Spending All Your Money Could Save Your Life

A British husband and wife were told they each didn't have long to live, so they spent their life's savings on a trip around the world — only to get better on their return home.

Patrick and Megan Hastelow of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, both got bad news in late 2002, reports the London Sun. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, while he was told he had serious heart problems.

"We were really depressed," Patrick told the newspaper. "To cheer ourselves up, we sat down and wrote out our list of the things we most wanted to do — and got on with doing them.”

Using £40,000 (about $70,000) in savings, they renewed their wedding vows aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 (search), went on a South African safari, danced in Rio de Janiero and visited the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and Senegal.

But now, back in England, Megan, 56, has learned her cancer is in remission, while Patrick, 66, is recovering well from a successful heart-bypass operation.

The couple, married for 20 years, has no regrets about spending the money.

"The thought of doing the 50 things we most wanted to gave us that extra boost and really set us on the road to recovery," she explains. "We are as fit now as we've ever been."

The to-do list isn't finished. Next up: washing Sri Lankan elephants and watching orangutans in Borneo.

"It's made us realize we're not immortal," said Megan.

Boy's Choice of Prom Date Nixed by School

Sometimes parents — and schools — just don't understand.

Max Miesel of Weston, Conn., who said his dream was to take a porn star to his high school senior prom, won a date with adult-film actress Tyler Faith (search) on shock-jock Howard Stern's radio show Friday morning.

But school officials and Max's parents stepped in before the big event the following night, reports the Advocate of Stamford, Conn.

Weston High School Principal Mary Kolek told the newspaper that a date with a porn star violated the school's prom guidelines. She explained that Max would be allowed to attend — but only with a more appropriate date.

Ironically, Max's grandparents had helped him win the date, appearing on the Stern show with their grandson — although Max's grandfather made him promise that the date would go no further than "a kiss on the cheek."

Information was not yet available on whom Max took to the prom, or if he went at all. His date with Faith is still on, and Stern promises an update this week.

Hometown Paper Gets Stanley Cup Winners Wrong

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Tribune apologized to its readers and the Tampa Bay Lightning (search) Tuesday after mistakenly running an editorial saying the hockey team had lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Publisher Gil Thelen said it was unclear how the mistake was made Monday night as the newspaper rushed to press following the Lightning's 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames (search) in Game 7.

The Tribune had prepared two editorials — one for a win and one for a loss. But despite placing the correct editorial in its computerized page-making system, the one prepared for a loss appeared in the newspaper's 275,000 copies.

Thelen and Tribune Editor Frank Denton said the newspaper was investigating the error to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Editorial Page Editor Rosemary Goudreau issued a statement on the newspaper's affiliated Web site, TBO.com, telling readers "We took a puck in the gut this morning."

The incorrect editorial that appeared in the paper opened, "The Tampa Bay Lightning didn't win the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup last night. But the team had a championship season nevertheless."

The correct editorial, which didn't get in the paper, lauded the Lightning and credited the team for generating pride and excitement in the community.

A similar mistake happened to the New York Post last October when early editions of the paper carried an editorial bemoaning the Yankees' loss to the Boston Red Sox in the American League playoffs. But the Yankees had staged a late rally to tie Game 7 and then won in extra innings.

Bank Robber Gives Back Stolen Cash

LONDON (AP) — A thief took more than $180,000 from an automatic teller machine — then apparently returned most of the cash a week later.

Police said Tuesday that the money was taken from the machine inside the Barclays Bank (search) branch in Barkingside High Street, east London, overnight on May 21-22.

On May 28, staff discovered a large garbage bag filled with bank notes inside the bank, said a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police.

He would not confirm the amount stolen but news reports said $207,000 was stolen and some $187,000 was returned.

Police said the robber had smashed a window inside the bank to get into the room where the automatic teller machine stood. However, there were no signs of forced entry at the main door.

All staff have been questioned and the investigation continues, police said. Barclays Bank refused comment.

Longtime Panty Raider Apparently Nabbed

LEBANON, Ind. (AP) — Investigators say they've charged the man responsible for stealing panties and bras from women's homes for the past two years.

Gary A. Wright, 35, of Jamestown, was being held Sunday in the Boone County Jail. He has been charged with eight counts each of theft and burglary, all felonies, said Amy Clouse, Boone County Sheriff's Department communications officer.

Sheriff's Detective Lt. Albert Hendrix testified in a probable cause hearing Thursday that Wright had entered the homes of at least eight people and had stolen underwear, food, money and cleaning supplies.

"He said he had a fetish with women's bras and underwear," Hendrix testified. "He said he liked to smell them; then he would dispose of them in trash Dumpsters."

Several Boone County women had recently reported their undergarments being stolen, Hendrix said.

Jamestown Town Marshal Dennis Isenhower told Hendrix that Wright had been suspected in similar crimes nearly 20 years ago in that town about 30 miles west of Indianapolis.

"We're anticipating there may be other victims out there that don't even know they have things missing," Chief Deputy Sheriff Jeff Keller told The Reporter for a story Friday. "We're trying to contact those whose names he was able to give us."

The standard bond in such a case is $25,000. However, Judge Matthew Kincaid set it at $100,000 because investigators believed Wright was responsible for more burglaries in the county about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis.

Something Stinks in the D.A.'s Office

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Sewage from backed-up bathroom pipes burst through the ceiling of the New Orleans district attorney's office and ran down the walls, forcing the evacuation of the office.

"I've been complaining about the condition of this building for some time," District Attorney Eddie Jordan (search) said Monday. "Perhaps some people think I've been crying wolf."

The city's health department ordered the building closed and evacuated because it was "unsafe for human habitation," Mayor Ray Nagin's office said. The building has had the sewage problem for two months, the statement said.

When the leak began Monday, workers in the building took important documents for upcoming trials and went to a nearby middle school, where they will work until the problem can be fixed. No health problems or injuries were reported.

Jordan asked criminal court judges to postpone any "nonessential" cases, but said hearings or trials involving violent crimes would continue. He did not have an estimate of how long it would take to fix the problem.

Both Jordan and his predecessor, Harry Connick Sr. (search), have long complained that the cash-strapped city has poorly maintained the building.

Compiled by Foxnews.com's Paul Wagenseil.

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