Socks

So. I love socks. Brightly coloured ones are my absolute favourites.

And now, I realise, they have a serious purpose.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/853911/trapped-girl-saved-by-pink-socks

Oh yes. If ever I get my head stuck between rocks at the beach, I'll be saved by my socks!!

Monkey Business

Monkey kills master with coconut

An overworked monkey has taken revenge on his owner, killing him with a coconut.

Thai man Leilit Janchoom, 48, forced the animal to retrieve the fruit which were then sold for about 10c each.

The monkey, named Brother Kwan, reportedly hated being forced to climb as high as 50m but was given beatings if he did not do as his master wished.

It is believed that the frustrated primate eventually snapped, launching a coconut at Janchoom from a high branch at the Thai province of Nakorn Sri Thammarat.

He died at the scene from a head injury.

Janchoom’s widow said that Brother Kwan "seemed lovable" when they bought him for about $275, UK newspaper The Telegraph reports.

It is not clear what happened to the animal after the attack.

huh?

I blogged yesterday about the fact that reading the news whilst at uni wasn't really a good idea.

Except this morning I found this awesome headline...just a snippet. I had to take a screen shotBecause when we think of Michael Clarke, obviously the first association that comes into our heads is the fact that he is Lara Bingle's fiance...not that he is vice captain (actually at the moment I guess he is acting captain) of the Australian Cricket team. Because that is obviously less important than being engaged to the star of a failed tourism ad campaign.

Ah, ninemsn, you do constantly amuse me. Less roasting puppies alive, more stupid headlines like this, please...

I don't even have words for this...

Gay penguins celebrate fatherhood, wedding

Two gay penguins have been given a wedding ceremony as a reward for their exceptional parenting skills.

The inseparable couple at China's Polarland Zoo were originally shunned for stealing chick eggs from fellow "heterosexual" penguins but have proved their nurturing skills with abandoned eggs, The Sun has reported.

"We decided to give them two eggs from another couple whose hatching ability had been poor and they’ve turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo," a keeper from the Harbin zoo was quoted as saying.

"They have been a good couple and deserved their reward."

Their reward was a lavish wedding ceremony — complete with a soundtrack of the 'Wedding March' and a banquet of spring fish.

One was dressed in a tie while the other sported a red jacket.

The happy couple is not the first to defy penguins' tradition of lifelong "straight" partnerships.

A pair of chinstrap penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo made headlines in 2004 for their "ecstatic behavior" including entwining their necks, singing to each other and having sex.

Silo and Roy were devoted to each other for six years, even trying to incubate a rock by sitting on it.

When zookeepers gave them a real egg to look after they successfully raised a female chick, Tango.

source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/733873/gay-penguins-celebrate-fatherhood-wedding

More Important World News

Australian tomato imports halted in NZ

Just days after Australia lifted its ban on importing New Zealand tomatoes, New Zealand has suspended imports of Australian tomatoes.

The temporary ban on Australian tomatoes coming into New Zealand was imposed after five of seven samples tested showed no residue of dimethoate, used to treat for fruit fly.

Imports were suspended last week and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) was asked to look into why that had happened, said a Biosecurity NZ spokeswoman.

She was not willing to speculate on why the tomatoes might have failed the test but until AQIS came up with another method for treatment or produced the results required by New Zealand authorities, the suspension would remain in place.

The two parties were in daily discussions, she said.

About eight per cent of the tomatoes consumed in New Zealand come from Australia, generally during winter and early spring.

In 2007 more than 3000 tonnes of Queensland tomatoes worth $A9 million ($NZ10.8 million) were imported.

The suspension came just days after New Zealand tomato and capsicum growers were told their produce would be allowed back into Australia under a temporary solution to cope with concerns about a pest bacteria.

Biosecurity Australia had revised its constrains on imports of New Zealand tomato and capsicum to allow shipments to resume.

New Zealand exports about 4000 tonnes of tomatoes to Australia (worth about $A4.26m), the Pacific Islands and Japan.

I especially like the first sentence...I would like to see 'tomato' replaced with 'tourist' though...because that would be funny. Especially since three stories earlier, this was reported

More Kiwis choosing to live in Australia

New Zealanders continue to flock to live in Australia in record numbers, nearly 100 each day, according to figures released from Statistics New Zealand.

The net number of people moving to Australia permanently or long term in the year to November 2008 was 35,300, up from 27,200 the year before.

It was the highest number recorded, and exceeded previous peaks recorded in 1989 (33,700) and 1979 (33,400).

Overall there were 48,500 permanent or long-term departures to Australia, but that was offset by 13,200 arrivals from Australia.

Almost two-thirds of those arrivals from Australia were New Zealand citizens.

Despite the net outflow to Australia, overall New Zealand gained 3600 permanent or long term residents in the period.

However, that was down from 6600 in the November 2007 year, and was the lowest annual figure since the October 2001 year (1700).

Newsworthy?

Landing aborted at Adelaide Airport

A Virgin Blue jet had to abandon its final approach into Adelaide Airport last night to avoid a light plane that was on a cross runway.

Airservices Australia says at about 7:00pm air traffic control calculated clearance times and decided against letting the 737 land.

The Virgin jet circled and landed safely on a second approach.

Airservices Australia says the air traffic controllers followed routine procedure.

is it just me, or is that news story basically

'Overnight, two planes didn't crash at adelaide airport. The safety procedures worked, and the air traffic controllers did their job'

I guess in Adelaide, every day is a slow news day...