من كل وادي عصا

[Salome]

Originally Posted by Orion

Dye-job donkeys wow Gaza children

A zoo in Gaza has found a novel way to get around Israeli restrictions on the importation of animals by partly dyeing two donkeys so they resemble zebras.

The owner of the Marah Land zoo in Gaza City said he had used masking tape and black hair dye, applied with a paint-brush, to disguise the white females.

Mohammed Bargouthi said it would have cost him more than $40,000 to bring in a real zebra via smuggling tunnels.

Children seemed delighted by the new additions and happily played with them.

"The first time we used paint but it didn't look good," Mr Bargouthi told the Reuters news agency. "The children don't know, so they call them zebras and they are happy to see something new."

All the real animals at the zoo, including monkeys and a tigress, had been smuggled under the border at great expense, he said.

Two genuine zebras died of starvation earlier this year during the Israeli military offensive, he added.

Until Israel lifts its blockade of Gaza, imposed in an attempt to reduce rocket attacks and weaken the leadership of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, such asinine deceptions are likely to continue.


Spot, or stripe, the difference - a Gaza zoo "zebra" and the real thing

Source

OMG shall I laugh or cry????

I hate zoos, poor animals, we shall have a zoo for humans too...lets put all the politicians there, they stay nicely behind bars and we can feed them and all

[joe tayyar]

Originally Posted by Orion

Dye-job donkeys wow Gaza children

A zoo in Gaza has found a novel way to get around Israeli restrictions on the importation of animals by partly dyeing two donkeys so they resemble zebras.

The owner of the Marah Land zoo in Gaza City said he had used masking tape and black hair dye, applied with a paint-brush, to disguise the white females.

Mohammed Bargouthi said it would have cost him more than $40,000 to bring in a real zebra via smuggling tunnels.

Children seemed delighted by the new additions and happily played with them.

"The first time we used paint but it didn't look good," Mr Bargouthi told the Reuters news agency. "The children don't know, so they call them zebras and they are happy to see something new."

All the real animals at the zoo, including monkeys and a tigress, had been smuggled under the border at great expense, he said.

Two genuine zebras died of starvation earlier this year during the Israeli military offensive, he added.

Until Israel lifts its blockade of Gaza, imposed in an attempt to reduce rocket attacks and weaken the leadership of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, such asinine deceptions are likely to continue.


Spot, or stripe, the difference - a Gaza zoo "zebra" and the real thing

Source

Even his color 7all

[Maggie]

[joe tayyar]

BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhuanet)-- A two-year-old boy in Britain has an IQ of at least 160, equal to that of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, and has become the youngest boy in the country as a member of Mensa -- the oldest and best known high-IQ society in the world, according to media reports Monday.

Assessed by the Gifted Children's Information Center in Solihull, England, Oscar Wrigley ranks in the 99.99th percentile of the population, making him one of the brightest children in the world. The center also noted that the gifted child has scored 160, the highest score measured on the Stanford-Binet test, on his IQ test, equal to that of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.

Oscar's parents said they knew from about the time that he was 12 weeks old that Oscar was extremely bright. Oscar started talking at nine months, recited the alphabet in the bath by 18 months, and by the time he turned two, he had a vocabulary stretching to thousands of words, according to his parents.

"He is always asking questions. Every parent likes to think their child was special but we knew there was something particularly remarkable about Oscar," said his father Joe, 29, an IT specialist from Reading in Berkshire.

"His vocabulary is amazing. He's able to construct complex sentences," Oscar's mother Hannah added. "The other day he said to me, 'Mummy, sausages are like a party in my mouth.'"

John Stevenage, Mensa's chief executive, confirmed that tot Oscar had been accepted to join the society at the age of two years, five months and 11 days, stressing that he has great potential.

(Agencies)

2-year-old British boy has same IQ as Einstein_English_Xinhua

[Orion]

Fraud fugitive in Facebook trap


A man on the run, wanted for fraud by US authorities, inadvertently revealed where he was hiding through a series of extravagant Facebook updates.

Maxi Sopo's updates advertised the fact that he was living the high life in the Mexican resort of Cancun.

He also added a former US justice department official to his friend list who ended up helping to track him down.

US officials say Mr Sopo and an associate falsely obtained more than $200,000 in credit from banks.

In recent status updates Mr Sopo said he was "loving it", described himself as "living in paradise" and said he was "just here to have fun".

"He was making posts about how beautiful life is and how he was having a good time with his buddies," said Assistant US Attorney Michael Scoville.

"He was definitely not living the way we wanted him to be living, given the charges he was facing," he added.

The 26-year-old, who is currently in custody in Mexico City, initially sold roses in Seattle nightclubs after arriving in the US in 2003. He then allegedly moved on to bank fraud.

The former justice department official whom Mr Sopo befriended on the social networking site said he had only met the fugitive a few times in the city's nightclubs and had no idea that he was on the run.

