In the News, May 29, 2008

Oil dipped so why are gas prices no going down?

Seems that in the past, after a holiday weekend gas prices would go down a few cents. Not so this year. The gasoline price record keeps getting broken with each passing day. AAA puts the national average for a gallon of regular at a record $3.95. It's jumped 35 cents in the past month and is 76-cents-a-gallon higher than a year ago. The auto club says the national average for premium is $4.35. That's an 84-cent-a-gallon jump over last year.
The oil barrel closed at $131.03 yesterday . At its low in the floor session, oil was more than $9 off the record high it hit last week above $135 a barrel.

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Is it worth $150,000?
City officials in Houston are apparently willing to dig deep to defend the police department's ban on beards. The Houston City Council on Wednesday unanimously authorized spending up to $150,000 to defend the city in a lawsuit challenging the no-facial hair policy.

"The lawsuit is pending and we have to defend ourselves," Councilman Ron Green said. "But we're basically saying we want new police officers, but we don't want police officers with beards."

Four police officers filed a federal civil rights lawsuit claiming the policy is discriminatory. The officers say the prohibition on beards and goatees is unfair for men who suffer a skin condition that reacts negatively to shaving. The condition can cause severe irritation, rashes and ingrown hair. The police department instituted the policy in 1993 so uniformed officers would look conservative and professional, according to a city memo.
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It's all about the second hand smoke and children.
According to a study from the University of Hong Kong, whose findings are published online May 28 in the journal Tobacco Control, in addition to developing asthma and respiratory infections, children in households where someone smokes are more likely to catch a whole range of severe infections, including meningococcal disease. Many even have to be hospitalized, a new study found.

Being around smoke during the first few months of life was most dangerous, especially if the newborn was born underweight or premature.

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A New York lawyer is suing Delta Air Lines for $1 million, saying his family vacation turned into a nightmare after they were stranded in an airport for days and treated disdainfully by airline employees. The family spent three days in airports, went days without their luggage, were treated rudely by airline employees and were forced to spend $21,000 on unused hotel rooms in Argentina, replacement clothes, and other costs.


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Where did she hide it?

Wife goes away to care for her ill mother. Husband needs to clean the house before she returns. Husband hires a maid to do it for him. Husband thinks with the wrong part of his body and hires a NUDE maid.The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the 50-year-old man hired the maid from the Internet to clean his Tampa home.


Authorities said the woman arrived at the home in a one-piece, light colored dress. She took off the dress and cleaned the house for $100-per-hour. A sheriff's office spokeswoman said the man told deputies he left the maid alone in the bedroom to clean. Um, duh, do we need to ask?

When the man's wife came home from vacation, she discovered $40,000 in jewelry missing from their bedroom

Police are investigating. Wife took off for good :) .

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FOUL CALL: NO FOUL CALL

Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Spurs forward Brent Barry grabs a rebound from Lakers forward Luke Walton during Game 4 on Tuesday night. The NBA acknowledged Wednesday that a foul should have been called on the final possession of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals, which would have given the San Antonio Spurs a chance to even the series.Trailing 93-91 on Tuesday night, the Spurs inbounded the ball with 2.1 seconds left to Brent Barry, who was bumped by Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher on the floor. No foul was called, and Barry missed badly on the shot.