Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Inquisitive puppy freed from wheel by firefighters
Firefighters in Bakersfield, California, rescued a pit bull puppy from a tight spot on Friday.
The puppy had its head stuck through the hub of a wheel when its owner took it to a Kern County fire station.
Fire Department spokesman Brandon Hill says two firefighters used "cooking oil and creative ingenuity" to ease the dog's head out of the hole.
The little pooch, named Junior later returned home with its owner and was reunited with its seven siblings.
The puppy had its head stuck through the hub of a wheel when its owner took it to a Kern County fire station.
Fire Department spokesman Brandon Hill says two firefighters used "cooking oil and creative ingenuity" to ease the dog's head out of the hole.
The little pooch, named Junior later returned home with its owner and was reunited with its seven siblings.
Selfies with tigers may soon be illegal in New York
Law makers have passed a bill that may ban people from taking seflies while hugging, patting or otherwise touching tigers in New York state.
Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal said that she introduced the legislation to increase safety at travelling circuses and county fairs that allow the public to get up close and personal with their big cats.
“They can still pose with bears and monkeys,” she said. “They just have to take big cats off their list.”
Illicit tiger touchers would face fines up to $500, even if it’s only a cub. However, if the bill is signed into law it will be hard to enforce as it will be difficult to prove that photos with tigers were taken in New York state.
Manhattan Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal said that she introduced the legislation to increase safety at travelling circuses and county fairs that allow the public to get up close and personal with their big cats.
“They can still pose with bears and monkeys,” she said. “They just have to take big cats off their list.”
Illicit tiger touchers would face fines up to $500, even if it’s only a cub. However, if the bill is signed into law it will be hard to enforce as it will be difficult to prove that photos with tigers were taken in New York state.
Fox-human creature entertains visitors at Karachi zoo
A traditional, mythical fox-human creature played by a man impersonating a woman, entertains visitors at Karachi Zoo in Pakistan.
The creature looks like she is attached to the body of a fox. Murad Ali, is the man behind Mumtaz, and plays her character for 12 hours every day. "The people, who visit here, go away happy.
"And knowing that they feel happy makes me happy too. There is a bond of love between me and them. Life is very short; it should be spent spreading smiles," he says.
YouTube link.
The father of two inherited the role from his father. However, not everyone is happy with this feature at the zoo. “It is despicable and ignoble,” claims AA Quraishy, the founder of the zoo.
The creature looks like she is attached to the body of a fox. Murad Ali, is the man behind Mumtaz, and plays her character for 12 hours every day. "The people, who visit here, go away happy.
"And knowing that they feel happy makes me happy too. There is a bond of love between me and them. Life is very short; it should be spent spreading smiles," he says.
YouTube link.
The father of two inherited the role from his father. However, not everyone is happy with this feature at the zoo. “It is despicable and ignoble,” claims AA Quraishy, the founder of the zoo.
HSBC customer forced to make 10,000-mile round trip to access his bank account
When former Hong Kong resident Robert Lewis opened an account with the 'world's local bank' he thought HSBC would be able to cater for all his financial needs, wherever in the world he went.
Little did he know that due to a breakdown in communication over his signature, he would be forced to embark on a marathon 16,000-kilometre (10,000 mile) round-trip from his native Australia to Hong Kong, simply to access his cash.
Now he is seeking AUS$5,000 (£2,800) from the bank to cover the cost and inconvenience of his journey. Lewis's problems started in April when he tried to access his account online from his home in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. He had turned to the bank's website after discovering that the ATM card he was issued in Hong Kong was no longer valid due to a security upgrade. The account had not been used since he returned to Australia in August 2011.
Once online Lewis discovered he was unable to gain access to the account as he did not have an internet security device. To get one, the 55-year-old learnt that he would have to travel to an HSBC branch and change his address in person. This involved a 10-hour round trip to Sydney, 455 kilometres away - an inconvenience that was just the tip of the iceberg. Two weeks later, and despite being approved by two HSBC officers in Sydney, the Hong Kong branch rejected the change-of-address application on the grounds that his signature did not match the one on its records.
That left the education consultant with no choice but to fly to Hong Kong and confront staff himself. Lewis said his travails made a mockery of the bank's "world bank" claims and the convenience of its network. "The first port of call is the nearest branch, where you expect there's a relationship between all these branches," Lewis said. "This has cost me an incredible amount of time and income, inconvenience, stress and anxiety. It is hardly the thing you expect from an international bank." An HSBC spokesman said the bank was checking the case and would not comment on the affairs of individual customers.
