The 220,000-tonne cruise liner that has its very own New York-style Central Park

The world's biggest cruise liner is to have a New York-style "Central Park" on the ship, its owners have revealed.

 

Royal Caribbean is building the 220,000-tonne liner with the working name Project Genesis and the announcement is the latest salvo in the intensely competitive global cruise market.

The company said the park would be "a revolutionary design in which the centre of the ship opens to the sky and features lush, tropical grounds spanning the length of a football field".

New York style: The liner will have an outdoor area onboard supposedly modelled on Central Park

The 1,180ft long luxury liner is under construction in Finland at a cost of £700 million and dwarfs the current biggest ships - also owned by Royal Caribbean - which are 160,000 tonnes.

The builders said the space will be like a town square for al fresco dining and entertainment.

The park will be located on Deck 8 of the 16 deck ship and open to the sky, with dimensions of 62ft (19m) wide and 328ft (100m) long.

Trees in the park will tower more than two-and-a-half decks tall and the area is to have micro-climate control techniques to make sure the plants thrive.

World's biggest: The 220,000-tonne cruise liner is being built by Royal Caribbean in Finland

Richard Fain, chairman and chief executive of Royal Caribbean, said: "This ship is a quantum leap in architecture and design and will deliver an unparalleled vacation experience to all who sail with us."

Figures from the Passenger Shipping Association predict 1.55 million Britons are expected to take a cruise holiday in 2008 - up from 1.35 million last year.

Royal Caribbean will base one of its current biggest liners, Independence of the Seas, in Southampton from next month for its inaugural season.

Al fresco: The outdoor area will have trees and plants and a special microclimate so that they thrive

P&O Cruises has responded with a new ship - the Ventura, which is named in Southampton tonight by Dame Helen Mirren, and Cunard recently launched the Queen Victoria - also based in Southampton.

The recent credit crunch does not seem to be affecting the industry as Royal Caribbean alone is pumping £1.4 billion into two Genesis class liners over the next few years.

When finished, Genesis will be able to carry 5,400 passengers and stood on its stern it would dwarf Britain's tallest building - the 800ft One Canada Square in Canary Wharf.

It will be longer than four football pitches and 40 per cent bigger than the existing biggest liners.

It is scheduled to enter service in autumn 2009 and its home port will be Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

 

Source: Daily Mail UK, Apr. 16, 2008

The paramilitary face of a policewoman armed with revolver, taser, flack jacket and nine other pieces of equipment

This is the staggering amount of equipment worn by a female police officer during the arrests of 12 people over the murder of schoolboy Rhys Jones.

 

The dawn raids in Croxteth, Liverpool, where Rhys was killed last August, were a major development in the investigation.

And Merseyside police officers were certainly dressed for the part.

Victoria Cross hope for Marine who leaped on a grenade to save friends

A Royal Marine has been recommended for the Victoria Cross after he threw himself on to an exploding grenade to save the lives of his comrades.

Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher stepped on a tripwire which triggered the grenade during a night raid on a Taliban compound in Afghanistan.

He realised instantly that all four members of his patrol faced being killed by the blast.


Matthew Croucher insisted he must carry on fighting

Instead of fleeing he deliberately smothered the explosion, twisting on to his back to let his rucksack take the full force.

The explosion hurled him across the compound leaving him stunned, bleeding from the nose and almost deaf, while kit from his shredded backpack was sent flying through the air in flames.

But within minutes L Cpl Croucher, from Birmingham, was on his feet again and demanding to be allowed to continue the patrol. He even helped set an ambush - knowing that the Taliban would come and investigate the blast - and shot dead an armed insurgent during the subsequent firefight.

Stunned by his bravery, the 24-year-old's comrades urged commanders to put him forward for Britain's highest honour for valour on the battlefield, and his citation will be considered by the armed forces honours and awards committee later this year.

If a VC is awarded he will become only the third man to earn it since the Falklands Conflict 26 years ago - and the first surviving recipient from the war in Afghanistan.

The incident happened during a pre- dawn raid last month when Marines from 40 Commando raided a suspected bomb-making factory close to the town of Sangin.

As a team of four crept through the maze of mud-walled homes, L Cpl Croucher's foot brushed the trip-wire. He heard the distinctive click of the grenade's pin and spotted the device at his feet through his night-vision goggles.

His colleagues barely had time to react to his yelled warning, and were still in the open when the grenade went off. By then he had thrown himself on to the grenade, pulling up his legs in the hope of avoiding fatal injuries.

He recalled: 'I thought, "I've set this bloody thing off and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect the others".

