[Fatima99]

Man completes 51 triathlons in 51 days - but he's only halfway through mammoth mission



An extreme endurance adventurer has completed 51 consecutive full distance triathlons on his latest world record attempt.

But Sean Conway is only half way - he is aiming to swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles and run 26.2 miles every for 102 days.

He aims to beat the 101 days record set by American James Lawrence in 2021.

To achieve this, he is consuming 8,000 calories a day and working with a specialist team.

The swims are taking place at Mold Sports Centre, Flintshire, from 05:00 BST until about 06:30, before the cycle starts at about 06:40, travelling to Holt and ending at Queensferry.



The athlete from Mold, Flintshire, started on 10 April and has now completed 51 consecutive days breaking the British and European Records.

Sean said: “Day one, I felt strong. Then day two and three were the toughest as my body adjusted despite the hours spent training.

“In the first couple of weeks, lack of sleep was an issue, my body just didn’t want to shut down at the end of the day and I would wake up at 2am, two hours before my alarm was due to go off.

“I got into a rhythm around day 14, as momentum built on my social media. It meant more people joined me for the swim, cycle and run which gave me a real boost.

“At the moment, one of the most difficult parts has been eating 8,000 calories a day, I feel full constantly but just need to get fuel in me. I feel strong and ready to smash the next 51 days.”

Sean was born in Zimbabwe and grew up in South Africa, where he had an adventurous upbringing in the bush.

But he now lives in north Wales with his wife and two children.

He already holds the record for the world’s longest Ultra Triathlon, fastest crossing of Europe by bicycle and first person to swim the length of Britain.

Normally self-supported Sean is working with a team of nutritionists, doctors, physiotherapists and specialist triathlon coaches.

He is also raising funds for a local charity close to his heart.It is called True Venture, which aims to inspire and support children and young athletes by improving access to positive opportunities through sport.

Sean is due to finish the 102 days on Thursday 20 July.

Making women look dumb is a disturbing new podcast trend




For shame.

A podcast with hundreds of thousands of subscribers and followers across online platforms is stoking the flames of controversy — by belittling female guests and making them look dumb.

“Whatever,” hosted by Brian Atlas, masquerades as a dating talk show while delving into gender roles, body counts and the legitimacy of the patriarchy.

The podcast team uses social media to seek women panelists, only to later “roast” them online in snippets pandering to the virality of the inflammatory hot takes.

In other words, it’s perfect clickbait.

The “Whatever” podcast has been slammed for belittling women.

In one episode, the panelists, who are all women, rate themselves as “10s,” much to Atlas’ shock.

“Imma be honest, I’m not going to rate you guys, but none of you are a 10,” he says in response, prompting a chorus of agreement in the comments by users cruelly joking about the women’s weight and appearance.

In another, Atlas grills the panelists on their body counts — or how many people they’ve been intimate with — and is met with resistance.

“It doesn’t matter to me, but it matters to you guys,” one woman said, gesturing to the men sitting across the table. “So I’m not going to go and put myself out here and say my body count just for you two to ridicule me or something.”

While OnlyFans model Nicolette Nicole admitted that her appearance on the podcast was to bolster her own following, she told Vice that the clips were “definitely chosen to create controversy” and make her “look dumb” and “shame” her.

On Twitter and TikTok, the videos’ provocative one-line captions lure thousands to millions of views.

“OnlyFans girl gets ROASTED,” the podcast tweeted.

“They THINK they are 10s, what about with NO MAKEUP?!” reads another tweet.

On Twitter, “Whatever” often promotes videos from conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and champions disgraced internet personality Andrew Tate.

Tate has been accused of sexual assault and physical abuse after serving time in a Romanian prison on charges of rape, trafficking and organized crime. He has declared his innocence.

The podcast’s following has grown amid backlash, with aghast critics slamming the show for talking “down” to women while dubbing Atlas an “Andrew Tate wannabe.”

“Tell me you despise women without telling me you despise women…and don’t forget the condescension,” one Redditor snarked.

“Is it just me, or do all of those women look INCREDIBLY uncomfortable?” wrote another, in part.

The Post has reached out to Atlas for comment.

