Strange but True

SINGAPORE — Singapore plans to give its toilet cleaners more potty training.

Already famous for its spotless streets, Singapore is stepping up a campaign against filthy restrooms: The government has initiated a training program to boost the status and skills of the city-state’s toilet cleaners, a newspaper reported Thursday.

More than 50 toilet cleaners will be promoted to "restroom specialist” upon completing the three-day pilot course taught by Japanese experts in the latest toilet technology, The Straits Times reported.

The program — sponsored by the city-state’s National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore-based World Toilet College — aims to boost the image and wages of professional toilet cleaners by training them to do more on the job, The Straits Times reported.

The college has flown in three top Japanese trainers to conduct the course on improving cleaning techniques and technical expertise to the initial group of 51 cleaners.

"Cleaners have low morale and low skills,” the paper quoted Jack Sim, the World Toilet College’s founder, as saying. "We want to professionalize them and teach them to be proud of their jobs.”

Sim said he plans to train all 5,000 toilet cleaners and raise their average monthly wage to $598, up from $472.

Fitting resting place

WINONA, Minn. — Roger Busdicker went out on a high note.

Busdicker, who was often seen playing his ebony-and-silver clarinet, died last week at age 88 and his daughters thought it befitting to have his cremated remains buried inside the instrument.

"One of my sisters found the clarinet in a closet,” said Sue Enger, of New Richmond, Wis. "All three of us decided it would be appropriate to bury his ashes in it.”

Roger Busdicker toured with the Hal Leonard Orchestra in the 1930s and ’40s before becoming a music teacher in Winona schools. He later co-founded and ran a sheet-music publishing company until retiring in 1985.

He never stopped playing.

"When I was young, we were in municipal band together. Every day or every other day, we’d go to the basement and play band music — real upbeat music, the kind that made you tap your toes,” Enger said.

Beer bomb

PLYMOUTH, Ind. — The beer ad attracted attention — but not in the way Pabst Blue Ribbon had intended.

A bartender called police because he thought a blinking red light was a bomb, resulting in the evacuation of 35 people from a resort hotel.

Guests were allowed back in their rooms less than an hour later, after a sheriff’s officer determined the light was part of a Pabst Blue Ribbon ad. The ad was suction-cupped to the window of the Sam Snead restaurant in Swan Lake Resort.

The bartender called authorities about the suspicious flashing light at 12:30 a.m. Monday, and guests were evacuated about six minutes later, said Doug Leedke, general manager of the resort in Plymouth, 25 miles south of South Bend.

The false alarm is a sign of the times, Leedke said.

"Our employee saw something unusual and reported it,” he said.

Drunken sleeping

BALDWIN PLACE, N.Y. — William Collins was going nowhere fast.

Collins was drunk and had passed out at the wheel of his parked, running van in a lot, according to police in upstate New York. They said his foot was flooring the accelerator for so long, the smoking engine nearly blew up.

When troopers could not awaken the 37-year-old Collins, they broke the van’s window and shut off the motor. One trooper cut his hand in the process and needed stitches. Collins was charged with driving while intoxicated.

"By the time the troopers responded, the guy’s engine was about to blow up,” said Sgt. Joseph Lutz of the state police.

Collins posted $500 bail and was released to a family member. He is due in court July 11.<