Filipina Maid Performs Sorcery On Two-Year-Old
A Kuwaiti grandmother of a two-year-old child heard the infant crying incessantly on the upper floor of the house and decided to check it out. What she saw seemed something straight out of a horror movie. The Filipina maid was completely nude and she had also taken off the baby's clothes inside the bathroom. Then she started pouring a concoction of a liquid mixed with flies and crickets over the baby.
When the horrified grandmother asked her what she was doing, the maid replied that she specialised in sorcery and witchcraft, and the liquid was meant to make the baby love her forever. The grandmother told police that the child's mother was unable to take care of her as she had recently delivered a baby, which is why she had entrusted the maid to take care of her. The grandmother then told her second son of the ritual as the child's father was away performing Haj. The son immediately registered a complaint with police. The case is under investigation.
'Creepy' Paintings Removed From Hospital
Paintings at the Ottawa Heart Institute meant to brighten the lives of patients seem to have caused alarm rather than solace. The paintings included five portraits by Shirley Brown called The Queens that were rented from the federal Art Bank. "The areas where they were installed was a relatively dark area," said Victoria Henry, director of Art Bank. "The whites of [the] eyes are very strong. There is a creepiness in the eyes following you."
Anecdotal reports and e-mails arrived at the institute within 48 hours from people complaining the paintings made them feel tense. Doctors and nurses noticed patients were more agitated while waiting to have their blood pressure tested. Another piece by Paul Butler had a line across it that said, "Getting there is half the fun," but it didn't work in the context of patients heading into an operating room, Henry said. It too was moved.
A work depicting a gorilla was reinstalled in a less prominent location, the entrances to a set of washrooms.
Ghost Dog Haunts Truckers
The first thing truck drivers see are the eyes, then the white, fluffy collar. Then the Desert Road "Ghost Dog" comes into view. He always runs toward the traffic, New Zealand Couriers truckie Gary Soden says. Last week, Palmerston North woman Dayna Sawtell rescued a young dog she found wandering on the Desert Road and took him to the SPCA. He has been found a new home. At the time, people wondered whether he was the Desert Road ghost dog. It seems he was not. Mr Soden says the ghost dog is a black border collie with "long scruffy hair", and has been on the Desert Road for about six years.
"He is unapproachable. A lot of truckers have thrown their pies and sandwiches to him, but have never been able to pat him." He says he has heard of one truck driver who tried to catch the collie, till the dog backed away. Mr Soden has driven from Taupo to Palmerston North Airport and back, five nights a week, for three years. "I have seen him fairly regularly during that time. Before I traveled along the Desert Road, I had known of him for about three years." Truckers look forward to seeing the dog, and radio each other when he is about. When the weather is bad, the dog is not seen. But it reappears as soon as the weather clears. Mr Soden says he has not seen the dog for about three months, and there is a rumour that a truckie saw him lying dead beside the road. "But I don't want to believe that."
Gerald Ford UFO Advocate
Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon's scandal-shattered White House as the 38th and only unelected president in America's history, has died, his wife, Betty, said Tuesday. He was 93. "My family joins me in sharing the difficult news that Gerald Ford, our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather has passed away at 93 years of age," she said in a statement. "His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country."
As a U. S. Congressman in 1966, Ford stuck his neck out and made the following statement after the U. S. Air Force declared the Michigan UFO Wave of 1966 could be explained as "swamp gas." "In the firm belief that the American public deserves a better explanation than that thus far given by the Air Force, I strongly recommend that there be a committee investigation of the UFO phenomena. I think we owe it to the people to establish credibility regarding UFOs, and to produce the greatest possible enlightenment of the subject."
Woman Crushed By Leaping Dolphin
A New Zealand woman is in critical condition in hospital after being crushed by a dolphin that leaped on to her boat. The 27-year-old woman had been watching from the bow of the small boat cruising among the marine mammals off the North Island's Coromandel Peninsula when the bottlenose dolphin landed on her, the New Zealand Herald said. She suffered serious head injuries and was flown to hospital in Auckland.
The dolphin also smashed the boat's windshield and bow rails before jumping back into the ocean, witnesses told the Herald. Coast guard official Steve Taylor said the dolphin probably got over-excited and jumped on to the boat, although he had never heard of such an incident before. Bottlenose dolphins, which can measure up to 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) in length and weigh as much as 260 kg (572 pounds), are known for their friendly behavior toward human beings and seldom become aggressive.
Mysterious Buddha Boy Reappears
A missing teenage boy who many believe is the reincarnation of Buddha has reappeared in the jungles of southern Nepal months after he went missing, an official said. Ram Bahadur Banjan, 15, was last seen on March 11 in a forest where he had meditated for 10 months, allegedly without food and water. Thousands of Hindus and Buddhists flocked to see him every day. Banjan disappeared from his meditating spot among the roots of a tree in Bara, about 100 miles south of the capital Katmandu, where he had sat cross-legged and motionless with his eyes closed. The boy was spotted by cattle herders in the jungle and a team of police and officials was sent to investigate, said Harihar Dahal, an administrative official in the area.
Many followers believe Banjan is a reincarnation of Gautama Siddhartha, who was born not far away in southwestern Nepal around 500 B.C. and later became revered as the Buddha. However, Buddhist priests who visited him said the boy was not the incarnation of Buddha, but added they believed he had been meditating for months. Buddhism teaches that right thinking and self-control can enable people to achieve nirvana a divine state of peace and release from desire. Buddhism has about 325 million followers, mostly in Asia.
Some Mammals Can Smell Underwater
Kenneth Catania, a biologist at Vanderbilt University, U.S., discovered that moles and shrews can smell underwater, which was considered impossible by scientists for a long time, according to the latest Nature. Catania's first clues came in the 1980s, when he was a graduate student studying star-nosed moles, which hunt for prey underground and underwater. Catania noticed that when they were underwater, they sometimes released a stream of bubbles, at about two bubbles a second. If the moles were holding their breath, it did not make much sense for them to be leaking. "It seemed unusual," Catania said. "I couldn't think of any good reason for an animal to do this."
