source: Metro Notebook, 11 Oct 2006)

USA - Flying Elvis breaks his pelvis: A "Flying Elvis" suffered a broken pelvis during the grand opening of the Glacier Peaks Casino here. Paul Moran is a member of The Flying Elvi, a 10-member skydiving team made up of Elvis Presley impersonators, who were hired to parachute into the parking lot at the casino Friday. Other members of the troupe said the Las Vegas man apparently misjudged the landing and hit the ground at 50 mph. "I talked to his family (Monday) and they said he is doing well, but he did break his pelvis," said Gary Green, casino manager. Moran was taken to the Blackfeet Community Hospital and then flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he is listed in serious condition in the intensive care unit. (Source: AP, 3 Oct 2006)

Strange posting on Elvis and Satanism: Amber Smith sent us this odd posting apparently from one of the messageboards: "I think there's good evidence Elvis was deeply into Satanism. For a start, he loved black clothes, capes and stuff. He even died his hair jet black, and didn't like sunlight at all. He lived at night and put silver foil on the windows to stop the sunlight. I'm amazed he didn't go the whole hog and buy a castle in Transylvania!" (Source: Amber Smith, 1 Oct 2006 )

The "Elvis" of terrorists: Rumors that Osama bin Laden has died have been running rampant in the news the past few days. Reportedly the evil, bearded one fell dead from typhoid, or ennui, or something like that in the latest of his caves.

Of course, who can forget the time he died in Jan. 2002? Or when he ceased living in July of 2002? Or when his 72 smoking-hot virgins welcomed him in June 2005? Or in Dec. 2005?

Osama bin Laden has basically become the Elvis of terrorists. Soon, there will be sightings of him pumping gas while dead in Des Moines. Plus, I hear bin Laden digs wearing leather and swiveling his hips. And loves peanut-butter and banana sandwiches. And popping pills like a mad man. And had a twin brother that died at birth named Jessie Garon. And can also bring tears to your eyes with a version of "Love me Tender." Seriously, the similarities are mind blowing. Anyway, the world may or may not be without its favorite demented cave dweller. (Source: WKW, Travelgolf.com, 26 Sep 2006)

USA - Anne Heche upstaged by Elvis: Anne Heche was being upstaged by a raccoon, and the animal wasn't even in the room. Heche was talking to a gathering of TV critics about her new series, Men in Trees, but the critics seemed more interested in gleaning information about Elvis, a raccoon regular on the ABC series airing Fridays. As Elvis's talent was discussed, Heche played along. "Best actor I ever worked with," she quipped. Yet she also revealed Elvis didn't do all his own stunts. He needed a double -- a dog called Boomer in a raccoon suit -- for a sequence when he had to run really fast. (Odd Spot, Source: The Calgary Sun, 23 Sep 2006)

USA - Planet Elvis?: Elvis may have left the building, but if Beale Street bar owner Silky Sullivan has his way, the King will have a new place in the solar system. Sullivan has begun a local campaign to re-name Xenu, the recently discovered pseudo-planet just beyond the orbit of Neptune. He wants to call it Planet Elvis. The official task of naming planets belongs to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), but Sullivan believes a little grassroots work can convince the agency to take his advice.

“Just imagine when a child opens his textbook and sees the planets in the solar system. He’ll say, ‘Look, Daddy, there’s Pluto. And there’s a Hunk of Burning Love,” says Sullivan. (Source: Memphis Flyer Online, 23 Aug 2006)

Elvis featured in "Number Freaking" book: Doodling with numbers, with over 200 pages of surreal sums and absurd arithmetic. For example, Elvis Presley was eating 65,000 calories daily when he died at the age of 42. According to McDonald's, a Big Mac contains 600 calories. Elvis was eating the equivalent of 108 Big Macs a day when he died! (Source: Cafe Press, 23 aug 2006)

UK - Dog destroys teddy bear owned by Elvis: A guard dog has ripped apart a collection of rare teddy bears, including one once owned by Elvis Presley, during a rampage at a children's museum.

"He just went berserk," said Daniel Medley, general manager of the Wookey Hole Caves near Wells, England, where hundreds of bears were chewed up Tuesday night by the 6-year-old Doberman pinscher named Barney.

Barney ripped the head off a brown stuffed bear once owned by the young Presley during the attack, leaving fluffy stuffing and bits of bears' limbs and heads on the museum floor. The bear, named Mabel, was made in 1909 by the German manufacturer Steiff.

The collection, valued at more than $900,000, included a red bear made by Farnell in 1910 and a Bobby Bruin made by Merrythought in 1936.

