UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Columnists name Palin 'Sitting Duck'

VENTURA, Calif., July 3 (UPI) -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been selected as winner of the 2009 Sitting Duck Award, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists announced Friday.

The award is given annually to the person who provides the best material for columnists facing deadlines. Palin, who became a national political figure overnight last year when Sen. John McCain selected her as his running mate, beat out former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

"Being a prominent jerk or cretin is often a thankless job," said the society's current president, Samantha Bennett of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "This is our way of saying thanks for the low-hanging fruit."

Last year's winner was former President Bill Clinton, while the most recent woman to receive the honor was right-wing pundit Ann Coulter in 2006. The award has even gone to a family pet, Millie, the White House dog during the administration of President George H.W. Bush, and to an advertising logo, Joe Camel.

Other notable winners include Kato Kaelin, who became the world's best-known house guest during the O.J. Simpson trial, Joe Klein, the reporter and columnist who fessed up to being the "Anonymous" author of "Primary Colors," a novel about a Clinton-like presidential candidate, and, in 2005, "columnists everywhere for their ethical lapses."

Man crosses Canada handing out underwear

MONTREAL, July 3 (UPI) -- A Canadian man drove into Montreal Friday to deliver 2,500 pairs of white underwear to homeless men as part of his cross-country Underwear Tour.

Brent King, 41, is an engineer who lives in Calgary, Alberta. He told The Gazette newspaper the idea of driving a motor home from the west coast to the east coast was a result of learning last fall homeless shelters list underwear as one of the items most needed.

He set out from Vancouver June 25 and proceeded to Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg and most recently, Toronto.

"You take clean underwear for granted," King said. "But it's absolutely essential to feel clean and feel fresh when you wake up to face your day."

He said he's spent $15,000 of his own money and friends and colleagues matched it to have 25,700 pair of white briefs made in Pakistan and shipped to Calgary.

He will continue eastward from Montreal and conclude the Underwear Tour in Halifax, Nova Scotia, later this month, the report said.

Career expo called off due to job shortage

MARIETTA, Ga., July 3 (UPI) -- Organizers of a Georgia career expo said the event has been canceled due to a lack of available jobs at the companies planning to attend.

Marietta City Council member Anthony Coleman said the Marietta/Cobb Career Expo, which had been planned for the autumn at the Cobb County Civic Center, was canceled with the approval of the Georgia Labor Department because very few of the companies planning to attend have available jobs, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Friday.

"I didn't want to give people false hope there were jobs out there when there were not," Coleman said.

He said officials are hoping to restart the career expo next year.

Police: Man bit wife during dog argument

ST. CHARLES, Ill., July 3 (UPI) -- A 51-year-old man bit his wife during an argument about custody of a dog, police in suburban Chicago said.

Donald Paul, 51, of St. Charles, was arrested and charged with battery Wednesday evening after he allegedly bit his wife and threw her cell phone to the ground when she tried to call for help, the Kane County (Ill.) Chronicle reported Friday.

St. Charles police spokesman Paul McCurtain said the couple had been arguing in a parked minivan about who would care for their dog.

"He allegedly bit his wife on the left wrist in an attempt to get the dog from her," McCurtain said. The woman's injuries did not require treatment at a hospital.

Paul was charged with two misdemeanor counts of domestic battery along with one felony count of aggravated battery in a public way.