Truck driver tells of moment 25 million bees escaped

Only one word comes readily to mind here - Ouch!  When 25 million bees escape and have only one thing on their stinging mind, it's time to be somewhere else - fast!

Truck driver Louis Holst has never been scared of bees, but he's rethinking his next long-haul load a day after being swarmed by 25 million of the stinging insects. Holst and his wife, Tammie, picked up 460 bee hives in South Dakota and were about 36 hours into their drive on Sunday night when he hit a sharp bend in a construction zone on Interstate 15 in southern Utah. The twist in the road toppled his trailer and sent the bees into a frenzy.



"First responders came and dragged me and my wife through the front window," Holst said. "Then we panicked." Swarmed by bees on the highway, Holst said he ripped off his shirt and began swatting the air. His wife ran. "We just started swinging our clothes," he said. "They stung her all up and down her neck."

Authorities closed the southbound lanes of I-15 near St. George for several hours while area beekeepers headed to the scene to try to corral the insects. The road was reopened early on Monday morning, and Holst said most of the bees were either dead or gone. "Nobody was prepared for anything like that," he said. At least two first responders also were stung at the scene, said Utah Highway Patrol Corporal Todd Johnson.

Holst, 48, of Gig Harbor, Washington state, said he got 10 stitches to close a gash on his forehead and was stung about a dozen times. His wife, too, suffered stings, bumps and bruises.
The 25 million bees were headed from Adee Honey Farms in Bruce, South Dakota, to near Bakersfield, California, where they stay for the winter before being used for pollination come spring, company co-owner Richard Adee said. "It's pretty much a complete loss," Adee said of the $116,000 load.

Holst's trip was among the last of 160 truckloads of bees roughly 4 billion of them the farm had been sending south for the winter, Adee said. Asked whether he'd haul bees again anytime soon, Holst who normally ferries lumber and construction materials paused. "Well," he said, "my wife's looking at me right now, so I'll say no."

Still, one thing that always comes from a seemingly clear disaster and seems relevant in this case. With the world's population of bees fast disappearing from the planet, a few million being released back into the wild can't necessarily be a bad thing!

Read more:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/25/truck-driver-bees-utah-crash

Identical twins, 21, give birth on same day at the same hospital

It is truly amazing how twins can have such a connection with each other throughout their lives and, despite all the copious amounts of reasearch, scientists are still no nearer to finding out how this all works. 

Double take: Registered nurse Andrea Kinman (left) hands baby Adalynn to Jennifer Patterson. Jessica Patterson sits to her right and holds her son, Mason

Two identical twins in Indiana now have another birthday in common: They delivered babies on the same day at the same hospital.Twenty-one-year-old Jessica and Jennifer Patterson gave birth on Wednesday at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital.

Jessica Patterson went to the hospital on Tuesday night to be induced - but instead of going into labour, Jennifer did. 

The Herald-Times reports Jennifer Patterson gave birth first to a girl, Adalynn Rose Patterson, who was born with a collapsed lung but is now doing fine. Eight-and-half hours later, Jessica Patterson gave birth to a boy, Mason Douglas Patterson, by caesarean section.

'It just happened,' Jennifer and Jessica said. 'I was like, "I'm pregnant,"' said Jessica. 'I found out a week later,' her sister said.The twins, both single mothers, have shared an apartment together in the tiny Lawrence County town of Judah for the last three years. They say they plan to remain living together with their newborns. 'It's gonna be a crazy house,' said Jessica. 'I hope they grow up really close.' Hospital spokeswoman Amanda Roach says no one can recall the last time identical twins delivered babies at the hospital on the same day.

Read More:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2052582/Indiana-identical-twins-birth-day-hospital.html?ITO=1490

Boxer who spent 26 years in jail for a murder he didn't commit wins his first fight... at the age of 52

This is the stuff Hollywood stories are made of!! He spent 26 years in New York's notorious Sing Sing prison for a murder he did not commit. But today he is feted by President Barack Obama and has finally fulfilled his dream of boxing professionally - at the age of 52.

Victory: Dewey Bozella, 52, raises his arm after defeating an opponent 22 years younger than him in his first professional fight after serving 26 years in jail

For more than a quarter of a century he knew daily despair as he battled to clear his name over the brutal killing of a 92-year-old woman. He could have become a free man FOUR times if he had pleaded guilty. Each time he refused, maintaining his innocence.

Bozella found comfort in boxing, training daily in the prison gym and studying at night for his bachelor and master's degrees.

Finally In October 2009, Bozella was formally cleared. This summer he was honoured by ESPN as its 2011 Arthur Ashe Award winner for his courage. Legendary boxer Bernard Hopkins heard Bozella's story and offered him the chance to fight against 30-year-old Larry Hopkins on the undercard of his own championship bout. Hopkins told the Los Angeles Times last week 'This is not a charity case. This man is fulfilling his dream.'

One wonders when the director is going to come calling about the film rights? Spielberg if you're listening his number is listed somewhere in the phone book so why not give him a call!



Read:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2049704/Dewey-Bozella-Boxer-spent-26-years-jail-wins-fight--age-52.html?ITO=1490

Aisle be damned! We spend 64 days of our lives walking round supermarkets (that's a total of 22,000 miles)

We've all seen those research papers that tell us we spend 100 days of our lives on the tolet, a further 55 days picking our noses, and 3 gazillions years sleeping in our beds. Well now there's a new one in town. Apparently, the average Briton covers 22,784 miles travelling to and from the supermarket and traipsing around the aisles over the course of their lifetime, a study claims. That is almost the equivalent of a trip around the globe.

