Shortstack

This holiday season, why not send warm strawberry pies to colleagues on your shopping list? OK, scratch that plan; pies are too perishable to survive shipping. But Shoney's North America Corp. has an alternative that's got some folks salivating.

The restaurant chain has launched its first-ever gift card program nationwide. Cards are good toward any food or beverage item at Shoney's and can be purchased in amounts up to $100. They can also be reloaded. But there's a twist: Scratch the image on the cards, and they smell like Shoney's famous strawberry pie.

"Gift cards are always hot items during the holidays, but ours might even make you hungry," said Dan Bigelow, Shoney's Vice President of Marketing.

By early 2008, the restaurant will introduce two more scents: hot fudge cake and pancake.

Are you hungry yet?

Biz Bytes

Agency has several definitions:

• A service or business such as an employment agency authorized to act on the behalf of others.

• A government's administrative section.

• A legal term describing the relationship between two parties: a principal and an agent. The agent represents the principal in business transactions with a third party.

Which of these statements is correct?

1. The island of trash floating somewhere between San Francisco and Hawaii is 80% plastic waste.

2. A 20 Questions trivia game that fits on a keychain has been branded the hot new gadget for the holiday season.

3. A company has patented a design for credit and debit cards that look like ninja stars and double as self-defense weapons.

Point here for the answer.

MLScapes

Why did they let the turkey join the band?

It had drumsticks.

^{Source: basicjokes.com}

Loopy laws

In Ohio, it is against the law to ply fish with liquor and get them drunk.