Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Man, 24, charged with imprisoning his 66-year-old girlfriend
A 24-year-old man was charged with false imprisonment of his 66-year-old girlfriend following an argument on Wednesday.
Arrested was Joshua Dan Porter, of 3533 SW 24th Ave., according to the Gainesville Police Department. An arrest report states that he and his girlfriend got into an argument.
The report says she tried to leave the room, and he closed the door on her hand, shoved her down onto the couch, twisted her nose, hit her on the head with couch pillows and forced her to kiss a picture of her dead husband.
She attempted to leave the residence but Porter blocked the door, according to GPD. The situation calmed down and the woman eventually left. Porter was charged with once count of false imprisonment.
Arrested was Joshua Dan Porter, of 3533 SW 24th Ave., according to the Gainesville Police Department. An arrest report states that he and his girlfriend got into an argument.
The report says she tried to leave the room, and he closed the door on her hand, shoved her down onto the couch, twisted her nose, hit her on the head with couch pillows and forced her to kiss a picture of her dead husband.
She attempted to leave the residence but Porter blocked the door, according to GPD. The situation calmed down and the woman eventually left. Porter was charged with once count of false imprisonment.
Dogs used to adjust lion cubs to life as part of a pride
Dogs and cats are known to be enemies, but at a Colorado animal sanctuary two lion cubs survival is in the paws of a pack of rescue dogs. Butchie the Bulldog and Wally the cat are teachers of a pair of homeless cubs who were only a few months old when they were found by Canadian police during a drug raid. The mission: to get the cubs into one of the two Lion Prides resident there, but they can't join right away.
"The biggest part of the problem with the cubs like this is that they are not part of the Pride they weren't born into this Pride. So, instead of a zoo setting one male, a female or two females, we have actual Prides like they exist in the wild- where there's a whole group of lions. And they don't accept outside cubs. They would be killed right away by the male lion," said Sanctuary Director Pat Craig. The cubs have to grow up and gain about two hundred and fifty pounds, as well as learning the ways of the Pack. Their teachers consist of a half-a-dozen dogs led by Nellie, a pure-bred Komondor, also a rescue.
They love playing, but every match with the staff, and every tussle with the dogs is a part of a learning process in order for them to survive in captivity. "Just playing by themselves would be like having a child that was raised in a closet and never seeing the outside world. So, getting exposed to everything from the dog pack to the human structure that we have here at the sanctuary. All these things make a big difference to these guys in getting them developed and getting them ready to go to the lion pride," said Craig. Craig says there are lessons for the cubs from Butchie.
"Butchie's the go-to guy, because he's actually similar in a lot of ways to the lions. He doesn't look like a lion obviously, but he plays a lot in a similar way to how a lion would play. Lions compared to tigers or other cats are very physical. They crash into things. And Butchie plays exactly the same way. So, for the lions it makes perfect sense," said Craig. Cain and Dian will move into the Pride in about nine months. For now, they are just a couple of cubs ready to take a rest after a long morning of running with the dogs.
With news video.
"The biggest part of the problem with the cubs like this is that they are not part of the Pride they weren't born into this Pride. So, instead of a zoo setting one male, a female or two females, we have actual Prides like they exist in the wild- where there's a whole group of lions. And they don't accept outside cubs. They would be killed right away by the male lion," said Sanctuary Director Pat Craig. The cubs have to grow up and gain about two hundred and fifty pounds, as well as learning the ways of the Pack. Their teachers consist of a half-a-dozen dogs led by Nellie, a pure-bred Komondor, also a rescue.
They love playing, but every match with the staff, and every tussle with the dogs is a part of a learning process in order for them to survive in captivity. "Just playing by themselves would be like having a child that was raised in a closet and never seeing the outside world. So, getting exposed to everything from the dog pack to the human structure that we have here at the sanctuary. All these things make a big difference to these guys in getting them developed and getting them ready to go to the lion pride," said Craig. Craig says there are lessons for the cubs from Butchie.
"Butchie's the go-to guy, because he's actually similar in a lot of ways to the lions. He doesn't look like a lion obviously, but he plays a lot in a similar way to how a lion would play. Lions compared to tigers or other cats are very physical. They crash into things. And Butchie plays exactly the same way. So, for the lions it makes perfect sense," said Craig. Cain and Dian will move into the Pride in about nine months. For now, they are just a couple of cubs ready to take a rest after a long morning of running with the dogs.
With news video.
Feral cats fuel tourism in Taiwanese town
Feral cats have brought new life to a Taiwanese coal-mining community that had seen better days, until tourists tuned into the tabbies and calicos that call the town home. Visitors' raves on local blogs have helped draw cat lovers to fondle, frolic and photograph the 100 or so resident felines in Houtong, one of several industrial communities in decline since Taiwan's railroads electrified and oil grew as a power source.
Most towns have never recovered, but this tiny community of 200 is fast reinventing itself as a cat lover's paradise. "It was more fun than I imagined," said 31-year-old administrative assistant Yu Li-hsin, who visited from Taipei. "The cats were clean and totally unafraid of people. I'll definitely return."
On a recent weekday afternoon, dozens of white, black, grey and calico-coloured cats wandered freely amid Houtong's craggy byways, while visitors memorialized the scene with cellphone cameras and tickled the creatures silly with feather-tipped sticks. The cats' reaction seemed to range from indifference to reluctant engagement. Locals are delighted with the tourist influx, seeing it as an antidote to Houtong's stark decline etched in dozens of abandoned structures and acres of unkempt overgrowth.
Retiree Chan Bi-yun, 58, takes a lot of the credit for Houtong's feline-induced rebirth. "I started raising five cats that belonged to a neighbour who passed away nine years ago, and they gave birth to more and more kitties," she said. "Now I feed about half of Houtong's cat population." Chan said most of her proteges wander freely and she provides special help only for abandoned kittens. She also gets assistance from volunteers who provide free veterinary care and cat food.
Most towns have never recovered, but this tiny community of 200 is fast reinventing itself as a cat lover's paradise. "It was more fun than I imagined," said 31-year-old administrative assistant Yu Li-hsin, who visited from Taipei. "The cats were clean and totally unafraid of people. I'll definitely return."
On a recent weekday afternoon, dozens of white, black, grey and calico-coloured cats wandered freely amid Houtong's craggy byways, while visitors memorialized the scene with cellphone cameras and tickled the creatures silly with feather-tipped sticks. The cats' reaction seemed to range from indifference to reluctant engagement. Locals are delighted with the tourist influx, seeing it as an antidote to Houtong's stark decline etched in dozens of abandoned structures and acres of unkempt overgrowth.
Retiree Chan Bi-yun, 58, takes a lot of the credit for Houtong's feline-induced rebirth. "I started raising five cats that belonged to a neighbour who passed away nine years ago, and they gave birth to more and more kitties," she said. "Now I feed about half of Houtong's cat population." Chan said most of her proteges wander freely and she provides special help only for abandoned kittens. She also gets assistance from volunteers who provide free veterinary care and cat food.
‘Sinner’ singer given 39 lashes by rabbis
An Israeli singer who performed in front of a “mixed audience” of men and women was lashed 39 times to make him “repent,” after a ruling by a self-described rabbinic court on Wednesday.
Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak, founder of the Shofar organization aimed at bringing Jews “back to religion” (hazara betshuva), has made it his recent mission to fight against musical performances for both men and women. His “judicial panel,” with Rabbi Ben Zion Mutsafi and another member, sentenced Erez Yechiel to 39 lashes in order to “rid him of his sins.”
Ben Zion said that those who make others sin (mahtiei rabim), such as artists who make men and women attend performances or dance together, have no place in the world to come. He displayed a leather strip he said was made by his father from ass and bull skin, with which Yechiel was to have been whipped.
Yechiel, who said, “I accept upon myself the lashing for my sins,” was ordered to stand by a wooden poll with his head facing north (“from whence the evil inclination comes”), his hands tied with a azure-coloured rope (“a symbol of mercy”), and served his “sentence.”
Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak, founder of the Shofar organization aimed at bringing Jews “back to religion” (hazara betshuva), has made it his recent mission to fight against musical performances for both men and women. His “judicial panel,” with Rabbi Ben Zion Mutsafi and another member, sentenced Erez Yechiel to 39 lashes in order to “rid him of his sins.”
Ben Zion said that those who make others sin (mahtiei rabim), such as artists who make men and women attend performances or dance together, have no place in the world to come. He displayed a leather strip he said was made by his father from ass and bull skin, with which Yechiel was to have been whipped.
Yechiel, who said, “I accept upon myself the lashing for my sins,” was ordered to stand by a wooden poll with his head facing north (“from whence the evil inclination comes”), his hands tied with a azure-coloured rope (“a symbol of mercy”), and served his “sentence.”
Angry Pakistanis pelt donkeys in protest at cricket match-fixing
Protesters in the eastern city of Lahore slapped donkeys with shoes and pelted them with rotten tomatoes on Monday to vent their anger at the latest Pakistani cricket fixing scandal. Protesters led a procession of donkeys with the names of players accused of taking bribes to fix incidents during the fourth test against England stuck on the foreheads of the animals.
"These players have let us and the country down. We are already facing so many problems because of the floods and terrorism and they took away our one source of happiness," a protester screamed at a television channel. Television pictures also showed Pakistanis pelting their team bus with rotten vegetables when it arrived at Lord's in London on Sunday.
The Chairman of the National Assembly standing committee on sports, Iqbal Muhammad Ali, warned that the committee would resign if the government did not change the Pakistan Cricket Board management and recall the accused players.
"They have brought shame to the country and they deserve the worst. We immediately demand the sacking of this board and if this is not done we will resign in protest," Ali told reporters.
"These players have let us and the country down. We are already facing so many problems because of the floods and terrorism and they took away our one source of happiness," a protester screamed at a television channel. Television pictures also showed Pakistanis pelting their team bus with rotten vegetables when it arrived at Lord's in London on Sunday.
The Chairman of the National Assembly standing committee on sports, Iqbal Muhammad Ali, warned that the committee would resign if the government did not change the Pakistan Cricket Board management and recall the accused players.
"They have brought shame to the country and they deserve the worst. We immediately demand the sacking of this board and if this is not done we will resign in protest," Ali told reporters.
Serial 'hoarder’ found buried under piles of rubbish at home after four months
A four month search for a missing woman in the US had ended after she was found buried under piles of rubbish at her home. Billie Jean James was found by her husband who had been living in the same house as his wife’s corpse. He spotted one of her feet sticking out from underneath the mountain of rubbish and clutter that littered their Las Vegas home.
Police had searched the house several times while looking for the 67-year-old who was known to be a compulsive hoarder. Sniffer dogs had been sent into the property but were unable to locate the body amid floor to ceiling piles of clothes, rubbish, empty food boxes and other goods that Mrs James had stored. Officials believe rotting food and other pungent smells stopped the dogs from working properly.
