Controversial cases spur questions on VA burial decisions
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
In the midst of the controversy of the denial of veteran James Roberson and his wife to be buried in the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, News 8 learned of a controversial burial that is under investigation that involves a veteran who murdered his wife and then committed suicide.
Roberson, 83, killed his critically ill wife, Mary, in what some called a mercy killing. He died of cancer three weeks later.
The Veterans Administration in Washington denied Roberson's family request to bury the husband and wife at the national cemetery because Roberson was charged with capital murder.
However, a similar case started out differently.
On March 1, a Vietnam veteran and retired Dallas police officer shot, Kim Hammond, shot his wife Judy twice in the head and then turned the gun on himself.
The crime was labeled a domestic dispute and the Jackson County Sheriff's Department ruled Hammond had not committed capital murder.
The VA decided to go ahead with Hammond's military burial after only a five minute phone call to the sheriff's department.
The couple was buried together at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, but the VA said they are now investigating if the veteran is eligible to be buried there.
The investigation means that Hammond's body could be exhumed.
But sources said in both the Roberson and Hammond case, VA lawyers may have misinterpreted the law.
In Texas, capital murder is killing a police office or fireman; murder during a kidnapping, burglary, robbery, sexual assault or arson; murder for hire and the murder of someone under age six.
Sally Roberson, James' daughter, said she believes the VA made a mistake in their decision to deny her parents burial at the national cemetery.
"My father loved my mother so much that he could not imagine her suffering not one day after he died," she said.
Roberson family did get some hope Thursday. Congressman Pete Sessions wrote to the VA about the case.
"The United States is a nation of laws, and we believe in innocence until proven guilty," he wrote. "James Roberson had not even been indicted. I respectfully request you reexamine his case."
Roberson said it's her hope Hammond and her father are both allowed to rest in peace at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.
"I just can't imagine that everyone in a national cemetery, I just can't imagine they're all saints," she said. "And even so, who are we to judge?"
The VA today said it will honor Session's request to review the Roberson case and at the same time, it opened the investigation on how it handled the Hammond case.
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Trinity bridge bids far exceed budget
Dallas: City refuses to go over, will ask Calatrava for scaled-back design
By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Construction bids for the first of three skyscraping bridges planned to span the Trinity River came in at twice the budgeted price Thursday, leaving Dallas officials with two options: raise the extra funds or go back to the drawing board.
Dismayed city officials said Thursday evening that they would not break the bank, and instead would ask the bridge's designer – world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava – to make major, cost-saving revisions.
The earliest a redesigned Woodall Rodgers bridge bid could be awarded is December, officials said. If Mr. Calatrava wants to start from scratch, it could take much longer.
"We're going to build a bridge, a Calatrava bridge. But we're not going to spend any more money than we've got to build it," City Manager Mary Suhm said. "We have a contract with Calatrava that says he will design a bridge for our available resources. If this bridge doesn't meet our budget, he'll redesign it."
Mr. Calatrava, along with city consultants, originally estimated the 1,800-foot Woodall Rodgers "signature" span would cost up to $57 million. The lowest of three bids unsealed by the Texas Department of Transportation on Thursday was $113 million.
"Obviously I'm very disappointed that the bids came in this high," Mayor Laura Miller said. "If it was $60 or $65 million, we could've handled it. [Mr. Calatrava] will have to give us a new design that is within our budget, at his own cost."
Experts blame the difference and the relatively low number of bids on soaring prices for steel, concrete and fuel, as well as the risks associated with building a one-of-a-kind architectural feat.
Others say Mr. Calatrava has a reputation for breaking budgets. The Milwaukee art museum he designed ended up costing nearly four times its original estimate. A footbridge for Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, Calif., came in almost 70 percent over budget, according to local media reports.
And some advocates of the downtown parks project fear the unexpected costs could jeopardize construction of a second planned Calatrava bridge at Interstate 30 and foil plans for a third Interstate 35E bridge altogether.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Calatrava said the architect was in meetings and couldn't be reached for comment. But Dallas officials were quick to say they don't blame him for the cost overrun.
Disappointed officials
When Mr. Calatrava's firm and city consultants came up with their most recent price estimate in the fall of 2005, they tried to take rising steel prices into account, Trinity River Project Director Rebecca Dugger said. Mr. Calatrava made cost-saving changes to the Woodall Rodgers and I-30 bridges, including replacing steel decks with concrete decks, and welded connections with bolts. The I-35E bridge – the third and costliest – has not yet been designed or funded.
The soaring costs reflected in the low bid didn't come as a complete shock to Dallas officials. In March, a high-ranking individual close to the project told The Dallas Morning News that Dallas would never get a $57 million bid. The official said the city would be lucky to get one between $75 million and $85 million and that it would probably be closer to $100 million.
The $113 million bid came from Williams Bros. Construction out of Houston. Evansville, Ind.-based Traylor Bros. and Austin Bridge and Road bid $122 million and $133 million, respectively.
Ms. Dugger said she was very disappointed with the bids. She said it's unclear how much Mr. Calatrava would need to change – somewhere between minor tweaks and a complete overhaul.
Such changes could include scaling down the project's height "from 400 feet to 300, or even 250," Ms. Dugger said, and making it less complex.
"I love this design, and I hate to think we're going to have to get away from it," she said. "I thought it was going to be somewhere closer to what we estimated."
Rising costs
It's a trend Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, sees every day: government agencies struggling with broken budgets in their construction projects.
The reason? Steel costs spiked by about 50 percent in 2004 and haven't fallen much since. Concrete costs have been rising at double-digit rates for a couple of years. And mounting diesel fuel and asphalt prices have compounded the problem.
But there's another factor in projects like this one, Mr. Simonson said – an eye-catching and highly challenging design.
"As contractors look at what they are being called on to do, they may have quite a different idea about time and equipment than the architect, who doesn't actually do the building," Mr. Simonson said.
State transportation officials agreed that the Calatrava project has had a high profile. But there's been concern because Mr. Calatrava's designs use techniques and materials many local contractors haven't worked with before.
Steve Owen, a spokesman for Traylor Bros., wouldn't speak specifically about the construction company's $122 million bid. But he acknowledged that the complexity of the project could have bumped up the estimate.
"It's been a tough couple of years trying to predict and anticipate what a project is likely to cost," he said. "When you have a very unique design that is exciting and interesting ... that can sometimes impact the pricing."
'Bumpy ride' ahead
Ms. Suhm said she and other city officials would spend the next three weeks checking the bids to see exactly what factors drove up the price. Originally, a contract was to be awarded later this month. Now, the bids opened Thursday will likely be rejected.
"This is an issue all contracting people are dealing with," Ms. Suhm said. "Even the cost of doing a plain-Jane TxDOT bridge has gone up 35 or 40 percent."
The $57 million set aside for construction of the Woodall Rodgers bridge includes $28 million from the city's 1998 bond program, a $12 million donation from Hunt Petroleum and $8 million from federal transportation appropriations. The remaining $9 million comes from a combination of state and regional grants and other contributions.
