Sunday, May 4, 2008

Boy avoids stares with fake ears

A boy born with no ears has had his hearing and appearance restored with the help of several operations and a set of artificial ears. South Yorkshire schoolboy Joshua Bull was born with small misshapen flaps of skin for ears and blocked ear canals.
Implants in his skull enabled him to hear but doctors also fitted him with realistic plastic ears so he could avoid people staring in the street. Around one in 7,000 children are born without at least one ear.

Amputee goat finds a friend in amputee animal activist

They are both amputees:
She lost part of her right leg to bone cancer at the age of 10, and he lost part of his left leg four months ago because of an injury.
Her name is Jenny Brown, and she is a 36-year-old television producer-turned-animal rights activist. His name is Albie, and he is a goat of undetermined age and breed.

Couple who lost 3 children in car crash have triplets

Lori and Chris Coble of Ladera Ranch, who lost three children in a freeway accident almost one year ago, announced the birth of triplets on Wednesday night. The babies - two girls and a boy - are listed in good condition at Children's Hospital at Mission. They were born each one minute apart. The Cobles have named their new children Ashley, Ellie and Jake. Lori Coble is listed in good condition after undergoing a C-section according to Denise Almazon, spokeswoman for Children's Hospital of Orange County.Lori Coble gave birth to the new triplets during her 32nd week of pregnancy. Reports say the kids are "a good size" and "in good health." The kids are about 4 lbs each. On May 4, 2007 Kyle, 5, Emma, 4, and Katie, 2, Coble died after their family's car was struck by a big-rig on the I-5 in Mission Viejo.

A Sneaky Kitten

Nothing much happens.
It's just a kitten sneaking up on a fennec fox.

Man asks to change his name to "In God We Trust"

ZION, Ill. — Steve Kreuscher wants a judge to allow him to legally change his name. He wants to be known as "In God We Trust."
Kreuscher (CROY'-shir) says the new name would symbolize the help God gave him through tough times.
The 57-year-old man also told the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald he's worried that atheists may succeed in removing the phrase "In God We Trust" from U.S. currency.
He recalls that the phrase "God Reigns" was removed from the Zion city seal in 1992 after courts deemed it unconstitutional. Zion was founded as a theocracy — by a sect that believed the Earth was flat.
The school bus driver and amateur artist in the northern Chicago suburb says he has filed a petition to change his name in Lake County Circuit Court.

Ostrich Egg is what for Dinner

It is "perfect for a very large family" - an ostrich egg 24 times the size of a normal hen's. Waitrose, the supermarket chain, has just started selling the eggs which can weigh in at almost 4.4lb (2kg). Diners are advised that a simple tap of a spoon is unlikely to break the shell - a roasting spike or a domestic drill is more suitable.
And those hoping to "go to work on ostrich egg" might think twice and save that particular treat for the weekend, as they can take an hour to boil. They can also be hard-boiled, scrambled and fried - with a very large frying pan - just like chicken or duck eggs, said a spokesman. "They are also very good for meringues because the white is much lighter than chickens' eggs," she added. Waitrose has introduced the eggs, which cost £15.99, at 19 stores and hopes to attract cooks looking to experiment.