Etc...

Relax; he'll get around to it

The fines for failing to register his car for London's new traffic-control program could amount to $1,600. But if they're owed, they'll be paid, a spokesman for Tony Blair said, explaining that the British Prime Minister "has been busy" lately, working on, oh, such concerns as Iraq and peace in Northern Ireland.

'We knew people like the tango, but never expected this.'

- Nicolas Patti, a walking-tour guide of tango haunts in Buenos Aires, commenting on the 300 people who showed up for his tour. Argentina is experiencing a "tango boom" - the cheap peso and elaborate stagings of the exotic dance is attracting international tourists in droves. The country, suffering from severe economic downturn, is bracing for a record 4 million visitors this year.

Almost two-thirds (62 percent) of US households - or 64.2 million - include pets, according to the latest survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. That's up more than 10 million from a decade ago. What's more, the industry trade group estimates that pet owners will spend $31 billion this year to care for - or just to pamper - the furry, feathered, or scaly critters. As to favored creature companions, fish had the highest overall tally since most tanks hold a community. The US's most popular pets (in millions), according to the APPMA:

1. Freshwater fish 185 million
2. Cats 77.7
3. Dogs 65.0
4. Birds 17.3
5. Small animals (guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, etc.) 16.8
6. Reptiles 8.8
7. Saltwater fish 7.0 - PR Newswire

source: Wires