These tiny newborn hedgehogs are proving to be a handful for carers at a rescue center - after the mild weather triggered a string of early orphaned arrivals. The seven babies - from two separate families - have all been handed in to the Prickly Ball Farm Hospital in Devon.
Staff says Britain's mild spring weather has caused the females to come out of hibernation and give birth around a month early.This means that animal rescue centers are dealing with the inevitable orphaned offspring weeks earlier than expected.
The three smallest orphans at Prickly Ball are just 72 hours old. They were found huddled in a pile of blankets by a homeowner clearing out his garage in Dartmouth. The other four are around four weeks old and were found nesting in a bag of rubble by a couple who are renovating their home in Plymouth. All seven are being cared for by Andrew Ward, 26, who is general manager of the rescue center near Newton Abbot. He and his staff are currently feeding them with goat's milk every two hours throughout the day and night. "I do the feeding during the night so I need a lot of coffee," he said. "But they are gaining strength quickly and doing well." The animals will gradually be weaned onto solid food and then taught how to fend for themselves before being released back into the wild aged four or five months.
Monday, December 31, 2007
A lighting bolt hits truck without remorse
Mike Knapp was stunned when a lightning bolt wrecked his pickup truck.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
When pigs fly
A flying pig is a symbol of an impossible event coming to pass. The popular saying "[it will happen] when pigs fly" (or when pigs have wings) is traditionally used to mean that the specified event will never occur.
"When pigs fly" is an idiomatic way of saying that something will never happen. Pigs are heavy animals, without wings, and cannot possibly fly. So "when pigs fly" is a time that will never come. The phrase is used for humorous effect to scoff at someone's intentions to achieve or carry out something which is beyond their previous efforts and accomplishments, especially in politics. There are numerous variations on the theme; when someone with a reputation for failure finally succeeds, onlookers may claim sarcastically to see a flying pig. "Hey look! A flying pig!"
Similar phrases include "when hell freezes over"
"When pigs fly" is an idiomatic way of saying that something will never happen. Pigs are heavy animals, without wings, and cannot possibly fly. So "when pigs fly" is a time that will never come. The phrase is used for humorous effect to scoff at someone's intentions to achieve or carry out something which is beyond their previous efforts and accomplishments, especially in politics. There are numerous variations on the theme; when someone with a reputation for failure finally succeeds, onlookers may claim sarcastically to see a flying pig. "Hey look! A flying pig!"
Similar phrases include "when hell freezes over"
The laughing cops of Thailand
Real-life policemen just laughing
Police officers in Thailand are having laughter lessons to
Police officers in Thailand are having laughter lessons to
help them deal with the stresses and strains of their job.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Magic Spoon
Offer someone this teaspoon to stir their tea or coffee - as soon as they dip it into the hot liquid, the spoon bends through 90 degrees. The liquid does not need to be boiling - the spoon will also bend if placed under the hot tap.
Part of the handle is made of Nitinol or Shape Memory Metal, which 'remembers' a shape that has been previously set into it. To reset the spoon, just cool it under the cold tap, and straighten it again. The spoon can be used many times, as Nitinol is a very flexible metal.
Part of the handle is made of Nitinol or Shape Memory Metal, which 'remembers' a shape that has been previously set into it. To reset the spoon, just cool it under the cold tap, and straighten it again. The spoon can be used many times, as Nitinol is a very flexible metal.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Chihuahua leads police to suspect in hiding
Chris and Wendy Anderson have a crime fighter in their north Auburn home, and he's no bigger than 10 inches tall and 3 1/2 pounds. Tank, a Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix, is credited by sheriff's deputies with flushing out a fleeing suspect who crashed a stolen minivan and was hiding under a motor home nearby.
.
.
When a Placer County sheriff's deputy and his canine unit showed up, Tank led them to the suspect's new hiding spot deeper in the trees. The suspect gave up without a whimper.
In the News
Fire crew's Tater Tots start blaze
A fire station crew must be a little embarrassed by the way some of this state's famous potatoes got fried. Boise firefighters returning from a medical call had to turn their hose on the firehouse kitchen after an overheated pan full of Tater Tots melted and set some cabinets ablaze.
