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Sunday, August 02, 2009
Loudmouths gather for Thai screaming contest
Short shrieks, high-pitched yelps, and drawn-out wails rang out in Thailand at an international competition aimed at setting a new record for the loudest scream.
Russian Sergey Savelyev chimed in at 116.8 decibels — roughly as loud as an ambulance siren — to win Saturday's competition in the seaside town of Pattaya.
His effort fell short of breaking the 129-decibel Guinness World Record for the loudest scream set in 2000 in London.
"I was only getting warmed up," said 33-year-old Savelyev, who said he'll be back next year to compete in the competition hosted by Thailand's Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.
The Russian, who walked away with a check for 30,000 baht (US$900), was one of 11 finalists from a field of 1,500 competitors.
Various strategies for revving up the vocal cords had contestants twisting their bodies and even throwing themselves on the ground.
Russian Sergey Savelyev chimed in at 116.8 decibels — roughly as loud as an ambulance siren — to win Saturday's competition in the seaside town of Pattaya.
His effort fell short of breaking the 129-decibel Guinness World Record for the loudest scream set in 2000 in London.
"I was only getting warmed up," said 33-year-old Savelyev, who said he'll be back next year to compete in the competition hosted by Thailand's Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.
The Russian, who walked away with a check for 30,000 baht (US$900), was one of 11 finalists from a field of 1,500 competitors.
Various strategies for revving up the vocal cords had contestants twisting their bodies and even throwing themselves on the ground.
Turkey reports first 'smoking-ban murder'
A restaurant owner in southwest Turkey was shot dead after he tried to prevent his customers from smoking to comply with a new law on the use of tobacco indoors. A fight broke out after Hidir Karayigit, 46, ordered a group of customers to extinguish their cigarettes when they began smoking at his "meyhane," a traditional restaurant that serves alcohol, in the town of Saruhanli.
One of the customers shot Karayigit four times after he took away the group's cigarettes, said witness Hamza Havutcu, Karayigit's business partner who was also shot and wounded.
Turkey's government on July 19 introduced a nationwide ban on indoor smoking, including bars and restaurants, despite the fact that half of Turks aged between the ages of 15 and 49 smoke; one of the highest rates in the world.
"I'm deeply saddened that the first smoking-ban murder occurred in our town," Saruhanli Mayor Veli Yalcin said. "They either shouldn't have outlawed smoking or they should have outlawed alcohol along with smoking."
One of the customers shot Karayigit four times after he took away the group's cigarettes, said witness Hamza Havutcu, Karayigit's business partner who was also shot and wounded.
Turkey's government on July 19 introduced a nationwide ban on indoor smoking, including bars and restaurants, despite the fact that half of Turks aged between the ages of 15 and 49 smoke; one of the highest rates in the world.
"I'm deeply saddened that the first smoking-ban murder occurred in our town," Saruhanli Mayor Veli Yalcin said. "They either shouldn't have outlawed smoking or they should have outlawed alcohol along with smoking."
Building rolls over after demolition mishap in Turkey
A plan to demolish a building in Cankiri, central Turkey went badly wrong when the 25-metre high structure rolled over onto its roof.
The building, a flour factory built in 1928 which had been idle since the 1980s, was scheduled to be demolished to make way for a shopping centre. No-one was reported to have been injured.
The building, a flour factory built in 1928 which had been idle since the 1980s, was scheduled to be demolished to make way for a shopping centre. No-one was reported to have been injured.
Kitten still purring despite losing front paws
On Thursday, two boys found a 10-week old kitten, its two front paws almost completely severed, in a ditch near an Alaiedon Township wheat field. The medium-haired black-and-white kitten likely had lived that way for a week, officials said. There were maggots in the male kitten's injuries. Still, he purred when he was held.
Ingham County Animal Control Officer Gary Ireland, who went to the scene, thought the kitten might have to be euthanized. Veterinarians weren't sure he would live through the night.
But he did, and a local veterinary hospital has agreed to repair the kitten's front paws. "He stole the hearts of everyone, from the officer to the first veterinarian who looked at him," said Animal Control Director Jamie McAloon Lampman.