He was able to discover exactly where Mr Sopo was living and the information was passed to the Mexican authorities who arrested him last month.

Source

[joe tayyar]

عرس ثلاثي جمع رجل وإبنه وحفيده

تزوج رجل ماليزي وابنه وحفيده جميعا بيوم واحد في زفاف ثلاثي بوسط البلاد. وذكرت صحيفة "نيو ستريتس تايمز" إن محمد عثمان "78 عاما" تزوج من ساوياه أوانغ الأحد الماضي في حفل جماعي مع ابنه "35 عاما" وحفيده "28 عاما" بقرية بولاية سيلانجور.

وعثمان الذي توفيت زوجته الأولى قبل ستة أشهر هو أكبر رجل في القرية. وذكر عثمان أنه وافق على الزواج فقط بعد أن أقنعه أبناؤه بإيجاد رفيق. وأنجب عثمان ثمانية أبناء ولديه 26 حفيدا و11 من أبناء الأحفاد.

وذكرت الصحيفة أن جميع الزيجات الثلاث هي نتاج خدمات تيسير الزواج التي ما زالت سائدة في البلدات الصغيرة في ماليزيا التي تسكنها أغلبية مسلمة.

[shevchenco]

This story was all over the news yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Balloon boy father denies TV fake


The father of a boy thought to have been carried away by a helium balloon before being found at home has repeated denials that the incident was a hoax.

Richard Heene told US TV networks that the disappearance of his son Falcon, six, was not staged. Police say they intend to re-interview the family.

Falcon aroused suspicions by saying on air he had stayed hidden as his parents "said that we did this for a show".

Richard Heene and his wife previously appeared on reality TV show Wife Swap.

TV network ABC described them as a "storm-chasing, science-obsessed family".

Thursday's balloon drama was itself played out on TV, with US networks devoting their airtime to live footage of the balloon over Colorado.


We intend to go back and further ask the family to co-operate with our investigation through answering more questions
Sheriff Jim Alderden

The balloon landed in fields and was surrounded by rescue vehicles after a two-hour flight, prompting a ground search for the missing boy and further fears for his safety.

But Larimer County sheriff Jim Alderden later announced that the boy had been found alive and well in a box in the roof-space of the garage at his family's home.

He said on Friday that his officers had been convinced throughout Thursday that they had been dealing with a genuine situation.

However, he conceded, the boy's comments while being interviewed on TV had "raised some questions".

"We intend to go back and further ask the family to co-operate with our investigation through answering more questions and resolve this issue," he told the Associated Press.

Boy 'confused'

The news that Falcon had been found safe and well delighted both the Heenes and the TV networks.

I'm starting to get a little ticked off. What have I got to gain out of this?
Richard Heene
Father of 'balloon boy' Falcon Heene

However, questions over the family's motivation later emerged during a CNN interview.

Mr Heene was asked by an interviewer to ask his son why he had not emerged from his hiding place when he heard his parents calling out his name.

Speaking hesitantly at first, Falcon answered: "You had said that we did this for a show."

In spite of quick denials from his father, speculation that the Heenes had faked the entire incident persisted into Friday, when the family appeared on more US TV talk shows.



And in a bizarre twist, Falcon himself became ill while his father was asked direct questions about whether or not they had staged an elaborate hoax.

During one interview on NBC's Today show, Falcon vomited live on air as Mr Heene sought to explain his son's comments.

He was also heard being ill off camera during an ABC interview while his father answered the same questions.

Mr Heene battled on while his son was being sick, telling his NBC interviewer there was "absolutely" no hoax.


"Now I'm starting to get a little ticked off," he said. Insisting that he had nothing to sell and no motivation to force his son into the limelight, he asked: "What have I got to gain out of this?"

Pressed on what his son might have meant, Mr Heene struggled for an answer on CNN on Thursday night, saying that his son must have been confused by the family's previous appearance on Wife Swap.

In a later segment of the interview Mr Heene avoided a request to ask Falcon once again what he meant by his comment, and instead rounded on his questioner.

"I'm kind of appalled after all the feelings that I went through, up and down, that you guys are trying to suggest something else," he said.






bbc.co.uk
__________________________________________________ ___________________

بانتظار أكبر صحني "تبولة" و"حمص"
لبنان يستعد لدخول "غينيس" مجدداً بأطول طرحة عروس في العالم

في الـ18 من الشهر الجاري سيكون لبنان على موعد جديد مع موسوعة غينيس للأرقام القياسية العالمية، فبعدما دخلت بلدة "إهدن" اللبنانية الشهر الماضي من العام الجاري موسوعة غينيس عبر إعداد اكبر صينية من الكبة اللبنانية التي تصنع من اللحم والبرغل وزيت الزيتون وبلغ وزنها 233 كيلوغراماً، تستعد بلدة "أرناعون" في شمال لبنان لتسجّل رقماً قياسياً جديداً لأطول طرحة عروس في العالم سيبلغ طولها 3320 متراً.

