Nose-diving hawk halts mail delivery
Thursday, September 2, 2010 | 11:37 AM MT
Dogs are usually pegged as a postal worker's worst enemy, but in one southwest Calgary neighbourhood a hawk is the one spoiling for a fight.
Mail delivery in Bayview has been temporarily suspended because a hawk has been nose-diving the local mail carrier.
"The hawk just really seemed to have a hate on for that particular letter carrier," Teresa Williams, spokeswoman for Canada Post, told CBC News.
"The attacks got so bad that she was resorting to wearing a bicycle helmet. And the hawk even broke the bicycle helmet."
About 150 homes have had their delivery service suspended.
Residents say there's a family of four hawks that have been circling above their homes and dropping in every once in a while.
"He lives in my neighbour's tree," said Bayview resident Kathryn Chan. "We have a joke amongst the neighbours – don't look him in the eye because then he might come down." ...
Golfer sparks 12-acre fire with shot in the rough
A golfer managed to set fire to a course when he accidentally struck a rock with his iron, sending sparks into the Californian rough.
2 Sep 2010
His hacking in the rough caused a spark that lit the rough ablaze and spread, destroying 12 acres, although no homes were destroyed.
The fire, at the exclusive Shady Canyon Golf Club in Irvine, California, USA, attracted 150 firefighters. ...
A golfer managed to set fire to a course when he accidentally struck a rock with his iron, sending sparks into the Californian rough.
2 Sep 2010
His hacking in the rough caused a spark that lit the rough ablaze and spread, destroying 12 acres, although no homes were destroyed.
The fire, at the exclusive Shady Canyon Golf Club in Irvine, California, USA, attracted 150 firefighters. ...
Algerian web pirates 2,000 miles astray in siege of Belvoir Castle
One of Britain’s best-known castles fell victim to a band of hapless Middle-Eastern “cyber-pirates” last week after they mistook it for a Crusader fortress of the same name more than 2,000 miles away.
By Heidi Blake
01 Sep 2010
Belvoir Castle, the family seat of the 11th Duke of Rutland, was mistakenly targeted by a subversive group of Algerian hackers who confused its website with that of Belvoir Fortress in Israel.
The hackers hijacked the castle’s homepage and replaced images of the stately home nestled in rolling Leicestershire countryside with a black page displaying the Algerian flag and a tirade against the Jewish state in Arabic.
Belvoir Fortress became a stronghold of the Christian military order of the Knights Hospitaller in 1168, when it was erected to fend off Muslim forces attacking the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the east.
It returned to Muslim control in the 13th Century, but was abandoned after a bloody assault by Israeli forces on the surrounding village of Kawkab al-Hawa in 1948.
By contrast, Belvoir Castle was a Royalist stronghold in the English Civil War and now holds an annual teddy bears’ picnic in its 15,000-acre gardens.
An Algerian subversive group called the Dz-SeC claimed responsibility for the cyber attack, which occurred on Friday afternoon, writing in Arabic on the castle’s website: "The cause of this hack is Israel's presence.”
The message added: "Internet law does not protect the ignorant. Thank you to all the pirates of Algeria." ...
The UK Belvoir is pronounced 'beaver' which is also 0_o -inducing.
One of Britain’s best-known castles fell victim to a band of hapless Middle-Eastern “cyber-pirates” last week after they mistook it for a Crusader fortress of the same name more than 2,000 miles away.
By Heidi Blake
01 Sep 2010
Belvoir Castle, the family seat of the 11th Duke of Rutland, was mistakenly targeted by a subversive group of Algerian hackers who confused its website with that of Belvoir Fortress in Israel.
The hackers hijacked the castle’s homepage and replaced images of the stately home nestled in rolling Leicestershire countryside with a black page displaying the Algerian flag and a tirade against the Jewish state in Arabic.
Belvoir Fortress became a stronghold of the Christian military order of the Knights Hospitaller in 1168, when it was erected to fend off Muslim forces attacking the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the east.
It returned to Muslim control in the 13th Century, but was abandoned after a bloody assault by Israeli forces on the surrounding village of Kawkab al-Hawa in 1948.
By contrast, Belvoir Castle was a Royalist stronghold in the English Civil War and now holds an annual teddy bears’ picnic in its 15,000-acre gardens.
An Algerian subversive group called the Dz-SeC claimed responsibility for the cyber attack, which occurred on Friday afternoon, writing in Arabic on the castle’s website: "The cause of this hack is Israel's presence.”
The message added: "Internet law does not protect the ignorant. Thank you to all the pirates of Algeria." ...
The UK Belvoir is pronounced 'beaver' which is also 0_o -inducing.
1 September 2010
Charles Darwin's ecological experiment on Ascension isle
By Howard Falcon-Lang Science reporter, BBC News
... Ascension was an arid island, buffeted by dry trade winds from southern Africa. Devoid of trees at the time of Darwin and Hooker's visits, the little rain that did fall quickly evaporated away.
Egged on by Darwin, in 1847 Hooker advised the Royal Navy to set in motion an elaborate plan. With the help of Kew Gardens - where Hooker's father was director - shipments of trees were to be sent to Ascension.
The idea was breathtakingly simple. Trees would capture more rain, reduce evaporation and create rich, loamy soils. The "cinder" would become a garden.
So, beginning in 1850 and continuing year after year, ships started to come. Each deposited a motley assortment of plants from botanical gardens in Europe, South Africa and Argentina.
Soon, on the highest peak at 859m (2,817ft), great changes were afoot. By the late 1870s, eucalyptus, Norfolk Island pine, bamboo, and banana had all run riot.
Back in England, Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution were busily uprooting the Garden of Eden.
But on a green hill far away, a new "island Eden" was being created.
Life on Mars
Yet could Darwin's secret garden have more far-reaching consequences?
Dr Dave Wilkinson is an ecologist at Liverpool John Moores University, who has written extensively about Ascension Island's strange ecosystem.
He first visited Ascension in 2003.
"I remember thinking, this is really weird," he told the BBC.
