Bitten and Bound » World News

Miss Plastic Hungary 2009 Reka Urban (PHOTOS)

Andrea — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:17:13 +0000

22-year-old Reka Urban, selected as Miss Plastic Hungary 2009, has the distinction of being the first beauty queen requiring substantial plastic surgery in order to qualify.

Plastic surgery is frowned upon in Hungary, and pageant judge Marton Szipal says “it’s time for Hungarian women to care more about appearance. They are the most beautiful in Europe.”

According to pageant organizers, the goal of the pageant is to reward those who displayed “perfect harmony of their body and soul.”

Urban received a new apartment in Budabest for winning first prize. First runner-up Edina Kulcsar was given a new car and second runner-up Alexandra Horvath took home diamond jewelry worth 2 million forints ($10,800)

Surgeons who performed the surgeries on the winners were also awarded prizes.

Photos below:

Herta Müller Wins 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature

Andrea — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:34:59 +0000

In a move considered a nod to the 20th anniversary of the collapse of communism, Herta Müller has won the 2009 Nobel Prize in literature.

The Romanian-born German novelist, poet, and essayist noted for her works depicting the harsh conditions of life in Romania under the criminal Ceauşescu regime, made her literary debut in 1982 with “Niederungen,” a collection of short stories which was censored by the communist government.

Mueller’s works, mostly written in German, have been translated into English, French and Spanish.

The 56-year-old author becomes the 12th woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature.

Michael Scott Speicher Remains Found

Andrea — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:51:25 +0000

The remains of Navy pilot Michael Scott Speicher, the only American missing in action from the first Gulf War, have been found and positively identified.

There had been speculation over the past 18 years that Speicher, whose F/A-18 Hornet was shot down by an Iraqi warplane on January 17, 1991, might have been taken into captivity after parachuting from his jet or crash landing.

An official statement released Sunday puts all rumors to rest.

Last month, Marines in western Iraq had received information from local citizens about the crash of an Amercian jet and the burial of the pilot.

“One of these Iraqi citizens stated that they were present when Captain Speicher was found dead at the crash site by Bedouins and his remains buried,” the statement said. “The Iraqi citizens led U.S. Marines to the site.”

Last week, a search of the area recovered remains that included bones and skeletal fragments. Dental records confirmed the identity of Speicher, although further DNA tests will be conducted to compare the remains with samples provided by family members.

Speicher’s wife, Joanne Speicher, was 31 when her husband’s plane went down over Iraq. The couple had two small children, Meghan, then 3, and Michael, a year old. In the only public interview Joanne ever gave on the subject, she told Ladies Home Journal that she believed her husband died instantly that night. Believing that made it possible for her to go on.

“I’m at peace,” she told the magazine in the June 1991 issue. “I feel like it’s over, and he is in a better place. I would have been angry if he died in a car crash. This was his life, and Scott wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

Over time, she fell in love with Scott’s closest friend, fellow Navy pilot Albert “Buddy” Harris. Harris was devastated by Speicher’s death and began spending time with the Speicher children, playing the role of surrogate father. Joanne became Joanne Speicher-Harris when she married Buddy on July 4, 1992, 18 months after Scott’s plane went down.

Together, the couple had two children, and all four siblings go by the last name Speicher-Harris.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Speicher’s family for the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country,” said Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy, in a statement. “I am also extremely grateful to all those who have worked so tirelessly over the last 18 years to bring Captain Speicher home.”

See Speicher family photo below.

Scott and Joanne Speicher with children Meghan and Michael from a 1989 church directory

Related Articles:

Corazon “Cory” Aquino Dead

Andrea — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:08:52 +0000

Corazon Aquino, better known as “Cory” Aquino, died at a hospital in Manila on Friday at the age of 76.

Aquino, who became the first female president of the Philippines in 1986, was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008.

“Cory” Aquino became an icon of democracy when she assumed the presidency in the “People Power uprising,” ending Ferdinand Marco’s two-decade rule.

Aquino was reluctantly catapulted into politics after the 1983 assassination of her husband, Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., who was a leading figure in the opposition of President Marcos.

Selected as Time magazine’s Woman of the Year in 1986, Aquino was also nominated the same year to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, losing out to Elie Wiesel.

Aquino served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986-1992.

Following the end of her term, Aquino retired to private life. She led the PinoyME Foundation, a non-profit organization that assists microfinance institutions through the provision of loans. She also oversaw social welfare and scholarship assistance projects through the Benigno S. Aquino Foundation, and good governance advocacy through the EDSA People Power Commission, and the People Power People Movement.

Related Articles:

World’s Oldest Mother Maria Carmen del Bousada Dies

Andrea — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:43:27 +0000

Maria Carmen del Bousada, the Spanish woman who caused a controversy when she became the world’s oldest mother at age 66, has died from cancer, orphaning her two-year-old twin sons.

Bousada traveled to the United States to undergo in vitro fertilization at a Los Angeles clinic. She later admitted that she lied to get around the age limits at the clinic, telling doctors she was 55.

Bousada gave birth to twins Cristian and Pau at a clinic in Barcelona in December 2006. She was diagnosed with a tumor a year later.

The twins will probably be left in the care of family, with reports saying the boys’ cousins, who are thought to be in their 30s or 40s, are the most likely candidates.

Omkari Panwar, from India, is now believed to be the oldest woman to have given birth. Although she had no birth certificate, she claimed to be 70 when she had a twin boy and girl in July 2009.

Britain’s Elizabeth Adeney gave birth to a son in May at the age of 66.