The Christmas Eve fire at Station 8 was quickly extinguished, with no injuries. No damage estimate was available. Investigators were trying to determine why a computerized safety system that automatically turns off appliances when firefighters are called away apparently had not been activated. Assistant Fire Chief Dave Hanneman said the three firefighters on duty might have forgotten to use it.
Furs found after 30 years in storage
Sam Haskins didn't ask for a fur coat for Christmas, but he got six of them. Haskins, the new owner of a hardware store, made an unexpected discovery early this month when he started poking around the basement: a climate-controlled vault containing six fur coats, about a dozen suits and some dresses and hats, apparently untouched since the late 1970s. "The fans were spinning and the furs were spotless," said Haskins. "Everything inside was very nice and clean. The fan was set on 65 degrees and that is exactly what the thermometer read. Everyone wants to know who has been paying the electricity bill. "Haskins, 56, bought J&H Hardware in May and the building — a three-story structure on the village square — in September. In surveying the basement, he figured there might be usable space hidden behind a wall that had hinges on it. With son Jeremy Haskins, 27, he rented an electric hammer and then a jackhammer and eventually bored through 18 inches of brick and mortar, four inches of wallboard and then a cement wall to find the room once used by Royal Furriers, a business that closed in the late 1970s. Haskins said he had no idea what the coats are worth, but planned to have them appraised. It was unclear whether anyone could step forward to claim a long-lost coat — or whether anyone who did would be on the hook for 30 years of storage fees.
A fire station crew must be a little embarrassed by the way some of this state's famous potatoes got fried. Boise firefighters returning from a medical call had to turn their hose on the firehouse kitchen after an overheated pan full of Tater Tots melted and set some cabinets ablaze.
The Christmas Eve fire at Station 8 was quickly extinguished, with no injuries. No damage estimate was available. Investigators were trying to determine why a computerized safety system that automatically turns off appliances when firefighters are called away apparently had not been activated. Assistant Fire Chief Dave Hanneman said the three firefighters on duty might have forgotten to use it.
Furs found after 30 years in storage
Sam Haskins didn't ask for a fur coat for Christmas, but he got six of them. Haskins, the new owner of a hardware store, made an unexpected discovery early this month when he started poking around the basement: a climate-controlled vault containing six fur coats, about a dozen suits and some dresses and hats, apparently untouched since the late 1970s. "The fans were spinning and the furs were spotless," said Haskins. "Everything inside was very nice and clean. The fan was set on 65 degrees and that is exactly what the thermometer read. Everyone wants to know who has been paying the electricity bill. "Haskins, 56, bought J&H Hardware in May and the building — a three-story structure on the village square — in September. In surveying the basement, he figured there might be usable space hidden behind a wall that had hinges on it. With son Jeremy Haskins, 27, he rented an electric hammer and then a jackhammer and eventually bored through 18 inches of brick and mortar, four inches of wallboard and then a cement wall to find the room once used by Royal Furriers, a business that closed in the late 1970s. Haskins said he had no idea what the coats are worth, but planned to have them appraised. It was unclear whether anyone could step forward to claim a long-lost coat — or whether anyone who did would be on the hook for 30 years of storage fees.
For the Chocoholics
.
.
.
.
.
.
This chocolate water fountain would look nice in my living room
chocolat fount - uma fonte de chocolate - ainda nao sei se gostei ou nao
chocolat fount - uma fonte de chocolate - ainda nao sei se gostei ou nao
Imagine that a chair for your butt!?
A chair that separates your butt cheeks
The makers of this unique looking Ayur Chair claim that it can provide "perfect lumbar support while ergonomically lifting and separating your butt checks for optimum comfort." Since I have never sat in one, I can't really back up this claim. However, Is that worth the $500 price tag? Probably not, unless you have some serious gastrointestinal issues. Product Page
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Safe Driver
Want to buy an island?
If you're looking for an island.
Katafanga Island in the South Pacific paradise of Fiji is available.
Katafanga Island in the South Pacific paradise of Fiji is available.
225 acres of unspoiled beauty for a very reasonable €25,000,000.
