BUDDHA: Dumb News for the Week...

Subject: BUDDHA: Dumb News for the Week...
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 17:45:02 +1000

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DON'T WORRY, KIDNAPPERS NOW ACCEPT CHECKS

MANILA, Philippines - Kidnapping has become such a way of life in the
Philippines that gangs now accept checks to cover their ransom demands, an
anti-crime watch group said Tuesday.

At least three Filipino-Chinese businessmen were quickly freed by their
kidnappers recently after they issued checks ranging from $11,500 to
$38,460, the Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) said.

"I doubt if they gave stop-payment instructions because the kidnappers would
certainly have gotten back to them," said one of the officials, who asked
not to be named.

The MRPO, formed by leaders of Manila's Chinatown community to monitor and
combat crime, expressed alarm at the resurgence of kidnapping cases and
warned of a likely increase with the approach of Christmas.

"It is Christmas season and criminals will capitalize on people's fears to
step up their activities," it said in a statement.

A total of 155 people, many of them belonging to rich ethnic Chinese
families, have been kidnapped this year. Fifteen were killed because they
could not meet ransom demands, MRPO said.


WANT A THICKER SWEATER? TRY PLAYING "JINGLE BELLS"

TOKYO - "Jingle Bells" is no longer just a song to listen to -- a Japanese
company says it has made it possible to wear the tune.

Kuraray, a synthetic fiber maker, said Tuesday that it will launch a new
type of rayon yarn next month, the thickness of which is determined by the
music played when it is made.

"We have 14 different pieces of music, including 'Jingle Bells,' 'Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and a Japanese folk song," a company spokesman said.
"The results are very different depending on which music we play."

He said a special yarn-producing machine connected to a CD player converts
the length and the strength of sound into pressure, which is used to change
the thickness of the yarn.

"The machine makes a thick and long piece of yarn when there is a long, loud
sound," the company spokesman said.

"Each yarn's design is decided by what music we play and they make textiles
of different textures."
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