Wedding
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Mother faked 4 ‘kidnappings’ of son for ransom
A Spanish woman staged fake kidnappings of her son four times and got his father to pay her more than a million euros ($1.26 million) in ransom money.
Police in the southern Spanish city of Seville arrested the woman and five accomplices, including the 15-year-old son who cooperated in the deception by calling his father on the telephone and begging him to pay up.
The father paid ransoms after the first three fake abductions without realizing the involvement of his son’s mother, from whom he had separated.
He became suspicious the fourth time and hired a private detective.
Police in the southern Spanish city of Seville arrested the woman and five accomplices, including the 15-year-old son who cooperated in the deception by calling his father on the telephone and begging him to pay up.
The father paid ransoms after the first three fake abductions without realizing the involvement of his son’s mother, from whom he had separated.
He became suspicious the fourth time and hired a private detective.
Children's marathon runs from poverty
After a poor four-year-old Indian boy sprinted into local record books for running 65km (40 miles) in seven hours in May, many children are following in his footsteps.
Budhia Singh's run catapulted the little boy from the sleepy eastern state of Orissa into the national limelight and controversy with the country divided on the hazards of allowing children to run marathons.
Emboldened by his feat, other children in the state are running long distances for fame and money.
A marathon race is usually a 42km (26 miles) run.
But these sprinting children in Orissa are audaciously setting much higher targets - sometimes at 100km (62 miles) and at times, even more.
Budhia Singh's run catapulted the little boy from the sleepy eastern state of Orissa into the national limelight and controversy with the country divided on the hazards of allowing children to run marathons.
Emboldened by his feat, other children in the state are running long distances for fame and money.
A marathon race is usually a 42km (26 miles) run.
But these sprinting children in Orissa are audaciously setting much higher targets - sometimes at 100km (62 miles) and at times, even more.
Canadian troops battle 10-ft Afghan marijuana plants
Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy -- almost impenetrable forests of 10-feet (three metre) high marijuana plants.
General Rick Hillier, chief of the Canadian defence staff, said that Taliban fighters were using the forests as cover. In response, the crew of at least one armoured car had camouflaged their vehicle with marijuana.
"The challenge is that marijuana plants absorb energy, heat very readily. It's very difficult to penetrate with thermal devices ... and as a result you really have to be careful that the Taliban don't dodge in and out of those marijuana forests," he said in a speech in Ottawa.
"We tried burning them with white phosphorous - it didn't work. We tried burning them with diesel - it didn't work. The plants are so full of water right now ... that we simply couldn't burn them," he said.
Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.
"A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those (forests) did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action," Hillier said dryly.
General Rick Hillier, chief of the Canadian defence staff, said that Taliban fighters were using the forests as cover. In response, the crew of at least one armoured car had camouflaged their vehicle with marijuana.
"The challenge is that marijuana plants absorb energy, heat very readily. It's very difficult to penetrate with thermal devices ... and as a result you really have to be careful that the Taliban don't dodge in and out of those marijuana forests," he said in a speech in Ottawa.
"We tried burning them with white phosphorous - it didn't work. We tried burning them with diesel - it didn't work. The plants are so full of water right now ... that we simply couldn't burn them," he said.
Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.
"A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those (forests) did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action," Hillier said dryly.
Grow Your Own Home
If solar power and recycled building materials just aren’t green enough for you, the brains behind the Fab Tree Hab might have the perfect pad. Architects Mitchell Joachim and Javier Arbona, along with environmental engineer Lara Greden, have designed a house that will grow from a few seedlings into a two-story, water-recycling, energy-efficient abode. The Fab Tree Hab, a mix of ancient and ultramodern technology, isn’t merely environmentally friendly. It is the environment.
Instead of building a home out of green materials, the trio figured, why not construct a living, breathing house? “Something that’s alive and thriving,” Joachim says. They hope to plant the first house within five years, but for now, they’re working with Israeli arboriculture firm Plantware, testing techniques for growing the lattice-like weave of vines and roots that will form the walls.
Each house will take at least five years to grow, depending on the climate, but Joachim envisions the structures being grown and tended to on a farm. Customers could pick a finished tree habitat and then have it transported to and replanted on a lot within 100 miles.
Instead of building a home out of green materials, the trio figured, why not construct a living, breathing house? “Something that’s alive and thriving,” Joachim says. They hope to plant the first house within five years, but for now, they’re working with Israeli arboriculture firm Plantware, testing techniques for growing the lattice-like weave of vines and roots that will form the walls.
Each house will take at least five years to grow, depending on the climate, but Joachim envisions the structures being grown and tended to on a farm. Customers could pick a finished tree habitat and then have it transported to and replanted on a lot within 100 miles.
Grandmother Mails Fruitcakes, Sues USPS
Lucille Greene, an 88-year-old grandmother, takes baking and mailing about 30 family recipe fruitcakes as Christmas gifts seriously. Seriously enough that she sued the U.S. Postal Service for emotional distress after alleged rough treatment and accusations of being a terrorist from a postal clerk, according to her federal lawsuit.
In December 2002, Greene showed up at the Magnolia, Del., post office to mail fruitcakes to relatives and friends when, her lawsuit states, a postal worker asked her, "What kind of explosives do you have in here?" before shaking the box.
In the lawsuit, she said others in the post office laughed at her, leaving her upset and in tears. She said she tripped over a concrete parking barrier outside and fell, breaking her glasses and chipping a tooth.
The judge dismissed her allegations two weeks ago, and her appeal for $250,000 compensation, because Greene had a prior eye condition, and contradictory testimony.
In December 2002, Greene showed up at the Magnolia, Del., post office to mail fruitcakes to relatives and friends when, her lawsuit states, a postal worker asked her, "What kind of explosives do you have in here?" before shaking the box.
In the lawsuit, she said others in the post office laughed at her, leaving her upset and in tears. She said she tripped over a concrete parking barrier outside and fell, breaking her glasses and chipping a tooth.
