radical

182, 29-XI-12
 noticias
carta, sin respuesta, de la comunidad científica, de nuestra esperanza de futuro, a Rajoy (II)
la ausencia de Transparencia, principal causa de la impunidadde la corrupción
entre empresas piratas y políticosinfames, hacia la impunidad en el caso Prestige
¿qué está pasando con el ’caso Emperador’ de blanqueo de dinero?
una política económica dictada por el perro del hortelano
Bruselas expedienta a España por la subida de tasas en El Prat y Barajas
el aeropuerto de El Prat sigue siendo competitivo a pesar del boicoteo de AENA
la, excepcional, buena política económica de Barcelona, unejemplo
el Senado, ejemplo del mal criterio en la priorización de los recortes
Pedro J. Ramírez deteriora, aún más, la calidad de nuestra democracia
¿quiénes son los responsables delkompromat contra Mas y Pujol? (II)
resultados de las elecciones legislativas en Cataluña 2012
España cañí -82: el misterio (...) de los iPads perdidos por susSeñorías
España cañí -81: el maniquí y la Guardia Civil
importante campañapaneuropea en defensa de la investigación científica (FIRMA tu apoyo)
contubernio de Gobiernos contra un internet, y un mundo, Libre y Abierto (FIRMA tu oposición)
Savita Halapannavar: cuando los "proVida" devienen homicidas...
la senadora Elizabeth Warrenencabezará la fiscalización de "Wall Street"
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 opinión propia
"Se veia venir...", Isidro y Moisés
"Éste es un país de chorizos",José Mª Gay de Liébana
"La opacidad corrompe", Soledad Gallego-Díaz
"Tres citas de Unamuno", Oriol Pi de Cabanyes
“España debería seguir el ejemplo del Reino Unido”, canalBloomberg
"La voladura de la campaña",José Antonio Zarzalejos
"Kompromat" + "Marrón glacé",Enric Juliana
"La cultura, ese invento del Gobierno", Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio
"Barbaridades", Cristina Sánchez Miret
"Maravillas (electorales) neerlandesas", Quim Monzó
discurso de despedida del Congreso de Ron Paul
entrevista a Dieter Nohlen, autoridad mundial en sistemas electorales
Kung fu nuns teach cosmic energy to CERN scientists 
A dozen kung fu nuns from an Asian Buddhist order displayed their martial arts prowess to bemused scientists at CERN this week as their spiritual leader explained how their energy was like that of the cosmos. The nuns, all from the Himalayan region, struck poses of hand-chops, high-kicks and punches on Thursday while touring the research centre where physicists at the frontiers of science are probing the origins of the universe. "Men and women carry different energy," said His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa, a monk who ranks only slightly below the Dalai Lama in the global Buddhist hierarchy. "Both male and female energies are needed to better the world." This, he said, was a scientific principle "as fundamental as the relationship between the sun and the moon" and its importance was similar to that of the particle collisions in CERN's vast "Big Bang" machine, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The nuns, mostly slim and fit-looking teenagers with shaven heads and clad in flowing burgundy robes, nodded sagely. But the 49-year-old Gyalwang Drukpa, head since the age of four of one of the new independent schools of Tibetan Buddhism centred in India and Nepal, stressed that their visit to CERN was not just scientific in purpose. By taking the nuns around the world and letting people of other countries enjoy their martial displays, he told physicists and reporters: "I hope to raise awareness about gender equality and the need for the empowerment of women". The nuns themselves have benefited from this outlook, he said. For centuries in Tibet, incorporated into communist China since 1951, and its surrounds, women were strictly barred from practising any form of martial art. In his homeland Himalayan region of Ladakh, the Gyalwang Drukpa said, women were mainly servants, cooks and cleaners to monks. About three years ago he decided to break out of this pattern and improve the health and spiritual well-being of women by training them in kung fu and even allowing them to perform sacred rites once also restricted to men… Reuters

Sunday retro fetish... 


...with Rachel 


Nipple-tassled protest after burlesque boobs ban at Brighton store 
An erotic boutique’s burlesque mural has been branded too raunchy for Brighton’s liberal streets. Artwork of nipple tassel-clad women has adorned the walls of the recently rebranded She Said Emporium since last week. But the women were made to cover up after complaints to the shop’s owner that it was offensive. Owner Nic Ramsey said she was forced to paint over the artwork after two women complained. A painting of Laura Nixon, a Brighton-based Marilyn Monroe look alike, with nipple tassels and a multicoloured fan has adorned the wall for years. Ms Ramsey said: “It’s crazy – not least because we have had a virtually identical photo of our fan girl for nearly six years. “It breaks my heart and for the artist Req to have to cover up his work is horrible.” About 20 women donned nipple tassels to protest against the loss of the mural before it was painted over. Ms Ramsey added: “If it was a canvas or we hung a picture it would be a piece of art. “They are sexy images but there is no nudity on show. We made sure there were no nipples showing or anything like that. Brighton is a fantastic, liberal city. I wouldn’t mind if I hadn’t had a picture on the same place for five years. I can wear nipple tassels and walk down the street and no one would be offended”… The Argus
Naked man on statue brought chaos to central London and closed Whitehall 
Part of Whitehall, central London, was cordoned off after a naked man climbed a statue. Police said the man was clothed when he climbed the statue of Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, yesterday lunchtime. About 100m of Whitehall, near Trafalgar Square, was closed off. The man came down voluntarily nearly three hours later. Crowds of onlookers gathered at either end of the cordon during the incident. US tourist Lydia Kassa, 23, saw the man on the statue while sightseeing. "I just laughed," she said. "It's an experience. We didn't expect to see a naked man." David Lee, a civil servant who works nearby, said: "It's amazing that someone can cause this much disruption. Perhaps the cold finally got to him, or the wind finally got to him". Scotland Yard said the man had been detained under the Mental Health Act. A force spokesman said: "You apply the appropriate amount of policing for the situation. Obviously in a situation like this, public safety is paramount"… Bbc
Man accused of recklessly producing household electricity 
A Dundee man has been accused of "recklessly producing household electricity" with a bizarre home-made transformer. Charles McKenzie is alleged to have rigged up a "dangerous transformer assembly" at his flat in Dundee's Dudhope Court to generate power. Mr McKenzie, 55, was not at Dundee Sheriff Court to face the charge of culpable and reckless conduct. Sheriff George Way continued the case without plea for three weeks. The charge alleges Mr McKenzie "culpably and recklessly" produced electricity "with total disregard for the safety of yourself and others". Sheriff Way asked: "I don't quite understand - how does one culpably and recklessly produce electricity?" Fiscal depute Laura Bruce said: "The Crown's position is that he had this man-made assembly in his house suspended from the ceiling by thin ropes. There was a car battery and cans of petrol nearby"… Bbc
Over-enthusiastic amateur ant exterminator ruined house with too many poison bombs 
