Watercooler Stories

Groups warn against 'textwalking'

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The American College of Emergency Physicians and at least one Illinois lawmaker are warning citizens to avoid a hazardous practice: texting while walking.

Illinois state Rep. Ken Dunkin, D-Chicago, introduced a bill that would outlaw "textwalking" after the American College of Emergency Physicians issued a warning against text messaging while walking, riding a motorcycle or playing football, The Washington Post reported.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission also issued a text-related warning against using the cell-phone feature while cooking noodles after a 13-year-old girl suffered burns to her belly, arms and legs.

"I think of something to say and I'm too busy to stop," Kate Beer, 23, of Springfield, Va., said of her textwalking habit. "I need to get back quickly. I know, it's not the smartest."

Serial killer appears in London 2012 video

LONDON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- British officials have condemned a video shown in London and Beijing to promote the 2012 Olympics after it was found to contain the image of a serial killer.

The British government and the local government of London criticized the video for including a painting by Yorkshire, England, artist Michael Harvey that depicts "Moors Murders" serial killer Myra Hindley, who was convicted of torturing and killing four children in 1963 and 1964, The Times of London reported.

The six-minute video -- which was created by Visit London, the agency in charge of tourism to the British capital -- was shown in Beijing at an official celebration of the handover to London after the closing ceremony of the 2008 Olympics, and at an invitation-only gathering at London House that was attended by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, London Mayor Boris Johnson, Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell and Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 committee.

"We recognize it is of course highly offensive to a lot of people," a spokesman for Johnson said. "The mayor is deeply disturbed and has made it clear that the film should not be shown in London House again."

Library turns to collection agency

FAYETTEVILLE, Ky., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A Fayetteville, Ky., library said overdue fees and other fines will be turned over to collection agencies that could hurt patrons' credit scores.

Patrons of the Fayetteville Public Library said the use of a collection agency to threaten credit ratings would make borrowers more conscientious about returning books on time, KHBS-TV, Fort Smith, Ky., reported.

"I could say that would motivate me," library patron Marsha Wisner said. "The question would be, how many times before it gets put on your credit report?"

Officials with the Fort Smith Public Library said the facility does not use a collection agency because the library makes about $100,000 in fee payments each year. The library said it loses about $35,000 per year in unreturned materials.

Cheerleader uniforms banned from school

MONROE, Ohio, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Cheerleaders at a Monroe, Ohio, high school have been banned from wearing their uniforms to school because the short skirts violate the district dress code.

Administrators at Monroe High School said cheerleaders, who have traditionally worn their uniforms to Friday pep rallies before football games, are now being required to wear clothing over or beneath the skirts while school is in session because of a new district-wide rule that requires skirts worn at school to be no shorter than three inches above the knee, WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, reported.

"The skirts that the cheerleaders wear are very short, and they're very tight and they're slit so they can do the gymnastics that are required of a cheerleader," Monroe Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said.

"You want to have students wear appropriate clothing during the educational period of the day, and then after school, wear the appropriate clothing for the event," she said.

However, some parents have objected to the new rule.

"My daughter is a senior, this is her last year. We paid for uniforms and they should be able to wear them on game day," Becky Daniel said.