Sunday, August 30, 2009
Bear casually opens car door
He may young, but a little bear in Vail already knows a pretty good trick. Penny and Steve Turilli caught this bear on their home security system.
The bear casually walked right up to their car and opened the passenger side door.
He stayed in there for a few minutes and woke up the neighbourhood by honking the horn several times.
He eventually figured out how to get out of the car, but the Turilli's say the bear did about $3,000 worth of damage to the passenger seat.
The bear casually walked right up to their car and opened the passenger side door.
He stayed in there for a few minutes and woke up the neighbourhood by honking the horn several times.
He eventually figured out how to get out of the car, but the Turilli's say the bear did about $3,000 worth of damage to the passenger seat.
Australian man claims his cat can swear
A Territory man claims his pet cat, Mischief, can speak English, with a vocabulary of seven different words so far.
Robert 'RJ' Duncan, of Palmerston, says his budgie, Piccaninny, can also speak.
Mr Duncan said the two-year-old cat - which he and his wife adopted from his feral mother in Katherine - was most vocal at night.
"He starts mouthing off when he wants his food - when we start cooking," he said. "He can say seven words all up: mum, no, now, what, f**k, prick and why.
"He can't say 'dad' yet, which is a bit of a prick. That's how he got the word 'prick' I reckon, because I say it a lot."
The Duncans' budgie is less adventurous with its words. It just says "s**t".
Robert 'RJ' Duncan, of Palmerston, says his budgie, Piccaninny, can also speak.
Mr Duncan said the two-year-old cat - which he and his wife adopted from his feral mother in Katherine - was most vocal at night.
"He starts mouthing off when he wants his food - when we start cooking," he said. "He can say seven words all up: mum, no, now, what, f**k, prick and why.
"He can't say 'dad' yet, which is a bit of a prick. That's how he got the word 'prick' I reckon, because I say it a lot."
The Duncans' budgie is less adventurous with its words. It just says "s**t".
Pot may protect brain from booze
Marijuana may protect the brain from some of the damage caused by binge drinking, according to a new study.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego performed brain scans on 16- to 19-year-olds in three groups: binge drinkers, binge drinkers who also smoke pot, and those with very little drug or drinking experience.
Binge drinkers showed damage in their white matter. But those who drink and smoke showed more damage than the control group in only three of eight areas of the brain. In seven of the areas, their brains were in better shape than the binge drinkers.
Researchers said in a news release from the Marijuana Project that the result was unexpected.
They said it could be that marijuana somehow stops alcohol from damaging brain cells.
The study was published online by the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego performed brain scans on 16- to 19-year-olds in three groups: binge drinkers, binge drinkers who also smoke pot, and those with very little drug or drinking experience.
Binge drinkers showed damage in their white matter. But those who drink and smoke showed more damage than the control group in only three of eight areas of the brain. In seven of the areas, their brains were in better shape than the binge drinkers.
Researchers said in a news release from the Marijuana Project that the result was unexpected.
They said it could be that marijuana somehow stops alcohol from damaging brain cells.
The study was published online by the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology.
Polish Yeti caught on film
Yeti experts are heading to Poland after a local man filmed a "monstrous, hairy creature" while on holiday in the Tatra mountains. There have been rumours of a Polish Yeti in the area for centuries but this is the first time one of the strange creatures has been captured on film.
Piotr Kowalski, 27, from Warsaw was on a walking holiday in the Tatra mountains in Poland when he saw a mountain goat on one of the slopes. As he started filming, his attention was suddenly grabbed by the Yeti creature emerging from behind some rocks.
"I saw this huge ape-like form hiding behind the rocks. When I saw it it was like being struck by a thunderbolt," he said.
"Coming from Warsaw, I never really believed the local stories of a wild mountain ape-man roaming the slopes. But, now I do."
The film has been handed over for examination to the Nautilus Foundation, which deals with unexplained phenomena. "The film clearly shows 'something' that moves on two legs and is bigger than a normal man," says Foundation President Robert Bernatowicz.
