The "And in other news..." thread

[Cowley]

That is not a string I ever expected to read.

I feel like that's clearly the reason there, if the curtains are shut surely it's sensible to put the lights on to let the stage be cleaned and actors exit safely?

Are you saying that they shouldn’t have left it so moosey?

 

[edwin_m]

It's a stage, not a stag.

 

[birchesgreen]

Oh deer

 

[brad465]

Oh deer

Roe Deer

 

[AM9]

That is not a string I ever expected to read.

I feel like that's clearly the reason there, if the curtains are shut surely it's sensible to put the lights on to let the stage be cleaned and actors exit safely?

Only if there are Namby Bambi actors.

 

[brad465]

Quite a poultry story:

Pelican missing after being scared by gulls at Blackpool Zoo

The fledgling is missing from Blackpool Zoo after taking to the air when it was startled by seagulls.

www.bbc.co.uk

A pelican has gone missing from a zoo after taking to the air when it was scared by a flock of gulls.
Blackpool Zoo said the 14-week-old fledgling flew on to the flamingo house on Friday afternoon after being startled by the squawking birds.
It said the pelican was then "taken on a gust of wind" and keepers lost sight of it at about 16:00 BST as it headed towards South Shore.
A representative said anyone who spots it should contact the zoo.
They said the brown-feathered bird was about 4ft (1.2m) tall with a 5ft (1.5m) wingspan and had been "seen in the area" since it flew off.
They said keepers were "following up all sightings" and searches were "continuing from dawn to dusk every day".
"We remain hopeful that it will be found," they said.

 

[Purple Train]

Quite a poultry story:

Surely you can fish around for a better pun?

 

[brad465]

Surely you can fish around for a better pun?

Clearly not.

 

[birchesgreen]

That pun was so bad you need to be put up before the beak.

 

[edwin_m]

Has anyone rung the zoo to say they were walking down the road and saw a pelican crossing?

 

[341o2]

Local MP pokes fun at police car receiving a parking ticket

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/23710663.sir-desmond-swayne-mp-pokes-fun-police-car-parking-ticket/

AN MP poked fun at a police car that had received a parking ticket this afternoon.


Sir Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP for New Forest West, tweeted the picture of a Hampshire Police car on Lymington High Street, outside Tesco Express.
He captioned the image ‘Opps!’.
Police cars can be issued with penalty charge notices if they are parked illegally.
The parking spaces outside Tesco in Lymington are pay and display between the hours of 9am and 6pm, requiring anyone who parks in them to pay for a ticket at a machine and place the ticket in their car.

I expect the officers were not familiar with having to display a ticket indicating when you are due to leave even when using the 20 minute free parking option. The Echo is incorrect in stating that anyone who parks there must pay for a ticket.

An update to this story is that a member of the public pllaced this on the car's windscreen as a prank

 

[AndyPJG]

Has anyone rung the zoo to say they were walking down the road and saw a pelican crossing?

Quite possibly, in Blackpool?

Blackpool Zoo comes close to recapturing pelican scared by gulls

Zookeepers have come "within metres" of capturing a pelican which went missing after it was scared by gulls and "taken on a gust of wind", a zoo has said.

Blackpool Zoo said the fledgling was blown away from its enclosure after being startled on 4 August.
A representative said a verified sighting at about 07:50 BST led a team to Granny's Bay in nearby Fairhaven.
However, they said that while keepers waded out to the avian escapee, it flew away before they could capture it.
The zoo previously said the 14-week-old brown-feathered bird, which was about 4ft (1.2m) tall with a 5ft (1.5m) wingspan, was "taken on a gust of wind" after being frightened by the gulls and keepers lost sight of it as it headed towards South Shore.
It said pelicans were "beautiful, docile creatures" and there was "no threat to the public", but anyone who spotted it should not approach it.
The zoo also asked anyone who believed they had seen the bird to take a picture and send it to the zoo, "so we can confirm that it is the pelican and not another species of bird, as some well-meaning members of the public have been sending images of herons and gannets in particular".