A German couple who called a pest exterminator to kill ants in their new house are looking for somewhere new to live after the man used too many poison bombs and contaminated their home so badly it has been torn down. The couple named only as Lars and Patricia K. were so annoyed by an infestation of ants in their nice, new house in Burscheid near Cologne that they called a pest exterminator to get rid of them. But unluckily for them, the man they employed was an over-enthusiastic amateur. "He put smoke bombs around the house and used hundreds of times the permitted dosage," a witness said. And when the couple returned home 24 hours later with their two-year-old son they were devastated to see what had happened. "The wallpaper had come off and all the pictures had fallen off the walls," they said. The place stank strongly of chemicals and was obviously uninhabitable. An environmental auditor was called out, and said the highly concentrated poison had gone deep into the walls and could not be removed. The house, which had only been built two years ago, was so contaminated it was demolished on Wednesday, but the cellar has been left in place for further investigation in case the ground under the house is also contaminated… The Local
Saudi husbands 'alerted by text' if their wives leave the country 
Women in Saudi Arabia are now monitored by the government using an electronic system that tracks any cross-border movements, alerting their male guardians by text if they attempt to leave the country. As of last week, Saudi women's male guardians began receiving text messages on their phones informing them when women under their custody leave the country, even if they are travelling together. Saudi women's rights activist Manal al-Sherif, who last year urged women to defy a driving ban, said a man had contacted her to say he had received a text from the immigration authorities while at the airport with his wife. "The authorities are using technology to monitor women," said Saudi author and journalist Badriya al-Bishr, who criticised the "state of slavery under which women are held" in the kingdom. "This is technology used to serve backwardness in order to keep women imprisoned," she added. Under laws influenced by the strict Wahabi interpretation of Islam, women are not allowed to leave Saudi Arabia without permission from their male guardian (a husband, father or brother), who must give consent by signing what is known as the "yellow sheet" at the airport or border… Telegraph
German lawyer claims girlfriend tried to smother him to death with her breasts 
A woman is accused of trying to kill her boyfriend by suffocating him with her 38-inch double-D breasts. Franziska Hansen, 33, is reportedly charged with “attempted murder with a weapon” after her lawyer boyfriend claimed she tried to smother him while pretending it was a sex game. Nine-stone Franziska, from Germany, denies the allegations, saying it was a sex game and he knew what it was about. But boyfriend Tim Schmidt claims she admitted trying to kill him on the phone, saying she smothered him because she “wanted to make your death as pleasurable as possible”. He told a court in Germany that the couple had been having sex in May this year when Ms Hansen suddenly grabbed his head and pushed it between her breasts with all her force. He is quoted as saying: “I couldn't breathe any more, I must have turned blue. I couldn't tear myself free and I thought I was going to die.” Mr Schmidt, who weighs 13 stone, claims he managed to wriggle free and fled naked to a neighbour, who raised the alarm. He told the court that the couple’s four-year relationship had been strained after they moved to the town of Unna, where his career as a lawyer took off and she struggled to hold a job. Mr Schmidt said his girlfriend tried to kill him after she discovered he was planning to leave her. He reportedly told the court: “It is clear she wanted to kill me. She even admitted it to me on the telephone. I asked her why she wanted to smother me to death with her breasts and she told me: ‘Treasure – I wanted your death to be as pleasurable as possible’”… Mirror
Spanish politician criticised for posing with deer's testicles on his head 
A tourism minister in Spain is under fire after a photo of him happily posing with bloody deer testicles on his head were published in a newspaper. Carlos Delgado, minister of tourism and sports for the Balearic Islands, is pictured holding up peace signs with the body parts on his head during a hunting trip last year while he was mayor of Calvia. The photo was  published on the front page of the Ultima Hora newspaper. Opposition politician Francina Armengol said the photos are "absolutely appalling." International animal rights groups called him an embarrassment to Spain. "This kind of action should disappear for the good of society and for the mental health of all. This is harming Spain's image and dragging the country back to the 11th century," said Chesus Yuste of the Parliamentary Association in Defence of Animals… Ultima hora
Man asked judge if he could smoke one more joint for old time's sake before going clean 
Judge Melba Marsh admitted the request shocked her. Damaine Mitchell, 19, of Westwood, Ohio, was before her on Wednesday charged with trafficking in marijuana, a crime that carries a maximum prison sentence of 1 1/2 years. He is accused of selling marijuana on June 12 in a parking lot. The Hamilton County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court judge stressed to Mitchell that she was willing to work with him - offering him a treatment programme that, if successful, would not only prevent him from going to jail but also erase the crime from his record. All he had to do was give up smoking pot. "That's going to be hard for me to do, to be honest with you," Mitchell told the judge. She told him he would have to stop smoking marijuana for months, maybe until April, and she would drug test him to make sure he was living up to his end of the deal. Mitchell replied very honestly. "That's going to be a challenge," Mitchell told the judge. "I like smoking weed. I have been smoking weed since I was, like, 10 years old". Marsh then started listing potential deadlines for him to stop smoking pot. Easter? Mitchell couldn't do it. Valentine's Day? "I won't want to," Mitchell told her. New Year's Day? Christmas? Thanksgiving? "If I put my mind to it I can, (but) I won't want to," he said. Then Mitchell made the unusual request. He'd be willing to try to quit - if she would approve of what amounted to government-sanctioned drug use. "I know this is probably not the right question to ask, (but) can I get a little time at least (to) get one more joint in?" he asked the judge. The judge refused. "No. You can't have one more joint for old time's sake," she said. Marsh ordered him to return to her court on  Monday, after he has a trespassing charge in another court dealt with, before she determines how she will handle his case. "That's the first time I've ever had a request for marijuana while they're serving time in jail," an astonished Marsh said… Ksdk
Elderly couple billed £500 by Virgin for ordering hundreds of porn films 
An elderly couple have been billed £500 by their TV company for ordering hundreds of pornographic films. Great-grandparents Ron Hayward, 74, and wife Ann, 71, were stunned when Virgin Media demanded the money, saying 150 pay-per-view adult films had been streamed to their cable TV account. It is the second time the couple, from Reddish, have been caught in a row over porn films with Virgin. In 2009 they were also accused of ordering £190 of adult movies.Virgin eventually tore up the bill and turned off the couple’s service. But earlier this year the couple decided to resubscribe to the catch-up and on-demand services. Within days, dozens of adult films had been ordered, seemingly from the couple’s address, including 14 in one day. Virgin has again waived the charge – but the couple say they have been told they will be liable for any future bills if they want the TV services reconnecting. Mrs Hayward, a retired nursery nurse said: “It feels to us just like groundhog day. We had this problem before and we thought when we re-applied to be connected that Virgin would have solved the problem of what went wrong previously. “The family all think it is really funny – Ron’s also gets ribbed at the post office where he gets asked if he’s seen any good films lately.” Virgin say the films must have been accessed from the couple’s account. A spokesman said: “Adult content can only be viewed after an individual PIN number is given by the household, ensuring people can safely watch what they choose. We’ve made sure Mr and Mrs Hayward’s service is PIN-protected and their TV set-top box will no longer be able to view age-restricted content”. Mrs Hayward added: “I would like to make a direct appeal to Sir Richard Branson, to say to him he needs to sort it out. We are loyal customers, we were told by a manager at Virgin that we can have the catch-up, which is what we want, but we have to take on demand as well, which we don’t want. We were also told if we have the service again we will be expected to sign an agreement to say we are liable for any more film orders. We feel like we are being penalised”… Manchester evening news