Trinity Trust Foundation President Gail Thomas said she had remained optimistic about the cost – until she got word of the bids.
"I just said, 'Oh my goodness. Whoa. This is going to be a bumpy ride,' " Ms. Thomas said. "But we're committed, and we're going to build this bridge."
She said raising more private dollars to meet the new price tag is out of the question, and going back to the drawing board is the only solution. And she vowed that the city would still get two Calatrava bridges – though most officials agree the fate of the third is up in the air.
"I'm not worried; we'll just go back for redesign," she said of the Woodall Rodgers bridge. "I think Santiago Calatrava is a genius, and anything he pulls out will be fabulous."
Dallas: City refuses to go over, will ask Calatrava for scaled-back design
By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Construction bids for the first of three skyscraping bridges planned to span the Trinity River came in at twice the budgeted price Thursday, leaving Dallas officials with two options: raise the extra funds or go back to the drawing board.
Dismayed city officials said Thursday evening that they would not break the bank, and instead would ask the bridge's designer – world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava – to make major, cost-saving revisions.
The earliest a redesigned Woodall Rodgers bridge bid could be awarded is December, officials said. If Mr. Calatrava wants to start from scratch, it could take much longer.
"We're going to build a bridge, a Calatrava bridge. But we're not going to spend any more money than we've got to build it," City Manager Mary Suhm said. "We have a contract with Calatrava that says he will design a bridge for our available resources. If this bridge doesn't meet our budget, he'll redesign it."
Mr. Calatrava, along with city consultants, originally estimated the 1,800-foot Woodall Rodgers "signature" span would cost up to $57 million. The lowest of three bids unsealed by the Texas Department of Transportation on Thursday was $113 million.
"Obviously I'm very disappointed that the bids came in this high," Mayor Laura Miller said. "If it was $60 or $65 million, we could've handled it. [Mr. Calatrava] will have to give us a new design that is within our budget, at his own cost."
Experts blame the difference and the relatively low number of bids on soaring prices for steel, concrete and fuel, as well as the risks associated with building a one-of-a-kind architectural feat.
Others say Mr. Calatrava has a reputation for breaking budgets. The Milwaukee art museum he designed ended up costing nearly four times its original estimate. A footbridge for Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, Calif., came in almost 70 percent over budget, according to local media reports.
And some advocates of the downtown parks project fear the unexpected costs could jeopardize construction of a second planned Calatrava bridge at Interstate 30 and foil plans for a third Interstate 35E bridge altogether.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Calatrava said the architect was in meetings and couldn't be reached for comment. But Dallas officials were quick to say they don't blame him for the cost overrun.
Disappointed officials
When Mr. Calatrava's firm and city consultants came up with their most recent price estimate in the fall of 2005, they tried to take rising steel prices into account, Trinity River Project Director Rebecca Dugger said. Mr. Calatrava made cost-saving changes to the Woodall Rodgers and I-30 bridges, including replacing steel decks with concrete decks, and welded connections with bolts. The I-35E bridge – the third and costliest – has not yet been designed or funded.
The soaring costs reflected in the low bid didn't come as a complete shock to Dallas officials. In March, a high-ranking individual close to the project told The Dallas Morning News that Dallas would never get a $57 million bid. The official said the city would be lucky to get one between $75 million and $85 million and that it would probably be closer to $100 million.
The $113 million bid came from Williams Bros. Construction out of Houston. Evansville, Ind.-based Traylor Bros. and Austin Bridge and Road bid $122 million and $133 million, respectively.
Ms. Dugger said she was very disappointed with the bids. She said it's unclear how much Mr. Calatrava would need to change – somewhere between minor tweaks and a complete overhaul.
Such changes could include scaling down the project's height "from 400 feet to 300, or even 250," Ms. Dugger said, and making it less complex.
"I love this design, and I hate to think we're going to have to get away from it," she said. "I thought it was going to be somewhere closer to what we estimated."
Rising costs
It's a trend Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, sees every day: government agencies struggling with broken budgets in their construction projects.
The reason? Steel costs spiked by about 50 percent in 2004 and haven't fallen much since. Concrete costs have been rising at double-digit rates for a couple of years. And mounting diesel fuel and asphalt prices have compounded the problem.
But there's another factor in projects like this one, Mr. Simonson said – an eye-catching and highly challenging design.
"As contractors look at what they are being called on to do, they may have quite a different idea about time and equipment than the architect, who doesn't actually do the building," Mr. Simonson said.
State transportation officials agreed that the Calatrava project has had a high profile. But there's been concern because Mr. Calatrava's designs use techniques and materials many local contractors haven't worked with before.
Steve Owen, a spokesman for Traylor Bros., wouldn't speak specifically about the construction company's $122 million bid. But he acknowledged that the complexity of the project could have bumped up the estimate.
"It's been a tough couple of years trying to predict and anticipate what a project is likely to cost," he said. "When you have a very unique design that is exciting and interesting ... that can sometimes impact the pricing."
'Bumpy ride' ahead
Ms. Suhm said she and other city officials would spend the next three weeks checking the bids to see exactly what factors drove up the price. Originally, a contract was to be awarded later this month. Now, the bids opened Thursday will likely be rejected.
"This is an issue all contracting people are dealing with," Ms. Suhm said. "Even the cost of doing a plain-Jane TxDOT bridge has gone up 35 or 40 percent."
The $57 million set aside for construction of the Woodall Rodgers bridge includes $28 million from the city's 1998 bond program, a $12 million donation from Hunt Petroleum and $8 million from federal transportation appropriations. The remaining $9 million comes from a combination of state and regional grants and other contributions.
Trinity Trust Foundation President Gail Thomas said she had remained optimistic about the cost – until she got word of the bids.
"I just said, 'Oh my goodness. Whoa. This is going to be a bumpy ride,' " Ms. Thomas said. "But we're committed, and we're going to build this bridge."
She said raising more private dollars to meet the new price tag is out of the question, and going back to the drawing board is the only solution. And she vowed that the city would still get two Calatrava bridges – though most officials agree the fate of the third is up in the air.
"I'm not worried; we'll just go back for redesign," she said of the Woodall Rodgers bridge. "I think Santiago Calatrava is a genius, and anything he pulls out will be fabulous."
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The wurst way to go?
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German police have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering a woman with a sausage.
Prosecutors and police said the 50-year-old was arrested after the woman's body was discovered in an apartment in Zwickau, eastern Germany. They said she had choked on a Bockwurst, a popular large German sausage.
The prosecutors said the man had given a patchy account of events, acknowledging that he may have "administered" a Bockwurst to the woman. They are now working to establish exactly what happened in the run up to her death.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German police have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering a woman with a sausage.
Prosecutors and police said the 50-year-old was arrested after the woman's body was discovered in an apartment in Zwickau, eastern Germany. They said she had choked on a Bockwurst, a popular large German sausage.
The prosecutors said the man had given a patchy account of events, acknowledging that he may have "administered" a Bockwurst to the woman. They are now working to establish exactly what happened in the run up to her death.