"There were all kinds of plants that don't belong together in nature, growing side by side. I only later found out about Darwin, Hooker and everything that had happened," he said. ...
Charles Darwin's ecological experiment on Ascension isle
By Howard Falcon-Lang Science reporter, BBC News
... Ascension was an arid island, buffeted by dry trade winds from southern Africa. Devoid of trees at the time of Darwin and Hooker's visits, the little rain that did fall quickly evaporated away.
Egged on by Darwin, in 1847 Hooker advised the Royal Navy to set in motion an elaborate plan. With the help of Kew Gardens - where Hooker's father was director - shipments of trees were to be sent to Ascension.
The idea was breathtakingly simple. Trees would capture more rain, reduce evaporation and create rich, loamy soils. The "cinder" would become a garden.
So, beginning in 1850 and continuing year after year, ships started to come. Each deposited a motley assortment of plants from botanical gardens in Europe, South Africa and Argentina.
Soon, on the highest peak at 859m (2,817ft), great changes were afoot. By the late 1870s, eucalyptus, Norfolk Island pine, bamboo, and banana had all run riot.
Back in England, Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution were busily uprooting the Garden of Eden.
But on a green hill far away, a new "island Eden" was being created.
Life on Mars
Yet could Darwin's secret garden have more far-reaching consequences?
Dr Dave Wilkinson is an ecologist at Liverpool John Moores University, who has written extensively about Ascension Island's strange ecosystem.
He first visited Ascension in 2003.
"I remember thinking, this is really weird," he told the BBC.
"There were all kinds of plants that don't belong together in nature, growing side by side. I only later found out about Darwin, Hooker and everything that had happened," he said. ...
Savage! as Our Man in Limerick would have it
[brilliant snooty English butler]I have brought Sir a rather large Aloe Vera plant. I have also taken the liberty of engaging a hypnotherapist for Madam - he specialises in phobias.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much to that naughty scullery maid, dear Anneliese
Ta much to that naughty scullery maid, dear Anneliese
How can Canada be more uptight than Yankistan?!
...unless it be an Amphicar, or the Rinspeed Splash, or one of those weird Chinese amphibious thangs, or a DUKW, or a Gibbs Aquada, or a Dutton Commander...
Sounds like a plan....
Two words: Peregrine Falcons.
An oldie but baddie.
[brilliant snooty English butler]Sir, a Mr Darwin is now on the telephone for you, Sir.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much, dear Glenn321
Ta much, dear Glenn321
Robber nabbed after mocking police in email
Wed Aug 18, 2010
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German bank robber led his pursuers straight to him after taunting police in an email over their efforts to catch him.
Authorities in the southern city of Wuerzburg said on Wednesday the 19-year-old sent emails to police and two newspapers to point out factual errors in the report of his bank raid in the town of Roettingen a week ago.
According to daily Bild, he mocked the police for getting his age, height and accent wrong then pointed out he escaped in a car, not on foot.
"His game of cat and mouse went all wrong," a Wuerzburg police spokesman said.
Police traced his email and arrested him in a gambling hall in Hamburg just a few hours later. ...
[brilliant snooty English butler]Sir? A Mr Darwin is ringing to enquire whether he may contact Sir whilst Sir is in gaol, Sir.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much, dear BrightKnight
Wed Aug 18, 2010
BERLIN (Reuters) - A German bank robber led his pursuers straight to him after taunting police in an email over their efforts to catch him.
Authorities in the southern city of Wuerzburg said on Wednesday the 19-year-old sent emails to police and two newspapers to point out factual errors in the report of his bank raid in the town of Roettingen a week ago.
According to daily Bild, he mocked the police for getting his age, height and accent wrong then pointed out he escaped in a car, not on foot.
"His game of cat and mouse went all wrong," a Wuerzburg police spokesman said.
Police traced his email and arrested him in a gambling hall in Hamburg just a few hours later. ...
[brilliant snooty English butler]Sir? A Mr Darwin is ringing to enquire whether he may contact Sir whilst Sir is in gaol, Sir.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much, dear BrightKnight
Milan-bound night train ends up in Zurich
Passengers bound for the northern Italian city of Milan on an overnight train from Barcelona had a surprise when they woke up the following day.
By Jolyon Attwooll
18 Aug 2010
... The overnight Salvador Dalí train, which departed from Barcelona in Spain on Sunday, was scheduled to arrive in the Italian city early the following day – but it ended up almost 150 miles away in the Swiss financial centre due to a points switch error.
The train, run jointly by the Spanish train operator Renfe and the French SNCF, completed the first part of its journey without incident, arriving in Lyon as scheduled. As usual, it was part of a convoy including another train, the Pau Casals, which was destined for Zurich.
However, rail workers then confused the destinations, sending the Zurich-bound service towards Milan, and the Milan-bound train towards Zurich.
At Geneva, Swiss rail workers realised the error and redirected the Milan train to Zurich, where passengers transferred to a replacement coach service to reach their original destination. ...
Passengers bound for the northern Italian city of Milan on an overnight train from Barcelona had a surprise when they woke up the following day.
By Jolyon Attwooll
18 Aug 2010
... The overnight Salvador Dalí train, which departed from Barcelona in Spain on Sunday, was scheduled to arrive in the Italian city early the following day – but it ended up almost 150 miles away in the Swiss financial centre due to a points switch error.
The train, run jointly by the Spanish train operator Renfe and the French SNCF, completed the first part of its journey without incident, arriving in Lyon as scheduled. As usual, it was part of a convoy including another train, the Pau Casals, which was destined for Zurich.
However, rail workers then confused the destinations, sending the Zurich-bound service towards Milan, and the Milan-bound train towards Zurich.
At Geneva, Swiss rail workers realised the error and redirected the Milan train to Zurich, where passengers transferred to a replacement coach service to reach their original destination. ...
What a buncha pricks.
[brilliant snooty English butler]Sir? a Mr Darwin rang; he shall attempt ringing Sir whilst Sir is gaoled.