Catania made his original observations with the naked eye, but in recent years has been recording star-nosed moles with high-speed video. He noticed that the star-nosed moles were actually producing up to a dozen bubbles each second, but most of the bubbles never detached from their noses. Instead, the animals sucked the bubbles back in. The bubbles resembled the puffs of air the moles used to smell objects out of water, Catania noticed. To test that idea, he ran an experiment. He laid down an underwater scent trail leading to little bits of food. The moles could follow the trails with great accuracy which led him to believe that they were using the air bubbles to smell. Catania wondered if any other mammals could sniff underwater. He tested water shrews, which are known to swim for their prey. In the scent trail test, he found, the water shrews did as well as the star-nosed moles. Bubble-sniffing is a striking example of how evolution tinkers with bodies, rather than rebuilding them from scratch, he suggested.
Nigerian Christmas Without 'Evil' Santas
There are no Christmas decorations, the radio stations are still playing hip-hop and rap and some children recoil at an image of Santa decrying it as evil. "His costume looks phoney and his face is strange," says eight-year-old Ifunanya Chima when shown a picture of the benign bearded old man in his trademark red cloak with white fur trimmings. "We prefer masquerades," he told me referring to the traditional colourful dancing which is a big part of the festive season here. And there is also hope of a white-ish Christmas in this sub-Saharan West African country. For a dusty harmattan haze hangs over most of the country as the north-east trade wind sweeps in from the Sahara Desert. Markets across the country are heaving with punters hoping to net late bargains. Soon, the major cities will become ghost cities as most people return to their native villages to share the traditional "Christmas rice". "I can't spend Christmas in Abuja," says Nick Ibechukwu who owns a business in Nigeria's capital city.
"I have to go back to my village in the east to join the rest of my family and relatives because this is the only time in the year that we get to see one another." Christmas in Nigeria is a time for new clothes, long distance travels for family reunions, and lots of colourful masquerade dances in most villages. And for now, it does not matter that half of Nigeria's 130 million people are Muslims with a handful of pagans. At Christmas, most Nigerians forget their religious differences and just share their Christmas rice - a dish of boiled rice eaten with very spicy chicken stew. "I celebrate Christmas because it's a time for loads of fun," says Ibrahim Idris, a Muslim in Abuja. Christmas clothes take the place of Christmas gifts as excited children and adults try to outdo one another in showing off their best wear during the festive season. There are big retreats for Nigeria's fast-growing Pentecostal Christian sects, but these retreats sometimes look like bazaars as they throw up business opportunities for some enterprising people. Ironically, highway armed robberies are more common during the Christmas season in Nigeria. And since most city dwellers travelling to their villages for the holiday season have to drive on pothole-ridden roads due to the absence of a functional rail system, road accidents tend to be more frequent. In the village, Christmas becomes more colourful, with masquerades and dance groups taking over the village square to offer free entertainment for all. The incorporation of masquerade into Christmas festivities shows the growing influence of traditional African religious rituals on Christianity in Nigeria. It also shows that many Nigerians have stopped attaching great religious importance to Christmas and simply see it as a social event.
Women Said Peer Was 'Demonically Oppressed'
Two women fired from UT-Arlington told supervisors that they prayed and rubbed religious oils on a co-worker's cubicle because they believed she was "demonically oppressed," according to personnel records the university. Evelyne Micky Shatkin and Linda Shifflett filed a lawsuit against the University of Texas at Arlington alleging that they were fired illegally last spring based on their religion, age and gender. Shatkin has said they and a male co-worker prayed for a female colleague in a nondisruptive way after work hours. In an e-mail to supervisors, the male co-worker said he was invited to witness the praying and cleansing but became uncomfortable when Shatkin began to chant loudly and rub perfumed oil on the absent co-worker's cubicle wall. The man quoted Shatkin as praying, "You vicious evil dogs. Get the hell out of here in the name of Jesus. ... I command you to leave." The man wrote that he was not an active participant and that he saw the two women rub the oil on other employees' work areas as well.
Liberty Legal Institute, a Plano-based religious-freedom group representing the two women, could not be reached for comment. Earlier this week, Shatkin said she was not trying to exorcise or harass anyone but was invited by the male co-worker to pray on a day that they knew the female co-worker would be absent. Her attorneys questioned why the two women, both older than 40, were fired and the male employee, who was younger than 35, was not, even though, the attorneys say, he had uttered "Amen" and "Yes, Lord" in agreement with the women during the incident. University officials have said that they would not comment on the litigation but that UT-Arlington does not discriminate against employees. According to personnel files, Shatkin and the woman for whom she was praying had conflicts that led to meditation sessions in 2005. At that time, they were warned that disciplinary action would be taken if their behavior did not improve. When confronted by supervisors about the incident, Shatkin and Shifflett admitted to the prayer session, according to a statement filed by Gary Cole, UT-Arlington's vice president for development. Shifflett told Cole that the male co-worker was not an active participant in the prayer session, according to the documents. Cole said that Shatkin and Shifflett's actions created a hostile work environment by targeting the absent co-worker and that the women used university property for personal use, a violation of school policy. "They articulated that she was demonically oppressed, entered her cubicle work office to perform these rituals without her knowledge or consent and stayed after work for non-business activities without permission," he wrote. Cole also wrote that he later learned that Shatkin told others he "was being used as a tool of the devil and that she would pray for me." Shatkin appealed her dismissal to university officials, saying she received no warning that she would be fired if she prayed in the workplace.
Horse Restores Man's Sight
A second World War veteran who was blinded in his right eye when he was hit by shrapnel can see again after being head-butted by a pedigree racehorse. Doctors tried in vain for 64 years to restore Don Karkos's sight, until My Buddy Chimo stepped in. Hours after the horse smacked the 82-year-old paddock security guard in exactly the same spot as the shrapnel gashed his forehead in combat in 1942, he realised his vision was returning. "I was putting a collar around his chest, and he whacked me real hard with his head," Mr Karkos told reporters. "Being kicked is part of the job, but I've never been hit that hard. "I was pretty shaken up, kind of dazed. Then, later that night, I started to get the vision back in my right eye. "It was unbelievable.