[my bold]

 

[341o2]

Germany has a problem with raccoons

A “plague” of invasive raccoons with a taste for German beer is causing havoc by raiding homes and killing treasured pets.

Homeowners have faced repair bills of up to €10,000 after returning from holiday and finding that the animals have destroyed their kitchens.

Germany’s National Hunting Association (DJV) says that it killed a record 200,000 raccoons last year in an attempt to control the population, up from less than 10,000 two decades ago.

Scientists say that the growth is almost exponential for an “unbelievably adaptable animal” and that attempts to control it through hunting have had the adverse effect of increasing its already prodigious birth rate.

“These animals, which are so cute at first sight, have become a plague in some parts of the country,” the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, a daily German newspaper, said

Urban legend has it that they were released on the orders of Hermann Goering, but it appears that they were just released during the Nazi era.
And we have a problem with grey squirrels?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-n...oons-cause-havoc-in-germany-by-raiding-homes/

 

[AM9]

Germany has a problem with raccoons


Urban legend has it that they were released on the orders of Hermann Goering, but it appears that they were just released during the Nazi era.
And we have a problem with grey squirrels?

Well if that is a genuine question, yes we do, - our native red squirrel population has been nearly wiped out by the invasive species' virus alone, apart from the grey's appetite for the.red's food.

 

[birchesgreen]

Some inspiration for the trip planners!

Take the high road: the man who visited every country in the world – without boarding a plane

At 34, Torbjørn Pedersen embarked on a seemingly impossible journey that would take 10 years – and involve cerebral malaria and being held up at gunpoint. He reflects on the highs, the lows and the joy of getting married en route

www.theguardian.com

 

[341o2]

Well if that is a genuine question, yes we do, - our native red squirrel population has been nearly wiped out by the invasive species' virus alone, apart from the grey's appetite for the.red's food.

True, they are a major pest, unlike red squirrels they will raid bird's nests as well, it is estimated that 15% are destroyed by them. The latest attempt to control them involves a vaccine that renders both genders infertile.
At least they don't invade people's homes and destroy the contents as well as developing a taste for beer which is what the raccoons are doing.

 

[brad465]

It takes one to know one:

British Museum worker sacked over missing treasures

The museum dismisses a member of staff and police are investigating after items go missing.

www.bbc.co.uk

The British Museum in London has sacked a member of staff and police are investigating after treasures were reported "missing, stolen or damaged".
Items including gold, jewellery and gems of semi-precious stones were among those missing from the museum, one of the UK's largest tourist attractions.
The majority of the items were kept in a storeroom, the museum said.
British Museum director Hartwig Fischer said the museum would "throw our efforts into the recovery of objects".
He added: "This is a highly unusual incident. I know I speak for all colleagues when I say that we take the safeguarding of all the items in our care extremely seriously.
"We have already tightened our security arrangements and we are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged and stolen."
Legal action would be taken against the staff member who was fired, the museum added.
The Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police is investigating but no arrests have been made.
The British Museum has also started an independent review of security.

 

[AndyPJG]

Go North East passengers left on bus as driver 'quits'

A bus driver appeared to quit his job while at the wheel, leaving his passengers stuck inside the double-decker.
Travellers on the Angel 21 service between Durham and Newcastle said they were left to work out how to exit the abandoned vehicle on Wednesday night.
Bus company Go North East said it would investigate why its customers were left stranded near the Angel of the North.
"We clearly can't condone the actions of this driver," a spokesperson said.
The driver pulled up to a stop beside the Gateshead landmark, got off the bus and closed the doors behind him, according to passengers.
One said those left onboard "did not know what was going on" before realising the driver was not coming back.
The helpless passengers then had to work out how to get off the bus, pressing a combination of buttons, before flagging down another service.
Go North East, which describes itself as the biggest bus operator in the region, confirmed to the BBC the incident did take place.
It vowed to "ensure the issue is investigated and dealt with according to our internal procedures".
It added: "We can only apologise to any customers who were inconvenienced by this event".

