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Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Chihuahua wins Donald Trump look-a-like contest
One crazy-haired pooch trumped the competition at Saturday's pet celebrity look-a-like contest.
A chihuahua named Bandit Rubio was dressed up like Donald Trump and took top honours at the grand opening event at NoHo's Banfield Pet Hospital.
"Who doesn't know the Donald," said Bronx native Anthony Rubio, whose pup was top dog. "I put him through a lot."
Dressed in a custom-made grey pinstripe suit with a red tie and dark brown toupee, Bandit took to the floor as his owner used Trump's catchphrase "You're fired" to intimidate judges.
A chihuahua named Bandit Rubio was dressed up like Donald Trump and took top honours at the grand opening event at NoHo's Banfield Pet Hospital.
"Who doesn't know the Donald," said Bronx native Anthony Rubio, whose pup was top dog. "I put him through a lot."
Dressed in a custom-made grey pinstripe suit with a red tie and dark brown toupee, Bandit took to the floor as his owner used Trump's catchphrase "You're fired" to intimidate judges.
Disgusting discovery made in can of green beans
On Tuesday, a woman, who wants to remain anonymous, said during dinner she went to strain a can of Sunny Select brand green beans when she found something inside that clearly wasn't a vegetable.
However, she's not sure what it is, but it bears a resemblance to either a toad or the head of a reptile.
After finding the unknown object, the woman said she contacted the store where she bought the can the FoodMaxx In Bakersville, California.
YouTube link.
She also called the Kern County Department of Public Health. The county turned the matter over to the state, which is the regulating agency. While this is a state issue, county health director Matt Constantine said, unfortunately, foreign objects being found in food isn't uncommon.
However, she's not sure what it is, but it bears a resemblance to either a toad or the head of a reptile.
After finding the unknown object, the woman said she contacted the store where she bought the can the FoodMaxx In Bakersville, California.
YouTube link.
She also called the Kern County Department of Public Health. The county turned the matter over to the state, which is the regulating agency. While this is a state issue, county health director Matt Constantine said, unfortunately, foreign objects being found in food isn't uncommon.
Dog leads police to missing boy
Police found a missing 6-year-old boy from Dickson, Tennessee after the child's dog led them to the area near the child. Caleb Walker was reported missing on Saturday after he wandered off from his home while playing outside.
The child, who is also autistic, was missing for almost six hours before he was located. Police said they found the child in a wooded area near the Walker's home after the family's dog, Milo showed them where the child was.
"We were coming up the hill and we saw the little Jack Russell and we knew he was supposed to be with him. And I got out and started looking about 30 yards passed where the little [Jack Russell] was. He was standing there shaking real bad," Sergeant Gill Wood with the Montgomery County K-9 Search and Rescue said.
He added, "We are just glad we found the little guy, with the extreme temperatures tonight we were scared it would turn out tragically." Walker's family was grateful the child returned home safely on Saturday night just before 10 p.m. Walker's grandmother said. Walker was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, but has since returned home with his family.
With news video.
The child, who is also autistic, was missing for almost six hours before he was located. Police said they found the child in a wooded area near the Walker's home after the family's dog, Milo showed them where the child was.
"We were coming up the hill and we saw the little Jack Russell and we knew he was supposed to be with him. And I got out and started looking about 30 yards passed where the little [Jack Russell] was. He was standing there shaking real bad," Sergeant Gill Wood with the Montgomery County K-9 Search and Rescue said.
He added, "We are just glad we found the little guy, with the extreme temperatures tonight we were scared it would turn out tragically." Walker's family was grateful the child returned home safely on Saturday night just before 10 p.m. Walker's grandmother said. Walker was taken to a local hospital as a precaution, but has since returned home with his family.
With news video.
Headbutt teacher back in class
A suspended teacher who headbutted a rowdy pupil is to be reinstated - after the lad's own parents joined a protest to get him his job back.
History expert Attila Domotor, 42 snapped when the teenage thug repeatedly interrupted his class in Orkeny, Hungary.
YouTube link.
But he was suspended by education authorities when the incident was filmed by another pupil and uploaded onto the internet.
Now he's to be allowed back into the classroom after supporters staged a massive demonstration backing his stand, including his victim's parents. "We have had many problems with our son. Finally someone showed him he is not the centre of the universe," said the boy's father.