Content creator Drew Afualo — who counts 8 million TikTok followers, thanks to her zingy clap backs at misogynistic men — has expressed her displeasure for Atlas’ content.
see also
Passport bro explains his love for lifestyle on TikTok
I’m a ‘passport bro’: We want ‘traditional’ wives, not ‘mail order brides’

In one clip, Afualo stitches a snippet of Atlas calling a female panelist “not a 10,” in reference to her looks, to which she says, “That’s just your opinion.”

In response, Atlas continues to reiterate his stance on her attractiveness because “it bothers him that it doesn’t bother her.”

In another, Afualo responds to a video of the “Whatever” podcast featuring Atlas’ claims that men are “more oppressed” than women.

“Why people continue to go on this podcast I just can’t even begin to understand,” Afualo said.

“F—k this podcast, for real.”

“Whatever” isn’t the first podcast of its kind to ignite frenzied fury online (or, as Vice put it, “fuel the gender culture war”).

TikTok and Twitter are flooded with snippets of talk shows — read: men in their living rooms with microphones — that are prompting women to mock them and beg to “stop giving men microphones.”

Essence’s Girls United writer Kenyatta Victoria this week pointed out that everyone seems to have a podcast these days.

“What was once a space where people could report and speak on specific topics (with experts) has become an opportunity for someone to project their emotions and opinions that don’t involve them,” Victoria wrote, urging viewers to “amplify those who approach the craft ethically and responsibly rather than constantly fueling the ego.”

https://nypost.com/2023/06/02/making-wo ... ast-trend/

[prokroustis]

Why Greek Island Houses Are Blue and White



World famous destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini are easy to identify in photos thanks in part to their distinct architecture. Influencers love taking pictures in front of the islands’ whitewashed homes and blue accents and doors. But why are Greek island houses blue and white?

Many people recognize blue and white as the iconic colors of Greece. They’re the colors of the flag. They are also the colors of the bright sea and sky synonymous with the beautiful Mediterranean.

However, on the Cycladic islands, the distinctive blue and white colors of homes are not based on the colors’ symbolism within Greece. In fact, there were several reasons behind this iconic characteristic of Greek island architecture. These were mostly practical reasons.

Cooling down island homes in the summer
Many homes on islands like Mykonos, Paros, and Naxos were originally built out of stone. This was a practical decision since wood was not easily found on rocky Aegean islands.

However, the rocky terrain is of a darker color. This presented a problem during the sunny Greek summers. The sunlight beating down on the homes would be absorbed by the dark stones, making the interior unbearably hot.

Hence, residents began painting the stones white in an effort to cool down their indoor spaces. The process worked, resulting in cooler, more comfortable island homes.

How Cholera Affected Home Design
In 1938, a national order mandated the painting of island homes in blue and white. At the time, Greece was suffering an outbreak of cholera during the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas. In an effort to curb the disease, he ordered citizens to whitewash their homes.

This might sound strange today, but the whitewash used to paint the houses contained limestone. Limestone is a powerful disinfectant, and not many others were in common use at the time.

Greek citizens thus whitewashed their homes to help sanitize them and reduce the spread of cholera.

What about the blue color of Greek island houses?

Though blue is the most common accent color for doors and shutters in the Cycladic islands, it’s not the only one. In fact, if you walk around many islands, you will notice accents of red, green, and brown, in addition to blue.

However, the vibrant blue color still dominates the Cycladic landscape. Why is that?

Well, it comes down to cost. Fishermen and other seafaring men painted their windows and shutters with whatever was left over after painting their boat. Because of its components, blue was usually the cheapest paint color available.

The blue used for Greek island homes was made from a mixture of limestone and a cleaning product called “loulaki,” which was a kind of blue talcum powder most islanders had readily available at home. Therefore, blue paint was a very easy color for them to make.

Military dictatorship enforces color scheme on Greek islands
The pretty colors of Greek island homes became mandatory during the military dictatorship that took over Greece in 1967. The regime believed the colors would inspire patriotism and were reflective of Greek nationalism.

Eventually, they passed a law in 1974 to mandate the painting of Greek island homes in blue and white.

Although these regulations have now been relaxed, the blue and white colors of the Greek islands have become a huge draw for travelers. Therefore, many islanders continue painting their homes in these colors. Essentially, this is both for the practical reasons they started using these colors and because they are good for tourism.

Wandering around the Cycladic islands today, visitors can easily find homes with original earth-colored stones or slightly different colors. However, blue and white still dominate Greek island design, and island homes are known for this popular color scheme worldwide.

