Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Canadian man nears end of 11-year round the world walk
Jean Béliveau arrived in Ottawa’s Minto Park at the weekend — almost at the end of an 11-year walk around the world. What started as a journey of self-discovery during a mid-life crisis turned into a walk for peace and a call for attention to young victims of violence.
Béliveau has travelled more than 75,000 kilometres across six continents and 164 countries. In late January, he landed in Vancouver and has been making his way across Canada ever since, pushing a stroller with a few belongings and a First Aid kit.
When the 56-year old Quebecer reached Ottawa, he had just about worn out his 53rd pair of shoes. All that walking took a toll on his body, and there were times he wasn't sure he'd be able to finish. Béliveau started his walk with $4,000. Every year his wife sent him about that much to get by, but he’s largely relied on the kindness of strangers.
YouTube link.
He says his next journey will involve writing about his travels and speaking about his adventures along the way. Now, with just about two weeks to go before he meets his wife, Luce Archambault, in Montreal, Béliveau is imagining their time together. "I'll take a walk with my wife, sure, but I think she will take a short leash."
Béliveau has travelled more than 75,000 kilometres across six continents and 164 countries. In late January, he landed in Vancouver and has been making his way across Canada ever since, pushing a stroller with a few belongings and a First Aid kit.
When the 56-year old Quebecer reached Ottawa, he had just about worn out his 53rd pair of shoes. All that walking took a toll on his body, and there were times he wasn't sure he'd be able to finish. Béliveau started his walk with $4,000. Every year his wife sent him about that much to get by, but he’s largely relied on the kindness of strangers.
YouTube link.
He says his next journey will involve writing about his travels and speaking about his adventures along the way. Now, with just about two weeks to go before he meets his wife, Luce Archambault, in Montreal, Béliveau is imagining their time together. "I'll take a walk with my wife, sure, but I think she will take a short leash."
Chickens born and bred in one-bedroom New York apartment as part of couple's local food routine
In a city where the local food movement is growing despite the scarcity of arable green space, one Queens couple has come up with a creative way to ensure they have a ready supply of fresh eggs. Robert McMinn, 45, and Jules Corkery, 45, are raising three hens inside their one-bedroom apartment in Astoria.
"I don't think it's the ideal situation," conceded McMinn, a public policy associate at the mental health group Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. But "they're cute. They're fun to [watch] run around. They're excited when we come home." The Serama hens, a small domesticated breed that typically weighs about a pound, nest in a converted ferret cage in the living room, McMinn said.
They have the run of the apartment - except for the bedroom - and lay about two eggs each a week. They also have a litter box of sand so they can give themselves cleansing dust baths. But "they poop everywhere," said McMinn, who uses the droppings to fertilize the soil in nearby community gardens.
"A chicken can save you money. It's a cheap hobby, and it improves your gardening," said McMinn, who doesn't recommend raising them indoors. "You get the eggs and they're delicious." The small brown eggs can also pick up the flavour of what the chickens eat, said McMinn, who feeds his pets table scraps.
"I don't think it's the ideal situation," conceded McMinn, a public policy associate at the mental health group Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. But "they're cute. They're fun to [watch] run around. They're excited when we come home." The Serama hens, a small domesticated breed that typically weighs about a pound, nest in a converted ferret cage in the living room, McMinn said.
They have the run of the apartment - except for the bedroom - and lay about two eggs each a week. They also have a litter box of sand so they can give themselves cleansing dust baths. But "they poop everywhere," said McMinn, who uses the droppings to fertilize the soil in nearby community gardens.
"A chicken can save you money. It's a cheap hobby, and it improves your gardening," said McMinn, who doesn't recommend raising them indoors. "You get the eggs and they're delicious." The small brown eggs can also pick up the flavour of what the chickens eat, said McMinn, who feeds his pets table scraps.
Man arrested for shoving snake excrement in girlfriend's mouth
An Elyria man was arrested and charged with domestic violence early on Friday for allegedly putting excrement from a poisonous snake in his girlfriend’s mouth, according to an Elyria police report. Amber Pennell, 21, told police Matthew Rudisill, 24, called her and told her he was going to ruin her bedroom. The two have a child and own a house together.
When Pennell got there, she found nothing had been done to the room. When she tried to leave, Rudisill blocked the door, she said, so she took a coral snake from its holding tank and threatened to let it go if he would not let her leave. Pennell said Rudisill grabbed the snake by the tail, took excrement from it, and shoved his hand in her mouth, causing her to gag.
