Top 10: This week's most popular stories on tampabay.com

Take a look at this week's Top 10 tampabay.com stories. Hot topics included Scientology, caskets for sale at WalMart and a python trapper charged with misusing 911.

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1. Chased by their church: When you try to leave Scientology, they try to bring you back: For years, the Church of Scientology chased down and brought back staff members who tried to leave.

• "Churches don't keep SECRETS, CULTS DO!" ~ Truth
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2. United Football League's Florida Tuskers say they could give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a tussle: Florida Tuskers coach Jim Haslett said though the level of competition level in the first-year United Football League "may not be the National Football League," he believes his team is "pretty close."

• "It would be nice if we had an NFL team here in Tampa." ~ Mr. Fabulous
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3. Man overboard: To leave Scientology, Don Jason had to jump off a ship: Don Jason says he was locked in his cabin and later was denied repeated requests to leave the Freewinds ship.

• "I truly feel sorry for anyone that has fellen prey to their trap." ~ Flakk
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4. On sale at Walmart, for $895 (plus shipping): A final resting place: The traditional burial is now anything but.

• "No mention of the return policy." ~ CbStPete
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5. 81-year-old woman escapes Tuesday morning St. Petersburg house fire: Bonnie Gettys, 81, was at home when the fired started but made it out of the house as firefighters arrived.

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6. Scientology: What happened in Vegas: Terri and Janis Gillham didn't know it, but they were being watched after leaving Scientology.

• "Scientology = brainwashing!" ~ Interstate275FLA
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7. Gas prices expected to rise 10 to 20 cents before year's end: Gas prices climbed just a couple of cents the past week, and the price of crude oil is down. But don't get your hopes up.

• "This recession is nowhere finished. Stay tuned!" ~ Boppy
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8. Lakeland baby starves in a well-stocked home: Only 2 ounces of formula were found Monday in the home where paramedics pronounced an emaciated 5-month-old girl dead.

• "This story disgusts me on so many levels!" ~ GulfSider
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9. Feds announce more than 100 prosecutions in mortgage fraud surge: An intensive, nine-month federal investigation of mortgage fraud that stretched from Jacksonville to Tampa and Fort Myers has resulted in charges against 105 people.

• "Great, It's about time." ~ Ididso
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10. Trapper who staged python's capture facing criminal charges: A trapper who staged a phony capture of a 14-foot Burmese python in Manatee County in July is now facing criminal charges.

• "He can trade defense ideas with Balloon Boy's dad." ~ TheUnderground
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