Etc...

Don't make me unleash him

Next time a law-enforcement agency needs to sic dogs on a fugitive, maybe it should enlist Henry Ritter's help. Why, he's so good at the technique that he doesn't even need a canine. Earlier this month, Ritter and another Hamilton County (Tenn.) deputy sheriff were chasing a suspect who'd fled into a woods and ignored their order to stop. "We know you can hear us; we're sending our dog after you," Ritter's partner yelled - or words to that effect. For his part, Ritter made menacing-sounding barking noises. Almost immediately, the suspect surrendered.

Speaking of criminals, legend-ary bank robber John Dillinger's submachine gun is to be featured in an exhibition opening this fall at the Racine (Wis.) Art Museum. So what, you ask? Well, the museum occupies the former American Bank & Trust Co. building ... which Dillinger held up in 1933.

Depending on whom you ask, video games are either a scourge that encourages aggression or a way for players to build coordination and even fellowship, in the case of online games. Regardless, the thumb-numbing pastime is hugely popular, especially during the school-free summer months. The top 10 favorite titles for computers and their developers (in parentheses), according to a poll of 1,000 readers by Computer Gaming World magazine:

1. Battlefield 1942: Road to Rome (Electronic Arts)
2. Command & Conquer: Generals (Electronic Arts)
3. Medal of Honor: Spearhead (Electronic Arts)
4. Unreal II: The Awakening, (Infogrames Entertainment)
5. Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield (Ubi Soft Entertainment)
6. SimCity 4 (Electronic Arts)
7. Freelancer (Microsoft)
8. RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (Infogrames Entertainment)
9. Medieval: Total War (Activision)
10. Delta Force 3: Black Hawk Down (NovaLogic)