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Thursday, March 26, 2015
Baby elephant takes its first faltering steps
Filmed at the Londolozi Game Reserve, situated on the western border of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, this newborn elephant is tenderly greeted by the rest of its herd, whilst they protect it from the dangers of the outside world.
YouTube link.
YouTube link.
Driver used some of his cargo to stop stuck truck from overturning
On Tuesday morning at approximately 7:03am, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Deputies received a call requesting assistance
with a stranded eighteen wheeler truck on Interstate 49 in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana.
Deputies were dispatched to assist with traffic. When officers arrived at the scene, they were astounded to find two elephants keeping the truck from overturning.
Three elephants were being transported on the truck from New Orleans to a circus in Dallas, Texas. The truck became stuck after the driver pulled off the edge of the soft shoulder.
YouTube link.
Recent rains caused the ground off of the shoulder to be soft. A local wrecker service was contacted to assist in the removal of the truck. No citations were issued.
Deputies were dispatched to assist with traffic. When officers arrived at the scene, they were astounded to find two elephants keeping the truck from overturning.
Three elephants were being transported on the truck from New Orleans to a circus in Dallas, Texas. The truck became stuck after the driver pulled off the edge of the soft shoulder.
YouTube link.
Recent rains caused the ground off of the shoulder to be soft. A local wrecker service was contacted to assist in the removal of the truck. No citations were issued.
Angler surprised to reel in fish with attached huge crocodile
Angler Ben Stack from Cooktown in Queensland, Australia, thought the threadfin he caught had run under a log when he was no longer able to reel it in, during a recent Cape York fishing trip.
“Us fishermen and women know that fish run for cover under snags all the time, so I began slowly winching in the heavy dead weight to the boat,’’ he says.
“My 60lb (27kg) leader surfaced and I leant over the boat and grabbed the leader with both hands. Leaning over the side of the boat, hand over hand, I began pulling the leader in. But this stage, I was expecting to see a large branch or log come to the surface from under my boat. The water was a bit murky, so I was really hanging over the side to get a good look.
“What took place in the next few seconds felt like a lifetime.” He said he first saw a bit of silver, then its lure with the fish’s mouth wide open. “I lifted the leader some more and leaned over further to see what the fish was hooked up on,’’ he said. “It was at this moment, I realised I was staring eye to eye with a solid saltwater crocodile.
“We were no more than 20 inches (51cm) apart.” When fright kicked in, he said he released the leader and flew backwards into his boat. “I couldn’t believe what I had just experienced and I didn’t think anybody was going to believe me,’’ he said. He warned those fishing in creeks and rivers with crocodiles to be careful of crocodiles, as the predators may be hiding under boats.
“My 60lb (27kg) leader surfaced and I leant over the boat and grabbed the leader with both hands. Leaning over the side of the boat, hand over hand, I began pulling the leader in. But this stage, I was expecting to see a large branch or log come to the surface from under my boat. The water was a bit murky, so I was really hanging over the side to get a good look.
“What took place in the next few seconds felt like a lifetime.” He said he first saw a bit of silver, then its lure with the fish’s mouth wide open. “I lifted the leader some more and leaned over further to see what the fish was hooked up on,’’ he said. “It was at this moment, I realised I was staring eye to eye with a solid saltwater crocodile.
“We were no more than 20 inches (51cm) apart.” When fright kicked in, he said he released the leader and flew backwards into his boat. “I couldn’t believe what I had just experienced and I didn’t think anybody was going to believe me,’’ he said. He warned those fishing in creeks and rivers with crocodiles to be careful of crocodiles, as the predators may be hiding under boats.
Driver found asleep in car in middle of motorway
Truck driver Mark Nicholas was on his regular overnight run from Sydney to Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia, when he found a man sound asleep in his car in the middle of the M1 motorway in a 110km/h (70mph) zone.
Mr Nicholas spotted the car just before the Gosford on-ramp at about 1.55am on Tuesday.
“I was halfway up the hill and at first thought the car was just going slowly. As I got closer I realised the car was stopped, so I quickly pulled in front of the vehicle on the shoulder,” said Mr Nicholas, who caught all the action on his dash-cam. After grabbing his torch, Mr Nicholas approached the car which had its engine still running and windscreen wipers on and tried to rouse the man from his impromptu snooze without luck.
“I checked to see the driver was breathing and had a pulse and called Triple-0 then tried to wake him up. But despite the noise, the windows being down and me pushing, prodding and yelling at the man for at least three minutes he was out for the count,” he said. When emergency services arrived at the scene, they eventually revived the man using pressure point techniques, according to Mr Nicholas. “It was then the man seemed to lash out a bit and, according to the paramedics, when he opened his eyes briefly his pupils were the size of dinner plates.
YouTube link.
