20 July 2008
Jasper Is One Busy Place This Summer
26/07/2008 09:34
There were no lack of crowds as we wandered the streets of downtown Jasper yesterday in 30 degree heat.
Many Swiss, German and Japanese tourists as well.
And the scenery? Well, it improves every time I visit here.
Locall Resident Grateful For Services
26/07/2008 06:41
Don,
My son and I enjoyed a wonderful day yesterday at the track through the efforts of the terrific rehabilitation agency (Transitions Rehabilitation Agency of St. Albert & District) which supports us and other families in my community.
Sponsors make it possible for children to attend the Indy - which was held in Edmonton - do a walk through the pit, see the race-cars up close and receive autographs from the drivers.
This meant a great deal to my son who adores cars so very much!
What a wonderful way of giving to the community; thanks to such organizations for caring!
Velvet Martin
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
And thank you Velvet, for sharing your experience with St. Albert's Place readers. We're glad to know you and your son had a great time.
10 Odd Uses For Airplanes
26/07/2008 06:38
Planes are perhaps
the hardest things to get rid of. That is why,
with a little creativity and a small budget,
one can cleverly reuse them.
Some already ahead and created some of the coolest, oddest or funniest hangout.
This is a house built by Bruce Campbell out of the Boeing 727 - he got a trendy, one-of-a-kind villa in the woods.
See all the uses right here.
SINC SAYS:
Ya know, I think I like ‘em better on the ground.
'Nobody Deserves To Die That Way'
26/07/2008 06:34
Dad says of teen
hit with
TaserMichael Langan, the teenager who died after police zapped him with a Taser, may have been a high-school dropout who wandered the streets of Winnipeg's inner-city core, but he didn't deserve to die like that, his father says.
"Nobody deserves to die that way, no matter how many problems you had," Brian Minchin told CBC News on Thursday.
Minchin is still struggling to cope with his 17-year-old son's death Tuesday following an altercation with police officers in a back lane in the city's core.
Police say they pursued the teen into a back lane after reports of a smashed window on a Lexus, then zapped him with a stun gun when he refused to drop his knife.
Zap this story here.
SINC SAYS:
When will government act and ban these offensive weapons? Far from subduing people, they kill far too many.
The Wisdom Of Will Rogers
26/07/2008 06:32
Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935, was probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known. Enjoy the following:
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back in your pocket.
There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.
Hole In Airplane Forces Emergency Landing
26/07/2008 06:25
Passengers describe
sound of explosion on Australia-London
tripQantas pilot Capt. John Francis Bartels looks at the right wing damaged fuselage of Qantas Airways Boeing 747-400 after its emergency landing Friday in Manila. (Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Edwin Loobrera, HO/Associated Press)
A Qantas flight en route to Australia from London, England, made an emergency stop in Manila on Friday after a loud bang punched a hole in the Boeing 747-400's fuselage, officials and passengers said.
There were no injuries, but some of the 350 passengers vomited after disembarking, said Manila International Airport Authority deputy manager for operations Octavio Lina.
In a statement from Sydney, Qantas confirmed the hole in its fuselage and said it was being inspected by engineers.
Lina said the cabin's floor gave way, exposing some of the cargo beneath, and part of the ceiling collapsed.
Fly into this story here.
SINC SAYS:
Holy crater Batman, what a trip!
Fun Facts . . .
26/07/2008 06:21
The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes). (Yep, I knew you were going to 'do' this one.)
There are only four words in the English language which end in 'dous': tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous. (You're not doubting this, are you?)
There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: 'abstemious' and 'facetious.' (Yes, admit it, you are going to say, a e i o u)
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. (All you typists are going to test this out.)
Beer Back To Double-Digit Lead Over Wine As Favored Drink
26/07/2008 06:15
PRINCETON, NJ --
Beer has regained a comfortable margin over
wine when U.S. drinkers are asked to name which
alcoholic beverage they most often
drink.
In recent years,
wine had narrowed the gap, including pulling
slightly ahead in 2005 (though not by a
significant margin), but for the first time
since 2002, beer enjoys a
better-than-double-digit advantage over wine.
These results are based on Gallup's annual Consumption Habits poll, conducted July 10-13 of this year.
As the graph shows, beer still is not as widely preferred today as it was in the early 1990s, when close to half of Americans said it was their alcoholic drink of choice. Preferences for wine have fallen back from their 2005 high (39%) to 31%.
The shift back to beer from wine in recent years has occurred mostly among Americans between the ages of 30 and 49. In combined data from the 2004 and 2005 Consumption surveys, drinkers between 30 and 49 were about as likely to prefer wine as beer. Now, drinkers in this age bracket have shifted back to beer, with an average of 47% in the combined 2007-2008 data saying they most often drink beer.
Pour yourself into this story here.
SINC SAYS:
Seems to fit in my case as beer would be my drink of choice over wine any day. And spirits? Nope, hardly ever.
These results are based on Gallup's annual Consumption Habits poll, conducted July 10-13 of this year.
As the graph shows, beer still is not as widely preferred today as it was in the early 1990s, when close to half of Americans said it was their alcoholic drink of choice. Preferences for wine have fallen back from their 2005 high (39%) to 31%.
The shift back to beer from wine in recent years has occurred mostly among Americans between the ages of 30 and 49. In combined data from the 2004 and 2005 Consumption surveys, drinkers between 30 and 49 were about as likely to prefer wine as beer. Now, drinkers in this age bracket have shifted back to beer, with an average of 47% in the combined 2007-2008 data saying they most often drink beer.
Pour yourself into this story here.
SINC SAYS:
Seems to fit in my case as beer would be my drink of choice over wine any day. And spirits? Nope, hardly ever.
Danica Aware Of Constant Spotlight
26/07/2008 06:15
EDMONTON - Danica Patrick didn't make excuses Thursday for her smash-hit web video dustup with fellow driver Milka Duno, but suggested she regrets the effect the profanity-laced five-star YouTube fare will have on youngsters.
"I need to watch it, be careful, you know, just not do anything that draws attention that's not always the most positive," Patrick told a news conference before the first practice session for Saturday's Rexall Edmonton Indy (5 p.m. ET, TSN).
"I want kids to be fans of me and parents to be excited about watching, too."
Patrick vs. Duno - which occurred last Saturday during pre-race trials for the Mid-Ohio race in Lexington - has generated hundreds of thousands of web hits and has led national TV sportscasts.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
From her reception in preparation for the Edmonton Indy, it would certainly appear young Ms. Patrick has captured the imaginations of race fans young and old, male and female everywhere. She is quickly approaching “superstar” status.
Just imagine how much her "celebrity" could rise if she could somehow manage to win today's Edmonton Indy?
Wendy’s Kick For A Million Returns
26/07/2008 06:14
TORONTO - Fifty-yard field goals don't get any sweeter than this, as TSN announced details for the return of its fourth annual, international award-winning million-dollar giveaway, Wendy's Kick for a Million.
The big event will air live nationally on TSN and TSN HD on October 3 during the CFL on TSN: Wendy's Friday Night Football halftime show featuring B.C. @ Toronto, as one lucky fan will get the chance to kick a 50-yard field goal for $1 million.
The highly-anticipated promotion returns with a brand-new format, as four randomly selected participants - two from Eastern Canada and two from Western Canada - will now compete in regional quarter-final events in Toronto and Vancouver, with the winning participants moving on to the semifinal in Toronto. The winner of the semifinal event will appear live on TSN on October 3 with the chance to turn a 50-yard field goal into a $1 million payday. Similar to last year, the participants are allowed to practice prior to the event.
"Wendy's Kick for a Million has evolved into a huge, must-see event. It gives every day sports fans a chance to be part of the action and win big," said Phil King, President, TSN. "The success of Wendy's Kick for a Million has led to other innovative and lucrative contests on the network and has become the industry benchmark for all sports fan contests in Canada."
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
In 2005, the first year of the contest, 25-year old mechanical engineer Brian Diesbourg of Belle River, ON, became an overnight success by splitting the uprights at 50 yards and winning the $1 million grand prize, so it is possible.
Favre To Packers Training Camp, Can Talk To Jets
26/07/2008 06:14
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre has told the Green Bay Packers he plans to report to training camp this weekend, according to an NFL Network report Friday - a move perhaps designed to force the team to quickly work out a trade for the three-time MVP.
According to the report, Favre told Packers general manager Ted Thompson on Thursday that he plans to report to camp and will formally petition NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to be reinstated as early as Friday.
Favre's presence in camp could cause a major distraction for the Packers, providing the team additional motivation to work out a trade.
At the same time, ESPN is reporting that the New York Jets have received permission to talk to Favre. The Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have expressed interest in Favre, a source told ESPN.
The team committed to moving on with Aaron Rodgers after Favre retired in early March, led them to believe he was coming back in late March, then decided to stay retired - until he apparently changed his mind once again in recent weeks.
Packers players are scheduled to move into their dorm rooms on Saturday, and their first team meeting is scheduled for Sunday morning. Their first practice is Monday morning.
Team officials did not immediately return telephone calls from The Associated Press. Packers coach Mike McCarthy is scheduled to address the media on Saturday.
In an interview with Fox News last week, Favre said it was "tempting" to show up to Packers camp to call the Packers' "bluff."
But, Favre added: "I don't want to go back there just to stick it to them."
More from Canadian Press/TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I give up.
Wings’ Holstrom Uses Stanley Cup In Baptism
26/07/2008 06:13
PITEA, Sweden - Tomas Holmstrom had his day with the Stanley Cup on Friday, and he let his cousin use it as a baptismal font for a christening.
