Watercooler Stories

City approves partially nude goddess mural

NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A Virginia city council voted to allow a law firm to paint a mural on its business featuring the Roman goddess Virtus with a bare breast exposed.

The Norfolk City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday to reverse the decision by the Planning Commission to deny the Montagna Klein Camden law firm permission to paint the mural of Virtus, who appears on the Virginia state seal, on the outside of its Monticello Avenue office building, The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot reported Wednesday.

The planning commission had said the planned image of the Roman goddess was too large and out of proportion with the proposed skyline mural set to accompany it.

Attorney Chuck Montagna of the law firm said he "always felt like the wardrobe malfunction was the real issue."

Restaurant fines diners for leftovers

DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A restaurant owner in Saudi Arabia says he is cracking down on food wastage by fining diners who don't eat everything they order.

Fahad al Anezi, of Dammam, said customers often order a large quantity of food as a status symbol at his establishment, the Marmar Restaurant, the (United Arab Emirates) Gulf News reported Wednesday.

"There are many clients who make large orders in order to impress the people around them and boost their social prestige," he said.

Al Anezi calculates the fines based on the amount of food left over and said he has received support from other Saudis for his idea.

Serenade yields harassment charge

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Swedish police said a man who serenaded his ex-girlfriend with a Bob Dylan tune outside her home was charged with harassment.

Police said the 50-year-old man, whose name was not released, stood outside his ex's Gothenburg balcony at about 11 p.m. one night in June and strummed a tune with five other men serving as backup vocalists, The Local reported Wednesday.

However, police said the woman had a restraining order against the man and she told officers he had made threats against her new boyfriend.

"I had the idea that I'd play a Bob Dylan song for her. I thought I was doing something nice," the man reportedly told police.

It was unclear which Bob Dylan song the man was attempting to play for his former paramour.

The man was indicted Monday in Gothenburg District Court on charges of harassment and making illegal threats.

Police: Man ate raw meat at Walmart

CARLISLE, Pa., Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Police in Pennsylvania said they arrested a man accused of taking bites out of raw meat at a Walmart and putting the packages back on the shelves.

Carlisle police said Walmart workers reported seeing Scott Shover, 53, eating from multiple packages of meat, valued at a total $24.53, while walking around the store at about 2:40 p.m. Monday, The [Harrisburg, Pa.) Patriot-News reported Wednesday.

A manager and loss prevention workers followed Shover out of the store when he attempted to leave without paying, police said.

Shover, who had four previous convictions for retail theft, was arrested and charged with felony retail theft.