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News of the Weird

The Associated Press
Thursday June 27, 2002

Borders books to sell booze 

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — A glass of wine with that book? A sip of specialty liquor-laced coffee with that CD? 

Borders bookstore patrons will soon offer those options after the city council unanimously approved a request to permit the transfer of a liquor license to a restaurant inside a Borders store, The Detroit News reported in a Wednesday story. 

Alcohol consumption will not be allowed inside the bookstore section and the restaurant where the liquor will be served will have its own separate entrance, said Dana Whinnery, Farmington Hills’ assistant city manager. 

Cosi, the New York-based company behind the restaurant, started the concept in Paris and Manhattan. 

Liquor licenses are still being sought, said attorney Kelly Allen, who represents the company in Michigan. The license still must be approved by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. 

This ‘Banana’ among  

nation’s sexiest 

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — He’s 87 years old and still wears his trademark yellow swimsuit, but water skier “Banana” George Blair is still among the ranks of the nation’s sexiest men. 

Blair is the oldest of the more than 80 athletes featured in Sports Illustrated Women’s 2002 swimsuit issue, which hit the stands Tuesday. 

“There must be quite a few people out there who think I’m sexy. I’m elated. I’m just elated!” Blair said. “This is one of the biggest compliments I’ve ever received.” 

Blair learned to water ski at age 40 and began barefoot skiing six years later. 

At age 81, he drove a race car for the first time, then learned to skydive the next year. Blair surfed for the first time when he was 83 and learned to bull ride at age 85. 

Flying mammals 

driving man batty 

BRADENTON, Fla. — Grant Griffin’s one-bedroom apartment isn’t big enough for him, and more importantly, bats have turned up in his shower, sink and sheets. So he is moving. 

Exterminators aren’t allowed to kill the bats, which are considered native wildlife and can’t be trapped or poisoned, said University of Florida assistant professor Mark Hostetler. They can only be killed if they are rabid, which county health officials are testing for after Griffin and his girlfriend discovered bite marks. 

“I’m freaked out. I’m about as freaked out as I can get,” said Griffin, 49. “I feel like there are things crawling all over me.” 

Bats can be locked out of houses by closing up the holes — as small as half an inch — where they enter. 

But now, in the peak of the three-month bat birthing season, that would prevent mother bats from returning to their babies inside the house. The babies would die and the stench would be unbearable, said Hostetler.