Key Club (29 November 2003)

Members-only clubs have become the hot night spots in NYC. The soon-to-open "Social Club", supposedly modelled on 1950s Cuban nightclubs, will be accessible only to invitation-only members with key cards. The joint will feature a plush 'fantasy bedroom' with 2 four-poster velvet beds, room service, 24-hour concierge, 2 bars, and waitresses in lingerie.

Batteries Not Included (29 November 2003)

"New Scientist" reports that there's been difficulty finding female volunteers to test a new implanted device designed to trigger - instant orgasms. The 'Orgasmic Dysfunction Device', nicknamed the 'Orgasmatron', is about the size of a pacemaker and applies tiny pulses of electricity through a pair of electrodes attached to the spine. It can be switched on and off with a remote control. It's inventor, Winston-Salem NC anesthesiologist Stuart Meloy, says the installation procedure is no riskier than having an epidural. He stumbled onto the idea while trying to create a pain-reduction method and his patient started moaning ... in ecstasy!

Landlords From Hell (29 November 2003)

It's so hard to get an apartment in Japan that tenants have been evicted for such minor infractions as leaving crumbs on a kitchen counter, not making their beds, or even hanging their curtains crooked. When tenants are evicted, landlords often rent their places out to the next tenant for up to twice as much!

Haggis Hunting Season (29 November 2003)

A poll of American visitors in Scotland finds a third believe 'haggis' is an animal. A quarter think you can go hunting for it. One tourist thought haggis was a wild beast of the highlands which only comes out at night. Another claimed haggis was a creature that sometimes ventured into cities and was similar to a fox. For the record, the Scots' dish haggis is typically made using a sheep's stomach filled with a mix of sheep's liver, heart and lung, oatmeal, suet, stock, onions and spices.

Big Money (29 November 2003)

Here comes another politico pushing a 'fat tax'. This time it's Austrian politician Walter Tancsits, who wants the obese to pay more for the national healthcare system since they're statistically more likely to use it. He's proposing each Austrian's contribution should correspond to their 'Body Mass Index', a measurement of the fat content in the body.

Pill Makes You Tan, Thin, Sexier (27 November 2003)

Some surprising side effects were discovered when skin cancer researchers tested a hormone called 'Melanotan II', hoping to find a way to stimulate a natural tan without the sun. The hormone also seemed to cause weight loss and increase sexual proficiency. Now, several companies are developing the so-called 'Barbie Drug', each focusing on a different benefit. An Australian lab is testing 'EpiTan', an injection designed to deliver a safe tan. US researchers are working on a sexual spin-off called 'PT141', a nasal spray that promises to boost libido somewhat like Viagra in both men and women.

Pickup Work (27 November 2003)

A Belgian security company is offering to send out professional thieves to test stores' security systems. The Crime Control Company says its shoplifters are never caught and always return all of the stolen goods afterwards. They fill in a report explaining how they did it, giving advice on how stores can improve security.

Bogus Bonus (27 November 2003)

Air Canada employees with stellar performance records are getting a $3.78 Harvey's burger coupon as their bonus this year. But they better hurry and use it - it's only redeemable until December 31st. And not everyone gets one. Air Canada recently picked 100 employees at random.

Warning Pants (27 November 2003)

Dutch scientists have developed underwear that calls an ambulance if the wearer has a heart attack. Philips Research Labs has developed bras, undershirts and underpants that register and analyze the wearer's heartbeat. The sensors are linked, via wireless technology, to a mobile phone, which automatically makes contact with an alarm center or ambulance in an emergency.

The Pollen Plug (26 November 2003)

Researchers at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Australia are developing a nose plug for severe hay fever sufferers that will trap pollen and dust before they enter the nasal cavity. The device causes incoming air to be forced past a sticky surface that catches 97% of the 2 main types of pollen that cause hay fever. If tests continue positive, the filters could be on the market within 2 years.

Nothing In, Nothing Out (26 November 2003)

After 10 days of round-the-clock surveillance, a 76-year-old Indian man has baffled 400 doctors in an Ahmedabad hospital because he seemingly exists without eating, drinking or relieving himself ... and he claims he's done it for 68 years! Prahlad Jani says he remains an ascetic (abstainer) through divine inspiration and receives the 'elixir of life' through a hole in his palate between his mouth and nose. Whether or not that's a load of hooey, scientists are baffled on how he does it.

