Smile
Saturday, July 15, 2006
The Indian Beatles
I'm sure you're aware of how Indian music influenced The Beatles.
But how much did The Beatles influence Indian music?
But how much did The Beatles influence Indian music?
France Gall - J'ai Retrouvé Mon Chien
This is French born singer France Gall who represented Luxembourg in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest and won.
This however, which translated into English means I found my dog, is a very strange performance from sometime I imagine in the early 1960's.
Halfway through it all stops and a guy saws a dog in half. (Not a real one).
Then it gets even stranger.
This however, which translated into English means I found my dog, is a very strange performance from sometime I imagine in the early 1960's.
Halfway through it all stops and a guy saws a dog in half. (Not a real one).
Then it gets even stranger.
Weather Modification, Inc.
Weather modification is also commonly known as cloud seeding, cloud modification, atmospheric resource management, and precipitation management. Weather Modification, Inc. specializes and excels in all aspects of this water management technology.
Specifically, we offer a complete range of services from turn-key operational programs for rainfall increase (rain enhancement), snow pack augmentation, hail damage mitigation (hail suppression), and fog clearing (fog dissipation), to technical assistance and/or technology transfer for all of these.
Specifically, we offer a complete range of services from turn-key operational programs for rainfall increase (rain enhancement), snow pack augmentation, hail damage mitigation (hail suppression), and fog clearing (fog dissipation), to technical assistance and/or technology transfer for all of these.
It's a Minor miracle
The best British car ever in the eyes of motorists is the Morris Minor.
The humble motor — last made in 1971 — beat flash rivals made by Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce in a poll.
The Minor was launched in 1948 and originally called the Mosquito. More than 1.6million were built.
Top ten British motors:
1. Morris Minor; 2. Aston Martin; 3. Rolls-Royce; 4. Fire engine; 5. Mini; 6. Black cab; 7. Double decker bus; 8. Robin Reliant; 9. Milk float; 10. Green Goddess fire engine.
The humble motor — last made in 1971 — beat flash rivals made by Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce in a poll.
The Minor was launched in 1948 and originally called the Mosquito. More than 1.6million were built.
Top ten British motors:
1. Morris Minor; 2. Aston Martin; 3. Rolls-Royce; 4. Fire engine; 5. Mini; 6. Black cab; 7. Double decker bus; 8. Robin Reliant; 9. Milk float; 10. Green Goddess fire engine.
Neighbour's 18 TVs Might Have Caused Hi-Rise Fire
A neighbour of the sixth-floor unit where a fire started at the Hotel Versailles on Tuesday claims the man who lives there is a nuisance who did strange things with the 18 TVs he owned that might have contributed to the blaze.
Ivette Valerio, who lives in unit No. 605, said the occupant of the apartment, where a blind man was treated for smoke inhalation, had 18 TVs that were all plugged into his electrical outlets. She said he used two TVs to prop the door open and would sometimes place TVs in the stairwell, obstructing the path.
Firefighters said the amount of clutter in the unit made it difficult for them to fight the fire.
Ivette Valerio, who lives in unit No. 605, said the occupant of the apartment, where a blind man was treated for smoke inhalation, had 18 TVs that were all plugged into his electrical outlets. She said he used two TVs to prop the door open and would sometimes place TVs in the stairwell, obstructing the path.
Firefighters said the amount of clutter in the unit made it difficult for them to fight the fire.
Patient Wearing Oxygen Mask Sparks Fire
A patient who was wearing an oxygen mask tried to light a cigarette in his hospital room, sparking a fire that forced the evacuation of more than 100 patients, destroyed the room and melted medical equipment, officials said.
A nurse at Methodist Dallas Medical Center rescued the man from his burning bed shortly after the Thursday night blaze started. He suffered serious burns and was taken to the burn unit another Dallas hospital, but no one else was hurt.
"He somehow got the strength to smoke a cigarette with a nonremovable mask," Dallas Fire-Rescue Capt. Paul Martinez said. "I don't know how he did it, but he did it."
A nurse at Methodist Dallas Medical Center rescued the man from his burning bed shortly after the Thursday night blaze started. He suffered serious burns and was taken to the burn unit another Dallas hospital, but no one else was hurt.
"He somehow got the strength to smoke a cigarette with a nonremovable mask," Dallas Fire-Rescue Capt. Paul Martinez said. "I don't know how he did it, but he did it."
Canadians may soon be able to drink their nicotine
The distributor of a new type of bottled water that contains nicotine, the addictive agent in cigarettes, say the product may soon be coming to Canada.
While the California-based seller says it is safe and non-addictive, one neurobiologist disagrees, saying the product comes with risks.
NIC Lite water contains about two cigarettes worth of nicotine and is being sold as a dietary supplement in the U.S. even though the Food and Drug Administration recently said it's an unapproved drug and its claim to be a supplement violates the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Jess Baker, vice-president of sales for Nichonica, which markets and sells NIC Lite, says the company is in the "later stages of clearance" to be able to sell nicotine water in Canada.
While the California-based seller says it is safe and non-addictive, one neurobiologist disagrees, saying the product comes with risks.
