Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Shoeless man pursues camel down motorway
This gentleman, bereft of shoes, was spotted chasing after a camel along the side of a motorway in Abu Dhabi.
YouTube link. Original Facebook video.
YouTube link. Original Facebook video.
Meanwhile in Ireland's wild west
On a quiet Thursday evening in Swanlinbar, County Cavan, a pair of rogue donkeys run amok.
YouTube link.
YouTube link.
Dogs and drones deployed in battle to save avocados
South Florida university researchers are using dogs and drones to sniff out a disease that’s killing the region’s avocado trees.
The Florida International University researchers are sending dutch sheppards and belgian malinois into avocado groves to locate trees infected by the lethal laurel wilt disease, which is spread by the redbay ambrosia beetle.
Detection is a major problem and trees can start to wilt within two weeks.
By the time infected trees are detected, the fungus has likely spread to nearby trees via root grafting, said DeEtta Mills, a biological sciences professor. She and Kenneth Furton, a university provost and forensic chemist, are leading research that trains and deploys five dogs into Miami-area groves. Drones flying above the groves can detect symptomatic trees, which signal researchers to direct the dogs to infected areas. The dogs run through the groves and with their powerful noses, have been 90% accurate in locating infected trees, Mills said.
The drones provide higher accuracy and can better cover larger areas because running the dogs too long can overheat them and wear them out, Mills said. Their heavy panting can dull their sniffing senses so after about 20 minutes, the researchers return them to kennels in air conditioned vans, Mills said. The dogs are trained with diseased wood and infected tree samples detected by the dogs are sent to researchers who examine DNA to verify contamination, she said. “These dogs, they love to do this and it’s amazing to watch them,” Mills said.
YouTube link
“These ‘girls’ come out of the kennels of the van and ask us where we would like to send them and what we would like them to do. They’re extremely highly-driven dogs.” Florida growers have lost about 4,000 of nearly 800,000 trees and the disease has spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic and into Mississippi. If it travels farther west, the dogs and drones detection system could also help growers in California and Mexico protect their much larger production, she said. The Miami university is also working with University of Florida researchers and growers.
By the time infected trees are detected, the fungus has likely spread to nearby trees via root grafting, said DeEtta Mills, a biological sciences professor. She and Kenneth Furton, a university provost and forensic chemist, are leading research that trains and deploys five dogs into Miami-area groves. Drones flying above the groves can detect symptomatic trees, which signal researchers to direct the dogs to infected areas. The dogs run through the groves and with their powerful noses, have been 90% accurate in locating infected trees, Mills said.
The drones provide higher accuracy and can better cover larger areas because running the dogs too long can overheat them and wear them out, Mills said. Their heavy panting can dull their sniffing senses so after about 20 minutes, the researchers return them to kennels in air conditioned vans, Mills said. The dogs are trained with diseased wood and infected tree samples detected by the dogs are sent to researchers who examine DNA to verify contamination, she said. “These dogs, they love to do this and it’s amazing to watch them,” Mills said.
YouTube link
“These ‘girls’ come out of the kennels of the van and ask us where we would like to send them and what we would like them to do. They’re extremely highly-driven dogs.” Florida growers have lost about 4,000 of nearly 800,000 trees and the disease has spread throughout the Mid-Atlantic and into Mississippi. If it travels farther west, the dogs and drones detection system could also help growers in California and Mexico protect their much larger production, she said. The Miami university is also working with University of Florida researchers and growers.
Jail sentence for man caught drunk driving four times in 30 hours
John Lourenco, 53, was arrested four times for DUI in September 2014 - three times in Cumberland, Rhode Island, and once in Providence.
All of those incidents took place in a little more than 24-hours. The judge sentenced him on Monday to four-years in prison. He'll be required to serve two of those, and the rest will be suspended with probation.
On top of alcohol counselling and prison time, Lourenco, who lives in Cumberland, is also facing a fine of more than $3,000 and a two year loss of licence for each of the four incidents once he's released. At his sentencing, Lourenco said he's has taken steps to address his addiction.
News video from the time of Mr Lourenco's initial arrest.
YouTube link.
