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Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Handyman finds honey-filled ceiling
A couple investigating brown liquid seeping through the ceiling of a Brisbane, Australia, house were shocked when it turned out to be honey from a massive bee colony. Property maintenance workers Sue and Matt Eyles took photos and video of the massive hive, which was discovered after the resident complained about the discoloured ceiling. "The tenant in the house had complained to the real estate about the discolouring on the downstairs bedroom ceiling," Mrs Eyles said.
"[They] sent my husband, Matt to have a look. He touched it with his finger and smelled it, and discovered it smelled like honey, so he tasted it. The bees had vacated, and left the hive, so with no bees to eat the honey, it just dripped and soaked through the Gyprock ceiling," she said. "It was massive … there was honey everywhere." Mr Eyles then removed the hives from the ceiling cavity, but the bees returned in February 2012. "Six months later, the tenant reported seeing thousands of bees flying around in the yard near the same room.
"My husband was sent to investigate again, and he said the noise was horrific - really loud buzzing." The room was by then being occupied by a young girl. Mr Eyles said he smoked the bees out of the ceiling and repaired the holes. Bee expert Dr Katja Hogendoorn, from the University of Adelaide, said that based on the photographs it was likely there were more than 40,000 bees living in the house. She said it was not uncommon for bees to rebuild their hives after they are removed.
YouTube link.
"Once something has been used by bees they can smell it, and they are likely to return unless you block it off,” Dr Hogendoon said. She said honey bees can be extremely dangerous, and recommended getting a professional to remove a hive. "Statistically they are the most dangerous animal in Australia," she said. "Don’t go near it, it’s not worth it."
"[They] sent my husband, Matt to have a look. He touched it with his finger and smelled it, and discovered it smelled like honey, so he tasted it. The bees had vacated, and left the hive, so with no bees to eat the honey, it just dripped and soaked through the Gyprock ceiling," she said. "It was massive … there was honey everywhere." Mr Eyles then removed the hives from the ceiling cavity, but the bees returned in February 2012. "Six months later, the tenant reported seeing thousands of bees flying around in the yard near the same room.
"My husband was sent to investigate again, and he said the noise was horrific - really loud buzzing." The room was by then being occupied by a young girl. Mr Eyles said he smoked the bees out of the ceiling and repaired the holes. Bee expert Dr Katja Hogendoorn, from the University of Adelaide, said that based on the photographs it was likely there were more than 40,000 bees living in the house. She said it was not uncommon for bees to rebuild their hives after they are removed.
YouTube link.
"Once something has been used by bees they can smell it, and they are likely to return unless you block it off,” Dr Hogendoon said. She said honey bees can be extremely dangerous, and recommended getting a professional to remove a hive. "Statistically they are the most dangerous animal in Australia," she said. "Don’t go near it, it’s not worth it."
Chickens facing censorship in Iran
The rising cost of chicken in Iran has prompted the country's police chief to urge broadcasters to censor it from television screens in the interests of social harmony. Against a backdrop of lengthening food queues, Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam, the head of Iran's law enforcement forces, has warned that films depicting scenes of chicken dinners could provoke the underprivileged classes to attack the rich.
"They show chicken being eaten in movies while somebody might not be able to buy it," Mr Ahmadi-Moghaddam, brother-in-law of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, told a law enforcement officers conference in Tehran. "Films are now the windows of society and some people observing this class gap might say that we will take knives and take our rights from the rich. IRIB [Iran's state broadcaster] should not be the shop window for showing all which is not accessible."
The warning is the latest sign of official alarm over the strains being caused by rampant inflation and international sanctions aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is intended to produce an atom bomb, despite Tehran's denials. Rising chicken prices have come to symbolise the privations being endured by ordinary Iranians amid this increasingly grim landscape. In recent weeks, shoppers have had to fork out 70,000 rials (£3.67) for a kilogram of chicken, around three times last year's price.