[PennySerenade]

12-Year-Old Rescued After Falling Down Well During Recess When Concrete Lid ‘Partially Collapsed'



A 12-year-old boy is expected to be okay after falling into a well in Washington during recess, according to authorities.

The preteen was standing on the well’s lid Tuesday “when the concrete partially collapsed” and caused the boy to fall inside, according to a news release from the Marysville Fire District.

The well is located alongside a pumphouse behind St. Mary’s Catholic Church, according to CBS affiliate KIRO-TV.

First responders arrived at the scene just before 12:30 p.m. local time and found the boy “partially submerged in water” and “holding onto a plastic pipe about 20 feet” underground, the fire district said. He was unable to touch the bottom and sustained numerous lacerations to his head as a result of the fall.



Officials say the boy could follow commands and put on a harness and helmet that firefighters lowered down to him, according to the Marysville Fire District.

Firefighters then “delicately” removed what was left of the concrete lid and lowered a ladder down to the boy, who was able to climb out “on his own.”



The boy was transported to Providence Hospital after the rescue, and was listed in stable condition.

“We are very thankful to share that a 12-year-old boy is expected to be OK,” the fire district said in Tuesday’s news release.

The fire district also shared its appreciation for the other agencies that responded to the scene, including Marysville Police, the Everett Fire Department and Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue.

“Thanks to all involved in this rescue and this very brave boy for hanging in there through it all,” they said.

Three sand cat kittens born at North Carolina Zoo

By Ashley R. Williams, CNN


The North Carolina Zoo announced three sand cat kittens were born on May 11.

Animal lovers can now witness three times the cuteness at the North Carolina Zoo.

Three sand cat kittens were born on May 11 to first-time mother Sahara, 3, and father, Cosmo, 9, according to the North Carolina Zoo.

The weeks-old kittens, who were tiny enough to fit in a person’s palm at birth, are starting to explore their home at the zoo’s Desert Habitat, according to zoo officials.

The public will soon get a chance to weigh in on what their names should be in a poll, the zoo said, adding details would be shared on its social media pages and website.

The kittens mark the North Carolina Zoo’s third animal birth in less than two weeks. A baby male giraffe calf was born on May 20 and a baby male chimpanzee was born the following day.

Cosmo and Sahara were paired through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Sand Cat Species Survival Plan, “which aims to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population of sand cats to increase their numbers,” the North Carolina Zoo said in the release.

The association’s institutions house over 50 sand cats.
Despite the cute appearance of the felines – who have big eyes and a petite frame – the cats are a ferocious animal that zookeepers warn shouldn’t be kept as a pet, according to the zoo.

Native to deserts in Asia, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, sand cats are the only felines that live in exclusively desert environments, the zoo said.

Sand cats are among the world’s tiniest felines, weighing up to eight pounds and reaching an average length of 20 inches, according to the North Carolina Zoo.

[Misstee]

685 people dressed as Spider-Man gather at Malaysia mall
By Ben Hooper





June 5 (UPI) -- It was a scene straight out of hit film Across the Spider-Verse when 685 people gathered at a mall in Malaysia while dressed as various incarnations of Spider-Man.

The event, organized by Sony Pictures Malaysia and AEON Mall, saw 685 people show up to the shopping center in Bukit Tinggi while dressed in the costumes sported by various versions of the Marvel hero, including Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Miguel O'Hara and Gwen Stacy.

A Guinness World Records adjudicator was present at the mall to verify the count and ensure that each participant spent at least 5 minutes in the designated area.

The adjudicator presented a certificate to organizers after confirming the total was more than the 601 people who donned Spider-Man suits at an event in India in December 2021.

[goldie0608]

Single Atom X-rayed For First Time in Breakthrough That Will ‘Transform the World’



Many laymen will not be aware that science has never been able to X-ray a single atom.

The best that current state-of-the-art synchrotron scanners can manage is to X-ray an attogram—about 10,000 atoms—but the signal produced by a single atom is so weak that conventional detectors cannot be used. Until now.

This landmark feat was achieved thanks to a purpose-built synchrotron instrument at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois using a technique known as SX-STM (synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscopy).

The researchers behind the breakthrough say it paves the way for finding cures for major life-threatening diseases, the development of superfast quantum computers, and other advancements in materials and eco-science.