NIC Lite water contains about two cigarettes worth of nicotine and is being sold as a dietary supplement in the U.S. even though the Food and Drug Administration recently said it's an unapproved drug and its claim to be a supplement violates the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Jess Baker, vice-president of sales for Nichonica, which markets and sells NIC Lite, says the company is in the "later stages of clearance" to be able to sell nicotine water in Canada.
Maine Lobsterman Pulls Up Rare Lobster
An eastern Maine lobsterman caught a lobster this week that looks like it's half-cooked.
The lobster caught by Alan Robinson in Dyer's Bay that is a typical mottled green on one side; the other side is a shade of orange that looks cooked.
Robinson, of Steuben, donated the lobster to the Mount Desert Oceanarium. Staff members say the odds or finding a half-and-half lobster are 1 in 50 million to 100 million. By comparison, the odds of finding a blue lobster are about 1 in a million.
The lobster caught by Alan Robinson in Dyer's Bay that is a typical mottled green on one side; the other side is a shade of orange that looks cooked.
Robinson, of Steuben, donated the lobster to the Mount Desert Oceanarium. Staff members say the odds or finding a half-and-half lobster are 1 in 50 million to 100 million. By comparison, the odds of finding a blue lobster are about 1 in a million.
Online gambler blows £158,000 of parents' money in 50 minutes
An internet gambler who used his parents' credit cards as he lost a staggering £158,000 in just 50 minutes yesterday escaped jail.
Richard Mahan ran 13 cards belonging to his wealthy mother and father up to their limit to amass astonishing debts as he desperately tried to win back his losses.
In his first hour of online gambling he won £90,000 - but then began losing, and bet right up to the limit of all his parents' cards, leaving them £68,000 in debt only 50 minutes after his profits had peaked.
His father James,51, a successful oil trader, and mother Linda, a director of her husband's company, only found out the full scale of his losses when their credit card companies contacted them.
They were told that unless they called the police they would have to repay the money themselves.
Richard Mahan ran 13 cards belonging to his wealthy mother and father up to their limit to amass astonishing debts as he desperately tried to win back his losses.
In his first hour of online gambling he won £90,000 - but then began losing, and bet right up to the limit of all his parents' cards, leaving them £68,000 in debt only 50 minutes after his profits had peaked.
His father James,51, a successful oil trader, and mother Linda, a director of her husband's company, only found out the full scale of his losses when their credit card companies contacted them.
They were told that unless they called the police they would have to repay the money themselves.
Daughter Who Surprised Mom With Birthday Visit Sues Parents
An Illinois woman is suing her Wisconsin parents for maintaining an icy driveway that she blamed for a fall that broke her ankle two winters ago.
Carriel Louah, 25, visited Darlington, Wis., to surprise her mother on her birthday in January 2005. But the next morning, she was injured when she slipped and fell on her parents' driveway. She filed suit against her parents earlier this year.
The daughter said that a letter from her mom apologizing months after the fall proves that her parents knew they had a defective gutter for years and did nothing about it.
She's seeking more than $75,000 in damages for medical bills and lost wages.
Carriel Louah, 25, visited Darlington, Wis., to surprise her mother on her birthday in January 2005. But the next morning, she was injured when she slipped and fell on her parents' driveway. She filed suit against her parents earlier this year.
The daughter said that a letter from her mom apologizing months after the fall proves that her parents knew they had a defective gutter for years and did nothing about it.
She's seeking more than $75,000 in damages for medical bills and lost wages.
Thanking Jesus in Court Lands Man in Jail
Junior Stowers raised his hands and exclaimed, "Thank you, Jesus!" in court last month when he was acquitted by a jury of abusing his son.
But his joy was short-lived when Circuit Judge Patrick Border held him in contempt of court for the "outburst" and threw him in jail.
Stowers, 47, sat in the courtroom and a cellblock for about six hours until the judge granted him a hearing on the contempt charge and released him.
But his joy was short-lived when Circuit Judge Patrick Border held him in contempt of court for the "outburst" and threw him in jail.
Stowers, 47, sat in the courtroom and a cellblock for about six hours until the judge granted him a hearing on the contempt charge and released him.
Vicar told to quit over kiss on cheek
A vicar has had to stand down as a school governor after innocently kissing a primary school pupil on the cheek to congratulate her - only to find himself accused of common assault.
The Rev Alan Barrett, the vicar of St Editha's church in Tamworth, Staffs, and a father of three, kissed the 10-year-old girl in front of fellow pupils and a maths teacher when he presented her with a certificate at the end of the class.
The girl's mother complained but investigations by the police, social services and the Church all cleared Mr Barrett of doing anything wrong.
However, he said the subsequent furore left him with little choice but to resign as chairman of the governors on the advice of the Archdeacon of Lichfield.
The Rev Alan Barrett, the vicar of St Editha's church in Tamworth, Staffs, and a father of three, kissed the 10-year-old girl in front of fellow pupils and a maths teacher when he presented her with a certificate at the end of the class.
The girl's mother complained but investigations by the police, social services and the Church all cleared Mr Barrett of doing anything wrong.
However, he said the subsequent furore left him with little choice but to resign as chairman of the governors on the advice of the Archdeacon of Lichfield.
Star Trek fan builds 'world's largest maze' as tribute
A farmer who has created what he believes to be the world's largest maze said today it is a tribute to mark the 40th anniversary of Star Trek.
