kiwipete

Hippo swallows dwarf - a most tragic accident in Thailand...

A hippopotomus reportedly swallowed a dwarf in a circus in northern Thailand.

The dwarf nicknamed "Od", died when he bounced sideways from a trampoline and was swallowed by a yawning hippo, which was waiting for the next act.
Vets on the scene said Hilda the Hippo had a gag reflex that caused her to automatically swallow.

The vets also claimed it was the first time Hilda had ever eaten a circus performer. We hope it is the first and last time!

Unfortunately the 1000 odd spectators continued to applaud wildly, but fortunately commonsense prevailed. There had been a tragic mistake.

THAI police said the trampoline would be sent for a forensic analysis.

Update to story:

While there was some doubt about the veracity of this story, a Google search has discovered a link which claims this story is in fact true.It allegedly occurred on 15 July 1999. However the story is missing from the link. I have emailed the Darwin site and complained that the story was withdrawn. I'll keep you all up to date.

Please read my new blog:THE GREEN BLOG - WORLD OF CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY.

http://worldofcae.blogspot.com

The real wind got the better of me this time...

First published on Qassia:

A self confessed 'old fart' asked by the management of his local social club to go outside and break wind, got more than he bargained for - he was blown over in an Arctic-type gale and ended up in hospital.
The 77 year old pensioner from Devon, in northwest England, made the headlines late last year. He was told to go outside and 'fart' because other patrons were getting upset. He did as he was told and was completely knocked out by a windy Arctic blast that flattened him, breaking his rib, bruising his hip and inflicting a number of grazes on various parts of his body.

Recovering in hospital he told the interviewing reporter,"The real wind got the better of me this time!" He had obviously lost none of his great sense of humour. I wonder if he had his health insurances up to date?

http://huttriver.qassia.com MY QASSIA LINK

Silly old Arapara goats have to go...

An international effort has to be mounted to save rare goats marked for death on an island in the Marlborough Sounds in the northern South Island of New Zealand.

Rare breed enthusiasts from New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom have joined forces to raise money to rescue some of the Arapara goats before the official cull starts soon on the island.

The goats are believed to have descended from a few left by Captain Cook in 1773 and 1777, and are believed to be a rare species.

But the Conservation Department said these goats are ravaging unique plant species on the island and the goat numbers needed to be controlled.

My Qassia link: http://huttriver.qassia.com

Sir Edmund Hillary's ashes scattered in two lands...

First published at Qassia:

The ashes of the late Sir Edmund Hillary, the conqueror of Mount Everest, were reportedly scattered at sea in his homeland of New Zealand, and at a special ceremony in Nepal where he is a legend bordering on a god.

Sir Ed as he was affectionally known in NZ, received a rare honour of a state funeral, normally reserved for prime ministers who died in office, or former Governor Generals.

Some of Sir Ed's ashes were scattered from the sailing ship SPIRIT OF NEW ZEALAND in the inner Hauraki Gulf in Auckland on Feb 29 2008, while at the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, another ceremony honoured the life and spirit of the legendary mountaineer and adventurer. It was described as a wonderful merging of two different cultures.

Sir Ed's body was cremated after a private family service, after his state funeral was attended by local and foreign dignatories. It was a moving service.

His widow, Lady Hillary, and his only son Peter, also a mountaineer and climber of Mount Everest,along with his surviving daughter,Sarah and other family members, helped to scatter his ashes in the waters of the Hauraki Gulf.

Sir Ed expressed his wish for his ashes to be scattered in his 1999 memoir VIEW FROM THE SUMMIT.

The gangplank especially constructed for the ceremony aboard the siling ship, will be named the 'Hillary Step' and kept for the use by disabled trainees.

There is still one chapter to be written in the life and times of Sir Edmund Hillary - just how will a sad and emotionally moved nation honour him in the most appropriate way. The greatest icon and legendary figure outside of our war heroes has come home.

Farewell my schoolboy hero!

http://huttriver.qassia.com LINK TO QASSIA

Little Pumpkin's father, Nai Yin Xue, is to be deported back to New Zealand because he has basically overstayed a 90 day visitors visa. This will take up to 14 days.

He is now in the hands of the US Immigration and Customs Departments and will not be able to challenge their rulings. This will prevent Xue from legally challenging an extradition order which could have taken months,or possibly years with the right legal team.

Mr Xue should be back in New Zealand soon facing prosecution for the murder of his wife, Anan Liu, the mother of "Little Pumpkin", Quian Xun Xue.

Xue allegedly killed his wife, stuffed her body in the boot of a car outside the family home in Auckland, NZ, and kidnapped his daughter, taking her to Melbourne, Australia, and abandoned her at a train station. He then took a flight to California, USA.

Quian Xun Xue is now safely living in China with her maternal grandmother, after a NZ Family Court granted the grandmother custody of her granddaughter some months ago.

The deportation of Xue back to NZ, and his prosecution will result in closure for little Quian who became known as "Little Pumpkin" through television and Melbourne CCCTV rail station footage - she was wearing a distinguishable style of 'Pumpkin Patch' children's clothing.

We can now truly say goodbye,and closure for little Pumpkin.

http://huttriver.qassia.com LINK TO QASSIA