Yoichi On The Rocks (26 November 2003)

This week the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center in Toronto hosted a blindfolded taste-test of single-malt whiskies pitting Japan vs Scotland. The surprising winner - 20-year-old 'Nikka Yoichi', a single-malt distilled in Hokkaido, Japan. It seems the Japanese, who have for years imported massive quantities of Scotch, have once again taken a product from another culture, studied it, improved it, and produced something better. There's one thing about Scotland's traditional drink that remains protected, however - the name. International trade laws prevent the Japanese malts from being called 'Scotch', similar to any Champagne made outside of France.

Space Junk (26 November 2003)

Increasingly, the space about Earth is getting cluttered up with junk, and it's not just messy - it's dangerous! Even small pieces, such as a space glove zipping around at 17,000 mph can puncture space suits or cripple satellites. In all, some 2,200 tons of debris is orbiting within 1,200 miles of Earth, of which more than 9,000 objects larger than 4 inches have been catalogued. A few notables -

• Oldest Debris in Orbit: The US 'Vanguard 1' satellite, launched March 17, 1958 and worked for just 6 years.
• Biggest Garbage Disposal: Russia's 'Mir' space station, from which cosmonauts jettisoned more than 200 objects, most of them bags full of garbage, during the 1st 10 years of operation.
• Most Heavily Shielded Spacecraft in History: The International Space Station.

Too Stupid For Us To Make Up (25 November 2003)

• The mayor of Bocaiuva Do Sul, Brazil is claiming that he personally called off an alien landing because he was worried the extraterrestrials would abduct some soccer stars visiting his town. Elcio Berti says he's regularly contacted by aliens - who are helping him build a landing pad for spaceships.
• Now THAT'S security! Thanks to steel armor and other safety features, Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik's new bomb-proof BMW is so heavy - it isn't legally allowed on the country's roads as a 4-passenger vehicle. It's now being refitted to shed 88 lbs from its 4-ton total.
• Residents of tiny Geuda Springs KS (population 210) have passed an ordinance that says you MUST own a gun and ammunition. Only people with physical or mental disabilities, paupers and those who conscientiously oppose firearms are exempt. Otherwise, if you're found to be gun-free, you can be fined $10.
• Britain's National Farmers Union has released a 'chill-out album' of music to help turkeys remain calm during the stressful run-up to Christmas. The album includes Gregorian chants, whale calls and the sounds of rustling forests. About 300 farmers are using the disc so far, contending that if turkeys are less stressed, they put on more pounds.
• The administration at a seniors home in Trento, Italy took legal action against an employee who proudly showed off his newly-pierced penis to some of the residents. But local prosecutors have decided he won't be penalized because it's not an offence to show a piercing to consenting adults in private.

What's Faster Than Supersonic? (24 November 2003)

The answer is 'hypersonic', and European aerospace giant EADS is considering cooperating with the Japanese aerospace industry to build a hypersonic passenger aircraft as a successor to the Concorde. If and when it's built, it would be capable of flying 2,500 mph, twice the speed of the supersonic jet, would fly 7,000 miles non-stop and carry 300 passengers, twice the Concorde's capacity.

Early Morning Zs (24 November 2003)

A new Stanford University study on the science of sleep deprivation suggests that early-morning sleep is more restful than sleep in the middle-of-the-night. Researchers think that may be because most of us are programmed to be 'night owls' rather than early-rising 'morning larks'. The study shows early-morning sleepers fall asleep more easily, spend more of their sleep time actually asleep, and score higher on wakefulness tests.

Just Sit To Win! (24 November 2003)

23-year-old Katri Manni of Finland has won a brand new Suzuki car after sitting in it for 52 days and 15 hours. She was the final survivor of 4 finalists in a sit-in marathon at a Helsinki shopping mall. The 4 qualified from 21 competitors in 6 cities across Finland. They were allowed a 10-minute break outside the vehicle every 2 hours, plus a 30-minute daily session for morning ablutions.

