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Sunday, February 28, 2010
Jesus picture only item to survive house fire
The day after Raymond Kennedy's home in Greensboro, North Carolina, burned down he says a firefighter pulled him inside what use to be his living room and told him to look around. Kennedy's first response was, "I looked around and said, 'Everything is destroyed' and he said, 'Look at that picture of Jesus.'"
On an outside wall of the home, right next to the front door hung a paper picture of Jesus Christ. The frame was covered in soot, the glass covering the picture was covered in soot and broken away, but the picture remained intact. Kennedy was shocked when he finally noticed it.
"It was extraordinary to me. I mean, I got cold chills on the back of my neck. I was just like, 'I cannot believe that picture did not burn,'" Kennedy said.
Kennedy was surprised because all the other photos burned behind the glass before it broke away. "Doesn't make any sense. A piece of paper in over 1,000 degree heat would just disentegrate. All the other ones did. All the other pictures in here, there is nothing left," he said.
With news video.
On an outside wall of the home, right next to the front door hung a paper picture of Jesus Christ. The frame was covered in soot, the glass covering the picture was covered in soot and broken away, but the picture remained intact. Kennedy was shocked when he finally noticed it.
"It was extraordinary to me. I mean, I got cold chills on the back of my neck. I was just like, 'I cannot believe that picture did not burn,'" Kennedy said.
Kennedy was surprised because all the other photos burned behind the glass before it broke away. "Doesn't make any sense. A piece of paper in over 1,000 degree heat would just disentegrate. All the other ones did. All the other pictures in here, there is nothing left," he said.
With news video.
Japanese temple flushes away troubles
Tired of an unsatisfying relationship, the sluggish economy or just your own bad habits? Now you really can flush it all down the toilet.
The Mantokuji temple in Japan's central Gumma prefecture was once an asylum for women who wanted to cut marital ties with their husbands, a function now made obsolete by modern divorce laws and family courts.
Now, the temple is a museum chronicling the history of divorce as well as a place to help people get rid of any bad karma, via a piece of paper they drop into latrines.
Visitors are given two options: the white squat toilet for the "enkiri", or cutting ties, or the black one for the "enmusubi", or tightening ties.
Full story here. There's a video with commentary here.
The Mantokuji temple in Japan's central Gumma prefecture was once an asylum for women who wanted to cut marital ties with their husbands, a function now made obsolete by modern divorce laws and family courts.
Now, the temple is a museum chronicling the history of divorce as well as a place to help people get rid of any bad karma, via a piece of paper they drop into latrines.
Visitors are given two options: the white squat toilet for the "enkiri", or cutting ties, or the black one for the "enmusubi", or tightening ties.
Full story here. There's a video with commentary here.
Seal holds up traffic
Drivers were forced to take an unusual detour after a seal settled itself in the middle of the street in Salisbury, Mass.
A quick-thinking driver called Salisbury police. The driver then parked in front of the seal so other drivers wouldn’t hit it.
Lt. Kevin Sullivan was one of the officers who went to save the seal.
"When we arrived the seal was in the middle of the road on the double solid yellow line just lounging around. Then we called DCR, the state to see if they could come down and remove him,” Sullivan said.
Seals aren’t as peaceful as they appear to be, Sullivan said. "They look tame, but they are not. You can't get too close to them because they have real sharp teeth and they will take a finger off,” Sullivan said.
Eventually, the 80 pound seal was moved to safety by police and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
With news video including 911 call.
A quick-thinking driver called Salisbury police. The driver then parked in front of the seal so other drivers wouldn’t hit it.
Lt. Kevin Sullivan was one of the officers who went to save the seal.
"When we arrived the seal was in the middle of the road on the double solid yellow line just lounging around. Then we called DCR, the state to see if they could come down and remove him,” Sullivan said.
Seals aren’t as peaceful as they appear to be, Sullivan said. "They look tame, but they are not. You can't get too close to them because they have real sharp teeth and they will take a finger off,” Sullivan said.
Eventually, the 80 pound seal was moved to safety by police and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
With news video including 911 call.
Japanese Gender Identity Disorder girl allowed to attend school as boy
A teenager diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder (GID) has been allowed to attend her school as a boy from April. The 13-year-old girl, who has felt uncomfortable with her gender since around 2 years old, will attend her public junior high school in Kagoshima as a boy from the new school year.
The case comes on the heels of a recent recognition of an 8-year-old boy in Saitama Prefecture to attend the school as a girl after he was diagnosed with GID. While the cases won recognition thanks to their schools' understanding, other GID suffers and their parents are calling for more comprehensive measures by educational administration.
According to the 13-year-old's mother and her school, the student complained of sickness when she wore a sailor-style school uniform and refused to go to school for many days. After her parents consulted with school officials in July last year, she was allowed to commute to school in a gym uniform from September.
Furthermore, the school agreed to switch the 13-year-old's gender classification in her class register and allow her to attend in a boy's uniform from April after she was diagnosed with GID on Feb. 20. The school is also looking into letting her use a women's bathroom for teachers and school staff and a separate room for changing her clothes.
The student's family quoted her as saying, "I can finally wear a school uniform that I feel comfortable with. I'm so happy." "My child has suffered so much pain, so we appreciate the school's response," said the 13-year-old's mother.
"I believe there are many more children who are suffering from the lack of understanding by others. I hope the board of education and the prefectural government will set up a counseling service in conjunction with specialized medical institutions."
The case comes on the heels of a recent recognition of an 8-year-old boy in Saitama Prefecture to attend the school as a girl after he was diagnosed with GID. While the cases won recognition thanks to their schools' understanding, other GID suffers and their parents are calling for more comprehensive measures by educational administration.
According to the 13-year-old's mother and her school, the student complained of sickness when she wore a sailor-style school uniform and refused to go to school for many days. After her parents consulted with school officials in July last year, she was allowed to commute to school in a gym uniform from September.
Furthermore, the school agreed to switch the 13-year-old's gender classification in her class register and allow her to attend in a boy's uniform from April after she was diagnosed with GID on Feb. 20. The school is also looking into letting her use a women's bathroom for teachers and school staff and a separate room for changing her clothes.
The student's family quoted her as saying, "I can finally wear a school uniform that I feel comfortable with. I'm so happy." "My child has suffered so much pain, so we appreciate the school's response," said the 13-year-old's mother.
"I believe there are many more children who are suffering from the lack of understanding by others. I hope the board of education and the prefectural government will set up a counseling service in conjunction with specialized medical institutions."
Belgium town residents offered chickens to reduce waste
Residents of a Belgian town are to be offered chickens as part of a campaign to reduce household waste. The town of Mouscron has 50 pairs of chickens that it will distribute to families with sufficient space to keep the birds in their gardens.
Those who take part in the scheme must agree not to eat the chickens for at least two years, or to give them away.
Local officials are stressing that applicants could gain a supply of free, fresh eggs. The town council's environment department is building on the success of a previous distribution of chickens, officials said.
The aim of the project is to publicise alternative methods of waste management. Residents included in the project will be given basic instruction on chicken-keeping.
Those who take part in the scheme must agree not to eat the chickens for at least two years, or to give them away.
Local officials are stressing that applicants could gain a supply of free, fresh eggs. The town council's environment department is building on the success of a previous distribution of chickens, officials said.
The aim of the project is to publicise alternative methods of waste management. Residents included in the project will be given basic instruction on chicken-keeping.
Boozy chimp sent to rehab
A Russian chimpanzee has been sent to rehab by zookeepers to cure the smoking and beer-drinking habits he has picked up.
An ex-performer, Zhora became aggressive at his circus and was transferred to a zoo in the southern Russian city of Rostov, where he fathered several baby chimps, learned to draw with markers and picked up his two vices.
"The beer and cigarettes were ruining him. He would pester passers-by for booze," the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper said.
It added he has now been transferred to the city of Kazan, about 800 km (500 miles) east of Moscow, for rehabilitation treatment.
An ex-performer, Zhora became aggressive at his circus and was transferred to a zoo in the southern Russian city of Rostov, where he fathered several baby chimps, learned to draw with markers and picked up his two vices.
"The beer and cigarettes were ruining him. He would pester passers-by for booze," the Komsomolskaya Pravda paper said.
It added he has now been transferred to the city of Kazan, about 800 km (500 miles) east of Moscow, for rehabilitation treatment.
Pub landlord is first person in Britain to be jailed over smoking ban
A former pub landlord has became the first person to be jailed in connection with the smoking ban. Nick Hogan, 43, was sentenced to six months in prison for refusing to pay a fine imposed for flouting the legislation.
Two years ago Hogan, who ran two pubs in Bolton, became the first landlord convicted of breaking the law for allowing his customers to routinely light up in his bars. Nick Hogan was the first person to be prosecuted under the new smoking laws. He will spend six months in prison after refusing to pay a fine.
A judge fined Hogan, of Chorley, Lancashire, £3,000 and ordered him to pay £7,236 in costs after finding him guilty of four charges under the Health Act 2006. But the married father-of-two refused to pay the fine and after repeatedly being hauled back before the courts, a judge sitting at Bolton Crown Court finally lost patience and jailed him.
His wife, Denise, 53, who is also a publican, said she was disgusted that her husband would be in prison alongside murderers and rapists.
'Criminals and bad people go to prison not law-abiding businessmen like my husband who are trying to earn an honest living,' she said. 'Nick doesn't deserve to go to jail, all he has done is speak his mind and people simply don't like it. Ninety per cent of people who come into my pub want to smoke, even the non-smokers think there should be a choice. These laws are ridiculous.'
Two years ago Hogan, who ran two pubs in Bolton, became the first landlord convicted of breaking the law for allowing his customers to routinely light up in his bars. Nick Hogan was the first person to be prosecuted under the new smoking laws. He will spend six months in prison after refusing to pay a fine.