Farmers and retailers have blamed a shortfall of imported livestock feed – partly caused by sanctions – leading in turn to a drastic rise in the price of domestically-produced feed. Similar increases have been witnessed in the costs of red meat, fruit and vegetables. With chicken forming a core part of the meat-rich national diet, long-queues have been reported at state food distribution centres, where it has been sold in rationed quantities at lower, government-fixed, prices. Perhaps with a view to stemming negative reporting, the Caspian Sea province of Gilan even took the novel step of offering discounted chicken to accredited journalists.
"They show chicken being eaten in movies while somebody might not be able to buy it," Mr Ahmadi-Moghaddam, brother-in-law of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, told a law enforcement officers conference in Tehran. "Films are now the windows of society and some people observing this class gap might say that we will take knives and take our rights from the rich. IRIB [Iran's state broadcaster] should not be the shop window for showing all which is not accessible."
The warning is the latest sign of official alarm over the strains being caused by rampant inflation and international sanctions aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is intended to produce an atom bomb, despite Tehran's denials. Rising chicken prices have come to symbolise the privations being endured by ordinary Iranians amid this increasingly grim landscape. In recent weeks, shoppers have had to fork out 70,000 rials (£3.67) for a kilogram of chicken, around three times last year's price.
Farmers and retailers have blamed a shortfall of imported livestock feed – partly caused by sanctions – leading in turn to a drastic rise in the price of domestically-produced feed. Similar increases have been witnessed in the costs of red meat, fruit and vegetables. With chicken forming a core part of the meat-rich national diet, long-queues have been reported at state food distribution centres, where it has been sold in rationed quantities at lower, government-fixed, prices. Perhaps with a view to stemming negative reporting, the Caspian Sea province of Gilan even took the novel step of offering discounted chicken to accredited journalists.
No charges over horse with 'suck it' carved into teeth
A horse named Cowboy has the words 'suck it' engraved deep into his front teeth. Whether or not the horse is in any pain has fueled a tug-of-war match between the horse's owner, a concerned veterinarian and local law enforcement. After examining the horse back in April, Dr. Samantha Mixon said Cowboy is a clear case of animal torture. “His sensitive structures in his teeth were carved into using a power tool to spell the words 'suck it,'" she said.
The engraving allegedly occurred while Cowboy was at the Running R Ranch in Bandera. Mixon wants whoever was responsible to be held accountable. She also wants the horse to be placed in protective custody where he will never be sold to slaughter. Mixon filed a complaint with the Bandera County Sheriff’s Department after she found out Cowboy had been traded from the Running R Ranch in Bandera to a local horse trader. Concerned that the horse was still in much pain, Mixon offered to buy the horse with $1,500 in donations that she raised online. But once she raised the money, she was told the horse was no longer for sale.
Cowboy is now owned by Lisa Sorrell of Bandera. Sorrell said she decided not to sell Cowboy because he is no longer in any sort of pain. She said she is able to saddle Cowboy, and that her husband rides him regularly. If Cowboy was in pain, Sorrell contests he would not tolerate a rider or even a bridle. She also said she would never send Cowboy to slaughter. “I don’t sell horses to killers," she said. "I save horses from killers but I don’t sell horses to killers.” Mixon isn't the only veterinarian to check out Cowboy. Two other vets have allegedly seen the horse and determined he was fine. Because of that, the Bandera County Sheriff's Department said there isn't much they can do.
Video link.
Sgt. Shane Merritt said, “With the difference in the diagnosis from the vets, it’s going to be hard for us to prove any kind of criminal offence at this point." Merritt said that even if they wanted to charge the person responsible, they would have a hard time proving their case. In addition, he said the statute of limitations to file charges may have expired since the engraving allegedly occurred. While the three veterinarians don't agree on whether Cowboy is in any sort of pain, they all agree that engraving the words 'suck it' into his front teeth was a very stupid thing for somebody to do to a horse. “I’d like to hold him down and carve his teeth without anesthesia,” Sorrell said.