The kitten now is affectionately known as Howard the Combine Kitty, because it is believed he was run over by a farm combine. Howard will require several surgeries, and Animal Control is seeking donations to help pay for his care.
Dr. Mark Williamson of Lansing Veterinary Medical Center said Howard will eventually need some form of prosthetic to replace his two front paws, which now have been completely removed. Near-term goals include surgery to remove infected tissue and then getting healthy tissue to grow at the end of his limbs.
"We're doing what we can to get him through this," Williamson said. "He's a trooper. He purrs when we're in there with him."
Ingham County Animal Control Officer Gary Ireland, who went to the scene, thought the kitten might have to be euthanized. Veterinarians weren't sure he would live through the night.
But he did, and a local veterinary hospital has agreed to repair the kitten's front paws. "He stole the hearts of everyone, from the officer to the first veterinarian who looked at him," said Animal Control Director Jamie McAloon Lampman.
The kitten now is affectionately known as Howard the Combine Kitty, because it is believed he was run over by a farm combine. Howard will require several surgeries, and Animal Control is seeking donations to help pay for his care.
Dr. Mark Williamson of Lansing Veterinary Medical Center said Howard will eventually need some form of prosthetic to replace his two front paws, which now have been completely removed. Near-term goals include surgery to remove infected tissue and then getting healthy tissue to grow at the end of his limbs.
"We're doing what we can to get him through this," Williamson said. "He's a trooper. He purrs when we're in there with him."
Phone lost 4 days at sea found, recharged and returned
A mobile phone lost at sea for four days washed up in perfect condition in Taiwan after drifting 37 km (23 miles) and was discovered by a park lifeguard who tracked down the shocked owner to return it.
Yu Hsin-leh of Taipei lost the phone on July 24 while snorkeling near the Taiwan port city of Keelung.
On Monday, it turned up in Longdong Bay Park on the island's northeasternmost cape after floating past numerous towns and rocky outcroppings.
A small water-resistant case had protected the phone at sea, said park lifeguard Lin Huan-chuan, who found it.
Lin said he recharged the battery and called Yu's wife by finding her in the phone's list of saved numbers.
"All the phone's functions were normal," Lin said. "The owner was extremely surprised as he figured he had lost it for good."
Yu Hsin-leh of Taipei lost the phone on July 24 while snorkeling near the Taiwan port city of Keelung.
On Monday, it turned up in Longdong Bay Park on the island's northeasternmost cape after floating past numerous towns and rocky outcroppings.
A small water-resistant case had protected the phone at sea, said park lifeguard Lin Huan-chuan, who found it.
Lin said he recharged the battery and called Yu's wife by finding her in the phone's list of saved numbers.
"All the phone's functions were normal," Lin said. "The owner was extremely surprised as he figured he had lost it for good."
Muffy the dog reunited with owner after nine years - Update
Muffy the terrier cross has been reunited with her long-lost owner, Chloe Rushby, after nine years apart.
Muffy disappeared in Brisbane and Chloe had given up hope of ever seeing her again - until she was found sleeping on a tattered piece of cardboard in a Melbourne back yard.
The happy ending was made complete when Channel 10 program The 7pm Project flew Chloe down to be reunited with the dog at the RSPCA's headquarters in Burwood.
After the cameras stopped rolling Chloe sat on the floor and started re-acquainting herself with her pet.
"I am not sure if she remembers me or not but I definitely remember her," an overwhelmed Chloe said.
"She looks exactly the same, although a bit older, and she has definitely quietened down a bit, she used to be a lot jumpier."
You can see the reunion on this page. Search for Muffy then click on Segment 3.
Muffy disappeared in Brisbane and Chloe had given up hope of ever seeing her again - until she was found sleeping on a tattered piece of cardboard in a Melbourne back yard.
The happy ending was made complete when Channel 10 program The 7pm Project flew Chloe down to be reunited with the dog at the RSPCA's headquarters in Burwood.
After the cameras stopped rolling Chloe sat on the floor and started re-acquainting herself with her pet.
"I am not sure if she remembers me or not but I definitely remember her," an overwhelmed Chloe said.
"She looks exactly the same, although a bit older, and she has definitely quietened down a bit, she used to be a lot jumpier."
