DAILY NEWS MAIL

Cool Multicolor USB Jellyfish Aquarium

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:32:00 -0700

Here’s a new version of those popular jellyfish aquariums. This latest “moody light” model is equipped with multicolor LED lights that lets you circle though five soft lights.

Watching the lifelike Jellyfishes swimming, let your stress fading away and gives you sensation of relaxation.

It is so simple in the operation! Just add water into the tank, connect the USB cable to the USB port. A small motor generates a current in the water, encouraging the jellyfish to swim gently and freely.

The jellyfishes won’t starve or make a mess, they just swim and sleep whenever you want.
Features:
* USB-powered desktop aquarium
* Swimming jellyfish and life-like motion
* 5 bright LEDs – cycle through colors or select your favorite one
* On/Off Switch
* Plug and play
* No batteries required
* Dimension: 175 x 122 x 255mm (approx.)
* Weight: 750g

Interesting and Beautiful Nature’s Pink Camouflage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:09:00 -0700

Shocking pink katydid

1. The Pink Katydids – Punk Rock

Katydid profile

Pink, white and green katydid found in Osaka, Japan

2. The Rose Dragonflies – Pop

Gorgeous in pink

3. Pink Mantis – Independent Rock

4. The Pink Grasshoppers – Ska

5. The Lonely Leafhoppers – Blues

6. The Pink Furry Moths – Country

Shocking moment polar bear attacks woman who climbed into zoo enclosure

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 12:20:00 -0700

This is the terrifying moment a woman was attacked by a polar bear after jumping into its zoo enclosure.

The 32-year-old leapt over bars at Berlin Zoo during the bears' feeding time yesterday.

Despite six zookeepers' efforts to distract the four predators kept in the enclosure, the woman was bitten several times on her arms and legs.

The brave keepers eventually managed to push the bear away and pull the woman to safety.

She was bitten by one of the four older polar bears in the enclosure and not by the famous Knut, who took Germany by storm as a cub after he was hand-raised by a keeper.

It is not known why the woman pulled the dangerous stunt but she initially appeared to be elated as she swam towards a bear in the enclosure.

It is not easy to access the enclosure, which is surrounded by a fence, a line of prickly hedges and a wall.

Heiner Kloes, a zoo spokesman, said keepers pushed the huge bear away before pulling the woman out.

She was taken to a hospital for treatment where she is now recovering after undergoing surgery to heal her wounds.

President Barack Obama Pokes Fun At Jessica Simpson’s Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:56:00 -0800

President Barack Obama was interviewed by Matt Lauer the other day and they had an opportunity to poke fun at Jessica Simpson and her battle with the bulge, because she took a part of his US Weekly cover. I don’t know why I’m posting this but with economy in the can, it’s nice to see that Matt the hard core journalist, is making sure to ask the President important questions on current and relevant issues. Anyway, here’s Jessica performing and stretching the limits out of her red t-shirt in Charleston, West Virginia. Oh wait, that’s why I’m posting this.

The picture perfect storm

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:23:00 -0800

Photographs capture the terrifying beauty of clouds gathering over Greenland

Giant 'woodlice' take up residence in Britain

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:39:00 -0800

These frightening creatures may look like enormous woodlice, but are actually ancient Isopods that live deep under the waves.

The spooky one foot long Giant Isopods live up to 6,000ft down on the seabed where there is no light.

They survive in the pitch black and cold they survive by feasting on dead and decaying fish and other marine animals.

Isopods have been unchanged for 160 million years and now they are to go on display in the UK for the first time.

Experts at the UK's Sea Life Centre parks organised for nine of them to be transported from the US where they had been caught in lobster nets in the Atlantic.

Each scary-looking creature was individually wrapped in wet hessian and newspaper before being packed into a box of ice.

They were flown thousands of miles to London before being transported by truck to the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth, Dorset.

The nine Isopods - Bathynonomous giganteus in Latin - will spend time in quarantine before going on display in large dark tanks in Blackpool.

Special reflective glass will give the giant creepy crawlies the feeling they are deep at the bottom of the sea, while still allowing spectators to peer in.

Chris Brown, a marine biologist who is looking after the Isopods in Weymouth, said they had adjusted well to their new environment.

He said: "Isopods live on the seabed at great depths. There are lots of them down at the bottom of the sea but because of the depths they live at, they rarely turn up in fishing nets or lobster pots.

"At the moment they are being kept in a large quarantine tank in a shaded and dark corner at the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth.

"The tank has special coolers that keeps the water at a chilly 4C. After quarantine they will be taken to the Sea Life Centre in Blackpool."

The creatures are crustaceans related to the shrimp and crabs.

Feline good: Asthmatic cat treated with acupuncture

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:34:00 -0800

A cat that suffered asthma and a cough for three years has been cured, after her owner shunned traditional treatments and gave her pet a course of acupuncture.

South African alternative therapist Virginia Sanders turned to needle-based treatment to help her eleven-year-old Siamese cat Kiki.

