Huttz World - My weekly selected posts

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Lion man TV series in doubt over mauling death of keeper in Kiwi wildlife park...

Lion Man series in doubt after fatal mauling:

Film company which makes TV series Lion Man says future of series in doubt after keeper fatally mauled by white tiger.

The makers of The Lion Man television programme say the future of the series is in doubt after a tiger attack claimed the life of a keeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens in Northland yesterday.

Dalu Mncube, was cleaning an enclosure at the park when he was attacked by a male white tiger. Other staff members tried to pull the tiger away but failed. Visitors to the zoo including overseas tourists witnessed the incident. The tiger was shot.

Philip Smith, managing director of Great Southern Television says no new series were planned until an employment dispute between "Lion Man" Craig Busch and his mother is settled.

The Department of Labour, police and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry are investigating and Mr Smith says his company will wait for the outcomes of the investigations before making any decisions.

Mr Smith says his crew has worked at the park for many years and there has never been any indication that such a tragedy could happen.

The fatal attack on a zoo keeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei comes as no surprise to one tiger expert.

Dr Brendan Moyle from Massey University says accidents with big cats happen regularly at zoos all over the world. He says it has to be remembered that tigers are dangerous carnivores and their instinct is to kill.

Dr Moyle has been working with tigers in Asia for the past two years and says he would never go into an enclosure with a tiger which has not been anaesthetised.

Mr Mncube is being remembered as a big hearted man who just loved big cats. Philip Smith, the managing director of Great Southern Television which makes The Lion Man series filmed at Zion park, says Mr Mncube's death has come as a big shock.

"Dalu was a big-hearted, beautiful, caring animal lover who was always enthusiastic, hugely experienced and just a great guy to be around."

Mr Smith says his crew has worked at the park for many years and there has never been any indication something like this could happen.

Acknowledgements:
© 2009 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Fatal tiger mauling in NZ

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Is this fossil find in Germany the so-called missing link...

Is the new fossil find the so-called missing link? From Germany comes this remarkable find of a 47 million year old lemur which could supposedly be the common ancestor of all apes monkeys, including our own species.

Darwinius masillae , a small lemur- like creature that lived 47 million years ago, reportedly illuminates a critical chapter in the human story when the primate family tree split into two branches, one of which led ultimately to us.

The fossil allegedly could even mark the point at which the evolutionary lineage of humans, apes and monkeys diverged from that of more distant primate cousins such as lemurs, lorises and bushbabies. Its anatomical features suggest that it lies close to the origin of the human branch and it could be an ancient ancestor of human. Could it be your ancestor?

The skeleton that was found in 1983 in Germany is missing only one leg. I'll give you the link and you can decide for yourself whether you should believe or not! Its as good as it gets at this stage. Regard it not as your great, great, grandmother, but more like your great, great, great aunt!

Read story and view video

Friday, May 15, 2009

The myth of Anna Anderson and Anastasia exposed...

Anna Anderson Exposed - busting the myth of the most famous royal imposter.

The Myth of Anna Anderson and Anastasia:

It's very well known that Anna Anderson claimed she was the Grand Duchess Anastasia. For many years the story has been told and the legend has grown. Unfortunately, the mystery and legend surrounding the original story has expanded so much over the years that at times fiction, or especially fantasy, have overgrown reality. While everyone, even me, would rather believe that Anastasia escaped the massacre of her family in the Ipatiev house in Ekaterinburg on the night of July 16-17, 1918, this sadly did not happen, and it isn't right to let a myth perpetuate into fiction because it's more fun, or more preferrable, to believe it was true. Olga Alexandrovna, youngest sister of Tsar Nicholas, was once quoted as saying, "my telling the truth does not matter, because the public simply wants to believe the mystery." The objective of this site is to present another view of the evidence and details surrounding this story than you're going to get at the many sites on the web that promote the idea that Anna Anderson was Anastasia.

Although it's not as interesting, exciting or romantic to believe as it would be if she were Anastasia, I have no doubt at all that Anna Anderson was indeed the missing Polish factory worker Franziska Schanzkowska. This conclusion was first found by Ernst of Hesse's detectives in the 1920's, and proven by 1994 DNA tests. Anderson's DNA did not match that of the royal family (100% exclusion), and it matched Franziska's great nephew, Karl Maucher, with 99.9% accuracy. See more evidence by clicking DNA tests

In Photographic comparisons, you'll see that Anna Anderson actually looked a lot more like Franziska than Anastasia! Though Anderson's supporters have used clever tricks to make them appear more similar, Anderson really looks very little like the real Anastasia, but bears a strong resemblance to Franziska Schanzkowska.