Lourenco told the court he's now been sober for more than seven months. "I'd like to offer my deepest apology to the family and lives that I affected in September when I relapsed and went into a blackout for 30 hours,” he said. “And I thank the Lord nobody got hurt." Once he eventually gets his licence back, he'll have to use an ignition interlock device in his car for another five years.
All of those incidents took place in a little more than 24-hours. The judge sentenced him on Monday to four-years in prison. He'll be required to serve two of those, and the rest will be suspended with probation.
On top of alcohol counselling and prison time, Lourenco, who lives in Cumberland, is also facing a fine of more than $3,000 and a two year loss of licence for each of the four incidents once he's released. At his sentencing, Lourenco said he's has taken steps to address his addiction.
News video from the time of Mr Lourenco's initial arrest.
YouTube link.
Lourenco told the court he's now been sober for more than seven months. "I'd like to offer my deepest apology to the family and lives that I affected in September when I relapsed and went into a blackout for 30 hours,” he said. “And I thank the Lord nobody got hurt." Once he eventually gets his licence back, he'll have to use an ignition interlock device in his car for another five years.
Motorist charged with driving car without doors, windows, licence plates and insurance
An man Ontario, Canada, is facing several charges after being pulled over while driving a car without doors, windows and licence plates.
The driver was pulled over in St. Catharines, Ont. at 10am on Monday, during a distracted driving enforcement exercise.
Niagara Regional Police were monitoring traffic when an officer's attention was drawn to an unplated green 2000 Dodge Caravan.
As the vehicle approached, the officer noticed it had no sliding side doors, the rear windows were missing and several items were sticking out of the open doors. A wooden stool was strapped to the car's roof, and a triangular slow moving vehicle sign was tied across the back of the van where the licence plate should have been.
Police stopped the vehicle, and said its 66-year-old driver told them his licence was suspended. There was also no insurance on the van. Upon investigation, police realized the man had been stopped driving the same vehicle on the same road in neighbouring Fort Erie two weeks earlier.
As a result of the incident, the driver has been charged with driving while under suspension, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, driving a motor vehicle without licence places and failing to surrender a permit for the vehicle. He is also charged with failure to apply for an ownership permit, operating an unsafe vehicle and prohibited use of a slow moving vehicle sign.
As the vehicle approached, the officer noticed it had no sliding side doors, the rear windows were missing and several items were sticking out of the open doors. A wooden stool was strapped to the car's roof, and a triangular slow moving vehicle sign was tied across the back of the van where the licence plate should have been.
Police stopped the vehicle, and said its 66-year-old driver told them his licence was suspended. There was also no insurance on the van. Upon investigation, police realized the man had been stopped driving the same vehicle on the same road in neighbouring Fort Erie two weeks earlier.
As a result of the incident, the driver has been charged with driving while under suspension, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, driving a motor vehicle without licence places and failing to surrender a permit for the vehicle. He is also charged with failure to apply for an ownership permit, operating an unsafe vehicle and prohibited use of a slow moving vehicle sign.
Two men arrested for stealing surface from road
In a literal case of highway robbery, two thieves in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China, illegally stripped the top layer off a 410-metre stretch of road.
The men managed to get the job done in a matter of days, and had just sold the concrete slabs before their scheme was foiled by police. The rural road in Nantong city was constructed in 2008 and was still in perfectly good condition. That's why villagers were surprised to discover that the surface of the road had been removed.
Seeing as the village committee hadn't approved a plan to remove the road, police got down to business to discover how, exactly, the road could've seemingly disappeared almost overnight. Actually, it was two days. That's how long it took for two men, identified as Gu and Yang, to dig out more than 630 tones of concrete slabs with an excavator and truck without anybody noticing.
They'd sold the slabs to a quarry for more than 12,000 yuan (£1,250, $1,950) and were just about to split up the spoils when they were tracked down police, who'd spotted a farm vehicle transporting the concrete on footage from roadside cameras. Gu later confessed to masterminding the plan, saying: "As this road was not often used, I thought I might as well dig out some stuff and make some money." Gu has been detained since his arrest and Yang is out on bail.
The men managed to get the job done in a matter of days, and had just sold the concrete slabs before their scheme was foiled by police. The rural road in Nantong city was constructed in 2008 and was still in perfectly good condition. That's why villagers were surprised to discover that the surface of the road had been removed.