Kiki had been given cortisone injections for her asthma but Ms Sanders was worried this might eventually damage the moggie's liver.

She approached a holistic veterinarian who recommended the unconventional treatment.

'KikI received acupuncture treatment, which will help her body to heal itself,' Ms Sanders said.

'She has already received three treatments, and her condition has improved a lot. She still has a few "old person's" problems, like a stiff back.'

According to vet Dr Barry Hindmarch, alternative treatments can be used on animals to relieve skin problems, chronic arthritis, kidney problems and cat AIDS.

'Infertile horses have been treated with homeopathic methods, and even livestock like cows with infections in their udders can be treated,' he added.

Hindmarch says nature's gifts are used to supplement conventional medicine.

'The animal is being treated holistically,' he says.

'We look at it's medical history, natural diet, surroundings, and we try to figure out a natural option. Animals also have emotional problems. They grieve, get anxious, some get traumatised, and then it makes a big difference treating them holistically.

'All conventional treatment methods are exhausted before we decide on a holistic method. With alternative medication we try to improve the animal's quality of living.'

Italian masterpiece that lay in an attic for 200 years because it was too risqué is set to be auctioned for £900,000

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 1 Dec 2008 11:35:00 -0800

A lost masterpiece hidden away in the attic of a French chateau for 200 years because its owners thought it was too racy, could fetch up to £900,000 when it is auctioned tomorrow.

The painting of a voluptuous and partly-clad young woman is by Giambattista Tiepolo, one of the most brilliant and sought-after Italian painters of his time.

Earlier this year, the grandchildren of the original owners brought it down from the dust and gloom to see the light of day for the first time since the 19th century.

The 35in by 27.5in oil - entitled Portrait Of A Lady As Flora (the classical Goddess of Spring) - is estimated to make £700,000 to £900,000 at Christie's Important Old Masters evening sale.

Richard Knight, international director of Christie's Old Master Department, described it as 'one of the most exciting and extraordinary discoveries of recent years'.

He confirmed it had been found in the the attic of a French chateau 'where it had been hidden by the grandparents of the present owners due to the semi-naked subject'.

He added: 'The painting has lain untouched in the same private collection for over 200 years, and as a result it remains breathtakingly similar to the way it would have been immediately after it left the artist's easel.
'Private collectors are attracted to rare, rediscovered paintings offered in untouched condition.'

The painting of the enigmatic, fleshy young woman, left breast provocatively exposed, is previously unpublished and is probably from a series of pictures commissioned some time just before 1760 by Empress Elizabeth of Russia (1709-1762).

It has never before been seen in public and had remained in the family chateau of the present owners since 'at least' the 19th century.

The painting is undated but thought to be undertaken in the 1750s and there is considerable debate about the identity of the model.

One theory is that she is a gondolier's daughter called Christina.

According to art historians, Tiepolo valued her so highly as a model that when he and his family moved to Spain in 1762, he brought Christina too so he could keep painting the woman who was 'beautiful with a haughty look'.

Another theory is that the model is Tiepolo's wife, Cecilia Guardi, sister of the painter Francesco Guardi.

Giambattista (or Giovanni Battista) Tiepolo was born in Venice in 1696 and was at his peak in the 1750s and 60s.

He was called to Madrid to paint for Charles III of Spain and spent the last eight years of his life there, dying in 1770. He is said to have inspired Goya.

The Top 3 Eco-Friendly Bug Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:43:00 -0800

Nature is teaming with busy environmentalists, and nowhere more resourcefully so than in the diminutive world of invertebrates. As if their tootsies weren’t small enough, many of these little folks make it their life’s work to reduce their carbon footprints, recycling and reusing whatever is in their field. Without further ado, then, here are the three of the best. But who’ll take top spot?

3. Environmental Designer Extraordinaire: The Orb Web Spider

Weaving webs tres magnifique, the female orb web spider is one of natural world’s top designers, but she’s one of its thriftiest recyclers too. She’s known to eat her web at night, before spinning a new one, to recoup some of the energy expended producing silk that’s rich in protein and stronger than steel. What’s more, this economical creative maestro uses her own body as a yardstick to measure her webs, for über-ergonomic design. An icon in many cultures, the web crawler is also one of the Earth’s premier pest controllers, with flies and mosquitoes as their favourite bites. But don’t be fooled by her feminine charms. The smaller male risks being taken for a snack when he approaches, or similarly recycled once his work done. This spin-ster gains points for both style and execution.

2. Working Class Hero: The Roller Dung Beetle

Able to roll whopping great balls of dung past practically any obstacle, the roller dung beetle has a work ethic to make any bug proud. It’s good old hard labour. The dung beetle does the rolling – and guards against the theft of his property from rivals – while his spouse hitches a ride or follows behind. Like a mini-JCB, the industrious beetle gets rid of huge amounts of animal dung, and plays a vital role in agriculture. By eating and burying dung, he helps with soil structure and nutrient cycling; and people and livestock benefit from reduced numbers of germ-bearing pests like flies. This trooper’s poop-scooping even earned him major status in Ancient Egypt. There, the ‘scarab’ was revered as a sacred symbol tied to the sun god, and his hieroglyph conveyed essential ideas of being and transformation.