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Pensioner hosts fans on garden plot
By Alexandra Hudson
BOCHUM, Germany (Reuters) - It's breakfast time at Wolfgang Fischer's cosy garden allotment and football fans from Poland and Germany are tucking in and enjoying the German pensioner's free hospitality.
Over the next month fans from 11 different countries will pitch their tents among the cornflowers and foliage on the 61-year-old's small plot on the outskirts of Bochum, helping themselves to food from the fridge and coals for the barbecue.
"The day I heard Germany would host the World Cup I started thinking to myself who can really afford to come here and where are they all going to go?" said Fischer.
"Then when the next day I started hearing how hotels would inflate their prices for the World Cup and bratwursts would get more expensive, I thought I really ought to do something."
Now Fischer, whose allotment is conveniently located for travel to host cities Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund, is busy round the clock fetching guests from Bochum station and replenishing supplies.
He is one of hundreds of Germans who have offered to help out cash-strapped visitors to the World Cup during which some one million foreigners are expected to descend on Germany.
The leafy allotment, which Fischer advertised on the Internet, is festooned with flags and five small tents occupy nearly all of the lawn.
A double-bed in the traditional German allotment hut with ivy on the roof and net curtains in the window is reserved for a couple from Trinidad, Fischer's oldest guests, aged 50 and 70.
"They get the bed as they won't be used to the temperature here. This will feel cold to them," said Fischer.
MAD OFFER?
Fischer's neighbours in the well-kept allotment colony have so far given their support.
"'You're mad' they tell me, but they have also said its fine for me to go ahead. None of them actually live close-by," he said.
"They realise that if Poland beat Germany 2-0 here there will be quite a bit of noise."
So far most of the guests have come from Poland.
"In general it is pretty expensive for us in Germany since we are students," said Warsaw student Adam Marcinek.
"We went on to the Web and found the article about this place. We were not sure at first but Wolfgang seems a really nice guy."
Years working and living around the world as a landscape engineer have taught Fischer a thing or two about hospitality, and how important it is to create a good impression for visitors.
"I wanted to take a stand against the commercialisation of the World Cup... It is not easy for me on my small pension, but for people really to feel welcome here in Germany things need to start from the poorest up."
By Alexandra Hudson
BOCHUM, Germany (Reuters) - It's breakfast time at Wolfgang Fischer's cosy garden allotment and football fans from Poland and Germany are tucking in and enjoying the German pensioner's free hospitality.
Over the next month fans from 11 different countries will pitch their tents among the cornflowers and foliage on the 61-year-old's small plot on the outskirts of Bochum, helping themselves to food from the fridge and coals for the barbecue.
"The day I heard Germany would host the World Cup I started thinking to myself who can really afford to come here and where are they all going to go?" said Fischer.
"Then when the next day I started hearing how hotels would inflate their prices for the World Cup and bratwursts would get more expensive, I thought I really ought to do something."
Now Fischer, whose allotment is conveniently located for travel to host cities Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund, is busy round the clock fetching guests from Bochum station and replenishing supplies.
He is one of hundreds of Germans who have offered to help out cash-strapped visitors to the World Cup during which some one million foreigners are expected to descend on Germany.
The leafy allotment, which Fischer advertised on the Internet, is festooned with flags and five small tents occupy nearly all of the lawn.
A double-bed in the traditional German allotment hut with ivy on the roof and net curtains in the window is reserved for a couple from Trinidad, Fischer's oldest guests, aged 50 and 70.
"They get the bed as they won't be used to the temperature here. This will feel cold to them," said Fischer.
MAD OFFER?
Fischer's neighbours in the well-kept allotment colony have so far given their support.
"'You're mad' they tell me, but they have also said its fine for me to go ahead. None of them actually live close-by," he said.
"They realise that if Poland beat Germany 2-0 here there will be quite a bit of noise."
So far most of the guests have come from Poland.
"In general it is pretty expensive for us in Germany since we are students," said Warsaw student Adam Marcinek.
"We went on to the Web and found the article about this place. We were not sure at first but Wolfgang seems a really nice guy."
Years working and living around the world as a landscape engineer have taught Fischer a thing or two about hospitality, and how important it is to create a good impression for visitors.
"I wanted to take a stand against the commercialisation of the World Cup... It is not easy for me on my small pension, but for people really to feel welcome here in Germany things need to start from the poorest up."
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Judge makes 'Rock, paper, scissors' ruling
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A federal judge, miffed at the inability of opposing attorneys to agree on even the slightest details of a lawsuit, ordered them to settle their latest dispute with a game of "rock, paper, scissors."
The argument was over a location to take the sworn statement of a witness in an insurance lawsuit.
In an order signed Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell scolded both sides and ordered them to meet at a neutral location at 4 p.m. June 30 to play a round of the hand-gesture game often used to settle childhood disputes. If they can't agree on the neutral location, he said, they'll play on the steps of the federal courthouse.
The winner gets to choose the location for the witness statement.
"We're going to have to do it," said David Pettinato, lead attorney for the plaintiff, Avista Management. "I guess I'd better bone up on 'rock, paper, scissors' rules."
Last year, officials of the auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's engaged in the game to decide who would get to sell a $17.8 million collection of art offered by a Japanese electronics company. Christie's won.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A federal judge, miffed at the inability of opposing attorneys to agree on even the slightest details of a lawsuit, ordered them to settle their latest dispute with a game of "rock, paper, scissors."
The argument was over a location to take the sworn statement of a witness in an insurance lawsuit.
In an order signed Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell scolded both sides and ordered them to meet at a neutral location at 4 p.m. June 30 to play a round of the hand-gesture game often used to settle childhood disputes. If they can't agree on the neutral location, he said, they'll play on the steps of the federal courthouse.
The winner gets to choose the location for the witness statement.
"We're going to have to do it," said David Pettinato, lead attorney for the plaintiff, Avista Management. "I guess I'd better bone up on 'rock, paper, scissors' rules."
Last year, officials of the auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's engaged in the game to decide who would get to sell a $17.8 million collection of art offered by a Japanese electronics company. Christie's won.
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Quarantined man says he was only hung over
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - A man who was quarantined along with 59 other passengers who fell ill on an Australian cruise ship says he deserves a refund because he wasn't sick, just hung over.
A cruise ship owned by P&O Cruises Australia docked in Sydney on Friday after an outbreak of gastroenteritis sickened dozens of passengers during a 10-night cruise along the Queensland state coast.
Sick passengers were quarantined to prevent the gastroenteritis, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, from spreading.
But passenger Michael Wanless said he was wrongly quarantined after doctors confused his hangover for the illness.
"Quarantine me, that's fair enough, but I think that I'm entitled to be reimbursed for that part of the trip," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday.
The ship "Pacific Sun" was to be sanitized in Sydney, and P&O was providing free medical treatment to all infected passengers, the ABC said.
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - A man who was quarantined along with 59 other passengers who fell ill on an Australian cruise ship says he deserves a refund because he wasn't sick, just hung over.
A cruise ship owned by P&O Cruises Australia docked in Sydney on Friday after an outbreak of gastroenteritis sickened dozens of passengers during a 10-night cruise along the Queensland state coast.