'There have been a few times when they've saved my bacon. I figured that if I could keep my torso and head intact I'd probably survive - although I fully expected to lose a limb.'

L Cpl Croucher told the News of the World: 'All I could hear was a loud ringing and the faint sound of people shouting, "Are you OK? Are you OK?" It took 30 seconds before I realised I was definitely not dead.'

Senior officers stressed that the remarkable incident has been 'one among many' during 40 Commando's six-month tour of duty in Helmand Province.

The unit is due to return to Britain shortly after months of often intense fighting, and will hand over to Paras from 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Three years ago Private Johnson Beharry of the 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment received the VC for saving comrades during two ambushes in southern Iraq.

And in 2006 Corporal Bryan Budd, 29, of 3 Para, earned a posthumous VC for storming a Taliban machine gun post after he was injured in an ambush in Afghanistan. He killed several enemy but died in the process.

If a VC is awarded he will become only the third man to earn it since the Falklands Conflict 26 years ago



Source: Daily Mail, UK. Mar. 31, 2008

Let her calm down, send an apology via email and sms.

When she is back and if she is back, do expect some changes as she may not want to be seemingly close to you anymore.

You need to understand that you are already attached and you will not and should not spend too much time on your hobbies that you neglect your girlfriend.

TS,

I think you need to recognize the fact that you had been asked to leave so the least you could do is state your case without anonymity  what actually happened to you. It may be your un-cooperative members and / or problems at home. So whatever it is state your case in proper perspective and seek for a redress and a chance back into the family.

State to the point brief and sharp. If you really need you may PM me and I will help you. Remember, you need to prove yourself worthy for a reconsideration if there is a misunderstanding. Also it would be absurd to think that your identity could be anonymous when you send your email to your teacher in charge. So don't be foolish.

As I have said just state your facts and if you need help I will be here.

Trust is a universal struggle. All of us wrestle to some extent with trusting others because of painful experiences with betrayal. When the source of that betrayal is someone close to us, it can be especially devastating.

Nowhere is this more true than when a person is betrayed by a family member, close family friend, close friend or some other trusted authority figure. Hence, you are not alone when you cannot help but feel suspicious to even a genuine good intention and deed.

However, we ought to treat our past as a lesson and regard that as a history. Histories do not repeat unless we create and commit the same mistake. So just be more careful with your dealings with people at the same time looking after your own interest and well being. I think the saying : "Look before you leap"  will be good to remember as you go about your decision trusting people.

Originally posted by MattUK:

Thanks for that - just a case of getting things together to go there. Makes it better to know what you said about the caning being for if you get caught. Anything else isn't so bad.

MattUK,

Something just occured to me the other day after I had posted but as I got caught up with my work I just came across another idea to solve your problem. Please PM if you are interested and sincerely would want your problems resolved without implicating anybody.

A friend.

Don't you think that you can equally enjoy life after the procedures? Besides they are not as if you need to do it all on the upfront. It is a gradual process after the ops. , besides it is is strongly advised that you have that ops first.

The rest of it will simply be follow ups.  So please do consider.

VK,

Can I ask why you are not having the

Hysterectomy

procedure as advised by your doctor(s)?

I am asking because there are many cases where such procedure is considered as the best solution to your condition with a proven track record.

I'd just like to hear you out on this, so please do enlighten us here.

Originally posted by MattUK:

To give you the info. 1. It is a UK passport. Male aged 24. 2. Visa was for one month - nearly 5 months over now. 3. Liked the country and started seeing a local girl but that's over now. 4. No extension to passport. 5. Not yet but will get one if it helps. Been working casually but employer thinks it's a differnt visa. I know the right thing to do is go to immigration but hearing about what could happen with jail and the cane is hard to think about.

I think you should not hesitate anymore and make a visit to the Visitor Services Centre, 4th Storey, ICA Building tomorrow morning and look for the officer in charge.

I do not think there will be a harsh punishment for you if you own up. I think the caning is for those who are caught in a sting operation and/or spot checks. I am sure the officer in charge will give you a chance to explain yourself and review your case. Just remember to bring your passport and valid documents along i.e. the disembarkation card and other documents.

I suggest you do not mention about your temporary work and staying arrangements to implicate people and yourself. I am sure you are not staying in a hotel as they will be sure to know that you have overstayed. Whatever, it is please do not delay as you are in a very precarious situation.

Originally posted by 787180:

greencircle.com.sg/sales/index.htm

                        Dragon Leaves

                        Used to cure cancer. The leaves are boiled in water for hours with rock or raw sugar to produce a herbal drink.
                        

