Rearview: Stories and statistics of interest to pest control operators

Pest Management Thriller! Michael Jackson on Crutches After Spider Bite

As pop culture enthusiasts know, the controversial Michael Jackson was in the news again recently.

First, there was that baby-dangling incident in Germany. Then, there was his testimony in a lawsuit in which he was being sued for $21 million over canceled concerts.

But something recently occurred that may interest even the most anti-Hollywood pest management professional.

According to a Reuters report, Jackson showed up to a court appearance dressed in a white satin vest and tie. But he had to explain to onlookers why he was using crutches and was wearing a white athletic sock on one foot. He told reporters, "It is a spider bite. It is real bad. If I showed it to you, you’d be shocked. It hurts very much right now as I speak."

OK. We can buy that. Some spiders have been known to pack a powerful punch with their bites. But what we can’t buy is what he said next. Jackson, who keeps tarantulas at his Neverland Valley ranch near the central California town of Santa Maria, said his foot had swollen up after being bitten by a common spider during a fumigation of his home.

What accounts for this "off the wall" behavior? Your guess is as good as ours.

THE DECEMBER 2002 EMPLOYMENT SITUATION

Employment declined in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.0 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported recently. Payroll employment fell by 101,000, following a decline of 88,000 in November. In December, job losses continued in manufacturing; employment also fell in retail trade and transportation.