Monday, December 31, 2007
Jaguars
J. Madeleine Nash of the New York Times: "When jaguars kill cattle, ranchers retaliate. Now conservationists are trying for a truce that could save the Americas’ biggest cat."
Jamaica
Angry residents chopped three suspected goat thieves to death in western Jamaica. The local cops made no arrests.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Where the Ganges Ends
Every year millions of Indians go to Sagar Island for a great bathing festival.
Pain
Swarms of jellyfish stung nearly 300 swimmers in the shallow waters off a southeastern beach city in Brazil.
It's a Zoo
Patricia Yollin of the San Francisco Chronicle:
Steve Rubenstein: Zookeepers knew about the wall.
A koala is kidnapped. Sheep are molested by a human intruder. An elephant does a headstand on a technician, breaking her pelvis. A tiger ravages its keeper's arm. A year later, on Christmas Day, the same feline escapes, kills and gets killed.
This is what life can be like at the San Francisco Zoo, a 78-year-old institution saddled with a history of mismanagement and scores of injuries to animals, employees and visitors alike—yet still beloved by generations of Bay Area residents.
It's almost as if the place is cursed.
Steve Rubenstein: Zookeepers knew about the wall.
Malaysia
The BBC: "The Malaysian government has reversed a decision to ban a Christian newspaper using the word Allah to refer to God."
Previous: Allah
Previous: Allah
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Crab Fisherman
On Thursday afternoon a tiger killed a crab fishermen in India's state of West Bengal. Early this morning villagers found the partially eaten body of the 21-year-old victim.
Kite Maker
A kite maker threw his three sons into a river because he was too poor to pay their school fees in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. A passerby rescued one of the boys. The other two boys drowned.
Muezzin
Two masked gunmen opened fire on a muezzin at a mosque in Saudi Arabia. One bullet tore through a sleeve of the targeted man's thobe. Police launched a manhunt.
San Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Chronicle has more details about the tiger escape at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas Day: "The police dispatch logs released Friday and fire dispatch records obtained by the Chronicle reflect a chaotic scene as zoo officials seemed ill-equipped to deal with a dire emergency."
Friday, December 28, 2007
Queen of the Poachers
Lawmen captured the female leader of a gang of tiger poachers in northern India. Officers found a tiger trap in the woman's possession.
Elephant Herd
A herd of about 75 wild elephants went on a rampage in India's state of West Bengal, destroying crops and killing one person.
Allah
The BBC: "A church and Christian newspaper in Malaysia are suing the government after it decreed that the word Allah can only be used by Muslims."
Mistake
Game rangers gunned down a fellow ranger at Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe.
"The shooters mistook the man for a poacher," a trader said.
"The shooters mistook the man for a poacher," a trader said.
Three Wounded
Five river pirates stole supplies and wounded three people during an attack on a vessel in southern Nigeria.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Ancient Civilization
Archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient civilization at the bottom of Lake Issyk-Kul (also Ysyk-Köl) in eastern Kyrgyzstan.
Brave Woman
A 35-year-old woman tried to chase an elephant out of a garden near a village in Malawi. The pachyderm killed her.
Rumble
In Bethlehem two groups of priests battled each other with brooms at the Church of the Nativity.
Camelids
ZooGoer magazine: "There's more to camels than dromedaries in the desert. South America's alpacas, llamas, vicuñas, and guanacos are camels, too."
Firewood
A tiger mauled a 40-year-old woman in India's Maharashtra state.
"The woman was collecting firewood approximately three kilometers from her village," a trader said. "She sustained serious injuries to her back, legs, and hands. Other villagers made noises to chase away the cat. This was the fourth such incident in the area this month."
"The woman was collecting firewood approximately three kilometers from her village," a trader said. "She sustained serious injuries to her back, legs, and hands. Other villagers made noises to chase away the cat. This was the fourth such incident in the area this month."
San Francisco
More news from the San Francisco Chronicle on the tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo:
- Did victim taunt the tiger?
- Shocking news for parents
- Tiger acted her part as alpha predator
- Oakland Zoo visitors flock to see tigers
- Outrage at City Hall
The City Hall story includes this response:
"Live animal attacks won't be tolerated in San Francisco, and the mayor expects immediate improvements in protocols and facilities so that tragedies such as this never happen again," [Mayor Gavin] Newsom's spokesman Nathan Ballard said. "It's simply unacceptable."
Ballard's statement reminds me of a bad piece of dialogue in a Dirty Harry movie.
Here are three things to keep in mind:
- I saw a leaping lion reach the top of a 12-foot metal fence.
- I saw a leaping tiger injure a man on an elephant. (You can see a similar attack here.)
- The manual Management and Conservation of Captive Tigers notes: "No matter how well designed your tiger facility is for containing tigers, either through accidents or acts of God, tigers sometimes get out of their enclosures."
I don't care for zoos. I prefer wildlife parks. The animals should roam free. The people should remain in cars or other cages.