Holmstrom suggested the idea to his cousin, Robert Sundstrom, who baptized his seven-week-old daughter Alva Felicia during a private ceremony outside Holmstrom's hometown of Pitea in northern Sweden.
"Tomas came up with the idea when we were sitting in his summer cabin kitchen a week ago," Sundstrom said. "Me and my wife thought it would be fun to christen our daughter in such a priceless object."
The only outsiders at the ceremony were the two American security guards who travel with the massive silver trophy in Sweden.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Well, I’ve heard of the Stanley Cup being used for a lot of things over the years, but that’s a completely new one on me.
Tennis Player ‘Wired For Sound’ – Receiving Instructions
26/07/2008 06:12
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - An eight-year-old girl was ejected from a junior tennis tournament at Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island when officials discovered she was wearing a radio earpiece to receive instructions from her father.
Tournament referee Rob Wilkinson said officials became suspicious because the match involving Ukranian-born Anastasiya Korzh featured a "heightened number of questioned calls."
Officials found the earpiece hidden under the girl's headband, linked by a cord to a receiver under her shirt, The Press newspaper reported Thursday.
Korzh's father said the earpiece was only being used to help the girl keep score in the under-10 tournament.
She was playing in her first tournament.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
What will the parents of young sports players, with dollar signs in their eyes, think of next? I’m surprised this hasn’t worked its way into minor hockey yet.
Jasper National Park In the Morning Sun . . .
25/07/2008 07:03
As I write this from
the Wapiti Campground in Jasper National Park,
it is a very brisk 5 degrees.
It take a good while for the sun to rise above the mountains, and leaves the valleys very cool in the morning.
Here is a look at the tramway that goes up the side of the mountain in the early morning sun.
I can see Elk grazing on the mountain slope, but they are obscurred by the trees.
Imagine being able to edit your web site from the wilds of Jasper. Ain’t technology fun?
Here's a closer look at the building on top of the tramway:
It take a good while for the sun to rise above the mountains, and leaves the valleys very cool in the morning.
Here is a look at the tramway that goes up the side of the mountain in the early morning sun.
I can see Elk grazing on the mountain slope, but they are obscurred by the trees.
Imagine being able to edit your web site from the wilds of Jasper. Ain’t technology fun?
Here's a closer look at the building on top of the tramway:
Newspaper Misspells Its Own Name On Front Page
25/07/2008 05:26
No media
organisation can claim to be immune from
spelling mistakes, but a local paper in the
United States may have set a new standard for
most glaring
typo.
This Monday readers of New Hampshire’s Valley News were surprised to see the paper's name spelled "Valley Newss" on the front page masthead.
The following day the newspaper, which covers the Upper Valley area straddling New Hampshire and Vermont, published an “Editor’s Note” acknowledging the error.
“Readers may have noticed that the Valley News misspelled its own name on yesterday’s front page,” it read.
“Given that we routinely call on other institutions to hold themselves accountable for the mistakes, let us say for the record: We sure feel silly.”
The misspelling, which is still visible in the archive section of the newspaper’s website , has already been touted as favourite for typo of the year by the Regret the Error blog, which monitors media mistakes.
SINC SAYS:
In my career, I once mispelled the word public in a public auction ad. Seems I forgot the “L” which got a big laugh from our readers.
The Wisdom Of Will Rogers . . .
25/07/2008 05:24
Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935, was probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known. Enjoy the following:
Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.
Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman...neither works.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
Grandmother, 78, Chased And Caught A Mugger
25/07/2008 05:20
The 78-year-old
grandmother of an Olympic sprinter has shown
that athleticism runs in the family, after she
chased and caught a mugger who stole her
purse.
Mrs. Williamson: 'She must have thought I was an easy touch because I'm elderly' Photo: NATIONAL NEWS AND PICTURES
Pearline Williamson, whose grandson is 100m runner Simeon Williamson, was out shopping when a young woman ran past her, pulling the purse from her hand.
Without a thought for her own safety Mrs Williamson sprinted after the woman, believed to be in her early 20s, and managed to catch her.
The furious pensioner then shook her attacker in front of fellow shoppers in Edmonton, north London. The thief dropped the purse and escaped.
Sprint through this story here.
SINC SAYS:
Reminds me of that old Beach Boys song where they sing “Go granny, go granny, go granny go.”
Lightning Bolt Rings Doorbell
25/07/2008 05:17
Mother Nature
knocks at Cobourg couple's
doorCOBOURG - George and Theresa Penfold got the shock of their lives when Mother Nature came knocking at their door yesterday.
The Penfolds were still in bed when a lightning bolt rang their doorbell at 7 a.m.
George was awake in bed but Theresa was still sleeping.
“All of a sudden it hit and the flash (and thunder) made such a noise,” said Theresa. “I flew out of bed because I was asleep.”
As the elderly couple rushed from their bedroom, they could smell smoke.
“I figured (the house) was hit, but was afraid to look outside,” said Theresa.
The lightning strike blew a half-inch hole in the metal at the top of the front door and travelled down to the doorbell.
With power out in part of the house, the phones not working, coupled with the lightning storm still raging, the Penfolds had another problem.
How to contact emergency services?
With the smell of smoke still lingering, she went next door to use her neighbours’ phone to call the fire department.
When crews arrived, there was no fire - just a shaken couple.
Theresa said she is “scared skinny” of lightning and always has been.
SINC SAYS:
What a way to wake up! Hell’s bells and all.
Drinking Fountain Buried By Mischievous Seniors
25/07/2008 05:11
Dick Hager, one of
the two pranksters from Grossmont's class of
1960, examines the water fountain he helped
bury in 1960 as a prank after the fountain was
unearthed Friday. EARNIE GRAFTON /
Union-Tribune.EL CAJON – Nearly 50 years ago, Dick Hager of Indio and Craig Ashley of La Mesa were about to graduate from Grossmont High School and aching to leave their mark with a prank.
“We needed to act out,” said Hager, 66, a retired probation officer.
They pulled off a doozy. Only recently was their mischievousness uncovered: a 300-pound granite drinking fountain they had buried near the center of campus in 1960.
Grossmont High received the fountain as a gift when it opened in the early 1920s. It was pulled from the ground during a ceremony last week just outside of the newly remodeled library and computer lab building. About 100 people attended, including administrators, teachers, former students and current students.
Details here.
SINC SAYS:
50 years is a long time to keep a secret. Although some folks have kept them longer.
Harley Goes Three-Wheeling
25/07/2008 05:07
It's a new Harley .
. .
with an extra wheel
Merge the tricycle you rode as a kid, with the sound of a soft-tail, and you get Harley-Davidson's newest bike - the Tri-Glide Ultra.
It's got three wheels for those of you scared of falling on your bike.
The motorcycle also has a reverse transmission and the distinctive bat wing look. It's part of Harley's 2009 collection of new bikes.
SINC SAYS:
Now that’s more my kind of bike. Much more stable, but I wonder how noisy it is?
Mike Weir Leads Canadian Open
25/07/2008 05:07
OAKVILLE, Ont. - When things start going right for Mike Weir in front of the home crowd, he feels as though nothing can go wrong.
The popular lefty got in a groove while shooting a bogey-free 65 on Thursday and grabbed a share of the lead at the RBC Canadian Open. Anthony Kim and Eric Axley matched him at 6-under par on a day where play was halted for more than five and a half hours by bad weather.
It would be difficult to find a fan at Glen Abbey that doesn't want to see Weir win this week. All of that positive energy is something that helps him keep going once he's off to a good start.
"I think that's what Tiger gets a lot," said Weir. "Someone was asking me how he makes these putts on the last hole. (It's because) he believes he can make it. The crowd believes he can make it. It's all the right stuff going in the right direction."
"It's nice to have that one time, one week. When people are pulling for you, sometimes there is a feeling like you just can't miss."
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It’s well past time a Canadian won the Canadian Open. Maybe Weir can be the first to do so in 54 years.
Catch all of the live second round coverage at 1:00 p.m. local time today on TSN or TSN-HD.
Pack To Postpone Retiring Favre’s Jersey
25/07/2008 05:06
GREEN BAY, Wis. - With Brett Favre's retirement up in the air, it goes without saying that the Green Bay Packers might have to put off retiring the three-time MVP's jersey.
The Packers had scheduled a ceremony to retire Favre's jersey in conjunction with the Sept. 8 season opener against Minnesota at Lambeau Field.
But with Favre now considering playing again in 2008 and locked in a standoff with Packers management about his future in football, Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy acknowledged Thursday that the ceremony might have to be postponed.
''We have not made a decision yet on whether to cancel it,'' Murphy said, after the Packers' annual shareholders meeting at Lambeau. ''But we're coming up to a point where we're going to have to make a decision pretty quickly.''
But Murphy said any delay would only be temporary.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Unfortunately, folks, this soap opera is going from the sublime to the completely ludicrous.
Canada, Revenue Sharing Key To Future Of NHL
25/07/2008 05:05
NHL Players Association (NHLPA) Executive Director Paul Kelly told the Team 1040 radio in Vancouver on Thursday that revenue sharing and untapped Canadian markets could have a role in helping to ensure the future financial success of the NHL.
Kelly, who became Executive Director of the NHLPA in October of 2007, said a key goal for the union was to help ensure the financial success of every team in the league. He noted that if some current markets could not maintain a stable franchise, or if the NHL opted to expand again, Canada could be the land of opportunity.
"We're very supportive of the Canadian franchises, not only because of the history and tradition, but also because of the results," Kelly explained on the TEAM 1040.
