News In Brief

Don't scare me like that

Scurrying cockroaches can be the trickiest things to squash. Just ask a Tampa, Fla., woman who, convinced that one was running across her TV screen, threw a motorcycle helmet at it, and broke the set. But it was only Orkin Pest Control's new commercial, starring one of the bugs. Irate, she demanded Orkin buy her a replacement. No can-do, said a spokeswoman. But reaction to the ad is so strong that the company now is concocting an "Orkin Got Me" contest. The prize: a new TV.

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Too bad if you don't like it

Utah officials figured their new Olympic-theme license plates would create good vibes for the bribery-tainted 2002 Winter Games in their state. So they weren't amused when Daron Malmborg was spotted with a set of them reading "SCNDL" - a reference to the controversy. Surrender them or have your registration revoked, he was told. But what about Malmborg's First Amendment rights?, argued the American Civil Liberties Union. Result: He not only gets to keep the plates, but will receive a letter of apology.

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ZIP codes tell much about political-campaign donations

Based on 1998 election data reviewed by the Associated Press, the nation's top three sources of campaign-cash donations to political candidates, by ZIP code, all are sections of New York City. The list is led by 10021, the ZIP code for the tony Upper East Side of Manhattan, the home of some of the city's most fashionable addresses. The ZIP codes responsible for the most money contributed in the 1998 election - the most recent for which totals are available - where they are, and how much was donated from each (in millions):

10021 New York City $6.69

10022 New York City 3.96

10028 New York City 2.28

90210 Beverly Hills, Calif. 2.14

10128 New York City 2.02

20007 Washington, DC 1.81

20036 Washington, DC 1.79

33480 Palm Beach, Fla. 1.74

60611 Chicago 1.71

20008 Washington, DC 1.66

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society