Update from the Chronicle (8:35 PM EST): "The wall of a moat that surrounds the San Francisco Zoo's tiger enclosure is far shorter than officials thought and also below national standards, authorities said today."
The wall is a little more than 12 feet high.
Nine Rustlers
Police killed nine cattle rustlers in Kenya. During the three-hour shoot-out, the outlaws wounded one cop.
Failed Getaway
Kenyan villagers killed an armed bandit during his getaway after a robbery at a workshop.
The robber had a gun and three bullets with him. A police spokesman said, "He did not have a chance to shoot because a big number of residents struck him with stones."
The robber had a gun and three bullets with him. A police spokesman said, "He did not have a chance to shoot because a big number of residents struck him with stones."
Sahara
Explorers claim they found a remarkable relic in the Sahara Desert.
One of the explorers told the Malta Independent:
One of the explorers told the Malta Independent:
“It turns out that the script we found states the name of the region where it was carved, which is none other than the fabled land of Yam, one of the most famous and mysterious nations that the Egyptians had traded with in Old Kingdom times; a source of precious tropical woods and ivory.
“Its location has been debated by Egyptologists for over 150 years but it was never imagined it could be 700 kilometers west of the Nile in the middle of the Sahara Desert.”
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Fatal Attack
The investigation continues into yesterday's fatal tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo.
Lost and Found
Via People's Daily: "Believe it or not, archeologists have located the sites of 2,000 ships that sank in China's territorial waters during the heyday of its marine trade."
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Tiger Escapes
"One San Francisco Zoo visitor was killed and two others injured early this evening after a tiger escaped from its cage," the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Panama
A 12-year-old American girl survived a plane crash in the Panamanian jungle.
One of my female acquaintances had a similar experience years ago. Before her rescue she did nothing but yell and pray for 18 hours.
One of my female acquaintances had a similar experience years ago. Before her rescue she did nothing but yell and pray for 18 hours.
Ancient Monuments
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities wants to copyright the pyramids of Giza and other ancient monuments.
In the future you can expect more ludicrous attempts by governments of developing countries to pick the pockets of rich foreign companies in the global marketplace.
Some governments will try to get the money through new laws. Other governments will try to get the money through big lawsuits in friendly courts.
In the future you can expect more ludicrous attempts by governments of developing countries to pick the pockets of rich foreign companies in the global marketplace.
Some governments will try to get the money through new laws. Other governments will try to get the money through big lawsuits in friendly courts.
World News
News from the official Russian news agency RIA Novosti:
Northwest Russia: "A 47-year-old man from northwest Russia killed his friend while trying to shoot a pack of cigarettes off his head, local prosecutors said on Tuesday."
Afghanistan: "A man in the Zabul province of south Afghanistan cut off his wife's nose and ears during the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, local officials said on Tuesday."
Egypt: "A sacrificial sheep, or rather the absence of a sacrificial sheep, has caused the break up of a 16-year-old marriage in Egypt, national media said on Tuesday."
Northwest Russia: "A 47-year-old man from northwest Russia killed his friend while trying to shoot a pack of cigarettes off his head, local prosecutors said on Tuesday."
Afghanistan: "A man in the Zabul province of south Afghanistan cut off his wife's nose and ears during the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, local officials said on Tuesday."
Egypt: "A sacrificial sheep, or rather the absence of a sacrificial sheep, has caused the break up of a 16-year-old marriage in Egypt, national media said on Tuesday."
Yachts
Yachts are the newest status symbol for China's superrich.
Claudia Blume at Voice of America:
I lived on a yacht for a year. My wife at the time hated our home on the water. A pelican stole one of her Gucci shoes.
Claudia Blume at Voice of America:
Adrien Magnan says that despite China's long coastline and many lakes, there are fewer than 10 marinas on the whole mainland, with a total of about 1,000 moorings. But he says more are being developed, for example in Xiamen on the East Coast or on Hainan Island in the Southeast, as local governments realize the positive economic impact of marinas.
"Definitely. I mean, they are trying to open the coastline to the rest of the world," he said. "It creates business, it creates real local economy. A marina is more than a place where you park yachts. It's a real profit-maker for the whole city in terms of brand image, in terms of attractiveness of a city, and it generates, of course, revenues and employment for the city."
I lived on a yacht for a year. My wife at the time hated our home on the water. A pelican stole one of her Gucci shoes.
Freighter
A freighter sank in rough seas off the coast of South Korea. Fourteen sailors and missing.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Thai Elephants
Entertaining locals and tourists has become a life-or-death business for captive elephants in Thailand.
Imperial Gowns
In China a brocade research institute finished making replicas of two imperial gowns from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Nearly 2,000 craftsmen worked on the project.
Robbery
Gunmen killed four French tourists in Mauritania.
Update: The attackers reportedly belonged to a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda.
Update: The attackers reportedly belonged to a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda.
