Will classical music curb petty theft?
Police in Portland, Ore., are blasting opera and classical music from loudspeakers at train stations in an attempt to drive away petty criminals and vagrants. Police say the sounds of Carmen and “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” have successfully dispersed crowds of unruly youths in other cities, because such music is so uncool it makes them uncomfortable. It’s too early for statistical proof, but Scott Nielsen, a frequent train passenger, says he’s noticed a major difference at the stations. “There’s no one that just hangs around,” said Nielsen.
O.J.'s dangerous weight gain
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O.J. Simpson has gained a dangerous amount of weight behind bars, says the National Enquirer. The former NFL great, now 63, is serving 33 years for the 2007 armed robbery of a sports-memorabilia dealer, and a source says he’s deeply depressed and isolated from other inmates. Simpson “eats snack food to combat his depression,” said the source, and has ballooned by 50 pounds. “If he doesn’t go on a diet he’s going to die of a massive heart attack,” said the source. “His kids are worried about him.”
Florida woman develops craving for couch stuffing
A Florida woman says her life is being ruined by her addiction to the synthetic foam inside living-room furniture. Adele Edwards, 30, has been diagnosed with pica, a psychological condition that causes cravings for inedible substances, and estimates she has eaten more than 200 pounds of couch and cushion stuffing since the age of 10. “I have cushion cravings every 30 minutes and snack on it in the car or at my desk,” says Edwards, the mother of five. “Afterwards, I’m disgusted with myself.”
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Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocratFeature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
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Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
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Government shuts down amid partisan deadlockFeature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
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British tabloid quietly publishes court-ordered apology to Meghan Markle, promises 'financial remedies'Speed Read
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Animal lovers threaten tattoo artist, and morefeature A New York City tattoo artist who inked a heart on his dog has gone into hiding after receiving death threats from outraged animal lovers.
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Party-lover prefers jail to booze ban, and more
feature A party-loving Australian has pleaded with a judge to be sent to jail rather than continue to be banned from drinking alcohol.
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Suspect flees to... police headquarters, and more
feature A St. Louis man trying to escape pursuing police officers ran straight into police headquarters.
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Airplane travel causes indigestion, and more
feature Flying on an airplane makes it more likely you’ll suffer a bout of flatulence, a new scientific study has concluded.
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Theatergoer vomits over balcony rail, and more
feature A Broadway play was thrown into chaos when a man vomited from the balcony onto the audience below.
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Cows crash a backyard party, and more
feature A herd of marauding cows crashed a backyard party in Massachusetts and drank up all the beer.
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A brand new audience for TV, and more
feature A national cable network is unveiling a new channel of programming exclusively for dogs.