Goofy New Gizmos & Gadgets (24 November 2003)

• A team of scientists from Britain and the Netherlands have developed an artificial voicebox called the 'Newvoice Valve' which uses rubber vocal cords to produce sounds. Worldwide, about 30,000 throat cancer victims undergo laryngectomies each year, leaving them unable to speak naturally. The new device is expected to dramatically improve their lives by making it easier to communicate.
• The solar-powered, talking trash container has been unveiled in Germany. It says "Thank you!" or "Mm, tasty!" when you throw in garbage.
• Researchers at NTT Labs in Japan have demonstrated a wireless computer network that doesn't use Ethernet cables or routers but - human bodies. The so-called 'ElectAura-Net' uses a combination of the electrical field that emanates from humans and a similar field emanating from special tiles built into the floor.

Contract Negotiations (21 November 2003)

There's a new twist on the dating scene. Some singles are now carrying a legal consent form with them so they can get things in writing before they get intimate. The form lists what they will and will not do behind closed doors, and asks for the signature of both parties. However, legal experts say they aren't sure it will stand up in court.

No Trade-Ins Allowed (21 November 2003)

A Romanian man whose wife gave birth to a daughter tried to bribe maternity nurses to swap her for a boy. The man says he always wanted a boy and besides - girls are more expensive. Obviously, the hospital staff refused his request.

Toilet Treasure (21 November 2003)

A man in the Netherlands who bought an unusual 'toilet paper holder' for $2.50 took it to a Dutch version of "The Antique Road Show" to see if it was valuable. Turns out it was actually a 15th-century candlestick holder worth - $10,000! It's missing 2 of its arms or it would be worth over $16,000.

Worldwide Roar (20 November 2003)

• Scottish laird Ronald Stewart has put his 18-room Dippin Lodge estate up for sale on the Isle of Arran for $1.4 million. But there's one proviso ... no celebrities allowed!
• In Belgium, mourners at a funeral home were shocked when a mobile phone started ringing ... inside the coffin.
• A 13-year-old Russian girl was home alone when she burned her tongue on hot tea. Panicked, she ran to the kitchen freezer, opened the door, and stuck her tongue against the interior wall to cool it down. Her tongue quickly became stuck. She had to wait for her parents to return home to be rescued. Doctors managed to save the girl's tongue after several hours of treatment.
• Pete's Peanut Pub in Calgary is getting flak for allowing customers to buy booze one day a week using - Canadian Tire money. That has upset both the Alberta Liquor & Gaming Commission and Canadian Tire ... which wishes to maintain a 'family' image.

Did You Know? (20 November 2003)

The gesture commonly known as 'The Finger' may derive from medieval times. When enemy archers were caught, their middle fingers were cut off so they could no longer use a bow. Legend has it the gesture came about from archers taunting enemies by mimicking that they had their middle finger.

Are You Biggest Liar in the World? (20 November 2003)

Today the "Biggest Liar in the World Competition" will be held in Cumbria in England's Lake District. The contest, held at the Bridge Inn pub, attracts worldwide attention for its annual outpouring of less-than-believable tall tales.
For more info check out the Biggest Liar in the World Competition website.

Bizarre News (19 November 2003)

• The Thai Culture Ministry is concerned over the increasing use of 'nipple stickers' in fashion shows. They're used by models to prevent 'too much exposure' when showing off duds with plunging necklines. The ministry says the stickers are becoming popular with teen girls who wear them instead of bras under transparent tops.
• Police in France say that, for the 4th time in less than a year, an elderly man has robbed a local drugstore of its entire stock of Viagra.
• A small town in northern China has held a 'Dromedary Beauty Contest' as part of its first "International Camel Festival". Judges rated nearly 100 dressed-up camels based on 'shiny hair', 'upright humps', and their ability to show off 'beautiful halters and saddles'.
• Malaysian surgeons treating a 30-year-old man for an eye infection were surprised to find part of a chopstick embedded between his eyes, the result of an assault 5 years ago. They say he's lucky to be alive because the chopstick was nudging his brain.

