Sunday, February 13, 2011

Education


Click for bigger.

Puppy chases his tail


YouTube link.

Dusty the klepto cat


YouTube link.

Girl's 26 digits breaks world record for most fingers and toes

A one-year-old girl from China has set a new world record for having the most fingers and toes on any living person.

Lei Yadi Min, residing in the South Okkalarpa township in Yangon with her mother and sister, has seven toes on each foot and six fingers on each hand - a total of 26 in all.



The child is now awaiting official recognition of her feat (and hands) by world record authority Guinness in its 2012 Book of Records. Guinness currently recognises the record holders in this particular field as Pranamya Menaria and Devendra Harne.

The two Indian children, aged five and 15 respectively, have both developed 12 fingers and 13 toes - 25 in all - as a result of polydactyly. This condition is a congenital anomaly that occurs in one in every 500 live births, and the extra digits are usually non-functional.

Teenage girl sleeps with pet tiger

Teenager Felicia Frisco's pet cat, Will, is cute, fuzzy and bigger than a Rottweiler. He's a Bengal Tiger. The Tampa, Florida, teen has had the tiger since the day he was born.

"My friends think it's really cool that I have a pet tiger because most of them only have a cat or dog," Felicia said.


YouTube link.

Each night the playful tiger crawls into bed with Felicia, sleeping on her pink, black and leopard print sheets with her. The 17-year-old girl comes from a family of animal handlers. Her parents run a programme called Tiger Encounter.

"He'll be with me until he's a year old and we'll use him to educate others," Felicia said. For now, she's still feeding the six-month-old tiger milk; but in just a few more weeks, he'll eat only meat.

40 stone stroke victim rescued with a 100ft crane

A 40-stone stroke victim was rescued with a 100ft crane after he collapsed in his apartment but was too fat for paramedics to fit him in the lift.

"He was simply too heavy to carry down 10 flights of stairs so we had to call in the fire brigade because their hoists have a lifting weight of five tons," said one paramedic in Bad Vibel, Germany.



The crane - normally used for lifting cars and trucks after road crashes - winched stricken Martin Melber, 61, down from the 10th floor apartment to a waiting specially strengthened ambulance.

"It was clearly the first time the man had left his apartment in years. He'd been trapped up in that tower by his own physical condition," said one fire fighter.

Bridge penis on art award shortlist

The controversial Russian guerilla art group Voina (War) has been shortlisted for a state prize, the organizers of the Innovations award said on Friday.



Voina was nominated for a piece of performance art that saw a 65 metre phallus painted on a bridge opposite the St. Petersburg headquarters of the Federal Security Services (FSB), the heir to the KGB. The penis was painted at night and flipped up in front of the building - and stunned officers - when the bridge was raised.

Two of the group's members are currently in custody awaiting trial for their part in another performance that saw police cars flipped over as a statement on police corruption. They face seven years behind bars if convicted. The winner of the prize will be awarded 250,000 rubles ($8,500). The Innovations award is organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Center for Modern Art.


YouTube link.

British artist Banksy recently donated over $120,000 to the group, which also famously staged an orgy in a Moscow museum to mark President Dmitry Medvedev's 2008 inauguration. The group has also thrown live cats at McDonald's workers to "relieve" the tedium of the working-day. The group say they are dedicated to the "destruction of outdated repressive-patriarchal socio-political symbols and ideologies."

Best man left bleeding after being hit in head by flying dildo

The best man at an Australian wedding was left battered and bloodied after he was hit in the head by a fast-moving dildo. The flying phallus left Darwin architect Jure Skumavc, 31, nursing a split forehead. Mr Skumavc said he was injured by the bullet-shaped pink sex toy - measuring about 12cm in length - at a buck's party celebration to farewell friend Peter Rolih's bachelorhood. Mr Skumavc was still sporting a scar on his forehead at Mr Rolih's wedding nearly three weeks after being donged by the artificial dong.

The darting dildo drama unfolded in a rented two-bedroom unit in Brisbane. Mr Skumavc said about eight other friends joined Mr Rolih for the party. He said a scantily clad exotic dancer appeared after a while and was soon performing her party trick: shooting dildos at the guests. Mr Skumavc said those who had seen the infamous ping pong ball scene in the Australian film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert would know how the party trick worked.



He said the pink projectile was flying an impressive 7m across the room and looping about 2m high. "It wasn't a strong shot (when it hit me in the head)," he said. "It probably just landed on an awkward sort of angle. She was shooting it through the room from one corner to the other.

