Dunedin

Vol. 283-3  October 21, 2024

Phone Rudy 021 421 346


Everybody's Talking

Bird blockade: Trains travelling between the English centres of Brighton and London were delayed for at least 90 minutes for an unusual reason a baby herring gull on the tracks needed to be removed. Officials turned off the power to the track during the removal process. Herring gulls are a common sight in the seaside town of Brighton, but they are on the red list compiled by the Birds of Conservation Concern, due to their declining population numbers. The incident initially led many to believe the reason for the train delays was a joke. The delayed passengers, though inconvenienced, were relieved to learn that the young bird was safely rescued and was unharmed.

Madonna superfan: Tara Berry, a dedicated Madonna fan, holds the Guinness World Record for the most tattoos of the same musician on the body, proudly displaying 18 portraits of the iconic singer. Her tattoo journey began in 2016 when Madonna sought out fans with tattoos of her image for a video. Inspired, Berry started with two tattoos, and then her collection rapidly expanded. She was motivated to surpass Nikki Paterson's record of 15 Eminem tattoos, leading her to invest nearly $10,000 (USD) and 110 hours over six months. Despite her mother's shock, Berry's friends admired the artistic tribute. Her tattoos capture Madonna's memorable moments from the singer's worldwide career.

Alpaca escape: A herd of alpacas executed a daring escape plan, causing havoc on a highway near Cambridge, England. The animals had broken free from a local farm and were obstructing traffic on the busy road. Although police were called to the scene, by the time they arrived, the alpacas had been safely corralled back into their fenced field by the farmer. Motorists captured footage that showed the curious alpacas gazing at drivers, seemingly intrigued by the commotion they were unaware that they had caused. Meanwhile, some of the animals were happily munching on grass by the roadside, which added a touch of charm to the unexpected traffic jam.

Lucky lady: If you believe that good luck comes in pairs, then Christine Wilson is proof of that theory. The woman from Attleborough, Massachusetts (U.S.), won the lottery twice. The first time, she won $1 million (USD) and she used some of her windfall to buy a car. Then, 10 weeks later, the lucky lady won another cool million dollars. In both cases, she had opted to receive her winnings as one-time payouts. Wilson earned her first lottery win by buying a $50 ticket, and then she bought a $10 instant ticket, which brought her the second big win. She said she plans to put her second windfall into savings.

Quotable Quotes

A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is. ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

Look closely. The beautiful may be small. ~ Immanuel Kant

Trivia

1. What kind of food is gazpacho?

2. If a carnivore eats meat, what is a frugivore?

3. This is the easternmost city in the USA.

4. What is a female rabbit called?

5. How many years are in an undecennial 9, 11, or 20?

Your Weekly Horoscope

ariesAries (March 21 - April 19)
Important information may emerge from your unconscious at the end of the week. Pay attention to it because it might help you find a new solu­tion to an old ongoing issue. Lucky numbers: 2, 4, 9, 14, 30, 40.
libraLibra (Sept 24 - Oct 23)
An opportunity this week may offer an opportunity to unearth information from the depths of your uncon­scious mind. This process is intended to serve your spiritual growth. Lucky numbers: 3, 11, 15, 33, 37, 40.
taurusTaurus (April 20- May 20)
Surprises may abound for you as this week begins. The Taurus-born general­ly are not fond of change, but going with the flow right now may be in your best interests. Lucky numbers: 3, 7, 13, 14, 21, 31.
scorpioScorpio (Oct 24- Nov 21)
If you set goals at the time of your birthday last year, how well did you succeed at them? This month may be a good time to establish some new ones for the next year. Lucky numbers: 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 26.
geminiGemini (May 21- June 21)
Do you feel your confi­dence is being shaken right now? What adjustment might allow you to express your authentic self? To do this you may need to push past your fears. Lucky numbers: 4, 6, 10, 13, 19, 23.
sagittariusSagittarius (Nov22-Dec21)
The eternal optimism of Sagittarius may want to ignore the hard truth of a situation in their life. Right now, though, you may be given opportuni­ties to finally face it. Lucky numbers: 9, 14, 16, 19, 28, 39.
cancerCancer (June 22 - July 22)
You may feel the desire to retreat for a few days this week. If that's possi­ble, honouring this need and decompressing from your daily routine might be helpful to you. Lucky numbers: 5, 8, 12, 30, 38, 39.
capricornCapricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19)
If you are in conflict with yourself or someone else this week, step back and take a deep breath. Ask yourself what this dynamic might be trying to tell you right now. Lucky numbers: 10, 13, 22, 23, 31, 40.
leoLeo (July 23 - Aug 22)
A desire for having fun may continue this week. If possible, try to accommo­date this, if you haven't already done so. If you have, think is now the time to get back to work? Lucky numbers: 1, 5, 12, 27, 28, 39.
aquariusAquarius (Jan 20- Feb 18)
Are you experiencing a conflict with someone in a position of authority? Think very carefully about whether your position is correct or the other person has a valid argument. Lucky numbers: 1, 5, 10, 15, 22, 37.
virgoVirgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
This weekend may be a good time to tackle some­thing that needs to be organised. This could be anything from a closet to thoughts that are running around in your head. Lucky numbers: 9, 15, 20, 29, 33, 38.
piscesPisces (Feb 19 - March 20)
Organisation is generally not a Pisces strong suit. At the beginning of the week, the energy supports you with catching up on tasks not done, so take advantage of it. Lucky numbers: 3, 10, 17, 20, 35, 40.
Lucky numbers for the week: Lucky numbers this week: This week's odds favour Taurus winners with the luckiest number being 21.

Did you know

Pocket watch: The small pocket inside the right side pocket of blue jeans is called a watch pocket. When Levi Strauss designed the trousers back in the late 1800s, men used pocket watches and could safely store them there.

Clay comforts: Baby pacifiers have been around for at least 3,000 years. They once were made of all sorts of materials that neither parents nor pediatricians would recommend today, such as clay, silver, and coral.

Loonie legacy: In Canada, the one-dollar coin, which replaced the paper bill in 1987, quickly gained the nickname loonie because it has a loon on the coin's reverse side. The image was created by wildlife artist Robert-Ralph Carmichael.

Presidential whiskey: After his tenure as U.S. president from 1789 to 1797, George Washington operated a highly lucrative whiskey distillery on his farm in Mount Vernon, Virginia. Today, staff continue to produce this historic whiskey.

Same birthday: Unless you were born on February 29, you are sharing your birthday with a lot of people around the globe around 20 million people! If you are a Leap Year baby, then you share your special day with about 5 million people.

On the lighter side

One day the office computers broke down. Everyone had to think.

Doctor: How is the patient who swallowed the coins? Nurse: No change yet.

What goes around the yard but stays in place? A fence.

The tree was glad when fall and winter passed. In fact, it was re-leafed.

This guy became so good with a chainsaw that he was promoted to branch manager.

Answers

1. Soup 2. Fruit eater 3. Eastport, Maine 4. Doe 5. 11