Wednesday 22 June 2011

Falling toddler saved by AirCon unit!

A TODDLER who fell from an eighth floor flat was plucked to safety after he became jammed between a wall and an air conditioning unit.


His legs dangled beneath the box and he started slipping as rescuers put their lives at risk trying to reach him.

The boy, three, was grabbed after several heart-stopping attempts. A witness said: “I heard screaming and looked up to see a kid stuck behind an air conditioner while his legs were dangling in the air.”

Grocery shop workers named Wang and Zhou saved the child, who had been home alone in Beijing, China, on Wednesday.

- Story taken from http://www.mirror.co.uk/

Sunday 19 June 2011

Deer with wings!?

NorthWestern Energy, the company responsible for the electricity supply in the area, blamed the 30-minute blackout on a bald eagle dropping its prey – a baby fawn - onto power lines.

Lee Bridges, who lives in the area affected by the power outage, was outside taking photos of an eagle which had decided to perch in a tree near her home.

'They never come over here and when it perched up in that tree, I thought, I gotta get pictures or nobody's gonna believe me,'
Ms Bridges said.


When she returned to her house she noticed that the power was down and a NorthWestern Energy crew was already working in the alley nearby to restore the electricity supply.

She asked the workers what the problem was and they jokingly pointed to the power lines above her head and said:
'You see that? You've got a deer with wings.'

It is thought that the eagle had bitten off more than it could chew and dropped the baby fawn shortly after swooping on it, remaining nearby to try and retrieve its prey.

The worker who removed the carcass from the power line said he'd never seen anything like it.

- Story taken from http://www.metro.co.uk/

Saturday 18 June 2011

Man miraculously survives 10th floor fall

The emergency services were called after startled neighbours discovered the man dangling precariously outside their eighth floor window.



Once on the scene rescuers quickly secured the elderly man, who was by now also clinging on with both his hands, by attaching rope to his outstretched leg.

The man, who could be forgiven for holding on, had to be persuaded to let go before the rescue worker who clambered out to save him was able to haul him to safety.

The elderly man was treated in hospital but remarkably suffered only a few minor scrapes, according to local press reports.

- Story taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Friday 17 June 2011

Amazing pictures from space

This picture, in my opinion, doesn't even need a story behind it! The photo was taken by Italian astronaut Paulo Nespoli some 230 miles from the surface of the earth.


You can check out more amazing photographs by the same man on his Flickr - definitely worth a visit if you like this kinda thing.

Thursday 16 June 2011

Old people and technology!

There's no denying that the Internet age and massive increase in our use of technologies can create something of a gap between generations. This video definitely exemplifies that as an elderly couple attempt to take a birthday photo on their computer. Watch and see how they do.

"Did you hear a click?"

The YouTube video was posted by "espo633" who writes about the hilarious couple, "Rita and Frank try to take a still photo to email to friends for Frank's 84th Birthday on their new Mac" of the hilarious couple.



Well, a happy belated 84th birthday to you, Frank! You and your wife may not have been successful in taking that photo, but are on your way to becoming viral video stars with this adorable clip.

- Story taken from http://www.cbsnews.com

Man shoots own finger off to get rid of wart

A security guard came up with a bizarre remedy to remove a wart - he shot off his finger with a shotgun.

Sean Murphy, 38, from Doncaster, had seen his GP repeatedly about the problem and also tried a variety of traditional ointments and creams.


But when the persistent wart refused to disappear, he opted for the firepower of a 12-bore Beretta he claimed he had found under a hedge a few months earlier.

His technique successfully removed the wart - along with most of the middle finger of his left hand.

And the solution also landed Murphy in court this week for illegal possession of a firearm.

After leaving Doncaster Magistrates' Court with a suspended 16-week prison sentence, Murphy said:

'I'm happy with that. I know I could have gone to jail for up to 15 years for a firearms offence. My solicitor did a very good job. The best thing is that the wart has gone. It was giving me lot of trouble.'

He had suffered with the irritating wart on the joint closest to the tip of his middle finger for more than five years.

He said he drank several pints of beer to build up his courage before carrying out the operation outside the caravan where he was living at the time.

He stretched out his left hand, pointing the end of the barrel at an angle to the offending wart, and used his other hand to hold the stock steady and pull the trigger.

But he was unable to hold the weapon firmly when it recoiled and pellets took off most of his finger.

'I didn't expect to lose my finger as well when I shot it but the gun recoiled and that was it, the wart was gone and so was most of my finger. There was nothing left of it, so no chance of re-attaching it.'

