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Sunday, February 17, 2008
Potatoes for Bertie Ahern
Art performance, artist Mark McGowan is to dress up as the An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and crawl on his hands and knees, while attempting to pull 300 kilos of potatoes (in a large bulk aggregate bag attached to his leg by a piece of string), along the road for 4 miles, in Dublin, Ireland.
The intention is to show the people of Ireland the difficulties and struggles of being the Irish Leader, he has the weight of Ireland along with his own personal problems and this performance is an attempt to show everyone just how hard it is being Bertie Ahern.
The event starts in Ballymun at 11am on February wednesday 27th 2008 at the Old Swimming Pool, beside the shopping centre on Ballymun Main St and ends at Bertie Ahern's local, Fagans in Drumcondra just opposite where his clinic is. McGowan will present the potatoes as a gift/art piece for Bertie.
McGowan says, "I think people give Bertie Ahern a hard time and i for one believe him to be a wonderful man and a great leader of the Irish nation."
The intention is to show the people of Ireland the difficulties and struggles of being the Irish Leader, he has the weight of Ireland along with his own personal problems and this performance is an attempt to show everyone just how hard it is being Bertie Ahern.
The event starts in Ballymun at 11am on February wednesday 27th 2008 at the Old Swimming Pool, beside the shopping centre on Ballymun Main St and ends at Bertie Ahern's local, Fagans in Drumcondra just opposite where his clinic is. McGowan will present the potatoes as a gift/art piece for Bertie.
McGowan says, "I think people give Bertie Ahern a hard time and i for one believe him to be a wonderful man and a great leader of the Irish nation."
Gecko 'begs' insect for honeydew
A bizarre relationship between a gecko and a sap-sucking insect has been caught on camera for the first time.
The day gecko, which lives in the forests of Madagascar, has been recorded begging a bug for its dinner.
The lizard repeatedly nods its head at the insect, called a plant hopper, until it flicks over small balls of honeydew for the gecko to dine upon.
It is not yet understood why the insect so willingly offers up honeydew at the lizard's behest.
Some believe that the presence of the hungry geckos may keep other predators away from the insect.
The day gecko, which lives in the forests of Madagascar, has been recorded begging a bug for its dinner.
The lizard repeatedly nods its head at the insect, called a plant hopper, until it flicks over small balls of honeydew for the gecko to dine upon.
It is not yet understood why the insect so willingly offers up honeydew at the lizard's behest.
Some believe that the presence of the hungry geckos may keep other predators away from the insect.
Body in morgue for 20 years close to being identified
An alert obituary reader may help officials identify the body of a man found at a campsite in southwestern Colorado 20 years ago and left unclaimed in a hospital morgue since then.
Ouray County Sheriff Dominic Mattivi said a resident called him to say an obituary for Billy Russell McFadden, a Grand Junction resident who died on Feb. 9, mentioned McFadden had a son, Russell Anthony McFadden, who disappeared 20 years ago.
The obituary was published on Thursday in The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction.
Mattivi said Russell McFadden's brother, Michael McFadden, agreed to give a DNA sample to see if there is a match with the unclaimed body.
"He was positive and very hopeful," Mattivi said. "They'd like closure also, and after 20 years, they deserve it." Russell McFadden was reported missing in July 1987. In November 1987, a man's body was found south of the town of Ouray. The man, who had no identification, apparently had been camping and had been there "quite some time" before he was discovered.
Mattivi and County Coroner Gary Miller were unaware the body was at the morgue until the hospital notified them in December. Miller had approached the county commission on Monday to ask for funds for a burial. Both said they didn't know why they weren't told earlier that the body had been in the morgue all this time.
Ouray County Sheriff Dominic Mattivi said a resident called him to say an obituary for Billy Russell McFadden, a Grand Junction resident who died on Feb. 9, mentioned McFadden had a son, Russell Anthony McFadden, who disappeared 20 years ago.
The obituary was published on Thursday in The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction.
Mattivi said Russell McFadden's brother, Michael McFadden, agreed to give a DNA sample to see if there is a match with the unclaimed body.
"He was positive and very hopeful," Mattivi said. "They'd like closure also, and after 20 years, they deserve it." Russell McFadden was reported missing in July 1987. In November 1987, a man's body was found south of the town of Ouray. The man, who had no identification, apparently had been camping and had been there "quite some time" before he was discovered.
Mattivi and County Coroner Gary Miller were unaware the body was at the morgue until the hospital notified them in December. Miller had approached the county commission on Monday to ask for funds for a burial. Both said they didn't know why they weren't told earlier that the body had been in the morgue all this time.
Couple born on same day, die on same day
A Sioux Falls couple that was born on the same day in 1941 has died on the same day.
Diana Kraft and her husband, Kent both 67 died together of separate illnesses. They've been married for about 43 years.
Police spokesman Loren McManus says Diana Kraft was very sick and died. He says whatever effect that had on Kent Kraft who had a heart condition that was it.
Miller Funeral Home Director Joel Vipond says he's never experienced this in his 30 years of funeral service.
Diana Kraft and her husband, Kent both 67 died together of separate illnesses. They've been married for about 43 years.
Police spokesman Loren McManus says Diana Kraft was very sick and died. He says whatever effect that had on Kent Kraft who had a heart condition that was it.
Miller Funeral Home Director Joel Vipond says he's never experienced this in his 30 years of funeral service.
Inaudible song is 'top of the pups'
A song that is completely inaudible to humans has become such a top-selling hit in New Zealand it is about to be released globally.
