Monday 09/06/10

Human Interest News — Posted on September 6, 2010

Sugar water
If you listen to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the only vitamin Coca-Cola’s Vitamin Water has enough of is “Vitamin S”-S for sugar. CSPI launched a lawsuit against Coke last year, alleging that the sports drink brand practiced deceptive advertising when it states, as it does on some bottles, that Vitamin Water keeps thirsty consumers as “healthy as a horse.” CSPI says the drink is not much better than, say, Coca Cola and should not be allowed to make health claims. And in July, a federal judge tossed out a motion from Coke lawyers to dismiss the case outright, making it possible for the suit to move toward a trial. According to Vitamin Water’s labeling, each 20-ounce bottle contains 125 calories, all from sugar.

Happy returns
Students at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., foiled their professor’s return from a summer vacation with the ultimate prank. While Professor Scott Bur was away, his students at the private liberal arts college broke into his office and wrapped his ceiling, floor, coffee maker, tables and chairs-everything-in aluminum foil. When Bur returned from his week away, he discovered even his pens were individually wrapped. Bur reports that his student research team has made this an annual tradition: Last year after vacation, his office was decorated in a fairy princess theme. According to senior Kristen Jahr this year’s prank required 2,000 feet of aluminum foil.

Earl or Ansel?
A decade ago Rick Norsigian bought a box of glass plate photo negatives for $45 at a garage sale. Now 10 years later, the Fresno, Calif., man believes that the negatives are the work of Ansel Adams. The Fresno painter says appraisers in July estimated their value at $200 million. “When I heard that $200 million,” he said, “I got a little weak.” But others became suspicious, particularly 87-year-old Marian Walton of Oakland, Calif., who says a few of the prints are either exact matches of photos-or close enough to be from the same photo shoot-taken by her long-deceased uncle, Earl Brooks. Some of Adams’ former assistants say this proves the entire box is from “Uncle Earl,” but Norsigian disputes the claim.