“For our dogs to go through that house and not find something should be indicative of the tremendous environmental challenges they faced,” said Las Vegas police spokesman Bill Cassell. Friends said Mrs James was compulsive hoarder who spent her weekends buying goods at car boot sales. She also frequented thrift shops and refused to allow anyone into her house because he was so ashamed of the mess.
Police said small pathways had been forged through the clutter to allow the couple to move around the house. Her husband Bill James, 68, first reported his wife missing in April. He feared she might have suffered a stroke and become disorientated.
There's a news video here.
Police had searched the house several times while looking for the 67-year-old who was known to be a compulsive hoarder. Sniffer dogs had been sent into the property but were unable to locate the body amid floor to ceiling piles of clothes, rubbish, empty food boxes and other goods that Mrs James had stored. Officials believe rotting food and other pungent smells stopped the dogs from working properly.
“For our dogs to go through that house and not find something should be indicative of the tremendous environmental challenges they faced,” said Las Vegas police spokesman Bill Cassell. Friends said Mrs James was compulsive hoarder who spent her weekends buying goods at car boot sales. She also frequented thrift shops and refused to allow anyone into her house because he was so ashamed of the mess.
Police said small pathways had been forged through the clutter to allow the couple to move around the house. Her husband Bill James, 68, first reported his wife missing in April. He feared she might have suffered a stroke and become disorientated.
There's a news video here.
Theme park tiger jumps out of cage chasing errant monkey
Hundreds of panicked visitors fled when a tiger, taunted by an ape, escaped its enclosure at a theme park in Miami.
Mahesh, a rare 500lb golden tiger, scaled a 14ft fence after leaping in the air to catch the cheeky monkey. The big cat landed amid a crowd of terrified people at Jungle Island, Miami. Some were knocked down rushing to a barn for safety.
One woman said: "That monkey was jumping everywhere, all over the umbrellas and the concession stands." Larry Rhodes, 46, said: "People were running for their lives."
The four-year-old tiger, which had been hand-reared, did not hurt anyone during its prowl around the grounds. Within 30 minutes, staff had lured Mahesh back to its one acre enclosure using a pile of raw meat.
There's a news video here.
Mahesh, a rare 500lb golden tiger, scaled a 14ft fence after leaping in the air to catch the cheeky monkey. The big cat landed amid a crowd of terrified people at Jungle Island, Miami. Some were knocked down rushing to a barn for safety.
One woman said: "That monkey was jumping everywhere, all over the umbrellas and the concession stands." Larry Rhodes, 46, said: "People were running for their lives."
The four-year-old tiger, which had been hand-reared, did not hurt anyone during its prowl around the grounds. Within 30 minutes, staff had lured Mahesh back to its one acre enclosure using a pile of raw meat.
There's a news video here.
Mother and newborn in critical condition after doctors brawl
Police were yesterday questioning staff at a hospital in Sicily where a child was born with suspected brain damage after two doctors attending his mother allegedly came to blows over the need for a caesarean as she went into labour. Laura Salpietro, 30, had her womb removed following the birth. Her husband claims this took place almost an hour and a half late because of the brawl. Her son had two heart attacks shortly after the birth and is still in a drug-induced coma.
Both doctors have been suspended, and the incident, at the Policlinico hospital, in Messina, last Thursday, is the subject of four investigations – by the hospital authorities, a local prosecutor, the regional health authority, and the ministry of health in Rome. One of the doctors involved and the head of the hospital's obstetrics department have denied a link between the fight and the subsequent events. But the woman's husband, Matteo Molonia, said there had been no previous hint of complications. "The sonographic scans and clinical examinations had ruled out any health problems for my wife and son," he said.
"My wife was already in the labour room when her gynaecologist, who followed her pregnancy, and another doctor began to argue. The dispute erupted when her personal gynaecologist suggested a caesarean and the other objected." Italy has one of the world's lowest rates of maternal mortality, but also has one of the highest rates of caesarean section, amounting to 38% of all births. According to Italian media accounts, Salpietro's gynaecologist, Antonio De Vivo, punched his hand through a window after his collar was grabbed by the second doctor. Asked for a comment De Vivo later said: "I merely say that in this matter I am the wronged party and I was attacked."
Molonia, 37, a private detective, was quoted as saying he saw De Vivo leave the labour room with blood dripping from his hand. "There is a gap that goes from 7.40 [in the morning], when the row blew up, to nine o'clock, when they operated on my wife. Why did all that time go by?" The other doctor, Vincenzo Benedetto, said there had been "exaggeration by the media", and that "everything happened with the greatest speed". He said the complications at the birth were due to a "pre-existing pathology". The head of the obstetrics unit, Domenico Granese, said that the complications at the birth of Salpietro's child occurred "not because of the row or because of any delay".
Both doctors have been suspended, and the incident, at the Policlinico hospital, in Messina, last Thursday, is the subject of four investigations – by the hospital authorities, a local prosecutor, the regional health authority, and the ministry of health in Rome. One of the doctors involved and the head of the hospital's obstetrics department have denied a link between the fight and the subsequent events. But the woman's husband, Matteo Molonia, said there had been no previous hint of complications. "The sonographic scans and clinical examinations had ruled out any health problems for my wife and son," he said.
"My wife was already in the labour room when her gynaecologist, who followed her pregnancy, and another doctor began to argue. The dispute erupted when her personal gynaecologist suggested a caesarean and the other objected." Italy has one of the world's lowest rates of maternal mortality, but also has one of the highest rates of caesarean section, amounting to 38% of all births. According to Italian media accounts, Salpietro's gynaecologist, Antonio De Vivo, punched his hand through a window after his collar was grabbed by the second doctor. Asked for a comment De Vivo later said: "I merely say that in this matter I am the wronged party and I was attacked."
Molonia, 37, a private detective, was quoted as saying he saw De Vivo leave the labour room with blood dripping from his hand. "There is a gap that goes from 7.40 [in the morning], when the row blew up, to nine o'clock, when they operated on my wife. Why did all that time go by?" The other doctor, Vincenzo Benedetto, said there had been "exaggeration by the media", and that "everything happened with the greatest speed". He said the complications at the birth were due to a "pre-existing pathology". The head of the obstetrics unit, Domenico Granese, said that the complications at the birth of Salpietro's child occurred "not because of the row or because of any delay".
Frank Lloyd Wright house 'could move from US to Japan'
A real estate agent who has been trying to sell a Frank Lloyd Wright home for two years is considering an inquiry from clients who want to move it from Southern California to Japan.
The La Miniatura in Pasadena is among two of Wright's experimental textile-block homes that have languished on the market. In 2008 agent Crosby Doe listed the partially restored home at $7.7 million, but recently dropped it to under $5 million.
He says it is a longshot but he has been talking to an international art dealer with Japanese art-collector clients who might be interested in buying the house.
"With my position in the preservation community, I will probably be crucified for saying this," says Doe. "But we have to consider all options. We moved the London Bridge to the Colorado River. Why couldn't we move this house to Japan?", he said. Wright built four of the masonry homes in the early 1920s, all in Southern California.
The La Miniatura in Pasadena is among two of Wright's experimental textile-block homes that have languished on the market. In 2008 agent Crosby Doe listed the partially restored home at $7.7 million, but recently dropped it to under $5 million.
He says it is a longshot but he has been talking to an international art dealer with Japanese art-collector clients who might be interested in buying the house.
"With my position in the preservation community, I will probably be crucified for saying this," says Doe. "But we have to consider all options. We moved the London Bridge to the Colorado River. Why couldn't we move this house to Japan?", he said. Wright built four of the masonry homes in the early 1920s, all in Southern California.
Elderly man kills neighbours by setting himself alight
Nine people have died during a fire at a Russian nursing home started when an elderly resident set himself alight. Authorities confirmed two other people were injured and 480 evacuated after the fire broke out.
The nursing home was in Vishny Volochek in the Tver region, located about 120 miles (200km) north of Moscow. One woman resident said: "There was smoke, and I got a cough and started to choke from the smoke.
"My neighbour told me, 'Get dressed and let's go out'. We went out by ourselves. There was smoke everywhere, we couldn't see anything. Then the firefighters started to push us out of the building and carry me out downstairs."
Investigators said an 86-year-old resident committed suicide by setting fire to himself, starting a blaze that killed eight people in neighbouring rooms from smoke and gas inhalation. The man is believed to have been in a dispute with authorities over getting his own apartment under a scheme for World War Two veterans.
The nursing home was in Vishny Volochek in the Tver region, located about 120 miles (200km) north of Moscow. One woman resident said: "There was smoke, and I got a cough and started to choke from the smoke.
"My neighbour told me, 'Get dressed and let's go out'. We went out by ourselves. There was smoke everywhere, we couldn't see anything. Then the firefighters started to push us out of the building and carry me out downstairs."
Investigators said an 86-year-old resident committed suicide by setting fire to himself, starting a blaze that killed eight people in neighbouring rooms from smoke and gas inhalation. The man is believed to have been in a dispute with authorities over getting his own apartment under a scheme for World War Two veterans.
Burglars blow the front off house
Burglars blew the front off a house after triggering an astonishing explosion during a break in, say police. The house breakers had sneaked into the three-storey detached property in Bochum, Germany, and made off with a laptop and jewellery.
Before leaving they way they had come in - through the basement - they poured petrol on the floor and lit it with a match from outside - but instead of starting a fire it triggered a massive blast.
"The fumes mixed with the air in an enclosed space and exploded the liquid instead of igniting it. We think they intended to cover their tracks by setting a fire - and didn't anticipate what would happen," said a police spokesman.
The crooks escaped although it is unclear if they were hurt in the blast. The three people that lived in the house were not present at the time.
Before leaving they way they had come in - through the basement - they poured petrol on the floor and lit it with a match from outside - but instead of starting a fire it triggered a massive blast.
"The fumes mixed with the air in an enclosed space and exploded the liquid instead of igniting it. We think they intended to cover their tracks by setting a fire - and didn't anticipate what would happen," said a police spokesman.
The crooks escaped although it is unclear if they were hurt in the blast. The three people that lived in the house were not present at the time.
Tooth girl's ordeal ends
Pretty Eva Hulme flashes a dazzling smile that marks the end of a decade of bullying and pain. The 16-year-old sparkled at her school prom after a gruelling course of treatment to correct her deformed teeth.
Eva, 16, would avoid mirrors and dreaded leaving home after cruel youngsters branded her "a circus freak". Now her life has been transformed after five years and hundreds of dental visits.
She has also won £750 first prize in a competition called Against the Odds - run by the British Orthodontic Society to mark life-changing moments. Eva, who is taking a fashion course after scooping 11 GCSEs, said: "Sometimes it seemed like it would never end - but I'm really happy and confident now."
