A woman in Coventry caught on CCTV putting a cat into a wheelie bin, where it was trapped for fifteen hours, is now receiving police protection. She has not been arrested as she has not actually committed any criminal offence but is being investigated by the RSPCA in connection with cruelty to animals. A public outcry led to thousands of …
Storm in an academic teacup
As the records continue to tumble as far as the number of Grade A and A* (what’s that all about!) passes at A-Level, the competition for higher education places has reached unprecedented levels and some universities now openly require students to score a number of A grades at age 16 as a minimum entry requirement. In many cases, pupils who fail …
A bad week
The French are obviously not having a good week. After rail staff sent hundreds of travellers to ‘le wrong country’, various beaches were closed to bathers after reports of a shark (turned out to be a dolphin) and a huge crocodile (turned out to be un piece of wood). Better safe than sorry, though…Le Croc…
Beyond the headline
Mounties raiding two marijuana plantations near the US-Canadian border at Christina Lake were surprised to find 14 wild black bears roaming around freely, and quite contentedly, in the fields and had to proceed with caution. The bears, however, seemed to be quite tame and very used to humans and one even went and sat on a police car for a …
Mystery tour
“I’d like a ticket to…” “Here you are sir” “But I haven’t told you where I’m going!” “Not necessary, sir, we’ll leave that up to the French. Have a nice journey. Next!”
Firemen rescue burglar
This story about a hapless burglar caught my attention, particularly for the offer by a neighbourly surgeon to remove the offender without damaging the window frame….Framed! Burglar rescued by firemen after getting stuck in a window for six hours… No doubt he is already consulting lawyers about what sort of lawsuit he can bring and how much compensation he can …
Boob job
Police in France are looking for two attractive females who found a novel way to rob a man at an ATM in Paris. As the man punched in his pin code ready to withdraw some cash, the two women exposed their breasts and while the stunned man stared at one of them, the other withdrew €300 from his account. The …
London parking problems
A lot of coverage in the UK press about the amount of money, estimated at £4 million, being lost in London as a result of unpaid parking tickets by foreign registered vehicles, mainly ‘supercars’. The owners of the vehicles, such as expensive Bugattis, Rolls Royces, Hummers, Lamborghinis etc, ignore the parking regulations and some have notched up thousands of pounds …
Playing with food
Carving fruit into intricate shapes is an art form originating in the Far East about 700 years ago and still carried on today. Here are some examples of melon art, many carved by chef Takashi Itoh who taught himself the skill after a holiday visit to Thailand in 2001. …Melon Art…
It’s the wrong hair, Grommit
Celebrity airhead Paris Hilton is being sued for wearing the ‘wrong hair extensions’, allegedly wearing the hair of a rival company instead. The company, who is suing Paris Hilton for $35 million, also states that: Hilton’s party-filled lifestyle goes against its marketing campaign. She has always been a party animal, it is what she does, her claim to fame, sole …