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Saturday, October 01, 2011
Spider's web stops mail delivery in Canada
A spider's web — and a skittish mail carrier —prevented a Dartmouth, N.S., man from getting his mail for more than a week. Kevin Keating noticed his letters had stopped coming after a few days, but received no notice from Canada Post. "We just thought the mail was being stolen," he said.
Keating made multiple phone inquiries about his lack of letters, but it took eight days for him to learn the reason for the stoppage. A carrier delivered a handwritten note on the back of a letter explaining simply, "Spider webs," followed by the date. Keating then learned his regular postal worker would not cross the path to his front door because there was a spider's web across it.
Keating rarely uses that walkway to his front door and so had not noticed the web. He brushed it down when he got the note and his mail service has resumed. Keating was not impressed by the delivery drought. "Yes, there was a spider. Is that a reason for not delivering my mail? What's next, ants? "I just want another letter carrier. I just want my mail."
Photo from here.
Keating has since got into the Halloween spirit early by erecting a large plastic spider above his mail box. Canada Post said safety is a major issue for letter carriers, but that the carrier in question may have been overzealous in shutting down delivery when faced with a spider's web.
Keating made multiple phone inquiries about his lack of letters, but it took eight days for him to learn the reason for the stoppage. A carrier delivered a handwritten note on the back of a letter explaining simply, "Spider webs," followed by the date. Keating then learned his regular postal worker would not cross the path to his front door because there was a spider's web across it.
Keating rarely uses that walkway to his front door and so had not noticed the web. He brushed it down when he got the note and his mail service has resumed. Keating was not impressed by the delivery drought. "Yes, there was a spider. Is that a reason for not delivering my mail? What's next, ants? "I just want another letter carrier. I just want my mail."
Photo from here.
Keating has since got into the Halloween spirit early by erecting a large plastic spider above his mail box. Canada Post said safety is a major issue for letter carriers, but that the carrier in question may have been overzealous in shutting down delivery when faced with a spider's web.
Thugs stabbed hedgehog so they could raid wildlife refuge
Cruel thugs stabbed a helpless hedgehog and then waited for a wildlife refuge to rescue it so they could break into their empty office and steal computers and cash worth £10,000.
The thieves phoned in reporting the stricken animal with a six inch knife in its back in Melnik, Czech Republic, and watched as the medical team left the Melnik Animal Rights Association refuge before forcing their way in.
When the team returned after an hour with a local vet, they found all their computers and cash gone and a note saying: "Hope the hedgehog is OK."
Refuge worker Jaroslav Vacek said: "It's a pretty sick thing to do and now all of our animals will suffer because of them. It's hard to imagine how low these people are."
The thieves phoned in reporting the stricken animal with a six inch knife in its back in Melnik, Czech Republic, and watched as the medical team left the Melnik Animal Rights Association refuge before forcing their way in.
When the team returned after an hour with a local vet, they found all their computers and cash gone and a note saying: "Hope the hedgehog is OK."
Refuge worker Jaroslav Vacek said: "It's a pretty sick thing to do and now all of our animals will suffer because of them. It's hard to imagine how low these people are."
Batman marches into New Zealand police station responding to 'bat signal'
A fake Batman has marched into Christchurch central police station demanding to know what emergency had triggered the "bat signal" - white light beaming through the sky.
The caped crusader, dressed in full superhero garb of mask, cape and tights, was insisting that the White Lights of Hope, which commemorate the earthquake anniversary, bear an uncanny resemblance to the bat emblem that flashes through the night sky.
In the comic, it's police commissioner Gordon who orders the call for Batman to come to the rescue, so who better for the Canterbury faux hero to ask for. "First of all he wanted to speak to the commissioner," Sergeant Chris Jones said. "And then he wanted to know what was going on and why he'd been called, because he'd seen the lights in the sky."
Sgt Jones, who was just clocking on when the hero arrived on Sunday, said he was too "scrawny" to make a convincing Batman, adding Robin would have to be "6 foot 4 and built like a tank to help him out". After a brief chat, the superhero made a quick exit, leaving the officers chuckling.
The caped crusader, dressed in full superhero garb of mask, cape and tights, was insisting that the White Lights of Hope, which commemorate the earthquake anniversary, bear an uncanny resemblance to the bat emblem that flashes through the night sky.
