Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Fluffed-up ferrets on steroids sold as toy poodles
A gullible retired man in Argentina has fallen victim to a scam after discovering the toy poodle pups he bought at a local market were actually fluffed-up ferrets on steroids.
The unnamed pensioner from Catamarca discovered he had been duped when he took the two animals to his local veterinarian to be vaccinated. The ferrets had been given steroids to increase their size and had been groomed to make their coats resemble those of pedigree poodles.
Following an investigation local press realised that the man was not alone. Another woman had been told she was buying a chihuahua, but also ended up with a ferret.
YouTube link.
According to reports the pensioner paid around £50 for his pedigree 'poodles'. The genuine article can ordinarily cost anything up to £700. The sale of ferrets as dogs at La Salada market, Argentina's largest bazaar, has long been considered an urban myth in Argentina.
The unnamed pensioner from Catamarca discovered he had been duped when he took the two animals to his local veterinarian to be vaccinated. The ferrets had been given steroids to increase their size and had been groomed to make their coats resemble those of pedigree poodles.
Following an investigation local press realised that the man was not alone. Another woman had been told she was buying a chihuahua, but also ended up with a ferret.
YouTube link.
According to reports the pensioner paid around £50 for his pedigree 'poodles'. The genuine article can ordinarily cost anything up to £700. The sale of ferrets as dogs at La Salada market, Argentina's largest bazaar, has long been considered an urban myth in Argentina.
Naked tree-hugger visits Canada
The rain in Port Renfrew on Friday morning that didn’t stop Julianne Skai Arbor from stripping off her clothes and closely embracing the mossy trunk of the massive San Juan spruce. “It’s my first time on Vancouver Island and there was a downpour, but it’s still beautiful,” said Arbor.
Arbor, a 43-year-old California college professor who teaches environmental conservation, travels around the world photographing herself naked with old or endangered trees. She is currently lending her support to the Ancient Forest Alliance’s efforts to push the British Columbia government into coming up with a strategy to protect big trees and remaining patches of old-growth forest.
“The most fragile ecosystems that are still intact should be put aside,” said Arbor. “It’s amazing for me to see the forests on this Island and I wonder how the people who live here can watch the cutting of the forest. There is only so much you can do before it’s gone.” The peaceful feeling of being surrounded by nature’s lifeforce in an old forest is very different from feelings generated by a clearcut or tree farm, she said.
Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and founder TJ Watt, who photographed Arbor with the San Juan spruce, said the photos are a new way of highlighting the grandeur of B.C.’s old-growth forests so they can be protected. “When people see these images, they strike a chord.” The San Juan spruce, which stands in a forest recreation site beside the San Juan River, is the largest spruce tree in Canada at 62 metres tall, with a crown that spreads over 23 metres. It does not have any official protection.
Arbor, a 43-year-old California college professor who teaches environmental conservation, travels around the world photographing herself naked with old or endangered trees. She is currently lending her support to the Ancient Forest Alliance’s efforts to push the British Columbia government into coming up with a strategy to protect big trees and remaining patches of old-growth forest.
“The most fragile ecosystems that are still intact should be put aside,” said Arbor. “It’s amazing for me to see the forests on this Island and I wonder how the people who live here can watch the cutting of the forest. There is only so much you can do before it’s gone.” The peaceful feeling of being surrounded by nature’s lifeforce in an old forest is very different from feelings generated by a clearcut or tree farm, she said.
Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and founder TJ Watt, who photographed Arbor with the San Juan spruce, said the photos are a new way of highlighting the grandeur of B.C.’s old-growth forests so they can be protected. “When people see these images, they strike a chord.” The San Juan spruce, which stands in a forest recreation site beside the San Juan River, is the largest spruce tree in Canada at 62 metres tall, with a crown that spreads over 23 metres. It does not have any official protection.
Leopard hoisted to safety after falling down well
Forest wardens in India's Gujarat state have rescued a three-year old leopard which had fallen into an open well.
The eight man team from the village of Aambaliya tranquillised the animal, before hoisting it out of the well on a small wooden-framed bed called a charpoy.
YouTube link.
The eight man team from the village of Aambaliya tranquillised the animal, before hoisting it out of the well on a small wooden-framed bed called a charpoy.