Proud mum Susan, of Nantwich, Cheshire, said: "She has been so brave. The bullying and name-calling was horrible. But she kept saying there were people much worse off than her." Classroom assistant Susan added: "All the work was done by the NHS. It shows how brilliant the system is - and we'd have been lost without it."
Eva, 16, would avoid mirrors and dreaded leaving home after cruel youngsters branded her "a circus freak". Now her life has been transformed after five years and hundreds of dental visits.
She has also won £750 first prize in a competition called Against the Odds - run by the British Orthodontic Society to mark life-changing moments. Eva, who is taking a fashion course after scooping 11 GCSEs, said: "Sometimes it seemed like it would never end - but I'm really happy and confident now."
Proud mum Susan, of Nantwich, Cheshire, said: "She has been so brave. The bullying and name-calling was horrible. But she kept saying there were people much worse off than her." Classroom assistant Susan added: "All the work was done by the NHS. It shows how brilliant the system is - and we'd have been lost without it."
Caterer's Big Mac slap for bride to be
A wedding caterer told clients they were better off with McDonalds and KFC after they asked to pay in instalments. Melissa Samuels, 27, and her fiancé Steven Gould, 25, booked Brighton-based Banquets, Buffets and Balls for their dream wedding in May next year. But after inquiring if they had to pay the £700 fee in one go, the couple received a note on company-headed paper telling them to host their wedding breakfast in a fast-food restaurant.
The crumpled handwritten note, which was attached to the menu, said: “Miss Samuels, we pride ourselves in our standards and only offer the best service to our clients. I would suggest perhaps Kentucky or McDonalds might be more to your requirements. Our services are withdrawn." The couple, of Court Farm, Newhaven, said they were reduced to tears by the sniping letter. Ms Samuels said: “I’m absolutely devastated by what he said. I don’t mind that he didn’t want to do the wedding but I do mind that he talked down to us just because we’re not as rich as he is.”
Mr Gould, a fisherman, said: “We were more than happy to pay the full amount we only asked about instalments to check. It was just a question. The letter was very upsetting it made Melissa cry, at the end of the day we were his clients and it was an unacceptable thing to say.” A man who said he owned the company said he did not care if he upset the couple and said the brash note was his “prerogative”. The man, who would not give his name, said the couple had not paid the 10% deposit on time and had asked to pay in instalments by direct debit which is not his company’s policy.
He said: “I got the feeling it wasn’t going to be right so I wrote the letter, that’s my prerogative. It’s not abusive I was just telling them - they said they were going to do this thing and they haven’t. I don’t care if she’s upset by it. They were asking to pay by direct debit, I’m not a bank, I don’t have that facility. I won’t be mucked about.” The man said he is “well respected” in the catering industry and has been doing weddings for 25 years although he admitted Banquets, Buffets and Balls is not a registered
The crumpled handwritten note, which was attached to the menu, said: “Miss Samuels, we pride ourselves in our standards and only offer the best service to our clients. I would suggest perhaps Kentucky or McDonalds might be more to your requirements. Our services are withdrawn." The couple, of Court Farm, Newhaven, said they were reduced to tears by the sniping letter. Ms Samuels said: “I’m absolutely devastated by what he said. I don’t mind that he didn’t want to do the wedding but I do mind that he talked down to us just because we’re not as rich as he is.”
Mr Gould, a fisherman, said: “We were more than happy to pay the full amount we only asked about instalments to check. It was just a question. The letter was very upsetting it made Melissa cry, at the end of the day we were his clients and it was an unacceptable thing to say.” A man who said he owned the company said he did not care if he upset the couple and said the brash note was his “prerogative”. The man, who would not give his name, said the couple had not paid the 10% deposit on time and had asked to pay in instalments by direct debit which is not his company’s policy.
He said: “I got the feeling it wasn’t going to be right so I wrote the letter, that’s my prerogative. It’s not abusive I was just telling them - they said they were going to do this thing and they haven’t. I don’t care if she’s upset by it. They were asking to pay by direct debit, I’m not a bank, I don’t have that facility. I won’t be mucked about.” The man said he is “well respected” in the catering industry and has been doing weddings for 25 years although he admitted Banquets, Buffets and Balls is not a registered
Double-decker coach flips over on motorway after passenger grabs steering wheel
A double-decker coach flipped over and spun off the motorway as the driver battled with a passenger who had allegedly grabbed the steering wheel. Two people were injured when the Oxford Tube service - with 12 passengers on board – veered across the hard shoulder and up an embankment
The 21-year-old attacker, who witnesses said was drunk and tried to grab the wheel, fled the scene of the crash. A man was later tracked down by a police helicopter and arrested. The 48-year-old driver has been hailed as a hero for struggling with the assailant to keep the coach under control, despite suffering a shoulder injury during the attack.
Passengers clambered out of the vehicle through hatches in the roof after it came to rest up the grassy embankment shortly before 2am on Monday morning. Emergency services were called but all 12 passengers and the driver had managed to free themselves from the wreckage by the time they arrived at the scene, on the M40 motorway between Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross, Bucks.
One man was taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries. Police closed two lanes of the motorway for nine hours while they carried out their investigation. A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "One man was arrested from near the scene and he is still in custody. He was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage."
The 21-year-old attacker, who witnesses said was drunk and tried to grab the wheel, fled the scene of the crash. A man was later tracked down by a police helicopter and arrested. The 48-year-old driver has been hailed as a hero for struggling with the assailant to keep the coach under control, despite suffering a shoulder injury during the attack.
Passengers clambered out of the vehicle through hatches in the roof after it came to rest up the grassy embankment shortly before 2am on Monday morning. Emergency services were called but all 12 passengers and the driver had managed to free themselves from the wreckage by the time they arrived at the scene, on the M40 motorway between Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross, Bucks.
One man was taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries. Police closed two lanes of the motorway for nine hours while they carried out their investigation. A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "One man was arrested from near the scene and he is still in custody. He was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage."
7lb 5oz goldfish caught in Norwich
The largest wild goldfish ever caught in the UK has been landed at the broad at the University of East Anglia. To his shock, Lowestoft angler Stuart Thurston, 27, landed the bright gold, 7lb 5oz fish while fishing for carp. He had been fishing for several hours and had caught a handful of carp before hooking the unusual fish.
“To my surprise I lifted it out of the water and it was orange,” he said. “I'm surprised a pike hasn't had it for dinner.” He quickly grabbed a nearby fisherman to take a photograph then released the colourful specimen to be caught another day. There are two goldfish in the 18-acre lake which are well known among the 40 or so anglers that regularly fish it.
It is thought that they were pets discarded by their owners, but their origins are likely to remain a mystery. The same goldfish was last caught in 2007 by Graham Northwood - but then it weighed just 5lb 5oz. Since then it has put on weight and become a record-breaker.
The catch has to be officially verified before it becomes an official British record, but it is already being widely hailed as the largest goldfish ever caught in the UK. It has beaten the 5lb fish caught in Poole by a 16-year-old schoolboy in July. For Mr Thurston it is a strange but welcome record. “I'd rather it was a record-breaking carp but I'm not going to whinge,” he said.
“To my surprise I lifted it out of the water and it was orange,” he said. “I'm surprised a pike hasn't had it for dinner.” He quickly grabbed a nearby fisherman to take a photograph then released the colourful specimen to be caught another day. There are two goldfish in the 18-acre lake which are well known among the 40 or so anglers that regularly fish it.
It is thought that they were pets discarded by their owners, but their origins are likely to remain a mystery. The same goldfish was last caught in 2007 by Graham Northwood - but then it weighed just 5lb 5oz. Since then it has put on weight and become a record-breaker.
The catch has to be officially verified before it becomes an official British record, but it is already being widely hailed as the largest goldfish ever caught in the UK. It has beaten the 5lb fish caught in Poole by a 16-year-old schoolboy in July. For Mr Thurston it is a strange but welcome record. “I'd rather it was a record-breaking carp but I'm not going to whinge,” he said.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Man rescues baby squirrel from oven hood then reunites it with his mother
Came home to hear some squeaking in the vent above my stove. Found a baby squirrel inside and took apart the vent hood. Rescued lil baby squirrel and reunited him with his mommy.
Took about 2 hours from getting home to reunion. Lil bugger couldn't open his eyes. It was difficult resisting the urge to love him, feed him, raise him and call him George, but seeing that his mommy retrieved him made me feel better. A local animal welfare place told me to nail the box to a tree outside for the mom to hear his squeals. I had just set up my tripod with camcorder and I heard something moving in the tree. Lucky timing to capture the reunion. He had stopped squeaking a few minutes prior, so the mom probably smelled him.
Took about 2 hours from getting home to reunion. Lil bugger couldn't open his eyes. It was difficult resisting the urge to love him, feed him, raise him and call him George, but seeing that his mommy retrieved him made me feel better. A local animal welfare place told me to nail the box to a tree outside for the mom to hear his squeals. I had just set up my tripod with camcorder and I heard something moving in the tree. Lucky timing to capture the reunion. He had stopped squeaking a few minutes prior, so the mom probably smelled him.
I'm not entirely sure what's happening here
I think this Indian gentleman has taken his girlfriend home to meet his family - including his wife.
Whatever it is, it doesn't go well.
Contains physical violence.
Whatever it is, it doesn't go well.
Contains physical violence.
No legs no barrier for TV talent dancer
A hip-hop dancer who does not have legs has found fame after performing on the Indian version of Britain's Got Talent.
Vinod Thakur has been rehearsing and training as he prepares for later rounds of the TV show.
The 21-year-old hopes to impress the judges on India's Got Talent with his moves and flips using his bare hands for support.
Thakur, who received encouragement from his friends and choreographer, was born without legs due to a birth defect.
He came from a poor neighbourhood in East Delhi and taught himself to dance by copying the moves from breakdance videos available on the internet.
The former mobile phone repairer is now hoping to open a dance training school for physically challenged people in future.
Vinod Thakur has been rehearsing and training as he prepares for later rounds of the TV show.
The 21-year-old hopes to impress the judges on India's Got Talent with his moves and flips using his bare hands for support.
Thakur, who received encouragement from his friends and choreographer, was born without legs due to a birth defect.
He came from a poor neighbourhood in East Delhi and taught himself to dance by copying the moves from breakdance videos available on the internet.
The former mobile phone repairer is now hoping to open a dance training school for physically challenged people in future.
Girl trips and swallows toothbrush
Running with scissors is a known hazard, but a 15-year-old New Zealand girl learnt the hard way that it's also dangerous to run with a toothbrush. The girl was admitted to Auckland's Middlemore Hospital after accidently swallowing her 19cm (7.5 inch)toothbrush.
She had been running up steps with the toothbrush in her mouth when she tripped and fell, pushing most of the brush into her oesophagus. "Part of the toothbrush was still in the mouth but with apparently a very strong gag reflex she swallowed this down before it could be pulled out," gastroenterologist Dinesh Lal said.