It does look as if the blows against Anderson's claim would now be insurmountable, and enough to end this fractured fairy tale once and for all. Though the DNA and photos speak for themselves, and now that the last two missing bodies have been found, Anderson supporters continue to cling to their ideals and grasp at straws trying anything and stopping at nothing to make you believe there still might be a chance she was Anastasia. Some go so far as to invent outrageous conspiracy theories to discredit those connected with the DNA testing, and reality itself.

Like to read more?

Sunday, May 10, 2009

A swine of a flu - is it really swine flu...

A swine of a flu - but is it really swine flu...

The Swine Flu outbreak could be unleashing an economic blow.

The Swine Flu outbreak could be unleashing a solar plexus blow thay could put the world economy onto the canvass.

Travellers are now reportedly delaying or cancelling trips to Mexico, and recently Cuba became the first country to ban all flights to neighbouring Mexico. China, Russia, and North Korea have banned imports of some North American pork, despite assurances given that the flu is not being spread through pork. Egypt has ordered all stocks of pork in the country to be destroyed. Panic is obviously beginning to sink in.

It has been said that the fear of the flu could be as disruptive as the actual causual effects of the Swine flu.

Many people who are contracting the flu are young people in their twenties - very similar to the age group of many of the victims of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. Perhaps older people have a greater immunity to flu in general because of their exposure over many years.

A scientist from New Zealand has thrown cold water on the claims of this epidemic being Swine flu — he maintains it is actually a strain of North American A type influenza. It has nothing to do with pigs, he commented on New Zealand radio news this morning.

The World Health Organisation, on the other hand, claims they are ready for this potential pandemic - the world has never been so ready for such a health problem.

We will all find out the truth over coming days. The official death toll is now seven, six in Mexico and one in Texas. the latter actually a little Mexican girl on holiday in Texas with her parents.

Huttriver Today

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Is Europe turning Muslim...

Is Europe turning Muslim? Please read the story and watch the video below:

Islam is quickly becoming a significant part of the cultural and political landscape of Europe. There are between 9 and 15 million Muslims living throughout Europe today, and Islam has become the largest religious minority. Considering current population trends and the need for immigrant labor it is likely that the number of Muslims in Europe will continue to grow exponentially. Bernard Lewis, a former history professor at Princeton and the respected author of more than a dozen books on the Middle East, is quoted as saying that "Europe will be Islamic by the end of the century."

Europe's Muslim population is not evenly distributed. It is concentrated primarily in six countries. France has a Muslim population of approximately 5 million, the largest in all of Europe. Germany has about 2 million, followed by the United Kingdom with 1.5 million, the Netherlands with 500,000, Belgium with 300,000, and Austria with 200,000. The heavy concentration of Muslims in these countries is not surprising, because during the last three decades they have experienced massive labor migrations. Large Muslim populations also exist in Italy and Spain, as well as several Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

The Muslim population in Europe has expanded so rapidly that it now appears Europe is experiencing growing pains. However the problem is not overcrowding, it is increased cultural tensions and the failure of orthodox Muslims to integrate into European society. In some communities with heavy concentrations of Muslims there have even been outbreaks of violence. Reports of widespread Muslim gang activity and rampant crime in the Swedish city of Malmo seem less descriptive of a well-established, sovereign European nation, and more reminiscent of the lawlessness in Chechnya or Iraq. Europe is struggling over how to deal with the integration of its Muslim population, a problem that it has ignored for too long. Government leaders appear unsure of how to fight anti-Semitism and terrorism without stripping Muslims of their cultural identities or religious freedoms. The French government recently passed a controversial law banning all religious symbols and clothing from public schools, including Islamic headscarves, Jewish skullcaps, Sikh turbans and large Christian crosses. The measure was partly in response to the increase in anti-Semitic violence. They had hoped to ease cultural tensions, but it appears they have simply polarized religious communities.

The face of Europe is rapidly changing, in a large part because of its growing Muslim population. European nations need to come to terms with this fact and begin to address the issue of Islamic integration, especially if the EU plans to consider Turkey as a possible member state. In December the EU will decide whether to begin accession negations with Turkey. Should Turkey join the EU, it would bring with it a population of over 62 million Muslims.