A judge fined Hogan, of Chorley, Lancashire, £3,000 and ordered him to pay £7,236 in costs after finding him guilty of four charges under the Health Act 2006. But the married father-of-two refused to pay the fine and after repeatedly being hauled back before the courts, a judge sitting at Bolton Crown Court finally lost patience and jailed him.
His wife, Denise, 53, who is also a publican, said she was disgusted that her husband would be in prison alongside murderers and rapists.
'Criminals and bad people go to prison not law-abiding businessmen like my husband who are trying to earn an honest living,' she said. 'Nick doesn't deserve to go to jail, all he has done is speak his mind and people simply don't like it. Ninety per cent of people who come into my pub want to smoke, even the non-smokers think there should be a choice. These laws are ridiculous.'
13 firefighters help free woman's arm stuck in vending machine
A distressed woman was left with her arm trapped in a vending machine after reaching in for a bag of crisps. More than a dozen firefighters were called to American Express Corporate Travel, on the fourth floor of Stephenson House, in Cherry Orchard Road, East Croydon. The crisps had got trapped on top of the flap and, as the 30-year-old reached in, she got her lower arm wedged.
A spokesman for the Fire Brigade said: "She was reaching in for a bag of crisps that had fallen down. "She was quite a small woman and she had managed to get her arm into the vending hole to try and reach up over the flap. But she got her elbow caught between the flap and the base of the vending machine."
Staff tried in vain to get the woman out for 15 to 20 minutes before the Fire Brigade's arrival, last Thursday. The spokesman for the Fire Brigade explained: "We had three fire appliances attend which amounted to 13 firefighters and a station commander. "We used a couple of crow bars to ease the flap up so she could take her arm out."
The woman was given oxygen and one ambulance crew was called to the scene at around 10.45am. But she escaped uninjured and was not taken to hospital.
A spokesman for the Fire Brigade said: "She was reaching in for a bag of crisps that had fallen down. "She was quite a small woman and she had managed to get her arm into the vending hole to try and reach up over the flap. But she got her elbow caught between the flap and the base of the vending machine."
Staff tried in vain to get the woman out for 15 to 20 minutes before the Fire Brigade's arrival, last Thursday. The spokesman for the Fire Brigade explained: "We had three fire appliances attend which amounted to 13 firefighters and a station commander. "We used a couple of crow bars to ease the flap up so she could take her arm out."
The woman was given oxygen and one ambulance crew was called to the scene at around 10.45am. But she escaped uninjured and was not taken to hospital.
Man 'paedophile suspect' for taking son's photo in shopping centre
A security guard branded Kevin Geraghty-Shewan a 'paedophile suspect' for taking his son's photo at Bridges Shopping Centre, Sunderland. The father had taken four-year-old Ben to the Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland to spend £10 Ben had been given as a treat. Geraghty-Shewan went to take a photo of his son on a ride and was suddenly stopped.
"Ben spotted a children's ride which had a train on it and wanted to have a go because he's obsessed with trains. When he got on my wife suggested we take a picture of him. I took the picture on my phone and suddenly this security guard came up and told me it wasn't allowed because I could be a paedophile.
"I told him Ben was my own son. But he said I couldn't prove it. He said there is a real problem with paedophiles and that if I didn't like it, he'd call the manager. A few minutes later a policeman walked in and approached me, so they must have been tracking me on the CCTV. He said he'd received a complaint that a man matching my description was taking pictures of children and wanted my name and address.
"I told him it was ridiculous because it was my own son. He then started asking me what I was doing in Sunderland, asked for my name and address and told me he had the right to delete my pictures. I got annoyed and raised my voice a bit, then he threatened me with arrest for breach of the peace."
There's a news video on this page.
"Ben spotted a children's ride which had a train on it and wanted to have a go because he's obsessed with trains. When he got on my wife suggested we take a picture of him. I took the picture on my phone and suddenly this security guard came up and told me it wasn't allowed because I could be a paedophile.
"I told him Ben was my own son. But he said I couldn't prove it. He said there is a real problem with paedophiles and that if I didn't like it, he'd call the manager. A few minutes later a policeman walked in and approached me, so they must have been tracking me on the CCTV. He said he'd received a complaint that a man matching my description was taking pictures of children and wanted my name and address.
"I told him it was ridiculous because it was my own son. He then started asking me what I was doing in Sunderland, asked for my name and address and told me he had the right to delete my pictures. I got annoyed and raised my voice a bit, then he threatened me with arrest for breach of the peace."
There's a news video on this page.
Couple in own skeleton donation to dungeon
A couple have pledged their skeletons to an Edinburgh dungeon visitor attraction because they do not want to inflict their funerals on their family.
Andrew and Janine Leishman have donated their bodies to Edinburgh University's medical College for dissection before Edinburgh Dungeon puts them on display.
Photo from here.
The pair both work as nurses at Bo'ness Hospital near Falkirk. The Leishmans said they also wanted to highlight the shortage of bodies donated to medical science.
Mr Leishman said their 18-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter think their parents are "weird" but have accepted the plan.
Video.
Andrew and Janine Leishman have donated their bodies to Edinburgh University's medical College for dissection before Edinburgh Dungeon puts them on display.
Photo from here.
The pair both work as nurses at Bo'ness Hospital near Falkirk. The Leishmans said they also wanted to highlight the shortage of bodies donated to medical science.
Mr Leishman said their 18-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter think their parents are "weird" but have accepted the plan.
Video.
Woman driver caught flossing teeth at 70mph on motorway
A woman driver was caught flossing her teeth at 70mph on a motorway. Traffic police spotted the driver, 36, on the M4 motorway using dental floss to clean her teeth in her rear view mirror.
She was pulled over, lectured about careless driving and given a fixed penalty notice of £60.
Police say it is the latest example of people risking lives for a moment of high-speed vanity.
A spokesman said: "We've caught women applying lipstick, make-up and checking their hair in the mirror - and even men using an electric razor on their way to work. But this is the first time we've seen someone flossing their teeth at the wheel. It was a quite bizarre sight.
"It is particularly dangerous because you need to use both hands which clearly should be used to drive the car."
Experienced traffic police often say some people's driving is mental - but one joked: "On this occasion it was dental."
She was pulled over, lectured about careless driving and given a fixed penalty notice of £60.
Police say it is the latest example of people risking lives for a moment of high-speed vanity.
A spokesman said: "We've caught women applying lipstick, make-up and checking their hair in the mirror - and even men using an electric razor on their way to work. But this is the first time we've seen someone flossing their teeth at the wheel. It was a quite bizarre sight.
"It is particularly dangerous because you need to use both hands which clearly should be used to drive the car."
Experienced traffic police often say some people's driving is mental - but one joked: "On this occasion it was dental."
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Jesus found in pizza tomato sauce bucket
When Mary Louise Salerno saw Jesus Christ in a bucket of pizza sauce, her instinct was not to alert the media or even to tell many friends.
She did not want people descending on her family's West Scranton pizzeria, and she did not want to invite critics or doubters of what she felt was a clear sign. "To us, it was something special," Ms. Salerno, 65, of Old Forge said. "God smiled on us that day."
The image of Jesus has a history of unexpected appearances, from rocks and windows to medical X-rays and a tortilla. Add to that a sauce bucket at Brownie's Famous Pizzeria, a long-standing eatery on Luzerne Street. It happened on the first Friday of Lent.
Ms. Salerno was at Brownie's and talking with her granddaughter, 23-year-old Jackie Krouchick, while she made a pizza. Her granddaughter is a single mother who she said is struggling through tough times. Ms. Krouchick told her grandmother she worried she was losing her faith.
As Ms. Salerno poured tomato sauce from a white plastic bucket, she urged her granddaughter to keep believing. That is when she saw it, the image of a man with long hair and a beard in the leftover sauce.
Bill Salerno, the owner of Brownie's and brother of Ms. Salerno, said he was skeptical until he saw it for himself. Maryann Marsico, who works at Brownie's, said even an atheist would find it unmistakable.
She did not want people descending on her family's West Scranton pizzeria, and she did not want to invite critics or doubters of what she felt was a clear sign. "To us, it was something special," Ms. Salerno, 65, of Old Forge said. "God smiled on us that day."
The image of Jesus has a history of unexpected appearances, from rocks and windows to medical X-rays and a tortilla. Add to that a sauce bucket at Brownie's Famous Pizzeria, a long-standing eatery on Luzerne Street. It happened on the first Friday of Lent.
Ms. Salerno was at Brownie's and talking with her granddaughter, 23-year-old Jackie Krouchick, while she made a pizza. Her granddaughter is a single mother who she said is struggling through tough times. Ms. Krouchick told her grandmother she worried she was losing her faith.
As Ms. Salerno poured tomato sauce from a white plastic bucket, she urged her granddaughter to keep believing. That is when she saw it, the image of a man with long hair and a beard in the leftover sauce.
Bill Salerno, the owner of Brownie's and brother of Ms. Salerno, said he was skeptical until he saw it for himself. Maryann Marsico, who works at Brownie's, said even an atheist would find it unmistakable.
Parrots heckle golfers at Florida golf course
It's tee time at Lexington Oaks, and golfers chip off for a hole in one. But there is more than sand traps and rough terrain in their way. At the 11th and 16th holes, two tropical African grey parrots have found a perch and a voice along the green. Both are domestic and live in homes right near the tee box.
Perl is on 16, and has learned to make the sound of a golf cart squeaking to a halt or backing up. The bird also makes cell phone ringing noises and whistles.
Sophie, a 5-year-old parrot, lives at the 11th. She teases and whistles at the golfers with a slightly fouler mouth. Sophie's owner Tony Burkhardt taught her to say, "Hit the damned ball."
