Watercooler Stories

New hoodies worry police

LONDON, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Jackets covering the head and face, leaving just two slits through which to see, are the latest fashion craze in Britain.

Called burqas for boys, the jackets were borrowed from Italian fashion, where the concealing jackets were first inspired by the protective gear worn by drivers in the Mille Miglia, an Italian endurance race started in the 1920s.

Authorities, however, are concerned by the craze, The Times of London reported.

"The trouble in society is not just crime but the fear of crime, and this new jacket is enough to give anyone a shiver down their spine," said Brian Paddick, a former senior officer at the Metropolitan police and now a London mayoral candidate.

Steve Dodd, 18, of South Shields said he bought his jacket to protect his face from the freezing winds. He said he was taken aback by the reaction he gets in public.

"After I bought the jacket I went into the Caffe Nero opposite, fully zipped up, and people just laughed," he said.

Texas inmates alluring to European women

LIVINGSTON, Texas, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Texas deathrow inmates apparently have that certain something that drives European women wild, despite significant obstacles to a lasting relationship.

Despite the fact the men live overseas and are scheduled to be executed, European women such as Romina Deeken have fostered relationships with the inmates recently, The Dallas Morning News said.

When asked why a 24-year-old German beauty would appreciate romantic correspondence with a condemned man, Deeken detailed a deep connection between the two.

"I have a connection with him," she said of her incarcerated beau. "Everyone in life has a vision, has dreams, has fears, is searching for something. He is the person I can talk deeply with about these things."

The newspaper said dozens of European women visit the prison in Livingston, Texas, each month to spend time with their special someone, whom they typically meet online.

Charity seeks bell ringers

SOUTH BREVARD, Fla., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- The Salvation Army is looking for a few good volunteer bell ringers for its Red Kettle campaign in Florida.

County chapters of the charity depend on a mix of volunteer and paid bell ringers for the effort, but the numbers of volunteers this holiday season is down, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Sun reported.

"When we have to pay the bell ringers, that is income we could use to help families," said Maj. Ken Williford of the Salvation Army of South Brevard, Fla., which is seeking help staffing its 22 Red Kettle spots.

In Central and North Brevard, Maj. Jack Owens has 33 locations that could be filled with volunteers, the newspaper said.

"We're running behind on our collections and that's worrisome," said Owens, who estimates collection totals are 15 percent down from the same time last year.

Carolers banned in Philippines' capital

MANILA, Philippines, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Christmas carolers will not be found in the streets of Manila in the Philippines this year with officials banning the outdoor holiday singing.

Bayani Fernando, head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, said the ban was put into place to stop young carolers from entering the city's streets to seek money from passing motorists, the BBC reported.

The official said poor children had begun seeking donations for their singing from Manila motorists, endangering themselves in the city's streets.

"What we are against are those who dart across thoroughfares knocking on vehicle windows to beg for alms since this is a sure-fire way to get maimed or killed," Fernando was quoted as saying.

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, with more than 90 percent of the overall population embracing the religion.

The BBC said that to enforce the new holiday ban, traffic officials would be on the lookout for carolers and would hand them over to local social welfare officials.