"But because the camera shakes so much it is difficult to say what it is exactly. We need to go to the site and see what traces, if any, were left."
Piotr Kowalski, 27, from Warsaw was on a walking holiday in the Tatra mountains in Poland when he saw a mountain goat on one of the slopes. As he started filming, his attention was suddenly grabbed by the Yeti creature emerging from behind some rocks.
"I saw this huge ape-like form hiding behind the rocks. When I saw it it was like being struck by a thunderbolt," he said.
"Coming from Warsaw, I never really believed the local stories of a wild mountain ape-man roaming the slopes. But, now I do."
The film has been handed over for examination to the Nautilus Foundation, which deals with unexplained phenomena. "The film clearly shows 'something' that moves on two legs and is bigger than a normal man," says Foundation President Robert Bernatowicz.
"But because the camera shakes so much it is difficult to say what it is exactly. We need to go to the site and see what traces, if any, were left."
Man injured, 2 arrested in spatula attack
Two men, one wielding a spatula and the other a belt buckle, were arrested late Wednesday after a fight at Hopeville Pond State Park in Griswold, police said.
A state Department of Environmental Protection conservation officer was dispatched to the park campground at 8:30 p.m. for reports of a disturbance. State police from Troop E Montville were already at the scene with two people in custody and one man being treated for a head laceration.
Cedric Eaton, 29, of 621 Bank St., New London and Nathaniel Ward, 31, with no known address, each were charged with second-degree assault. The men assaulted each other, court documents show. Eaton admitted he hit Ward with his belt and attached buckle. He said Ward hit him with a spatula, causing a large gash in his head.
Eaton was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich for treatment. Both men were arraigned on Thursday in Norwich Superior Court. Eaton, who also was charged with violation of a protective order, was held on a $2,500 bond. Ward was released on a promise to appear in court.
A state Department of Environmental Protection conservation officer was dispatched to the park campground at 8:30 p.m. for reports of a disturbance. State police from Troop E Montville were already at the scene with two people in custody and one man being treated for a head laceration.
Cedric Eaton, 29, of 621 Bank St., New London and Nathaniel Ward, 31, with no known address, each were charged with second-degree assault. The men assaulted each other, court documents show. Eaton admitted he hit Ward with his belt and attached buckle. He said Ward hit him with a spatula, causing a large gash in his head.
Eaton was taken to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich for treatment. Both men were arraigned on Thursday in Norwich Superior Court. Eaton, who also was charged with violation of a protective order, was held on a $2,500 bond. Ward was released on a promise to appear in court.
Alien attack in Germany
Police are investigating claims an alien urinated on a German man's sun lounger while being chased by German fighter planes. Police were called in after Heinz Langer who has a house at Hagenburg on the Steinhuder Sea in Lower Saxony complained that his garden furniture including a table and sun lounger had been covered in black, yellow and violet flecks that had fallen from the sky.
Police spokesman Axel Bergmann who interviewed the house owner said: "He noticed military aircraft in the area at the time and a short while later this liquid landed in his garden. He believed there was a connection but the military have assured us the liquid was not from their planes."
Police confirmed that not just the garden furniture but other areas of the garden of the property which is alongside the largest inland lake in north-west Germany had been covered with the mysterious, acidic substance.
Chief Inspector Dieter Kappmeier from the local police in Stadthagen confirmed: "There were military planes in the area at the time and we believe there was a connection with the appearance of this so far unidentified acidic substance.
"However we have been in touch with the German air force and been able to rule out any connection with the military. We have also been in touch with civil aviation authorities in Frankfurt and they have also ruled out that there were any flights in the area at the time.
"The air force have also investigated and taken samples of the substance and absolutely ruled out that it could have come from any aircraft. They are as puzzled as we are as to what the substance that clearly came from the sky could be. What they are sure of is that it did not come from any military or civil aircraft."
Police spokesman Axel Bergmann who interviewed the house owner said: "He noticed military aircraft in the area at the time and a short while later this liquid landed in his garden. He believed there was a connection but the military have assured us the liquid was not from their planes."