1. Underground Mixing Legend: The Earthworm

Though a shy and retiring hermaphrodite, the earthworm has made a definite noise on the underground eco scene – sometimes heard as a gurgling sound as it moves through its mucus-lined tunnels. Organic gardeners and farmers are big fans, and Charles Darwin himself sent shout-outs, “doubt[ing] whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world”. Blind to such praise, this down-to-earth decomposing dude does crucial soil-fertilising work, breaking down organic matter like fallen leaves into rich humus and mixing it up with earth. With burrowing skills you’ve got to dig, the earthworm actively helps to drain and pump air into the soil. And the coiled faecal casts you see marking its turf make minerals and nutrients available to be picked up by neighbourhood plant life.

Pictured: The extraordinary moment a shoal of fish 'attacked' duck who came pecking around

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:21:00 -0800

This duck ran out of luck when he attempted to have a peck at a shoal of fish.

Because while a single carp may be no match for a duck, in this case safety in numbers saw the bird's attack foiled as the fish surrounded him.

The extraordinary pictures were taken in a park lake in Changsa, Hunan Province, China, yesterday.

Reports suggest the duck started to attack the fish first, before becoming overwhelmed as the army of supporters swam in for back up to launch the counter-attack.

It didn't take long before the duck fled the scene after conceding defeat.

Global warning: We are actually heading towards a new Ice Age, claim scientists

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:39:00 -0800

It has plagued scientists and politicians for decades, but scientists now say global warming is not the problem.

We are actually heading for the next Ice Age, they claim.

British and Canadian experts warned the big freeze could bury the east of Britain in 6,000ft of ice.
Most of Scotland, Northern Ireland and England could be covered in 3,000ft-thick ice fields.

The expanses could reach 6,000ft from Aberdeen to Kent – towering above Ben Nevis, Britain’s tallest mountain.
The Earth has seen dramatic climate fluctuations – veering between cold and warm extremes - over the past three million years, the researchers say.

And changes in the Earth’s orbit and slowly falling levels of carbon dioxide are the cause.

The team says we are approaching a turning point, in the next 10,000 to 100,000 years, which will lead to the new ice sheets smothering much of Europe, Asia and South America.

The theory, which is based on computer models, suggests ice sheets will also slash sea levels by up to 300m, so Russia and Alaska will be connected by land.

The North Sea will become part of a huge glacier stretching from Holland and Scandinavia to the Russian Far East.
Professor Crowley said the stark findings do not mean we should stop fighting warming.

But he urged: ‘Don’t push the panic button.’

‘There’s no excuse for saying “we’ve got to keep pumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,”’ he told Reuters.

‘Geologically it’s tomorrow, but we have lots of time to argue about the appropriate level of greenhouse gases.’

Artist makes a splash at the United Nations... using 100 tons of paint

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:49:00 -0800

United Nations diplomats searching for bright ideas will soon be able to look to the ceiling for inspiration.

Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo has just completed a mammoth redecorating job - using 100 tons of paint - at its European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The 51-year-old artist has spent more than a year painting the chamber's 1,500 sq m domed ceiling and described the results as like watching 'the sea's surface above your head'.

Known as Room XX, the chamber will house the United Nations Human Rights Council after it is officially unveiled next week.

The eye-catching project is the first initiative of the newly formed Fundacion ONUART, an organisation dedicated to using Spanish contemporary art to the ends of diplomacy.

The redecorated chamber will become the UN's most modern negotiating room, using the latest materials and technology in audiovisual resources, conference services, interpretation systems, information technology and telecommunications.

Flight of fancy: The starlings who turned the sky black with a dazzling sunset display

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:10:00 -0800

The Scottish border town of Gretna Green has an influx of visitors, and not just the human kind.

It seems locals and tourists alike just can't get enough of watching millions of starlings converge on the sky on sunset as the birds search for a safe place to roost.

Hundreds of spectators have been treated to the amazing sunset display, which has left them mesmerised by the huge flock's sweeping aerial acrobatics.

Drivers on the A74M, the main motorway between England and Scotland, have been stopping in their droves to witness the sight.

But the shear mass of birds is causing a distraction to commuters and truck drivers who are urged to take extra care when pulling over and parking to watch the display.

And while it may look like the birds are on a kamakazi mission, the logic behind their aerial acrobatics makes much more sense.

Every winter, the birds take to the skies after a long day spent feeding in nearby reed beds.

As they take flight during the last minutes of daylight, the starlings fly quick and fast in a bid to confuse waiting predators such as sparrowhawks and buzzards.

