Etc...

The air's a bit thin, but ...

Location. Location. Location. It's supposed to be the key to a successful business, right? How then could one find fault with Tsering Gyaltsen's plan to open a cyber cafe more than halfway up Mt. Everest? You see, he's the grandson of a guide from the first successful expedition to Everest's summit in 1953. The 50th anniversary of that climb is expected to attract tens of thousands of paying visitors who will pass through the 17,400-foot base camp and, if the government of Nepal grants its OK, Gyaltsen's cafe. Some of the proceeds would go to helping in the clean-up of tons of trash left by past climbers and trekkers.

In London last week, visitors to an art gallery featuring the late Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí thought they were being treated to a special effect as "rain" showered pieces in the exhibit. Not so, however. Workers on the floor above had accidentally activated a sprinkler system, and water from it seeped through the ceiling for an hour, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord consistently rate among the best-selling cars in the US. Not coincidentally, they're also favorite targets for thieves, according to the results of an annual study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Models before 1996 - when automakers began making antitheft devices widely available - are the most-stolen, the study shows. The top 10 on the NICB's Hot Wheels 2002 list:

1. Toyota Camry
2. Honda Accord
3. Honda Civic
4. Oldsmobile Cutlass/ Supreme/Ciera
5. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
6. Chevrolet Full Size C/K Pickup
7. Toyota Corolla
8. Ford Taurus
9. Chevrolet Caprice
10. Ford F150 Pickup - Associated Press