You can see the reunion on this page. Search for Muffy then click on Segment 3.
Man’s corpse left on crowded beach in Italy
A man lies dead on a beach as sunseekers carry on their fun around him. The pensioner, 73, died in the water and paramedics were unable to revive him.
They covered him with a blanket and a beach umbrella until his body could be taken away - to the indifference of crowds on the sands in Naples, Italy.
There's another photo here.
They covered him with a blanket and a beach umbrella until his body could be taken away - to the indifference of crowds on the sands in Naples, Italy.
There's another photo here.
Migrant slipped into UK aboard Border Agents' bus
An illegal immigrant was on the run last night after smuggling himself into the country on a Border Agency coach bringing immigration officers back from France.
The man is believed to have climbed under the coach, when it was parked at the Eurotunnel shuttle terminal in Calais, hiding between the fuel tank and the chassis. He clung on during the journey through the Channel tunnel and through customs and immigration checkpoints at Dover.
On arrival at the Border Agency’s depot near Folkestone, the stowaway dropped down from the coach, which was believed to have been carrying around 20 immigration officers, and was seen running away. He escaped despite the coach driver, a contractor, giving chase.
The Home Office said a full investigation is under way, with police and local immigration officers alerted. The embarrassing incident follows the revelation that the number of migrants arrested after entering the country hiding in lorries arriving from France nearly doubled in the first half of the year to 13,715.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “An illegal entrant entered Dover by hiding underneath a coach returning from France. The coach was contracted by the UK Border Agency. The immigrant was hidden in a very small space, one that the driver had no way of knowing there was access to.”
The Border Agency was set up in April 2008 and the then home secretary, Jacquie Smith, claimed it would boost the fight against illegal immigration. The 16,000 agency staff carry out frontline duties at ports and airports, including the UK immigration desks at Calais.
The man is believed to have climbed under the coach, when it was parked at the Eurotunnel shuttle terminal in Calais, hiding between the fuel tank and the chassis. He clung on during the journey through the Channel tunnel and through customs and immigration checkpoints at Dover.
On arrival at the Border Agency’s depot near Folkestone, the stowaway dropped down from the coach, which was believed to have been carrying around 20 immigration officers, and was seen running away. He escaped despite the coach driver, a contractor, giving chase.
The Home Office said a full investigation is under way, with police and local immigration officers alerted. The embarrassing incident follows the revelation that the number of migrants arrested after entering the country hiding in lorries arriving from France nearly doubled in the first half of the year to 13,715.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “An illegal entrant entered Dover by hiding underneath a coach returning from France. The coach was contracted by the UK Border Agency. The immigrant was hidden in a very small space, one that the driver had no way of knowing there was access to.”
The Border Agency was set up in April 2008 and the then home secretary, Jacquie Smith, claimed it would boost the fight against illegal immigration. The 16,000 agency staff carry out frontline duties at ports and airports, including the UK immigration desks at Calais.
Taser officers swoop on man armed with spatula
A partially disabled man who uses a spatula-type knife to open his mail was flabbergasted when police surrounded him on a Torquay street and ordered him to hand over his 'offensive weapon'. Furious Steve Gardner, who was waiting outside his St Marks Road home for some post, claimed after his surprise confrontation with the law: "It was just a spatula. It's something you use to ice a cake.
"It's not an offensive weapon. I don't have full use of my hands so I need it to open my letters, put on my shoes and scratch my back." But police insisted after the incident the object seized was a customised bread knife which was effectively an offensive weapon.
Insp Jon Perry said: "It was very fortunate the person was not arrested for being in possession of such an instrument. By having it in a public place it was an offensive weapon. We took the view it was not in the public interest for him to be detained, although he was abusive and confrontational.
"But we did confiscate the item, which we considered to be a bread knife with the serrated edges removed and sharpened."
Steve, 55 and an unemployed salesman, said a neck injury had left him with only partial use of his hands. He said: "I was just an innocent bystander on a street corner waiting for my ex-landlord to bring me mail from my old address. I use the spatula to open my letters. It's also used as a shoe horn and to scratch my back.
"Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by police — some of them with Tasers. I could not believe what was going on. I was told to put down the weapon. It's not a weapon. It's a spatula." He hoped his spatula would be returned because it was on the inventory of the flat he'd just moved into.
"It's not an offensive weapon. I don't have full use of my hands so I need it to open my letters, put on my shoes and scratch my back." But police insisted after the incident the object seized was a customised bread knife which was effectively an offensive weapon.
Insp Jon Perry said: "It was very fortunate the person was not arrested for being in possession of such an instrument. By having it in a public place it was an offensive weapon. We took the view it was not in the public interest for him to be detained, although he was abusive and confrontational.
"But we did confiscate the item, which we considered to be a bread knife with the serrated edges removed and sharpened."
Steve, 55 and an unemployed salesman, said a neck injury had left him with only partial use of his hands. He said: "I was just an innocent bystander on a street corner waiting for my ex-landlord to bring me mail from my old address. I use the spatula to open my letters. It's also used as a shoe horn and to scratch my back.
"Suddenly, I found myself surrounded by police — some of them with Tasers. I could not believe what was going on. I was told to put down the weapon. It's not a weapon. It's a spatula." He hoped his spatula would be returned because it was on the inventory of the flat he'd just moved into.
Barber faces prosecution over toxic clippings
A barber is being prosecuted because he left bags of hair clippings outside his shop which his local council claim could be toxic. Council officials photographed the sacks on the doorstep of Lee Haynes's salon and charged him with three offences under the Environmental Protection Act after finding that he did not have a waste disposal licence.
The 46-year-old has now been accused of breaching the law by failing to ensure the transfer of waste was to an authorised person and not giving an accurate description of the waste and could face a £15,000 fine.
Mr Haynes told magistrates in Bury St Edmunds that his two bags a week contained hair and wrappers from lunchtime sandwiches eaten by his staff. He told the court that he had been invited by a council refuse worker to cut his hair in return for disposal of the two sacks a week.
"I was approached by a council worker who offered to get rid of the waste and I wanted to ensure that it wasn't fly-tipped - he said he would put it in the skip used by the council on market days." he said. "It is not a huge factory and I am not sure it counts as controlled waste - it's just hair but the council insist it may have traces of bleach or dye in it."
Caroline Watling, a solicitor for Babergh District Council who brought the case, said that Mr Haynes had been reported because the waste was defined as "toxic or dangerous" and he had "benefitted financially by not employing a registered waste contractor."
Mr Haynes, who represented himself in court, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and the case was adjourned so the council can call two of its environmental protection officers as witnesses. "Even if I win I won't be able to claim any costs and if I lose I will have to pay the council's costs on top of paying rates on my shop." he added. "So I am actually paying to take myself to court."
The 46-year-old has now been accused of breaching the law by failing to ensure the transfer of waste was to an authorised person and not giving an accurate description of the waste and could face a £15,000 fine.
Mr Haynes told magistrates in Bury St Edmunds that his two bags a week contained hair and wrappers from lunchtime sandwiches eaten by his staff. He told the court that he had been invited by a council refuse worker to cut his hair in return for disposal of the two sacks a week.
"I was approached by a council worker who offered to get rid of the waste and I wanted to ensure that it wasn't fly-tipped - he said he would put it in the skip used by the council on market days." he said. "It is not a huge factory and I am not sure it counts as controlled waste - it's just hair but the council insist it may have traces of bleach or dye in it."
Caroline Watling, a solicitor for Babergh District Council who brought the case, said that Mr Haynes had been reported because the waste was defined as "toxic or dangerous" and he had "benefitted financially by not employing a registered waste contractor."
Mr Haynes, who represented himself in court, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and the case was adjourned so the council can call two of its environmental protection officers as witnesses. "Even if I win I won't be able to claim any costs and if I lose I will have to pay the council's costs on top of paying rates on my shop." he added. "So I am actually paying to take myself to court."
Fire risk 'super' ants discovered
Ants believed to have a "kamikaze attraction" to electricity have been discovered in one of England's finest National Trust gardens.
Colonies of lasius neglectus, the so-called Asian super ant, have being found at Hidcote Manor, near Chipping Campden, in Gloucestershire.