€ 25 000 000. = 36.1125 million U.S. dollars
€ 25 000 000. = 36.1125 million U.S. dollars
Children are 'scared of hospital clowns'
Hospitals are being urged not to decorate children's wards with paintings of clowns in case they upset young patients.
State-funded research has found that in a survey of more than 250 children aged four to 16, all disliked the use of clowns in hospital decor, with even the teenagers seeing them as "scary."
"Given that children and young people do not find hospitals frightening per se - and only express fear about those spaces associated with needles - this finding is somewhat ironic," said Dr Penny Curtis of Sheffield University.
The fear of clowns, known as coulrophobia, can cause panic attacks, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and feelings of dread. It is one of the 10 most searched-for phobias on Yahoo! search engine.
State-funded research has found that in a survey of more than 250 children aged four to 16, all disliked the use of clowns in hospital decor, with even the teenagers seeing them as "scary."
"Given that children and young people do not find hospitals frightening per se - and only express fear about those spaces associated with needles - this finding is somewhat ironic," said Dr Penny Curtis of Sheffield University.
The fear of clowns, known as coulrophobia, can cause panic attacks, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and feelings of dread. It is one of the 10 most searched-for phobias on Yahoo! search engine.
It was the day after Christmas....
It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. The pastor of the church was looking over the cradle when he noticed that the baby Jesus was missing from among the figures of the nativity set.
Immediately he turned and went outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus. So he walked up to the boy and said, "Well, where did you get him?"
The little boy replied, "I got him from the church."
"And why did you take him?"
The boy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to Jesus and I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas I would give him a ride around the block in it."
Immediately he turned and went outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus. So he walked up to the boy and said, "Well, where did you get him?"
The little boy replied, "I got him from the church."
"And why did you take him?"
The boy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to Jesus and I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas I would give him a ride around the block in it."
Todays News
Driver who crashed into TV studio 'wanted to be on the news'
Well he certainly managed that.
.
.
Man spent Christmas Eve trapped upside down in a septic tank
77-year-old Des Moines, Iowa man Robert Schoff began his holiday with a toilet problem. So he went out to his septic tank and tried to remove the clog. Instead, it removed him. The senior lost his balance and fell into the slop, with his head trapped inside and his feet kicking wildly in the air. The 5'5", 135-lbs. man tried yelling for help at the top of his lungs but no one heard him. He stayed that way for about an hour unable to escape his smelly predicament until his wife began to wonder where her husband disappeared to. Toni Schoff walked by a window, saw his feet emerging from the opening and quickly rushed outside. But even that didn't help. "I saw these kicking feet and ran out, but couldn't get him out," she recalls. Eventually 911 and fire officials rushed to the scene and pulled him to safety. A long shower followed. "I thought it was the end of my life," he reflects. "Thank God my wife saw me. I don't think I could have stood staying in there much more."
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Unusual Motorcycles
A chainsaw-powered motorcycle that's functional and fast
Feature: Chainsaw-Powered Motorcycle is Functional, Pretty Fast (Video)
Feature: Chainsaw-Powered Motorcycle is Functional, Pretty Fast (Video)
.
.
A motorcycle with one wheel on it makes you look cool
Seven Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe
These well-worn theories are among seven "medical myths" exposed in a paper published in the British Medical Journal, which traditionally carries light-hearted features in its Christmas edition.
The research was conducted by Aaron Carroll, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, and Rachel Vreeman, fellow in children's health services research at Indiana University School of Medicine.
They took seven common beliefs and searched the archives for evidence to support them.
Despite frequent mentions in the popular press of the need to drink eight glasses of water, they found no scientific basis for the claim.
The complete lack of evidence has been recorded in a study published the American Journal of Psychology, they said.
The other six "myths" are:
Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
The majority of eye experts believed it was unlikely to do any permanent damage, but it might make you squint, blink more and have trouble focusing, the researchers said.
Shaving makes hair grow back faster or coarser
It has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair regrowth, studies say. But stubble lacks the finer taper of unshaven hair, giving the impression of coarseness.
Eating turkey makes you drowsy
It does contain an amino acid called tryptophan that is involved in sleep and mood control.
But turkey has no more of the acid than chicken or minced beef. Eating lots of food and drink at Christmas are probably the real cause of sleepiness.
