Man Working for Free, Loses Benefits
(Associated Press )
John Bothe was unemployed with time to spare - so he paid a radio station about $1,000 for air time to showcase his talents as host of a Saturday sports show. The state Labor Department determined that Bothe's unpaid radio gig qualified as work and disqualified him from receiving unemployment benefits.
Hospitals Struggle with Growing Language Barrier
(Associated Press )
The nurse ordered an oral antibiotic to clear up the 7-year-old's ear infection. But the mother spoke no English -- and a bystander pulled in to translate told her to pour the drug into the girl's ears.
Iraq Reconstruction Builds Plywood Demand, Prices
(USA Today )
A government order for plywood panels destined for Iraq is pushing key wood products prices to all-time highs.
Required Reading for Pundits
(Los Angeles Times )
It was inevitable that book publishers would try to cash in on California's Cirque du Sacramento. According to highly unreliable sources, several titles are already in the works, including: "Running for Governor for Dummies," "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Defeating a Recall," "Dr. Atkins' Total Recall Diet" and "Chicken Soup for the Fringe Candidate's Soul."*
Penny Payment Settles the Pounds
(BBC )
A restaurant owner who was served up 18,000 pennies in payment of a disputed bill has said he will give the money to charity.
Michael Moore Alters "Bowling" DVD in Response to Criticism
(spinsanity )
In the newly-released DVD version of his Academy Award-winning documentary "Bowling for Columbine," filmmaker Michael Moore has altered a caption that he fictitiously inserted into a 1988 Bush-Quayle campaign commercial.
Automated System May Ticket the Wrong Driver
(Los Angeles Times )
Mistakes in identity can occur when cameras record traffic violations. Experts say the best strategy is to pay the fine, then go to court.*
Motorist Shoots, Kills Man After Tomatoes Thrown at Car
(Associated Press )
A motorist whose car was pelted with tomatoes as he passed a cornfield fired a shotgun into the field, killing a 23-year-old man.
Mickey Red Eyes
(snopes.com )
Do drinks spiked with Visine brand eye drops cause diarrhea?
Asteroid Danger in 2014 Downplayed
(BBC )
Astronomers monitoring near-Earth objects are playing down the chances of a newly discovered asteroid hitting Earth in 2014.
Drive-In Theaters Flicker Back to Life
(Los Angeles Times )
All but extinct in the 1990s, outdoor cinemas are making a modest comeback. One in Virginia is revived as a nonprofit business.*
Man in Thailand Promotes 'Diet of Worms'
(Associated Press )
A firefighter in central Thailand told The Associated Press that he has been eating a live worm every day for nearly three decades, and that it's been the secret of his health.
Nine-Year-Old Boy Foils $164,000 Robbery
(Reuters )
A quick-witted nine-year-old boy thwarted robbers who made it out of his home with $164,000 in cash, before they were nabbed by police alerted to the caper by his covert cell phone call.
A New Risk in the World of Film Stunts
(Los Angeles Times )
Actors who make a living performing dangerous scenes face a career hazard: computers that let filmmakers do amazing things.*
It Helps to Be Mad in the Jazz World
(The Telegraph )
Jazz musicians are four times more likely to suffer from mood swings, anxiety, depression and other mental health problems than non-creative people, a study says.
Students Turn to Web to Ease Freshman Anxieties
(Associated Press )
Colleges and universities facilitate online introductions with orientation Web sites that allow freshmen to view photos and profiles of classmates, see pictures of their future dorm room, and use a private chat room for roommates only.
Sitter Charged in Baby's Death Brings Light to Dangerous Practice
(Associated Press )
In the last three years, at least 12 cases nationwide of day care workers have been investigated or charged for sedating children with cold medicines and cough syrups. Six babies have died.
Tone Deaf to a Moral Dilemma?
(Los Angeles Times )
Millions download songs for free and know it's illegal but don’t feel guilty. The record industry wants to shake up their consciences.*
Coughing Might Save Heart Attack Victims
(Associated Press )
Coughing vigorously until an ambulance arrives could save the lives of people having a type of heart attack brought on by rapid and erratic heart beat, a doctor said.