"I mean the Canadian fans are like no others," he continued. "They're passionate, they come out and support it, they buy the merchandise, and they're knowledgeable about the sport. And it seems to us a no-brainer that if you're going to expand or you're going to relocate, that you first and foremost have to consider some of the major hubs here in Canada. You know, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Quebec City, perhaps Halifax if they had an arena that could sustain an NHL team. But I think there are locations in Canada that would strongly support the NHL game."
No matter where a team is located, Kelly said the union wants to make sure each club has a strong economic base, and he has some ideas about how that goal might be better realized.
"It will ultimately come down to the revenue-sharing system we have in the game," Kelly told the Team 1040. "I mean the haves - the big market teams - are doing very, very well financially, and they could probably do more in the way of revenue sharing to help out those teams that are in the bottom five or six on the list to help make them more stable financially.
"But long-term, the players aren't singling out any particular franchises and saying 'that's got to go'. They really would like to see all the existing franchises survive, if that's possible."
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Duh . . . wow, what a surprise!
Two Men Linked To Donaghy Get Jail
25/07/2008 05:04
NEW YORK - Two former high school classmates of disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy were both sentenced to more than a year in prison Thursday for their roles in a betting scandal that embarrassed the league.
A federal judge in Brooklyn gave James Battista, a professional gambler and admitted drug addict, 15 months in prison for making bets based on inside tips. Thomas Martino, the scheme's middleman, was sentenced to a year and one day for paying the referee thousands of dollars for the tips.
The men, both 42 and former classmates of Donaghy in Springfield, Pa., apologized before being sentenced.
"I'm not blaming either one of my co-defendants," Battista said. "I made bad choices."
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
What’s that old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together?”
Sports Illustrated Predicts 15 Canadian Medals
25/07/2008 05:03
NEW YORK - Sports Illustrated predicts Canada will win 15 medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
SI's Olympic preview edition says the U.S. will win the most medals with 121, but picks host China to take the lion's share of the gold with 49.
The magazine says Canada will win two gold, four silver and nine bronze in these Games, which open Aug. 8.
Canada won 12 medals at the 2004 Games in Athens (three gold, six silver and three bronze).
Adam van Koeverden and the men's eight rowing team are SI's choices for Canada's gold medallists.
SI's prognostications include silver medals for van Koeverden, Marie-Helene Premont in mountain biking, Karine Sergerie in taekwondo and Thomas Hall in canoe.
Eric Lamaze and Canada's show jumping team are chosen for bronze medals in equestrian as are Karen Cockburn in trampoline, the women's eights in rowing, Sebastien Michaud and Ivett Gona in taekwondo, Carol Huynh and Tonya Verbeek in women's wrestling and the rowing pair of Dave Calder and Scott Frandsen.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Methinks the Sports Illustrated prediction might be a little optimistic.
$1,000 Reward Offered For Missing Cat
24/07/2008 06:36
CBC News
An Edmonton pet store is chipping in $700 as a reward to help a woman find her missing cat, which was last seen wearing a pink dress and an ID collar.
With the help of the Urban Dog, a store on Whyte Avenue, Kelley Abercrombie is now offering $1,000 in total for information leading to the safe return of her cat Dipity.
The grey, spayed female feline was last seen in the parking lot of the Second Cup in South Edmonton Common on June 24.
Abercrombie said the kitty, which loves car rides, had squeezed out of her car through a window, while she was in the coffee shop for a business meeting.
She explained that Dipity — who's been known to dash from the car — was wearing a pink dress at the time because it makes it easier to spot the grey cat against asphalt.
A witness told Abercrombie that a blonde, petite woman between 17 and 21 years old scooped the cat up, remarked that a feline shouldn't be wearing a dress, and said she would take the animal to a relative's farm.
Abercrombie, a volunteer with the Edmonton Humane Society, is concerned because she says her cat, who weighs about five kilograms, or 11 pounds, has "absolutely no outdoor survival skills."
Dipity was wearing an ID collar with Abercrombie's name and phone number, as well as a microchip with identifying information.
Abercrombie is asking that her cat be returned to any shelter or veterinarian's office, or that anyone who knows where Dipity is call Crime Stoppers or the Edmonton police.
She's offering $300 herself, while the Urban Dog is putting up $700 as a reward.
"We are very concerned that someone took her family member without thinking about the consequences," says Laurel Kostuk, the store's co-owner. "Someone will hopefully come forward with this increase of money."
SINC SAYS:
Only in Edmonton you say? Well, a grand seems just a bit steep for a cat, but whatever the owner wants sets the rate.
Pet Rabbit A Fire Hero
24/07/2008 06:36
A QUICK-THINKING
bunny, named Rabbit, has saved a Melbourne
couple from a devastating house
fire.Rabbit's owner Gerry Finn had been home from night shift only 30 minutes when he heard the black rabbit furiously scratching at the bedroom door about 6am today.
He was shocked to discover it had alerted him to a blaze rapidly spreading through the back of his Macleod home, in Melbourne's north.
Smoke blackened the inside of the house, and flames destroyed part of the roof.
SINC SAYS:
Er, What’s up Doc?
Last Night's Winning Lotto 649 Numbers
24/07/2008 06:30
Lotto 6/49 : Wednesday, July 23, 2008
7, 9, 25, 35, 40, 48, Bonus 1
Western Extra : 1065217
__________________
*Lottery numbers are unofficial, check lottery retailer for official numbers*
SINC
SAYS:
I haven't had a
chance to check my ticket yet, but good luck
to you.
24/07/2008 06:28
If Mars had earthquakes would they be called marsquakes?
Why do people never say "it's only a game" when they're winning?
If an ambulance is on its way to save someone, and it runs someone over, does it stop to help them?
Why is it called a funny bone, when if you hit it, it's not funny at all?
Do you yawn in your sleep?
Why do dogs like the smell of other dogs butts?
Cities Say Hundreds Of Manhole Covers Stolen
24/07/2008 06:26
From CBC News
FLINT, Mich. - Officials in Flint, Michigan, say they've had to replace hundreds of manhole covers and grates that were probably stolen and sold for scrap.
The Flint Journal reported Monday that nearly 400 cast iron covers and grates have been taken from streets in the past year.
A cover can fetch $20 from a scrap yard but can cost the city more than $200 to replace.
Officials in neighbouring Burton say they've lost about 200 covers and grates during the same period.
Utilities supervisor Mike Holzer says it leaves behind holes as deep as about 11 metres.
Genesee County officials say they've been able to reduce thefts of county-owned covers by outfitting them with a bolt that is turned by a wrench that only they have.
SINC SAYS:
Let’s face it, the problem here is unscrupulous scrap dealers. If they refused to buy the covers, the market would dry up pronto.
Connecticut City Says It's Time To Get Tough On Gum Control
24/07/2008 06:21
From CBC News
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Bridgeport officials say it's time to get tough on gum control.
A downtown improvement agency is deploying a new weapon in its battle against wads of discarded chewing gum: a GumBuster, a device they first spotted on an episode of the Discovery Channel's "Dirty Jobs" series.
As one of Connecticut's poorest cities, however, Bridgeport couldn't swallow the distributor's $6,200 asking price for a new GumBuster, generator and other accessories.
Instead, the Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District snagged the machine for $1,300 on the online eBay auction site, bought a $300 generator at Home Depot and quickly got down to the business of unsticking the sticky stuff.
They say it's about as easy as, well - walking and chewing gum at the same time.
Workers spray steam over the wads to loosen them, then dissolve the rest with a solution of soap and water and scrape up the residue.
SINC SAYS:
Is there anything more disgusting than people who throw their chewing gum on city streets? Yep, indeed there is - people who chew gum.
World Forests 'Threatened By Food, Fuel Demands'
24/07/2008 06:19
LONDON (AFP) - The
world's forests will be gobbled up by an
escalating demand for fuel and food unless
steps are taken to hand the people who live in
them greater rights, two reports published here
Monday said.The US-based Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), an international coalition of forest governance and conservation groups, warned that widespread deforestation would make climate change more severe.
It would also push the billion or so people dependent on forests further into poverty and trigger conflicts, the coalition's reports said.
The international community must work to empower poor forest-dwellers if the loss of forest and its consequences are to be avoided, the RRI concluded.
Details here.
SINC SAYS:
Mankind has known for decades about the disasterous efect of forest loss, but do we do anything about it? Nooooooo!
Is Geroy Simon Among CFL’s Greatest Receivers?
24/07/2008 06:18
It might be the most frequently used name in the CFL, but only one player has it and defensive backs around the league have grown tired of it.
And that name is Geroy Simon.
The veteran slotback for the B.C. Lions is already within striking distance of Jim Young's all-time team record of 65 touchdown receptions and is three yards shy of his team record for receiving yards.
But with his consistency and productivity over the last decade with the Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Simon is already drawing league-wide consideration as the best receiver of his era. That's certainly news to Simon, who is currently 13th on the CFL's all-time receiving list.
"This is a league with a bunch of guys who have come before me and did some special things," he told TSN this week. "I don't know if I can put myself in the same category as those guys."
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Don’t get me wrong. Geroy Simon is an awfully good receiver, but is he among the CFL’s greatest all-time receivers? Not even close.
van Koeverden Named Canada’s Flag Bearer
24/07/2008 06:17
Reigning Olympic and world champion kayaker Adam van Koeverden has been given the honor of carrying the Canadian flag in the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Summer Olympics.
The K-1 500-metre champion was selected ahead of a list of candidates which included fellow Olympians Alexandre Despatie, Ian Millar and Simon Whitfield.
Van Koeverden carried the Canadian flag in the closing ceremonies at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
"I don't see it so much as leading but as representing," van Koeverden said via satellite from his local club in Oakville. "We're all marching in together. Everybody's a leader."
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I respectfully disagree with this selection. I still think it should have been Equestrian Ian Millar, who is competing in a record ninth straight Olympic games.