The bear with Elvis connections was owned by English aristocrat Benjamin
Slade, who bought it at an Elvis memorabilia auction in Memphis, Tenn., and had loaned it to the museum.

"I've spoken to the bear's owner and he is not very pleased at all," Medley said.

A security guard at the museum, Greg West, said he spent several minutes chasing Barney before wrestling the dog to the ground. (Source:AP, 3 Aug 2006)

USA - The town big enough for Elvis and Bigfoot: The first thing to understand is that Elvis Presley (really, that's his name - if I'm lying, I'm dying ) is alive and well and living in Phillips, Milwaukee, so don't discount the impossible. Unfortunately, historic Bloom's Tavern, the bar Presley now owns next to a building named Heartbreak Hotel, was not open the day I stopped so I was unable to frame the question any newspaperman would trade his first born to ask.

"Elvis, have you seen Bigfoot?"

So I did the next best thing. I walked

Some restaurants in town were said to have put Bigfoot Burgers or "sasquatch soup" on their menus, Stutzman's story said, while south of town at Roscoe's Country Sausage owner Dennis "Roscoe" Skomaroske changed his outdoor sign to read "Buying Sasquatch Hides." And Solberg Park is very nice. On my way out of town I stopped to see where Bigfoot researchers had camped, hoping to pick up a vibe. The only upright creatures I found were campers, though I kept my eyes peeled as I departed, remembering what Brian Skomaroske had said could be one downside of this whole fuss.

"Some goofy son of a (gun)'ll probably put a monkey suit on and go in the woods," he said, "and somebody'll shoot him."

At least then we could say, Bigfoot has left the building. (Source: JS Online, 17 July 2006)

Filipino impersonator records tribute to the Elvis Cup: Last year Wade Jones achieved notoriety when he sold viewing rights to a foam cup allegedly used by Elvis. Now a Filipino Elvis Impersonator (Renelvis) has recorded a song "The Elvis Cup" ( a Tribute to the Elvis Cup). Meanwhile, Associated Press has published a weird story about the Elvis Cup: I channel Elvis' spirit through the styrofoam cup (Source: Wade Jones, 24 June 2006)

Scotland - You're the diver in disguise: ELVIS is alive and swimming - in Scotland. Almost 29 years after The King died, he has been spotted underwater in Scapa Flow, Orkney. But it's not the latest in the thousands of reported sightings by those who refuse to believe he is dead. The rumours of an Orkney Elvis are down to dive firm owners Ben and Sara Wade, who produce a range of novelty masks, including an Elvis one which has become a great hit with their customers. The Elvis hood, which costs £70, has an oversized wing collar, the King's distinctive hairstyle and 70s-style sunglasses. And they are now considering a full Elvis diving suit, complete with sequins. (Source: Sanja Meegin, 13 June 2006)

USA - Elvis in Top 10 celebrity ghost list: According to The Hollywood News Web site — which sounds very official and professional but is, in fact, just something compiled by two young writers — Elvis Presley is one of our country’s top-10 “celebrity ghosts.” “Not only is this legendary singer believed to haunt his beloved home in Memphis, but also stagehands working at the Las Vegas Hilton (where he often performed in the early 1970's) have reported regularly seeing him dressed in his famous white-sequined suit.” He ranks above other Hollywood legends such as James Dean and John Wayne, but at #3 is beaten by Marilyn Monroe (#2) and Rudolph Valentino (#1). (Source: The Memphis Flyer, 11 June 2006)

Bulgaria - "Elvis Bulgaria" investigation smashes child exploitation network: Youngsters forced to work as modern 'Oliver Twists' · Police in Italy have smashed a criminal network that exploited hundreds of children from impoverished families in Bulgaria, forcing them to work as modern-day Oliver Twists.

The children, aged from nine, were sent out to beg on the streets and trained to pickpocket passengers on buses and subways.

Investigators said the youngsters were beaten or threatened if they did not fulfil their daily quota and were "relegated to the status of mere objects", after their families rented them out to the gang in exchange for a share in the profits or an immediate cash sum. In one case, officers in Venice came across a 13-year-old girl who was eight months' pregnant. "The group took advantage of the fact that a child under 14 cannot be arrested in Italy," Carabinieri official Gabriele Passarotto said.