The judge dismissed her allegations two weeks ago, and her appeal for $250,000 compensation, because Greene had a prior eye condition, and contradictory testimony.
Man hides frozen shrimps down pants
The whole thing probably looked a little fishy.
According to West York Police, Giant Food Store employees watched as a customer slipped three bags of frozen shrimp into his baggy pants.
A few minutes later, as two managers at the West Market Street store struggled in the parking lot with the man they suspected was the thief, police said, two of the bags plopped onto the ground.
An officer retrieved the third bag of frozen shrimp from the man's pants.
According to West York Police, Giant Food Store employees watched as a customer slipped three bags of frozen shrimp into his baggy pants.
A few minutes later, as two managers at the West Market Street store struggled in the parking lot with the man they suspected was the thief, police said, two of the bags plopped onto the ground.
An officer retrieved the third bag of frozen shrimp from the man's pants.
High-rise shark hunter reels in maneaters
Robbie Hughes says people are genuinely shocked upon hearing he reels in man-eating sharks from his balcony six floors above a Gold Coast lake.
Not so much shocked at the bizarre nature of his fishing habits but more surprised at how many sharks are found in Gold Coast canals and rivers.
Mr Hughes, 26, fishes for bull sharks off his Varsity Lakes apartment balcony above Lake Orr in between watching television and playing video games.
He uses a boat rod to reel the sharks up to the carpark level of the apartment block before his friend David Rolando races downstairs to hook them with a gaff.
Over the past 18 months Mr Hughes claims to have caught 12 sharks – including a 1.5m bull shark last week – and had about 80 get away.
Not so much shocked at the bizarre nature of his fishing habits but more surprised at how many sharks are found in Gold Coast canals and rivers.
Mr Hughes, 26, fishes for bull sharks off his Varsity Lakes apartment balcony above Lake Orr in between watching television and playing video games.
He uses a boat rod to reel the sharks up to the carpark level of the apartment block before his friend David Rolando races downstairs to hook them with a gaff.
Over the past 18 months Mr Hughes claims to have caught 12 sharks – including a 1.5m bull shark last week – and had about 80 get away.
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High-tech integrated design of the components together with an infrastructure of leading experts’ enables/creates a virtual interactive outdoor environment for your pet(s) inside your own home, and in limited space.
Each customized unit ranges from $50,000. - $200,000 USD.
Kobe the terrier back home in California after 1,400-mile trek
A dog found running in the streets of Denton, Texas, has returned to his family in Bellflower, California.
A good Samaritan found the dog, named Kobe, who was identified by a microchip.
Kobe's owner, Michelle Ontiveros, originally found the white terrier running around the streets of Bellflower, her hometown, so she knew he was a roamer. But she never expected that Kobe would end up in Texas.
Local animal control workers at the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority said Ontiveros was distraught when she found out how far away Kobe was because she could not afford to ship him back. So local workers contacted the AVID microchip company, and AVID picked up the costs of flying the dog back to Los Angeles on Thursday.
Kobe isn't saying how he got from California to Texas.
A good Samaritan found the dog, named Kobe, who was identified by a microchip.
Kobe's owner, Michelle Ontiveros, originally found the white terrier running around the streets of Bellflower, her hometown, so she knew he was a roamer. But she never expected that Kobe would end up in Texas.
Local animal control workers at the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority said Ontiveros was distraught when she found out how far away Kobe was because she could not afford to ship him back. So local workers contacted the AVID microchip company, and AVID picked up the costs of flying the dog back to Los Angeles on Thursday.
Kobe isn't saying how he got from California to Texas.
Teen Faces Litter Charge for Bra Antenna
A teenager who put her bra on a car antenna before it flew off and led to a road accident will be charged with littering, a prosecutor said. Emily Davis, 17, of Bowling Green, told investigators she took her bra off while her friend was driving on Interstate 75.
James Campbell, who was driving behind the girls, said he swerved to avoid the bra and his car flipped several times. Campbell, 37, broke a vertebra in his neck during the Sept. 26 accident. His passenger, Jeff Long, 40, broke several ribs.
A State Highway Patrol crash report, obtained by The Blade, said that the girls told investigators that before the accident the men were motioning to them to lift up their shirts. Both men denied making the gestures.
The girl's friend, Tabitha Adams, 17, of Bowling Green, said she told Davis not to hang her bra outside because she knew it would fly away.
According to this report, the reason she removed the bra was because the family dog had chewed it earlier that day, causing it to fray.
James Campbell, who was driving behind the girls, said he swerved to avoid the bra and his car flipped several times. Campbell, 37, broke a vertebra in his neck during the Sept. 26 accident. His passenger, Jeff Long, 40, broke several ribs.
A State Highway Patrol crash report, obtained by The Blade, said that the girls told investigators that before the accident the men were motioning to them to lift up their shirts. Both men denied making the gestures.
The girl's friend, Tabitha Adams, 17, of Bowling Green, said she told Davis not to hang her bra outside because she knew it would fly away.
According to this report, the reason she removed the bra was because the family dog had chewed it earlier that day, causing it to fray.
Pay and dismay
A heavy-handed ticket inspector slapped a fine on an elderly driver - because her ticket was upside down.
Irene Ogley ensured she returned to her car before her parking ticket expired but was shocked to find a £25 fine.
"I'm not going to pay it because it's ridiculous" she sai. "The ticket was face up on the dashboard and it had not run out."
Mrs Ogley, 69, of Pokesdown, said she intends to dispute the charge and added: "There is nothing to tell you exactly which angle the ticket should be displayed at."
Irene Ogley ensured she returned to her car before her parking ticket expired but was shocked to find a £25 fine.
"I'm not going to pay it because it's ridiculous" she sai. "The ticket was face up on the dashboard and it had not run out."
Mrs Ogley, 69, of Pokesdown, said she intends to dispute the charge and added: "There is nothing to tell you exactly which angle the ticket should be displayed at."