YouTube link.
Woman used spaghetti sauce to rob bank
A woman used spaghetti sauce when she robbed a bank in Clinton Township, Michigan, on Saturday.
Police say the woman, who was about 60-years-old, placed a cloth bag on the counter of the Fifth Third Bank just before 11:30am and demanded money from the teller saying there was a bomb inside the bag. “It did look like there was a hard object in there,” Clinton Township Lt. Eric Reincke said.
“But it was folded over so you couldn’t see what was inside.” Bank employees left and the Michigan State Police bomb squad scanned the bag. “It turned out that it was a couple of cans of spaghetti sauce inside the bag,” Reincke said.
“If you don’t know what’s in a package… you have to treat it like it is possibly an explosive device.” The woman left in a silver, older style boxy-car driven by a man, police said. Nobody was injured and it’s not clear how much money she got away with.
Police say the woman, who was about 60-years-old, placed a cloth bag on the counter of the Fifth Third Bank just before 11:30am and demanded money from the teller saying there was a bomb inside the bag. “It did look like there was a hard object in there,” Clinton Township Lt. Eric Reincke said.
“But it was folded over so you couldn’t see what was inside.” Bank employees left and the Michigan State Police bomb squad scanned the bag. “It turned out that it was a couple of cans of spaghetti sauce inside the bag,” Reincke said.
“If you don’t know what’s in a package… you have to treat it like it is possibly an explosive device.” The woman left in a silver, older style boxy-car driven by a man, police said. Nobody was injured and it’s not clear how much money she got away with.
Former Vice-Mayor drove at 90 mph with his genitals hanging out of car window
Three women have testified against William Blakely, former Vice Mayor of Mount Carmel, Tennessee, graphically recounting times he exposed himself while driving. Personal accounts in their testimonies started the same - Blakely allegedly waving to get the drivers' attention, then escalating to honking and partially crossing over into the drivers lane.
"Waving, grabbed his shirt, kind of pulled it up," witness Deanna Dykes said. "After the waving, it turned into a lot of beeping, him grabbing his chest area, and asking me going 'please, please' (clasping hands together) with his hands, may I... show me yours," witness Kelly Street said. Each witness testified they were fearful Blakely's driving would cause an accident.
"He was taking his hand, wetting his mouth, and masturbating," Sturgill said. "At over 90 miles per hour, he had his penis out [the window] ... he was masturbating ... and that's when it got really, really bad. I wouldn't look over any more, and I wrote his tag number down on my hand, which I believe he noticed, and he exited very quickly," Street said.
YouTube link.
"It went on for so long an nobody's addressed it," Detective Terry Christian said, referring to the dozens of phone calls the department has received over the course of three or four years - she said, related to Blakely's behaviour. Ages of the alleged victims range from 16-65. Blakely, 30, is facing charges of indecent and reckless endangerment, and criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault. Detective Christian says several more cases involving Blakely are getting ready to be presented to a grand jury.
"Waving, grabbed his shirt, kind of pulled it up," witness Deanna Dykes said. "After the waving, it turned into a lot of beeping, him grabbing his chest area, and asking me going 'please, please' (clasping hands together) with his hands, may I... show me yours," witness Kelly Street said. Each witness testified they were fearful Blakely's driving would cause an accident.
"He was taking his hand, wetting his mouth, and masturbating," Sturgill said. "At over 90 miles per hour, he had his penis out [the window] ... he was masturbating ... and that's when it got really, really bad. I wouldn't look over any more, and I wrote his tag number down on my hand, which I believe he noticed, and he exited very quickly," Street said.
YouTube link.
"It went on for so long an nobody's addressed it," Detective Terry Christian said, referring to the dozens of phone calls the department has received over the course of three or four years - she said, related to Blakely's behaviour. Ages of the alleged victims range from 16-65. Blakely, 30, is facing charges of indecent and reckless endangerment, and criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault. Detective Christian says several more cases involving Blakely are getting ready to be presented to a grand jury.
