Visit the tree with Virgin Mary – a divine blessing
August 31, 2008
Local residents shake and cry when they visit the tree at Toronto, a suburb of Scarborough… The traditional open-handed pose image resembling Virgin Mary, was spotted on a tree trunk.
Christopher Moreau was the one to spot the trees markings in his neighbour’s garden. He believes that the image helped his mother-in-law gain health and recover from cancer.
Christopher said:
“At first, I thought I was seeing things. Then I showed it to my mother-in-law. She was overwhelmed “I don’t know why it’s there, but I think it’s a blessing. I hope it would help others who are looking for miracle.”
Eulalee Hamilton, Moreau’s neighbour and owner of the tree, said she was happy for the people who visited to see the likeness and at the same time she was apprehensive about the visitors causing damage to her garden. As long as people do not damage her garden she doesn’t mind them paying a visit to personally experience the so-called ‘Miracle’ Her personal opinion is that, it is not a sign from God, she said the image was just the scarring left from a limb that was cut off last year.
Believers and non-believers of the miracle will have their own views. A spokesman for the Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto said that it does not investigate the veracity of such ‘appearances’.
Suffering human beings will not hesitate to visit the site for blessings and hopefully find relief to their ailments.
Britain’s most senior Muslim officer accuses Sir Ian Blair of discrimination
August 31, 2008
At a press conference held by Britain’s senior most Muslim police officer, Mr. Ghaffur, he directly blamed the Metropolitan police chief, Sir Ian Blair, for discriminating against him over a long period.
This statement by Tarique Ghaffur, the assistant commissioner, resulted in the Metropolitan police top brass to react strongly. Reacting to the public comments made by Mr. Ghaffur, Deputy Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson stated:
“In short, I think it is long past time that we all shut up, stop making public statements about private disputes, and get on with the job we are paid to do.”
Mr. Ghaffur, who had launched a claim of racial discrimination with an employment tribunal, said that:
“The case is essentially to do with my treatment at the highest levels of the Met, in particular the discrimination I have been subject to over a long period of time by the present commissioner Sir Ian Blair.”
The Senior Officials at Scotland Yard were furious at the public airing of an internal matter. Sir Paul said:
“I do not think it was appropriate for this matter to be conducted in such a public way. On being informed just last evening that he had decided to hold a press conference, I did make this clear to him and suggested he reconsider his intentions.”
What ever the case may be, it is unfair to wash dirty linen in public as the act itself tarnishes the image of the whole police service.
Crude prices rise again due to tropical storm Gustav
August 30, 2008
Oil prices on Friday rose amidst fears tropical storm Gustav will soon enter Gulf of Mexico area, which is home to a quarter of US crude supplies and 40 percent of its refining capacity. The price rise was also supported by the weakened Dollar.
On Thursday the price for crude in October rose by 93 cent almost shooting up to $120 a barrel, before finally settling at $115.59 a barrel, by the end of the day. In Europe, light sweet crude for October delivery was $116.72 at midday trading.
Britain’s Daily Telegraph, citing an unidentified business source, reported that Russia may cut oil supplies to Germany and Poland as early as this weekend in response to the threat of EU sanctions over Russia’s war with Georgia, which also provoked the Traders reaction.
According to Mr. Jonathan Komafel,
“Until this hurricane hits, the trend has to be higher towards the $120 level.”
As a precautionary measure, as the tropical storm called Gustav advanced, oil companies were pulling employees off installations in the Gulf of Mexico area.
Margaret Thatcher is still a role model for women
August 29, 2008
Margaret Thatcher, also popularly known as ‘Maggie’, is perhaps the most discussed politician even today. Gordon Brown, the current Prime Minister, and David Cameron individually acknowledged their debt to her.
Even Blair’s Babes, all 100 of them, appeared nn the House of Commons benches – in a parliament dominated by men at the time, certainly owing a lot to Maggie.
BBC made a bid to reconstruct her early years in politics with a documentary called ‘The Long Road to Finchley’. It showed the ‘Iron Lady’ trying desperately to get a Parliament seat. The Conservative Party, which supposedly believed women are meant to stay at home, blocked each and every attempt made by Maggie.
That was all history as she triumphed and became Prime Minister. Her privatising agenda and the changes she brought to the British economy forever, perhaps made us forget the difficult times along with the frustrations and struggles she must have faced.
Even today, the immaculate Maggie remains a role model for women. She is known for her high standards of dress, retaining her renowned dignity. Yes! it is a real shock to all, knowing that Maggie has been suffering from dementia since 2000.
Three charged for plot to murder Brown.
August 29, 2008
According to reports by The Telegraph, three British Muslims were charged for threatening to murder Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
A plot to assassinate Gordon Brown was foiled in time to prevent any harm. Ishaq Kanmi, a 22 year old youth, from Blackburn, Lancashire has been charged with soliciting murder and belonging to, or claiming to belong to Al Qaeda. The report goes on to mention that he is also facing charges for;
“inviting support for a proscribed organization and for disseminating terrorist publications.”
Abbas Iqbal, a 23 year old youth who is also from Blackburn, is charged with disseminating terrorist publications and also possession of an article for the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.
The third person to be charged for the same offence is Ilyas Iqbal a 21 year old youth. He is also charged for making a record of information likely to be useful by a person committing an act of terrorism
Two of the arrested men were preparing to leave the country at Manchester Airport when the arrest took place on 14th of August, while the third was arrested at work in Accrington, Lancashire.
A fourth was arrested on Tuesday morning in Blackburn. A fifth arrest is currently on the cards.
