News In Brief
THE COPS WERE DEAD RIGHT
In Westfield, Mass., judgment day arrived last week - for the grim reaper himself. The number finally came up in traffic court for Frank Major, who, as a novelty act, makes guest appearances at parties dressed in a black robe, hood, gloves, and skeleton mask. He was en route to yet another gig in his trademark hearse back in April when police pulled him over, claiming the ghoulish outfit impaired his ability to drive safely. The judge agreed and fined Major $35.
JUST FOLLOW YOUR NOSE
If you'll be in central Sweden next year, you may want to resist the lure of the newest tourist attraction. The city of rnskldsvik will be cutting the ribbon on a $335,000 museum dedicated to the history and production of surstromming. What's surstromming? Fermented herring - a Scandinavian delicacy. But as you might imagine, the museum is being built well away from human habitation ... on a point of land in the Gulf of Bothnia.
Groceries rang up cheapest in New Orleans, Little Rock
You stop at a supermarket to buy this and that: some apples, a candy bar, potato chips, a bottle of spring water, and doughnuts. The total cost? Depends on where you are. Runzheimer International, a consulting firm in Rochester, Wis., found that some of the more affordable areas for groceries are some of the most expensive for housing: Boston, Los Angeles, and New York. Runzheimer's findings for the cost of the aforementioned products in various cities:
1. Little Rock, Ark. $5.86
(tie) New Orleans 5.86
3. St. Louis 5.90
4. New York 6.01
5. Boston 6.14
6. Los Angeles 6.17
7. Memphis, Tenn. 6.31
8. Atlanta 6.68
(tie) San Francisco 6.68
10. Seattle 6.69
11. Miami 6.75
(tie) Phoenix 6.75
13. Dallas 6.82
14. Chicago 6.83
15. Denver 6.85
(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society
