Long Showers (1/29)
Chuck Richison's water bill usually runs about $55 a month, so he
was a bit perplexed when the city of Corpus Christi, sent him one
for
$7,714,510.21. "It was the 21 cents that got me," Richison
says. City officials said the bill was an error and promised to
send one for the correct amount.
Sheriff Taylor Refused To Comment (1/28)
Five uniformed police officers and a trainee, about half of those
who are typically supposed to be patrolling Greenville, South
Carolina's streets, were found playing
cards in a court building. The police department can suspend an
officer for up to five days without pay. It can also recommend an
officer be fired, but the Civil Service Commission has final say.
No word on what punishment, if any, these officers face.
Bathroom Break (1/27)
You'd better have a big bladder if you plan on flying from
Australia, Asia or Europe to the United States. The U.S.
Transportation Security Administration has banned
passengers from lining up for the bathrooms during flights.
Flight attendants are expected to police the toilets, looking for
suspicious packages and making sure people aren't trying to form a
line. "Passengers are caught between a rock and a hard place. On
one hand, they are advised to move around an aircraft during
flights for health reasons; but now they are being told not to
congregate. It doesn't make sense," said Warren Bennett, chief
executive of the Board of Airline Representatives of Australia. It
doesn't have to make sense, Mr. Bennett. It's part of the war on
terror.
White Wedding (1/26)
Jacques Martin, mayor of the French city of Nogent-sur-Marne, has
banned Muslim women from wearing headscarves during civil marriage
ceremonies. French couples must be married during civil
ceremonies, but they may later also have a religious wedding. "The
state does not have to adapt to Islam today just as it did not
adapt to Judaism and separated itself from Catholicism 200 years
ago," Martin, told Le Figaro.
Proper Attire (1/23)
Malaysia's PAS party keeps telling non-Muslims they have nothing to
fear. But everywhere the Islamic party has taken power, it has
imposed new Sharia-based regulations on private behavior. Take the
city of Kuala
Terengganu. The PAS-dominated government there has placed new
restrictions on what women—Muslim and non-Muslim alike—may wear to
work. Out are short-sleeved tops, tight jeans, skirts with slits,
or skirts cut above the knee. And Muslim women must wear a
headscarf drawn tightly across their face. The state government of
Terengganu has imposed its own restrictions, closing karaoke
lounges and pool halls and barring Muslims from all places alcohol
is served.
People's Choice (1/22)
The Iranian government has barred hundreds
of reform candidates from running in upcoming elections.
Reformist members of parliament say more than 80 percent of current
reform-minded deputies have been banned from running by the council
of guardians, an unelected body of conservative religious leaders
and lawyers. Those who have been told they can't run include
Mohammed Reza Khatami, brother of the current president, head of
the biggest reform party and current deputy speaker of
parliament.
Jonas Salk: Infidel (1/21)
Muslim leaders in Nigeria have told their followers not to have
themselves or their children
vaccinated for polio because the vaccine is provided by the
United States. The leaders told them the vaccine had been laced
with drugs that cause infertility or with the HIV virus. Some
Muslim authorities reportedly admitted they knew those charges
weren't true; they just wanted to resist a U.S.-led program.
"People believe that America hates Muslims, and so whatever comes
from the United States, no matter how good it is, people will
reject it," said Sheik Muhammed Nasir Muhammed, chief imam at Kano,
Nigeria's second-largest mosque.
Cuban Literacy (1/20)
Cuba has recently passed a law permitting only those who have
government approval to access the
Internet from home. Civil servants, Communist Party members and
some select others will qualify. The state-owned telephone company
Etecsa will monitor home use to make sure the law is complied
with.
Gay for Pay (1/19)
Police in Victoria, Australia, will be paid for
marching in a gay pride parade in uniform, whether they are on
duty or not. Police commissioner Christine Nixon says its part of
an effort to reach out to gays and lesbians. The police force says
that officers are already paid to march in parades commemorating
Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and Women's Day.
They Don't Call Them Procurement Officers for
Nothing (1/16)
Robert Neal and Francis Jones, former senior procurement
officers in the Pentagon, were sentenced to more than 24 years
each in federal prison for conspiracy, extortion, money laundering,
witness tampering and obstruction of justice. The two were found to
have demanded cash, gifts and sexual favors from prostitutes sent
by companies trying to do business with the military. Neal and
Jones were also jointly ordered to pay $1.75 million in
restitution.
Smarter Than the Average Politician
(1/15)
A team of Israeli members of parliament finished in the middle of
the pack in a televised IQ quiz. They beat teams of models and
bodybuilders, but finished behind high school students and lawyers.
But the models and bodybuilders may want to demand a rematch. The
politicians have admitted to
cheating on the test. "Like children, we want to succeed,
(because) the whole country is watching," said Haim Katz, a member
of parliament from the ruling Likud Party.
Priorities, Priorities (1/14)
Ontario's provincial auditor says the Ministry of Consumer and
Business Services received about 4,000 complaints
and inquiries related to debt collectors last year, including 800
written, formal complaints. But it conducted only 10 inspections of
debt collection services. And 2,000 complaints about motor vehicle
repairs brought just six inspections. But eight complaints about
adult video stores—none in writing—prompted almost 1,600
inspections.
You Will Have a Good Time (1/13)
The staff at the US Army's Combat Equipment Battalion at Hythe,
Great Britain, just had to attend the office Christmas
party. No, really. They were ordered by the base command to
attend the party or face disciplinary action. A memo from the base
commander told them: "Let me make it clear that every employee's
duty on December 19 is the Base Christmas Party. All employees not
on approved leave will participate in the party... If you feel like
I am trying to force FUN upon you, then you are correct."
Big Loads (1/12)
Christmas almost turned out badly for some residents of Livonia,
Michigan. Postal inspectors spotted one employee apparently pulling
DVDs
out of the mail he was sorting and taking them to his locker. They
confronted William Wrack as he went to his car and found 16 movies.
Later, they searched his house and found 426 more DVDs. This is
reportedly not the first time Wrack has been caught stealing from
the mail.
Forget Your Rubbers (1/9)
Islamic leaders in Somalia have declared condoms illegal
under religious law. They say they will flog anyone caught using or
selling condoms. Sheikh Nur Barud, chairman of the Ulema Council,
said the use of condoms will increase adultery, and those promoting
adultery deserve to be punished.
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