Sunday, February 22, 2009

Injured deer finds vet

Source: Ananova

A US vet was amazed when an injured wild deer burst into the building where his clinic is based.

A manager at a PetSmart store in Rossford, near Toledo, Ohio, opened a door and spotted the wounded deer outside.

The animal, which was lying in a pool of bloody snow, jumped up and ran through the just opened door, reports the Toledo Blade.

Once inside, the female deer lay down on the floor as blood dripped from her left hind leg, recalled store Manager Trudi Urie.

She called Dr Agustin Cuesta, who works in the veterinary clinic inside PetSmart, who was able to treat the deer's injury and return her to the wild.

"Of all the places to run into, a pet store that has vets in it," said Ms Urie.

Dr Cuesta said the deer had suffered two or three deep cuts and that bone was showing through the fur. He could not determine what caused the injury.

He placed a numbing agent on the wounds before closing the wounds with dissolvable stitches, while covering the deer's head with a towel to stop her panicking.

"We took off the towel from her eyes and slowly she got to her feet," Dr. Cuesta said. "She stood frozen for a few seconds, but after that she ran out of the store."

New fizzy drink - made from cow urine

Source: Ananova



India's Hindu nationalist movement says it is in the final stages of developing a new soft drink made from cow urine.

The Cow Protection Department of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, India's biggest and oldest Hindu nationalist group, is behind the new brew, reports The Times.

Department head Om Prakash said the drink - called "gau jal" or "cow water" - was undergoing lab tests and would be launched "very soon, maybe by the end of this year".

"Don't worry, it won't smell like urine and will be tasty too," he said. "Its USP will be that it's going to be very healthy. It won't be like carbonated drinks and would be devoid of any toxins."

Mr Prakash said his drink was made mainly of cow urine, mixed with herbs, and would be "cheap", but declined to give further details until it was officially launched.

He insisted, however, that it would be able to compete with the likes of Coca Cola and Pepsi.

"We're going to give them good competition as our drink is good for mankind," he said. "We may also think of exporting it."

The drink is the latest attempt by the RSS to cleanse India of foreign influence and promote its Hindu ideology.

Hindus revere cows and slaughtering them is illegal in most of India. The RSS claims cow urine can cure ailments ranging from liver disease to obesity and even cancer

The movement organised a nationwide boycott of multinational consumer goods, including Pepsi and Coca Cola, in 1994.

Man drinks nothing but Coke - for 40 years

Source: Ananova

A Croatian man says he's in perfect health - after drinking nothing but Coca-Cola for more than 40 years.

Pero Ajtman, 71, of Karanac, started his Coke only diet in 1968 after promising his mum he wouldn't drink alcohol.

"My mum didn't like me drinking when I was a young man as she was very religious. She made me promise never to drink again and Coca-Coca was the only thing that tasted as good as wine so I started drinking that," Ajtman told daily 24 Sata.

But the pensioner was soon hooked and stopped drinking anything but the fizzy soft drink.

"Now I have a glass in the morning, before and after lunch, with my dinner and then before I go to bed. I never drink anything else," he said.

"My mother isn't here to tell me not to drink anymore but I'm not even tempted to quit coke for alcohol. Coke is my drug now, and I'll drink it till I die."

She delivers babies and also sells them

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,...,193495,00.html?

SHE was a popular gynaecologist who ran her own clinic which provided family medicine, childbirth and abortion services.

But her practice in a rundown hut measuring only 15sqm (smaller than a one-room HDB flat) was illegal.

She also allegedly sold abandoned babies.

Her thriving underground business, which started in Longhua town in Shenzhen, China, eight years ago, was finally shut down by police on Tuesday.

Apple Daily reported that Liu Jun, 40, used to work as a gynaecologist in the countryside. The Henan native arrived in Shenzhen almost 10 years ago and set up her clinic.

She rented two spartan units at 80 yuan ($18) a month, staying in one while running her clinic in the other.

According to villagers, her clinic initially offered only basic family medicine. But she expanded her business by delivering babies for 1,200 yuan.

As this was a third of what hospitals charged, her business thrived. She also performed abortions.

Under China's one-child policy, some couples who wanted male children either abandon or abort their female offspring.

Customer base

Since the town was home to many factories, Liu had a ready customer base of female workers, who came to her with unwanted pregnancies.

Liu saw an opportunity to profit further by selling the babies abandoned by her clients. So she gave them the option of either aborting them or leaving the infants with her. Liu then allegedly sold the babies that she delivered.

Liu's deeds came to light after a reporter posed as an interested buyer and made enquiries at her clinic.

The reporter saw two babies, a 21/2-month-old boy and a 12-day-old girl.

As the babies started crying, Liu started her 'sales pitch', telling the reporter that the boy's mother was a factory worker from Hubei.

The girl's parents, both from Jiangxi, reportedly abandoned her because they already had two girls and were trying for a boy.

