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Saturday, July 19, 2008
Indian man obtains divorce using fake wife
An Indian man who took an impersonator to court to get a divorce faces legal action after his real wife found out, lawyers said on Friday.
Sanjib Saha presented a woman as his wife in a lower court in the eastern city of Kolkata this month. Both said they sought a mutual divorce, something the court granted immediately.
Saha's real wife was then asked to leave the marital home. She has since appealed the ruling at a higher court, charged her husband with cheating and the original divorce was suspended.
"The case exposed the legal loopholes in our system", Kaushik Chanda, lawyer of Saha's real wife, said.
Sanjib Saha presented a woman as his wife in a lower court in the eastern city of Kolkata this month. Both said they sought a mutual divorce, something the court granted immediately.
Saha's real wife was then asked to leave the marital home. She has since appealed the ruling at a higher court, charged her husband with cheating and the original divorce was suspended.
"The case exposed the legal loopholes in our system", Kaushik Chanda, lawyer of Saha's real wife, said.
Italian monk evangelises Heavy Metal
Dressed in his traditional brown robe, sandals and twirling the rope around his waist, 62-year old Friar Cesare Bonizzi is no ordinary heavy metal rocker.
But as guitarists around him grind out heavy notes, the long-white-bearded Capuchin, a former missionary in Ivory Coast, has no qualms bobbing his head and shouting lyrics about alcohol, sex, tobacco and life in general into his microphone.
Describing himself as a "preacher-singer," Bonizzi has been singing for over a decade, and last month wowed heavy metal fans at Italy's "Gods of Metal" festival, where he performed with his band Fratello Metallo (Metal Brother) alongside groups such as Iron Maiden.
A member of the Catholic Capuchin order in Milan, Bonizzi began singing heavy metal after having first started with what he calls "light music with slight rock influence."
You can see Friar Bonizzi in action here.
But as guitarists around him grind out heavy notes, the long-white-bearded Capuchin, a former missionary in Ivory Coast, has no qualms bobbing his head and shouting lyrics about alcohol, sex, tobacco and life in general into his microphone.
Describing himself as a "preacher-singer," Bonizzi has been singing for over a decade, and last month wowed heavy metal fans at Italy's "Gods of Metal" festival, where he performed with his band Fratello Metallo (Metal Brother) alongside groups such as Iron Maiden.
A member of the Catholic Capuchin order in Milan, Bonizzi began singing heavy metal after having first started with what he calls "light music with slight rock influence."
You can see Friar Bonizzi in action here.
Reversing into your parking space could save you £100 a year
Reversing into your parking space could save you £100 a year, according to the calculations of one motoring expert.
Tim Shallcross from the Institute of Advanced Motorists says manoeuvring a car when you arrive and the engine is warm is more efficient and saves fuel.
Drivers are urged to park facing the right way out and avoid the need for reversings and turns when setting off.
He said: "When an engine is cold it takes a huge amount of petrol to get it started up."
Motorists are encouraged to save a little money by completing their more complicated manoeuvres when they park their car , rather than when they first drive off.
With petrol prices at current levels someone driving an average petrol car could save about £2 a week. But the tip only works for cars using petrol engines, not diesel.
With news video explaining the science.
Tim Shallcross from the Institute of Advanced Motorists says manoeuvring a car when you arrive and the engine is warm is more efficient and saves fuel.
Drivers are urged to park facing the right way out and avoid the need for reversings and turns when setting off.
He said: "When an engine is cold it takes a huge amount of petrol to get it started up."
Motorists are encouraged to save a little money by completing their more complicated manoeuvres when they park their car , rather than when they first drive off.
With petrol prices at current levels someone driving an average petrol car could save about £2 a week. But the tip only works for cars using petrol engines, not diesel.
With news video explaining the science.
New adverts are the pits
An advertising world first has been launched in London - pitvertising.
The innovative new concept uses digital TV screens built into the armpits of shirts.
It was developed by deodorant manufacturer Right Guard as the ideal way to market its products.
A hired team of 'Pitvertisers' was sent out into the streets of London to test the new medium.
The innovative new concept uses digital TV screens built into the armpits of shirts.
It was developed by deodorant manufacturer Right Guard as the ideal way to market its products.
A hired team of 'Pitvertisers' was sent out into the streets of London to test the new medium.
Fisherman hooks drowning man and reels him in
A man who was drowning in a Maine river is recovering after someone reeled him in with a fishing rod.
Bob Greene of Hallowell says he heard what he thought was a bird early on Thursday as he was having his morning coffee. He then realized there was a man bobbing in the Kennebec River.
He says a 911 dispatcher told him to throw something to the man. He snagged the man's shirt with a fishing lure and reeled him in.
The rescued man is in critical condition at a Portland hospital.
Hallowell Police Chief Eric Nason says Greene did the right thing by calling police first and not jumping into the water.
Bob Greene of Hallowell says he heard what he thought was a bird early on Thursday as he was having his morning coffee. He then realized there was a man bobbing in the Kennebec River.
He says a 911 dispatcher told him to throw something to the man. He snagged the man's shirt with a fishing lure and reeled him in.
The rescued man is in critical condition at a Portland hospital.
Hallowell Police Chief Eric Nason says Greene did the right thing by calling police first and not jumping into the water.