Daryl Katz Steps Up To Plate Again
24/07/2008 06:17
They went to an auto race and a hockey promotion broke out.
Racer Graham Rahal will have the Edmonton Oilers petrol-drop logo on his No. 06 Dallara/Honda/Firestone car for Saturday's Rexall Edmonton Indy.
His Newman/Haas/Lanigan team and pharmacy giant Rexall announced Tuesday that Rexall has signed on as title sponsor for Saturday's race at the City Centre Airport.
"We're looking forward to seeing an Indy car sporting the Oilers' copper and blue on the track, hopefully taking the checkered flag first," Daryl Katz, Rexall chairman and sole owner of the Oilers, said in a news release.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Rahal, 19, raced in Edmonton last year in the old Champ Car Series, starting in fourth position and finishing on the podium in third.
He has one win under his belt this year with a win in April on a soggy street course in St. Petersburg, Fla.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Well, there’s certainly no question that Daryl Katz has stepped up to the plate, and put his money where his mouth is, to ensure the success of major sporting events in his home town, is there?
Report: Packers Begin ‘Shopping’ Favre
24/07/2008 06:16
There might be some light at the end of the tunnel.
After what seems like an eternity of going back and forth, the circus that is Brett Favre vs. The Packers might be getting close to a resolution.
It looks like the league has stepped in and asked the Green Bay Packers to sort things out before Training Camp begins this weekend. Several on-line reports say the team has begun to make calls to gage interest in the future Hall of Famer's services.
WEAU 13, a television station in Wisconsin, reported Tuesday night that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told Packers GM Ted Thompson that if Favre applies, he would be reinstated by the league. The report also indicated Goodell encouraged Thompson to begin looking to see if a deal to move Favre could be made.
The NFL Network was the first to report that the Packers were exploring possible trade opportunities for Favre. Several teams in the AFC and NFC have confirmed they have been contacted by Green Bay.
More from TSN’s David Carroll.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I used to be a big Green Bay Packers fan. This fiasco has certainly tainted my opinion of the once storied franchise.
Kim Drawing Crowds At Canadian Open
24/07/2008 06:16
OAKVILLE, Ont. - Watching Anthony Kim walk onto the busy practice range at Glen Abbey on Tuesday was like seeing a high-powered magnet get pointed at a pile of quarters.
It took no time at all for many of Kim's fellow pros and their caddies to come his way, seemingly drawn to a 23-year-old who has the look of golf's next big thing.
Kim cracked a few jokes and exchanged fist bumps with others on the range before talking on his cellphone for several minutes while hitting balls one-handed. It was impossible to ignore his presence - and that presence only seems to be growing each week.
Winning two PGA Tour tournaments in a season at such a young age will do that. It also brings on expectations, especially at an event like the RBC Canadian Open where Kim enters having won more money this season than anyone else in the field.
"(I have to) keep my head down," Kim said in explaining his strategy for handling those expectations. "Sometimes it's easy to think that I don't need to keep working as hard as I've been working the last couple of months but I want to win golf tournaments.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
There is little doubt about young Mr. Kim’s magnetism and charisma. Professional golf needs another Tiger Woods.
Catch all of the first round action of the RBC Canadian Open starting at 1:00 p.m. local time today on TSN or TSN-HD.
Feds Find 'Smoking Pepper' Behind Salmonella Scare
23/07/2008 06:43
Officials Warn Of
Eating Raw Jalapeno And Serrano
PeppersFederal officials investigating a widespread salmonella outbreak have found the smoking pepper.
A jalapeno pepper contaminated with the same strain of salmonella that has caused the outbreak was found in a food distribution warehouse in McAllen, Texas, said David Acheson, the associate commissioner for foods for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
That discovery led federal officials on Monday to widen their warning against eating raw jalapeno and serrano peppers. Uncooked jalapenos are commonly used in foods such as guacamole and fresh salsa. However, those foods may also be prepared with cooked or pickled jalapenos, which are safe to eat because heating kills salmonella bacteria.
Federal officials are advising all Americans now to avoid uncooked jalapenos, and asking restaurants and supermarkets not to stock them. An earlier warning against eating jalapeno and serrano peppers was aimed just at those at higher risk of food-borne illness — elderly people, infants and those with weakened immune systems — to avoid jalapeno and serrano peppers.
The pepper was found in the Agricola Zaragosa distribution center in McAllen, a common border crossing for Mexican produce. The pepper was grown in Mexico, Acheson said, but investigators still are unsure where the pepper was contaminated.
Finding the pepper is an important clue that will help investigators narrow their search, he said.
"While this pepper may have originated from Mexico, I want to emphasize this does not mean the contamination happened in Mexico," Acheson said.
The long-running outbreak has sickened 1,251 people, and caused at least 229 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has been linked to two deaths.
The outbreak was initially linked to tomatoes, and they have not been exonerated in the outbreak, said Robert Tauxe, of the CDC.
But tomatoes currently on the market are safe to eat. The FDA and CDC lifted advice against eating round, red tomatoes or plum tomatoes last week.
More recent cases of illness appear to be more strongly linked to spicy peppers, Tauxe said.
Jalapenos and other peppers from Agricola Zaragosa have been recalled.
SINC SAYS:
I for one am glad to know that tomatoes are no threat. But I like salsa too, so am glad the kind we buy is not fresh, but in a jar.
Kelowna Woman Believes She saw Legendary Ogopogo
23/07/2008 06:38
From CBC News
KELOWNA, B.C. - Don't tell Robyn Holman that the mythical lake monster called the Ogopogo doesn't exist.
Because Holman says the elusive beast made an appearance as she and a friend were travelling along the highway near Peachland, B.C., on Sunday afternoon. Holman says she noticed a wave in the water on Okanagan Lake and couldn't believe her eyes when she turned to look.
Holman says she took a picture and is now waiting to get the photo developed. Whether it turns out or not, the Kelowna, B.C., woman is now convinced that the legendary Ogopogo does exist.
The Ogopogo legend has been in existence for as long as settlers have been in B.C.
The first recorded sighting was in 1872, by Mrs. John Allison, and sightings have been recorded regularly ever since, although there is no solid evidence that the creature exists.
First Nations legends call the beast the N'ha-a-itk, or lake demon, according to local lore.
Similar to the monster of Loch Ness in Scotland, the Ogopogo is purportedly a serpent-like creature, somewhere between six and 15 metres long, with a horse-shaped head and a dark blue or brown body.
SINC SAYS:
Monsters and aliens and UFOs all kind of fall into that grey area of people’s minds.
Teacher Lasts 20 Hours On Carnival Ride, Wins $1,000
23/07/2008 06:38
From CBC NEWS
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - A Minnesota high school has teacher lasted 20 hours on a carnival ride to win the Ride the Tide Challenge at the Mall of America.
Jim Salava, 40, of Oakdale, was declared the winner at the Nickelodeon Universe theme park when his final opponent stepped down at 2:35 a.m. Tuesday.
Salava was among 10 riders who boarded the Avatar Airbender at 6:30 a.m. Monday. The pool dwindled to three riders just three hours into the competition.
The Avatar Airbender averages 69 km/h and reaches heights of 21 metres. Other than bathroom and meal breaks, contestants remained on the ride at all times - even to sleep.
The top prize includes a family cruise, $1,000 spending cash and a lifetime pass to the theme park.
SINC SAYS:
You couldn’t get me on a roller coaster if you gave me the grand up front.
A Tesla In Your Future?
23/07/2008 06:32
PayPal's co-founder
hopes to produce a practical $30,000
all-electric car in four
years.The electric car has been pronounced dead many times, but Elon Musk is out to resurrect it.
The South African-born Musk left home at age 17 for North America and made a fortune when PayPal, a company he cofounded, was sold to eBay in 2002. One of his new companies—he's chairman of three start-ups—is Tesla Motors, a San Carlos, Calif.-based electric-car manufacturer. Its first model, the Tesla Roadster, is a sleek, high-end sports car with an eyepopping price tag.
It'll start rolling onto streets this summer. NEWSWEEK's Fareed Zakaria spoke to Musk about the future of transportation in an oil-constrained world.
Plug into this story here.
SINC SAYS:
I have little doubt that this is the way of the future. I also have little doubt I will live to see it.
The Louder The Music In Bars, The Faster You Drink
23/07/2008 06:27
Loud pop music in
bars makes people drink more and down it more
quickly, a study in France has
shown.Researchers watched young men who had ordered a glass of beer on a Saturday evening in two unnamed bars in western France. The drinkers were unaware they were being watched by the researchers, who had programmed the sound system to select randomly either a normal level of 72 decibels or a loud level of 88dB.
Nicolas Guéguen, Professor of Behavioural sciences at the Université de Bretagne-Sud, led the study. He said: “Previous research has shown that fast music can cause fast drinking, and that music versus no music can cause a person to spend more time in a bar. This is the first time that an experimental approach in a real context found the effects of loud music on alcohol consumption.”
Have a nip here.
SINC SAYS:
I never have understood why people go out to a club or bar and sit and look at each other all night. Conversation is impossible with the ear popping sound levels in these places. I quit going to them when it all started about 30 years back.
City Playboys Can't Afford Their Mistresses
23/07/2008 06:24
From Metro.Co.UK
City boys are feeling the credit crunch and cutting out the 'other woman'
It's not just the Porsches and the expensive lunches that are being credit-crunched down in the City – mistresses of high fliers are also feeling the pinch.
Nearly half of analysts, stockbrokers and hedge fund managers say 'the other woman' is first to get the chop as they cut their spending habits.
Divorces have also soared as City bonuses fell for the first time in five years last month.
