Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Digest

The skinny

By TIMES WIREE
Published July 7, 2007

ROW, ROW, ROW? NO, NO, NO

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, CALL THE COAST GUARD

A man trying to row 3, 500 miles across the Atlantic from Eastham, Mass., to La Tranche sur Mer, France, gave up just 3, 450 miles short. Charlie Girard planned to power his specially designed boat across the ocean in record time, which is 62 days, 19 hours. But late into Day 1 of his odyssey, he called the Coast Guard to come get him. "He was thrown around quite a bit and said he slammed into the side of the boat and that his lower back was bothering him, " Petty Officer 1st Class John Hughes said. When asked if he would try again, Girard said, "Not this year."

FANCY FACILITIES

City just can't hold pride for restroom

Officials in Chongqing, China, are trying to make it easier to go there. So they opened a new public restroom. It's four stories tall, more than 30, 000 square feet and has 1, 000 toilets. Some toilets are in an area without a roof, for those who like to take care of business under the open sky. Some urinals feature crocodiles with mouths that open, and some feature a likeness of the Virgin Mary, and no one is explaining why either of those things are seen as a good idea. Regardless, they are quite proud. "We are spreading toilet culture, " said tourism official Lu Xiaoqing. "After they use the bathroom they will be very, very happy."

WAIT, WHICH AL GORE?

Arrest Al Gore, any Al Gore, and win

A bookmaker in Ireland has paid out more than $13, 500 on bets because of a lack of specificity. Seems Paddy Power sets odds on famous people getting arrested, and several people took Al Gore when he hit 14-to-1 odds. When Gore's son, Al Gore III, was arrested on drug charges this week, the company was on the hook. Afterward, they discontinued arrest bets and introduced bets on when and if Paris Hilton does a series of specific stupid things.

TRUFFLE TROUBLE

Serious criminal gets silly nickname

Boston police insist the guy running around town robbing gourmet chocolate shops and ice cream parlors isn't remotely cute, but then they went and gave him a goofy nickname. The Bonbon Bandit. Come on. "I think he's extremely dangerous, " Detective Sgt. Richard Ross said. Then give him a better nickname. He steals cash, not the merchandise, and he has threatened store staff with knives, handguns and a sawed-off shotgun, and is also suspected in the robberies of gift shops, stationery stores, a candle store and a dry cleaner.

CAN YOU SPELL DUI?

Too young to drink, too young to drive

Police in Orange Beach, Ala., chased a drunken driver for about eight miles at speeds up to 100 mph before the offender flipped the car on the side of the road. The assembled officers descended on the overturned car with guns drawn. "You go up there thinking it's a felon you're dealing with, " assistant police Chief Greg Duck said. But it wasn't a felon. It was an 11-year-old girl. Police did not identify the girl, or her blood-alcohol level, but said she was slightly injured. The girl said she was on her way to pick up her sister from a concert.

Compiled from Times wire services and other sources by staff writer Jim Webster, who can be reached at jwebster@sptimes.com.

[Last modified July 7, 2007, 00:30:37]