The engraving allegedly occurred while Cowboy was at the Running R Ranch in Bandera. Mixon wants whoever was responsible to be held accountable. She also wants the horse to be placed in protective custody where he will never be sold to slaughter. Mixon filed a complaint with the Bandera County Sheriff’s Department after she found out Cowboy had been traded from the Running R Ranch in Bandera to a local horse trader. Concerned that the horse was still in much pain, Mixon offered to buy the horse with $1,500 in donations that she raised online. But once she raised the money, she was told the horse was no longer for sale.
Cowboy is now owned by Lisa Sorrell of Bandera. Sorrell said she decided not to sell Cowboy because he is no longer in any sort of pain. She said she is able to saddle Cowboy, and that her husband rides him regularly. If Cowboy was in pain, Sorrell contests he would not tolerate a rider or even a bridle. She also said she would never send Cowboy to slaughter. “I don’t sell horses to killers," she said. "I save horses from killers but I don’t sell horses to killers.” Mixon isn't the only veterinarian to check out Cowboy. Two other vets have allegedly seen the horse and determined he was fine. Because of that, the Bandera County Sheriff's Department said there isn't much they can do.
Video link.
Sgt. Shane Merritt said, “With the difference in the diagnosis from the vets, it’s going to be hard for us to prove any kind of criminal offence at this point." Merritt said that even if they wanted to charge the person responsible, they would have a hard time proving their case. In addition, he said the statute of limitations to file charges may have expired since the engraving allegedly occurred. While the three veterinarians don't agree on whether Cowboy is in any sort of pain, they all agree that engraving the words 'suck it' into his front teeth was a very stupid thing for somebody to do to a horse. “I’d like to hold him down and carve his teeth without anesthesia,” Sorrell said.
Fish head curry sets new world record
A new Guinness World record has been set in Singapore after 2012 fish heads were served to 2012 paying customers. As part of food festival celebrations in Little India, six different restaurants took part in cooking the fish heads in a spicy curry broth.
In Singapore red snapper heads are a delicacy, though the fish head curry is unique to the island state. President of the Indian Restaurants Association, C. Sankaranathan, says he came up with the idea to celebrate Indian seafood cuisine.
He said: 'No others is going to break this record. They can't. It's not easy to get so many fish heads in a day. It's really difficult to do it. Only in Singapore we can do it and we have done it. So we are safe'. Official adjudicator for Guinness World Records, Tarika Vara, was flown in from the UK to confirm the record.
As part of the Guinness World Records criteria the fish heads had to be edible and consumed by the customers. The record can be broken in the future if the fish heads are cooked in a different way, as it is not specific to a fish head curry. The 2012 paying customers waited before eating their meal as the count took place.
In Singapore red snapper heads are a delicacy, though the fish head curry is unique to the island state. President of the Indian Restaurants Association, C. Sankaranathan, says he came up with the idea to celebrate Indian seafood cuisine.
He said: 'No others is going to break this record. They can't. It's not easy to get so many fish heads in a day. It's really difficult to do it. Only in Singapore we can do it and we have done it. So we are safe'. Official adjudicator for Guinness World Records, Tarika Vara, was flown in from the UK to confirm the record.
As part of the Guinness World Records criteria the fish heads had to be edible and consumed by the customers. The record can be broken in the future if the fish heads are cooked in a different way, as it is not specific to a fish head curry. The 2012 paying customers waited before eating their meal as the count took place.
Fundraiser cancelled after man destroys his 40,000 square-foot lawn after mistakenly buying weed and grass killer
The founder of a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation had to cancel a backyard event after he inadvertently killed 40,000 square feet of his lawn. Rob Olson of Lake Elmo, Minnesota, says he consulted with three employees of the Dege Garden Centre prior to his purchase of several bottles of Ferti-lome brand weed killer.
Olson says he called the store after his yard began to die only to learn that the product also contained a pre-emergent and post-emergent grass killer that not only killed his lawn, but will prevent it from being reseeded or sodded for up to six months. Olson believes the mistake is less the fault of the garden centre than the labels used by Ferti-lome.