The girl told doctors she felt fine, but could feel the brush "churning around" in her stomach. The toothbrush was extracted from her mouth using a medical snare.
Dr Lal said the girl suffered no internal damage and was sent home a few hours later. "In summary, walking or running around with a toothbrush in the mouth is potentially dangerous," he said.
She had been running up steps with the toothbrush in her mouth when she tripped and fell, pushing most of the brush into her oesophagus. "Part of the toothbrush was still in the mouth but with apparently a very strong gag reflex she swallowed this down before it could be pulled out," gastroenterologist Dinesh Lal said.
The girl told doctors she felt fine, but could feel the brush "churning around" in her stomach. The toothbrush was extracted from her mouth using a medical snare.
Dr Lal said the girl suffered no internal damage and was sent home a few hours later. "In summary, walking or running around with a toothbrush in the mouth is potentially dangerous," he said.
Child treads water for hours under burning house
A firefighter's vigilence saved a trapped boy's life in Trenton overnight, but his brother was not so lucky. A rowhouse in the unit block of Vine Street was in flames when firefighters arrived at about 12:15 a.m., according to Battalion Chief David Turner. A mother jumped from a window, and firefighter got two of her children out as well, but two boys were apparently still inside.
Water was poured on several homes for a couple of hours, to extinguish all the flames and hot spots. Then Battalion Chief John Gribbin knelt to check a basement window, and was surprised to see a pair of eyes looking back him. There was a boy treading water.
"He pulled his hand out of the water and he waved at me," Gribbin said. "I told him to hang in there, we're coming to get him." He advised the boy to cling to a water heater. Another firefighter brought the boy out to safety, amid cheers from neighbours.
The body of a fourth child was found inside, however. The rest of the family was taken to a hospital for treatment. A firefighter who reported chest pains was also evaluated at a hospital and released. The fire, which was officially under control just before 3 a.m., is under investigation.
You can see video of Battalion Chief John Gribbin talking about the rescue at the bottom of this page.
Water was poured on several homes for a couple of hours, to extinguish all the flames and hot spots. Then Battalion Chief John Gribbin knelt to check a basement window, and was surprised to see a pair of eyes looking back him. There was a boy treading water.
"He pulled his hand out of the water and he waved at me," Gribbin said. "I told him to hang in there, we're coming to get him." He advised the boy to cling to a water heater. Another firefighter brought the boy out to safety, amid cheers from neighbours.
The body of a fourth child was found inside, however. The rest of the family was taken to a hospital for treatment. A firefighter who reported chest pains was also evaluated at a hospital and released. The fire, which was officially under control just before 3 a.m., is under investigation.
You can see video of Battalion Chief John Gribbin talking about the rescue at the bottom of this page.
Frenchman crowned air guitar champion once again
A Frenchman has been tipped for stardom after being crowned the world's best air guitarist - for the second year in a row. Sylvain Quimene, performing as Gunther Love, played his way to success in a performance at the 15th Air Guitar World Championship held in Oulu in northern Finland.
Contestants from Japan, Malaysia, the UK, Canada, Germany, Slovakia, Russia, Mexico and Brazil flew in for the event in the remote town near the Arctic Circle. Each finalist had to perform twice; once with their own choice of song and the second time with a performance of Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady.
Thousands of people gathered at the Oulu marketplace to watch the 41 contestants in total - including one of the youngest competitors ever, 10-year-old Aapo "Little Angus" Rautio - who finished sixth.
"This is something anyone can do, maybe you can be on stage some day, anyone can be on stage. Maybe that could be the reason why people like this so much," said veteran jury member and musician Juha Torvinen.
Winner Gunther Love suspected he knew why he had triumphed for the second time. "Why did I win? I think it's only the gold pants, you know gold, you are first, next year I will come with a silver pants ... for the second. That's the only reason."
According to the judges, musical talent was not necessary nor is the ability to play an actual guitar. The winner was chosen for his or her ability to move around the stage playing the air guitar as realistically as possible. Quimene's prize - once again - is a handmade Flying Finn electric guitar.
Contestants from Japan, Malaysia, the UK, Canada, Germany, Slovakia, Russia, Mexico and Brazil flew in for the event in the remote town near the Arctic Circle. Each finalist had to perform twice; once with their own choice of song and the second time with a performance of Jimi Hendrix's Foxy Lady.
Thousands of people gathered at the Oulu marketplace to watch the 41 contestants in total - including one of the youngest competitors ever, 10-year-old Aapo "Little Angus" Rautio - who finished sixth.
"This is something anyone can do, maybe you can be on stage some day, anyone can be on stage. Maybe that could be the reason why people like this so much," said veteran jury member and musician Juha Torvinen.
Winner Gunther Love suspected he knew why he had triumphed for the second time. "Why did I win? I think it's only the gold pants, you know gold, you are first, next year I will come with a silver pants ... for the second. That's the only reason."
According to the judges, musical talent was not necessary nor is the ability to play an actual guitar. The winner was chosen for his or her ability to move around the stage playing the air guitar as realistically as possible. Quimene's prize - once again - is a handmade Flying Finn electric guitar.
Elderly yard sale shopper batters another with cornbread pan
Yard sale etiquette apparently went out the window on Friday in Sonora after a 70-year-old man hit another man over the head with a cornbread pan while the two were trying to get access to the sale items. Jon Joslin, 70, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. The victim, Joseph Brown, 64, suffered a head laceration but refused medical treatment at the scene, according to Sgt. Jeff Wilson, spokesman for the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Department.
According to Wilson, Joslin arrived early at the yard sale and was told he would not be allowed to buy anything until 8 a.m. because that was the advertised start time. Brown arrived a little later, at 7:45 a.m., and apparently the two talked about how other yard sales operated differently.
At about 8 a.m., the two walked up a long driveway to the sale, with Brown walking ahead of Joslin. Wilson said Joslin didn’t like this, and tried tripping Brown. Not knowing what was going on, Brown continued, and Joslin tried tripping Brown again.
Now aware of what was happening, Brown told Joslin to stop and an argument ensued. Brown pushed Joslin, and Joslin — who had the five-pound, cast-iron pan in his hand — hit Brown over the head with it, Wilson said. Deputies arrived, and took Joslin into custody.
According to Wilson, Joslin arrived early at the yard sale and was told he would not be allowed to buy anything until 8 a.m. because that was the advertised start time. Brown arrived a little later, at 7:45 a.m., and apparently the two talked about how other yard sales operated differently.
At about 8 a.m., the two walked up a long driveway to the sale, with Brown walking ahead of Joslin. Wilson said Joslin didn’t like this, and tried tripping Brown. Not knowing what was going on, Brown continued, and Joslin tried tripping Brown again.
Now aware of what was happening, Brown told Joslin to stop and an argument ensued. Brown pushed Joslin, and Joslin — who had the five-pound, cast-iron pan in his hand — hit Brown over the head with it, Wilson said. Deputies arrived, and took Joslin into custody.
18 people die in 10 days picking mushrooms
Eighteen people have died while mushroom picking in Italy in little more than a week. The victims have died after falling into rocky crevasses and gorges or from similar physical mishaps, rather than from inadvertently eating poisonous fungi.
Authorities said an early and bountiful mushroom harvest in the Alpine valleys of northern Italy had attracted more people than usual to scour the woods and forests in search of succulent funghi to bring to the dinner table. Many of them were unfit and ill-equipped, venturing into remote areas without proper footwear or rainproof clothing, and without checking weather forecasts.
Collecting wild mushrooms as autumn approaches is an extremely popular pastime in Italy. Seven of the deaths happened in the Lombardy region while others occurred in Piedmont, on the border with France, and Trentino-Alto Adige, adjacent to Austria.
“Lots of people go to areas which are easy to access, but there are always a few people who want to search out remote bits of woodland which no one else knows”, Marco Biasoni, a mountain rescuer from Bolzano, in the north of the country, said. In the most recent case, a 65 year old woman died after falling 40 metres down a steep rocky slope in a forest near the town of Sondrio, in a mountainous region close to the Swiss border.
Authorities said an early and bountiful mushroom harvest in the Alpine valleys of northern Italy had attracted more people than usual to scour the woods and forests in search of succulent funghi to bring to the dinner table. Many of them were unfit and ill-equipped, venturing into remote areas without proper footwear or rainproof clothing, and without checking weather forecasts.
Collecting wild mushrooms as autumn approaches is an extremely popular pastime in Italy. Seven of the deaths happened in the Lombardy region while others occurred in Piedmont, on the border with France, and Trentino-Alto Adige, adjacent to Austria.
“Lots of people go to areas which are easy to access, but there are always a few people who want to search out remote bits of woodland which no one else knows”, Marco Biasoni, a mountain rescuer from Bolzano, in the north of the country, said. In the most recent case, a 65 year old woman died after falling 40 metres down a steep rocky slope in a forest near the town of Sondrio, in a mountainous region close to the Swiss border.
Sheep-riding craze called Mutton Bustin’ is growing popular among American children
American youngsters have gone mad for the shear thrills of Mutton Bustin’ – riding bareback on a bucking and bounding sheep. They have to hang on as long as they can to feisty Columbian cross-breeds weighing up to 13 stone as they are released from a gate along a 50-yard course.
Organisers of the events insist it’s not cruel to the sheep. All competitors have to be under six, weigh less than 60lbs – and wear a helmet and face-guard. Most are flung off within seconds. But the winners go through to the world championships in California in October and the chance of a £3,200 first prize.
Entrepreneur Tommy G, 44, who pioneered the event, said: “It started as a bit of fun during the intervals at rodeos, but the kids loved it and now it has really taken off.”
US safety inspectors gave the go-ahead after deciding it was no more dangerous than skateboarding – so parents have no need to worry.
Organisers of the events insist it’s not cruel to the sheep. All competitors have to be under six, weigh less than 60lbs – and wear a helmet and face-guard. Most are flung off within seconds. But the winners go through to the world championships in California in October and the chance of a £3,200 first prize.
Entrepreneur Tommy G, 44, who pioneered the event, said: “It started as a bit of fun during the intervals at rodeos, but the kids loved it and now it has really taken off.”
US safety inspectors gave the go-ahead after deciding it was no more dangerous than skateboarding – so parents have no need to worry.
Drunk baboons plague Cape Town's exclusive suburbs
Groot Constantia, in the heart of Cape Town's wine country, can deal with inebriated holidaymakers – but it is invading baboons which have developed a taste for its grapes that the wine makers are struggling with. Each day, dozens of Cape Baboons gather to strip the ancient vines – the sauvignon blanc grapes are a particular favourite – before heading into the mountains to sleep. A few, who sample fallen fruit that has fermented in the sun, pass out and don't make it home.