Sick passengers were quarantined to prevent the gastroenteritis, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, from spreading.
But passenger Michael Wanless said he was wrongly quarantined after doctors confused his hangover for the illness.
"Quarantine me, that's fair enough, but I think that I'm entitled to be reimbursed for that part of the trip," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday.
The ship "Pacific Sun" was to be sanitized in Sydney, and P&O was providing free medical treatment to all infected passengers, the ABC said.
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Eatery's English-only sign raises ire
By Jon Hurdle
PHILADELPHIA, Penn. (Reuters) - A sign in a landmark Philadelphia restaurant asking customers to order in English is sparking controversy in the metropolis known as the "City of Brotherly Love."
The owner of Geno's Steaks said on Thursday that the sign, "This is America -- when ordering speak English," is intended to encourage immigrants to learn the language and assimilate into U.S. society, but one Latino activist said it's racist.
The controversy comes amid a national debate over immigration in the United States. The U.S. Senate passed an immigration bill last month that includes a provision which would make English the national language.
"They should be glad that I put the sign up. I'm trying to help them to speak English," said Joey Vento, 66, whose grandparents moved to the United States from Italy. "Without the English language, they are going to have a lot of problems in this country.
"There is nobody who can say they are turned down because of the language," he added. "They can point if they want to."
The sign, which Vento posted at his cheese steak restaurant about six months ago and says he has no intention of removing, has made some people angry.
Roberto Santiago, executive director of Philadelphia's Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations, said he was "appalled" by the policy.
"I think what's coming out of his mouth is racist," said Santiago. "He is saying, 'I don't like these brown faces in my community and I will do everything I can to get them out of there.'"
Santiago said he has urged Latinos to boycott Geno's Steaks, a fixture in South Philadelphia's Little Italy neighborhood which has seen an influx of Hispanic immigrants in recent years.
Vento denied that anyone would be refused service if they ordered one of the sliced beef-and-cheese sandwiches, a famed bit of cuisine in the Quaker-founded "City of Brotherly Love," in a language other than English.
Tony Luke, co-owner of competitor Tony Luke's restaurant, said Vento has taken "too much of a hard line" with non-English-speaking customers.
"You can't be expected to learn English in a week," he said. "We will be a lot more tolerant than that."
By Jon Hurdle
PHILADELPHIA, Penn. (Reuters) - A sign in a landmark Philadelphia restaurant asking customers to order in English is sparking controversy in the metropolis known as the "City of Brotherly Love."
The owner of Geno's Steaks said on Thursday that the sign, "This is America -- when ordering speak English," is intended to encourage immigrants to learn the language and assimilate into U.S. society, but one Latino activist said it's racist.
The controversy comes amid a national debate over immigration in the United States. The U.S. Senate passed an immigration bill last month that includes a provision which would make English the national language.
"They should be glad that I put the sign up. I'm trying to help them to speak English," said Joey Vento, 66, whose grandparents moved to the United States from Italy. "Without the English language, they are going to have a lot of problems in this country.
"There is nobody who can say they are turned down because of the language," he added. "They can point if they want to."
The sign, which Vento posted at his cheese steak restaurant about six months ago and says he has no intention of removing, has made some people angry.
Roberto Santiago, executive director of Philadelphia's Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations, said he was "appalled" by the policy.
"I think what's coming out of his mouth is racist," said Santiago. "He is saying, 'I don't like these brown faces in my community and I will do everything I can to get them out of there.'"
Santiago said he has urged Latinos to boycott Geno's Steaks, a fixture in South Philadelphia's Little Italy neighborhood which has seen an influx of Hispanic immigrants in recent years.
Vento denied that anyone would be refused service if they ordered one of the sliced beef-and-cheese sandwiches, a famed bit of cuisine in the Quaker-founded "City of Brotherly Love," in a language other than English.
Tony Luke, co-owner of competitor Tony Luke's restaurant, said Vento has taken "too much of a hard line" with non-English-speaking customers.
"You can't be expected to learn English in a week," he said. "We will be a lot more tolerant than that."
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Sleepy workers costing billions
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - Japan's corporate warriors aren't getting enough sleep -- and it's costing the country billions.
In the country that gave the world the word "karoshi," or death from overwork, drowsy employees turning up late, taking days off or struggling to stay awake on the job are causing economic losses of some $30 billion a year, according to a survey.
"The idea is to raise awareness of the problem," said Makoto Uchiyama, professor and chairman of the department of neuropsychiatry at Nihon University School of Medicine, who conducted the survey.
"Not everyone who is sleepy at work is lazy. It's hard to tell your boss that you are sleepy, but ignoring the problem can lead to losses in the long run."
Japanese routinely work long hours, as much from cultural constraints on leaving before colleagues as from volume of work. Suited salarymen napping, often standing up, are a common sight on crowded commuter trains.
The survey questioned some 3,075 workers at a chemical company on their sleeping and working habits for a month.
Some 37 percent of respondents said they had problems sleeping. They said their efficiency at work was reduced by about 40 percent and reported a high frequency of accidents, lateness and absenteeism.
Uchiyama said other countries may be in a similar situation.
"It may be thought that this is a Japanese problem. But it's not, it's global."
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) - Japan's corporate warriors aren't getting enough sleep -- and it's costing the country billions.
In the country that gave the world the word "karoshi," or death from overwork, drowsy employees turning up late, taking days off or struggling to stay awake on the job are causing economic losses of some $30 billion a year, according to a survey.
"The idea is to raise awareness of the problem," said Makoto Uchiyama, professor and chairman of the department of neuropsychiatry at Nihon University School of Medicine, who conducted the survey.
"Not everyone who is sleepy at work is lazy. It's hard to tell your boss that you are sleepy, but ignoring the problem can lead to losses in the long run."
Japanese routinely work long hours, as much from cultural constraints on leaving before colleagues as from volume of work. Suited salarymen napping, often standing up, are a common sight on crowded commuter trains.
The survey questioned some 3,075 workers at a chemical company on their sleeping and working habits for a month.
Some 37 percent of respondents said they had problems sleeping. They said their efficiency at work was reduced by about 40 percent and reported a high frequency of accidents, lateness and absenteeism.
Uchiyama said other countries may be in a similar situation.
"It may be thought that this is a Japanese problem. But it's not, it's global."
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Pooh tops survey of favorite animal characters
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Winnie the Pooh has been voted the nation's favorite animal character in a new survey, heading a list dominated by iconic bears like Paddington and Rupert.
Pooh, created by A.A. Milne, won 51 percent of the vote in the survey, against Paddington's 41 percent.
The Jungle Book's Baloo the bear was third with 32 percent, just one point ahead of Black Beauty and two ahead of Rupert in fifth.
The survey for the PDSA veterinary charity survey coincides with the launch of the Big Book Fetch to raise funds for pets in need of vets.
Conducted among 1,191 adults, it gave Ashlan the lion from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" 30 percent along with Rupert, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit 28 percent and Toad from "The Wind in the Willows" 27 percent.
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Winnie the Pooh has been voted the nation's favorite animal character in a new survey, heading a list dominated by iconic bears like Paddington and Rupert.