I have also taken the liberty of registering Sir for gaol dance classes. They shall improve Sir's coördination.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Elderly widow threatened with £2,500 fine for dropping cigarette ash
An elderly widow has been threatened with a £2,500 fine for dropping cigarette ash on the pavement.
16 Aug 2010
Sheila Martin, 70, was smoking at a bus stop when a warden pounced and handed her the £75 fixed penalty for littering.
However she has refused to pay – and could now face a £2,500 penalty.
Mrs Martin, from Oldbury, West Mids, was hit with the original fine by the Sandwell Council warden while at the bus stop on May 25.
She said: "I still can't believe what happened. I was just sat at a bus stop quietly enjoying my cigarette and from nowhere a warden appeared and accused me of littering.
"I couldn't believe it, I was only smoking a cigarette. It is one of the few things I have left that I can afford to buy myself.
"I can't work out why the council would be so vindictive over such a petty matter. I'm so upset and angry."
It is not the first time Sandwell Council has been accused of heavy handedness over littering.
The authority handed out 2,200 penalty fines last year, compared to just 336 in neighbouring Dudley.
Cllr Derek Rowley, Sandwell's Cabinet member for safer neighbourhoods, refused to be drawn on Mrs Martin's case, but said: "In general terms, our wardens do not issue fixed penalty notices for dropping cigarette ash...."
They did, in general terms, issue a fixed penalty notice to Ms Martin, you fuckwits.
An elderly widow has been threatened with a £2,500 fine for dropping cigarette ash on the pavement.
16 Aug 2010
Sheila Martin, 70, was smoking at a bus stop when a warden pounced and handed her the £75 fixed penalty for littering.
However she has refused to pay – and could now face a £2,500 penalty.
Mrs Martin, from Oldbury, West Mids, was hit with the original fine by the Sandwell Council warden while at the bus stop on May 25.
She said: "I still can't believe what happened. I was just sat at a bus stop quietly enjoying my cigarette and from nowhere a warden appeared and accused me of littering.
"I couldn't believe it, I was only smoking a cigarette. It is one of the few things I have left that I can afford to buy myself.
"I can't work out why the council would be so vindictive over such a petty matter. I'm so upset and angry."
It is not the first time Sandwell Council has been accused of heavy handedness over littering.
The authority handed out 2,200 penalty fines last year, compared to just 336 in neighbouring Dudley.
Cllr Derek Rowley, Sandwell's Cabinet member for safer neighbourhoods, refused to be drawn on Mrs Martin's case, but said: "In general terms, our wardens do not issue fixed penalty notices for dropping cigarette ash...."
They did, in general terms, issue a fixed penalty notice to Ms Martin, you fuckwits.
Dear Ar0cketman sent this,
noting it's the perfect companion for
I warmly concurred
but suggested the additional presence of
would also prove most salubrious.
I'm not one for potato chips/crisps you see, but of course I ain't into deprivin' others, so...
Oh, and do click th' pics, Gentle Categorian.
noting it's the perfect companion for
I warmly concurred
but suggested the additional presence of
would also prove most salubrious.
I'm not one for potato chips/crisps you see, but of course I ain't into deprivin' others, so...
Oh, and do click th' pics, Gentle Categorian.
Ta much, dear MSiegel
Ta much, dear Ar0cketman...I think.....
/shudder
Ta much, dear Edosan
We believe you!
Oh, baby - you're a winner!
- lines from an oft-quoted but unremembered play that high school friends of mine had performed before I met them
Oh, baby - you're a winner!
- lines from an oft-quoted but unremembered play that high school friends of mine had performed before I met them
The innovative design, however, isn’t limited to form: the cursor moves in direction and velocity according to the tilt of the spherical mouse, which rests comfortably in the palm of your hand.
The Jupiter mouse not only brings a refreshing natural element to your desk but also offers an exciting new approach to navigating your computer screen. ...
Valuing Chairs: Dr. Zahi Hawass' Chair versus King Tut's Throne
Submitted by Prad on Mon, 08/17/2009
Dr Hawass recently announced that he is looking to raise $2,000,000 for his "Chair of Egyptology". Now I don't know about you, but I find that to be one pricey chair! That said, boasts a $17,000,000 valuation* (well okay - it is priceless, but in this economy, everything apparently has its price). That said, Dr Hawass' "Chair" is also priceless as the amount will be invested back into Egyptology, and will aid the careers of future budding Egyptologists. Personally, I'm pretty happy with a £5 stool from the local market, but then I'm easily pleased. ...
* Price - or rather, Value - Comparison:
The $17,000,000 is the amount offered to the Cairo museum for King Tut's throne in 2000. They weren't willing to sell for that price at all. The chair is made using gold leaf, opposed to the golden mask, which is solid gold. Just the gold in Tutankhamun's mask alone is worth about $1.5 million - and gold prices are still rising. There's also the value of the precious stones and jewelry and - the main price-determining factor - the fact that it's King Tut's and unique.
Submitted by Prad on Mon, 08/17/2009
Dr Hawass recently announced that he is looking to raise $2,000,000 for his "Chair of Egyptology". Now I don't know about you, but I find that to be one pricey chair! That said, boasts a $17,000,000 valuation* (well okay - it is priceless, but in this economy, everything apparently has its price). That said, Dr Hawass' "Chair" is also priceless as the amount will be invested back into Egyptology, and will aid the careers of future budding Egyptologists. Personally, I'm pretty happy with a £5 stool from the local market, but then I'm easily pleased. ...
* Price - or rather, Value - Comparison:
The $17,000,000 is the amount offered to the Cairo museum for King Tut's throne in 2000. They weren't willing to sell for that price at all. The chair is made using gold leaf, opposed to the golden mask, which is solid gold. Just the gold in Tutankhamun's mask alone is worth about $1.5 million - and gold prices are still rising. There's also the value of the precious stones and jewelry and - the main price-determining factor - the fact that it's King Tut's and unique.