Geneva Aragon, a Ferti-lome spokesperson, pointed out instructions "related directly to the product" are contained in a booklet fixed to the back of the bottle. On the second page of the eight-page booklet, customers are warned to not use the spray on desirable plants or lawns. There is one additional reference to "Weed & Grass Control" on the front of the bottle. Olson believes the warning should have been clearer and more prominent.
Video link.
"I think the packaging should say right on it, this will kill your lawn." Olson says the backyard fundraiser raised $20,000 last year. He says he contacted "probably 15 different places "to try to find one for that day and I just couldn't find anything." Though the fundraiser was cancelled, he's still accepting donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Olson and his wife have two sons with cystic fibrois.
Olson says he called the store after his yard began to die only to learn that the product also contained a pre-emergent and post-emergent grass killer that not only killed his lawn, but will prevent it from being reseeded or sodded for up to six months. Olson believes the mistake is less the fault of the garden centre than the labels used by Ferti-lome.
Geneva Aragon, a Ferti-lome spokesperson, pointed out instructions "related directly to the product" are contained in a booklet fixed to the back of the bottle. On the second page of the eight-page booklet, customers are warned to not use the spray on desirable plants or lawns. There is one additional reference to "Weed & Grass Control" on the front of the bottle. Olson believes the warning should have been clearer and more prominent.
Video link.
"I think the packaging should say right on it, this will kill your lawn." Olson says the backyard fundraiser raised $20,000 last year. He says he contacted "probably 15 different places "to try to find one for that day and I just couldn't find anything." Though the fundraiser was cancelled, he's still accepting donations for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Olson and his wife have two sons with cystic fibrois.
Farm hosts 'weed dating' for singles
Bed-hopping and hoe puns flew thick and fast at the second-annual Weed Dating event hosted by Earthly Delights farm in northwest Boise, Idaho. More than 40 participants showed up to jump into bed with each other, which was more than double the amount of RSVPs.
Men and women were fairly evenly matched, although at times it was hard to tell. The men seemed to struggle with the concept of rotating after each three-minute speed dating round and had the tendency to mill around looking lost. To kick the evening off, Earthly Delights owner Casey O'Leary laid out a few ground rules.
"Obviously, there are some matches that are probably not appropriate, age-wise," O'Leary said, "But we're all adults so let's have fun." The ladies were assigned specific beds and the men were directed by O'Leary, who instructed attendees on "what's a plant, what's a weed," in an effort to preserve the crops.
For many daters, this was a way for them to feel more comfortable interacting with the opposite sex without the fear of being shot down. "You meet somebody in the park and you don't know if they're there to be by themselves or meet somebody," said Loren Lorimor, "But here, it's a dating thing so people are here for a reason."
Men and women were fairly evenly matched, although at times it was hard to tell. The men seemed to struggle with the concept of rotating after each three-minute speed dating round and had the tendency to mill around looking lost. To kick the evening off, Earthly Delights owner Casey O'Leary laid out a few ground rules.
"Obviously, there are some matches that are probably not appropriate, age-wise," O'Leary said, "But we're all adults so let's have fun." The ladies were assigned specific beds and the men were directed by O'Leary, who instructed attendees on "what's a plant, what's a weed," in an effort to preserve the crops.
For many daters, this was a way for them to feel more comfortable interacting with the opposite sex without the fear of being shot down. "You meet somebody in the park and you don't know if they're there to be by themselves or meet somebody," said Loren Lorimor, "But here, it's a dating thing so people are here for a reason."
Egyptians chanting 'Monica' pelt Hilary Clinton's motorcade with tomatoes and shoes
Protesters threw tomatoes and shoes at US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's motorcade on Sunday during her first visit to Egypt since the election of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. A tomato struck an Egyptian official in the face, and shoes and a water bottle landed near the armoured cars carrying Clinton's delegation in the port city of Alexandria.
A senior state department official said that neither Clinton nor her vehicle, which were around the corner from the incident, were struck by any of the projectiles. Protesters chanted: "Monica, Monica", a reference to Former President Bill Clinton's extra-marital affair.
