GOOD MORNING FRANKLIN COUNTY
By Staff
Today is Friday, March 24, 2006. Get some Raisinettes because today is National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day. Expect partly cloudy skies today and a high of around 60. On this day in history:
1874-Ehrich Weiss, better known as Harry Houdini, is born in Budapest, Hungary.
1898-The first recorded sale of an automobile takes place today.
1937-Congress establishes the National Gallery of Art.
1949- “Hamlet” wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards ceremony.
1955- “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” opens on Broadway.
1958-Elvis Presley joins the US Army.
1964-The Kennedy half-dollar is issued.
1975-Muhammed Ali retains his boxing title with a 15th round TKO over Chuck Wepner.
1980-ABC's nightly program on the Iran hostage crisis is renamed “Nightline.”
1989-The supertanker Exxon Valdez runs aground in southern Alaska, spilling 11.2 millions gallons of oil across 500 miles of shoreline.
People celebrating birthdays today include: actress Laura Flynn Boyle is 36; actor Robert Carradine is 52; actress Donna Pescow is 52; professional golfer Pat Bradley is 55; and fashion designer Bob Mackie is 66.
FREE SPEECH
Frank Hainsworth, an 81-year-old Australian, wrote to a newspaper magazine in his city and said he would like to rob a bank before he dies because he objects to the high fees they charge. It wasn't long before the police were at the door of the World War II veteran asking his wife if Hainsworth owned a gun. The police warned him not to write any more letters to the newspaper. When asked about the incident Mr. Hainsworth said the police “over-reacted.”
HOUSE CALLS
Dr. Kevin Elliott of Seattle, Washington, had his medical license revoked for five years after placing an ad on an Internet Web site. The advertisement wasn't for his services as a doctor but as a male escort, complete with explicit pictures. Dr. Elliott had previously gotten in trouble with the medical board for two assault charges back in 2003. Can you believe a doctor would risk his license by becoming a male escort? That's taking house calls a little too far.
A TOUGH DAY
POLITICALLY
Jeff Harris decided to throw his hat into the political arena and run for the position of city councilman in Bisbee, Arizona. Jeff had it rough on Election Day as he received only 83 out of 329 votes. Losing an election by 75% is tough but what made it even tougher was the fact that his opponent, 79-year-old Bob Kasun, died nine days before the election.
SIGNAL OR NOT
TO SIGNAL
A recent survey by Response Insurance reveals that 57% of Americans do not use their turn signals when they drive a car. Most of those surveyed said they don't signal because they are just lazy. Amazingly, 11% of the non-signalers said that using a turn signal just isn't important while 7% said it adds more thrill to the driving experience. Women are more likely to use turn signals than men and older drivers are more likely to signal than drivers who are from eighteen to twenty-four years old.
USELESS STAT
Now, you could say the story about using turn signals is useless information and you may be right. As far as I am concerned, the most useless statistic of all time is preseason baseball standings. The teams aren't trying to win but rather just give younger players a little playing time.
KNOW YOUR MONEY
Tekle Zigetta was arrested in Los Angeles, California, and charged with possessing counterfeit money. Zigetta was caught with 250 fake one billion dollar bills. The United States Mint does not make one billion dollar bills. I guess there isn't much demand for billion dollar bills.
THE CRIMINAL MIND
Any shoplifter will tell you that one of the cardinal rules is to be as inconspicuous as possible. Matthew Binegar of Dayton, Ohio, must not have read that rule. Binegar was charged with shoplifting a DVD and a video game from a K-Mart store back in January. He entered the store wearing a Superman outfit and the store camera caught him putting the merchandise down in his costume. The Man of Steel spent 52 days in jail and was fined $200.
THE CRIMINAL MIND PART 2
Two masked men walked into the First Pacific Credit Union in Benicia, California, and demanded money. If the tellers had not been so scared they probably would have laughed. The First Pacific Credit Union is one of many cash-less banks in California. Tellers immediately put money in a slot which feeds into a vault that cannot be opened by anyone except off-premises bank officials. Captain Steve Mortensen of the Benecia Police Department said the crooks didn't do their homework. “I would say that they apparently were not prepared,” said Captain Mortensen.
AND FINALLY
The First Church of God in Pendleton, Ohio, decided they needed to raise some money for various church projects. The pastor, Reverend Rick Oliver, helped the church leaders decide to sell toilet paper for a fund-raiser. I wouldn't have chosen that type of product to sell but I happen to like the message the church is sending out. The brand of toilet paper they will sell is Angel Soft.
While on the subject, a Portuguese company has decided to start selling black toilet paper.
A spokesman for the Renova Company said that black toilet paper is “elegant, rebellious, alternative and eternally fashionable.” Just insert your own comment here!
Richard Parker is Minister of Students and Education at First Baptist Church in Russellville. You can e-mail him your comments at RParker@russellvilleFBC.org.
