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Posted On: May. 13, 2007 12:00 AM CST

The Lloyds of London: A relentless appetite for...rock?

For a centuries-old insurance market, Lloyd's of London is pretty darn hip.

A Los Angeles-based rock band is biting off of Lloyd's, having dubbed themselves "The Lloyds of London."

"Finding a good, catchy name (for a band), that's always the hard part," said the band's lead vocalist, Lloyd Miller.

When the band's drummer in early 2005 suggested the name "The Lloyds of London," on account of Mr. Miller's first name, it stuck.

Apparently the name rings a bell with some concertgoers. "We have people come up to us and say 'we've heard of you before,"' Mr. Miller said. "We're building a pretty good following."

The trio--which consists of a vocalist/guitarist, bassist and drummer and is now frequenting the Los Angeles club scene--may have more in common with the legendary insurance market than they think: former Lloyd's Chairman Max Taylor is known for having played in the jazz and blues band "Skin Alley."

The Lloyds of London counts Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd among its influences, describing its music as "a modern sound that takes you to timeless domestic dimensions," with "elements of blues funk and hard rock," according to its MySpace site. Tracks by The Lloyds of London include: "Feeling the Groove," "Wasting Time" and "Creeper." See and hear for yourself at www.myspace.com/thelloydsoflondon.


Court finds brewer liable for taster's alcoholism

While experience is generally considered a desirable commodity by employers when recruiting, one Brazilian brewer probably should have more closely questioned a beer taster's drinking habits.

According to the Associated Press, a Brazilian labor court has ordered Sao Paulo brewer Ambev to pay the equivalent of $49,400 to an employee who claimed he became a drunk under company-sanctioned circumstances: As a beer taster, the employee was required to consume about a liter and a half of brew during each eight-hour shift.

Ambev successfully defended itself at a lower court hearing by claiming the employee's alcoholism was a pre-existing condition, not one that he acquired on the job. Last week, the employee won a reversal of that decision on appeal.


Hockey player's comp claim sent to the penalty box

Missouri appeals court judges say they have great respect for professional athletes, but evidently not so much that they would award workers compensation benefits to an injured professional hockey player.

The judges for Missouri's Eastern District Court of Appeals recently body checked Steve Dubinsky's efforts to get the St. Louis Blues to pay him $13,600 in benefits for a concussion the now-retired NHL player suffered in 2003 when he was struck with a stick.

At issue is a Missouri law that strips professional athletes of workers comp benefits when their post-injury wages exceed the benefits to which they otherwise would be entitled.

Mr. Dubinsky argued that legislators didn't mean for the Missouri law to apply to permanent partial disability cases like his. He also argued the law discriminates against athletes.

But a three-judge panel ruled the law is rational because professional athletes perform work with "a distinctive blend of risk combined with lucrative compensation."

The Blues paid Mr. Dubinsky $241,443 in salary after his injury.

"While this court has great respect for professional athletes," the judges wrote, "the Legislature could have rationally placed a different value on those who risk bodily harm to provide entertainment from those, such as police officers and fire fighters, who risk bodily harm to protect society."


Open wide, and don't forget to wash your hands

Dentists in Minnesota who use "conscious sedation" in their practice now must continuously monitor their anxious patients' vital signs--even if it means accompanying them to the restroom--under a new directive from the Minnesota Board of Dentistry.

Although it was not the intent of the rule--which is being implemented to ensure patient safety and could help avoid claims of malpractice--it is an unintended consequence for patients who undergo lengthy procedures while sedated, said Marshall Schragg, executive director of the St. Paul-based dental board.

Mr. Schragg said he expected some complaints from Minnesota dentists after the rule was promulgated, particularly because it makes no exceptions for male dentists treating female patients or the reverse, which could lead to some embarrassing situations.

"They need to plan for those possibilities," Mr. Schragg said.

"Like mom always used to say, 'Go before you get in the car,"' he suggested.

Previously, patients could be escorted to the restroom by same-sex members of a dentist's staff. Mr. Schragg said the reason for the change is purely for patient safety and is not related to any specific occurrence.

Conscious sedation is a popular but controversial form of anesthesia usually used on patients who suffer from anxiety whenever they visit the dentist. The treatment produces a depressed level of consciousness either by injected anesthesia, inhalation of nitrous oxide, hypnosis or any combination thereof.

Contributing: Roberto Ceniceros, Rupal Parekh, Joanne Wojcik