Boing Boing, however, claims it doesn’t even know what the FIFA World Cup is, that it detests football anyway, and that it would “sooner stream a video of a crumpled up napkin”. The site warns that it will, in turn, be monitoring Baker & McKenzie’s website and will take appropriate action to point out “instances of wasting clients’ money by sending out unnecessary and obnoxious warning letters”. Touche!

Englishman settles 52 year-old debt

And now for something to warm the cynical cockles of your heart. An Englishman has paid a 52-year-old speeding fine incurred in Philadelphia, USA, 53 years ago. Explaining that he found the citation in an old coat, he told the Philadelphia Inquirer that it completely slipped his mind.

The newspaper reported that the man also admitted he had been in trouble with the law before and even spent some time in prison. But he added that Englishmen always pay their debts.

“I thought, blimey, I’ve got to pay, that’s it,” he said. “I had the fiver to do it and I’m very happy I did.”

Philadelphia officials said they wanted to frame the fiver along with the letter and citation.

Starbucks — less healthy than Maccas?

VIEW ALL

Finally, Starbucks gets a taste of its own medicine. The US-based Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is reportedly planning to sue the chain over its calorie-laden wares. CPSI wants Starbucks to list nutrition information on its menu boards, and publicise its smallest size, ‘short,’ which is available but does not appear on the menu.

Apparently, a Venti size banana mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream contains 720 calories, while a banana cream crunch bar contains 630 calories, plus 25 grams of saturated fat. By comparison, says CSPI, a McDonald’s Big Mac has only 560 calories and 11 grams of saturated fat.

The centre has support in the campaign from the small Starbucks Workers Union, which has members in three stores, all in New York. The union contends that Starbucks staff gain weight when they work at the chain, as they are offered unlimited beverages and leftover pastries for free during their shifts.

How about that? You can be exploitative by giving out free stuff.

I thought you said you’d done this before?

Ever get the feeling you’ve gotten in too deep over your head, but it’s too late to stop? Three Japanese doctors given suspended prison terms last week would know what you’re talking about. Handed a prostate cancer patient, the three decided to use him to try out a laparascope procedure, forgetting for a moment that none of them knew how to do it.

No matter! The doctors grabbed a manual, lying it open on the man’s body. A bit later, they had the laparascope’s manufacturer on the phone, as well as another doctor giving advice.

Eleven-and-a-half hours later, it was obvious they’d botched it. Tragically, their 60-year-old patient suffered ruptured veins, profuse bleeding, and eventually died.

The Tokyo District Court found all three guilty of professional negligence and suspended them for two years, saying “the three put their desire to gain more experience ahead of their patient’s safety”. The poor patient, his insurance wouldn’t even have covered the cost of the fancy laparascope operation.

Numbers: China

Top location in 2005 for the opening of foreign offices for US and British law firms: China.

Firms opened 57 foreign offices overall in 2005, 32 percent more than in 2004. Of the 14 branches opened in China, 11 were in Shanghai.

(Source: Hildebrandt International)

Numbers: US

11.4 percent of US lawyers surveyed by The Minority Law Journal belong to an ethnic minority group, up from 10.4 percent last year. Just five percent of partners, however, are lawyers ‘of colour’, a small increase from the 4.6 percent reported last year.

Asian Americans registered the biggest jump in numbers, at 5.2 percent of all lawyers. African Americans made up 3.4 percent, while Hispanic Americans accounted for 2.6 percent. The survey also revealed a new ranking leader, New York’s Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where minorities represent 23 percent of the total number of attorneys.

(Source: The Minority Law Journal)

Talking too much most common interview mistake

Thirty-six per cent of recruiters believe talking too much is the most common mistake job candidates make. Runners up were over-inflated egos, and appearing overly confident (are these all related?). Sixty two per cent of recruiters also thought one week was too long for a candidate to consider a formal job offer.

(Source: Korn/Ferry International)