Scientists Say (19 November 2003)

A compendium of recent 'discoveries' -

• Scientists say ... that it's now possible for a human to conceive and give birth to a child in outer space.
• Scientists say ... that university grads lead healthier lives than high school dropouts.
• Scientists say ... that doctors are better at diagnosing illness when they're in a good mood.
• Scientists say ... that bright lights and bright colors make you want to eat more. From The Poll Vault
• Kids 14 and under select AT LEAST one item in 73% of grocery shopping trips says Simmons Marketing Research.
• 89% of drivers surveyed say they feel safer with a cell phone in their car, according to a Motorola poll.
• According to "Harper's Index", 49% of women believe their car is more reliable than most men they know.

Even More Annoying Than Pop-Ups (19 November 2003)

The poor people of Paris are becoming exasperated with a new ad campaign for Sony Corp's Aiwa brand throughout the city's Metro subway system. Some 150 billboards burst into song whenever a commuter passes close by. The hidden voices sing out in country, boy-band and rap styles. A spokesman says the ads are meant to 'surprise' people.

For The Record (19 November 2003)

• Japan's super-fast Maglev (Magnetically Levitated) train has set a new speed record, reaching 560 km/hr (347 mph) during unmanned testing, breaking the previous record set in 1999. The Central Japan Railway Company says it will attempt to break the 580 km/hr (360 mph) barrier when tests resume. The train's been around since 1996, but is yet to carry a single passenger.
• A 26-year-old man in India has shattered the record by wolfing down 200 four-inch earthworms in just 20 seconds. The new champ, C Manoharan of Chennai, brags, "I have not only improved the timing but also the number of worms."

Goofy New Gizmos (18 November 2003)

• Oviedo FL vegetable grower A Duda & Sons has introduced a product 15 years in development - celery stalks that are hollow in the center. They're specifically designed to be used as special garnish drinking straws for Bloody Mary cocktails.
• Just in time for US Thanksgiving, Seattle-based Jones Soda Co is test-marketing its new concoction - turkey-and-gravy soda. The noncarbonated drink is said to have a 'faint meaty, peppery aroma', and a 'salty-sweet lingering taste'. It took food scientists about 30 tries until it was perfected. (Wouldn't is be easier to stick a straw in a gravy boat.)

Cool! Chocolate Is Good for You (18 November 2003)

A new study in the "Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry" shows that hot chocolate contains lots of antioxidants, chemicals that have been shown to fight cancer, heart disease and aging. In fact, when measured on a per-serving basis, Cornell University researchers found the antioxidant concentration in hot chocolate is almost twice as strong as red wine, 2 to 3 times stronger than green tea, and 4 to 5 times stronger than black tea.

Chess Cheats Chastised (18 November 2003)

Ukrainian Ruslan Ponomariov, a former world chess champion, has become the first player ever to be disqualified from a competition ... because his cellphone rang. According to article 13.4 of the "Laws of Chess", mobile phones are now banned from all tournaments because players could theoretically receive advice while playing or even access computer databases.

New from Chicken Little (18 November 2003)

Florida company Dyn-o-mat claims it's invented a powder that can remove clouds from the sky and even stop the development of hurricanes. In an experiment, an aircraft dropped 4 tonnes of the stuff onto a developing storm cloud, which quickly disappeared from radar screens. It apparently works by absorbing large quantities of water and turning it into a gel before it falls from the sky. The gel is said to be completely safe and biodegradable, breaking down in seawater.

It's A Weird World (18 November 2003)

• Police in Budapest, Hungary have removed the corpse of a man believed to have hanged himself at least a year ago. It seems faculty and students at the University of Arts had up until now believed the body was a ... modern sculpture.
• The city of Winnipeg has installed 10 surveillance cameras to help combat theft from a ... municipal dump.
• In order to encourage citizens to obey the local pooper-scooper law, city employees in Lyon, France littered the sidewalks with some 10,000 dog droppings. Fortunately for pedestrians, they were fake plastic doo-doos. If the stunt doesn't work, the city may hand out fines over $500.

Movie News (17 November 2003)

"E! Online" reports that MGM studios has given the go-ahead to a bigscreen spoof of the ripe-for-the-picking "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings" movies, to be cleverly titled - "Henry Bates and the Sorcerer's Balls".