Some chanted: "leave, Clinton", Egyptian security officials said. It was not clear who the protesters were or what political affiliations they had. Protesters outside Clinton's hotel on Saturday night chanted anti-Islamist slogans, accusing the United States of backing the Muslim Brotherhood's rise to power.
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The assault on her motorcade came on a day Clinton spoke at the newly re-opened US consulate in Alexandria, addressing accusations the United States, which had long supported former President Hosni Mubarak, of backing one faction or another in Egypt following his ouster last year. "I want to be clear that the United States is not in the business, in Egypt, of choosing winners and losers, even if we could, which of course we cannot," Clinton said.
A senior state department official said that neither Clinton nor her vehicle, which were around the corner from the incident, were struck by any of the projectiles. Protesters chanted: "Monica, Monica", a reference to Former President Bill Clinton's extra-marital affair.
Some chanted: "leave, Clinton", Egyptian security officials said. It was not clear who the protesters were or what political affiliations they had. Protesters outside Clinton's hotel on Saturday night chanted anti-Islamist slogans, accusing the United States of backing the Muslim Brotherhood's rise to power.
YouTube link.
The assault on her motorcade came on a day Clinton spoke at the newly re-opened US consulate in Alexandria, addressing accusations the United States, which had long supported former President Hosni Mubarak, of backing one faction or another in Egypt following his ouster last year. "I want to be clear that the United States is not in the business, in Egypt, of choosing winners and losers, even if we could, which of course we cannot," Clinton said.
Man stole sex toy after complaining of adult video's quality
A St. Louis County man has been charged with stealing a sex toy from a St. Charles adult video and novelty store. Thomas Charboneau, 56, of Vinita Park, is charged with stealing and third-degree assault.
St. Charles Police said in a report that Charboneau paid $6 to watch a movie at New Release Video, 2330 Highway 94 South Outer Road. He complained about the movie’s quality and asked for his money back.
When the store clerk refused, Charboneau reached across the counter and took the sex toy, valued at $75, and said, “I’ll take this in lieu of my $6.” Police said the clerk told him he couldn’t do that and stepped between Charboneau and the exit, at which point Charboneau pushed and tried to punch the clerk.
The sales clerk sprayed Charboneau twice in the face with a can of mace. Charboneau pushed him into a display case, picked up the sex toy and left the business. The victim wrote down Charboneau's licence plate number, vehicle and description.
St. Charles Police said in a report that Charboneau paid $6 to watch a movie at New Release Video, 2330 Highway 94 South Outer Road. He complained about the movie’s quality and asked for his money back.
When the store clerk refused, Charboneau reached across the counter and took the sex toy, valued at $75, and said, “I’ll take this in lieu of my $6.” Police said the clerk told him he couldn’t do that and stepped between Charboneau and the exit, at which point Charboneau pushed and tried to punch the clerk.
The sales clerk sprayed Charboneau twice in the face with a can of mace. Charboneau pushed him into a display case, picked up the sex toy and left the business. The victim wrote down Charboneau's licence plate number, vehicle and description.
Magician Keith Barry loses consciousness after illusion goes wrong
Magician Keith Barry has made a full recovery after passing out on stage during the climactic act of his show on Friday night, according to promoters.
Barry was performing an escape trick at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre, during which he is wrapped in cling film and tied with rope.
YouTube link.
Footage of the event shows Barry struggling to escape the restraints, before toppling off a chair and apparently losing consciousness. After several helpers run on stage to assist him, the curtain is lowered and the house lights come on.
“His manager Eamonn Maguire addressed the shocked audience to tell them that the show was over,” show promoters MCD said in a statement. The statement added that Barry has since made a “full recovery”.
Barry was performing an escape trick at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre, during which he is wrapped in cling film and tied with rope.
YouTube link.
Footage of the event shows Barry struggling to escape the restraints, before toppling off a chair and apparently losing consciousness. After several helpers run on stage to assist him, the curtain is lowered and the house lights come on.
“His manager Eamonn Maguire addressed the shocked audience to tell them that the show was over,” show promoters MCD said in a statement. The statement added that Barry has since made a “full recovery”.