The cat that thinks it is a pigeon
When Wendy Hobbs spotted a cat up a tree in her garden a week ago, she was tempted to phone the fire brigade to get it back to earth.
But she soon realised that the tortoiseshell stray was there out of choice - and had set up home in a bird's nest.
It leaves the flowering cherry tree to beg for food at the back door then, straight after its meal, climbs back up into the branches for a well-earned rest.
"I don't know why she loves the tree," said Mrs Hobbs, 66, a retired nurse from Reepham, Norfolk. "She sits there watching the traffic. My husband and I think the nest must have been a pigeon's because it's so messy."
But she soon realised that the tortoiseshell stray was there out of choice - and had set up home in a bird's nest.
It leaves the flowering cherry tree to beg for food at the back door then, straight after its meal, climbs back up into the branches for a well-earned rest.
"I don't know why she loves the tree," said Mrs Hobbs, 66, a retired nurse from Reepham, Norfolk. "She sits there watching the traffic. My husband and I think the nest must have been a pigeon's because it's so messy."
Jobcentre worker asks claimant to injure her relatives
A jobcentre worker has been arrested over claims she offered an unemployed man £500 — to beat up her relatives.
Ex-convict Paul McPike had been enquiring about a forklift course when the woman allegedly asked if he would break her brother-in-law’s fingers.
She said she would give him the name of a second relative to beat up after he’d done the first “hit”.
He said the woman, who cannot be named, wanted her brother-in-law punished for pushing her at a party.
The woman was arrested and released on police bail after being quizzed on suspicion of inciting GBH.
Ex-convict Paul McPike had been enquiring about a forklift course when the woman allegedly asked if he would break her brother-in-law’s fingers.
She said she would give him the name of a second relative to beat up after he’d done the first “hit”.
He said the woman, who cannot be named, wanted her brother-in-law punished for pushing her at a party.
The woman was arrested and released on police bail after being quizzed on suspicion of inciting GBH.
Truancy police swoop on boy who took day off when his dog died
When Charlie Bowden's beloved dog died, the youngster was devastated.
After a tearful night, the 14-year-old's father decided his son was too upset to attend school that day and rang to explain why he would be absent.
Cliff Bowden was astonished when two truancy officers turned up at his home a few hours later and demanded Charlie go back to school.
Mr Bowden said that when the officers told his son to put his uniform on and go to school, he "didn't like their attitude" and asked them to leave.
After a tearful night, the 14-year-old's father decided his son was too upset to attend school that day and rang to explain why he would be absent.
Cliff Bowden was astonished when two truancy officers turned up at his home a few hours later and demanded Charlie go back to school.
Mr Bowden said that when the officers told his son to put his uniform on and go to school, he "didn't like their attitude" and asked them to leave.
Oxbridge seeks lateral thinkers
Applicants for places at Oxford and Cambridge universities are being asked increasingly "eccentric" questions, interview experts have claimed.
Students have addressed issues such as how much of the world's water is contained in a cow and the perennial teenage concern: "Are you cool?"
The findings come from a survey of 1,200 of last year's applicants by the Oxbridge Applications advice company.
It said hard questions were needed to pick the brightest students.
Earlier this month, Cambridge was ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as the second best university in the world, with Oxford third.
Harvard, in the US, topped the table.
Students have addressed issues such as how much of the world's water is contained in a cow and the perennial teenage concern: "Are you cool?"
The findings come from a survey of 1,200 of last year's applicants by the Oxbridge Applications advice company.
It said hard questions were needed to pick the brightest students.
Earlier this month, Cambridge was ranked by the Times Higher Education Supplement as the second best university in the world, with Oxford third.
Harvard, in the US, topped the table.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Chef makes wedding gown from cream puffs
Valentyn Shtefano's pastries were known for attracting stares and giggles as well as lip-smacking murmurs. But even his fiancee was surprised when Shtefano told her he was making her wedding dress -- out of flour, eggs, sugar and caramel.
The dress - made of 1,500 cream puffs and weighing 20 pounds - took the 28-year-old baker two months to make, and by the end of the wedding reception, bride Viktoriya said she didn't want to take it off.
"At first, it was even a little embarrassing," Viktoriya Shtefano said of the dress she wore to the couple's reception in August at Uzhhorod's 1,200-year-old castle. "Cameras, interviews, but after a couple of hours, I didn't even want to take it off."
The dress - made of 1,500 cream puffs and weighing 20 pounds - took the 28-year-old baker two months to make, and by the end of the wedding reception, bride Viktoriya said she didn't want to take it off.
"At first, it was even a little embarrassing," Viktoriya Shtefano said of the dress she wore to the couple's reception in August at Uzhhorod's 1,200-year-old castle. "Cameras, interviews, but after a couple of hours, I didn't even want to take it off."
Teens accuse each other of haircut rage
Two teenagers are accusing each other of assaulting each other by haircut. An 18-year-old Des Moines East High School student told police that another teenager came up behind her with a pair of scissors and began cutting her hair.
The student claimed that when she tried to get the scissors away from her attacker she was cut on her hand and face.
Officers then interviewed the female suspect, also an 18-year-old. She claimed it was the other student who picked up the scissors and began furiously cutting her hair. The suspect was missing "a large quadrant of hair from the front of her head," according to a police report.
Officers are investigating both claims. No charges have been filed. Crime scene investigators were called to take photographs of injuries and haircuts.
The student claimed that when she tried to get the scissors away from her attacker she was cut on her hand and face.
Officers then interviewed the female suspect, also an 18-year-old. She claimed it was the other student who picked up the scissors and began furiously cutting her hair. The suspect was missing "a large quadrant of hair from the front of her head," according to a police report.
Officers are investigating both claims. No charges have been filed. Crime scene investigators were called to take photographs of injuries and haircuts.
