SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Today's date would make a pretty good poker hand - trip nines. It's 9/9/09. This is a lucky day for fans of the Beatles and iPods. The Beatles' whole re-mastered catalog and a Fab Four-themed video game are being released today. And Apple has a major event planned that many people believe will be used to announce new iPod models. Some think this is a lucky day to get married. So, hotels like the Bellagio in Las Vegas and even a county clerk or two are offering special "9/9/09" wedding prices. A new animated feature film, "9," is also debuting today. It's set in a post-apocalyptic world.
ROAD TRIP
NEEDLES, Calif. (AP) - It's a hot rod road trip. Dave Schaub of Los Gatos,
Calif., is trying to drive his 1932 Ford roadster through 49 states in just nine
days. He planned to leave California early this morning and figures he can cover
about 1,000 miles a day. The custom Ford street rod has the power do it, with a
souped-up engine under the hood. Schaub is a former Army drill instructor, who's
raising money for the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. Families stay there
while their children receive medical care at area hospitals. Schaub is asking
people to donate a penny mile as he crosses the country. Schaub adds that his
wife thinks he's crazy.
MARIJUANA-RELIGION
PHOENIX (AP) - Danny Ray Hardesty may be high on religion, but he won't be able
to use pot as a sacrament. The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled he can't use a
freedom of religion argument to overturn his conviction for possessing marijuana
while driving. Hardesty claims he belongs to a church that allows people to
establish their own modes of worship. Hardesty contented he should be entitled
use pot just as peyote is used in Native American sacramental rites. But the
state Supreme Court has ruled that argument was just blowing legal smoke.
T-SHIRT PUNISHMENT
WAUSEON, Ohio (AP) - A northwest Ohio judge is making a fashion statement. He's
ordering neon green T-shirts for some offenders doing community service. Those
shirts say "I'm a thief." Judge Jeff Robinson in Fulton County says that very
public punishment can act as a deterrent. The Toledo Blade reports he's mostly
ordered the shirts for convicted shoplifters. At least one defendant wanted to
pay a stiffer fine instead.
SPAGHETTI-CHILI CONTEST
MASON, Ohio (AP) - Bob Shoudt might not want to see another plate of chili
spaghetti for a while. He wins a Cincinnati-style chili-on-spaghetti eating
contest, by downing 13 pounds, 9 ounces in just 10 minutes. The Labor Day
chow-down took place at Kings Island amusement park near Cincinnati. Shoudt says
he prepared with a liquids-only fast beginning Saturday evening. Shoudt wins
$2,500 with his gut-busting effort. After his more than 13 pounds of chili
spaghetti, Shoudt said he was off to ride a few roller coasters with his son.
GIANT ZUCCHINI
NEW HARMONY, Ind. (AP) - A giant zucchini is fetching some heavy green. Sally
Roth put her monster veggie up for auction on e-Bay. She wants to help in the
fund-raising effort to repair the town clock in New Harmony, Ind. Well, the
winning bid is 510 bucks for the zucchini that's about the size of a Wiffle ball
bat. That might be a lot for a vegetable, but the clock-lovers will need a lot
more. Estimates for repair of the clock run about 12-grand.