“At one point they thought the driver was going to run out into the road and then he just then went straight back off to sleep,” he said. “Someone suggested the driver, who had his phone in his lap, may have been coming down off some drugs. I don’t know about that but what is strange is that he obviously had enough wits about him to put the car in neutral and put the handbrake on before nodding off,” Mr Nicholas said. Police said the man was subjected to a breathtest and the test came back clear. The car driver was arrested in order for police to take him to hospital to obtain a urine sample. He has been released without charge, pending the result of the test.
“I was halfway up the hill and at first thought the car was just going slowly. As I got closer I realised the car was stopped, so I quickly pulled in front of the vehicle on the shoulder,” said Mr Nicholas, who caught all the action on his dash-cam. After grabbing his torch, Mr Nicholas approached the car which had its engine still running and windscreen wipers on and tried to rouse the man from his impromptu snooze without luck.
“I checked to see the driver was breathing and had a pulse and called Triple-0 then tried to wake him up. But despite the noise, the windows being down and me pushing, prodding and yelling at the man for at least three minutes he was out for the count,” he said. When emergency services arrived at the scene, they eventually revived the man using pressure point techniques, according to Mr Nicholas. “It was then the man seemed to lash out a bit and, according to the paramedics, when he opened his eyes briefly his pupils were the size of dinner plates.
YouTube link.
“At one point they thought the driver was going to run out into the road and then he just then went straight back off to sleep,” he said. “Someone suggested the driver, who had his phone in his lap, may have been coming down off some drugs. I don’t know about that but what is strange is that he obviously had enough wits about him to put the car in neutral and put the handbrake on before nodding off,” Mr Nicholas said. Police said the man was subjected to a breathtest and the test came back clear. The car driver was arrested in order for police to take him to hospital to obtain a urine sample. He has been released without charge, pending the result of the test.
Man ordered to repaint house after officials ruled that the colour scheme wasn't Swedish enough
An man from southern Sweden has been ordered to repaint his home after local officials ruled the new colour scheme for his home in Skänninge wasn't Swedish enough.
Bernth Uhno recently bought and repainted a house that had been empty since 1981.
He swapped the old, flaking yellow paintwork that the house had been covered in for decades, for a more vibrant shade of orange at the top of the building, which turns gradually lighter and more yellow towards the bottom.
However his taste proved too radical for local councillors who argued his colour scheme was too outlandish and ordered him to repaint it in a more suitable shade. "The colour scheme is not Swedish," Anders Steen, a Centre Party politician who is chair of the town's building committee said, adding that in Sweden people tended to stick to one colour for their homes.
Bernth Uhno recently bought and repainted a house that had been empty since 1981.
He swapped the old, flaking yellow paintwork that the house had been covered in for decades, for a more vibrant shade of orange at the top of the building, which turns gradually lighter and more yellow towards the bottom.
However his taste proved too radical for local councillors who argued his colour scheme was too outlandish and ordered him to repaint it in a more suitable shade. "The colour scheme is not Swedish," Anders Steen, a Centre Party politician who is chair of the town's building committee said, adding that in Sweden people tended to stick to one colour for their homes.
Woman caught trying to sneak into Turkey inside small suitcase
Turkish police detained two Georgians on the border between the two countries, after one hid herself inside a suitcase in order to be smuggled into Turkey.
Suspicions of customs police were aroused by the behaviour of a 25-year-old Georgian man who had entered Turkey via the Sarp Border Crossing.
The man was forced to open his luggage, and a 22-year-old Georgian woman was found inside, crouched silently in the foetal position.
YouTube link.
Both were briefly detained for illegally crossing the border, before being deported. The woman had reportedly attempted to smuggle herself into Turkey following a previous ban on her entry.
Suspicions of customs police were aroused by the behaviour of a 25-year-old Georgian man who had entered Turkey via the Sarp Border Crossing.
The man was forced to open his luggage, and a 22-year-old Georgian woman was found inside, crouched silently in the foetal position.
YouTube link.
Both were briefly detained for illegally crossing the border, before being deported. The woman had reportedly attempted to smuggle herself into Turkey following a previous ban on her entry.
Shoppers not thrilled about CCTV cameras in public toilets
Members of the public are being filmed in a public toilet in Lewisham, south east London.
CCTV cameras are in place next to the urinals and cubicles in the toilets of Lewisham Shopping Centre on Molesworth Street.
Orpington man Simon Barnshaw, 50, who works in Catford was using the toilets next to Poundland on March 17 when he made the discovery.
He said: "I've washed my hands, looked up, then I saw a camera behind me, right next to the door, watching me.
It might be for drug dealers but these are public toilets.
I don't think you should have a camera in the toilet, I don't mind the one by the basin or by the door but not in the facility.