History expert Attila Domotor, 42 snapped when the teenage thug repeatedly interrupted his class in Orkeny, Hungary.
YouTube link.
But he was suspended by education authorities when the incident was filmed by another pupil and uploaded onto the internet.
Now he's to be allowed back into the classroom after supporters staged a massive demonstration backing his stand, including his victim's parents. "We have had many problems with our son. Finally someone showed him he is not the centre of the universe," said the boy's father.
Jailed dog will sniff out diabetes
Pascoe has been sent to jail and he's only 12 months old. But far from being naughty, this cavalier king charles spaniel is in training to save lives. Inmates at Junee Prison are teaching Pascoe how to pick up changes in people's body odour or their breath so he can be a diabetic alert dog.
As soon as Pascoe learns to follow his nose - with sweet, fruity smells warning of high blood sugar levels or rusty, acidic smells indicating low blood sugar - he will be given to a family with a diabetic child to alert them to changes in glucose levels.
The Pups in Prison programme has been run by Assistance Dogs Australia and the NSW Department of Corrective Services for four years, but it's only the second time a dog has been trained to sniff diabetes.
"The prisoners take it very seriously," Junee Prison's manager Andy Walker said "It does boost morale. There are up to six dogs in the prison at the same time." Dogs sleep with prisoners and some are taught to assist the elderly by answering phones, fetching items and barking only at strangers.
As soon as Pascoe learns to follow his nose - with sweet, fruity smells warning of high blood sugar levels or rusty, acidic smells indicating low blood sugar - he will be given to a family with a diabetic child to alert them to changes in glucose levels.
The Pups in Prison programme has been run by Assistance Dogs Australia and the NSW Department of Corrective Services for four years, but it's only the second time a dog has been trained to sniff diabetes.
"The prisoners take it very seriously," Junee Prison's manager Andy Walker said "It does boost morale. There are up to six dogs in the prison at the same time." Dogs sleep with prisoners and some are taught to assist the elderly by answering phones, fetching items and barking only at strangers.
Chimpanzees mourn their dead children just like humans
Chimpanzee mothers establish close physical relationships with their young, carrying them for up to two years and nursing them until they are six. But now scientists have filmed how one chimpanzee mother, whose 16 month old infant died, apparently begins the grieving process. The ape continued to carry the body for more than 24 hours before tenderly laying on the ground. Then from a short distance she watches over her child.
Periodically she returns to the body and touches the face and neck with her fingers to establish it was dead. She then took the body to other chimpanzees in the troop to get a second opinion. The following day the chimp had abandoned the body, according to a report by scientists from the respected Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Dr Cronin said the research provided "unique insights into how chimpanzees, one of humans’ closest primate relatives, learn about death."
YouTube link.
Dr Katherine Cronin and Edwin Van Leeuwen together with Prof Mark Bodamer, of Gonzaga University in Washington State, and Innocent Chitalu Mulenga videoed the chimpanzee in Chimfunshi in Zambia. Dr Cronin said the research provided "unique insights into how chimpanzees, one of humans’ closest primate relatives, learn about death." She said: "After carrying the infant’s dead body for more than a day, the mother laid the body out on the ground in a clearing and repeatedly approached the body and held her fingers against the infant’s face and neck for multiple seconds.
"She remained near the body for nearly an hour, then carried it over to a group of chimpanzees and watched them investigate the body. The next day, the mother was no longer carrying the body of the infant." The report, published in the American Journal of Primatology, says almost nothing is known about how primates react to death of close individuals, what they understand about death, and whether they mourn. The researchers therefore believe they have reported a unique transitional period as the mother learned about the death of her infant, a process never before reported in detail.
Periodically she returns to the body and touches the face and neck with her fingers to establish it was dead. She then took the body to other chimpanzees in the troop to get a second opinion. The following day the chimp had abandoned the body, according to a report by scientists from the respected Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Dr Cronin said the research provided "unique insights into how chimpanzees, one of humans’ closest primate relatives, learn about death."
YouTube link.
