A fictional tornado ripped through Ames, Iowa, in the 1996 movie "Twister," but the damage that was done was contained to the world of special effects within the film. Now Littleport, another Iowa town that really was destroyed by a natural disaster, is going to have the starring role in a television program about special effects in movies. Two years ago, the town was devastated when the Volga River overran its banks and flooded the area with 10 feet of water.

In a state known for rodeos and livestock, it's hard to imagine that a dispute would arise over one additional cow. But that's just what has happened in Texas since Fort Worth, fondly known as "Cowtown," unveiled its new logo.

Fifty dollars went a long way in the era of the horse and buggy. But issuing a $50 fine in the 21st century, as a penalty for potentially dangerous municipal code infractions, doesn't seem like much of a deterrent. Yet, under a Tennessee constitutional provision set in 1796, that is the maximum amount the Metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County can impose as punishment, according to a ruling issued by the state Supreme Court in September.

What flirts these mortals be! Humans have tried for millennia to lure ducks closer to them for hunting purposes. But today's high-tech devices are making the task so easy that the state of Washington recently banned the use of electronic decoys.

After years of benign neglect, the municipal bond market is back in the spotlight. Falling interest rates, a volatile stock market and a weakening economy created a resurgence of interest in both issuing and buying muni bonds in the first three quarters of the year.