Veterinarian saves shark that swallowed hook
A veterinarian in Australia plunged his arm up to his shoulder into the throat of a rare shark to save the animal after it swallowed a grappling hook.
David Blyde reached between the jaws of the 10-foot gray nurse shark to dislodge the hook, which was stuck in the animal's digestive tract, leaving a long metal handle sticking from its mouth.
The gray nurse shark is generally much smaller than the more aggressive great white. It is also not considered a threat to humans, but its bite could still do serious damage.
Divers spotted the shark Monday as it swam with a group of others near Byron Bay, 500 miles north of Sydney, Trevor Long of the Sea World marine park said.
After the animal was captured and placed in a holding tank, rescuers pushed a stiff plastic pipe into the shark's throat. Blyde then reach down through the pipe to free the hook.
"As a veterinarian you often end up putting your hands in places that people find somewhat unattractive," Blyde said.
There are news videos here and here.
David Blyde reached between the jaws of the 10-foot gray nurse shark to dislodge the hook, which was stuck in the animal's digestive tract, leaving a long metal handle sticking from its mouth.
The gray nurse shark is generally much smaller than the more aggressive great white. It is also not considered a threat to humans, but its bite could still do serious damage.
Divers spotted the shark Monday as it swam with a group of others near Byron Bay, 500 miles north of Sydney, Trevor Long of the Sea World marine park said.
After the animal was captured and placed in a holding tank, rescuers pushed a stiff plastic pipe into the shark's throat. Blyde then reach down through the pipe to free the hook.
"As a veterinarian you often end up putting your hands in places that people find somewhat unattractive," Blyde said.
There are news videos here and here.
Fire crew rescues bird from tree
Clinton the crow has been rescued from his own nest after getting his leg caught in a piece of string and being left hanging upside down.
The luckless bird was eventually lifted to safety after an hour-long operation involving seven firefighters, RSPCA officers and a crane.
'He was in a very precarious position ten metres up in the tree and it wasn't safe to use a ladder, so we had to call for the aerial platform,' said crew manager Shaun O'Neill, of Mereway fire station in Northampton.
Clinton's ordeal began when he became tangled in string used to line his nest. After three days, residents of Clinton Road, after which he is named, called the fire brigade for help.
'It's a bit ironic that a bird had to be rescued from a tree,' said resident Danny Coles, 39. 'Quite a crowd gathered to watch.'
The exhausted bird is now being cared for in St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire.
There are more photos here.
The luckless bird was eventually lifted to safety after an hour-long operation involving seven firefighters, RSPCA officers and a crane.
'He was in a very precarious position ten metres up in the tree and it wasn't safe to use a ladder, so we had to call for the aerial platform,' said crew manager Shaun O'Neill, of Mereway fire station in Northampton.
Clinton's ordeal began when he became tangled in string used to line his nest. After three days, residents of Clinton Road, after which he is named, called the fire brigade for help.
'It's a bit ironic that a bird had to be rescued from a tree,' said resident Danny Coles, 39. 'Quite a crowd gathered to watch.'
The exhausted bird is now being cared for in St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire.
There are more photos here.
Stowaway cat travelled 300 miles in a coach engine
A mechanic described his shock after finding a cat had travelled 300 miles from Scotland to Yorkshire in the engine compartment of a coach.
The young ginger tom, who has been nicknamed Gulliver because of his travels, is believed to have got in the National Holidays coach at Arrochar, north of Glasgow, at the weekend.
He was only found by mechanic Daniel Parnel after the driver returned to his base in Hull on Sunday.
Mr Parnel, 27, said he found Gulliver when he opened a panel to clean the radiator. The cat was sitting on the radiator itself and the mechanic first thought it was a rat or a squirrel.
Mr Parnel said he decided to take the cat home and keep it after it was checked out by a vet. He has been told there a lot of feral cats in Arrochar.
He said: 'The most likely thing to have happened is he will have been attracted to the heat of the engine, gone to sleep on the radiator and been driven away. He hasn't done badly getting to Hull. It gets really hot in there.'
The young ginger tom, who has been nicknamed Gulliver because of his travels, is believed to have got in the National Holidays coach at Arrochar, north of Glasgow, at the weekend.
He was only found by mechanic Daniel Parnel after the driver returned to his base in Hull on Sunday.
Mr Parnel, 27, said he found Gulliver when he opened a panel to clean the radiator. The cat was sitting on the radiator itself and the mechanic first thought it was a rat or a squirrel.
Mr Parnel said he decided to take the cat home and keep it after it was checked out by a vet. He has been told there a lot of feral cats in Arrochar.
He said: 'The most likely thing to have happened is he will have been attracted to the heat of the engine, gone to sleep on the radiator and been driven away. He hasn't done badly getting to Hull. It gets really hot in there.'
Thief robs woman of dead dog
Few victims of theft get the chance to exact revenge. But one Tube passenger certainly had the last laugh after she had her suitcase snatched at a station.
The woman, named only as Sarah, was tricked into giving up the bag – with the thief unaware it contained a dead dog.
The polite, well-dressed man offered to help her carry the case up an escalator, gave her a bag weighted with stones as a distraction and then ran-off with his ill-gotten remains. Witness Liam Carling said: 'The guy was a pro. But I would have liked to have been there when he opened the suitcase.'