"A Very Silent Night", said to have been recorded at such a high sound frequency that it can be heard only by dogs, was issued as a CD by the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals just before Christmas to raise funds.
To the surprise of everyone in the music industry, the novelty production quickly rocketed to become number one in the charts - or "top of the pups” as it was dubbed.
It has sold 6,000 CDs, a considerable achievement in the tiny New Zealand market, at £1.50 each.
Now distributors in the United States and Australia are vying for the rights to international sales, the society has announced.
Although dog owners sit through several minutes of silence while the disc spins on the CD player, the dogs they own are reported to wag their tails, prick up their ears, and even dance in delight at the recording.
"A Very Silent Night", said to have been recorded at such a high sound frequency that it can be heard only by dogs, was issued as a CD by the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals just before Christmas to raise funds.
To the surprise of everyone in the music industry, the novelty production quickly rocketed to become number one in the charts - or "top of the pups” as it was dubbed.
It has sold 6,000 CDs, a considerable achievement in the tiny New Zealand market, at £1.50 each.
Now distributors in the United States and Australia are vying for the rights to international sales, the society has announced.
Although dog owners sit through several minutes of silence while the disc spins on the CD player, the dogs they own are reported to wag their tails, prick up their ears, and even dance in delight at the recording.
You're no longer required to bludgeon trapped grey squirrels with a spade in the UK
For decades the traditional British response to finding a trapped grey squirrel was to bludgeon it to death with a spade. Now a wave of sentimentality has led to a change in the law, granting Sciurus carolinensis a reprieve.
Until last year anyone catching a grey squirrel was required by law to kill it to help to preserve the native red species. The legislation has now been reformed, allowing people to release the animals into the wild – but only if they apply for and are granted a licence to do so.
The change, which permits up to 450 grey squirrels to be released this year, has provoked outrage from some wildlife activists. They fear that it will spell disaster for the native red squirrel, which has suffered a catastrophic decline since the American grey was introduced in the 19th century.
Natural England, the Government’s advisory body on nature, said that the policy change came about in response to public sentiment. “For some people, these species have become a part of our wildlife and give a great deal of pleasure,” a spokeswoman said.
The new policy caused consternation in the House of Lords, where a debate last month called into question the wisdom of treating grey squirrels humanely. England has about two million grey squirrels and the figures given show that 13,337 were exterminated in Northumberland alone since January last year.
The RSPCA, which has a licence for each of its regional superintendents, now has a policy to release uninjured trapped grey squirrels back into the wild.
Until last year anyone catching a grey squirrel was required by law to kill it to help to preserve the native red species. The legislation has now been reformed, allowing people to release the animals into the wild – but only if they apply for and are granted a licence to do so.
The change, which permits up to 450 grey squirrels to be released this year, has provoked outrage from some wildlife activists. They fear that it will spell disaster for the native red squirrel, which has suffered a catastrophic decline since the American grey was introduced in the 19th century.
Natural England, the Government’s advisory body on nature, said that the policy change came about in response to public sentiment. “For some people, these species have become a part of our wildlife and give a great deal of pleasure,” a spokeswoman said.
The new policy caused consternation in the House of Lords, where a debate last month called into question the wisdom of treating grey squirrels humanely. England has about two million grey squirrels and the figures given show that 13,337 were exterminated in Northumberland alone since January last year.
The RSPCA, which has a licence for each of its regional superintendents, now has a policy to release uninjured trapped grey squirrels back into the wild.
Red Dwarf star arrested for brandishing samurai sword at binmen
Red Dwarf star Daniel John-Jules was led away by police over claims he brandished a samurai sword at two binmen.
The 47-year-old, who played The Cat in the cult BBC comedy show, was arrested in his dressing gown outside his home.
Witnesses claimed John-Jules went berserk during an apparent row about his recycling with the refuse collectors.
One neighbour said: "I saw him out in the street shouting at the binmen and waving what looked like a samurai sword around. He was really screaming and yelling. Next I saw the binmen sitting in the back of an ambulance looking shocked and upset."
Another neighbour added: "I heard a lot of noise and shouting and when I looked outside I could see the man dragging his bin down the street with him and waving his arms. I don't know exactly what happened but I imagine they might have refused to collect his rubbish for some reason."
More photos here.
The 47-year-old, who played The Cat in the cult BBC comedy show, was arrested in his dressing gown outside his home.
Witnesses claimed John-Jules went berserk during an apparent row about his recycling with the refuse collectors.
One neighbour said: "I saw him out in the street shouting at the binmen and waving what looked like a samurai sword around. He was really screaming and yelling. Next I saw the binmen sitting in the back of an ambulance looking shocked and upset."
Another neighbour added: "I heard a lot of noise and shouting and when I looked outside I could see the man dragging his bin down the street with him and waving his arms. I don't know exactly what happened but I imagine they might have refused to collect his rubbish for some reason."
More photos here.
Naked off piste
A nude British ski tourist led police on a 30 minute chase as he ran through an Italian town.
Michael Price, 28, thought to be drunk, stripped off in a crowded street and legged it, running over cars, leaving dents and broken windscreens.
He stopped to pose for photos and play a busker's banjo then pretended to be a bull and charged at cars in Bergamo.
When police caught up with him, he grabbed a red T-shirt from a shop and mimicked a bullfighter.
Michael Price, 28, thought to be drunk, stripped off in a crowded street and legged it, running over cars, leaving dents and broken windscreens.
He stopped to pose for photos and play a busker's banjo then pretended to be a bull and charged at cars in Bergamo.
When police caught up with him, he grabbed a red T-shirt from a shop and mimicked a bullfighter.
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