Life Raft
Two U.S. Navy ships rescued seven mariners from a life raft in the central Persian Gulf.
"The mariners had been transporting cargo from Dubai when their dhow sailed into rough seas and broke its keel," a Navy spokesperson said. "When the vessel started taking on too much water to remain afloat, the mariners abandoned ship into a life raft where they remained for two days before the rescue."
"The mariners had been transporting cargo from Dubai when their dhow sailed into rough seas and broke its keel," a Navy spokesperson said. "When the vessel started taking on too much water to remain afloat, the mariners abandoned ship into a life raft where they remained for two days before the rescue."
Security
Five thieves went to jail for stealing a security gate from a home in Zimbabwe's capital city.
Scaring Elephants
From Amarnath Tewary at the BBC:
Last Tuesday: Jumbo Terrorist
Forest officials in eastern India have advised villagers to stock tiger urine and excrement to scare away a killer elephant and his marauding herd.
The elephant, named after al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and his herd have trampled seven people to death in the past three months in Jharkhand.
Last Tuesday: Jumbo Terrorist
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Going Global
Several months ago, I wrote this post when I was a guest blogger at Jules Crittenden's outstanding blog:
I am an international trader, traveling the streets, alleys, and jungles of the global marketplace.
Before I went into business for myself, I was VP of export services at one of the world’s largest banks. I also worked as the manager of an African wildlife preserve, as a consultant to several Fortune 500 companies, and as a writer at a daily newspaper. I served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
If you are responsible for sales at a small American company, you may never have given much thought to selling your products or services internationally because you believe you lack the resources to penetrate global markets effectively. If so, you need to rethink your approach. You can launch a successful international marketing effort for almost any company—even a home business—with very little money and virtually no overseas travel.
How? Sell to overseas governments.
Buying a wide range of products and services from small businesses, governments are the largest single customers in many places. You almost never need to travel outside the United States to market successfully to governmental entities in other countries. Depending on the customer, you can introduce your products, become a supplier, and submit your bids by mail, email, FedEx, etc. You can find overseas opportunities at government Web sites and in government bid publications. You also can find bid notices in newspapers from other countries.
I am an international trader, traveling the streets, alleys, and jungles of the global marketplace.
Before I went into business for myself, I was VP of export services at one of the world’s largest banks. I also worked as the manager of an African wildlife preserve, as a consultant to several Fortune 500 companies, and as a writer at a daily newspaper. I served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
If you are responsible for sales at a small American company, you may never have given much thought to selling your products or services internationally because you believe you lack the resources to penetrate global markets effectively. If so, you need to rethink your approach. You can launch a successful international marketing effort for almost any company—even a home business—with very little money and virtually no overseas travel.
How? Sell to overseas governments.
Buying a wide range of products and services from small businesses, governments are the largest single customers in many places. You almost never need to travel outside the United States to market successfully to governmental entities in other countries. Depending on the customer, you can introduce your products, become a supplier, and submit your bids by mail, email, FedEx, etc. You can find overseas opportunities at government Web sites and in government bid publications. You also can find bid notices in newspapers from other countries.
Japan
The Japan Times has a Sunday feature about the so-called Christian century in the Land of the Rising Sun: "Japan's 'Christian century' began in 1549. By 1640, most of the nation's 300,000 converts had been killed."
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Giraffes
Anna-Marie Lever at the BBC: "The world's tallest animal, the giraffe, may actually be several species."
Sea Devils
The U.S. Navy gets tough with Somali pirates. Al Pessin at Voice of America has the story.
Porcelain
Quentin Sommerville of BBC News:
Chinese archaeologists have raised a merchant ship which sank in the South China Sea 800 years ago while transporting a cargo of precious porcelain.
Afghan Treasures
Press release from National Geographic:
A traveling exhibition of extraordinary archaeological treasures from the National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, will begin a 17-month tour of the United States in spring 2008, it was announced today by the National Geographic Society and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Humpback Whales
The Japanese government dropped plans to hunt humpback whales during this year's annual whaling expedition in the Antarctic.
Business Heritage
A woman of ambition, circa 1884Artist: James Joseph Jacques Tissot, French, 1836-1902
Early in my management career, one of my old bosses said: "Every married male executive should have a mistress. All that sneaking around keeps a man alert."
Christopher Columbus
At Smithsonian magazine, freelance writer Frances Maclean has an article about a construction contractor's quest to find the lost fort of Christopher Columbus.
Volcanic Ash
International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations: Volcanic ash is a serious threat to jetliners.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Headman
A headman of the Penan tribe is missing in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The man, Kelesau Naan, disappeared during a hunting trip.
"The Penan fear that Kelesau Naan may have been murdered for his resistance to the logging," Survival International says.
"The Penan fear that Kelesau Naan may have been murdered for his resistance to the logging," Survival International says.
Reptile Smuggler
Egyptian customs officers caught a Russian smuggler with reptiles in his baggage at Cairo International Airport.
