Cyclone Debbie away from making landfall in north Queensland

Cyclone Debbie away from making landfall in north Queensland







Cyclone Debbie is just hours away from making landfall in north Queensland, possibly as a category five system, where winds are already hitting buildings "like a freight train



About 25,000 people in low-lying areas have been urged to reach higher ground.



Winds of up to 190 kilometres per hour are already battering the Whitsunday Islands and the wind is roaring at Airlie Beach, where power has been cut to thousands of homes.



The latest tropical cyclone advice has Debbie located 105 kilometres east north-east of Bowen and 75km north-east of Hamilton Island.



Slow-moving cyclone could take hours to pass



The cyclone could take up to 18 hours to pass.



The BOM warned that between 150mm to 500mm of rain could fall today and a tidal surge of between half a metre to 1.7 metres was forecast.



The later-than-expected crossing time has helped in terms of tide swells, as high tide is about 9:00am.

self-driving cars # Uber crash raises an accident in Arizona

 self-driving cars # Uber crash raises an accident in Arizona and flipped onto its side





One of Uber’s self-driving SUVs was left turned on its side with its windows smashed after colliding with another vehicle in Tempe, Ariz.;





The crash comes as Uber grapples with a wide range of crises. Among them, several Uber employees have been accused of stealing intellectual property from Waymo, Google’s self-driving car company, and using it as the basis for Uber’s self-driving technology. The outcome of that legal fight could affect Uber’s future significantly.



A photo posted on Fresco News' Twitter feed showed a self-driving Uber Volvo SUV on its side.



Another car, in the background, is pictured with dents and smashed windows. Nobody was seriously injured in the incident.



The Uber SUV was operating in autonomous mode when the accident occurred, Uber confirmed to Business Insider. Uber has halted its self-driving-car pilot in Arizona and is investigating what caused the incident.



The collision will likely to turn up the temperature on the heated debate about the safety of self-driving cars.



A Tesla operating in Autopilot mode crashed into a truck last year, killing the car's driver.



Google's prototype self-driving cars have been involved in several fender-benders over the years, though most were operating in manual mode at the time of the incidents.



Automakers and tech companies are rushing to develop and test self-driving cars, which some people think could eventually replace traditional cars. But there are many questions about the safety and reliability of the technology that regulators are still grappling with.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 4 # Comparison

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 4 # Comparison



The Galaxy Tab S3, the latest Android-running tablet from Samsung, can be equipped as a capable laptop stand-in. How does it look next to the Microsoft Surface Pro 4



The Surface is only available in silver, but the Tab comes in a black option as well



The 9.7-inch Tab S3 is smaller and has a boxier 4:3 aspect ratio. The 12.3-inch Surface Pro offers 27-percent more display area, with a 3:2 aspect ratio



The Tab S3 has a built-in fingerprint sensor. The Surface Pro 4 works with Windows Hello's facial recognition features, so you can login just by showing your face. There's also a keyboard cover option with a fingerprint sensor built in



The Tab S3 has a capable Snapdragon 820 mobile processor. The Surface Pro contains sixth-generation Intel core m3, i5 or i7 chips.



Like most mobile devices, the Tab S3 does not offer varying levels of RAM. But with the Surface Pro 4, you can opt for 4 GB, 8 GB or 16 GB.



We don't expect anyone to rely too heavily on their tablet to take photos, but the Samsung option does have a sharper rear camera. As far as selfies and video conferencing goes, their front cameras are evenly matched at 5 MP.

If manufacturers' estimates are to be believed, the Tab S3 should have slightly more staying power. Of course, battery life can vary dramatically according to use

Software



The Tab S3 runs Android Nougat with Samsung's TouchWiz UI layered on top, while the Surface Pro 4 runs Windows 10 desktop software. That means the Surface Pro is a better choice for most professional applications, though it's possible for the Tab S3 could give it a run for its money in a few areas. Microsoft Office, for example, has a capable and similar mobile version for Android.

Samsung Galaxy S8 : Display Resolution Confirmed In Leaked

Samsung Galaxy S8 Display Resolution Confirmed In Leaked



Samsung Galaxy S8  less a safe bet that smartphones in this day and age of the flagship variety will typically pack a QHD display. You might have thought that maybe we are moving into 4K territory, but that hasn’t really happened yet save for a couple of phones here and there, and it seems that Samsung isn’t making the jump either.



Samsung Galaxy S8  there will be three options for users to choose from: HD+ which has a resolution of 1480×720; FHD+ which is at 2220×1080



The decision to allow users to adjust their resolutions is a good one as it can help with battery life, and besides not everyone sees the need for the content on their smartphones to be super razor sharp anyway

Crocodile bites teenager on arm during early morning dip

Crocodile bites teenager on arm during early morning dip



A teenager attacked by a crocodile after jumping into a north Queensland river on a dare from friends is lucky to still have his arm, paramedics say.