                        Wheatgrass

                        Rich in chlorophyll to clean your blood it is used to cure cancer

                        It has also many other minerals and there are claims that it clears your mind and even reduces fat in your body.

                        You need a special juicer that can extract juice from fine soft grass or use a mortar pounder

                        To mask the raw taste of the juice we recommend mixing it with Yam Bean juice.
                        

Wish U a speedy recovery

There you see, sometimes people aren't just what they are or seems to be. All of us have a good side. So, VK we are all rooting for you here.

Take care.

Priscilla Presley: 'I fell victim to botched plastic surgery'

Priscilla Presley has confirmed reports she received botched treatment from an unqualified plastic surgeon.

 

 

The former wife of Elvis, who is currently competing in the US show Dancing With The Stars, was the "victim" of an unlicensed doctor, her spokesperson said.

Botched: Priscilla Presley, pictured here in LA on March 14, has confirmed she was treated by a bogus plastic surgeon

It is believed he injected the 62-year-old with industrial low-grade silicone similar to that used by mechanics to grease car parts.

 

Argentinian born Dr. Daniel Serrano, who also reportedly treated Lionel Richie's ex wife Diane, was only licensed as a nurse when he performed the cosmetic procedure in 2003.

Feline good: Priscilla is currently competing in US show Dancing With The Stars

Her spokesperson added: "Priscilla Presley was one of many documented victims of Dr. Serrano.

 

 

"An investigation which uncovered his misconduct ultimately lead to his imprisonment. Ms. Presley dealt with this matter years ago and everything is now well."

 

Serrano was investigated after his patients complained the injections caused lumps, paralysis and craters in the face.

Fresh faced: Priscilla with singing legend Elvis in 1967

He was arrested in 2004 and charged in relation to the illegal injections.

 

 

Serrano was later sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy, smuggling and use of unapproved drugs in 2006.

 

 

Meanwhile, Priscilla made it through to the next round of Dancing With The Stars last night, however tennis champ Monica Seles and illusionist Penn Jillette were both eliminated.

 

Source: Daily Mail UK, Mar. 26, 2008

Sisters have stomachs removed to survive cancer

Rogue gene: Lisa (left) and Ruth Bendle have a high risk of cancer

As if Lisa Bendle, 24, and her sister Ruth, 22, haven't been through enough in their young lives already.

During the next few months, they will have to make some agonising decisions.

The sisters from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, made medical history last year when both had their stomachs removed on the same day in the same hospital.

As reported in Good Health, they were found to carry a gene that puts them at greater risk of stomach cancer - a disease that has already claimed the lives of several of their family.

The radical surgery almost certainly saved them from death. But with the rogue gene they carry putting them at higher risk of other life-threatening diseases, they now face the very real prospect of further drastic treatment.

The Bendle sisters carry a mutation of the E-Cadherin (CAD1) gene. As well as being implicated in stomach cancer, this gene is also thought to be responsible for some types of breast and bowel cancer.

As Lisa, a schoolteacher, explains: "Unfortunately, we now have to confront the fact that we have a higher than average risk of contracting breast cancer, and if we want to beat those odds, we have to start the screening process.

"We also have to consider screening for bowel cancer."

The girls are fully aware that in starting the screening process, they may have to undergo yet more pre-emptive surgery, such as a mastectomy, or have parts of their bowel removed and a colostomy bag fitted.

Their experience epitomises the mixed blessings of genetic testing - having a disease-causing gene does not mean they will definitely develop the disease.

An operation to cut out healthy tissue becomes a huge leap of faith, not least because the preventative treatment can also cause major health problems.

However, if they didn't take action, they would live with the constant dread of the disease. "Of course it hangs over us," says Ruth, a sociology and media studies student.

"We can't lead the normal, carefree lives that most girls our age have, which can be very upsetting.

"It can be particularly difficult when people moan away about having a cold or an upset stomach and I have to bite my lip. But I would have been the same a few years ago. They are normal - we are not."

According to genetic experts at the Addenbrooke's Familial Gastric Cancer Registry in Cambridge, the genetic mutation probably first appeared in the Bendles' paternal grandmother, who died when she was just 27.

The girls' father, David, died of the disease three years ago; their aunt passed away when she was 43, just a week before their cousin died, aged 18.

"Dad felt so guilty that he might be responsible for passing on such a dreadful legacy," says Ruth. "But it was just bad luck."

Lisa and Ruth had an endoscopic examination - where a tube with a camera is passed down the throat into the stomach - in December 2005, and then again in July 2006. The first tests came back clear, but in July they received the news that everyone was dreading.

"Even as we went into hospital, we were reasoning that it couldn't be both girls that were affected," says the girls' mother Lynn, 52, a teacher.