"A security inspection revealed a total of 14 baby crocodiles, 125 Egyptian and African turtles, three chameleons, and 12 lizards," the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.
"A security inspection revealed a total of 14 baby crocodiles, 125 Egyptian and African turtles, three chameleons, and 12 lizards," the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Mother
In India a wild leopard mauled a 28-year-old mother near Mumbai.
"Neighbors found the woman with a large wound on her neck," a trader said. "Throughout the attack the woman held her 2-year-old son in her arms. Miraculously the child survived without a scratch."
The injured mother went to a hospital. Workers trapped the cat in a warehouse.
"Neighbors found the woman with a large wound on her neck," a trader said. "Throughout the attack the woman held her 2-year-old son in her arms. Miraculously the child survived without a scratch."
The injured mother went to a hospital. Workers trapped the cat in a warehouse.
Rustler
Villagers beat up a cattle thief in Namibia. The 40-year-old man is in critical condition at a hospital.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Murders in Nigeria
A mob of angry teenagers murdered two suspected female witches in Nigeria.
"The killers accused the women of causing the death of a 2-year-old girl through witchcraft," a businessman said.
"The killers accused the women of causing the death of a 2-year-old girl through witchcraft," a businessman said.
Death at a Zoo
From IRNA:
A 50-year-old man was mauled to death by a Royal Bengal tiger Wednesday at a zoo in India's northeastern state of Assam while he was trying to take photographs with his cellphone, wildlife officials said.
A wildlife spokesman said a family of four, including the victim's wife and two children, were visiting the zoo in Assam's main city of Guwahati when the incident happened.
"The person crossed over a barricade and went near an iron cage to take photographs using his cellphone.
"There were two tigers and one of them pounced and tore apart his hand...the other tiger also attacked," Narayan Mahanta, the zoo warden, said.
Rattlesnake Perfume
California ground squirrels and rock squirrels chew up rattlesnake skin and smear it on their fur to mask their scent from predators, researchers at UC Davis report.
Exorcism Center
Via RIA Novosti:
Poland plans to open its first exorcism center, for those who believe they are possessed by the devil, in the town of Poczernin 30 km (18 miles) from the city of Szczeczin, Polish media said Wednesday.
Andrzej Trojanowski, a Catholic priest working in the city, says the center will be equipped with a chapel and will have a psychiatrist on hand.
Trojanowski said there was a demand for the service as he deals with up to 20 people a week allegedly possessed by the devil.
The center was the idea of the Catholic Church in Poland, which already has around 50 working exorcists, and the project is expected to provide spiritual help and guidance to the needy.
According to priests their service is popular with visitors from Germany, which has no working exorcists.
A Real Mule
From Time magazine, April 12, 1926:
In Villisca, Iowa, one Emil Hecke took friends to his barn there to display his mules. He slapped a mule heartily upon the rump, crying: "Here's a real mule!" The mule kicked. Mr. Hecke fell dead.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Confrontation
Four people suffered injuries during a fight with a tiger at a village in Bangladesh. Local residents killed the cat.
Previous: Bangladesh
Previous: Bangladesh
Pirates in Sierra Leone
Wearing fatigues and carrying AK-47 assault rifles, eight pirates boarded a chemical tanker off the coast of Sierra Leone. They stole equipment from the ship and personal belongings from the crew.
Hungry Wolf
RIA Novosti reports:
A hungry wolf descended from the mountains in Aquila, central Italy, and went to a local bar searching for food, the Italian ANSA new agency said on Tuesday.
The adventurous wolf entered the packed Cantaflura bar in Italy's Villetta Barrea province on Monday evening. The bar owner said that the wolf behaved very calmly, paying little attention to the other guests.
In an attempt to sate the beast's hunger, the barman made a juicy hamburger and threw it to the animal. The wolf ate the food, left the bar and did not come back, the owner said.
Wild Boars
A car crashed into a herd of wild boars on a highway in northwestern Russia. The vehicle killed four of the animals.
Dinosaur Fossils
Over the past seven years, scientists have found more than 1,000 dinosaur fossils in northeastern Thailand.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Crime Drama
Lawmen reportedly killed two actors and wounded three other actors during the filming of a crime drama in Angola. The cops apparently mistook the actors for armed robbers.
Havoc
Wild elephants killed a 62-year-old man and injured four other people at a village in the Indian state Orissa.
Palm Tree
From Russian news agency RIA Novosti:
A palm tree at Egypt's Cairo International Airport has saved hundreds of passengers on board an Ethiopian Airlines' flight from certain death, the Al-Ahram weekly paper said on Monday.
The Boeing 747 had just landed when the plane's brake system failed, and the jet sped on, heading directly for oil tankers at a nearby refueling aerodrome. However, doom was averted by a huge palm tree which halted the plane's progress some 30 meters (98 feet) from the tankers.
Firefighters and ambulances hurried to the airport, but no injuries were reported.
