Man runs 50 marathons in 50 days
NEW YORK, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A participant in Sunday's New York Marathon, 44-year-old Dean Karnazes, has completed his goal of running 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days.
When Karnazes finished the annual New York marathon, he successfully completed an endeavor that has seen the best-selling author cross the United States as he engaged in 49 marathons in as many days in 49 states, said the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Karnazes' mission is to be the foundation for his next literary work, "The Endurance 50," which will encapsulate his lengthy runs in cities such as Philadelphia and Cleveland.
Previously, Karnazes gained notoriety and a best-selling autobiography when he ran for 80 hours and 44 minutes without stopping.
The newspaper said the famed runner has gained assistance from local authorities throughout the United States who have created many of the marathons in order to allow Karnazes to complete his goal.
Suicide bomber costume prompts apology
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A Halloween photo of the University of Pennsylvania president and a student costumed as a suicide bomber has prompted outrage and apologies.
Penn student Saad Saadi showed up at school president Amy Gutmann's Halloween party dressed as a suicide bomber, complete with a prayer book, toy gun and fake explosives, the Philadelphia Daily News said.
Saddi and Gutmann, dressed as Glinda the Good Witch from "The Wizard of Oz," posed for a photo subsequently posted on the Web. Other photos showing Saadi performing mock executions also surfaced on the Web.
Both Gutmann and Saadi have expressed regret, the Daily News said.
Gutmann said as soon as she realized what Saadi's costume was, she refused to be photographed with him, the Daily News said. She said the costume was "clearly offensive" and she was offended, the newspaper said.
Saadi said his costume was meant to provoke Halloween chills, not demonstrate support for terrorism, the Daily News said.
An Anti-Defamation League spokesman said the organization did not see "any type of entertainment value" from such a costume, the Daily News said.
Penn Hillel, which represents the Philadelphia school's Jewish community, called the costume "totally inappropriate," the newspaper said.
Rediscovered play may be worst in history
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A recently discovered play by the Scottish writer long proclaimed the worst poet ever makes William McGonagall a candidate for the worst playwright ever.
Scholars believe McGonagall, who was dragged offstage by the audience when he refused to die in the final scene of "Macbeth," visualized himself in the leading role in "Jack O' The Cudgel" or "The Hero of a Hundred Fights."
Dr. Gerard Carruthers, a lecturer on Scottish literature at Glasgow University, calls the play "a string of the most predictable cliches."
"Seldom has there been a writer of such indefatigable ambition, singularly unmatched by even a smidgen of talent," he told The Scotsman. "There's something a bit cruel about the repeated reprinting of McGonagall's work."
McGonagall, who once walked to Balmoral Castle in an unsuccessful effort to persuade Queen Victoria to name him poet laureate, died broke in 1902. He has since become something of a cult figure with fans including Spike Milligan, the Monty Python troupe and a more successful Scottish author, J.K. Rowling. In fact, Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter series is named after McGonagall.
Video embarrasses Scottish gov't chief
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A young man who posted video footage of a friend drinking and prancing in a bathrobe at the official residence of Scotland's first minister has apologized.
John Ruthven said he and Ewan Macdonald did not intend to embarrass First Minister Jack McConnell.
Ruthven and Macdonald are -- or were -- friends of McConnell's son Mark, and visited Bute House last year at his invitation. Ruthven videotaped Macdonald in a guest room drinking vodka straight from the bottle and carrying on.
He posted the footage last week on YouTube.
Ruthven said the fun would have been innocent in "anyone else's house."
"That said, this happened in the first minister's official residence and I do recognize the sensitivities," he said. "I can only put it down to youthful exuberance and I do hope that Mark, Ewan and I can continue to be friends. We are sorry for the unnecessary grief this has caused Mark and his family."
