News In Brief

BUT THE RENT WAS CHEAP

Florida law requires school-board candidates to live in the district they wish to represent. So Demetrio Perez Jr., who hoped to qualify for Miami-Dade School District 7, took up residence in a 9-by-11-foot tool shed on his father's farm. It even had an electrical outlet, although plumbing and other essentials were lacking. Unfortunately for Perez, a local judge ruled it wasn't a legal residence. Then code-enforcement officers got into the act, and now Perez Sr. may be fined $200 for erecting the shed without a permit.

YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA

In Oslo, Norway, a burglar couldn't have picked a worse apartment to break into. Little did he know, as he helped himself to cash and perfume, that 17 tiny video cameras were recording his every move. It seems the unit is the setting for round-the-clock taping of a reality TV show. When confronted by the production staff, the thief denied all - until the cameras were pointed out and police arrived. No decision yet on whether to press charges.

Most-generous tippers are in New Orleans, new study says

If you're on the wait staff of a restaurant or know someone who is, it may interest you to learn that results of a new survey indicate almost no one anymore thinks the appropriate tip for good service should be 15 percent. In fact, the top cities for tipping now all average 18 percent - en route, apparently, to 20 - according to Zagat Inc., internationally known publishers of dining-out guides. New Orleans, at 18.7 percent, leads the list of cities where tipping by restaurant patrons has reached that bracket. The "18 percent" club:

New Orleans

Philadelphia

Atlanta

Boston

Chicago

Miami

New York

Orlando, Fla.

Dallas

Washington

Las Vegas

- Reuters

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