The last tattoo woman
An old woman from the Chin ethnic minority group in Myanmar, which borders India and Thailand, shows off the tattoos she was given as a young girl to ward off attacks - particularly by neighbouring princes, who would kidnap girls to be concubines.
She was one of the last to get the markings, in a 200-year-old custom which has now died out.
She was one of the last to get the markings, in a 200-year-old custom which has now died out.
Worth $3.4bn, Ms Cheung is richest in China
A Chinese entrepreneur has surged past JK Rowling and Oprah Winfrey to become the richest self-made woman in the world, and China's wealthiest person.
Cheung Yan, 49, the head of Nine Dragons Paper recycling and packing firm, is said to be worth US$3.4bn (£1.8bn) after a ninefold rise in her fortune in a year. In comparison, JK Rowling is worth nearly $1bn. Ms Cheung's wealth rose after the firm listed in Hong Kong.
Ms Cheung heads a Chinese rich list dominated by male property speculators, industrial giants and dot.com tycoons, overtaking last year's leader, 36-year-old Huang Guangyu, the male owner of Gome Electrical Appliances, worth $2.5bn.
One of eight children born to a military family in Lioaning province, north-eastern China, she entered business in 1985 after periods in the US and Hong Kong.
Cheung Yan, 49, the head of Nine Dragons Paper recycling and packing firm, is said to be worth US$3.4bn (£1.8bn) after a ninefold rise in her fortune in a year. In comparison, JK Rowling is worth nearly $1bn. Ms Cheung's wealth rose after the firm listed in Hong Kong.
Ms Cheung heads a Chinese rich list dominated by male property speculators, industrial giants and dot.com tycoons, overtaking last year's leader, 36-year-old Huang Guangyu, the male owner of Gome Electrical Appliances, worth $2.5bn.
One of eight children born to a military family in Lioaning province, north-eastern China, she entered business in 1985 after periods in the US and Hong Kong.
Death-row prisoner gets pregnant in solitary confinement
A death-row inmate held in solitary confinement in Vietnam for almost a year is pregnant and is seeking a pardon to give birth.
The Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper quoted a police doctor as saying tests in September confirmed that convicted heroin trafficker Nguyen Thi Oanh, 39, was then 11 weeks pregnant.
The report said it was the first time that a death-row prisoner had become pregnant in Vietnam and that police were investigating how it had happened.
Oanh's husband was serving a jail sentence at another prison in another province.
Oanh was due to face a firing squad this year after losing her appeal against the death sentence she received last year for possession of a billion dong ($63,000) worth of heroin.
The Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper quoted a police doctor as saying tests in September confirmed that convicted heroin trafficker Nguyen Thi Oanh, 39, was then 11 weeks pregnant.
The report said it was the first time that a death-row prisoner had become pregnant in Vietnam and that police were investigating how it had happened.
Oanh's husband was serving a jail sentence at another prison in another province.
Oanh was due to face a firing squad this year after losing her appeal against the death sentence she received last year for possession of a billion dong ($63,000) worth of heroin.
Burned alive for being a thief
A suspected thief screams as villagers set fire to his legs after stripping him and tying him to a cross in Pelileo Grande, Ecuador, 75 miles south of Quito.
Mario Quishpe had been caught stealing and locals took summary justice. A priest, along with other villagers, extinguished the flames and he was taken to hospital where his burns were treated.
Mario Quishpe had been caught stealing and locals took summary justice. A priest, along with other villagers, extinguished the flames and he was taken to hospital where his burns were treated.
'World's oldest man' dies in Cuba
A Cuban man who claimed to be the oldest person in the world has died in hospital at what he believed was the age of 126.
Benito Martinez, whose age was never proved, was the star attraction of a Cuban government campaign to promote healthy lives for its oldest citizens.
He was absolutely certain that he was born in Haiti in 1880.
Mr Martinez had long enjoyed being living proof that it was possible to live happily to a very ripe old age.
Until his last months, he led a relatively active life, tending plants outside his one-bedroom house, visiting the local old people's home and being more than happy to demonstrate that being 120-plus did not mean you could not dance.
Benito Martinez, whose age was never proved, was the star attraction of a Cuban government campaign to promote healthy lives for its oldest citizens.
He was absolutely certain that he was born in Haiti in 1880.
Mr Martinez had long enjoyed being living proof that it was possible to live happily to a very ripe old age.
Until his last months, he led a relatively active life, tending plants outside his one-bedroom house, visiting the local old people's home and being more than happy to demonstrate that being 120-plus did not mean you could not dance.
Sociologist Will Spend Three Years in Cave
An Italian sociologist hopes to spend up to three years hunkered in a small, chilly underground cave in central Italy to better understand the body's natural cycles.
Maurizio Montalbini, 53, moved into his new grotto home on Wednesday.
He intends to pass more than 1,000 days drinking water from a small pipe, and eating food pills at meals. But he's also brought a few treats: four kilogrammes (10 pounds) of honey, two kilogrammes (4.4 pounds) of nuts and 1.5 kilogrammes (3.3 pounds) of chocolate, according to La Repubblica.
His sojourn aims to better understand the body's natural rhythms to determine better medical dosages and fight stress and insomnia
Montalbini's new home—80 meters (262 feet) underground—is two meters (6.6 feet) wide, and 50 meters (164 feet) long and five meters (16.4 feet) meters high. The cave's temperature fluctuates between 9 degrees C (48 F) 10 degrees C (50 degrees F).
The sociologist is no stranger to grotto life. He beat a world record for the feat in the early 1990s, after living just over a year in a cave.
I remember reading in National Geographic about his first cave-living experience. It totally messed with his body clock, as I recall.
Maurizio Montalbini, 53, moved into his new grotto home on Wednesday.
He intends to pass more than 1,000 days drinking water from a small pipe, and eating food pills at meals. But he's also brought a few treats: four kilogrammes (10 pounds) of honey, two kilogrammes (4.4 pounds) of nuts and 1.5 kilogrammes (3.3 pounds) of chocolate, according to La Repubblica.