Don Karkos & My Buddy ChimoI've been seeing doctors all my life, and they've always told me there is nothing can be done." Although his vision is still not perfect, Mr Karkos has been able to see about 15ft with his damaged eye since the incident at the Monticello Raceway racecourse in New York state two months ago. "What happened is still a mystery to me," he said. "But I do know I had got used to not seeing things and bumping into walls, and I don't do that anymore." Dr Douglas Lozzaro, the head of ophthalmology at Long Island College Hospital, said the blow could have knocked a dislocated lens into place. Mr Karkos said he was eager to show his gratitude to My Buddy Chimo. "I'm on very good terms with that horse now, and he gets special care from me," he said.
Evangelical Minister Claims Exorcisms
Bob Larson said he has lived brutal scenes similar to those from the movie 'The Exorcist' more than 10,000 times during the past 30 years. Larson is an evangelical minister and founder and pastor of the Spiritual Freedom Church in Denver. He and other pastors perform exorcisms for people of all faiths in a $1.2 million north Scottsdale facility he opened in May. "I've been spat upon, kicked, gouged, assaulted and vilified," said Larson during a recent onversation with him and fellow pastors _ Scott Butcon, Gregg Daniel and David Miller. "To do what I do constantly puts me in harm's way." Larson's simple definition of exorcism is the expulsion of a demon from an individual. Larson has written 30 books on exorcism, cults and spirituality. For more than 20 years, he hosted a syndicated radio show. He has a 5-minute daily Internet commentary on his personal Web site.
While Larson claims he's one of the few people in Scottsdale doing exorcisms, at least publicly, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix has an official exorcist. Diocesan spokesman Jim Dwyer said the priest doesn't do interviews. Larson realizes that although he has performed exorcisms around the world, some people think he's merely a showman or a phony seeking donations. Larson dismisses those notions. "This is real. It's not some sort of gimmick I came across a few months ago," said Larson, 62. "I did this privately for 20 years. It's a normal part of what Jesus Christ did and taught his disciples to do." Kevin Childrey of Tempe received an exorcism at Larson's church. Childrey called the experience "amazing." He said he began sweating from head to toe as ministers prayed over him. "It's the best thing that ever happened to me," Childrey said. "The demon spirits started coming out. It was a spirit of hatred and anger. I found I had demons and curses for generations. I wasn't sleeping well but I am now."
Larson said he performs exorcisms at seminars and during various events in Scottsdale. He said while he's speaking during seminars, he provokes the devil to come forward. Larson described the reaction of many people during an exorcism as somewhat violent, including having them fall on the floor, move uncontrollably or "going berserk." "I see it in (someone's) eyes," Larson said. "The demon looks at me. I've learned to recognize what it looks like. (At a ministry) when I see it, I go to a person. It's a look that once you see it, you never forget it. It comes from another realm; an incredibly evil look, The eyes narrow and there's darkness." Larson said funding for his Scottsdale church comes from his worldwide ministry and people he calls Do What Jesus Did Spiritual Team members. The minimum annual commitment to the team is $199 per person. Nonmembers are asked to give $20 for exorcisms. Larson claims he has performed exorcisms on some famous people, but won't identify them. He said he has met, but not necessarily performed an exorcism on, many interesting people. The walls of his Scottsdale office are adorned with photos of his family and those of him with former Secretary of State Colin Powell, talk show host Larry King and former Sen. Robert Dole, R-Kan., among others. Larson said the key to exorcism is one's faith in God. Without it, Larson said, someone can't experience what he calls deliverance. "There is a need for spiritual confession," Larson said. "Exorcism is not everybody's answer. Not everyone has demons. This is about a person's relationship with God, not about me. I have enough on my plate with three kids."
Jesus Painting Opens and Closes Eyes
A mysterious painting of Jesus is attracting people from all over the Czech Republic. The picture shows the face of the son of God with his eyes open and closed. Many visitors to Oldrich Klima's "Gallery of Handicrat" in Pilsen are asking if it's a trick of the light or something more spiritual. Jesus with his eyes closed - that's what this 150-year-oil oil painting shows... or does it? Take a step back and the son of God is staring at you with clearly open eyes.
"It's really mysterious. Everyone who sees it agrees there is something deep inside the painting. Some people are coming back again and again to see it," says Antique dealer Oldrich Klima. The painting - by an unknown artist - was bought by Klima. Since he put it in his shop in Pilsen he's been inundated with visitors. "People react very differently, some positive or negative. When I saw him for the first time I was horrified. Now I feel quite friendly towards him. He has features of goodness and now I don't see anything bad," says Klima. One woman visitor insisted the picture depicts both an angel and the devil. No-one knows if that was the artist's intention.
Two Headed 'Dragon' Discovered
Scientists in China say they have uncovered the 145 million year old fossil of a two headed 'Dragon'. The creature was not a fire-breathing monster but a deformed baby lizard, reports the Daily Mail. Researchers say it had two distinct heads and necks and is believed to be the earliest example of a creature developing in such a way. Scientists think it belonged to an ancient family of now-extinct reptiles that grew up to three feet long.
However the fossil is less than three inches long because it probably died shortly before or just after it was born. The fossil comes from the choristodera family of reptiles which evolved crocodile-like characteristics. Such mutations occur among reptiles when the layer of cells from which an embryo develops splits incorrectly but this is the oldest one ever discovered. Lead researcher Dr Eric Buffetaut from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in Paris, said: "This two headed reptile seems to be unique in the fossil record."