Police confirmed that not just the garden furniture but other areas of the garden of the property which is alongside the largest inland lake in north-west Germany had been covered with the mysterious, acidic substance.
Chief Inspector Dieter Kappmeier from the local police in Stadthagen confirmed: "There were military planes in the area at the time and we believe there was a connection with the appearance of this so far unidentified acidic substance.
"However we have been in touch with the German air force and been able to rule out any connection with the military. We have also been in touch with civil aviation authorities in Frankfurt and they have also ruled out that there were any flights in the area at the time.
"The air force have also investigated and taken samples of the substance and absolutely ruled out that it could have come from any aircraft. They are as puzzled as we are as to what the substance that clearly came from the sky could be. What they are sure of is that it did not come from any military or civil aircraft."
Liverpool Ferry Terminal wins Carbuncle Cup 2009
The Pier Head Ferry Terminal in Liverpool has been named the country's ugliest new building ahead of London's Westfield shopping centre and the fire station at Poundbury, the Prince of Wales's Dorset model village.
A panel of experts from Building Design magazine unanimously voted the £10.5m building, designed by Belfast-based Hamilton Architects, as the most notable new example of bad architecture.
The judges said the damage the ferry terminal had done to Liverpool's waterfront, which is a Unesco world heritage site, meant it deserved the 'Carbuncle Cup'. Amanda Baillieu, editor of Building Design, said: "It was given the Carbuncle Cup as much for where it is, as for its lack of architectural merit.
"The city's waterfront is one of the most important historical sites in Britain and you've got to be very careful with the architecture you put up there. What we get irritated about are architects trying to ape other famous architects.
"The result is abominable, complete pap and should never have been allowed to be built. It will look dated in only a year or two." Organisers said this year's Carbuncle Cup had seen a record number of public nominations. The award is made by a three-strong panel of judges.
A Merseytravel spokesman said: "We are proud of the Pier Head Ferry Terminal and have received widespread support for the building from the Merseyside community."
You can see the complete list of 'winners', including photos, here.
A panel of experts from Building Design magazine unanimously voted the £10.5m building, designed by Belfast-based Hamilton Architects, as the most notable new example of bad architecture.
The judges said the damage the ferry terminal had done to Liverpool's waterfront, which is a Unesco world heritage site, meant it deserved the 'Carbuncle Cup'. Amanda Baillieu, editor of Building Design, said: "It was given the Carbuncle Cup as much for where it is, as for its lack of architectural merit.
"The city's waterfront is one of the most important historical sites in Britain and you've got to be very careful with the architecture you put up there. What we get irritated about are architects trying to ape other famous architects.
"The result is abominable, complete pap and should never have been allowed to be built. It will look dated in only a year or two." Organisers said this year's Carbuncle Cup had seen a record number of public nominations. The award is made by a three-strong panel of judges.
A Merseytravel spokesman said: "We are proud of the Pier Head Ferry Terminal and have received widespread support for the building from the Merseyside community."
You can see the complete list of 'winners', including photos, here.
Judge tells teenagers to read Lord of the Flies
A judge urged two teenagers who viciously attacked a man in the street to read the classic novel Lord of the Flies after he described them as 'acting like wild animals.' Judge John Dixon made the recommendation after hearing how the drunken pair had left a retired police officer's son lying in the road with a shoe pattern embedded in his face.
Jailing the pair for 14 months, he suggested that they should read William Golding's novel. He said: "After you have read it, you will understand. I recommend it." William Thain, 38, was on his way to his parents' home when the thugs pounced, leaving him lying in the road after the brutal attack.
Prosecutor Sarah Jones said: "He was almost unrecognisable because of swelling and the state of his face. "His injuries included a lacerated tongue, a fractured cheekbone, bruising and swelling." He was bedridden for several days and still had difficulty in sleeping.
