Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Mimosa pudica - The sensitive plant
Other names given to this curious plant are TickleMe Plant, Humble plant, Shame plant, Sleeping grass, Prayer Plant, Touch-me-not, Makahiya (Philippines, meaning "shy"), Mori Vivi (West Indies), mate-loi (false death) (Tonga).
The Chinese name for this plant translates to "shyness grass". The species epithet, pudica, is Latin for "bashful" or "shrinking". Because of its curious nature and easy procreation. Its Sinhala name is Nidikumba, where 'nidi' means 'sleep'.
The Chinese name for this plant translates to "shyness grass". The species epithet, pudica, is Latin for "bashful" or "shrinking". Because of its curious nature and easy procreation. Its Sinhala name is Nidikumba, where 'nidi' means 'sleep'.
Dog saved baby kangaroo from dead mother's pouch
By all accounts the baby kangaroo should have not survived the road accident that claimed its mother ... but then along came Rex the wonder dog.
The pointer discovered the baby roo, known as a joey, alive in the mother's pouch and took it back to his owner.
"I was so surprised and delighted," said Leonie Allan. "Rex saved the day."
The four-month-old joey's mother was killed by a car near Ms Allan's home in Torquay, Victoria, Australia.
Amazingly, the 10-year-old dog - a cross between a German shorthaired and wirehaired pointer - had been so tender with the joey that it was both calm and unmarked.
The joey, to be named Rex Jr after his saviour, is now being cared for at Jirrahlinga Wildlife Sanctuary and when he is 18 months old will be released back into the wild.
The pointer discovered the baby roo, known as a joey, alive in the mother's pouch and took it back to his owner.
"I was so surprised and delighted," said Leonie Allan. "Rex saved the day."
The four-month-old joey's mother was killed by a car near Ms Allan's home in Torquay, Victoria, Australia.
Amazingly, the 10-year-old dog - a cross between a German shorthaired and wirehaired pointer - had been so tender with the joey that it was both calm and unmarked.
The joey, to be named Rex Jr after his saviour, is now being cared for at Jirrahlinga Wildlife Sanctuary and when he is 18 months old will be released back into the wild.
Angel the 5-legged dog
A dog has a new lease on life after being found on the streets of Missouri. Angel looks like any other puppy, but she's not. She has five legs.
Doctors say Angel is in pretty good shape, but they cannot operate to fix Angel's problem. Although she walks a little funny, she doesn't seem to be in any pain.
Doctors say Angel is in pretty good shape, but they cannot operate to fix Angel's problem. Although she walks a little funny, she doesn't seem to be in any pain.
Man says image of Jesus appeared in spoon
"I have a spoon with the image of Jesus Christ on it," says JW Davis from Kentucky.
Davis says look closely and you'll see the robe, the beard and the eyes. "And he appears to be looking up" he exclaims.
Davis says look closely and you'll see the robe, the beard and the eyes. "And he appears to be looking up" he exclaims.
Malaysian man gets divorced twice in one day
The two wives of a Muslim man in Malaysia got along so well that they decided to leave him at the same time.
Faced with their united stand, Roslan Ngah, 44, divorced his two wives, aged 46 and 35, in an Islamic Shariah Court in northeastern Terengganu state on Tuesday, Salwa Mansor, the second wife's lawyer, said.
Mansor said the wives cited irreconcilable differences and other complaints.
Raslan married the first woman in 1986 and the second in 1995, and said the two became close over the years.
"They are like good friends, but I never imagined that both of them had collectively decided to divorce me," Raslan was quoted as saying. "I never expected our marriages to end in this manner."
Roslan has four children with his first wife and two with his second. He also has another child with a third woman, but they are also separated. Roslan told the newspaper he would marry again, "God willing."
Photo from here.
Faced with their united stand, Roslan Ngah, 44, divorced his two wives, aged 46 and 35, in an Islamic Shariah Court in northeastern Terengganu state on Tuesday, Salwa Mansor, the second wife's lawyer, said.
Mansor said the wives cited irreconcilable differences and other complaints.
Raslan married the first woman in 1986 and the second in 1995, and said the two became close over the years.
"They are like good friends, but I never imagined that both of them had collectively decided to divorce me," Raslan was quoted as saying. "I never expected our marriages to end in this manner."
Roslan has four children with his first wife and two with his second. He also has another child with a third woman, but they are also separated. Roslan told the newspaper he would marry again, "God willing."
Photo from here.
Sexy paper lingerie a hit for Malaysia's Chinese dead
Sexy lingerie sets have reportedly become a hit among Malaysia's ethnic Chinese, who buy them to offer to their dead relatives on the Qingming Festival this Friday.
To mark the day, Chinese traditionally tend the graves of their departed loved ones and often burn paper money, model houses, cars, mobile phones and other goods as offerings to honour them and keep them comfortable in the afterlife.
But paper lingerie has become an increasingly popular offering for dead female relatives, Tan Lay Nah, owner of a paper model shop in the northern island state of Penang said.
"Most customers find them cute and would usually add a few sets to go with other paper clothing and items such as dresses, bags and shoes for their female family members to use in the other world," she said.
Photo from here.
To mark the day, Chinese traditionally tend the graves of their departed loved ones and often burn paper money, model houses, cars, mobile phones and other goods as offerings to honour them and keep them comfortable in the afterlife.
