Drains, Kites, and Cupcakes

Here is some interesting information from an old issue of Wired that got a final perusal before being dumped in the recycle bin:

• The water in bathtubs, sinks, and toilets does NOT swish one way (clockwise) in the northern hemisphere and the other way in the southern hemisphere. The shape of the basin and position of incoming water flow are what determines the direction.
• Benjamin Franklin's kite was NOT struck by lighting. The kite picked up electricity from the air, which caused an arc between Franklin's hand and the key that was tied to the kite.

And finally, from a New York Times article:

• The Torrance Bakery is now 23 years old and is swamped with intern applicants, willing to work for free. This is a new phenomenon. So treat those smilin' college students with some respect, please; they are not simply there because their parents made them get a minimum-wage summer job!

But why does the New York Times run an article on bakeries in Los Angeles county? Could it be that their Los Angeles cousin has been too busy handing out pink slips to note the stories under their noses?