Sadly, the doctor explained that both girls had cancer cells in their stomachs.

Ruth was more affected than Lisa, who had only a few early-stage cancer cells, but for both, the only chance of survival was a gastrectomy - the surgical removal of the stomach.

The sisters were put under the care of world-renowned gastric surgeon Richard Hardwick, who carried out the surgery on both girls at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

"Most stomach cancers occur in elderly patients, but to have two young sisters diagnosed at the same time is unheard of," says Mr Hardwick.

The decision was the right one. When Ruth had her stomach removed in September 2006, the organ was found to be riddled with cancer. Fortunately, it hadn't spread from her stomach into her blood supply, but had she kept her stomach, she would have been dead within a year.

Since their operations, the girls have struggled to live a normal life. When the stomach is removed, the oesophagus is joined directly to the small bowel. Over time the small bowel, which does the job of absorbing food into the body, stretches to hold a reasonable-sized portion of food.

But this still means that food can only be taken in very small amounts, and it often becomes lodged in the small bowel, causing intense discomfort and sometimes vomiting.

The girls have to eat little and often to ensure they keep up their calorie intake.

"When we are not eating, we are recovering from eating, or planning the next snack," says Lisa.

"Basically, food has taken over our lives."

Despite this, both girls are finding it hard to maintain an adequate calorie intake. Lisa, for example, can manage a fruit smoothie for breakfast, a small piece of cheese and a cracker for a snack, a sandwich for lunch and a small handful of pasta for dinner.

Despite eating high-calorie food, such as milky coffee and sugary snacks, her weight has plummeted.

Pre-operatively, she was a size 14. Today, she is tiny, size eight, weighing just over eight stone, which is borderline underweight for her 5ft 6in frame. Emotionally, however, Lisa is doing well.

"It helps that I am in a supportive and stable work environment where people have known me a long time."

On the other hand, although Ruth looks more robust physically, she has struggled more in coming to terms with her new life.

Initially, her weight plummeted. Before the operation, she weighed around nine stone and was a dress size ten but by January this year, five months after the operation, she weighed just seven stone - wearing size four clothes.

"I truly hated being so thin," she says.

"I couldn't find clothes to fit me and felt that everyone was staring at me. I didn't recognise myself when I looked in the mirror."

Ruth also found it hard to fit back into university life.

"The student culture is geared to drinking and late-night curries - things I just can't do," she says.

But the girls have received promising news. "All but one of our cousins have now been screened and none of them carries the gene.

"If we manage to screen it out of our children through embryonic gene selection, this terrible disease, which has caused so much grief and misery, will be gone from our family for ever. That would be an amazing ending to the Bendle story," says Lisa.

"I'm quite happy for the doctors to keep removing bits of me, as long as it keeps me alive," says Ruth.

"Obviously, I am not happy about the prospect of undergoing a mastectomy - what 22-year-old girl would be? But I trust the doctors implicitly. If they say I need surgery again, then I would have it without hesitation."

 

Source: Daily Mail UK, Mar. 26, 2008

From blushing to laughter fits, discover what REALLY goes on in our heads

Ever wondered why we cry, what earwax is for and if we can smell other people's emotions? In a fascinating look at what goes on between our ears, physician and philosopher Raymond Tallis explores the secret world of the human head

• BIRTHS & BEHEADINGS

The human head is formed after only eight weeks in the womb

The construction of a human head, one of the most complex structures in the natural world, takes place astonishingly quickly.

After only eight weeks in the womb, billions of cells have already formed themselves into a brain, highly developed eyes and ears, a recognisable face complete with tongue, mouth and nose, a skull and organised facial bones.

Once fully developed, the human skull can be remarkably tough - as was demonstrated in 1997 by strongman John Evans on the BBC's National Lottery Live show.

He balanced 101 bricks, weighing 416lb, on his head and managed to keep them there for ten seconds.

Such resilience is not confined to the skull. The muscles and vertebrae in the neck are also very tough, which makes beheading someone far from the easiest method of killing.

It took three blows to hack through the neck of Mary, Queen of Scots when she was executed in Fotheringay Castle in 1587.

An assistant held her hair to prevent her from moving.

The result was, as always, extremely gory, given that large arteries and veins, providing succour to the head, were severed.

Once cleaved from the body, a hairless human head weighs an average 11lb - roughly the same as a ten-pin bowling ball - and accounts for around 8 per cent of our total body weight.

All in the mind: Phrenologu uses head shape to determine personality

• A FUNNY BUSINESS

The real business of breathing is done in the lungs - the head is only a convenient throughway to let oxygen into the body.