الفكرة في البداية كانت ترويجية وتسويقية للتعريف بقرية "أرناعون" السياحية وذلك من قبل القائمين عليها والتي أصبحت مكاناً مميزاً لتنظيم حفلات الاعراس اللبنانية، بحسب ما أوضحت دورا حكيم، مسؤولة العلاقات العامة في القرية. ولفتت إلى أن "أرناعون فيليدج" قررت أن تنظيم مهرجان ضخم ومميز يتخلله حدث ما يكون ترفيهياً من جهة، ويسهم من جهة اخرى ولو بشكل بسيط في إطلالات لبنان عالمياً، فكان مهرجان "عيد العزابي" (غير المتزوجين) الذي سيتخلله عرض لأطول طرحة عروس بالعالم.

وأشارت حكيم، في حديث لـ"العربية.نت" إلى أن بلدة ارناعون، وهي بلدة تقع في البترون، شمال لبنان، وتبعد 52 كلم عن بيروت، كانت بلدة منسية ومهجورة منذ آلاف السنين، ويميزها طقسها الجميل وطبيعتها الخلابة، بالاضافة طبعاً الى القلعة، التي تستقبلك على مدخلها وتسمى بقلعة "المسيلحة" والتي تشهد على حضارات عديدة طبعت في تاريخ هذه المنطقة.

وكشفت حكيم أن المهرجان "عيد العزابي" يقسم الى ثلاثة أقسام: قسم يتعلق ويهتم بالخاطبين الذين ينوون الزواج قريباً، وقسم يتعلق بمسابقة اطول طرحة عروس في العالم، وقسم اخير، وهو يهم "العزابي"، أي الاشخاص غير المرتبطين الذين سيأتون إلى القرية ليتعرفوا إلى بعضهم، لعلهم يلتقون بنصفهم الآخر في خلال السهرة.

وسيتخلل السهرة عرض لفساتين الاعراس والمجوهرات، لآخر ما تم التوصل اليه في تصاميم الشعر والماكياج الخاص بالعروس، بالإضافة الى عروضات فنية وفولكلورية لبنانية دون أن ننسى الزفة والضيافة.

وعن شروط "غينيس" لأطول طرحة عروس بالعالم أوضحت حكيم أنه "يجب أولاً ان تكون مؤلفة من قطعة قماش واحدة متواصلة على طول الطرحة وليس من عدة قطع او وصلات. والشرط الثاني ان يتم احتساب قياسها من قبل مندوب مؤسسة غينيس الذي سيوجد في المهرجان ويتأكد من قياسها في اليوم الذي يقام خلاله الاحتفال وليس قبل او بعد".

وأضافت: الطرحة من تصميم وخياطة "أرناعون فيليدج" وفستان العروس التي سترتدي الطرحة من تصميم غابي صليبا والعارضة هي عروس كانت تزوجت سابقاً في "أرناعون فيليدج".

يُذكر أن أطول طرحة في العالم مسجلة في موسوعة غينيس الآن هي ألمانيا، ويبلغ طولها 3168 متراً.

علماً أن مهرجان "عيد العزابي" سينطلق من أمام قلعة المسيلحة، حيث سيتم استقبال العروس والعريس من قبل الحضور وفرقة الزفة وصولاً الى الكنيسة وسط الزغاريد ورقصة "السيف والترس" ونثر الورود والارز. وسيكون المهرجان برعاية وحضور وزير السياحة اللبناني بالاضافة الى نواب وفاعليات منطقة الشمال.

واللافت أن لبنان يشهد تسابقاً على تسجيل أرقام قياسية عالمية جديدة. فسيتم في الشهر الجاري أيضاً تنظيم مهرجان جديد في ساحة الشهداء، وسط بيروت، لتنفيذ أكبر صحن "تبولة" وأكبر صحن "حمص" في العالم .

وكانت مجموعة طلاب لبنانيين في مونتريال بكندا تمكنت في شهر حزيران (يونيو) الماضي من تسجيل رقصتهم الشعبية "الدبكة" في موسوعة غينيس للأرقام القياسية، بعدما عقدوا أطول حلقة دبكة في العالم، والتي بلغ عدد المشاركين فيها 4475 شخصاً.

alarabiya.com

[Orion]

US balloon boy case 'was a hoax'

A US sheriff has said the case of six-year-old Falcon Heene who was believed to be adrift in a hot air balloon, prompting a major alert, was a hoax.

Sheriff Jim Alderden said the parents of the boy were actors and had put on a "good show for us, and we bought it".

Falcon's disappearance became a media drama, but he was later found at home.

