On Sunday, a quick-thinking New Zealand police officer instructed beachgoers to form a human chain, which saved a 12-year-old boy from drowning.

Josh McQuoid was playing with friends in shallow waters at Marine Parade in Napier, New Zealand when he was suddenly washed out to sea and on the verge of drowning to death. The currents pulled him for about eight minutes and dragged him almost 500 feet down the shore as the rough surf continued to pound him underwater.

“The waves smashed me so much, there were five really big ones, they flipped me around quite a few times,” said McQuoid. “I think the longest for about 20 seconds.”

The first one to enter the water and attempt a rescue was Constable Paul Bailey of the Napier Police. However, he too received a beating from the waves and was unable to keep hold of the boy. Bailey even admitted that at more than one moment he worried about his own survival and wondered if officials would have to look for two bodies instead of one.

Finally, another police officer advised onlookers to form a human chain from the shore into the water in an effort to rescue both McQuoid and Constable Bailey.

When McQuid was pulled onto the beach he was unconscious but the beachgoers continued to help and revived the boy until an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital.

Images of the scene show over a dozen strangers, hand in hand, generously working to save a child they had never met.

“I’d love to thank them so much for what they did. They saved my life. If it wasn’t for them I’d be dead,” McQuoid told One News.

 http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/human-chain-saves-boy-12-drowning-140106384–abc-news-topstories.html

Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Authority said a lion attacked a couple on Tuesday. The man was able to get away from the large cat, but the woman accompanying him was mauled to death yet not devoured. Additionally, a second corpse was found nearby, which was almost entirely eaten, and only an arm and some other bodily scraps remained. 

Officials are handing out fliers and alerting townspeople over loudspeakers about the increased dangers of lion attacks. They are especially warning people to stay away from the banks of Lake Kariba, a popular hydroelectric dam many use for recreation, and to avoid walking at night or crossing through thickets were lions can easily hide. 

Animal attacks in the urban area are rare. However, in recent years several people walking home from taverns and bars late at night were killed by roaming elephants. With that in mind, the wildlife authority also warned “beer drinkers to avoid moving at night on foot,” and, in reference to the various religious groups in the area, they said to “stop going for secretive prayers in thick vegetation.”

Rangers believe two or more lions that possibly escaped from a nearby game reserve are the culprits. They are still in pursuit of the animals and have sent in professional hunters with skills in tracking and shooting lions. If the cats are found, it is expected the hunters will kill them, as it’s believed once a lion eats a human it will continue to make people its prey. 

One ranger was injured during the hunt after the tracking team accidently shot him.

On the day of the accident, onlookers and news media watched as the hydrogen-filled blimp attempted to dock at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station. The crowds were delighted and all seemed well until the Hindenburg suddenly erupted into flames and, in mere seconds, plummeted around 300 feet to earth. Suspicions as to the source of the ignition encompass everything from sabotage, a bomb, fiery paint, and static. But, according to British aeronautical engineer Jem Stansfield and a team of San Antonio based researchers, those who had their money on static are indeed correct.

The scientists researched in detail the circumstances surrounding the event and conducted a series of tests on Hindenburg models in an effort to recreate the zeppelin’s fiery destruction. They concluded the airship became charged with static from an electrical storm. The electrostatic then came in contact with hydrogen that was leaking out of one of the ship’s valves and a spark ignited. 

The researchers describe the chain of events in the following: 

“The airship had become charged with static as a result of an electrical storm. A broken wire or sticking gas valve leaked hydrogen into the ventilation shafts, and when ground crew members ran to take the landing ropes they effectively “earthed” the airship. The fire appeared on the tail of the airship, igniting the leaking hydrogen.

“I think the most likely mechanism for providing the spark is electrostatic,” said Mr. Stansfield. “That starts at the top, then the flames from our experiments would’ve probably tracked down to the center. With an explosive mixture of gas, that gave the whoomph when it got to the bottom.” 

Stansfield’s experiments are the subject of a British Channel 4 documentary, which will air on Thursday.

She made the discovery after returning home from a trip to Yosemite, and instead of carelessly chucking the sticks, (they actually look more like twigs) in the trash or in her backyard, Evie made the effort to mail them back to the park with a letter that read,

“Dear Park Rangers,

I am a Yosemite Junior Ranger. I went to Yosemite recently and accidently brought home two sticks. I know I’m not supposed to take things from the park, so I am sending them back. Please put them in nature.

Thank you,

Evie”

Park Ranger Matt Holly came across Evie’s note while going through the hundreds of letters Yosemite routinely receives. However, Holly was so moved by her honesty and innocence that he taped the sticks to the letter and hung them over his desk.

“I sent her a nice letter and an extra Junior Ranger badge. I told her how impressed we all were, and how we hung up her letter in our office so we could show others how great our Junior Rangers like Evie are,” Holly said in a comment on Reddit.

A picture of the letter was also posted on Yosemite’s Facebook page with the message, “The rangers that answer the phone and mail in our public information office receive a lot of letters, but this might be one of the best in recent years.”