Rudisill returned the snake to the holding tank and told her to hit him. Coral snake venom is highly toxic, but the species rarely bites humans unless provoked. Pennell said Rudisill pushed her into the doorframe, causing a laceration under her right eye. She fell and he lay on top of her on the floor, she said. When she tried to push him away with her forearm, he bit it. Pennell said she got free and went outside.
Rudisill told police he did not strike Pennel or put snake excrement in her mouth, but he said Pennel did bite him on the hand. He could not say how it happened. Police arrested Rudisill at about 3:30 a.m. at their home on the 100 block of Caroline Street. After an initial court appearance Friday, Rudisill was released on a recognizance bond with a condition of staying away from Pennell and the residence.
When Pennell got there, she found nothing had been done to the room. When she tried to leave, Rudisill blocked the door, she said, so she took a coral snake from its holding tank and threatened to let it go if he would not let her leave. Pennell said Rudisill grabbed the snake by the tail, took excrement from it, and shoved his hand in her mouth, causing her to gag.
Rudisill returned the snake to the holding tank and told her to hit him. Coral snake venom is highly toxic, but the species rarely bites humans unless provoked. Pennell said Rudisill pushed her into the doorframe, causing a laceration under her right eye. She fell and he lay on top of her on the floor, she said. When she tried to push him away with her forearm, he bit it. Pennell said she got free and went outside.
Rudisill told police he did not strike Pennel or put snake excrement in her mouth, but he said Pennel did bite him on the hand. He could not say how it happened. Police arrested Rudisill at about 3:30 a.m. at their home on the 100 block of Caroline Street. After an initial court appearance Friday, Rudisill was released on a recognizance bond with a condition of staying away from Pennell and the residence.
Hundreds celebrate annual Twins Festival in Beijing
Hundreds of Chinese twins, triplets and quadruplets dressed in matching outfits celebrated their rare brother-and-sisterhood over the weekend in a country where most people grew up as the only child in the family.
In a bustling park decorated with gigantic red lanterns, the Beijing Eighth Annual Twins Festival featured a parade as well as music and dance performances. At least 500 pairs of twins attended the event on the second day of China's week-long National Day holidays.
YouTube link.
With a few exceptions, giving birth to a second child costs urban families a hefty fine from the Chinese government. Many Chinese people believe that multiple births are a great blessing because parents can enjoy more companionship and care in their old age.
Under China's one-child policy, each urban family can only have one child unless both parents are single children. Exceptions are also made to rural families and ethnic minorities.
In a bustling park decorated with gigantic red lanterns, the Beijing Eighth Annual Twins Festival featured a parade as well as music and dance performances. At least 500 pairs of twins attended the event on the second day of China's week-long National Day holidays.
YouTube link.
With a few exceptions, giving birth to a second child costs urban families a hefty fine from the Chinese government. Many Chinese people believe that multiple births are a great blessing because parents can enjoy more companionship and care in their old age.
Under China's one-child policy, each urban family can only have one child unless both parents are single children. Exceptions are also made to rural families and ethnic minorities.
Man gouges out own eyes during Mass
Churchgoers were left stunned after a man tore out both his eyeballs in the middle of a priest's sermon at Sunday Mass. Parishioners in Viareggio, near Pisa, in northern Italy, could only watch as one of their number calmly stood up and carried out the horrific self-mutilation in front of them. Aldo Bianchini, 46, who was born in Britain but has lived in Italy most of his life, is believed to have suffered from voices.
He collapsed to the floor in a pool of blood as his mother frantically tried to help him while the local priest father Lorenzo Tanganelli rushed out to alert emergency services. The drama happened at the Sant'Andrea church and surgeons at the local hospital said that after several hours surgery they had been unable to save his sight and he would remain blind. Doctors said that before the surgery Bianchini had told them he had 'heard voices' telling him to tear out his eyes and Dr Gino Barbacci said: 'In all my 26 years of service I have never seen anything like this before.
'He was in a great deal of agony and he was covered in blood. He said that he had used his bare hands to gouge out his eye balls after hearing voices telling him to do so - to do something like that requires super human strength. We tried to operate and save his sight by reinserting the eye balls in both sockets but there was nothing we could do and he will now remain blind.' Father Tanganelli said: 'I had just started to read the sermon when all of a sudden there was a great commotion.
'This man at the back of the knave started tearing at his face and I realised he was gouging out his eyes. I called for assistance and the paramedics were quickly at the scene and he was taken away and then I carried on celebrating Mass but a lot of people had left because they were so shocked by what they had seen. There must have been 300 people at Mass to begin with and we were lucky that at first one of the closest people to him was an off duty paramedic who was the first to help him but I have never seen as much blood as I saw today.'
