Huffing, puffing and fuming

Minnesota health officials are livid because some bars are dodging the state's smoking ban by printing playbills and declaring their customers "actors" in order to exploit an exception that allows people in theatrical productions to light up. Maybe the officials can ease their frustration a little by dressing up in trench coats and fedoras and pretending to hand out fines.

An 8-year-old boy is being turned away from a law school in Brazil, even though he passed the university's entrance exam. School officials said they were impressed with the lad's essay on the legal principles behind "finders keepers, losers weepers."

Locals may remember when Everett's native son, U.S. Sen. Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson, was considered "the senator from Boeing." Rep. John Murtha, D-Quixote, may be assuming that mantle with his pledge that congressional funding for the Northrop Grumman-EADS aerial tanker contract "is not a done deal." Should he be successful in winning reconsideration of Boeing's 767 tanker, he's welcome to the nickname. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell aren't using it.