Fresh Breath And Fewer Babies (17 November 2003)

Seems pregnancy prevention is about to get more palatable. Pharmaceutical giant Warner Chilcott has received approval to market a new spearmint-flavored, chewable contraceptive tablet. ("Hurry up with breakfast girls or you'll miss the school bus. Don't forget your Flintstones and your Mentos Preventos ...")

Coca-Cola Countdown (17 November 2003)

Here's a scary stat - Coca-Cola has contracts with over 6,000 of the 14,000-odd public school districts across the USA. Recent concerns over childhood obesity have caused the company to agree to add timing devices to its school vending machines so administrators can control when sugar-saturated carbonated drinks are sold during the school day.

Desert Delight (17 November 2003)

The West African nation of Mauritania is hoping to boost its economy with the export of a local delicacy - camel cheese. It purportedly tastes similar to goat cheese, but spreads and looks more like French brie or Camembert. The country boasts the world's only factory making the cheese, but it may be years before you're enjoying a hump of it on your crackers. Health regulations in both North America and Europe demand costly testing before the product can be imported.

"National Farm Joke Day" (17 November 2003)

Monday 17th November is "National Farm Joke Day", a day to have a chuckle about the rural lifestyle. There's actually a Website devoted solely to farm humor.
For more info check out the Farm Jokes website.

It's A Weird World (15 November 2003)

• Police in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi have a new way to deal with illegal street racing. Beat officers are now armed with paintball guns! The thinking is that blasting drivers with a bright color will make it easier to track the motorbike racers.
• Opera director Gerald Thomas was so furious a Rio de Janeiro audience booed his sexed-up production of Wagner's "Tristan & Isolde", he dropped his pants and mooned them from the stage. Thomas claims the audience 'didn't understand' the show which featured a woman masturbating on a sofa and a Sigmund Freud character sniffing cocaine. He's been charged with public indecency.
• Trondheim, Norway cops have been foiled in an attempt to catch burglars in a candy factory. They let their police dog 'Varg' loose to track the crooks down but the pooch got sidetracked by all the candy and ate himself sick.

News From Around-The-World (14 November 2003)

• A Turkish woman who locked her husband in the bathroom for 3 years - naked - claims he was mentally disturbed. The woman, who says it's obvious her husband is loony because he takes 3 showers a day, is seeking a divorce after 15 years of wedded bliss.
• A trapeze artist in San Vicente, Chile survived a dramatic plunge after he landed on - a fat lady in the front row. The performer was hospitalized for injuries to his lower body, then sent home to rest. The unlucky front-row spectator received only minor bruises.
• In Japan, dead carp in a fishing pond near Tokyo have tested positive for the herpes virus in preliminary tests, adding to a spreading epidemic. If confirmed in final tests, the region will be the 8th in which carp have tested positive for herpes.

PLS LVE MY FON ALONE (14 November 2003)

Beware! Spam is about to come at you from another angle - text-message ads. It's common in Japan and Europe but elsewhere most mobile phone users don't yet receive ads on their screens. However, an advertising conference in San Diego has heard that's about to change. Marketing boosters predict that plenty of mobile phone users will be willing to opt in to receive and even pay for tips about promotions and special events on their phone screens. One advertising keener claims customers appreciate good, targeted messages.

Chubby Chickens (14 November 2003)

We've all heard how humans are getting obese. Well so are chickens! Studies show that chickens are bigger than ever before, about 20% heavier than 50 years ago. Why? To keep pace with demand, the poultry industry has developed breeding and raising techniques that give the average chicken a thicker breast, fatter wings and chubbier drumsticks. It's estimated these altered birds are growing at about 4 times the rate of a normal chicken. Critics say they're very unhealthy.

Ludicrous Laws (14 November 2003)

• In Singapore prostitution is legal but oral sex is not, even between consenting adults. A local court has just sentenced a 27-year-old police sergeant to 2 years in jail for the offence. He was lucky - the maximum punishment is life imprisonment!
• Egypt has just banned non-Egyptians from making a living as - professional belly dancers.
• Moscow city authorities are considering levying fines for public displays of affection as part of an effort to 'improve morals'. Kissing in subways and other public places would be prohibited under penalty of fines up to $17.
• A 13-year-old Richland Hills, Texas schoolboy is facing a fine of nearly $300 for - giving a girl in his class a hickey.

