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Sea Turtles march into Italian Restaurant
Aug. 19th, 2008 01:29 amAbout 60 newly hatched sea turtles lost their way during their ritual passage to the sea and marched into an Italian restaurant instead, a conservation worker said on Monday.
The baby turtles -- which ended up under the tables of startled diners at the beachside restaurant -- were probably thrown off track and lured by the eatery's bright lights, said Antonio Colucci, who was called to help rescue the group.
"They saw the artificial lights and took the wrong route," said Colucci, who works on a turtle monitoring project for the conservation group WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature).
"The diners were at first quite curious and then someone alerted the coastal authorities."
The stranded turtles, which had hatched on a beach in the southern Italian region of Calabria, were released into the sea.
Female sea turtles nest on beaches and their offspring instinctively head to the sea after hatching from their eggs.
(Reporting by Deepa Babington; editing by Robin Pomeroy)
The baby turtles -- which ended up under the tables of startled diners at the beachside restaurant -- were probably thrown off track and lured by the eatery's bright lights, said Antonio Colucci, who was called to help rescue the group.
"They saw the artificial lights and took the wrong route," said Colucci, who works on a turtle monitoring project for the conservation group WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature).
"The diners were at first quite curious and then someone alerted the coastal authorities."
The stranded turtles, which had hatched on a beach in the southern Italian region of Calabria, were released into the sea.
Female sea turtles nest on beaches and their offspring instinctively head to the sea after hatching from their eggs.
(Reporting by Deepa Babington; editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Nils Olav already has medals for good conduct and long service. He made honorary colonel-in-chief of the elite Norwegian King's Guard in 2005. And on Friday he was knighted. Not bad for a 3-foot tall penguin — actually, three of them.
A resident of Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, the original Nils Olav was made an honorary member of the King's Guard in 1972 after being picked out as the guard's mascot by lieutenant Nils Egelien. The guards adopted him because they often toured the zoo during their visits to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an annual military music festival, according to zoo spokeswoman Maxine Finlay.
The king penguin was named after Egelien and Norway's then-King Olav V. When the penguin died — Finlay said no one at the zoo knew exactly when — he was replaced by a second penguin, who inherited Nils Olav's name and rank.
The current Nils Olav, the third penguin to serve as the guards' mascot, was promoted from honorable regimental sergeant major to honorary colonel-in-chief in 2005, Finlay said.
The knighthood ceremony began Friday morning with speeches and a fanfare before Nils arrived, under escort with the King's Guard Color Detachment. Nils then reviewed the troops lined up outside the penguin enclosure at the zoo, waddling down the row of uniformed soldiers, occasionally stopping to crane his neck and peer inquisitively at their crisp uniforms before being guided forward by his handler.
Nils was then knighted by British Maj. Gen. Euan Loudon on behalf of Norway's King Harald V. Loudon dropped the king's sword on both sides of Nils's black-and-white frame, and the penguin's colonel-in-chief badge, tied to his flipper, was swapped for one symbolizing his knighthood.
"He'll be a "sir" now," Finlay said.
By RAPHAEL G. SATTER, Associated Press Writer
A resident of Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, the original Nils Olav was made an honorary member of the King's Guard in 1972 after being picked out as the guard's mascot by lieutenant Nils Egelien. The guards adopted him because they often toured the zoo during their visits to the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an annual military music festival, according to zoo spokeswoman Maxine Finlay.
The king penguin was named after Egelien and Norway's then-King Olav V. When the penguin died — Finlay said no one at the zoo knew exactly when — he was replaced by a second penguin, who inherited Nils Olav's name and rank.
The current Nils Olav, the third penguin to serve as the guards' mascot, was promoted from honorable regimental sergeant major to honorary colonel-in-chief in 2005, Finlay said.
The knighthood ceremony began Friday morning with speeches and a fanfare before Nils arrived, under escort with the King's Guard Color Detachment. Nils then reviewed the troops lined up outside the penguin enclosure at the zoo, waddling down the row of uniformed soldiers, occasionally stopping to crane his neck and peer inquisitively at their crisp uniforms before being guided forward by his handler.
Nils was then knighted by British Maj. Gen. Euan Loudon on behalf of Norway's King Harald V. Loudon dropped the king's sword on both sides of Nils's black-and-white frame, and the penguin's colonel-in-chief badge, tied to his flipper, was swapped for one symbolizing his knighthood.
"He'll be a "sir" now," Finlay said.
By RAPHAEL G. SATTER, Associated Press Writer
Sorry, Amywithani
Jul. 1st, 2008 04:05 pmStarbucks Corp (SBUX.O) said on Tuesday it plans to close 600 underperforming stores and eliminate as many as 12,000 full- and part-time positions, lifting shares nearly 6 percent.