"They are not just eating our grapes, they are raiding our kitchens and ripping the thatch off the roofs. They are becoming increasingly bold and destructive," said Jean Naude, general manager at the vineyard, which is celebrating its 325th birthday this year. Guards banging sticks and waving plastic snakes have been deployed with only limited success, and not even a blast of a vuvuzela, the plastic horn made famous at the World Cup, seems to frighten them.
It is not just the vineyards in South Africa which are under siege, however, but also the exclusive neighbouring suburb of Constantia, home to famous residents including Earl Spencer, Wilbur Smith and Nelson Mandela. Crisis meetings between animal welfare groups and traumatised locals are struggling to find a workable solution. "Where there's a mountain, there's a baboon," said Justin O'Riain of the Baboon Research Unit at the University of Cape Town. "As we take up more and more of their land, the conflict increases."
The baboons lived in the mountains of Cape Town long before humans took up residence, but development has forced the unlikely neighbours into increasingly closer contact. Before laws afforded baboons a protected status a decade ago, troublesome animals were regularly killed or maimed by home owners and farmers. Now around 20 full-time "baboon monitors" are employed to protect them and guide them away from residential areas. It has proved mission impossible. Last week, a 12 year old boy was left traumatised after confronting a troop who had broken into his family home.
Hearing noises from the kitchen, he went to investigate and found the beasts ransacking cupboards. When the child fled upstairs to find his babysitter, three males gave chase and surrounded him as he made a tearful phone call to his mother, while the animals pelted him with fruit. "When he called me he was terrified. They had him surrounded," said the Constantia housewife, who did not wish to be identified.
Chickens, geese, peacocks and even a Great Dane dog have been killed in recent weeks by the marauding baboons - the males have huge and terrifying canine teeth. Roof tiles, electric fences, orchards and vegetables gardens have been trashed. In a concession to despairing residents, wildlife authorities have begun collaring baboons identified as "troublesome" and imposed a strict "three strikes" policy whereby animals which repeatedly break into homes are humanely destroyed.
"They are not just eating our grapes, they are raiding our kitchens and ripping the thatch off the roofs. They are becoming increasingly bold and destructive," said Jean Naude, general manager at the vineyard, which is celebrating its 325th birthday this year. Guards banging sticks and waving plastic snakes have been deployed with only limited success, and not even a blast of a vuvuzela, the plastic horn made famous at the World Cup, seems to frighten them.
It is not just the vineyards in South Africa which are under siege, however, but also the exclusive neighbouring suburb of Constantia, home to famous residents including Earl Spencer, Wilbur Smith and Nelson Mandela. Crisis meetings between animal welfare groups and traumatised locals are struggling to find a workable solution. "Where there's a mountain, there's a baboon," said Justin O'Riain of the Baboon Research Unit at the University of Cape Town. "As we take up more and more of their land, the conflict increases."
The baboons lived in the mountains of Cape Town long before humans took up residence, but development has forced the unlikely neighbours into increasingly closer contact. Before laws afforded baboons a protected status a decade ago, troublesome animals were regularly killed or maimed by home owners and farmers. Now around 20 full-time "baboon monitors" are employed to protect them and guide them away from residential areas. It has proved mission impossible. Last week, a 12 year old boy was left traumatised after confronting a troop who had broken into his family home.
Hearing noises from the kitchen, he went to investigate and found the beasts ransacking cupboards. When the child fled upstairs to find his babysitter, three males gave chase and surrounded him as he made a tearful phone call to his mother, while the animals pelted him with fruit. "When he called me he was terrified. They had him surrounded," said the Constantia housewife, who did not wish to be identified.
Chickens, geese, peacocks and even a Great Dane dog have been killed in recent weeks by the marauding baboons - the males have huge and terrifying canine teeth. Roof tiles, electric fences, orchards and vegetables gardens have been trashed. In a concession to despairing residents, wildlife authorities have begun collaring baboons identified as "troublesome" and imposed a strict "three strikes" policy whereby animals which repeatedly break into homes are humanely destroyed.
Police shoot dead rare leopard in Indonesia
A rare Javan leopard was shot dead by police after it strayed into a village in Indonesia, police said Sunday. Police killed the animal on Saturday after it entered the village near Sukabumi city in West Java province, local police official Ardiansyah said.
"The black leopard made the villagers very anxious. They chased it and it ran towards a police school. Police shot it when it entered one of the classrooms," he said. Conflict between humans and animals are a rising problem in the massive archipelago nation with some of the world's largest remaining tropical forests, as human settlements encroach on natural habitats.
Conservation official Didi Wuryanto said police should have sought the help of forestry officials to trap the animal and return it to its habitat in Gunung Gede Pangrango national park instead of killing it. "The leopard might have been lost while chasing its prey or its habitat was disturbed by deforestation," he said. "There's been no record of the Javan leopard biting humans so it's a pity that it was shot when it could have been saved and released into the forest."
The Javan leopard, which is found only on the country's Java island, is listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) "Red List" of threatened species. The number of mature Javan leopards, which are skilful tree climbers, is "certainly less than 250", the IUCN said.
"The black leopard made the villagers very anxious. They chased it and it ran towards a police school. Police shot it when it entered one of the classrooms," he said. Conflict between humans and animals are a rising problem in the massive archipelago nation with some of the world's largest remaining tropical forests, as human settlements encroach on natural habitats.
Conservation official Didi Wuryanto said police should have sought the help of forestry officials to trap the animal and return it to its habitat in Gunung Gede Pangrango national park instead of killing it. "The leopard might have been lost while chasing its prey or its habitat was disturbed by deforestation," he said. "There's been no record of the Javan leopard biting humans so it's a pity that it was shot when it could have been saved and released into the forest."
The Javan leopard, which is found only on the country's Java island, is listed as critically endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) "Red List" of threatened species. The number of mature Javan leopards, which are skilful tree climbers, is "certainly less than 250", the IUCN said.
Man arrested over fake 'million dollar bills' in UAE
A man has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates after a woman was tricked into trying to change two souvenir US$1 million notes at the UAE Central Bank. The 44-year-old suspect, AB, from Ivory Coast, convinced the woman that the notes were being used in currency markets and told her to exchange them in return for 30 per cent of their value, police sources said.
The notes were, in fact, issued by the US-based World’s Millionaires Club as a souvenir for selected members and are sold at nominal prices. They do not have a value of US$1m. The case was brought to light after the counter-money laundering and suspicious cases unit at the bank reviewed two notes presented to it to verify their authenticity.
Col Hammad Ahmed al Hammadi, the director of the criminal investigation department (CID) at Abu Dhabi Police, said the man had been living illegally in the UAE and was trying to cash the notes through the woman. He was arrested in a police trap following investigations.
“The suspect claimed that he was not aware that the notes do not have any value and that he is a mere mediator for a diamond trader from Belgium who asked him to exchange the notes in exchange of money,” said Col Dr Rashid Mohammed Bursheed, the head of the CID’s organised crime unit. “He also said the diamond trader was supposed to send him an 154 additional notes from the same category.”
The notes were, in fact, issued by the US-based World’s Millionaires Club as a souvenir for selected members and are sold at nominal prices. They do not have a value of US$1m. The case was brought to light after the counter-money laundering and suspicious cases unit at the bank reviewed two notes presented to it to verify their authenticity.
Col Hammad Ahmed al Hammadi, the director of the criminal investigation department (CID) at Abu Dhabi Police, said the man had been living illegally in the UAE and was trying to cash the notes through the woman. He was arrested in a police trap following investigations.
“The suspect claimed that he was not aware that the notes do not have any value and that he is a mere mediator for a diamond trader from Belgium who asked him to exchange the notes in exchange of money,” said Col Dr Rashid Mohammed Bursheed, the head of the CID’s organised crime unit. “He also said the diamond trader was supposed to send him an 154 additional notes from the same category.”
Oxford English Dictionary 'will not be printed again'
The next edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, the world’s most definitive work on the language, will never be printed because of the impact of the internet on book sales. Sales of the third edition of the vast tome have fallen due to the increasing popularity of online alternatives, according to its publisher. A team of 80 lexicographers has been working on the third edition of the OED – known as OED3 – for the past 21 years.
The dictionary’s owner, Oxford University Press (OUP), said the impact of the internet means OED3 will probably appear only in electronic form. The most recent OED has existed online for more than a decade, where it receives two million hits a month from subscribers who pay an annual fee of £240. “The print dictionary market is just disappearing, it is falling away by tens of per cent a year,” Nigel Portwood, the chief executive of OUP, said. Asked if he thought the third edition would be printed, he said: “I don’t think so.”
Mr Portwood said printed dictionaries had a shelf life of about another 30 years, with the pace of change increased by the popularity of e-books and devices such as the Apple iPad and Amazon’s Kindle. Simon Winchester, author of ‘The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary’, said the switch towards online formats was “prescient”.
He said: “Until six months ago I was clinging to the idea that printed books would likely last for ever. Since the arrival of the iPad I am now wholly convinced otherwise. The printed book is about to vanish at extraordinary speed. I have two complete OEDs, but never consult them – I use the online OED five or six times daily. The same with many of my reference books – and soon with most. Books are about to vanish; reading is about to expand as a pastime; these are inescapable realities.”
The dictionary’s owner, Oxford University Press (OUP), said the impact of the internet means OED3 will probably appear only in electronic form. The most recent OED has existed online for more than a decade, where it receives two million hits a month from subscribers who pay an annual fee of £240. “The print dictionary market is just disappearing, it is falling away by tens of per cent a year,” Nigel Portwood, the chief executive of OUP, said. Asked if he thought the third edition would be printed, he said: “I don’t think so.”
Mr Portwood said printed dictionaries had a shelf life of about another 30 years, with the pace of change increased by the popularity of e-books and devices such as the Apple iPad and Amazon’s Kindle. Simon Winchester, author of ‘The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary’, said the switch towards online formats was “prescient”.
He said: “Until six months ago I was clinging to the idea that printed books would likely last for ever. Since the arrival of the iPad I am now wholly convinced otherwise. The printed book is about to vanish at extraordinary speed. I have two complete OEDs, but never consult them – I use the online OED five or six times daily. The same with many of my reference books – and soon with most. Books are about to vanish; reading is about to expand as a pastime; these are inescapable realities.”
Nine million adults in Britain have never used the internet
More than nine million British adults have never used the internet despite Government efforts to encourage elderly people to go online, official figures have shown.
While a million extra “silver surfers” have logged on in the last year, concerns have been raised that those who are still not using the internet are being excluded from key discounts and services.
More than 38 million British adults are now online, with 30 million logging on every day, the figures showed.
But the elderly, the widowed and people on lower incomes are least likely ever to have connected to the internet, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Adults who do not use the internet miss out on the opportunity to save money on a range of products and services, such as cars, holidays and insurance, through price comparison websites.
The new figures for 2010 showed that 31 million people have bought goods or services on the internet in the past 12 months.
