| Pontiac brings back rear-drive excitement
By our count, the last time Pontiac sold a four-door car with rear-wheel-drive was 1988 or 1989, when the big-but-boring Safari/Parisienne wagon disappeared from Canadian showrooms. Now, nearly 20 years later, GM's so-called "excitement" division has a large sedan in the wings that may be capable of reviving that emotion. The rear-wheel-drive G8 was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show recently, and while the car on display was a prototype, GM says it's "representative" of what the production G8 GT will bring to showrooms early next year. Notably, that includes a 6.0-litre small-block V-8 making 362 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Even more notable will be the availability of a six-speed manual gearbox in that GT model shortly after the car's introduction.
Bar spotlight: Brannigan Brothers
With a fashionable crop of new night spots and coffee shops cropping up on Washington Square, there's more and more reason to head toward the Capitol. There are also some classic standbys that are worth a second look, and Brannigan Brothers is at the top of the list. The Irish-inspired bar-cum-restaurant has been in business for more than five years, but is changing along with its surroundings. From the dartboards to the dance floor to the extensive menu, there have been renovations galore in the past six months. While you might think of Brannigan Brothers as a crowded Cooley hangout (the only times I'd previously visited were on super-packed Saturday nights), in reality, the atmosphere is very relaxed. You're bound to feel at ease, with or without a law degree pending. My friend Kristen and I visited on a rainy Wednesday evening for some beers and snacks.
Top policeman tries to kick old lady out
A Matabeleland North Senior Assistant Police Commissioner, who is listed on the European Union travel sanctions list, is leading moves to take-over the cottage of an ailing 81-year-old woman.
CAJ News Agency reports that Edmore Veterai has ordered the owners of Portwe Estates in Bubi District to get their ailing mother, Ellen Maud Dolphin, out of her cottage or face eviction.
Maud Dolphin is mother to Margaret Joubert, the wife of Dave Joubert who runs Portwe Estates, which includes a safari concern.
Veterai allegedly led heavily-armed police details in a recent invasion of the property in an attempt to instil fear and force Dolphin from her house. The police, contrary to reports, have not kicked out the Jouberts, neither are they disturbing operations at the farm.
Margaret Joubert confirmed during a visit to the heavily guarded Portwe Estate that Veterai had ordered Dolphin removed from her cottage or face eviction from the farm.
But she said they would pull out all stops to bar Veterai from either taking over the farm or moving into the cottage of her mother.
Tusko faces the drill bit
Veterinarians expect to take another crack at removing what's left of the elephant's infected tusk in an operation Sunday at the Oregon Zoo. About six weeks ago, they sawed, drilled and chiseled out perhaps 95 percent of his left tusk during an elaborate procedure lasting nearly five hours. That's a long time for an animal as big as 13,500-pound Tusko to be anesthetized, and high in his skull, a chunk of tusk and dentin tissue remained. Rather than risk keeping the elephant unconscious any longer, surgeons decided on a second operation. Anesthesia poses particular risks for elephants. Not only can the drugs cause gastrointestinal trouble, but also, an elephant's enormous weight can compress muscles, pinch nerves or impede blood supply. If the beast awakens and tries to stand on a limb that's not working properly, a fall could prove catastrophic.
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