"I am sure that a couple of golfers are trying to teach her words that aren't quite proper, said Burkhardt.
With news video.
Perl is on 16, and has learned to make the sound of a golf cart squeaking to a halt or backing up. The bird also makes cell phone ringing noises and whistles.
Sophie, a 5-year-old parrot, lives at the 11th. She teases and whistles at the golfers with a slightly fouler mouth. Sophie's owner Tony Burkhardt taught her to say, "Hit the damned ball."
"I am sure that a couple of golfers are trying to teach her words that aren't quite proper, said Burkhardt.
With news video.
Mother charged with using sword to threaten school employees
A Memphis mother is under arrest after police say she brought a sword concealed in a walking cane to her daughter's school. Toni L. Price is charged with Aggravated Assault and Carrying a Weapon on School Property. She's being held on a $4,500 bond.
A relative says Price was angry because a student spit on her seven-year-old daughter. The relative says Price went to Riverview Elementary School on Joubert to confront the girl's parents.
The parents of the girl Price went to confront were not at the school, so Price confronted a school administrator.
Suspect Toni Price's mother Bennie Price says her daughter brought the weapon to fend off pit-bulls on the way to Riverview, not to threaten anyone once she arrived at the school.
The suspect's mother says her daughter never took the blade out of the cane, but according to the affidavit in the case, the victim told police Price "pulled out a knife from a walking cane and told her that she was going to cut her."
The affidavit says Price told officers she drank a 40 ounce Colt 45 before she went to the school.
A relative says Price was angry because a student spit on her seven-year-old daughter. The relative says Price went to Riverview Elementary School on Joubert to confront the girl's parents.
The parents of the girl Price went to confront were not at the school, so Price confronted a school administrator.
Suspect Toni Price's mother Bennie Price says her daughter brought the weapon to fend off pit-bulls on the way to Riverview, not to threaten anyone once she arrived at the school.
The suspect's mother says her daughter never took the blade out of the cane, but according to the affidavit in the case, the victim told police Price "pulled out a knife from a walking cane and told her that she was going to cut her."
The affidavit says Price told officers she drank a 40 ounce Colt 45 before she went to the school.
School dormitory shuts due to 27 lesbians
A South African girls' boarding school outside Durban has closed down a dormitory after accusing 27 residents of being lesbians.
Two girls were caught kissing in the dormitory, which houses 300 students.
When confronted by school officials, they identified 25 other lesbians in the dorm.
"Twenty-seven learners were involved in this kind of relationship and the school took a decision to close down the hostel,'' provincial education department spokesman Mfundi Sibiya said.
The department has appointed a panel to investigate the issue, but the education department said schools did not have the right to remove students because of their sexual orientation.
The decision to close the dorm has brought learning at the school to a standstill, as many pupils have no other accommodation. South Africa's constitution guarantees equal rights for gays, but many gay South Africans still suffer prejudice in an often conservative society
Two girls were caught kissing in the dormitory, which houses 300 students.
When confronted by school officials, they identified 25 other lesbians in the dorm.
"Twenty-seven learners were involved in this kind of relationship and the school took a decision to close down the hostel,'' provincial education department spokesman Mfundi Sibiya said.
The department has appointed a panel to investigate the issue, but the education department said schools did not have the right to remove students because of their sexual orientation.
The decision to close the dorm has brought learning at the school to a standstill, as many pupils have no other accommodation. South Africa's constitution guarantees equal rights for gays, but many gay South Africans still suffer prejudice in an often conservative society
Boy survives rod ripping through 10 vital organs
Skewered by a one-metre-long iron rod - boy of 12, Kalim Ali, miraculously survives.
He was treated by six doctors at Nair Hospital in Mumbai who performed surgery over three hours to remove the 1.5cm-thick pole.
It had pierced ten internal organs, including the rectum, small intestine, lungs and liver.
According to his parents, Kalim, from Malegaon, was impaled while playing at a construction site. Incredibly the rod missed his heart and didn’t damage any major blood vessels.
Dr Hemanshi Shah, head of paediatric surgery at the hospital, said: “Adults have been involved in such accidents, but we have never performed a surgery of this kind on children.”
Doctors said that it will take four months for Kalim’s injuries to heal properly. He is recovering at the hospital’s intensive care unit.
He was treated by six doctors at Nair Hospital in Mumbai who performed surgery over three hours to remove the 1.5cm-thick pole.
It had pierced ten internal organs, including the rectum, small intestine, lungs and liver.
According to his parents, Kalim, from Malegaon, was impaled while playing at a construction site. Incredibly the rod missed his heart and didn’t damage any major blood vessels.
Dr Hemanshi Shah, head of paediatric surgery at the hospital, said: “Adults have been involved in such accidents, but we have never performed a surgery of this kind on children.”
Doctors said that it will take four months for Kalim’s injuries to heal properly. He is recovering at the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Wedding for goat accused rapists in Mozambique
The owner of a goat allegedly raped is demanding the two accused make traditional wedding arrangements.
State media also said the two young men accused of having sex with a goat in central Mozambique faced criminal charges.
The young men, whose names and ages were not released, were caught in the act by police and arrested outside the rural town of Mbucuta in central Mozambique.
"One of the young men was naked and holding the goat's head, and the other was having sex with the animal," witness Mario Creva said.
District prosecutor Leonides Mapasse said the two would face trial for simple larceny. The goat's owner may also file a civil suit against them, he said.
The owner was demanding the young men pay him damages and initiate a traditional wedding ceremony by paying "lobolo," a dowry, a family member said.
State media also said the two young men accused of having sex with a goat in central Mozambique faced criminal charges.
The young men, whose names and ages were not released, were caught in the act by police and arrested outside the rural town of Mbucuta in central Mozambique.
"One of the young men was naked and holding the goat's head, and the other was having sex with the animal," witness Mario Creva said.
District prosecutor Leonides Mapasse said the two would face trial for simple larceny. The goat's owner may also file a civil suit against them, he said.
The owner was demanding the young men pay him damages and initiate a traditional wedding ceremony by paying "lobolo," a dowry, a family member said.
Thief stashes 17 cans of Red Bull in his pants
A recurrent thief at a convenience store in Connecticut seems to have a passion for just one thing and it's not cash. He steals "Red Bull."
A surveillance camera put up at a Mobil On The Run store in Bloomfield shows the man stuffing can after can of Red Bull down his pants.
As he took the cans out of the refrigerator, he kept looking back at the clerk checking to see if anyone was watching him. On Monday, the man made off with at least 17 cans of the high energy drink in his pants.
This is not the first time this store has had thefts of Red Bull and the owner believes it's the same man who is taking them time after time.
With news video.
A surveillance camera put up at a Mobil On The Run store in Bloomfield shows the man stuffing can after can of Red Bull down his pants.
As he took the cans out of the refrigerator, he kept looking back at the clerk checking to see if anyone was watching him. On Monday, the man made off with at least 17 cans of the high energy drink in his pants.
This is not the first time this store has had thefts of Red Bull and the owner believes it's the same man who is taking them time after time.
With news video.
Flight attendants fist fight on plane
Bad weather wasn't the only thing slowing travellers down Thursday in New York. Passengers on a Delta Connection flight out of Rochester were delayed after two female flight attendants got into a fight on board the plane.
Dozens of frustrated passengers were forced off the flight and had to make alternative travel plans.
"Apparently, they got into a fist fight on the plane and the pilot decided to kick everybody off the plane," said one air traveller. "They told us we had to get off the plane because stewardesses were fighting."
Dozens of passengers on the Delta flight from Rochester to Atlanta were left to scramble to make other plans.
With news video.
Dozens of frustrated passengers were forced off the flight and had to make alternative travel plans.
"Apparently, they got into a fist fight on the plane and the pilot decided to kick everybody off the plane," said one air traveller. "They told us we had to get off the plane because stewardesses were fighting."
Dozens of passengers on the Delta flight from Rochester to Atlanta were left to scramble to make other plans.
With news video.
New Zealand firefighters rescue puppy from teapot
A tiny puppy was freed by four Gisborne firefighters after its head became wedged in a teapot. The bull-mastiff pup, about 10 weeks old, suffered a small nick to its nose.
A fire truck raced to the scene at about 9.45am yesterday, initially believing a person had become trapped.
Gisborne senior station officer Mike Milne said the crew had struggled to envisage the situation. "I thought that must be some teapot, but they'd be able to breathe through the spout anyway."
The crew was met by a worried looking couple standing at the gate of their home. They were holding the dog, its head stuck inside the old porcelain teapot.
With a sledgehammer resting against it, Mr Milne tapped the teapot a few times with an engineer's hammer, breaking it apart.
"He was free in a minute and off on his next adventure. He was as happy as anything. When we were leaving I heard the owners saying they'd be calling him Teapot."
A fire truck raced to the scene at about 9.45am yesterday, initially believing a person had become trapped.
Gisborne senior station officer Mike Milne said the crew had struggled to envisage the situation. "I thought that must be some teapot, but they'd be able to breathe through the spout anyway."
The crew was met by a worried looking couple standing at the gate of their home. They were holding the dog, its head stuck inside the old porcelain teapot.
With a sledgehammer resting against it, Mr Milne tapped the teapot a few times with an engineer's hammer, breaking it apart.
"He was free in a minute and off on his next adventure. He was as happy as anything. When we were leaving I heard the owners saying they'd be calling him Teapot."
Angry Ryanair passenger eats his winning scratchcard
A Ryanair passenger who became enraged when he was told he could not claim a scratchcard prize on his flight ate his winning ticket.
The man was flying from Poland to the East Midlands on a Ryanair flight when he won 10,000 euros (£8,765) on a scratchcard he had purchased on board.
Ryanair confirmed he ate his ticket on 26 February after cabin staff refused to pay him the winnings immediately. The airline said it could not reveal the winner's identity.
Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara said the cabin crew and some passengers urged the man not to eat the ticket, but he stood up and ate it anyway.
The man was flying from Poland to the East Midlands on a Ryanair flight when he won 10,000 euros (£8,765) on a scratchcard he had purchased on board.
Ryanair confirmed he ate his ticket on 26 February after cabin staff refused to pay him the winnings immediately. The airline said it could not reveal the winner's identity.
Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara said the cabin crew and some passengers urged the man not to eat the ticket, but he stood up and ate it anyway.
Dead smoker sends warning from the grave
A Kent smoker who died from the lung disease emphysema will be using his funeral to tell others 'Smoking killed me - please give up!' .
Before dying earlier this month Albert 'Dick' Whittamore, 85, said he wanted signs on his hearse to encourage people to give up smoking. The signs will be displayed on the hearse and on his grave.
Mr Whittamore, who ran a print shop in Dover for 50 years, will be buried on Tuesday at St Mary's Cemetery.
Paul Sullivan from Sullivan and Sons Funeral Directors said: "It's the first time I've been requested to make signs for a hearse, but obviously that was one of his dying wishes in his will and we will honour that."
With video.
Before dying earlier this month Albert 'Dick' Whittamore, 85, said he wanted signs on his hearse to encourage people to give up smoking. The signs will be displayed on the hearse and on his grave.
Mr Whittamore, who ran a print shop in Dover for 50 years, will be buried on Tuesday at St Mary's Cemetery.
Paul Sullivan from Sullivan and Sons Funeral Directors said: "It's the first time I've been requested to make signs for a hearse, but obviously that was one of his dying wishes in his will and we will honour that."
With video.
Toddler deafened by prank
A toddler has been left deaf in one ear after a joke toy was pushed through a letterbox and exploded in her face.
Two-year-old Keira Tasker was traumatised when a Bomb Bag went off in the family's home in Stanley Street, Seaham, and her mum Louise Fleetham is calling for the toys to be banned.
The 24-year-old says the explosion left her daughter deaf in her right ear and partially deaf in the other. Police cordoned off the road and evacuated the pair.
Louise said Keira walked into their kitchen with the small foil sachet which was expanding.
She said: "Then it went off and exploded in her face. I want these things banned, they caused deafness in a two-year-old."
Louise believes three boys were responsible for posting the bomb bag just after 5pm on Tuesday.
Two-year-old Keira Tasker was traumatised when a Bomb Bag went off in the family's home in Stanley Street, Seaham, and her mum Louise Fleetham is calling for the toys to be banned.
The 24-year-old says the explosion left her daughter deaf in her right ear and partially deaf in the other. Police cordoned off the road and evacuated the pair.
Louise said Keira walked into their kitchen with the small foil sachet which was expanding.
She said: "Then it went off and exploded in her face. I want these things banned, they caused deafness in a two-year-old."
Louise believes three boys were responsible for posting the bomb bag just after 5pm on Tuesday.
Lulu is the world's oldest dog
A Beagle cross named Lulu is the world's oldest dog after reaching the age of 147 - in dog years.
Her owner, Travis Buckley, 60, has credited the dog's longevity to it's diet of freshly cooked fillet steak, veal and sausages. She even finishes her meals with cheese and biscuits and maltesers.
Mr Buckly said: "If there's a steak and a sausage in the fridge you can guarantee she'll be having steak and sausage for tea. That's her favourite meal.
"Lulu always has the finest meats in the house. Sometimes it's gammon or on the rare occasion it's been veal. I?m sure that's why she's lived this long - a really strong diet.
"She loves to wash the meat down with Maltesers or cheese and biscuits. She's spoiled rotten." He was given Lulu as a present when she was a puppy by his daughter, Emma, in 1989.
Despite being deaf and blind, Lulu is still fit enough to go on regular walks and go down the pub.
Her owner, Travis Buckley, 60, has credited the dog's longevity to it's diet of freshly cooked fillet steak, veal and sausages. She even finishes her meals with cheese and biscuits and maltesers.
Mr Buckly said: "If there's a steak and a sausage in the fridge you can guarantee she'll be having steak and sausage for tea. That's her favourite meal.
"Lulu always has the finest meats in the house. Sometimes it's gammon or on the rare occasion it's been veal. I?m sure that's why she's lived this long - a really strong diet.
"She loves to wash the meat down with Maltesers or cheese and biscuits. She's spoiled rotten." He was given Lulu as a present when she was a puppy by his daughter, Emma, in 1989.
Despite being deaf and blind, Lulu is still fit enough to go on regular walks and go down the pub.
Spurned 85-year-old jailed for stabbing woman
A 85-year-old man who stabbed a 74-year-old woman after she rejected his romantic advances has been jailed for two years and eight months.
A court heard how loner Joseph McGorman became obsessed with Benedicta McLean, who had befriended him.
But when Mrs McLean told him she was married and did not need his affections McGorman lay in wait at her Edinburgh home and stabbed her. Ms McLean was scarred for life in the knife attack.
Passing sentence at the High Court in Dumbarton, judge Lord Pentland said the gravity of the offence meant he had no option but to jail McGorman - despite his age.
The court had been told McGorman had planned to slit Mrs McLean's throat and then throw himself off the Forth Road Bridge, but his victim fought back and survived the attack.
When police arrested him nearby a short time after the attack on 14 October, McGorman told them: "You can push a person too far. You can only take so much."
A court heard how loner Joseph McGorman became obsessed with Benedicta McLean, who had befriended him.
But when Mrs McLean told him she was married and did not need his affections McGorman lay in wait at her Edinburgh home and stabbed her. Ms McLean was scarred for life in the knife attack.
Passing sentence at the High Court in Dumbarton, judge Lord Pentland said the gravity of the offence meant he had no option but to jail McGorman - despite his age.
The court had been told McGorman had planned to slit Mrs McLean's throat and then throw himself off the Forth Road Bridge, but his victim fought back and survived the attack.
When police arrested him nearby a short time after the attack on 14 October, McGorman told them: "You can push a person too far. You can only take so much."
Woman first to face Treasure Act
A Shropshire woman is the first in the UK to be convicted of failing to report treasure, say West Mercia police.
Kate Harding, 23, of The Hawthorns in Ludlow, presented a 14th Century piedfort coin to Ludlow Museum in January last year.
After it was identified by experts from The British Museum she was told she had to report the find to the coroner. But she did not and on Thursday admitted breaching the Treasure Act, at Ludlow Magistrates' Court.
She was given a three month conditional discharge, ordered to hand over the coin and to pay £25 in costs.
Dr Michael Lewis of the British Museum confirmed the case was the first to have resulted in prosecution. He said: "This is a landmark case and it sends a clear message to those who fail to report Treasure."
Ms Harding may also not receive anything, as the Treasure Valuation Committee has the power to cut or cancel any payment for "wrongdoing".
Kate Harding, 23, of The Hawthorns in Ludlow, presented a 14th Century piedfort coin to Ludlow Museum in January last year.
After it was identified by experts from The British Museum she was told she had to report the find to the coroner. But she did not and on Thursday admitted breaching the Treasure Act, at Ludlow Magistrates' Court.
She was given a three month conditional discharge, ordered to hand over the coin and to pay £25 in costs.
Dr Michael Lewis of the British Museum confirmed the case was the first to have resulted in prosecution. He said: "This is a landmark case and it sends a clear message to those who fail to report Treasure."
Ms Harding may also not receive anything, as the Treasure Valuation Committee has the power to cut or cancel any payment for "wrongdoing".
Friday, February 26, 2010
Man charged with wearing a clown mask and wig in public
An 18-year-old Tampa man was jailed on Tuesday afternoon, charged with wearing a clown mask on a public road.
Deputies say Matthew David Lopez, of 7003 Ponderosa Drive, was seen with two other people walking south on N 58th Street, just north of E Fowler Avenue. What caught a deputy's attention was Lopez's masked face with a bright red-and-orange wig, according to an arrest affidavit.
Lopez was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail on charges of wearing a mask or hood on a public road after the age of 16 and resisting arrest without violence. He was released on $750 bail.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Carter said any disguise in public is illegal. Even on Halloween, adults aren't allowed to enter any businesses or stores with their faces covered.
Deputies say Matthew David Lopez, of 7003 Ponderosa Drive, was seen with two other people walking south on N 58th Street, just north of E Fowler Avenue. What caught a deputy's attention was Lopez's masked face with a bright red-and-orange wig, according to an arrest affidavit.
Lopez was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail on charges of wearing a mask or hood on a public road after the age of 16 and resisting arrest without violence. He was released on $750 bail.
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Carter said any disguise in public is illegal. Even on Halloween, adults aren't allowed to enter any businesses or stores with their faces covered.
Law & Order's theme music has dogs howling
American courtroom drama series Law & Order causes dogs to go barking mad. A slew of videos have popped up on the internet showing dogs of all shapes and sizes howling and baying when they hear the show's theme music.
It is arresting imagery, and experts say the harried hounds' behaviour can be attributed to the music's tonal quality.
"The reason they do that is because the music has a combination of clarinets and high-decibel sounds," said celebrity pet trainer Bash Dibra.
"When the music hits a certain note, it hits a signal in their auditory nerve and makes them howl."
It is arresting imagery, and experts say the harried hounds' behaviour can be attributed to the music's tonal quality.
"The reason they do that is because the music has a combination of clarinets and high-decibel sounds," said celebrity pet trainer Bash Dibra.
"When the music hits a certain note, it hits a signal in their auditory nerve and makes them howl."
Church welcomes nude parishioners
People who attend a church in Virginia don't have to worry about finding something to wear on Sundays because clothing is optional.
"I really don't think God cares what you wear when you worship," said one congregant Richard Foley.
