WASHINGTON, D.C. - Child safety mechanisms on cigarette lighters have saved numerous lives and prevented thousands of fires. The mechanisms are required on all novelty and disposable lighters, and on low-cost, refillable lighters.Beginning March 1, 2004, refillable lighters with an import value of $2.25 or less will be required to be child-resistant. This is an increase from the original import value of $2 or less established in 1993.

Topical Solutions, a New Jersey company, has developed a new line of products that turn the Kudzu plant into a moisturizing cream. The vine that's strangled the South is ground with other ingredients and turned into Alabama Kudzu Skin Repair Moisturizing Cream and other products. Kudzu is native to Chinaand Japan but was introduced to the United States at the 1880 World's Fair via the Japanese exhibit. During the Depression, the Soil Conservation Service planted 85 million seedlings all over the South to stem soil erosion. The vine that can growa foot overnight took over fields, strangled native plants, and swallowed up abandon houses, barns, utility poles and anything else in its way.

Two men injured at club as turf war intensifies
Sun Staff

The gunman in the shooting Sunday night at Club Tattle Tails in Edgemere was wearing a vest identifying him as a prospective member of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang, and the two shooting victims are apparently members of the Pagans gang, police said. One of the victims remained in critical condition last night.

"Unfortunately, these types of incidents tend to escalate until law enforcement intervenes," said Maryland State Police Lt. Terry Katz, a nationally recognized expert on bikers who has worked undercover to infiltrate gangs, including the Pagans. "Police will be the ones who end this. It's tit-for-tat with these guys. Unfortunately, it becomes a matter of honor."
Full story available  here (link is broken)

At a Christmas party, full of food, family and festive cheer held by the local Outlaws Motorcycle Club's clubhouse state troopers and local police knocked down the two doors, ordered everyone to hit the floor, handcuffed and photographed each of the revelers, searched for illegal guns, and ripped open their presents.

Police were there on Dec. 20 to execute a search warrant, but they made no arrests and found none of the guns they were looking for. Now the Outlaws claim police violated their civil rights and say they plan to file suit in federal court.

RECALL
Models: BMW R Model Motorcycle Year: 2003
Number Potentially Involved: 7,000
Dates of Manufacture: December 2002 – August 2003

Defect: On certain motorcycles (Opposed Twins w/Two-Spark Ignition), the electrical wiring for the oxygen sensor and the ignition lead for the right-hand secondary spark plug have a parallel routing over part of their installation path. The close proximity of these cables may allow the signal from the ignition lead to interfere with the signal from the oxygen sensor wiring. As a result, engine hesitation or misfiring could occur, which could result in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will re-route the electrical wiring to the oxygen sensor. The manufacturer has reported that owner notification is expected to begin during December 2003. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117, Option #4.

[NHTSA Recall No. 03V483].

Word of the Day
preprandial \pree-PRAN-dee-ul\ adjective

: of, relating to, or suitable for the time just before dinner
Example sentence:
Our celebration last night began with a preprandial cocktail followed by a lavish buffet dinner, and it ended with a champagne toast at the stroke of midnight.
Did you know?
Though the Latin noun "prandium" means "late breakfast" or "luncheon," its derivative English adjectives, "preprandial," "prandial," and "postprandial," are just as likely to refer to other meals; in fact, "preprandial" is usually applied to dinner. Those adjectives were quite new in our language ("prandial" and "postprandial" first appeared in print in 1820, and "preprandial" in 1822) when a Scottish judge wrote in his memoirs, "Every glass during dinner required to be dedicated to the health of some one.... This prandial nuisance was horrible." Perhaps those prandial drinks gave the poor fellow a postprandial hangover! English also acquired the adverbs "prandially" and "postprandially," but those are much rarer words these days.

http://www.merriam-webster.com