Visitors to the York Maze, in North Yorkshire, can get lost running around the Starship Enterprise, in Mr Spock's head or on a "Borg cube".
The maze, which is just outside York, covers 32 acres - the equivalent of 15 football pitches. It was designed using satellite technology which meant the paths could be cut to an accuracy of half a metre.
Farmer Tom Pearcy said it is the first time this technology has been used in maze design.
Visitors to the York Maze, in North Yorkshire, can get lost running around the Starship Enterprise, in Mr Spock's head or on a "Borg cube".
The maze, which is just outside York, covers 32 acres - the equivalent of 15 football pitches. It was designed using satellite technology which meant the paths could be cut to an accuracy of half a metre.
Farmer Tom Pearcy said it is the first time this technology has been used in maze design.
Boy, 14, Accidentally Stabs Self In Anger At Mom
A 14-year-old Pen Argyl boy accidentally plunged a steak knife five inches into his leg Wednesday after becoming angry with his mother when she asked him to put away the clean dishes.
The boy told police he accidentally stabbed himself when he grabbed a steak knife and tried to throw it into the floor so it would stick.
But when the boy propelled the knife downward he released it while it was pointing at his leg, not the floor.
The boy was taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill, with the knife still in his leg.
The boy told police he accidentally stabbed himself when he grabbed a steak knife and tried to throw it into the floor so it would stick.
But when the boy propelled the knife downward he released it while it was pointing at his leg, not the floor.
The boy was taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill, with the knife still in his leg.
'Dropped sweet' fine for father
A father has said he was fined £50 because two-year-old son dropped a sweet he did not like on the street.
Craig McKinlay branded Wakefield Council "ridiculous" after he was handed an on-the-spot fine by a patrolling warden in Pontefract.
The 27-year-old taxi operator said he was tying his shoelace at the time and did not see toddler Alfie drop the heart-shaped sweet on the ground.
The council said Mr McKinlay received the fine as he was throwing sweets.
Craig McKinlay branded Wakefield Council "ridiculous" after he was handed an on-the-spot fine by a patrolling warden in Pontefract.
The 27-year-old taxi operator said he was tying his shoelace at the time and did not see toddler Alfie drop the heart-shaped sweet on the ground.
The council said Mr McKinlay received the fine as he was throwing sweets.
School bans sports day
A school has scrapped its traditional sports day — because it is too competitive.
Sprints, the egg and spoon and sack races have been replaced by aerobics and playing with inflatables on a “fitness and fun day”.
Barnwell Primary in Sunderland said the move does away with the “threat of competition” — but parents branded it “ridiculous”.
Sprints, the egg and spoon and sack races have been replaced by aerobics and playing with inflatables on a “fitness and fun day”.
Barnwell Primary in Sunderland said the move does away with the “threat of competition” — but parents branded it “ridiculous”.
Kitten Born With Two Faces
A kitten with two faces was born in Ohio on Wednesday.
The kitten has two mouths that meow in unison two noses and four eyes.
Charles Roberts, the boy who owns the cat, said he hasn't decided on a name for the kitten yet. He said he wants to name it Tiger.
Two other kittens were born in the same litter, but only one was born with two faces.
With video and slideshow.
The kitten has two mouths that meow in unison two noses and four eyes.
Charles Roberts, the boy who owns the cat, said he hasn't decided on a name for the kitten yet. He said he wants to name it Tiger.
Two other kittens were born in the same litter, but only one was born with two faces.
With video and slideshow.
Meerkat pups go to eating school
Meerkat pups do not learn how to eat dangerous animals such as scorpions on their own but are taught by adults, scientists have discovered.
Researchers found that adults bring dead animals to the youngest pups.
As pups get older, helpers disable live prey for them; finally they coax the youngsters to hunt for themselves.
Writing in the journal Science, the scientists suggest meerkats are only the second non-human animal species found to teach its young actively.
The only other clear demonstration of teaching behaviour in species other than Homo sapiens is, they say, the finding that ants can help their fellows locate food.
Researchers found that adults bring dead animals to the youngest pups.
As pups get older, helpers disable live prey for them; finally they coax the youngsters to hunt for themselves.
Writing in the journal Science, the scientists suggest meerkats are only the second non-human animal species found to teach its young actively.
The only other clear demonstration of teaching behaviour in species other than Homo sapiens is, they say, the finding that ants can help their fellows locate food.
Teenager detained for cat cruelty (update)
A teenager has been detained for four months after a cat was hurled from the fifth floor of a tower block.
Christopher Lees, 18, provided running commentary as a mobile phone was used to film the cat being repeatedly thrown 60ft from a balcony.
The cat had to be put down after its ordeal in Druids Heath, Birmingham.
Lees, of Wilsford Close, Druids Heath, who admitted animal cruelty at an earlier hearing, was also banned from keeping animals for five years.
Three other teenagers involved, aged 14, 16 and 17, will be sentenced next month.
Judging by the amount of angry comments posted, (now mostly deleted), on previous stories I'd posted about this from people visiting via search engines yesterday, I wouldn't like to be in his shoes when he's released.
Edit: there's more here, including the video footage.
If this doesn't shock you, nothing will.