Check it out: Around half of us will visit at least two supermarkets each week in a bid to track down the best grocery bargains

The study claims that we spend an average of 1,539 hours – 64 days – of our life walking around supermarkets. It also revealed that one in 20 Britons spends up to 30 minutes looking for deals on price comparison websites before heading to their chosen supermarket.

 

Nearly half of us – 47 per cent – visit at least two supermarkets each week in our quest to find the best deals.

Independent financial expert Alvin Hall points out that this may not necessarily be cost-effective, saying: ‘Driving or taking public transport from one supermarket to another to look for the best deal increases the cost of the goods, even if you get them at the lowest price.’

Despite putting so much effort into shopping, 55 per cent of those surveyed said the chore left them frustrated. That would include me in that category. I detest shopping and a cold shiver runs down my spine whenever my wife says those dreaded words that many husband dread - "Let's go to the shopping mall darling!"

Read more:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2047842/Aisle-damned-We-spend-64-days-lives-walking-round-supermarkets-thats-total-22-000-miles.html?ITO=1490

Foal electrocuted by heartlss cable thieves who tested live wires on it

 What a bunch of compeltely heartless bastards! How low do you have to go in order to make a buck these days? Apparently, copper cable thieves who cut down a pylon leaving live wires exposed may have used a foal as a 'tester' to check if electricity was still moving through the line. The burnt remains of the six-month old animal were discovered in its field near Sittingborne, Kent the next day by its owner who is in his eighties.

 

Burnt to death: Callous copper cable thieves cut down a pylon leaving live wires exposed before using a six month old foal as a 'tester' to check if electricity was still moving through the line (file picture)

After the incident, around 3,000 homes were plunged into darkness as the criminals took stole the copper cabling cutting the electricity supply. One resident told the Daily Telegraph : 

'Almost all of us had no electricity on the night in question, but when we heard about the foal being burned alive everyone was horrified.

'Most of us believe the people responsible used the foal to test whether the wires were still live - either by putting it on the cable or tempting it over with food.'

The owner of the field where the foal was found said the animal was horrifically burnt. She said the owner was left heartbroken after having to remove the remains of his horse.

The world is full of very greedy people who will stoop to the lowest levels in order to satisy their own personal needs.

Read more:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2046757/Cable-thieves-test-wires-live-electrocuting-horse.html?ITO=1490

Fuhrer furore! Thai student Nazi dress-up day causes outrage

 I'd like to think that this could have happened anywhere but there is something about Thais, probably their lack of travel which brings about a certain culatural unawareness, that makes you think - "Ah! Another size nine cultural cock up!"

They had been meticulously planning their costumes for quite some time.The annual summer sports day had a long tradition of fancy dress and, eager to impress, the pupils of Sacred Heart Catholic School kept their outfits under wraps for weeks.

They wanted to surprise their parents and teachers as they made their entrance at the school in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. And surprise them they did. With a flourish and a fanfare, they revealed their costumes - to outraged gasps from the crowd.

The smiling pupils arrived at the school dressed in full Nazi regalia and carrying large Swastika flags, leaving foreign parents and teachers open-mouthed. Leading the march into the sports ground was a girl dressed as Adolf Hitler - complete with toothbrush moustache - seemingly unaware of the offence she had caused.

She was followed by a procession of pupils dressed as SS guards - brandishing plastic machine guns. Stunned ex-pats were appalled. Surely the pupils were aware of what the Swastika and Nazis represented?

Read more:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2042097/Student-Nazi-dress-day-causes-outrage-Thailand.html#ixzz1Z8i0ih6M

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/501209-thai-student-nazi-dress-up-day-causes-outrage/

Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in elections

 Wow! never thought I'd see the day in my lifetime! I guess we are all seeing the tangible results of the Arab Spring.

Here is the BBC article which I'm reprinting in full.

 

Saudi women face severe restrictions in their working and personal lives

 

Women in Saudi Arabia are to be given the right to vote and run in future municipal elections, King Abdullah has announced. He said they would also have the right to be appointed to the consultative Shura Council.

The move was welcomed by activists who have called for greater rights for women in the kingdom, which enforces a strict version of Sunni Islamic law. The changes will occur after municipal polls on Thursday, the king said.

King Abdullah announced the move in a speech at the opening of the new term of the Shura Council - the formal body advising the king, whose members are all appointed.

"Because we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply with sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior clerics and others... to involve women in the Shura Council as members, starting from next term," he said.

"Women will be able to run as candidates in the municipal election and will even have a right to vote."

This is something we have long waited for and long worked towards”

Nimah Ismail Nawwab Saudi writer and activist 

The BBC's world affairs correspondent Emily Buchanan says it is an extraordinary development for women in Saudi Arabia, who are not allowed to drive, or to leave the country unaccompanied.

She says there has been a big debate about the role of women in the kingdom and, although not everyone will welcome the decision, such a reform will ease some of the tension that has been growing over the issue.

Saudi writer Nimah Ismail Nawwab told the BBC: "This is something we have long waited for and long worked towards."

She said activists had been campaigning for 20 years on driving, guardianship and voting issues.

Another campaigner, Wajeha al-Huwaider, said the king's announcement was "great news".
"Now it is time to remove other barriers like not allowing women to drive cars and not being able to function, to live a normal life without male guardians," she told Reuters news agency.

Correspondents say King Abdullah has been cautiously pressing for political reforms, but in a country where conservative clerics and some members of the royal family resist change, liberalisation has been very gradual.

In May more than 60 intellectuals called for a boycott of Thursday's ballot saying "municipal councils lack the authority to effectively carry out their role". Municipal elections are the only public polls in Saudi Arabia.

More than 5,000 men will compete in municipal elections on Thursday - the second-ever in the kingdom - to fill half the seats in local councils. The other half are appointed by the government. The next municipal elections are due in four years' time.


 Read here:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15052030