McDonalds has been a favorite whipping boy of health buffs and nutrition experts, with its French fries and Quarterpounders being blamed for obesity among Americans. A Virginia man, however, credits the fastfood outlet for his losing about 80 pounds. But Chris Coleson, who was 278 pounds in December, did not gorge on McDonald's fattening offers. Rather, he feasted on the hamburger chain's healthy menu such as salads, wraps and apple dippers, less the caramel sauce.

A man who found himself the winner of a Ł1. 3 million ($2. 6 million) lottery recently returned to his job at a local McDonald's after living a rich life, simply because he missed his co-workers. The man, 25-year old Luke Pittard, won the lottery with his girlfriend and co-worker, 29-year old Emma Cox, 18 months ago, leading Pittard to quit his job as the restaurant's staff trainer. However, he decided to return because of the fact that he simply loved his job.

A court has ordered a Japanese McDonald's franchise to pay more than $70,300 USD to a store manager for years of unpaid overtime. Hiroshi Takano, a 46-year-old store manager in Kumagaya, claimed that he had served more than 100 hours of overtime in a month, without taking a day off. Coming to work at 6:00 a. m. everyday, the increasing number of responsibilities would usually find him heading for home at about midnight. "I was a manager in name only and conditions were harsh," said Takano at a press conference held at the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Kasumigaseki, Tokyo. "It was a long battle, but [the court] finally made the right decision. . . I hope to speak out again in the future so I can live more like a human being. "

Local officials apprehended a man suspected of reckless driving by following a trail of the man's footprints made with dog poo. According to the police report, authorities found a car crashed into the yard of local homeowner Bill McDonald. Investigating the scene, police found a trail of footprints that had been left when the escaped driver stepped in the excrement of most probably one of McDonald's four dogs.

Aaron Giles was just five years old when he lost his identity bracelet while playing in his grandfather's farm in Fairmont, Minnesota. Now 31 and a resident of Gloucester, Massachusetts, he never thought that he could still find a childhood memento - and no small thanks to the meat cutters of Olson Locker in Fairmont.