‘A lion and a tiger kept as exotic pets on the roof of a Mexican meat processing plant killed a man feeding them Monday, Mexican media said.
Caretaker Angel Aguilar, 56, was taking pieces of chicken to feed the two big cats when the lion swiped at him through the bars of its cage and pulled him inside, Reforma daily said. The tiger then joined in the attack.
Paramedics arrived at the plant in the rough Mexico City neighborhood of Iztapalapa while the man was still alive but they could not get past the animals to treat him. [..]
After the attack, which left scraps of bloodstained clothing on the floor of the cage, the animals were sedated and the tiger’s jaws tied around a chunk of wood.
The tiger later died, apparently of suffocation, after being transported by animal protection authorities to a nearby zoo in a small container. The lion survived the journey.’
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‘Cane toads wiggle their toes to lure their young, then eat them up in an act of cannibalism, Australian researchers say.
They say the young toads move towards the adults, possibly mistaking the wiggling toes for a tasty morsel like an insect.
Instead the youngsters themselves end up as the tasty morsel.
But harnessing this cannibalistic behaviour may have some benefits, at least in Australia where cane toads are an invasive pest.
Scientists say it could be the key to getting cane toads to eat themselves out of existence.’
‘A British artist who ate a meal of meatballs made from a dead corgi dog in a protest against animal cruelty, says his next project will involve being buried in a box under a mountain of mashed potato.
Performance artist Mark McGowan, 37, said the corgi, which died from natural causes, tasted terrible. [..]
Now McGowan is switching his attention from animals to vegetables. He told Sky News television that his next project would be an interpretation of the work of American illusionist David Blaine.
“I am being buried in a box – a David Blaine type thing – in Dublin underneath a metre of mashed potato,” he said.
He did not explain why.’
Followup to British man eats corgi with Yoko.
‘Hampton Police are trying to unravel a huge mystery. Was there really a gunman at the East Pembroke McDonald’s around 2:30 Monday afternoon?
Around 2:30, police got the call that an armed gunman was inside the fast food restaurant.
Police say a SWAT team freed 12 employees and two customers believed to be held hostage for nearly three hours inside a Hampton McDonald’s by an armed man but never found a gunman.
No one was injured, and police are trying to figure out whether the man somehow got away or perhaps someone had perpetrated a hoax.’
‘The Bush administration said Tuesday it will fight to keep meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease.
The Agriculture Department tests fewer than 1 percent of slaughtered cows for the disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. A beef producer in the western state of Kansas, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, wants to test all of its cows.
Larger meat companies feared that move because, if Creekstone should test its meat and advertised it as safe, they might have to perform the expensive tests on their larger herds as well.
The Agriculture Department regulates the test and argued that widespread testing could lead to a false positive that would harm the meat industry.’
‘Before he became known as “Monster Pig,” the 1,051-pound hog shot in Delta was known by another name.
Fred.
Rhonda and Phil Blissitt told The Anniston Star on Thursday evening that, on April 29, four days before the hog was killed, Fred was one of many livestock on their farm.
Late Thursday evening, their claims were confirmed by Andy Howell, Game Warden for the Alabama Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
“I didn’t want to stir up anything,” Rhonda Blissitt said. “I just wanted the truth to be told. That wasn’t a wild pig.”
Added Phil Blissitt:
“If it went down in the record book, it would be deceiving, and we’d know that for the rest of our lives.”‘
Followup to Boy Bags Wild Hog Bigger Than ‘Hogzilla’.
‘A Minnesota woman who was forced to the ground and handcuffed after a DirecTV dispatcher told police that an installer was being held hostage is suing.
“These are regular people. She’s a schoolteacher. … You shouldn’t have SWAT teams coming after someone if they know there’s not a crisis,” Marc Kurzman, a lawyer for Julie and Steven Pyle of Savage, Minn., told the St. Paul, Minn., Pioneer Press. The Pyles are seeking more than $75,000 in damages in a federal civil rights lawsuit against DirecTV, Savage police and Scott County enforcement dispatchers. [..]
Julie Pyle felt bad the job was taking the installers so long, so she baked them cookies, the lawsuit said.’
It’s one of those claw games, but instead of trying to grab stuffed toys, you’re after live lobsters.
‘A new house in northern China collapsed and killed at least 16 people during a banquet being held to celebrate its completion, state media reported today.
Yang Hongyi, a resident of Wulanji, a village in northern Inner Mongolia, held the banquet yesterday, inviting more than 50 people who had helped build the house.
More than 40 people were buried in the collapse and 30 suffered injuries, Xinhua news agency said.
The roof beams had been put up that afternoon, Xinhua said, citing rescuers.
The accident is under investigation.’
‘A Wendy’s manager was shot several times in the arm early Tuesday trying to protect the restaurant’s chili sauce, authorities said.