- Story taken from http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Sheep found on roof!

Firemen have rescued a sheep from the roof of a terraced house in south Wales.

The lost sheep spent 40 minutes on the tiles at Nant-Yr-Ychain Terrace in Pontycymmer near Bridgend, which backs onto a hill.

"It must have gone through a neighbour's back garden onto our bathroom extension and then the roof,"

The animal eventually jumped down onto another extension and escaped unhurt.


Mrs Walters, 38, said she was watching television on Saturday afternoon in the house which she shares with husband Neil when she heard a bleating sound.

"We occasionally get sheep wandering along the street so I didn't think any more of it."

When the noise continued, Mrs Walters said, she went outside to investigate further.

"I turned and looked at the house and saw the sheep on the roof, I was stunned when I saw it."

Mrs Walters said she thought the sheep gained entry to a neighbour's garden, then leapt onto a bathroom extension and up onto the roof.

"Someone I think called the fire service out and before long there were four firemen up there trying to rescue it, all my neighbours were out on the street, there must have been 15 of us by the end."

Mrs Walters said the sheep kept walking back and forth on the roof between the chimney stacks for 40 minutes.
"Then it jumped over a gap four doors down onto another roof, walked down another extension and got back down onto the back lane, it was funny at first but then it was soon clear that the sheep was distressed."

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that it had dealt with an emergency call at 1402 on Saturday at the street, and that the sheep escaped unhurt.

Mrs Walters, a senior care assistant who works at a residential home in Tondu near Bridgend, said she had not been back to work since the incident.

- Story taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk

Facebook Tattoo was a Hoax

A video of a woman having her Facebook friends tattooed on her arm has been unmasked as a hoax after it went viral.

The Dutch woman claimed to have created a permanent reminder of 152 Facebook friends and posted a video that got more than two million hits on YouTube.


But the bizarre stunt was revealed to be a fake after the supposed tattoo artist admitted it was just a temporary tattoo.

The woman, who uses the name Suzyj87, had posted:
"After months of work I want to show you all my social Tattoo. Pretty amazing right? I'm really proud of it. Hope you like it too!

"Of course I gave it a lot of thought. These are not all my friends. Just the people I care most about. I got their permission and they were very proud to be on it.

"To me it represents who I am right now and the time we live in. And of course I love the looks of it."

Many YouTube users questioned whether Facebook friendships are as permanent as a tattoo.

"Congrats on a getting a fine piece done. Hopefully you remain friends with all those people in the long run,"
wrote one commenter.

The hoax was a marketing stunt for a website that makes personalised products decorated with the profile pictures of people's Facebook friends.

The site claims to be selling a Mini Cooper decorated with Facebook pictures, although it is not clear whether this is just the site's latest stunt.

- Story taken from http://web.orange.co.uk/

Tuesday 14 June 2011

15 Storey Hotel in SIX Days

A construction crew in the south-central Chinese city of Changsha has completed a 15-story hotel in just six days.

Six days. That’s how long it took to build this level 9 Earthquake-resistant, sound-proofed, thermal-insulated 15-story hotel in Changsha, complete with everything, from the cabling to three-pane windows. The foundations were already built, but it’s just impressive.

Despite the frenetic pace of construction, no workers were injured — and thanks to the prefab nature of the process, the builders wasted very few construction materials.

Below is a time-lapse video that shows the hotel being built from the ground up in less than a week:

Fake Tiger Sparks Police Scare

POLICE are today trying to trace the owner of a toy life-size tiger which sparked a major operation involving armed officers and a force helicopter.

The alert was raised by several members of the public yesterday afternoon when they spotted what they believed to be a live white tiger in a field near Hedge End, Southampton, Hampshire.


The police helicopter was scrambled and a golf course cleared after police arrived at the scene and confirmed the sighting.

Armed police were called to the scene in case the animal came too close to members of the public.

Specialist staff from nearby Marwell Zoo also attended to advise and potentially tranquilise the wild animal.

A local golf course was evacuated and plans were put in place to close the nearby M27 motorway if necessary in case the tiger moved in that direction.

But as police officers carefully approached the "wild animal" they realised it was not moving and the helicopter crew, using thermal imaging equipment, realised there was no heat source coming from it.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "After a brief stalk through the Hedge End savannah, the officer realised the tiger was not moving and the air support using their cameras realised there was a lack of heat source.

"The tiger then rolled over in the down draft and it was at that point it became obvious it was a stuffed life-size toy.

"This incident will definitely be the highlight of our day. The CCTV footage convinced us all we were dealing with a real tiger.

