| Man arrested for snake vodka
SANTO (AP)- A rattlesnake rancher who calls himself Bayou Bob found a new way to make money: Stick a rattler inside a bottle of vodka and market the concoction as an "ancient Asian elixir." But Bayou Bob Popplewell's bright idea appears to have landed him on the wrong side of the law because he has no liquor license.
Popplewell, who has raised rattlesnakes and turtles at Bayou Bob's Brazos River Rattlesnake Ranch for more than two decades, surrendered to authorities Monday. He spent about 10 minutes in jail after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission obtained arrest warrants on misdemeanor charges of selling alcohol without a license and possessing alcohol with intent to sell.
If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail and $1,000 in fines.
Popplewell said he will fight the charges.
Dollars and Sense: Soaring Gas Prices
As oil prices rise, an increasing portion of the family budget has to be set aside for gas money. Phil Flynn, Senior Market Analyst at Alaron Trading, helps make sense of the soaring prices and shares some tips for saving pennies at the pump. Tips To Save At The Pump: (FROM AAA-Chicago) Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel economy drops off significantly when traveling more than 60 miles per hour. As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas. Stick to a routine maintenance schedule. Keeping tires inflated, moving components properly lubricated and ignition and emission systems operating properly will help ensure maximum fuel efficiency and extend the life of your vehicle. Lighten your vehicle by cleaning out the trunk, cargo areas and passenger compartments.
Operators Don Business Attire
Get out the suits and ties. Major cable operators are mobilizing this year to tap into enterprise telecommunications services, estimated to be a $55 billion market in the United States, according to Wall Street analyst firm Sanford Bernstein. Comcast last week launched "business-class" voice service in New England, offering small and medium-size businesses a triple-play bundle with cable TV, high-speed Internet and voice starting at $99 per month. The operator will widen the rollout to its other territories through the rest of the year. As part of the nationwide SMB initiative, Comcast has hired more than 1,000 sales and support representatives in the past year, according to one of its technology suppliers. (Comcast would not confirm the specific number of hires.) Industry analysts said cable has a rich opportunity to pick off business from incumbent providers, such as AT&T and Verizon Communications.
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