Members at White Tail Chapel say they have no problem getting the word of god from a pastor in his birthday suit because they focus on worship.
The church's pastor also says Jesus was naked during some of his most important moments.
"When he was born he was naked, when he was crucified he was naked and when he arose he left his clothes in the tomb and he was naked. If God made us that way, how can that be wrong," the pastor of White Tail Chapel Allen Parker said.
The Whitetail Chapel is part of the Whitetail Nudist Resort.
"I really don't think God cares what you wear when you worship," said one congregant Richard Foley.
Members at White Tail Chapel say they have no problem getting the word of god from a pastor in his birthday suit because they focus on worship.
The church's pastor also says Jesus was naked during some of his most important moments.
"When he was born he was naked, when he was crucified he was naked and when he arose he left his clothes in the tomb and he was naked. If God made us that way, how can that be wrong," the pastor of White Tail Chapel Allen Parker said.
The Whitetail Chapel is part of the Whitetail Nudist Resort.
Jealous husband uses backhoe to crush dozens of demolition derby cars
An angry husband is facing charges after using a backhoe to smash dozens of cars owned by a New York company that stages demolition derbies.
"He believed somebody at that business was having an affair with his wife," Wayne County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Robert Hetzke said. "Him and his wife were going through some marital issues."
Police records show suspect Michael Fagner has faced at least one domestic violence complaint against his wife before. This time police say he took out his anger on 30 demolition derby cars.
"The demolition derby part of it was different," Hetzke said. "The number of vehicles was definitely different than the normal domestic dispute." The damage is pretty impressive.
Police say Fagner took a backhoe and smashed down most of the roofs on most of the cars.
On one he went a little bit further when he took the backhoe and flipped the car altogether.
With news video.
"He believed somebody at that business was having an affair with his wife," Wayne County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Robert Hetzke said. "Him and his wife were going through some marital issues."
Police records show suspect Michael Fagner has faced at least one domestic violence complaint against his wife before. This time police say he took out his anger on 30 demolition derby cars.
"The demolition derby part of it was different," Hetzke said. "The number of vehicles was definitely different than the normal domestic dispute." The damage is pretty impressive.
Police say Fagner took a backhoe and smashed down most of the roofs on most of the cars.
On one he went a little bit further when he took the backhoe and flipped the car altogether.
With news video.
Australian woman deliberately drops baby on footpath
A Darwin court has released horrific footage of a woman throwing her baby onto the footpath.
The CCTV footage from the Palmerston bus exchange shows a woman throwing her 10-month-old baby on the ground after her partner caught a bus without her.
Magistrate John Lowndes lifted a suppression order on the footage yesterday.
Contains graphic content.
The video was played in open court last week, but after media requests for the video's release were approved, the woman's lawyer Josh Brock applied for his client's name to be suppressed.
Magistrate John Lowndes agreed, and also suppressed the footage and any personal circumstances of the defendant or the victim. He heard submissions and gave reasons for his orders in a closed court.
The woman has pleaded not guilty to recklessly endangering serious harm to the baby. The hearing will continue in June.
The CCTV footage from the Palmerston bus exchange shows a woman throwing her 10-month-old baby on the ground after her partner caught a bus without her.
Magistrate John Lowndes lifted a suppression order on the footage yesterday.
Contains graphic content.
The video was played in open court last week, but after media requests for the video's release were approved, the woman's lawyer Josh Brock applied for his client's name to be suppressed.
Magistrate John Lowndes agreed, and also suppressed the footage and any personal circumstances of the defendant or the victim. He heard submissions and gave reasons for his orders in a closed court.
The woman has pleaded not guilty to recklessly endangering serious harm to the baby. The hearing will continue in June.
Man with 'world's longest hair' dies in Vietnam
A man who may have had the longest hair in the world has died at his home in Vietnam, it has been reported.
Tran Van Hay is thought to have had hair up to 6.8 metres long, although it had never been officially measured for a record attempt. It stretched in a thick, matted cord around his body, resembling a massive furry boa constrictor.
79-year-old Hay, who lived in the Kien Giang province of southern Vietnam, worked as a herbalist and lived a simple life, according to reports.
However, his hair did cause him some difficulties, notably that he couldn't take a motorcycle taxi anywhere because he couldn't fit a helmet around his hair. He had been growing his hair for over fifty years, according to his wife Nguyen Thi Hoa, because he often felt sick after a haircut.
By day, Hay kept his hair - which weighed several kilograms - balanced precariously on his head, covered by a scarf.
Tran Van Hay is thought to have had hair up to 6.8 metres long, although it had never been officially measured for a record attempt. It stretched in a thick, matted cord around his body, resembling a massive furry boa constrictor.
79-year-old Hay, who lived in the Kien Giang province of southern Vietnam, worked as a herbalist and lived a simple life, according to reports.
However, his hair did cause him some difficulties, notably that he couldn't take a motorcycle taxi anywhere because he couldn't fit a helmet around his hair. He had been growing his hair for over fifty years, according to his wife Nguyen Thi Hoa, because he often felt sick after a haircut.
By day, Hay kept his hair - which weighed several kilograms - balanced precariously on his head, covered by a scarf.
Japanese death trucks put down stray animals on the move
A local council in Japan has adopted a new method of dealing with stray dogs and cats: mobile extermination vehicles equipped with pet-sized gas chambers.
The so-called death trucks were introduced after residents of Tokushima prefecture, in south-west Japan, said they did not want abandoned animals destroyed in their neighbourhood. The council's solution was to put the unwanted animals to sleep while they are transported to a regional crematorium, ensuring they are dead on arrival.
Dogs and cats marked for death are shut inside sealed metal boxes termed "sedation equipment" measuring 1.2 metres wide, 1.2 metres high and 1.5 metres deep, officials said.
Once the eight-tonne truck is on the road, the driver pushes a button that releases carbon dioxide into the boxes. The journey to the regional crematorium takes about one hour. By the time the truck arrives, the animals are said to be dead.
Tokushima officials described the trucks as a last-ditch measure, saying they would prefer the condemned pets to go to good homes. "If possible we would like them to have an owner and live on," said an official at an animal welfare centre in Kamiyama.
The mobile gas chamber system has proved to be highly efficient, with an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 dogs and cats gassed annually. One advantage of killing animals in a moving vehicle is said to be that it removes the need to find a permanent site for destroying them.
The so-called death trucks were introduced after residents of Tokushima prefecture, in south-west Japan, said they did not want abandoned animals destroyed in their neighbourhood. The council's solution was to put the unwanted animals to sleep while they are transported to a regional crematorium, ensuring they are dead on arrival.
Dogs and cats marked for death are shut inside sealed metal boxes termed "sedation equipment" measuring 1.2 metres wide, 1.2 metres high and 1.5 metres deep, officials said.
Once the eight-tonne truck is on the road, the driver pushes a button that releases carbon dioxide into the boxes. The journey to the regional crematorium takes about one hour. By the time the truck arrives, the animals are said to be dead.
Tokushima officials described the trucks as a last-ditch measure, saying they would prefer the condemned pets to go to good homes. "If possible we would like them to have an owner and live on," said an official at an animal welfare centre in Kamiyama.
The mobile gas chamber system has proved to be highly efficient, with an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 dogs and cats gassed annually. One advantage of killing animals in a moving vehicle is said to be that it removes the need to find a permanent site for destroying them.
Visitors evacuated as Dubai's shark aquarium cracks open
An aquarium and a shopping centre in Dubai have been evacuated after water leaked from a massive tank holding hundreds of sharks.
Safety officials said the "small crack" appeared in the tank which holds 10 million litres of water and more than 33,000 underwater creatures. The aquarium, opened in 2008, was promoted as being an "indoor ocean".
Photo from here.
The mall owners said the leak appeared in a panel joint in the tank and was immediately fixed by engineers. Teams carrying lifejackets were seen entering the mall.
"A leakage was noticed at one of the panel joints of the Dubai Aquarium at The Dubai Mall and was immediately fixed by the aquarium's maintenance team," a spokesman for the mall said.
"The leakage did not impact the aquarium environment or the safety of the aquatic animals." The statement said the company worked with experts and "upholds the highest safety standards in its management."
Safety officials said the "small crack" appeared in the tank which holds 10 million litres of water and more than 33,000 underwater creatures. The aquarium, opened in 2008, was promoted as being an "indoor ocean".
Photo from here.
The mall owners said the leak appeared in a panel joint in the tank and was immediately fixed by engineers. Teams carrying lifejackets were seen entering the mall.
"A leakage was noticed at one of the panel joints of the Dubai Aquarium at The Dubai Mall and was immediately fixed by the aquarium's maintenance team," a spokesman for the mall said.
"The leakage did not impact the aquarium environment or the safety of the aquatic animals." The statement said the company worked with experts and "upholds the highest safety standards in its management."
Crystal Swing
Crystal Swing consists of Mary Murray-Burke and her son and daughter, Derek and Dervla Burke. The Irish band provides an excellent variety of music at affordable rates for weddings, parties, functions or any social event.
Exuberant and energetic, they exemplify what superb music and family life is all about.
Exuberant and energetic, they exemplify what superb music and family life is all about.
Breastfeeding mother thrown off bus
A bus company apologised today after a "humiliated" young mother was told to get off a bus in the rain because she was breastfeeding. Amy Wootten, 25, was travelling home from Bristol city centre on the busy bus when her six-week-old daughter Emily needed a feed.
The driver pulled up the number 54 First Bristol bus and asked her to stop, saying that a passenger had complained. When Ms Wootten refused, he instructed her to step off the vehicle, despite the weather.
Ms Wootten, a learning support assistant, took an £8 taxi for the rest of her journey home to the Stockwood area of the city.
Photo from here.