Pooh, created by A.A. Milne, won 51 percent of the vote in the survey, against Paddington's 41 percent.
The Jungle Book's Baloo the bear was third with 32 percent, just one point ahead of Black Beauty and two ahead of Rupert in fifth.
The survey for the PDSA veterinary charity survey coincides with the launch of the Big Book Fetch to raise funds for pets in need of vets.
Conducted among 1,191 adults, it gave Ashlan the lion from "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" 30 percent along with Rupert, Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit 28 percent and Toad from "The Wind in the Willows" 27 percent.
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Rio ropes in funds to paint town green and yellow
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Residents of soccer crazy Rio de Janeiro are "taxing" motorists to raise funds to decorate their streets in the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag for the World Cup.
Cars have been stopped by rope barriers in side streets and drivers asked to make contributions.
In one recent such incident in Rio's hilltop Santa Teresa district, a young man in T-shirt and shorts approached a halted car. But instead of drawing a gun -- as often happens in this crime-plagued city -- the man politely asked: "Any change to buy decorations ?"
On payment of a couple of reais ($1), the rope was dropped.
Across this huge seaside city, locals have been stringing yellow and green tinsel across streets, hanging flags and painting portraits of soccer stars on walls and roads before the big kick-off in Germany Friday. Brazil's first game is against Croatia Tuesday.
Giant caricatures of goal scoring ace Ronaldo and world player of the year Ronaldinho stare at passers by while in Santa Teresa there is a mural of Argentine maestro Diego Maradona in a trolley car with Brazilian players.
Coca-Cola and the O Globo newspaper, part of Brazil's biggest media group, are sponsoring a competition to see which street conjures up the brightest decoration.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Residents of soccer crazy Rio de Janeiro are "taxing" motorists to raise funds to decorate their streets in the green and yellow of the Brazilian flag for the World Cup.
Cars have been stopped by rope barriers in side streets and drivers asked to make contributions.
In one recent such incident in Rio's hilltop Santa Teresa district, a young man in T-shirt and shorts approached a halted car. But instead of drawing a gun -- as often happens in this crime-plagued city -- the man politely asked: "Any change to buy decorations ?"
On payment of a couple of reais ($1), the rope was dropped.
Across this huge seaside city, locals have been stringing yellow and green tinsel across streets, hanging flags and painting portraits of soccer stars on walls and roads before the big kick-off in Germany Friday. Brazil's first game is against Croatia Tuesday.
Giant caricatures of goal scoring ace Ronaldo and world player of the year Ronaldinho stare at passers by while in Santa Teresa there is a mural of Argentine maestro Diego Maradona in a trolley car with Brazilian players.
Coca-Cola and the O Globo newspaper, part of Brazil's biggest media group, are sponsoring a competition to see which street conjures up the brightest decoration.
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Man robs 96-year-old woman of grocery money
TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A 96-year-old, wheelchair-bound woman was knocked to the ground and robbed of her grocery money by a man who forced his way into her home, the woman said.
Elvie Toliver said she was about to do some gardening when the man knocked on her door and then pushed his way inside and demanded money.
Toliver said she picked up her late husband's handgun that she kept in her wheelchair for protection.
"I thought, 'Well, I can't do nothing else. ... Maybe I can scare him out.' But that didn't scare him."
After wrestling the man, Toliver said she fell from her wheelchair and hit the back of her head.
The man then told her he didn't want to hurt her and said he wanted only money.
"He said, 'Mama, get up. I don't want to hurt you. I just want some money. I need it, bad."'
Toliver said she didn't know the man.
The assailant also took Toliver's gun, which had only one bullet – a bullet she said probably has been in the gun since her husband died 12 years ago.
She said the man tried three times to put her back in her wheelchair, but couldn't lift her.
A church volunteer came by later, and the police were called.
Blood stained her white hair on the back of her head but Toliver refused medical treatment.
She knows the robber could have killed her.
"I get up every morning and say, 'Thank God! Good morning, Jesus."'
TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A 96-year-old, wheelchair-bound woman was knocked to the ground and robbed of her grocery money by a man who forced his way into her home, the woman said.
Elvie Toliver said she was about to do some gardening when the man knocked on her door and then pushed his way inside and demanded money.
Toliver said she picked up her late husband's handgun that she kept in her wheelchair for protection.
"I thought, 'Well, I can't do nothing else. ... Maybe I can scare him out.' But that didn't scare him."
After wrestling the man, Toliver said she fell from her wheelchair and hit the back of her head.
The man then told her he didn't want to hurt her and said he wanted only money.
"He said, 'Mama, get up. I don't want to hurt you. I just want some money. I need it, bad."'
Toliver said she didn't know the man.
The assailant also took Toliver's gun, which had only one bullet – a bullet she said probably has been in the gun since her husband died 12 years ago.
She said the man tried three times to put her back in her wheelchair, but couldn't lift her.
A church volunteer came by later, and the police were called.
Blood stained her white hair on the back of her head but Toliver refused medical treatment.
She knows the robber could have killed her.
"I get up every morning and say, 'Thank God! Good morning, Jesus."'
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Man stabbed after complaining about crack house
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police are investigating the knife attack of a civil rights activist who has been trying to reduce crime in his neighborhood.
Marvin Crenshaw was out walking along Malcolm X Boulevard in South Dallas last Friday when his attacker slashed him with a knife in the side and on his arm. His head is still swollen from the struggle to get away.
"They were trying to kill me," said Crenshaw.
He had been warned that he would be attacked for allegedly giving police information about a crack house.
But Crenshaw said he never called the police - he had complained to the owner of the house after the premises was rented to a known drug dealer.
"I don't think any person in the world would want to wake up one morning and find a crack house right next to them," Crenshaw said.
The renters moved out last week.
Police have not found the man who attacked Crenshaw.
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police are investigating the knife attack of a civil rights activist who has been trying to reduce crime in his neighborhood.
Marvin Crenshaw was out walking along Malcolm X Boulevard in South Dallas last Friday when his attacker slashed him with a knife in the side and on his arm. His head is still swollen from the struggle to get away.
"They were trying to kill me," said Crenshaw.
He had been warned that he would be attacked for allegedly giving police information about a crack house.
But Crenshaw said he never called the police - he had complained to the owner of the house after the premises was rented to a known drug dealer.
"I don't think any person in the world would want to wake up one morning and find a crack house right next to them," Crenshaw said.
The renters moved out last week.
Police have not found the man who attacked Crenshaw.
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Euless ducks are target in brutal deaths
By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8
EULESS, Texas — Euless police and the Humane Society are trying to solve some ghastly crimes—a series of duck killings.
The deaths by decapitation are taking place at an apartment complex and golf course off Soto Grande Blvd.
Police said apartment workers have been stumbling across the remains following the brutal slayings of 11 ducks between May 8 and May 15.
The ducks are very much a part of the habitat around the Soto Grande Apartments and the nine-hole golf course next door. Residents can't believe someone is beheading the friendly animals who call the area home.