Atoms are the particles that build molecules, and the limit to which any substance can be broken down chemically. There are as many in a golf ball as golf balls would fit into Earth.

SX-STM can now measure them to an infinitesimal degree. The feat has been described as the ‘holy grail’ of physics, and a long-standing dream of Professor Saw Wai Hla of Ohio State University, the lead author on the paper explaining the discovery.

“Atoms can be routinely imaged with scanning probe microscopes—but without X-rays one cannot tell what they are made of,” explained Dr. Hla. “We can now detect exactly the type of a particular atom, one atom-at-a-time, and can simultaneously measure its chemical state. This discovery will transform the world.”

Since its discovery by Roentgen in 1895, X-rays have been used in dozens of applications and fields, from medical examinations to security screenings in airports.

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity is equipped with an X-ray device to examine the composition of the rocks.

An important usage of X-rays in science is to identify the type of materials in a sample. Over the years, the quantity of materials in a sample required for X-ray detection has been greatly reduced thanks to the development of synchrotron X-rays.

SX-STM collects excited electrons, particles on the outside of an atom that move around the protons and neutrons inside, and the spectrum thus produced is like a fingerprint that enables the precise detection of what the atom is.

“The technique used, and concept proven in this study broke new ground in X-ray science and nanoscale studies,” said first author Tolulope Michael Ajayi, a PhD student at Ohio.

“More so, using X-rays to detect and characterize individual atoms could revolutionize research and give birth to new technologies in areas such as quantum information and the detection of trace elements in environmental and medical research, to name a few.”

“This achievement also opens the road for advanced materials science instrumentation.”

[johngriffen]

I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
TUESDAY JUNE 6
What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING

EXAMPLE POST

​Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag

A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You can post as many stories as you like, but you will only get paid for One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can only earn WRZ$ once a day.
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -6)
3:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)
on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them short, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
All payments will be made at THE END of the weekly news cycle.
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS

[goldie0608]

A Nurse and Her Boyfriend Saved a Man’s Life on Flight Home from Bahamas Vacation



A man named Michael can thank his lucky stars that when his heart stopped aboard an airplane, there was a healthcare angel sitting just a few rows back.

Emily Raines, an acute care nurse at a Baltimore hospital, was flying back from a vacation in the Bahamas with her boyfriend when the flight attendant asked if there was anyone onboard with medical training.

The attendant over the intercom said a passenger was having a medical emergency, and Raines quickly volunteered.

“On our way up there I was trying to pregame like ‘hey if we have to do compressions, I need you to do compressions. I’ll take care of everything else,'” Raines described the tense moments during the emergency, discussing the game plan with her boyfriend, a former nurse who now works in finance.

She told CBS News that once she got to the passenger’s seat, he was slumped over, flush purple, and not breathing. Together they did chest compression, or CPR, for about 23 minutes before with just 7 minutes until landing, their good work revived the man.

He was rushed to the hospital as soon as the plane came to a halt, while Raines was treated to a hero’s welcome as she returned to her seat further back in the plane.

“We were amped because it’s so awesome to have that feeling, and afterwards, you’re just like, ‘oh wow, we did this, we saved somebody’s life,'” Raines exclaimed.

A short time later, Raines received a message from Michael’s wife, expressing her deep gratitude for the saving of her husband.

“I cannot possibly thank you enough for saving Michael’s life. There are no words. if I could, I would like to at least make you some cookies,” the woman said.

[ozswede]

Giant ice-cream cone stolen from Donegal shop returned

A giant ice-cream cone stolen from outside a shop in Letterkenny, Co Donegal in Ireland has has been returned to its owner.

The massive replica 99 was taken from outside the Circle K garage at Glencar in Letterkenny during the current hot spell of weather.

Gardaí had scanned hundreds of CCTV images in a bid to track down the culprits.



The early morning suspects include two men and one woman, who made their way off in the direction of Dr McGinley Road.

The men tried to cover their faces with hoods up while the woman was wearing a pink zipped-up top and pink tracksuit bottoms.

Gardaí are hoping early morning drivers may help them identify the culprits.

They also issued an appeal saying the appearance of a giant ice-cream cone couldn’t have gone unnoticed.

Garda Grainne Doherty appealed to those who took the cone to return it.

