Watercooler Stories

Thaci sends 'Easter' wishes

PRISTINA, Kosovo, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci accidentally wished the Catholic Church and Catholics in Kosovo "a happy Easter," instead of a merry Christmas this year.

"With special respect I wish happy Easter to all Catholic believers from the international community in Kosovo," Thaci wrote in his greeting.

On behalf of the government, Thaci wished the holiday would bring citizens more happiness, hope and success, harmony and social progress, KIM Radio reported Sunday.

The Easter message was also posted on the government's official Web site.

Old fruitcake brings $525 for charity

CINCINNATI, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- How much is a 70-year-old fruitcake worth? For a winning auction bidder the answer is $525, which will go to help the homeless in Ohio, the cake's owner said.

The fruitcake was baked and sold by a Cincinnati-area Kroger store in 1941 and wound up back at the store in 1971. A note left with the returned fruit cake said it was one of six bought by a man named E.F. Helbing, WHIO-TV, Dayton, reported. The note said the owner had been carting it around for decades and was finally unloading it on its maker, the Kroger store.

Store manager Frank Bates, now 86, took possession of it and kept it until recently when he gave it to Elite Estate Group owner Larry Chaney, whose firm decided to auction it off for charity.

While even higher offers -- some over $1,000 -- came in later, the winning bid of $525 came Thursday night from a man in Arizona who asked to remain anonymous, WHIO-TV reported.

The money will go to a church outreach program, providing food and other items for the homeless in the Cincinnati area, the TV station said.

Chicago senior wins battle over purse

CHICAGO, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Police say a hardy 80-year-old Chicago woman brushed off her encounter with an alleged purse-snatcher that included being dragged by a car.

The victim refused medical treatment after being dragged down the block by a suspect who reached out of his car window and grabbed her purse Thursday evening.

Police told the Chicago Tribune the woman never let go of the bag, and officers quickly nabbed the suspect.

Billy Tribbet, 53, was charged with aggravated attempted robbery and battery of a victim over 60 years of age.

Hawaii car vandal left fecal calling cards

HONOLULU, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Folks in a Honolulu neighborhood say a persistent and disgusting car vandal is costing them money they could have used for Christmas shopping.

The trouble has been going on for nearly a month in the Kunia area, where the culprit has been breaking windows and slashing tires and adding the unwelcome personal touch of dropping feces on the hood of the targeted cars.

One car owner, Larissa Cordeira, told KHON-TV, Honolulu, the vandal was "definitely, definitely angry."

"Who would do this kind of stuff?" she asked.

The spree, which can include as many as three vehicles per day, has forced the victims to pay hundreds of dollars for repairs at a time when the holidays are already squeezing family finances.

"Now we have to spend money for us to be able to fix a tire so that we can get to work, and at the same time we've already spent money on buying gifts for the family and whatnot, so it is going to be a financial strap for us," said Cordeira.

KHON said police suspect local juveniles but haven't made any arrests and are asking the public for any information that might help the investigation.