Watercooler Stories

Gibbs's handy note pokes fun at Palin

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's use of crib notes written on her hand during a speech became humorous fodder for White House spokesman Robert Gibbs Tuesday.

Gibbs, during his daily media briefing, had the words "eggs," "milk," "hope" and "change" written in the palm of his hand, mimicking the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee who had seven words inked on her hand during a Tea Party convention last weekend, Fox News reported.

Some liberal bloggers poked fun at Palin's need for the memory aid since she has joked about President Barack Obama's heavy use of the teleprompter.

"I wrote a few things down," Gibbs said to laughter during the news briefing. "I wrote 'eggs,' 'milk' and 'bread.' But I crossed out 'bread,' just so I can make pancakes ... if it snows. And then I wrote down 'hope' and 'change,' just in case I forgot."

Thieves targeting toilet hardware

BERKELEY, Calif., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Police at a California university said thieves have stolen necessary flushing hardware from more than three dozen campus toilets.

The University of California, Berkeley, campus police chief, Mitch Celaya, said the burglars brought tools into buildings across the campus and pulled the brass hardware from the toilets, rendering them ineffective, the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune reported Monday.

"We've put out a crime alert to make people aware of it," Capt. Margo Bennett said. "But because of the seclusion in the bathrooms, it's hard to expect eyewitnesses. So we're asking people to just be aware. If you see strangers in the building, give us a call. If you see people walking around with bags that look like they may be carrying tools or parts, give us a call. We're hoping to pick up some sightings of suspicious people in the area."

Bennett said each targeted toilet costs more than $250 to replace. She said the thieves are likely selling the brass for scrap metal.

Wild chickens move into neighborhood

NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Residents of a New York neighborhood said a flock of about a dozen chickens has descended on the area.

Locals said chickens, which first started spreading after a lot they were being kept in closed down three years ago, can now be seen lining the streets and roosting in locations including the Sanitation Department facility near their old home and underneath a Wendy's sign advertising "Spicy Chicken Nuggets," the New York Daily News reported Monday.

"They're all over the place," said Tommy Surdak of Fort Washington Auto Body Shop.

Many locals told the Daily News they enjoy their fowl neighbors.

"They're very friendly," said Surdak's wife, Judy.

Fiberglass cow stolen from school

NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The principal of a New York school has a message for whoever took the facility's life-sized fiberglass cow: You made the children cry.

Principal Denise Levinsky of Seth Low Intermediate School said the cow, painted 10 years ago by eighth-grade students as part of a citywide project, was first noticed missing Monday from the front lawn of the institution, the New York Post reported Monday.

"Neighborhood children are crying because the cow is no longer there," Levinsky said. "It was part of the community."

Some children had their own theories about who took the cow.

"It's cruel and mean," said Niki Lam, 11. "I think it was terrorists, because they don't like peace," she said, referring to the peace sign that adorned the bovine.