We use only 10 percent of our brains
This myth arose as early as 1907 but imaging shows no area of the brain is silent or completely inactive.
Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death
This idea may stem from ghoulish novels. The researchers said the skin dries out and retracts after death, giving the appearance of longer hair or nails.
Cell phones are dangerous in hospitals
Despite widespread concerns, studies have found minimal interference with medical equipment
The research was conducted by Aaron Carroll, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, and Rachel Vreeman, fellow in children's health services research at Indiana University School of Medicine.
They took seven common beliefs and searched the archives for evidence to support them.
Despite frequent mentions in the popular press of the need to drink eight glasses of water, they found no scientific basis for the claim.
The complete lack of evidence has been recorded in a study published the American Journal of Psychology, they said.
The other six "myths" are:
Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
The majority of eye experts believed it was unlikely to do any permanent damage, but it might make you squint, blink more and have trouble focusing, the researchers said.
Shaving makes hair grow back faster or coarser
It has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair regrowth, studies say. But stubble lacks the finer taper of unshaven hair, giving the impression of coarseness.
Eating turkey makes you drowsy
It does contain an amino acid called tryptophan that is involved in sleep and mood control.
But turkey has no more of the acid than chicken or minced beef. Eating lots of food and drink at Christmas are probably the real cause of sleepiness.
We use only 10 percent of our brains
This myth arose as early as 1907 but imaging shows no area of the brain is silent or completely inactive.
Hair and fingernails continue to grow after death
This idea may stem from ghoulish novels. The researchers said the skin dries out and retracts after death, giving the appearance of longer hair or nails.
Cell phones are dangerous in hospitals
Despite widespread concerns, studies have found minimal interference with medical equipment
News Day
Pigeon poop plunge wins New Yorker six million dollars
A former New York doorman who slipped on a pile of pigeon droppings on a subway station's stairs has been awarded six million dollars in compensation, according to a report on Monday.
Fifty-six-year-old Shelton Stewart slipped on the station steps in 1998, injuring his neck and back, despite saying he had noticed the pile of excrement on his way to work the same day, the New York Post reported.
A jury awarded Stewart 7.67 million dollars in damages, but New York City’s transit authority only has to pay 80 percent of the sum, or 6.13 million, since Stewart was found 20 percent liable for failing to avoid the fecal pile.
Stewart was reportedly planning to use his windfall to buy a house and take his two daughters and grandchild to Disney World in Florida.
Single Mom Duped by Fake Lottery Ticket
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - When single mother Mary Ann Shaffer scratched a lottery ticket last week, she thought Christmas had come early.
The ticket indicated she was a $25,000 winner.
"I said, 'Oh my God, it's a miracle," Shaffer told the Naples Daily News.
She looked on the back to find a telephone number to claim her winnings.
Elation quickly turned to sadness as she realized the ticket, given to her by a customer at her concession stand, was a fake.
"Claim forms supplied by Santa Claus. All winning tickets must be validated by the tooth fairy and conform to her game rules ... All winners are losers and must have an excellent sense of humor," the ticket read.
"How can anyone be so mean around Christmas time?" said Bear Terstegge, a Naples Beach Patrol officer who examined the ticket.
Word about the fake ticket spread quickly around the Naples pier where Shaffer sells hot dogs and water.
"It touched everybody's heart," Terstegge said.
In the past few days, Shaffer, who has two young children, has received cards, gift certificates and hefty tips. One regular brought presents for her kids.
And she's even received a few lottery tickets - real ones.
Donor Drops $1,000 Into Red Kettle
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Salvation Army Major Richard Hathorn knew when and where it would happen, but he still doesn't know who slipped the $1,000 bill into one of the charity's Christmas kettles.
Each Christmas since 1978, someone has covertly stuffed one of the big bills into a kettle in this northern West Virginia University City.
This year, Hathorn says, the donor alerted the Salvation Army that the tradition would continue with a deposit between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday at the Wal-Mart at University Town Center.
During the appointed period, Hathorn carefully scanned the faces of people dropping money into the kettle, but he didn't spot anyone with a bill bearing the likeness of President Grover Cleveland.
He found it later, wrapped inside a $1 bill.