His sojourn aims to better understand the body's natural rhythms to determine better medical dosages and fight stress and insomnia
Montalbini's new home—80 meters (262 feet) underground—is two meters (6.6 feet) wide, and 50 meters (164 feet) long and five meters (16.4 feet) meters high. The cave's temperature fluctuates between 9 degrees C (48 F) 10 degrees C (50 degrees F).
The sociologist is no stranger to grotto life. He beat a world record for the feat in the early 1990s, after living just over a year in a cave.
I remember reading in National Geographic about his first cave-living experience. It totally messed with his body clock, as I recall.
Firm halts office cards for fear of 'ageist' comments
An insurance firm has stopped the circulating of birthday cards for staff to sign amid concern that light hearted "ageist" comments could unwittingly breach the new age discrimination laws.
Teasing remarks such as "It's better to be over the hill than under it" or references to bus passes could cause offence, the company said following legal advice.
Under new laws that were introduced this month, staff can take action against their company if they feel they have been harassed or victimised due to their age.
For many years, directors of Alan & Thomas insurance brokers in Bournemouth, Dorset, have circulated birthday cards which are signed by the 36 staff.
But the company said yesterday it had stopped doing so. Instead it would send a card to each staff member on their birthday, signed by the directors.
Neil Gouldson, an employment law specialist at the Manchester-based firm Rowe Cohen, said: "Gags in birthday cards about people being 'over the hill' will need to be curbed."
Teasing remarks such as "It's better to be over the hill than under it" or references to bus passes could cause offence, the company said following legal advice.
Under new laws that were introduced this month, staff can take action against their company if they feel they have been harassed or victimised due to their age.
For many years, directors of Alan & Thomas insurance brokers in Bournemouth, Dorset, have circulated birthday cards which are signed by the 36 staff.
But the company said yesterday it had stopped doing so. Instead it would send a card to each staff member on their birthday, signed by the directors.
Neil Gouldson, an employment law specialist at the Manchester-based firm Rowe Cohen, said: "Gags in birthday cards about people being 'over the hill' will need to be curbed."
Dog eats dead master and his wife
A dog ate his master's rotting corpse after he and his wife died in their home and lay undiscovered for weeks.
Unable to find any food, the dog, believed to be a German Shepherd, fed on Albert Sprigens's arm and head after the 82-year-old died at the couple's isolated house in Brenchley, near Pembury, Kent.
Bedridden Audrey Sprigens, 70, is believed to have died because she was unable to call for help after her husband's death, Tunbridge Wells Coroner's Court heard.
When police entered the remote property on September 7 they found Mr Sprigens, a retired aircraft engineer, in the bath fully clothed. He had been decapitated and his skull was on the patio. His arm was without flesh.
A heavily decomposed and frail Mrs Sprigens was lying on the bedroom floor in her nightclothes. Police were called after a postman noticed the letterbox was overfull and was concerned that the dog looked emaciated and appeared to living in his own filth.
Unable to find any food, the dog, believed to be a German Shepherd, fed on Albert Sprigens's arm and head after the 82-year-old died at the couple's isolated house in Brenchley, near Pembury, Kent.
Bedridden Audrey Sprigens, 70, is believed to have died because she was unable to call for help after her husband's death, Tunbridge Wells Coroner's Court heard.
When police entered the remote property on September 7 they found Mr Sprigens, a retired aircraft engineer, in the bath fully clothed. He had been decapitated and his skull was on the patio. His arm was without flesh.
A heavily decomposed and frail Mrs Sprigens was lying on the bedroom floor in her nightclothes. Police were called after a postman noticed the letterbox was overfull and was concerned that the dog looked emaciated and appeared to living in his own filth.
Lions share thrills of the hunt
Experts behind a pioneering device aiming to give lions in captivity the thrill of hunting their prey are hoping to put it into production.
The LionDrover, an all terrain vehicle which has been decorated with zebra stripes, was designed to replicate many aspects of a carnivore hunt.
It is hoped that the LionDrover, which was launched at Blair Drummond Safari Park in Stirlingshire, will encourage hunting behaviour only seen on the African plains.
The small remote-controlled vehicle, which has a top speed of 30 MPH, is an upgraded design of a previous model, the Lionrover.
There's a video showing The LionDrover in action here.
The LionDrover, an all terrain vehicle which has been decorated with zebra stripes, was designed to replicate many aspects of a carnivore hunt.
It is hoped that the LionDrover, which was launched at Blair Drummond Safari Park in Stirlingshire, will encourage hunting behaviour only seen on the African plains.
The small remote-controlled vehicle, which has a top speed of 30 MPH, is an upgraded design of a previous model, the Lionrover.
There's a video showing The LionDrover in action here.
Doormat tested in the name of art
A man is receiving a council pay-out for walking on the spot on a doormat all day long in a Northumberland town.
Performance artist Ian Thorley from Derbyshire is being paid £1,600 for his week-long "Utilitarian Utopia" in Ashington's main shopping street.
He wears a badge stating he is a government doormat tester and the project aims to be "thought provoking".
You can see a video of Ian testing doormats here.
Performance artist Ian Thorley from Derbyshire is being paid £1,600 for his week-long "Utilitarian Utopia" in Ashington's main shopping street.
He wears a badge stating he is a government doormat tester and the project aims to be "thought provoking".
You can see a video of Ian testing doormats here.
Seven in ten abandon knives for eating
It's not so long ago that the pinnacle of meal table mischief was flicking peas across the table - swiftly punished by a stern rebuke or exile to the bedroom without dinner.
But today's parents have not only forgotten their manners but are too busy licking their plates and watching the telly to pass them on, a survey has revealed.
Nearly three-quarters of adults today think nothing of shovelling food into their mouths with a fork held in their right hand, not bothering with a knife at all.