About a fifth of all high earners in the Square Mile know one or more colleagues whose marriage has broken down since the credit crunch while one in ten is worried their own spouse may leave them.
Half of all City workers said they had seen their bonuses slashed by up to £40,000, leading to more fights with their other halves, revealed the study by law firm Mishcon de Reya.
Sandra Davis, a company lawyer, said: 'Most City workers – 79 per cent – fear marriages are more likely to break down during a downturn.
'The biggest concern is among those who have been married for between three and seven years, with those who have been married less than two years least concerned, reflecting either the honeymoon period lasts for up to three years or new wives have had less time to get used to the high life.'
SINC SAYS:
Man the high cost of gasoline sure has long tentacles, doesn’t it?
Surprising Results When You Rearrange The Letters
23/07/2008 06:24
DORMITORY - DIRTY ROOM
PRESBYTERIAN - BEST IN PRAYER
ASTRONOMER - MOON STARER
DESPERATION - A ROPE ENDS IT
THE EYES - THEY SEE
GEORGE BUSH - HE BUGS GORE
THE MORSE CODE - HERE COME DOTS
SLOT MACHINES - CASH LOST IN ME
ANIMOSITY - IS NO AMITY
ELECTION RESULTS - LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
SNOOZE ALARMS - ALAS! NO MORE Z'S
A DECIMAL POINT - I'M A DOT IN PLACE
THE EARTHQUAKES - THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO - TWELVE PLUS ONE
GAUTENG - GET A GUN
AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:
MOTHER-IN-LAW - WOMAN HITLER
German Intruder Turns Out To Be Albino Rabbit
23/07/2008 06:19
Mysterious tapping
noises late on Tuesday night caused residents
in an apartment building in Wetter in the
German state of North Rhine-Westphalia to alarm
police, who broke into the empty apartment only
to find an albino rabbit amusing himself in his
cage, police reported on
Wednesday.The inhabitants of the flat were out of town, so neighbours were concerned when they heard thumping noises and alerted the authorities, fearing an intruder. Police said they heard the noises upon arrival, and were particularly alarmed when the enigmatic being behind the door reacted to their verbal inquiries with angry thumping.
Police broke into the apartment and found an albino rabbit in a large metal cage who was passing the time by drumming its hind legs against the floor of his abode. Police made sure the animal was safe and tended to him before taking their leave.
SINC SAYS:
This story reminds me of Disney’s rabbit, Thumper.
Argos Spout Off About Buffalo Bills On OTR
23/07/2008 06:18
The idea of the Buffalo Bills playing in Toronto does not sit well with some members of the CFL's Argonauts.
Four players appeared on TSN's Off The Record on Tuesday and offered their strong feelings during the podcast segment of the show, known as Really Off The Record.
''I definitely hate the idea of Buffalo coming up here. I really dislike it," said defensive end Jonathan Brown. "I mean, they're stepping on our turf. This is our turf - this is the CFL. They definitely have no business coming up here.''
Starting quarterback Kerry Joseph, who played in the NFL prior to coming to the CFL, is concerned about the effect the Bills may have on the Argonauts and would prefer they play elsewhere.
''I think it can hurt the market here," said Joseph. "There's enough professional teams here, we don't need another one. They're doing fine in Buffalo - or go somewhere else."
And while Backup quarterback Michael Bishop understands why organizers want NFL games in Toronto, he warns their quest for profits may come at a price in Canada.
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
The four Argo players left absolutely no doubt about how they feel about the NFL “experiment” that will see the Buffalo Bills playing eight games over the next five years on “their turf” at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Again, it’s all about the money, folks. And, these CFL players don’t like it one tiny bit.
Wie Plans To Play On PGA Tour Again At Reno-Tahoe
23/07/2008 06:17
Reno, NV (Sports Network) - Just days removed from an embarrassing disqualification at an LPGA Tour event, Michelle Wie has been invited to play on the PGA Tour again.
Wie accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in next week's Reno-Tahoe Open, where she will join former Stanford classmate Rob Grube in a field that includes four major champions.
It will be the first time this season -- and the eighth time in her career -- that the 18-year-old Wie will appear at a PGA Tour event. She has never made the cut against the men stateside, though she did make the weekend at a Korean Tour event two years ago.
"It's not every day that a woman is given the opportunity to play on the greatest tour in the world," Wie said in a statement released by the tournament on Monday. "This is a tremendous opportunity for me to learn from these great players and take those lessons to the LPGA. This is another step in the process of making me a better player."
Wie was in second place when she was disqualified from the LPGA Tour's State Farm Classic after the third round on Saturday.
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Well, let’s see if young Ms. Wie can put all of her recent troubles behind her and make the cut this week on the men’s tour.
Becker: Nadal Is World’s Best Player
23/07/2008 06:17
TORONTO - Roger Federer has the world No. 1 ranking but there's no doubt in Boris Becker's mind who's the best player in men's tennis.
That distinction, Becker contends, belongs to Spain's Rafael Nadal, who is ranked second behind Federer despite having beaten the Swiss star in both the French Open and Wimbledon finals this year.
"Obviously in the world rankings there is still a No. 1 called Federer," Becker said Monday during a news conference at the Rogers Cup. "But I think if you talk to anybody in the world of tennis who is considered for now the No. 1 player in the world, it's the winner of the French Open and Wimbledon.
"I think there's a change in the position at the moment."
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It’s kind of hard to argue with Becker’s assessment, isn’t it folks? And, if Nadal isn’t the best, he’s certainly in the top two.
Harrington Climbs To Career-Best No. 3 In World
23/07/2008 06:16
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - After successfully defending his title at the British Open on Sunday, Padraig Harrington jumped 11 spots to No. 3 in the latest world rankings, a career-high for the Irishman.
There was plenty of change to the top 20 this week behind world Nos. 1 and 2 Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Adam Scott and Ernie Els held steady in the fourth and fifth positions behind Harrington. Geoff Ogilvy tumbled three notches to six and was followed by Sergio Garcia, who remained seventh this week.
Stewart Cink was down two to eight, while Steve Stricker dipped one to No. 9 and Jim Furyk rose two to 10th.
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I might have to disagree with this assessment. It’s nice to have won back-to-back Open Championships, but what has Harrington done in the past couple of years besides that – particularly on the PGA Tour?
Wickenheiser To Play Men’s Hockey In Sweden
23/07/2008 06:16
ESKILSTUNA, Sweden - Hayley Wickenheiser is taking another crack at playing men's pro hockey in Europe.
Wickenheiser has signed a one-year contract with Swedish third-tier team Eskilstuna Linden, according to the club.
Team chairman Patrick Lundstedt says Wickenheiser will arrive in Sweden on Aug. 25 after serving as a softball commentator for CBC at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Wickenheiser, a 29-year-old from Shaunavon, Sask., is captain of the Canadian women's hockey team and its all-time leading scorer.
She played parts of two seasons in Finland to become the first female player other than a goaltender to play men's pro hockey. She tried out for a Swedish club last year, but was cut.
Wickenheiser also represented Canada at the 2000 Olympics in softball.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
More power to her, I guess.
THE BEARS AND I
22/07/2008 07:02
Black bears
typically have two cubs, rarely one or three.
In 2007, in northern New Hampshire, a black
bear sow gave birth to five healthy young.
There were two or three reports of sows with as
many as four cubs but five was, and is,
extraordinary.
I learned of them shortly after they emerged from their den and set myself a goal of photographing all five cubs with
their mom, no matter how much time and effort was involved.
I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a day, seven days a week, for six weeks I had that once in a lifetime opportunity and photographed them in the shadows and dull lighting of the evening.
Due to these conditions the photograph is a bit "noisy" as I had to use the equivalent of a very fast film speed on my digital camera. The print is properly focused and well exposed with all six bears "posing" as if they were in a studio for a family portrait.
I stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears during the summer and into the fall hunting season. All six bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation approached, I found still more folks who had seen them and everything remained OK. I stayed away from the bears as I was concerned that they might become habituated to me, or to people in general, as approachable "friends". This could be dangerous for both man and animal. After Halloween I received no further reports and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated.
This spring, before the snow disappeared, all six bears came out of their den and wandered the same familiar territory they trekked in the spring of 2007. I saw them before mid April and dreamed nightly of taking another "family portrait," an improbable second "once in a lifetime" photograph.
On April 25, 2008 I achieved my dream. When I showed the result to a woman who had purchased a print of the cubs a year earlier she exclaimed, "I have never seen such an extraordinary photograph". When something as magical as this happens between man and animal Native Americans say: "We have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow."
And so it is with humility and great pleasure that I share these photos with you.
Sincerely, Tom Sears
SINC SAYS:
These are indeed rare pictures, but I hate it when I have to run bear stories just before I leave for a trip to Jasper later this week. I hope this is not an omen, as I have no wish to see a bear in our campsite.
Social Stigma Drives Some Women To Remove Tattoos
22/07/2008 06:54
It appears sexism
is alive and well when it comes to tattoos.
Although just about as many women as men get
tattoos nowadays, a new study shows that
women seek removal of tattoos more than men
because of negative social
fallout.About 25% of people ages 18 to 30 have tattoos, and that number is expected to rise to about 40% in the next few years, according to the study, published today in the Archives of Dermatology. Previous studies have shown that about 20% of people end up dissatisfied with their tattoos, and about 6% seek tattoo removal using laser treatment.
In the study, researchers analyzed data from two surveys of people undergoing tattoo removal. One survey was taken in 1996 and a second survey in 2006. In both surveys, men and women said they wanted the tattoos removed because their identities had changed and they had grown to dislike the tattoos. But in the 2006 survey, women also reported that they felt stigmatized by the tattoos. For example, 93% said having to hide the tattoos on occasion was a factor in the removal compared with 20% of men. About 40% of women endured negative comments at work, in public or in school compared with 5% of men.
