Deadly snake bites man’s penis
May 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
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A ROADSIDE toilet stop ended in pain, embarrassment and almost death for a tourist when a highly venomous snake bit the end of his penis.
The deadly brown snake slithered between his legs and lunged at his manhood as he crouched on a roadside near Laura, 300km northwest of Cairns, about a month ago.
Details of the incident only came to light yesterday after they were confirmed by a paramedic.
“It certainly had a swipe at him,” an ambulance spokesman said yesterday.
“But it didn’t envenomate him.
“As it came through it must have got a bit of a shock.”
The snake beat a hasty retreat, leaving its victim with a scratch, vomiting and abdomen pain.
Emergency workers raced to the scene to treat the man.
The wound was wrapped in plastic in case poison had penetrated the skin but medical staff gave the man the all-clear after conducting tests.
He was taken to Cooktown Hospital where he spent a night recovering.
The ambulance spokesman described him as “lucky”, given his near encounter with one of Australia’s most poisonous snakes.
“I think he was a bit shocked and embarrassed,” he said.
Girl stung by scorpion hiding in fruit
May 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The girl was reaching for a seedless watermelon from a bin in the Wal-Mart store in her West Virginia town when she was stung on the hand, the Associated Press has reported.
The girl’s father said he did not believe his daughter when she said she blamed a scorpion for the bite, until he saw the inch-long creature scurry away.
The girl was then taken to hospital and treated. She said the pain was a little worse than a bee sting.
She was released from hospital a short time later. The scorpion was captured by store employees.
It is believed the scorpion had hitched a ride all the way from Mexico.
“This is a very rare incident. When I spoke with the store manager, she said in her 17 years she had never heard of something like this,” a Wal-Mart spokesman said.
Japanese mission to brew Space Beer
May 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Researchers said the project was part of efforts to prepare for a future in which humans spend extended periods of time in space and might like a cold beer after a space walk.
Japanese brewery Sapporo Holdings said it would make beer using the third generation of barley grains that had spent five months on the International Space Station in 2006.
“We want to finish the beer by November. It will be the first space beer,” Sapporo executive Junichi Ichikawa told reporters.
The company will have enough space grain to produce about 100 bottles of beer but has no immediate plan to make it a commercial venture, Sapporo officials said.
The company teamed up on the project with Okayama University biologist Manabu Sugimoto, who has been part of a Russian space project to explore ways to grow edible plants in space.
Barley can grow in relatively tough environments, such as high and low temperatures, and is rich in fibre and nutrients, making it ideal for space agriculture, the associate professor said.
“In the future, we may reach a point where humans will spend an extended period of time in space and must grow food to sustain ourselves,” Sugimoto said.
As of now, scientists have not detected any differences between Earth-grown and space barley, said Sugimoto, who will present DNA analysis of his findings before a conference in Canada in July.
“In the long run, we hope our space research will be not just about producing food, but about enjoying food and relaxing,” Sugimoto said.
It was the latest space experiment with food.
South Korea’s first astronaut, Yi So-Yeon, brought kimchi into space last month, while Japan has previously sent noodles into orbit.
President George W Bush joins biker group
May 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
US President George W Bush donned a black leather biker jacket today as he was given honorary membership in the Rolling Thunder motorcycle group which paraded through Washington to honour veterans on Memorial Day.
Tens of thousands of members of the biker group joined the parade down the US capital’s main boulevards in the group’s annual “Ride for Freedom” event to celebrate US soldiers and sailors and press for greater benefits for veterans.
Rolling Thunder leaders including national executive director Artie Muller met Mr Bush at the White House, where they presented him with the vest in honour of their 21st Memorial Day ride.
Mr Bush called the masses of motorcycles, which he observed from his helicopter just moments before, “a magnificent sight”.
“We just choppered in, Artie, and saw your brothers and sisters cranking up their machines and driving through the nation’s capital - many of them have got the flag on the back,” Mr Bush told them.
“And I am just so honoured to welcome you back. I want to thank you and all your comrades for being so patriotic and loving our country as much as you do,” he said.
“And our troops appreciate you, the veterans appreciate you and your president appreciates you,” Mr Bush said.
Bride on way to wedding accused of killing man
May 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
BRIDE-to-be Jennifer Thomas was on her way to her wedding, her bridesmaid by her side, when she drove into the back of another car at Kurrajong in Sydney’s outskirts.
It was a relatively minor accident and the other driver, 79-year-old Ronald Hawkins, had no visible injury aside from a cut on his shin, Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court heard yesterday.
But early the next morning Mr Hawkins was rushed to Nepean Hospital, where doctors found a haematoma on his brain.
Less than 16 hours after the collision, his life support was switched off.
Supported by her husband and parents, Ms Thomas yesterday broke down in tears as Mr Hawkins’ daughter Jacki Wade gave emotional evidence about his final hours.
Ms Thomas, 26, is defending a charge of negligent driving causing death over the accident on November 5, 2006.
She learned of Mr Hawkins’ death after returning from her honeymoon.
Defence counsel Ted Smith told the court that Mr Hawkins’ unfortunate death was distressing for everyone - and “no one more so than my client”.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Phil Butterfield also referred to the tragic circumstances, saying: “This is perhaps one of the most unfortunate accidents you would see.”
Ms Thomas was about to get married on the day of the collision.
She was driving at about 3.50pm when she hit Mr Hawkins’ car from behind on a wet road, Sgt Butterfield said.
Mr Hawkins, who was on his way to visit Ms Wade, was about to turn off the road.
Sgt Butterfield said that “by all accounts this was a relatively minor accident”, with the drivers getting out and swapping details.
Afterwards Ms Thomas, whose bridesmaid was in the passenger seat, got married at nearby Bellbird Hill.
Mr Hawkins was taken to his Windsor home by a tow-truck driver. He told his family his car was written off.
Constable Brad Phillips recalled Mr Hawkins telling him at the police station: “I received a bit of a bump on the head.”
Const Phillips said they had a conversation about “any accident you walk away from being a good one”.
Ms Wade gave evidence that her father was shaky when she arrived at his house and showed her a cut on his leg - the only injury she could see.
“He was taking Panadol,” she said. “I asked him did he have a headache and he said yes, but it wasn’t too bad.”
The hearing will continue in August.
