An enormous gang of jellyfish has stung hundreds of beach-goers in Florida.
CNN reports that 800 people have been stung so far.
Thankfully, the jellyfish are easy to detect due to their looking like blobs of unappetizing grape jello.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Jellyfish Mob Stings Hundreds In Florida
An enormous gang of jellyfish has stung hundreds of beach-goers in Florida.
CNN reports that 800 people have been stung so far.
Thankfully, the jellyfish are easy to detect due to their looking like blobs of unappetizing grape jello.
Passengers flee as dozens of deadly cobras spotted on train
Hundreds of rail passengers fled in terror when dozens of deadly snakes were found on a train traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi in Vietnam. A guard and conductor were checking tickets as passengers got on in the central city of Quang Ngai on Thursday evening and spotted the live king cobras and cobras under a seat.
People fled the carriage as panic broke out, and the smuggler was able to escape in the chaos. The reptiles, which are extremely venomous and can kill a human within just 30 minutes, were being carried in four see-through cloth bags.
One passenger, Pham Van An, 20, said: "Some of the snakes were very big, and looked terrifying. Most people ran away. But some people went to look at them and the cobras rose up. Then police took the snakes off the train." Officers handed the snakes over to Quang Ngai province's wildlife protection officers for release into the wild.
Nguyen Van Han, chief of the Quang Ngai Forest Protection Department, was unable to say how many snakes were in the bags, but said they weighed a total of 45kg (99lb). Authorities believe the endangered creatures, which are protected under Vietnamese law, were to be sold to restaurants in Hanoi.
People fled the carriage as panic broke out, and the smuggler was able to escape in the chaos. The reptiles, which are extremely venomous and can kill a human within just 30 minutes, were being carried in four see-through cloth bags.
One passenger, Pham Van An, 20, said: "Some of the snakes were very big, and looked terrifying. Most people ran away. But some people went to look at them and the cobras rose up. Then police took the snakes off the train." Officers handed the snakes over to Quang Ngai province's wildlife protection officers for release into the wild.
Nguyen Van Han, chief of the Quang Ngai Forest Protection Department, was unable to say how many snakes were in the bags, but said they weighed a total of 45kg (99lb). Authorities believe the endangered creatures, which are protected under Vietnamese law, were to be sold to restaurants in Hanoi.
Dog survives being trapped under 45 tons of rock for a week
Meet Jessie the miracle Jack Russell that spent a week trapped under 45 tonnes of rock while chasing a stray cat. For seven days, four-year-old Jessie was wedged meters underground at Mt Beckworth, Victoria, Australia, between enormous rocks only able to wiggle her front paws and move her head. But the devotion of her owner, Steve Porter, never wavered as he moved the earth - literally – to save his dog.
State Emergency Service units from Maryborough were able to move a rock thought to weigh about 20 tonnes, but still Jessie was unreachable. With his dog surviving on liver that was attached to a wire and sent down into the rocks, Mr Porter set about bringing in machinery that could separate the enormous rocks. His son Tom had already started drilling through the solid granite rock, but time was running out.
A massive hydraulic ram, capable of lifting 95 tonnes, was hired from Melbourne, and Mr Porter and a team of men set about shifting the rocks. The team of four worked tirelessly, sometimes until 2am, to move the rock, inch by inch. But still Jessie could not move. Mr Porter said there were times when he considered euthanasing the dog to put her out of her misery, a decision he weighed up every night. But such was his love for the dog he continued to battle the freezing elements.
Eventually, after seven days underground, Jessie was pulled free using a dog-catcher loop that had been borrowed from a local animal welfare group. She ran straight towards Mr Porter and leapt into his arms. “I couldn’t believe she was in such good condition,” he said. “Neither could the vet.” After spending the night under observation at Eastwood Veterinary Clinic, Jessie was released in surprisingly good condition.
There's a large photo gallery here.
State Emergency Service units from Maryborough were able to move a rock thought to weigh about 20 tonnes, but still Jessie was unreachable. With his dog surviving on liver that was attached to a wire and sent down into the rocks, Mr Porter set about bringing in machinery that could separate the enormous rocks. His son Tom had already started drilling through the solid granite rock, but time was running out.
A massive hydraulic ram, capable of lifting 95 tonnes, was hired from Melbourne, and Mr Porter and a team of men set about shifting the rocks. The team of four worked tirelessly, sometimes until 2am, to move the rock, inch by inch. But still Jessie could not move. Mr Porter said there were times when he considered euthanasing the dog to put her out of her misery, a decision he weighed up every night. But such was his love for the dog he continued to battle the freezing elements.
Eventually, after seven days underground, Jessie was pulled free using a dog-catcher loop that had been borrowed from a local animal welfare group. She ran straight towards Mr Porter and leapt into his arms. “I couldn’t believe she was in such good condition,” he said. “Neither could the vet.” After spending the night under observation at Eastwood Veterinary Clinic, Jessie was released in surprisingly good condition.