While a million extra “silver surfers” have logged on in the last year, concerns have been raised that those who are still not using the internet are being excluded from key discounts and services.
More than 38 million British adults are now online, with 30 million logging on every day, the figures showed.
But the elderly, the widowed and people on lower incomes are least likely ever to have connected to the internet, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Adults who do not use the internet miss out on the opportunity to save money on a range of products and services, such as cars, holidays and insurance, through price comparison websites.
The new figures for 2010 showed that 31 million people have bought goods or services on the internet in the past 12 months.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Germany introduces the puppy flap for unwanted pets
It is the ultimate symbol of the throw away society after bins for unwanted pets abandoned in the credit crunch were set up in Germany.
Owners who can no longer care for their pets can put them through a giant flap linked to a welfare centre without having to fill in forms - or be identified. So far puppies, kittens and even hamsters have ended up in the box - that is emptied immediately by volunteers who get a text message every time a "deposit" is made.
The bins follow the country's tradition of 'baby hatches' where unwanted children are placed in special holes-in-the-wall at hospitals where they are taken for adoption.
"People are having a tough time financially and one of the first victims is usually the family pet. It is better they bring them to us than to simply abandon them or throw them in the river in a rock filled sack," said organiser Helga Rosmuther.
Owners who can no longer care for their pets can put them through a giant flap linked to a welfare centre without having to fill in forms - or be identified. So far puppies, kittens and even hamsters have ended up in the box - that is emptied immediately by volunteers who get a text message every time a "deposit" is made.
The bins follow the country's tradition of 'baby hatches' where unwanted children are placed in special holes-in-the-wall at hospitals where they are taken for adoption.
"People are having a tough time financially and one of the first victims is usually the family pet. It is better they bring them to us than to simply abandon them or throw them in the river in a rock filled sack," said organiser Helga Rosmuther.
97-year-old woman's pet cat saves her from attacking pit bulls
It’s a modern day story of David and Goliath. A 97-year old woman, surrounded by a pack of dogs, is saved by an unlikely hero, her cat named Tiger. Sophie Thomas was pulling dandelions out of her garden when the unexpected happened.
Thomas says, “All of a sudden these four pitbulls came marching in and they surrounded me. They kept going around and around. One of them kind of lunged for me and I hit him on the head and he backed off. Then another came towards me and I was scared stiff. I gave him a wack. All of a sudden, my cat jumped in the middle of it." The cat ran towards the garage and the dogs chased after giving Ms. Thomas just enough time to run inside.
Fearing the worse for her pet, she waited, and washed her wounds in the sink. That’s when she spotted Tiger at the door. Thinking back she says she owes the cat her life. Thomas says, "I always thank God that my cat came because she was the one that really helped me out." The pit bulls live behind Ms. Thomas’s home. The owner, Ann Daniels, says it’s all an accident and says her dogs aren’t violent.
She has several broken windows and doors at her home and claims she will fix them soon so that something like this doesn't happen again. Daniels says “My son didn't shut the bedroom door and they went out the window. I feel terrible." Daniels has been fined $300 and the dogs must be quarantined for ten days.
Thomas says, “All of a sudden these four pitbulls came marching in and they surrounded me. They kept going around and around. One of them kind of lunged for me and I hit him on the head and he backed off. Then another came towards me and I was scared stiff. I gave him a wack. All of a sudden, my cat jumped in the middle of it." The cat ran towards the garage and the dogs chased after giving Ms. Thomas just enough time to run inside.
Fearing the worse for her pet, she waited, and washed her wounds in the sink. That’s when she spotted Tiger at the door. Thinking back she says she owes the cat her life. Thomas says, "I always thank God that my cat came because she was the one that really helped me out." The pit bulls live behind Ms. Thomas’s home. The owner, Ann Daniels, says it’s all an accident and says her dogs aren’t violent.
She has several broken windows and doors at her home and claims she will fix them soon so that something like this doesn't happen again. Daniels says “My son didn't shut the bedroom door and they went out the window. I feel terrible." Daniels has been fined $300 and the dogs must be quarantined for ten days.
Court rejects Swedish orgasm church
Sweden’s highest court has refused to hear a last-ditch plea by the Madonna of the Orgasm church to be recognized. The church, in Lövestad in southern Sweden, has been fighting a lengthy battle to be registered as a faith community in Sweden, but Sweden’s Supreme Administrative Court (Regeringsrätten) said there were no grounds to appeal a Court of Appeal decision to reject the application.
The church’s Spanish founder and self-appointed cardinal, Carlos Bebeacua, has said that he believes that the orgasm is God and should be worshipped. Beceacua once said: “The orgasm is the ultimate feeling of lust, it shouldn’t be limited to ejaculation. You can reach it through art or by looking at a landscape and thinking ‘Wow!’”
The Madonna of Orgasm Church is centered on a similarly named painting by Bebeacua which sparked protests during the 1992 World’s Fair in Seville, Spain. In November 2008, the Stockholm County Administrative Court overruled Sweden’s Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet), which had refused Bebeacua’s application to register his church as a religion. The agency said the church’s name would offend Christians, but the ‘cardinal’ had argued successfully that local Christians in Lövestad, including the Church of Sweden parish priest, had welcomed the unconventional religion.
He also pointed out that the word ‘Madonna’ literally translates as ‘my lady’ and does not necessarily refer to the Virgin Mary. Bebeacua’s success was short-lived, however. The Administrative Court of Appeal ruled that ‘Madonna’ was generally understood as a reference to the Virgin Mary and that the name would “cause offence not only in the broad groups of the population that have Christian roots, but also in society as a whole.” The Supreme Court said it would not hear the case as there were no serious errors in the appeal court’s judgement and the case did not involve an important precedent.
The church’s Spanish founder and self-appointed cardinal, Carlos Bebeacua, has said that he believes that the orgasm is God and should be worshipped. Beceacua once said: “The orgasm is the ultimate feeling of lust, it shouldn’t be limited to ejaculation. You can reach it through art or by looking at a landscape and thinking ‘Wow!’”
The Madonna of Orgasm Church is centered on a similarly named painting by Bebeacua which sparked protests during the 1992 World’s Fair in Seville, Spain. In November 2008, the Stockholm County Administrative Court overruled Sweden’s Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency (Kammarkollegiet), which had refused Bebeacua’s application to register his church as a religion. The agency said the church’s name would offend Christians, but the ‘cardinal’ had argued successfully that local Christians in Lövestad, including the Church of Sweden parish priest, had welcomed the unconventional religion.
He also pointed out that the word ‘Madonna’ literally translates as ‘my lady’ and does not necessarily refer to the Virgin Mary. Bebeacua’s success was short-lived, however. The Administrative Court of Appeal ruled that ‘Madonna’ was generally understood as a reference to the Virgin Mary and that the name would “cause offence not only in the broad groups of the population that have Christian roots, but also in society as a whole.” The Supreme Court said it would not hear the case as there were no serious errors in the appeal court’s judgement and the case did not involve an important precedent.
Kazakh man severs penis to avoid extradition
A Kazakh man cut off his penis at Madrid's Barajas airport to avoid being extradited home and was hospitalized in serious condition, Spanish media reported on Friday.
The 52-year-old man had finished serving a five-year prison sentence in Spain for a violent crime and was due to be extradited back to Kazakhstan overnight on Monday.
Despite being escorted by several police officers, the man was able to slip a knife out of his clothing and sever his penis.
The man was admitted to a Madrid hospital and was still in a serious condition, Spanish media said.
The 52-year-old man had finished serving a five-year prison sentence in Spain for a violent crime and was due to be extradited back to Kazakhstan overnight on Monday.
Despite being escorted by several police officers, the man was able to slip a knife out of his clothing and sever his penis.
The man was admitted to a Madrid hospital and was still in a serious condition, Spanish media said.
Amateur ghost hunter looking for 'ghost train' hit and killed by real train
A man who was with about a dozen people who were looking for a legendary "ghost train" in Iredell County was hit by a locomotive and killed early on Friday morning. The incident happened on a train trestle at 2:45 a.m. near the 900 block of Buffalo Shoals Road. Robin Chapman, a spokesperson for Norfolk-Southern Railroad, said the eastbound train consisted of three locomotives and no freight cars.
The train was rounding a curve and approaching a trestle over Boston Creek just prior to Buffalo Shoals Road when it struck a man on the trestle, Chapman said. Christopher Kaiser, 29, died at the scene and two more people were injured, according to Iredell County Sheriff Phillip Redmond. Kaiser's body was found below the trestle down a steep incline, he said. The injured patients were airlifted to a local hospital. Their condition was not immediately known.
"During the investigation, witnesses told deputies they were at the site in hopes of seeing a 'ghost train'," the Iredell County sheriff's office said in a press release. The sheriff said the incident coincided with the anniversary of a train wreck that occurred at the same location in 1891. Redmond said there were "12 people who were amateur ghost hunters caught on the trestle when the train rounded the bend" early on Friday morning.
The train operators tried to stop the locomotives and warn the people on the trestle, Redmond said. Most of the people on the trestle started running east and away from the train. All of the victims were able to clear the trestle except for the fatal victim who was struck by a locomotive. "All indications at this point are this is an accident," Redmond said.
The train was rounding a curve and approaching a trestle over Boston Creek just prior to Buffalo Shoals Road when it struck a man on the trestle, Chapman said. Christopher Kaiser, 29, died at the scene and two more people were injured, according to Iredell County Sheriff Phillip Redmond. Kaiser's body was found below the trestle down a steep incline, he said. The injured patients were airlifted to a local hospital. Their condition was not immediately known.
"During the investigation, witnesses told deputies they were at the site in hopes of seeing a 'ghost train'," the Iredell County sheriff's office said in a press release. The sheriff said the incident coincided with the anniversary of a train wreck that occurred at the same location in 1891. Redmond said there were "12 people who were amateur ghost hunters caught on the trestle when the train rounded the bend" early on Friday morning.
The train operators tried to stop the locomotives and warn the people on the trestle, Redmond said. Most of the people on the trestle started running east and away from the train. All of the victims were able to clear the trestle except for the fatal victim who was struck by a locomotive. "All indications at this point are this is an accident," Redmond said.
Australian lady sells nappies for chickens
Australia's backyard chickens have moved out of the coop and into the house. The backyard scratcher is now a pampered pet and to help with the transition, a Brisbane-based chicken entrepreneur has developed the latest must-have accessory for people who love their chickens. It's called the chicken nappy, a design perfect for the animal that can never really be house-trained but likes to come inside anyway.
The nappy, based on a US design, is manufactured by a seamstress who also makes small walking leads and harnesses for chickens who like to take it that one step further, and cross the road. Ingrid Dimock's backyard breeding operation – City Chicks – has grown from a small part-time practice into a thriving full-time business.