But paper lingerie has become an increasingly popular offering for dead female relatives, Tan Lay Nah, owner of a paper model shop in the northern island state of Penang said.
"Most customers find them cute and would usually add a few sets to go with other paper clothing and items such as dresses, bags and shoes for their female family members to use in the other world," she said.
Photo from here.
Man tries to rob restaurant, then pays for and eats meal
A Kalispell man will now be facing a slew of charges after allegedly attempting to rob Taco Johns with a replica of a Glock tactical pistol.
Officials with the Kalispell Police Department say that Shane Roe, 24, entered the business on Monday afternoon, displayed his pistol and then demanded free food.
The employee refused, and then Roe is said to have laughed and demanded money from the register. The employee refused again.
Roe then placed an order, paid for it and sat down with his female companion.
Officers later found Roe outside the Kalispell Center Mall and when he tried to hide his gun from view, he was arrested at gunpoint.
The gun was later determined to be an air-soft pistol.
Officials with the Kalispell Police Department say that Shane Roe, 24, entered the business on Monday afternoon, displayed his pistol and then demanded free food.
The employee refused, and then Roe is said to have laughed and demanded money from the register. The employee refused again.
Roe then placed an order, paid for it and sat down with his female companion.
Officers later found Roe outside the Kalispell Center Mall and when he tried to hide his gun from view, he was arrested at gunpoint.
The gun was later determined to be an air-soft pistol.
Mystery of severed head found on Arbroath beach
A woman's head, hidden inside a plastic bag, has been found by children playing on a beach in Angus.
A human hand was also discovered about 50 yards away from the head on Seagate beachfront in Arbroath.
Two young sisters made the "grim discovery" at 1030 BST. They ran home and their mother called the police.
A Tayside Police spokeswoman said the force was attempting to identify the woman. It is not known if the body parts were washed up or dumped.
Det Ch Insp Graham McMillan said recent heavy rains in the area made it difficult to tell how long, if at all, the head had been in the water.
Patricia Millar, 54, chairwoman of the Royal Burgh of Arbroath community council, said: "This is the kind of thing you hear about in big cities. I never expected it to happen here."
Thanks Jennie! And thanks Alex!
A human hand was also discovered about 50 yards away from the head on Seagate beachfront in Arbroath.
Two young sisters made the "grim discovery" at 1030 BST. They ran home and their mother called the police.
A Tayside Police spokeswoman said the force was attempting to identify the woman. It is not known if the body parts were washed up or dumped.
Det Ch Insp Graham McMillan said recent heavy rains in the area made it difficult to tell how long, if at all, the head had been in the water.
Patricia Millar, 54, chairwoman of the Royal Burgh of Arbroath community council, said: "This is the kind of thing you hear about in big cities. I never expected it to happen here."
Thanks Jennie! And thanks Alex!
Don't call the barmaid 'love', by order of Harriet Harperson
Bar managers and store owners face large-scale compensation claims if their customers ogle their barmaids, waitresses or check-out staff.
New sex discrimination laws also mean that landlords who allow loud sexist jokes or banter among drinkers could be taken before a tribunal.
The regulations say that bosses are responsible for protecting their staff from sexual harassment by customers - and that those who fail to do so can face unlimited compensation claims.
They mean that a pub landlord could be sued if a bar worker complains about being called "love", or over customers telling each other off-colour jokes.
Restaurant managers or hoteliers risk action if staff object to backchat from diners or guests asking for a date.
The regulations were pushed through by Women and Equalities Minister Harriet Harman, who has powers under European legislation to amend discrimination law.
New sex discrimination laws also mean that landlords who allow loud sexist jokes or banter among drinkers could be taken before a tribunal.
The regulations say that bosses are responsible for protecting their staff from sexual harassment by customers - and that those who fail to do so can face unlimited compensation claims.
They mean that a pub landlord could be sued if a bar worker complains about being called "love", or over customers telling each other off-colour jokes.
Restaurant managers or hoteliers risk action if staff object to backchat from diners or guests asking for a date.
The regulations were pushed through by Women and Equalities Minister Harriet Harman, who has powers under European legislation to amend discrimination law.
Six dishes that rule British mealtimes
Just six dishes account for the most frequent meals in 98 per cent of British households.
A group of more than 1,400 families were questioned on the meals they cooked most often. Almost a third (30 per cent) prepared roast chicken most regularly, with spaghetti bolognese (27 per cent) and stir fry (12 per cent) the next most popular. Then came sausage and mash at 12 per cent, followed by curries (10 per cent) and pork chops (7 per cent).
Only 2 per cent of the families said that they cooked another dish most often.
Asked why they did not try out new recipes, 37 per cent said they were worried their family would not like them, 32 per cent said that they could not remember how to cook any other meals and 31 per cent said that they “couldn’t be bothered”.
A group of more than 1,400 families were questioned on the meals they cooked most often. Almost a third (30 per cent) prepared roast chicken most regularly, with spaghetti bolognese (27 per cent) and stir fry (12 per cent) the next most popular. Then came sausage and mash at 12 per cent, followed by curries (10 per cent) and pork chops (7 per cent).
Only 2 per cent of the families said that they cooked another dish most often.
Asked why they did not try out new recipes, 37 per cent said they were worried their family would not like them, 32 per cent said that they could not remember how to cook any other meals and 31 per cent said that they “couldn’t be bothered”.
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