NSFW language and very disturbing content.
Christopher Lees, 18, provided running commentary as a mobile phone was used to film the cat being repeatedly thrown 60ft from a balcony.
The cat had to be put down after its ordeal in Druids Heath, Birmingham.
Lees, of Wilsford Close, Druids Heath, who admitted animal cruelty at an earlier hearing, was also banned from keeping animals for five years.
Three other teenagers involved, aged 14, 16 and 17, will be sentenced next month.
Judging by the amount of angry comments posted, (now mostly deleted), on previous stories I'd posted about this from people visiting via search engines yesterday, I wouldn't like to be in his shoes when he's released.
Edit: there's more here, including the video footage.
If this doesn't shock you, nothing will.
NSFW language and very disturbing content.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Walk the Drunk
Hit the start sign the drunk guy is holding and try and balance him from falling for as long as you can.
Keep your left mouse button held down.
Keep your left mouse button held down.
CityScape Coat Hangers
The coat hangers are illustrated with the five major fashion/design capitals of the world. They are Laser-cut, then hand finished and varnished. Made from hard wearing multi-laminated Birch ply. The price is for the set of five.
£250.00.
Forging Ahead in Moscow
Want to buy a fake vacation, medical degree or 'Siberian purebred' alley cat? Anything's possible, as long as you don't care if it's real.
For $500, nobody will believe you weren't sunning yourself last week on Copacabana Beach, just before you trekked through the Amazon rain forest and slept in a thatched hut. Hey! That's you, arms outstretched like Kate Winslet on the bow of the Titanic, on top of Corcovado!
Persey Tours was barely keeping the bill collectors at bay before it started offering fake vacations last year. Now it's selling 15 a month — providing ersatz ticket stubs, hotel receipts, photos with clients' images superimposed on famous landmarks, a few souvenirs for living room shelves.
If the customer is an errant husband who wants his wife to believe he's on a fishing trip, Persey offers not just photos of him on the river, but a cellphone with a distant number, a lodge that if anyone calls will swear the husband is checked in but not available, and a few dead fish on ice.
Of course, it's not the real thing. But in Russia, this is a distinction that easily can drift into irrelevance. If there is a world capital of audacious fabrication, it must be Moscow, where fake is never a four-letter word.
For $500, nobody will believe you weren't sunning yourself last week on Copacabana Beach, just before you trekked through the Amazon rain forest and slept in a thatched hut. Hey! That's you, arms outstretched like Kate Winslet on the bow of the Titanic, on top of Corcovado!
Persey Tours was barely keeping the bill collectors at bay before it started offering fake vacations last year. Now it's selling 15 a month — providing ersatz ticket stubs, hotel receipts, photos with clients' images superimposed on famous landmarks, a few souvenirs for living room shelves.
If the customer is an errant husband who wants his wife to believe he's on a fishing trip, Persey offers not just photos of him on the river, but a cellphone with a distant number, a lodge that if anyone calls will swear the husband is checked in but not available, and a few dead fish on ice.
Of course, it's not the real thing. But in Russia, this is a distinction that easily can drift into irrelevance. If there is a world capital of audacious fabrication, it must be Moscow, where fake is never a four-letter word.
Man files suit to bring dog to naked beach
The only cure for what ails Mark DelCore is sunbathing stark naked beside his rat terrier named Cheekies he said in a federal lawsuit against officials on Fire Island.
The Forest Hills man said he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and "an acute skin condition" resulting from exposure to toxins after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, according to a suit DelCore filed in U.S. District Court in Central Islip this week.
"Since my skin condition is all over my body," DelCore said in the suit, he needs the healing rays to touch every square inch of his skin -- hence his frequent 48-mile trips to Fire Island's clothing-optional beach near Kismet. But Fire Island National Seashore says Cheekies should be like DelCore's clothes on the beach - gone.
Cheekies "provides me emotional support and comfort," DelCore contends in the suit, so DelCore has sued Fire Island National Seashore for the right to bring the dog.
The park forbids all pets besides guide dogs from its swimming beaches. And there's the rub. DelCore said Cheekies' therapeutic companionship qualifies him as a "service dog" - enjoying the same protections as guide dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Forest Hills man said he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and "an acute skin condition" resulting from exposure to toxins after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, according to a suit DelCore filed in U.S. District Court in Central Islip this week.
"Since my skin condition is all over my body," DelCore said in the suit, he needs the healing rays to touch every square inch of his skin -- hence his frequent 48-mile trips to Fire Island's clothing-optional beach near Kismet. But Fire Island National Seashore says Cheekies should be like DelCore's clothes on the beach - gone.
Cheekies "provides me emotional support and comfort," DelCore contends in the suit, so DelCore has sued Fire Island National Seashore for the right to bring the dog.
The park forbids all pets besides guide dogs from its swimming beaches. And there's the rub. DelCore said Cheekies' therapeutic companionship qualifies him as a "service dog" - enjoying the same protections as guide dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Dog Blamed For Hitting Woman With Truck
A police dog that was left in a pickup with the engine running apparently knocked the vehicle into gear and ran down a woman who was walking to her mailbox.
Mary F. Stone, 41, was expected to remain hospitalized with a fractured pelvis and tailbone until at least Friday, said her husband, Paul Stone.
