Rabbit Saves N.J. Couple from Deadly Gas Leak

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If not for an unlikely hero, a gas leak could have  killed Jake and Mary Pruett, of Bridgeton, N.J., this past Saturday night.  Dogs and cats are sometimes known for saving their families, but this time the champion was a pet bunny.

At approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday night, Pruett stated that her pet rabbit Blazer woke her up, by “walking on my face and making noises like a horn was stuck in her nose.”   Once awake Pruett stated that she immediately smelled the leak and roused her husband.  They exited the house with Blazer.

Blazer the Hero

Pruett explained that Blazer has a litter box so she is allowed to roam the house like a dog or cat, and that there are pet steps next to the couple’s bed that let Blazer come up and down.  Pruett said that it is unusual for the rabbit to visit the bed during the night, and that Blazer mostly comes up during the daytime when the couple is awake.

After evacuating their home on Saturday night, the Pruetts called the Bridgeton City fire department.  According to fireman Steve Chambers, “it is lucky that they got out alive.  Leaks like this are often fatal either due to death from toxicity of the gas or an explosion.”

Because carbon monoxide causes unconsciousness, victims who are already asleep often die without waking up.  According to the Center for Disease Control, there are as many as 500 deaths a year due to gas leaks.

The leak was due to a faulty stove installation.  Firemen were able to stop the gas on Saturday night and the couple was able to return home on Sunday after the fumes had vented..

Taco Bell Employee Pees on Food then Posts Online

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Taco Bell joins the ranks of Burger King and Dominoes Pizza which have both experienced embarrassment online recently when employees have defiled food.

Cameron Jankowski, a Taco Bell employee, allegedly Tweeted a photo of himself peeing on Taco Bell food.

The group Anonymous linked Jankowski’s picture to a YouTube video which exposed Janowski’s personal details.  He was identified to be working at a Taco Bell restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

According to Jankowski this was a prank and the food was not served to a customer.  Janowski also stated that he planned to leave Taco Bell and has a new job already.

Run for the Border

Taco Bell prepared this statement for the Daily Dot, saying, “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and team members. We have strict food handling procedures and zero tolerance for any violations. As soon as we learned of the situation, we immediately investigated and found the photo was an ill-conceived prank and the food was never served to customers. We find this prank absolutely unacceptable, and we plan to terminate anyone involved and work with authorities to pursue legal action.”

Recently Burger King suffered similar negative publicity as an employee posted an image of him stepping in lettuce that was later served to customers.  Dominoes Pizza was the victim of a YouTube video where employees also mishandled food.

“Ex Day” Federal Holiday Approved by President Obama

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Lobbying from the National Greeting Card Consortium for an “Ex Day” finally paid off on Thursday, as President Obama approved the new federal holiday.  The second Sunday in January each year will now be the official day to celebrate past relationships.

Because it will be celebrated on a Sunday, government workers will not receive pay for the day.  People who normally work on Sundays will be encouraged to take the time to remember past relationships and may choose to do something special..

Ex Day, 2nd Sunday in January

According to Amy Strapler, head of the the National Greeting Card Consortium, “the purpose of this day is to celebrate past relationships with someone that you may still care about, but are no longer with.”  She also said that she hopes it will allow closure in some relationships and the opportunity to rekindle others.

Strapler advised that the holiday may also be used to break up with a current relationship, and that greeting cards will be produced by national vendors to cover a variety of circumstances.  “We don’t yet know the scope of possibilities as this is a new holiday,” Strapler stated.

The 2nd Sunday in January was picked because many couples break up after the end of the year, and this is a period when a lot of people are thinking about the past and the future.  It is also more than a month before Valentine’s Day, so people have over a month to begin new relationships in order to celebrate the next holiday..

There was some criticism that the push for the new holiday had commercial motivations, but in response, Strapler stated, “when Grandparents Day was introduced in 1978, people made the same false claims.  Change takes time to get used to, but after awhile people will recognize the value and appreciate the opportunity to express themselves.”

The holiday is expected to generate approximately $2.4 billion annually in greeting card and associated gift sales.