Police called to the scene heard raised voices from the top of a nearby block of flats and someone shout: "You shouldn?t have done it, you shouldn't have punched him." Inside, they discovered Ricky Johnson, 18, and 16-year-old John Meek in a bedroom and recovered the victim's wallet and mobile phone. DNA tests confirmed his blood on both their trainers, and a chevron pattern left on the victim's face matched that on Meek?s shoes.
Johnson and Meek, both of Southampton, Hants, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft. The pair had spent the evening drinking vodka and beer before meeting the victim, who they didn't know. After hearing the details at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Dixon said: "You assaulted and beat him like wild animals."
Golding's novel set during the Second World War sees a group of British schoolboys as the only survivors of a plane crash on a remote deserted island. They start life full of excitement and try to create their own society, but soon the order they try to establish breaks down and the civilised schoolboys become savages. The boys turn against each other, and fighting results in two of them being killed.
Jailing the pair for 14 months, he suggested that they should read William Golding's novel. He said: "After you have read it, you will understand. I recommend it." William Thain, 38, was on his way to his parents' home when the thugs pounced, leaving him lying in the road after the brutal attack.
Prosecutor Sarah Jones said: "He was almost unrecognisable because of swelling and the state of his face. "His injuries included a lacerated tongue, a fractured cheekbone, bruising and swelling." He was bedridden for several days and still had difficulty in sleeping.
Police called to the scene heard raised voices from the top of a nearby block of flats and someone shout: "You shouldn?t have done it, you shouldn't have punched him." Inside, they discovered Ricky Johnson, 18, and 16-year-old John Meek in a bedroom and recovered the victim's wallet and mobile phone. DNA tests confirmed his blood on both their trainers, and a chevron pattern left on the victim's face matched that on Meek?s shoes.
Johnson and Meek, both of Southampton, Hants, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft. The pair had spent the evening drinking vodka and beer before meeting the victim, who they didn't know. After hearing the details at Southampton Crown Court, Judge Dixon said: "You assaulted and beat him like wild animals."
Golding's novel set during the Second World War sees a group of British schoolboys as the only survivors of a plane crash on a remote deserted island. They start life full of excitement and try to create their own society, but soon the order they try to establish breaks down and the civilised schoolboys become savages. The boys turn against each other, and fighting results in two of them being killed.
Loyal dog helps owner escape from quicksand
A pet dog dog came to the rescue of its owner when she became stuck in quicksand while out for a relaxing beach stroll. On a day off from her job at the University of Cumbria, Dr Christine Smith took her beloved seven-year-old German wirehaired pointer Matilda for a walk on the beach at Arnside as a special treat.
The pair were walking close to a stream when Mrs Smith realised her feet were sinking “very, very quickly” into the flat sand, and she was unable to free herself. And with no one around to help and her mobile phone out of battery, she began to fear the worst – until her trusty companion lent a paw.
Mrs Smith, of Underbarrow, said: “It was a pretty horrific My senses were saying – ‘I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this’ – which was a horrible, horrible feeling. I couldn’t get my feet out at all and as I tried to pull one foot out, of course the other sank further in. I had very short Wellington boots on and they were pretty quickly full of water and sand, which became completely solid, so I was cemented into them.”
She added: “Matilda came over. Normally she’ll come to you and jump around and then wander off, but I believe she sensed I was in trouble. I was sinking further in and was really struggling. I just couldn’t get the strength to get out. The pressure on my legs was unbelievable.
“She just stood absolutely still beside me which allowed me to use her back to lever myself out. Then I leaned my body on Matilda’s back and pulled my leg as hard as I could. She was absolutely solid as a rock.” The struggle lasted for ten to 15 minutes before Mrs Smith had both legs free.
She said: “I was absolutely exhausted and just crawled on my knees slowly to safety.” The doctor of philosophy added: “Matilda was looking after me that day. She is a very loyal dog. Whenever I am in the house she follows me wherever I go. She’s an absolute star.”
The pair were walking close to a stream when Mrs Smith realised her feet were sinking “very, very quickly” into the flat sand, and she was unable to free herself. And with no one around to help and her mobile phone out of battery, she began to fear the worst – until her trusty companion lent a paw.
