Editorial: Casual Fridays

Side hugs only

Four years ago, Jennifer Connell’s nephew leapt into her arms during his birthday party, causing her to fall and break her wrist. Last week, Connell took the now 12-year-old child to court to seek $127,000 in damages. We’re sure she could have found a better belated birthday gift. The jury rejected her suit. and this family has one awkward Thanksgiving dinner ahead of them. In hindsight, Connell probably should have drunk more milk to prepare her bones for her nephew’s exuberance. According to Connell, this injury continues to affect her daily life. For example, at a recent party, Connell said it was difficult to hold her hors d’oeuvre plate. Our advice for Connell? Lay off the crab cakes and stick to the puff pastries.

Owl attack

It’s a scare, it’s a terror, it’s an owl in Bethesda, Maryland that is terrorizing runners on the Capital Crescent Trail, a popular trail in the suburbs. We don’t think this is quite what Alfred Hitchcock had in mind. The owl has already attacked three runner, typically right after nightfall or before dawn , and without a hoot of warning. Th is owl is certainly no Hedwig, but she does deliver a strong message — running is dangerous, and we should just stay on the couch.

Puppy power

On Wednesday night, Reliford Cooper III led police on a high speed chase after they caught him speeding and suspected a DUI charge. When police caught up to Cooper, he insisted that his dog was the one driving. Instead of chasing his tale, the dog was evading the law and not being a very good boy. Cooper is going to have a ruff time proving that in court, however. As it turns out, some dogs prefer leading police on high speed chases to chasing their tail.

Obearly excited

It’s business as usual in Montana. On Wednesday, a bear walked into a school courtyard and wandered through the hallway looking for snacks before a police officer ushered it out of the building. Instead of hibernating this year, the bear decided to go to school. His classmates were just trying to bear with him, but they’re not too sad to say goodbye to their wild classmate.

Mile high birth

On her way back from her honeymoon, Angelica Zen delivered a baby, on the plane. When a fellow passenger on a flight from Taiwan to Los Angeles went into labor on Wednesday, Zen answered the call for a doctor on board that sounded over the speakers. Th e baby came out healthy at several thousand feet. We’re sure that has to be a record breaker, but America can’t claim it yet. Airport officials don’t know if the plane was within a 12 mile radius of Alaska — where the plane diverted — which would make the baby a U.S. citizen. It appears that tough economic times are leading to an increase in outsourced pregnancies.