The Colorado sheriff said there had been no arrests yet but charges may include conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Some of the most serious charges each carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 (£305,000) fine.

A lawyer for Falcon's parents, Richard and Mayumi Heene, said the couple were prepared to turn themselves in to face charges, to avoid "the public spectacle and humiliation" of being detained in front of their children.

House searched

Sheriff Alderden said at first the parents' acting abilities had made them appear credible to the police.

But it had become clear when the son referred to his hiding as part of "a show" during a television interview that they were not telling the the truth.

He said the house of Richard and Mayumi Heene has been searched for evidence that the family was hoping to use the incident to obtain a lucrative contract for a television reality.

"The plan was to create a situation where it appeared Falcon was in the craft and that his life was in jeopardy in order to gain a lot of publicity with the ultimate goal of gaining some notoriety and perhaps furthering their careers by gaining a contract for a reality TV show," he said.

"On the bizarre meter, this rates a 10."

The family has made previous appearances on a US reality show, Wife Swap.

Police had also found that the balloon was extremely flimsy, made of plywood, cardboard and held together with "string and duct tape".

Richard Heene had previously been described as an amateur scientist. Sheriff Alderden said he had recently earned a living by laying tiles.

"He may be nutty, but he's not a professor," he said.

Media 'knowledge'?

US news networks devoted hours of live coverage to the drama on Thursday after it was reported the boy might be in a balloon floating high over Colorado.

Denver International Airport was temporarily shut down during the incident.

When the aircraft landed in fields there was no trace of him, prompting a major ground search and further fears for his safety.

The sheriff said the police may seek compensation for the time wasted.

He did not give an estimate, though the Associated Press news agency said the cost of two police helicopters sent out on a rescue mission was $14,500 (£8,900).

The boy, his two brothers and his parents gave numerous TV interviews late on Thursday and early Friday. Falcon Heene was repeatedly sick on camera.

Sheriff Alderden said authorities were investigating whether there were other conspirators, "including the possibility that even some of the media outlets may have had some knowledge about this".

He said one media outlet, which he did not name, had agreed to pay money to the Heenes in connection with the balloon incident, which he described as blurring "the line between entertainment and news".

He also said police had tried to persuade Mayumi Heene to go to a safe house on Saturday, because of a "concern" relating to domestic violence and to the safety of her and her children.

"Clearly, from all indications, Mr Heene has somewhat of a temper," he said.

Source

[Orion]

A picture of a hunting wolf has won the prestigious Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 award.

Jose Luis Rodriguez captured the imaginations of the judges with a photograph that he had planned for years, and even sketched out on a piece of paper.

"I wanted to capture a photo in which you would see a wolf in an act of hunting - or predation - but without blood," he told BBC News. "I didn't want a cruel image."

With a great deal of patience and careful observation of the wolves' movements, he succeeded in taking the award-winning photograph.

Mr Rodriguez used a custom-built infrared trap to snap the the wolf as it leapt into the air.

The competition, now in its 45th year, is owned by BBC Wildlife magazine and London's Natural History Museum.

The panel of judges looked through more than 43,000 entries to this year's competition.

This is the fifth year that wildlife photographer Mark Carwardine has been on the judging panel. He said of the winning photo: "It's captured thousands of years of human-wolf interaction in just one moment."

Mr Rodriguez won the Animal Portraits category and went on to win the top prize with this haunting image that the judges said captured the character of the wolf.

When he started planning the photograph, he feared that he might not be able to get close enough to the Iberian wolves.

This subspecies of the grey wolf lives close to human habitation in northern Spain. They are often persecuted by people who see them as a threat to livestock, and are consequently very wary of people.

Watching the animals as they returned to the same spot to collect food each night, Mr Rodriguez decided on his dream shot.

He eventually captured using a photographic trap that included a motion sensor and an infrared barrier to operate the camera.

He hopes that his picture, "showing the wolf's great agility and strength", will become an image that can be used to show just how beautiful the Iberian wolf is and how the Spanish can be proud to have such an emblematic animal.

[Dry Ice]

Talk about persistence!

AFP
08/11/2009

A 68-year-old woman in South Korea has passed the written test for her driving licence after 950 attempts.

Cha Sa-Soon finally scored the 60 percent required after sitting the exam nearly every day since April 2005, said officials at the drivers' licensing agency in Jeonju, 130 miles (210 kilometers) south of Seoul.

Yonhap news agency said she had spent more than five million won (4,200 dollars) in the process.

But it's not over yet for Cha, who now has to take the road driving part of the test before she can be given a licence.

"I felt so ashamed of myself for failing so many times but I simply could not give it up," Cha told Yonhap.

"My four children were overjoyed at the news that I finally passed it," she said.

"I still have to pass the real driving test but I think it will be easier for me to pass than the paper test," she said, adding that she needed a driver's licence for her vegetable-selling business.