Liu told the undercover reporter: 'I've always delivered healthy babies, and I sell both boys and girls. The boys go at 50,000 yuan and the girls at 20,000 yuan. You have to pay first and take the baby for a medical examination yourself. If the baby has any illnesses, you can return it to me for a full refund.'

She added that the babies didn't have any names and had no recollection of their parents, so there would not be any problems.

The reporter, armed with an audio recording of their conversation, went to the Longhua police station. The police immediately raided Liu's underground clinic and arrested her.

They rescued the two babies and took them to a hospital for check-ups, and tried to trace their parents.

'Sold 50 babies'

According to Oriental Daily, Liu had sold close to 50 babies in the last seven or eight years.

Last March, Liu was arrested for performing illegal abortions, but she was released on bail because she had just given birth at the time and was breastfeeding.

Hearing of Liu's arrest, her Hong Kong boyfriend rushed to the town. When the reporter approached him, he warned: 'Don't do anything funny, or you'll regret it!'

Liu's brother also told the reporter: 'I'm the big brother here, everyone knows me, so don't mess around with my sister!'

Her arrest was the talk of the town. A resident named Ms Hong, who has a child, said she knew about the underground clinic but did not patronise it as she was concerned about its hygiene.

In China, child traffickers can be sentenced to death for threatening social stability.

Friday, February 20, 2009

I was late for work: Level crossing jumper who had shoes sliced off by 66mph train tells the shocking tale behind video

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/mailonsunday...tale-video.html

It is the video clip that has horrified millions – a teenager avoiding death by a fraction of a second as he idiotically dashes in front of a speeding train, which catches and mangles his shoe.

Craig Grant’s trainer was sliced in half by the impact after he jumped over a level-crossing barrier – but amazingly he escaped with only minor damage to his
ankle.

The heart-stopping footage was released last week to warn others of the dangers of ignoring level-crossing gates. And speaking publicly for the first time about his accident, Craig, 19, said: ‘It makes me feel sick. The fact that I was half a second – six inches – from dying.

‘It’s scary when you think about it. The shoe was mangled. It was literally cut in half – the back was hanging on by a bit of thread. It was destroyed. I’m just lucky that wasn’t my leg or my foot or, in fact, my life. If the train had hit me I would have exploded on impact.’

The factory worker was going to work on December 17 last year when he decided to jump the level-crossing safety barrier and walk over the tracks at Rainham station in Essex.

He had seen another man climb over and cross and as he was late he decided to follow on his way to the Albright Industrial Estate on the other side of the tracks.

Craig said: ‘I didn’t really look because normally when you wait for the trains to come past, they wouldn’t come for two or three minutes, so I thought I had my chance to get across.

‘So I jumped it and, as I go across the railway line, I see the train literally inches away from me.

‘Instead of jumping back like some people do, I darted forward and it kicked my ankle and took my shoe completely off.

‘And with that I felt this pain rush across me as I got over to the other side.’

He left his white Reebok Classic trainer behind him on the track and, in spite of the searing pain, carried on running until he got to the other barrier, fearing another train could be on the way. The stranger who had jumped the barrier ahead of Craig helped him to walk over to the industrial estate.

He was then taken by ambulance to Queen’s Hospital in nearby Romford and treated for torn muscles and a minor fracture of his right ankle.

British Transport Police officers cautioned Craig the next day for obstructing the railway. They also showed him the shredded remains of his trainer.

The train, heading out of London towards Southend-on-Sea, had not stopped at Rainham and was travelling at about 66mph when it caught Craig’s shoe.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Buying Children's Affection with Expensive Gifts

If money was able to solve any problem or to foster a genuine bond between parent and child, then there would be less of the troubles that we see in today's society. As people are able to afford more things and lead a better life due to rising affluence, it is needless to say parents are able to provide more for their children, material wise that is. However there is a cost to this increase in affluence, something undeniably intangible and irreversible - time... more>>

Introducing Children to Computers (Simple Steps)

In this day and age where technology is so common and the internet so easily available, the sooner we learn about it the better it would be; it has become one of the necessities in life. And the easiest way to accomplish that is to start from an early age getting acquainted with computers - typing, getting information from the internet and the necessary hand-eye coordination required for using the mouse as well as accessing programs... more>>

Friday, February 13, 2009

A Guide to Coffee and Tea Condiments

Which Do You Prefer? Sugar, Cream, or Flavored Syrup?
If you like to alter the flavor of your coffee or tea through the use of sweeteners, creamers, or flavored syrups, this guide is for you! Never before have we had so many choices when it comes to sweetening brewed beverages. The possibilities for coffee and tea creations are endless.Let's take a look at the various types of sweeteners on the market today... more>>

Tiger Balm: Century-Old Chinese Herbal Medication for Aches and Pains

Tiger Balm is a topical Chinese herbal preparation used to reduce muscle aches and pains. Tiger Balm ointment has been in existence for nearly 100 years and used in as many countries. Manufactured by Haw Par Healthcare Limited in Singapore, Tiger Balm offers a variety of pain-reducing products including Original Ointment, Neck and Shoulder Rub, Back Pain Patch, Refresher (for stuffy nose) and Plaster Warm, which aides in stimulating blood circulation.... more>>