So, ladies, think about that tattoo before you get it. And when you get it, think long and hard about where you're putting it.
SINC SAYS:
I always wondered how long it would be until this happened. Most tatoos on women are just plain ugly, especially those ones across their backs just above the belt line. Those kind are butt ugly.
Climbing Devils Tower A Daily Delight
22/07/2008 06:50
DEVILS TOWER
NATIONAL MONUMENT - The door groans to a close
when Frank Sanders moseys out of his house and
to his car with a tall cup of milked coffee in
hand and a satchel slung over his
shoulder.Sanders' commute to work is a mile at most, and when he arrives he is greeted by a "good morning, Frank" while he drops a card into a slot. Like most people, the first minutes of Sanders' day are filled with polite chatting and obligatory greetings, but that is where similarities end.
His office is the side of the 1,267-foot-tall Devils Tower and his job is to climb.
Every day.
Climb on to this story here.
SINC SAYS:
This is an amazing national monument and the site of the filming of the Richard Dreyfuss movie, “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind”. We visited it in 2001 and stayed in the campground at the base of the tower. Each evening, the campground plays the movie and it is an eerie feeling indeed to sit at the bottom of the tower and watch the aliens on the tower in the movie. If you’ve never been, do it. It’s not really all that far away. Who knows, you might even see the climber.
Feral Donkey 'Boost' For Sex Drive
22/07/2008 06:48
NORTHERN Territory
donkeys could soon be helping to increase the
sex drive of Chinese women.
The Northern Territory News reports a Hong Kong company is trying to locate up to a million donkey skins every year to be used in the making of traditional medicines.
To date, the company has been sourcing these skins from South America, but has recently turned its attention to Australia.
Sydney-based exporter John Fleming wants to hunt feral donkeys in the Northern Territory to sell overseas.
"They want the skins, but not for leather. Apparently there is a certain extract in the skin they can use for traditional medicine,'' he said.
Chinese traditional healers are known to use donkey skins to extract Ejiao. This extract can be used to make Nu Bao, a traditional Chinese medicine which is meant to improve vitality, increase a woman's libido and help with period pain.
"They're after a lot of donkey skins. As much as they can get their hands on,'' Mr Fleming said.
"It seems there are a lot of feral donkeys out there and people are basically shooting them for sport,'' he said.
There are an estimated 300,000 feral donkeys in the Northern Territory.
SINC SAYS:
Man this is one sweet scam. Imagine Chinese women paying for the privilege of making an ass of themselves.
Brits Get Legal Right To Defend Themselves
22/07/2008 06:43
Home owners and
“have-a go-heroes” have for the first time been
given the legal right to defend themselves
against burglars and muggers free from fear of
prosecution.
They will be able to use force against criminals who break into their homes or attack them in the street without worrying that "heat of the moment” misjudgements could see them brought before the courts.
Under new laws police and prosecutors will have to assess a person’s actions based on the person’s situation "as they saw it at the time” even if in hindsight it could be seen as unreasonable.
For example, homeowners would be able stab or shoot a burglar if confronted or tackle them and use force to detain them until police arrive. Muggers could be legally punched and beaten in the street or have their own weapons used against them.
Details here.
SINC SAYS:
It’s about time Canadians were given this right. Conk a thief in your home with a baseball bat and it’s you who will be prosecuted. Our laws are asinine.
Montreal Shopkeepers Told To Put Brooms Away
22/07/2008 06:43
Bylaw Dispute;
Sweeping city sidewalks a job for unionized
staffMONTREAL - A bylaw adopted last year obliging shopkeepers and apartment owners in downtown Montreal to sweep in front of their properties has spruced up the city. Fewer cigarette butts and fast-food wrappers litter the sidewalks, and garbage bags are no longer left out for days before the trucks pass.
But acting on a complaint from the union representing Montreal's blue-collar employees, a labour arbitrator has ruled that the bylaw violates the city's collective agreement with its workers.
Sidewalkcleaning is the exclusive domain of the blue-collars, arbitrator Andre Rousseau concluded, and the city has no business enlisting "volunteers" to do the work.
The decision effectively means that city sidewalks and streets are a closed union shop, so anyone taking a broom in hand had better watch out.
The blue-collars are notoriously jealous of their turf.
Sweeping story here.
SINC SAYS:
How can stupidity rule over common sense so many times in Quebec?
Open At Glen Abbey Sparks Memories Of Weir In 2004
22/07/2008 06:26
The stage was set for Mike Weir to stake his claim on another piece of history.
He was three shots clear of the Canadian Open field as the final round began on a brilliant day at Glen Abbey in 2004 and the setting seemed perfectly suited for a breakthrough.
It had been 50 years since a Canadian won the country's national championship and 90 years since a Canadian-born player accomplished the feat. It was a victory that would have tied Weir with George Knudson for the most by a Canadian on the PGA Tour. To top it off, it was the 100th anniversary of the tournament.
It was, in the words of tournament director Bill Paul, a "magical" confluence of events.
"The fact that you had a Canadian on the 100th anniversary and that he played so well on a golf course that arguably he may not have liked himself (made it special)," said Paul. "It was a place to be on the weekend here as he built himself up and got into that final group on Sunday."
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It would be really nice if a Canadian could finally win the Canadian Open again. It hasn’t happened since Pat Fletcher won 54 years ago. Full coverage begins Thursday on TSN and TSN.ca.
Super Bowl ‘Wardrobe Manfunction’ Fine Tossed
22/07/2008 06:25
PHILADELPHIA - A U.S. federal appeals court threw out a $550,000 indecency fine against CBS Corp., on Monday for the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that ended with Janet Jackson's breast-baring "wardrobe malfunction."
The three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Federal Communications Commission "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" in issuing the fine for the fleeting image of nudity.
The 90 million people watching the Super Bowl, many of them children, heard Justin Timberlake sing, "Gonna have you naked by the end of this song," as he reached for Jackson's bustier.
The court found that the FCC deviated from its nearly 30-year practice of fining indecent broadcast programming only when it was so "pervasive as to amount to 'shock treatment' for the audience."
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Nice to see the ‘high court’ dealing with the important issues again.
Ireland Heralds Harrington As Country’s Best Golfer
22/07/2008 06:24
DUBLIN, Ireland - The Irish government heralded Padraig Harrington as the country's greatest golfer ever after his second straight British Open triumph Sunday.
President Mary McAleese and Prime Minister Brian Cowen both phoned to congratulate Harrington after he overcame a wrist injury and gusting, wet conditions to become the first Irishman to win two British Opens.
"The whole country is hugely proud of Padraig's success and the manner in which he achieved it. Once again, he has combined tremendous natural talent with hard work, dedication and resilience," said McAleese, Ireland's symbolic head of state.
Pubgoers watching the tournament live on television in Dublin pubs exchanged toasts and high-fives as Harrington eagled the 17th hole to put his victory beyond doubt.
"Padraig is fast becoming Ireland's greatest-ever golfer," said Irish sports minister Martin Cullen, who called Harrington "a wonderful Irishman and a magnificent sporting ambassador for Ireland."
Cowen said Harrington's initial win last year was "quite an achievement. However to retain the title in such difficult weather conditions, and also carrying an injury, shows that Padraig is a golfer in his prime and at the top of his profession."
Harrington is the only citizen of the Republic of Ireland ever to win the 148-year-old competition. The only previous Irish winner, Fred Daly in 1947, came from the British territory of Northern Ireland.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
After back-to-back British Open Championship wins for Padraig Harrington on the weekend, I’ll bet you the Guiness is still flowing in his native Ireland!
Who Should Carry Canadian Flag In Beijing?
22/07/2008 06:24
It's never easy picking someone to carry the flag at the Olympics. This year is no exception heading into Beijing, with several Canadians worthy of the honor.
The decision is always a hot-button going into the Games, with politics and scheduling often getting in the way. The Canadian Olympic Committee will make the official announcement on Wednesday, and now is your chance to weigh-in on the discussion.
TSN has compiled a list of the most likely candidates. Have a look at their credentials and voice you opinion in the Your Call feature.
For the list of favorites and to find out how to vote, click here.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
My personal pick would be Equestrian Ian Millar, who will be competing in a record ninth straight Olympic games.
Jones Asks Dubbya To Commute Sentence
22/07/2008 06:23
WASHINGTON - Disgraced Olympic track star Marion Jones has asked U.S. President George W. Bush to commute her six-month prison sentence for lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and a cheque-fraud scam.
The Justice Department confirmed Monday that Jones is among hundreds of convicted felons who have applied for presidential pardons or sentence commutations, but would provide no further details. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that removes civil liabilities stemming from a criminal conviction, while a commutation reduces or eliminates a person's sentence.
Such applications are reviewed by the Justice Department, which makes a recommendation to the president.
It's unclear when Jones, who won three gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, made the request. She entered prison March 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.
After frequently denying that she ever used performance-enhancing drugs, Jones admitted last October she had lied to federal investigators in November 2003. Jones also admitted lying about her knowledge of the involvement of Tim Montgomery, the father of her older son and a former 100-metre world-record holder, in a scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged cheques.
Jones was sentenced in January to six months in prison and 400 hours of community service in each of the two years following her release. She was sentenced to six months on the steroids case and two months on the cheque-fraud case, but was permitted to serve those sentences concurrently.
The judge in Jones' case said the cheque-fraud scheme was a major crime, and the wide use of steroids ``affects the integrity of athletic competition.''
