And now for the funny

In response to the recent news item about RAT INFESTATIONS AT KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN AND TACO BELL, FreakingNews.com held a contest for illustrations that fit the story. The winner was JennaH's Under New Management:

NEW YORK -- The parent company of KFC and Taco Bell _ still smarting from last year's E. coli scare _ has been forced back into damage-control mode after television cameras caught rats scampering around a restaurant floor.

As health inpsectors descended on a KFC and Taco Bell eatery in Manhattan's Greenwich Village on Friday, Yum Brands Inc. hastened to show that it also was taking the rodents seriously.

"Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our customers. This is completely unacceptable and is an absolute violation of our high standards," Yum Brands said in a statement.

The franchise owner "is actively addressing this issue," the statement said, adding that the restaurant will remain closed until the problem is "completely resolved."