The tiny birds must converge, fly and sqwark, in an attempt to confuse their predators, reaching speeds of more than 20mph, with few if any crashes.

Scientists say the secret behind their amazing spatial awareness is that each starling tracks seven other birds enabling the group's cohesion.

The naturally occurring event is a spectacle which takes place only during the winter months.

Starling numbers have halved in the last 25 years and they are now red-listed as an endangered species.

Experts say the starlings are a mix of British and European birds and will leave for Russia in February and March.

Nature lover Jon Tait, 34, said: 'It's amazing to see the natural world like this. The shapes and movements they make are beautiful - Hollywood special effects couldn't make it more breathtaking.

'Whenever I get the train I have to dive undercover at the station when they come because they leave a bit of a mess, but it's worth it to see them in the sky.

German woman fails in Beer Mug World Record attempt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:47:00 -0800

A German woman has attempted to set a new world record by carrying 21 beer mugs at once.

Beer Mug World Record...Anita Schwarz from Eichenau tries to set a new world record carrying 21 beer mugs at once across a distance of 40 metres in a tent near Zeltingen, Germany, 09 November 2008. However, Eichenau fails to transport the mugs in one piec Photo: UPPA/Photoshot

Anita Schwarz, from Eichenau, had to transport the mugs across a distance of 40 metres to be successful.

Wearing traditional dress, Schwarz, 48, began with all 21 mugs balanced in pyramid-fashion.

However, she soon lost control and the tower toppled, sending the contents of every mug spilling out onto the floor of the tent near Zeltingen, in Germany.

Only last month the city of Munich in Bavaria celebrated Oktoberfest, its annual sixteen-day festival, widely known for the beer served at the event.

Beginning in late September and running to early October, the festival attracts some six million people each year.

The original Oktoberfest occurred in Munich on October 12, 1810. To commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, a horse race was organised. Since temperatures can be as high as 30 degrees Celsius in that part of Germany at the end of September, large quantities of beer were served to quench the thirst of all of the visitors. The tradition has continued and it is now a yearly event.

Oktoberfestbiers are the beers that have been served at the event in Munich since 1818 and are supplied by six breweries known as the Big Six: Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr.

The event has now become famous around the world although there are regularly problems with festival-goers who canot handle the copious amount of alochol on offer.

There are problems every year with many young people passing out due to drunkenness. These drunk patrons are often called 'Bierleichen', German for 'beer corpses'.

A Very Testy Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 8 Nov 2008 00:18:00 -0800

Contestant Anthony Bell takes a bull’s testicle in his mouth at the weekend’s Hunterville Huntaway Festival in New Zealand. He was in the Shepherd’s Shermozzle on Saturday, which saw 56 competitors run out of the Hunterville Town Hall, find and claim their dog and head for the nearest high hill. The testicle had to be carted 50m by mouth.

Not too bad to carry by mouth, but you wouldn’t want to eat one.

The bulls’ testicles were the curly bit for contestants in the Shepherd’s Shermozzle in Hunterville at the weekend.

They had to fang into dry weetbix, scoff a raw egg and wash the lot down with a can of beer.

The beer probably also cushioned the taste of raw bulls’ testicles, which had to be carted, by mouth, 50m to the next stage of the competition.

Winner Josh Masters said he’d never carried a bull’s testicle in his teeth before, but it wasn’t too bad.

“Best of all, they weren’t connected to anything.”

People who want the information will be delighted to know a bull’s testicle weighs about 1kg, raw, depending on the size of animal it came from.

They were supplied by meat plants where bulls are killed for export meat.

Rumor had it that one spectator did eat a testicle, raw, but organizers said they couldn’t comment on the taste. They claimed they were “lovely” cooked - a sort of Texas version of the famous mountain oyster.

Mr Masters and his bitch Scruff came first in the Shepherds Shermozzle. (She won a bag of dog biscuits and he a jacket.)

The best dog bark came from Guy Peacock’s dog, Pound.

Underwear Made From Aluminum Cans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 6 Nov 2008 12:49:00 -0800

US accused of bombing Afghan wedding party, killing 37

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 5 Nov 2008 11:51:00 -0800

U.S. warplanes bombed a wedding party, killing 37 people, including 23 children and 10 women, Afghan authorities have claimed.

The bombing on Monday afternoon in the remote village of Wech Baghtu in the southern province of Kandahar destroyed an Afghan housing complex where women and children had gathered to celebrate.

The U.S. military said it was investigating the report but an American spokesman added that 'if innocent people were killed in this operation, we apologise and express our condolences'.

Body parts littered the wreckage and nearby farm animals lay dead.

A bombing run by fighter aircraft a short while later destroyed the compound and killed 37 people, including 23 children, ten women and four men, according to a local farmer whose daughter was to get married.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai referred to the incident at a news conference today held to congratulate Obama on his U.S. presidential election victory.

Karzai said he hopes the election will 'bring peace to Afghanistan, life to Afghanistan and prosperity to the Afghan people and the rest of the world'.