The dog, a German shepherd named Ranger, had been left in the truck while its handler responded to a domestic disturbance call Tuesday, police Lt. Loring Draper said. The truck's engine was on so Ranger would have air conditioning.
Draper said Ranger must have hit the shift on the steering column, putting the automatic transmission into gear. As the truck slowly rolled forward, police officers yelled to Stone, but she couldn't get out of the way in time.
A front and rear tyre ran over her. "She had tyre marks on her clothes", her husband said.
Mary F. Stone, 41, was expected to remain hospitalized with a fractured pelvis and tailbone until at least Friday, said her husband, Paul Stone.
The dog, a German shepherd named Ranger, had been left in the truck while its handler responded to a domestic disturbance call Tuesday, police Lt. Loring Draper said. The truck's engine was on so Ranger would have air conditioning.
Draper said Ranger must have hit the shift on the steering column, putting the automatic transmission into gear. As the truck slowly rolled forward, police officers yelled to Stone, but she couldn't get out of the way in time.
A front and rear tyre ran over her. "She had tyre marks on her clothes", her husband said.
Law backs off from Bisbee 'artist'
A popular street performer known as the "dog-cat-mouse guy", arrested by Bisbee police for loitering to beg and doing business without a license, will not face charges, the Cochise County Attorney's Office has announced.
Greg Pike is a familiar fixture on Bisbee's streets, where he stops on the sidewalk, stacks his pets atop one another and sets out a basket for donations. He accepts cash from those wanting to photograph his dog, cat and mouse, Booger, Kitty and Mousie, perched atop each other.
Bisbee police arrested Pike on May 21, booking him on the loitering and business-license charges. Two groups each raised his $910 bail within hours, and at least a dozen people accompanied Pike to his plea hearing.
The city attorney almost immediately dropped the charge.
With photo.
Greg Pike is a familiar fixture on Bisbee's streets, where he stops on the sidewalk, stacks his pets atop one another and sets out a basket for donations. He accepts cash from those wanting to photograph his dog, cat and mouse, Booger, Kitty and Mousie, perched atop each other.
Bisbee police arrested Pike on May 21, booking him on the loitering and business-license charges. Two groups each raised his $910 bail within hours, and at least a dozen people accompanied Pike to his plea hearing.
The city attorney almost immediately dropped the charge.
With photo.
Boulder bikers, joggers confront bridge trolls
LSD-induced bridge trolls demand money from cyclists, police and joggers while smoking joints rolled out of dollar bills.
Oh, and golf clubs are involved as well.
Oh, and golf clubs are involved as well.
Suspected thief robs judge at own trial
A 61-year-old German on trial for theft got himself into more trouble when he stole from the judge during his court hearing.
Police in the central town of Coburg said that while facing her at the bench, the man pocketed a bunch of keys from the judge, who did not notice until he had left the room.
When confronted by court officials in the toilet, the man, who had a string of convictions for theft, told them he had been shocked to discover the keys in his pocket.
"He told them he realised how suspicious his story would sound and that he had therefore hidden the keys under a toilet brush.
Police in the central town of Coburg said that while facing her at the bench, the man pocketed a bunch of keys from the judge, who did not notice until he had left the room.
When confronted by court officials in the toilet, the man, who had a string of convictions for theft, told them he had been shocked to discover the keys in his pocket.
"He told them he realised how suspicious his story would sound and that he had therefore hidden the keys under a toilet brush.
Policeman sent to crash finds dying victim is his wife
A policeman sent to a motorcycle accident found the dying victim was his wife.
PC Paul Aitchison cradled her in his arms and talked to her after she suffered severe head injuries. But Tracey Aitchison died in hospital later that night.
Three days earlier the couple, who had no children, had celebrated their second wedding anniversary. Mrs Aitchison, 33, was killed after her Yamaha motorcycle crashed into a lorry.
PC Paul Aitchison cradled her in his arms and talked to her after she suffered severe head injuries. But Tracey Aitchison died in hospital later that night.
Three days earlier the couple, who had no children, had celebrated their second wedding anniversary. Mrs Aitchison, 33, was killed after her Yamaha motorcycle crashed into a lorry.
Tarzan's son in fight for loincloth
Tarzan's loincloth is at the centre of a bitter custody dispute.
The material used by Johnny Weissmuller, who played the ape man role on film 12 times in the 1930s and 1940s, has been on display at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for decades.
But now his terminally ill son Johnny Weissmuller Jnr, 65, is demanding it back so he can pass it on to his heirs. The loincloth is among a collection of mementoes that Weissmuller, who was an Olympic swimmer in the 1920s, gave to the museum after he became its founding chairman in 1965.
The family also wants the star’s five gold and one bronze Olympic medals and swimming trunks that he wore at the 1928 Games.
“They are mine,” Mr Weissmuller Jnr said.
The material used by Johnny Weissmuller, who played the ape man role on film 12 times in the 1930s and 1940s, has been on display at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for decades.
But now his terminally ill son Johnny Weissmuller Jnr, 65, is demanding it back so he can pass it on to his heirs. The loincloth is among a collection of mementoes that Weissmuller, who was an Olympic swimmer in the 1920s, gave to the museum after he became its founding chairman in 1965.
