Study: ‘G’ films more profitable

Grand Rapids, Mich. A study commissioned by a group that encourages production of family friendly movies found that G-rated movies are more profitable than R-rated films, yet far more racy films are made.

The study, released today by the Dove Foundation, found the average G-rated flick was 11 times more profitable than its R-rated counterpart, but the film industry made more than 12 times as many R-rated movies from 1989-2003.

The study examined costs and revenue associated with 200 most widely distributed films released by major Hollywood studios each year during the 15-year period.

Lab ‘whistleblower’ beaten outside bar

Santa Fe, N.M. A Los Alamos lab whistleblower set to testify before Congress about alleged financial irregularities was beaten outside a bar – and his wife and lawyer say it was aimed at silencing him.

Police are investigating the beating that, according to his wife, left Tommy Hook hospitalized Monday with a broken jaw and other injuries.

Authorities said officers found Hook after responding to a reported assault at a bar at about 2 a.m. Sunday. Hook’s wife alleged the assailants told her husband: ” ‘If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your mouth shut.’ “

Tommy Hook and another whistleblower sued the University of California in March, alleging that after they uncovered manage- ment failures, university and lab managers tried to make them quit.

Man faces charges over ricin possession

Phoenix A man was being held Monday on a charge of possessing the deadly poison ricin, but officials said they don’t believe he has any connection to terrorism.

Casey Cutler, 25, told authorities he carried the poison in vials around his neck to use as a possible weapon. He said he was attacked last year by three men while walking to his apartment and intended to use the ricin in self-defense if attacked again.

Cutler, of Mesa, Ariz., faces a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of producing and possessing a deadly toxin for use as a weapon.

Power being restored in stormy Michigan

Detroit Severe thunderstorms that swept across Michigan knocked out power to more than 185,000 customers before most of them got their electricity back, officials said Monday.

Two touchdowns of suspected funnel clouds were reported in Saginaw County during Sunday’s storms. Straight-line winds and hail caused other storm damage.

As of Monday afternoon, about 11,000 utilities customers in southern Michigan were without service, down from 84,000, a spokesman said. About 103,000 customers in southeastern Michigan lost power, and about 35,000 remained blacked out.

Numbers disputed over black Scouts

Atlanta A civil-rights group official dismissed on Sunday a Boy Scouts audit of the number of blacks in an inner-city youth program, saying the figures are unrealistic.

Joseph Beasley, of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, said that although Atlanta officials released an audit last week claiming more than 5,300 black Boy Scouts were registered in the Operation First Class program, fewer than 500 blacks actually are registered.

The report was commissioned by the local Boy Scouts group after Beasley challenged officials’ claim that more than 10,000 boys – mainly blacks and members of other minorities – were enrolled. The audit found that nearly 5,000 boys were falsely registered, largely because of pressure on Scout officials assigned to inner-city areas to increase membership numbers.