Egyptian Case Mod is Fit for a Pharoah
June 9th, 2009 By Jai
Chris Kramer decided to do something different during summer holidays and what he ended up was building an Egyptian themed computer mod. He used some really specialized jewelry metal working, and lapidary skills which involve gemstone cutting and polishing, stone working, several dozen pounds of limestone tiles and a stuffed dog in order to create an authentic Egyptian themed case mod that transports us back to the days of pharaohs and hieroglyphics.
The idea was not to create something highly technical but something that is artistic and drool worthy, and hence the only geek components that went into the project were some components and a computer system board. He recreated partially the Tutankhamen chariot scene and in order to get some authentic hieroglyphic text, he used several passages from E. A. Wallis Budge’s “The Egyptian book of the Dead”.
With some amazing LED lights, jewelry, Egyptian art and painting, the case looks almost like Queen Cleopatra’s armoire and the computer that sits within it is almost a juxtaposition of cultures. The stuffed dog sits regally over the case as if it is guarding a new kind [of] tomb. ...
June 9th, 2009 By Jai
Chris Kramer decided to do something different during summer holidays and what he ended up was building an Egyptian themed computer mod. He used some really specialized jewelry metal working, and lapidary skills which involve gemstone cutting and polishing, stone working, several dozen pounds of limestone tiles and a stuffed dog in order to create an authentic Egyptian themed case mod that transports us back to the days of pharaohs and hieroglyphics.
The idea was not to create something highly technical but something that is artistic and drool worthy, and hence the only geek components that went into the project were some components and a computer system board. He recreated partially the Tutankhamen chariot scene and in order to get some authentic hieroglyphic text, he used several passages from E. A. Wallis Budge’s “The Egyptian book of the Dead”.
With some amazing LED lights, jewelry, Egyptian art and painting, the case looks almost like Queen Cleopatra’s armoire and the computer that sits within it is almost a juxtaposition of cultures. The stuffed dog sits regally over the case as if it is guarding a new kind [of] tomb. ...
The kids are back in school, and it seems the rest of us are back to the "same-old, same-old" once more. I don't really remember the last time I got that cliché assignment to write about the summer break, but that doesn't mean I have not been busy. "Doing what?" you might well ask, and I would have to reply with "Building yet another computer, of course." My project this time was not one selected for the technology aspect, but one I wanted to do just for the "artistic" modification phase.
In the QuetzalMod Feathered Serpent case, I suggested that one did not have to use anything other than some simple craft techniques to create a unique, personalized, computer chassis. However, for this project, I applied some of my more specialized jewelry metal-working and lapidary (gemstone cutting and polishing) skills. Add a dash of rough stone working, sixty or seventy pounds of limestone floor tile, and a stuffed dog and I created my EgyptianMod case. Oh yeah, I did add a computer system board and some other components in there somewhere too.
Starting with an approach like the Quetzal case, I took a decent five 5.25-bay Nzxt Nemesis gaming case (it was on sale, what can I say...) and promptly stripped the case down to the side panels and frame. As with the other system, I covered the side panel window with steel sheet. In place of the front bezel, I attached lengths of 3/4 inch square aluminum tubing to extend out beyond the front of the chassis to enclose the drive bays. Two brass plates were cut for front doors and riveted to sections of piano hinge. The lower door fastens with a simple cabinet latch, and covers the front fan opening and provides access for the power switch and LED indicator lights. The upper door covers the five 5.25 inch drive bays and has a strong magnet glued on the outside; a second magnet glued inside the aluminum tubing creates a hidden magnetic latch.
The tile store suggested using epoxy to attach the tile to metal, but I was concerned about differences in expansion and contraction of the metal and stone, and have seen epoxy shear away from metal under those conditions. Discussing this with them, I asked about silicon adhesive, which would be much more flexible; they agreed this should work fine as long as the surface was rough enough to bond to. To prepare the case for the limestone tile, I used a coarse grinding wheel over the top, sides and front doors. ...
... With the limestone shell complete, it was time to get creative. Before starting this part of the construction phase, I had sifted through numerous books on Egypt, Egyptian Jewelry, Tutankhamen, hieroglyphics, and did lots of Internet photo searches for inspiration or possible source material. Rather then depicting some static deities just standing or sitting, I ultimately decided on a composite hunt scene for one of the panels and a partial recreation of a Tutankhamen chariot scene for the other. For some "authentic" hieroglyphic text, I selected several translated passages from "The Egyptian Book of the Dead" by E. A. Wallis Budge. ...
[Ed. Note: Curious the way the last image is broken up in places, like an ancient papyrus scroll. ;) ]
Record-breaking and other oddities
6.06.2008, by Michael
Visitors to Vienna bear testimony of an oddity right before landing in our city. But the real weird things are expecting them downtown during EURO 08. ...
Once arrived in downtown Vienna visitors will be welcomed by an Anubis figure of seven and a half metres height. The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), currently staging an exhibition on the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, nominated the God of Death Rites the patron of the Austria National Team. We hope that this is no bad omen. For protection reasons probably the Anubis statue was clad in a huge red shirt and white shorts.
In the immediate vicinity of the dog-headed deity the temporarily largest coffeehouse in town will be opened. Around the Maria Theresa monument in between the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History the area of some 2,700 square metres is meant to combine football enjoyment and taste. The area has a capacity for 1,000 people who will be offered additional treats. The Coffee Academy will be informing on the history of coffee, the Strudel bakery will offer strudels and famous coffeehouse literature works will be read on stage - Viennese coffeehouse culture as event for the masses. ...
6.06.2008, by Michael
Visitors to Vienna bear testimony of an oddity right before landing in our city. But the real weird things are expecting them downtown during EURO 08. ...
Once arrived in downtown Vienna visitors will be welcomed by an Anubis figure of seven and a half metres height. The Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts), currently staging an exhibition on the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, nominated the God of Death Rites the patron of the Austria National Team. We hope that this is no bad omen. For protection reasons probably the Anubis statue was clad in a huge red shirt and white shorts.