The driver told her she was "indecently exposing" herself and a fellow passenger had objected, but Ms Wootten insists the feed was discreet.
First Bristol, which operates the bus, offered its "sincere apologies" for any distress caused and accepted it was sometimes necessary to feed onboard. The company has since sent flowers and a gift to Ms Wootten, who had to leave the bus at 4.30pm on Tuesday in Wells Road.
Ms Wootten, who does not drive, said she only plucked up the courage to feed Emily in public in the last fortnight.
The driver pulled up the number 54 First Bristol bus and asked her to stop, saying that a passenger had complained. When Ms Wootten refused, he instructed her to step off the vehicle, despite the weather.
Ms Wootten, a learning support assistant, took an £8 taxi for the rest of her journey home to the Stockwood area of the city.
Photo from here.
The driver told her she was "indecently exposing" herself and a fellow passenger had objected, but Ms Wootten insists the feed was discreet.
First Bristol, which operates the bus, offered its "sincere apologies" for any distress caused and accepted it was sometimes necessary to feed onboard. The company has since sent flowers and a gift to Ms Wootten, who had to leave the bus at 4.30pm on Tuesday in Wells Road.
Ms Wootten, who does not drive, said she only plucked up the courage to feed Emily in public in the last fortnight.
Radioactive seagulls face cull
A cull is being considered of gulls which may have become contaminated with radiation from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria.
Bosses say some birds may have got into open spent fuel storage ponds and become contaminated by low-level waste.
Sellafield Limited has stressed any contamination is so low that it would not pose a threat to public health.
However, the company is to consider methods to control bird numbers around the site. A company spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the potential for gulls to become contaminated with low levels of radioactivity as a result of the operations at Sellafield.
"Contamination is particularly evident within the historic facilities such as open fuel storage ponds, which gulls can access, although there are a number of measures in place to prevent them from doing so easily."
The company said a specialist firm had been brought in to undertake the work in a "safe and humane" manner that would cause the gulls minimum distress and suffering.
Bosses say some birds may have got into open spent fuel storage ponds and become contaminated by low-level waste.
Sellafield Limited has stressed any contamination is so low that it would not pose a threat to public health.
However, the company is to consider methods to control bird numbers around the site. A company spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the potential for gulls to become contaminated with low levels of radioactivity as a result of the operations at Sellafield.
"Contamination is particularly evident within the historic facilities such as open fuel storage ponds, which gulls can access, although there are a number of measures in place to prevent them from doing so easily."
The company said a specialist firm had been brought in to undertake the work in a "safe and humane" manner that would cause the gulls minimum distress and suffering.
Pensioner told to take flat cap off in shop
An elderly man was astonished after being asked to remove his flat cap for security reasons while in a shop.
Robert Broughton, 89, was on his daily visit to the One Stop in St Paul's Road, Chichester, when he was asked to remove his flat cap because of company policy.
Mr Broughton, who lives in nearby Little Breach, said he had been in the shop hundreds of times before and had never been asked to take it off.
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
"I was very angry," he said. "I think it's quite ridiculous. There were other people about who had some hats on. I wasn't disguised, it's not although I was wearing glasses or had a beard.
A spokesman for the shop said there was an incident several months ago where somebody had been assaulted, and headgear had obscured the faces of the assailants on CCTV.
They were now obliged to ask those wearing hats to remove them and couldn't discriminate on age grounds.
Robert Broughton, 89, was on his daily visit to the One Stop in St Paul's Road, Chichester, when he was asked to remove his flat cap because of company policy.
Mr Broughton, who lives in nearby Little Breach, said he had been in the shop hundreds of times before and had never been asked to take it off.
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
"I was very angry," he said. "I think it's quite ridiculous. There were other people about who had some hats on. I wasn't disguised, it's not although I was wearing glasses or had a beard.
A spokesman for the shop said there was an incident several months ago where somebody had been assaulted, and headgear had obscured the faces of the assailants on CCTV.
They were now obliged to ask those wearing hats to remove them and couldn't discriminate on age grounds.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Dildo bed and breakfast takes hi-tech tourism award
Dildo has gone high-tech. A small heritage bed-and-breakfast in Dildo, Canada, has won the fifth annual Tourism Atlantic Technology Award for bringing its five-room operation into the 21st century.
The small business now boasts hookups to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, a Google-optimized web presence, registered GPS co-ordinates and an online room-booking system that lets guests check availability and make reservations in advance of their arrival.
Dale Cameron and Todd Warren, owners of the George House Heritage Bed and Breakfast, began improving their web presence in 2009 and quickly noticed how effectively social networking can be leveraged as a business tool.
The Victorian home was built in 1885 and served as a post-office for nearly 40 years before it was converted into a B&B. Dildo is a community of 1,100 people approximately 100km North west of St. John's. The town has a growing tourism community with the Dildo Museum interpretive centre, and the Historic Dildo Days celebration in August.
The small business now boasts hookups to Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, a Google-optimized web presence, registered GPS co-ordinates and an online room-booking system that lets guests check availability and make reservations in advance of their arrival.
Dale Cameron and Todd Warren, owners of the George House Heritage Bed and Breakfast, began improving their web presence in 2009 and quickly noticed how effectively social networking can be leveraged as a business tool.
The Victorian home was built in 1885 and served as a post-office for nearly 40 years before it was converted into a B&B. Dildo is a community of 1,100 people approximately 100km North west of St. John's. The town has a growing tourism community with the Dildo Museum interpretive centre, and the Historic Dildo Days celebration in August.
Rescuers free suspected Brazilian thief stuck in restaurant chimney
A Brazilian would-be burglar tried to make a discreet entrance into a bar in Sao Paulo, but had to shout for help once he got trapped inside the chimney on Tuesday night.
His cries for help were heard by a woman who lives next door to the bar. When the bar's owner, Cleia Baldonedo, arrived home after midnight, she was surprised by the ambulance and fire truck parked outside her bar.
Baldonedo walked inside and saw the suspect's feet hanging from inside the chimney. "We heard someone groaning and when I looked that way, I saw the man's feet hanging inside the barbecue grill," she said.
Fire fighters spent more than an hour trying to free the soot-covered man before finally breaking away part of the chimney with hammers. The suspect, whose identity was not revealed, was then taken to the hospital. It was still unclear if he would be charged.
His cries for help were heard by a woman who lives next door to the bar. When the bar's owner, Cleia Baldonedo, arrived home after midnight, she was surprised by the ambulance and fire truck parked outside her bar.
Baldonedo walked inside and saw the suspect's feet hanging from inside the chimney. "We heard someone groaning and when I looked that way, I saw the man's feet hanging inside the barbecue grill," she said.
Fire fighters spent more than an hour trying to free the soot-covered man before finally breaking away part of the chimney with hammers. The suspect, whose identity was not revealed, was then taken to the hospital. It was still unclear if he would be charged.
Canadian mother tries to sell breast milk online
A Winnipeg mother is looking to move gallons of surplus mother’s milk via the online marketplace. With a freezer full of breast milk she’s been stocking away since her four-month-old son’s birth, Sara Wiens is now looking to offload it after she found out her son Simon cannot drink it.
He has an allergy to cow’s milk protein and is unable to drink his mother’s breast milk produced during the period when she still was consuming cow’s milk. The toddler can now consume his mother’s milk again as she has cut dairy products from her diet.
“I know lots of people who would have loved to have breast milk for their children — women who aren’t producing enough or aren’t producing at all,” said the mother of two. “If someone can use it, that would be great.”
Wiens has put the milk up for sale on Kijiji — a classifieds website — and is fielding offers. She said there is no set price for the milk but hopes to cover the rental of the breast pump and other costs incurred, likely somewhere between $200 and $500. “Compared to formula, it’s a lot cheaper and a lot better,” Wiens said.
Breast milk banks exist in Canada, but there is no such facility in Winnipeg to which a mother could donate milk. Wiens said she’d have to cover costs to donate the milk to a bank in Vancouver.
However, she was was forced to remove the post. "There were quite a lot of negative responses," Wiens said, adding she was told to take the ad off the site because the sale of bodily fluids is not allowed.
He has an allergy to cow’s milk protein and is unable to drink his mother’s breast milk produced during the period when she still was consuming cow’s milk. The toddler can now consume his mother’s milk again as she has cut dairy products from her diet.
“I know lots of people who would have loved to have breast milk for their children — women who aren’t producing enough or aren’t producing at all,” said the mother of two. “If someone can use it, that would be great.”
Wiens has put the milk up for sale on Kijiji — a classifieds website — and is fielding offers. She said there is no set price for the milk but hopes to cover the rental of the breast pump and other costs incurred, likely somewhere between $200 and $500. “Compared to formula, it’s a lot cheaper and a lot better,” Wiens said.
Breast milk banks exist in Canada, but there is no such facility in Winnipeg to which a mother could donate milk. Wiens said she’d have to cover costs to donate the milk to a bank in Vancouver.
However, she was was forced to remove the post. "There were quite a lot of negative responses," Wiens said, adding she was told to take the ad off the site because the sale of bodily fluids is not allowed.
Girl refuses to write deal with the Devil essay
A Cumberland County high school student says a homework assignment violated her Christian beliefs, so she took a stand.
Tieanna Trough is an A-B honor roll student at Gray's Creek High School. The junior potentially sacrificed her good grades over her Christian faith.
Trough refused to write an essay on making a deal with the Devil.
"I believe you don't write about how to sell your soul to the Devil," she said.
"We can't allow God into the classrooms, but yet they are going to allow the Devil in the classroom, that's the way I felt," Trough's mother Monice McLean said. "They were told if they didn't do it they would get a zero."
Monice McLean-Trough says an alternate assignment was also unacceptable, so they complained to school officials.
With news video.
Tieanna Trough is an A-B honor roll student at Gray's Creek High School. The junior potentially sacrificed her good grades over her Christian faith.