Innisfail's Lee de Paauw was grabbed on the left arm by a crocodile as he was climbing out of the Johnstone River on Fitzgerald Esplanade about 2:30am on Saturday.



The 18-year-old managed to punch it with his right arm and escape.



He is very lucky. Initial reports was that his hand was completely amputated and on arrival that was not the case," QAS supervisor Rita Kelly said





So although he does have significant injuries, his arm is still intact, which is very fortunate."



Mr de Paauw was taken to Innisfail Hospital and later transferred to Cairns Hospital for further treatment.



Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) officers called to the scene were initially told the teenager's hand had been amputated.



He was taken to Innisfail hospital then Cairns, where he is being treated for significant injuries to his arm and hand.



Cairns senior operations supervisor Rita Kelly said the crocodile was not seen before the incident but de Paauw’s injuries indicated he had been attacked by one.



“Hopefully surgeons can help him and restore full use of his arm,” he said.



He is in a stable condition.

Death 72 as Peru's floods confirmed the worst for two decades

Death 72 as Peru's floods confirmed the worst for two decades





The rains have overwhelmed the drainage systems in cities along Peru's Pacific coast and the health ministry has started fumigating around the pools of water that have formed in the streets to kill mosquitoes that carry diseases like dengue.



Peru's capital city, Lima, has been without a water service since the beginning of the week.



The Government has deployed the armed forces to help police control public order in the 811 cities that have declared an emergency



The highly unusual rains follow a series of storms that have struck hard along Peru's northern coast, with voracious waters inundating hospitals and leaving some small villages isolated.



The storms are being caused by a warming of the surface waters in the Pacific Ocean and are expected to continue for another two weeks, with the disaster affecting more than half the nation.



 In the Lambayeque region, 22 inmates at a juvenile detention centre took advantage of the rains to escape.



Rains flooded a cemetery in the city of Trujillo with the waters carrying bones through the streets.



In Peru's capital city of Lima, where a desert climate seldom leads to rain, police on Friday helped hundreds of residents in an outer neighbourhood cross a flooded road by sending them one-by-one along a rope through choppy waters.



The muddy current channelled down the street after a major river overflowed. Some residents left their homes with a single plastic bag of belongings.



The presidents of Chile, Bolivia and Venezuela offered to send help to Peru.



  Sourceئ   BBC

compares : LG G6 vs. Moto G5 Plus the features and specs

compares : LG G6 vs. Moto G5 Plus

the features and specs



Weight



Weights are also close, with the LG G6 coming out 5-percent heavier.



Build



In previous Moto G phones, a plastic build was a given for its budget price. This year Motorola gave the G5 Plus a touch of premium with a metal back.

Water resistance

The LG G6 has much more significant water resistance, with its IP68 rating. The Moto G5 Plus is only approved for moderate spills, splashes or light rain.

Processor

The G6's Snapdragon 821  a late-2016 chip  is going to be faster, but Motorola has historically done a great job keeping performance zippy in the mid-ranged G series.



RAM

You get either 2 GB or 4 GB of RAM in the Moto, depending which storage configuration you choose.





Battery

The G6 has a higher-capacity battery, but that doesn't necessarily mean longer uptimes – especially when the G6's screen is packing in more pixels Stay tuned to our reviews for battery benchmarks



Camera megapixels



We can't say much on photo quality until we review both phones, but Motorola is marketing the G5 Plus' camera as best in class (meaning mid-ranged).



Software

Both launch with Android Nougat, though LG's uses the company's custom skin to differentiate it  and, if history is any indication, possibly slow its UI down

Google Motion Stills update fixes iPhone Live Photos

Have you ever taken a Live Photo where the canonical “main” frame just isn’t the one you wanted? Where your subject’s expression was captured at the least flattering nanosecond, for instance, or where rapidly changing ambient light shrouded your photo in darkness at just the wrong time?



Live Photos captures a second and a half of audio and video before and after you press the shutter for Harry Potter-like moving photos (that are actually low frame rate, 15fps videos





Only the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus can take Live Photos.



You can use Live Photos with both the rear and front facing camera of those phones



Motion Stills now fixes that by letting you choose any frame from your Live Photo and re-export it with that frame as the primary image. You can scroll through each captured frame with a simple slider, and the exported image works like any other Live Photo — but now you don’t always have to 3D Touch the screen to see the moment you wanted.

comparison : Samsung Galaxy Book vs. Apple iPad Pro

comparison : Samsung Galaxy Book vs. Apple iPad Pro





For the purposes of this comparison, we're stacking up the 12-inch version of the Samsung Galaxy Book and the 12.9-inch version of the iPad Pro. Both are also available in smaller sizes with slightly different configurations



Dimensions



The Galaxy Book is the smaller device. Though it is a little thicker than the iPad, it's about 11-percent narrower and 5-percent shorter (when held in the landscape orientation). Note that these dimensions do not include the keyboard accessories.