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Why not commute the sentence? It would only be another in a long list of blunders by George W. Bush.
Chocolate Cake In 5 Minutes!
21/07/2008 05:46
Bake it in a
coffee
mug
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Mug
Instructions:
Mix flour, sugar and cocoa in a large coffee mug:
Spoon in 1 egg
Pour in milk and oil, and mix well
Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt)
Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug
Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!
SINC SAYS:
Sounds like my kinda dessert. Quick and easy and tasty too.
Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Mug
Instructions:
Mix flour, sugar and cocoa in a large coffee mug:
Spoon in 1 egg
Pour in milk and oil, and mix well
Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt)
Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug
Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!
SINC SAYS:
Sounds like my kinda dessert. Quick and easy and tasty too.
Locked Loo Leaves Lollygagger Languishing
21/07/2008 05:39
From CBC News
CHEMAINUS, B.C. - The call of nature turned into something a little more dire for a Vancouver Island visitor when he was inadvertently locked in the loo in Chemainus, B.C.
The man was visiting the east coast Vancouver Island community on Thursday and was using the washroom at a local park.
He was alone inside the facility when staff slammed and locked the steel door, thinking the room was empty.
Fortunately, the trapped visitor was able to contact family members who called the local RCMP detachment.
Officers were quickly on the scene with all the necessary keys to release the unintended prisoner.
Of course, the man was relieved - in more ways than one.
SINC SAYS:
This story reminds me of the jerks who somehow lock the biffies at the Big Valley Jamboree, leaving them empty inside and useless.
Loveland Teens Trade Pen For Something Better: A Car
21/07/2008 05:29
How do you turn a
ballpoint pen into a Mazda sedan in less than
two
hours?A few girls from a local youth group swear all it takes is some enthusiasm, a little faith and a few knocks on neighborhood doors.
And they have the car to prove it.
On Sunday, through a series of trades in a scavenger hunt called “Bigger or Better,” three teens from Loveland’s Grace Place youth group were able to trade a pen for a running vehicle.
Details here.
SINC SAYS:
Well, if a guy here can trade a paper clip for a house, I guess this should come as no surprise.
A 540-Calorie Big Mac?
21/07/2008 05:29
Chains Post Calorie
InformationNEW YORK - Customers at big fast-food chains in New York City are finally facing the facts about their meal choices. And for some, the truth may be hard to swallow — like 1,130 calories for a Big Mac, medium fries and a medium soda.
After months of resistance, the city's chain restaurants have begun obeying a first-of-its-kind rule requiring them to post calorie counts right on the menu.
McDonald's and Burger King were among the chains that unveiled new menu boards Friday at scores of locations throughout the city, taking calorie information that had long been available on Web sites and tray liners and putting it front-and-center above the cash register.
Chew on this story here.
SINC SAYS:
That meal has enough calories to hold an average person for an entire day.
Love Letter Jigsaw Takes 15 Years
21/07/2008 05:21
A man spent 15
years piecing together 2,000 fragments of love
letters to his late wife which she tore up when
she caught someone reading
them.Ted Howard, 82, wrote 98 letters to Molly during the seven years he spent travelling Europe as a farm worker.
When she found someone reading them in 1953 she tore them up.
Mr Howard, of Ramsey in Cambridgeshire, began putting the pieces back together in 1993 and has just completed the notes, three years after his wife died.
He wrote the love letters on hotel writing paper as he travelled the UK, Ireland, France and Holland in the late 1940s and early 1950s. But his wife tore each one into more than 20 pieces creating more than 2,000 fragments, some smaller than a thumbnail.
That's amore.
SINC SAYS:
Some will say it takes a real man to write love letters. Most men don’t, or more likely, can’t.
Back In Or Back Out?
21/07/2008 05:16
The great
parking-lot
debateThis week, Collected Wisdom is driving to the supermarket in its luxury Globe and Mail company car — a 1978 AMC Gremlin. But do we reverse into that parking space or drive forward into it?
THE QUESTION: Mississauga's Tom Landre wondered why so many people back their cars into parking spots in parking lots. "More than a few times, I have been walking through a parking lot and been startled by a vehicle that had backed in and was suddenly moving forward toward me. If they had pulled in forward, then I, as a pedestrian, would have two signals for their departure. First the brake lights would come on and then the reversing lights."
THE ANSWER: Well, we received a huge number of responses on this on. Many thanks to all who wrote in, but unfortunately we have room for only a few of the replies.
"I always try to park so that I can drive forward out of the space rather than backing out," writes Barbara Pettit of Fergus, Ont. "When backing out, with all the vans, trucks and SUVs on both sides, it's almost impossible to see if it's safe to back out. If you drive out, you can see, with much less of your vehicle sticking out into the driving lane, whether something is coming."
Steer to the story here.
SINC SAYS:
So, what do our readers say? Are you an inny or an outty?
House Fire Leads To Pot-Growing Arrests
21/07/2008 05:11
A man and a woman
were arrested after a house fire led to the
discovery of a marijuana-growing operation in a
well-scrubbed Oakland neighborhood not
accustomed to such activity, authorities
said.The fire was reported about 8 a.m. at 4444 Moraga Ave., near Piedmont Avenue and the Piedmont border, and was out within half an hour, fire Lt. David Brue said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Authorities found about 100 marijuana plants inside the home, which was being rented to the two people who were arrested. Their names were not released.
One person suffered smoke inhalation but declined medical treatment, Brue said. It was not immediately clear whether that person was arrested.
"Who knew?" asked Moraga Avenue resident Jacqueline Shea Dinkin. "It's like 'Weeds,' the TV show," she said, referring to the Showtime program about marijuana cultivation in the suburbs.
SINC SAYS:
Maybe the guy who suffered from smoke inhalation was too high to know what treatment was.
St. Albert Man Killed In ATV Accident
21/07/2008 05:10
EDMONTON - A 24-year-old St. Albert man has died after losing control of an all-terrain vehicle northeast of Edmonton.
Police were called to Floating Stone Provincial Park, about 45 kilometres northwest of St. Paul on Saturday to investigate a fatal incident.
The man had been driving his ATV around the park, but he lost control of the vehicle as it spun off a dirt road and crashed into a clump of trees, police said.
The man died at the park before paramedics could take him to hospital.
Speed is believed to have been a factor in the incident, police said.
His identity is being withheld pending the notification of his family.
St. Paul is about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It seem to me there's been a number of ATV-related tragedies in the province recently, non?
Norman Turns Back Clock In Remarkable Week
21/07/2008 05:09
SOUTHPORT, England - Greg Norman wasn't haunted by his past or worried about his future.
He didn't get old overnight or suddenly forget how to play.
No, the reason the wonderful, whimsical tale he authored for three days in the whipping winds and sometimes-howling gales along the Lancashire coast ended on a sour note is a lot less complicated than that.
A man does not go from his wedding to a posh resort, sandwich a couple of practice sessions between wining and dining his new bride and then go out and win the British Open.
The late Gloria Connors, who taught her son, Jimmy, how to play tennis and instilled in him a competitive streak a mile long, said it best. In 1974, he was engaged to the very same Chris Evert that Norman married in a US$2 million ceremony just three weeks ago, and Mom persuaded her son that May to call the wedding off.
"Nobody," she said at the time, "ever wins Wimbledon on their honeymoon."
Norman, more buoyant than he had ever been after finishing second in a major, found himself forced to agree.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It was a fairy tale ending that was not meant to be. However, it was wonderful for SWIVEL HIPS to be able to take one last walk down memory lane with Greg Norman.
Norman Folds Again, Harrington Wins Open
21/07/2008 05:08
In an Open Championship overflowing with storylines, none had a happier ending than that of Padraig Harrington as he successfully defended his British Open title.
Harrington carded a 1-under par 69 for a four stroke victory over England's Ian Poulter.
"I'd like to put the Claret Jug right back where it was last year," Harrington told the crowd after being handed the trophy. "I really tried not to think about the
consequences of winning today, but I did think it would be nice to have the trophy back on the breakfast table again.
"I had a great year as Open champion, so much so I didn't want to give it back."
Harrington is the fifth player in the past 50 years to repeat as Open champion adding his name alongside legends such as Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
In what has become an all too familiar story over his career, Greg Norman, once again, folded like a cheap lawn chair in the final round of a major and ended up tied for third.
Flutie Enshrined In U.S. College Hall Of Fame
21/07/2008 05:08
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Doug Flutie, John Randle and Reggie Williams all faced a similar obstacle en route to being enshrined in the U.S. College Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night: all three were told they weren't good enough to play.
Williams was told by Michigan coach Bo Schembechler he couldn't cut it with the Wolverines and by a guidance counsellor he wasn't smart enough to go to Dartmouth. The Dartmouth grad said such statements provided him with inspiration.
"That becomes a lifestyle reaction," said Williams, who went on to play with the Cincinnati Bengals.
John Randle, who played defensive end at Texas A&I, because major college coaches said he wasn't big enough, said all he wanted was a chance.
"I was a guy everyone overlooked. No one thought I could put the weight on," said Randle, who later gained fame playing for the Minnesota Vikings. "Getting to Texas A&I gave me a chance to do it."
Flutie, who won the 1984 Heisman Trophy, had been told repeatedly that he wasn't good enough to play at the major college level. He said before the banquet he text messaged Barry Gallup, who recruited him to Boston College with a simple message: "Thanks for giving me the opportunity."
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I mean, was there ever a doubt with Doug Flutie? The famous “Hail Mary” from his final game at Boston College practically guaranteed his induction to the Hall Of Fame.
The Photography Of Al Popil . . .
20/07/2008 06:09
Hi Don,
Attached a couple of snaps from yesterday afternoon's powwow if you're interested.