Mrs Smith, of Underbarrow, said: “It was a pretty horrific My senses were saying – ‘I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this’ – which was a horrible, horrible feeling. I couldn’t get my feet out at all and as I tried to pull one foot out, of course the other sank further in. I had very short Wellington boots on and they were pretty quickly full of water and sand, which became completely solid, so I was cemented into them.”
She added: “Matilda came over. Normally she’ll come to you and jump around and then wander off, but I believe she sensed I was in trouble. I was sinking further in and was really struggling. I just couldn’t get the strength to get out. The pressure on my legs was unbelievable.
“She just stood absolutely still beside me which allowed me to use her back to lever myself out. Then I leaned my body on Matilda’s back and pulled my leg as hard as I could. She was absolutely solid as a rock.” The struggle lasted for ten to 15 minutes before Mrs Smith had both legs free.
She said: “I was absolutely exhausted and just crawled on my knees slowly to safety.” The doctor of philosophy added: “Matilda was looking after me that day. She is a very loyal dog. Whenever I am in the house she follows me wherever I go. She’s an absolute star.”
Giant piranha found in Devon river
A giant piranha – the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world – has been found in a Devon river, the Environment Agency said today. Bathers in the UK's rivers and streams should be reassured that the fish was dead and is thought to have been an abandoned pet. Its discovery will add, however, to experts' anxieties about non-native wildlife being introduced to the UK.
The fish, of a species more accustomed to the Amazon river basin, was discovered in the river Torridge by Environment Agency workers conducting a wildlife survey. Eddie Stevens, one of the three-man monitoring team, said they were left open-mouthed by their discovery.
"What we actually came across was something which we would not expect to find in our wildest dreams. We could hardly believe our eyes," he said.
Used to more temperate climes, the fish probably could not tolerate the cold waters, the agency said. A closer examination revealed that its stomach was full of sweetcorn – further evidence it may have been kept as a domestic pet.
At a length of 36cm (14in), the red-bellied piranha was a giant of its kind – more than eight inches longer than an average specimen. The team first spotted its tail sticking out of an undercut bank on the far side of the river. "Our first thought was that a sea trout had become lodged in amongst the rocks and debris collected under the bank," Stevens said. "But when it was removed from the river we were speechless to find it was a piranha."
The introduction of non-native species poses a serious threat to native wildlife, according to the agency. Mark Diamond, an ecology manager, said: "Whilst piranhas can't survive the colder climates of the UK, this latest find highlights a real issue – that releasing unwanted exotic pets or plants into rivers can have serious consequences for native wildlife. "Rather than dumping things in the wild, we would urge people to seek advice about what to do with exotic species."
The fish, of a species more accustomed to the Amazon river basin, was discovered in the river Torridge by Environment Agency workers conducting a wildlife survey. Eddie Stevens, one of the three-man monitoring team, said they were left open-mouthed by their discovery.
"What we actually came across was something which we would not expect to find in our wildest dreams. We could hardly believe our eyes," he said.
Used to more temperate climes, the fish probably could not tolerate the cold waters, the agency said. A closer examination revealed that its stomach was full of sweetcorn – further evidence it may have been kept as a domestic pet.
At a length of 36cm (14in), the red-bellied piranha was a giant of its kind – more than eight inches longer than an average specimen. The team first spotted its tail sticking out of an undercut bank on the far side of the river. "Our first thought was that a sea trout had become lodged in amongst the rocks and debris collected under the bank," Stevens said. "But when it was removed from the river we were speechless to find it was a piranha."
The introduction of non-native species poses a serious threat to native wildlife, according to the agency. Mark Diamond, an ecology manager, said: "Whilst piranhas can't survive the colder climates of the UK, this latest find highlights a real issue – that releasing unwanted exotic pets or plants into rivers can have serious consequences for native wildlife. "Rather than dumping things in the wild, we would urge people to seek advice about what to do with exotic species."
Woman travelled to Panama for operation to turn brown eyes blue and was almost blinded
When Shenise Farrell read on the internet about a £5,000 operation which could turn her dark brown eyes light blue, she wasted no time in heading off to Panama.