Egyptian Consulate
Robbers stole more than USD 35,000 from the Egyptian Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria. The armed thieves hit a security guard on the head.
Tall Elephant
Via RIA Novosti:
Asia's tallest elephant died, aged 51, on his way to take part in a temple festival in Kerala, southwestern India, the Times of India said on Monday.
The Indian elephant, named Nanu Eezhuthassan Sivasankaran, was so tall at 10.6 feet that his trunk did not touch the ground. He was a favorite for ceremonial occasions in the district of Pakkalad.
Giant Rat
In Indonesia's province of Papua, researchers found a giant rat and a tiny possum.
"The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat," said Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution.
"The giant rat is about five times the size of a typical city rat," said Kristofer Helgen, a scientist with the Smithsonian Institution.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Putin
Members of a small Russian sect pray to pictures of Vladimir Putin. According to a spokesperson for the group, Putin was King Solomon and the Apostle Paul in previous lives.
Official Russian news agency RIA Novosti notes:
Official Russian news agency RIA Novosti notes:
Russian Christian sects have long been known for their unusual choices of icons, some of them praying to portraits of such well-known "holy men" as Stalin and Ivan the Terrible.
Another Russian sect is currently holed up in an underground shelter in the country's central Penza Region and has threatened to commit mass suicide if any attempt is made to bring them to the surface.
Religion was tightly controlled in the U.S.S.R. and the collapse of the Soviet Union saw an explosion in sects and cults, as well as interest in New Age philosophies and beliefs. The back pages of many Russian tabloid newspapers are full of advertisements for "healers" and "magicians" who promise to bring happiness in love, success in business, as well as a range of other services.
One of the most well-known sects in Russia has its base near the southern Siberian town of Abakan, where thousands of people, both Russian and foreign, worship a former provincial traffic policeman, Sergei Torop, as the second coming of Christ.
There are currently believed to be around 500-700 such sects in Russia, containing some 600,000-800,000 people.
American Military
The Pentagon seems in no hurry to recover the remains of eight U.S. military men from the site of a World War II plane crash in northern India. Relatives of the men are unhappy. A frustrated brother said: "I thought our motto was ‘Leave no one behind.' How can you treat military personnel like this? It’s unbelievable."
Defender
At India's Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a 32-year-old mother rescued her 7-year-old daughter from a leopard.
"The cat attacked the child," a trader said. "The mother attacked the cat."
After a brief skirmish, the cat ran away.
"The cat attacked the child," a trader said. "The mother attacked the cat."
After a brief skirmish, the cat ran away.
The Hobo
During my junior year in high school, I worked part-time as a sales clerk at an exclusive department store.
A shabbily dressed old man in a red plaid shirt entered the store one day. He tried on several high-priced hats. Watching the guy from a distance, I turned to my boss and said, "That old man looks like a shoplifter."
"Go sell him a hat," my boss said. "That's Carl Sandburg."
The old socialist bought the most expensive hat in the store.
A shabbily dressed old man in a red plaid shirt entered the store one day. He tried on several high-priced hats. Watching the guy from a distance, I turned to my boss and said, "That old man looks like a shoplifter."
"Go sell him a hat," my boss said. "That's Carl Sandburg."
The old socialist bought the most expensive hat in the store.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
East China Sea
A Liberian-registered ship collided with a fishing vessel in the East China Sea. Nineteen people are missing.
Probe
Are Chinese villagers hunting giant pandas for pelts? Officials intend to investigate the matter.
Tikal
Ethan Todras-Whitehill writes: "Tikal, the ancient Mayan site in the Guatemalan jungle, has the feel of a living ruin, closer to its original vitality than perhaps any deserted city of the past."
Alexandria
Egyptian efforts to restore Alexandria’s luster have started to bear fruit. Kareem Fahim has a report.
CWCID: Brendan Alexander, Rakotis
CWCID: Brendan Alexander, Rakotis
Bullets
A fierce gun battle erupted between a gang of poachers and a group of forest guards at India's Kaziranga National Park. Guards killed one poacher and recovered a rhino horn.
Slavery Kingdom
"Cyclone Sidr which attacked Bangladesh on Nov. 15 not only made thousands of people dead, hundreds of thousands homeless, but also helped discover a 'slavery kingdom' in the most isolated place of the country," reports Huang Yanan of China's Xinhua News Agency.
Only in America
From Time magazine, May 19, 1934:
In Michigan City, Ind., night before his execution uxoricide Harvey Edwards slashed his wrists, started to bleed to death. Prison physicians gave him blood transfusions, worked 22 hours to save his life. Saved, Harvey Edwards was successfully electrocuted.
Nubian Desert
Bisharin warrior, 19th centuryArtist: Jean-Léon Gérôme, French, 1824-1904
Photogravure by Goupil & Cie
Photogravure by Goupil & Cie
Friday, December 14, 2007
Fall
In Thailand a 40-year-old Frenchman died from a head injury after he had fallen off a barstool.