He collapsed to the floor in a pool of blood as his mother frantically tried to help him while the local priest father Lorenzo Tanganelli rushed out to alert emergency services. The drama happened at the Sant'Andrea church and surgeons at the local hospital said that after several hours surgery they had been unable to save his sight and he would remain blind. Doctors said that before the surgery Bianchini had told them he had 'heard voices' telling him to tear out his eyes and Dr Gino Barbacci said: 'In all my 26 years of service I have never seen anything like this before.
'He was in a great deal of agony and he was covered in blood. He said that he had used his bare hands to gouge out his eye balls after hearing voices telling him to do so - to do something like that requires super human strength. We tried to operate and save his sight by reinserting the eye balls in both sockets but there was nothing we could do and he will now remain blind.' Father Tanganelli said: 'I had just started to read the sermon when all of a sudden there was a great commotion.
'This man at the back of the knave started tearing at his face and I realised he was gouging out his eyes. I called for assistance and the paramedics were quickly at the scene and he was taken away and then I carried on celebrating Mass but a lot of people had left because they were so shocked by what they had seen. There must have been 300 people at Mass to begin with and we were lucky that at first one of the closest people to him was an off duty paramedic who was the first to help him but I have never seen as much blood as I saw today.'
Woman finds out 'boyfriend' was lesbian sex offender
A single mother has told of her torment after discovering how her long-time lover tricked her into believing he was a man when in fact she was a woman. Nicole Lindsay was shocked to learn the 'boyfriend' she hoped to marry was a lesbian sex offender called Samantha Brooks. Police told her that Brooks, who she had always known as Lee, was once jailed for abusing a 14-year-old girl. The bizarre story of how Nicole, mother of two daughters aged six and two, was fooled emerged when Brooks was arrested. She was charged with obtaining sex by deception from Nicole and another former friend and two counts of assault.
Nicole said: 'When the police told me Lee was a she I just couldn't believe it. I was in shock. I've been through hell. The thought of how Lee deceived me and my whole family has given me nightmares and made me feel sick.' Nicole described her relationship with Brooks who used a modified wooden toilet roll holder in their sexual relationship. She said she was uncomfortable being naked in front of a partner while Brooks claimed he felt the same way after suffering testicular cancer. Brooks even conned her into believing her body had been scarred by a previous partner as the reason she wore bandages around the chest - which hid her breasts.
She first made contact when Nicole was 14 in 2001. But they did not meet until 2006 by which time she had a baby girl, aged 18 months, but was not with the father. They began a long-distance relationship staying weekends at each other's homes before breaking up in 2007. Later that year, Brooks wrote saying she was in prison for beating up a paedophile. Nicole admitted: ' I didn't think too badly of him [Samantha]. I can understand the provocation.' But unknown to her Brooks had been jailed for 18 months at Isleworth Crown Court of sexual offences against a girl of 14 and put on a sex offenders' register for 10 years. After her release, Brooks got in touch with Nicole, now a mother of two, and she even proposed marriage and set a date for the wedding in March 2010.
But Nicole's family grew suspicious of the 'man' who had no facial hair or an Adam's apple. Nicole said: 'I didn't believe Lee could be a woman. We had been having sex on and off for years. But I knew he was hiding something.' She was finally told the shocking truth last September when police arrested Brooks and she was called to a police station. But her anguish did not end there,. Police dropped the case before it came to trial when Nicole's former friend withdrew her co-operation with prosecutors. Nicole, from Glasgow, agreed to give up her anonymity to warn unsuspecting girls about Brooks. When approached, Brooks, from Uxbridge, north west London, declined to discuss her behaviour or her previous conviction and denied she had met Nicole.
Nicole said: 'When the police told me Lee was a she I just couldn't believe it. I was in shock. I've been through hell. The thought of how Lee deceived me and my whole family has given me nightmares and made me feel sick.' Nicole described her relationship with Brooks who used a modified wooden toilet roll holder in their sexual relationship. She said she was uncomfortable being naked in front of a partner while Brooks claimed he felt the same way after suffering testicular cancer. Brooks even conned her into believing her body had been scarred by a previous partner as the reason she wore bandages around the chest - which hid her breasts.
She first made contact when Nicole was 14 in 2001. But they did not meet until 2006 by which time she had a baby girl, aged 18 months, but was not with the father. They began a long-distance relationship staying weekends at each other's homes before breaking up in 2007. Later that year, Brooks wrote saying she was in prison for beating up a paedophile. Nicole admitted: ' I didn't think too badly of him [Samantha]. I can understand the provocation.' But unknown to her Brooks had been jailed for 18 months at Isleworth Crown Court of sexual offences against a girl of 14 and put on a sex offenders' register for 10 years. After her release, Brooks got in touch with Nicole, now a mother of two, and she even proposed marriage and set a date for the wedding in March 2010.