In the comic, it's police commissioner Gordon who orders the call for Batman to come to the rescue, so who better for the Canterbury faux hero to ask for. "First of all he wanted to speak to the commissioner," Sergeant Chris Jones said. "And then he wanted to know what was going on and why he'd been called, because he'd seen the lights in the sky."
Sgt Jones, who was just clocking on when the hero arrived on Sunday, said he was too "scrawny" to make a convincing Batman, adding Robin would have to be "6 foot 4 and built like a tank to help him out". After a brief chat, the superhero made a quick exit, leaving the officers chuckling.
Belgium's Mr Penguin dreams of Antarctic funeral
Belgian pensioner Alfred David dreams one day he'll find eternal rest in the icy waters somewhere near Antarctica, dressed in his penguin suit and laid out in a coffin decorated with penguins.
The 79-year-old "Monsieur Pingouin" (Mr Penguin), as he is known to locals in his Brussels neighbourhood, dons his favourite hooded black-and-white penguin costume as he looks back at more than 40 years of obsession. "My ultimate dream is to be buried in a deep ocean close to where penguins live," David said.
David's life changed in May 1968 when his hip was injured in a car accident. His resulting limp was characterised by his colleagues as a waddle, and they dubbed him Mr Penguin. As a consequence he embraced an interest in the flightless sea bird and began collecting everything he could find that had a link with the animal.
YouTube link.
As his obsession grew, he eventually set up a museum in his home displayed some 3,500 items of penguin memorabilia. His wife showed him and his collection the door when he told her he wanted to officially change his name to Mr Penguin. He is still well-known in the streets of Schaerbeek, the Brussels district where he lives and where the burghers greet him: "How are you today Monsieur Pingouin?"
The 79-year-old "Monsieur Pingouin" (Mr Penguin), as he is known to locals in his Brussels neighbourhood, dons his favourite hooded black-and-white penguin costume as he looks back at more than 40 years of obsession. "My ultimate dream is to be buried in a deep ocean close to where penguins live," David said.
David's life changed in May 1968 when his hip was injured in a car accident. His resulting limp was characterised by his colleagues as a waddle, and they dubbed him Mr Penguin. As a consequence he embraced an interest in the flightless sea bird and began collecting everything he could find that had a link with the animal.
YouTube link.
As his obsession grew, he eventually set up a museum in his home displayed some 3,500 items of penguin memorabilia. His wife showed him and his collection the door when he told her he wanted to officially change his name to Mr Penguin. He is still well-known in the streets of Schaerbeek, the Brussels district where he lives and where the burghers greet him: "How are you today Monsieur Pingouin?"
Daughter ensuring world tour for parent's ashes
Since they died, William and Alice Green have been transported to Paris, Las Vegas and Amsterdam. Their daughter hopes they will soon go to Hawaii, Australia, Malaysia and England as well, and stay there.
Most of Mr and Mrs Green is still sitting in decorative boxes on a mantel-piece in British Columbia, western Canada, but tiny scatterings of their ashes are being distributed around the globe by travellers responding to an online appeal to help them to see the world, or at least to help the world to see them. The appeal was posted recently on Craigslist, the classified ad site, by the Greens' only daughter, Deb. It read: "Both my parents are now dead and the one thing they always wanted to do was travel. If you are travelling somewhere and are willing to take a little of my mom and dad and sprinkle them and take a picture, then please contact me."
Quite a few people have. Ms Green has had interest from fellow Canadians. To those who meet her basic requirement that they be "helpful and respectful" she is sending half a teaspoon of each of her parents' ashes in a small plastic bag. More than two dozen samples have been dispatched so far. She does not insist on knowing where they are going; only that whoever accepts them takes a picture when they get there.
So far, the ashes have been scattered at the base of the Eiffel Tower, outside Notre Dame, in a beer garden in Amsterdam and in a replica of the Tivoli fountain in Las Vegas. Ms Green is keen to find a courier going to Manchester, the birthplace of her maternal great-grandmother, a Mrs Barbour. "At first I was kind of hesitant to get the baggies out," she said. "It felt weird, as if I was losing a part of my parents. But as soon as I started getting the pictures and the stories back it has been awesome. People say it's made them feel part of the family."
