Don't Panic! Lighten Up!S


People

Chinese boy turns to police to evade piano lessons

A nine-year-old boy from the northeast Chinese city of Changchun took drastic steps to avoid music lessons - he told police his father was planning to sell him, the China Daily paper said on Tuesday.

An investigation later revealed that the boy, Taotao, had lied to get out of the piano lessons that his father had arranged for him.

Smiley

Germany: Boss fires three workers for not smoking

The owner of a small German computer company has struck a blow for smokers' rights.

The manager of a 10-person IT company in Buesum, says he fired three workers who requested a non-smoking environment, as their non-smoking was causing disruptions.

Einstein

Never, Never Spit Gasoline While Smoking

Berlin, Germany - A German man in the northeastern town of Gross Godems was being treated for serious burns Monday after accidentally setting his apartment ablaze when he mixed up a bottle of gasoline with alcohol, police said.

Mail

Pennsylvania Man Apologizes for Vulgar Check

Doylestown, Pennsylvania - A man who wrote a vulgar message on the memo line of a check he used to pay a $5 parking ticket has apologized in writing, leading police to drop a disorderly conduct charge against him.

Star

Cat 'speaks Chinese'



©Unknown

A Chinese grandmother claims her cat can talk. Granny Lv, 70, of Changchun city, says Mimi has become a local celebrity because he can speak Chinese.

Cowboy Hat

New Bush Coins - The Petroleum standard


Crusader

Canadian artist's "obscene jesus" arouses religious groups

Terence Koh, the provocative Canadian darling of the New York art scene, has aroused controversy in Britain after a top gallery displayed one of his sculptures showing Jesus with an erect penis.

©Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images
Terence Koh has generated outrage but also acclaim in London and New York.

Smiley

US: Shouting Macaw scares off burglar at pet store

Watch dogs are a pretty common first line of security for U.S. homes and businesses. Watch birds not so much. But that didn't stop Merlin, a seven-year-old blue-and-gold macaw who scared off a burglar at a Massachusetts pet store this week.

Intruders smashed the front window of Pet Palace in Leominster, about 45 miles west of Boston, and as they entered the store the bird began to shout, said store manager Lori Oltman on Thursday.

Bell

Greek priest given suspended sentence for loud bell

A Greek Orthodox priest was given a suspended 70-day sentence after residents complained he rang his church bell too loudly and too often, national television reported on Friday.

Residents of a nearby resort town filed a lawsuit against the priest of the Assumption Church on Mount Pelion in Central Greece.

Court-appointed specialists measured the noise, and found that the volume exceeded the maximum permissible level set out by Greek law.

People

Twins Unwittingly Got Married in Britain

London - Twins who were separated at birth got married without realizing they were brother and sister, a lawmaker said, urging more information be provided on birth certificates for adopted children. A court annulled the British couple's union after they discovered their true relationship, Lord David Alton said.