But Nicole's family grew suspicious of the 'man' who had no facial hair or an Adam's apple. Nicole said: 'I didn't believe Lee could be a woman. We had been having sex on and off for years. But I knew he was hiding something.' She was finally told the shocking truth last September when police arrested Brooks and she was called to a police station. But her anguish did not end there,. Police dropped the case before it came to trial when Nicole's former friend withdrew her co-operation with prosecutors. Nicole, from Glasgow, agreed to give up her anonymity to warn unsuspecting girls about Brooks. When approached, Brooks, from Uxbridge, north west London, declined to discuss her behaviour or her previous conviction and denied she had met Nicole.
Bigamist called Godsgift jailed
A woman named Godsgift tricked a wealthy businessman into marrying her when she already had two husbands, then conned him out of £200,000.
Godsgift Tettegah, described as a “strikingly attractive woman”, pursued John Thurlby, a demolition company boss, after they met in 2007 and he quickly fell head over heels in love with her, a court heard. Mr Thurlby, who was 61 at the time, ended a relationship he had with another woman and after dating Tettegah, who was 26 years his junior, they married in July 2008.
Photo from here.
Tettegah, 39, of The Belfry, Grantham, Lincs, was still the wife of Roger Long, whom she married four years earlier, and also had a husband in her native Ghana, Lincoln Crown Court heard.
She was jailed for 16 months after admitting bigamy and a further charge of perverting the course of justice by writing to magistrates aiming to discredit Mr Thurlby and get the case thrown out. Judge Michael Heath told Tettegah: “You are a strikingly attractive but very devious woman. Any man who becomes personally involved in you does so at his peril.’’
Full story here.
Godsgift Tettegah, described as a “strikingly attractive woman”, pursued John Thurlby, a demolition company boss, after they met in 2007 and he quickly fell head over heels in love with her, a court heard. Mr Thurlby, who was 61 at the time, ended a relationship he had with another woman and after dating Tettegah, who was 26 years his junior, they married in July 2008.
Photo from here.
Tettegah, 39, of The Belfry, Grantham, Lincs, was still the wife of Roger Long, whom she married four years earlier, and also had a husband in her native Ghana, Lincoln Crown Court heard.
She was jailed for 16 months after admitting bigamy and a further charge of perverting the course of justice by writing to magistrates aiming to discredit Mr Thurlby and get the case thrown out. Judge Michael Heath told Tettegah: “You are a strikingly attractive but very devious woman. Any man who becomes personally involved in you does so at his peril.’’
Full story here.
Man jailed for JCB wrecking spree
A man who left a trail of destruction when he drove a stolen JCB through a Nottinghamshire village has been jailed for four-and-a-half years. Steven Regan, 34, of Colenso Terrace, Leeds, damaged vehicles, hedges and cemetery headstones during the rampage in Church Warsop on 2 July.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Regan had driven "like a man possessed". He admitted a range of offences and was revealed to be a member of a gang which stole plant equipment. The court was told Regan had stolen the vehicle from a Barratt Homes building site in Forest Town, Mansfield.
LiveLeak link.
After finding himself followed by police cars and a helicopter, Regan drove the JCB through a field and into Warsop Cemetery, flattening its heavy iron gates and several headstones. The destruction was said to have cost the cemetery £15,000. The court also heard he had driven the digger through Church Warsop forcing one driver to accelerate out of his way.
Police eventually caught Regan when the JCB suffered a flat tyre and came to a halt. Regan pleaded guilty to a range of offences including dangerous driving, theft and criminal damage. He admitted stealing 16 other vehicles in the year leading up to the rampage.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Regan had driven "like a man possessed". He admitted a range of offences and was revealed to be a member of a gang which stole plant equipment. The court was told Regan had stolen the vehicle from a Barratt Homes building site in Forest Town, Mansfield.
LiveLeak link.
After finding himself followed by police cars and a helicopter, Regan drove the JCB through a field and into Warsop Cemetery, flattening its heavy iron gates and several headstones. The destruction was said to have cost the cemetery £15,000. The court also heard he had driven the digger through Church Warsop forcing one driver to accelerate out of his way.
Police eventually caught Regan when the JCB suffered a flat tyre and came to a halt. Regan pleaded guilty to a range of offences including dangerous driving, theft and criminal damage. He admitted stealing 16 other vehicles in the year leading up to the rampage.