Mother forced to bin family's steak dinner after caterpillar found in corn on the cob
A mother says she was forced to bin her family’s steak dinner after finding a caterpillar in a corn on the cob. Mandy Mason felt sick to her stomach when she spotted the unwelcome guest curled up inside the corn.
She’d bought the frozen veg from Poole’s Iceland store earlier in the month. After pulling the caterpillar out her family felt so queasy they eventually skipped their meal for the night. Mandy, from Swanage, Dorset, explained: “I had them all on the boil. I was dishing up, this one was the last to go on.
“That’s when I saw a black thing in one of the corns. I just thought it was a black bit of corn to start with, but then I took a closer look and started to pull it out. I was pretty shocked to find it was a worm or a caterpillar. It really put us all off our dinner. We didn’t eat a thing that evening, none of us.”
After lodging a complaint call with the Poole store, Mandy accepted a £10 voucher. She said: “As soon as I put the phone down I thought it had to be worth more than that because I threw our five dinners away.”
She’d bought the frozen veg from Poole’s Iceland store earlier in the month. After pulling the caterpillar out her family felt so queasy they eventually skipped their meal for the night. Mandy, from Swanage, Dorset, explained: “I had them all on the boil. I was dishing up, this one was the last to go on.
“That’s when I saw a black thing in one of the corns. I just thought it was a black bit of corn to start with, but then I took a closer look and started to pull it out. I was pretty shocked to find it was a worm or a caterpillar. It really put us all off our dinner. We didn’t eat a thing that evening, none of us.”
After lodging a complaint call with the Poole store, Mandy accepted a £10 voucher. She said: “As soon as I put the phone down I thought it had to be worth more than that because I threw our five dinners away.”
'Extreme knitting redhead' in marathon record bid
A fundraiser will attempt
to break her own world record for knitting the longest scarf while running a
marathon. Susie Hewer, known as "the extreme knitting redhead", will attempt the Virgin
London Marathon in aid of Alzheimer's Research UK on 21 April.
The 55-year-old, from Ewhurst Green, Sussex, will warm up by running the Brighton Marathon next Sunday. She will take on a 111-day running challenge after the London race. Ms Hewer plans to run at least 5.5 miles (8.9km) a day for 55 days, until her 56th birthday in June. She will then increase the distance to at least 5.6 miles (9km) a day for another 56 days.
Ms Hewer ran her first marathon for Alzheimer's Research UK in 2005, two weeks after the death of her 89-year-old mother Peggy who had vascular dementia. She has set two world records at the London Marathon, knitting the longest scarf while running a marathon in 2008 and stitching the longest crochet chain in 2010.
She said: "I'll have neck ache by the end of it, looking down to ensure I don't drop any stitches, but it will be worth it to help Alzheimer's Research UK progress with its ground breaking research." Parminder Summon, the charity's community fundraising manager, said Ms Hewer had raised nearly £25,000 during the past seven years. "Her remarkable contribution is bringing us closer to finding ways to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure dementia," he said.
The 55-year-old, from Ewhurst Green, Sussex, will warm up by running the Brighton Marathon next Sunday. She will take on a 111-day running challenge after the London race. Ms Hewer plans to run at least 5.5 miles (8.9km) a day for 55 days, until her 56th birthday in June. She will then increase the distance to at least 5.6 miles (9km) a day for another 56 days.
Ms Hewer ran her first marathon for Alzheimer's Research UK in 2005, two weeks after the death of her 89-year-old mother Peggy who had vascular dementia. She has set two world records at the London Marathon, knitting the longest scarf while running a marathon in 2008 and stitching the longest crochet chain in 2010.
She said: "I'll have neck ache by the end of it, looking down to ensure I don't drop any stitches, but it will be worth it to help Alzheimer's Research UK progress with its ground breaking research." Parminder Summon, the charity's community fundraising manager, said Ms Hewer had raised nearly £25,000 during the past seven years. "Her remarkable contribution is bringing us closer to finding ways to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure dementia," he said.
