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White House-No Selfies
A handshake? Sure. A selfie? No way.
Some of America's Olympic athletes say they were asked to keep their cellphones in their pockets last week when they visited the White House and met with President Barack Obama.
The request came after the selfie Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz took with the president during his team's visit to the White House. The picture was later used by Samsung, the maker of the phone Ortiz used.
Slopestyle skiing bronze medalist Nick Goepper was among the Olympians visiting Obama. He said he thought about trying to sneak a selfie, but decided against it.
The White House had no immediate comment.
Violin-Blind Test
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ten world-class soloists put costly Stradivarius violins and new, cheaper ones to a blind scientific test. The results may seem off-key to musicians and collectors, but the new instruments won handily.
Contrary to musical convention, most of the violinists passed up the six older violins, including five made by the famous Stradivari family in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Most of the musicians couldn't even tell whether they were using old or new violins based on the sound. The musicians wore dark glasses and the lights were dimmed when they played the dozen violins in a rehearsal room and a concert hall.
Old Italian violins like the Stradivarius have long been considered superior.
The study was released Monday by the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Police Pot Complaint
LUFKIN, Texas (AP) — Police in East Texas have arrested a woman after she called them to complain about the quality of the marijuana she had purchased from a dealer.
Lufkin police Sgt. David Casper said Monday that an officer went to the home of 37-year-old Evelyn Hamilton to hear her complaint that the dealer refused to return her money after she objected that the drug was substandard.
Casper says she pulled the small amount of marijuana from her bra when the officer asked if she still had it.
She was arrested Friday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Hamilton said Monday that she spent $40 on "seeds and residue." She says she called police when she got no satisfaction from the dealer's family.
Exotic Car Rentals
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Car rental companies hoping to attract wealthy travelers and tourists on a splurge are adding exotic cars alongside practical Toyotas and Fords.
Hertz launched its line of Dream Cars last summer in 35 locations, while Enterprise offers its Exotic Car Collection at 13 sites and plans to open two more later this spring.
The loaners include Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Aston Martins and will set renters back hundreds or thousands of dollars per day.
Companies say their customers include people who need a replacement while their luxury car is in the shop, children seeking a special Father's Day present for dad and celebrities traveling out of town.
American Car Rental Association director Sharon Faulkner says the growth differs from the past because it's happening even outside traditional tourist and beach towns.
Got Talent-Guinness Record
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The producers of the "Got Talent" franchise say the TV talent contest is a winner in its own right.
Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia said Monday that Guinness World Records has deemed the series the most successful reality TV format worldwide.
The format that was launched as "Britain's Got Talent" has been adapted for broadcast in 58 countries, the producers said. The latest versions to air include those in Iceland and Brazil.
Alistair Richards, president of Guinness World Records, said in a statement that "Got Talent" was the new record holder. It displaced "Strictly Come Dancing," another British format that has sold to more than three dozen countries.
The "Got Talent" format was created by music and reality TV entrepreneur Simon Cowell. He said he is proud that the talent contest is a "home-grown British show."
TV-NBC-Open All Year
NEW YORK (AP) — NBC's boss says the traditional television season that begins in September and ends in May is an outdated practice that the network is moving beyond.
NBC Universal CEO Steve Burke said Monday that NBC is premiering six scripted series and three reality shows this summer. He said ratings during the hot-weather months are just as important to NBC as those in the spring and fall.
One longtime TV tradition that NBC isn't backing away from is the focus on viewers aged 18 to 49 years old, despite an aging population. Burke says NBC still sells most of its ads based on that demographic and will continue to make programming decisions based on what appeals to that age group.
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