After hanging above his desk for nearly a year, Holly is finally ready to honor Evie’s request and reunite the sticks with their outdoor home. Holly said he plans to take pictures of various places in the park and ask Evie where she would like the twigs placed.

Sources:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/yosemite-junior-ranger-returns-two-sticks-park-001225972.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/kid-writes-letter-to-yosemite-national-park_n_2775343.html

When the story first aired on KCTV, Sarah Darling explained that on the day of the accidental donation her ring was bothering her finger, so she placed it in her coin purse. Later, she came across Harris and put some change in his cup without remembering her ring was mixed in with the coins. The next day she realized her ring was missing and went back to the same street to see if by chance Harris was there and still had the ring. Luckily for her, and as it turns out for Harris, he still had it and didn’t hesitate to give it back.

Darling immediately gave Harris all the money she had in her wallet, around $40 to $60, but when the story made the news many more people asked what they could do for Harris. Inspired by the kind deed and the public’s desire to help, web designer Bill Krejci set up a page for Harris on GiveForward.com with the goal of raising $1,000 in three months. Instead, the page accumulated $16,000 worth of donations in a matter of days.

Perhaps even better than getting the money, all the publicity surrounding Harris has enabled him to reconnect with his sister and brother, who he lost touch with 27 years ago. His siblings’ hope that Harris will return home to Texas to live with their family.

Kraft Foods has created a modernized version of the commercial and plans to air it during the Academy Awards show on Feb. 24th. Per tradition, the ad features two snooty English gentleman riding side-by-side in chauffeured cars. One gentleman rolls down the window and asks the other for some Grey Poupon; however, instead of politely handing it back, he speeds off and a car chase of action movie proportions ensues.

Krafted enlisted the services of the Crispin Porter & Bogusky agency to create the ad and hopefully boost the mustard’s sagging sales. It seems the condiment market is quite competitive and Grey Poupon is losing out as a variety of other high-end condiments flood supermarket shelves. For instance, in 2003 Grey Poupon shared 13.7 percent of the condiment market but as of last year it was down to 11.4 percent.

The ad first aired in 1981 and variations were released until 1997. Still, it made such an impression that teenagers who never saw the ad firsthand still recognize the reference. Unfortunately that recognition isn’t doing much in regards to sales, and Kraft hopes the revamped commercial’s time in the Academy Awards spotlight will put the product back in consumers’ collective consciousness and inspire viewers to engage in the company’s online marketing campaign.
The ad will only air once on TV, after which it will be available online. Its position in the Oscars’ timeslot is estimated to cost $1.7 million — a price fitting for the elitist mustard.

After searching for Dorner for two weeks, police finally tracked him down on Tuesday at cabin in California’s San Bernardino Mountains. The attempt to apprehend him from the cabin resulted in an intense shootout, in which he killed one sheriff’s deputy and wounded another. SWAT teams were firing in tear gas and tearing down walls in an effort to flush him out when the building erupted in flames.

Just before the blaze, police heard a single gunshot come from inside the cabin. 

Earlier Dorner posted a lengthy rant on Facebook where he said he expected to die a violent death while in a final confrontation with police. Police believe the gunshot followed by the fire was Dorner’s way of fulfilling his own prediction. 

Until forensics confirms the identification, police won’t know for sure if the human remains are Dorner. However, along with the body, police found a wallet, drivers license, and personal items that belonged to the former police officer, all of which lead investigators to think it is high likely that the burned body is indeed Dorner. Still, until he’s positively identified, LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith says the department is proceeding under “tactical alert … as if he’s still out there,” and will continue protecting dozens of officers and their families who were threatened in Dorner’s online manifesto. 

Dorner, 33, began his campaign for revenge after claiming the LAPD wrongly fired him in 2009. He felt he was a victim of racism and fired for doing the right thing. In his manifesto he vowed to get even and reclaim his good name by getting even with those who wronged him.

“You’re going to see what a whistleblower can do when you take everything from him especially his NAME!!!” the rant said. “You have awoken a sleeping giant.”

Apparently, Dorner had been holed up since Thursday in a different cabin directly across from the police’s command post. For days they scoured the mountains with everything from bloodhounds to helicopters and never suspected he was hiding only 20 to 30 yards away from the site where news media and police gathered for daily briefings. 

Dorner was only forced to flee his hideout after two cleaning women happened to enter the cabin. The 6-foot, 270-pound man police described as “extremely dangerous” tied the two women up with plastic zip ties and escaped in their car. Later he stole a truck, and shortly thereafter police pursued him to the final cabin. 

The manhunt for Dorner began after he became the prime suspect in the murder of Monica Quan and her fiancé. Monica was the daughter of retired police captain Randall Quan whom Dorner blamed for his firing. He is also charged with killing Riverside Police Officer Michael Crain.