The nappies she sells are bought by families who encourage their birds inside to interact or for people in apartments or townhouses who keep birds but have limited space. "Chickens have become incredibly interactive with people," Ms Dimock said. "When you come home they are looking for you and run up to you. They make really good pets and are really social creatures."
The leads were developed because Ms Dimock said people wanted to take their birds with them when they left the house. "People were telling us that they wanted to take their chickens to the park to have a scratch around while they watched their kids playing soccer," she said. City Chooks also sells bling for birds, with funky wristbands used to identify birds who stray from the roost. And for the hen who likes to stay in the coop, Ms Dimock also sells chicken chandeliers.
The nappy, based on a US design, is manufactured by a seamstress who also makes small walking leads and harnesses for chickens who like to take it that one step further, and cross the road. Ingrid Dimock's backyard breeding operation – City Chicks – has grown from a small part-time practice into a thriving full-time business.
The nappies she sells are bought by families who encourage their birds inside to interact or for people in apartments or townhouses who keep birds but have limited space. "Chickens have become incredibly interactive with people," Ms Dimock said. "When you come home they are looking for you and run up to you. They make really good pets and are really social creatures."
The leads were developed because Ms Dimock said people wanted to take their birds with them when they left the house. "People were telling us that they wanted to take their chickens to the park to have a scratch around while they watched their kids playing soccer," she said. City Chooks also sells bling for birds, with funky wristbands used to identify birds who stray from the roost. And for the hen who likes to stay in the coop, Ms Dimock also sells chicken chandeliers.
Video game firm sued over man's addiction
A Hawaiian man is claiming he is unable to bathe, dress himself or wake up in the day due to alleged "phenomena of psychological dependence and addiction" to a video game created by a South Korean developer. Craig Smallwood, 51, of Ewa Beach, filed a lawsuit against developer NCSoft Corp. last October with several charges including emotional distress and misrepresentation. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Alan Kay granted NCSoft's motion to dismiss half of the eight charges, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. Smallwood alleges that the 2003 release "Lineage II" caused "extreme and serious emotional distress and depression."
Smallwood, who says he is a disabled veteran, also alleges that he has been "unable to function independently in usually daily activities such as getting up, getting dressed, bathing or communicating with family and friends." He claims to have been hospitalized for three weeks and that he now needs treatment and therapy three times a week because of the game. In his Aug. 4 decision, Kay dismissed the charges of misrepresentation/deceit, unfair and deceptive trade practices, intentional infliction of emotional distress and punitive damages.
NCSoft still faces counts of defamation, negligence, gross negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. "Lineage II" is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game with a medieval fantasy setting. Smallwood claims he spent more than 20,000 hours playing the game from 2004 to 2009. "NCSoft is discretionary and discriminatory in its applications of the rules," Smallwood said in his original October complaint. "Often they will allow certain players to break rules ... while they enforce these rules on others."
Smallwood asserts that he continues to this day to have a "compulsive urge and need" to play the game, that he never received any warning from the company about the danger of addiction and that he would not have bought and played the game if he would become addicted to it. Law firm Bronster & Hoshibata, which represents NCSoft in the case, said Smallwood "fails to properly allege facts that would support each element of the emotional distress claim. As such, Smallwood has failed to properly give notice to NCSoft of the claims levied against it." NCSoft also claims that Smallwood was banned from his game accounts because of his involvement with real money transfers, which is forbidden by the user agreement and rules of conduct of the game.
Smallwood, who says he is a disabled veteran, also alleges that he has been "unable to function independently in usually daily activities such as getting up, getting dressed, bathing or communicating with family and friends." He claims to have been hospitalized for three weeks and that he now needs treatment and therapy three times a week because of the game. In his Aug. 4 decision, Kay dismissed the charges of misrepresentation/deceit, unfair and deceptive trade practices, intentional infliction of emotional distress and punitive damages.
NCSoft still faces counts of defamation, negligence, gross negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. "Lineage II" is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game with a medieval fantasy setting. Smallwood claims he spent more than 20,000 hours playing the game from 2004 to 2009. "NCSoft is discretionary and discriminatory in its applications of the rules," Smallwood said in his original October complaint. "Often they will allow certain players to break rules ... while they enforce these rules on others."
Smallwood asserts that he continues to this day to have a "compulsive urge and need" to play the game, that he never received any warning from the company about the danger of addiction and that he would not have bought and played the game if he would become addicted to it. Law firm Bronster & Hoshibata, which represents NCSoft in the case, said Smallwood "fails to properly allege facts that would support each element of the emotional distress claim. As such, Smallwood has failed to properly give notice to NCSoft of the claims levied against it." NCSoft also claims that Smallwood was banned from his game accounts because of his involvement with real money transfers, which is forbidden by the user agreement and rules of conduct of the game.
Soccer mums trade blows at awards ceremony
Two Australian soccer mums were called into court after brawling over who was to blame for a grand final loss at their daughters' awards ceremony. Vickie Jovanovski and Angela Tasevski - whose 11-year-old daughters played on the same team - were hauled into court over the assault, which happened in front of a room full of children.
The women began arguing about who was to blame for the loss in a junior soccer league final held about an hour south of Sydney, when they got into a physical fight. Witnesses said Tasevski shoved Jovanovski, who in turn pulled the other woman's hair.
The women's husbands tried to break them up but ended up throwing punches as well, the court heard. Ms Tasevski also allegedly lost several clumps of hair in the fight last September. Judge Ian Guy found Jovanovski guilty of assault but did not sentence her to jail, though he did criticise both women.
"I accept there was an element of provocation that led you to behave the way you did, [but] to get to the level that there is an all-in brawl ... what message does that send in terms of good behaviour to young people? It ruined the day for all concerned, I'm sure," he said.
The women began arguing about who was to blame for the loss in a junior soccer league final held about an hour south of Sydney, when they got into a physical fight. Witnesses said Tasevski shoved Jovanovski, who in turn pulled the other woman's hair.
The women's husbands tried to break them up but ended up throwing punches as well, the court heard. Ms Tasevski also allegedly lost several clumps of hair in the fight last September. Judge Ian Guy found Jovanovski guilty of assault but did not sentence her to jail, though he did criticise both women.
"I accept there was an element of provocation that led you to behave the way you did, [but] to get to the level that there is an all-in brawl ... what message does that send in terms of good behaviour to young people? It ruined the day for all concerned, I'm sure," he said.
Man, 21, poses as a teenager at school
A 21-year-old man with a criminal record has been accused of posing as a teenager, enrolling in a school in the US, and playing in a football league for five to 14-year-olds. Julious Threatts has been charged with one count of trespassing on school grounds, and one count of "obstruction by disguised person" and violation of probation in Florida.
Threatts played in a season opening game in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League after allegedly turning in a birth certificate, registration form and a guardian's signature to the league stating he was just 14. But league officials now believe he faked all the documentation.
The authorities were tipped off to the fraud by a phone call from the West Coast Children's Football League - where Threatts had also allegedly played ball. "Obviously it was a well-thought out plot, because he's done it to other leagues, previously," Scott Levinson, Tampa Bay Youth Football League president, said.
Coaches say Threatts convinced them and other players he was a teenager - and even his athletic ability failed to give him away, they said. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Threatts had enrolled in Webb Middle School as 14-year-old Chad Johnson. The motive for Threatts offending was not clear, authorities said, but he was being held in the Hillsborough County Jail on no bond.
Threatts played in a season opening game in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League after allegedly turning in a birth certificate, registration form and a guardian's signature to the league stating he was just 14. But league officials now believe he faked all the documentation.
The authorities were tipped off to the fraud by a phone call from the West Coast Children's Football League - where Threatts had also allegedly played ball. "Obviously it was a well-thought out plot, because he's done it to other leagues, previously," Scott Levinson, Tampa Bay Youth Football League president, said.
Coaches say Threatts convinced them and other players he was a teenager - and even his athletic ability failed to give him away, they said. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Threatts had enrolled in Webb Middle School as 14-year-old Chad Johnson. The motive for Threatts offending was not clear, authorities said, but he was being held in the Hillsborough County Jail on no bond.
Venezuelan politician offers breast implants as raffle prize to raise election funds
A Venezuelan politician is offering breast implants as a prize in a raffle to raise funds for his parliamentary election campaign. "Some people raffle TVs and we decided to offer this. It's an interesting prize and there's a lot of interest," Gustavo Rojas, an opposition candidate for a National Assembly position, said while campaigning in Caracas.
Cosmetic surgery, especially breast enlargement, is widespread in image-conscious Venezuela, whose beauty queens have won numerous international pageant titles. Even a recession has not diminished Venezuelans' appetite for cosmetic surgery, with many people taking out loans for operations.
Rojas, of the opposition First Justice party, said he was not too worried about potential feminist criticism or the medical details of his offer. "The raffle is a financing mechanism, nothing else. It's the doctor who will do the operation, not me," he said.
"When someone raffles a TV, some people think it's a good TV but others don't like it. It's the same. I'm not showing disrespect to anyone." Venezuelans vote on September 26 for a new parliament.
Cosmetic surgery, especially breast enlargement, is widespread in image-conscious Venezuela, whose beauty queens have won numerous international pageant titles. Even a recession has not diminished Venezuelans' appetite for cosmetic surgery, with many people taking out loans for operations.
Rojas, of the opposition First Justice party, said he was not too worried about potential feminist criticism or the medical details of his offer. "The raffle is a financing mechanism, nothing else. It's the doctor who will do the operation, not me," he said.
"When someone raffles a TV, some people think it's a good TV but others don't like it. It's the same. I'm not showing disrespect to anyone." Venezuelans vote on September 26 for a new parliament.
Madonna impersonator sues Simon Cowell over Britain's Got Talent put downs
A Madonna impersonator is suing Britain's Got Talent over jibes made by one of the show's judges Simon Cowell. Philip Grimmer, 57, made it through to the semi-final of the TV programme earlier this year. For the live show, he performed a rendition of Madonna's Hung Up wearing a purple leotard, wig and knee-high boots.
Cowell called him a "hard of hearing and short-sighted Madonna" and described the act as "'monstrous". He added: "Madonna at 95 would look better and dance better than you."
Mr Grimmer, who is partially deaf and short sighted, accuses the show of discrimination over a disability and the fact he was introduced by presenters Ant and Dec as a "successful drag queen". The married father-of-one, from Ilford, claims he could be mistaken for a gay cross-dresser when he is simply a Madonna impersonator. He is demanding £250,000 for lost earnings and injury to feelings.
In legal papers submitted to the Central London Employment Tribunal, Mr Grimmer said: "I was discriminated against by Simon Cowell and the two presenters Ant and Dec and by one of the assistant producers. "I was singled out by these persons and received unfair and worse treatment and comments on the live TV show than other contestants."
You can see Mr Grimmer's performance here.
Cowell called him a "hard of hearing and short-sighted Madonna" and described the act as "'monstrous". He added: "Madonna at 95 would look better and dance better than you."