Seeing as the village committee hadn't approved a plan to remove the road, police got down to business to discover how, exactly, the road could've seemingly disappeared almost overnight. Actually, it was two days. That's how long it took for two men, identified as Gu and Yang, to dig out more than 630 tones of concrete slabs with an excavator and truck without anybody noticing.
They'd sold the slabs to a quarry for more than 12,000 yuan (£1,250, $1,950) and were just about to split up the spoils when they were tracked down police, who'd spotted a farm vehicle transporting the concrete on footage from roadside cameras. Gu later confessed to masterminding the plan, saying: "As this road was not often used, I thought I might as well dig out some stuff and make some money." Gu has been detained since his arrest and Yang is out on bail.
Trial begins for man accused of pulling out women's teeth with pliers during sex - Update
The trial of a man who has been accused of tearing women's teeth out with pliers while having sex with them, began at Wellington District Court in New Zealand on Tuesday.
Wellington man Philip Lyle Hansen, 56, is facing 11 charges, including assault and sex charges, some of which involved using pliers to pull out teeth from three separate victims.
It is alleged he would also put his hand into the mouths of victims and wiggle their teeth during sex.
Hansen has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which span over a period of more than 20 years from 1988 to 2011, and are said to have occurred at various locations in the Hutt Valley area in Wellington.
The court heard how a woman had six of her bottom teeth removed with pliers, and her wisdom teeth removed with a screwdriver.
A police video, recorded in 2012, was played to the jury of nine men and three women. In the video, the woman, whose identity has been suppressed, explained how she took a drive with Hansen one evening. She said they parked up, and moved to the back seat of the car, to have sex. She alleges Hansen then pulled out a pair of pliers, and an oily rag. She alleged that while holding her against the door, Hansen then removed six of her bottom teeth with a pair of pliers, and threw them outside the car window. He used the oily rag to stop the bleeding, she said. The woman alleged Hansen told her to open her mouth, before he began to remove her teeth. "I think at the time he said he didn't like woman with bad breath and smokers."
The woman said although she had been drinking, she did not consider herself to be 'heavily intoxicated'. "After that sixth tooth came out I got him to stop... I was getting sore and I didn't want him to go any further. That was the start of the rest of my teeth coming out." She said she later had her remaining teeth removed at a dentist, at Hansen's request. Once her teeth were removed, and dentures were fitted, she said her wisdom teeth started to come through. She alleged Hansen removed her wisdom teeth with a screwdriver. "He had a screwdriver in his hand, he then tilted my head back... after that he had grabbed the screwdriver and started digging at the back of my gums to try and get out these wisdom teeth."
She said he gave her a glass of whisky to "dull the pain". The woman also alleged that Hansen would destroy her dentures, by snapping them, or flushing them down the toilet and blaming the cat. The woman said while this was going on, she was too "afraid" to say anything. Earlier, in her opening address, Crown prosecutor Sally Carter said throughout the trial the jury would hear evidence about Hansen's bizarre fascination, and obsession, with women's teeth. "[He] bizarrely had a fascination with their teeth, or a fascination or obsession with them not having any teeth. He liked his women without teeth." Ms Carter told the jury that Hansen liked his women to be "gummy ladies". Hansen was arrested in December 2012. His name suppression was lifted in September last year. The trial before Judge Bruce Davidson is expected to take two weeks.
There's a news video here.
A police video, recorded in 2012, was played to the jury of nine men and three women. In the video, the woman, whose identity has been suppressed, explained how she took a drive with Hansen one evening. She said they parked up, and moved to the back seat of the car, to have sex. She alleges Hansen then pulled out a pair of pliers, and an oily rag. She alleged that while holding her against the door, Hansen then removed six of her bottom teeth with a pair of pliers, and threw them outside the car window. He used the oily rag to stop the bleeding, she said. The woman alleged Hansen told her to open her mouth, before he began to remove her teeth. "I think at the time he said he didn't like woman with bad breath and smokers."