He applauded America for its 'courage' in electing Obama.

But he also used the occasion to immediately press Obama to find a way to prevent civilians casualties in operations by foreign forces.

He then said air strikes had caused deaths in the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province.

'Our demand is that there will be no civilian casualties in Afghanistan. We cannot win the fight against terrorism with air strikes,' Karzai said.

'This is my first demand of the new president of the United States - to put an end to civilian casualties.'

The alleged air strikes come only three months after the Afghan government found that a U.S. operation killed some 90 civilians in western Afghanistan. A U.S. report said 33 civilians died in that attack.

Another incident with a high number of civilian casualties could severely strain U.S.-Afghan relations.

Pictured: World's first truly blue roses go on display in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 2 Nov 2008 11:52:00 -0800

They are the stuff of legend - signifying mystery and traditionally believed to be able to grant the owner youth.

For years breeders have crossed different colours of roses in an effort to create the impossible. But rose petals lack the enzyme needed to create a blue pigment and the breeders always failed.

Now for the first time, thanks to genetic engineering, blue roses finally exist.

The very first truly blue roses have gone on display in Japan and will be on sale to the public next year.

After 13 years of research the Japanese Suntory company have finally perfected the mythical flower.

Working with the Australian company Florigene the researchers took the delphinidin gene, which creates the blue colour, from a petunia. They then inserted it into a mauve rose called the Cardinal de Richelieu.

The resultant flower was a dark burgundy colour due to an excess of the blue pigment cyanidin.

After using RNAi technology to reduce this the final blue rose was today unveiled at the annual Flower Expo held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

Police officers facing jail after being caught on video 'kicking and throwing' their pet dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:01:00 -0700

Two police officers are facing jail after they were caught violently kicking and throwing their pet dogs around their backyard.

Anja Mason and Craig Macleod were filmed by a concerned neighbour, who watched Tess, a collie pup, and Snoopy, a rottweiler, being abused at their house in Prestatyn.

Both officers have since been removed from front-line duties.

The pair watched in court as the video of the abuse was shown. Glenn Murphy, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said the DVD showed the dogs being kicked and hit.
Mr Murphy said Tess, who was just 14 weeks old at the time, was picked up by the scruff of her neck by Macleod, which was both excessive and unnecessary.

An RSPCA inspector had been unable to find evidence of abuse but told the neighbour that if she was prepared to do something about it, they may be able to take action.

She then took several hours of footage on her camera. In April the dogs had been seized by the RSPCA and they were now happily re-homed.
A vet who viewed the footage said in a report that it was not necessary to use violence as a training regime.

Mason, 29, and Macleod, 34, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a collie, and Macleod alone to a Rottweiler.

Defence solicitor Joanne Stephens said neither Tess nor Snoopy was injured and a report described them as "lovely, happy dogs" with no ill effects.

'The dogs were fed and watered regularly and they were concerned for their welfare,' she said. They were exercised on a regular basis.'
She said Mason had suffered health problems after an operation and Macleod had been a little concerned that Snoopy had been "over-zealous" when his eight-year-old daughter called.

When he picked Tess up by the scruff of the neck he said he was trying to teach her not to chew something on which she could have choked.

Miss Stephens said Macleod had been told by a dog handler that squirting water at a dog was a deterrent. However, the solicitor said both defendants were remorseful "and ashamed of what the dogs were put through."

She added : 'They would accept on occasions being heavy handed, there was no intention to cause any pain to the animals. Both stand to lose their jobs as a result of their criminal conviction.'

Court chairman Wendy Gibbs said all sentencing options would remain open, including custody and a high-level community penalty. There were several instances of deliberate ill-treatment and frightening of both dogs.

'You caused pain and suffering and mental terror to both dogs, you risked injury to both dogs by kicking,' she told them.

Later a North Wales police spokeswoman said: 'Following today's appearance, both officers have been removed from front line duties and placed in non operational roles pending the result of the case.

'As matters have not yet been finalised in court, it would be wholly inappropriate to make further comment at present.'

Magistrates at Denbigh in North Wales adjourned the case until November 25 for a pre-sentence report.

First pictures of British woman aid worker gunned down by Taliban motorbike killers 'for spreading Christianity'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:11:00 -0700

A British woman who was working to better the lives of disabled children in Afghanistan has been shot dead by Taliban gunmen because she was working for a Christian organisation.

Gayle Williams, 34, was minutes from her office as she walked to work in Kabul when she was gunned down by two men on a motorbike.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the killing, claiming its leaders had ordered the murder of Miss Williams because she was spreading the message of Christianity.

But the British-registered charity she worked for, SERVE Afghanistan, said this was a 'convenient excuse' for the grim killing, which it believes was 'completely opportunistic'.

Miss Williams, from London, had been with the organisation for two-and-a-half years, helping to raise awareness of disabilities in Afghan communities and rehabilitating disabled people in their homes.