School hires profreader to catch teachers' spelling errors 
A school in Ipswich is looking to recruit a proofreader to check for mistakes in teachers' reports. Northgate High School said the role would include correcting "spelling mistakes, poor or missing punctuation, incorrect capitalisation" and improving "poor grammar". The role at the local authority school pays £14 an hour. Headteacher David Hutton said the work indicates the "high level of professionalism" at the school. An advert for the role said the school was looking to recruit someone "to check and amend the electronic reports to ensure that they are well written and complete before being released to parents". The job will also include helping staff whose reports need "extensive correcting by giving them feedback on their report writing and tactfully suggesting strategies to help them improve". Mr Hutton said: "Our examination results year-on-year demonstrate Northgate employs very high-calibre teaching staff. Between them they produce literally thousands of well-written comments each year that keep parents informed about the progress of their children. Making a final quality check prior to publication merely indicates the high level of professionalism we strive to achieve"… Bbc
Man indecently exposed himself in cinema before James Bond film 
A man was caught indecently exposing himself at a Cambridge cinema’s screening of Skyfall in front of children. Families were settling down to watch the latest Bond blockbuster at the Arts Picture House when the man took an aisle seat. He then exposed himself before the 007 movie started. The man was escorted from the movie theatre by the manager Keith Gehlert, who said he was shocked and appalled by the incident. Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to in connection with the matter. Mr Gehlert said: “A customer told me what was happening. He was just doing it in full view of everyone. He was in an aisle seat and the film hadn’t even started yet. “There were children in the audience. At first I thought the customer had got it wrong but when I went in there was this guy just sitting there exposing himself. I couldn’t believe it. I told him he had to leave and waited until he got himself together. I didn’t know if he was going to attack me or go crazy. But he was as cool as you like. He was absolutely calm. “I walked him out of the cinema but as he was leaving a customer came up and asked a question. By the time I had dealt with it he had gone off down the street and I called police two minutes later. We want them to catch this man before he does it again.” A police spokesman said: “It happened just before 2pm, there were around 200 people in the cinema at the time.” Pc Paul Stevens added: “I urge anyone who recognises this man to call police as we believe he could have important information to assist our investigation”… Cambridge news
Woman guilty of racism for calling New Zealand born neighbour a stupid fat Australian 
A woman racially abused her New Zealand-born neighbour by calling her Australian. Czech-born Petra Mills, 31, called Chelsea O’Reilly a ‘stupid fat Australian’ during a drunken tirade. The insult was witnessed by police officers who Mills herself had called after a domestic incident with her husband. Mills, formerly of Bridge Street, Macclesfield, denied racially-aggravated public disorder but was found guilty after a trial at Macclesfield magistrates court. Miss O’Reilly, who is a British/New Zealand dual national, said she had been offended and insulted by Mills’ behaviour. Iain Mutch, prosecuting, told the court that Miss O’Reilly had heard banging and drilling. He added: “Then there was screaming from Petra and a lot of running up and down the stairs before the front door slammed.” The court heard that Mills fled her home and called the police from a phone box at the top of the road. When she arrived back home, police had arrested her husband, Michael, who was later released without charge. Miss O’Reilly told magistrates that Mills then stormed around to her house while she was making a statement to police. She said: “She called me a stupid fat Australian bitch. Because of my accent there can be some confusion over my nationality. She knew I was from New Zealand. She was trying to be offensive.” The court was told that two police officers heard Mills use the word ‘Australian’ during her drunken rant. Mills said: “Yes, I shouted at her but it had nothing to do with racism. I did not used the word Australian. I used to live with an Australian person. She was very nice”. Trevor Feehily, defending, said the offence was motivated by Mills’ anger at O’Reilly ‘snooping’ and not her nationality. Chairman of the bench Brian Donohue said: “You were in an emotional and inebriated state. The word Australian was used. It was racially aggravated and the main reason it was used was in hostility.” Mills also admitted assaulting one of the police officers by kicking him. Mills was fined £110 for racially aggravated public disorder and £200 for assaulting a police officer. She was also ordered to pay both her victims £50 compensation and £500 court costs… Manchester evening news
Creature that lives in man's penis feeds on it and is growing in size 
It's been six months since Jackson (not his real name) started feeling as if he is living in hell. He sits in his house watching as his manhood gets eaten up by a living creature which no one can explain. And the creature under the skin of his penis is growing. It has already grown to the size of a human thumb and his 'sperm hosepipe' is very swollen. The 52-year-old man from Tembisa in Ekurhuleni, Zimbabwe said blood comes out of his penis. "I can even feel this creature when it moves. You can smell the blood from the front gate. This thing looks alive. It is just on the tip of my manhood," Jackson said. He said his local clinic has given him antibiotics after antibiotics. The hospital gave him other medication. "Now they have run out of ideas." Jackson said he has visited sangomas. "I've been told I'm bewitched, but I don't mess around with other men's women. Even when this thing started I was not in a relationship and my wife isn't here because she stays where she works." Besides a suggestion that his balls should be cut off, he has also been told it may be cancer. "Four big hospitals have told me to see them next year but I can't wait." Oupa Shumeni of the African Traditional Health Practitioners Association said it is difficult to diagnose without throwing the bones. "I'll consult my colleagues and see how we can help." The desperate man is now at his wits end. "My money has gone to the sangomas. Please save me!"… My Zimbabwe
Spiritual healing charge against vet 