The woman said although she had been drinking, she did not consider herself to be 'heavily intoxicated'. "After that sixth tooth came out I got him to stop... I was getting sore and I didn't want him to go any further. That was the start of the rest of my teeth coming out." She said she later had her remaining teeth removed at a dentist, at Hansen's request. Once her teeth were removed, and dentures were fitted, she said her wisdom teeth started to come through. She alleged Hansen removed her wisdom teeth with a screwdriver. "He had a screwdriver in his hand, he then tilted my head back... after that he had grabbed the screwdriver and started digging at the back of my gums to try and get out these wisdom teeth."
She said he gave her a glass of whisky to "dull the pain". The woman also alleged that Hansen would destroy her dentures, by snapping them, or flushing them down the toilet and blaming the cat. The woman said while this was going on, she was too "afraid" to say anything. Earlier, in her opening address, Crown prosecutor Sally Carter said throughout the trial the jury would hear evidence about Hansen's bizarre fascination, and obsession, with women's teeth. "[He] bizarrely had a fascination with their teeth, or a fascination or obsession with them not having any teeth. He liked his women without teeth." Ms Carter told the jury that Hansen liked his women to be "gummy ladies". Hansen was arrested in December 2012. His name suppression was lifted in September last year. The trial before Judge Bruce Davidson is expected to take two weeks.
There's a news video here.
Man who stabbed colleague with steak knife in onion ring row spared jail
A man who stabbed a colleague in a row over an onion ring was spared jail on Monday.
Diamond drill specialist Mark Lawson flew into a rage and stabbed the victim with his steak knife for taking an onion ring instead of a potato chip during the food fury attack in a restaurant.
A court heard that Lawson saw red at a staff Christmas party when he offered his chips to colleagues but they started taking his onion rings instead.
Lawson lost his temper and in a fit of rage stabbed work colleague Simon Myers, who was sitting next to him in the Wetherspoons public house in Newbury, Berkshire, through the leg with a steak knife.
Prosecuting Simon Blackford told the court that the 44-year-old father had been drinking with his colleagues at a work Christmas party when he ordered a burger, chips and onion rings.
“The defendant was drinking at an event which was financed by his place of work,” he added.
“The defendant ordered a burger and chips and onion rings and some of his colleagues, including Mr Myers, took an onion ring and that gave rise to a somewhat explosive reaction. The defendant said ‘don’t you come between me and my onion rings’ and there was clearly some talk about that,” said the prosecuter. Mr Blackford told the hearing at Reading Crown Court that after giving away some of his chips at the Diamlond Tap public house, Lawson flew into another fit of rage when they joked about taking more of his onion rings. “One or two colleague, not Mr Myers, started making as if to take another one of his onion rings,” he said. “The defendant again reacted in a very loud way to what was happening and he pulled up his fist and brought it down on the thigh of Mr Myers sitting next to him and his fist was holding a steak knife.” The knife tore into Mr Myers’ leg, causing a nasty and bloody wound nearly two inches deep, in front of a pub full of horrified revellers in December last year.
However, John Simmons, defending, said that Lawson, of Thatcham, had been battling a drinking problem, visiting Alcohol Anonymous to help him get sober. Mr Simmons said that his client had thought about not going out on the night in question because he had been clean for six months and now regrets his decision to drink. “This is an incident that started out as a joke but didn’t end up that way,” he added. “He had abstained from alcohol for six months so this was a one-off. He hasn’t drunk from that day to this.” Appealing for a suspended jail sentence Mr Simmons told the court that Lawson had apologised to Mr Myers and the two had been very mature about the bizarre attack. “The victim in this case was someone who worked with Mr Lawson,” he added. “The potential for bad blood was ever present. Thankfully neither the victim nor Mr Lawson has taken this incident to heart. Both men are regarding it absolutely as what it was - an odd one-off. If he is committed to immediate custody then he loses his job.”
Mr Recorder Patrick Hamlin accused Lawson of putting his steady job and working life in jeopardy by drinking too much and carrying out the “bizarre” food fury attack. “You lost your temper with a fellow employee over a bizarre issue - the stealing or a joke about stealing the onion rings from your plate. You were incensed by that conduct and you stabbed your fellow employee in the leg.” However Mr Recorder Hamlin told a visibly relieved Lawson that he could spare him jail and sentenced him to a six month prison sentence suspended for a year as well as a 12-month curfew. “I am not regarding this as a case, that happens unhappily so often, when someone goes out armed and for a fight,” he added. “This is a case where you had a knife in your hand simply to eat your meal. It is an unusual case, you acted out of character.” The Recorder also ordered Lawson to pay £250 in compensation to Mr Myers and £350 towards prosecution costs.
