Why I didn’t win the spot landing competition this summer…

September 28, 2013 at 3:45 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

The common language of Europe is English (to French teeth-grinding): “English has squeezed out every other language in the competition to become the common tongue of Europe, an EU report confirmed yesterday. It found that English is the most popular foreign language in all but five European countries, and all of those are small nations that use the language of their larger neighbours. Two out of three people across the continent have at least a fair working knowledge of English. Not one country can be found where the preferred second language is French, once the language of international diplomacy and still the vehicle by which French governments try to promote their influence abroad. French remains the European common language only in the offices of European institutions. It is one of the three working languages of the European Commission in Brussels, alongside English and German, and the main language of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, alongside English.”

“Scouse” model punches feminist protester: “A Liverpool model tipped to be the next Kate Moss has described the moment she punched a topless feminist who attacked her as she strutted down the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week. Anfield-born Hollie-May Saker, 18, was modelling for Nina Ricci at a show in the Tuileries gardens yesterday when two half-naked female protesters invaded the stage, screaming. As one of the women, from the radical feminist group Femen, grabbed Miss Saker’s arm and tried to lift her skirt, the model lashed out, striking her squarely on the nose. Despite being badly shaken by the unwanted hiccup, Miss Saker continued her run as if nothing had happened. ‘That b**** ruined my walk’: Miss Saker later tweeted angrily about the incident. ‘I was so angry but I knew I had to be professional so I carried on walking with a bit of sassiness. ‘I had been looking forward to the Nina Ricci show for so long, whether I was modelling in it or not, it’s such a beautiful collection.” [Liverpudlians (“Scousers”) have a reputation as rough and aggressive]

Why a ballet dancer never gets dizzy: Scientists uncover differences in ballerina’s brains that mean they can do endless pirouettes: “Ballet dancers are not just twinkled-toed – they also appear to have pirouette-proof brains. A study has identified important differences in their brain structures that prevent them feeling dizzy during those endless spins. It implies that years of training can enable dancers to suppress signals from the balance organs in the inner ear, which might otherwise make them fall over. Normally, the feeling of dizziness stems from the vestibular organs in the inner ear. These fluid-filled chambers sense rotation of the head through tiny hairs that sense the fluid moving. ‘Their brains adapt over years of training to suppress that input. Consequently, the signal going to the brain areas responsible for perception of dizziness in the cerebral cortex is reduced, making dancers resistant to feeling dizzy.”

Black man saved by empty head: “A man working in his garden cheated death by millimetres after he swung a pickaxe which bounced off the washing line and flew into his forehead, entering his skull. The pick-axe swung back and the pointed end hit him in the middle of the head, missing his brain and entering a sinus – an empty space in the skull. Despite his injury he still took a bus to hospital where doctors were stunned the pickaxe had not killed him. After the accident, and with blood pouring from his head, Mr Mpofu called the non-emergency NHS 111 number for advice. They told him an ambulance was not necessary but he should go to hospital within an hour, so he bandaged the wound and took a bus to St James’s Hospital in Leeds. Mr Mpofu had five stitches under local anaesthetic and was kept in hospital overnight and given antibiotics and a tetanus injection. He has been suffering headaches but the wound is healing well and he has been told he does not need an operation.”

A crazy country: “Venezuela is determined to repeat all of the USSR’s mistakes. And that makes it the only country where used cars are worth more than new. On TuCarro.com, a popular used car website, a secondhand 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee is more than double the price of a new one. Similarly, five-year-old Ford Fiestas and Explorers easily match factory sticker prices. But that’s because you can buy the used car. Good luck buying a new one. Just because the government sets a price, doesn’t mean the car will be available at that price. The premise may leave car enthusiasts in other parts of the world scratching their heads, but vehicles actually gain in value in Venezuela – as soon as they’re driven off the new or used lot. Shortages and government mandated currency controls have shot off preowned prices, as many consumers are desperate to find a car.”

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.