The family also wants the star’s five gold and one bronze Olympic medals and swimming trunks that he wore at the 1928 Games.
“They are mine,” Mr Weissmuller Jnr said.
The moment lightning shared the sky with a rainbow
When a rainbow formed in the sky people stopped and stared at the natural wonder.
But then lightning sparked across the evening panorama as two of nature's most spectacular phenomenon created an unusual alliance.
The clash of weather was seen above the affluent city of Fort Smith, in the Southern state Arkansas.
But then lightning sparked across the evening panorama as two of nature's most spectacular phenomenon created an unusual alliance.
The clash of weather was seen above the affluent city of Fort Smith, in the Southern state Arkansas.
The man who can open his e-mails by power of thought
A man paralysed from the neck down has learnt to move a computer cursor and an artificial arm by the power of thought alone. The brain implant that has allowed him to do so could be used eventually to control wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs.
The first detailed scientific report on the case of Matthew Nagle, 25, whose spinal cord was severed in a knife attack, shows how sensors that measure brainwaves could allow paralysed patients to improve their quality of life greatly.
Mr Nagle, from Massachusetts, has been fitted with a 4mm-square chip that reads signals in the primary motor cortex of his brain, the region that would control movement if he had the use of his limbs.
When he imagines moving his paralysed body, the implant’s 100 sensors record the activity in his brain and transmit these signals to a computer that controls various devices. In nine months, he has learnt to move a cursor on a computer screen, open e-mails, play simple computer games and adjust the volume of his television. He has also learnt to operate a simple robotic arm.
The first detailed scientific report on the case of Matthew Nagle, 25, whose spinal cord was severed in a knife attack, shows how sensors that measure brainwaves could allow paralysed patients to improve their quality of life greatly.
Mr Nagle, from Massachusetts, has been fitted with a 4mm-square chip that reads signals in the primary motor cortex of his brain, the region that would control movement if he had the use of his limbs.
When he imagines moving his paralysed body, the implant’s 100 sensors record the activity in his brain and transmit these signals to a computer that controls various devices. In nine months, he has learnt to move a cursor on a computer screen, open e-mails, play simple computer games and adjust the volume of his television. He has also learnt to operate a simple robotic arm.
Saudis promote kingdom for culture and scuba diving
Saudi Arabia seems an unlikely destination for fun in the sun.
Yet here was a Saudi prince at a tourism conference in neighbouring Dubai, busily trying to sell his country as a holiday spot - provided visitors don't expect alcohol, women come robed and everyone refrains from eating in public from dawn to dusk during the holy month of Ramadan.
And swinging singles need not apply. Spinsters younger than 40 must be accompanied by their brothers or fathers.
Yet here was a Saudi prince at a tourism conference in neighbouring Dubai, busily trying to sell his country as a holiday spot - provided visitors don't expect alcohol, women come robed and everyone refrains from eating in public from dawn to dusk during the holy month of Ramadan.
And swinging singles need not apply. Spinsters younger than 40 must be accompanied by their brothers or fathers.
Mum of 13 now wants IVF
A couple who already have 13 children are to spend thousands on IVF treatment to conceive another baby.
Mark and Shirley Wilson shrugged off criticism of the move.
Shirley, 44, of Lincoln, said: “It has always been my ambition to have lots of children. There’s nothing else I have ever wanted. I just love them.”
Mark and Shirley Wilson shrugged off criticism of the move.
Shirley, 44, of Lincoln, said: “It has always been my ambition to have lots of children. There’s nothing else I have ever wanted. I just love them.”
Women drinkers told to wear nice pants
A police magazine is advising women planning a drunken night out to ensure they had waxed and were "wearing nice pants" in case they collapsed.
Suffolk Police's Safe! magazine carries a reminder for readers "intent on getting ratted", alongside a picture of a scantily-clad woman on the floor with the caption "if you've got it don't flaunt it".
It reads: "If you fall over or pass out, remember your skirt or dress may ride up. You could show off more than you intended - for all our sakes, please make sure you're wearing nice pants and that you've recently had a wax. Better still, eat before you go out, think about how much you're drinking, pace yourself and drink plenty of water in between bevvies or better still, don't get in this sorry state - it's not nice."
Suffolk Police's Safe! magazine carries a reminder for readers "intent on getting ratted", alongside a picture of a scantily-clad woman on the floor with the caption "if you've got it don't flaunt it".
It reads: "If you fall over or pass out, remember your skirt or dress may ride up. You could show off more than you intended - for all our sakes, please make sure you're wearing nice pants and that you've recently had a wax. Better still, eat before you go out, think about how much you're drinking, pace yourself and drink plenty of water in between bevvies or better still, don't get in this sorry state - it's not nice."
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Wooden Memory Sticks
USB memory sticks are always nice to have around when transferring files from computer to computer. These sticks are made to stand out against its natural environment of computers and offices.
The sticks are picked from the woods and are manually selected on their natural beauty, professionally handmade into unique and personal USB memory sticks.
The sticks are picked from the woods and are manually selected on their natural beauty, professionally handmade into unique and personal USB memory sticks.
Tired of too much nudity and profanity in films?