"Other people got it in their chest and knees. I was the only one bleeding. It was my turn and it landed straight on my forehead. She started apologising straight away but I just said it was fine ... then I touched my forehead and there was blood." Mr Skumavc had difficulties describing the tearaway toy in detail. "I don't have a massive experience with dildos," he said.

Man found dead in a posh suit by hikers on Austrian mountain

As mysteries go, this one on the top of a snow-capped mountain has proved to be particularly chilling. Police are baffled after the body of a man in a suit and designer shoes was found at the peak.

The man, who has not yet been identified, was discovered lying face down in the snow at the top of the peak in Mallnitz, Austria, at about 2,000 metres above sea level. A police spokesman said: “It’s very unlikely he could have walked that high with no winter clothing and the shoes he had. It’s possible he fell out of a plane.



“It is unlikely someone would make it walking up through so much snow in minus temperatures to this level in just a suit and normal shoes. The conditions are icy and very slippy – without specialist climbing gear it would be virtually impossible to climb up here.

“The climbers who found the man said that he looked like he had not been there very long – but he was so frozen it was difficult to tell. At least the temperatures may have helped to preserve the evidence.” The body had to be airlifted from the mountain top in the eastern Alps. A postmortem is due to take place next week.

British man escapes Alps balloon crash only to fall to his death

A British man escaped unscathed from a hot-air balloon crash in the French Alps, only to fall 1,000ft to his death. Bob Bickerdike, 63, called friends to tell them he was unharmed shortly after crash-landing his balloon in the mountains at 6,000ft.

Police believe he lost his footing however on his way to finding help and fell 1,300ft down a ravine. A mountain rescue team found his body on Thursday evening.


Photo from SWNS.

It is believed the balloons took off from St Jean d'Aulps, part of the Portes du Soleil ski area near Morzine. Mr Bickerdike was alone in the basket when it crashed. There was also a second balloon, in which three of his friends were travelling. The group was on a short ballooning holiday in the Alps.

An investigation into the accident has been launched by police. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Abondance in the French Alps on February 10. We are urgently investigating."

Shed owners warned wire mesh on windows could hurt burglars

Police have told residents to stop putting wire mesh on their garden shed windows – because they could be sued if a burglar is injured. A spate of thefts in several towns and villages in Kent and Surrey over the past few months led to many householders taking action to protect their property. Some have been warned by police that using wire mesh to reinforce shed windows was ''dangerous’’ and could lead to criminals claiming compensation if they ''hurt themselves’’. Thieves target sheds to steal lawnmowers, power drills, bicycles and a variety of DIY tools.

Thomas Cooper, of Tatsfield, Surrey, used wire mesh to protect three of his garden sheds after two break-ins over the past four years. He decided to take action after reports of a rise in garden raids in the area. Mr Cooper said: “I reinforced my shed windows with wire mesh, but was told by the police I had to be very careful because thieves can actually sue you if they get hurt. It is ridiculous that the law protects them even though they are breaking it.”



Last month Samantha Cullum, a mother-of-three, of Brasted, near Sevenoaks in Kent, had her whole shed stolen when thieves lifted it on to a lorry. She said: “We had some tools stolen every now and again, but this time they took the entire shed – I couldn’t believe it.” Dave Bishop, of Tatsfield, said: “The law is so stupid, and you never know what decision judges are going to make. People do get fed up with these people trying to help themselves to things which you have worked hard to gather together.”

Pc John Lee, a crime reduction officer for Tandridge, said: “We are constantly advising home owners to protect their property and the contents of their shed or garage, however, a commonsense approach needs to be taken. To properly secure your sheds, Surrey Police strongly advises people to invest in items such as good-quality locks and bolts, and not to resort to homemade devices, as this could cause injury.” A police source added: “Homemade devices can cause injury and there have been cases where criminals have sued for injuries they have suffered while committing a criminal act. We are advising people to do whatever they can to protect their property, but wire mesh is not one of the suggestions we would make.”

Sex-swap ex-fireman weds a lesbian Jamaican 30 years younger than her

In this day and age, when a thrice-married former fireman who has become a woman meets a Jamaican lesbian chef online there can only be one outcome – wedding bells!Or, rather, civil partnership bells.

This is 66-year-old Kerry Whybrow, dressed in a full-length custom-made lilac dress, tying the knot for the first time as a woman three years after undergoing a sex change on the NHS.