Dr Katherine Cronin and Edwin Van Leeuwen together with Prof Mark Bodamer, of Gonzaga University in Washington State, and Innocent Chitalu Mulenga videoed the chimpanzee in Chimfunshi in Zambia. Dr Cronin said the research provided "unique insights into how chimpanzees, one of humans’ closest primate relatives, learn about death." She said: "After carrying the infant’s dead body for more than a day, the mother laid the body out on the ground in a clearing and repeatedly approached the body and held her fingers against the infant’s face and neck for multiple seconds.
"She remained near the body for nearly an hour, then carried it over to a group of chimpanzees and watched them investigate the body. The next day, the mother was no longer carrying the body of the infant." The report, published in the American Journal of Primatology, says almost nothing is known about how primates react to death of close individuals, what they understand about death, and whether they mourn. The researchers therefore believe they have reported a unique transitional period as the mother learned about the death of her infant, a process never before reported in detail.
Polish man survives sleeping rough in -5°C because he was 29 times the drink-drive limit
A drunk man found lying on a park bench in his underwear survived temperatures of -5°C (23F) because of the amount of alcohol in his blood.
Aleksander Andrzej, 32, would have been nearly 30 times the legal limit for driving. He was spotted in the Warsaw park and taken to hospital by police.
A breath test showed he had 1,024 micrograms per 100ml, which doctors believe helped him live.
The legal limit is 35mg – and they added that even 300mg is potentially deadly. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Aleksander Andrzej, 32, would have been nearly 30 times the legal limit for driving. He was spotted in the Warsaw park and taken to hospital by police.
A breath test showed he had 1,024 micrograms per 100ml, which doctors believe helped him live.
The legal limit is 35mg – and they added that even 300mg is potentially deadly. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Bangladesh city to pay beggars during cricket World Cup
The authorities in Bangladesh's city of Chittagong say they will pay beggars a daily wage to keep them off the streets during next month's Cricket World Cup. Some 300 disabled beggars would be paid about $2 (£1.20) a day for three months to compensate them for their loss of earning, Mayor Mansur Alam said. He added that the beggars would also be given a chance to move into rehabilitation centres.
Bangladesh is co-hosting the World Cup along with India and Sri Lanka. Mr Alam said he would meet beggars' representatives and other officials next week to prepare a list of disabled beggars in the southern city.
"We have taken the initiative to rehabilitate the beggars and we are going to expedite it ahead of the Cricket World Cup so that they do not disturb the tourists and spectators. We will also make a list to stop the influx of the disabled beggars from other parts of the country." The decision comes days after the government proposed to move all the beggars in the capital Dhaka to welfare centres until the World Cup was over.
Despite the government's efforts to abolish begging, the practice is rampant in Bangladesh: every day beggars can be seen on the roadside, at traffic signals and outside commercial buildings in Dhaka and Chittagong. There is no official figure on the number, but estimates suggest that there are more than 700,000 beggars across the country, many of them physically disabled.
Bangladesh is co-hosting the World Cup along with India and Sri Lanka. Mr Alam said he would meet beggars' representatives and other officials next week to prepare a list of disabled beggars in the southern city.
"We have taken the initiative to rehabilitate the beggars and we are going to expedite it ahead of the Cricket World Cup so that they do not disturb the tourists and spectators. We will also make a list to stop the influx of the disabled beggars from other parts of the country." The decision comes days after the government proposed to move all the beggars in the capital Dhaka to welfare centres until the World Cup was over.
Despite the government's efforts to abolish begging, the practice is rampant in Bangladesh: every day beggars can be seen on the roadside, at traffic signals and outside commercial buildings in Dhaka and Chittagong. There is no official figure on the number, but estimates suggest that there are more than 700,000 beggars across the country, many of them physically disabled.
Robin becomes bird of pray at historic castle church
A church has had a surprise addition to its flock – a tame robin. The bird has become a familiar sight at St Mary’s Church in Portchester Castle, Portsmouth, over the past few weeks. Reverend Charlie Allen first spotted the robin when there was heavy snowfall at the beginning of December last year.
Since then it has kept on coming back – and has become a big hit, with people visiting just to take photographs of it flying around the historic building. Mrs Allen said: ‘It’s just so wonderfully tame. It moved in when we had that cold snap. It will occasionally fly outside but comes back in again.
‘It’s very at home. We have put bird seed and water out for it.’ Some visitors have been coming into the church after visiting the nearby Castle Bakery Tea Rooms, and have saved little bits of cake to feed the robin. Mrs Allen said the robin has also been enjoying services at the church and soaking up attention from the locals – but could be quite loud.
