Also, after spending $19 billion to detect bombs, military concludes dogs are best.
From The Associated Press:
SAO PAULO -- A Brazilian court ruled this week that McDonald's must pay a former franchise manager $17,500 because he gained 65 pounds while working there for a dozen years.
The 32-year-old man said he felt forced to sample the food each day to ensure quality standards remained high, because McDonald's hired "mystery clients" to randomly visit restaurants and report on the food, service and cleanliness.
The man also said the company offered free lunches to employees, adding to his caloric intake while on the job. His identity was not released.
The ruling was signed Tuesday by Judge Joao Ghisleni Filho in Porto Alegre.
Ghisleni said McDonald's could appeal the case, and the Brazilian headquarters of the chain said in an e-mailed statement Thursday it was weighing its legal options.
In other weighty -- and random * -- matters:
» Speaking of food, does this happen with vegetarians? Brothers 'go berserk' during fight over steak. [The Times Columnist]
» Library cancels seniors' current events discussion group. They were rowdy, shouted at each other and had fistfights in the parking lot. [UPI]
» Elderly woman fights off masked attacker by kicking him in "a vital spot." Says the Lord was with her.
» Jesus H. Superstar! Andrew Lloyd Webber selling off four theaters to trim debt. [Reuters]
» Mars rover "Spirit" stuck in the sand for more than year. But repeated attempts to free the machine by spinning its wheels turns up evidence of subsurface water. [NASA]
» After spending $19 billion on gizmos, gadgets and thingamajigs to find roadside bombs, military comes to startling conclusion: Dogs are the best detectors. [National Defense]
» Dog umbrella | Dog high chair | Indoor dog restroom | Dogs on Twitter
» Oh, for cryin' out loud! Everybody knows it's Falstad Wildhammer, not Kurdrin Wildhammer, that's supposed to be on the Council of Three Hammers. Right?!
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* Sorry. We usually try for some connective thread in these things, but couldn't pull it off today. Everything on the web is about zombies, and, frankly, we're weary of zombies, although a zombie suing McDonald's because they ate too many high-calorie, deep-fried brains might make a good link. Alas, that was not to be.