UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

No mystery in space station food shortage

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- There was no blaming the dog or mice for a food shortage aboard the International Space Station -- the previous crew just had the munchies.

U.S. astronaut Leroy Chiao confirmed in a news conference the previous crew ate food meant for Chiao and his Russian crewmate, Salizhan Sharipov.

As a result, the pair were asked in November to scale back on meals and make up for it with candy and snack food, of which the previous pair had left plenty.

"Both of us ended up losing a few pounds, but that's something I guess we can't really complain about," Chiao said.

The shortage began months back when U.S. astronaut Michael Fincke and Russian Gennady Padalka told controllers they found their rations monotonous. They were given permission to use supplies from their successors' stash, but apparently didn't accurately report the amount they ate, USA Today reported.

The problem was solved Christmas Day when the Russian-made Progress transport vessel arrived and docked with fresh supplies.

By Geroge, the name's spelled wrong

CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Chicago never had a man named Geroge in its firefighting force, but a new memorial monument to fallen heroes says there were three of them, and also a Chrles.

The misspellings of George and Charles were caused by haste, an embarrassed organizer told the Chicago Sun-Times.

"We were working day and night to get it ready by the 22nd," Bill Cosgrove, a retired firefighter who helped organize the memorial. "The mayor was coming."

Cosgrove blamed the errors in orthography, where typographical errors are entered into the automated etching device.

About 530 names of fallen firefighters are on more than a dozen panels, and Cosgrove said as soon as the weather warms up, the flawed panels will be re-engraved.

John Rice, who also worked on the memorial effort, said errant orthography seems to be "an epidemic."

Watching himself being interviewed in a TV report on the new memorial, Rice noticed something wasn't quite right.

"They called me John Price," he said.

Man 'torches' guitar, gets burned

GREENSBURG, Pa., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A Greensburg, Pa., man trying to emulate rocker Jimi Hendrix burned his lower legs when he set his guitar ablaze in his apartment.

David Kemerer, 43, was taken to Westmoreland Regional Hospital for treatment, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Thursday.

Kemerer appeared to be intoxicated when he told officers he "was torching" his guitar.

City firefighters said the blaze at Kemerer's apartment caused minor damage and was confined to the living room.

Hendrix made news when he pulled a similar stunt with his hand-painted Stratocaster at the 1967 Monteray Pop festival. Hendrix, however, was not burned.

Pine needles track stolen Christmas tree

WINNIPEG, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Winnipeg police followed a pine-needle trail to find a stolen Christmas tree in the living room of a nearby home.

The resident was arrested despite telling police he bought the tree from a door-to-door salesman. Constable Bob Johnson said he had never heard of anyone hawking Christmas trees in Winnipeg.

The suspect has been charged with possessing goods obtained by crime, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said.

The manager of an apartment complex called police on Dec. 23 after she noticed someone had cut the tree from the building's front yard.