UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

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Airports charge more for cars than planes

LONDON, June 29 (UPI) -- A British study found it is cheaper to park a light aircraft at several airports than it is to park a car at the facilities for the same amount of time.

The Daily Telegraph reported Manchester Airport charges about $54.89 for a full 24 hours of parking in the short-stay car lot, while parking a six-seat aircraft for the same amount of time costs only $32.94.

Parking a car for 24 hours at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport costs $62.73 compared with $16.81 for a light aircraft, the Telegraph said.

Scotland's Edinburgh Airport charges $36.86 for 24 hours of car parking and $18.67 to park a light plane for the same amount of time.

The newspaper said London's Luton Airport was the only place where plane parking, $60.99, was more expensive than car parking, $56.46.

"Years ago airports made all their money from the planes," said Russell Craig of Manchester Airport. "Now at Manchester, aviation income makes up less than half of our revenues. To be able to keep investing, you've got to find new revenue streams and some of that is car parking. But pre-booking is the way to save money. The turn-up prices are what they are."

Seagulls attack Scottish mail carrier

ELGIN, Scotland, June 29 (UPI) -- The British Royal Mail said deliveries to more than 20 residents of a Scottish town have been suspended after a letter carrier was attacked by seagulls.

The Royal Mail said the "swooping attacks" by seagulls in Elgin led the service to suspend deliveries until the end of the nesting season, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

"The safety of our people is paramount to Royal Mail and these swooping attacks have made it difficult for her to continue to do her job," a spokesman said. "Unfortunately, these frightening attacks have meant that this week we have temporarily suspended deliveries to some addresses in Muirfield Road. These kinds of attacks do occur at this time of year across the country as gulls are nesting."

The spokesman said the affected residents can pick up their mail at the High Street Post Office.

Resident George McPhee, 66, said he does not agree with the Royal Mail's decision.

"The seagulls are a bloody pest, but I have been 41 years in the same house and they have never hurt anybody -- and that's including kiddies, dogs and cats," he said. "Even during the Blitz everybody was getting their post. If they have to issue them hard hats then so be it."

Lawyer's Hemingway contest motion denied

TAMPA, Fla., June 29 (UPI) -- A Florida judge denied a lawyer's motion to delay a murder-for-hire trial so the attorney could participate in an Ernest Hemingway look-alike contest.

Frank Louderback, a lawyer for Jerry Bottorff, filed a motion with U.S. District Court Judge Steven Merryday in Tampa to delay the July 9 start of the trial on charges of murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire and a weapons offense so he could travel to Key West and participate in the annual Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe's July 21, The Miami Herald reported Friday.

Louderback said he blocked out six hotel rooms for family and friends "and has had to pay non-refundable deposits."

However, Merryday denied the motion.

"Between a murder-for-hire trial and an annual look-alike contest, surely Hemingway, a perfervid admirer of grace under pressure, would choose the trial," the judge said.

Merryday quoted a Dorothy Parker article about Hemingway from the Nov. 30, 1929, New Yorker in his decision: "He works like hell, and through it. ... He had the most profound bravery. ... He has never turned off on an easier path than the one he staked for himself. It takes courage."

"Best of luck to counsel in next year's contest. The motion is denied," the judge said.

Bottorff's charges stem from the 2007 slaying of Thomas Lee Sehorne, 37, in Lithia, Fla. He was charged alongside Sehorne's widow, Christie, who later became Botorff's fiancee, and alleged gunman Luis Lopez.

Web site sells anti-infidelity ring

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 29 (UPI) -- A Vancouver-based Web site is marketing an anti-infidelity wedding ring that leaves the imprint of the words "I'm married" on the wearer's finger.

TheCheeky.com is selling the titanium bands, which have the letters carved into the inside of the wedding band to leave an imprint on the wearer's finger, for $550, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

"With Arnold, Tiger and two-timing IMF guy in mind, we have created this wedding ring for people intent on cheating," the company said on its Web site.

The ring received a lot of attention from Twitter users.

"Who would ever buy this? Least romantic wedding ring ever," one user wrote. "I'm just saying that if either of you are considering these, then you should probably reconsider marriage, period."