News

[Scheherazade]

A Japanese equestrian competitor looks set to take part in the Beijing Olympics - four decades after first appearing in the Tokyo Games. Hiroshi Hoketsu, now 66, is aiming to be in Japan's Beijing dressage team later this year.

He came 40th in the show-jumping at the Tokyo Games of 1964 - the last time he took part in an Olympic event.

If all goes according to plan, he will become the oldest Olympic representative in Japanese history.

...

The oldest ever Olympic competitor was the Swedish shooter, Oscar Swahn, who took part in the Antwerp Games of 1920 at the age of 72.

He won silver - his sixth Olympic medal - in the running deer double-shot team event.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/7232686.stm

[pussnboots]

I saw this on the internet this morning. How sad!


DAVIE, Fla. - Kim Sjostrom wanted a real-life version of the film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which played in the background as friends fixed her hair and makeup before her own marriage ceremony.

But less than an hour after she and Teddy Efkarpides were wed, Sjostrom crumpled in her husband's arms during a Greek song that means "Love Me."

At 36, Sjostrom was dead from heart disease.

The wedding had became a project at Davie Elementary School, where Sjostrom taught first grade. Fellow teachers provided the wedding gown, the flowers and decorations. One of them, an ordained minister, performed the ceremony.

"It was perfect for her," said Dominic Church, the minister friend.

[kilted exile]

Please let us be part of Scotland again Proof undeniable that the english really wish they were Scottish

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...ne/7248529.stm

Residents in the Northumberland town of Berwick-upon-Tweed have "voted" in favour of becoming part of Scotland.

According to a poll by a TV company, 60% of those who responded wanted the town to be administered by Scotland.

Better financed public services, including free personal health care for the elderly, were the main reasons.

[Scheherazade]

Even the shortest of catnaps may be enough to improve performance in memory tests, say German scientists. Just six minutes "shut-eye" for volunteers was followed by significantly better recall of words, New Scientist magazine reported.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7254555.stm

Now we can all nap at work and claim to be "refreshing" our memories!

[kilted exile]

FIREFIGHTERS were called to a house three times in a week to lift a 45-stone man.

Crews of 10 firefighters were involved in shifting Robert Marsden around his home.

On one occasion, they helped him move from one side of bed to the other.

see here

[Shalot]

see here

how many pounds is 45 stones. this happened to my co-worker at my last job. she somehow got down on the ground and couldn't get herself back up. we didn't have to call the fire department, but several people had to come up and help. We had a trained nurse who was trained in lifting patients, but when you're dealing with 500 pounds there's not much that training can do

[kilted exile]

45 stone is 630 lbs

[Remarkable]

Take a look at this link http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23646684/ to read about the explosion in Albania.A very sad situation...

[Wizard272002]

Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90

[Scheherazade]

A woman has been rescued from the jaws of a saltwater crocodile in Australia after her husband jumped onto its back and forced it to flee.

MORE

OK, how many husbands you know would do this?

[pussnboots]

MORE

OK, how many husbands you know would do this?

Not sure what my husband would do

[Scheherazade]

English students at Cambridge University have been asked to analyse lyrics by singer Amy Winehouse in a final-year exam.

They were told to compare Winehouse's Love is a Losing Game to songs by Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday and 16th century explorer Sir Walter Raleigh.

Winehouse recently won a prestigious Ivor Novello award for the song.

A university spokesman said English students had always been asked to compare writers of different times.

He said the question was "interesting, but not news".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7422730.stm

[Wizard272002]

Comic Harvey Korman Dead At 81!

He was a funny guy!

[pussnboots]

Kiss Of Deaf: L.I. Woman Loses Hearing From Smooch
4-Year-Old Daughter's Show Of Affection Turns Woman's Life Upside Down
Expert Says Sucking Action Damaged Ear Drum
Reporting
Jennifer McLogan HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBS) ― Medical experts say a kiss on the ear by a 4-year-old girl has caused a unique chain of events that has severely damaged her mother's hearing.

And has CBS 2 HD has learned in this exclusive report, the unusual case has catapulted the family from Hicksville into the pages of medical history.

It was a kiss from a child. She is her mother's joy. It was an expression of unconditional love.

But for one Long Island mom, who we are not identifying because, of her concerns for her daughter's emotional scars, a big, suctioning squeaky smooch on her left ear from her then-4-year-old has left shocking permanent damage.

"It was a long sucking kiss in my ear. I couldn't push her away. I was almost frozen. When she stopped, and the kiss ended, I realized I had no hearing in that ear. Nothing," the mother told CBS 2 HD.

"I got very upset and yelled for my husband, 'I can't hear out of this ear! I can't hear!'"

Her daughter was devastated.
....

[pussnboots]

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/play...up/?cl=8277206

check this out - its quite amazing