Details of the investigation - codenamed Elvis Bulgaria - were revealed in Trieste in a press conference attended by Piero Grasso, Italy's chief prosecutor of organised crime. (Source: The Guardian, 31 May 2006)

USA - Jimmy Hoffa in Elvis' grave!: Conspiracy theorists have floated the hypothesis that it is Jimmy Hoffa, not Elvis, in Elvis Presley's grave. (Source: ProgressiveU, 31 May 2006)

USA - OJ Simpson to appear as Elvis: OJ Simpson is to star in a new reality TV show, where he will appear as an Elvis impersonator amongst other roles. In Juiced, OJ will also pretend to be a street-corner fruit seller, an elderly man at a bingo game and himself trying to sell the car he used when he was arrested on charges for murdering his ex-wife. The show will air on pay-per-view in the US this month and will be followed by the release of a DVD. A spokesperson said that OJ was not paid for his role in the programme and purely thought it would be fun. ( Source: Digital Spy TV, 15 May 2006)

UK - Shirley Bassey as actor "starstruck" over doodling Elvis: It has four costume changes, a plethora of stars, and one unmistakable voice. In Another Audience With ... Dame Shirley Bassey reveals her relationship with the stars, how she found her singing voice and why she loves Bond. She was asked...

(as) Coronation St actor Anthony Cotton was recently asked, "Have you ever been starstruck?"

"Oh God, yes - Elvis Presley. I went backstage to see him after his show in Las Vegas and I had one of those jumpsuits that were very fashionable in those days. There was a button there, (gestures to top of chest), and then it was open, and a button there, and then open, and a button there, and then open, right down to my navel. He started doodling on my skin - I can't go on, I still get goosebumps just talking about it. I went to my room and got undressed and looked in the mirror and there were all these crazy drawings on me. I never washed again!" (Source: icwales.co.uk)

USA - Ghost of Elvis Appears on Office Depot Receipt: Could this really be the ghost of Elvis? Jenna Cage of Northern California was looking up an Office Depot rebate receipt when she discovered the ghostly image of the King eerily manifested on the receipt itself. The detailed features of the eyes, nose, and mouth are unmistakable--could this really be proof that Elvis lives?

Jenna recounts the eerie circumstances leading to the discovery of the Elvis ghost. "Last month, shortly after Christmas, I purchased 2 laptops from Office Depot. There was a mail-in rebate offer which I immediately sent in after my purchase. I had not received the rebate check so I got out the copies of the rebate paperwork with intentions to call Office Depot so they can look up the status of my rebate.

As I opened the folder to retrieve the original receipt, I almost fell out of my chair! On the receipt (right on top) was an eerie yet unmistakable ghostly image of none other than the King himself, ELVIS PRESLEY! The "ghostly image" contains very clear outlines of ELVIS' eyes, lips, and hair."

The question is how did the ghostly image appear or where did it come from? "I am not an Elvis fan", says Jenna. "I have nothing in my house that contains anything that is or connected with Elvis Presley. I have no idea how, why, or where the image came from. All I know is that the receipt is all original, unaltered, and exactly as it was when I got it from Office Depot," she states.

The receipt, dated January 12, 2006, coincidentally marks exactly 33 years (the age of Jesus when he died) to the date of Elvis' "Alternate Aloha Concert" taped January 12, 1973 that drew in over 1.5 billion viewers and was the largest, most spectacular concert of the King of rock and roll ever. It also marks 4 days after the King's (would have been) 71st birthday.

A journalist doing an article on the Elvis receipt also pointed out a very interesting yet very eerie coincidence that makes this phenomena even more bizarre. OFFICE DEPOT'S SLOGAN: "TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS" (which you can clearly see on the receipt) was apparently ELVIS' signature slogan as well! This gave the receipt's owner Jenna the chills especially since one of the ghostly images appear right on the printed slogan itself.

According to the journalist, Elvis apparently took this quote very seriously and even had a "TCB" (TAKING CARE of BUSINESS) diamond logo designed which adorned his rings, necklaces, sunglasses, etc. that he wore to concerts and on an everday basis. Over 200 curious onlookers have viewed the auction in its first few hours. "I've already received several emails commenting on how the images could be anyone from James Dean to Abraham Lincoln", states Jenna. "But the lips---the lips are definitely Elvis", she says.

View the phenomenon on eBay by searching Item #: 5671493518 or go to:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5671493518 (Source:PR Newswire, 1 March 2006)

The rally features teams of between two and eight dogs running at up to 20 miles an hour over a gruelling, four-mile track. Along with the Siberian huskies, rally dogs include Alaskan Malamutes, Samoyeds, Greenland Dogs and Canadian Eskimo Dogs.

Even if there's no snow at ground level for the event, the races will still go on with mushers using a three-wheeled rig that looks like a bike without a seat.