Hathorn says he hopes to raise about $62,000 from the kettles this year to provide everything from toys and food to utility assistance.
A former New York doorman who slipped on a pile of pigeon droppings on a subway station's stairs has been awarded six million dollars in compensation, according to a report on Monday.
Fifty-six-year-old Shelton Stewart slipped on the station steps in 1998, injuring his neck and back, despite saying he had noticed the pile of excrement on his way to work the same day, the New York Post reported.
A jury awarded Stewart 7.67 million dollars in damages, but New York City’s transit authority only has to pay 80 percent of the sum, or 6.13 million, since Stewart was found 20 percent liable for failing to avoid the fecal pile.
Stewart was reportedly planning to use his windfall to buy a house and take his two daughters and grandchild to Disney World in Florida.
Single Mom Duped by Fake Lottery Ticket
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - When single mother Mary Ann Shaffer scratched a lottery ticket last week, she thought Christmas had come early.
The ticket indicated she was a $25,000 winner.
"I said, 'Oh my God, it's a miracle," Shaffer told the Naples Daily News.
She looked on the back to find a telephone number to claim her winnings.
Elation quickly turned to sadness as she realized the ticket, given to her by a customer at her concession stand, was a fake.
"Claim forms supplied by Santa Claus. All winning tickets must be validated by the tooth fairy and conform to her game rules ... All winners are losers and must have an excellent sense of humor," the ticket read.
"How can anyone be so mean around Christmas time?" said Bear Terstegge, a Naples Beach Patrol officer who examined the ticket.
Word about the fake ticket spread quickly around the Naples pier where Shaffer sells hot dogs and water.
"It touched everybody's heart," Terstegge said.
In the past few days, Shaffer, who has two young children, has received cards, gift certificates and hefty tips. One regular brought presents for her kids.
And she's even received a few lottery tickets - real ones.
Donor Drops $1,000 Into Red Kettle
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Salvation Army Major Richard Hathorn knew when and where it would happen, but he still doesn't know who slipped the $1,000 bill into one of the charity's Christmas kettles.
Each Christmas since 1978, someone has covertly stuffed one of the big bills into a kettle in this northern West Virginia University City.
This year, Hathorn says, the donor alerted the Salvation Army that the tradition would continue with a deposit between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday at the Wal-Mart at University Town Center.
During the appointed period, Hathorn carefully scanned the faces of people dropping money into the kettle, but he didn't spot anyone with a bill bearing the likeness of President Grover Cleveland.
He found it later, wrapped inside a $1 bill.
Hathorn says he hopes to raise about $62,000 from the kettles this year to provide everything from toys and food to utility assistance.
Car crashes into TV studio while news is on air
.
"Luckily nothing happened there, and the weirdest thing was that it's very cold here in Chicago and so as soon as it happened, all of a sudden you could smell the street, you could feel the cold from the air," he said. The driver, Gerald Richardson, 25, was jailed on charges of causing property damage and reckless driving.
OREGON MAN 'SENDS' HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM AFTERLIFE
ASHLAND, Ore. — Even in death, Chet Fitch is a card.
Fitch, known for his sense of humor, died in October at age 88 but gave his friends and family a laugh recently: Christmas cards, 34 of them, began arriving — written in his hand with a return address of "Heaven."
The greeting read: "I asked Big Guy if I could sneak back and send some cards. At first he said no; but at my insistence he finally said, 'Oh well, what the heaven, go ahead but don't (tarry) there.' Wish I could tell you about things here but words cannot explain.
"Better get back as Big Guy said he stretched a point to let me in the first time, so I had better not press my luck. I'll probably be seeing you (some sooner than you think). Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Chet Fitch"
A friend for nearly 25 years, Debbie Hansen Bernard said, "All I could think was, 'You little stinker."'
"It was amazing," she said. "Just so Chet, always wanting to get the last laugh."
The mailing was a joke Fitch worked on for two decades with his barber, Patty Dean, 57. She told the Ashland Daily Tidings this week that he kept updating the mailing list and giving her extra money when postal rates went up. This fall, she said, Fitch looked up to her from the chair.
"You must be getting tired of waiting to mail those cards," he told her. "I think you'll probably be able to mail them this year."
He died a week later.
