Let the sunshine in

A scene from the film "Hair"

Omaha store owner foils armed robber

An 80-year-old's quick thinking foiled an armed robber's attempt to hold up an Omaha liquor store.

Store owner Floyd Westbrook was closing up his Sugar Hill Package Liquor on Wednesday when a man wearing a ski mask and holding a gun ran in and demanded money.

Westbrook opened the register, and when the gunman looked down to take a look at the cash, the 80-year-old Westbrook snatched the gun out of the robber's hand.

Westbrook said the robber fled with $19, yelling as he ran, "Don't shoot!"

Westbrook said it was his first encounter with a robber in 40 years, but added he was never afraid.

Police are looking for a suspect in the robbery.

Legendary NFL announcer John Madden retires

Football will never be the same ...
The former coach and football icon is calling it quits at age 73.

John Madden retires

Recession may still be far from over

New economic data suggests a long road to recovery but experts still mange to see silver linings.

Recession may still be far from over

Also:

• Stocks react
• America becomes thrift nation

Are you sitting in your chair incorrectly?

Your body may be suffering from severe "chair disease" symptoms.

Are you sitting in your chair incorrectly?

Also:

• Exercises for bed, bathroom
• Office ergonomics basics

Singer reacts to sudden fame

Play Video

The woman who stunned the world on "Britain's Got Talent" says she's open to a makeover — and more.

Singer reacts to sudden fame

Also:

• Watch her amazing performance

America's scariest drives

One route twists between two hulking volcanoes, and another offers a series of steep curves called The Slide.

Scariest drives

Also:

• See more scary drives
• Most stunning skylines

The Wrong Melissa Huckaby Harassed and Threatened in Cantu Case

An unfortunately named Manteca, CA woman has been harassed by reporters and others, as she not only shares the same name as Melissa Huckaby of Tracy, CA, she is also a Sunday School teacher (like the accused), and lives only 14 miles from Tracy.

Full Story

The 50 Most Brilliant Atheists of All Time

Atheism is generating quite a lot of attention these days.

Prominent atheists are getting the word out about their views in increasing numbers and generating lots of public debate on the proper place of religion in governments and societies in the modern world.

Full Story

Driving teacher drunk during lesson

A driving instructor who police say was drunk while giving someone a driving lesson can stay out of jail but will lose his license for a year.

Full Story

Perry Mason accused of soliciting legal clients

A Perry Mason in Houston who's not an attorney is accused of trying to attract clients for one who is.

Full Story

Pythons Get Loose On Passenger Plane

From the "Life imitates the movies" Department:

Four baby pythons escaped from a container aboard a passenger plane in Australia, leading to a search that forced the cancellation of two flights, the airline said Thursday.

Full Story

Five Things You Think Will Make You Happy (But Won’t)

Beauty-Fame-Genius-Power-Wealth

5 Things You Think Will Make You Happy (But Won’t)

Dancing crowd stunt takes over train station

Imagine waiting for a train when, suddenly, hundreds of people break into a "Sound of Music" dance number.

Stunt takes over train station

U.S. cities with highest auto-theft rates

Seven of the 20 places on this list are near the Mexican border, thanks to the needs of foreign drug cartels.

Highest auto-theft rates

Also:

• Mexican cops seize anti-aircraft weapon

And Michael Steele says the malls are just as crowded as they ever have been

Giant U.S. mall owner files for bankruptcy

General Growth Properties owns over 200 malls nationwide, making its filing one of the biggest real estate failures in U.S. history.


Also:

• Housing construction plunges

The actual cost of raising a kid

Find out how much raising a child over an 18-year span costs some families.

Actual cost of raising a kid

Oh, those Tea Partying Tea Baggers

What with all the wing-nuts howling about Tea Parties and Tea-bagging these days you'd think they knew what those terms referred to wouldn't you?
(If you don't know yourself ask any of your homosexual friends and they can tell you)

Is it any wonder the wing-nuts are forever getting caught with their hands down another man's - excuse me, another boy's - pants?!

Here's Jon Stewart's take on this "shrinking" 'movement'.

Toronto Considering Making Green Roofs The Law

From TreeHugger:

Green roof on Mountain Equipment Coop, Toronto. More in TreeHugger

You usually can tell that you have hit a balance in politics if everybody hates your legislation. Not so with Toronto's new proposed bylaw that would make green roofs mandatory. It just gets it wrong.

The developers hate it because they say it is expensive. Green roof proselytizer Steven Peck of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities says it falls short of the mark. He says "We're very concerned ... that there's been a watering down of these requirements and this will set a very negative precedent for other jurisdictions across North America."

Article continues: Toronto Considering Making Green Roofs The Law

A new contender for the title of the world's tallest man has been found

A contender for the title of the world's tallest man standing at more than eight feet tall has been discovered after walking into a Chinese hospital.

Full Story

Mother stuns medics by delivering twins while having heart attack

A mother has miraculously given birth to healthy twins - minutes after being struck down by a devastating heart attack.

Full Story

Man punched after removing Cowboys flag from car

Police said a man was punched in the face after grabbing a Dallas Cowboys flag from a car in downtown Washington.

Full Story

He should have been given a standing ovation.

Unusual Holidays and Celebrations

Today happens to be ...

High Five Day,
National Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day,
International Moment Of Laughter Day
and
International Stress Awareness Day.

And I Quote

To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains.

~ Mary Pettibone Poole

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
London, England, United Kingdom
Kiev, Kyyivs'ka, Ukraine
Bayonne, Aquitaine, France
Lille, Nord-Pas-De-Calais, France
Longford, Longford, Ireland
Cork, Cork, Ireland
Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden
Dahka, Dahka, Bangladesh
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bath, England, United Kingdom
Metepec, Metepec, Mexico
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Breman, Breman, Germany
Tamuning, Tamuning, Guam
Guelph, Ontario, Canada

as well as Scotland, Hong Kong and the United States

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

It's a great day to enjoy your friends and fun and avoid banging your head against a wall with a bunch of naysayers.

Sound's like a plan to me.