A vet convinced a distraught dog owner to take part in a bizarre ritual she claimed would save her pet Jack Russell's life, a hearing was told. Marie-Louise Schlemm made the woman drink medicine prescribed for the animal, known as Ratzy, and performed 'chakra' on her without her permission, it was said. Schlemm then got her to chant 'I am not Ratzy' in a procedure she insisted would cure her and her pet, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons heard. The vet told her the rituals would provide a miracle cure and have the 16-year-old mutt running around as it if were a puppy. Giving evidence to a misconduct hearing via videolink, the woman, known only as Ms B, said Schlemm had insisted Ratzy was not dying despite the animal refusing food and being unable to stand. She told the panel: 'Ms Schlemm assured me there was no reason for Ratzy or myself to be ill anymore. She always told me that Ratzy was not dying. I was still being told that she was going to get to live and she was speaking to someone on the phone, to Sabrina on the phone, consistently about Chakra and colours.' Ms B's own ailments have not been revealed during the central London hearing. Schlemm performed the procedure during an unannounced visit to her home and also bombarded her with phone calls and text messages about 'spiritual healing', it is alleged. Describing the ritual what went on at her home, Ms B said: 'She did it on me, but I fell asleep, I don't know what she was doing to Ratzy in that time.' Before she fell asleep, Schlemm gave her the same dog hydration fluid that she had given to Ratzy and that it made her wretch, she added. When she woke up, the vet is said to have made her chant, 'I am not Ratzy' and said to her: 'Ratzy is not you, you are both individuals'. 'She urged me lie on the settee while she put her hands on me and started doing all this colours and I fell asleep through sheer exhaustion,' Ms B said. She told the panel that she did not know what 'chakra' or 'colours' meant and trusted Schlemm because she believed Ratzy was being helped. Giles Colin, for Schlemm, insisted the vet had only been to see Ms B because she appeared very upset and had simply asked if she could give her a foot rub. But Ms B said Schlemm had never asked to touch her but had performed what she described as 'chakra'. If she knew the vet was using 'alternative therapies' to treat her dog, for whom she 'would have given her soul', she would not have agreed because 'they don't work', she added. She said Schlemm had never told her Ratzy was dying, but instead told her that the dog would still be running around 'this time next year'. Schlemm faces a string of charges, which she denies, relating to her treatment of Ratzy while working for the Vetcall practice in Brighton in May 2010. If found guilty of misconduct she could be kicked out of the profession. The hearing continues… Telegraph
Pagan caught performing naked ritual with teenage girl avoids being put on sex register 
A pagan who stripped naked for a candle-lit ritual with a girl of 15 in her underwear has avoided being placed on the sex offenders’ register. Michael Smith, 46, was fined £335 for breach of the peace over the incident with the underage youngster, who was wearing her bra and pants and a black cloak. A sheriff decided, with some hesitation, that the sexual element of the crime was not big enough to put Smith on the perverts’ list. But Smith’s ex-partner Emma Daniels, who found him with the schoolgirl, said: “I don’t know what the judge was thinking. It was surely an act of indecency. He’ll never be back over my doorstep, that’s for sure. He’s not of the same mindset as everyone else. I knew he was a pagan but I thought he was just going into the garden at night and praying to nature or whatever.” Fort William Sheriff Court heard the girl was interested in Smith’s rituals. He told her they were usually done naked. She did not want to strip completely but undressed to her underwear and put on the cloak. Smith took off all his clothes. He was dressed only in a black belt, with a pagan symbol called a pentagram hanging from it, when Emma walked in. He and the girl were cross-legged in the living room on either side of the coffee table, which had candles on it. Smith was performing a love spell ritual to help the girl get a boyfriend. Emma kicked forester Smith out of her house in Fort William after the incident in the early hours of Saturday. He plans to move in with his sister in Northumberland. Sheriff Noel McPartlin said it was “hard to escape the view that him being naked in the room with the girl might suggest a sexual element”. He added: “I am a bit hesitant but I do not think the sexual element is significant enough to justify placing him on the register”… Daily record
Man wanted for wiping excrement on women in pub 
A pub-goer is wanted by police for wiping faeces on women drinkers. Both of the 'disgusting' attacks took place at The Oakes pub on Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, Lancashire. The man was spotted walking into the men's toilets before reappearing and wiping his own faeces on the women's arms. Police have now released a CCTV image of a man, who is wanted on suspicion of assault. Pc Rachael Allen, based at Bury police station, said: “This is a disgusting act that has left two women deeply shocked by what has happened. This was a completely unprovoked assault by a man the victims did not know and we believe the same person is responsible for both incidents. The image captured on CCTV is very clear and I believe that someone will recognise the man. “If you do, I urge you to contact police. Alternatively, if you were at the pub at the time of both incidents and saw something suspicious, please call us.” The first incident happened on October 12 at around 11.30pm. The 46-year-old victim noticed the man wipe something on her arm. It was only after he walked away she realised it was excrement. The second assault took place less than two weeks later on October 25 at around 9pm. A 52-year-old woman felt her clothing being touched before looking down and discovering human waste on her sleeve. The man was white, aged 45-50, of medium build and around 5ft 8 to 6ft tall. He had short cropped hair that was grey at the side and wore a dark jacket, check shirt with a grey t-shirt underneath… Manchester evening news
Man arrested in Athens over ID theft of most of Greek population 
Greek police have arrested a man on suspicion of stealing the personal data of roughly two thirds of the country's population, police officials in Athens said on Tuesday. The 35-year old computer programmer was also suspected of attempting to sell the 9 million files containing identification card data, addresses, tax ID numbers and licence plate numbers. Some files contained duplicate entries, police said. "We are investigating what the source of the data was and how they were used by the man arrested, and also the possibility of him providing them to someone else," police spokesman Christos Manouras said. Police were also looking into whether the man had obtained the data files by hacking into a government server and whether he had an accomplice, officials said. The files were discovered after police raided his home. No charges have been pressed yet and the man is expected to appear before a prosecutor later… Reuters
Man arrested after pretending Taser was his penis 
A 44-year-old man is facing criminal charges after he created a scene with a Taser at a bar in Athens, Georgia. Meredith Grayson Watson got into an argument with his wife at the Roadhouse then went outside and held a Taser as if it were his penis and discharged it at passersby, Athens-Clarke police said. A bartender called police about 2:30 p.m. on Monday to report the man’s behaviour. She told officers that Watson’s wife was a good customer at the Roadhouse, but Monday was the first time she ever saw Watson, police said. They were arguing about him being intoxicated as they entered the bar. The bartender overheard the couple arguing about Watson supposedly being high and that he was going to end up in jail. The man’s wife left the bar and Watson went after her, but he quickly returned and resumed drinking, setting a Taser on the bar. Watson then began to use the device. “(The bartender) stated he went outside and put the Taser down to his pants and was acting like it was his penis,” according to the arrest report. “When people would walk by he would shock it at them and would come as close as arm’s reach from them and set the Taser off,” according to the report. “He scared a few girls so much they crossed the street to get away.” The report did not mention anyone actually getting shocked by the Taser. Watson was jailed on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct at 6:04 p.m. and released about four hours later after posting a bond of $1,000… Online Athens
