*AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he
lacked "intellectual leadership." He received a $26 million
severance package. Perhaps it’s not Walter who’s lacking
intelligence….

*Police in Oakland, California spent two hours attempting to subdue
a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten
tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside
them, shouting pleas to come out and give himself up….

*An Illinois man pretending to have a gun kidnapped a motorist and
forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines. The
kidnapper then proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank
accounts….

* Fire investigators on Maui have determined the cause of a blaze
that destroyed a $127,000 home last month – a short in the homeowner’s
newly installed fire prevention alarm system. "This is even worse
than last year," said the distraught homeowner, "when someone
broke in and stole my new security system…"