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The skinny

By TIMES WIRES
Published April 18, 2007

LOOKS MATTER

AT $400 A CUT, WILL EDWARDS WIN 'BEST HAIR'?

John Edwards is costing his presidential campaign a pretty penny. The Democrat's campaign committee picked up the tab for two haircuts at $400 each by celebrity stylist Joseph Torrenueva, according to a financial report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Edwards, 53, who has made alleviating poverty the central theme of his candidacy, has been criticized for building a 28,000-square-foot house for $5.3-million. Torrenueva confirmed that Edwards is a longtime client and friend and that he traveled to attend to the candidate's locks (the fruits of his labors may or may not be shown above). FEC records show Edwards also availed himself of $250 in services from a trendy salon and spa and $225 in services from a boutique specializing in makeup. But apparently Edwards limits his campaign splurging to his appearance. Campaign reports also said he flies on commercial airlines and stays in chain hotels, and his $3.3-million in expenses were significantly less than those of rivals Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama. A spokeswoman for Edwards' campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

HOME, SWEET HOME

Tuckered out pair finish taxi trip

A retired New York couple who hailed a taxi for their 2,500-mile move to Arizona arrived with their two cats on Monday. Neither Bob Matas, 72, nor his wife, Betty, 71, drive, and they wanted to spare their cats, Pretty Face and Cleopatra, a trip on an airplane to their retirement home about 90 miles north of Phoenix. They left their Queens neighborhood April 10 in Douglas Guldeniz's canary-colored SUV cab and traveled about 10 hours a day for a $3,000 flat rate plus gas, meals and lodging. "It was pretty tiring, for my wife especially," said Bob Matas, who said he was "flabbergasted" by all the attention on the drive.

ROBBING THE DEAD

Paramedic accused of pinching wallet

A paramedic is in British court after a bank camera recorded him in his uniform withdrawing money from a dead patient's account in June. David Wright, 50, was attending to heart attack victim David Denbow, 65, when he took bank cards and a piece of paper bearing a personal identification number from Denbow's wallet, Derby Crown Court heard Monday. Wright spent the withdrawn money on food, an MP3 player and a trip, the court was told. Wright also stole money from another patient in January 2005. Judge Abbas Mithani said he will likely receive prison time in sentencing next month.

TO THE MOON, JOE!

Win Buzz lottery, blast into space

Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, wants to set up a lottery to bring space tourism to regular Joes, he told Wall Street on Tuesday. The winner of the contest run through his ShareSpace Foundation would get a flight into Earth's orbit. (Must be 18 or over and in good health. Spacecraft yet to be determined. Offer not transferable or for resale. Legal status of selling tickets yet to be resolved.)

Compiled from Times wires and other sources.

[Last modified April 18, 2007, 02:36:44]