School pupils let off punishment if they come up with a clever excuse within 10 seconds 
Witty pupils at a Cambridge school are being let off for minor offences if they can conjure up quick and clever excuses for what they have done. Ed Elliott, head of the independent Perse School, told his pupils they could escape punishment if they could explain themselves in 10 seconds. He said "out-and-out falseness" would not be allowed but "white lies" may be. Mr Elliott said: "It's a great lesson in life to talk your way out of a tight corner in a very short period of time". Mr Elliott, whose independent school caters for pupils aged three to 18, said he wanted to help create a "quick-thinking, communication-savy generation" and stated many pupils had risen to the challenge. He believes such skills could help create the next generation of British entrepreneurs and "wealth creators. There are lots and lots of children out there who have got wonderful academic skills, but some of those academic skills can be under-utilised if they don't know how to communicate the message effectively," said Mr Elliott. "Getting children to talk their way out of minor misdemeanours is a wonderful way of encouraging such creativity and fostering good communication skills". Sam Leith, an author and expert on rhetoric, said rather than teaching children how to lie, Mr Elliott was training pupils to "bend the truth". "I think it is a brilliant idea that you get the pupils to learn to be pragmatically witty and quick on their feet," he said. "You can see this being a really important lifeskill and actually politicians, some of them, are the absolute straight arrow, but often the ones who get further are the artful dodgers." The Department for Education said as the school was independent it could not comment… Bbc
Russian woman kept mummified husband for three years hoping for resurrection 
A headless mummified body found in a ditch in central Russia was there because of a failed Biblical miracle, not murder, Yaroslavl Region investigators said on Monday. The man, a Pentecostal missionary, died of an illness, but his wife, a member of the same Christian denomination, preserved the corpse for three years, the local branch of the Investigative Committee said. The woman expected him to return to life. The mummified body was found in the village of Semibratovo in July, stashed in a plastic bag. It was missing an arm and head, soon discovered in a nearby trash dump. The committee opened a case on murder charges, but eventually discovered the truth was quite different. The man, whose name was withheld, worked as a missionary for the Pentecostals, including in the Siberian republic of Buryatia. The family led an isolated life, with their five children brought up by the missionary’s wife, a certified preschool teacher. The head of the family expired in 2009, but his wife could not bring herself to accept it. She preserved the body in the apartment and told the children he would come back to life. The children were made to attend to their late father every day, speaking to him and “feeding” him broth. They reported to their mother that he conversed with them, but she never entered his room, afraid that contacting him prematurely could spoil the resurrection. The family kept acquaintances at bay by telling them the man was too ill to speak to anyone. They used air fresheners to mask the odor of the rotting body. The situation continued until last summer, when the family decided to relocate elsewhere in the region. Fearing that the body would be discovered, two of the missionary’s three daughters, aged 9 and 14, carried the corpse away to dump it. The arm and the head broke away in the process and had to be discarded separately. The case was closed without any charges against the woman, who did not need hospitalisation. But child protection services are looking into the incident. Pentecostal groups have more than 1,300 churches across Russia… Novosti
Woman accused of having sex with skeleton 
A woman in western Sweden who was arrested after police found skeletons in her apartment has now been charged for using the bones as sex toys, a hobby she claimed was motivated by an interest in history. “I have never heard of a case like this and neither have my colleagues, so I dare to say that this kind of case is quite uncommon,” prosecutor Kristina Ehrenborg-Staffas said. A 37-year-old woman, who was arrested in September, was formally charged on Tuesday at the Gothenburg District Court for the crime of “violating the peace of the dead” (brott mot griftesfriden).  The prosecutor could not explain how the woman had managed to collect almost an entire skeleton, but explained that the human remains had been used in an “unethical” way. "In the confidential section of the investigation we have material which indicates she used them in sexual situations," the prosecutor said. The woman is believed to have used the human bones for sexual gratification. The evidence that the prosecution presented to the press on Tuesday included two CDs labelled “My necrophilia” and “My first experience” which contained a number of document files and pictures. However, a psychological evaluation of the woman shows that she is not mentally ill, at least not in any legal sense of the term. “Some of the photos show a woman licking a skull," Ehrenborg-Staffas said. "We claim it’s her, but she claims it's someone else and that she found the pictures on the internet.” The prosecutor believes the woman is "fascinated" with death. “She has a lot of photos of morgues and chapels, and documents about how to have sex with recently deceased and otherwise dead people,” Ehrenborg-Staffas said. “You have to ask yourself why she would have those pictures.” Meanwhile, Katarina Öberg, head of the centre of Andrology and Sexual Medicine at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, admitted that this was the first time she had heard of such a case in Sweden. “During my ten years I have never had a patient with necrophilia. Although, I guess it is not really something that one confesses to having,” she said. Evidence also included pictures from a morgue, which were found in a secret compartment in the woman's home, alongside body bags and a drill. Police emphasized, however, that they had no proof the woman had been digging up graves. The woman pleaded not guilty and claimed she had not done anything illegal. “She admits to having the bones, but says she collected them out of a historical and archaeological interest,” Ehrenborg-Staffas said. According to the prosecution, the woman has also sold skulls over the internet. The latest transaction was between the woman and a person in Uppsala, eastern Sweden. The buyer had allegedly stocked up on three skulls and a spine. The strange case came to the attention of police by chance after they were informed that a gunshot had been fired from the woman’s apartment in September. She had also reportedly bragged to some nearby children about keeping knives and dead people in her apartment. When officers entered her apartment, they immediately called for back-up after finding skeleton parts and knives in the woman’s living room. At first the woman was arrested on suspicion of murder, but these charges have now been changed to violating the peace of the dead. If found guilty, the woman faces penalties ranging from fines up to a maximum of two years in prison… The Local
Free dope left at roadside for the taking 
Three bags brimming with cannabis have been dumped on the side of a road on the New South Wales south coast of Australia with a sign advertising "free dope". Shoalhaven police posted pictures of the garbage bags and the sign, which said "Free Dope. Smoke. Mull up" accompanied by a drawing of a cannabis leaf. A local had reported seeing the bags on Bolong Road, Bomaderry, on Saturday morning. Officers inspected the bags and found 16 kilograms of cannabis leaf inside. Police said the leaf was of little value, as the head of the plant is sold. The cannabis will be destroyed… Sydney morning herald
