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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check
July 15, 2010
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The Airlines:
Talk about getting gouged at the airport: a new report says travelers could face up to 100 different fees when they fly. The House Committee study finds that extra fees for baggage, seat selection, extra leg room, blankets and more can add 50 percent to the cost of a plane ticket.
The report says the fees have added nearly $8 billion to airline revenues, more than $2.5 billion in luggage fees alone.
Oh, and the report adds that we're not getting better service for those fees. (Not that this wasn't patently obvious to anyone who flies. --Maiman)Celebs in Court:
KATE GOSSELIN is in jeopardy of losing her day job. Us Weekly reports REP. THOMAS MURT from Pennsylvania fired off letters to the state attorney general and labor secretary last Tuesday claiming the original Octo-Mom could be breaking the law because kids under seven are allowed to work in movies, but not television.
Representative Murt questioned the legality of her sextuplets work permits because they just turned six-years-old while the older twins are safe because they're a ripe, old nine. (Lee)Today's police blotter:
Two patrons at a Six Flags in Illinois were ejected from the theme park and arrested after assaulting a park employee dressed in a Porky Pig outfit.
The employee suffered only minor injuries. Police charged 19-year-old TARAS SIKALCHUK and 20-year-old DMYTRO PETRYCHENKO with battery. (That's see-CAL-chook and peh-treh-CHEN-koh)
A park spokesman called it an isolated incident, telling the Chicago Tribune, "These guests clearly violated our Code of Conduct."
Editor's note: Okay, who squealed? Bwah, haw haw!
--Maybe they were just HAMMING it up byt giving Porky a couple of CHOPS. Har har.
--Taras and Dmytro? Is that like the Beavis and Butthead from the Ukraine? (Maiman)Reality Round-Up:
Big ratings for the death of Cap'n PHIL on "Deadliest Catch" Tuesday night. Overnight Nielsens showed 8.5 million viewers watched, making it the biggest audience on cable Tuesday and the largest for Discovery since 2000. The follow-up at 10 pm was watched by another 6.8 million people.
Meanwhile, PIPER PERABO's new USA Network series, "Covert Affairs," pulled in 4.9 million overall, with 2.1 million 18-49-year-olds.Stars and their movies:
Comic geeks are likely over the moon that ANGELINA JOLIE will be attending the annual Comic-Con, which cranks up next Wednesday in San Diego. At the convention, Columbia Pictures will be previewing Angelina's movie, "Salt," which opens next Friday, a day earlier to convention attendees, followed by a short Q-and-A session with Angie afterward.
The big question: will BRAD PITT show up as well? Most people believe this is unlikely, since usually one parent will stay home with the kids, while the other does their show-biz-thing.Health and Medical Briefs:
It's not enough to cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. How you cover is just as important as the act of covering.
According to Reuters, medical students in New Zealand secretly watched and recorded the actions of hundreds of people in public places. When they counted up all the people who sneezed or coughed, they found two-thirds used their hands, which only spreads germs as people touch items used by others.
The correct way to cover a sneeze or cough is to do it into the crook of your arm.
If the sneeze suddenly sneaks up on you, covering with a hand is still better than not covering it at all. One researcher said he believes the major transmission of germs is from exposure to uncovered coughing more so than from contaminated surfaces. (Page) -
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