Interesting Bits and Pieces
From recent happenings or stories around Australia and the world.
This cheerful schoolboy is celebrating his 53rd birthday today amid a busy week in Australian politics.
Any guesses?
Peter Cundall has died aged 94.
Tasmanian broadcasting and gardening identity Peter Cundall hosted ABC TV show Gardening Australia for 18 years. He also answered gardening questions on radio talkback from the late 1960s until 2018.
His family has released a statement saying he passed away peacefully after a short illness, surrounded by his loved ones ...
"On Sunday 5th of December 2021, Peter Cundall passed away peacefully after a short illness, surrounded by his family. Peter's privacy, and the privacy of his family, is to be respected during this very sad time. Peter's family does not wish to be contacted. While he was loved by many, as per Peter's wishes, there will be a private cremation and no memorial services will be held."
RIP Peter Cundall. Loved watching him.
Astrophotographer snaps his 'clearest ever photo of the SUN' | Daily Mail Online
The Sun formed from the gravitational collapse of matter in a large molecular cloud that gathered in the centre. The rest flattened into an orbiting disc that formed everything else
A UK grandfather aged 60, delights passers-by with acorn models in unlikely locations around Yorkshire and the Peak District in England.
Saudi authorities disqualify more than 40 contestants from a camel beauty pageant for using Botox.
Scandal has once again rocked Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, with dozens of camels disqualified from a beauty pageant over the use of Botox and other cosmetic touch-ups. The state-run Saudi Press Agency says more than 40 camels were disqualified from the contest this year.
Thank you RnR I see you have Mrs Clause up on the wall keeping an eye on things!
I love the drawings of her in the pictures!
Merry Xmas to you too
A British ship, the Scot Carrier (main image close to the camera) crashed into Danish vessel Karin Hoej (overturned furthest from the camera main image), around 3.30am Monday in the Baltic Sea with the Danish vessel capsizing, leaving two of its crew missing, rescuers said. Search teams said 'screams' were heard coming from the water around 4.45am local time but that by 9am no signs of life had been found. Rescuers say it would be impossible for anyone to survive in the water that long and have now called off the search, with a criminal investigation opened. The accident happened as the two vessels passed through a 25-mile wide stretch of water between the tip of southern Sweden and the Danish island of Bornholm (left inset), sailing in the same direction. Forecasters said the weather was calm but foggy at the time.
[a sad Christmas for some families reading this report]
Parrots getting drunk after eating fallen, fermenting mangoes in the Kimberley ...
In the past week, Broome Veterinary Hospital has treated a number of drunk red-winged parrots after they have consumed ethanol as a result of eating fallen fruit. Broome veterinarian, Paul Murphy, said several lucky birds had been brought into the clinic.
“So far, we've seen about half a dozen in total, but there are a lot of them, unfortunately, that don't make it to the clinic because they pass away before people find them,” he said.
Giant millipede fossil found on UK beach by accident reveals 'world's biggest bug', weighing 50kg.
The fossilised partial remains of an extinct millipede — also known as Arthropleura — was detected when a block of sandstone was cleaved in two at Howick in Northumberland. When the sandstone opened up, the exposed fossil revealed a millipede believed to have been around 2.5 metres long — more than 25 times longer than the average centipede.
Aussie woman finds the world's largest MOTH perched on a plant pot in Cairns
An Australian woman has been left in awe after finding a spectacularly-coloured moth perched on a plant pot. The nature lover took a photo of a Hercules moth on a balcony in Cairns on Tuesday. The species is native to far north Queensland and boasts the world's largest moth wingspan at up to 27cm.
I was lucky enough to see one of these a few years back in Mission Beach, FNQ. Just amazed me, so huge.
Cruises are cancelled AGAIN in Australia despite hopes they would set sail before Christmas - as new Covid variant Omicron spreads
P&O Cruises has extended its suspension on trips in Australia until March of 2022, dashing hopes of summer sailing over Christmas as the Omicron Covid variant causes major uncertainty.
[I cannot believe people would consider going on a cruise in the light of day!]