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Sunday, August 17, 2008
Egyptian woman gives birth to septuplets
An Egyptian woman gave birth to septuplets early yesterday in the coastal city of Alexandria after taking fertility drugs in effort to produce a son, a hospital director said.
Ghazala Khamis, 27, was in good condition at the hospital after having a blood transfusion during her Caesarean section due to bleeding, said Emad Darwish, director of the El-Shatbi Hospital where she gave birth.
Photo from here.
The newborns, four boys and three girls, weigh between 3.2 pounds (1.45 kilograms) and 6.17 pounds (2.8 kilograms) and are in stable condition, Darwish said. They have been placed in incubators in four different hospitals that have special premature baby units, he said.
"This is a very rare pregnancy — something I have never witnessed over my past 33 years in this profession," Darwish said.
Ghazala Khamis, 27, was in good condition at the hospital after having a blood transfusion during her Caesarean section due to bleeding, said Emad Darwish, director of the El-Shatbi Hospital where she gave birth.
Photo from here.
The newborns, four boys and three girls, weigh between 3.2 pounds (1.45 kilograms) and 6.17 pounds (2.8 kilograms) and are in stable condition, Darwish said. They have been placed in incubators in four different hospitals that have special premature baby units, he said.
"This is a very rare pregnancy — something I have never witnessed over my past 33 years in this profession," Darwish said.
Man all wound up in search of rubber band ball record
Four-and-a-half years after 27-year-old Joel Waul started chaining and wrapping the multi-colored bands, the ball he calls Nugget, or Megaton, is an estimated 8,200 pounds and growing. It is a marvel of more than 300,000 bands of various sizes wound into a ball towering over six feet.
Later this month, a truck is scheduled to unload another 2,000 pounds of rubber bands. The mound of 25-pound bags will occupy a parking space in front of Waul's home.
The process of growing the ball has been painful at times.
When it was a mere 400 pounds, it rolled over Waul's hand, spraining his wrist. Once a rubber band recoiled, ripping through his pants and leaving a spectacular bruise.
Later this month, a truck is scheduled to unload another 2,000 pounds of rubber bands. The mound of 25-pound bags will occupy a parking space in front of Waul's home.
The process of growing the ball has been painful at times.
When it was a mere 400 pounds, it rolled over Waul's hand, spraining his wrist. Once a rubber band recoiled, ripping through his pants and leaving a spectacular bruise.
Professor moons students during heated debate
An argument between two debate coaches that was caught on video was not the sharp-witted dialogue typically associated with college debate teams. Instead, the two traded profanity-laced barbs and one of them pulled down his shorts, exposing his underwear.
An eight-minute segment of the argument, in which each cursed repeatedly and one student near the camera can be heard crying, was posted on YouTube.
Contains very NSFW language.
In the video, Fort Hays State University debate coach William Shanahan is shown arguing with Shanara Reid-Brinkley, debate coach at the University of Pittsburgh, during the competition's quarterfinals.
The argument, which appears to be at least in part about race, is punctuated with frequent cursing and name-calling. Shanahan, who is white, and Reid-Brinkley, who is black, scream criticisms about one another's body language during students' debates.
At one point Shanahan screams as he jumps up, then yanks his shorts down to his knees and points his rear end at Reid-Brinkley.
An eight-minute segment of the argument, in which each cursed repeatedly and one student near the camera can be heard crying, was posted on YouTube.
Contains very NSFW language.
In the video, Fort Hays State University debate coach William Shanahan is shown arguing with Shanara Reid-Brinkley, debate coach at the University of Pittsburgh, during the competition's quarterfinals.
The argument, which appears to be at least in part about race, is punctuated with frequent cursing and name-calling. Shanahan, who is white, and Reid-Brinkley, who is black, scream criticisms about one another's body language during students' debates.
At one point Shanahan screams as he jumps up, then yanks his shorts down to his knees and points his rear end at Reid-Brinkley.
Italy bans sandcastles and bikinis
Italian mayors have issued a series of bizarre by-laws including a €500 (£400) fine for kissing in cars in Eboli and a €250 fine for building sandcastles on the beach at Eraclea, near Venice.
Encouraged by a national crackdown on crime and spurred by a decree giving extra powers to maintain order, mayors have banned a myriad of pet hates. Smoking on the beach at Oristano in Sardinia attracts a €360 fine, while anyone fleeing to the mountains of Alto Adige should resist picking mushrooms or pay €113.
Wearing noisy wooden clogs or wandering off the beach in a bikini in Capri is forbidden, as is feeding pigeons in Lucca, lighting fireworks in Positano, apart from on Saturdays, and mowing lawns in Forte di Marmi at weekends.