A man in the drive-through argued with an employee because he wanted more of the condiment, police said. The worker told the customer that restaurant policy prohibited a customer from getting more than three packets.
The man insisted on 10, reports said. The employee complied, but police said the customer wanted more.
When the manager came out to speak to the man, the customer shot the manager, Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Mary Walters said. He was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.’
‘The pest inspector Bill Lincoln smelt the rats before he saw them when he visited the Sushi World’s factory in Camperdown to quote on fixing the rodent problem last year.
“It was horrific … the stench of rat urine was bad,” he said of the premises the Herald revealed this week had been fined 11 times, and closed for a second time early this month, for breaching hygiene laws.
As Mr Lincoln walked through the premises in Larkin Street last year, he was stunned by what he found. “There were rats in the rice cases; there was shredded paper on the ground where they were making nests; there were droppings everywhere,” he said.
Mr Lincoln said he had seen many food businesses with rat infestations but none as bad as the Larkin Street factory.’
‘A British artist ate a corgi dog, famous for being Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite breed, in protest after a group including her husband Prince Philip allegedly killed a fox earlier this year.
And Yoko Ono, the widow of ex-Beatle John Lennon, also had a taste of the “really, really disgusting” meat, which came from a corgi that died naturally at a breeding farm.
Mark McGowan, who has previously eaten a swan as part of a performance art show, tucked into the dog live on a London radio station. [..]
McGowan said the dog tasted “really, really disgusting,” and added that Ono “looked a bit strange” as she also tasted the dog.’
Followup to Artist with taste for publicity to eat corgi in protest over royal hunting.
Update: Now with video.
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‘A ship’s doctor has died in Western Australia after eating blowfish, a delicacy that can prove fatal if not prepared properly.
Authorities were called to an iron ore ship off Dampier early on Saturday after a 43-year-old Chinese man suffered paralysis and his breathing became laboured.
“We did a co-ordinated rescue effort through Australian Search and Rescue,” said Acting Sergeant Chris Hinch. [..]
“The other person who had eaten the fish fell ill and made himself vomit,” he said.
“There was another gentleman who did CPR on the doctor and fell ill because the doctor had vomited while he was giving him CPR.
“We bought him to shore as a precautionary measure.”‘
‘Scientists have bred cows that produce skimmed milk and hope to establish herds of the cattle to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers.
The milk is also high in omega3 oils, claimed to improve brain power, and contains polyunsaturated fat. The saturated fats found in normal milk are linked to increased risk of heart disease. The cows, which have a particular genetic mutation, were bred from a single female discovered by researchers when they screened milk from millions of cattle in New Zealand.
Butter from these cows has the extra advantage of being spreadable straight from the fridge, like margarine.’
‘An elephant in eastern India has sparked complaints from motorists who accuse it of blocking traffic and refusing to allow vehicles to pass unless drivers give it food, a newspaper has reported.
The Hindustan Times said Monday the elephant was scouting for food on a highway in the eastern state of Orissa, forcing motorists to roll down their windows and get out of the car.
“The tusker then inserts its trunk inside the vehicle and sniffs for food,” local resident Prabodh Mohanty, who has come across the elephant twice, was quoted as saying.
“If you are carrying vegetables and banana inside your vehicle, then it will gulp them and allow you to go.”
If a commuter does not wind down his window or resists opening the vehicle door, the elephant stands in front of the car until the driver allows him to carry out his routine inspection.’
‘They live hundreds of feet below the sea. A formidable predator that can rip its prey to pieces.
The giant Humboldt squid have returned to the waters of Southern California, and they’re bigger and more plentiful than ever.
Fishermen are thankful, but biologists are worried.
“I have nearly a thousand dives with these animals and I have been either tested or full out attacked about 80 percent of the time,” Scott Cassell said. [..]
“I have felt my life was in danger several times with the squid, but knowing that the cable and the armor I was pretty much impervious to the damage,” Cassell said.
But Cassell, like other marine experts, says something is not right.’
‘A man was warned yesterday that he faced 10 months in jail if he again breached a barring order to stay away from his former partner.
Tina Doohan told a court how her ex had entered her home and defecated on her spaghetti bolognese dinner before rubbing it on her face. After this grotesque incident, the mother of one had her hand cut as she held up her plate.
Ms Doohan told the court her former partner Patrick McLaughlin had breached a barring order when he entered her home. McLaughlin claimed that she had soiled her own food and cut her own hand.’
‘A rumour spread by text message has badly hit the price of bananas from China’s Hainan island, state media say.
The messages claim the fruit contains viruses similar to Sars, the severe respiratory illness which has killed hundreds of people worldwide.
Producers in Hainan say the resulting price slump is costing them up to 20 million yuan ($US2.6m) a day.
China’s Agriculture Ministry has dismissed the Sars claim as baseless. Police are investigating its source.