“The defendant ordered a burger and chips and onion rings and some of his colleagues, including Mr Myers, took an onion ring and that gave rise to a somewhat explosive reaction. The defendant said ‘don’t you come between me and my onion rings’ and there was clearly some talk about that,” said the prosecuter. Mr Blackford told the hearing at Reading Crown Court that after giving away some of his chips at the Diamlond Tap public house, Lawson flew into another fit of rage when they joked about taking more of his onion rings. “One or two colleague, not Mr Myers, started making as if to take another one of his onion rings,” he said. “The defendant again reacted in a very loud way to what was happening and he pulled up his fist and brought it down on the thigh of Mr Myers sitting next to him and his fist was holding a steak knife.” The knife tore into Mr Myers’ leg, causing a nasty and bloody wound nearly two inches deep, in front of a pub full of horrified revellers in December last year.
However, John Simmons, defending, said that Lawson, of Thatcham, had been battling a drinking problem, visiting Alcohol Anonymous to help him get sober. Mr Simmons said that his client had thought about not going out on the night in question because he had been clean for six months and now regrets his decision to drink. “This is an incident that started out as a joke but didn’t end up that way,” he added. “He had abstained from alcohol for six months so this was a one-off. He hasn’t drunk from that day to this.” Appealing for a suspended jail sentence Mr Simmons told the court that Lawson had apologised to Mr Myers and the two had been very mature about the bizarre attack. “The victim in this case was someone who worked with Mr Lawson,” he added. “The potential for bad blood was ever present. Thankfully neither the victim nor Mr Lawson has taken this incident to heart. Both men are regarding it absolutely as what it was - an odd one-off. If he is committed to immediate custody then he loses his job.”
Mr Recorder Patrick Hamlin accused Lawson of putting his steady job and working life in jeopardy by drinking too much and carrying out the “bizarre” food fury attack. “You lost your temper with a fellow employee over a bizarre issue - the stealing or a joke about stealing the onion rings from your plate. You were incensed by that conduct and you stabbed your fellow employee in the leg.” However Mr Recorder Hamlin told a visibly relieved Lawson that he could spare him jail and sentenced him to a six month prison sentence suspended for a year as well as a 12-month curfew. “I am not regarding this as a case, that happens unhappily so often, when someone goes out armed and for a fight,” he added. “This is a case where you had a knife in your hand simply to eat your meal. It is an unusual case, you acted out of character.” The Recorder also ordered Lawson to pay £250 in compensation to Mr Myers and £350 towards prosecution costs.
700 loaves of bread stolen by armed men in bakery van hold-up
Police are appealing for information after three men, believed to armed with a handgun, held-up a delivery van containing 700 loaves of bread.
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday in the Malpas area of Newport, south Wales.
Detectives say a bakery driver was making a delivery when the men, described as black and wearing dark clothing, walked out in front of the vehicle. One of the men, who was brandishing what appeared to be a gun, demanded that the driver give them the van.
The driver complied, and the men drove off in the vehicle. The white van contained 700 loaves of bread. Police say the delivery driver, a 38-year-old man from Ebbw Vale, was uninjured but shaken by the incident.
A spokesman for Gwent Police said: "There haven't been any other incidents like this in the area, police patrols have increased and anyone with any concerns is encouraged to contact their local officers. If anyone has information about the crime that could assist the investigation they are asked to call Gwent Police."
Detectives say a bakery driver was making a delivery when the men, described as black and wearing dark clothing, walked out in front of the vehicle. One of the men, who was brandishing what appeared to be a gun, demanded that the driver give them the van.
The driver complied, and the men drove off in the vehicle. The white van contained 700 loaves of bread. Police say the delivery driver, a 38-year-old man from Ebbw Vale, was uninjured but shaken by the incident.
A spokesman for Gwent Police said: "There haven't been any other incidents like this in the area, police patrols have increased and anyone with any concerns is encouraged to contact their local officers. If anyone has information about the crime that could assist the investigation they are asked to call Gwent Police."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)