Sunday, April 27, 2008
Did you know.........
Everything you ever wanted to know about crayons.
The first box of Crayola crayons was sold in 1903 for a nickel and included the same colors available in the eight-count box today: red, blue, yellow, green, violet, orange, black and brown.
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In the last 98 years, more than 100 billion Crayola crayons have been made.
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Most Crayola crayon color names are taken from the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Bureau of Standards book called "Color: Universal Language and Dictionary of Names." Many crayon names are also borrowed from traditional artists’ paints.
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The average child in the United States will wear down 730 crayons by his 10th birthday (or 11.4 boxes of 64s). Kids, ages 2-8, spend an average of 28 minutes each day coloring. Combined, children in the US spend 6.3 billion hours coloring annually, almost 10,000 human lifetimes!
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Crayola crayon color names rarely change. However, there are exceptions. In 1958, Prussian blue was changed to midnight blue in response to teacher recommendations that children could no longer relate to Prussian history. In 1962, the colour flesh was changed to peach recognizing that not everyone’s flesh is the same shade.
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The name Crayola was coined by Alice Binney, wife of company founder Edwin, and a former school teacher. She combined the words craie, which is French for chalk, and ola, for oleaginous, because crayons are made from petroleum based paraffin.
Tests for Swiss animal owners
Dog owners in Switzerland will have to pass a test to prove they can control and care for their animal, or risk losing it, the Swiss government said yesterday.
Animal lovers will have to sit an examination and undergo a practical test under rules to be introduced in September.
Initially, owners will have two years to follow courses on animal care but by 2010 it will be necessary to pass the theory exam in order to keep any kind of dog, from a Chihuahua to an Irish wolfhound.
The move is part of a wider law on the protection of animals. Among the more unusual provisions is a requirement that guinea pigs and budgies be bought in groups of two or more, because they cannot bear solitude.
The law also requires farmers who keep more than three pigs, five horses, 10 sheep, 150 egg-laying hens and 200 chicks to take a course.
Animal lovers will have to sit an examination and undergo a practical test under rules to be introduced in September.
Initially, owners will have two years to follow courses on animal care but by 2010 it will be necessary to pass the theory exam in order to keep any kind of dog, from a Chihuahua to an Irish wolfhound.
The move is part of a wider law on the protection of animals. Among the more unusual provisions is a requirement that guinea pigs and budgies be bought in groups of two or more, because they cannot bear solitude.
The law also requires farmers who keep more than three pigs, five horses, 10 sheep, 150 egg-laying hens and 200 chicks to take a course.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Mother fined for dropping 'a bit of sausage roll'
A single mother has been fined £75 for "littering" after her daughter dropped a piece of sausage roll on the pavement. Sarah Davies, 20, was feeding Chloe, four, when the roll slipped from her grasp inches from her daughter's mouth and fell to the floor.The incident happened in Hull city center on Monday and a fixed penalty fine arrived in the post just three days later. Miss Davies said that pigeons swooped down to eat the remains just moments later.She said: "I had just picked up Chloe from nursery. We were both hungry so I got us a sausage roll to share. I had a bite and then bent down to give a bit to Chloe who was on her bike. "A tiny bit missed her mouth and fell on the floor and seconds later some pigeons flew down and grabbed it. I crossed the road and was approached by two men - at first I thought they were canvassers as they were dressed in tracksuit bottoms.
"But one came up to me, said he was from the council and said I was going to be fined for dropping litter."She added: "I felt really small and humiliated. I was treated like I was a criminal. Where is the common sense? It was a small, bite-sized piece - just big enough for her mouth. I went back to take a picture of the 'litter’, but it had been gobbled by pigeons. There was no litter there at all." Hull City Council confirmed a fixed penalty ticket had been issued by a member of its Environment Crime Unit. A spokeswoman for Hull City Council said: "The issuing of the fixed penalty notice is the result of the mother’s actions and not as a result of child’s."
"But one came up to me, said he was from the council and said I was going to be fined for dropping litter."She added: "I felt really small and humiliated. I was treated like I was a criminal. Where is the common sense? It was a small, bite-sized piece - just big enough for her mouth. I went back to take a picture of the 'litter’, but it had been gobbled by pigeons. There was no litter there at all." Hull City Council confirmed a fixed penalty ticket had been issued by a member of its Environment Crime Unit. A spokeswoman for Hull City Council said: "The issuing of the fixed penalty notice is the result of the mother’s actions and not as a result of child’s."
Parents celebrate their 200 million-to-one miracle - identical triplet girls
With their bright blue eyes and cherubic smiles, Gabriella, Alessia and Olivia are a picture of cuteness.
But as well as being adorable, they are also quite extraordinary.
For they are naturally-conceived identical triplets.
Medical experts say the chances of such births are around 200million to one.
Their delighted parents are Richard Rees, 22, and his 23-year-old fiance Carmela Testa, who is a midwife. She gave birth in January surrounded by colleagues at the maternity unit in Peterborough where she normally works.
The sisters were born seven weeks prematurely via Caesarean section.
They weighed between 3lb 4oz and 3lb 10oz and spent three weeks in an incubator until they were strong enough to go home.
But as well as being adorable, they are also quite extraordinary.
For they are naturally-conceived identical triplets.
Medical experts say the chances of such births are around 200million to one.Their delighted parents are Richard Rees, 22, and his 23-year-old fiance Carmela Testa, who is a midwife. She gave birth in January surrounded by colleagues at the maternity unit in Peterborough where she normally works.
The sisters were born seven weeks prematurely via Caesarean section.
They weighed between 3lb 4oz and 3lb 10oz and spent three weeks in an incubator until they were strong enough to go home.
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