Queer Eye For The Big Brother (10 November 2003)

Men with older brothers are more likely to be gay a new study shows. Each big brother a man has increases his chances of being homosexual by a whopping 33%, psychologist Dr Ray Blanchard of the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health in Toronto tells "New Scientist" magazine. Dr Blanchard says he doesn't know why men with older brothers are more likely to be gay, but changes that occur in a mother's womb each time she carries a son may affect the development of subsequent babies.

Shopping News (10 November 2003)

• In a one-off promotion to create some publicity buzz, Paris department store Galeries Lafayette is offering free - striptease lessons. The store has hired 2 professional pole dancers to provide expert advice. "It's about learning to undress yourself in an elegant way," says store spokeswoman Constance Dubois.
• Researchers at the University of Munster in Germany say female shoppers lose the ability to think straight when shopping. When they measured the electrical activity in the part of the brain which deals with common sense and rational thought, they discovered the area governing emotions and pleasant feelings was in overdrive. The scientists also found men experience a similar loss of control when offered the chance to buy electrical gadgets, fast cars or computer games.

Perfect Pixel Pin-Up (10 November 2003)

This week the "Miss Digital World" competition begins, a quest to find the ultimate computer-generated woman. It's a chance for designers and programmers to win a virtual beauty contest by sending their computer-generated e-Babes down the online catwalk. It's being billed as the search for a contemporary ideal of beauty. Each rendition of the 'ideal woman' must include date of birth and body measurements. Organizer Franz Cerami of Milan, Italy says the winner will be crowned at a conference next year.
For more info check out the Miss Digital World website.

Undie News (7 November 2003)

• This week in Tokyo, Triumph International unveiled new lingerie for women who are trying to quit smoking. How could clingy underthings help you stop puffing? Fragrance capsules imbedded in the bra are designed to calm cravings, and the underwear is also treated with liquefied titanium oxide to break down smells from second-hand smoke.
• According to new stats from the underwear making Hanes Co, the most popular panty cut for women is the 'hi-cut brief', followed by the 'bikini cut'. Contrary to what you might think, 'thong' undies come in a distant 3rd.

Wacky New Products (7 November 2003)

• Japanese telecommunications giant NTT DoCoMo is developing a wristwatch phone called the 'Finger Whisper'. Calls are started or ended by the user touching the forefinger to the thumb. There is no keypad - voice recognition technology is used to dial numbers. To speak, the user speaks into a microphone on the wristband. And here's the really strange part - the wristband converts digital signals into vibrations that are transmitted into the bones of the hand. Then the user simply puts his finger into his ear to listen.
• Swaying Willow Chardonnay from Australia is billing itself as 'The First Diet Wine' with only one-third of the usual calories in a glass of wine. But does it taste any good? Well, it purportedly has the 'creamy, peachy character you'd expect from a chardonnay, with a hint of oak on the palette'.

From The Poll Vault (6 November 2003)

• A new Ball State University survey finds that small-business owners who workout regularly do better in their jobs than couch-potatoes. What's more - runners achieve better sales results than those who workout with weights.
• In a new Harris Poll, 42% of respondents say they think God is male, 1% say female, and 11% say God is a bit of both.
• According to a survey in "Today's Parent", 50% of Canadian adults have NOT prepared a will. 25% have no idea what will happen to their estate when they die.
• Even after lawsuits have been levied for music theft, a Recording Industry Association of America poll finds that just 9% of teens think downloading music is illegal.
• A new survey by "Yahoo! Auto" about driving pet peeves finds that 30% of us are irked by drivers yakking on their cellphones, 25% get ticked off by tailgaters, 13% most hate being cut off, and the biggest peeve of 11% - drivers who are 'brake happy'.

Deadwood Online (6 November 2003)

A study of over 3,500 Internet 'blogs' (Web logs) has found that two-thirds have not been updated for at least 2 months and a quarter haven't been touched even once since they were set up. Just one indication of what may become a major problem on the 'Net in future - abandoned sites. There could be millions! Search engine Google now has over 3.3 billion Web pages registered.