Less than two weeks later, British surgeons were battling to save her sight.
They had to repair a hole in her iris and remove implants. It is unclear whether she will suffer long-term damage – and her eyes are still brown.
‘It was the biggest mistake I have ever made,’ said the single mother of three from Perivale, West London.
‘To think I could have never been able to see my children again. It was totally reckless of me.
She is believed to be the first person in the UK to undergo such an operation, which involves inserting a coloured lens inside the eye, over the iris, and is not licensed in Europe.
Less than two weeks later, British surgeons were battling to save her sight.
They had to repair a hole in her iris and remove implants. It is unclear whether she will suffer long-term damage – and her eyes are still brown.
‘It was the biggest mistake I have ever made,’ said the single mother of three from Perivale, West London.
‘To think I could have never been able to see my children again. It was totally reckless of me.
She is believed to be the first person in the UK to undergo such an operation, which involves inserting a coloured lens inside the eye, over the iris, and is not licensed in Europe.
Benefit claim amputee told ‘wait and see if the leg gets better'
An amputee had her application for disability handouts knocked back — in case her leg grew back.
Stunned Beryl Prescott, 57, was told to wait three months and apply again in case her severed limb "got better".
Hard-working Beryl — a former nurse who says she has paid taxes all her life — applied for incapacity benefits after losing her right leg to gangrene.
But officials knocked her back three times because they couldn't be sure she was genuinely disabled.
Baffled Beryl enlisted the services of her local MP and eventually won £1,700 in back-payments.
She fumed: "Apparently, you have to wait three months after you come out of hospital before you can apply in case you get better. I'm not a doctor but I am pretty sure that wasn't going to happen - I don't have a magic grow bag."
Stunned Beryl Prescott, 57, was told to wait three months and apply again in case her severed limb "got better".
Hard-working Beryl — a former nurse who says she has paid taxes all her life — applied for incapacity benefits after losing her right leg to gangrene.
But officials knocked her back three times because they couldn't be sure she was genuinely disabled.
Baffled Beryl enlisted the services of her local MP and eventually won £1,700 in back-payments.
She fumed: "Apparently, you have to wait three months after you come out of hospital before you can apply in case you get better. I'm not a doctor but I am pretty sure that wasn't going to happen - I don't have a magic grow bag."
Cycling menace given ban
A cyclist who waged a bizarre seven-year campaign of attacks on pedestrians has been banned from the saddle. Gurnaik Singh Dogra, 37, became notorious in Leicester for riding at pedestrians and punching or kicking them as he went past.
Nearly 40 people have complained about him since 2002, but police believe other victims did not come forward. Now Dogra has been hit with an Asbo which bars him from riding his bike in a large swathe of the city, including the city centre.
He appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court this week where he was jailed for 12 weeks for two counts of assault and one offence of threatening behaviour. He admitted the offences.
The ban order, which will last for five years, will come into effect when Dogra is released from prison.
The order means that Dogra can be arrested and possibly jailed if he is caught riding or even pushing his bike through the streets.
One of his unnamed victims who was attacked as he walked along, said: "He kicked me and it was hard enough to knock me to the floor. He needs to get help, really. There's obviously something wrong with him and he seems to have been doing this for a long time. There's no logic to it."
Nearly 40 people have complained about him since 2002, but police believe other victims did not come forward. Now Dogra has been hit with an Asbo which bars him from riding his bike in a large swathe of the city, including the city centre.
He appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court this week where he was jailed for 12 weeks for two counts of assault and one offence of threatening behaviour. He admitted the offences.
The ban order, which will last for five years, will come into effect when Dogra is released from prison.
The order means that Dogra can be arrested and possibly jailed if he is caught riding or even pushing his bike through the streets.
One of his unnamed victims who was attacked as he walked along, said: "He kicked me and it was hard enough to knock me to the floor. He needs to get help, really. There's obviously something wrong with him and he seems to have been doing this for a long time. There's no logic to it."
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