Saturday, June 26, 2010

COOKBOOK TYPO CALLS FOR GROUND BLACK PEOPLE

SYDNEY (UPI) -- An Australian publisher has reprinted 7,000 copies of a pasta cookbook after a misprint in a recipe called for "salt and freshly ground black people."

Bob Sessions, the head of publishing for Penguin Group Australia, said the company has no plans to recall copies from bookshops, which would be "extremely hard," the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

"We're mortified that this has become an issue of any kind and why anyone would be offended, we don't know," Sessions said. "When it comes to the proofreader, of course, they should have picked it up, but proofreading a cookbook is an extremely difficult task," he said. "I find that quite forgivable."

The company, he said, has told bookstores, "If anyone is small-minded enough to complain about this very ... silly mistake, then we will happily replace (the book) for them."

The misprint occurred in a recipe for spelt tagliatelle with sardines and prosciutto in a cookbook in which almost every recipe calls for ground black pepper. Pulping and reprinting the 7,000 copies will cost Penguin $20,000.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

"SNOOPY" STAGES JAILBREAK

NEWPORT, England (UPI) -- British police said a man dressed as Snoopy attempted to break a family member out of prison but went to the wrong facility.

Authorities said the man and an accomplice tried to break down a door May 1 at the Isle of Wight's Albany site, near Newport, England, and threw concrete missiles at prison officers' cars when the attempt failed, The Sun reported Monday.

Police said two men, ages 43 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and detained under the Mental Health Act. It was unclear which of them was dressed as the "Peanuts" comic strip dog.

Investigators said the relative they planned to spring was at a different facility.

"It's not every day you see a giant cartoon dog going on the rampage after trying to break into a prison," a source with Her Majesty's Prison Service told The Sun. "They weren't exactly inconspicuous -- but it was taken seriously because they appeared to have a gun. They caused a real commotion and it was only later they were found to be armed with a water pistol."



Copyright 2010 by United Press International

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

GROUP PROMOTES CYCLING BY RIDING NAKED

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (UPI) -- A group promoting the energy-saving virtues of bicycling rode through Halifax, Nova Scotia, in an attention-getting -- and naked -- event, observers said.

About 30 unclothed cyclists took part in World Naked Bike Ride Day Saturday, featuring unclothed riding in cities around the world, including six in Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

The Halifax ride was held in coordination with the Bluenose Naturist Club, the CBC said.

Organizer Tom MacDonald said the ride was intended to highlight bicycling as an alternative to cars and other oil-consuming methods of travel.

Doing it naked generates attention, he said, and makes people feel good at the same time.

"There's nothing like it," MacDonald said. "It's the wind on your face, the realization that your body is beautiful, no matter what it looks like, and that everyone will accept you for what you look like."

World Naked Bike Ride day has been observed in Halifax for the past three years, the CBC reported.



Copyright 2010 by United Press International