Fitch, known for his sense of humor, died in October at age 88 but gave his friends and family a laugh recently: Christmas cards, 34 of them, began arriving — written in his hand with a return address of "Heaven."
The greeting read: "I asked Big Guy if I could sneak back and send some cards. At first he said no; but at my insistence he finally said, 'Oh well, what the heaven, go ahead but don't (tarry) there.' Wish I could tell you about things here but words cannot explain.
"Better get back as Big Guy said he stretched a point to let me in the first time, so I had better not press my luck. I'll probably be seeing you (some sooner than you think). Wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Chet Fitch"
A friend for nearly 25 years, Debbie Hansen Bernard said, "All I could think was, 'You little stinker."'
"It was amazing," she said. "Just so Chet, always wanting to get the last laugh."
The mailing was a joke Fitch worked on for two decades with his barber, Patty Dean, 57. She told the Ashland Daily Tidings this week that he kept updating the mailing list and giving her extra money when postal rates went up. This fall, she said, Fitch looked up to her from the chair.
"You must be getting tired of waiting to mail those cards," he told her. "I think you'll probably be able to mail them this year."
He died a week later.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Digital Rearview Mirror
The Cervellum Bike Digital Rearview Mirror keeps you safer on your bike.
The Cervellum may just save your life if your enjoy one of those bikers who enjoy biking on the street or if there just isn't a sidewalk. Example: You are now able to pull onto the shoulder when a huge truck is swerving over the side line. The Cervellum is only a prototype so far, but it will cost about $200 when it hits production. And supposedly it may be able to support GPS and heart rate info one day!
MEXICAN DRUG TUNNEL DISCOVERED IN ARIZONA KITCHEN
Police say that 110 bundles of marijuana weighing more than 1,000 pounds were seized.
KOVA: Active drug tunnel plugged; 110 bundles of pot seized
.
KOVA: Active drug tunnel plugged; 110 bundles of pot seized
.
Sudokube™ Cube
To complete the 3-D challenge, twist the black and white plastic cube until each of the six sides displays the numbers 1 through 9. Instructions included. 2 1/4" square. Ages 5 and up.
Monday, December 24, 2007
"A new family of spiders as moved in"
Maybe my mother-in-law living here is not all that bad.
.
Holy crap that’s a lot of spider’s.
.
I really, really, really, really, really hate spiders!
Looking at that gives me the willies!
.
Oh My God! I don't know if I will be able to sleep to night.
Oh My God! I don't know if I will be able to sleep to night.
.
Oh dear Lord....I don’t think a can of raid will kill them all.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Puppy swallows yonder star
This dozy puppy almost had his last Christmas dinner — after he swallowed a star decoration.
Yorkshire Terrier Charlie found the old Christmas star as he rummaged in
owner Felicity Clifford’s bin.
She thought the five-month-old pup had swallowed a bone — but an X-ray revealed the star. Charlie made a full recovery after it was taken out with forceps under anaesthetic. Vet Robert Newcombe of charity PDSA’s hospital in Plymouth, Devon, said: “I’ve seen odd things as a vet but this is the strangest ever.”
Songbirds fly free as China turns its back on 2,000 years of history
For 2,000 years the song thrush has brought music to the ears of millions of Chinese. Now the ancient tradition of buying, caging and keeping wild song birds looks destined to die out. A new law banning the trade in seven species of wild birds takes effect on January 1. The aim is to try to save China's dwindling numbers of birds. It will also undermine the bustling local markets that are a familiar sight across Chinese cities and towns. The change in rules signals the likely demise of an integral aspect of Chinese life that dates back to the Han dynasty. Anyone who already has a bird will be allowed to keep it. But among the seven birds that will be banned from sale is the huamei — or song thrush — which has long been the species of choice for bird-keeping enthusiasts. Those buying or selling the birds will face a fine of up to ten times the price of the bird. It is the first time that Beijing environment officials have changed the list of protected species since 1989.