Religious organizations in Pakistan are using the Internet to help Muslims in Western countries buy and sacrifice animals for an annual festival. Eid al-Adha marks the end of the Haj pilgrimage each year to Mecca and is known as the feast of sacrifice. Muslims who can afford it buy and slaughter animals and distribute the meat among the poor and relatives. Muslims in Western countries unable to perform the ritual can now buy an animal over the Internet and even watch it being slaughtered, before its meat is given away. "It is not easy for them to buy animals and carry out the sacrifice according to our religious rites in those countries," said Sohail Ahmed, an official at the Al-Khidmat trust Islamic welfare organization. "They are turning to the Internet to complete their religious obligations," said Ahmed, whose organization offers the service. In Pakistan, thousands of cows, goats, sheep and camels are sacrificed to celebrate Eid al-Adha, which this year falls at the end of December.
Traditionally, sacrificial animal markets are set up in big cities and towns where traders bring animals in from villages. Buying a sacrificial animal over the Internet is also becoming popular in Pakistan, said Farukh Sheikh of the Sahara trust for life. "It is a matter of convenience. People nowadays don't have time to go to the markets and haggle over prices," Sheikh said. "We are offering a service at competitive rates. People trust us to distribute the meat according to religious obligations among the poor and needy," Sheikh said. The Alamgir welfare trust also offers the option of viewing the sacrifice on its Web site. "We have a dedicated IP address and people can watch the sacrifice no matter which country they are in," said organization official Shakeel Dehalvi. Animals are available on the Web sites for between $100 (6,000 rupees) for a goat and $450 for a cow. Some Islamic groups shun the Internet, however, as Web purchases involve paying interest, which is prohibited under Islamic law. "On Web sites, normally buyers have to pay interest on purchases made on their credit cards," said Rizwan Edhi of the Edhi trust. "We're better off avoiding any controversy relating to Islamic laws."
'Joan Of Arc' May Be A Cat
Ashes thought to be those of Joan of Arc may belong to a cat. The ashes were discovered in 1867 and have been at a musuem in Chinon, western France. Joan of Arc prevented a British invasion, before being burnt at the stake as a witch by the English in 1431 at the age of 19. Carbon-dating tests identified a cat's femur and rib bone in the ashes. Anthropologist Philippe Charlier revealed the discovery tallied with the medieval practice of throwing a black cat on a witch's pyre to appease the devil.
He told reporters: "This femur is not burnt, just a bit charred, so maybe we are just dealing with a passing cat. "The chances that we are dealing with the remains of the French heroine are diminishing." But a spokesman for the French Catholic Church said: "Joan of Arc's remains could well be there amid other things."
Young Girl’s Haunted Grave
The facts alone are creepy. A young girl dies before her time. Her mother is unable to let go and has a walk-in grave built. The woman spends each night sitting underground, facing the glass wall that separates her from her daughter. She sings, reads, anything to comfort a child who was afraid of the dark. Iron flaps up top can close or open to protect mother and daughter from winds and rain. And the stuffed animals are buried on the other side of the glass too. But it’s not the facts that give longtime cemetery director Don Estes the heebie-jeebies. Estes, now retired from the director job, doesn’t believe in ghosts. He’s walked the roads at the Natchez City Cemetery at night many a time.
And he’s never seen a flying orb. But the 1871 grave of Florence Irene Ford makes him believe — sort of. Five cement steps lead down to the glass window — which has since been bricked over. Estes routinely gives tours of the cemetery and the grave of 10-year-old Ford. “I brought a lady out here one time, and she just got frantic,” he said. “Twelve years ago her mother had brought her here. Her mother went down the steps and came out screaming, rolling on the ground with a green glow all over her.” The young woman told Estes how a cemetery worker at the time witnessed the glow. After a few minutes it began to fade. The worker bent down and scooped it off, making a ball he could hold in his hands. He later released it into the air, where it went up, sparkled and disappeared, Estes said. Sensible Estes didn’t quite believe and began some research of his own. He found the cemetery worker, Mr. Davis. “He told me the exact same story,” Estes said. “He said it felt like compressed air or like a tennis ball in his hand.” The account was so similar, that Estes became a believer, he said. “I believe because I had an actual testimony of an actual man, and I had it verified and I didn’t prompt him in any way,” Estes said.
But Jacqueline Stephens, who runs Ghost Tours with her husband, has even more evidence, she says. Stephens uses a cell sensor to detect electromagnetic waves, energy and, well, ghosts. She didn’t get any positive readings Monday night — 135 years after Irene died, to the day — but she has before. “I got three readings one time, right in the center,” she said. “The best reading came down the steps.” A positive cell sensor reading falls at about the number 5 on the sensor’s scale. The detector can be affected by electricity and streetlights, but Estes says there are no outlets near Irene’s grave. And that’s not good for Irene. The little girl was, after all, afraid of the dark.
Pub Haunted By Ghosts Of Christmas Present
Christmas spirit has taken on a new meaning for regulars of the Bull’s Head in Ogden as they await their regular festive visits from ghosts. The apparitions of a man, a woman and a dog have been seen by customers, the landlord Paul Whitmore and his wife, Marlene. They say glasses are mysteriously thrown from behind the bar when there is nobody there and a former chef at the pub was singled out by the spirits who constantly threw pots at her when she entered the kitchen. The ladies at the pub invited two mediums, who announced that the pub was haunted by three spirits. Curiously, the spirits only turn up around Christmas and leave when the weather starts to get warmer.
Mr Whitmore said: "One night at 5.30pm I saw a woman wearing a long coat walk through the pub into the restaurant. All the tables had been booked and I asked my business partner Henry Wakelin to have a word with her, but when he got into the restaurant no one was there. "A customer saw what appeared to be a man walk through a door which had been blocked off. The ghosts are not frightening, they are quite playful. They throw pots and glasses off the shelves. This only happened last week. "One of the theories as to why they always haunt the pub around Christmas and not during summer, is that they come inside out of the cold into the warmth of the pub. "The ghosts are quite a talking point among regulars, who say they are here again. One of the ghosts is that of a dog. My wife Marlene said she had moved out of the way of a dog and then realised there wasn’t a dog in the pub. The customers aren’t frightened of the ghosts, but they can be mischievous."
