Watercooler Stories

Cyclist charged with hitting car

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Police in Washington state allege a cyclist threw his bike at a car and smashed a window after the vehicle's driver honked at him.

Redmond police said Chad Olson, 42, of Redmond threw his bike at the Volvo Oct. 16, smashing a window, after the driver pressed the vehicle's horn, Seattlepi.com reported Monday.

Police said Olson left the scene before they arrived but he showed up at a police station about an hour later and said he wanted to report a road rage incident. He told police any damage done to the car was self-defense when the driver, Ben Han, 46, tried to hit him, The Seattle Times reported Monday.

Han told police he and his wife were driving along when they came up to a bicyclist weaving between the bike lane and the roadway, the charges state. Han said he honked and drove ahead of the rider, who he said then gave pursuit and damaged his car at a stoplight.

Police said about $5,700 worth of damage was done to the Volvo.

The Times said the felony charge against Olson was filed last week in King County Superior Court.

Couples test each other with polygraphs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A Virginia polygraph examiner said he has seen dozens of couples break up after one member failed a lie-detecting test on questions of fidelity.

David Goldberg of the Executive Protection Group in Virginia Beach said he tested about 100 couples last year on questions of fidelity as well as financial responsibility, addiction and other issues, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Monday.

"I've had calls from people saying, 'Before I buy a ring and make a commitment, I want to know if she's ever cheated on me, whether she really loves me or not,'" Goldberg said. "They want to know whether she's marrying me for the money. I've had a couple bring the (prenuptial agreement) in here."

Dan Sosnowski, president and board chairman of the American Polygraph Association, estimated about 15 percent of polygraph tests are administered for relationship issues.

League plays football atop unicycles

SAN MARCOS, Texas, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A football league in a Texas town is gaining attention for the main difference it has with traditional football -- players ride unicycles while they run plays.

Marcus Garland, founder of the Unicycle Football League in San Marcos, said the league has run for five seasons in a vacant farmer's market parking lot, has been featured as one of the world's dumbest sports on TruTV and made an appearance in the film "Campus Radio," the San Antonio Express-News reported Monday.

"When we first started, it was all laughs and fun," Garland said. "Now it's very competitive, and guys really want to win."

He said the rules include a joust, which replaces the traditional kickoff, with players using boxing gloves at the end of long sticks to try to remove opponents from their unicycles.

Carlton Pride, a former college football player and who referees for the league, helped Garland write the rules of the game.

"Their ability to ride unicycles and throw long bombs and make plays is amazing," he said, "as is the athleticism and the fact that most of them don't know what real football is."

Suit challenges Subway for 'footlong'

ANKENY, Iowa, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- An Iowa store chain is suing Subway restaurants for the international chain's claimed exclusive rights to using the word "footlong" in promoting sandwiches.

Casey's General Stores of Ankeny, which has 1,600 locations in the Midwest, is challenging Subway for the right to use "footlong" on its signs and menus, the Des Moines (Iowa) Register reported Monday.

Valerie Pochron, a lawyer for Subway, which has 34,000 locations in 93 countries, sent Casey's a letter three weeks ago asserting rights to the "footlong" term.

"Additionally, the offers of soup and pizza, as well as the design of the advertising offers, are all designed to create confusion to the average consumer," Pochron wrote.

The lawsuit is asking the judge to rule "footlong" is a generic term that does not violate Subway's trademark. The suit also seeks unspecified damages for the "frivolous" claims made by Subway.