Taking a break from vacation photos, some "news" items I just couldn't resist:

• Proving yet again they "are nothing special in the air", American Airlines (the company perpetually teetering on the edge of bankruptcy) Flight 3823 had to return to the gate when two female flight attendants began to argue.  The argument was so heated the cockpit crew was alerted.  Credit cards of passengers in first/coach class on the commuter flight were charged an additional $10 each for the "floor show."

• Despite years of working with chemicals involved in carpet-cleaning, a Denver man won $7.2 million dollars after he apparently developed "popcorn lung" from inhaling the butter-flavoring from his microwave popcorn.  His argument was companies failed to warn consumers that inhaling the buttey aroma could put them at risk.  Makes you wonder what his house smells like to have inhaled that much artifical buttery aroma!

• Dancing With The Stars resident "bad boy" Maksim Chmerkovsky has announced that he will not return to the show after his current contract expires (which still leaves us 3 seasons of tantrums).  He tells the New York Post that "I loved doing it.  But to be honest with you, at 32, I am at what-about-me-time."  I'm sorry - isn't that what he's always been about?

• And my favorite newsbit this week, the humble emoticon is 30 years old!  For three decades now, this sideways smile has bounced around the internet, spreading joy and frustration many times the world over (sometimes it's just like reading braille - I'll admit I can't always figure them out).  Happy Birthday Smiley!

~later, tw