In the news
Woman stayed at Wal-Mart for three days
A Wal-Mart shopper overstayed her welcome at the 24-hour store in Lilburn. Gwinnett County police escorted the shopper home after she stayed there for three days eating and sleeping inside the store.Because of all the Christmas shoppers, the woman was able to blend in with the carts, crowds and chaos and go unnoticed for 72 hours a week before Christmas. When asked by Wal-Mart employees why she was there for so long she simply said, 'I'm shopping.'The woman was escorted home by police after she paid for her merchandise.With news video.
Court orders man to stop screaming at small children
An Alameda County court ordered a Berkeley man on Thursday to stop screaming and glaring at small children and their parents who use a tot park next to the man's Roosevelt Avenue home.
Art Maxwell, who lives next to the Becky Temko Tot Park, has been in a verbal war with parents and their children over noise levels in the park for nearly a year. Parents say Maxwell curses at their children and makes them cry, plays loud music outside while they use the park, videotapes them, and dishes out menacing stares at those who offend his peace and quiet. Maxwell contends park users are violating the city's noise ordinance and he is just trying to get some rest following a painful spinal cord injury last February.
Man goes missing but family do not realize for seven years
A family have reported a missing relative - seven years after he disappeared.Ian Glyn Davies, 56, was last seen in 2000 leaving the London home of a nephew. Relatives in South Wales thought he was at home near Neath but had not contacted him since. They only raised the alarm when he failed to show at a friend's funeral.
A photo of the missing man has been issued, although officers say it was taken around 20 years ago. Police are looking for him in London and Wales. Neath Sgt Nikki Thomas said: "We ask Mr Davies to contact us to confirm he is safe and well."
School Suspends Girl for Booze-Candy
CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) - A school district suspended a 12-year-old for having a piece of chocolate candy filled with a half-ounce of booze.
The unidentified seventh-grader was sent home from Alta Loma Junior High School three days before the winter break after a friend gave her a vodka-filled, foil-wrapped candy in the hall on her way to class Wednesday.
Another student apparently saw the girl get the candy and told school officials.
She cannot return until Jan. 7, and then she must adhere to a contract between, the student, parent and school that outlines expected behavior.
The girl was disciplined for having "possession, used, sold, furnished or been under the influence of any controlled substance, alcohol or intoxicant," according to her suspension notice.
The girl's mother said officials in the Alta Loma School District overreacted, noting the girl didn't eat the chocolate that was found in her purse.
"The punishment doesn't fit the crime," the mother said. "They made this an upsetting and dramatic situation that could have been handled a number of different ways."
The girl was disciplined just once before for talking in class, said her mother, whose name was withheld to protect the identity of her daughter.
Mike Whisenand, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel and support services, declined to comment on the girl's suspensions but said any amount of alcohol on campus is against the law.
The State Education Code "says (an) intoxicant of any kind. It doesn't mention flavor, size or quantity," Whisenand said. "Any type of alcohol can be cause of suspension. I certainly wouldn't call it candy."
Man Buys Truck With Loose Change
FRANKFORT, Ind. (AP) ― Paul Brant considers himself a penny pincher, but his savings in quarters and dollar coins really paid off. Brant, 70, used more than $25,000 in change to help buy a new Dodge Ram half-ton pickup truck Friday - 13 years after buying another truck with spare change. "(The old truck) didn't have four-wheel drive, and living in the country, I figured I better get a new one to help get me through the snow," he said. Brant said he was raised to be thrifty. His father always paid in cash and saved up loose change to take vacations. Brant has been storing his change for years, and estimated he had about $26,000 in coins for Friday's purchase. In 1994, he bought a Dodge pickup and a Dodge Neon using about $36,000 in quarters. "As long as you don't put your hands back in the till, it really adds up," he said. Brant stored his change in coffee cans, water jugs and piggy banks over the years, and was escorted by sheriff's deputies as he brought the rolled coins to the dealership. A Mike Raisor Chrysler Dodge and Jeep employee who sold Brant the truck said the dealership called in an armored car to count and handle the coins. "No bank wants to take them," Keith Gephart said.
A Wal-Mart shopper overstayed her welcome at the 24-hour store in Lilburn. Gwinnett County police escorted the shopper home after she stayed there for three days eating and sleeping inside the store.Because of all the Christmas shoppers, the woman was able to blend in with the carts, crowds and chaos and go unnoticed for 72 hours a week before Christmas. When asked by Wal-Mart employees why she was there for so long she simply said, 'I'm shopping.'The woman was escorted home by police after she paid for her merchandise.With news video.