Most of Mr and Mrs Green is still sitting in decorative boxes on a mantel-piece in British Columbia, western Canada, but tiny scatterings of their ashes are being distributed around the globe by travellers responding to an online appeal to help them to see the world, or at least to help the world to see them. The appeal was posted recently on Craigslist, the classified ad site, by the Greens' only daughter, Deb. It read: "Both my parents are now dead and the one thing they always wanted to do was travel. If you are travelling somewhere and are willing to take a little of my mom and dad and sprinkle them and take a picture, then please contact me."
Quite a few people have. Ms Green has had interest from fellow Canadians. To those who meet her basic requirement that they be "helpful and respectful" she is sending half a teaspoon of each of her parents' ashes in a small plastic bag. More than two dozen samples have been dispatched so far. She does not insist on knowing where they are going; only that whoever accepts them takes a picture when they get there.
So far, the ashes have been scattered at the base of the Eiffel Tower, outside Notre Dame, in a beer garden in Amsterdam and in a replica of the Tivoli fountain in Las Vegas. Ms Green is keen to find a courier going to Manchester, the birthplace of her maternal great-grandmother, a Mrs Barbour. "At first I was kind of hesitant to get the baggies out," she said. "It felt weird, as if I was losing a part of my parents. But as soon as I started getting the pictures and the stories back it has been awesome. People say it's made them feel part of the family."
Bystanders and police lift car off six-year-old boy pinned underneath
A group of bystanders raced to the rescue of a six-year-old boy who was pinned beneath a car on Thursday morning in Florida. Police officers and civilians lifted the 3,000 pound vehicle off the child, Dominic Deroberts, who was struck when he tripped after getting out of his grandfather's car in the carpool lane at his Boca Raton elementary school - right into the path of another vehicle.
Deroberts' misstep trapped him underneath the engine of the Pontiac. "He thought he was dead," said Coleen Deroberts, the boy's aunt said. "His leg was wedged in the engine compartment," she said. "There was no leverage for him to bend the leg in order to get it out.
"He was dragged a little bit, and [his] ear was almost completely severed." Deroberts suffered a punctured lung and his ear had to be reattached at Delray Medical Center.
YouTube link.
"He was visibly shaken," said Ernest Bucinskas, one of the half dozen men who rushed to the boy's rescue. "I told him, 'Just give us a minute, we're going to get you out of here.'" The driver of the Pontiac will not face charges because she did not see Deroberts in her line of sight," police have said.
Deroberts' misstep trapped him underneath the engine of the Pontiac. "He thought he was dead," said Coleen Deroberts, the boy's aunt said. "His leg was wedged in the engine compartment," she said. "There was no leverage for him to bend the leg in order to get it out.
"He was dragged a little bit, and [his] ear was almost completely severed." Deroberts suffered a punctured lung and his ear had to be reattached at Delray Medical Center.
YouTube link.
"He was visibly shaken," said Ernest Bucinskas, one of the half dozen men who rushed to the boy's rescue. "I told him, 'Just give us a minute, we're going to get you out of here.'" The driver of the Pontiac will not face charges because she did not see Deroberts in her line of sight," police have said.
Scottish woman speaks with Italian accent following stroke
A Glaswegian grandmother has started speaking with an Italian accent after suffering a stroke, despite never having visited the country. When Debbie McCann, 48, had a minor stroke in November last year, she was left with a voice she didn't recognise.
She has since been diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, an extremely rare medical condition where a person starts speaking in a different accent due to a brain injury, stroke or migraine. Just 60 people on the planet are affected by the condition when has left Debbie sounding more Botticelli than Braveheart
Mrs McCann said: "I've lived in Glasgow all my life and had a strong Glaswegian accent before the stroke. For the first two weeks, I couldn't speak at all and it was very frustrating. When my voice came back, I sounded Chinese. I couldn't believe it.
"Now, people say I sound more like I'm from Italy, yet I've never been to either of those countries." Around 60 people worldwide have been affected Foreign Accent Syndrome since it was first identified in the 1940s when a Norwegian woman was hit by shrapnel and started speaking with a strong German accent.