"It's not often an incident leaves our staff with a smile on their face and it just goes to show the diverse type of incident we are called to deal with."

Releasing a photo of the toy tiger, a force spokeswoman said:
"The toy tiger is life-size and is like one that you would win at a fair.

"It is being treated as lost property but we don't know how it came to be in the field and whether it may have been a hoax."

- Story taken from http://www.thesun.co.uk/

Monday 13 June 2011

Impaled Vagina Woman Sues

An Austrailian woman is suing her former fiance after a drunken fall off a veranda left her impaled on a garden picket in November 2008.

South Ballarat woman Michelle Egglestone is suing for damages and loss of earnings after being injured at the home of Leslie Furness at Smythes Creek near Ballarat.

The document states the 35-year-old was urinating off the side of a veranda in the back garden when she fell onto a star picket underneath.

She suffered pelvic, lower abdominal, vaginal, rectal and bladder injuries and required surgery.

Ms Egglestone's lawyers say she has since suffered post traumatic stress and depression.

It is alleged Furness, her former partner and owner of the premises, was negligent for failing to adequately light the veranda and for failing to erect a balustrade around it.


The writ states he created a "situation of danger" and exposed her to injury by not capping the star picket onto which she fell and for not warning her of the risk.

The personal injury claim is expected to go to trial at a date to be fixed.

Leicester vs Zombies

A worried member of the public has forced Leicester City Council to admit it is unprepared for a zombie invasion.

The authority received a Freedom of Information request which said provisions to deal with an attack, often seen in horror films, were poor.


The Freedom of Information Act allows a right of access to recorded information held by public authorities.

Zombie letter in full

Dear Leicester City Council,

Can you please let us know what provisions you have in place in the event of a zombie invasion? Having watched several films it is clear that preparation for such an event is poor and one that councils throughout the kingdom must prepare for.

Please provide any information you may have.

Yours faithfully,

Concerned Citizen

Ms Wyeth said she was unaware of any specific reference to a zombie attack in the council's emergency plan, however some elements of it could be applied if the situation arose.

Other submissions to the council have included requests for records of paranormal activity and haunted buildings within the city.

"To you it might seem frivolous and a waste of time... but to different people it actually means something,"
said Ms Wyeth.

"Everybody has their own interests and their own reasons for asking these questions."

She added high-profile cases, such as the MPs expenses scandal, has raised public awareness of the right to request information records.

Ed Thurlow, who runs zombie website Terror4Fun, said he felt a zombie invasion in Leicester was highly unlikely.

"I think perhaps [the "Concerned Citizen"] has watched films like 28 Days Later a few too many times."

- Story taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday 12 June 2011

Order for "Ginger Kid"

A RED-haired boy burst into tears when hurtful Domino’s Pizza workers called him Ginger Kid on his receipt.


Ross Wajgtknecht, 11, has endured bullying because of his hair and is horrified that staff at the fast food chain also poked fun at him.

He was at the takeaway with two pals and they all gave their full names when they ordered.

When they collected their pizzas, his friends had their first names on their receipts – but Ross couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw what was on his.

He said:
“I was really sad. I get bullied at school about my hair but you don’t expect it from an adult. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and brought the packet home because I wanted to show my mum.”

Furious mum Evette, 43, said:
“He is usually quite a strong and confident lad who doesn’t let comments upset him but reading that has really knocked him.”
Ross’ dad, Andrew, 45, called the Domino’s blunder “totally disgusting”.

The builder added:
“You would not describe someone by the colour of their skin or by calling them fat so why is it OK to call Ross ginger? I think they picked on him because he is just a lad and they knew he wouldn’t defend himself. It is prejudice.

“They offered him a free pizza but the damage has been done and he doesn’t want to go back in case it happens again.”

Ross, of Peasedown, Somerset, bought the pizza from the Domino’s branch in nearby Midsomer Norton.


Manager Pat Bennet said:
“It was for the benefit of the person who took the order. It wasn’t meant to cause offence.

“I have apologised to the family over the phone and the member of staff concerned has written an apology to the boy. We will ensure nothing like this happens again.”

But Ross’ family are demanding a full apology from Domino’s head office.

- Story taken from http://www.mirror.co.uk

Stinky Souvenir

PRAGUE (AP) — Prague Zoo has started selling what look like ice cream containers but are actually full of elephant dung.


It's the latest fad among Czech gardeners who are buying out the manure pails to use as fertilizer. The brain behind the project is zoo director Miroslav Bobek, whose surname literally means dung.