It's embarrassing for people, you can't even have any privacy in a toilet."
Mr Barnshaw has now lodged an official complaint with Lewisham Council about the cameras. Installing CCTV cameras is legal but should only be used to deal with very serious concerns and positioned in places to cause as little intrusion as possible. Cameras must also be clearly signposted, which they are at the shopping centre. Big Brother Watch chief executive Renate Sampson said: "Putting CCTV cameras in public toilets is a gross invasion into the public's privacy. The public have an expectation of privacy in toilets and in changing rooms. That expectation is highlighted in the data protection act which is very clear that CCTV cameras in toilets should only be used in exceptional circumstances and to deal with very serious concerns."
A spokeswoman for Land Securities said the cameras were installed to prevent anti-social behaviour and only film the tops of cubicles. Gordon Collins, 58, of Eltham said: "It's only a bad thing if you're up to no good, I've just used them now. I've got nothing to hide but I know a few people that don't like it." But Jody Painter, 32, of Catford did not share Mr Collins' feelings. She said: "That's bad, you can't do that. I'm sorry but if a young kid was going to the toilet and you've got a sick person who's watching that then that's wrong. You might as well have a camera in your bathroom, that's disgusting." Meshea Bailey, 35, of Lewisham shared these views. She said: "I think it's a bit over the top. You wouldn't want that in the toilet, you've got your kids in there and even yourself."
And Georgia Provok, 39, of Surrey Quays was appalled to learn about the cameras. She said: "That's invading my privacy, I've used those toilets very occasionally but I would never use them now. I can't understand, that's a place where I show my private parts. It should be made clear exactly where the cameras are, it's okay if they're just by the door or by the basins but that should be made clear, the signs aren't big enough. I know they're there to prevent crime but why not have a barrier where people pay to use the toilets instead? If I'd just used those toilets now then I'd be making an official complaint, more people need to know about this."
Mr Barnshaw has now lodged an official complaint with Lewisham Council about the cameras. Installing CCTV cameras is legal but should only be used to deal with very serious concerns and positioned in places to cause as little intrusion as possible. Cameras must also be clearly signposted, which they are at the shopping centre. Big Brother Watch chief executive Renate Sampson said: "Putting CCTV cameras in public toilets is a gross invasion into the public's privacy. The public have an expectation of privacy in toilets and in changing rooms. That expectation is highlighted in the data protection act which is very clear that CCTV cameras in toilets should only be used in exceptional circumstances and to deal with very serious concerns."
A spokeswoman for Land Securities said the cameras were installed to prevent anti-social behaviour and only film the tops of cubicles. Gordon Collins, 58, of Eltham said: "It's only a bad thing if you're up to no good, I've just used them now. I've got nothing to hide but I know a few people that don't like it." But Jody Painter, 32, of Catford did not share Mr Collins' feelings. She said: "That's bad, you can't do that. I'm sorry but if a young kid was going to the toilet and you've got a sick person who's watching that then that's wrong. You might as well have a camera in your bathroom, that's disgusting." Meshea Bailey, 35, of Lewisham shared these views. She said: "I think it's a bit over the top. You wouldn't want that in the toilet, you've got your kids in there and even yourself."
And Georgia Provok, 39, of Surrey Quays was appalled to learn about the cameras. She said: "That's invading my privacy, I've used those toilets very occasionally but I would never use them now. I can't understand, that's a place where I show my private parts. It should be made clear exactly where the cameras are, it's okay if they're just by the door or by the basins but that should be made clear, the signs aren't big enough. I know they're there to prevent crime but why not have a barrier where people pay to use the toilets instead? If I'd just used those toilets now then I'd be making an official complaint, more people need to know about this."
Man says he was victim of drive-by potato attack
A potato was thrown at a man in an alleged 'drive-by' attack in a Gloucestershire town.
Maurice Wilby was using a cash machine in Tewkesbury when he said was struck on the shoulder with what was described as a 'large' spud. Mr Wilby said: "It hit the cash machine and then hit me on the shoulder.
"It was quite a large potato. If that had hit me square on, I would have really felt it." He said he saw people laughing in a car that was playing music moments after the potato struck him but had not managed to note down its registration number.
Mr Wilby said he believed the police should go back to having officers on foot patrols in the town centre more often, in order to prevent such behaviour.
Maurice Wilby was using a cash machine in Tewkesbury when he said was struck on the shoulder with what was described as a 'large' spud. Mr Wilby said: "It hit the cash machine and then hit me on the shoulder.
"It was quite a large potato. If that had hit me square on, I would have really felt it." He said he saw people laughing in a car that was playing music moments after the potato struck him but had not managed to note down its registration number.
Mr Wilby said he believed the police should go back to having officers on foot patrols in the town centre more often, in order to prevent such behaviour.
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