‘It’s wonderfully noisy,’ she said. If there’s a service going on it will be right in the middle making as much racket as it can. It’s astonishingly tame. It eats out of people’s hands. People are delighted. For weddings it’s been wonderfully touching and poignant and even for funerals it’s lightened the atmosphere.’
Since then it has kept on coming back – and has become a big hit, with people visiting just to take photographs of it flying around the historic building. Mrs Allen said: ‘It’s just so wonderfully tame. It moved in when we had that cold snap. It will occasionally fly outside but comes back in again.
‘It’s very at home. We have put bird seed and water out for it.’ Some visitors have been coming into the church after visiting the nearby Castle Bakery Tea Rooms, and have saved little bits of cake to feed the robin. Mrs Allen said the robin has also been enjoying services at the church and soaking up attention from the locals – but could be quite loud.
‘It’s wonderfully noisy,’ she said. If there’s a service going on it will be right in the middle making as much racket as it can. It’s astonishingly tame. It eats out of people’s hands. People are delighted. For weddings it’s been wonderfully touching and poignant and even for funerals it’s lightened the atmosphere.’
Mother-of-three conned out of £80,000 by swindlers posing as US soldier
Mother-of-three Kate Roberts has told how she was tricked out of £80,000 by a fraudster posing as a lonely US soldier on the Friends Reunited website. Ms Roberts lost her house in the scam, just ten months after she ‘fell in love’ with Sgt Mark Ray Smith. ‘Aside from losing the money, I feel like I’ve lost the love of my life,’ said the divorcée. ‘I know he wasn’t real but the feelings were real to me and that’s very difficult to come to terms with.’ She now wants to warn others falling for what the US embassy warned was an ‘increasingly common’ type of fraud.
Ms Roberts was sucked in after clicking on the ‘find someone perfect for you’ area of Friends Reunited in October 2009. She found a man claiming to be a 43-year-old widower serving in Iraq who had an 11-year-old daughter. They exchanged emails and started chatting several times a day on MSN. He even began calling after she gave him £225 for a phone line. The scammers posted pictures of a soldier in uniform and bare-chested. They even used a picture of a little girl to represent the daughter.
Photo from SWNS.
‘What I am most worried about is that I emailed him pictures of myself and my children,’ Ms Roberts, 47, she said. ‘I have no idea if those pictures are now being used by the gang to con other people out of money.’ The fake sergeant then begged the administrator from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, for money to buy himself leave from the army, backed up by receipts on forged US military headed paper. He then wanted to buy his way out of the army for good. Between October 2009 and July last year, Ms Roberts wired him £80,000 either via Western Union or direct to his bank account.
But she found it was a scam when all contact stopped after she arranged for £12,000 to be sent to a friend of Sgt Smith’s to pay for his flight to Britain. Her phone company traced his number to a mobile phone in Nigeria. She then alerted police. ‘When the officers told me I was the victim of a highly organised scam my world fell apart,’ said Ms Roberts. The US embassy is trying to identify the soldier in the pictures.
And in a separate case, paraplegic woman Valerie Cooke from Plymouth, was forced to sell her bungalow after being conned out of tens of thousands of pounds by a man who claimed to be an American serviceman stationed in Afghanistan. Video.
Ms Roberts was sucked in after clicking on the ‘find someone perfect for you’ area of Friends Reunited in October 2009. She found a man claiming to be a 43-year-old widower serving in Iraq who had an 11-year-old daughter. They exchanged emails and started chatting several times a day on MSN. He even began calling after she gave him £225 for a phone line. The scammers posted pictures of a soldier in uniform and bare-chested. They even used a picture of a little girl to represent the daughter.
Photo from SWNS.
‘What I am most worried about is that I emailed him pictures of myself and my children,’ Ms Roberts, 47, she said. ‘I have no idea if those pictures are now being used by the gang to con other people out of money.’ The fake sergeant then begged the administrator from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, for money to buy himself leave from the army, backed up by receipts on forged US military headed paper. He then wanted to buy his way out of the army for good. Between October 2009 and July last year, Ms Roberts wired him £80,000 either via Western Union or direct to his bank account.