Yet for a structure that has a passing interest in air, the head does an impressive number of things with it, from sneezing to speaking.

One of the most mysterious is laughing. This seems to be the most anarchic of all human activities yet giggles, titters, shrieks and belly laughs all conform to strict rules.

Each laugh has its own distinct "signature" - made up of short-vowellike notes, not more than a tenth of a second long.

These are repeated at regular intervals about a fifth of a second apart.

Once a laugh has started with a particular vowel sound, it tends to stick to it.

The sound may be "ha-ha-ha" or "ho-ho-ho", but not "ha-ho-ha-ho".

There seems to be resistance to such acoustic mongrels. Laughter can be infectious, as was illustrated in 1962, when three girls at a boarding school in Tanzania were stricken with bouts of uncontrolled mirth for hours on end.

Soon nearly half of the 159 boarders were affected, laughing for up to 16 days at a time.

The school was closed and the children sent home, but this resulted in the condition spreading to entire villages and towns.

No one died during this two-year outbreak of what appears to have been mass hysteria, but there was much agitation, exhaustion and interference with daily life.

Under normal circumstances, we laugh 30 times more frequently when we are with others than when we are alone.

As to why we laugh, no one knows, but scientists think they have solved one riddle at least - our inability to tickle ourselves.

Self-tickling doesn't work because the brain tends to suppress sensations caused by the body's own movements.

"This leaves it free to concentrate on its real job, which is to deal with unexpected stimuli from the outside world, and means that those entirely expected sensations of self-tickling are scarcely registered.

WAXING LYRICAL

While people of European and African origin usually have earwax which is wet and honey-brown, a genetic mutation thousands of years ago ago resulted in most Asian people - as well as native Americans and Inuits who have Asian origins - developing earwax which is dry, flaky and grey.

Indeed, it has proved possible to track human migratory patterns, such as those of the Inuit, by looking at earwax type.

Whatever its colour, this mixture of sweat and secretions from the sebaceous glands performs many useful functions.

Propelled by our jaw movements, it washes out dirt and dust from the ear canal.

It also lubricates the skin lining within the canal, preventing it drying up and getting itchy, plus it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

• NOSING AHEAD

Our nose plays a bigger part in our lives than we think

Our noses play a greater part in our lives than we realise.

Though we may not register it with our conscious minds, we can smell, for example, the emotions such as fear, contentment and another person's state of sexual arousal.

Women are better at this than men. Tests show women discriminate more reliably between armpit swabs taken from people watching "happy" and "sad" films.

Our ability to smell depends on the olfactory membrane at the back of the nasal cavity, which is the size of a postage stamp, but contains 10 million receptors. (Dogs, for whom smell is much more than recreational, have a billion or more receptors.)

Within this membrane, there are 1,000 different types of receptor cells which can respond to more than one smell, enabling us to recognise more than 10,000 odours, scents, fragrance and pongs.

• LIFE'S ONE BIG YAWN

Yawning is just as contagious as laughing

THE unborn child begins yawning after just 11 weeks in the womb.

Once born, each of us will yawn an average 250,000 times before we breathe our last.

The most plausible explanation is that this endless jaw-stretching is a protective reflex that maintains lung inflation.

It prevents the bubbles in the lung sponge - the so-called alveoli, where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place - from collapsing.

Yawning is as contagious as laughing. Research suggests that within five minutes of seeing someone yawn, 50 per cent of people will do the same.

Even reading about the subject can provoke an involuntary yawn. Can you feel one coming?

• RED FACES ALL ROUND

ONE facial feature over which we have no control is blushing.

We might ask why this is limited to the face - for example, why do our bottoms not blush when we are embarrassed?

The answer is that the blood vessels of the face are denser, wider and closer to the surface than those in other parts of the body.

As to why some people blush far more readily than others, this has proved much harder to investigate because of the difficulty of prompting cheek-reddening under experimental conditions.

One research project involved showing suggestive material to a series of young females.

There was not a blush in sight. Yet when they were thanked for their help at the end of the abandoned session, they apologised for their unco-operative cheeks and blushed scarlet.

A possible explanation for blushing is that it is a non-verbal means of saving face - admitting we are in the wrong before others criticise us.

This is backed by studies showing that people react less harshly to mistakes when the perpetrators blush.

• BREAKING A SWEAT

The forehead is one of only a few places on the body - along with the armpits, palms of the hands and soles of the feet - where we experience "emotional" sweating.

Unlike thermal sweating, which regulates our temperature and occurs over most of the skin, this is a reaction to fear, anger or stress.

