A Japanese business owner is taking a stand up approach to fine dining.

Michio Yasuda owns and operates eighteen restaurants in Tokyo where customers enjoy high quality food by Michelin rated chefs. But here's the catch; you have to eat dinner while standing.

Yasuda says this cut down the cost and lets people in low income brackets enjoy a fancy meal. Now he's bringing his standing room only idea to New York. He plans on opening a gourmet Japanese style restaurant in Manhattan designed for people who crave sushi without a three figure price tag. And he's hoping the New York habit of standing and drinking at bars will transfer to the dinner table.  read more »

A centuries old legend is getting a 21st century punishment.

A group of people in New Hampshire are topping off parking meters that are about to expire. Calling themselves “Robin Hood and his Merry Men” they leave a note on the windshields of the cars they save from a parking ticket. Those notes read “your meter expired, however we saved you from the king’s tariffs, please consider paying it forward."

Now the group is being sued by the city for allegedly taunting, harassing and intimidating three parking enforcement officers. The suit says the group follows the officers around the city with radio and video equipment.  read more »

Sir Richard Branson is trading in his business suit; for a pencil skirt.

Recently the founder of Virgin Airlines and one of the richest men in the world had his legs shaved and got all dolled up to honor a bet. In 2010 Branson and Air Asia chief Tony Fernandes wagered that their Formula One racing teams would finish ahead of each other. Turns out Fernandes finished two spots before Branson and last week it was time to pay up.

So Branson put on the tight red uniform of a flight attendant and serviced a flight from Perth, Australia to Malaysia. His job duties included pouring drinks, serving food and making flight announcements.  read more »

When the great recession crippled the economy; one man started building a recovery... out of wood.

CBS Sixty Minutes recently profiled Brian Preston. In 2008 he lost the Georgia based furniture company he had started with just one employee. After selling his house and car he and his pregnant wife were forced to move in with family. That's when he had an idea to boost his bank account.

Preston decided to start making furniture again only this time he would make it out of reclaimed wood such as dismantled barns and shipping palates. Next he needed employees, people ready to do whatever it took to get back on their feet. And he found them, as part of a homeless housing community living in the woods behind a shopping center.  read more »

It’s the battle of the bulge; and it’s getting personal.

Shortly after settling into the white house first lady Michelle Obama decided to whip child hood obesity into shape. Since then other cities have stepped up to minimize American waistlines. And in South Carolina that effort has gone right to the fully stocked refrigerator of the governor’s mansion.

South Carolina state senators have inserted a clause in the 2013 budget that would prevent the office of governor Nikki Haley and the governor’s mansion from buying any junk food with public money. Even if that food is for employee treats, celebrations or entertaining.  read more »