But she found it was a scam when all contact stopped after she arranged for £12,000 to be sent to a friend of Sgt Smith’s to pay for his flight to Britain. Her phone company traced his number to a mobile phone in Nigeria. She then alerted police. ‘When the officers told me I was the victim of a highly organised scam my world fell apart,’ said Ms Roberts. The US embassy is trying to identify the soldier in the pictures.
And in a separate case, paraplegic woman Valerie Cooke from Plymouth, was forced to sell her bungalow after being conned out of tens of thousands of pounds by a man who claimed to be an American serviceman stationed in Afghanistan. Video.
Council leader hails paedophile as pillar of society
A council leader has provoked fury after coming out in support of a convicted paedophile – and hailing him as a ”pillar of society”. Councillor Jim Grimble, 61, (left) praised James Whittaker (right) – a monster who sexually abused four children over a 38 year period – for his ”considerable contribution to village life”.
Whittaker, 71, was jailed for eight years earlier this month after he posed as a respectable member of the community and carried out the vile offences. He was a rotarian and scout leader and was heavily involved in local events in the leafy village of Bishopsteignton, Devon. Whittaker’s status as a ”pillar of society” meant he was able to befriend parents in the local area, who he then subjected to a catalogue of systematic abuse.
But Cllr Grimble – vice chair of Bishopsteignton Parish Council – caused outrage when he came out in support of Whittaker, claiming ”nobody had a bad word against him”. He paid tribute to the ”respected” paedophile and called for residents to remember his good work in the community ”alongside the bad”. Cllr Grimble said: ”I know what he did was wrong, but this case has taken the community by surprise.
”He helped the village any way he could, and even gave up a piece of land for a footpath along the main road. I have yet to hear anybody say a bad word against him. It seems completely out of character. He was also involved with scouting, and as far as we know nothing untoward happened, and many of the scouts who are now grown up are grateful to his help and advice over the years.” Residents reacted furiously to Grimble’s comments, branding him ”despicable” and demanding he stand down as vice-chairman of the parish council.
Whittaker, 71, was jailed for eight years earlier this month after he posed as a respectable member of the community and carried out the vile offences. He was a rotarian and scout leader and was heavily involved in local events in the leafy village of Bishopsteignton, Devon. Whittaker’s status as a ”pillar of society” meant he was able to befriend parents in the local area, who he then subjected to a catalogue of systematic abuse.
But Cllr Grimble – vice chair of Bishopsteignton Parish Council – caused outrage when he came out in support of Whittaker, claiming ”nobody had a bad word against him”. He paid tribute to the ”respected” paedophile and called for residents to remember his good work in the community ”alongside the bad”. Cllr Grimble said: ”I know what he did was wrong, but this case has taken the community by surprise.
”He helped the village any way he could, and even gave up a piece of land for a footpath along the main road. I have yet to hear anybody say a bad word against him. It seems completely out of character. He was also involved with scouting, and as far as we know nothing untoward happened, and many of the scouts who are now grown up are grateful to his help and advice over the years.” Residents reacted furiously to Grimble’s comments, branding him ”despicable” and demanding he stand down as vice-chairman of the parish council.
Abandoned budgie found in toilets at bookmakers
A budgie has been found abandoned in the toilets of a Glasgow bookmaker. The bird was found in a pet carrier in the toilets of the William Hill shop on Maryhill Road on Monday.
The budgie is now being cared for at the charity's Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre where it has been named Will by staff.
Centre Assistant Manager Anna O'Donnell said, "We're not sure if someone left Will in the toilet by accident or on purpose as it's a very strange place to find a bird. He is in good health and is a friendly boy. If someone has left him behind by mistake we'd like to reunite him with his owner."
The Scottish SPCA was called in to help after the find. It is asking that anyone who recognises or has information about the budgie should contact them. Abandoning an animal is an offence and anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.
The budgie is now being cared for at the charity's Glasgow Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre where it has been named Will by staff.
Centre Assistant Manager Anna O'Donnell said, "We're not sure if someone left Will in the toilet by accident or on purpose as it's a very strange place to find a bird. He is in good health and is a friendly boy. If someone has left him behind by mistake we'd like to reunite him with his owner."
The Scottish SPCA was called in to help after the find. It is asking that anyone who recognises or has information about the budgie should contact them. Abandoning an animal is an offence and anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.
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