Cleanflicks edit out:
Profanity
This includes the B-words, H-word when not referring to the place, D-word, S-word, F-word, etc. It also includes references to deity (G-word and JC-words etc.), only when these words are used in a non-religious context.
Graphic Violence
This does not mean all violence, only the graphic depictions of decapitation,
impalements, dismemberment, excessive blood, gore etc.
Nudity
This refers to male and female front and back nudity.
Sexual Content
This includes language which refers to sexual activity or has sexual
connotation. It also includes visual content of a graphic or stimulating
nature.
Well they did. Now they're facing closure.
Profanity
This includes the B-words, H-word when not referring to the place, D-word, S-word, F-word, etc. It also includes references to deity (G-word and JC-words etc.), only when these words are used in a non-religious context.
Graphic Violence
This does not mean all violence, only the graphic depictions of decapitation,
impalements, dismemberment, excessive blood, gore etc.
Nudity
This refers to male and female front and back nudity.
Sexual Content
This includes language which refers to sexual activity or has sexual
connotation. It also includes visual content of a graphic or stimulating
nature.
Well they did. Now they're facing closure.
Man, 80, Admits Dealing Crack for Sex
An 80-year-old man acknowledged Wednesday that he dealt drugs at his house in return for sex with prostitutes. Felix Cocco of Pittsburgh pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police said Cocco had been dealing drugs for nearly a year when he was arrested in November. Officers seized crack cocaine, a digital scale and packaging materials, police said.
When an Allegheny County judge asked Cocco why he chose a new profession so late in life, Cocco replied, "I was trying to stay alive, your honor - pay my bills."
Cocco's lawyer, Martha Bailor, told the court her client wanted to remain sexually active after his wife died three years ago, and turned to prostitutes.
"He decided it's cheaper to pay for sex with crack than cash," she said.
Police said Cocco had been dealing drugs for nearly a year when he was arrested in November. Officers seized crack cocaine, a digital scale and packaging materials, police said.
When an Allegheny County judge asked Cocco why he chose a new profession so late in life, Cocco replied, "I was trying to stay alive, your honor - pay my bills."
Cocco's lawyer, Martha Bailor, told the court her client wanted to remain sexually active after his wife died three years ago, and turned to prostitutes.
"He decided it's cheaper to pay for sex with crack than cash," she said.
Pink M.24 Chaffee
A combat tank which was used in World War II was the setting for this work of art.
As a protest against the Danish (USA's, UK's) involvement in the war in Iraq the tank was covered from the canon to the caterpillar tracks with knitted and crocheted squares made with pink yarn.
The pink covering consists of more than a 3000 pink squares- 15 x 15 centimetres – knitted by volunteers from Denmark, the UK , USA and several other countries.
As a protest against the Danish (USA's, UK's) involvement in the war in Iraq the tank was covered from the canon to the caterpillar tracks with knitted and crocheted squares made with pink yarn.
The pink covering consists of more than a 3000 pink squares- 15 x 15 centimetres – knitted by volunteers from Denmark, the UK , USA and several other countries.
Police investigate 'tampon maniac' in Groningen
Police in the Northern Dutch city of Groningen are investigating a man who rummages though rubbish bags in search of used tampons and sanitary towels.
The 40-year-old local man is particularly interested in tampons used by students and young women.
The fetishist has been active for at least the last six months and has been regularly spotted searching through garbage outside student dorms. It is not known what he does with the items he collects.
He has left letters for several of his 'victims'. Citing the interests of the investigation, the police spokesperson refused to disclose the contents of the letters, but said they included a play on words.
This is not the first time the man - dubbed the 'tampon maniac' by the Dutch media - has been active in Groningen. He regularly collected tampons a few years ago but stopped after a "good talk" with police.
The 40-year-old local man is particularly interested in tampons used by students and young women.
The fetishist has been active for at least the last six months and has been regularly spotted searching through garbage outside student dorms. It is not known what he does with the items he collects.
He has left letters for several of his 'victims'. Citing the interests of the investigation, the police spokesperson refused to disclose the contents of the letters, but said they included a play on words.
This is not the first time the man - dubbed the 'tampon maniac' by the Dutch media - has been active in Groningen. He regularly collected tampons a few years ago but stopped after a "good talk" with police.
Mom Has Quadruplets 3 Years After Triplets
With fertility drugs, Angela Magdaleno had triplets three years ago. Last week, she had quadruplets - without fertility drugs.
Her two boys and two girls were healthy and doing well Wednesday after being born July 6 by Caesarean section in what doctors said was a rare occurrence of multiple births.
Magdaleno, 40, said she was shocked when her doctor told her she was pregnant with four babies.
"I didn't know what to do," she said in Spanish as she rested at home. "But now I'm happy because they're healthy and so am I."
Her two boys and two girls were healthy and doing well Wednesday after being born July 6 by Caesarean section in what doctors said was a rare occurrence of multiple births.
Magdaleno, 40, said she was shocked when her doctor told her she was pregnant with four babies.
"I didn't know what to do," she said in Spanish as she rested at home. "But now I'm happy because they're healthy and so am I."
Remove hat, cancer sufferer told
A woman who has suffered hair loss from chemotherapy to treat breast cancer was ordered to remove her hat by pub staff.
