Watercooler Stories

Deep-fried Kool-Aid sweetens fair

SAN DIEGO, June 21 (UPI) -- A vendor at the San Diego County Fair in California said his latest creation, deep-friend Kool-Aid, sold 400 to 600 orders per day during the first weekend.

"Chicken" Charlie Boghosian, who created deep-fried Klondike Bars and Pop Tarts for previous fairs, said his Chicken Charlie's food stand has gone through 150 pounds of Kool-Aid powder and 1,500 pounds of flour since the fair began during the weekend, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday.

Boghosian said the deep-fried Kool-Aid, which takes the form of five doughnut holes, has sold about double the amount of orders he received for previous products when they debuted.

"That's because it tastes so darn good," Boghosian said of his latest creation.

Magician thrown out of bar for doing trick

LICHFIELD, England, June 21 (UPI) -- A British magician said he was thrown out of a bar and questioned by police for performing tricks for his friends at the establishment.

Paul Fisher, 35, who performs under the name Paul Saint, said he was performing a fork-bending trick for friends at the Apres bar in Lichfield, England, when the bouncer demanded he leave, the Birmingham Sunday Mercury reported.

"I tried to tell the bouncer that the forks were my own, but he wouldn't listen," Fisher said. "I always take a few props out with me and perform for friends. I've never had this reaction before."

Fisher said police arrived while he was walking outside and demanded he get into an officer's van.

"He said he'd had a complaint about me bending up some forks. I told him they were my own forks and was about to get some out of my pocket when he told me to get in the van," the magician said.

Fisher, who said he was sober at the time of the incident, said he was forced to wait in the van while the officer spoke with the doorman. He was let go after a background check.

Staffordshire Police said no report was filed in the incident.

Small plane lands on railroad tracks

RIDGEVILLE, S.C., June 21 (UPI) -- Emergency responders said a small plane made an emergency nighttime landing on railroad tracks in the town of Ridgeville, S.C.

Ridgeville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Herbert Cummings said the Piper Super Cub, which had been pulling advertising banners and was en route to Walterboro, S.C., landed on the tracks Saturday night, avoiding the surrounding buildings and power lines, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier reported Monday.

"They've got reason to celebrate," Cummings said. "It's a wonder that thing didn't nose right out."

The plane's owner, Gould Barrett of Atlanta, praised the pilot's skills and said he does not know why the plane went down.

"We're not sure what happened," Barrett said. "It could have been an engine problem."

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the incident.

Police release man who bought bag of grass

GAVLE, Sweden, June 21 (UPI) -- Swedish police said a man who attempted to buy marijuana was released after the bag he purchased was found to contain nothing but "common grass" and bark.

Police said the 58-year-old man was arrested Saturday after officers, tipped off by security guards interrupted the deal in Gavle, Swedish news agency TT reported Monday.

The seller fled before he could be apprehended, police said.

However, investigators said the buyer was released after the contents of the baggie he purchased tested negative for marijuana.

"We concluded that it was perfectly common grass and a few bits of bark," said Peter Hultqvist, duty officer with the Gavleborg police.

Police spokesman Mikael Hedstrom told The Local no charges were filed but the man's actions are still considered criminal under Swedish law.

"Imagine that you order 10 kilos of amphetamine but receive common flour. You still tried to purchase narcotics so you can still be charged with an attempted drug offense," Hedstrom said.