"We've been watching them grow up," said golfer Cindy Shepard.
But it's not safe waddling around at night if you're a female duck. Someone has been brutally murdering them by cutting off their heads. The victims have primarily been female ducks that are nesting.
"The actor has taken it upon himself to limit the duck population or try to reduce the duck population in that area," said Euless police investigator Lt. T.D. Burnett.
Police said this type of animal cruelty is a felony offense—and it's offensive to those who live among the ducks. "Yeah, it's bad," said Greg McDaniel, an apartment tenant.
"I'm sorry to hear a human being would actually do something to something so innocent," added golfer Rick Wenth.
Some apartment managers are asking tenants to be on the lookout for anyone walking around the golf course at night who may look suspcious.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $2,500 reward for the arrest of a suspect.
By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8
EULESS, Texas — Euless police and the Humane Society are trying to solve some ghastly crimes—a series of duck killings.
The deaths by decapitation are taking place at an apartment complex and golf course off Soto Grande Blvd.
Police said apartment workers have been stumbling across the remains following the brutal slayings of 11 ducks between May 8 and May 15.
The ducks are very much a part of the habitat around the Soto Grande Apartments and the nine-hole golf course next door. Residents can't believe someone is beheading the friendly animals who call the area home.
"We've been watching them grow up," said golfer Cindy Shepard.
But it's not safe waddling around at night if you're a female duck. Someone has been brutally murdering them by cutting off their heads. The victims have primarily been female ducks that are nesting.
"The actor has taken it upon himself to limit the duck population or try to reduce the duck population in that area," said Euless police investigator Lt. T.D. Burnett.
Police said this type of animal cruelty is a felony offense—and it's offensive to those who live among the ducks. "Yeah, it's bad," said Greg McDaniel, an apartment tenant.
"I'm sorry to hear a human being would actually do something to something so innocent," added golfer Rick Wenth.
Some apartment managers are asking tenants to be on the lookout for anyone walking around the golf course at night who may look suspcious.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $2,500 reward for the arrest of a suspect.
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Faster than bullets, yes. But Superman, gay? No way
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Reuters) - After weeks of Internet buzzing that the new Superman movie portrays the Man of Steel as gay, the director of the film issued a strong denial on Friday and said it was the most heterosexual character he has filmed.
Superman "is probably the most heterosexual character in any movie I've ever made," said Bryan Singer, director of "Superman Returns," a new movie about the crime-fighting superhero that opens June 28. "I don't think he's ever been gay."
In recent months, the movie's ability to lure its target audience has been questioned by Internet buzz probing the superhero's sexuality.
Young men are the movie's target audience and the film needs to attract millions of them to earn a profit and relaunch the "Superman" film franchise.
A major gay magazine, The Advocate, ran a cover story with the headline: "How Gay is Superman," and the Los Angeles Times weighed in with its own story on whether being gay might hinder or help the movie's box office receipts.
After all, gay romance "Brokeback Mountain" won awards and raked in $178 million (97 million pounds) worldwide.
So he wears a leotard and flies around in a red cape. Big deal, Singer said, noting Spider-Man wears tights. The X-Men do too, and they aren't gay. Singer ought to know, he directed 2000's "X-Men" movie and 2003's "X2: X-Men United."
Singer said his version of the Man of Steel, who is played by Brandon Routh, is a "very romantic icon" -- handsome, virtuous and vulnerable.
In the movie, Superman comes back to Earth after a five- year absence. Early on, audiences learn the love of his life, hard-charging reporter Lois Lane, has moved on from her infatuation with him. She has a new boyfriend and a child.
Yet when he re-enters her life, Lois still has that sexy gleam in her eye, and he can't wait to fly her to the moon.
"We were all scratching our heads," said Paul Levitz, president and publisher of Superman owner DC Comics. "He's not a gay character."
_____________________________________________________________
OK, first they attacked Tinky-Winky the Teletubby, because a male was wearing the costume on that show, now they're attacking Superman.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Reuters) - After weeks of Internet buzzing that the new Superman movie portrays the Man of Steel as gay, the director of the film issued a strong denial on Friday and said it was the most heterosexual character he has filmed.
Superman "is probably the most heterosexual character in any movie I've ever made," said Bryan Singer, director of "Superman Returns," a new movie about the crime-fighting superhero that opens June 28. "I don't think he's ever been gay."
In recent months, the movie's ability to lure its target audience has been questioned by Internet buzz probing the superhero's sexuality.
Young men are the movie's target audience and the film needs to attract millions of them to earn a profit and relaunch the "Superman" film franchise.
A major gay magazine, The Advocate, ran a cover story with the headline: "How Gay is Superman," and the Los Angeles Times weighed in with its own story on whether being gay might hinder or help the movie's box office receipts.
After all, gay romance "Brokeback Mountain" won awards and raked in $178 million (97 million pounds) worldwide.
So he wears a leotard and flies around in a red cape. Big deal, Singer said, noting Spider-Man wears tights. The X-Men do too, and they aren't gay. Singer ought to know, he directed 2000's "X-Men" movie and 2003's "X2: X-Men United."
Singer said his version of the Man of Steel, who is played by Brandon Routh, is a "very romantic icon" -- handsome, virtuous and vulnerable.
In the movie, Superman comes back to Earth after a five- year absence. Early on, audiences learn the love of his life, hard-charging reporter Lois Lane, has moved on from her infatuation with him. She has a new boyfriend and a child.
Yet when he re-enters her life, Lois still has that sexy gleam in her eye, and he can't wait to fly her to the moon.
"We were all scratching our heads," said Paul Levitz, president and publisher of Superman owner DC Comics. "He's not a gay character."
_____________________________________________________________
OK, first they attacked Tinky-Winky the Teletubby, because a male was wearing the costume on that show, now they're attacking Superman.
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Leisurely thief targets Richardson offices
By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA ABC 8
RICHARDSON, Texas - A thief with cool confidence strolled through several office building suites in Richardson this week making off with cash.
We don't know how much but we do know the man strolled through offices well aware that security cameras were pointed right at him.
On a security camera recording, Dr. Michael Mazaheri watched in amazement as a thief broke into his Richardson medical office.
"The lights are off but you can see a flashlight come and go," he said.
For 16 minutes, the thief in baggy shorts and a T-shirt leisurely strolls through the office.
"His lack of speed, he's very relaxed apparently he's done so many of them, he thinks by the time police get here he'll have plenty of time," Mazaheri said.
He knocks down a security camera, as if he's cased the building in advance.
He apparently finds a few hundred dollars and moves on to two other nearby medical suites, leaving behind expensive electronics and equipment.
Police say that's what makes this thief unusual.
Mazaheri was targeted once before and says other offices have had similar break-ins too.
Mazaheri wants these repairs to broken locks and security cameras to be his last.
So he's sharing his tape with building neighbors in case this confident thief tries to strike again.
By MARY ANN RAZZUK / WFAA ABC 8
RICHARDSON, Texas - A thief with cool confidence strolled through several office building suites in Richardson this week making off with cash.
We don't know how much but we do know the man strolled through offices well aware that security cameras were pointed right at him.