In the immediate vicinity of the dog-headed deity the temporarily largest coffeehouse in town will be opened. Around the Maria Theresa monument in between the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History the area of some 2,700 square metres is meant to combine football enjoyment and taste. The area has a capacity for 1,000 people who will be offered additional treats. The Coffee Academy will be informing on the history of coffee, the Strudel bakery will offer strudels and famous coffeehouse literature works will be read on stage - Viennese coffeehouse culture as event for the masses. ...
Parrot scares off burglars with piercing screech
A crime-fighting parrot scared off a gang of burglars by screeching loudly during a night-time raid.
29 Jul 2010
... Gennadi Kurkul, 42, the bird's owner, said that his neighbours were full of praise for the noisy green Lory parrot.
He said: "They reached in through a window and managed to open the door and get in. But they must have disturbed Kuzya. He let out a massive scream. You could hear it all over the Docklands."
All the burglars managed to seize during their 4am raid was Mr Kurkul's wallet, which had been left close to the window.
Mr Kurkul, a Russian interpreter, added that the parrot was a fantastic pet who follows him round the house like a dog.
He said: "I don't keep him in a cage. He just finds a spot at night where he likes to sleep and settles down there sometimes under the stairs. He must have heard their footsteps and just started screaming."
Tower Hamlets police, who have been investigating the break-in, are already understood to have made an arrest. ...
A crime-fighting parrot scared off a gang of burglars by screeching loudly during a night-time raid.
29 Jul 2010
... Gennadi Kurkul, 42, the bird's owner, said that his neighbours were full of praise for the noisy green Lory parrot.
He said: "They reached in through a window and managed to open the door and get in. But they must have disturbed Kuzya. He let out a massive scream. You could hear it all over the Docklands."
All the burglars managed to seize during their 4am raid was Mr Kurkul's wallet, which had been left close to the window.
Mr Kurkul, a Russian interpreter, added that the parrot was a fantastic pet who follows him round the house like a dog.
He said: "I don't keep him in a cage. He just finds a spot at night where he likes to sleep and settles down there sometimes under the stairs. He must have heard their footsteps and just started screaming."
Tower Hamlets police, who have been investigating the break-in, are already understood to have made an arrest. ...
I live in Detroit, but the biggest rat I ever saw was in Cleveland, and it was the size of a big kitty!
Ta much, dear MSiegel
Are we consulting yet?
That does it! I'm converting to Rastafarianism!
That does it! I'm converting to Rastafarianism!
Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:17am EDT
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Researchers have discovered four new species of octopus in Antarctica with venom that works at sub-zero temperatures.
They hope to analyze the venom to see if it has medical uses, said one of the researchers, Bryan Fry, of the University of Melbourne. Their discovery, during a six-week expedition to Antarctica in 2007, was published in the journal Toxicon.
Experts have long known there were octopuses in Antarctica, but what surprised Fry and his colleagues was the sheer biodiversity and how natural selection changed the way they hunted and the nature of their venom.
The octopuses would drill small holes in large, shelled prey, through which they inject their toxic saliva.
"We found that venom can work at sub-zero temperatures. It was quite remarkable to find how well octopuses have adapted to Antarctic life," Fry said. ...
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Researchers have discovered four new species of octopus in Antarctica with venom that works at sub-zero temperatures.
They hope to analyze the venom to see if it has medical uses, said one of the researchers, Bryan Fry, of the University of Melbourne. Their discovery, during a six-week expedition to Antarctica in 2007, was published in the journal Toxicon.
Experts have long known there were octopuses in Antarctica, but what surprised Fry and his colleagues was the sheer biodiversity and how natural selection changed the way they hunted and the nature of their venom.
The octopuses would drill small holes in large, shelled prey, through which they inject their toxic saliva.
"We found that venom can work at sub-zero temperatures. It was quite remarkable to find how well octopuses have adapted to Antarctic life," Fry said. ...
Ta much, dear MSiegel
Ta much, dear Ar0cketman
Two nuns go on run over threat to send them to retirement home
Two fugitive nuns in their 80s have gone on the run in France to escape being sent to a retirement home by their Mother Superior.
23 Jul 2010
Sister Marie-Daniel, 86, and Sister Saint-Denis, 82, fled their nunnery two weeks ago after convent officials said they were being sent to a remote mountain retreat 250 miles away.
The pair vanished from the Sisters of Saint-Joseph convent in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, on the French Riviera convent, on July 12 and have not been seen since.
A third 89-year-old nun, Sister Maurice-Marie, has revealed she also wanted to flee but broke her leg four days before the two elderly sisters disappeared.
A convent insider had told France-Soir newspaper that the nuns were furious at being "put out to grass" in a retirement home after 50 years at the nunnery. ...
Two fugitive nuns in their 80s have gone on the run in France to escape being sent to a retirement home by their Mother Superior.
23 Jul 2010
Sister Marie-Daniel, 86, and Sister Saint-Denis, 82, fled their nunnery two weeks ago after convent officials said they were being sent to a remote mountain retreat 250 miles away.
The pair vanished from the Sisters of Saint-Joseph convent in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, on the French Riviera convent, on July 12 and have not been seen since.
A third 89-year-old nun, Sister Maurice-Marie, has revealed she also wanted to flee but broke her leg four days before the two elderly sisters disappeared.
A convent insider had told France-Soir newspaper that the nuns were furious at being "put out to grass" in a retirement home after 50 years at the nunnery. ...
'Darth Raider': NY police hunt armed robber 'dressed as Star Wars character'
An armed robber is being hunted by police after dressing as the Star Wars movie character Darth Vader during a bizarre raid on a New York bank in broad daylight.
By Andrew Hough
Published: 1:30PM BST 23 Jul 2010
Police said the bandit entered the Chase bank branch on Long Island at 11.30am Thursday, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol before demanding money from staff.
CCTV footage released by police showed the 6ft 2in gunman dressed as the Star Wars bad guy, with a costume complete with mask, dark cape and camouflage trousers.