It is thought to be the first recorded sighting in the UK, although they have been spotted in mainland Europe. They are naturally drawn to electrical currents so can pose a fire risk.
The species was first identified in Budapest 20 years ago. The ants look like a common black garden variety.
English Heritage and the National Trust carried out investigations into infestations within the Hidcote estate to identify them as lasius neglectus.
Their compulsion to follow electricity is stronger than their need for food or drink. Swarms of ants around electrical cables can cause blackouts.
Colonies of lasius neglectus, the so-called Asian super ant, have being found at Hidcote Manor, near Chipping Campden, in Gloucestershire.
It is thought to be the first recorded sighting in the UK, although they have been spotted in mainland Europe. They are naturally drawn to electrical currents so can pose a fire risk.
The species was first identified in Budapest 20 years ago. The ants look like a common black garden variety.
English Heritage and the National Trust carried out investigations into infestations within the Hidcote estate to identify them as lasius neglectus.
Their compulsion to follow electricity is stronger than their need for food or drink. Swarms of ants around electrical cables can cause blackouts.
Police helmet cameras ignite
The latest crime-fighting gadget, a cigar-sized camera attached to a police helmet, has gone up in smoke after problems with its batteries setting on fire.
The £1,700 devices, which are strapped on to helmets or under caps, record video and sound as evidence to present in court and were introduced nationwide in a £3 million Home Office scheme two years ago.
However, frontline officers now want reassurances that they are not in danger of a hair raising experience because of faulty wiring in the devices' chargers.
The battery packs to at least two of the cameras being used by Metropolitan Police officers started smoking while being charged.
The chargers concerned had been withdrawn, and Scotland Yard is now in discussion with the manufacturer about replacements.
Peter Smyth, chairman of the Met Police Federation, representing more than 30,000 rank-and-file officers, said: "We are totally in favour of new technology that improves our evidence gathering capabilities as long as it is safe and easy to use. There is a concern if the equipment puts officers in danger."
The £1,700 devices, which are strapped on to helmets or under caps, record video and sound as evidence to present in court and were introduced nationwide in a £3 million Home Office scheme two years ago.
However, frontline officers now want reassurances that they are not in danger of a hair raising experience because of faulty wiring in the devices' chargers.
The battery packs to at least two of the cameras being used by Metropolitan Police officers started smoking while being charged.
The chargers concerned had been withdrawn, and Scotland Yard is now in discussion with the manufacturer about replacements.
Peter Smyth, chairman of the Met Police Federation, representing more than 30,000 rank-and-file officers, said: "We are totally in favour of new technology that improves our evidence gathering capabilities as long as it is safe and easy to use. There is a concern if the equipment puts officers in danger."
Gap-year graduates to be funded by taxpayers
Taxpayers are to fund gap years for graduates to keep them off the dole queue. Hundreds of university leavers will get public money from Lord Mandelson’s department to help them to travel to places such as Costa Rica, Borneo and India.
The class of 2009 — the first to pay top-up fees — faces becoming the “lost generation” in a graduate job market that has shrunk by 20 per cent in the past year.
The number of graduates who are unemployed six months after leaving university has reached its highest level since records began, with one in ten not in jobs or further study. Careers experts say that 80,000 will hunt in vain for work this summer.
A surge in the number of applicants for university — up 10 per cent on last year — means that the situation for this year’s graduates is expected to worsen. Rising numbers will be graduating every summer, adding to the competition for jobs. Critics said that the Government was “bribing” graduates to go on gap years in order to massage unemployment figures.
The first university leavers to take part in the scheme will spend the months up to Christmas living in remote communities and going on expeditions in projects that usually cost £3,000 per person. The advertisement for participants asks: “Have you recently graduated and feel like everything is all doom and gloom?” Joining an overseas expedition “could be just the thing you need to inject some excitement and optimism into your life”. The expedition would “boost your employability skills and help set you apart from the crowd”.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance reacted with anger to the initiative. Matthew Sinclair, its research director, said: “The Government’s attempts to keep people off the unemployment numbers at any cost are growing more and more transparent. It’s increasingly clear that whether it’s soft jobs in the public sector or paying for gap years, the important thing is masking the problems in the economy rather than actually delivering value for taxpayers’ money.” Gap years should be paid for by the travellers or their parents, he added. “This kind of charity, paid for out of the taxpayer’s pocket, is unfair and unsustainable.”