Man With No Pulse Considered A Medical Breakthrough
A 65-year-old Quebec man who received a new long-term mechanical heart last month is being described as the only living Canadian without a pulse. Dr. Renzo Cecere implanted the “Heartmate II” mechanical heart into Gerard Langevin in an three-hour operation Nov. 23. Officials at the McGill University Health Centre say the device, which is about the size of a flashlight battery, could last up to 10 years. That is longer than other models which are thought to be good for only two or three years. The new mechanical heart, which is powered by batteries located in pouches on Mr. Langevin's body, provides a continuous flow of blood so the patient has no pulse.
Mechanical heart recipient Gerard Langevin shows a model of the mechanism he has implanted in him“Mr. Langevin happens to be the only individual currently living in Canada without a pulse and without a measurable blood pressure,” Dr. Cecere said. Mr. Langevin admitted to reporters that, before the operation, he felt his time was up after he suffered his second heart attack in July. He had the other in 2002. “I was finished. I had no time left. I probably had only a few months left to live,” Mr. Langevin said. He admitted he was afraid and hesitant about having the implant. “My wife pushed me a lot to have the operation and I don't regret it.” Mr. Langevin, who comes from Coteau-du-Lac, southwest of Montreal, added it was “better than staying out for the count.” Dr. Nadia Giannetti, director of the MUHC's heart transplant program, said Mr. Langevin was deemed an unsuitable candidate for a heart transplant because of other medical conditions. “Previously, we would have had little to offer and his heart would have continued to deteriorate,” she said. Dr. Giannetti said the entire procedure cost $100,000, with the tab being picked up by the hospital foundation. The “Heartmate II” is currently part of a clinical trial at several hospitals in Canada and the United States. Only one other Canadian hospital—the Toronto General Hospital— was invited to take part in the study. The device has yet to be approved for use in either country. Doctors says Dr. Langevin is well enough to be released from hospital in the coming days.
Ghost Hunters Join In "Christmas Spirit"
She is one of our most famous ghosts - and if the legend is true, she'll be back to haunt us soon. Every Christmas Eve, Lady Jane Grey's headless corpse is said to make another brief but chilling appearance in Bradgate Park. There have been many sightings of the Nine-Day Queen on her horse-drawn coach at the beauty spot where she once lived. Paranormal experts say the story is one of Leicestershire's spookiest Christmas tales. Now, we are calling on Leicester Mercury readers to call, write or e-mail us with their own stories. Perhaps you have seen a ghost in your home or seen other supernatural events? Does your family have a favourite scary tale they like to tell during the festive season, or have you had a dream that came true? Lee Gilbert, a medium and parapsychologist who also works for Leicester City Council's museums service, said Christmas was a popular time of year for telling ghost stories. He said: "It is like any other religious season, when different aspects of ghost activity start showing up.
"The Lady Jane Grey one is the one that always springs to mind when I think of Christmas - but you hear all kinds of tales." Ghost-hunter Andrew Wright, who has written many books on the paranormal, said there were countless stories of things going bump in the night in Leicestershire. He said: "We certainly know about the story of Lady Jane Grey, but there are some 140 haunted sites in and around Leicestershire. "A lot of these stories get distorted but there are some that really endure. "Christmas has always been a popular time for them to be told." One of Leicestershire's most famous haunted spots is Belgrave Hall, where ghostly apparitions have been seen for years. The museum hit the headlines years ago when, one night near Christmas in 1998, a mysterious image was caught on CCTV. Some people still maintain the building is haunted. A few months ago, images from a camera at Leicester's Guildhall appeared to show a mysterious spectre crawling across the floor. Experts said the 11-second video clip was further proof that the hall, which has a long history of apparitions, was haunted. Meanwhile, Grace Dieu Priory, near Thringstone, is said to be a regular hang-out of the famous White Lady apparition.
Wisconsin Hunter Bags Deer With 7 Legs
Rick Lisko hunts deer with a bow but got his most unusual one driving his truck down his mile-long driveway in southern Fond du Lac County. The young buck had nub antlers _ and seven legs. Lisko said it also had both male and female reproductive organs. He says it definitely was a freak of nature, a real rarity.
He says he slowed down as the buck and two does ran across the driveway but the buck ran under the truck and got hit. When he looked at the animal, he noticed three- to four-inch appendages growing from the rear legs. Later, he found a smaller appendage growing from one of the front legs.
Warden Doug Bilgo of the state Department of Natural Resources came to Lisko's property near Mud Lake in the town of Osceola to tag the deer. He says he's never seen anything like it. Bilgo took photos and sent information on the animal to D-N-R wildlife managers. Lisko, meanwhile, wasn't going to waste the venison. He says he used the deer for meat ... and it was tasty.
Ghost Hunters Busted For Trespassing
Four people hunting for ghosts in a supposedly haunted church got busted on charges of criminal trespassing, property damage and theft. The Meeker County Sheriff's Department received a call early Monday morning after a nearby resident heard the Ness Church bell ring and saw a vehicle leaving the church grounds in rural Litchfield, Minn. A sheriff's deputy stopped the vehicle, and the four young people inside admitted to being in the church, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
Brandi Kae Schaefer, 18, of Sandstone; Katelynn Marie Tischer, 18, of St. Cloud; Justin Jay Hemmesch, 20, of Richmond; and a 17-year-old boy from Cold Spring allegedly forced open a door, stole several items, and discharged a fire extinguisher outside the church, Sheriff Mike Hirman said. Schaefer, Tischer and Hemmesch are facing charges in Meeker County. The 17-year-old will be charged in Stearns County because he's a juvenile.
Italy Police Seek 'Satan Squad'
Italian police want to set up a special unit to tackle the growth of new religious sects, particularly a violent new breed of home-grown Satanists. The new police squad would include psychologists, as well as a priest who is an expert on the occult. It would co-ordinate - nationwide - investigations into potentially dangerous religious movements. The move follows a spate of high profile, gruesome murders blamed on a new generation of Satanists. They indulge in a lethal blend of black magic, hard drugs, sex and heavy metal. In the most recent case a gang known as the "Beasts of Satan" bludgeoned, then buried alive, two of their own members - a young woman and her boyfriend - in woods outside Milan.