The government has also got in on the act, this month banning the increasing number of Chinese women who patrol Italy's beaches offering massages.
Encouraged by a national crackdown on crime and spurred by a decree giving extra powers to maintain order, mayors have banned a myriad of pet hates. Smoking on the beach at Oristano in Sardinia attracts a €360 fine, while anyone fleeing to the mountains of Alto Adige should resist picking mushrooms or pay €113.
Wearing noisy wooden clogs or wandering off the beach in a bikini in Capri is forbidden, as is feeding pigeons in Lucca, lighting fireworks in Positano, apart from on Saturdays, and mowing lawns in Forte di Marmi at weekends.
The government has also got in on the act, this month banning the increasing number of Chinese women who patrol Italy's beaches offering massages.
Henry the puffer fish needs the dentist after clash with Clyde the stingray
A stroppy stingray who picked a punch-up with a puffer fish left him needing emergency dentistry.
Clyde, a ten-year-old American stingray took a pop at Henry the African puffer fish in a scrap over food at Sea Life Adventure, on Southend seafront.
Despite being twice the size of the stingray, the poor old puffer ended up with a broken tooth, forcing Sea Life Adventure staff to carry out emergency marine dentistry.
David Knapp, curator at the centre, on Eastern Esplanade, explained: “Puffer fish teeth can grow back, but Henry’s was snapped off beyond the point where it would grow. We had to cut the rest of the tooth. They are both big fish but we weren’t expecting any trouble. The tank they’re in is very big, but we think Clyde has grown too big now.
“We have relocated him to an aquarium in Germany. Henry doesn’t seem to be any the worse for wear, even though he has lost one of his four teeth.”
Carrying out dental surgery on fish can be fraught with difficulties, but ten-year-old Henry’s surgery was successful – and painless. An anaesthetic was pumped into the water in Henry’s tank and once he was comfortably numb, he was lifted out of the tank on a big, cloth-like net and laid on folded tarpaulin which trapped enough water around him for him to survive the procedure.
Clyde, a ten-year-old American stingray took a pop at Henry the African puffer fish in a scrap over food at Sea Life Adventure, on Southend seafront.
Despite being twice the size of the stingray, the poor old puffer ended up with a broken tooth, forcing Sea Life Adventure staff to carry out emergency marine dentistry.
David Knapp, curator at the centre, on Eastern Esplanade, explained: “Puffer fish teeth can grow back, but Henry’s was snapped off beyond the point where it would grow. We had to cut the rest of the tooth. They are both big fish but we weren’t expecting any trouble. The tank they’re in is very big, but we think Clyde has grown too big now.
“We have relocated him to an aquarium in Germany. Henry doesn’t seem to be any the worse for wear, even though he has lost one of his four teeth.”
Carrying out dental surgery on fish can be fraught with difficulties, but ten-year-old Henry’s surgery was successful – and painless. An anaesthetic was pumped into the water in Henry’s tank and once he was comfortably numb, he was lifted out of the tank on a big, cloth-like net and laid on folded tarpaulin which trapped enough water around him for him to survive the procedure.
Motorists pump money into fake parking machines
Fake parking machines have been set up in a car park to take money from unsuspecting motorists.
Concerned residents and business owners contacted the council when they spotted the unauthorised machines on land in Sunderland.
The council-owned site had been free until the two machines, which charge 50p an hour, appeared without warning on Monday.
Sunderland Council has confirmed that it had not given permission to install the machines near the Museum Vaults pub, on Silksworth Row, and is attempting to trace the owners.
Paula Thompson, from Ryhope, runs the nearby Made to Measure soft furnishing business. "Nobody has any idea where the machines came from," she said. "Somebody comes out maybe once or twice a day to empty the money, but we haven't managed to catch them yet. There was a lot of money in the machines, so they must have made a fortune."
Ms Thompson said the car park is popular with workers and shoppers and is regularly full on weekends. The unauthorised machines could make up to £400 a day at the 80 vehicle Hope Street site.
Concerned residents and business owners contacted the council when they spotted the unauthorised machines on land in Sunderland.
The council-owned site had been free until the two machines, which charge 50p an hour, appeared without warning on Monday.
Sunderland Council has confirmed that it had not given permission to install the machines near the Museum Vaults pub, on Silksworth Row, and is attempting to trace the owners.
Paula Thompson, from Ryhope, runs the nearby Made to Measure soft furnishing business. "Nobody has any idea where the machines came from," she said. "Somebody comes out maybe once or twice a day to empty the money, but we haven't managed to catch them yet. There was a lot of money in the machines, so they must have made a fortune."
Ms Thompson said the car park is popular with workers and shoppers and is regularly full on weekends. The unauthorised machines could make up to £400 a day at the 80 vehicle Hope Street site.