"Somebody has seen this cone," Garda Doherty said.

"If a giant ice-cream cone has appeared in your living room or your friends' apartment, somebody knows something about this these things are quite expensive and times are hard for businesses. We are anxious to have this item returned to the owner.

"To whoever did take it, it might have been a moment of madness, drop it back."


The ice-cream cone that was stole from a shop in Letterkenny

The cone has managed to find its way back to its rightful owners.

A spokesperson for the garage said they didn’t know where the giant cone had been taken on its journey but were delighted to have it back.

"We would like to thank the individual who helped us retrieve the cone. Let your friends know it's safe after its adventure," laughed a spokesperson for the garage.

Bizarrely, there has been a spate of similar robberies in recent months in and around Letterkenny with similar thefts taking place at Tobins Filling Station and also Callaghan's XL shop.

Is this a thing "Groomscrolling"?
Groom caught texting while walking down aisle at wedding: ‘Get an annulment’



The bride is beaming — but her new husband’s just phoning it in.

Rather than throwing rice at a newlywed couple in celebration of their recent wedding, social media skeptics are throwing shade after the distracted groom was allegedly caught texting someone as they strolled down the aisle after saying “I do.”

“This marriage is over,” predicted an outraged commenter on Twitter, where re-posted TikTok footage of the phone-happy hubby has amassed over 40.8 million views.

“This is insane… disrespectful and condescending. Totally uncalled for,” barked another stunned spectator beneath the viral video tweet.

In the concerning clip — which was originally shared by TikTok user @CynthiaUmunze and has since been deleted — the unnamed groom‘s eyes are virtually glued to his cellular device as he and the bride, who’s cutting a huge smile and thanking guests for their well-wishes, exit the church.

Once outside, the bride appears to confront her fella about his foul phone faux pas, but rather than apologize, he grimaces in frustration, seemingly prompting his new wife to drop the issue and feign a joyful look.

But digital wedding watchers weren’t buying it.

“Imagine on your day not being happy. This man was either forced or doesn’t love this lady. Why getting married then?,” said a stunned Twitter onlooker.

“Get an annulment NOW!!!!!!,” an equally peeved viewer tweeted, in part.

“[He’s] talking to his side chick,” a suspicious cynic added.

Another wrote, in part, “Nothing. Absolutely nothing is that important…There is no defense for this.”

However, this woman’s man isn’t the only husband to behave badly on his big day.

Cyberspace erupted when an October 2022 bride named Heather, from North Carolina, broadcasted video of her bridesmaid groping the groom’s crotch in wedding pictures. And a nearly-identical firestorm ignited online in February when podcasters vitally recounted the tale of an unidentified bride catching her groom being breastfed by his mother just before the ceremony.

In both instances, the newly-hitched women were urged by virtual commentators to recognize the red flags and “run” away from their shady sweethearts.

And similar advice is now being offered to texting groom’s hapless honey.

“Girl, get out!” a tweeter advised, in part.

“Know your worth,” another encouraged.

Thus far, neither the bride nor groom have publicly commented on their controversial nuptials.

https://nypost.com/2023/06/05/groom-cau ... t-wedding/

[HogwartsExpress]

'Ducking hell' to disappear from Apple autocorrect

Apple will improve its autocorrect feature so it stops changing one of the most common swear words to "ducking".

Although iPhone users can disable the autocorrect, the keyboard's factory settings on the device change the word automatically.

"In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too," said software boss Craig Federighi.

He announced the development at Apple's developers' conference in California.

The autocorrect can helpfully substitute a reasoned replacement for a misspelt word while texting, but it can also unintentionally change the meaning.

iPhone users can find themselves annoyed at having to rewrite their own messages - with the term "damn you autocorrect" becoming an acronym, a meme, an Instagram account and even a song.

The changes to the function will come as a result of artificial intelligence (AI), in which autocorrect will get better at predicting your next words and phrases by learning the terms that you use regularly, which includes swearing.

The AI which makes this happen is called a transformer model. It learns context by tracking relationships in data, like the words in this sentence, using mathematical techniques.

Initially flagged in a 2017 paper from Google, transformers are some of the most powerful classes of AI models.

Autosuggest - or predictive text - systems are beginning to become more mainstream as the technology behind the AI has accelerated very quickly.