Sled dogs come from as far as the Isle of Wight and Devon for one of the most challenging and prestigious of the British Siberian Husky Club's series of rallies. (Source: Sanja Meegin, 20 Jan 2006)

England - Princess Diana's "Elvis dress" on display: After years of legal tug-of-war, a lavish gown worn by DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES has gone on display at London's Victoria And Albert Museum. The high collar, pearl-encrusted gown known as the ''Elvis dress" was donated to the museum by a US memorabilia firm in 2005 and was put on show on Friday (13 Jan 06).

Franklin Mint purchased the floor-length white gown - worn by the late princess during an unofficial visit to Hong Kong in November 1989 - at a fundraising auction in 1997. The firm later fought an ongoing legal battle against the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, who tried to prevent the firm from selling Diana dolls wearing the dress by British designer CATHERINE WALKER. Mint filed suit against the charity in 2002, claiming $25 million (GBP14 million) in damages.

Critics argued that millions of pounds of the fund's money had been wasted after a $7 million (GBP4 million) legal bill led the organisation to freeze its donations in 2003. Following an out of court settlement between the respective parties, the fund resumed awarding grants to causes supported by Diana in November 2004. (News, Source; Contact Music, 17 Jan 2006)

"Elvis" was introduced to a swampy part of the airport in 2003 to frighten away fruit bats, ducks and other birds.

"It worked in the short term but then some of the birds got used to him," said Kim Kelleher, environment manager for the Cairns Port Authority. "It was a bit labour-intensive – you'd have to keep moving it around." Although Elvis – so called because he was dead yet still sighted occasionally – has since disappeared, airport officials would not rule out the possibility of similar fake salties being used again in the future. "We consult the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the CSIRO and we're always willing to make changes and look at new strategies," Miss Kelleher said.

Other novel methods used include distress calls, horns and pyrotechnics that frighten away birdlife with a loud bang and a puff of smoke. (News, Source: Sunday Mail, 15 Jan 2006)

Australia - THE MARYHILLBILLYS - GODDAM HE THINKS HE'S ELVIS: Surely this must be the best name for a Scottish country band based in Australia? With a chorus of "Amen, the king is gone" and a fiddle-powered middle eight, this could be straight out of Nashville itself. (Source: The Daily Record, 14 Jan 2006)

Australia - Woman loses that lovin' feeling and stabs boyfriend over Elvis: A woman stabbed her boyfriend with a pair of scissors because he repeatedly played the Elvis Presley hit Burning Love on the King’s birthday, January 8, police in Australia alleged today.

The 35-year-old man was treated for six stab wounds to his head, back and legs at the hospital in the farming town of Northam in Western Australia state late last night but was allowed to go home, said state police spokeswoman Ros Weatherall.

The girlfriend was charged with unlawful wounding and was to appear in a Northam court today for a magistrate to decide whether she should be released on bail, Weatherall said. (Odd Spot, Source: Ireland On-line, 11 Jan 2006)

USA - Elvis for Mayor?: The City of Modesto in California is suing itself to try to stop a December 13th city council runoff election that it doesn't think is necessary. City officials believe Planning Commissioner Kristin Olsen won the seat outright in the November 8th election. But city officials say the Stanislaus County clerk's initial vote count included 243 unqualified write-in votes and left Olson just short of the majority she needed to avoid a runoff. Some of the write-in votes were for fictitious candidates, such as Elvis Presley. City officials say the only way to cancel the election is for a judge to call it off. A court hearing is set for Tuesday. (News/Odd Spot, Source: AP, 3 Dec 2005)

USA - Elvis is 'Guardian Angel" for Patrick Swayze: Hollywood actor PATRICK SWAYZE has been told by four different mystics that ELVIS PRESLEY watches over him. The DIRTY DANCING star, 53, insists that although he is not a huge fan of The King, many people have likened their personalities. He says, "Four different psychics have told me Elvis watches over me. They call me with reports. "I'm not really a big Elvis fan but a lot of people have compared our sensuality. "Whatever. I don't mind that." (News/Odd Spot, Source: Contact Music/Sanja Meegin, 2 Dec 2005)

USA - Elvis spotted as Russian Nesting Doll: Don't be embarrassed to admit you've spotted Elvis. You're not alone. Elvis sightings have been made everywhere at the State Fair of Texas this year – even in some of the most unexpected places. He's hard to miss as the fair's butter sculpture or in the Hall of State's rock 'n' roll exhibit. But the King's also been spied on the bellies of teddy bears for sale in the Embarcadero and tied up in knots at the puppet show in the Creative Arts Building. Rumors of Elvis as a Russian nesting doll have been confirmed, and he's even been reported atop a float in the nightly parade. There have been so many sightings of the King, some of his diehard fans may begin to wonder if he has returned for a second comeback tour. He hasn't – that we know of. (Source: Dallas Morning News, 16 Oct 2005)

USA - Man claims he taught Elvis to dance: Tom Van Bibber of south Fort Myers says he taught Elvis Presley to dance, yet he can't figure out how to silence an irritating sound in his house. What do Elvis and the mysterious noise have in common? Nothing, except I know Tom's sinister sound exists, but Elvis — except for occasional sightings — isn't around to ask if Tom straightened out his two left feet in a Memphis VFW.