Maori Artifacts
Developers unearthed hundreds of 500-year-old Maori artifacts at the site of a planned golf course in New Zealand.
"The developers will build a museum to display the items," a trader said.
"The developers will build a museum to display the items," a trader said.
Egyptian Glass
Cardiff University:
A team led by a university archaeologist has reconstructed a 3,000-year-old glass furnace, showing that ancient Egyptian glassmaking methods were much more advanced than previously thought.
Food Bandit
Villagers killed a 30-year-old thief for stealing rice from a house in the Indian state of Bihar.
Shot
Early this morning a poacher died in a gunfight with rangers at South Africa's Kruger National Park.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Show-Off
A 40-year-old man beheaded a suspected warlock near a pond in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
"The killer displayed the head in front of villagers for hours," a trader reported.
"The killer displayed the head in front of villagers for hours," a trader reported.
Yunnan Province
Xinhau News Agency: ""A growing population of wild bears at a World Heritage site in southwest China's Yunnan Province is threatening both the lives and livelihood of local farmers."
Japanese Attack
NPR has an article about the Japanese attack on the USS Panay.
Background: USS Panay Memorial Web site.
Background: USS Panay Memorial Web site.
Captain Kidd
Archaeologists discovered a Captain Kidd shipwreck off the coast of Catalina Island in the Dominican Republic.
Gharials
Twenty-one gharials died mysteriously at a river sanctuary in India.
"There has to be something wrong with the river water," a wildlife official said.
Background: Gharial fact sheet
"There has to be something wrong with the river water," a wildlife official said.
Background: Gharial fact sheet
Night Attacks
A herd of elephants destroyed crops and houses during night attacks in India's state of Chhattisgarh this week. About 800 villagers fled to safer areas.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Dead Fisherman
On Monday a crocodile killed a 40-something fisherman in Papua New Guinea. Searchers found the man's intestines.
Elephants in Tamil Nadu
Wild elephants injured a farmer in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
"Local people chased the herd before the attack," a trader said.
Another herd of elephants injured three forest rangers in the state.
"Local people chased the herd before the attack," a trader said.
Another herd of elephants injured three forest rangers in the state.
Japanese Tanker Freed
"A gang of Somali pirates has left a Japanese chemical tanker they hijacked six weeks ago, freeing its crew and ending a stand-off with U.S. Navy ships," the BBC says.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Treasure
Lisa Abend of the Christian Science Monitor brings us up to date on Spain's efforts to protect shipwrecks from treasure hunters:
Archaeologists say that as many as 8,000 ships from the Spanish empire, which stretched from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 19th, may still lie beneath the deep.
Shark Eats Kangaroo
In Australia a shark attacked a swimming kangaroo near a popular beach. The shark and the kangaroo disappeared under the waves.
Death by Spearing
The 4,000-year-old skeletal remains of an Aboriginal male reveals Australia's brutal past.
Lone Tusker
A wild elephant trampled a 55-year-old woman to death at a paddy in the Indian state of Orissa.
The Poet
"You'll never get fat being a poet," a homeless Australian man said this week.
In Pennsylvania the late poet Byron Vazakas was one of my friends. One day he received a strange package in the mail. He refused to open the box.
"Open it," I said.
"It may be a bomb," he said.
"Nobody blows up poets," I told him.
"I'll open it in the woods," he said. "If the box explodes, it won't hurt anyone except me."
Byron opened the box in a secluded wooded area. Inside the container were candy drops and a $500 check. The gift came from a reader of Byron's poetry books.
In Pennsylvania the late poet Byron Vazakas was one of my friends. One day he received a strange package in the mail. He refused to open the box.
"Open it," I said.
"It may be a bomb," he said.
"Nobody blows up poets," I told him.
"I'll open it in the woods," he said. "If the box explodes, it won't hurt anyone except me."
Byron opened the box in a secluded wooded area. Inside the container were candy drops and a $500 check. The gift came from a reader of Byron's poetry books.
Art of Selling
"What is the key to success in international business?" a university student asked me.
"Few entrepreneurs have achieved success without mastering the art of selling," I responded. "Of all the sales skills, listening is the most valuable."
"Few entrepreneurs have achieved success without mastering the art of selling," I responded. "Of all the sales skills, listening is the most valuable."
Monday, December 10, 2007
Third Attack
A tiger mauled a cowherd in India's state of Maharashtra.
"Two other tiger attacks on villagers occurred in the area during the past five days," a trader said. "In addition, two leopard attacks on villagers occurred in the area during the same time period."
"Two other tiger attacks on villagers occurred in the area during the past five days," a trader said. "In addition, two leopard attacks on villagers occurred in the area during the same time period."
Whiskey on the Rocks
Lawmen arrested an Ethopian expatriate for illegally selling alcohol in Saudi Arabia. The suspect's bar was a cave.