Her family, including her mother in London and a sister living in South Africa, were said to be 'distraught' Today.

The sports-mad aid worker was described as a 'lovely girl' who was 'passionate' about her work and loved life by the charity's chairman Mike Lyth.

He explained that Miss Williams had only recently been pulled out of the southern Kandahar province, as it was considered too dangerous to work there.

'She came back about six months ago as we felt it probably wasn't a good idea to stay on there because we heard that the Taliban had been seen coming in and the threat was there so we pulled our people out,' he said.

'Kabul is supposed to be the safest place in Afghanistan.

'Our people are thoroughly trained and Gayle always used to come by different routes to avoid risk.

'She gave herself for those who were disadvantaged - that was her passion. It was people who were marginalised and helping them to get on track which drove her on.

'At 5am I got a phone call and it was dreadful. She was an amazing girl and in some ways being on the board I have a responsibility for the safety of the people working for us so I feel very deeply about this.'

Today Afghanistan's Interior Ministry spokesman, Zemeri Bashary, said Miss Williams had been shot in the body and leg with a pistol before the men fled the scene.

Miss Williams died almost immediately. Blood stains could later be seen on the pavement where she was killed.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid later claimed she was killed ‘because she was working for an organisation which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan’.

'This woman came to Afghanistan to teach Christianity to the people of Afghanistan,’ he said.

'Our (leaders) issued a decree to kill this woman. This morning our people killed her in Kabul.'

Eyewitness Daolad Khan, who was working on a building site directly opposite the murder scene, said: 'They raced up the street and stopped in front of the lady. They took out a gun and shot her on the spot. Then they rode off.'

A close friend of Miss Williams who did not wish to be named, told the Daily Mail: 'Although she will be sorely missed I will see her again. She will be wearing the martyr's crown.

'Knowing Gayle she would not have wanted anything more for her life than to die in His service.'

Miss Williams, who also holds South African citizenship, attended secondary school in Britain before moving to South Africa where she completed a sports degree with a view to working with people with disabilities.

She moved back to London where she worked with people with special needs, before choosing to work with the charity.

Her favourite sports are understood to have included track events and hockey.

The aid group she worked with - fully known as Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprises - describes itself as a Christian charity registered in Britain.

Its website states that SERVE Afghanistan's purpose is to 'express God's love and bring hope by serving the people of Afghanistan, especially the needy, as we seek to address personal, social and environmental needs'.

Rina Vamberende, a spokeswoman for SERVE in Kabul, said the group was a Christian organization 'but they are definitely not expressing this on purpose. They are here to do NGO (aid) work. It's not the case that they preach, not at all.'

In Afghanistan, proselytizing - converting a person from one belief to another - is prohibited by law and other Christian charities have faced severe hostility.

In mid-August, Taliban militants killed three women working for the U.S. aid group International Rescue Committee while they were driving in Logar, one province south of Kabul.

Last year, a group of 23 South Korean aid workers from a church group were taken hostage in southern Afghanistan. Two were killed and the rest were released.

In 2001, eight international aid workers, including two Americans, were imprisoned and charged with preaching Christianity. They were all freed by Afghan mujahedeen fighters attacking the Taliban after the U.S.-led invasion.

The killing will lead to a growing sense of insecurity in Kabul.

Kidnappings targeting wealthy Afghans have long been a problem, but attacks against Westerners have also increased recently. Embassies, military bases and the United Nations have erected cement barriers to guard against suicide bombings.

'The risks are great and increasing,' said Mr Lyth. There has been a steady increase of this type of thing happening but it has not often happened in Kabul.

'There were three women shot two months ago in a place which we did not think was safe but now it is on the streets of Kabul and that has really hit home to us.'

Jailed for just 27 months: The thug who killed a bus passenger for asking him to stop swearing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:24:00 -0700