Boy with feet in the air is from Boy's Fancy Bustle. The other is Teen's Traditional.
Al Popil
St Albert
SINC SAYS:
Thank you kind sir. Our readers appreciate your efforts.
Attached a couple of snaps from yesterday afternoon's powwow if you're interested.
Boy with feet in the air is from Boy's Fancy Bustle. The other is Teen's Traditional.
Al Popil
St Albert
SINC SAYS:
Thank you kind sir. Our readers appreciate your efforts.
Shark Photographed Jumping Over Surfers
20/07/2008 06:06
NEW SMYRNA BEACH,
Fla. -- A Central Florida photographer captured
a one-in-a-million photo of a shark jumping out
of the water near the heads of
surfers.Photographer Kem McNair snapped the photo of the black tip shark jumping out of the water near the surfers in the waters off New Smyrna Beach. The men were seemingly oblivious to the shark's presence.
McNair said the University of Florida wants to use his picture as the cover for a study on shark bites in the area.
So far, there have been 12 bites in New Smyrna this year.
SINC SAYS:
Given the option, I’ll take a shark jumping over me rather than eating me from under.
Court Sinks Pirate Ship Tree House
20/07/2008 06:00
Andrew Dewberry looks
out from atop his kid's treehouse in the front
yard of his home in Vancouver, B.C. (Darryl
Dyck, Canadian
Press)VANCOUVER - Everyone but the neighbour loved an elaborate pirate ship-shaped tree house Andrew Dewberry built for his kids in his front yard.
Even a provincial court judge admired the workmanship of the fabulous fort, but the judge still ordered the child's dream home removed Friday following a two-year dispute with the neighbour and the city of Vancouver.
The tree house built by Dewberry, an architect, sits two metres up a large, leafy tree in front of the family's home in the tony Kerrisdale neighbourhood of Vancouver. It comes complete with plastic cannons sticking out the ship's side.
Grumpy details here.
SINC SAYS:
All it takes is one crotchety neighbour to spoil a kid’s good times.
Fun Facts . . .
20/07/2008 05:57
A cat has 32
muscles in each ear.
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. (Some days that's about what my memory span is.)
A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds. (Some days that's about what my memory span is.)
A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
The Truth Is Up There - UFO Sightings Up In 2007
20/07/2008 05:56
WINNIPEG - Marie
Ford-Quigley says she isn't the kind of person
who believes in UFOs and aliens, and she
doesn't usually take a great interest in the
skies.But she is still looking for an explanation about the metallic, spherical object she watched for more than a half an hour from the veranda of her home in Tyron, Prince Edward Island. It slowly travelled through a clear blue sky on Boxing Day, 2007, just before dusk.
"We thought it was a balloon, but it was up too high for that," Ford-Quigley recalled Wednesday. "It wasn't an airplane, by any means."
At one point, Ford-Quigley and her husband Tony noticed the strange object dip into a cloud.
Look up, look waaaay up.
SINC SAYS:
Here we go again. They are up there, aren’t they?
'Batman' Legacy Serves As Inspiration For Berlin Man
20/07/2008 05:49
EZRA WELCH poses in
his full-sized Batman costume at his home in
East Berlin. Welch has turned his basement into
a "Batcave," a shrine to the character
displaying what he estimates could be $10,000
in Batman memorabilia. He has planned a
Batman-themed barbecue for his family and
friends, which will be followed by a trip to
see the latest edition of the Batman saga, the
film "The Dark Knight." (ROSS TAYLOR / HARTFORD
COURANT)BERLIN - From the outside, Ezra Welch's home looks like many in East Berlin; its brick face and American flag fit in perfectly with the neighborhood. Stepping inside, it looks clean and quiet.
But head down the stairs to his basement and you enter the other world he inhabits.
Batman artwork covers the walls. A large sign welcoming guests to "The Batcave" hangs over the steps. The only thing that appears to be missing is a revolving bookcase that serves as a secret door.
See the bat signal here.
SINC SAYS:
Holy fetish Batman, how warped is this guy?
Last Night's Winning Lotto 649 Numbers
20/07/2008 05:49
Lotto 6/49 : Saturday, July 19, 2008
10, 20, 28, 36, 40, 46, Bonus 23
Western Extra : 6250549
__________________
*Lottery numbers are unofficial, check lottery retailer for official numbers*
SINC SAYS:
Drat, I didn’t even get one number. How’d you do?
Soccer Players Subdue Disturbed Man On Flight
20/07/2008 05:20
An American Airlines flight from Boston to Los Angeles was diverted to Oklahoma City on Friday after a passenger stripped nude and later tried to open an emergency exit door before being subdued by members of a professional soccer team and others, the FBI said.
Members of the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer were among those who grabbed the passenger near an exit door, FBI spokesman Gary Johnson said. Tie wraps were placed on the man, whose name was not immediately released.
He was taken into custody in Oklahoma City and placed under psychiatric evaluation, Johnson said.
American Airlines Flight 725, a Boeing 757, arrived in Oklahoma City at 1:35 p.m. CT and was back in the air an hour later, said American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith. It landed without further incident at Los Angeles International Airport at 3:13 p.m. PT.
More from CBC Sports.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
I don’t make this stuff up, folks, honest! This story sounds more like something straight out of professional wrestling. How the heck did the soccer players get involved?
Old ‘Shark’ Leads Open Going Into Final Round
20/07/2008 05:20
Two-time Open Champion Greg Norman continues to turn back the clock as he sits alone atop the leaderboard at 2-over heading to the final round at the British Open.
The "Shark" defied odds once again on a blustery day at the Royal Birkdale.
The 53-year old Norman, who is on the third week of his honeymoon with retired tennis legend Chris Evert defied the odds for the third straight day as he carded a 2-over round of 72 that included three birdies, three bogeys and one double-bogey.
He nearly caused pandemonium on the final hole of the day as he narrowly missed chipping in for a birdie from the rough.
Norman finished the day with a two-stroke lead over playing partner K.J. Choi and defending champion Padraig Harrington.
Norman is attempting to become the oldest player to ever capture a major championship. Julius Boros was 48 when he captured the PGA Championship in 1968.
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
What a story this would be if Norman can hang on and win tomorrow. I definitely know who I’m cheering for. And I thought Jack Nicklaus’ win at the 1986 Masters, at age 46, was exciting!
Catch all of the final round action of the Open Championship live today at 4:00 a.m. local time on TSN or TSN.ca.
Favre Declines To Address Rift At Ceremony
20/07/2008 05:19
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre stuck to the script, declining to address his public rift with the Green Bay Packers in an appearance at Lambeau Field on Saturday.
In town to present former teammate Frank Winters for induction into the Packers' Hall of Fame at a banquet Saturday night, Favre briefly spoke with reporters about his former centre's career before abruptly stepping off the stage and ducking out a side door.
But Favre did pause to praise the place where he used to play - and now is trying to play his way out of.
"That's the thing about Green Bay," said Favre, who spoke for about three minutes. "It's a special place. There's a lot of tradition. You think of the Packers, you think of all these great names, and to be a part of that - and I know Frank feels honoured - is a special thing. I'm thankful that he asked me to be here."
With that, Favre introduced Winters and walked off the stage.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
At least Favre continues to take the high road throughout this entire fiasco.
Furyk, Weir, Ames Headline Canadian Open Field
20/07/2008 05:18
OAKVILLE, Ont., - The Royal Canadian Golf Association announced today the final field of competitors set to challenge for the US$5-million RBC Canadian Open.
Defending champion Jim Furyk headlines a list of notables that includes Anthony Kim, Fred Couples, Retief Goosen, Sean O'Hair and Camilo Villegas as well as Canadian PGA Tour stars Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont., Calgary's Stephen Ames and Jon Mills of Oshawa, Ont.
Furyk, the defending two-time champion tops a list of six former Canadian Open winners that includes Mark Calcavecchia (2005), Bob Tway (2003), Scott Verplank (2001), Billy Andrade (1998) and Dudley Hart (1996).
Weir, Ames and Mills will headline a list of 14 Canadians looking to become the first Canadian since Pat Fletcher in 1954 to take home the championship. Other Canucks set to compete include David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., Bryan DeCorso of Guelph, Ont., Calgary's Wes Heffernan, Ian Leggatt of Cambridge, Ont., Eric Landreville of Melocheville, Que., Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., David Morland IV of Aurora, Ont., and Victoria's Jim Rutledge as well as National Amateur Team members Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Calgary's Michael Knight.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It’s a shame that more of the world’s top players don’t play in our Open championship. Scheduling it the week after the British Open might have something to do with that, though. You think?
Wie Disqualified From State Farm Classic
20/07/2008 05:18
Springfield, IL (Sports Network) - For the second time in her career, Michelle Wie was disqualified from an LPGA Tour event.
Saturday at the State Farm Classic, Wie posted a five-under 67 to finish one shot out of the lead at 17-under-par 199. After the round, however, she was disqualified from the event for a violation that occurred on Friday.
After Friday's second round, Wie left the scoring area before signing her scorecard. She was alerted by members from the scoring tent and returned to sign the card.
The LPGA Tour did not discover the violation until Saturday after Wie had begun her third round, and it made the decision to not speak with her until after she completed the round, at which point she was disqualified.
"I don't know what happened to me," Wie stated. "I usually sign it first, but I forgot to sign the scorecard and unfortunately left the tent area. A couple of the scoring ladies ran after me, then I signed it and turned it in.
More from TSN.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
It would appear that young Ms. Wie does, indeed, have a lot of learning to do. It’s a very unfortunate incident as, at the time, Wie was in second place only one shot behind after the third round.