The survey of 2,231 people by by Great British Chicken, a trade group which promotes the use of British poultry, also found a north/south divide with the worst manners in Scotland and the north east and the best in Wales and the south east.
The 15 most common bad table manners are:
73% Holding fork in right hand/no knife
67% Elbows on table
67% Failing to remain at table while everyone is still eating
64% Eating straight out of packaging
47% Leaving table while others eating
36% Talking with mouth full
34% Using fingers to scoop up last bits of food
27% Pointing at someone with knife/fork
25% Burping at table
24% Licking plate clean
20% Blowing nose on napkin
20% Putting too much food in mouth
19% Forgetting to thank host for meal
19% Not knowing which cutlery to use in restaurant
8% Throwing food at someone across table
But today's parents have not only forgotten their manners but are too busy licking their plates and watching the telly to pass them on, a survey has revealed.
Nearly three-quarters of adults today think nothing of shovelling food into their mouths with a fork held in their right hand, not bothering with a knife at all.
The survey of 2,231 people by by Great British Chicken, a trade group which promotes the use of British poultry, also found a north/south divide with the worst manners in Scotland and the north east and the best in Wales and the south east.
The 15 most common bad table manners are:
73% Holding fork in right hand/no knife
67% Elbows on table
67% Failing to remain at table while everyone is still eating
64% Eating straight out of packaging
47% Leaving table while others eating
36% Talking with mouth full
34% Using fingers to scoop up last bits of food
27% Pointing at someone with knife/fork
25% Burping at table
24% Licking plate clean
20% Blowing nose on napkin
20% Putting too much food in mouth
19% Forgetting to thank host for meal
19% Not knowing which cutlery to use in restaurant
8% Throwing food at someone across table
Harrier video 'relieved stress'
A video of a Harrier jump jet "buzzing" servicemen in Afghanistan was about personnel "letting off steam", the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.
The 15-second video, apparently recorded near Kandahar, has been posted on the website YouTube.com.
This story was all over the media yesterday. It's good to see they're keeping up. I posted this video in July.
The 15-second video, apparently recorded near Kandahar, has been posted on the website YouTube.com.
This story was all over the media yesterday. It's good to see they're keeping up. I posted this video in July.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Sour Death Balls by Jessica Yu
I believe this video was made in 1993 and shows a lot of people eating sour death balls.
Bullies for Hire
Bullies for Hire is here to provide you with fierce, quality bullying. Studies have shown that a constant barrage of intense bullying can make any kid "toughen up" and become more aggressive.
They offer many different bullying plans to fit your budget. The best part is, it's tax deductible!
The Beatles
A band from Cornwall is combining its love of Cornish and the music of The Beatles by translating some of the Fab Four's songs.
The band Skwardya, made up of Matthew Clarke and Dave Miller, has translated four songs including She Loves You (Hi a'th kar) and Something (Neppyth).
In other Beatles related news, a gold and silver-plated chess set, modelled on the hands of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, has gone on show in a Tokyo department store.
The piece, commissioned by fellow band member George Harrison in 1973, was displayed at Takashimaya to mark the opening of a new Asprey store.
The London jeweller is selling replica sets for £15,000 each.
The "hands", designed by Robin Crookshank, are set in a certain gestures to represent each chess figure, and include the rings worn by the star.
The band Skwardya, made up of Matthew Clarke and Dave Miller, has translated four songs including She Loves You (Hi a'th kar) and Something (Neppyth).
In other Beatles related news, a gold and silver-plated chess set, modelled on the hands of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, has gone on show in a Tokyo department store.
The piece, commissioned by fellow band member George Harrison in 1973, was displayed at Takashimaya to mark the opening of a new Asprey store.
The London jeweller is selling replica sets for £15,000 each.
The "hands", designed by Robin Crookshank, are set in a certain gestures to represent each chess figure, and include the rings worn by the star.
NYChildren
I posted the video about this the other day. As a result of my infallible filing system, I forgot to post the website.
Ottawa couple has self-help books covered
An Ottawa couple is selling book jackets bearing unusual self-help titles, challenging those who might judge a book by its cover.
How to Murder a Complete Stranger… And Get Away with It and The Nutritional Benefits of Nose-picking are a few of the 20 titles Michelle and Brian Watters have come up with since they started their book jacket business, FlapArt Inc.
The Watters hire a graphic artist to turn their titles into covers that fit over most hardcover books.
The jackets are sold at bookstores and boutiques in about a dozen countries around the world. In Ottawa, they sell for about $6.
How to Murder a Complete Stranger… And Get Away with It and The Nutritional Benefits of Nose-picking are a few of the 20 titles Michelle and Brian Watters have come up with since they started their book jacket business, FlapArt Inc.
The Watters hire a graphic artist to turn their titles into covers that fit over most hardcover books.
The jackets are sold at bookstores and boutiques in about a dozen countries around the world. In Ottawa, they sell for about $6.
Thief exchanges stolen trousers for better fit
When a thief found that the trousers he had stolen did not fit him, he went back to the department store and secretly exchanged them in the city of Sanya, Hainan Province, on Monday.
Department store assistants were surprised to find the trousers that had been stolen on Sunday when they took stock after the business hours on Monday evening - but another pair of trousers of another size were gone.
They supposed that the thief stole a pair of trousers from their store but later found that the stolen trousers didn't fit him. The thief had then returned to the department store, secretly replaced them and taken the second pair.
As for the culprit's identity, they suspected a man in his 30s who had tried on many trousers in their store in the past two days, but failed to buy any.
Department store assistants were surprised to find the trousers that had been stolen on Sunday when they took stock after the business hours on Monday evening - but another pair of trousers of another size were gone.
They supposed that the thief stole a pair of trousers from their store but later found that the stolen trousers didn't fit him. The thief had then returned to the department store, secretly replaced them and taken the second pair.
As for the culprit's identity, they suspected a man in his 30s who had tried on many trousers in their store in the past two days, but failed to buy any.
