Yesterday was...

a good day for:

Scientists, with the publication of a "Studmuffins of Science" pin-up calendar for 1996. Each month features a different scientist skiing, swimming, weight-lifting or in other manly pursuits. The models were recruited with the help of an advertisement on the Internet that read: "If you have a Y chromosome and a PhD, you could be Dr December!"

The term "studmuffin" apparently denotes sexiness with boyish charm.

a bad day for:

Eight Indian tax collectors, who were chased for half a mile through the streets of Modinagar and attacked by 1,500 angry businessmen alleging tax harassment after the officials had raided a local office to examine the accounting books.

The highest-ranking tax collector was reported to have suffered a broken nose, one of his colleagues had a fractured leg and the others had wrist- watches, wallets and a gold chain stolen from them.