Its mechanism is not well understood, though we are so familiar with it that the phrase "breaking out in a cold sweat" is commonly used to describe acute anxiety.

One theory suggests that cooling the body in this way allows it to burn more energy - as one might need to do in a frightening situation - without getting over-heated.

This is fine if the appropriate response is fight or flight, but perspiring profusely only adds to our embarrassment when we find ourselves rooted to the spot with horror at some gaffe.

• FACING THE FACTS

The human face can produce up to 3,000 expressions

Drawing on 43 muscles, we are capable of producing more than 10,000 facial expressions.

Up to 3,000 have a recognisable meaning to other people, but seven basic emotions are shown on the face in the same way in every culture: sadness, anger, surprise, fear, enjoyment, disgust and contempt.

These are innate, not learned; which explains why people who are born blind use the same facial expressions for each of these seven emotions as sighted people.

• SEEING IS BELIEVING

When our ancestors began walking upright four to eight million years ago, the elevation of the head gave an advantage to two of the senses - which worked over a long distance: vision and hearing.

It increased their importance over touch, taste and smell, which work only when we are close to what we are sensing.

As a result, vision today accounts for about 90 per cent of the information we acquire about the world through our senses.

Given the importance of our eyes, it makes sense that we produce tears to keep them moist, grit-free and uninfected.

But what about the tears which flow when we are feeling emotional - whether it's very sad or extremely happy?

Such tears are clearly central to humanity's understanding of itself, but still we understand little about their purpose.

Some researchers have pointed to the fact that emotional tears are different to ordinary tears in their chemical composition, being richer in substances such as manganese and protein.

But the idea that they may somehow help us get rid of stress-related toxins is unconvincing.

The kidneys seem better equipped for that job and emotional crying seems designed to deal with toxins of the soul rather than those of the body.

Whatever its hidden benefits, crying is not always valued in this country.

We expect the statesman to wipe away a single tear with a leather-gloved finger as he places the wreath at the Cenotaph rather than work his way through box after box of Kleenex.

Other cultures are more Spartan still: the Minangkabau people of Indonesia forbid crying altogether.

But instead of being ashamed of our tears, we should celebrate them because the human is the only animal that weeps in this way.

Just like speaking, journeying to the Moon and the many other activities that set us apart from other creatures, our tears are special, making us realise what a mysterious and wonderful structure we have in the human head.

• The Kingdom Of Infinite Space: A Fantastical Journey Around Your Head by Raymond Tallis.

 

Source: Daily Mail, UK. Mar. 25, 2008

Cured, the boy whose blood flowed the WRONG WAY round his body

A toddler has had pioneering surgery to stop his heart pumping blood the wrong way around his body.

 

Alec Hutchinson, three, was born with a rare condition which meant the blood vessels in his heart were plumbed in back to front.

 

Only a handful of babies every year are born with the condition, which is called Congenitally Corrected Transposition.

 

In sufferers, the artery taking oxygenated blood to the body, the aorta, is connected to the smaller pumping chamber of the heart, the right ventricle.

Brave: Alec Hutchinson recovers after the gruelling operation, the first such procedure carried out by surgeons at Newcastle's Freeman hospital

This means it cannot create a large enough amount of pressure to push blood all the way round the body. As a result of this, Alec had low oxygen levels in his blood and was often breathless and blue.

 

The condition was corrected by a 'double switch' procedure to turn his heart vessels around, which was carried out four weeks ago.

 

There was a one in five chance that Alec would not survive the operation - but thankfully everything went to plan.

 

It was the first time that the surgeons at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle had carried out the double switch. Because of their success, they will offer the procedure to other youngsters with the same condition.

 

Alec is now recovering with his parents, Lynne Hall and Brian Hutchinson, in Dipton, County Durham.

 

Mr Hutchinson, 41, a maintenance engineer, said: "Everyone thought it was just a viral infection at first but we knew something was wrong. He was just crying all the time and it was as if he was panting for breath.

 

"They ran tests and eventually found he had an irregular heartbeat. Then we were told things were bad and he had a hole in his heart."

 

Heart surgeon Asif Hasan said that further investigation revealed the extent of Alec's condition.

"Alec's heart was pretty scrambled really," he said.

 

"The blue blood which comes into the heart was coming into the wrong side. He was blue because he had a low level of oxygen in his blood and he couldn't have survived without an operation.

 

"We had to switch the blood vessels around so his heart was correctly connected. It's a big operation but it went well. He was out of intensive care quickly and now he is home.

Bouncing back: Alex can now ride his bike again and is no longer breathless and blue

"His prognosis is good and he should lead a normal life. It's an unusual operation to do and it's the first one we have done here in Newcastle."