Newborn baby boy survives 24 hours in armadillo burrow
A newborn baby was pulled alive from an armadillo’s burrow in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná 24 hours after being abandoned there by his mother.
Lucinda Ferreira Guimarães, 40, had gone to great lengths to hide her pregnancy, even when in her eighth month. She and her four children had recently moved in with a new boyfriend.
Police believe that on Sunday afternoon she went into a wood near her home in a poor area in Laranjeiras do Sul and gave birth there, hiding the baby before returning home.
Neighbours brought the little boy back from the dead when they found him buried with his placenta when a dog started digging and whining around some freshly-dug soil.
The baby was under about eight inches of soil. At first the people thought the child was dead. But as they wiped mud from his face, he opened his eyes and burst out crying.
The boy, who had still not been named, was rushed to the Sao Lucas Maternity Hospital in Laranjeiras do Sul, southern Brazil, where he was fed and bathed.
Lucinda Ferreira Guimarães, 40, had gone to great lengths to hide her pregnancy, even when in her eighth month. She and her four children had recently moved in with a new boyfriend.
Police believe that on Sunday afternoon she went into a wood near her home in a poor area in Laranjeiras do Sul and gave birth there, hiding the baby before returning home.
Neighbours brought the little boy back from the dead when they found him buried with his placenta when a dog started digging and whining around some freshly-dug soil.
The baby was under about eight inches of soil. At first the people thought the child was dead. But as they wiped mud from his face, he opened his eyes and burst out crying.
The boy, who had still not been named, was rushed to the Sao Lucas Maternity Hospital in Laranjeiras do Sul, southern Brazil, where he was fed and bathed.
Companies to Make Ice Cream for Dogs
Ice cream maker Good Humor and pet food producer Pedigree have announced plans to produce ice cream sandwiches for dogs. Many dogs are lactose intolerant and cannot eat ice cream, the companies said.
Pedigree Ice Cream Sandwich Treats for Dogs will be dairy-based and have the same texture as ice cream, but contain only 1 percent lactose.
The treats also will have added protein and no sugar.
The companies plan to sell packages of 24 frozen treats for $3.99.
Pedigree Ice Cream Sandwich Treats for Dogs will be dairy-based and have the same texture as ice cream, but contain only 1 percent lactose.
The treats also will have added protein and no sugar.
The companies plan to sell packages of 24 frozen treats for $3.99.
Celebrity chefs make flights more palatable
Celebrity chefs and fancy wine lists are being snatched up by aviation executives as the latest airline accessory in the realm of plush leather seats and personal televisions.
As carriers have begun to rebound from the post-9-11 slump, they are clamoring to win loyalty among customers, especially from those passengers willing to pay for premium-class services.
Some have toiled to perfect the special science behind successful airline food.
India's largest in-flight catering network, SAJ Flight Services, developed a menu that it says has a "healing touch" and "relieves the occurrence of flatulence, deep-vein thrombosis and other flight-induced discomforts."
As carriers have begun to rebound from the post-9-11 slump, they are clamoring to win loyalty among customers, especially from those passengers willing to pay for premium-class services.
Some have toiled to perfect the special science behind successful airline food.
India's largest in-flight catering network, SAJ Flight Services, developed a menu that it says has a "healing touch" and "relieves the occurrence of flatulence, deep-vein thrombosis and other flight-induced discomforts."
Britain becomes the fat man of Europe
Britain is the fattest country in Europe, the Government said yesterday as it published the most comprehensive picture yet of the nation's health.
Figures show that 23 per cent of adults are classified as obese, ahead of Spain (13.1 per cent), Germany (12.9), France (9.4) and Italy (8.5).
The problem is growing among children, with the percentage up from 9.9 per cent in 1995 to 14.3 in 2004.
Caroline Flint, the public health minister said that obesity was by far the greatest challenge facing the country's health, putting people at a greater risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and strokes.
And the North-South divide remains. Men in the South live two years longer than those in the North. On average, women in the North live one year less than in the South.
Figures show that 23 per cent of adults are classified as obese, ahead of Spain (13.1 per cent), Germany (12.9), France (9.4) and Italy (8.5).
The problem is growing among children, with the percentage up from 9.9 per cent in 1995 to 14.3 in 2004.
Caroline Flint, the public health minister said that obesity was by far the greatest challenge facing the country's health, putting people at a greater risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and strokes.
And the North-South divide remains. Men in the South live two years longer than those in the North. On average, women in the North live one year less than in the South.
Mother Tried To Trade Son For Wedding Gown
Police said an Iowa woman wanted a wedding gown so badly that she would have traded her child for it.
Davenport, Iowa, police charged 31-year-old Marcy Gant with one felony count of sale of an individual. She is accused of trying to sell her 4-year-old son.
They said Gant bought a wedding dress from a local street vendor, paid part of the tab, and offered her son to make up the rest of the balance.
"During negotiations for the payment of this wedding dress, on at least two occasions, Ms. Gant offered her 4-year-old son as collateral," Capt. Dave Struckman of the Davenport Police Department.
Gant's 4-year-old son and her 10-year-old son have been taken into protective custody.
Davenport, Iowa, police charged 31-year-old Marcy Gant with one felony count of sale of an individual. She is accused of trying to sell her 4-year-old son.
They said Gant bought a wedding dress from a local street vendor, paid part of the tab, and offered her son to make up the rest of the balance.
"During negotiations for the payment of this wedding dress, on at least two occasions, Ms. Gant offered her 4-year-old son as collateral," Capt. Dave Struckman of the Davenport Police Department.
Gant's 4-year-old son and her 10-year-old son have been taken into protective custody.
Schoolyard Chant Foils Armoured Heist
A group of school children helped foil an attempted armoured van robbery by memorizing the getaway car's registration plate in a school yard chant.
A passer-by who spotted the car, but feared she would forget the plate number so she asked a group of children to memorize it, police in Liverpool said.