She has since been diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, an extremely rare medical condition where a person starts speaking in a different accent due to a brain injury, stroke or migraine. Just 60 people on the planet are affected by the condition when has left Debbie sounding more Botticelli than Braveheart
Mrs McCann said: "I've lived in Glasgow all my life and had a strong Glaswegian accent before the stroke. For the first two weeks, I couldn't speak at all and it was very frustrating. When my voice came back, I sounded Chinese. I couldn't believe it.
"Now, people say I sound more like I'm from Italy, yet I've never been to either of those countries." Around 60 people worldwide have been affected Foreign Accent Syndrome since it was first identified in the 1940s when a Norwegian woman was hit by shrapnel and started speaking with a strong German accent.
Row over Goths being banned from churchyard
The banning of taking pictures near gravestones could ruin Goth weekend according to photographers who flock to Whitby in North Yorkshire. Goth weekend attracts hundreds of professional and amateur snappers all looking to get the perfect shot of the weird and wonderful outfits on display in a dramatic setting.
It has long been a tradition that Goths visit the grounds of St Mary’s Church where there are legions of photographers looking for pictures for their own portfolios or to sell on. But since the last Goth weekend back in April, signs have appeared in the grounds of St Mary’s Church saying photography on and near gravestones is prohibited. Chris Oakes, an amateur photographer from York is concerned that this combined with the fall out of the Goth weekend split could spell the end of the weekend altogether.
He said: “It needs to be said Whitby is on the verge of losing its weekend soon. What with the split and this, I think that will be the end. What’s wrong with the church for two days. Everyone is enjoying themselves. If anything the families of the deceased should be the ones to complain, what do they say? It’s like Whitby is on self destruct. Ruin the goth weekend, all the arguments over regatta and folk weekend, what’s up with everyone?”
John Hemson, St Mary’s churchwarden, said: “The reason the rector did it was it had become unbearable. I sat there one day and in half an hour nine photographers walked past me. The Goths stand, sit or even lie on the table graves. There are people in Whitby who have families in there even though it closed in 1861 and they object to it very much. The rector is very strong on this. It is a mark of respect, it is a holy place like all cemeteries and it could be very dangerous as some of the grave stones we have had to lay on the ground.”
It has long been a tradition that Goths visit the grounds of St Mary’s Church where there are legions of photographers looking for pictures for their own portfolios or to sell on. But since the last Goth weekend back in April, signs have appeared in the grounds of St Mary’s Church saying photography on and near gravestones is prohibited. Chris Oakes, an amateur photographer from York is concerned that this combined with the fall out of the Goth weekend split could spell the end of the weekend altogether.
He said: “It needs to be said Whitby is on the verge of losing its weekend soon. What with the split and this, I think that will be the end. What’s wrong with the church for two days. Everyone is enjoying themselves. If anything the families of the deceased should be the ones to complain, what do they say? It’s like Whitby is on self destruct. Ruin the goth weekend, all the arguments over regatta and folk weekend, what’s up with everyone?”
John Hemson, St Mary’s churchwarden, said: “The reason the rector did it was it had become unbearable. I sat there one day and in half an hour nine photographers walked past me. The Goths stand, sit or even lie on the table graves. There are people in Whitby who have families in there even though it closed in 1861 and they object to it very much. The rector is very strong on this. It is a mark of respect, it is a holy place like all cemeteries and it could be very dangerous as some of the grave stones we have had to lay on the ground.”
Penis extension letter sent to dead woman
A grieving family have told of their distress after a letter offering a “penis extension” was sent to their dead mother. Annie Cairns, died last September, aged 87, and her bereaved children were horrified when, on first anniversary of losing their mum, the Regal Health advertisement dropped on to the doormat.
The letter, addressed to Mrs Cairns, offered a penis enlargement “naturally, without surgery, pumps or exercise – guaranteed or your money back!”. It also stated: “I’m so sure you’ll be thrilled by what this wonder product will do for you.”
Mrs Cairn’s daughter, Ann, 63, of Ringwood Square, Red House, said: “I don’t know how this has happened. It says Mrs Cairns twice on the letter. I don’t know whether it’s a scam or not because they ask for debit card details on the order form.”
“I would like to think we would at least get an apology from them,” added Ann. I think they must just have lists of people on computers and they send it out to them but the point is she was a female getting offered penis treatment.”