"Elvis was 13, the same age as my brother, and I was 16,'' says Tom, 73. "Elvis couldn't dance much so I taught him a few steps.''

Elvis' 70th birthday is this year, so Tom is on the money as far as dancing after school in 1948, but keep in mind that Tom is quite the salesman — building materials and women's clothes with ex-wife Lynda — and the stories keep getting better as they get older. (News/Odd Spot, Source: The News-Press, 2 Oct 2005)

UK - Love Me Tender: Claire Rowlands and Marc Haries will tie the knot on Saturday - at the Porthcawl Elvis Festival. Claire, a freelance legal representative in criminal courts, and Marc, a local bus driver, will exchange vows in front of thousands of Elvis lookalikes and another Elvis backing group, The Sweet Inspirations. (News/Odd Spot, Source: icWales, 30 Sep 2005)

England - "Elvis" promotes price cut: The Archant London group circulation team took the “Roll Back” of the Gravesend Reporter cover price to 15p one step further and renamed it the “Rock and Roll back”. To help the promotion go with a swing, they held an “Elvis” themed day in the town centre – and a branded Archant bus was driven round town by 'Elvis' with a megaphone promoting the price cut. (Source: HoldtheFront Page.co.uk)

"Red Elvis" painting sparks court battle: Swedish heiress Kersten Lindholm of Greenwich is fighting a court ruling that declared newsprint magnate Peter Brant the rightful owner of "Red Elvis," a 6-foot-tall painting that features 36 identical images of Elvis Presley's face. Brant bought the painting five years ago from Lindholm's art dealer, who was later convicted of stealing it. Last month, after a three-year legal battle, a Stamford Superior Court judge ruled Brant the rightful owner of the painting.

Lindholm had filed a civil suit alleging that Brant and Swedish art dealer Anders Malmberg conspired to buy the painting without her permission. Lindholm's attorney, Lawrence Weinstein of Proskauer Rose in Manhattan, said she filed an appeal last week.

Brant, a longtime Warhol collector, paid $2.9 million to buy the painting from Malmberg, who had represented Lindholm in many art transactions, according to court documents. The painting is now in Brant's private collection. Court papers indicate that Malmberg lied and said he had bought the painting from Lindholm, then offered to sell it to Brant.

But Lindholm alleges in her lawsuit that Brant knew she owned the painting and conspired with Malmberg to buy it. Superior Court Judge Chase Rogers ruled last month that Brant made a reasonable effort to confirm that Malmberg was authorized to sell the painting.

"This decision basically vindicates Mr. Brant as the innocent purchaser who paid fair value for the painting," said his Stamford attorney, Jay Sandak. "Mrs. Lindholm was wronged by Malmberg."

Weinstein said Brant's due diligence should have alerted him that the painting could not be sold because of a court order barring the sale of property while Kersten Lindholm was divorcing her husband, Magnus. Kersten Lindholm's lawsuit sought the return of the painting, monetary damages of not less than $12 million, and punitive damages. Brant bought the painting while it was on exhibit in Europe as part of a Warhol tour put on by the Guggenheim Museum of New York.

In 2003, Malmberg began serving a three-year term in Sweden on criminal theft charges in connection with the sale of "Red Elvis." He has not paid Kersten Lindholm the $2.9 million sale price of the painting.