There's a large photo gallery here.
Monday, May 30, 2011
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:Unenthusiastic people might test your endurance, but today your creativity is at an all-time high, and you are up for the challenge!
You can make this day a blast, even if you're stuck in a boring situation with a bunch of folks who think talking about the weather is scintillating conversation.
Use your imagination -- it's your ticket out of boredom every time.
Toss a lifeline to other bored folks and suggest alternative places for your minds to wander.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Annecy, Rhone-Alpes, France
Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Canberra, Australian, Capital Territory, Australia
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
London, England, United Kingdom
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Canberra, Australian, Capital Territory, Australia
Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
London, England, United Kingdom
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
as well as Slovakia, Malta, Bulgaria, Israel, Finland, Austria, Norway, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Serbia, Bangladesh, Latvia, Greece, Scotland, Hong Kong, Denmark, Wales, Iran, Singapore, Poland, Taiwan, Sweden, Afghanistan, Belgium, Tibet, Croatia, Pakistan, Romania, Paraguay, Sudan, Vietnam, Argentina, Cambodia, Egypt, France, Estonia, Puerto Rico, Maldives, Qatar, Brazil, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, China, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Paupa New Guinea, Moldova, Venezuela, Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Norway, Finland
and in cities across the United States such as Cranston, New Castle, Sunset, Utica and more.
and in cities across the United States such as Cranston, New Castle, Sunset, Utica and more.
Today is:
Today is Monday, May 30, the 150th day of 2011.
There are 216 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebrations is:
There isn't one today.
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
Iconic shots of Arlington National Cemetery
Duff Beer: Yes, It Does Exist!
Fox has never licensed the beverage in the United States. According to several reports, Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening fears that bringing Duff into the real world would be tantamount to pushing alcohol on minors.Duff Sudamerica, the Chilean producer, expects to sell $750,000 worth of Duff beer this year, but personally I think they’ll surpass that once Simpsons superfans get in on it.
The Duff dearth north of the border has only made fans more desperate. Online message boards buzz about where to find Duff. On eBay, an empty bottle of Duff beer from Argentina sells for $14.99; a decal off the Colombian product is being offered for $8.99.
At Rock Garden, a bar in Bogotá, Duff commands import prices — about $5.50 a bottle — even though it’s brewed in the nearby city of Medellin.
Odds and Sods
No more impromptu open-air concerts near Central Park's Bethesda Fountain. New York City officials are muzzling musicians who perform near the fountain by slapping them with nuisance summonses.
Melting wrecking ice roads
The famous ice roads are built on land for a fraction of what permanent roads cost.
Also: In China: 34 million impacted by drought
It's like Europe will start talking about drought as well sometime soon.
But remember, climate change doesn't exist.
But remember, climate change doesn't exist.
A debilitating drought along China's Yangtze river has affected more than 34 million people, leaving farmers and livestock without water and parching a major grain belt, according to the government.
More than 4.23 million people are having difficulty finding adequate drinking supplies, while more than five million are in need of assistance to overcome the drought, the Civil Affairs Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
"The special characteristics of this drought disaster is that it has persisted a long time," the ministry said.
"Secondly the losses to the agricultural and breeding industries have been severe... while drinking water for people and livestock have been seriously impacted."
Son defends Ratko Mladic
Ratko Mladic, indicted for mass murder almost 16 years ago, maintains his innocence.
Also: Saudi Prince Worries We Might Find Alternatives to Oil
Photo: L.C.Nøttaasen / cc
As the price of oil continues to rise amid political and social unrest in the Middle East, there's one unlikely advocate for making fossil fuels cheaper -- someone who stands to profit from the world's addiction to oil -- Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. In a revealing interview with CNN, the grandson of the current king of the energy rich nation outlines the urgent need to make oil prices dramatically less expensive: to avoid the rise of a more viable alternative.Article continues: Saudi Prince Worries We Might Find Alternatives to Oil
Gmail Hackers Used US Government Backdoor
Security expert Bruce Schneier says it’s not just Gmail that’s affected:
China’s hackers subverted the access system Google put in place to comply with U.S. intercept orders. Why does anyone think criminals won’t be able to use the same system to steal bank account and credit card information, use it to launch other attacks or turn it into a massive spam-sending network? Why does anyone think that only authorized law enforcement can mine collected Internet data or eavesdrop on phone and IM conversations? [...]
In Greece, between June 2004 and March 2005, someone wiretapped more than 100 cell phones belonging to members of the Greek government: the prime minister and the ministers of defense, foreign affairs and justice.
Ericsson built this wiretapping capability into Vodafone’s products and enabled it only for governments that requested it. Greece wasn’t one of those governments, but someone still unknown — A rival political party? Organized crime? Foreign intelligence? — figured out how to surreptitiously turn the feature on.
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