Watercooler Stories

NZ airline: Cash for bald-head billboards

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- A New Zealand airline says it is holding "casting calls" for people willing to shave their heads and become walking billboards.

Air New Zealand said it is willing to pay $1,000 for each "Cranial Billboard," which involves a temporary tattoo promoting the airline's new domestic check-in procedures emblazoned across a bald head, The National Business Review reported Wednesday.

The company said the tattoos last for about two weeks.

Steve Bayliss, Air New Zealand's general manager for marketing, said the campaign is aimed at spreading the word that the company's new policy, which allows customers to select their seats online and have boarding passes sent to them via e-mail or cell phones, will bring about shorter lines.

"You end up staring at the back of people's heads, waiting for the line to move forward," he said of waiting in line. "So how better to tell our customers that Air New Zealand is going to do something about it at our three main domestic airports than through messaging they can read while they're standing in a queue themselves?"

Police: Teen gave carjacker ride

HUDSON, Fla., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Police say a Florida teen, confronted by a gun-toting man intent on taking his mother's car, countered by offering the would-be carjacker and his friend a ride.

Hudson authorities allege Joshua Christian, 23, pointed a gun at the 17-year-old Hudson High School student Aug. 2 and demanded he surrender his mother's silver Saturn, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Wednesday.

However, the teenager instead gave the gunman a counter-offer -- a ride to the destination of his choosing. The teen drove the gunman and his friend a 1 1/2-mile ride that ended with the carjacker apologizing for actions and saying: "I'm sorry. All I wanted was a ride," the Pasco County Sheriff's Department report of the incident stated.

The teenager later allegedly picked Christian's face out of a photo lineup and the suspect, who was previously wanted on assault and grand theft charges, was arrested last Thursday after allegedly entering a home and offering the occupants $100 to hide him.

Authorities added one count of armed carjacking to his charges and his bail was raised to $210,250.

Violin taken from driveway

SKOKIE, Ill., Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Police in Skokie, Ill., say a man's prized replica Stradivarius violin disappeared soon after his wife put it out at the end of the couple's driveway.

Officers said the woman put the instrument outside about 1 p.m. Sunday because she was angry at her husband and he did not notice it missing from the house until 3 p.m., the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.

Upon hearing of where his wife had put the violin, the man went outside found it gone from the driveway, police said.

The instrument has an estimated value of $2,000.

Escaped kangaroo hops through German town

SIEGBURG, Germany, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- An escaped pet kangaroo led police and firefighters in Siegburg, Germany, on a chase through the town until it was finally snared by a net, officials said.

Police officers and firefighters said they attempted to lure the 28-inch tall Australian marsupial with dog food, but the kangaroo evaded their traps until it was caught by a firefighter's net, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

The kangaroo was found to be unharmed by veterinarians at a local animal shelter and it was later claimed by its owner, who also owns another kangaroo.

Police said they are investigating whether the animals had been illegally imported. Australian legislation passed in 1982 outlawed exporting live kangaroos and wallabies.