The 50-year-old crocodile was discovered dead on Sunday when he was found floating upside down with a bloated stomach. Wildlife experts will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Lolong was initially captured in 2011 after being found responsible for several human deaths, including a child and a missing fisherman. Yet, despite the reputation as a man-eater, the town is saddened by the loss of the giant beast and the notoriety and tourism money it brought to the obscure community. The villagers also felt Lolong, who was named for an environmental officer that died while traveling to Bunawan to help trap the reptile, represented the rich natural biodiversity of the region, which is made up of a variety of wetlands and is home to unique animal species, such as the threatened Philippine hawk eagle.

“The whole town, in fact the whole province, is mourning,” Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said. “My phones kept ringing because people wanted to say how affected they are.”

Local spiritual leaders plan to hold a tribal funeral rite on Monday at the ecotourism park, which will include prayers and the butchering of animals to thank the forest spirits for the blessings the crocodile brought the town.
The 2,000 lb Lolong measured 20 feet 3 inches, and was recognized last year by Guinness World Records as the largest saltwater crocodile in captivity, taking the title from an Australian crocodile that weighs almost a ton and is around 17-feet long.

John and Anne originally met in Bridgeport, Connecticut where they grew up together in the same Syrian community. Per tradition, Anne was supposed to submit to an arranged marriage as chosen by her parents, but instead, on Nov. 25, 1932 she ran off with John to Harrison, N.Y. where they eloped.

Apparently their decision was a good one as John is now 101-years-old and Ann is 97, and they are still happily hitched. They have five children, 14 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

The couple was chosen for the award by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, a Christian marriage group located in San Bernadino, California. The group plans to recognize the Betars on Saturday at a ceremony being held at the home of the couple’s granddaughter, Heather Mitchell.

“What an inspiration Mr. and Mrs. Betar are to all of us. They made a commitment to each other 80-plus years ago and they have kept that commitment over these many years. They truly are a sign of hope to us all,” Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s Ron and Judy Pekny said in a statement.*

Worldwide Marriage Encounter said they chose the Betars out of hundreds of couples whose names were nominated for the award, so it is possible there are longer married couples that weren’t brought to the group’s attention.

John and Anne are humble about their marital success and say most of all they have been “blessed.”

“We are very fortunate. It can be repeated and repeated,” Ann told ABC News. “It is unconditional love and understanding. We have had that. We consider it a blessing.”

When asked for their secret to wedded bliss, they simply said to compromise and not hold a grudge.

In addition to their marriage, their personal longevity is also impressive, and Anne says it is all thanks to their family.

“That’s what makes life what it is,” she said in November. “We were fortunate enough to live long enough to see this … and it’s really one of the most gratifying things in the world to see your great-grandchildren, to see your grandchildren become adults.”

John Betar added, “That’s what keeps us alive. We live for them.”**

* http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/connecticut-couple-honored-longest-married-u-205715329–abc-news-topstories.html

** http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Longest-married-couple-lives-in-Fairfield-4261477.php#ixzz2KJtjG9Bw

Mail officials say the increased use of email and other technological services has caused a lower demand for letter deliveries, whereas the sending of packages has gone up by 14% since 2010. The planned delivery system intends to better match these changing needs while saving the cash-strapped Post Office around $2 billion annually.

“The Postal Service is advancing an important new approach to delivery that reflects the strong growth of our package business and responds to the financial realities resulting from America’s changing mailing habits,” Donahoe said in a statement prepared for the announcement. “We developed this approach by working with our customers to understand their delivery needs and by identifying creative ways to generate significant cost savings.”

Although homes and businesses will only receive letter mail Monday through Friday, post offices will remain open on Saturdays and still disperse mail to post office boxes.

The U.S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars to maintain its daily operations yet remains under congressional control. Congress has repeatedly denied the mail service’s requests for a five-day delivery schedule of letters and packages, but the Post Office feels its new plan, which doesn’t shutdown all Saturday services, can move forward without the need to create new legislation.

In November the USPS reported an annual loss of $15.9 billion, defaulted on billions in retiree health benefit prepayments, and predicted further losses for 2013. The agency says its monetary problems don’t stem from a reduction in mail flow but from the $55 billion Congress is forcing it to squirrel away to cover future medical costs for retirees.

Postal authorities complain that no other government agency is required to make such large prepayments ($5.5 billion for ten year) for future benefits, but after getting nowhere with Congress, the USPS decided to take matters into its own hands with the Saturday cutbacks and other restructuring.

“If the Congress of the United States refuses to take action to save the U.S. Postal Service, then the Postal Service will have to take action on its own,” said corporate communications expert James S. O’Rourke, professor of management at the University of Notre Dame.

Not all are pleased by the Post Office’s move and feel it will have a negative impact on millions of customers.

President of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Fredric Rolando, said the end of Saturday mail delivery is “a disastrous idea that would have a profoundly negative effect on the Postal Service and on millions of customers,” particularly businesses, rural communities, the elderly, the disabled and others who depend on Saturday delivery for commerce and communication.

Despite moving forward on its own, the U.S. Post Office intends on continuing to push legislation that will give it greater decision making control.

http://news.yahoo.com/postal-cut-saturday-mail-trim-costs-121737834–finance.html