On a security camera recording, Dr. Michael Mazaheri watched in amazement as a thief broke into his Richardson medical office.
"The lights are off but you can see a flashlight come and go," he said.
For 16 minutes, the thief in baggy shorts and a T-shirt leisurely strolls through the office.
"His lack of speed, he's very relaxed apparently he's done so many of them, he thinks by the time police get here he'll have plenty of time," Mazaheri said.
He knocks down a security camera, as if he's cased the building in advance.
He apparently finds a few hundred dollars and moves on to two other nearby medical suites, leaving behind expensive electronics and equipment.
Police say that's what makes this thief unusual.
Mazaheri was targeted once before and says other offices have had similar break-ins too.
Mazaheri wants these repairs to broken locks and security cameras to be his last.
So he's sharing his tape with building neighbors in case this confident thief tries to strike again.
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Downtown mass shooting: 'may have been over man's wife'
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police say a gunman who opened fire on a crowd in downtown Dallas on Saturday, injuring as many as 11 people, may have argued with a man after he touched his wife.
The shooting spree happened shortly after 2 a.m. outside the Thomas & Leggitt Tavern in the 1500 block of Main Street.
Police said two men started arguing outside the pub shortly after it closed.
A third man reportedly tried to intervene when one of the other men pulled a gun and started firing randomly into the crowd. The target was said to be a woman's husband.
"[It may have been] for even touching the wife," said Sgt. Gil Cerda.
"He ran, not steadying his shot," said Brady Carl, who saw what happened. "And he fired, fired, fired, fired, fired, fired. And then he finally turned and just started running."
Of the 11 people who were wounded, 9 were hospitalized. One man, critically injured, was rushed to nearby Baylor University Medical Center.
Diana Lopez, 21, a UNT student and model, was shot in hip.
"She is traumatized. They gave her morphine and other drugs they have. She cried the whole time. I want to cry, too," said her mother, Silvia Lopez.
The gunman and two companions reportedly fled on foot.
"It seemed unreal. People hit the deck," Carl said. "There's blood all over the concrete. It seemed like a movie."
Police were searching in and around the downtown area for the suspects.
WFAA-TV photojournalist Robert Flagg, Debbie Denmon and WBAP NEws/Talk 820 AM Radio contributed to this report.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police say a gunman who opened fire on a crowd in downtown Dallas on Saturday, injuring as many as 11 people, may have argued with a man after he touched his wife.
The shooting spree happened shortly after 2 a.m. outside the Thomas & Leggitt Tavern in the 1500 block of Main Street.
Police said two men started arguing outside the pub shortly after it closed.
A third man reportedly tried to intervene when one of the other men pulled a gun and started firing randomly into the crowd. The target was said to be a woman's husband.
"[It may have been] for even touching the wife," said Sgt. Gil Cerda.
"He ran, not steadying his shot," said Brady Carl, who saw what happened. "And he fired, fired, fired, fired, fired, fired. And then he finally turned and just started running."
Of the 11 people who were wounded, 9 were hospitalized. One man, critically injured, was rushed to nearby Baylor University Medical Center.
Diana Lopez, 21, a UNT student and model, was shot in hip.
"She is traumatized. They gave her morphine and other drugs they have. She cried the whole time. I want to cry, too," said her mother, Silvia Lopez.
The gunman and two companions reportedly fled on foot.
"It seemed unreal. People hit the deck," Carl said. "There's blood all over the concrete. It seemed like a movie."
Police were searching in and around the downtown area for the suspects.
WFAA-TV photojournalist Robert Flagg, Debbie Denmon and WBAP NEws/Talk 820 AM Radio contributed to this report.
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Nude cyclists peel off around Spanish cities
MADRID, Spain (Reuters) - Hundreds of nude cyclists pedalled around Spanish cities on Saturday to protest against car-clogged streets and demand greater respect for pollution-free transport.
With slogans like "one car less" and "bio methanol" painted on their backs, the naked cyclists staged Spain's third annual Ciclonudista or "Nudecycle" in Madrid, Barcelona and Pamplona.
The protest was part of world-wide naked bike riding events on Saturday across Europe, North America and South America.
"We feel naked when up against traffic because people don't see the bicycle as just another means of transport," said Madrid cyclist Ramon Linaza, wearing only a cycle helmet and shoes.
Towing cardboard cars with gaping jaws, protesters said the rapid rise of automobile ownership in Spain was turning city streets into ever more hostile and dangerous cycling territory.
Organisers said the bicycle was a healthy and efficient form of urban transport that is largely ignored by Spanish drivers and city planners.
Central Madrid has few bike paths and cyclists are a rarity on its streets. Barcelona has the most bike paths of any Spanish city, according to cycling activists.
Per capita car ownership has rocketed in Spain after a decade of strong economic growth.
MADRID, Spain (Reuters) - Hundreds of nude cyclists pedalled around Spanish cities on Saturday to protest against car-clogged streets and demand greater respect for pollution-free transport.
With slogans like "one car less" and "bio methanol" painted on their backs, the naked cyclists staged Spain's third annual Ciclonudista or "Nudecycle" in Madrid, Barcelona and Pamplona.
The protest was part of world-wide naked bike riding events on Saturday across Europe, North America and South America.
"We feel naked when up against traffic because people don't see the bicycle as just another means of transport," said Madrid cyclist Ramon Linaza, wearing only a cycle helmet and shoes.
Towing cardboard cars with gaping jaws, protesters said the rapid rise of automobile ownership in Spain was turning city streets into ever more hostile and dangerous cycling territory.
Organisers said the bicycle was a healthy and efficient form of urban transport that is largely ignored by Spanish drivers and city planners.
Central Madrid has few bike paths and cyclists are a rarity on its streets. Barcelona has the most bike paths of any Spanish city, according to cycling activists.
Per capita car ownership has rocketed in Spain after a decade of strong economic growth.
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Jack the cat chases black bear up tree
WEST MILFORD, N.J. (AP) - A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree — twice.
Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising.
"We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty,' never knowing he'd go after a bear," owner Donna Dickey told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Friday's editions.
Neighbor Suzanne Giovanetti first spotted Jack's accomplishment after her husband saw a bear climb a tree on the edge of their northern New Jersey property on Sunday. Giovanetti thought Jack was simply looking up at the bear, but soon realized the much larger animal was afraid of the hissing cat.
After about 15 minutes, the bear descended and tried to run away, but Jack chased it up another tree.
Dickey, who feared for her cat, then called Jack home and the bear scurried back to the woods.
"He doesn't want anybody in his yard," Dickey said.
Bear sightings are not unusual in West Milford, which experts consider one of the state's most bear-populated areas.
WEST MILFORD, N.J. (AP) - A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree — twice.
Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals, but his owners and neighbors say his latest escapade was surprising.
"We used to joke, 'Jack's on duty,' never knowing he'd go after a bear," owner Donna Dickey told The Star-Ledger of Newark for Friday's editions.
