063009: Water Cooler News

Water Cooler News for Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of the Water Cooler News!

Once again it’s time to help make you look really smart at the daily watering hole we call the Water Cooler News. Not only are these tidbits of information useful for wowing all your friends with your infinite wisdom as you look for idle water cooler chat through the day, but they may even help you in Trivial Pursuit!

In this edition of the Water Cooler News, aside from birthdays and the usual tidbits of historical information, you will also find the following humorous news stories;

• Man Calls 9-1-1 With McDonald’s Complaint
• Passenger Decides To Become Driver
• Church-goer Busted For Stealing During Service

Humorous News Stories

Man Calls 9-1-1 With McDonald’s Complaint
It’s time for yet another installment of “When Not to Call 911.” Police in Oregon arrested 23-year-old Jeremy Martin after he repeatedly called the emergency number to report a McDonald’s had robbed him when workers short-changed his order. Even though he was told his problem did not qualify as a police matter, Martin called back demanding an officer come to the restaurant or else he would sue. Eventually, an officer did arrive on the scene after Martin called back a third time. Meanwhile, an employee at the restaurant also called 911 to report three men were screaming at her, while a witness called 911 to report those same men were harassing employees.

Passenger Decides To Become Driver
Police in Des Moines, Iowa arrested a 26 year old man after he grabbed the steering wheel from his 41-year-old wife while she drove and sent the vehicle crashing off the road. Authorities say the couple had gotten into an argument, which grew violent when the man kicked the windshield and ripped off the rearview mirror. After that, he took control of the wheel and veered off the road before ramming into a cement wall and a tree.

Church-goer Bust For Stealing During Service
A woman in Westbury, New York will have to seek a lot of forgiveness the next time she goes to confession. The unidentified 46-year-old woman reached over a pew and stole money out of a purse while its owner knelt in prayer during services at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church last Sunday. An usher caught the woman taking the money and police arrested her as she left the church. An investigation into the matter also revealed the woman pulled the same stunt during a service last month.

Historical Tidbits for June 30

Today is…
Leap Second Adjustment Time - One of the times that as been favored for the addition or subtraction of a second from our clock time (to coordinate atomic and astronomical time).

Notable birthdays…
Lena Horne, 92, singer / actress
Nancy Dussault, 73, actress (Too Close For Comfort)
David Alan Grier, 54, actor (In Living Color)
Vincent D’Onofrio, 50, actor (Full Metal Jacket)
Mike Tyson, 43, boxer
Monica Potter, 38, actress (Boston Legal)
Michael Phelps, 24, Olympian

Born on this date…also known as the late…
Buddy Rich -1917-1987/jazz drummer, bandleader
Florence Ballard -1943-1976/born in Detroit, left the Supremes in 1967, after the group had several big-time number one hits. Despite her contributions to what became one of the biggest-selling music acts of all time, she never received royalties for her work and died penniless in Detroit in 1976 at the age of 32.

Movie History
1971 - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory hit theaters.

1974 - The July 4th scene from the Steven Spielberg movie, Jaws, was filmed.

1995 - Apollo 13 premiered in theaters.

1989 - Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing opened in theaters.

1995 -     Judge Dredd flopped into theaters.

Music History
1986 - Steve Winwood released the album Back in the High Life.

1985 - Phil Collins’ Sussudio was the number one pop hit.

1977 - Marvel Comics issued the first of two comic books based on the group KISS.

1974 - Gregg Allman married Cher four days after her divorce from Sonny Bono. Nine days later Cher announced she wanted another divorce. She and Allman divorced 3-and-a-half years later.

1966 - The Supremes recorded You Keep Me Hangin’ On.

General History
1908 - An explosion in Siberia, which knocked down trees in a 40-mile radius and struck people unconscious some 40 miles away. It was believed by some scientists to be caused by a falling fragment from a meteorite.

1921 - The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was formed.

1936 - Margaret Mitchell’s book, Gone with the Wind, was published in New York City.

1952 - CBS-TV debuted The Guiding Light.

1953 - The first Corvette rolled off the Chevrolet assembly line in Flint, MI. It sold for $3,250.

1971 - The Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 11 returned to Earth. The three cosmonauts were found dead inside.

Yours in Water Cooler News fun!
Dr. Rus