Thursday, February 12, 2009

How to Cook Microwave Popcorn

Microwave popcorn is lovely snack choice for men, women, and children of all ages. It can be eaten warm, buttery, salty, seasoned, or plain and is relatively simple to prepare. Or so one would think. Believe it or not, more people burn microwave popcorn than would like to admit it. How can we avoid such a catastrophe? First of all, choose your favorite microwave popcorn. You can buy the prepackaged variety, which is the most common, or you can purchase loose popcorn kernels and a microwave container designed specifically for making fresh popcorn... more>>

Blogging with Writer's Block

Even the most experienced bloggers suffer from bouts of writers block. You know the feeling. You sit down in front of the computer, intending to tap out your next pearls of wisdom, and your mind goes completely blank. Worse yet, everything in your mind starts running together and you can't focus on one topic. The more you try to focus, the worse things get... more>>

Developing Quality Blog Content

Blogs have become increasingly popular, but there are still a number of people who do not understand what a blog actually is. You may even find that, despite having your own blog, it's difficult to explain to those who are unfamiliar with the term. Blogs, to some, are viewed as regularly updated bulletin boards. Some are personal in nature, while many are focused on a particular niche topic. The content of a blog is decided upon by its owner and he is she is responsible for providing updates on a regular basis... more>>

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Are Blogs More Effective Than Ezines & Newsletters?

Each day the world of blogging becomes more popular. Internet moguls who frequently dismissed blogs as insignificant are now starting to take the potential of blogs and their owners more seriously... more>>

A Quick Piano Lesson to Get You Started

The first thing you need to know is where the notes are, and the tones. On most pianos and keyboards there are 61 keys. Each key is a sequence of several notes. These notes are like the first seven letters of the alphabet which are: ABCDEFG. Each of these letters have a series of several tones that lead to a tone similar to the first. This makes these notes a scale of eight notes. If one were to use numbers it would be written as 12345671. Each notes represents a key to which a scale follows as a succession of tone sounds... more>>

Sunday, February 01, 2009

5 Things to Know about Tattoos

1. Tattoo ink actually comprises of pigments that are suspended in carrier solution, and isn't exactly ink.

2. Tattoos and doctors can be associated with one another. For example, tattoos are used for medical purposes like radiation therapy and reconstructive surgery.

3. The easiest pigment to remove is black, followed by red. Green pigment is the hardest to remove, and requires many sessions of laser treatment to remove it, often scarring the skin in the process.

4. According to Guinness World Records, the world's most tattooed person, who has his entire body covered with black ink, is New Zealand-born performer Luck Diamond Rich.

5. Which is the most painful part of the body to get a tattoo? Well, that depends on each individual's threshold of pain. While tattoo artists say vote the ribcage as the most sensitive area, doctors say it is the sensitive areas of the body, where there are clusters of pain sensors and areas where there are high concentrations of nerves and little fat tissue with bone beneath, such as the forehead, or shin etc...

Vitamin Knowledge 101: Water-Soluble Vs. Fat-Soluble

A basic knowledge of vitamins is essential to a healthy lifestyle but there is commonly confusion s
urrounding the subject of vitamins. There are many types of vitamins and minerals that are essential to the healthy function of the body. These vitamins and minerals are also referred to as micronutrients, which are naturally present in only a meager sum in the human body. These micronutrients serve many purposes in the body including increasing cellular activity, aiding in proper cell and tissue growth, enhanced digestion of food, aiding mental functions and increasing the power of concentration, and most importantly, to aid the human body in becoming resistant to and fighting off contagious diseases. Vitamins and minerals also act as catalysts by aiding in making the chemical reactions needed by the body to start certain functions. Vitamins and minerals are very different from proteins as they are not to be burned like fats but are generally used to create different types of energy.... more>>

Does a Full Moon Influence Human Behavior?

The Moon is known to have a huge effect on the ocean's tides. The mechanism, in simple terms, goes like this: While the moon's gravitational force causes the water to rise up, the earth is also pulling downwards, causing tides. Water levels are dependent upon the force of the moon. So with a full moon comes the high tide. And from this observation, the concept of the moon affecting human behavior evolved. This is because the human body is 80 percent water. It is believed that just like the ocean, when the moon is full, there will also be an upset of water balance in the human body, causing a person to behave irrationally... more >>

Pica: An Eating Disorder that Involves Ingestion of Non-Food Items

There are people who love experimenting with their food. Like mixing popcorn with ice cream for example, or bananas on bread topped with ketchup. It's kind of unusual but they do enjoy it. Odd cravings and food combinations are typical, especially for pregnant women. No matter how you blend the food together as long as it's edible, there is nothing wrong with that.

However, in a condition called Pica, cravings go beyond normal... more>>