Worldwide Roar (6 November 2003)

• A Romanian man has been fined about $150 because his Neapolitan Mastiff dog - snores. After numerous complaints from neighbors, an official investigation revealed that Sumo's snores indeed exceed the maximum permitted sound pollution levels.
• Residents of a neighborhood in Santiago, Chile have asked authorities to exterminate thousands of pigeons living in the area after the roof of one woman's house collapsed under the weight of - pigeon poop. Besides the droppings, there were also feathers and worms that spilled everywhere. Needles to say, the smell was disgusting.
• Nine passengers on the P&O cruise ship 'Oceana' took a dip in the luxury liner's swimming pool and ended up with - bright green hair, apparently due to excess chlorine. As a gesture of goodwill, the ship's beauty salon worked overtime to change their hair color back to normal before the ship docked at Southampton, England.
• A former ambulance driver in Belgium has saved a close friend by performing heart massage and mouth-to-mouth on his - fish. It took 15 minutes to resuscitate the pet koi fish.

My Cell Phone Is My Life (5 November 2003)

Nearly 50% of mobile service users (84% of whom are male) say they take their Personal Digital Assistants on dates or to dinner. And there's worse news for their partners who may feel a little bit ignored. Roughly 11% say they'd have a harder time parting with their cellphones or PDAs than they would with their dates. The survey was conducted by AvantGo.

You Can Be Fit & Fat (5 November 2003)

Just because you're overweight doesn't mean you're out of shape or unfit. Several studies have shown that you only have to lose a few pounds in order to see immediate, positive results in your cholesterol, blood pressure and insulin levels. At UCLA, researchers put 11 obese men on a low-fat, high-fiber diet, with daily 45-to-60-minute walks on treadmills. After just 3 weeks, the men only lost a few pounds but their cholesterol levels plummeted 19% and their insulin levels dropped by nearly 50%. Several who entered the study with high blood pressure left with normal readings. The upshot - you don't have to lose a lot of weight or be really thin in order to get major reductions in health risks.

Music Can Be Mood Medicine (5 November 2003)

Researchers at Penn State University say that all types of music seems to improve moods. In an experiment students were asked to keep diaries of their listening habits for 2 weeks, noting the time spent listening to music, the type of music, their activities while listening, and how they felt before and after. The results - when students were already feeling positive, music listening increased the intensity of these feelings. When they were pessimistic or angry, the negative mood decreased during music listening. The outcomes were consistent no matter what type of music was preferred, whether it be classical, country, pop, or even heavy metal.

It's A Weird World (5 November 2003)

A compendium of recent 'discoveries' -

• Two Japanese men who suffered from depression after their employer left them nothing to do have qualified to receive - worker's compensation. It's the first time remuneration has been doled out because management stripped employees of all duties.
• A supermarket in southern China has ordered its workers to each kill at least 5 flies every day, forbidding them to go home until the quota is met. The rule has been introduced to - improve hygiene.
• An Austrian school has replaced the school bell with music after psychologists said the sound of the bell was 'too stressful' for students. Mattersburg High School is believed to be the first in the world to mark the end of each class with - soft music.

Bonfire Night (5 November 2003)

Today is "Guy Fawkes Day" in England, a traditional celebration since 1752. It commemorates the 1605 'Gunpowder Plot' when Fawkes-led Catholics attempted to blow up the Parliament Buildings. One of the day's traditions gives it its nickname - 'Bonfire Night'.

Drac' Is Back On Track (4 November 2003)

Plans for a 'Dracula Park' in Romania that include a giant roller-coaster, catacombs and a house of horrors are back in the works after being long-delayed. The idea was resurrected when it was agreed that publicity for the theme park will make it clear that the legendary Vlad the Impaler was actually a brave defender of Christianity and nothing like Bram Stoker's fictional "Dracula". The revived plan calls for the park to be built in Snagov, just outside the Romanian capital, Bucharest. When completed, it's expected to draw a million visitors a year.

Scientists Say (4 November 2003)

A compendium of recent 'discoveries' -

• Scientists say ... women with breast implants are 4 times more likely to be hospitalized than those without. A new study by researchers with the British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health finds that over half of women with implants require at least one additional implant-related surgery, and nearly a third have 3 or more surgeries. Perhaps that's why 40% decide to have their implants permanently removed.
• Scientists say ... experiences are a better life investment than possessions. A report in "Psychology Today" suggests that's because experiences get better with time as you continue to retell them. Thus they continue to be a part of who you are, whereas something you bought 10 years ago may not be.
• Scientists say ... long work days do NOT cause stress. A new University of Arkansas study finds that stress and stress-related illnesses are more likely a result of other workplace factors such as lack of independence, few learning opportunities, unsupportive supervisors and inflexible schedules. Total hours worked seems to have little to do with overall well-being.