The group of nine and 10-year-olds remembered the registration details by turning the numbers into a chant before a classmate arrived with a pen. The three thieves were traced and arrested within 40 minutes.
"The lady did not have a pen or paper on her so went over to the children and repeated the registration number to them," said a spokeswoman for Merseyside Police. "The children sang the song in a chant to help remember it, while one of them ran into the school for a pen."
A passer-by who spotted the car, but feared she would forget the plate number so she asked a group of children to memorize it, police in Liverpool said.
The group of nine and 10-year-olds remembered the registration details by turning the numbers into a chant before a classmate arrived with a pen. The three thieves were traced and arrested within 40 minutes.
"The lady did not have a pen or paper on her so went over to the children and repeated the registration number to them," said a spokeswoman for Merseyside Police. "The children sang the song in a chant to help remember it, while one of them ran into the school for a pen."
Family snap 'saves girl's life'
A photograph taken at a family wedding may have helped to save the life of an 18-month-old girl.
The picture of Sophie Cooke with her twin sister Molly should have showed their sets of blue eyes, but instead Sophie's left eye was completely black.
The light from the flash should have reflected from the back of the eye, but a tumour was blocking the light path and the eye showed up as black.
Days later the family, from Sheffield, discovered she had eye cancer.
Sophie, who is now two years old, was fitted with a prosthetic eye earlier this year.
Ms Cooke said: "We are just so glad the photograph was taken that day, as it helped save my daughter's life."
The picture of Sophie Cooke with her twin sister Molly should have showed their sets of blue eyes, but instead Sophie's left eye was completely black.
The light from the flash should have reflected from the back of the eye, but a tumour was blocking the light path and the eye showed up as black.
Days later the family, from Sheffield, discovered she had eye cancer.
Sophie, who is now two years old, was fitted with a prosthetic eye earlier this year.
Ms Cooke said: "We are just so glad the photograph was taken that day, as it helped save my daughter's life."
The perfect way to boil an egg ... with a lightbulb
An inventor has created a machine that “boils” the perfect egg, without water.
Simon Rhymes, 23, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, hatched his plan at university and has now patented the device that works using lightbulbs.
The eggs are lowered into the machine and heated by four halogen bulbs.
After cooking the egg, the gadget cuts off the top at the perfect point to allow for the insertion of bread soldiers - a circumference of 1.5 inches.
It takes six minutes to produce the perfect egg, but the cooking time can be changed to alter the runniness of the yolk.
Simon Rhymes, 23, from Chippenham, Wiltshire, hatched his plan at university and has now patented the device that works using lightbulbs.
The eggs are lowered into the machine and heated by four halogen bulbs.
After cooking the egg, the gadget cuts off the top at the perfect point to allow for the insertion of bread soldiers - a circumference of 1.5 inches.
It takes six minutes to produce the perfect egg, but the cooking time can be changed to alter the runniness of the yolk.
Garden decking triggers rat plague
Garden make-over shows have placed decking at the heart of the trendy home - however it is attracting a plague of unwanted guests.
Pest control experts warn the void beneath decking is proving an ideal breeding ground for millions of rats and mice.
The wooden boards keeps out the cold and rain in the winter, fallen leaves can be dragged in, providing bedding, while tasty morsels from the barbecue provide a banquet.
Now gardeners countrywide are being warned by pest control experts to take action to combat the problems of the hiding place for vermin only yards from their home.
Pest control experts warn the void beneath decking is proving an ideal breeding ground for millions of rats and mice.
The wooden boards keeps out the cold and rain in the winter, fallen leaves can be dragged in, providing bedding, while tasty morsels from the barbecue provide a banquet.
Now gardeners countrywide are being warned by pest control experts to take action to combat the problems of the hiding place for vermin only yards from their home.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Shamrock City - Biggest construction project hits Dublin Bay
In an attempt to rival The Palm Islands in Dubai, The Dublin Coastal Development Company announces Shamrock City.
Except it's not real, but a viral marketing campaign for an Irish property company, funda.ie, who after all that trouble haven't managed to get their website online.
Geosense geography game
Test your knowledge of world geography alone or against another online player.
Typo will cost Michigan county $40K
Ottawa County will pay about $40,000 to correct an embarrassing typo on its Nov. 7 election ballot: The "L" was left out of "public."
A total of 170,000 ballots will have to be reprinted.
The word "public" was misspelled one of the six times it appears, county Clerk Daniel C. Krueger said Tuesday. Five or six people in his office had proofread the ballot, but it was an election clerk who found the mistake early last week.
"It's just one of those words," Krueger said. "Even after we told people it was in there, they still read over it."
A total of 170,000 ballots will have to be reprinted.
The word "public" was misspelled one of the six times it appears, county Clerk Daniel C. Krueger said Tuesday. Five or six people in his office had proofread the ballot, but it was an election clerk who found the mistake early last week.
"It's just one of those words," Krueger said. "Even after we told people it was in there, they still read over it."
Trail of beer and clothes leads to beer truck bandit
A man suspected of stealing a loaded beer truck was nabbed after a police dog followed a trail of beer and clothes to find him hiding on top of a porch.
The police dog was called out to a parking lot in the western Canadian city on Monday morning where a beer delivery truck, recently stolen outside a liquor store, had been abandoned after a collision.
Edmonton police spokeswoman Karen Carlson said the dog and its handler followed a trail of discarded beer a cooler, a hand cart and pieces of clothing to a nearby apartment building.
"I guess the dog had a pretty good scent to go on," Carlson said.
The police dog was called out to a parking lot in the western Canadian city on Monday morning where a beer delivery truck, recently stolen outside a liquor store, had been abandoned after a collision.
Edmonton police spokeswoman Karen Carlson said the dog and its handler followed a trail of discarded beer a cooler, a hand cart and pieces of clothing to a nearby apartment building.
"I guess the dog had a pretty good scent to go on," Carlson said.