Court orders man to stop screaming at small children
An Alameda County court ordered a Berkeley man on Thursday to stop screaming and glaring at small children and their parents who use a tot park next to the man's Roosevelt Avenue home.
Art Maxwell, who lives next to the Becky Temko Tot Park, has been in a verbal war with parents and their children over noise levels in the park for nearly a year. Parents say Maxwell curses at their children and makes them cry, plays loud music outside while they use the park, videotapes them, and dishes out menacing stares at those who offend his peace and quiet. Maxwell contends park users are violating the city's noise ordinance and he is just trying to get some rest following a painful spinal cord injury last February.
Man goes missing but family do not realize for seven years
A family have reported a missing relative - seven years after he disappeared.Ian Glyn Davies, 56, was last seen in 2000 leaving the London home of a nephew. Relatives in South Wales thought he was at home near Neath but had not contacted him since. They only raised the alarm when he failed to show at a friend's funeral.
A photo of the missing man has been issued, although officers say it was taken around 20 years ago. Police are looking for him in London and Wales. Neath Sgt Nikki Thomas said: "We ask Mr Davies to contact us to confirm he is safe and well."
School Suspends Girl for Booze-Candy
CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) - A school district suspended a 12-year-old for having a piece of chocolate candy filled with a half-ounce of booze.
The unidentified seventh-grader was sent home from Alta Loma Junior High School three days before the winter break after a friend gave her a vodka-filled, foil-wrapped candy in the hall on her way to class Wednesday.
Another student apparently saw the girl get the candy and told school officials.
She cannot return until Jan. 7, and then she must adhere to a contract between, the student, parent and school that outlines expected behavior.
The girl was disciplined for having "possession, used, sold, furnished or been under the influence of any controlled substance, alcohol or intoxicant," according to her suspension notice.
The girl's mother said officials in the Alta Loma School District overreacted, noting the girl didn't eat the chocolate that was found in her purse.
"The punishment doesn't fit the crime," the mother said. "They made this an upsetting and dramatic situation that could have been handled a number of different ways."
The girl was disciplined just once before for talking in class, said her mother, whose name was withheld to protect the identity of her daughter.
Mike Whisenand, the district's assistant superintendent of personnel and support services, declined to comment on the girl's suspensions but said any amount of alcohol on campus is against the law.
The State Education Code "says (an) intoxicant of any kind. It doesn't mention flavor, size or quantity," Whisenand said. "Any type of alcohol can be cause of suspension. I certainly wouldn't call it candy."
Man Buys Truck With Loose Change
FRANKFORT, Ind. (AP) ― Paul Brant considers himself a penny pincher, but his savings in quarters and dollar coins really paid off. Brant, 70, used more than $25,000 in change to help buy a new Dodge Ram half-ton pickup truck Friday - 13 years after buying another truck with spare change. "(The old truck) didn't have four-wheel drive, and living in the country, I figured I better get a new one to help get me through the snow," he said. Brant said he was raised to be thrifty. His father always paid in cash and saved up loose change to take vacations. Brant has been storing his change for years, and estimated he had about $26,000 in coins for Friday's purchase. In 1994, he bought a Dodge pickup and a Dodge Neon using about $36,000 in quarters. "As long as you don't put your hands back in the till, it really adds up," he said. Brant stored his change in coffee cans, water jugs and piggy banks over the years, and was escorted by sheriff's deputies as he brought the rolled coins to the dealership. A Mike Raisor Chrysler Dodge and Jeep employee who sold Brant the truck said the dealership called in an armored car to count and handle the coins. "No bank wants to take them," Keith Gephart said.
Adopted Russian Kids
These are photos of Russian kids adopted from “children’s home” the worst place for a kid to be. They get there a budget of $100/mo for each kid, they don’t have toys they don’t have love of parents it’s sad and that’s great that there are people even in Russia who can adopt and save kids.
All the photos are in “Before and After” manner, you can easily tell where is the “before” photo.
(more…)
All the photos are in “Before and After” manner, you can easily tell where is the “before” photo.
(more…)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)