Sandwich Day (3 November 2003)

Today is "Sandwich Day", celebrating the 1718 birth of John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. A compulsive gambler, he wanted something that could be eaten at gaming tables and earned immortality through his habit of eating beef between slices of toast. The 'cheese & pickle' sandwich has emerged victorious in a new British poll to find the perfect sandwich. Made with cheddar cheese on medium, pre-sliced round-top white bread with a thin spread of butter and cut diagonally, the sandwich beat out 'bacon & brie', 'banana & cinnamon' and 'prawn & smoked salmon'.

Were Guys Complaining? (3 November 2003)

'Ladies Night' is unfair to guys! At least, that's the ruling of Hawaii's Honolulu Liquor Commission, which has fined the Blue Tropix Restaurant & Nightclub $500 for 'discriminating against men'. The commission decided to investigate after radio spots were aired for the club's Ladies Night, when women got in free but guys had to pay a cover charge. Local liquor regs ban discrimination in services based on gender.

Dummy Of The Year? (3 November 2003)

A 41-year-old Bronx man who was trying to fish his mobile phone out of a NYC commuter train toilet got his arm stuck, forcing the train to stop while rescue workers tried to pull him out. Thousands of commuters were delayed as several trains had to be rerouted. Eventually firefighters were called in to use a blow-torch to break apart the stainless steel toilet. (All of that's interesting, but I'm still back at square one - who would actually stick their arm in a toilet to retrieve a phone? What are you gonna do with it if you get it out?)

Potter Syndrome (1 November 2003)

In This Week's "New England Journal of Medicine", Dr Howard Bennett of George Washington University Medical Center warns about what he calls 'Hogwart's Headache' - long-term pain caused by the physical stress of relentlessly plowing through the latest JK Rowling epic, the 870-page "Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix". The doc claims he's seen 3 cases among young readers aged 8-to-10, all of whom experienced a dull headache for 2 or 3 days.

Law & Disorder (1 November 2003)

• Louis Miller of Sydney, Australia sued a beer company after he purportedly suffered permanent wrist injury while struggling to open a beer bottle. He testified that when he held the bottle with one hand and twisted the top with the other, searing pain shot through his wrist that left him screaming. The judge dismissed the case after hearing expert testimony on the torque needed to twist off a bottle cap.
• A 39-year-old burglar has been arrested in Muncie IN after police found his name-imprinted dentures at the scene. Seems they fell out when he stumbled over something in the dark but was forced to flee before he could find them.
• It wasn't a good morning for an Elgin IL woman who walked into her kitchen to make breakfast ... and found a 250-lb corpse slumped over her sink. Cops say a hefty burglar was apparently trying to squeeze through the kitchen window when he got stuck around his chest. Unable to breathe, he passed out over the sink ... and died.

I Smell Your Pain (1 November 2003)

Using an MRI to monitor brain activity, Dr Giacomo Rizzolatti of Italy's University of Parma has discovered the brain responds the same way whether we actually experience something disgusting or just see another person reacting. For instance, we experience the same brain activity watching someone smell a bad odor as by smelling it ourselves. Researchers say the same may be true of other emotional reactions.

Reasons To Party… (1 November 2003)

"Halloween" is a tradition in Canada, the USA, the UK, Ireland, Australia and the Philippines. In recent years, the celebration has spread to other countries around-the-world.

• The observance originated with 5th century BC Celtic Druids who believed that on October 31st, all persons who had died in the previous year assembled to choose the body of a person or animal they would inhabit for the next 12 months.
• After the 9th century AD, the day became known as "All Hallows' Eve" or "Halloween" since it was the night before "All Saints' Day".
• The Irish brought the Halloween custom to North America in the 1840s. Of the countries that celebrate Halloween, only in Ireland is it considered a national holiday.

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