Zoo officials estimate they sell around 200 of the 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) containers of dung per weekend, at 70 koruna ($3.90) each. But sales have been so brisk they decided to expand to weekdays.

AP video showed handlers scooping up the manure Thursday and placing it in the white containers to the bemusement of visitors.

Brazilian tourist Ana Tolentino wouldn't buy it at any price, saying Thursday "My gosh, it is very unusual!"

- Story taken from http://www.usatoday.com/

Werewolf of Ohio

A US man arrested for attacking people and growling at police officers blamed his behaviour on being bitten by a wolf.


Thomas Stroup, 20, told sherriff's deputies in Lorain County, Ohio, that he went on the attack every time the moon came out.

Police had been called to a campground after receiving reports of a "very violent", out of control man, reports the local Chronicle-Telegram.

Stroup had drunk too much alcohol and was fighting with other campers and had kicked a dog cage, his friend told officers.

Deputies found Stroup passed out under a trailer that had its door open, revealing numerous knives, swords and edged weapons.

They tried to wake him up but he wouldn't open his eyes and would only growl at them, the police report said.

Stroup, who spoke with a thick Russian accent, slurred his words and had difficulty standing, it continued.

As he was taken to a police cruiser, he reported yelled at a deputy:
"I'm going to kill your cousin, Keith!"

While en route to the Lorain County Jail, Stroup began apologising to deputies and said he had been scratched by a wolf and went on the attack whenever the moon came out.

Stroup, 20, of Sheffield Township was charged with underage drinking.

- Story taken from http://web.orange.co.uk/

Saturday 11 June 2011

Orangutan saves drowning chick!

The curious ape was in its enclosure, when it noticed the bird's struggle in the pond

It yanked a leaf from a nearby bush and extended its arm out to the bird, beckoning to the chick in the hope that it will latch onto the leaf.

Onlookers cheered as orangutan managed to get the bird to grip the leaf for a split second only to have the bird drop again.

In a last-ditch attempt to rescue the chick, the orangutan gently waved the leaf in front of the bird which managed to latch on to it.

The ape plucked the bird from the water to the delight of the crowd. During the clip, one woman can be heard exclaiming:
"Oh my God look, that is unbelievable, he's got him."



The massive ape carried the chick back to the main part of its enclosure, where it tenderly placed it down on the grass and proceeded to gently stroke the bird.

Cathy Smith, from the Orangutan Foundation, said:
"They are very intelligent animals and can be very inquisitive.

"This shows how chilled out and good at problem solving these amazing creatures are.

"It's hard to say whether he knew he would be saving the chick but you never know. I have never heard of anything like this before."

Richest Dog Dies

The pampered Maltese pooch, beloved pet of late real estate billionaire Leona Helmsley, passed away at her luxury retirement retreat in Florida in December.


Helmsley herself died in 2007, cutting two grandchildren out of her will and evicting her son's widow after his death.

As well as leaving a substantial slice of her fortune to Trouble, the notorious hotel owner stated her wish to be buried with the pooch in a 12,000-square-foot family mausoleum at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, New York.

The latter wasn't allowed, however, because pets cannot be buried there as a rule.

A spokesman for the dog's hotel retreat in Sarasotam, Florida, said:
'Trouble was cremated, and her remains are being privately retained.

'The funds held in trust for her care have reverted to The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for charitable purposes.'

Leona Helmsley was known as a symbol of 1980s greed, earning the nickname 'the Queen of Mean' after she was convicted of tax evasion. She served 18 months in federal prison in the early 1990s.

The $12million she left Trouble was later reduced by a judge to $2million after the dog's caretaker said he could care for her with a mere $100,000 a year.

- Story taken from http://www.metro.co.uk

One Armed Bandit

Authorities in New York have arrested a disabled man who they say robbed an Albany bank earlier this week.

Carmen Palella, who has only one forearm, has been taken into custody by the US Marshal's Fugitive Task Force and charged with third-degree robbery.



According to police, the bank robbery occurred at the State Employees Federal Credit Union branch on New Scotland Ave., Tuesday Afternoon.

Palella, who lost his left forearm in a car accident at age 12, allegedly approached a teller window and demanded money. He did not mention if he had a weapon and did not show one to the employee. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, which he put into a black plastic bag, Palella fled on foot, police said.

No one was injured during the incident.

The police say Palella is currently on parole for bank robbery.

An article from local Albany newspaper the Times Union shows a man with a lengthy criminal record named Carmen C. Palella was indicted for robbing a New Scotland Ave. bank in April, 1999. The disposition of that case is unknown and calls for comment to police were not immediately returned.
Advertisement

Although one-handed bank heists are rare, it is not the first time a one-handed bandit has robbed a bank this year.

