Saturday, April 11, 2009

Belive it or not: Chihuahua rescues dwarf

A 3ft 8ins woman who got lost while walking in Snowdonia was saved by her pet chihuahua.

Beverley Burkitt, 45, who has dwarfism, became lost in forest while walking with her tiny dog Pebbles, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The alarm was raised but she had not been found when night fell, so she lay on the floor and cuddled the dog to keep warm.

A search party found her the next morning and rescuers said the dog had saved her from getting hypothermia.

Mum-of-one Beverley said: "Pebbles lay across my legs overnight and kept me warm. I wasn't too worried because I knew I would be found sooner or later."

Beverley and her daughter, 15, were staying at a pony trekking centre at Dolwyddelan, North Wales, when she went missing.

She told rescuers that she strayed into woodland and then dropped her mobile phone.

A helicopter with heat-seeking cameras was launched and search parties on the ground scoured the area but it was not until the next day that she was found after her mobile phone was discovered on a path.

Asthma sufferer Beverley, of Colwyn Bay, North Wales, was found still snuggling up to the long-haired black and white chihuahua.

Chris Lloyd, of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, said: "She realised she was lost and just waited. Luckily it was quite a mild night and she had her dog to keep her warm."
Blog Flux Scramble - Email Encryption and JavaScript Protection Submit Blog Add to Technorati Favorites Add to Google Top Personal blogsFree Search Engine SubmissionFree Search Engine Submission

Excellent Memory: The man who remembers everything!


A Los Angeles man can recall almost everything he's ever done since the age of five.

TV producer Bob Petrella, 58, remembers up to half the days of his own life in shockingly vivid detail.

He was diagnosed with hyperthymestia, meaning overdeveloped memory, after putting himself forward for a study about memory at the University of California last year.

The rare condition, also known as Super Autobiographical Memory, has been discovered in just four people around the world.

Scientists are still baffled as to how and why it happens and no cases have yet been recorded in the UK.

Mr Petrella recalls the day and date he first met a good friend, and all the conversations he's had on most days throughout the last 53 years.

He first discovered his amazing talent at primary school, when he could pass every test easily without even revising.

Mr Petrella, said: "I always had this amazing memory but I never liked to advertise it or boast to strangers.

"I remember things best when they interest me, whether that's sporting events, or historical or political dates, or just good days I've had in the past."

He added: "I remember everyone's telephone number. I lost my cell phone on September 24, 2006. A lot of people would panic... But I didn't have any numbers in my cell phone because I have them stored in my head." Blog Flux Scramble - Email Encryption and JavaScript Protection Submit Blog Add to Technorati Favorites Add to Google Top Personal blogs

A world Record: World's biggest train set

Housed in a previously empty Hamburg building, it covers 1,150 square metres and features almost six miles of track, but is still not complete.

Frederick and Gerrit Braun, 41, have spent 500,000 hours and the equivalent of more than £8million working on it.

Their creation is on display to the public and is so vast they have to employ more than 160 people just to show visitors around.

Their 'Miniatur Wunderland' is split into six regions, including America, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Germany and the Austrian Alps.

Each region boasts detailed models of some of the world's most famous landmarks.

The American section is home to giant models of the Rocky Mountains and Mount Rushmore; the Swiss section has a mini-Matterhorn; and the Scandinavian part has a 4ft long passenger ship floating in a 'fjord'.

The brothers estimate the enormous track will be completed in 2014, when it will cover more than 1,800 square metres and feature almost 13 miles of track.

Today, their model railway comprises 700 trains with 10,000 carriages, 900 signals, 2,800 buildings and 160,000 individually designed figures.

The scenery took 700kg of fake grass and 4,000kg of steel to build. Night and day is even replicated thanks to 250,000 lights.
Blog Flux Scramble - Email Encryption and JavaScript Protection Submit Blog Add to Technorati Favorites Add to Google Top Personal blogs


Speed Demon: Woman, 106, does 108mph at Brands Hatch1


Dulcibella King-Hall notched up a top speed of 108mph in a BMW M3 to celebrate her upcoming 107th birthday.

Miss King-Hall, of Tunbridge Wells, declared: "It could have been faster", as she was helped back into her wheelchair after completing four laps as a passenger.

Asked why she loved the thrill of speed, she replied: "Why shouldn't I? Don't you like it? I like the feeling of the vehicle going vroom."

Born in Devon in 1902, Miss King-Hall has loved cars since she tested vehicles commandeered from civilian use during the Second World War.

Pulling into the pit stop after three laps, Miss King-Hall sped off for a final loop of the circuit watched by a crowd of awestruck well-wishers.

Driver, chief instructor Gary Palmer, 39, said: "I said: 'Shall we do another lap?' and she said 'yes'. It's incredible. We don't normally see people of that age on the track."

Lena Akers, social events coordinator at the Halliwell nursing home where she lives, organised a trip in a Porsche for Miss King-Hall's 100th birthday, then a drive in a Rolls-Royce when she turned 105.

She said she felt she had to "up the ante" this year, adding: "Cars are an abiding passion of Dulcibella's. Her love of speed has her constantly asking our minibus driver 'to go a little faster please'.

"If you have a lady who loves speed, I couldn't think of anywhere else better to come than Brands Hatch."