The incident took place after Sarah was asked by a friend to take beloved family pet 'Sandy' – who had died the night before – to a vet for disposal.
But her car broke down on the way, forcing her on to the Tube. She was conned by the middle-aged man as she struggled to carry Sandy through Victoria station.
Mr Carling said: 'I saw this nice young woman and it became obvious that something was wrong. I imagine he's been pretty humbled by it.'
The woman, named only as Sarah, was tricked into giving up the bag – with the thief unaware it contained a dead dog.
The polite, well-dressed man offered to help her carry the case up an escalator, gave her a bag weighted with stones as a distraction and then ran-off with his ill-gotten remains. Witness Liam Carling said: 'The guy was a pro. But I would have liked to have been there when he opened the suitcase.'
The incident took place after Sarah was asked by a friend to take beloved family pet 'Sandy' – who had died the night before – to a vet for disposal.
But her car broke down on the way, forcing her on to the Tube. She was conned by the middle-aged man as she struggled to carry Sandy through Victoria station.
Mr Carling said: 'I saw this nice young woman and it became obvious that something was wrong. I imagine he's been pretty humbled by it.'
Dead dolphin found in inland front garden
Mystery surrounds the discovery of a dead dolphin in the garden of two sailors in Dorset who live on a steep hill half a mile (0.8km) from the sea. Mike Elliott, 28, and housemate Gary Harvey, woke to find the 3ft (0.9m) dolphin in Portland on Thursday.
The mammal appeared to have two puncture wounds in its stomach as if it had been speared. Police carried out house-to-house inquiries but said there was no evidence a crime had been committed.
Mr Harvey, 23, said: "I woke up, looked out of my window and saw what appeared to be a dolphin in the garden. "I really don't know how it got there. I was pretty amazed. I thought I was dreaming to start with.
Photo from here.
"There was no tidal wave and we live about half a mile from the sea quite a bit above sea level at the top of Portland so it must have been dumped there."
The two men, both Royal Navy marine engineers, called police who made enquiries about the dolphin. "There was no evidence a criminal offence had been committed," a Dorset Police spokesman added.
Environmental health officers from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council were contacted and removed the mammal, which died of unknown causes.
The mammal appeared to have two puncture wounds in its stomach as if it had been speared. Police carried out house-to-house inquiries but said there was no evidence a crime had been committed.
Mr Harvey, 23, said: "I woke up, looked out of my window and saw what appeared to be a dolphin in the garden. "I really don't know how it got there. I was pretty amazed. I thought I was dreaming to start with.
Photo from here.
"There was no tidal wave and we live about half a mile from the sea quite a bit above sea level at the top of Portland so it must have been dumped there."
The two men, both Royal Navy marine engineers, called police who made enquiries about the dolphin. "There was no evidence a criminal offence had been committed," a Dorset Police spokesman added.
Environmental health officers from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council were contacted and removed the mammal, which died of unknown causes.
Almost seven out of 10 British adults live by themselves
Almost seven out of 10 adults live by themselves, a survey reveals.
It found Britain is an increasingly lonely place where the typical suburban family appears to be disappearing. The number of over-18s living on their own soared by a quarter between 1996 and 2006 to hit two-thirds.
The study also revealed seven out of 10 parents are bringing up children on their own. Garry Skelton, of pollster Legal and General, said: "The traditional household is no longer the norm.
"The growing number of single-occupancy homes, single-parent families and house-shares means the 2.4 typical family, the once accepted symbol of suburban Britain, is no longer the average household."
The Changing Face of British Homes polled almost 30,000 adults.
It found nine out of 10 feel communities have changed beyond recognition - with pub closures and the disappearance of the milkman among the most notable differences.
It found Britain is an increasingly lonely place where the typical suburban family appears to be disappearing. The number of over-18s living on their own soared by a quarter between 1996 and 2006 to hit two-thirds.
The study also revealed seven out of 10 parents are bringing up children on their own. Garry Skelton, of pollster Legal and General, said: "The traditional household is no longer the norm.
"The growing number of single-occupancy homes, single-parent families and house-shares means the 2.4 typical family, the once accepted symbol of suburban Britain, is no longer the average household."
The Changing Face of British Homes polled almost 30,000 adults.
It found nine out of 10 feel communities have changed beyond recognition - with pub closures and the disappearance of the milkman among the most notable differences.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Aboriginal singer beats poverty and prejudice to top Australian charts
A gifted Aboriginal singer who was born blind and brought up in poverty has taken Australia by storm, topping the mainstream music charts and earning plaudits for his "sublime" voice.
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, 38, from Elcho Island in Arnhem Land, northern Australia, has been hailed as one of the brightest talents ever to emerge from the country's indigenous population, with his debut solo album reaching number one in the country's independent music charts and his recent concerts selling out. Critics have heaped praise on the singer and described his voice as having "transcendental beauty".
Yunupingu's success is all the more remarkable because he speaks only a few words of English, is said to be acutely shy, and most of his songs are sung in his native language of Yolngu. A mixture of traditional songs and new compositions, they reflect his background growing up in one of the most remote but beautiful parts of the continent.
Largely self-taught, he plays drums, keyboards, guitar and didgeridoo, but it is his clarity of voice that has attracted rave reviews.