A yob who killed a bus passenger during a row about his swearing has been jailed for just 27 months. Gary Robson, 23, shoved 60-year-old Stanley Dixon off the bus after he challenged him about his language. Mr Dixon hit his head on a pavement and died in hospital four days later. The drunken thug lunged at Mr Dixon after his partner, Anne Fisher, challenged Robson over the way he was speaking to his own girlfriend. Her complaints were met with a barrage of insults and abuse, prompting Mr Dixon to stick up for her. Newcastle Crown Court heard Mr Dixon and Mrs Fisher had been travelling home to Peterlee from a night out in Hartlepool when Robson and his pals got onto the same bus. Prosecutor Ewan Duff said: 'Anne Fisher had remonstrated with the defendant for using foul language and being abusive on a public service bus late in the evening. 'The remonstration by Mrs Fisher led to the defendant then being abusive to her and in turn led to Mr Dixon intervening in an attempt to stop that abuse. 'The incident ended with the defendant pushing Mr Dixon from the bus on which they all had been travelling so that he fell back from the bus, struck his head on the pavement and from which he sustained fatal injuries from which he died.' Fellow passengers had also been insulted and forced to change seats to get away from Robson and his friends during the journey. One elderly lady had said Robson in particular was using foul language. 'Every other word he used was the "F" word, it was upsetting to all,' she told police. The court heard it was when Robson, who was celebrating landing a new sales job, had turned his anger and aggression towards his own girlfriend, that Mrs Fisher decided to speak out. 'It seems to have been the abuse from the defendant towards his own girlfriend that caused Mrs Fisher to intevene,' Mr Duff said. 'What she did was to turn and ask the defendant to stop swearing as there were young girls on the bus. 'The response of the defendant when Mrs Fisher asked them to stop was to say something to her like "what the f**** has it got to do with you" or "shut the f*** up and mind your own business".' The court heard it was at this point Mr Dixon, a divorced father-of-three with a history of heart trouble, stepped in to defend his partner, but was also met with abuse. Mr Duff added: 'The general picture is of the defendant being aggressive towards Mr DIxon and indeed attempting to hit him on a number of occasions.' Even Robson's girlfriend and his friend were trying to pull him back from Mr Dixon and Mrs Fisher, who had already decided to leave the bus. It was as they stopped to give the driver, who was calling the police, their names and addresses that the fatal clash occurred. Mr Duff said: 'Mrs Fisher saw the defendant coming from the back of the bus and she feared he was going to attack Mr Dixon so she attempted to bar his way. 'She was struck in the face by the defendant, her glasses were knocked sideways and the defendant was able to get past her. 'Mr Dixon was posing no threat at all to the defendant and the defendant made a very determined effort to get to him, knocking Mrs Fisher aside, forcing his way past her and quite deliberately pushing Mr Dixon forcefully in the chest.' Mr Dixon was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital and later transfered to a specialist at Newcastle General but was pronounced dead on July 2. The court heard Mr Dixon, who divorced the mother of his three children in 1999, had met Mrs Fisher, who has one daughter, in 2002. After the attack Robson went home and bought himself a pizza before being arrested by police the next day. Defence barrister Richard Bloomfield said Robson, who had previously been in the armed forces, was genuinely sorry for what he did. Mr Bloomfield said; 'He will always have to carry with him the knowledge he was responsible for the responsible for the death of another person, all be it unintended. 'He carries that with him and does appear to be genuinely remorseful for what he has done.' Judge David Hodson jailed Robson for 27 months. The judge said: 'It is well recognised that these cases are among the most difficult that any court has to deal with. 'Mrs Fisher's victim impact statement speaks of the devastation that Mr Dixon's death has caused her and how her life will never be the same again. 'No court can ever restore Stanley Dixon to his family, no sentence can ever match their dreadful loss, no sentence of the defendant can ever equate to the sentence the family will have to endure, that will last forever. 'The court must have in mind the unlawful act was done without any intention to kill or cause really serious harm. 'Of course the result was Mr Dixon's death, but I accept that was not your intention.' Robson, of Peterlee, County Durham, admitted manslaugher at an earlier hearing.

Britain could have first 'green Christmas' as climate change warms autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:37:00 -0700

Britain could soon have its first 'green Christmas' because of the dramatic effect of climate change, environmental experts are predicting.

Trees that used to shed their leaves in autumn are now often still in leaf in mid December.

Scientists say it is only a matter of time before foliage remains until the end of the month.

According to records, oak trees - considered a good indicator as they are found across the UK - shed their leaves between November 4 and 21 in the 1930s and 1940s.

But since 2000 the process has happened no earlier than November 23 and as late as December 13.

Dr Tim Sparks, of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Cambridgeshire, said: 'Sooner or later we will get a green Christmas, when the trees are still in leaf.

'In four of the past six or seven years there have still been leaves on the trees in December, so a green Christmas is not so much of a joke now.

'It will only take a delay in one or two frosts and we could have one. It's possible it will happen this year.'

Dr Sparks added: 'Because the temperatures are remaining up there's still a lot of activity and growth.

'Lawns are still growing and people are still mowing and the trees are unseasonably green.

'We are still getting butterflies and other insects flying and there are lots of fungi, such as mushrooms.

'I've scraped my windscreen only once this year. We haven't really had a frost yet.'

A spokesman for Ladbrokes said: 'We've never had a bet on a green Christmas but we wouldn't rule it if we could find a way of adjudicating.'

Fisherman hooked after shark he caught fights back

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:14:00 -0700

First, the fisherman hooked the shark. Then the shark hooked the fisherman.

In a bizarre case of a shark striking back at the man who caught it, fisherman Geoff Johnson lost two litres of blood in a battle with the 6ft reef shark on board his boat.

Geoff, 50, and his partner Jacky Lamb were fishing a few miles from Darwin, in Australia's Northern Territory, when he hooked the shark.

As he reeled it in, he tried to grab it by the tail so he could free the hook from its mouth, but the shark was having none of it.

