Watercooler Stories

Hospital: Obama-named baby first of many

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Officials at a Florida hospital said they expect a baby born election night to be only the first of many named after President-elect Barack Obama.

Marla Oxenhandler, spokeswoman for the Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, said Sanjae Obama Fisher was born at about 8 p.m. Tuesday to Patrick and Sasha Hall Fisher, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.

Oxenhandler said Sasha Hall Fisher's labor was over before the election was called in Obama's favor, but the parents had already settled on the then-candidate's last name as a middle name for their child.

Hospital officials said they expect Obama's election to the nation's highest office to kick start a boom of babies bearing the next president's name.

Inflatable church to tour Germany

BERLIN, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Catholic leaders in Germany said they plan to tour remote parts of the country to hold services in an inflatable church.

Peter Huyeng, head of the Essen Catholic youth organization, said the bouncy church, which was supplied by British company Xtreme Inflatables for about $50,000, seats 60 people and comes complete with a confession box, The Sun reported.

"We want to take the church where there aren't any churches, such as in pedestrian zones and school yards in towns," Huyeng said. "We have to come to the people and not wait for them to come to us."

Facebook axes 'dead babies' group

LONDON, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Social networking Web site Facebook has removed a group titled "Dead Babies Make Me Laugh" after protests from mothers in Britain who had lost children.

The deleted forum had hundreds of members and was full of morbid jokes revolving around dead babies, The Sun reported Thursday.

"We'll remove any violent or threatening groups," Facebook announced after the forum was removed.

Police: Prayer scared off attempted robber

GREENSBORO, N.C., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Police in Greensboro, N.C., said a woman scared off an attempted robber by praying too loudly for the suspect's comfort.

Investigators said Kathy Headen, 39, was approached by a man with a handgun at about 8 p.m. Wednesday while she was taking books out of her car at the Vance Chavis Library, the Greensboro News & Record reported.

The suspect, described as a 5-foot-4 man in his mid-30s, demanded the woman's cell phone and purse, police said.

However, Headen instead began praying and police said the man fled empty handed after she refused to lower her voice.

Police said they were searching for a suspect.