“It is utterly a rumour,” a Chinese Health Ministry official was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
“There has not been a case in the world in which humans have contracted a plant virus, and there is not any scientific evidence.”‘
‘An artist has caused outrage among animal activists by announcing plans to eat a corgi dog on live radio in a protest against the Royal Family.
Mark McGowan says he will tuck into the dead animal next week to highlight the death of a fox on a royal shoot.
The performance artist made his name by sitting in a bath full of baked beans and sausages to defend the English breakfast and pushing a monkey nut round London with his nose.
He said: “I know some people will find this offensive and tasteless. But I am doing this to raise awareness about the RSPCA’s inability to prosecute Prince Philip and his friends for shooting a fox earlier this year, letting it struggle for life for five minutes and then beating it to death with a stick.”‘
‘Hogzilla is being made into a horror movie. But the sequel may be even bigger: Meet Monster Pig. An 11-year-old Alabama boy used a pistol to kill a wild hog his father says weighed a staggering 1,051 pounds and measured 9-feet-4 from the tip of its snout to the base of its tail. Think hams as big as car tires. [..]
The hog’s head is now being mounted on an extra-large foam form by Jerry Cunningham of Jerry’s Taxidermy in Oxford. Cunningham said the animal measured 54 inches around the head, 74 inches around the shoulders and 11 inches from the eyes to the end of its snout.
“It’s huge,” he said. “It’s just the biggest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Mike Stone is having sausage made from the rest of the animal. “We’ll probably get 500 to 700 pounds,” he said. ‘
‘A 14-year-old girl was murdered by a takeaway owner who joked with friends that she had been chopped up and mixed in with the kebabs, a court has heard.
It is alleged that Charlene Downes was killed by Iyad Albattikhi, who owns a fast food shop on Blackpool Promenade.
Prosecutors said Charlene was one of a number of girls who had sex with men who worked in fast food shops on the promenade, including Mr Albattikhi. [..]
Police started a missing persons inquiry, but later launched a murder probe after being told she had been “killed and chopped up”, the jury heard.
No trace of Charlene’s body has been found.’
‘Doctors are being advised to prescribe oily fish or omega-3 fatty acid supplements to heart attack patients.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) believes this is an effective way to cut the risk of further heart attacks.
It is the first time NICE has recommended lifestyle change – alongside drugs – in guidance on preventing repeat attacks. [..]
Research has found that one specific omega-3 supplement – Omacor – cut the risk of a patient dying suddenly by up to 45%.
Omacor is currently the only omega-3 supplement with a licence for post-heart attack treatment.’
‘British Airways has banned cabin crew from microwaving their own food after a curry exploded at 35,000 ft (10,668 metres), causing around $US40,000 ($48,790) of damage to an aircraft.
A fire extinguisher was used to tackle the blaze on April 30 on a Heathrow to Miami flight, when the high-powered microwave ignited a ready meal that a stewardess had bought from a supermarket.
“The fire lasted only a couple of seconds,” said a BA spokesman.
“As a precaution a specialist extinguisher was used in the microwave. However, at no time was there any danger to passengers or the aircraft.”‘
‘A woman’s head was cut off in a horrific incident at a meat processing factory.
One horrified worker said: “It was absolutely appalling, like something out of a horror film — everyone here is in shock.” [..]
Bernard Hoggarth, Delico chief executive, said: “This is horrendous for her family and for everyone who was working at the factory at the time.
“It’s such a tragic incident — we’ve never experienced anything like it.”
Health and Safety Executive spokeswoman Barbara Hewitt confirmed the woman had been decapitated.’
Some lions attack a young buffalo and then have to fight a crocodile for the kill.
It seems to be going well for the lions .. until the rest of the buffalo herd arrives.
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Ferrets don’t like chilli, apparently. 🙂
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‘In animal markets, some parts and products are not what they are labeled. One of the most difficult products to identify has been genuine dried tiger penises. The reason for this is the rarity of the real thing and a long tradition of the production of “lesser tiger” or tiger substitute, that is, any other large mammal that can be promoted as a replacement for tiger. When rehydrated and consumed in a soup of tea, this product is believed to serve as an aphrodisiac or restorative tisane. To date, no dried penis from an actual tiger has been seen in the Lab as evidence in a wildlife case.’
‘You’ve come to know and love him as Jared Fogle, the guy who lost over 200 pounds by eating nothing but Subway sandwiches alone. As a result, he went from being just plain ol’ “Jared” to the much more exciting “Jared Fogle, the Subway Guy.”
Well, it turns out in college, the All-American Jared was known for something entirely different. According to our source, while studying at Indiana University, Fogle ran a very successful pornography rental company out of his bedroom. His porn collection was vast and extensive, and Fogle took his business pretty seriously. A video would run a patron a dollar a day (cheap!), and people would come from all over to take advantage of the deal. Needless to say, Jared had enough porn to keep his customers happy.’