 

Mr Hutchinson said that Alec had found the operation draining, but had soon bounced back.

 

"Alec is back to his old self, bossing everybody around. He's been a brave lad. Since the operation he's been able to ride his bike again."

Miss Hall, 30, a nursery assistant, added: "I'm over the moon now it's all over. He's back to his cheeky little self."

Doctors discovered Alec had the condition when he was just five weeks old.

An initial operation was carried out to improve his condition but the family was told he would need the double switch while he was still very young.

Mr Hutchinson said: "It was all very nerve-racking, as you can imagine. But they put us at ease straight away. Dr Hasan was amazing, a really nice man.

"He explained everything using a model of a heart and really put our minds at rest."

Alec has now been reunited with his older sister Lauren, eight, and is expected to lead a perfectly normal life.

 

Source: Daily Mail, UK. Mar. 26, 2008

I think it would help if you could supply us with more details:

1. Nationality/ Holding what passport?/Sex

2. Social Visit Pass granted was for how long?

3. What was the reason for the overstay?

4. Has there been any extension on the passport before?

5. Is there a return air ticket to this person's country?

To have overstayed for 3 months is not a joking matter and for that matter may even jeopardize the person whom this foreigner is with (that is you at the moment) - harbouring an illegal. So you had better take some action and not hesitate any further.

I think in all fairness, I do believe that everyone is rooting for VK and it is just the way of expressing.

Let's not be so particular with 787180 and similars as I think there is some unfound logic or whatever you call it,...you know? The Yins and The Yangs. I think so far we have a lot of Yangs the positive and support in the normal way. But in the school of moderation, we do need the Yins like 787180, a bit of "leg pulling" maybe? I think sometimes there are some individuals in our midst that simply cannot accept the fact that such a terminal illness could fall onto someone whom we are acquainted with. Especially, when VK is asking 787180 for that 60k comitted earlier (just a mention for humour sake). So, I believe none of us are that heartless.

Well, as for VK, I hope that you will pluck your courage here and fight this battle. Don't ever feel alone as you can see all of us here are rooting for you in one way or another. Just come online and post as much as you want. Even if it meant doing it from your hospital bed or after your shaggings as you mentioned of doing.

Do keep us posted and remember you are not alone on this one.

Ear she is, weighing in at a whopping three stone, meet the world's biggest bunny

In her quest to breed the world's biggest rabbit, Annette Edwards has struck 24-carrot gold.

 

Three-year-old Amy, a Continental Giant, now weighs three and a half stone and is 4ft from the tip of her nose to her bumper bobtail.

Huge: Amy the rabbit, from Worcester, weighs in at almost three stone - making her the world's biggest. She is pictured with her owner Annette Edwards

Thanks to her huge appetite, she is almost a stone heavier and six inches longer than the previous record holder Roberto, also owned by Mrs Edwards.

 

Both of them dwarf a previous pretender to the throne, a German chap nicknamed Herr Rabbit which was officially a mere 22lb and 3ft 1in.

It won't be long, however, before Amy has to surrender her title.

She and Roberto have been busily breeding in their reinforced hutch at their home in Worcester, and Mrs Edwards is confident that one of their 32 offspring will turn out even larger.

The reversal of fortunes in the battle of the superbunnies has astonished the owner of the heavyweight pair.

It was in 2004 that the Daily Mail highlighted Roberto, who was 3ft 6in from back legs to front paws and weighed an astonishing 35lb – heavier than the average three-year-old child.

Giant bunny Amy dwarfs a normal-sized rabbit

At that time Amy, who is a year Roberto's junior, was a mere 18 inches long and weighed just over a stone. Two years later Roberto fought off challenges to his title from a German giant called Rudi, who weighs 22 pounds and measures a mere 3ft 1ins in length.

 

But the four-year-old buck was finally overtaken by his mate Amy last month. The doe is now so huge that she has to sleep in an outside dog kennel.

Every day she chomps through enough rabbit food to fill a dog's bowl, as well as two apples, a handful of carrots, half a cabbage and fresh hay.

But Mrs Edwards, 55, of Worcester, who spends £10 a day on Amy's food, claims that she is not overweight and eats healthily.

She said: "I never thought I would see it but Amy is now officially bigger than Roberto. "She is enormous but not because she over eats on junk but because she gets plenty of exercise and eats very healthily.

Huge: Amy the rabbit, from Worcester, weighs in at almost three stone - making her the world's biggest. She is pictured with her owner Annette Edwards

Not a (cabbage) patch on Amy: The German giant

"Amy is a fussy eater, the carrots must have their green tops still on, and the hay has to be fresh and green or she won't go near it."

