News Briefs

Software glitch worth what?

A man named Stephen Wilkinson was playing the fifty-cent slots at a casino in Philadelphia when a screen on the machine flashed and told him he won $102,000. Two casino attendants came over and congratulated him and a third one was supposed to come with a check. Instead, Wilkinson was told after a half hour wait that the casino was running a software test and he shouldn’t have won that money. He was offered two free meals at the casino buffet instead. Later that same night, he was contacted by the CEO of the casino and was told there was clearly a human error and they would fully pay the jackpot winnings. They even threw in eight free meals due to the misunderstanding. After taxes, Wilkinson will receive about $76,000.



Mooninites cause bomb scare

In Boston, several bomb squads were called in when citizens noticed suspicious looking light-boards that displayed a Mooninite character from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Two bridges were closed in response to the threat. Turner Broadcasting Co., which owns the rights to the television show, stated that the battery-operated light boards were part of a viral marketing campaign. A Boston police spokeswoman said the incidents were “a colossal waste of money.” Turner Broadcasting said the devices had already been in place for up to three weeks in several other cities such as Chicago, IL. The broadcasting company is working closely with the police to ensure that all the light-boards are found and removed.



Lawmaker wants to ban incandescent bulbs

A lawmaker in California announced on Wednesday that he wants to make the state the first to outlaw incandescent lights. This is part of an initiative to lower energy use and the production of greenhouse gases. The lawmaker argues that, “Incandescent lightbulbs were first developed almost 125 years ago…[and] they remain incredibly inefficient.” He wants the bulbs to be replaced with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). A 20-watt CFL produces the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb. They also last 13 times longer. The Environmental Protection Agency has not given any opinion on the bill, but recommends CFLs.