Now he is seeking AUS$5,000 (£2,800) from the bank to cover the cost and inconvenience of his journey. Lewis's problems started in April when he tried to access his account online from his home in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. He had turned to the bank's website after discovering that the ATM card he was issued in Hong Kong was no longer valid due to a security upgrade. The account had not been used since he returned to Australia in August 2011.
Once online Lewis discovered he was unable to gain access to the account as he did not have an internet security device. To get one, the 55-year-old learnt that he would have to travel to an HSBC branch and change his address in person. This involved a 10-hour round trip to Sydney, 455 kilometres away - an inconvenience that was just the tip of the iceberg. Two weeks later, and despite being approved by two HSBC officers in Sydney, the Hong Kong branch rejected the change-of-address application on the grounds that his signature did not match the one on its records.
That left the education consultant with no choice but to fly to Hong Kong and confront staff himself. Lewis said his travails made a mockery of the bank's "world bank" claims and the convenience of its network. "The first port of call is the nearest branch, where you expect there's a relationship between all these branches," Lewis said. "This has cost me an incredible amount of time and income, inconvenience, stress and anxiety. It is hardly the thing you expect from an international bank." An HSBC spokesman said the bank was checking the case and would not comment on the affairs of individual customers.
Pensioner shot his son three times after mistaking him for blackbird in cherry tree
A man in north-western France shot his son three times after mistaking him for a blackbird raiding the family cherry tree.
The man, in his 70s, noticed some rustling in his cherry tree tree on Saturday night and, assuming it was hungry blackbirds pillaging his fruit, he pulled out his shotgun and opened fire.
But the movement in the tree was not in fact scavenging birds, but the elderly man’s 46-year-old son who'd climbed the tree to pick some fruit.
The son was rushed to a hospital and his father’s gun was seized by police. Despite being hit in the cheek, arm and hand, the son suffered only minor injuries that were not deemed life threatening.
The man, in his 70s, noticed some rustling in his cherry tree tree on Saturday night and, assuming it was hungry blackbirds pillaging his fruit, he pulled out his shotgun and opened fire.
But the movement in the tree was not in fact scavenging birds, but the elderly man’s 46-year-old son who'd climbed the tree to pick some fruit.
The son was rushed to a hospital and his father’s gun was seized by police. Despite being hit in the cheek, arm and hand, the son suffered only minor injuries that were not deemed life threatening.
Escaped hawk refuses to leave tree
A hawk that escaped after performing at a festival in Peterborough has taken up residence in a tree in the city and refuses to come down.
Harris hawk Spirit escaped from owners during the Heritage Festival on Sunday.
He has so far refused to be coaxed from a tree, despite being tempted with food.
Falconer Gary Baxter, from Wisbech, has since slept beneath the tree with the bird "snoring in his ear", waiting for Spirit to fly down. Mr Baxter said Spirit had "flown like an angel" on Saturday but the problems began in hot weather on Sunday. "As soon as I let the birds out of boxes the cloud cleared and someone turned the oven up to gas mark eight," he said.
"Spirit said, 'I'm not doing nothing in this, where's a tree? I'll go and sit in there, it's cool'." He said "patience" was the key as he continued to "sit and wait". It is thought Spirit has already killed and eaten two pigeons. Liz Blows, founder of the Raptor Foundation in Woodhurst, said: "Getting a hawk out of a tree is basically a waiting game.
"As it's been eating it will be fat, and 'fed-up' as we call it." She said trying to tempt the bird with extra food was "a bit like you eating a full Christmas dinner and then being asked to polish off an eight-course Italian supper - you wouldn't want it". Mrs Blows added: "My best advice is that the owner gets a flask of coffee and a sleeping bag and waits."
Update: He's down.
Falconer Gary Baxter, from Wisbech, has since slept beneath the tree with the bird "snoring in his ear", waiting for Spirit to fly down. Mr Baxter said Spirit had "flown like an angel" on Saturday but the problems began in hot weather on Sunday. "As soon as I let the birds out of boxes the cloud cleared and someone turned the oven up to gas mark eight," he said.
"Spirit said, 'I'm not doing nothing in this, where's a tree? I'll go and sit in there, it's cool'." He said "patience" was the key as he continued to "sit and wait". It is thought Spirit has already killed and eaten two pigeons. Liz Blows, founder of the Raptor Foundation in Woodhurst, said: "Getting a hawk out of a tree is basically a waiting game.
"As it's been eating it will be fat, and 'fed-up' as we call it." She said trying to tempt the bird with extra food was "a bit like you eating a full Christmas dinner and then being asked to polish off an eight-course Italian supper - you wouldn't want it". Mrs Blows added: "My best advice is that the owner gets a flask of coffee and a sleeping bag and waits."
Update: He's down.
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