"He appears to be judgment proof," Weinstein said. "If he has any assets he has hidden them very well." (News/Odd Spot, Source: Boston News/Sanja Meegin, 22 Sep 2005)

Caryville psychic who talked to Elvis accused of tax evasion: A federal grand jury has indicted self-proclaimed psychic David Marius Guardino of Caryville.The indictment says Guardino failed to filed federal income tax returns for 1998 and 1999, during which he earned nearly 345-thousand dollars. Guardino filed a return in 2000, claiming he had no income. The I-R-S says he earned 68-thousand dollars that year. Guardino claims he is a seer and sorcerer, has talked to Elvis and can predict the future. He was convicted in 1988 for fraudulently using his customers' credit card numbers. Guardino went to prison for five years after he did not repay 100-thousand dollars to the customers. (Source: AP, 13 Sep 2005)

Man "possessed by soul of Elvis" takes his life: A 35-year-old man who believed he was possessed by the soul of Elvis Presley was found hanging from a tree in woods near his home, an inquest heard. Paul Box, of King George Road, Chatham, died on May 12, by hanging himself from a scarf in the woods off Campion Close behind the Bridgewood Manor Hotel. Mr Box, who was unemployed and single, was discovered by a woman walking her dog. Just hours before he was found he had seen his probation officer Adam Crocker following an appearance at Medway magistrates' court.

Mr Crocker told the Gillingham inquest on Wednesday that he had been seen by a psychiatrist for mental health problems but on that morning he was calm and showing no signs of stress or anxiety. Mr Crocker added: “He believed he was possessed by the soul of Elvis Presley and that his aura descended on him in the evenings and that he experienced him through singing and dancing. “He had approached the Press in the past but nobody was interested. He also spent part of his time living rough.”

Coroner Roger Sykes, recording a verdict of suicide, heard that Mr Box would have needed to clamber up a tree in order to tie the scarf to hang himself. A post mortem examination revealed he had low levels of alcohol, cannabis and amphetamine but not enough to significantly affect his thoughts. Mr Sykes said: “His manner was calm and composed on the day but in the past I have been told his chosen method of dying would be hanging. He took his own life while suffering an undiagnosed form of mental illness. He was a man who had real problems in dealing with normal life.” (Source: Sanja Meegin)

Elvis for sale...there's nothing to it, really: WE'VE said it before and we'll say it again, eBay really is a magnet for freaks. The latest offering an Eye reader from Deniliquin unearthed was from some delusional fellow who tried to sell an Elvis Presley air guitar. "Elvis was last seen using this air guitar for a private performance just days before he died," the advertisement went. "This air guitar is in mint condition . . . never again will you see an offer like this." The owner, who said he was regrettably selling because he was moving, kindly offered to ship the post pack filled with air to anywhere in the world. Not surprisingly, his treasure didn't get any bids. And the clincher. He withdrew the sale early because the item was broken or lost. Well, it would be tricky not losing nothing, wouldn't it? (Source: eBay/Sanja Meegin, 21 August 2005)

Elvis spared jail: Thats bizarre: An Elvis impersonator was so chuffed at being spared jail for burglary that he offered to sing for the judge. Randy Light was so delighted after Judge David Griffiths decided to not hand him a prison sentence he offered to serenade him with one of 'The King's' hits. After being asked by Judge Griffiths: "What's your favourite number?" Light, 36, who regularly performs at hotels, said: "It's certainly not 'Jailhouse Rock'. The best was 'The Wonder of You'. You can come and see me." Instead of jail, father-of-six Light got away with 100 hours of community service. The judge said: "It's in the public interest to give you a chance. The punishment will deprive you of five performances." (Source: femalefirst.co.uk, 4 Aug 2005)

Elvis tour bus joke leads to string of fun ads & Elvis sightings: A California artist and self-proclaimed hoaxer says he's having fun with lost-and-found ads, and he hopes others are, too. Rory Emerald, 38, of Anaheim, who also goes by the name Julian Lee Hobbs, said he has been hitting newspapers across the country with ridiculous lost-and-found ads since June. One that ran Thursday in The Forum newspaper classified section said:

"FOUND on Fargo Ranch: Elvis Presley's Original Tour Bus w/many personal items still inside. In order to claim, must identify."

Emerald said the impetus for his ads was the Michael Jackson trial. He said he got tired of seeing bad news on TV. He called the newspaper closest to Jackson's home, the Santa Barbara News-Press, and placed and ad that read: "FOUND: Near Neverland Ranch, prosthetic nose." A dozen or more listings followed, each unique to a different newspaper, each followed by Emerald's phone number. They ranged from mentioning a baby panda found near the San Diego Zoo that "desperately needs mother" to an ad for Marilyn Monroe's personal diary. Emerald said he enjoys the responses and tells callers up front about the joke. The Elvis bus got such a wild response, he said, that he has been letting his answering machine take most of the calls.

"It's off the charts," he said of the number of calls. Emerald, who said he has a 9-year-old daughter, insisted he does it for readers. When he first thought of the Elvis bus story, he said, he wondered where such a find might hide for decades and suddenly turn up. The Michigan native told The Forum that he faintly recalled visiting North Dakota as a child. "The people there probably would like to see something funny, something interesting," he recalled thinking. "I think it was a very good choice, actually." In placing the ad, he pretended to be a relative of a North Dakota state legislator who wanted to take the calls in California. He also pretended to be a woman.