The class of 2009 — the first to pay top-up fees — faces becoming the “lost generation” in a graduate job market that has shrunk by 20 per cent in the past year.
The number of graduates who are unemployed six months after leaving university has reached its highest level since records began, with one in ten not in jobs or further study. Careers experts say that 80,000 will hunt in vain for work this summer.
A surge in the number of applicants for university — up 10 per cent on last year — means that the situation for this year’s graduates is expected to worsen. Rising numbers will be graduating every summer, adding to the competition for jobs. Critics said that the Government was “bribing” graduates to go on gap years in order to massage unemployment figures.
The first university leavers to take part in the scheme will spend the months up to Christmas living in remote communities and going on expeditions in projects that usually cost £3,000 per person. The advertisement for participants asks: “Have you recently graduated and feel like everything is all doom and gloom?” Joining an overseas expedition “could be just the thing you need to inject some excitement and optimism into your life”. The expedition would “boost your employability skills and help set you apart from the crowd”.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance reacted with anger to the initiative. Matthew Sinclair, its research director, said: “The Government’s attempts to keep people off the unemployment numbers at any cost are growing more and more transparent. It’s increasingly clear that whether it’s soft jobs in the public sector or paying for gap years, the important thing is masking the problems in the economy rather than actually delivering value for taxpayers’ money.” Gap years should be paid for by the travellers or their parents, he added. “This kind of charity, paid for out of the taxpayer’s pocket, is unfair and unsustainable.”
Bare-bottomed thief found in vent
A would-be thief who was discovered naked from the waist down hanging from a pub air vent has been jailed for 19 months. Nineteen-year-old Mark Scobbie had been trying to break into the Behind The Wall bar in Falkirk when he was spotted by a member of kitchen staff.
He had become stuck in the narrow vent while trying get into the building and had tried to undress to free himself. Scobbie was eventually cut free by firefighters.
Falkirk Sheriff Court was told that 400 people were in the bar when Scobbie had attempted his break-in in the early hours of Sunday 28 June. After slipping in through an air duct on the building's roof, he became stuck in the confined space 10ft above the floor of the pub's kitchen.
He removed his clothes and tried to wriggle free - but barman Lewis Stewart spotted his naked legs and buttocks through gaps in the vents where grilles had been removed in preparation for cleaning. When discovered, his trousers were round his ankles. A hooded top he had also been wearing was later found on the building's roof.
Ambulance staff, police and the fire service rushed to the premises to cut Scobbie free. His face had been squeezed up against a hatch, and he was covered from head to toe in black grease. After he was pulled out of the vent Scobbie complained of numbness in his limbs and was taken to hospital for examination. He was later arrested by police.
The pub's owner, Brian Flynn, said they had to spend £1,000 repairing the damage caused by Scobbie's misadventure. He added: "It has certainly been a talking point among the punters here."
He had become stuck in the narrow vent while trying get into the building and had tried to undress to free himself. Scobbie was eventually cut free by firefighters.
Falkirk Sheriff Court was told that 400 people were in the bar when Scobbie had attempted his break-in in the early hours of Sunday 28 June. After slipping in through an air duct on the building's roof, he became stuck in the confined space 10ft above the floor of the pub's kitchen.
He removed his clothes and tried to wriggle free - but barman Lewis Stewart spotted his naked legs and buttocks through gaps in the vents where grilles had been removed in preparation for cleaning. When discovered, his trousers were round his ankles. A hooded top he had also been wearing was later found on the building's roof.
Ambulance staff, police and the fire service rushed to the premises to cut Scobbie free. His face had been squeezed up against a hatch, and he was covered from head to toe in black grease. After he was pulled out of the vent Scobbie complained of numbness in his limbs and was taken to hospital for examination. He was later arrested by police.
The pub's owner, Brian Flynn, said they had to spend £1,000 repairing the damage caused by Scobbie's misadventure. He added: "It has certainly been a talking point among the punters here."
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