The autocorrect change will be part of the iOS 17 operating system upgrades which are expected to be available as a public beta in July, with the general release in September.

It should mean that iPadOS 17 also carries the new function.

Elsewhere at the developers' conference, Apple unveiled an augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro which will retail at $3,499 (£2,849).

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the new headset "seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world".

It will be available early next year in the US and in other countries later in 2024.

On Monday, Apple's market valuation reached just under $3 trillion - a new company record.

source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65823482

[Fatima99]

'I'm 108 years old - the key to a long life is to have dogs instead of kids'



A woman who recently celebrated her 108th birthday has said the key to living a long life is to have plenty of pet dogs instead of having any children.

Ada Daniel was the proud owner of "a lot of greyhounds" when she was younger, and once joked that her fleet of pooches helped keep her young, in addition to the fact that she never had any children.

The woman now lives in Codnor Park care home in Codnor, Derbyshire, where she has lived since 2015, and was "excited" to celebrate her birthday last week after the care home launched an appeal for people to send 108 birthday cards to Ada.

The appeal was so successful that Ada received almost 300 cards, which she was given at a surprise party alongside an afternoon tea and some balloons donated following the call for cards.

Kelly Goucher, activity co-ordinator at Ashmere, which runs Codnor Park care home, told the BBC: "Ada hasn't got a lot of family left. She never had any children so she doesn't have any grandchildren so we just wanted to get her as many cards as possible. She quite likes that people know about her because of her age.

"She had a lot of greyhounds. She lived on Street Lane in Ripley and all of her greyhounds were also called Street Lane. She's definitely a character. I did ask her what her secret was once and she said it was to have dogs, not kids."

Kelly also said Ada had been talking about her birthday "since the beginning of April" and had been "quite excited" for the big day to finally come around.

The activity co-ordinator posted the appeal for cards on an Ilkeston Facebook page, and said that by the next morning, she already had 135 messages from people wanting to send a birthday message to Ada.

Ada was previously the subject of another card appeal for her 105th birthday, which fell during lockdown in 2020, where she received 200 cards.

Meanwhile, a 106-year-old woman recently confessed that her secret to a long life was a daily shot of coffee liqueur.

Esperanza Cortinas from Ourense, Spain, was born on December 4, 1916 and has lived through two world wars as well as two pandemics. Despite her advanced age she still enjoys dancing several times a week and also plays card games with her friends.

She told local media: "I still like to look pretty. If one day I don't, my daughter makes me. You have to take care of yourself. I go dancing several days a week, play card games, smile a lot, and besides, I have a daily shot of coffee liqueur."

[lush]

Thai Businessman Drinks Crocodile Blood Twice a Day to Stay in Shape
0517023*

A businessman from southern Thailand recently went viral for claiming that the secret to his good health is to drink crocodile blood mixed with alcohol twice a day.

Rojakorn Nanon, a 52-year-old man from Thailand’s Trang province, starts his day with a glass of crocodile mixed with a Thai spirit called lao khao, and has another such cocktail before bedtime. The businessman claims that he used to be physically weak and exhausted all the time, but ever since he started drinking crocodile blood, things took a massive turn for the better, and now he swears by the stuff. He believes the blood does wonders for several organs, for the blood, and for the nervous system.

Nanon started consuming drinking crocodile blood mixed with lao khao two months ago, after discovering the cocktail being sold by 53-year-old Wanchai Chaikerd, the owner of a crocodile farm in Ban Pho subdistrict. Wnachai claims that crocs have very little blood – one or two glasses – so he mixes it with lao khao. He charges 200 – 300 baht ($6 – $9) per glass.

Wanchai, who owns the largest crocodile farm in Trang Province, claims that his concoction helps circulation, strengthens red blood cells, increases platelet count and white blood cells, and nourishes egg and sperm cells. Apparently, crocodile blood can even cure infertility.

Crocodiles between three and four years old are usually sacrificed to make the controversial cocktail because that’s when they are strongest so their blood has the most powerful effect. He can only extract about 100cc of blood from one animal, which is only enough for two glasses.

via Khaosod (Thai)

There were pictures but I don't think you'd want to see that.

[PennySerenade]

Rescue Helps Retired Working Dogs Experience the Joy of Finding a Family



Mission K9 Rescue is committed to the canine members of the U.S. military.