Yunupingu's songs are attracting people who do not normally listen to Aboriginal music and he received standing ovations after two recent performances at the Sydney Opera House.
Yunupingu, who has never learned Braille and does not have a guide dog or use a stick, has told interviewers he has little use for money. Following the Aboriginal tradition of sharing wealth, he said any money he makes goes to his mother and aunts still living on Elcho Island, some 350 miles from Darwin.
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, 38, from Elcho Island in Arnhem Land, northern Australia, has been hailed as one of the brightest talents ever to emerge from the country's indigenous population, with his debut solo album reaching number one in the country's independent music charts and his recent concerts selling out. Critics have heaped praise on the singer and described his voice as having "transcendental beauty".
Yunupingu's success is all the more remarkable because he speaks only a few words of English, is said to be acutely shy, and most of his songs are sung in his native language of Yolngu. A mixture of traditional songs and new compositions, they reflect his background growing up in one of the most remote but beautiful parts of the continent.
Largely self-taught, he plays drums, keyboards, guitar and didgeridoo, but it is his clarity of voice that has attracted rave reviews.
Yunupingu's songs are attracting people who do not normally listen to Aboriginal music and he received standing ovations after two recent performances at the Sydney Opera House.
Yunupingu, who has never learned Braille and does not have a guide dog or use a stick, has told interviewers he has little use for money. Following the Aboriginal tradition of sharing wealth, he said any money he makes goes to his mother and aunts still living on Elcho Island, some 350 miles from Darwin.
Japanese Shouting Vase
Turn your loudest, most urgent frustrations into mere whispers with the Shouting Vase.
The plastic jug is designed to fit over the contours of your mouth and absorb your screams and shouts, “storing” them in the vase and emitting a softer version of your angry cries through the tiny hole at the base.
The plastic jug is designed to fit over the contours of your mouth and absorb your screams and shouts, “storing” them in the vase and emitting a softer version of your angry cries through the tiny hole at the base.
Indian man survives after iron rod pierces chest
An Indian man has survived an operation to remove a 1.5-metre long (five-foot) iron bar that stabbed right through his chest, reports said, calling it a medical miracle.
The rod was lying on a construction site when the taxi Supratim Dutta was travelling in smashed into it. The 60-centimetre-wide (two-feet) bar crashed through the car's bonnet and dashboard before hitting the 23-year-old, who was sitting in the car's front passenger seat.
Despite the incident, he remained conscious and called family and friends from his mobile phone while he waited at the scene for an hour before being taken to hospital.
Indian media described the three-hour-long surgery as a miracle after the iron bar, weighing six kilograms (13.2 pounds), cut through his liver, stomach, spleen and left lung. It also perforated the man's diaphragm in two places and broke a rib, but missed his heart.
Doctors at the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences said the surgery was difficult as the rod's angle prevented doctors from establishing the extent of internal damage. Three of Dutta's ribs had to be cut to free the rod from his body.
Doctors said he was in a stable condition, but post-surgery infection could pose a danger to his life.
The rod was lying on a construction site when the taxi Supratim Dutta was travelling in smashed into it. The 60-centimetre-wide (two-feet) bar crashed through the car's bonnet and dashboard before hitting the 23-year-old, who was sitting in the car's front passenger seat.
Despite the incident, he remained conscious and called family and friends from his mobile phone while he waited at the scene for an hour before being taken to hospital.
Indian media described the three-hour-long surgery as a miracle after the iron bar, weighing six kilograms (13.2 pounds), cut through his liver, stomach, spleen and left lung. It also perforated the man's diaphragm in two places and broke a rib, but missed his heart.
Doctors at the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences said the surgery was difficult as the rod's angle prevented doctors from establishing the extent of internal damage. Three of Dutta's ribs had to be cut to free the rod from his body.
Doctors said he was in a stable condition, but post-surgery infection could pose a danger to his life.
Flowerpot's spontaneous combustion blamed for fire
Fire investigators said a fire that destroyed a Mendota Heights home last week was caused by a flowerpot. Fire Chief John Maczko said a flowerpot on the home's deck spontaneously combusted.
While rare, spontaneous combustion can happen to pots with the right mixture of soil, moisture and heat.
Homeowner Dan Stoven said it's hard to believe, but said he's just glad his 17-year-old daughter was able to escape when passers-by entered the home to wake her up.
Investigators said the soil was in a plastic pot that had become hot after several days of high temperatures and humidity. It ignited July 8, and wind helped the fire grow and spread to the deck and then to the house.
While rare, spontaneous combustion can happen to pots with the right mixture of soil, moisture and heat.
Homeowner Dan Stoven said it's hard to believe, but said he's just glad his 17-year-old daughter was able to escape when passers-by entered the home to wake her up.
Investigators said the soil was in a plastic pot that had become hot after several days of high temperatures and humidity. It ignited July 8, and wind helped the fire grow and spread to the deck and then to the house.
Parachutist hits army band
A skydiver veered off course, disrupting a change of command ceremony at Ft. Riley yesterday morning and injuring himself and three band members.
The parachutist, Scott Hallock, was the second of a pair of civilian skydivers who were part of the official opening ceremonies. The first landed right on target. The second man, however, missed his landing spot and slammed into the last two rows of the Army band, knocking over band members and destroying instruments.