Customers and bank staff initially thought the raid was a joke, with one witness thinking the costume was so amusing he starting joking with the bandit.
“The customer thought it might have been a joke and not a serious attempt at a robbery,” William Lamb, a Suffolk County Detective Sergeant, told the New York Daily News.
But they quickly realised the bandit was serious after he shouted “this is not a joke”, and reportedly becoming involved in a "shoving match" with an onlooker.
He then pointed his gun at customers as he ordered them to the floor.
He escaped on a motorbike from the Setauket branch with an undisclosed amount of cash stuffed in a bag, which featured a New York Yankees logo.
He assaulted another customer who tried to stop him leaving the bank.
Michael Aloisio, who works at another nearby restaurant, told the New York Post: “I thought it was pretty comical, but I guess this guy was pretty serious about needing some money.
“I always liked 'Star Wars,' but I never liked Darth Vader.”
The robber was still on the run on Friday. ...
An armed robber is being hunted by police after dressing as the Star Wars movie character Darth Vader during a bizarre raid on a New York bank in broad daylight.
By Andrew Hough
Published: 1:30PM BST 23 Jul 2010
Police said the bandit entered the Chase bank branch on Long Island at 11.30am Thursday, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol before demanding money from staff.
CCTV footage released by police showed the 6ft 2in gunman dressed as the Star Wars bad guy, with a costume complete with mask, dark cape and camouflage trousers.
Customers and bank staff initially thought the raid was a joke, with one witness thinking the costume was so amusing he starting joking with the bandit.
“The customer thought it might have been a joke and not a serious attempt at a robbery,” William Lamb, a Suffolk County Detective Sergeant, told the New York Daily News.
But they quickly realised the bandit was serious after he shouted “this is not a joke”, and reportedly becoming involved in a "shoving match" with an onlooker.
He then pointed his gun at customers as he ordered them to the floor.
He escaped on a motorbike from the Setauket branch with an undisclosed amount of cash stuffed in a bag, which featured a New York Yankees logo.
He assaulted another customer who tried to stop him leaving the bank.
Michael Aloisio, who works at another nearby restaurant, told the New York Post: “I thought it was pretty comical, but I guess this guy was pretty serious about needing some money.
“I always liked 'Star Wars,' but I never liked Darth Vader.”
The robber was still on the run on Friday. ...
[brilliant snooty English butler]Pardon me, sirs, but a Mr Darwin is calling and would like a word. Shall I ask him to ring back once the bandages have been removed from your visages? Very good, sirs.
Thank you, sirs.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much, dear Anneliese
Thank you, sirs.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much, dear Anneliese
The Metropolitan Detroit area boasts a DeKay Funeral Home.
A small telco has decided to turn the tables on irritating unsolicited calls by setting up a block of dummy phone numbers that play messages to trick marketers into lenghty and pointless sales pitches.
The wheeze is the work of Andrews and Arnold (AAISP), a small business provider, and was prompted by a deluge of unsolicited calls to its office lines over the past month.
The firm has reserved a block of four million VoIP lines for the prank. All are registered with the Telephone Preference Service, so any unsolicited marketing calls they get are likely to be the result of illegal use of autodialler software.
AAISP has adapted its anonymous call reject service so customers can use the honey pot message too. Today it kept one marketer punting "free calls" on the line for more than three and a half minutes. ...
Ta much, dear MSiegel
The wheeze is the work of Andrews and Arnold (AAISP), a small business provider, and was prompted by a deluge of unsolicited calls to its office lines over the past month.
The firm has reserved a block of four million VoIP lines for the prank. All are registered with the Telephone Preference Service, so any unsolicited marketing calls they get are likely to be the result of illegal use of autodialler software.
AAISP has adapted its anonymous call reject service so customers can use the honey pot message too. Today it kept one marketer punting "free calls" on the line for more than three and a half minutes. ...
Ta much, dear MSiegel
The Dread Cthulhu Tries to Relax
LOUISE NORDSTROM
Associated Press Writer= STOCKHOLM (AP) — Now that's some vintage bubbly.
Divers have discovered what is thought to be the world's oldest drinkable champagne in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea, one of the finders said Saturday. They tasted the one bottle they've brought up so far before they even got back to shore.
Diving instructor Christian Ekstrom said the bottles are believed to be from the 1780s and likely were part of a cargo destined for Russia. The nationality of the sunken ship has not yet been determined.
"We brought up the bottle to be able to establish how old the wreck was," he told The Associated Press. "We didn't know it would be champagne. We thought it was wine or something."
Ekstrom said the divers were overjoyed when they popped the cork on their boat after hauling the bubbly from a depth of 200 feet (60 meters).
"It tasted fantastic. It was a very sweet champagne, with a tobacco taste and oak," Ekstrom said. ...
Associated Press Writer= STOCKHOLM (AP) — Now that's some vintage bubbly.
Divers have discovered what is thought to be the world's oldest drinkable champagne in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea, one of the finders said Saturday. They tasted the one bottle they've brought up so far before they even got back to shore.
Diving instructor Christian Ekstrom said the bottles are believed to be from the 1780s and likely were part of a cargo destined for Russia. The nationality of the sunken ship has not yet been determined.
"We brought up the bottle to be able to establish how old the wreck was," he told The Associated Press. "We didn't know it would be champagne. We thought it was wine or something."
Ekstrom said the divers were overjoyed when they popped the cork on their boat after hauling the bubbly from a depth of 200 feet (60 meters).
"It tasted fantastic. It was a very sweet champagne, with a tobacco taste and oak," Ekstrom said. ...
emails containing the words 'Sophia' and 'mother' will be deleted unread. I have already set up the filter
it was the mental image of the deer that prompted the cognitive leap
it was the mental image of the deer that prompted the cognitive leap
Shoot him in the ass! Square on up in that MF!
Cthulhu Fail
By robert | Published: January 26, 2010
In honor of Dread Cthulhu and the Twitter Fail Whale.
By robert | Published: January 26, 2010
In honor of Dread Cthulhu and the Twitter Fail Whale.