Aston Villa fan gets dumped by angry wife by giant banner
The new Premier League season is barely underway but already one relationship seems to have crumbled under the strain after this banner was found hung above a busy main road in Birmingham.
The 3 ft by 3 ft banner had the unfortunate message 'Jack, are the Villa really more important than our marriage? It's over, Jess' daubed over it in black paint.
Paul Brennan, a passing Aston Villa fan, said: "I love the Villa, but I always try and keep the Mrs sweet as well. This is a cruel way to break the news to him though, I don't know who they are or who has done what, but this is a certainly a harsh way today it."
The 3 ft by 3 ft banner had the unfortunate message 'Jack, are the Villa really more important than our marriage? It's over, Jess' daubed over it in black paint.
Paul Brennan, a passing Aston Villa fan, said: "I love the Villa, but I always try and keep the Mrs sweet as well. This is a cruel way to break the news to him though, I don't know who they are or who has done what, but this is a certainly a harsh way today it."
Wayward Red Devil delays football match
A red faced parachutist caused a 45-minute delay at a football stadium by accidentally landing on the roof.
The unnamed member of the Parachute Regiment's Red Devils watched as six colleagues successfully landed on the pitch to present the match ball at Burnley FC's Turf Moor ground. He wanted to follow on with aplomb.
But a gust of wind blew the final parachutist - named only as Ben by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service - onto the top of the Cricket Field stand.
The unfortunate soldier suffered minor cuts and bruises as one of his feet pierced the asbestos roof.
An aerial platform ladder had to be called for from nearby Accrington to rescue him from nearly 70ft up.
Burnley station manager Dave Jackson said: "He was very embarrassed when we got him down and his colleagues were waiting for him."
The unnamed member of the Parachute Regiment's Red Devils watched as six colleagues successfully landed on the pitch to present the match ball at Burnley FC's Turf Moor ground. He wanted to follow on with aplomb.
But a gust of wind blew the final parachutist - named only as Ben by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service - onto the top of the Cricket Field stand.
The unfortunate soldier suffered minor cuts and bruises as one of his feet pierced the asbestos roof.
An aerial platform ladder had to be called for from nearby Accrington to rescue him from nearly 70ft up.
Burnley station manager Dave Jackson said: "He was very embarrassed when we got him down and his colleagues were waiting for him."
Straw and mud cottage man sees the light after 50 years
A 60-year-old man has seen the light and had electricity installed at his 300-year-old mud and straw house.
For the past 50 years Hubert Hilling has done without all mod cons including a television, washing machine, fridge or toaster.
But after a faulty gas light almost set fire to his cottage near Kilgetty in Pembrokeshire he was persuaded to connect his house to the mains.
He has used an electric iron for the first time and bought a food mixer.
After spending over £5,000 to have the house wired and connected to the mains he said the biggest difference was to have light at the flick of a switch. "It was so great to come home and turn the lights I could not speak - I was completely speechless."
"There are no plans for television but there could be for a computer sometime," he added.
With news video.
For the past 50 years Hubert Hilling has done without all mod cons including a television, washing machine, fridge or toaster.
But after a faulty gas light almost set fire to his cottage near Kilgetty in Pembrokeshire he was persuaded to connect his house to the mains.
He has used an electric iron for the first time and bought a food mixer.
After spending over £5,000 to have the house wired and connected to the mains he said the biggest difference was to have light at the flick of a switch. "It was so great to come home and turn the lights I could not speak - I was completely speechless."
"There are no plans for television but there could be for a computer sometime," he added.
With news video.
Two-month-old baby can use sign language
A two-month-old baby tells her deaf mum when she is hungry — using the Sign Language for milk.
Parents Dave Hollings, 46, and Chantelle De La Croix, 37, first thought it was coincidence when baby Ivy clenched her fist, shook it and moved it towards her mouth.
But Ivy performed the same action again the next day when she was hungry and has been doing it ever since.
The sign for milk is a shaking clenched fist with the thumb and little finger out.
Dave, of Darwen, Lancs, said: “We thought it was a coincidence that she was hungry but other people have spotted it.
“We looked up when babies can start signing and the earliest we have found is three months. We are really proud.”
Parents Dave Hollings, 46, and Chantelle De La Croix, 37, first thought it was coincidence when baby Ivy clenched her fist, shook it and moved it towards her mouth.
But Ivy performed the same action again the next day when she was hungry and has been doing it ever since.
The sign for milk is a shaking clenched fist with the thumb and little finger out.
Dave, of Darwen, Lancs, said: “We thought it was a coincidence that she was hungry but other people have spotted it.
“We looked up when babies can start signing and the earliest we have found is three months. We are really proud.”
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