Mr Grimmer, who is partially deaf and short sighted, accuses the show of discrimination over a disability and the fact he was introduced by presenters Ant and Dec as a "successful drag queen". The married father-of-one, from Ilford, claims he could be mistaken for a gay cross-dresser when he is simply a Madonna impersonator. He is demanding £250,000 for lost earnings and injury to feelings.
In legal papers submitted to the Central London Employment Tribunal, Mr Grimmer said: "I was discriminated against by Simon Cowell and the two presenters Ant and Dec and by one of the assistant producers. "I was singled out by these persons and received unfair and worse treatment and comments on the live TV show than other contestants."
You can see Mr Grimmer's performance here.
Boyfriend of war tribute pee woman in Nazi salute shame
The woman who urinated on a cenotaph was back in court yesterday - to support her boyfriend after he made a Nazi salute to old soldiers.
Frank McCartney, 41, made the gesture as Wendy Lewis, 32, left court after being given a suspended sentence on Wednesday.
Busker McCartney, 41, of Blackpool, Lancs, admitted using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and breaching the terms of a conditional discharge.
Town magistrates fined the dad-of-two £180 and ordered him to pay £100 costs. Veterans had given Lewis a guard of dishonour for her offence at Blackpool's cenotaph.
Frank McCartney, 41, made the gesture as Wendy Lewis, 32, left court after being given a suspended sentence on Wednesday.
Busker McCartney, 41, of Blackpool, Lancs, admitted using threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour and breaching the terms of a conditional discharge.
Town magistrates fined the dad-of-two £180 and ordered him to pay £100 costs. Veterans had given Lewis a guard of dishonour for her offence at Blackpool's cenotaph.
Kitten in tumble dryer drama brought back to life
Curiosity nearly killed the cat when a six-week old kitten crept into a tumble dryer and ended up going around with the washing. Fun-loving Fudge got more than she bargained for when she curled up inside a nice, cosy duvet in the machine for a sleep. Before the tiny kitten knew it, owner Ashlea Boon, who was unaware her pet was inside the dryer, had put the bed clothing on to spin.
When the 25-year-old, who lives on the former RAF Locking camp, pulled the duvet out after a five minute refresh in the machine, a lifeless Fudge fell out too. Ashlea said: "She was limp and wasn't moving. It was really emotional and horrible and I felt that it was my fault. She looked dead.
"My partner Ben said to leave her be as that was for the best, but I decided to try and do something. I started rubbing Fudge's tummy and she started breathing, but really fast. She still couldn't move for some time and after about 30 minutes she got to her feet, but her legs kept buckling and she was walking into things.
"We took her to Green Pastures Vets in Moor Lane and they were concerned she may have brain damage or problems with her sight. But they soon worked their magic on her." Fudge was given steroids and only ended up spending 24 hours at the surgery. The staff then gave her an award for her remarkable recovery, as she is now back home with Ashlea, Ben and two-year-old son Jayden in Weston-super-Mare.
When the 25-year-old, who lives on the former RAF Locking camp, pulled the duvet out after a five minute refresh in the machine, a lifeless Fudge fell out too. Ashlea said: "She was limp and wasn't moving. It was really emotional and horrible and I felt that it was my fault. She looked dead.
"My partner Ben said to leave her be as that was for the best, but I decided to try and do something. I started rubbing Fudge's tummy and she started breathing, but really fast. She still couldn't move for some time and after about 30 minutes she got to her feet, but her legs kept buckling and she was walking into things.
"We took her to Green Pastures Vets in Moor Lane and they were concerned she may have brain damage or problems with her sight. But they soon worked their magic on her." Fudge was given steroids and only ended up spending 24 hours at the surgery. The staff then gave her an award for her remarkable recovery, as she is now back home with Ashlea, Ben and two-year-old son Jayden in Weston-super-Mare.
Heartbroken suicidal goose causes traffic jam
A goose caused a mile-long traffic jam by sitting in the middle of a busy road because he was suicidal over the death of his partner.
The bird walked two miles from its home in Peacehaven, East Sussex, before stumbling on to the A259 during rush hour.
Pc Shaun Logan of Sussex Police said: “We put him in a cardboard box. He seems completely fine, thankfully.”
The bird’s owner, who did not wish to be named, said the bird had been left distraught after his partner was mauled by a fox last month.
Georgina Jones, 29, who was stuck in the traffic chaos, said: “I was just trundling along and then people started slowing down.
“I could not believe it when I saw the goose in the road. People were braking quickly but he just stood there. It is really sad to be honest - although it did disrupt my day you have to feel sorry for the poor animal.”
The bird walked two miles from its home in Peacehaven, East Sussex, before stumbling on to the A259 during rush hour.
Pc Shaun Logan of Sussex Police said: “We put him in a cardboard box. He seems completely fine, thankfully.”
The bird’s owner, who did not wish to be named, said the bird had been left distraught after his partner was mauled by a fox last month.
Georgina Jones, 29, who was stuck in the traffic chaos, said: “I was just trundling along and then people started slowing down.
“I could not believe it when I saw the goose in the road. People were braking quickly but he just stood there. It is really sad to be honest - although it did disrupt my day you have to feel sorry for the poor animal.”
Tiny kitten survived 20 mile trip lodged in car's engine
A tiny kitten survived a 20 mile trip in the engine of a Perthshire politician's car before being found by a team of mechanics. The small grey and white cat, believed to be only a few weeks old, hid under the bonnet of John Kellas's Rover 75. Mr Kellas, an SNP member of Perth and Kinross councillor, suspects the moggy crawled under his bonnet when he was bowling. Mr Kellas, from Bankfoot, Perthshire, said on Tuesday that his wife thought she heard a cat when she walked passed the car later that evening, but did not see anything.
Mr Kellas said: "I thought there might have been a cat under the car, which had ran off when I had a look. I had forgotten about it until the next day, when at my business in Perth my PA said she heard a miaow coming from my car. I said no, no, it must be some engine part - as I could not see any cat. But when I went into town in the afternoon, I was convinced too that I heard something. But every time I stopped the car, I could not hear or see anything. I decided to take the vehicle to Farmer Autocare in Perth, but the mechanics couldn't find it either. They were thinking I was taking the mickey out of them, that I was referring to a catalytic converter or something.
"Just when they were about to give up, we all heard the kitten. At that point two of the mechanics stripped out the bottom of the car. That was when we saw a couple of little eyes peeking out from the dark corner, looking very terrified. The cat somehow got under the engine and got trapped behind the wheel arch. It was very frisky, and it put up a fight when the mechanics took it out of its hiding place. But besides being very frightened and shaken, it was okay. I think that is a miracle, as I had driven about twenty miles with it."
The scruffy grey and white bundle, which is believed to be only weeks old, has been named 'Farmer', after the garage which saved it. It is now in the care of Mr Kellas' PA, who will look after the kitten until the owner is found. Praising the staff at the garage, Cllr Kellas added: "There were five different guys that had a look at the car. They did a great job and probably lost work to save the kitten. They didn't even charge me, they genuinely did it out of the goodness of their hearts." Garage manager Chris McBrearty labelled the situation "very, very unusual".
Mr Kellas said: "I thought there might have been a cat under the car, which had ran off when I had a look. I had forgotten about it until the next day, when at my business in Perth my PA said she heard a miaow coming from my car. I said no, no, it must be some engine part - as I could not see any cat. But when I went into town in the afternoon, I was convinced too that I heard something. But every time I stopped the car, I could not hear or see anything. I decided to take the vehicle to Farmer Autocare in Perth, but the mechanics couldn't find it either. They were thinking I was taking the mickey out of them, that I was referring to a catalytic converter or something.
"Just when they were about to give up, we all heard the kitten. At that point two of the mechanics stripped out the bottom of the car. That was when we saw a couple of little eyes peeking out from the dark corner, looking very terrified. The cat somehow got under the engine and got trapped behind the wheel arch. It was very frisky, and it put up a fight when the mechanics took it out of its hiding place. But besides being very frightened and shaken, it was okay. I think that is a miracle, as I had driven about twenty miles with it."
The scruffy grey and white bundle, which is believed to be only weeks old, has been named 'Farmer', after the garage which saved it. It is now in the care of Mr Kellas' PA, who will look after the kitten until the owner is found. Praising the staff at the garage, Cllr Kellas added: "There were five different guys that had a look at the car. They did a great job and probably lost work to save the kitten. They didn't even charge me, they genuinely did it out of the goodness of their hearts." Garage manager Chris McBrearty labelled the situation "very, very unusual".
Man caught growing 340 cannabis plants says they were for personal use
A man caught with more than £47,000 of cannabis in a Shirley home claimed the drugs were for his own consumption. But a judge at Croydon Crown Court ruled last Wednesday that James Dervish's harvest of 340 plants at the property in Orchard Avenue was clearly a commercial enterprise for potential profit. The 37-year-old, of Tylecroft Road, Norbury, pleaded guilty to cultivating the cannabis and will be sentenced on September 17.
His 36 year-old wife Emma, of Oval Road, East Croydon, had earlier admitted a charge of allowing the house to be used for the drugs venture and she will be sentenced at the same time. Paul Andrews, prosecuting, said police raided the property on December 3, 2009 and, in the loft, found plants in three stages of growth. It was estimated on the street they would, combined, fetch £47,300. But dad-of-four Dervish denied that selling the drugs was his aim.
"I started smoking cannabis when I was about 13," he said "After two years I got into heroin. I stopped heroin two years ago but my cannabis use shot through the roof." He claimed the cannabis factory was to feed his habit of smoking between 10 and 14 grams of cannabis a day. He had learnt from the internet how to set up the factory, and spent about £700 for the equipment needed to nourish the plants.
Deputy Circuit Judge Crawford Lindsay rejected Dervish's evidence and added: "I am satisfied he would have turned it into money. This man was growing cannabis with a view to dealing." The couple were allowed bail until their sentencing.
His 36 year-old wife Emma, of Oval Road, East Croydon, had earlier admitted a charge of allowing the house to be used for the drugs venture and she will be sentenced at the same time. Paul Andrews, prosecuting, said police raided the property on December 3, 2009 and, in the loft, found plants in three stages of growth. It was estimated on the street they would, combined, fetch £47,300. But dad-of-four Dervish denied that selling the drugs was his aim.
"I started smoking cannabis when I was about 13," he said "After two years I got into heroin. I stopped heroin two years ago but my cannabis use shot through the roof." He claimed the cannabis factory was to feed his habit of smoking between 10 and 14 grams of cannabis a day. He had learnt from the internet how to set up the factory, and spent about £700 for the equipment needed to nourish the plants.
Deputy Circuit Judge Crawford Lindsay rejected Dervish's evidence and added: "I am satisfied he would have turned it into money. This man was growing cannabis with a view to dealing." The couple were allowed bail until their sentencing.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
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