In a desperate struggle to get away, it bit Mr Johnson on his right knee - and then, to add to the fisherman's agony, the point of the hook that was protruding from the side of the shark's mouth stabbed him in the leg.

'As the shark thrashed around it just tore my leg open, because the hook was still in there,' he said.

'The hook did more damage than the shark,' he told the Northern Territory News.

'There was blood going everywhere...I had to lay down and Jacky had to drive the boat back in.' Jacky was shocked at the amount of blood Geoff had lost. 'It looked like somebody had been murdered,' she said.

It was 45 minutes before the boat arrived back at the shore, where Geoff hobbled up a boat ramp with a blood-soaked towel around his leg while Jacky ran for help.

Bystanders drove Geoff to the Royal Darwin Hospital where he received 30 stitches in the wound.

He has promised to buy a round of beers for those who came to help him.

As for the shark - Geoff will get his revenge when, trimmed and dressed, it ends up on his barbecue.

Reef sharks are regarded as harmless to humans unless provoked.

Pictured: Is this the crocodile that ate a British tourist alive in Australia?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 6 Oct 2008 13:41:00 -0700

Caught in a trap and with bloody jaws, this is the crocodile that may have eaten a British tourist alive in Australia.

Wildlife rangers are expecting to confirm today whether they have finally caught the killer reptile which grabbed British-born tourist Arthur Booker from a tropical river last week.

The 14ft male crocodile was caught in a trap, bound with ropes and will be X-rayed to establish whether human remains are in its stomach.

A test carried out yesterday, involving the removal of samples from the crocodile's stomach with a special 'search and grab' camera, failed to provide any conclusive evidence whether it was the reptile that consumed 62-year-old Scots-born Mr Booker.

Rangers and police have also captured an 8ft crocodile, whose sex has yet to be determined, and it will be given a drug which will result in it regurgitating its stomach contents. The drug is less effective on larger creatures.

'We're hoping that we'll soon have our answers,' said Mr Mike Devery of Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency.

Rangers from the agency, working with police, have been searching the Endeavour River, near the remote northern Queensland community of Cooktown, since Mr Booker - originally from Banff - vanished when he left his campsite to check on crab pots he had laid in the river.

His wife Doris, who went looking for him when he failed to return, raised the alarm and police later found what appeared to be the marks of a crocodile on the river bank beside the crab pots.

Mr Booker's watch and his sandals were later found nearby, but there was no sign of him.

There were suspicions that a large crocodile, known to local people as Charlie, may have been responsible - but rangers remained sceptical that he was the culprit.

Mr Devery said that the larger crocodile now in captivity was of greater concern and may be the reptile that grabbed Mr Booker.

'It concerned us when it displayed threatening behaviour, such as not swimming away from boats and remaining on the surface, when we were searching the river,' said Mr Devery.

'This particular crocodile over the last few days of searching demonstrated territorial behaviour that we regarded ... as behaviour where we would remove it.'

But he admitted that the cause of its behaviour could have been the arrival of the search boats which might have approached its nest.

As for Charlie, he said it wasn't a crocodile 'that we had cause to be concerned about.'

The wildlife agency said any trapped crocodiles would not be harmed or killed.

Once examined, whether any was found to be the culprit or not, they would probably be relocated to another remote river system.

Mr Booker's disappearance, and presumed death in the jaws of a crocodile, has opened up a fierce debate about whether the reptiles should be culled - or whether tourists should be banned from areas where their numbers are prolific.

One Queensland MP has insisted that 'the lot of them should be shot' while animal protection groups say it is simply up to people to exercise caution when entering areas were crocodiles live.

Pictured: The incredible Siamese twin fish conjoined at the stomach

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 3 Oct 2008 12:14:00 -0700

It is so incredibly rare that you would think Siamese twin fish attached at the stomach would never survive.

But at eight months old, these two Nile Tilapia fish in Thailand have found the perfect way to cope with life upside down... or the right way up if you're the lucky twin.

The bigger fish protects its smaller sibling on the bottom, while it in turn looks for food.

The Nile Tilapia fish is a common freshwater species found in tropical rivers, canals, lakes and ponds but these two were found in a Bangkok aquarium.

The fish can reaches a maximum of 2ft in length and can weigh up to 9lb.

Originally from waters stretching from Africa to the Cape Horn, the fish was introduced to freshwater irrigation systems so as to fight algae growth but has now become a pest.

Behind shrimp and salmon Nile Tilapia is the third most imported fish to the U.S.

It is not the first time Siamese twins have been discovered in the animal kingdom.

In July, a pair of barn swallows conjoined at the hip by skin and muscle tissue, were found in Arkansas.

The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission said it was a 'one in a million - probably more than that - occurrence'.

When discovered by officials the birds were not eating, and one died, while a veterinarian later put the other down.

Experts say finding conjoined birds is rare because they likely die before being discovered.

They believe the birds came from a double yolk egg.