Related Articles:

Air New Zealand Bare Essentials of Safety Video

Andrea — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:36:59 +0000

Air New Zealand’s safety video is turning heads, with the flight crew stripping down to demonstrate the on-board safety instructions.

The video covers the “bare essentials of safety,” from how to buckle your seat belt to what to do in case of an emergency landing.

Created for the airline’s 737 services, the video features real cabin crew members wearing nothing but body paint.

“We think in tough times there’s a premium for making people smile, and it gives the opportunity to stand out in a crowd,” said Steve Bayliss, the airline’s marketing manager.

Watch the Air New Zealand Bare Essentials of Safety video below. (As a bonus we’ve also included a bloopers video of outtakes).

Related Articles:

Comoros Islands Yemen Airline Crash, One Child Rescued (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Meg — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:11:45 +0000

A Yemeni jet crashed while making an approach at Hahaya Airport in Comoros’ capital, Moroni – see map below. After an aborted landing, the plane made a U turn before crashing into the Indian Ocean. The Airbus A310-300 carried 153 people and was on the last leg of a flight that originated in Paris and Marseille enroute to the island nation of Comoros.

According to airline officials, sixty-six passengers were French nationals and the remainder of passengers were believed to be Comoros citizens returning home.

A search plane discovered the debris field and miraculously, a child was recovered among the floating bodies of deceased passengers in the choppy waters of the crash site. The youngster, age 5, was taken to an area hospital and appears to be the sole survivor.

According to Yemeni civil aviation deputy chief Mohammad Abdul Qader, the weather was very bad in the area with 40 mile an hour winds at the time the plane was attempting to land.

It is the second carsh involving an Airbus jet in a month. An Air France Airbus A330 crashed off Brazil with 228 passengers on board – all presumed dead. The all important black boxes were not recovered, leaving investigators to speculate on what brought the aircraft down.

View a video report below.

Related Articles:

Honduras Earthquake 7.1 Magnitude May 28, 2009 (Maps, Video)

Meg — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:44:24 +0000

A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Honduras early Thursday, May 28, 2009, causing people to run into the streets in their pajamas as far away as Guatemala City. The magnitude 7.1 quake struck at 3:24 a.m., collapsing shacks in Belize and Honduras.

Three deaths have been reported by Carlos Gonzales, deputy director of the Honduras Permanent Emergency Commission. A man died of an apparent heart attack in Pineda de la Lima, 120 miles north of the capital. The other victims are reported to be a 15-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl.

The U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado indicates that the epicenter was 80 miles northeast of La Ceiba, Honduras, and 200 miles from Tegucigalpa, the capital city. The quake was felt strongly across the Honduras Caribbean coast. A tsunami watch for Honduras, Belize and Guatemala was issued but has since been lifted.

According to firefighter Juan Sevilla, wooden homes collapsed in Puerto Cortes, 120 miles north of Tegucigalpa, as well as a stadium wall in Comayagua, 60 miles north of the capital. A major bridge across the Ulua River suffered major damage. A water tower toppled in the town of Independence. Electricity was out all the way to the Mexican border.

Dozens of workers were evacuated from factories in San Pedro Sula after cracks were discovered in the buildings. In the same city, a two-story warehouse caught fire. The roads in several cities are reported to have sustained cracks.

National Emergency Minister Melvin Hulse made a radio plea, “I urge you not to panic, but to remain calm. Your government is monitoring the situation and will be keeping you informed.”

The USGS is reporting that a magnitude 4.8 aftershock hit off Honduras about three hours after the initial quake.

Check out earthquake damage as shown in photos and video footage below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7cCM9bC3mg[/youtube]

Related Articles:

Cocaine Found in Red Bull Energy Drink

Andrea — Tue, 26 May 2009 14:12:31 +0000

Red Bull has been banned in six states in Germany after a test revealed that the energy drink contained trace amounts of cocaine.

The bans began on Friday after authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia state conducted a sample test that found 0.4 micrograms per liter in the popular drink.

Five other states followed suit with the bans amid concerns over possible narcotics law violations.

Red Bull issued a statement saying the cola is “harmless and marketable in both the U.S. and Europe.” It said similar coca leaf extracts are used worldwide as flavoring, and a test it commissioned itself found no cocaine traces.

On Monday, Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said that the cocaine level was too low to pose a health risk. It planned to produce a more detailed report on Wednesday.

Related Articles:

Missing Link Found: Darwinius Masillae aka Ida (PHOTOS and VIDEO)

Andrea — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:56:17 +0000

Scientists have unveiled a new fossil dubbed “Ida” which is purported to be the “missing link” in primate evolution.

Darwinius Masillae aka Ida has human-like characteristics, including grasping hands with opposable thumbs, fingernails instead of claws, and relatively short limbs which scientists say is evidence of evolutionary changes that would eventually lead to primates standing upright.

“This is the first link to all humans,” says paleontologist Jorn Hurum, who led the team that analyzed the 47-million-year-old fossil. Ida represents “the closest thing we can get to a direct ancestor.”

Although researchers acknowledge that there is no clear evidence of the primate group which includes monkeys, apes, and humans splitting from other groups of primates that include lemurs, they believe Ida is an important branching point.

The near-perfect remains were found in Germany’s Messel Pit in 1983, by inexperienced archeologists who didn’t realize the value of their find.

The fossil was bought years later by the University of Oslo, where Hurum studied it in secret for two years.

Ida’s unveiling was part of a carefully-orchestrated publicity campaign unusual for scientific discoveries.

A History Channel film on the discovery will air next week.

A book release and other documentaries will follow.

View video of Missing Link Ida below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygljRTbxdc4[/youtube]

Related Articles: