The "public art" statues unveiled in January by Fort Myers, Fla., Mayor Randy Henderson included a metal structure by sculptor Edgardo Carmona of a man walking a dog, with the dog "lifting his leg" beside a pole. Only after inspecting the piece more closely did many observers realize that the man, too, was relieving himself against the pole. Carmona described the work as commentary on man and dog "marking their territory." And a recent anonymously authored "confidential" book by a National Football League player reported that "linemen, especially," have taken to relieving themselves inside their uniforms during games, "a sign that you're so into the game" that you "won't pause [even] to use the toilet."

Can't possibly be true

The popular Nell's Country Kitchen in Winter Haven, Fla., was shut down again (for "remodeling," the owner said) in December after a health inspector found that it had been operating for two weeks without its own running water — with only a garden hose connection, across its parking lot, to a neighbor's spigot. It had also closed for a day earlier in 2015 because of mold, roach activity and rodent droppings (although management insisted that business had immediately picked up the day they reopened).

In November, a perhaps-exasperated Centers for Disease Control attempted once again to tout a startlingly effective anti-HIV drug — after a recent survey revealed that a third of primary-care doctors said they had never heard of it. So, FYI: Truvada, taken once a day, said the CDC, gives "better than 90 percent" protection from risky gay sex and better than 70 percent protection from HIV acquired from the sharing of needles. Truvada is the only FDA-approved retroviral drug for retarding HIV (but its maker, Gilead Sciences, has declined to advertise it for that purpose).

In 2004, abusive boyfriend Robert Braxton Jr. was charged with badly beating up the three children of girlfriend Tondalo Hall, 20, with injuries ranging from bruises to fractured legs, ribs and a toe. Braxton got a deal from Oklahoma City prosecutors, pleaded guilty, served two years in prison, and was released in 2006. Hall's plea "bargain" resulted in a 30-year sentence for having failed to protect her kids from Braxton, and she's still in prison — and in September 2015 (following a rejected appeal and sentence modification), the Pardon and Parole Board refused, 5-0, even to commute her sentence to a time-served 10 years.

Great art!

Mike Wolfe, 35, of Nampa, Idaho, finally brought his dream to life for 2016 — a calendar of photographs of "artistic" designs made by shaving images into his back hair. He said it took him about four months each for enough hair to grow back to give his designer-friend Tyler Harding enough to work with. (January, for instance, features "New Year" in lettering, with two Champagne glasses.) "Calend-hairs" cost $20 each (with proceeds, Wolfe said, going to an orphanage connected to his church).

Unclear on the concept

Jamie, 29, and Abbie Hort, 21, an unemployed couple drawing housing and other government benefits, won a United Kingdom lottery prize in December 2014 worth about $72,000, promptly spent it all (including "some" on "silly" stuff, Abbie admitted), and according to a January press report, are angry now that the government will not immediately reinstitute their benefits. Abbie said, as lottery winners, she and Jamie "deserved to buy some nice stuff" and go on holiday, but that now, except for the large-screen TV and Jamie's Ralph Lauren clothes, the winnings are gone. Said Jamie, this past Christmas was just "the worst ever."

Public relations spokesman Phil Frame, 61, was arrested in Shelby Township, Mich., after a Jan. 1 Sheriff's Office search of his computer and paper files turned up child pornography. The Detroit News reported that Frame had already been questioned about child pornography, in September, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and for some reason apparently was not intimidated enough (or was too lazy) to clear out his files. (The Homeland Security investigation is still ongoing.)

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