The EU may not become the Islamic Republic of Europe any time soon, but the excessive influx of Muslim immigrants and refugees into the EU is a serious issue. Opening the doors of Europe to Turkey and the Muslim world also means opening the door to radical Islamic fundamentalists. Many of whom have already fled to Europe (our readers may recall that the terrorist cell authorities suspect planned the September 11 attacks was based in Hamburg, Germany). To ignore such warnings or to label such commentators as alarmists requires disregarding much of what history has taught us about the relationship between Islam and the western world.

http://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2004/817

Watch video

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

NZ Health Ministry's confirmation of Swine Flu...

The latest health news report:

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that Swine Flu is in New Zealand.

A group of Rangitoto College students who have been in isolation since their return home from Mexico have been told they have contracted the new strain of the flu virus.

Tests carried out in Melbourne show that three of the four cases tested are all positive. Testing continues on the fourth sample.

Director of Public Health Mark Jacobs says it is now assumed all 11 students who tested positive for Influenza A have Swine Flu. He says officials have been preparing for this eventuality, and the response taken to both the college group and to the other passengers on NZ1 that came into New Zealand on Saturday does not change as a result of this information.

Mark Jacobs says New Zealand has another 43 suspected cases around the country, and further tests will be carried out.

The Rangitoto College students will continue with their Tamiflu treatment, and have been told to remain in home isolation until they have completed 72 hours of the drug.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says it is a time for caution and concern but not alarm.

Aclnowledgements:

© 2009 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

President Obama's Afghanistan plans debated...

Obama's Afghanistan war plan: What do the experts think?

by Shane Dingman
Thomson Reuters

Afghanistan, World:

Reuters reports U.S. President Barack Obama announced Friday that the United States will deploy about 4,000 more troops to train Afghan security forces in a new strategy to fight al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents.

“The situation is increasingly perilous. It’s been more than seven years since the Taliban was removed from power, yet war rages on, insurgents control parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Mr. Obama said in unveiling his strategy.

What do stakeholders think of the new plan?

Nassrullah Stanakzai, analyst and lecturer in Political Science At Kabul University:

“The plan to strengthen the army and the police is a very valuable idea ... After seven years the United States has recognized that Afghanistan is not the base of terrorism. The terrorism is on the other side of the border.
“The al Qaeda training camps are being led from Pakistan, their leaders are in Pakistan. The best thing in this strategy is that it includes the whole region.”
Shukria Barakzai, Afghan member of parliament
“Do not focus more on troops because as long as their number increases, humanitarian aid and assistance will be ignored and undermined."

Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States:

“The government of Pakistan ... believes that it is an extraordinarily positive sign that the Obama administration is thoroughly re-examining its policy toward our region, reevaluating and reinvigorating our common efforts to contain terrorism and extremism.”
“We have been especially pleased by the new level of consultation and partnership that the administration has demonstrated in producing this new strategy and President Obama’s personal engagement at this critical time. It bodes well not only for a stronger regional approach to a clearly regional problem, but to a more mature bilateral relationship between the United States and Pakistan.”

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton:

“More than anything else, I am pleased that we finally have a strategy to address Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghanistan has been the forgotten war, and President Obama corrects this regrettable mistake. There is no guarantee of success with this strategy, but not having a strategy, as we have not for the past eight years, is certainly a guarantee of failure. At last, we can finally see a way ahead in this most important war.”
“Over the coming months, the House Armed Services Committee will carefully examine this strategy and how well it meets our goals. Some may disagree with it. But all of us appreciate the critical importance of having a strategy.”

Congressman John McHugh, senior Republican on House Armed Services Committee:

“We welcome the president’s strategic direction for the fight in Afghanistan. It appears to be based on the advice of his commanders, and it includes long-standing objectives that House Republicans support and have advocated for.”
“This strategy, as outlined to me, supports General McKiernan’s request for an additional brigade to train the Afghan National Security Forces. The President should also immediately approve the General’s long-standing requirement for nearly 10,000 more troops.”

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier:

“(The new U.S. strategy) is a lot closer to the European perception of what our presence is.”

Taliban commander Mullah Hayat Khan:

“Sending more troops will have no impact on the activities of the Taliban.”

Acknowledgements:
© Thomson Reuters 2009

Read