Florida
On Florida's idyllic Gasparilla island, residents have taken up arms to fight Mexican invaders.
Stolen Supplies
Members of a cargo cult stole relief supplies in Papua New Guinea.
"The members believe they are the rightful owners," a businessman said. "They think their dead ancestors sent the items."
"The members believe they are the rightful owners," a businessman said. "They think their dead ancestors sent the items."
Forest Park
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds:
President Ernest Bai Koroma, of Sierra Leone, is today expected to back plans to make the 75,000-hectare Gola Forest his country's second national park protecting more than 50 mammal species including leopards, chimps and forest elephants, 2,000 different plants and 274 species of bird of which 14 are close to extinction.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Swazi Chief
Thulani Mthethwa of BBC News: "A man kept in a mortuary for five years because of a chieftaincy dispute has finally been buried at his homestead in Mkhwakhweni, southern Swaziland."
Hypnotist
From Time magazine, April 12, 1926:
At Berlin, in the Circus Busch, one Labero, hypnotist, made passes at a python. Unentranced, the python grasped Labero's hand so firmly in its jaws that it broke off a tooth. Dismissing the python, Labero put to sleep crocodiles, hens, guinea pigs, rabbits, a boa constrictor. Came an eagle. The eagle fastened its beak deeply into the hand gnawed by the python, but toppled over unconscious at the same moment that Labero fainted from loss of blood. The next subject on the bill was a lion. Said critics: "It's lucky Labero fainted."
Attempted Abduction
A monkey tried to snatch a young child from a village in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Zoo workers captured the aggressive animal.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Camels
Twenty camels died after they had eaten inexpensive fodder from a market in the Saudi Arabian city of Yanbu.
"Livestock owners need to be careful," said a source in the country's Agriculture Ministry. "They're buying cheap fodder and poisoning their own animals."
"Livestock owners need to be careful," said a source in the country's Agriculture Ministry. "They're buying cheap fodder and poisoning their own animals."
Bangladesh
Tigers and villagers battle for space:
I remember the tiger knocking my friend to the ground. I had no option but to try and save him, so it turned on me. Its claw ripped into my chest. I was frightened it was going to go for my neck, but I was able to stop it inflicting further injuries by repeatedly punching its mouth.
Across the River and into the Trees
According to the Brazilian government, the rate of deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rain forest dropped 20 percent between August 2006 and July 2007.
Young Heroes
Five children died trying to save a 6-year-old girl in Algeria. The 6-year-old girl died, too.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Fatality
A 60-year-old woman bit the dust under the feet of a rampaging wild elephant at a village in India's state of West Bengal. The pachyderm destroyed three hutments.
Final Words
Poet Hart Crane committed suicide by jumping from the deck of a steamship in 1932. His last words were "Goodbye, everybody!"
Some guys are tough to the end.
Paul was my best friend during my senior year in high school. At the age of 18, he crashed his sports car a month after graduation.
A female motorist rushed to Paul's aid. "Are you hurt?" she asked as she looked at his blood-spattered body.
Paul had no patience for ridiculous questions. "No, lady," he said. "I always stop this way."
A moment later, Paul died.
Some guys are tough to the end.
Paul was my best friend during my senior year in high school. At the age of 18, he crashed his sports car a month after graduation.
A female motorist rushed to Paul's aid. "Are you hurt?" she asked as she looked at his blood-spattered body.
Paul had no patience for ridiculous questions. "No, lady," he said. "I always stop this way."
A moment later, Paul died.
Martini
One of my ex-wives ordered a martini for me a cocktail lounge last night.
In 1941 writer Sherwood Anderson died of peritonitis after he had accidentally swallowed a piece of a toothpick in a martini olive.
In 1941 writer Sherwood Anderson died of peritonitis after he had accidentally swallowed a piece of a toothpick in a martini olive.
Remembering Pearl Harbor
USS West VirginiaOn December 7, 1941, my father was a sailor on the battleship USS West Virginia at Pearl Harbor. He lost his four best friends during the Japanese attack.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Crematorium
A Chinese crematorium reportedly dumped half-burned human bodies in a ditch to save money on fuel.
Chemicals
The Beijing High Court ordered a Chinese state-run company to pay more than USD 65 million in compensation to five overseas insurers for destroying a Malaysia Airlines plane with a falsely declared cargo of caustic chemicals.
Immigration
Some time ago, one of my American friends saw a Mexican eagle fly across the Texas border. In the eagle's talons was a snake.
"I can't believe it," my friend said. "In addition to millions of illegal Mexican immigrants, the bird and the snake on the Mexican flag decided live in the United States, too."
"I can't believe it," my friend said. "In addition to millions of illegal Mexican immigrants, the bird and the snake on the Mexican flag decided live in the United States, too."
BBC
In the United Kingdom, the state-owned BBC provides a tip on where to hide money from the British government.
