News In Brief

WE THOUGHT YOU KNEW BETTER

The county library board In Lexington, S.C., has had it up to here with a certain borrower who's more than a year late in returning 37 books. If not for a policy that caps fines, they'd be in excess of $1,350 by now - 2-1/2 times the combined value of the volumes, all of them children's stories. The borrower's library privileges already have been revoked, and she'd be liable for 30 days in jail if the board chose to prosecute her under state law. No names, but you might be amused to learn that the offender works elsewhere in town ... as a librarian.

FANCY MEETING YOU HERE

Then there's the fugitive from justice who was enjoying a day at a Lake George, N.Y., amusement park - until he ran into dozens of cops on an outing sponsored by the Police Benevolent Association. The suspect - we'll call him Warren - was exiting a ride at The Great Escape when at least one of the officers recognized him. Warren reportedly tried to run, but didn't get far.

Tips to avoid antagonizing others when using cellphone

Stories abound about people talking inconsiderately on cellphones. And the situation easily could grow worse: The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association estimates that 46,000 Americans become new mobile users each day. Here are some etiquette tips for cellphone use, culled from a variety of manners mavens, other experts, and the telecommunications industry:

Utilize the phone's caller-ID feature to screen incoming calls, and let voice mail take them if they're not urgent.

Use silent or vibrating options when in a close environment.

Don't engage in "cell yell." There's no need to speak louder than you would on any other phone.

Call other cellphone users during business hours, and not during meal times.

If you must keep your phone on during a meeting, explain in advance.

Don't give out your number freely or leave it on your answering machine.

- Associated Press

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