Deer stole packet of cigarettes after attacking men 
Joseph Rose and Cole Kellis were leaving their home in Whitehouse, Texas on Friday morning when they noticed a deer in their front yard. Rose approached the deer and he says the deer seemed friendly. But then Kellis and Rose say the deer then charged them and started to attack. Rose and Kellis ran to Rose's pick-up truck to try to get away from the wild buck. The deer then "poked" Rose in his ribs, so Rose jumped out of his truck into the back-bed. Rose says he left his driver-side door open and the deer climbed in and took his pack of cigarettes that were sitting in his centre console. The deer starting eating Rose's cigarettes, and when Rose tried to get them back, Rose says the deer got more aggressive. They then had to call Whitehouse police and the Game Warden. When police arrived they had to taser the deer and then Rose says it took more than 5 men to restrain the buck… Nbc

Sunday retro fetish 

Women banned from shaving in showers of public swimming pools 
Women will no longer be allowed to shave in the showers at some of Sweden’s public swimming halls after a number of visitors complained.  “This goes for all our swimming halls. We don’t want our guests to shave in public,” Josefin Kejder, who manages a pool in Växjö, southern Sweden, operated by Medley, told Sveriges Radio. Medley, a company which runs public swimming pools in several locations across Sweden, have  placed signs in the ladies’ showers in all their facilities after disgruntled customers had complained that they didn’t like having to watch other women shaving in the showers and changing rooms. “They felt uncomfortable watching other women shave in public and think that they should be doing that at home - and the company agrees,” Kejder said. However, no similar signs are up in the men’s changing room, something Kejder said was due to no men having complained about public shaving. Kejder explained that shaving in public appears to be a more of a problem for women than men. “I think women shave more than men in general. And it is also a question of hygiene with hair getting stuck in the drains" he said… The Local
Woman denied haircut in barbers files human rights complaint 
Barbers in Toronto, Canada who refused to cut a woman’s hair have become the target of a human rights complaint, in a case that pits religious freedom against gender equality. When Faith McGregor went into the Terminal Barber Shop requesting a short haircut, she was told the shop only grooms men. The reason, co-owner Omar Mahrouk said, was that as a Muslim he could not cut the hair of a woman who was not related to him. But for McGregor, the rejection of her patronage amounted to sexism. “Fundamentally, my hair is the same as their male clients, so why would they have a problem with that,” she said. “I felt like a second class citizen, like it was hard to hear that they refused and there was no discussion." So the 35-year-old filed a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. Under the law, business owners aren’t supposed to discriminate based on gender, but Mahrouk felt he had religious rights. A lawyer for the owners also says in their defence they've only ever trained to cut men's hair and that they'd bought a barbershop on the expectation they would only have to serve male clientele. The Terminal bills itself as “the oldest standing barber shop in Toronto,” offering haircuts, massages and hot lather shaves “in a classic barber shop setting,” since 1925. “If I wanted to have a specialized business geared just towards men that wanted hot razor shaves and cuts, why not,” said Sean Gibson of the Ontario Barber Association. But McGregor disagrees and is hoping to force the shop to service women too. Her case goes to mediation in the new year… Ctv
Woman born in 1907 offered place in Swedish preschool 
A 105-year-old Swedish woman was surprised recently when she received a letter explaining she had been offered a spot at a local preschool class. Anna Eriksson, 105, lives in a nursing home near Tierp in eastern Sweden, about 130 kilometres north of Stockholm. But the Swedes's three-digit age didn't stand in the way of her receiving a letter recently from the Central School in Tierp, letting her know the school had a spot for her in a class of children due to turn six next year. The school's principal, Marinna Eriksson (no relation) confirmed that Anna had received the letter, as had more than 60 other local children. "The addresses for everyone born in '07 were included in complete lists we received from the population registry," Marianna Eriksson said. When the labels were placed on the letters, however, no one happened to notice that one was addressed to the nursing home of Anna Eriksson, who is also born in ´07 – 1907, that is. "Her daughter got in touch and she and I both thought it was pretty funny. The two of them and I could see the humour in what happened," the principal said. She added that the centenarian is more than welcome to come by the school for an open house for the families of prospective students. "It would be fun if Anna Eriksson wanted to come here to meet the school's leadership and have coffee," Marinna Eriksson said… The Local
Farmer claims diving makes pigs' bacon taste better 
Diving helps pigs improve their immunity against disease and improves the quality of the pork, at least according to a farmer in Central China’s Hunan province. Huang Demin has built a 3-metre-tall wooden diving platform close to his pigsty in Ningxiang county so his livestock can dive on a daily basis. Huang has to push his pigs hard to jump from the platform, as most do not seem to enjoy the airborne experience, he said. But he added that he believes diving can help the pigs eat more food and grow faster. Huang also has an economic motivation - he sells the pork from his diving pigs at three times the price of normal pigs at market… China daily
Man to stand trial for trying to feed sausage rolls to police horses 
A man has been taken to court for trying to feed sausage rolls to police horses. Francis Kelly of Govanhill is accused of giving the pastries to the animals, actions that saw him being arrested. Prosecutors allege he behaved in a "threatening or abusive manner" by attempting to feed the horses the spiced pork pastry snack. The 41-year-old will now stand trial in February in a type of case rarely seen in Scottish courts. The incident is said to have taken place in Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, on September 26. The breach of the peace accusation also claims Kelly "adopted an aggressive stance" towards the officers in charge of the horses when told to put the sausage rolls away. He denies the charge against him and will return to the city's Justice of the Peace court next year for his trial. A source close to the case said he would be fighting the charge. The insider added: "His view is simply that he thought the horses looked hungry, daft as that sounds"… Stv
Rescued battery hen learns how to count to seven 