"You can't really hear anything when someone's overhead. Then at the last minute, you could hear some rustling," described WO3 Scott MacDonald. "That's what I heard, 'Oh expletive,' and then crash."
Hallock was going around 50 mph, MacDonald estimated, when he smashed feet-first into the sousaphone and trumpet players.
Sgt. Rachel Boggs was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured jaw and Sgt. Andrew Spinazzola fractured an ankle in the collision, according to Lisa Medrano, a public affairs officer for Irwin Army Community Hospital. Both soldiers sustained other minor head and neck injuries as well. Staff Sgt. Mark Lucero also reportedly suffered a minor leg injury.
Mike Keating of the Fort Riley Fire Department said Hallock sprained his ankle and refused medical treatment. He added that two sousaphones were destroyed.
The parachutist, Scott Hallock, was the second of a pair of civilian skydivers who were part of the official opening ceremonies. The first landed right on target. The second man, however, missed his landing spot and slammed into the last two rows of the Army band, knocking over band members and destroying instruments.
"You can't really hear anything when someone's overhead. Then at the last minute, you could hear some rustling," described WO3 Scott MacDonald. "That's what I heard, 'Oh expletive,' and then crash."
Hallock was going around 50 mph, MacDonald estimated, when he smashed feet-first into the sousaphone and trumpet players.
Sgt. Rachel Boggs was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured jaw and Sgt. Andrew Spinazzola fractured an ankle in the collision, according to Lisa Medrano, a public affairs officer for Irwin Army Community Hospital. Both soldiers sustained other minor head and neck injuries as well. Staff Sgt. Mark Lucero also reportedly suffered a minor leg injury.
Mike Keating of the Fort Riley Fire Department said Hallock sprained his ankle and refused medical treatment. He added that two sousaphones were destroyed.
Woman’s lawsuit alleges discrimination against her monkey
A southwest Missouri woman has sued Wal-Mart, local health officials and Cox Health Systems, claiming they discriminated against her and her monkey named Richard.
Debby Rose of Springfield said in the lawsuit that the 10-year-old bonnet macaque helps curb a social anxiety disorder that can cause her to have panic attacks in public.
The suit contends the Springfield-Greene County Health Department lacked the authority to decide that Richard is not a service animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Health officials in 2006 sent letters to restaurants and grocery stores, advising them not to let Rose in with the monkey.
More here, with news video.
Debby Rose of Springfield said in the lawsuit that the 10-year-old bonnet macaque helps curb a social anxiety disorder that can cause her to have panic attacks in public.
The suit contends the Springfield-Greene County Health Department lacked the authority to decide that Richard is not a service animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Health officials in 2006 sent letters to restaurants and grocery stores, advising them not to let Rose in with the monkey.
More here, with news video.
Jewellery made from human milk
New mothers will be able to turn their own breast milk into jewellery, under techniques to be demonstrated by a group of artists.
The first range of milk necklaces, bracelets and other ornaments are to go on display later this year.
The jewellery is made by boiling human milk mixed with vinegar.
This causes the casein protein in the milk to harden into a plastic, which can then be painted and moulded into any shape.
A milk model of a baby’s head which can be used as a pendant for a necklace, and a combined milk-metal bracelet, are among the objects already created by the French design collective Duende.
Their work, which they call "perle de lait" (milk pearl) , is to go on display at an exhibition exploring the sharing of food between mother and child in September.
With more photos.
The first range of milk necklaces, bracelets and other ornaments are to go on display later this year.
The jewellery is made by boiling human milk mixed with vinegar.
This causes the casein protein in the milk to harden into a plastic, which can then be painted and moulded into any shape.
A milk model of a baby’s head which can be used as a pendant for a necklace, and a combined milk-metal bracelet, are among the objects already created by the French design collective Duende.
Their work, which they call "perle de lait" (milk pearl) , is to go on display at an exhibition exploring the sharing of food between mother and child in September.
With more photos.
Twins with different skin colour born in Germany
Twin boys of radically differing skin colour have been born in a one-in-a-million chance to a German father and Ghanaian mother in a Berlin hospital, doctors at the clinic have announced.
The twins, born by Caesarean section, came into the world on July 11. But details were kept from the public until the press were invited to the clinic to see the delighted parents - Florence, 35, and the father Stephan, 40, and photograph them with their twin boys.
Hospital authorities said the non-identical, or biovular, twins were definitely full brothers, with the same father. The probability of a birth of this kind was one in a million.
"Ryan came first, and everything was as usual. But when Leo was born, I couldn't believe my eyes," Birgit Weber, the doctor who carried out the Caesarean said.
Weber said she had been present at 10,000 births over almost 20 years of hospital experience and had never seen anything quite like this.
Ryan, who weighed 2.650 kilograms, is distinctly lighter in skin colour than Leo, who was born weighing 2.606 kilograms.
The twins, born by Caesarean section, came into the world on July 11. But details were kept from the public until the press were invited to the clinic to see the delighted parents - Florence, 35, and the father Stephan, 40, and photograph them with their twin boys.
Hospital authorities said the non-identical, or biovular, twins were definitely full brothers, with the same father. The probability of a birth of this kind was one in a million.
"Ryan came first, and everything was as usual. But when Leo was born, I couldn't believe my eyes," Birgit Weber, the doctor who carried out the Caesarean said.