Now Mrs Edwards hopes that the next record holder will be one of Roberto and Amy's 32 offspring. Both rabbits were bought from a breeder in Holland while Mrs Edwards was running the Bunnyland pet shop in Worcester.

Two years ago, Mrs Edwards arranged a wedding ceremony for the pair inviting 100 guests to attend the ceremony near her Worcestershire home.

She added: "Luckily there are no jealousy issues - they get on fine. We do have to keep them separate because if they come to together they start mating - like rabbits.

"She is a dopey thing to be honest, she loves children and she loves attention and she adores my other pets.

"The next record holder will be one of their children - which are all big but still have some growing to do.

"I love the rabbits and I seriously doubt there is a bigger pair in the world right now. They certainly are an incredible pair of bunnies!"

Thumping great: Two-stone Humphrey with owner Colin Dunigan

 

Source: Daily Mail UK, Mar. 26, 2008

Did you have an operation before this remission?

So what is the prognosis now? I think you can complement your treatment with the Chinese herbs but you will need the consultation with a qualified Chinese physician. Do not self medicate as there may be adverse effects.

Take care.

The tiny Chihuahua who thinks he's a Buddhist monk

He is admired for his impeccable zen and ability to radiate a sense of inner peace.

 

 

And while other Buddhists may have to wait years to reach enlightenment, this devotee seems to have attained Nirvana in just two.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, appearances can be deceptive, especially when the "monk" in question is a Chihuahua named Conan.

The tiny dog actually launches into "prayer" when he wants treats - and is richly rewarded by impressed visitors.

Zen-like: Practice makes perfect for Conan whose prayers are answered (usually very quickly) with treats

Conan, a two-year-old male with black hair and soulful eyes, begins his routine by standing beside a priest before the altar and staring intently at a statue of a Buddhist deity.

When the priest begins to chant and raises his clasped hands, the little dog also lifts his paws and joins them at the tip of his nose

He is now the top attraction at his Japanese temple.

 

 

"He started to pose in prayer like us whenever he wanted treats," said priest Joei Yoshikuni.

"Clasping hands is a basic action of Buddhist prayer to show appreciation. He may be showing his thanks for treats and walks."

"It's so funny that he does it," said Kazuko Oshiro, 71, who has been going to Jigenin temple on the southern island of Okinawa for more than 25 years.

It's a dog's life: Conan's prayer pose is perfect

"He gets angry when somebody else sits on his favourite spot. He must be thinking that it's his special place."

Conan may not be as devout as first appearances indicate but he does seem to have brought his temple home good luck.

Visitor numbers have swelled by 30 per cent since his arrival and he a particular attraction for younger people.

"I'm glad that people feel more comfortable visiting the temple because of Conan," Yoshikuni added.

 

Source: Daily Mail, UK. Mar. 24, 2008

Pilot's gun goes off in cockpit during packed Easter flight

A gun carried by a pilot accidentally went off on a packed passenger plane, it has emerged.

The pilot on the U.S. Airways flight had been allowed to carry the weapon under anti-terrorism precautions.

It went off in the cockpit of the flight from Colorado to North Carolina on Saturday.

The gun went off on a US Airways Airbus like this one

Officials said none of the 124 passengers or five crew of the Airbus A319 was injured and the plane landed safely.

> Authorities in the United States have launched an immediate inquiry into the potentially disastrous incident.

Luckily, none of the 124 passengers and five crew members on the flight from Denver to Charlotte, North Carolina, was injured, according to US federal officials and the airline.

The US Airways Airbus A319 plane landed safely in Charlotte, according to a statement issued by the airline.

The incident occurred on Saturday on full flight 1536, which was in the air between 6:45 and 11:51 a.m., according to US Airways officials.

The pilot, who was not identified, was allowed to carry the gun through the U.S. Federal Flight Deck Officer programme run by the Transportation Security Administration, officials said.

The programme trains pilots to carry guns on flights as part of American's anti-terrorist protection policy. It was launched in 2003.

The circumstances of the incident remain unclear. TSA spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said the gun discharged in the cockpit, but she could not release how the gun was being transported at the time.

The TSA issued a statement saying that the plane was never in danger but that the agency and Federal Air Marshals Service take the matter seriously and it is receiving immediate attention.

An airline spokeswoman said the plane has been taken out of service to make sure it is safe to return to flight.

Officials said that the pilot was re-qualified in the programme last November.

Source: Daily Mail UK, Mar. 25, 2008

Millionaire lottery winner goes back to job at McDonald's... because he misses