Road Kill
Vehicles hit a tiger on a road in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. No one helped the badly injured animal for 36 hours.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Venomous Trespasser
In India's state of Tamil Nadu, a Doberman pinscher fought a seven-foot cobra on the small lawn of a home for an hour. The dog tore the snake into pieces.
Animal Attacks in Nepal
A wild elephant killed five people and injured another person during a series of attacks in eastern Nepal. The pachyderm destroyed dozens of houses during the raids.
Meanwhile, a tiger injured a 50-year-old woman in the western area of the country.
Meanwhile, a tiger injured a 50-year-old woman in the western area of the country.
Kolkata Zoo
Two chimpanzees escaped from a cage at India's Alipore Zoological Gardens. The chimps reportedly chased several visitors. After about 20 minutes of freedom, the apes returned to their cage.
Ancient Palace
Via the Jerusalem Post:
Israeli archeologists have uncovered a monumental Second Temple structure in a parking lot just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem opposite the Temple Mount which was likely the ancient palace of Queen Helena, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday.
Oil
Survival International: "Two oil companies have been given the green light by the Peruvian government to explore for oil in a remote part of the Amazon inhabited by uncontacted tribes."
Ninja Turtle
Tumbling from an eight-story building, a turtle crashed through the sunroof of a car in China. The turtle was unhurt.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Arrests
The BBC: "Police in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state say they have arrested 16 people in connection with hunting tigers and smuggling skin and bones."
Kerala
On Monday a trained elephant squashed an auto rickshaw driver at the side of a road in the Indian state of Kerala.
"The 47-year-old man gave food to the elephant before the grusome incident," a trader said.
"The 47-year-old man gave food to the elephant before the grusome incident," a trader said.
Niger Delta
Armed pirates attacked an ExxonMobil vessel in southern Nigeria, killing one crew member and wounding another crew member. The raiders stole radios and a laptop from the vessel.
Traditional Stoves
From Anjana Pasricha at Voice of America:
One person's problem is another person's business opportunity.
It is a common sight across Indian villages: women cooking the family meal on traditional stoves that burn wood, leaves or animal dung.
Few people—including the women themselves—realize that the black, acrid smoke that billows from these kitchen fires is a silent killer.
One person's problem is another person's business opportunity.
Hungry Crocodiles
In Mozambique's central province of Zambezia, crocodiles killed 14 people in less than a month.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Ancient City
News from China:
Wang Shanshan of China Daily has more.
Archaeologists are excited at the prospect that the remains of a 4,000-year-old city—larger than the Forbidden City—unearthed on the east coast could be the oldest kingdom in the nation's history.
Wang Shanshan of China Daily has more.
Mauled to Death
A tiger killed a forest employee at India's Kanha National Park.
"The man died when he went to collect food for elephants," a trader stated. "The tiger attacked him from behind."
"The man died when he went to collect food for elephants," a trader stated. "The tiger attacked him from behind."
Marketplace
Brigham Young University:
Coaxing answers from 1,500-year-old clues hidden in soil clumps, BYU environmental scientists identified a marketplace in an ancient Maya city, calling into question archaeologists' widely held belief that people of the era relied on rulers to tax and redistribute goods, rather than trading them with one another.
Memory Tests
"Young chimps outperformed university students in memory tests devised by Japanese scientists," reports Helen Briggs of the BBC.
Bicycle Thief
A village mob murdered a 32-year-old bicycle thief in Uganda.
"Villagers beat the man to death with stones," a trader said. "Later some people set the man's body on fire."
"Villagers beat the man to death with stones," a trader said. "Later some people set the man's body on fire."
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Egypt
A team of French and Egyptian archaeologists discovered the remains of a 4,000-year-old dam near Karnak. At one time the dam protected the temple complex from Nile floods.
Volcano Power
NPR: "Icelanders have mastered the art of tapping into volcanoes for clean, renewable—and affordable—energy."
Torture
A Saudi father allegedly beat and tortured his four young children in Riyadh.
The oldest child, a 12-year-old girl, died. A Saudi Arabian newspaper said, "The postmortem examination showed that the child sustained injuries on the back and her face scalded by boiling water that also caused some of her body parts to fall off."
The oldest child, a 12-year-old girl, died. A Saudi Arabian newspaper said, "The postmortem examination showed that the child sustained injuries on the back and her face scalded by boiling water that also caused some of her body parts to fall off."
Victoria Cross
Thieves stole nine Victoria Cross medals from a military museum in New Zealand. The country's defense minister called the theft "a crime against the nation."
Saltwater Crocodile
In India's state of Orissa, a saltwater crocodile killed a 25-year-old fisherman at Bhitarkanika National Park.
"Crocodiles killed 20 people and injured another 40 people in the area during the past two years," a trader said.
"Crocodiles killed 20 people and injured another 40 people in the area during the past two years," a trader said.
Spies
MI5 reportedly warned British companies about Web-based espionage by Chinese state organizations.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Mexican Volcano
Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano spewed ash and steam more than two kilometers into the air.