Weber said she had been present at 10,000 births over almost 20 years of hospital experience and had never seen anything quite like this.
Ryan, who weighed 2.650 kilograms, is distinctly lighter in skin colour than Leo, who was born weighing 2.606 kilograms.
Man who tried to sell his whole life on eBay fails - Update
The British man who sold his life on eBay has had his dream of starting afresh with the proceeds dashed, after the highest bidder failed to come up with the money.
Ian Usher, who lives in Perth, Western Australia, has decided to list his home with a local real estate agent after the top six bidders in the online auction lost interest or could not afford to buy his life.
Mr Usher cannot force the bidders to pay because eBay is unable to make bidders follow through on a real estate deal.
Instead, he will open his home to buyers this weekend, hoping to sell it for up to £200,000. But he said he would still sell the complete "life" package to anyone who could pay.
Ian Usher, who lives in Perth, Western Australia, has decided to list his home with a local real estate agent after the top six bidders in the online auction lost interest or could not afford to buy his life.
Mr Usher cannot force the bidders to pay because eBay is unable to make bidders follow through on a real estate deal.
Instead, he will open his home to buyers this weekend, hoping to sell it for up to £200,000. But he said he would still sell the complete "life" package to anyone who could pay.
UK farmer creates maze in likeness of Statue of Liberty
A maze featuring a recreation of the Statue of Liberty 10 times larger than the original has been unveiled in Yorkshire.
Composed of more than a million living maize plants and covering about 18 acres, is one of the biggest mazes ever constructed.
There's a bigger photo here.
With a length of 1,300ft it dwarfs the real Statue of Liberty, which is just 111ft high.
Farmer Tom Pearcy said he wanted the design - built in fields just a few miles from the centre of York - to celebrate the connections between New York and the British city from which it took its name.
There's a news video on this page.
Composed of more than a million living maize plants and covering about 18 acres, is one of the biggest mazes ever constructed.
There's a bigger photo here.
With a length of 1,300ft it dwarfs the real Statue of Liberty, which is just 111ft high.
Farmer Tom Pearcy said he wanted the design - built in fields just a few miles from the centre of York - to celebrate the connections between New York and the British city from which it took its name.
There's a news video on this page.
Granny sees off hammer-wielding robbers with a broom
Armed with claw hammers, two hooded youths walk brazenly into a convenience store for an early morning robbery.
But they hadn't reckoned on bumping into shop assistant Ann Withers - who brushed away their violent crime using a broom.
The brave 55-year-old grandmother grabbed her weapon of choice and battered the hooded duo into submission, forcing them to flee empty-handed.
But they hadn't reckoned on bumping into shop assistant Ann Withers - who brushed away their violent crime using a broom.
The brave 55-year-old grandmother grabbed her weapon of choice and battered the hooded duo into submission, forcing them to flee empty-handed.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Surgeon sued for giving anesthetized patient temporary tattoo
In a lawsuit filed yesterday, a Camden County woman accused her orthopedic surgeon of "rubbing a temporary tattoo of a red rose" on her belly while she was under anesthesia.
The patient discovered the tattoo below the panty line the next morning, when her husband was helping her get dressed to go home after the operation for a herniated disc, her attorney, Gregg A. Shivers, said.
"She was extremely emotionally upset by it," said Shivers. The suit, filed on behalf of Elizabeth Mateo in Camden County Superior Court, seeks punitive and compensatory damages from Steven Kirshner, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with offices in Marlton and Lumberton, both in Burlington County.
Kirshner does not deny placing the tattoo - and has left washable marks on patients before to improve their spirits, his lawyer, Robert Agre of Haddonfield, said last night. He said none has complained.
"What's offensive about this complaint is that it suggests something he did was intended to be prurient, and nothing could be further from the truth," said Agre."It was intended just to make the patient feel better."
Nevertheless, said Art Caplan, chairman of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's Department of Medical Ethics, "you cannot do something like this even as a joke."
The patient discovered the tattoo below the panty line the next morning, when her husband was helping her get dressed to go home after the operation for a herniated disc, her attorney, Gregg A. Shivers, said.
"She was extremely emotionally upset by it," said Shivers. The suit, filed on behalf of Elizabeth Mateo in Camden County Superior Court, seeks punitive and compensatory damages from Steven Kirshner, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with offices in Marlton and Lumberton, both in Burlington County.
Kirshner does not deny placing the tattoo - and has left washable marks on patients before to improve their spirits, his lawyer, Robert Agre of Haddonfield, said last night. He said none has complained.
"What's offensive about this complaint is that it suggests something he did was intended to be prurient, and nothing could be further from the truth," said Agre."It was intended just to make the patient feel better."
Nevertheless, said Art Caplan, chairman of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's Department of Medical Ethics, "you cannot do something like this even as a joke."
Man dressed as penis must apologize
A 19-year-old man must make an apology to the city of Saratoga Springs for dressing as an inflatable 6-foot penis and then parading across SPAC's stage at the high school's graduation last month.
Calvin Morett of 337 Pyramid Pine Estates must also pay to have the letter published in the Saratogian newspaper as part of a City Court sentence that calls for him to pay $95 in court fees and perform 24 hours of community service. Morett had previously pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a violation.
