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Odd news briefs

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Odd news briefs filed by Reuters last week.

Lithuanian capital to install public 'happiness barometer'

VILNIUS (Reuters) - The mayor of Vilnius plans to install a huge screen on the town hall to broadcast a real-time "happiness barometer" that will monitor the mood of the Lithuanian capital.

The giant display will monitor the level of happiness among the city's 520,000 residents by showing a number on the scale of one to 10 that reflects tabulated votes sent in by locals from their mobile phones and computers.

 

Firing 'attractive' assistant is legal, says Iowa Supreme Court

DES MOINES (Reuters) - An Iowa dentist did not discriminate against a female assistant he fired for being "too attractive," the Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Friday in its second decision in the case.

In December, the all-male Iowa Supreme Court ruled that Dr. James Knight did not discriminate in firing dental hygienist Melissa Nelson after more than 10 years service because he found her too attractive and his wife saw her as a threat.

 

No kidding - goats help lure customers to Tokyo cafe

TOKYO (Reuters) - First, there were the maid cafes, their customers pampered by women in maids' uniforms. Then came the cat cafes, which allowed cat lovers to play with frisky felines while sipping a cup of coffee.

Now, enter the goat cafe, which houses a pair of friendly goats for customers to pet, play with and even take for walks through Tokyo's concrete jungle.

 

China central bank office mobbed by borrowers seeking free loans

BEIJING (Reuters) - About 1,000 hopeful borrowers overran a branch of China's central bank as a rumor spread that it was handing out zero-interest loans, media said on Thursday, illustrating how Chinese financial know-how badly lags growth in banking products.

Police were called in on Tuesday to disperse the crowd, which had gathered for days outside the central bank in Beihai in the southern province of Guangxi, the Global Times said.

 

Tired of helping the CIA? Quit Facebook, Venezuela minister urges

CARACAS (Reuters) - A Venezuelan government minister on Wednesday urged citizens to shut Facebook accounts to avoid being unwitting informants for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, referring to recent revelations about U.S. surveillance programs.

Edward Snowden, a former U.S. National Security Agency contractor who is stuck in a Moscow airport while seeking to avoid capture by the United States, last month leaked details about American intelligence agencies obtaining information from popular websites including Facebook.

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