Couple who filmed themselves forcing spider into toddler's mouth jailed
A Grimsby man and woman have been jailed for subjecting two children to a catalogue of cruelty and ill-treatment – and capturing their vile behaviour on film. Shocking footage played to Grimsby Crown Court, filmed by James Kirman and his partner Rachel Drinkell, showed the pair carrying out a variety of despicable acts.
Relatives of their victims, sitting in the public gallery, cried as they watched the shocking footage, which showed Drinkell twice sounding an airhorn into the ear of a baby and both Kirman and Drinkell pinning down a toddler and forcing a spider into her mouth. The distressing clip showed the child screaming and cowering in the corner of a bedroom as the pair grabbed her and pinned her to the floor.
The court heard the couple also filmed themselves having sex while the children were in the same room. However, their appalling behaviour did not come to light until an incident involving a child holding an infant against a hot radiator causing severe burns. Despite the injuries, neither of the adults in charge of the children contacted emergency services until 20 minutes later.
A paramedic discovered the injured child in a shower with severe burns and he was later taken to the specialist burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield. Kirman, 31, and Drinkell, 24, admitted the cruelty charges which related to the failure to supervise the children properly. The also admitted the delay in contacting medical services following the radiator incident. Both were sentenced to 32 months in prison.
Relatives of their victims, sitting in the public gallery, cried as they watched the shocking footage, which showed Drinkell twice sounding an airhorn into the ear of a baby and both Kirman and Drinkell pinning down a toddler and forcing a spider into her mouth. The distressing clip showed the child screaming and cowering in the corner of a bedroom as the pair grabbed her and pinned her to the floor.
The court heard the couple also filmed themselves having sex while the children were in the same room. However, their appalling behaviour did not come to light until an incident involving a child holding an infant against a hot radiator causing severe burns. Despite the injuries, neither of the adults in charge of the children contacted emergency services until 20 minutes later.
A paramedic discovered the injured child in a shower with severe burns and he was later taken to the specialist burns unit at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield. Kirman, 31, and Drinkell, 24, admitted the cruelty charges which related to the failure to supervise the children properly. The also admitted the delay in contacting medical services following the radiator incident. Both were sentenced to 32 months in prison.
Swimmer rescued after puppy alert
A swimmer caught in a rip tide has been rescued by a lifeboat after he was spotted by a crew member's puppy. Richard Absalom was walking his new Doberman called Wilson on the beach near the Mumbles lighthouse near Swansea when the dog ran to the sea and started barking. A swimmer was signalling for help after becoming caught in a current. Mr Absalom and two colleagues launched the inshore lifeboat from the nearby station and rescued the man.
He said he doubted he would have noticed the swimmer who was in distress in the sea on Sunday morning had it not been for Wilson. "The beach was quite busy and I was not really paying much attention to what was going on," he said. "Wilson does not like the sea but he ran to the water's edge. He never normally goes in the sea but his paws were in the water and he was fixed on the swimmer barking.
"It's not like him as he does not normally bark." He said the swimmer had been caught up in a strong current between the beach and an island near the lighthouse in Swansea. "When the tide starts going out you get a massive rip. The whole of the bay is trying to empty through a very narrow channel. He was in quite a choppy part of water. I noticed he was waving his arms. He could not shout because he was swallowing water."
Mr Absalom, 31, went to straight to the lifeboat station where he has been a volunteer for five years. "Sunday morning is normally training day so there were people there," he said. "We launched the boat and by the time we got to him he was exhausted, clinging on to a rocky outcrop on the island. We got him on board and took him back to the beach."
He said he doubted he would have noticed the swimmer who was in distress in the sea on Sunday morning had it not been for Wilson. "The beach was quite busy and I was not really paying much attention to what was going on," he said. "Wilson does not like the sea but he ran to the water's edge. He never normally goes in the sea but his paws were in the water and he was fixed on the swimmer barking.
"It's not like him as he does not normally bark." He said the swimmer had been caught up in a strong current between the beach and an island near the lighthouse in Swansea. "When the tide starts going out you get a massive rip. The whole of the bay is trying to empty through a very narrow channel. He was in quite a choppy part of water. I noticed he was waving his arms. He could not shout because he was swallowing water."
Mr Absalom, 31, went to straight to the lifeboat station where he has been a volunteer for five years. "Sunday morning is normally training day so there were people there," he said. "We launched the boat and by the time we got to him he was exhausted, clinging on to a rocky outcrop on the island. We got him on board and took him back to the beach."
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