Editorials

Aussie wins thousands afterslipping on shoe grease 

SYDNEY, Australia — A man who broke his arm when he slipped on a greasy bar floor caused by a patron who wore pork chops for shoes won more than $33,600 in compensation. 

Troy Michael Bowron, 25, sued the Jannali Inn in southern Sydney, its owner Kelly Wells and patron Ross Lucock for negligence over the incident on Nov. 30, 1997. 

Bowron told the New South Wales state District Court that he had been playing in a pool competition at the bar when he saw Lucock taping pork chops to his feet. 

He claimed Lucock said he was using them for shoes after being told he would not be served more alcohol because he was barefoot. Lucock had won the meat as part of a raffle at the bar. 

Bowron said the floor became greasy, and when he went to congratulate his pool opponent he slipped and fell onto his left arm. 

Judge Anthony Puckeridge found Thursday that the bar and its owner breached their duty by failing to clean up the greasy trail. 

The judge found Lucock was not responsible for Bowron’s injury, and dismissed the claim against him. Bowron was ordered to pay Lucock’s legal bills. 

Fans with lamb-chop
 

sideburns honor Elvis 

INDIANAPOLIS — A woman in Elvis earrings clasped her hands and wept while men with thinning pompadours and thick lamb-chop sideburns stood to the side, quietly remembering the King. 

Fans held a ceremony Wednesday to dedicate a marker honoring Elvis Presley at the former site of Market Square Arena, 25 years to the day after the concert that would turn out to be his last. Presley died in 1977. 

“People around the world know of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Market Square Arena just because Elvis was here,” said Kay Lipps, chairman of the Taking Care of Presley Memorial Committee. “Even though it has been 25 years, his music still touches people and makes them happy.” 

The marker is in a gravel parking lot where the arena stood before being demolished last year. A time capsule encased within holds Presley memorabilia including a scarf he gave Lipps, letters from fans across the world, and a bootlegged recording of one of Elvis’ last shows. 

A bronze plaque reading “Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has left the building” sits atop a stone column, just as Elvis’ show announcer Al Dvorin would say at the end of each of Presley’s shows. 

“His spirit lives on,” Dvorin said. “He could have started his own religion.” 

Burglar snagged after  

paying cabbie from a purse 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A man carrying four snakes, a sword, two cell phones and a purse hailed a cab after a home burglary, police said. 

The driver became suspicious and alerted police after the man paid his fare from the purse, said St. Petersburg police spokesman George Kajtsa. 

“Never mind that he had an aquarium with snakes and a 4-foot sword,” Kajtsa said. 

Daniel Beckley, 24, of St. Petersburg, was charged Wednesday with armed residential burglary. Police said he robbed his former roommates — taking $200, the purse, phones, the decorative sword and four Sinaloan milk snakes. 

The stolen items were returned Wednesday, minus the cab fare, police said. 

The nonpoisonous red, white and black snakes are happy to be home, said owner Ryan C. George. 

“They’re slithering in joy,” he said.