Experts say the number of Satanists in Italy is tiny - and the product as much of youthful alienation as of any more traditional religious conviction. But more than a million Italians belong to other minority religions, and some experts are worried that the new police squad could target members of them as well - even though, despite their perhaps strange beliefs, they are entirely harmless. The police need to concentrate on tackling Satanic criminality, says one of the country's leading experts on new religions, or they will end up threatening religious freedom as well as wasting scarce resources.
'Werewolf' Attacker Bit Chunks Out Of Neighbours
A maniac described by police as a rabid dog after he bit chunks out of two of his neighbours has been jailed indefinitely. During one of the attacks, which occurred within hours of each other, Jonathan Page was heard by horrified witnesses to scream "I want to eat him" as he spat the ear of one of his victims to the floor. Surgeons later operated on both victims, successfully sewing back one ear although not the other, leaving the man with a permanent disfigurement. One of his victims has recalled the attack, describing Page as a "werewolf".
Preston Crown Court Judge Christopher Cornwall said one witness made the "dreadful observation" of Page lifting his unconscious and frail victim off the floor with his teeth around his nose. Why Page launched the ferocious attacks remains a mystery, the court was told. He had no previous convictions but had suffered from mental health problems for many years and had recently seen a psychiatrist, though there was no hint of what was to come. On the afternoon of The Maltings in Penwortham, was talking to a neighbouring resident, Niell Henson, 47, on the balcony of the flats.
They went back to Mr Henson's flat to watch the British Open golf on television when, Prosecutor Paul Cummings told the court, without warning, Page suddenly head-butted his neighbour. He then pinned him to the floor and, while shouting abuse, bit him several times around the body, taking a large bite out of his ear. Mr Henson lost consciousness and was out cold for probably three hours. He woke covered in blood and by coincidence was staggering downstairs to report his ordeal at the same time that Page was launching his second unprovoked attack. Page's second victim was 57-year-old disabled man Christopher Southworth.
Jonathan PageMr Henson has been maimed for life. Mr Southworth has had his ear reattached during surgery the court heard. Page pleaded guilty to two charges of wounding with intent. Judge Cornwall said a background report had established he was at risk of committing similar attacks without warning at any time and the judge added he must now be regarded as a danger to the public. The judge passed an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection.
Ghost Busters Busted
Two women, a man and a 17-year-old boy were arrested by the Meeker County Sheriff’s Department early Monday morning after a ghost hunt turned into an burglary. The Sheriff’s Department was called around 2:20 a.m. after a local resident heard the Ness Church bell ring and saw a vehicle leaving the church grounds in rural Litchfield, according to a news release from the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office. A sheriff’s deputy came across the vehicle traveling east on 255th Street. After being stopped by the deputy, the four people in the vehicle confessed to being in the church and taking several items, according to the release.
The driver of the vehicle, Brandi Kae Schaefer, 18, of Sandstone, and her three passengers, Katelynn Marie Tischer, 18, of St. Cloud; Justin Jay Hemmesch, 20, of Richmond and a 17-year-old boy from Cold Spring, were all arrested on charges of criminal trespassing, damage to property and theft, Meeker County Sheriff Mike Hirman said. Hirman said the foursome allegedly showed up at the church after hearing rumors that it was haunted. After ghost hunting, they allegedly forced open the door to the church, stole a handheld vacuum and some paperwork and discharged a fire extinguisher outside the church. Before leaving one of the four rang the bell, Hirman said. All four were being held at the Meeker County Jail. Schaefer, Tischer and Hemmesch are pending formal charges in Meeker County. The 17-year-old will be charged in Stearns County because of his juvenile status.
Dog Walker Reports UFO Sighting
A woman out walking her dog has reported seeing a strange unexplained light in the sky which suddenly disappeared.The woman and her 11-year-old daughter were on the Maer open area behind Exmouth seafront when they saw the bright light at about 4pm. She said the eerie light appeared over the Foxholes area at the eastern end of the seafront. It seemed to grow brighter and move towards them, and had a plume of grey smoke at the rear. But then after about 30 seconds the light disappeared.
The sighting follows a report of a UFO leaving a trail of smoke over Budleigh Salterton, three miles to the east of Exmouth. Police said that report probably related to a military aircraft. The mother-of-three, who asked not to be named, said: "We saw this bright light in the sky... I presumed it was some kind of helicopter with an extra-bright searchlight. "It was getting closer and closer and I thought it was going to land on the Maer. I said to my daughter, 'I can't hear any noise.' She said 'Look at all the grey and black smoke coming out behind it.' I was just looking at the smoke, then it vanished." A Coastguard spokes- man said he was unaware of any incident at that time.
Pakistan Police Arrest Faith Healer For Killing Daughter To Ward Off Evil Spirit
Police said they have arrested a faith healer from a remote town in eastern Pakistan for killing his daughter because he believed she was possessed by an evil spirit. Mohammed Jamal, 50, was arrested after residents alerted the local police that he had killed his 22-year-old daughter by setting her on fire with the help of his two sons, said Javed Shah, an area police chief. "This is a sad incident.
We have also arrested the two sons of Mohammed Jamal, and officers are still investigating," he said. Shah said Jamal's daughter used to have fits, and that Jamal believed she was under the control of an evil spirit. "The faith healer and his sons are in our custody, and every thing will be clear in two, three days," he said, without giving any further details. Thousands of people in this Islamic nation seek the help of faith healers in the hope of solving their problems. The faith healers frequently deprive people of money or sexually abuse women, but incidents of killings are rare.
Haunted Governor's Mansion
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine isn't exactly muttering "I do believe in spooks! I do believe in spooks!" like the Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz." But he's not ruling out the possibility either. Asked on his monthly radio show on the Virginia News Network whether he has had paranormal experiences like previous Executive Mansion occupants, Kaine flatly answered: "Yes." Kaine said that at the same "inconvenient time" every week, the telephone rings in his family's private quarters - and when he picks up the phone, nobody's there.