The letter, addressed to Mrs Cairns, offered a penis enlargement “naturally, without surgery, pumps or exercise – guaranteed or your money back!”. It also stated: “I’m so sure you’ll be thrilled by what this wonder product will do for you.”
Mrs Cairn’s daughter, Ann, 63, of Ringwood Square, Red House, said: “I don’t know how this has happened. It says Mrs Cairns twice on the letter. I don’t know whether it’s a scam or not because they ask for debit card details on the order form.”
“I would like to think we would at least get an apology from them,” added Ann. I think they must just have lists of people on computers and they send it out to them but the point is she was a female getting offered penis treatment.”
Toddler set fire to kitchen by microwaving Bob the Builder car
A mischievous toddler sent his kitchen up in flames after putting a Bob the Builder car in the microwave. Cheeky two-year-old Harry Turner started the blaze after nuking the plastic toy while his mum Kym was hanging out the washing. The frantic 24-year-old was alerted by the fire alarm and grabbed the youngster and his baby sister Rubie before racing out the front door.
A neighbour dialled 999 and firefighters were quickly on the scene in Canterbury Road, Herne Bay, dousing the flames before they spread upstairs. Kym said: “Harry came to the back door mumbling something and I heard the fire alarm going off. I could see the microwave was on fire so ran outside with him and Rubie and knocked next door. The fire brigade were here in five minutes, but it felt like hours.”
Harry’s dad Dave Turner, 26, received a call from Kym and raced home from Dover, where he works. The dad-of-four, whose other two children were at school, said: “Kym told me the house was on fire so I just jumped in the car and went. When I got back it was chaos. Everything was black downstairs; the walls, the carpets, the cupboards, everything.
“The firemen found the toy car in the microwave. Harry had managed to reach up to the kitchen side, put it in and press start. It would have only been on for one minute. He knew he had done wrong. When I got home I asked him what had happened and he just started crying.” The damage caused by the fire wasn’t covered by insurance.
A neighbour dialled 999 and firefighters were quickly on the scene in Canterbury Road, Herne Bay, dousing the flames before they spread upstairs. Kym said: “Harry came to the back door mumbling something and I heard the fire alarm going off. I could see the microwave was on fire so ran outside with him and Rubie and knocked next door. The fire brigade were here in five minutes, but it felt like hours.”
Harry’s dad Dave Turner, 26, received a call from Kym and raced home from Dover, where he works. The dad-of-four, whose other two children were at school, said: “Kym told me the house was on fire so I just jumped in the car and went. When I got back it was chaos. Everything was black downstairs; the walls, the carpets, the cupboards, everything.
“The firemen found the toy car in the microwave. Harry had managed to reach up to the kitchen side, put it in and press start. It would have only been on for one minute. He knew he had done wrong. When I got home I asked him what had happened and he just started crying.” The damage caused by the fire wasn’t covered by insurance.
Two boys rescue kitten floating down Leeds Liverpool Canal in basket
A tiny kitten was saved from a watery end by two eagle-eyed schoolboys who spotted her floating down a Leeds canal in a basket.
Nine-week-old Mo – short for Moses – was plucked from inside a pink basket that was filling up with water in the Leeds Liverpool Canal, in Bramley, Leeds.
She was spotted by two 11-year-old boys who rescued the kitten and took her home before contacting the RSPCA. Mo is now being cared for at the RSPCA Craven and Upper Wharfedale branch because centres across Leeds were full to capacity.
RSPCA inspector Dave Holgate said: “If it hadn’t been for the quick-thinking of these two young boys this kitten would certainly have drowned. Whoever did this condemned this kitten to death.”
Nine-week-old Mo – short for Moses – was plucked from inside a pink basket that was filling up with water in the Leeds Liverpool Canal, in Bramley, Leeds.
She was spotted by two 11-year-old boys who rescued the kitten and took her home before contacting the RSPCA. Mo is now being cared for at the RSPCA Craven and Upper Wharfedale branch because centres across Leeds were full to capacity.
RSPCA inspector Dave Holgate said: “If it hadn’t been for the quick-thinking of these two young boys this kitten would certainly have drowned. Whoever did this condemned this kitten to death.”
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