July 9, 2010
Man dies after five-story fall on Wayne State University's campus
BY CECIL ANGEL
Free Press Staff Writer
A 31-year-old man died today after a fall from the top of a parking structure on the Wayne State University campus and police are examining surveillance video to determine whether it was an accident or deliberate.
"We're still looking for clues as to what took place," said Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt this evening. "He either fell or he jumped and we're not sure." ...
Man dies after five-story fall on Wayne State University's campus
BY CECIL ANGEL
Free Press Staff Writer
A 31-year-old man died today after a fall from the top of a parking structure on the Wayne State University campus and police are examining surveillance video to determine whether it was an accident or deliberate.
"We're still looking for clues as to what took place," said Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt this evening. "He either fell or he jumped and we're not sure." ...
We'll provide a full recap of the 2010 Greenwich Concours d'Elegance later, but this morning, we wanted to share one of the cooler vehicles on display with you - and while it has gullwing doors and is as exotic as it gets, it's not even a car. While Cold War-era American astronauts were fished out of the drink by the U.S. Navy after splashdown, Soviet cosmonauts at the time faced a different set of risks when their spacecraft returned to Earth - namely, the possibility of landing in the Siberian wilderness. As such, a recovery vehicle was needed that could traverse varied terrain, operate in sub-zero temperatures, and move fast. Enter Russian aviation legend Aleksei Tupolev. His solution is seen here: the Tupolev 007 aerosled.
The shallow-draft craft is powered by a 9-cylinder Vedenyev M14P radial aircraft engine generating 365 horsepower. Its interesting double-propeller is actually fixed, with the rear prop drafting the front blades to increase efficiency and make operation quieter. At speeds above 50 mph, the driver can engage a flap to lift the nose, allowing the 007 to skim the surface, meaning it can race across lakes, marshes, and snow with equal aplomb. The design reportedly won Tupolev the Diploma of Finest Engineer in the USSR (give the Soviets this: they had a flair for super-impressive-sounding awards), and you can go see it yourself if you're within easy travel distance of Greenwich, CT. ...
The shallow-draft craft is powered by a 9-cylinder Vedenyev M14P radial aircraft engine generating 365 horsepower. Its interesting double-propeller is actually fixed, with the rear prop drafting the front blades to increase efficiency and make operation quieter. At speeds above 50 mph, the driver can engage a flap to lift the nose, allowing the 007 to skim the surface, meaning it can race across lakes, marshes, and snow with equal aplomb. The design reportedly won Tupolev the Diploma of Finest Engineer in the USSR (give the Soviets this: they had a flair for super-impressive-sounding awards), and you can go see it yourself if you're within easy travel distance of Greenwich, CT. ...
Tricked by the 'coconut man' - Thelwell takes takes Lalah for a ride in Ipswich
Published: Tuesday | July 6, 2010
All I was trying to do was purchase one measly coconut and be on my way, but Thelwell the vendor had other plans.
Now, let me first of all explain how I arrived in the company of the coconut vendor in the first place. I was in the very quiet, out-of-the-way community called Ipswich in St Elizabeth recently. If you've never heard of the place, don't be too hard on yourself - many people haven't. The older folks, though, may know Ipswich quite well, since it was once, I'm told, a booming stop on the railway route between Kingston and St James. Today, though, Ipswich is little more than just another sparsely populated rural community with only shells remaining of buildings that were once hot spots of activity.
Now to Thelwell, who I've since been told is not a resident of the area, but a hanger-on who has recently started frequenting Ipswich. Now Thelwell doesn't have the best reputation, having been accused of being something of a conman, who is always seeking to use his head on strangers to manipulate them out of a few dollars. Some people in Ipswich have even started calling him Bredda Anancy, after the fabled spider. Of course, I knew none of this when I came across the gangly fellow standing near the old railway station in the community recently.
He seemed harmless enough, wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Nelson Mandela on the front. He also had a wide smile that exposed very few teeth. He might have been close to 50 years old.
"Sell yuh a jelly, boss?" he asked as I approached. Having visited the community with a plan to get to know the people, I decided that purchasing a coconut from the local vendor was the way to go. Besides, there was nary another soul in sight, and I had been there for close to an hour.
So I agreed to the purchase and the man held out his hand for payment. I thought this was a bit odd, and asked him where the coconuts were. "Dem deh pon di tree deh so," he said, pointing up to a tall coconut tree behind him....
/me sings for Thelwell:
Slide, mongoose!
Yuh name gone abroad
Slide, mongoose!
Dog know yuh name....
Published: Tuesday | July 6, 2010
All I was trying to do was purchase one measly coconut and be on my way, but Thelwell the vendor had other plans.
Now, let me first of all explain how I arrived in the company of the coconut vendor in the first place. I was in the very quiet, out-of-the-way community called Ipswich in St Elizabeth recently. If you've never heard of the place, don't be too hard on yourself - many people haven't. The older folks, though, may know Ipswich quite well, since it was once, I'm told, a booming stop on the railway route between Kingston and St James. Today, though, Ipswich is little more than just another sparsely populated rural community with only shells remaining of buildings that were once hot spots of activity.
Now to Thelwell, who I've since been told is not a resident of the area, but a hanger-on who has recently started frequenting Ipswich. Now Thelwell doesn't have the best reputation, having been accused of being something of a conman, who is always seeking to use his head on strangers to manipulate them out of a few dollars. Some people in Ipswich have even started calling him Bredda Anancy, after the fabled spider. Of course, I knew none of this when I came across the gangly fellow standing near the old railway station in the community recently.
He seemed harmless enough, wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Nelson Mandela on the front. He also had a wide smile that exposed very few teeth. He might have been close to 50 years old.
"Sell yuh a jelly, boss?" he asked as I approached. Having visited the community with a plan to get to know the people, I decided that purchasing a coconut from the local vendor was the way to go. Besides, there was nary another soul in sight, and I had been there for close to an hour.