He said he's researching whether "something odd happened" on the same day and hour sometime in the mansion's history. Unlike some previous residents and staff, Kaine said his family has not seen the friendly ghost of a young woman who is said to haunt the mansion. However, he said first lady Anne Holton witnessed other strange occurrences in the mansion as the daughter of Gov. Linwood Holton in the early 1970s - a portrait mysteriously taken from the wall and deposited in another room, for example. There also was a storm-related power outage that left all of Richmond in the dark except a lone light that mysteriously remained on in the mansion.
Lennon's Ghost
Liam Gallagher claims he was once visited by the ghost of his idol John Lennon. The Oasis singer insists the late Beatle appeared to him as an apparition while he was staying at a friend's house years ago in his hometown of Manchester. Rather than be spooked by the spectre, Liam was in awe of his hero. He said: "I was in Manchester at a mate's house having a sleep. I remember getting up and feeling really weird. I turned round and there I was, lying on the bed, and I sort of fell back into my body. There was a presence there and it was him, Lennon." Liam is not the only person convinced the ghost of Lennon has contacted them.
The music legend's former bandmate Sir Paul McCartney is convinced he haunted the recording of the 1995 Beatles single Free As A Bird - in the form of a white peacock. McCartney, Ringo Starr and the late George Harrison were posing for a photograph outside the studio where the track was recorded when the bird wandered in shot at the last minute. McCartney said: "I said to the other guys, 'That's John!' Spooky, eh? It was like John was hanging around. We felt that all the way through the recording." Lennon was shot dead in 1980 by deranged fan Mark Chapman as he entered the Dakota building in New York. He was aged 40.
New Evidence Of Water Adds To 'Life On Mars' Discussion
NASA said it had discovered new evidence that water flows periodically on the surface of Mars, raising the possibility of life existing on the Red Planet. Pictures taken by the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor in 2004 and 2005 indicated two separate deposits of water - now dried up - in gullies on the slopes of craters on the surface. Both deposits are several hundred metres long and suggest water flowed some time in the last seven years. 'These observations give the strongest evidence to date that water still flows occasionally on the surface of Mars,' said Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Programme.
Evidence has been hard to come by because any water that may break the surface can only remain liquid for extremely short periods of time, given the planet's extremely cold temperature and thin atmosphere. Liquid water, rather than ice or water vapour which has already been shown to exist on Mars, is considered necessary for any life forms to survive on the planet. 'These fresh deposits suggest that at some places and times on present-day Mars, liquid water is emerging from beneath the ground and briefly flowing down the slopes,' said Michael Malin of Malin Space Science Systems and lead investigator of the photographs.
'This possibility raises questions about how the water would stay melted below ground, how widespread it might be, and whether there's a below-ground wet habitat conducive to life,' Malin said.
Spooky Pub Calls In The Ghost Hunters
The ghostly goings on at the McOrville pub in Elwick, on the outskirts of Hartlepool, attracted the attentions of the experts. Peterlee medium Peter Crawford met with other professional ghost hunters to find out more - and they were not disappointed. Creepy occurrences included moving tables, contact with a young male ghost, and spirit 'orbs' captured on film. Paranormal Magazine joined the the ghosthunters in the investigation that started at 12pm and didn't end until 6am. Peter has been a medium investigating paranormal activity for 18 years. He was joined by six other mediums including Ralf Keeton, who has worked with the Most Haunted team on television.
Other mediums included Noel Sorbie from Newcastle, Nikki Austwicke from Hartlepool, Irene Wilson from Horden and Freda Robinson from Easington. There were also several villagers there to watch the strange events. Landlord Darren Holmes, 35, has always believed in the supernatural world and set up the event with old Shotton Hall school pal Peter. He said: "It was all quite interesting to see and it was nice to feel the energy." Darren, who lives at the pub with his partner Trudy Barker, 37, twin girls Ellie and Eve Holmes, 22 months and Trudy's daughter Holly Barker, 10, explained more about the young spirit. He said: "We made contact with a five-year-old boy named Gus who says he died here around 67 years ago. "There was a feeling that he was probably killed by a horse. "But we will have to confirm all that through research to see how true it all is."
NASA Unveils Strategy For Return To Moon
Nasa plans to build a permanently occupied base on the moon, most likely at the lunar north pole. The habitat will serve as a science outpost as well as a testbed for technologies needed for future travel to Mars, and construction will follow a series of flights to the moon scheduled to begin by 2020. "We're going for a base on the moon," Scott "Doc" Horowitz, NASA's associate administrator for exploration, told reporters in a teleconference from the Johnson Space Centre in Houston. Plans for what the base will look like and what astronauts would do there have yet to be determined. Similarly, Nasa has not projected a date when the base would go into operation. The moon's polar sites are preferred to equatorial regions because of more moderate temperatures and longer periods of sunlight, which is critical for the solar-powered electrical systems Nasa plans to develop. Eventually, nuclear power may be used to augment or replace the solar energy systems.
Scientists also suspect the poles have resources such as hydrogen, ice and other materials that could be used for life support. "It's exciting," said Nasa deputy administrator Shana Dale. "We don't know as much about the polar regions." The United States had already announced plans to develop new spacecraft to travel to the moon and land on its surface for the first time since the last Apollo flight there in 1972. It also plans to provide a communications system linking Earth and the moon. But Nasa doesn't plan to go to the moon alone. The United States will look for international and commercial partners to share the expense and possibly provide components such as additional power systems, living quarters and resources for surface travel on the moon. Nasa is not expecting a budget increase to pay for the programme. Rather, it will transition funds currently being used to support the space shuttle into the moon exploration programme as the shuttle fleet is phased out. The shuttles are set to be retired in 2010. By that time, Nasa plans to have finished building the space station, leaving the moon initiative as a successor to both programmes. Nasa receives about $16 billion a year. Countries that already have been working with Nasa to develop its so-called Global Exploration Strategy are Australia, Canada, China, Europe, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea and Ukraine.
