1) The 15-year-old boy who started the Eagle Creek fire in the Colombia River Gorge east of Portland, last summer, has been ordered to pay over a $36,000,000 fine. This kid will need two after school jobs to pay off 36 mil. After enjoying getting everyone's attention, especially the boy with the fine, the judge acknowledges he can't pay the full judgement. It's likely the juvenile department will work out some affordable and realistic payment plan.
2) Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, admits a braking problem with Model 3 sedan which was pointed out by Consumer Reports. The problem was basically taking a bit too long to stop. The driver, testing the Tesla, had to open the door and drag his foot on the pavement stop it. Musk said the braking problem can be fixed with a firmware update. He also disputed the foot dragging story.
3) Well, this figures doesn't it? Remember for years we were told that eggs were bad for us? Loaded with cholesterol eggs would do us in. Eat an egg, drop dead. Never eat them or even stand close to eggs in the supermarket. Now researchers tell us one egg a day might keep cardiovascular disease away. Eggs are high in protein which is good but full of cholesterol which is bad. So, eating eggs is your choice. Over easy, scrambled, sunny side up, soft boiled … skip that one.
4) A New York couple, Christina and Mark Rotondo, have tried to get their 30-year-old son to move out but he refuses. They finally went to court and a judge ruled that their son, Michael, must leave his parent’s house. He is appealing the decision. He says they violated state law by not giving him 6 months written notice. If this "slug" ever leaves the house, when he does, his parents should change the locks, put his junk out on the front lawn with his 6 months notice on top.
5) A global team of scientists plan to check the depths of Lock Ness next month, using environmental DNA, to see if they can discover whether Scotland's "Nessie" really does or ever did exist. Even if they don't find any proof of The Lock Ness Monster's existence, the scientists say this still is a nice diversion from endless studying of climate change.
(Tom Murphy is a writer, humorist, actor, disc jockey and an occasional contributor to CityWatch. He lives in Los Angeles.)
-cw