Her partner is Alcia Evans, a mother of one and almost 30 years her junior, who met Miss Whybrow through an international dating website.

And after the ceremony – and ticking the final box for a portrait of a very 21st century marriage – one of Miss Whybrow’s former wives laid on the reception.

Full story here.

Jack Russell in the dog house for his drinking

Squiffy the naughty Jack Russell had to be put in the dog house - after the cheeky hound kept stealing beer from the punters in his local pub. The seven-year-old terrier is a well-loved regular at the watering hole but owner Robert Hodgson had to impose a week-long ban on the pesky pooch after discovering he has a penchant for Guinness and Irish stout. The loveable rogue is so fond of his ales that he escaped from the garden during his booze embargo and meandered through the village to get to his favourite haunt - with Robert finding him outside waiting to get in. Now regulars have bought him a doggy-sized tankard so he can have a drop of his favourite tipple without ruining other peoples' pints.

Robert, 56, said: We always go to the pub after a walk and he gets excited as we get nearer to the pub because he knows he is going to see his friends. He is such a loveable character and all the regulars love him, he jumps on the stool and sits next to me at the bar. But we were in the pub recently and he was sat on his stool beside me as usual, I was talking to someone and when I turned round my glass was half-empty. Squiffy was sat there with a sheepish look on his face, the little blighter had helped himself. He had been stealing little slurps from others as well. After that I stopped taking him in the pub for a week or so to teach him a lesson, which I don't think he was too pleased about.



"I let him out in the garden a few days later and after about 10 minutes or so I realised he had gone. I walked down the street looking for him and calling his name and got to the pub.Squiffy was sat in the beer garden looking up at the front door. He looked like he was waiting for it to open. I gave him a good telling off and I think he knew he was in the dog house as he has behaved himself ever since". Squiffy's local is The Craven Arms in Appletreewick, where he is warmly welcomed by staff and customers when he comes in.

Robert and his friends have seen the funny side of Squiffy's antics and now his booze ban is up they bought him a pewter tankard. Robert said: "After his cheeky slurp of my pint I keep a more watchful eye on him and just put a couple of drops of beer in his water which keeps him happy. I always water down the drinks for Squiffy and the tankard is very small so he can't drink too much and I wouldn't want to cause him any harm because he's my best friend. A drop of Guinness is his favourite, he likes any kind of stout but he won't touch cider or lager, he turns his nose up at that."

Hotel investigated over 'poofters welcome' sign

Police investigated a village hotel owner for erecting a "Poofters welcome here" sign, in reference to a recent court ruling that B&Bs are obliged to accept homosexual customers. Village councillors complained after Mike Saqui wrote the message on the sandwich board outside his Penny Farthing Hotel, in Hampshire's New Forest. The A-board outside the hotel, which is on a main road into Lyndhurst, has become a talking point among locals, who are concerned they could be branded 'a village of bigots.' But letters to the town's local newspaper from readers called the messages 'light hearted' and one told councillors to 'lighten up'.

The sign was inspired by a recent court case in which a homosexual couple challenged a Cornish B&B owner who refused to allow them to stay in their establishment. Speaking at the parish council's meeting on Tuesday, chairman councillor Mark Rolle said he had been offended by the slur on the sign. He said: "There have been some amusing signs occasionally. But last weekend I found one that incensed me. The realms of decency were overstepped – we could be branded a village of bigots." He added that when he phoned the hotel to complain he was told by a member of staff that the owner could "put what he wanted".



He also told the meeting the police were planning to "pop round and have a chat" to the owner about the signs. Councillor Paul Boyes agreed and said: "I personally find it offensive. I think it is our duty to say something." But the discussion split the councillors, as some disagreed that they should get involved. Councillor Leonard Cornell said: "It's not offensive, it's a fact. On its website it is listed as gay friendly." Hotel owner Mike, 45, said: "This is a just a storm in a teacup and the parish council has overreacted.

"I've been writing fun, comical messages on the A-board for the last 10 years and no harm is meant by them. We have a small minded parish council who have their knickers in a twist and I just want to get on running a business. This is the political correctness culture gone mad. The latest message is not homophobic, we welcome gays, lesbians or whoever. After we did receive a complaint and I took the board in – and then I received complaints from people saying 'don't let the naysayers win'. I can't believe the police were sent round to have a word either, it's a ridiculous waste of their time."