The animal protection organization was started to help working dogs retiring from the military find loving homes after their service.

"We rescue, reunite, re-home, rehabilitate and repair any retired working dog that has served mankind," Kristen Maurer, Mission K9 Rescue's president and co-founder, tells PEOPLE.

Today, 10 years after starting, Mission K9 has rescued "nearly 1,300 dogs," according to Bob Bryant, Mission K9's co-founder and chief technology officer.

Maurer founded the organization with Bryant and Luisa Kasner after discovering that retired military working dogs "were mostly being euthanized" instead of being reunited with their handlers.

When Mission K9 Rescue started 10 years ago, the cost of transporting a retired military canine from its international station — anywhere from Germany to Guam — to the home of its former handler was the responsibility of the handler. Often the pricey flight costs and overwhelming logistics involved with flying a dog internationally prohibited handlers from reuniting with their former canine partners.

"The burden was falling on the handlers. And so we wanted to take that burden off of them," Maurer explains.

Mission K9 Rescue responded to this issue by helping handlers with costs and travel plans and by calling for changes to the law that would put more responsibility on the military to provide for its working dogs.

As of 2022, after a years-long series of new laws and changes to military rules, "it is up to the military to bring the dogs back from overseas," Maurer says.

These changes have made handler and working dog reunions more likely, but there are still circumstances where military working dogs don't have a home to go to after retirement. In this situation, Mission K9 Rescue steps in to take over care of the dog until the organization finds the canine a forever home.



Many of the dogs available for adoption through Mission K9 Rescue are contract working dogs, which differ from military working dogs in that they are trained and owned by private companies instead of the Department of Defense.

Just like military working dogs, contract working dogs can be trained to be bomb or drug detection dogs, but unlike military canines, contract working dogs "had no exit plan," according to Maurer.

"There was really no awareness for them," she says, adding that handlers working with contract working dogs "go back on another contract when the dog retires, and they can't keep their dog."

"It's just not as easy. So we take in all those dogs a lot more for them."

Mission K9 Rescue strives to provide the canines under its care with a "cushy life" post-retirement, Maurer says.

"They're out there doing a job they didn't ask to do. They were drafted into this. So for us, we feel like giving them a home and giving them that last bit of their life, the best life we can, is an honor," she adds.

Mission K9 Rescue is looking for adopters who feel the same way about the organization's canine retirees. Potential pet parents interested in adopting a retired working dog should be prepared for "medical bills along the way."

"A lot of the dogs have worked to train like athletes their entire life. So they have a lot of medical issues," Maurer says.

According to Bryant, retired working dogs will gladly respond to your care and compassion with devoted companionship.

"They're undoubtedly the smartest dog you're ever going to have in your life. These dogs are incredibly trained. They are on point with all their commands, and they share a special bond with you that other dogs just don't offer," he says.

Read on to meet some of the dogs available for adoption through Mission K9 Rescue. Those interested in adopting a retired working dog from the organization should visit Mission K9's website to learn more about the adoption process.

ICE

Ice is a 10-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer retired from the TSA's Explosives Detection K9 Unit at the Los Angeles International Airport. He spent his career searching passengers, cargo, vehicles, baggage, and aircraft. After many years of using his nose to protect travelers from all over the world, Ice now spends his retired life enjoying rest and relaxation in the sun and mingling with the other retirees at Mission K9 Ranch. Ice is good with other dogs and has the fun-loving energy of a young pup.

UNIX

Unix is a nine-year-old male Belgian Malinois and German shepherd mix whose job was patrolling and searching for explosives with the United States Air Force. Unix is full of life and is currently the source of entertainment at Mission K9 Ranch, making the staff laugh every day with his joyful and charming smile. Unix is good with other dogs and is VERY toy motivated.

CEZAR

Cezar is an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois who spent his days sniffing out explosives and patrolling areas with the United States Air Force to keep our military and civilians safe. He came to us in Texas all the way from Japan! Now that he's retired, he spends his days either relaxing in the yard at the Ranch or being a couch potato, hanging out with the Mission K9 staff. Cezar's left ear was damaged at some point in his career, but as you can see from the photos, it only adds to his captivating character. Cezar is good with other dogs, and once he's acclimated to his new environment, he is a mellow fellow, content with her enjoying his hard-earned retirement.