The timely culmination of an operation led by the Lancashire police, supported by officers from the Greater Manchester Police Counter Terrorism Unit led to the arrests, thus preventing the suspects from fleeing the country.
Cash is still the king amongst British people
August 28, 2008
An increasing number of Britons prefers to use cash over cards when they are traveling abroad. This is owing to the fear of falling victim to fraudsters. According to a survey, lead by insurance services company CPP, almost 60 per cent of people prefer to take cash on holidays when they go abroad. More people are worried about deceptive fraudulent activity when they travel. Roughly 80 per cent of people are concerned about how vulnerable they are when they are paying for goods or using cash machines. However CPP said the fear is exaggerated as Apacs data prove the fact that actual fraud abroad accounts for only 39 per cent of UK card theft and fraud.
CPP offers insurance on sundries, including wallets, payment cards and mobile phones to third parties, which they can market to their customers while they are traveling abroad. CPP confirmed that it received 7,000 cases of stolen credit and debit cards between the period of June 2007 and July 2008. More than a quarter of these cases happened in Spain, which was more than double the amount that happened in France that had the next highest volume of reports.
CPP said only a quarter of travelers surveyed took the time to notify their bank that they will be away. Similarly, only a quarter checked receipts against card statements. CPP is also confident that awareness about card fraud abroad is growing. However, it is concerned that consumers are not taking the basic security steps.
Superman was invented from a tragic tale
August 27, 2008
It was a secret that the men who created Superman kept close to their chest for six decades and eventually took to their graves. For all that time artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel let people think that they dreamed up the bullet-proof flying avenger as a way of attracting girls since they were a pair of amateur youths at the time. But now the comic world is abuzz with a new tragic tale…
‘Superman’ was the invention of teenagers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1930’s. They were studying at Ohio High School when they wanted to do something amazing to impress the girls. This led to the belief that it was the inspiration behind the creation of our superhero “the Superman.” Now it appears that the presumption may be wrong, as it appears that personal tragedy, rather than desire to impress their peers, could be the real reason behind Superman’s birth.
Jerry Siegel’s father, a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania, was residing at Cleveland. On June 2, 1932, a night time robbery at his second hand clothes store resulted in Mitchell’s (Jerry’s father) death. Even though gunshots were heard, Siegel’s family and the coroner said the death was due to a heart attack. According to Brad Meltzer, the best selling author’s theory, it is the sudden loss of his father that resulted in pushing a distraught 17-year old to invent a bullet-proof super-being to avenge evil and fight for justice.
Wear ‘Onion Goggles’ for tear-free chopping
August 27, 2008
Eddingtons’, the Cookware Maker, has come to every tear-shedding onion-choppers’ aid. They have invented a pair of ‘onion goggles’ that can offer “tear-free chopping” for chefs finding the onion cutting experience a ‘crying- ordeal’.
The swimming goggle-style glasses fit closely over the eyes to keep the irritant onion vapours at bay. The goggles comprise of a foam seal that protects eyes from the “irritating onion vapors” and an anti-fog coating on its lenses that provides “maximum clarity and eye protection”. They are available in plain white or a stylish pale pink.
The goggles weigh 6 kilos. They come in an easy to carry see-through storage case. The only snag is that the goggles do not seem to be that much useful for visually impaired cooks because they ‘do not work over the top of spectacles.’
Former BBC Masterchef winner Gerry Goldwyre, who now runs a private dining restaurant in Eskbank, welcomes the invention, saying:
“My eyes suffer terribly- every time I chop onions, I look like a Scot coming out of Murrayfield after a beating by England. I have tried all of the old wives tales to no effect. If they have finally nailed the problem with this invention, I would be very impressed,”
Canines will think twice before peeing on your car tyres, if it’s a BMW
August 26, 2008
Whether pedigree or not, dogs being dogs, just cannot resist being themselves when they spot lampposts or car tyres on their journey. A canine’s raised leg for relieving themselves is a common sight near a lamppost or a parked car; after urinating, they then patter away nonchalantly.
In the case of a lamppost, very little can be done to deter the canine from performing the act! However, in the case of cars and their tyres, it is a different story. BMW, the German auto giant, has found a solution called the ‘electric sting’. BMW describes the invention as ‘relatively pain free’, yet enough to deter dogs in future. Hans Zoff, behind the Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system, said:
“Research shows that most BMW customers love to keep the cars clean, but dog fouling is a constant irritant.”
Lola Forpi, from campaign group Put Animals First, had the following to say:
“All motorists must expect to go through the odd puddle here and there. As well as going for a drive, we would recommend owners regularly go for ‘walkies’ as well if they want to have a very relieved pet.”
Caesarean may cause diabetes
August 26, 2008
According to a study, babies born by Caesarean have a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes in childhood. However, the link to the disease known as the ‘silent killer’ is not clear; scientists believe exposure to hospital bacteria may be involved. Type 1 diabetes is believed to be caused by childhood infections, along with a possible genetic link. With both playing an important role in the development of the disease, combining the two is one theory for the increased risk.
Lead researcher, Dr Chris Cardwell from Queen’s University in Belfast, reported in the journal Diabetologia:
“This study shows a 20 per cent increase in the risk type of type1 diabetes. The reasons for this is still not understood, although it is possible that the Caesarean.”
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disorder in which the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It usually occurs in childhood and continuous lifelong insulin injections are required to manage the disease.
Dr Roger Unger, the professor of internal medicine and senior author of the study, has said,
“Terminally ill rodents with type1 diabetes were restored to full health by injecting them with hormone. These animals were actually dying. But if we gave them the leptin gene, within two weeks, the terminally ill rodents were restored to full health without any treatment.”
