Power-ful Advice?

And now some fresh pickings from the wartime grapevine:

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Power-ful Advice?

Iraqis are now upset over electrical problems... in the United States! They're wondering how the high-tech Americans will ever be able to restore Iraq's electricity if the Americans' own electricity system, ‘can make such a big fuss’ and have regional blackouts. But that didn't stop Iraqis, now living in 100-degree weather, from giving Americans without power tips on how to beat the heat.  So here they are: First, sleep on the roof because, as one Iraqi said, ‘it's cooler there.’ Second, shower frequently. Who cares if you can't see what you're doing in the dark. Third, buy blocks of ice…apparently from one of those freezers with power. And finally, call in the Iraqis for advice on electrical engineering because, as one Iraqi said, ‘Our experts have a lot of experience in these matters.’

BBC Pressure

Amid a wide-ranging official inquiry into how BBC (search) reporter Andrew Gilligan came to report that British Prime Minister Tony Blair (search) and his communications chief, ‘sexed up’ pre-war intelligence on Iraq, another BBC reporter is now accusing BBC editors and managers of, ‘trying to mold my stories so they reached the same conclusion.’ Newsnight reporter Susan Watts has testified that, ‘there were significant differences between my reports and his reports,’ so the BBC put her under, ‘considerable pressure’ to change her story.

NO SEriously...

A mayor in France…which of late is suffering a serious drop in American tourism…has now passed a new law prohibiting smelly tourists. Mayor Henri Dunoyer of La Grande-Motte says tourists often leave his city's beach stinking of sweat and suntan lotion. He tells Ananova.com…’I sit on the terrace of one of my favorite restaurants trying to enjoy good food and wine, and then a smelly tourist comes in and ruins everything.’ So now police have the authority to stop tourists for an odor check. If the tourists fail, they could face a fine, which, given typical French standards for hygiene, the stinky scofflaws could pay in local currency.

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report