The ad person took the request and made a few checks to verify the contact information, said Sandy Olsen, the newspaper's inside sales manager. The employee called the number given for the ad, and Emerald answered. After curious readers began their calls, Emerald said, he even got reports of Elvis sightings in Fargo. "People don't want to believe in God, but they'll believe there's a bus somewhere in Fargo, North Dakota," he said. "Today I was able to do something that made a lot of people happy." One caller introduced himself as Gov. John Hoeven and asked where the bus was, Emerald said. Hoeven spokesman Don Canton laughed when asked if the governor might have made such a call. "I very much doubt it," he said. (Source: AP Wire, 29 July 2005)

USA - Elvis poker faced: Elvis was in the building, though the King would have been horrified to have this kind of entourage in his prime. Toward the middle of the room, a guy played his cards from inside a big fuzzy orange Elmo puppet head. A portly player who looked like he was about to have a heart attack had a woman massaging his back while he fiddled with his chips. Then, from above, came the call dear to every athlete's heart. "Cocktails to table 131," the voice on the loudspeaker said. And to think, there are still people who don't consider poker a real sport. Those people are nowhere to be seen this week at the Rio hotel-casino in Las Vegas, a carnival-themed resort in the midst of hosting a real carnival called the World Series of Poker. Here, the believers are all trying to cash in on the poker craze.

That's why a chunky Elvis showed up, nearly bursting out of his jumpsuit. On his arms were three men dressed as drag queens, though for some reason they didn't bother to shave. "They said Elvis was dead, but I brought him back to life," said the tall one in a red sequined dress. "That's the sign of a real woman." OK, so the Elvis wasn't real. But there was nothing fake about the money at stake. Some lucky player will walk away next week with more than $7 million for outlasting some 6,000 others in a tournament that owes much of its popularity to online gambling sites of dubious legality and television. (News, Source: Indystar.com, 10 July 2005)

'Elvis' continues to help take drugs off streets in Tuckerman: A routine traffic stop Saturday by Tuckerman officer Layne Mathis turned into a scene that is becoming all too familiar for local enforcement agencies. Mathis, having observed a vehicle speeding through the city limits, stopped a vehicle driven by Rickey Baker of Newport on Cockrill Road on the southern end of the city. The minor traffic violation instantly became a major coup for the department as Mathis, the city's canine handler, and Elvis, their drug dog, took several pounds of marijuana off the streets of Jackson County. Elvis "hit" on the vehicle and Mathis discovered the illegal drugs under the seat taking Baker and Troy Jones, a passenger in the automobile, into custody. (Source: Newport Daily Independent, 8 July 2005)

All eligible for Elvis pet show: Kids, as well as adults, will have the chance to show off their pets and compete for prizes when the city hosts its annual pet show on Wednesday, July 27, at Corson Park. This year's competition will be themed, "You Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog," and will be in honor of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis. "We plan to have a lot of fun with the Elvis Pet Show," Liz Nicke, recreation supervisor, said. "Last year (for the Pet's in the City show), over 100 participated." (Source: Bridgetown News/Sanja Meegin, 4 July 2005)

Bono sees mirth in ‘Elvis girth’ in courtroom showdown: BONO may have had a quarter of a million people eating out of his hand in Croker over the weekend but it was his own dietary habits that engrossed a courtroom yesterday. At issue was the reason why the rock star had several pairs of the same black, high-waisted, three-quarter length trousers made up in different sizes.

“I don’t want to embarrass you,” began his inquisitor, barrister Hugh Hartnett, “but you put on a bit of weight.” Bono wasn’t about to combust in red-faced shame. He even saw a little mirth in his girth. “It happened to Elvis,” he said. “So you put on weight,” Mr Hartnett repeated, not about to let Bono’s comedy act steal the show.