Trough refused to write an essay on making a deal with the Devil.
"I believe you don't write about how to sell your soul to the Devil," she said.
"We can't allow God into the classrooms, but yet they are going to allow the Devil in the classroom, that's the way I felt," Trough's mother Monice McLean said. "They were told if they didn't do it they would get a zero."
Monice McLean-Trough says an alternate assignment was also unacceptable, so they complained to school officials.
With news video.
Whale kills SeaWorld trainer during Orlando show
A killer whale has killed a 40-year-old female trainer at the SeaWorld marine park in Orlando, Florida.
Officials described the incident as an accident, saying the woman fell in the water, although eyewitnesses said the whale jumped up and grabbed her waist.
Guests were evacuated while fire crews tried to rescue the woman, but they were unable to revive her, company president Dan Brown confirmed.
Whale trainers at SeaWorld parks were also attacked in 2006 and 2004.
With news video.
Officials described the incident as an accident, saying the woman fell in the water, although eyewitnesses said the whale jumped up and grabbed her waist.
Guests were evacuated while fire crews tried to rescue the woman, but they were unable to revive her, company president Dan Brown confirmed.
Whale trainers at SeaWorld parks were also attacked in 2006 and 2004.
With news video.
Female inmate uses spoon to dig out of prison
A convict in the Netherlands has succeeded in breaking out of prison with an escape worthy of the movies: She tunneled her way out with a spoon. Her secret tunnel began in a cellar and was concealed by a removable hatch.
The public prosecutor's office confirmed on Tuesday that the 35-year-old female prisoner had escaped through a tunnel from a prison in Breda in the southern Netherlands.
The spectacular prison break was made possible because the convict was no longer housed in a regular cell, but in a separate building on the grounds of the detention centre where long-term inmates are prepared for their release and are given more freedom.
The woman's tunnel began in a cellar under the building's kitchen, with its entrance concealed by a removable hatch. The police are assuming that the fugitive had at least one accomplice, who is believed to have loosened paving stones that were part of a sidewalk next to the detention centre, allowing the prisoner to emerge from her tunnel. The woman was serving time for murder and still had another 22 months of her sentence to go.
The public prosecutor's office confirmed on Tuesday that the 35-year-old female prisoner had escaped through a tunnel from a prison in Breda in the southern Netherlands.
The spectacular prison break was made possible because the convict was no longer housed in a regular cell, but in a separate building on the grounds of the detention centre where long-term inmates are prepared for their release and are given more freedom.
The woman's tunnel began in a cellar under the building's kitchen, with its entrance concealed by a removable hatch. The police are assuming that the fugitive had at least one accomplice, who is believed to have loosened paving stones that were part of a sidewalk next to the detention centre, allowing the prisoner to emerge from her tunnel. The woman was serving time for murder and still had another 22 months of her sentence to go.
Australian children to be given identity numbers
A programme in which every school child in Australia would be given an identity number so their academic progress could be tracked through their school life is expected to be announced by the federal government.
It is understood the number, to be known as a ''unique student identifier'', will be annexed to the My School program, which publishes the performance of individual schools on the internet.
The number would allow the performance of individual students in each of the core subjects to be monitored for the duration of their school life so their progress could be measured.
A senior source said strict privacy provisions would restrict its use to those who needed the information, such as parents. Protections would be built in to stop third parties being able to identify students.
It is understood the number, to be known as a ''unique student identifier'', will be annexed to the My School program, which publishes the performance of individual schools on the internet.
The number would allow the performance of individual students in each of the core subjects to be monitored for the duration of their school life so their progress could be measured.
A senior source said strict privacy provisions would restrict its use to those who needed the information, such as parents. Protections would be built in to stop third parties being able to identify students.
Mother gets dead son's sperm for child
When Nikolas Evans was assaulted in a fight last year outside a bar in Austin, Texas, his mother's dreams for her 21-year-old son - a college student with "a good head on his shoulders" -- evaporated.
Returning from a night of drinking, Nikolas and a friend were attacked on their way to catch a bus ride home. The fatal blow came when the slight son she called "Pea" was violently knocked sideways by an assailant and struck his temple on the ground. Nikolas, initially left in the middle of the road, died 10 days later of a subdural hematoma.
"His brain never stopped swelling," said his mother, 43-year-old Missy Evans of Bedford, Texas. "I sat at a picnic table and bawled for an hour. I never cried so hard. I talk to him four times a day and see him twice a week and now nothing. I couldn't lose him. It was too important."
But now his mother is hoping for a legacy - a grandchild culled from her son's sperm after his death on April 5, 2009. She has heard from hundreds of women who have offered to be egg donors or surrogate mothers for her future grandchild.
Full 4-page story, with news video here.
Returning from a night of drinking, Nikolas and a friend were attacked on their way to catch a bus ride home. The fatal blow came when the slight son she called "Pea" was violently knocked sideways by an assailant and struck his temple on the ground. Nikolas, initially left in the middle of the road, died 10 days later of a subdural hematoma.
"His brain never stopped swelling," said his mother, 43-year-old Missy Evans of Bedford, Texas. "I sat at a picnic table and bawled for an hour. I never cried so hard. I talk to him four times a day and see him twice a week and now nothing. I couldn't lose him. It was too important."
But now his mother is hoping for a legacy - a grandchild culled from her son's sperm after his death on April 5, 2009. She has heard from hundreds of women who have offered to be egg donors or surrogate mothers for her future grandchild.
Full 4-page story, with news video here.
Dog survives 40 days stranded in mountains
A very strong-willed dog has returned to its owner after surviving 40 days in the freezing wilderness of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Buck, a black lab, got lost near his home on Jan. 6. Owner Terina Held thought he got swept up in a swollen river during a rain storm. Flyers went up and calls were made to shelters, but Held gave up after five weeks of searching.
"We figured he was probably dead or what not. Or someone fell in love with him and (they) weren't going to give him back," Held recalled.
But the story changed on Feb. 16 when neighbour Mark Smith took the day off to go hiking on his birthday. Smith and his dog Copper heard whimpering and found the weak, emaciated black lab stranded on a patch of dry river bed not far from where Buck went missing.
Smith scooped him up, waded 200 yards through an ice-cold creek, and carried Buck to safety. "I would think that anybody who loves animals and was walking and seeing what I saw probably wouldn't have hesitated to do what I did," said Smith.
Buck lost 50 pounds as he lay in the cold without food for more than a month. Held is relieved to have her companion back at home. "I know he knows that we love him, and maybe he didn't want to leave us hanging dry," said Held. "Maybe he wanted to make sure to give us more love before his dying day."
With news video.
Buck, a black lab, got lost near his home on Jan. 6. Owner Terina Held thought he got swept up in a swollen river during a rain storm. Flyers went up and calls were made to shelters, but Held gave up after five weeks of searching.
"We figured he was probably dead or what not. Or someone fell in love with him and (they) weren't going to give him back," Held recalled.
But the story changed on Feb. 16 when neighbour Mark Smith took the day off to go hiking on his birthday. Smith and his dog Copper heard whimpering and found the weak, emaciated black lab stranded on a patch of dry river bed not far from where Buck went missing.
Smith scooped him up, waded 200 yards through an ice-cold creek, and carried Buck to safety. "I would think that anybody who loves animals and was walking and seeing what I saw probably wouldn't have hesitated to do what I did," said Smith.
Buck lost 50 pounds as he lay in the cold without food for more than a month. Held is relieved to have her companion back at home. "I know he knows that we love him, and maybe he didn't want to leave us hanging dry," said Held. "Maybe he wanted to make sure to give us more love before his dying day."
With news video.
Man sues for $25,000 over hot dog injury
The Kansas City Royals are facing a lawsuit filed by a man who says the team’s mascot, Slugger, injured him with a hot dog. John Coomer says Slugger used an air gun to launch hot dogs into the stands, and later began throwing them into the crowd by hand.
Coomer says Slugger tried to throw a hot dog behind his back. Instead of sailing out of Slugger’s hand, the suit says, “Slugger lost control of his throw, or was reckless with his throw, and threw the hot dog directly into Plaintiff”.
Slugger on a happier day.
Coomer claims he was sitting just a few feet from Slugger when he was hit in his left eye by the hot dog. The suit says Coomer suffered a detatched retina and developed a cataract in the injured eye, and that he expects to have future medical expenses because of the injury.
A spokesman for the Kansas City Royals declined to comment because the suit is a pending legal matter. Coomer's suit cites negligence and battery, and asks for more than $25,000 in damages.
Coomer says Slugger tried to throw a hot dog behind his back. Instead of sailing out of Slugger’s hand, the suit says, “Slugger lost control of his throw, or was reckless with his throw, and threw the hot dog directly into Plaintiff”.
Slugger on a happier day.
Coomer claims he was sitting just a few feet from Slugger when he was hit in his left eye by the hot dog. The suit says Coomer suffered a detatched retina and developed a cataract in the injured eye, and that he expects to have future medical expenses because of the injury.
A spokesman for the Kansas City Royals declined to comment because the suit is a pending legal matter. Coomer's suit cites negligence and battery, and asks for more than $25,000 in damages.
French rail SNCF sorry for 'racist' alert on Romanians
French national rail operator SNCF has apologised for a note that singled out Romanians over baggage thefts and triggered accusations of xenophobia.
The note asked employees to bring "all activities of Romanians" to the attention of rail security services. The note was distributed at the end of January in the Midi-Pyrenees region.
SNCF said the note was a "regrettable individual initiative" and had been recalled as soon as regional train officials learnt about it.
An SNCF spokesperson said that the official responsible for the note had been summoned along with their superiors, and had been reminded of the "obligations and culture of the SNCF".