Stonehenge Was A Hospital
People with aches and pains could soon be flocking to Stonehenge after research from an internationally renowned academic revealed the ancient site was a centre for healing. In his latest book, Stonehenge: The Biography of a Landscape, Professor Timothy Darvill, the Head of Archaeology at Bournemouth University, presents his theory that, in prehistoric times, the stones were a place of pilgrimage for the sick who went there in search of cures to their ailments. Professor Darvill, the former head of archaeology for English Heritage, bases his theory on research undertaken in the Preseli Mountains of Wales, where the stones are originally from. He said: "It was believed these particular stones had many healing properties because, in Preseli, there are many sacred springs which are considered to have health-giving qualities.
"The water comes out of the rocks used to build Stonehenge and it's well established that as recently as the late eighteenth century, people went to Stonehenge to break off bits of rock as talismans." Professor Darvill argues the healing properties of the stones would have made Stonehenge a popular site of pilgrimage, with people travelling for miles in search of cures to their ailments. And, as evidence for this, Professor Darvill points to the many excavated burial sites around Stonehenge contain bodies of people who show signs of being unwell, and who may have died after travelling to the site to be healed. He added: "Stonehenge is a very powerful and positive place of pilgrimage, although whether the monument's healing power actually worked is a matter for further discussion." For those who wish to tap into the stones' healing power, Professor Darvill advises next month, during the winter solstice, as that is when our prehistoric ancestors believed the stone's healing powers were at their most potent.
Mothers Investigate Paranormal Activity
Electro-magnetic field detector. Check. Electronic voice phenomena detector. Check. Fluorescent light bulbs, cameras and thermometers. Check. Two husbands and four children fed and occupied. Check. Certified paranormal investigators Lorrie Jones and Tara Deters are ready to tackle any supernatural sighting in southern Mississippi and beyond. The two self-described Southern social butterflies dish out fascinating and funny anecdotes with ease, but there is no mistaking Ghost Chicks LLC is a serious business. "We debunk everything," Deters said. "Sometimes what people think is paranormal is just wiring or static electricity. We check for that by waving around fluorescent bulbs." The two were mentored by nationally recognized parapsychologist Lloyd Auerbach. The Chicks trained at HCH Institute in Lafayette, Calif., and completed additional online classes to get their certifications in paranormal investigation. They also take part in continuing education on paranormal subjects every chance they get and plan on earning degrees in parapsychology.
Ghost Chicks was conceived prior to Hurricane Katrina with the intention of hosting tours of historic haunted homes along the Mississippi Coast. "Our paperwork actually went through on Aug. 29, 2005," Jones said. After the storm, most of the homes slated for tours were destroyed. So, the partners have been focusing on private home investigations until they have identified more haunted places. Ghost Chicks conduct private home investigations for free, but plan to charge for haunted tours, dinners and other events. The two women have conducted more than 25 investigations, including six in the Biloxi, Miss., area. They say they have experienced paranormal phenomena in Gulfport, Moss Point and Long Beach, as well as Savannah, Deland, Fla., St. Augustine, Fla., St. Francisville, La., San Francisco, New Orleans and Gettysburg, Pa. "After the hurricane it was mostly apparitions," said Jones about their local investigations. Deters described one investigation in a historical neighborhood, but would not say where to protect the client's privacy. "One lady was experiencing the appearance of a little girl in her house," Deters said. "She was lost. The girl looked at the lady as a mother figure although she had no relation to the house."
Jones said they followed the girl around with an EMF detector and later found that others in the home had also experienced the apparition. "If it's an apparition, you don't normally see the feet," said Jones by way of explaining one way to tell if a sighting is an apparition or some other phenomenon. Deters said once the client understood what the apparition was and that there was nothing to be afraid of, she was no longer scared — she wanted the girl to stay. On a separate investigation, Jones said Ghost Chicks received several calls from the same street in Moss Point, Miss. "The callers were all having the same kind of experiences — shadows, lights flickering, even sightings of a woman upstairs turning lights on and off," she said. Dee Harris invited Ghost Chicks to check out the strange occurrences at her home on Dantzler Avenue. "We have never been frightened," Harris said. "It's just that things have been missing and there were these shadows." Harris was impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail. She said the pair checked for any sounds that might come from other sources and made sure it was not mirrors causing the shadows. She was also pleased at the amount of research the Chicks did on her 137-year-old home. "I have no idea if there is something there," Harris said. "But I find it intriguing." Harris said she had her granddaughter over during the investigation and it was a fun afternoon for all.
Jones and Deters have been interested in the paranormal since childhood, but did not seriously pursue their interests until they went on a girls' weekend away with two friends to the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, La., two years ago. The bed-and-breakfast advertises itself as one the most haunted places in America. "We heard what sounded like a Christmas party and smelled cherry cigars," Deters said. "But we were the only four people there." And that was only the beginning, Jones said. The visitors heard footsteps, had mist above the bed and then a brilliant glowing phenomena. "We thought we were seeing an orb, but it was an apparition," Jones said. "It was like a moon sitting on the inside of the window and there was a loud pop. Everything went black. It went through me and to her. We both got sick and after that it was like we were connected." The understandably nervous guests all slept together in one bed, but they may not have been alone. Jones and Deters said a ghost spooned between the two of them and "it was the best night's sleep either of us ever had." The partners are thrilled to go on every investigation, but Jones said it can be dirty. They once visited a haunted residence in Savannah that had been abandoned since 1980, which she said was pretty yucky. Paranormal investigation is definitely "not for the squeamish," Jones said.
When the horrified grandmother asked her what she was doing, the maid replied that she specialised in sorcery and witchcraft, and the liquid was meant to make the baby love her forever. The grandmother told police that the child's mother was unable to take care of her as she had recently delivered a baby, which is why she had entrusted the maid to take care of her. The grandmother then told her second son of the ritual as the child's father was away performing Haj. The son immediately registered a complaint with police. The case is under investigation.
