A former German solider is bringing some German cuisine to war-torn Iraq. Gunter Voelker's menu features sausages, schnitzel, sauerkraut and beer. Dining patrons also are treated to authentic folk music of the Rhineland.

A Cornell University horticulturist research says that giving some plants diluted alcohol stunts the growth of a plant's leaves and stems but doesn't affect the blossoms. William Miller, director of Cornell's Flower Bulb Research Program, reported his findings in the April issue of HortTechnology, a peer-reviewed journal of horticulture.

Most baby showers end with cake and parting gifts. One in Massachusetts ended in gunfire and a beating. Police say the shower began with an argument over whether a woman let her five-year-old daughter drink beer. When the baby shower's hostess tried to intervene, a man began hitting some of the guests, including the 22-year-old mother-to-be.

Canada bans an Australian tourism campaign in their country for the apparent use of the term "bloody hell", which is deemed offensive in many parts of the world, and for luring visitors by saying "We've poured you a beer!". The ads begin with characters saying: "We've poured you a beer and we've had the camels shampooed, we've saved you a spot on the beach. . . and we've got the sharks out of the pool".