“Yessir,” he replied in the best southern drawl his Elvis impersonation skills could muster. (Source: Sanja Meegin, 30 June 2005)

Elvis statement to Paul McCartney: Somewhat ambiguously, Elvis apparently said to "Beatle" Paul McCartney during a telephone conversation that he liked the cover art on the 'With The Beatles' album because it made the band look like the faces in the film 'Children of the Damned'. (News, Source: Nixon at the Movies/Amber Smith, 20 June 2005)

Elvis was an alien!: A new book claims that Elvis Presley was possibly an alien from another planet. Author Michael C Luckman claims that the King believed he came from another planet and had childhood contact with extraterrestrial beings. This is all according to a tape recording alleged to be Elvis having a conversation with a female fan to be published in his book, "Alien Rock: The Rock 'n' Roll/Extraterrestrial Connection" (VH1/Pocket Books). The author also claims that UFOs visited Graceland. "Very few people know that Elvis owned 300 metaphysical books that he carried with him wherever he went," says Luckman. The book also claims that Richie Havens saw a UFO at Woodstock, and that the Beatles, Jerry Garcia, Elton John and Mick Jagger have all seen UFOs. "I know everyone is going to say this is just a case of rock stars taking drugs," Luckman said. "But on the occasions these events happened, many other people saw them at the same time." (News, Source: Elvis Express, May 2005)

Strange but true: Famed media observer, Marshall "the medium is the message" McLuhan once wrote a script for a musical in which the US was run by Elvis' Russian devotees. (Source: Marshall McLuhan Society)

First it was "Blue Suede Shoes", now it's "Green Suede Shows": Released in February 2005 was a CD by Black 47 with the intriguing title Elvis Murphy's Green Suede Shows (Gadfly label) (Source: amazon.com, April 2005)

Death from Vegas hotel: In Las Vegas, Elvis Presley defies mortality. From impersonators to wedding chapel officiators to films like "Honeymoon in Vegas," America's favorite Sin City has always kept Elvis' spirit soaring. Tragically, the same can't be said for one of Elvis' greatest admirers. Last Friday television producer Melanie Bell leaped 109 floors to her death from the top of another Vegas icon, the Stratosphere Hotel. Bell was in town to film one of the cities most revered impersonators, Jesse Garon. Last Thursday, Bell put the finishing touches on the production, then left a message with another producer saying her car was on the fourth floor parking lot of the Stratosphere and the keys were at the front desk. Bell was last seen on a surveillance tape, buying a ticket to the top of the towering hotel. Bell was once a showgirl and friends say she lamented her weight gain, but it's not clear why shy took her own life on the top of a real life Heartbreak Hotel. (News/Odd Spot, Source: Celebrity Justice, 2 April 2005)

"Brace" yourself...Elvis cup guy at it again: We received this message recently: "I'm Wade Jones..the owner of the world famous "Elvis Cup" on eBay now...I'm selling the braces that were on my teeth the night that I saw Elvis in concert,and I retrieved the famous "Elvis Cup" Here's a link to the story: http://www.elvis-express.com/braceyourself.html Here's a link to the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7503652990. I'm the one who sold 3 tablespoons of Elvis' water (from the cup) for $455.00 on eBay..then, I turned around and auctioned off an "appearance" of the cup on eBay for over $3,000.00...Now, I'm touring with the Elvis Cup, making public appearances. I've been in TIME, NEWSWEEK,USA Today,US Weekly,Rolling Stone,CNN, FOX News,MSNBC,Jay Leno..and tons of websites,newspapers,and radio/news shows around the world." (News/Odd Spot, Source: Wade Jones, 29 March 2005)

Believe it or not!: The items listed on eBay just get more ridiculous. Wade Jones, aka "Elvis Cup guy" is now selling the braces he was wearing on his teeth, the night he obtained the famous Elvis Cup..ebay auction#3879857032. (News/Odd Spot, Source: Wade Jones, 10 March 2005)

Elvis comeback special: It was definitely a case of "Elvis has left the building" when a statue of the King went walkabout. The life-size model, normally seen on the balcony above the Baroque bar in Streatham High Road, rocked up with six mates in a nearby fast-food restaurant. Student Hani Yusuf, 23, who can normally see the statue from her living-room window, had gone into Dallas Chicken & Ribs at 5am on Sunday last week when she saw the familiar figure surrounded by his burger-munching abductors. She said: "I said to them, 'What are you doing with Elvis? That's our neighbour'. "They said, 'Well he's ours now', then picked him up and took him out." Baroque manager Nick Christodoulou, 27, got a call from his neighbour saying Elvis was being abducted. But he soon realised it was just a prank by a mate who had been drinking in the bar that night. The King has since been returned home. Nick said: "I might have to stick a homing device on him." (News/Odd Spot, Source: Streatham Post, 10 March 2005)

'Elvis" monitors Michael Jackson trial: Dressed as Elvis, part-time foothill resident Matthew Tuttle held a sign reading "Jailhouse Rock Michael" as he stood outside the courthouse in Santa Maria on the opening day of Michael Jackson's child molestation trial. And that's

The Elvis "Odd Spot"

'weird, wacky and unusual stories from the Elvis world'