The Odd Truth, Jan. 24, 2005
`The Odd Truth is a collection of strange but factual news stories from around the world compiled by CBSNews.com's Joey Arak.
Coronary Corollary: A Phony!
MACHIAS, Maine - A 54-year-old man who routinely complained of fake chest pains to avoid paying the tab for restaurant meals may have gotten his just desserts.
A judge sentenced Elias I. Elias on Friday to 90 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to theft of services.
The sentence followed the recommendation of District Attorney Paul Cavanaugh, who said the Aug. 5 incident at the Townhouse Restaurant marked the 13th time that Elias tried to skip out on the check by pretending he had trouble breathing and was having a heart attack.
"He has 18 convictions just since 2003," the year Elias moved to Maine from California, and has been jailed numerous times, Cavanaugh said.
Authorities said Elias would order dinner and drinks, eat and enjoy, then fake his need for medical assistance when the check arrived. He would be taken to a local hospital but usually left before police arrived.
Old Phones' Home
EUGENE, Ore. - Too young to remember those clunky cell phones of the early 1980s? Look no more.
The Telephone Pioneer Museum has got the number of phone lovers and others who are just plain curious.
The quirky museum in Eugene has phones galore on display -- Pink Princess phones, old fashioned desk phones, even a 1980's cell phone about the weight of a brick.
The volunteers -- all retired phone company workers -- who staff it still marvel that so few folks come by.
"There's a lot of people that don't even know it's around," said 80-year-old Fred Wiechmann, who started as a janitor in 1949 with the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co. before moving into several other positions, such as splicer and lineman.
The museum houses a broad range of fascinating things, from replicas of Alexander Bell's harmonic telegraph transmitter to a switchboard used by the Shaniko Hotel in Eastern Oregon from 1907 to 1947.
Wiechmann said kids who tour the museum want to know where the redial button is on the old phones. He said he holds up his index tells them, "There's your redial, right there."
Environment Wins Jackpot?
TRENTON, N.J. - The New Jersey Lottery could generate a different kind of green, if plans for a new environmentally beneficial game get off the ground.
Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell promised to discuss the idea for a lottery game to benefit the environment with the state treasurer, but cautioned that approval of such a game is not a sure thing.
Green Action Alliance Chairman Ed Knorr came up with the idea for the "Best Dam Lottery Game," whose proceeds would be dedicated to public and private well testing for senior citizens and low-income households in the state.
The already lucrative Lottery generated $765 million for higher education and other institutions in 2003.
Super Bowl Prediction: No Horse Farts
NEW YORK - The contents of this year's Super Bowl ads remain a closely guarded secret. But it's a good bet they'll be tamer than last year's.
Advertising executive Jeff Goodby says he thinks this year, "most advertisers are going to be incredibly well-behaved." His firm did last year's Budweiser spot featuring a gassy horse spoiling a romantic evening for a young couple in a hansom cab.
That ad and several others drew complaints that advertisers had gone too far in their bid to appeal to young males. And the ads appeared during the same Super Bowl as Janet Jackson's breast-baring episode in the halftime show.
Goodby says this year, the implicit rule is "you're not going to get your client in trouble."
San Fran Bag Tax?
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco may become the first city in the nation to charge shoppers for grocery bags.
The city's environmental commission is expected to ask the mayor and board of supervisors Tuesday to consider a 17-cent-per-bag charge on paper and plastic grocery bags.
Their goal is to reduce plastic bag pollution. Environmentalists say plastic bags jam machinery, pollute waterways and often end up in trees.
Officials believe that the city spends 5.2 cents per bag annually for street litter pickup and 1.4 cents per bag for extra recycling costs.
But grocers and bag manufacturers argue that many people already reuse their plastic bags.
Other opponents call the plan an unfair and regressive tax on shoppers.
Anti-Fondling Law Unconstitutional
LAS VEGAS - A judge in Nevada is ruling against a Las Vegas law that prohibits strippers from fondling customers during lap dances.
The judge says the law is unconstitutionally vague.
She's affirming a lower-court ruling that said as many as five criminal cases against Las Vegas strippers should be dismissed.
City attorneys told the judge that the touching is illegal if dancers engage in contact aimed at sexually arousing the customer.
But a defense attorney argued successfully that the lack of specifics makes it impossible to enforce the law.
Sticks And Stones Still Legal
NEW YORK - Middle schools across America will observe "No Name-Calling Week" starting today.
The program, now in its second year, takes aim at insults of all kinds -- whether they're based on a child's appearance, background or behavior.
The initiative has the backing of the Girl Scouts and Amnesty International, but a handful of conservative critics have zeroed in on references to harassment based on sexual orientation.
"No Name-Calling Week" was developed by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which seeks to ensure that schools safely accommodate students of all sexual orientations.
The group says it's unsure how many schools will participate in this week's event, but says 5,100 educators from 36 states have registered -- up from 4,000 last year.
Boeing To Bellies
WICHITA, Kan. - Boeing engineer Jared Rodgers has his eye on belly dancers. But it's not what you might think. Rodgers is applying his knowledge of vibration and material design to creating costumes for belly dancers. It all started four years ago when his wife started taking belly dancing classes. Soon, the Wichita, Kansas, engineer was making costumes for her classmates, too. Rodgers says engineering and costume design aren't that far apart. Rodgers notes the costumes have to stay on and provide support, yet still be able to shimmy and sway. He still has his day job at Boeing, but is branching out a little, too. Now, he's also designing bridal gowns and wedding cakes.