A rescued battery hen that was just days away from being slaughtered has stunned its owners with her ability to count. The brainy chicken called JJ, three, has been dubbed the ”Carole Vorderman” of the poultry world by using playing cards to learn how to count to seven. Owner Helen Jones, 47, can show the hen a playing card and JJ pecks her beak on it the corresponding number of times. JJ had been confined to laying eggs in a battery farm before she was free by animal campaigners last year. She was taken to a shelter for ‘shell shocked’ hens where her new carers discovered she was actually a genius. The stunned owner discovered the  amazing ability after hearing a rumour that chickens could be trained to perform tricks. She thrust a card in front of JJ and rewarded her with grain when she tapped with her beak the correct number of times. Helen said: “Once she had started to settle into the free range way of life I decided to try one or two things with her. She seemed to take to it very, very well. We were amazed. The important thing is to take very small steps and to not spend too long. It’s got to be fun for the hen or they lose interest. I take her to one side away from the other chickens and spend two or three minutes building up her skills. ”It’s very important to make sure they are rewarded when they get it right. The other chickens are amazed. They all stand and watch and then they want to have a go themselves. One or two others have tried it but they don’t seem to get it.” JJ was rescued from her battery farm by British Hen Welfare Trust last summer after one of their officers discovered the bird was suffering from a broken pelvis. The stricken chicken could not even walk and struggled to fit into the clutch of hen when first rehomed at Helen’s shelter in Felmingham, Norfolk. The boffin bird had reached 18-months, the average age of a battery hen, which is when they become less productive, or “spent.” But fortunately the British Hen Welfare Trust stepped in and rehomed her with landscape gardener Helen Jones. Birds have a strong visual memory, which means they can quickly learn to associate patterns with receiving food rewards. Helen decided she would see if she could use the theory to teach JJ how to count. Training began just six weeks ago when Helen showed JJ the ‘Ace’ card, tapped it once with her finger. When the bird pecked the card once Helen rewarded JJ with some sunflower seeds. The process was then repeated, until JJ recognised the pattern for two, then three, four, five, and six, and seven. JJ is now busy learning how to recognise the remaining cards in the pack… Swns
Bank sent letter regarding dog's overdrawn account 
Staff at NatWest wrote to "Noodles the Dog" to inform him he owed the branch £6.84 after his account became overdrawn. The official letter, which also asked the household pet to make contact within 14 days to discuss the situation, was sent to a home in Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire, at the beginning of the month. However, the tenants had moved out months earlier, leaving the home's resident, Rupert Chapman, scratching his head when the request arrived. Mr Chapman opened the bank's letter, hoping to gain some information about the account holder to allow him to forward the post. Sensing an opportunity, he also replied to the bank with his own letter signed by his six-year-old labradoodle, Charley. "She's not in debt, but she costs a fortune to keep," said Mr Chapman. "When the letter came it was addressed to Noodles the Dog – it was clearly someone who was in the house before – and I had no idea what it could be. "We moved in in August and the previous people had rented and I didn't know who they were, so I thought it would be fitting to send a reply from Charley." NatWest said it did not expect Mr Chapman – or Charley – to cover the outstanding amount. It also explained it was not unusual for customers to name their accounts after their pets. Bank spokesman Grant McDonald said: "We get a lot of accounts like this. I worked in a branch years ago and people used to name their accounts after their animals and use them to pay for things such as vets' or kennel fees. I did work for a branch where a dog owner had trained his pet to bring his pass book in and pay in money. The new home owners do not owe the bank anything, this is the previous tenant's debt, so they shouldn't worry about it"… This is Leicestershire
Sniffer mice being trained in Israel 
An Israeli company is aiming to revolutionise the way explosives, narcotics and even money are detected at airports, docks and border crossings with the help of specially trained mice. The system, developed by the Herzliya-based BioExplorers, is simple: a traveller stands inside a small booth and is hit by a gentle blast of air that is then sucked into an small opaque chamber, where a group of eight mice are on duty. After eight seconds, assuming the subject is all clear, a green light appears and the barrier opens. But if the air smells of a suspicious material the mice have been trained to detect, they gather in the so-called reporting compartment, which raises an alarm. "The idea began in 2000-2001, when there were many suicide bombings on (Israeli) buses," said BioExplorers founder and chief technology officer Eran Lumbroso. "I was in the army at the time, and the idea emerged to use small animals instead of dogs in detecting suicide bombers." After leaving the army in 2004, Lumbroso continued work on the project, running tests with different types of animals, portals and training methods. Mice were eventually chosen because of their keen noses and diminutive size. "They can be trained to sniff out drugs, money, even remainders of pesticides on agricultural produce," explains Lumbroso, who is a biologist. "They have a very developed sense of smell, more than that of dogs," he said, pointing out that sniffer dogs can also be intrusive and sometimes intimidating to their subjects. "The mice can also be easily trained, and thanks to their small size, you can use a small group of them and have multiple sensors," says Lumbroso. The booths contain three sections, or cartridges, roughly the size of a small microwave oven, stacked one on top of the other, which are each home to eight mice. Each group of rodents works a four-hour shift, before the flow of air is automatically diverted to the next cartridge in line. The cartridges contain food and water which are renewed every 14 days when they are removed for cleaning and servicing. BioExplorers says the mice enjoy much better conditions than those of standard lab mice. They are trained over two months, with each mouse able to work for an 18-month period. While mice would not be efficient in detecting metals, which do not have a powerful odour, they can be trained to react to different kinds of narcotics, and dozens of kinds of explosives emanating from roughly 15 different "families" of materials, said Lumbroso. They can even detect the particular smell of money. Full body scanners now being used in many international airports only alert examiners to suspicious shapes, while the mice efficiently zero in on suspicious odours they have been trained to identify, Lumbroso said. The mice also outdo the trace detection machines which analyse swabs wiped over people's hands and clothes, said Lumbroso. The company says it has a prototype of the system available which will be piloted next year. But mice are more than just efficient bomb detectors – they can also be used in the medical field, including the early detection of cancer, Lumbroso said. "People in the early stages of breast and lung cancer exhale certain particles," he said. "The mice could be trained to sniff them out"… Telegraph
Man who put cat in tumble dryer jailed 
A man who put a cat in a tumble dryer, turned it on three times and put the video on YouTube has been sentenced to 56 days in prison. Allan Staughton, 23, of Saunders Close, Huntingdon, Cambs, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the cat and was banned from keeping animals for life. Staughton put his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess in the machine, saying, "Shall we go and see Mr Tumble?" The cat injured its tongue and broke a tooth, and has since been rehomed. Staughton filmed the cat at his former home in Godmanchester. The video was brought to the attention of the RSPCA and removed from YouTube. The RSPCA described it as "a wicked crime". Staughton told inspectors he thought the incident was funny when first questioned about it. However, vet Helen Dennis told the court the cat would have been "severely traumatised" by the ordeal. The presiding magistrate at the Huntingdon court, Celia Chignell, said: "We see this as a form of torture which is reinforced by the vet's report". Kevin Warboys, mitigating, said his client was obsessed with children's television and had attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although he added this was not a "rational explanation" for Staughton's actions. RSPCA inspector Chris Nice welcomed the verdict, and said: "We were hoping he would get a lifetime ban, and that is exactly what has happened"… Bbc