Neighbor Suzanne Giovanetti first spotted Jack's accomplishment after her husband saw a bear climb a tree on the edge of their northern New Jersey property on Sunday. Giovanetti thought Jack was simply looking up at the bear, but soon realized the much larger animal was afraid of the hissing cat.
After about 15 minutes, the bear descended and tried to run away, but Jack chased it up another tree.
Dickey, who feared for her cat, then called Jack home and the bear scurried back to the woods.
"He doesn't want anybody in his yard," Dickey said.
Bear sightings are not unusual in West Milford, which experts consider one of the state's most bear-populated areas.
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Scottish orchestra seeks new national anthem
By Ian MacKenzie
EDINBURGH, Scotland (Reuters) - Scotland's national orchestra launched a competition on Sunday to find the country's most popular song that might eventually become its national anthem.
The current UK-wide national anthem is "God Save the Queen", but this is not universally popular in Scotland.
Its third verse, now rarely if ever sung, calls on an English general to crush "rebellious Scots" at the time of the 1745 Jacobite uprising to restore Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Stuarts to the British throne.
Scotland's first minister Jack McConnell called in March for a national debate on the issue after there was some criticism of the use of "Scotland the Brave" for Scottish gold medal winners at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in Australia
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra played the five most popular contenders at an Edinburgh concert on Saturday night and on Sunday opened a three-week voting period on its Web site, http://www.rsno.org.uk.
The five songs are:
- "Flower of Scotland", written by a member of The Corries folk bank more than 30 years ago and sung primarily at rugby and football matches;
- "Highland Cathedral", written in 1982 by two German musicians and chosen by pop singer Madonna as her wedding march at her marriage in Scotland to director Guy Ritchie;
- "Scots Wha Ha'e", a song by Robert Burns written in the form of a speech by Robert the Bruce before he defeated an English army at Bannockburn in 1314;
- "A Man's a Man for a' That", another Burns poem extolling the common man;
- "Scotland the Brave", a traditional bagpipe tune with stirring words written in the 1950s.
"We're contributing to the debate over a national song with this competition," said RSNO board chairman Tom Thomson.
"It's an unofficial poll of Scottish opinion to find the most popular candidate for a national anthem. We also want Scots around the world to vote."
The winning song will be played at an RSNO concert in Glasgow on July 1.
By Ian MacKenzie
EDINBURGH, Scotland (Reuters) - Scotland's national orchestra launched a competition on Sunday to find the country's most popular song that might eventually become its national anthem.
The current UK-wide national anthem is "God Save the Queen", but this is not universally popular in Scotland.
Its third verse, now rarely if ever sung, calls on an English general to crush "rebellious Scots" at the time of the 1745 Jacobite uprising to restore Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Stuarts to the British throne.
Scotland's first minister Jack McConnell called in March for a national debate on the issue after there was some criticism of the use of "Scotland the Brave" for Scottish gold medal winners at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in Australia
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra played the five most popular contenders at an Edinburgh concert on Saturday night and on Sunday opened a three-week voting period on its Web site, http://www.rsno.org.uk.
The five songs are:
- "Flower of Scotland", written by a member of The Corries folk bank more than 30 years ago and sung primarily at rugby and football matches;
- "Highland Cathedral", written in 1982 by two German musicians and chosen by pop singer Madonna as her wedding march at her marriage in Scotland to director Guy Ritchie;
- "Scots Wha Ha'e", a song by Robert Burns written in the form of a speech by Robert the Bruce before he defeated an English army at Bannockburn in 1314;
- "A Man's a Man for a' That", another Burns poem extolling the common man;
- "Scotland the Brave", a traditional bagpipe tune with stirring words written in the 1950s.
"We're contributing to the debate over a national song with this competition," said RSNO board chairman Tom Thomson.
"It's an unofficial poll of Scottish opinion to find the most popular candidate for a national anthem. We also want Scots around the world to vote."
The winning song will be played at an RSNO concert in Glasgow on July 1.
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'Streaker' selling bikini to pay for court costs
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A woman who invaded the field in the final seconds of Saturday's test between New Zealand and Ireland in Hamilton wearing just a bikini has put the two-piece suit up for sale on an online auction website to help pay for her court costs.
Lisa Lewis, 25, ran onto the field at Waikato Stadium about 30 seconds before referee Stuart Dickinson blew the whistle to signal the end of the game, won by the All Blacks 34-23.
Lewis was grabbed by security guards and arrested by police and later charged with disorderly behaviour.
"As a result my bikini is up for sale to assist in paying for my court fines and costs. Come on people help me out," Lewis wrote on the Trade Me website (http://www.trademe.co.nz).
Lewis's decision to sell the bikini follows that of Christchurch woman Nichole Davis, who auctioned her handbag after it was used by former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga to subdue team mate Chris Masoe in a bar after the Super 14 final last month.
Masoe had struck another patron in the face and Umaga stepped in to break up the scuffle, resulting in him using the handbag to hit the fellow All Black in the head to calm him down. The handbag sold for just under NZ$23,000 ($14,650).
Lewis wrote on the website she had decided to run on to the field because it was on a list she of tasks she had made to achieve before she died.
However, she did not recommend it to anyone else.
"Even though this was a lifetime goal of mine to streak on a rugby field, and obviously fulfilled that dream, I do not recommend running on a rugby field in the middle of a game again - as the consequences are severe," she wrote.
Messages on the website have been mixed with some critics claiming Lewis was not technically a streaker given she had been wearing the bikini.
By 0600 GMT on Monday, the auction had attracted 10 bids with a top price of NZ$615.
($1=NZ$1.57)
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A woman who invaded the field in the final seconds of Saturday's test between New Zealand and Ireland in Hamilton wearing just a bikini has put the two-piece suit up for sale on an online auction website to help pay for her court costs.
Lisa Lewis, 25, ran onto the field at Waikato Stadium about 30 seconds before referee Stuart Dickinson blew the whistle to signal the end of the game, won by the All Blacks 34-23.
Lewis was grabbed by security guards and arrested by police and later charged with disorderly behaviour.
"As a result my bikini is up for sale to assist in paying for my court fines and costs. Come on people help me out," Lewis wrote on the Trade Me website (http://www.trademe.co.nz).
Lewis's decision to sell the bikini follows that of Christchurch woman Nichole Davis, who auctioned her handbag after it was used by former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga to subdue team mate Chris Masoe in a bar after the Super 14 final last month.
Masoe had struck another patron in the face and Umaga stepped in to break up the scuffle, resulting in him using the handbag to hit the fellow All Black in the head to calm him down. The handbag sold for just under NZ$23,000 ($14,650).
Lewis wrote on the website she had decided to run on to the field because it was on a list she of tasks she had made to achieve before she died.
However, she did not recommend it to anyone else.
"Even though this was a lifetime goal of mine to streak on a rugby field, and obviously fulfilled that dream, I do not recommend running on a rugby field in the middle of a game again - as the consequences are severe," she wrote.
Messages on the website have been mixed with some critics claiming Lewis was not technically a streaker given she had been wearing the bikini.
By 0600 GMT on Monday, the auction had attracted 10 bids with a top price of NZ$615.
($1=NZ$1.57)
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