Liz White, 55, visited the Woodman pub, in Old Catton, with her husband Tony on Monday night when she was asked to remove her baseball cap.
She was told the pub operates a "no hat policy" for security reasons.
Landlord Darren Reilly, who was not working, said "staff follow procedures and have not been trained to deal with a situation like this".
Liz White, 55, visited the Woodman pub, in Old Catton, with her husband Tony on Monday night when she was asked to remove her baseball cap.
She was told the pub operates a "no hat policy" for security reasons.
Landlord Darren Reilly, who was not working, said "staff follow procedures and have not been trained to deal with a situation like this".
Man Is Fined Buffalo and Pig for Bigamy
An indigenous man in Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo Island was fined a buffalo and a pig for breaking a tribal custom by secretly marrying a second wife.
The 39-year-old man was asked to compensate his first wife and children with a buffalo and a pig even though he agreed to dissolve the second marriage and return to his first wife and family.
"Indigenous custom doesn't normally punish men who marry a second time, but in this case, he did not get the permission of the first wife."
The 39-year-old man was asked to compensate his first wife and children with a buffalo and a pig even though he agreed to dissolve the second marriage and return to his first wife and family.
"Indigenous custom doesn't normally punish men who marry a second time, but in this case, he did not get the permission of the first wife."
Hot Dog Mailed Between Sisters for 54 Years
Flora Zimbelman says it all started 54 years ago when she put an uncooked hot dog in her sister’s suitcase.
"I don’t know what made me do it. The devil I guess," she said.
Flora’s sister, Rose, found the hot dog when she opened the suitcase back up in Idaho, where she lived at the time.
"She mailed it back to me telling me to keep my garbage at home," said Flora.
The game was on.
In the years that followed, Flora would find a way to sneak the hot dog back into Rose's life. And Rose would find another way to sneak it back to Flora.
Earlier this year, Flora's sister, best friend, and victim of her continuous pranks, lost her battle with cancer.
With photos of said sausage.
"I don’t know what made me do it. The devil I guess," she said.
Flora’s sister, Rose, found the hot dog when she opened the suitcase back up in Idaho, where she lived at the time.
"She mailed it back to me telling me to keep my garbage at home," said Flora.
The game was on.
In the years that followed, Flora would find a way to sneak the hot dog back into Rose's life. And Rose would find another way to sneak it back to Flora.
Earlier this year, Flora's sister, best friend, and victim of her continuous pranks, lost her battle with cancer.
With photos of said sausage.
The baby born one day too soon for a British passport
The son of a British father and an Italian mother has been left without citizenship of either country because he was born one day before a legal loophole was closed.
Leo Poole was born on June 30 at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. His parents, who want to take their son to Italy to visit relatives, assumed that he would be entitled to a British passport.
But Martin Poole, 56, and Christiana Nisi, 36, were told that Leo was not eligible for British citizenship because they are unmarried and Miss Nisi is foreign. If he had been born one day later, he would have been granted a British passport. The law was revised 11 days ago. Leo does not qualify for a passport under Italian regulations because his mother lives in England.
Leo Poole was born on June 30 at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. His parents, who want to take their son to Italy to visit relatives, assumed that he would be entitled to a British passport.
But Martin Poole, 56, and Christiana Nisi, 36, were told that Leo was not eligible for British citizenship because they are unmarried and Miss Nisi is foreign. If he had been born one day later, he would have been granted a British passport. The law was revised 11 days ago. Leo does not qualify for a passport under Italian regulations because his mother lives in England.
'Killer kangaroo' evidence found
Palaeontologists digging in northern Australia have found fossil evidence of several new species - including a "killer kangaroo".
The flesh-eating marsupial would have lived between 10 and 20 million years ago, scientists say.
The research team has also unearthed evidence of a large carnivorous bird dubbed the "demon duck of doom".
"There were meat-eating kangaroos with long fangs, and galloping kangaroos with long forearms, which could not hop."
The flesh-eating marsupial would have lived between 10 and 20 million years ago, scientists say.
The research team has also unearthed evidence of a large carnivorous bird dubbed the "demon duck of doom".
"There were meat-eating kangaroos with long fangs, and galloping kangaroos with long forearms, which could not hop."
Happiness doesn't cost the Earth
People can live long, happy lives without consuming large amounts of the Earth's resources, a survey suggests.
The 178-nation "Happy Planet Index" lists the south Pacific island of Vanuatu as the happiest nation on the planet, while the UK is ranked 108th.
The index is based on consumption levels, life expectancy and happiness, rather than national economic wealth measurements such as GDP.
Latin American nations dominate the top 10 places in the index, while African and Eastern European nations fill most of the bottom 10.
Among the world's largest economies, Germany is ranked 81st, Japan 95th, while the US comes in at 150th.
You can see the full list of countries here.
The 178-nation "Happy Planet Index" lists the south Pacific island of Vanuatu as the happiest nation on the planet, while the UK is ranked 108th.
The index is based on consumption levels, life expectancy and happiness, rather than national economic wealth measurements such as GDP.
Latin American nations dominate the top 10 places in the index, while African and Eastern European nations fill most of the bottom 10.
Among the world's largest economies, Germany is ranked 81st, Japan 95th, while the US comes in at 150th.
You can see the full list of countries here.
