UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Oxford says 'podcast' is word of the year

NEW YORK, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The New York editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have selected "podcast" as the word of the year for 2005, beating out such others as bird flu.

Erin McKean, editor in chief of the dictionary, said podcast was considered for inclusion last year, "but we found that not enough people were using it, or were even familiar with the concept."

But this year it's a different story, and it will be included in the 2006 edition, due out early next year, Techtree.com reported.

It will be defined as "a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player."

Other words or terms that were considered included bird or avian flu; Sudoku, a logic-based numeric puzzle consisting of squares that form grids within a grid; trans fat, the unhealthy trans-fatty acids in food; and squick, which means to cause immediate and thorough revulsion.

Bush's 'holiday' cards omit Christmas

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- While the huge tree at the U.S. Capitol is officially called a Christmas tree, there's no mention of Christmas in President George W. Bush's annual greeting cards.

Bush and his wife Laura are sending a record 1.4 million cards this month, wishing a happy "holiday season" to friends and supporters, paid for the Republican Party's National Committee.

But the political correctness of the wording doesn't sit well with some, even fellow conservatives, The Washington Post said.

Bush "claims to be a born-again, evangelical Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," said Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative Web site WorldNetDaily.com.

Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association in Tupelo, Miss., agrees.

"It bothers me that the White House card leaves off any reference to Jesus, while we've got Ramadan celebrations in the White House," Wildmon said. "What's going on there?"

Susan Whitson, Laura Bush's press secretary, said the Bushes themselves celebrate Christmas.

"Their cards in recent years have included best wishes for a holiday season, rather than Christmas wishes, because they are sent to people of all faiths," Whitson said.

Safecracker to tackle 2 on old U.S. sub

HACKENSACK, N.J., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A professional New Jersey safecracker has been commissioned to open two safes locked aboard a World War II submarine for more than 60 years.

Officials at the New Jersey Naval Museum in Hackensack said they sought the help of 43-year-old Jeff Sitar because he "is the Houdini of safes," the Newark Star-Ledger reported.

The USS Ling 297, a Balao class submarine, was launched in 1943 and decommissioned in 1972. But the two 20-by-20-inch safes, one each in the state rooms of the executive officer and the captain have remained sealed, despite attempts by various other safecrackers.

Sitar uses a method called "manipulation," relying on his fingers, ears and wits, and rarely has to resort to drilling or blasting, the newspaper said.

He charges between $150 and $1,000 a job, depending on whether it's a home safe or a bank vault. A date has not yet been set, but museum officials are keen to see what's inside what they call "60-year-old time capsules."

Sitar is bonded and on file with the FBI and the Safe and Vault Technical Association, and says he has never been on the wrong side of the law.

Prison term ordered for 574-pound man

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A Waterloo, Iowa, man who argued his 574 pounds made him too heavy to go to prison was sentenced to 14 years on federal drug charges.

Michael Washington, 32, pleaded guilty in January to making his home available in October 2001 to store crack cocaine shipped through the U.S. mail from California. He also admitted selling the drug since 1996, Radio Iowa reported.

Washington had asked for home confinement, arguing he was too heavy and his health was too poor to be adequately cared for by prison officials.

However, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, federal judge ruled the prison system will be able to address any of Washington's needs and sentenced him Thursday to 14 years in prison.