Family plea to be re-housed after claiming their home is haunted by ghost allegedly named Nigel
A mother is calling on a housing association to re-home her and her family – because she claims their terraced house is haunted. Stacey McGill has told how the spiritual presence randomly flicks electric lights on and off, moves posters around the walls, causes the floorboards to creak, and leaves a creepy feeling of cobwebs on her skin. Her chilling allegations have been supported by Spiritual Medium and Paranormal Investigator Dave Vickers. While visiting Stacey’s home Dave felt the ghost run through his body and allowed the spirit to communicate with Stacey by writing a scrawled message – which Dave concluded was friendly.
Stacey, aged 29, moved in to the property in School Street, Loughborough, owned by East Midland Housing, last December with her partner Carl, aged 25, and 18 month-old daughter, Chelsey. She said: “We came back from the shops yesterday and as I went to get some cereal the light went on without anyone touching the switch. It’s so unnerving. I noticed that something was there when I moved in straight away. I just felt cobwebs all over my skin. I knew it wasn’t right. Then Carl said that he had felt the same. Next the microwave started going on and off by itself and posters have moved around the walls. One morning we were woken at 3am by the sound of maintenance works. It was so loud. But there were no work men, it was the ghost. I contacted Dave Vickers who came out. He confirmed that there is a presence here.”
Dave, from TSL Holistic Centre, twice visited Stacey’s home with Carly Adams from the Female Paranormal Investigation team to examine her claims. The pair used infrared night vision camcorders, EMF meters to measure electrical magnetic frequency and digital cameras. Dave said: “On entering the house I was immediately aware of energy at the end of the hall way, the energy presented itself as a male, and kept saying ‘I am at the back’. A lot of the activity occurred to the back of the property, mainly the rear bedroom. Going up the stairs the male energy made his presence more known, cold spots were experienced. I picked up on a man in his late thirties, however his mental age was a lot lower, he was a recluse and was kept hidden away during his younger days by his parents.
“They were embarrassed due to his mental disability.I picked up on the name ‘Nigel’. He eventually turned to drink to forget his own fears of life. This spirit energy means no harm to anyone and will not harm anyone. Further investigations into the haunting may be needed.” Dave also found that the posters and creaking floor boards could be explained by natural occurrences. Graeme Stewardson, head of housing at East Midlands Housing Association, said:“We are aware of the unusual activities reported by Ms McGill and have listened to her concerns in a sensitive manner. We understand that she has previously sought advice from specialists in this field. We will continue to offer Ms McGill our support and advice as a landlord.“
Stacey, aged 29, moved in to the property in School Street, Loughborough, owned by East Midland Housing, last December with her partner Carl, aged 25, and 18 month-old daughter, Chelsey. She said: “We came back from the shops yesterday and as I went to get some cereal the light went on without anyone touching the switch. It’s so unnerving. I noticed that something was there when I moved in straight away. I just felt cobwebs all over my skin. I knew it wasn’t right. Then Carl said that he had felt the same. Next the microwave started going on and off by itself and posters have moved around the walls. One morning we were woken at 3am by the sound of maintenance works. It was so loud. But there were no work men, it was the ghost. I contacted Dave Vickers who came out. He confirmed that there is a presence here.”
Dave, from TSL Holistic Centre, twice visited Stacey’s home with Carly Adams from the Female Paranormal Investigation team to examine her claims. The pair used infrared night vision camcorders, EMF meters to measure electrical magnetic frequency and digital cameras. Dave said: “On entering the house I was immediately aware of energy at the end of the hall way, the energy presented itself as a male, and kept saying ‘I am at the back’. A lot of the activity occurred to the back of the property, mainly the rear bedroom. Going up the stairs the male energy made his presence more known, cold spots were experienced. I picked up on a man in his late thirties, however his mental age was a lot lower, he was a recluse and was kept hidden away during his younger days by his parents.
“They were embarrassed due to his mental disability.I picked up on the name ‘Nigel’. He eventually turned to drink to forget his own fears of life. This spirit energy means no harm to anyone and will not harm anyone. Further investigations into the haunting may be needed.” Dave also found that the posters and creaking floor boards could be explained by natural occurrences. Graeme Stewardson, head of housing at East Midlands Housing Association, said:“We are aware of the unusual activities reported by Ms McGill and have listened to her concerns in a sensitive manner. We understand that she has previously sought advice from specialists in this field. We will continue to offer Ms McGill our support and advice as a landlord.“
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