New traffic at the House gym, and more

New traffic at the House gymAt least 15 percent of the 94 incoming members of the House of Representatives plan to sleep in their offices rather than brave the Washington rental market. As a result, proximity to the House gym has become a central criterion in the scramble for congressional offices, which do not have showers. The Wall Street Journal

The Pentagon's bequeathalThe family of every service member killed in Afghanistan or Iraq receives a “death gratuity” of $100,000 from the Pentagon. Most receive another $400,000 in life-insurance coverage provided by the government.The New Republic

First book published on Prince William and Kate Ten days after Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement, the first book on the couple’s romance was published last week. The book was cranked out by James Clench, a tabloid royal reporter, who combined older material with 4,000 words he wrote over 48 nonstop hours. Associated Press

How Mugabe controls the weatherThe government of Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe signs off on weather reports before they are broadcast. In the wake of Mugabe’s disastrous agriculture policies, the government considers weather—especially news of continued drought—a sensitive topic. “The public are not thought to be ready for bad weather,” the Zimbabwe Independent reported.The Scotsman