In February, a would-be bank robber got into a scuffle with police after a failed attempt to get a bag of loot out of a bank. During the struggle, the suspect’s prosthetic arm became detached.
"The suspect's arm came off during this arrest,"
an officer noted in the police report.

- Story taken from http://www.aol.com

Friday 10 June 2011

Canine Surfing

About 50 dogs decked out loud Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses took to the waves for the largest canine surfing event in the US.

Animals of all shapes and sizes competed to be top dog in the sixth annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort Surf Dog Competition, held at Imperial Beach in California.


Competition was split into categories for small surf dogs under 40lb, and their larger counterparts.

A separate category was held for dogs and their owners surfing together on the same board.

Top dogs were awarded a VIP - Very Important Pet - holiday at the San Diego resort, and a feature in Modern Dog Magazine.


Chasing the waves: dog shows off his skills

All proceeds from the event were donated to DonorsChoose.org, which provides a space for public teachers in San Diego to get funding for school supplies from private sponsors.

- Story taken from http://news.sky.com/

Cross your eyes

So here's something I've only just discovered recently, definitely not some new cutting edge technology but I thought it was cool nevertheless, have a look....

For these to work you need to slowly start crossing your eyes until you see three images, if you see 4, get the middle two to join together- if you do it right the middle image will seemingly lock in place and will be in clear 3d!


Check out these ones too:

Chicago Skyline at night

Ariel photo of Chigago during the day


Long hallway

Franklin Bridge from above


Statue in Lincoln Park

For more photographs of this type, Google image search for "Cross eye 3d" or "Side by side 3d".

For a better tutorial on how to view have a look here

Lucky Fireman

A fireman narrowly escapes being crushed by falling masonry after a brick wall collapsed just feet from where he was standing.



A firefighter called to a fire in Rochdale, Lancashire, was unfurling a water hose outside a derelict building when, without warning, part of the brick façade collapsed.

As the masonry crashed onto the spot the fireman had been standing just moments earlier, the man calmly continued walking.

Footage of the incident was recorded last September and has been released by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service as a training guide for new recruits.


- Story taken from http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Britians NEXT Top Model

Roland Bunce is among thousands who entered the contest with retail giant Next in a bid to win a £2,000 first prize.

But his unconventional appearance caught the eye of web jokers and went viral, prompting thousands of votes. The 24-year-old’s popularity surged after his profile page was re-tweeted 1,500 times and ‘liked’ on Facebook by more than 10,000 fans.


Mr Bunce, from Belfast, was also the most talked about person on social news website Reddit with tens of thousands of readers vowing to vote for the computer science graduate.

On his Facebook fan page, he wrote:
‘Thanks for all for the support and thanks to the person who started the group, I’m overwhelmed.’

More than 5,000 entries have been received since the contest was launched on Monday.

It closes on June 28 with the winners also scooping a photoshoot and an introduction to modelling agency Storm. Next said it was delighted Mr Bunce had entered.

A spokesman added:
‘The level of interest has been phenomenal.’

Vote for him yourself, right here


- Story taken from http://www.metro.co.uk/

Thursday 9 June 2011

Drunken Tumbler

A DRUNK captured falling about in hilarious CCTV footage shown at The Sun online took TEN DAYS to look for his wallet and jacket.

The video of the rolling-drunk reveller tumbling acrobatically down stairs after a do at London's posh Savoy Hotel has been a huge global hit after being posted yesterday. See it below.



It has now emerged that the man, in his 40s, sheepishly returned to the Savoy and asked if his missing items had been handed in.

Staff barely suppressed giggles as they recognised the man who had been tumbling around in the party.

A source said:
"We were all relieved to see he hadn't fallen under a train.

"Sadly we hadn't seen his wallet or jacket. It's a miracle he could even remember where he'd been that night."

The mystery reveller was thrown out of the theatre awards do, hosted by Stephen Fry, after he fell over in front of guests including Sir Ian McKellen and Liam Neeson.

The CCTV shows the dinner-suited drunk gather pace as he totters down the flight behind the posh London hotel at 2am.

He hits a side wall, tumbles, slides down the banister on his torso and does a back-flip on to his head.

He then blows his nose on toilet paper and lands in a gutter before staggering round bleeding for more than six minutes.

A source said:
"He was a mess. It's amazing he didn't badly hurt himself."

- Story taken from http://www.thesun.co.uk/