Etc...

See, we sometimes rob banks

The car impounded by police in Belgium when they arrested two suspected thieves earlier this month would have made James Bond envious. For starters, it was equipped with armor plating. But it also had an exterior-mounted halogen lamp capable of causing temporary blindness. Oh, and there also was lead sheeting to keep the license plate numbers from being recorded by witnesses, not to mention an automated dispenser of objects to flatten the tires of any vehicles that might be in pursuit. And just in case that still wasn't enough, there was a device to strew old bicycles mounted on the back of the car into the path of pursuers. So what, exactly, were the suspects doing when the cops caught them? Poaching wild rabbits. Really.

At Monday's Iowa caucuses and the coming New Hampshire primary, the two main political parties begin the formal process of choosing their 2004 presidential candidates And when it comes to campaign coverage, the Internet is playing a larger role than ever, according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. While TV remained the top source for the more than 1,500 adults surveyed, 13 percent said they regularly went online for election news. That's up from 9 percent in 2000. Network news and newspapers both declined, by 10 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Where respondents said they turned for candidate and campaign news, by percentage:

Local TV newscasts 42%
Cable news channels (Fox, CNN) 38%
TV network newscasts 35%
Daily newspapers 31%
TV newsmagazines 25%
Talk radio 17%
National Public Radio 14%
Sunday TV talk shows (tie) Internet 13%
TV comedy shows ("The Daily Show," "Saturday Night Live") 8% - Reuters, Associated Press