Update: By far one of the best SVU episodes I’ve seen in a long, long time.

Petra fell in love with the swan/boat in 2006 and refused to leave its side. She became so attached that the pair was taken to a local zoo in Germany when winter came and Petra refused to leave her beloved.

The black swan had tried to have a “normal relationship” with a real male swan, but he left her recently. So she’s alone … with her boat. And she’s happy.

When he was born, the first Roosevelt was president. His oldest child is 73.

Asked by the AP what he credits for his many years, Webber said, “If a woman asks me that, I say I had a good wife. She’s been gone since 1984.”

A condo in Dorchester costs LESS than a parking space in the Back Bay. Something to think about.

Reuters reports the 28 year-old Hackney, East London resident hid a $12,000 engagement ring inside a helium balloon hoping — for some reason — that she would pop the balloon as he proposed.

But leaving the store, the wind picked up, and the balloon, the ring, and Leanne’s affections (for now) were blown away.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Hajji told The Sun newspaper. “I felt like such a plonker. It cost a fortune and I knew my girlfriend would kill me.”

Hajji chased the balloon for two hours before giving up. After telling Leanne the story, she got pissed and demanded a new ring.

Hopefully that translates into savings.

NEW YORK, January 25 /PRNewswire/ — THIS IS A SPECIAL REPORT BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE CALIFORNIA ORANGE GROWERS. CALL IT GLOBAL WARMING OR JUST A FREAK OF NATURE, BUT LAST YEAR’S CROP OF CALIFORNIA ORANGES WEATHERED A FORTY PERCENT DECREASE BECAUSE OF A DEVASTATING FREEZE. THANKS TO GOOD PLANNING AND A LITTLE HELP FROM MOTHER NATURE, THIS YEAR’S CALIFORNIA ORANGE GROWERS ARE BACK IN FULL SWING WITH THE PROMISE OF MORE THAN 86 MILLION CARTONS OF ORANGES JUST ONE YEAR LATER.

MIKE GEORGE, CALIFORNIA CITRUS GROWER:

“My family and I have been in the farming industry for three generations and working with Mother Nature can be tricky. A difference of a few degrees can change everything. This year the sun has been shining on us and this season’s crop is plentiful and sweet.”

ORANGES CAN BE A NUTRITIOUS ADDITION TO ANY DIET. ONE MEDIUM SIZE ORANGE IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF VITAMIN C AND CAN PROVIDE UP TO 130 PERCENT OF THE DAILY RECOMMENDED VALUE WHILE HELPING THE BODY FIGHT OFF ILLNESS AND KEEP THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HEALTHY.

FOR MORE, VISIT DEVOURORANGES.COM

A 75-year-old woman was arrested at a Clearwater McDonald’s drive-thru because police said she wouldn’t pull her car forward.

The grandmother of eight asked for fries without salt. The fries took extra time to cook special, and employees told her to wait there for a few minutes.

Well that didn’t sit right with the cop waiting in line behind her.

He ordered the grandmother to pull forward in the drive-thru. Waiting for her coffee and special salt-free fries, she told the officer the McDonald’s employees asked her to wait there.

The cop called for backup, arrested the woman, Jean Merola, handcuffed her, took her to jail and searched, photographed her.

2. George W. Bush, US President — who asked during the 2000 presidential race, “Is our children learning?” — for his assessment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: “As yesterday’s positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.” September 26, 2007. (Mega Genius: “Although, it is not a prerequisite for the presidency.”)

3. Kellie Pickler, American Idol finalist, country music singer and contestant on the television show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, for her response to a question about a country in Europe: “This might be a stupid question, but I thought Europe was a country.” November 15, 2007. (Mega Genius: “And then you thought that France was not.”)

4. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for their goof at launch pad 39A, at the Kennedy Space Center, as they welcomed space shuttle Endeavour, named after the first ship commanded by 18th century British explorer James Cook. NASA’s huge misspelled banner, missing the u, read: “Go Endeavor!” July 11, 2007. (Mega Genius: “Go, rocket scientists!”)

5. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Academy Award-winning British actor, for her justification of why she cannot boil an egg: “I actually think cooking an egg is quite a difficult feat to pull off.” August 6, 2007. Newsweek. (Mega Genius: “Then don’t even think of making a bowl of corn flakes.”)

6. Channing Crowder, American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, for his admission about an upcoming trip to England: “I couldn’t find London on a map if they didn’t have the names of the countries. I swear to God. I don’t know what nothing is. I know Italy looks like a boot.” October 24, 2007. (Mega Genius: “Do you know if you have a court-appointed guardian?”)

7. Rudy Guiliani, former Mayor of New York City and candidate for US president in 2008, for his disclosure about his thought processes: “We don’t all agree on everything. I don’t agree with myself on everything.” March 2, 2007. (Mega Genius: “Are you on speaking terms with yourself?”)

8. Paris Hilton, “celebutante,” for her elucidation of her ongoing trouble with the police: “The cops do it all the time. They’ll just pull me over to hit on me.” Harper’s Bazaar, June 2007. (Mega Genius: “Trust me, Paris, ‘Your driver’s license has been suspended’ is not a pickup line.”)

9. Mike Huckabee, candidate for US president in 2008, for his assertion to the National Rifle Association: “I’m pretty sure there will be duck hunting in heaven and I can’t wait.” September 21, 2007. (Mega Genius: “If Vice President Cheney is there, you may be the ‘duck.’”)

10. George W. Bush, US President who had previously decided that he was “the decider,” for his subsequent conclusion: “As you know, my position is clear — I’m the commander guy.” May 2, 2007. (Mega Genius: “That is what concerns me.”)

Mega Genius(R) has held memberships in all the major high-IQ societies in the world. He has the highest level of intelligence measurable on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised, the most modern and accurate intelligence test of the twenty-first century. His intelligence hits the top of the IQ scale and continues to some unknown and immeasurable point. Advanced techniques that Mega Genius(R) has devised to enable people worldwide to increase their intelligence are available at MegaGenius.com.

According to Reuters, a Thai designer reused the skin of the fish that is often discarded by turning it into swim wear.

The Tilapia fish is often eaten by street vendors with noodle soup. But the skin has been discovered as being durable and water proof, making it a perfect material for handbags, wallets and bikinis.

Not sure how quickly this will catch on.

According to Reuters, a member of a Chinese family on the island of Hainan vomited blood after drinking a bottle of water.

They were sure the water was tainted, so they fed the rest of the water to a hapless chicken, who immediately choked and died.

They fed the luckless chicken the rest of the water to see what would happen, the Beijing News said, citing a report in a local paper. “The result was the chicken died within a minute,” it said, showing a picture of a man holding a plastic bottle squatting over the crumpled body of the bird.

Authorities were investigating, Reuters reported.

Chinese water torture anyone?