BBC News Tyne & Wear

 

[birchesgreen]

I hope the driver is ok, might have had some kind of breakdown.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

BBC News Tyne & Wear

The helpless passengers then had to work out how to get off the bus, pressing a combination of buttons, before flagging down another service.

Is there not the emergency door open button?
Or the emergency door?

 

[brad465]

Baghdad advertising boards turned off over porn screening

Electronic screens were shut down after a hacker used one to run a pornographic film.

www.bbc.co.uk

Iraqi officials have ordered all electronic advertising screens to be shut down in Baghdad after a hacker used one to show a pornographic film.
It happened at a major road junction in the Iraqi capital. Videos have been shared widely on social media.
A man has been arrested in connection with the incident, police say.
A statement said the suspect was a technician who had financial issues with the company that runs the advertising screens.
He was said to have acted in retaliation.
The hacker "showed a pornographic film for several minutes before we cut the power cable" on Saturday, a security source who requested anonymity told the AFP news agency.
These "immoral scenes" prompted the authorities to "turn off all advertising screens in Baghdad" while they review security measures, the same official explained.
Screens in the capital - which are generally used to advertise products or politicians - were switched off on Sunday morning.

 

[ABB125]

Baghdad advertising boards turned off over porn screening

Electronic screens were shut down after a hacker used one to run a pornographic film.

www.bbc.co.uk

I hope they didn't literally "cut the power cable"...
Might not end very well!

 

[brad465]

I don't know if "trial fixing" (i.e. trying to throw a trial for personal benefit) is a thing*, but this quite the rarity for multiple misfortunes among jurors:

Sheffield sex assault trial collapses due to 'astonishing' jury problems

One juror fell asleep while another could not hear crucial evidence at Sheffield Crown Court.

www.bbc.co.uk

A sexual assault trial has collapsed after one juror fell asleep and a second revealed he had not been able to hear crucial evidence.
The entire jury in the case at Sheffield Crown Court was discharged on Monday after a string of problems the trial judge described as "astonishing".
A third juror had to withdraw from proceedings during deliberations after falling ill with an infectious disease.
Judge Jeremy Richardson KC ordered that the defendant should face a retrial.
He said: "Too much has gone wrong in this case. We really must start again and do it properly."
One juror was discharged last week after several people in court noticed he had been falling asleep.
The judge said it had been established the juror had missed "important evidence" due to nodding off.
Meanwhile, a second juror, who suffered from the ear disorder tinnitus, was later excluded from proceedings after admitting he had not been able to hear the complainant as she gave evidence earlier in the trial.

*To clarify, I'm not accusing this jury of deliberate misbehaviour, it was a joke/reference to how usually so many things going wrong like this is linked to match/spot fixing in competitions.

 

[AndyPJG]

Quite possibly, in Blackpool?

Blackpool Zoo comes close to recapturing pelican scared by gulls

[my bold]

Blackpool Zoo: Missing pelican found 65 miles away

A pelican that went missing after being scared by gulls and then blown away by a gust of wind has been rescued.
The bird was found in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, about 65 miles from its home at Blackpool Zoo in Lancashire.
The Eastern white pelican has been missing since 4 August.
Blackpool Zoo said it wanted to thank the public who had provided "invaluable help" during the search and reported various sightings.
"Many went above and beyond to assist by sending pictures, videos and exact coordinates of sightings, going back to locations to keep watch for hours on end and even bringing food for keepers when they were responding to calls," a zoo spokeswoman said.
Zookeepers found the pelican at Hay-a-Park Gravel Pits waters after setting up a 24-hour hotline to find the bird.
Confirmed sightings have come from Lytham and Fleetwood and as far away as Harrogate.
The zoo spokeswoman said it was "extremely important" to return the pelican to its flock as they were "very social birds and, as a non-native species, it needed to be back with its own kind".
"The pelican is now in our animal hospital where it has been given a full health check, had its wings clipped and will be quarantined before being returned to the flock in the near future," she said.
"Pelicans are beautiful, docile creatures and there was never any threat to the public.
"Blackpool Zoo has housed this magnificent species for many years and we are the only collection in the UK to have successfully bred them, which makes the youngster's return even more special."
In April, the zoo advertised for "seagull deterrents", a role which would see successful applicants dressed up in bird costumes to scare away the nuisance birds.
It later said almost 200 people had applied for the roles.