Calvin Morett of 337 Pyramid Pine Estates must also pay to have the letter published in the Saratogian newspaper as part of a City Court sentence that calls for him to pay $95 in court fees and perform 24 hours of community service. Morett had previously pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a violation.
School of 30 fish 'walking' through neighbourhood shocks homeowners
About 30 fish were spotted "walking" through a Florida neighbourhood, shocking homeowners who said they've never seen anything like it.
"I was like, 'No way there's fish in the street,'" homeowner Dianna Fernandez said. "And I kept going further and further and seeing fish everywhere -- in driveways. I've never seen anything like it."
The walking catfish were spotted in the road near a Pinellas Park subdivision on Tuesday.
The fish used their pectoral fins to walk or shuffle around the streets.
A scientist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the catfish can travel on land as long as they stay moist.
"We thought it was a prank at first," resident Hannah Cline said. "(We thought) that maybe somebody dumped some fish but then we realized that it was coming up from the sewer that we had so much rain last night."
With news video.
"I was like, 'No way there's fish in the street,'" homeowner Dianna Fernandez said. "And I kept going further and further and seeing fish everywhere -- in driveways. I've never seen anything like it."
The walking catfish were spotted in the road near a Pinellas Park subdivision on Tuesday.
The fish used their pectoral fins to walk or shuffle around the streets.
A scientist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the catfish can travel on land as long as they stay moist.
"We thought it was a prank at first," resident Hannah Cline said. "(We thought) that maybe somebody dumped some fish but then we realized that it was coming up from the sewer that we had so much rain last night."
With news video.
Pizza shop robbed by on-duty employee's father
After a pizza restaurant employee fought off a robber, his disguise fell off to reveal something shocking; he was an employee's father.
The daughter of the man who attempted to rob the Denton Pizza Patron while she was on duty said she didn't know of her father's plans.
"Rudy hit him and the wig fell off and the glasses flew away and that's when I knew it was my dad," said Stephanie Martinez, Benjamin Ramirez's daughter.
In addition to Ramirez's arrest, Martinez's mother and her husband were also arrested.
Police said they found Martinez's husband driving the getaway car and her mother in the passenger seat. But, Martinez said she blames her father, who is a convicted felon.
While the owner told Martinez to take some time off, she said she will not be returning because she is too embarrassed.
With news video.
The daughter of the man who attempted to rob the Denton Pizza Patron while she was on duty said she didn't know of her father's plans.
"Rudy hit him and the wig fell off and the glasses flew away and that's when I knew it was my dad," said Stephanie Martinez, Benjamin Ramirez's daughter.
In addition to Ramirez's arrest, Martinez's mother and her husband were also arrested.
Police said they found Martinez's husband driving the getaway car and her mother in the passenger seat. But, Martinez said she blames her father, who is a convicted felon.
While the owner told Martinez to take some time off, she said she will not be returning because she is too embarrassed.
With news video.
Indian pensioner fails school exams for 38th year
A pensioner has failed his high school exams for the 38th consecutive time - but vowed to continue taking the tests until he dies.
Shiv Charan, 74, learned last week that he had failed in all but one subject in this year's tests.
Despite devoting his life to passing India's year 10 exams, he scored just 14 per cent in English, 17 per cent in science, 5 per cent in mathematics and 25 per cent in Sanskrit.
Photo from here.
He only managed to scrape a pass in Hindi, scoring 34 per cent.
Shiv Charan first took the exam in 1969, after vowing not to marry until he had passed, and has entered every year except two since.
He has remained true to his word and is still single, which is now his main motivation. "As long as I am alive I will go on giving examinations in order to get a wife," he said.
Shiv Charan, 74, learned last week that he had failed in all but one subject in this year's tests.
Despite devoting his life to passing India's year 10 exams, he scored just 14 per cent in English, 17 per cent in science, 5 per cent in mathematics and 25 per cent in Sanskrit.
Photo from here.
He only managed to scrape a pass in Hindi, scoring 34 per cent.
Shiv Charan first took the exam in 1969, after vowing not to marry until he had passed, and has entered every year except two since.
He has remained true to his word and is still single, which is now his main motivation. "As long as I am alive I will go on giving examinations in order to get a wife," he said.
Indian suspects injected with 'truth serum'
It was the most sensational murder case of the year and after a series of embarrassing bungles, Indian police were under pressure to get results.
So they turned to a practice long since banned in most democracies, but on the rise in India: they injected their prime suspects with a “truth serum”.
India has been transfixed by the murder of Aarushi Talwar, 14, who was found with her throat slit in May at her home near Delhi. Police initially blamed the Talwars' domestic help, but were forced to rethink when his body was found on the terrace of the family house the next day.
Then they detained Rajesh Talwar, the dead girl's dentist father, and drugged him with sodium pentothal — the “truth serum”. The Central Bureau of Investigation, India's equivalent of the FBI, took over and declared him innocent last week.
The CBI now says that the culprit was Krishna, an assistant in Dr Talwar's clinic, who was subjected to six hours of “narcoanalysis” at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Bangalore. A suspected accomplice is now receiving the same treatment.
The Aarushi case has exposed the incompetence of Indian police and aroused fears among middle-class Indians that they can no longer trust their increasingly disgruntled domestic staff. But it has also stoked a national debate about the police's use of narcoanalysis, polygraphs and brain mapping — often in the absence of proper forensic investigation.