( The Daily Grind )
( The Daily Grind )
I am programmed in multiple techniques
Jun. 15th, 2008 02:09 amRomantic human-robot relationships are no longer the stuff of science fiction -- researchers expect them to become reality within four decades.
And they do not mean simply, mechanical sex.
"I am talking about loving relationships about 40 years from now," David Levy, author of the book "Love + sex with robots", told AFP at an international conference held last week at the University of Maastricht in the south-east of the country.
"... when there are robots that have also emotions, personality, consciousness. They can talk to you, they can make you laugh. They can ... say they love you just like a human would say 'I love you', and say it as though they mean it ..."
Robots as sex toys should already be on the market within five years, predicted Levy, "a sort of an upgrade of the sex dolls on sale now".
These would have electronic speech and sensors that make them utter "nice sounds" when a human caresses their "erogenous zones".
But to build robots as real partners would take a bit longer, with conversation skills being the main obstacle for developers.
Scientists were working on artificial personality, emotion and consciousness, said Levy, and some robots already appear lifelike.
( I'm Just a Love Machine )
Heeheee....and now a quote from Star Trek: The Next Generation /Episode:The Naked Now
Yar: "What I want now is gentleness, and joy, and love. .. From you Data, you are fully functional, aren't you ?"
Data: "Of course, but .."
Yar: "How fully ?"
Data: "In every way of course. I am programmed in multiple techniques. A broad variety of pleasuring."
Yar: "Oh, you jewel, that's exactly what I hoped."
And they do not mean simply, mechanical sex.
"I am talking about loving relationships about 40 years from now," David Levy, author of the book "Love + sex with robots", told AFP at an international conference held last week at the University of Maastricht in the south-east of the country.
"... when there are robots that have also emotions, personality, consciousness. They can talk to you, they can make you laugh. They can ... say they love you just like a human would say 'I love you', and say it as though they mean it ..."
Robots as sex toys should already be on the market within five years, predicted Levy, "a sort of an upgrade of the sex dolls on sale now".
These would have electronic speech and sensors that make them utter "nice sounds" when a human caresses their "erogenous zones".
But to build robots as real partners would take a bit longer, with conversation skills being the main obstacle for developers.
Scientists were working on artificial personality, emotion and consciousness, said Levy, and some robots already appear lifelike.
( I'm Just a Love Machine )
Heeheee....and now a quote from Star Trek: The Next Generation /Episode:The Naked Now
Yar: "What I want now is gentleness, and joy, and love. .. From you Data, you are fully functional, aren't you ?"
Data: "Of course, but .."
Yar: "How fully ?"
Data: "In every way of course. I am programmed in multiple techniques. A broad variety of pleasuring."
Yar: "Oh, you jewel, that's exactly what I hoped."
Have you got a flag?
Apr. 21st, 2008 01:54 am(From Yahoo news)
British comedian Eddie Izzard, whose acting career is taking off, is eying yet another possible career — politician.
Izzard, who plays Wayne Malloy in FX's "The Riches" and who just finished shooting "Valkyrie," starring Tom Cruise, told Newsweek he sees himself getting into European politics at some point.
"We've got to make it work in Europe," the cross-dressing comedian, 46, told the magazine for its issue hitting newsstands Monday. "People are very worried about sovereignty and the loss of sovereignty. I think the stakes are if we don't make the European Union work, then the world is screwed. End of story."
Izzard, who's lending his voice to the upcoming film "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," said he enjoyed working on "Valkyrie." The film stars Cruise as Col. Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic army officer executed after a failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944.
Izzard's standup comedy act, "Stripped," is set to begin April 28 in Boston.
British comedian Eddie Izzard, whose acting career is taking off, is eying yet another possible career — politician.
Izzard, who plays Wayne Malloy in FX's "The Riches" and who just finished shooting "Valkyrie," starring Tom Cruise, told Newsweek he sees himself getting into European politics at some point.
"We've got to make it work in Europe," the cross-dressing comedian, 46, told the magazine for its issue hitting newsstands Monday. "People are very worried about sovereignty and the loss of sovereignty. I think the stakes are if we don't make the European Union work, then the world is screwed. End of story."
Izzard, who's lending his voice to the upcoming film "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," said he enjoyed working on "Valkyrie." The film stars Cruise as Col. Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic army officer executed after a failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944.
Izzard's standup comedy act, "Stripped," is set to begin April 28 in Boston.
Baby Hamster eating broccoli
Apr. 7th, 2008 02:22 pmOMG! The cuteness! Awwwww...the little feet waving around. He is so excited by his first taste of broccoli! So, Baron, are hamsters different enough from guinea pigs that you will willingly watch this display of cute? ;)
United Coins
Apr. 7th, 2008 01:51 pm New coin designs for the United Kingdom.
Clearly I need to go back to the UK so I can collect these coins too.
Clearly I need to go back to the UK so I can collect these coins too.