 

[yorksrob]

Blackpool Zoo: Missing pelican found 65 miles away

And who can blame him. Knaresborough is much nicer than Blackpool.

 

[341o2]

I don't know if "trial fixing" (i.e. trying to throw a trial for personal benefit) is a thing*, but this quite the rarity for multiple misfortunes among jurors:

Sheffield sex assault trial collapses due to 'astonishing' jury problems

One juror fell asleep while another could not hear crucial evidence at Sheffield Crown Court.

www.bbc.co.uk

*To clarify, I'm not accusing this jury of deliberate misbehaviour, it was a joke/reference to how usually so many things going wrong like this is linked to match/spot fixing in competitions.

I can't provide a source for this, but there was once a trial regarding an incident of sexual assault, where the defendant was asked what the accused said to her prior to the incident. She said she was too embarrassed to say it out loud, so she was ordered to write it down, and the sheet of paper was passed around the courtroom.
One of the jurors was dozing, and was sitting next to a rather attractive woman, who read the statement, then gave him a prod and handed the sheet of paper to him.
To the delight of all present, he woke up, read what was written on the paper, broke into a broad smile, winked at his neighbour, and pocketed the sheet of paper.
The judge ordered him to hand the sheet of paper to the next person, and he refused, stating it was a personal matter.

 

[Ediswan]

Business as usual on the latest Nessie hunt.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-66633215

Observers on a boat using acoustic equipment reported four unidentified "gloops" but then realised their recording device wasn't plugged in.

 

[edwin_m]

That sounds like something of a glooper.

 

[jon0844]

Blackpool Zoo: Missing pelican found 65 miles away

If the pelican had turned up at Blackpool North it wouldn't even have got as far as the platforms.

 

[brad465]

Forget spiders, snakes, sharks and whatnot, this seems to be the most troublesome animal in Australia now:

Live worm found in Australian woman's brain in world first

The parasite - usually found in pythons - could have been there for two months, scientists say.

www.bbc.co.uk

In a world first, scientists say an 8cm (3in) worm has been found alive in the brain of an Australian woman.
The "string-like structure" was pulled from the patient's damaged frontal lobe during surgery in Canberra last year.
"It was definitely not what we were expecting. Everyone was shocked," said operating surgeon Dr Hari Priya Bandi.
The woman, 64, had for months suffered symptoms like stomach pain, a cough and night sweats, which evolved into forgetfulness and depression.
She was admitted to hospital in late January 2021, and a scan later revealed "an atypical lesion within the right frontal lobe of the brain".
But the cause of her condition was only revealed by Dr Bandi's knife during a biopsy in June 2022.
The red parasite could have been alive in her brain for up to two months, doctors said.
The woman, who lived near a lake area in south-eastern New South Wales state, is recovering well.
Her case is believed to be the first instance of a larvae invasion and development in the human brain, researchers said in the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal which reported the case.
'I pulled it out... and it was happily moving'
The neurosurgeon who found the worm said she had only begun to touch the brain part that had shown up strangely in the scans when she felt it.
"I thought, gosh, that feels funny, you couldn't see anything more abnormal," said Dr Bandi.
"And then I was able to really feel something, and I took my tweezers and I pulled it out and I thought, 'Gosh! What is that? It's moving!"
"Everyone was shocked. And the worm that we found was happily moving, quite vigorously, outside the brain," she said.