The note asked employees to bring "all activities of Romanians" to the attention of rail security services. The note was distributed at the end of January in the Midi-Pyrenees region.
SNCF said the note was a "regrettable individual initiative" and had been recalled as soon as regional train officials learnt about it.
An SNCF spokesperson said that the official responsible for the note had been summoned along with their superiors, and had been reminded of the "obligations and culture of the SNCF".
‘Anyone But England’ World Cup 2010 T-shirts spark racism row
A kilt shop got a police warning for selling World Cup T-shirts with "Anyone But England" on the front. An officer told staff at Slanj of Scotland's Aberdeen branch that the slogan could spark racial unrest.
The shop's assistant manager, Jamie Wilkinson, 23, insisted that the T-shirts in their window were just "harmless football banter". He added: "It has nothing to do with hating the English. It's just about winding them up."
Slanj owner Brian Halley vowed that the £20 T-shirts would stay on sale. "The ABE t-shirts are our best sellers at the moment," he said.
"This is the first complaint I'm aware of. It's supposed to be a bit of satire, a bit of fun. It's been claimed the T-shirts might incite race riots, which I find quite ridiculous. My brother-in-law is English and he just thinks it's a laugh."
The shop's assistant manager, Jamie Wilkinson, 23, insisted that the T-shirts in their window were just "harmless football banter". He added: "It has nothing to do with hating the English. It's just about winding them up."
Slanj owner Brian Halley vowed that the £20 T-shirts would stay on sale. "The ABE t-shirts are our best sellers at the moment," he said.
"This is the first complaint I'm aware of. It's supposed to be a bit of satire, a bit of fun. It's been claimed the T-shirts might incite race riots, which I find quite ridiculous. My brother-in-law is English and he just thinks it's a laugh."
First lesbian prison wedding takes place
Two women inmates have tied the knot in what is thought to be Britain's first lesbian prison wedding. Sara Crane, a convicted killer, and drug dealer Joanne Davies who are both 31, married in a private ceremony earlier this month.
The service was conducted by an official from Guildford Register Office at Send Prison in Surrey. Prison governors are required to consider requests from gay couples who wish to enter civil partnerships.
Crane was jailed for life for murder in 2003 and Davies was jailed for two and a half years for intent to supply drugs.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "We cannot comment on individual offenders held in custody at HMP Send. Offenders are entitled to apply to the Governor to register a civil partnership in prison under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, so long as certain criteria defined under the Act are met."
The service was conducted by an official from Guildford Register Office at Send Prison in Surrey. Prison governors are required to consider requests from gay couples who wish to enter civil partnerships.
Crane was jailed for life for murder in 2003 and Davies was jailed for two and a half years for intent to supply drugs.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "We cannot comment on individual offenders held in custody at HMP Send. Offenders are entitled to apply to the Governor to register a civil partnership in prison under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, so long as certain criteria defined under the Act are met."
Man crucifies himself in Walsall
This was the scene as a protester re-enacted the crucifixion on a Walsall telegraph pole.
Drivers watched as the man, in his thirties and clad only in a loincloth, climbed a ladder before strapping himself to a home-made wooden cross.
He then hung in a Christ-like pose for more than half an hour in sub-zero temperatures before police and fire crews talked him down.
The unidentified man, who also wore an imitation crown of thorns, was taken to hospital with mild hypothermia.
It is understood he staged the bizarre protest outside his doctors's surgery following a row over medication. One local said: "He's known to have mental health issues. It's a good job they managed to get him down - he was virtually naked and the cold could have killed him."
A witness said: "It was so weird seeing this Jesus figure just hanging there. It's the most amazing sight I've ever seen in Walsall."
Drivers watched as the man, in his thirties and clad only in a loincloth, climbed a ladder before strapping himself to a home-made wooden cross.
He then hung in a Christ-like pose for more than half an hour in sub-zero temperatures before police and fire crews talked him down.
The unidentified man, who also wore an imitation crown of thorns, was taken to hospital with mild hypothermia.
It is understood he staged the bizarre protest outside his doctors's surgery following a row over medication. One local said: "He's known to have mental health issues. It's a good job they managed to get him down - he was virtually naked and the cold could have killed him."
A witness said: "It was so weird seeing this Jesus figure just hanging there. It's the most amazing sight I've ever seen in Walsall."
Britain's smelliest urine contest to be held at theme park
A Surrey theme park is calling on members of the public to submit their urine samples in a bid to find the country's most pungent smelling urine.
Thorpe Park, near Chertsey, wants it to become the signature stench of its brand new attraction, SAW Alive - billed as the world's most extreme live action horror maze.
Bosses are offering a £500 cash prize to the person who submits the winning sample and is asking entrants to attend the park on Friday, 26, February between 11am and 2pm.
The distinctive smell of the winning entry will be recreated and feature in the new attraction, which features six traps depicting the most grisly and iconic scenes from the six SAW films.
It will be pumped into the iconic washroom scene, recreating a "realistic and truly gut wrenching sensory experience" designed to test the nerve of all who enter.
Laura Sinclair, Thorpe Park's entertainments manager, will be responsible for selecting the most stomach turning urine sample.
Thorpe Park, near Chertsey, wants it to become the signature stench of its brand new attraction, SAW Alive - billed as the world's most extreme live action horror maze.
Bosses are offering a £500 cash prize to the person who submits the winning sample and is asking entrants to attend the park on Friday, 26, February between 11am and 2pm.
The distinctive smell of the winning entry will be recreated and feature in the new attraction, which features six traps depicting the most grisly and iconic scenes from the six SAW films.
It will be pumped into the iconic washroom scene, recreating a "realistic and truly gut wrenching sensory experience" designed to test the nerve of all who enter.
Laura Sinclair, Thorpe Park's entertainments manager, will be responsible for selecting the most stomach turning urine sample.
Susan Boyle mistaken for Queen
Susan Boyle was mistaken for the Queen last week.
The Scottish singer - who had been travelling first class from Paris into London with her manager Andy Stephens and niece Kirsty Foy - found the case of mistaken identity highly amusing after Eurostar staff bowed and curtseyed to her after being told to expect a royal passenger
An onlooker at the Gare du Nord station said: "A rumour went round that the Queen had arrived to catch a train back so everyone was told to observe royal etiquette.
"It soon became clear it was Susan - and not Her Majesty - but one train attendant still thought she was the Queen. Susan roared with laughter when she realised the mix-up."
The Scottish singer - who had been travelling first class from Paris into London with her manager Andy Stephens and niece Kirsty Foy - found the case of mistaken identity highly amusing after Eurostar staff bowed and curtseyed to her after being told to expect a royal passenger
An onlooker at the Gare du Nord station said: "A rumour went round that the Queen had arrived to catch a train back so everyone was told to observe royal etiquette.
"It soon became clear it was Susan - and not Her Majesty - but one train attendant still thought she was the Queen. Susan roared with laughter when she realised the mix-up."
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Clowns caught speeding
These clowns are laughing on the other side of their faces - after being fined £100 for speeding.
The fancy dress revellers - on their way to a carnival in Moerschwil, Switzerland - were snapped on a speed camera doing more than 60mph in a 45mph zone in their Volkswagen Beetle.
Wearing blond wigs and in full make up Frank Giesler, 34 and Paul Hochstrasser, 35, tear through the speed trap apparently unaware that they've been caught.
"Speeding is no laughing matter, not even if you're wearing baggy trousers and a red nose," said one officer. "I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that the wheels and the bonnet didn't fall off," he added.
The fancy dress revellers - on their way to a carnival in Moerschwil, Switzerland - were snapped on a speed camera doing more than 60mph in a 45mph zone in their Volkswagen Beetle.
Wearing blond wigs and in full make up Frank Giesler, 34 and Paul Hochstrasser, 35, tear through the speed trap apparently unaware that they've been caught.
"Speeding is no laughing matter, not even if you're wearing baggy trousers and a red nose," said one officer. "I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that the wheels and the bonnet didn't fall off," he added.
Woman who traded children for pet bird sentenced
A 52-year-old Louisiana woman who traded two children in her care for an exotic pet bird and $175 US was sentenced on Monday to 30 months' hard labour after pleading guilty to two counts of sale of a minor.
Donna Greenwell of Pitkin, La., was arrested in February 2009 along with Paul James Romero and Brandy Romero for selling a four-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy in return for cash and a cockatoo.
The couple pleaded guilty to the same charges as Greenwell in October and received five-year prison sentences that were suspended after they agreed to testify against Greenwell.
The Romeros had advertised that they were selling their pet cockatoo for $1,500, and Greenwell reportedly responded and said she wanted to buy the bird.
Greenwell then told the Romeros she was taking care of three children whose parents were going through a separation and proposed including two of the children in the deal. An anonymous tipster contacted authorities after the children began living with the Romeros.
The children were well taken care of when they were with the Romeros, who badly wanted children, said Capt. Keith Dupre of the Evangeline Parrish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana at the time of the arrest. Greenwell will begin serving her sentence on March 25.
Donna Greenwell of Pitkin, La., was arrested in February 2009 along with Paul James Romero and Brandy Romero for selling a four-year-old girl and a five-year-old boy in return for cash and a cockatoo.
The couple pleaded guilty to the same charges as Greenwell in October and received five-year prison sentences that were suspended after they agreed to testify against Greenwell.
The Romeros had advertised that they were selling their pet cockatoo for $1,500, and Greenwell reportedly responded and said she wanted to buy the bird.
Greenwell then told the Romeros she was taking care of three children whose parents were going through a separation and proposed including two of the children in the deal. An anonymous tipster contacted authorities after the children began living with the Romeros.
The children were well taken care of when they were with the Romeros, who badly wanted children, said Capt. Keith Dupre of the Evangeline Parrish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana at the time of the arrest. Greenwell will begin serving her sentence on March 25.
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