So I agreed to the purchase and the man held out his hand for payment. I thought this was a bit odd, and asked him where the coconuts were. "Dem deh pon di tree deh so," he said, pointing up to a tall coconut tree behind him....
/me sings for Thelwell:
Slide, mongoose!
Yuh name gone abroad
Slide, mongoose!
Dog know yuh name....
Ta much, dear Edosan! Seeing it drove me to post this semi-tangent:
The Horse Song
Iggy Pop
Zombie Birdhouse (1982)
I never saw you before
I never smelled Spring before
Now I'm at your door
And I hope you're unusual
very unusual
Now I'm at your door
And when you nicely ask me in
I'm staring at your shoes
and I don't wonder why
I feel like a horse
We can stray
out on the open range
Missing the everyday
with its hidden claws
Spring snow
And when you brush me
you brush me with your eyes
I think you've noticed that
I don't want to be a bad guy anymore
I never saw you before
but you're unusual
and now i'm at your door
I feel safe and warm
I feel
I feel
I feel
I feel
Like a
Horse
ha ha ha ha
what's this?
Child's play
Location: a ride for children under six years; West Edmonton Mall, Canada
Spotted by: Marc Dennis
'Horse Boy' reappears on Google Street View in Aberdeen
The mysterious Google Street View 'Horse Boy' has reappeared on the streets of Aberdeen, after a short, unexplained disappearance.
By Tom Chivers
02 Jul 2010
The Horse Boy's second Street View appearance, on Hazledene Road in Aberdeen. Photo: GOOGLE
The original Horse Boy, a man in a purple jumper and a rubber horse's head mask, was spotted on Google Street View on Hardgate in Aberdeen. He has appeared separately, now in a green jumper and with a human-headed schoolgirl companion, on Hazlemere Road in the same city.
The first, purple-jumpered image was taken down by Google for a while, but has now been restored. No explanation was given either for the disappearance or subsequent restoration. ...
The mysterious Google Street View 'Horse Boy' has reappeared on the streets of Aberdeen, after a short, unexplained disappearance.
By Tom Chivers
02 Jul 2010
The Horse Boy's second Street View appearance, on Hazledene Road in Aberdeen. Photo: GOOGLE
The original Horse Boy, a man in a purple jumper and a rubber horse's head mask, was spotted on Google Street View on Hardgate in Aberdeen. He has appeared separately, now in a green jumper and with a human-headed schoolgirl companion, on Hazlemere Road in the same city.
The first, purple-jumpered image was taken down by Google for a while, but has now been restored. No explanation was given either for the disappearance or subsequent restoration. ...
Finn finishes Finnish mini-digger odyssey
Crowds cheer 5-day-late, 2mph arrival at Finnish line
By Lewis Page
30th June 2010
A plucky Finn's quest to be the first man to traverse much of the length of Finland riding a small imported Chinese mechanical digger has ended in success.
An inspiration to us all.
To rapturous applause from crowds of fans, freelance excavator repairman and salesman Jukka Mutanen chugged very slowly into the northern Finnish town of Kuusamo yesterday, completing an epic 942-kilometre journey lasting 29 days.
Mutanen made the journey at average road speeds of around 2mph, though his SWE17B one-man digger is capable of 2.8mph going flat out. ...
Crowds cheer 5-day-late, 2mph arrival at Finnish line
By Lewis Page
30th June 2010
A plucky Finn's quest to be the first man to traverse much of the length of Finland riding a small imported Chinese mechanical digger has ended in success.
An inspiration to us all.
To rapturous applause from crowds of fans, freelance excavator repairman and salesman Jukka Mutanen chugged very slowly into the northern Finnish town of Kuusamo yesterday, completing an epic 942-kilometre journey lasting 29 days.
Mutanen made the journey at average road speeds of around 2mph, though his SWE17B one-man digger is capable of 2.8mph going flat out. ...
Privacy? Ummmm...
Teh Intarwebz to th' rescue yet again!
Uh, yeah...good luck with that, man.
A day at the 'well'
Published: Tuesday | June 22, 2010
Pawp pawp! The large blue-and-white truck slowed to a stop and people started running towards it. They were coming from all corners with buckets and washing tubs in hand.
"Mitzy, mi tell yuh seh mi hear di truck! Run go tell Shirley and tell har fi borrow Miss Joyce big bucket and come fast!" yelled a woman, running towards the truck.
I was sitting inside a small shop across the road in Moneague, St Ann, when the driver of the truck hopped out. "Alright, alright, mine yuh bounce mi down!" he yelled before walking a few feet away to stand in the shade of a mango tree. Another man who was travelling in the truck walked to the back of the vehicle and started dispensing water into the containers.
"Ah me fus reach so mek sure it nuh done pan mi dis time!" yelled a short fellow wearing short pants and a merino. He was holding a bucket in front of him and ordering everyone to get behind him. Nobody seemed to have been listening to him though, as the more people showed up, the more they bundled. A small shoving match nearly got out of hand, and would have, if not for the timely intervention of the man dispensing the water, who threatened to pack up and leave if order was not immediately restored. The crowd quickly fell in line.
The woman behind the counter inside the shop I was sitting, chuckled. I asked her what she found so funny.
"Nuh Miss Inez big bwoy," she said. I asked her who among the crowd she was speaking of.
"Him nuh out deh. Dat is why mi laugh. Miss Inez sickly yuh know, and har eye dem dark, so it up to di big bwoy fi get di water when time di truck come," said the woman, looking through a window at the action across the road.
"Last week when truck come, di bwoy inna bed lay down same way. When Miss Inez come in and ask him weh di water deh, him mouth join church. Mi hear seh she nearly kill him wid some big lick even wid har bad eye," the woman chuckled as she related the story. ...
NYC – Diogenes
LA
Park City, Utah
Camden / Regents Canal
Hadta bump this.
U can haz cheezburger.
Foxhunting is a good idea.
[brilliant snooty English butler]Does Modom desire a cold foot-bath? One thought so.[/brilliant snooty English butler]
Ta much, dear Anneliese
Ta much, dear Anneliese
