BUTTHEADSA house fire in North Portland, Ore., caused $30,000 in damage, and fire officials are blaming the blaze on the occupants: They used a hole in the floor as an ashtray. When one of them called to report the fire, he hung up on the emergency dispatcher and then refused to take the dispatcher’s call-back attempts. “That’s not careless smoking,” Fire Dept. spokesman Paul Corah said, “that’s stupid smoking.” (JW/Portland Oregonian) … And what would smart smoking be?RIDE ONGerman cyclist Sven Riedel, 37, was hospitalized after suffering frostbite during a solo 186-mile ride. The trip took him from Ulan-Ude to Lake Baikal, and “I didn’t think it would be so cold,” he said. “I wanted to see Lake Baikal.” Ulan-Ude and Lake Baikal are in Siberia, and he made his trip in January; temperatures were as low as minus 31. Riedel was rescued by a local driver who persuaded him to go to a hospital, despite the fact Riedel doesn’t speak any Russian. He suffered frostbite on both hands and feet, but doctors managed to save his toes and fingers. (MS/Germany Local)Source: www.thisistrue.com