So they turned to a practice long since banned in most democracies, but on the rise in India: they injected their prime suspects with a “truth serum”.
India has been transfixed by the murder of Aarushi Talwar, 14, who was found with her throat slit in May at her home near Delhi. Police initially blamed the Talwars' domestic help, but were forced to rethink when his body was found on the terrace of the family house the next day.
Then they detained Rajesh Talwar, the dead girl's dentist father, and drugged him with sodium pentothal — the “truth serum”. The Central Bureau of Investigation, India's equivalent of the FBI, took over and declared him innocent last week.
The CBI now says that the culprit was Krishna, an assistant in Dr Talwar's clinic, who was subjected to six hours of “narcoanalysis” at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Bangalore. A suspected accomplice is now receiving the same treatment.
The Aarushi case has exposed the incompetence of Indian police and aroused fears among middle-class Indians that they can no longer trust their increasingly disgruntled domestic staff. But it has also stoked a national debate about the police's use of narcoanalysis, polygraphs and brain mapping — often in the absence of proper forensic investigation.
Vicar forced to wear hard hat to church to protect himself from seagulls
It is not traditional garb for a man of the cloth. But Rev Canon Graham Minors has been forced to don a bright yellow hard hat to protect him from two new additions to his flock.
The vicar has to rush through his churchyard in order to avoid the attentions of a pair of angry seagulls diving down from the heavens.
The fearsome birds perch on the church roof and swoop down on unsuspecting members of the congregation and even mourners in the graveyard.
They began their aerial onslaughts after setting up a nest and raising a chick in the grounds of St Petroc's Church, in Bodmin, Cornwall.
The over-protective animals now regularly stand guard of their fledgling by perching on top of two ancient stone crosses on the roof of the 15th Century church. They then fly and flap their wings at anyone who approaches - swooping just above their heads to scare them away.
Rev Minors, 63, says the attacks have become so fierce he has been forced to don a hard hat every time he enters or leaves the church. He said: 'It is very scary because they're really quite large and powerful birds that could deliver a nasty peck if they got the chance.'
Update: There's a news video here.
The vicar has to rush through his churchyard in order to avoid the attentions of a pair of angry seagulls diving down from the heavens.
The fearsome birds perch on the church roof and swoop down on unsuspecting members of the congregation and even mourners in the graveyard.
They began their aerial onslaughts after setting up a nest and raising a chick in the grounds of St Petroc's Church, in Bodmin, Cornwall.
The over-protective animals now regularly stand guard of their fledgling by perching on top of two ancient stone crosses on the roof of the 15th Century church. They then fly and flap their wings at anyone who approaches - swooping just above their heads to scare them away.
Rev Minors, 63, says the attacks have become so fierce he has been forced to don a hard hat every time he enters or leaves the church. He said: 'It is very scary because they're really quite large and powerful birds that could deliver a nasty peck if they got the chance.'
Update: There's a news video here.
Charity volunteers banned from singing at work
Staff at a charity shop in Exeter have been told to stop singing while they work in case they are accused of acting in concert with an illicit radio.
Mind, the mental health charity, told the managers at its 100 shops not to play radios because it does not have a £60 licence from the Performing Rights Society (PRS), which collects royalties on behalf of musicians. Staff and volunteers, who entertained customers by singing at the Exeter shop, were asked to stop in case it raised suspicions of radio backing and brought a £500 fine.
Mind, the mental health charity, told the managers at its 100 shops not to play radios because it does not have a £60 licence from the Performing Rights Society (PRS), which collects royalties on behalf of musicians. Staff and volunteers, who entertained customers by singing at the Exeter shop, were asked to stop in case it raised suspicions of radio backing and brought a £500 fine.
Schoolboy entrepreneur wins fight to keep 'manure' sign
Schoolboy Steve Sayer thought his entrepreneurial efforts would be rewarded when he bought a sign to advertise his father’s horse manure to gardeners.
The council had other ideas. Ruling that it was illegally placed and distracting to motorists, they said the sign must go.
But the 14-year-old, who had spent £100 on the sign which read ‘Steve’s horse manure with wiggly worms’, refused to give in.
He took it off the verge outside his father’s livery yard — and collected 1,200 signatures in Cheddar, Somerset, to support his enterprise.
Yesterday, Steve, who has been sweeping up and selling the manure since he was 11, was rewarded with victory after a ten-month battle when Sedgemoor District Council overturned its decision.
His father Julian, 43, described the ruling as a 'victory for common sense'. Julian, 43, said: 'It was a crazy decision in the first place, which sought to stifle young entrepreneurship with rigid application of rules.'
The council had other ideas. Ruling that it was illegally placed and distracting to motorists, they said the sign must go.
But the 14-year-old, who had spent £100 on the sign which read ‘Steve’s horse manure with wiggly worms’, refused to give in.
He took it off the verge outside his father’s livery yard — and collected 1,200 signatures in Cheddar, Somerset, to support his enterprise.
Yesterday, Steve, who has been sweeping up and selling the manure since he was 11, was rewarded with victory after a ten-month battle when Sedgemoor District Council overturned its decision.
His father Julian, 43, described the ruling as a 'victory for common sense'. Julian, 43, said: 'It was a crazy decision in the first place, which sought to stifle young entrepreneurship with rigid application of rules.'