Reward offered to evict thieving railway station monkeys 
Authorities at Chittorgarh railway station in India's northwestern Rajasthan state have offered a cash reward of Rs 20,000 (£230, $365) for anyone who can outsmart about 15 monkeys who have made the railway station their home. The railway station is located about 360 km from state capital Jaipur. The reward was announced as the railway authorities had tried to "evict" the monkeys, but failed. At their wits' end, and with no help from the forest department, the authorities decided to "outsource" the job. "There were just a couple of monkeys initially. Their mischief on the platform was initially ignored. But then there was quite a proliferation of them. And now, after a few months, we have about 15 monkeys. And they have become quite a nuisance," said an official at the railway station. "There's nothing the monkeys don't want. They don't hesitate to snatch mobile phones from passengers. They snatch food items, bags and other luggage," the harried official said. Sounding like he was almost a little in awe of the simian troupe, the officer said: "They are an intelligent bunch. It is almost as if they understand announcements on the platforms. Soon as an announcement goes out on the public address system, they appear on the platform ready to snatch what they can find. And the passengers are more interested in boarding the train than dealing with monkeys. Sometimes there are three or four mobile phones at the same time ringing on the station roof." Railway officials had initially sought the help of the forest department, but even they could not help end the monkey menace. The railway official explained that the cash award will only go to someone who can find a lasting solution to the problem. "He or she would have to ensure that the monkeys are left at such a far away place that they do not return," he said… Times of India
Spanish theatre selling carrots instead of tickets in ticketing tax protest 
A theatre in Catalonia has started selling carrots in lieu of tickets in protest against a 13 per cent rise in VAT on cultural activities in Spain. As a staple food product, carrots still have a four per cent VAT charge, rather than the 21 per cent applied to the arts since September, when the tax went up from 8 per cent. On Saturday, spectators at the municipal theatre in Bescanó in north-east Catalonia each received a carrot, complete with a green top, rather than a ticket for a black comedy called Suicides. "I thought about lettuces, but it wasn't practical to have everybody lugging something that big around from seat to seat," Quim Marcé, the theatre director, said. "And as for tomatoes, what if people started throwing them at the actors during the performance?" The packed-out stalls of spectators, munching on their carrots rather than the usual popcorn, gave Mr Marcé and the two actresses thunderous applause when they spoke about the damage caused by the VAT rise. Spanish media have dubbed this the "Carrot Rebellion," and the theatre has won kudos from arts advocates nationwide. But the theatre must also follow the law, says Fernando Fernandez, an economist at Madrid's IE Business School. "This is called tax evasion," he says. "I mean, we may like it because it has to do with culture, and we like people going to the theater. But this is called tax evasion. So we have to denounce this just as much as we denounce the filthy rich who don't want to pay taxes. We should do the same"… Independent
Russian grandmother killed wolf with bare hands and an axe 
A woman from a village in southern Russia fought off a wolf with her bare hands and killed it with an axe. Aishat Maksudova, from Novo Biryuzyak village in the Dagestan region, was in a group of villagers herding cows and sheep. The 56-year-old heard the cry of a calf being attacked and rushed to scare off the wolf but it turned on her. "I was not even frightened. I stood like this, holding an axe like this. And the wolf, with an open mouth suddenly jumped on me. Jumped like that. The wolf clawed at my leg and I wanted to hit him with the axe," Ms Maksudova said. In a reversal of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale where a granddaughter saves her grandmother from being eaten by a wolf, this Russian grandmother took fate in her own hands. "When I raised my arm up like this, the wolf was just holding my hand. Trying to claw my hand. I wanted to open his mouth and put my fist all the way there, all the way to his throat. But I could not open him. "So I just left my hand, and the wolf was just clawing into it, pulling on it, pulling away like this. And then I took the axe and hit him on his head," she said. Ms Maksudova needed hospital treatment after being bitten. Her fellow villagers have vowed to hunt down other wolves in the area… Sky
Cat swallowed owner's diamond necklace 
Oliver the cat found himself in the dog house after swallowing his owner’s valuable diamond necklace. The hungry moggy polished off the treasured piece of jewellery as it lay on a coffee table next to a pile of his favourite treats. His owners Steve Digby and Francine Lace, from Wythenshawe, thought the pendant and chain had been lost after searching for it without success. But they finally turned their suspicions on five-year-old Oliver. Francine, 44, took their pet to an RSPCA hospital in Salford and an X-ray revealed that the pendant and chain, which is 24-inches long and features diamonds and opals, was in his stomach. Vets at the Eccles New Road hospital waited to see if nature would take its course, but when the necklace got stuck, they were forced to remove it surgically. The operation was a success and Oliver is now recovering at home with Steve, Francine and their four other rescue cats. Steve, 51, said: “You don’t want to get in the way of Oliver when he’s eating. He’s quite a large cat, and quite ferocious when he eats the treat sticks. “His treats were down on the coffee table in the lounge. When my fiancee Francine came back into the lounge the treat sticks had gone, and so had the pendant. She searched high and low, all over the house, but couldn’t find it. When I got home I looked again, and in the end we came to the conclusion the cat’s eaten it.” The necklace, which was a birthday present from Steve to his fiancee, has now been returned to Francine – after a thorough cleaning… Manchester evening news
Il 42-enne Chaz Bono, nata Chastity dalla cantante Cher e il defunto Sonny, ha già avuto utero e mammelle rimosse per diventare uomo, ed ora il chirurgo belgradese specializzato Miroslav Djordjevic gli impianterà due testicoli di silicone e con un lungo trattamento ormonale gli farà crescere la clitoride per diventare un pisello di dieci centimetri col quale potrà fare pipì, ma non penetrare sessualmente.

Serbian surgeon to create penis for Cher's son. Singer Cher's transsexual son Chaz Bono has agreed to have a sex-swap operation with Serbian surgeon. Dr Miroslav Djordjevic will create a penis for Chaz to complete his transformation into a man. Chaz, born Chastity to the singer and her late husband Sonny, has already undergone hormonal treatment and lives as a man in the USA. Dr Miroslav Djordjevic who carries out 30 operations of this kind a year, will make a surgical procedure to create a penis out of the clitoris he was born with. Dr Djordjevic, from Belgrade, explained he would create a pair of silicon testicles for Chaz and use hormone treatments for several months to increase the length of his clitoris to up to four inches. The final operation would last for six hours, he added. "Such a penis can pee like men do, but it is not functional for penetrative sex. If one wants penetration we would need to do additional surgery, using skin from his hand or back," Dr Djordjevic explained. Chaz, 42, began his transgender reassignment two years ago and has already had his womb and breasts removed... Austrian times