Weight



Despite its smaller size, the Galaxy Book is heavier. It weighs 41 g more (about 1.4 ounces) than the lightest version of the iPad.



Display size



The iPad offers about 17-percent more overall screen space than the Galaxy Book. For what it's worth, the pair also has different aspect ratios: The Galaxy Book has a 3:2 display and the iPad is 4:3.

Keyboard accessory



Similarly, Samsung also bundles a keyboard cover with the Galaxy Book. With the iPad, you'll have to buy the $169 Smart Keyboard (or a third-party version) separately.



RAM



The Galaxy Book is available with either 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM. The iPad Pro has one 4 GB option.



Processor

Samsung uses a seventh-generation Intel core i5 chip, which has faster clock speeds than Apple's A9X processor though doesn't always mean faster real-world performance



Camera megapixels



Here, the Samsung camera packs in more megapixels. Still, tablets are usually too unwieldy for frequent photography, and either of these will get the job done for Skyping or the occasional capture.



Battery



Battery capacity and manufacturers' battery life estimates are nearly neck-and-neck.

4-year-old girl walks eight km through subzero forest to fetch help a gr...

4-year-old girl walks eight km through subzero forest to fetch help a grandmother



 Source= independent

A four-year-old girl in Siberia has reportedly walked eight kilometres through snowy forest to seek help for her sick grandmother, who later died of a heart attack.



The young girl braved the threat of bears, wolves and temperatures far below freezing as she made the journey through a remote region of southern Russia after waking up to find her grandmother motionless.



Named locally as Saglana, she lives alone with her elderly relative and her blind grandfather.



As a result, the girl's mother is facing a criminal case brought by the Investigations Department of the Republic of Tuva, a federal subject of Russia which shares its southern border with China.



She stands accused of leaving a minor in danger, in the care of the elderly.



She also faces investigation from childcare and custody services, who will similarly be asking why she was left alone with her infirm relatives.



The journey took place in February, when temperatures in Tuva average -26°C, according to readings from the regional capital. Russian reports on social media suggest the forest may have been as cold as -34°C. The journey was only recently confirmed by authorities.



But though she was suffering from 'general hypothermia', the child reportedly suffered no life-threatening effects.



   Source  =    http://www.independent.co.uk/

a story The longest a prisoner in Australia (40) years in prison

a story

The longest a prisoner in Australia (40) years in prison



  Bobby Veen

He spent more than 40 years in prison but just 18 months after finally being released, Bobby Veen has died at the age of 62.



Veen was one of Australia's longest serving prisoners, sent to jail for the killings of two men in separate incidents in the 1970s and 1980s.



He died of a heart attack on Saturday on the New South Wales Central Coast.



Born in Bourke, he was taken from his Aboriginal family as a baby and later adopted by the Veen family of Albury.



"They were a beautiful family and I was raised up good. My father was stern, strict. My mother used to take us to church every Sunday," he said.



But when he was 11-years-old, Veen said he was abducted and molested by three men.



 They were a beautiful family and I was raised up good. My father was stern, strict. My mother used to take us to church every Sunday.





In 1975, he committed his first murder.

Bobby was found guilty of manslaughter and ended up serving eight years in jail.



Just months after his release in 1983 Bobby committed a strikingly similar crime, stabbing another man to death.



Bobby says he recognised the man from his days working the streets of Kings Cross.



"I just stabbed again. I was angry," he said.



This time, he was sentenced to life in prison.





It wasn't until last year, when doctors found a tumour on Bobby's oesophagus, that he was granted parole. He will stay on parole until he dies.



After spending two thirds of his life in jail, Bobby was released on June 16.

Girl ( 6-year-old ) Feed the homeless Instead of my birthday celebration

Girl ( 6-year-old  ) Feed the homeless

  Instead of my birthday celebration



 -----------------------

Armani's birthday party was a success, with the family feeding more than 125 people who gathered.



In a statement, the kindergarten student told ABC News, "It was nice to be nice."



Her mother added, "She was excited. She was happy. Everybody was being fed. ...One of the gentleman said he hadn't had a hot meal in a long time."



Now the 6-year-old wants to host another community meal for the homeless. Her mother said the family plans to return to the park "within the next couple of weeks."

-------------------------------------------

So the Chicago family spent about $300 buying food to deliver to homeless people in the city's East Garfield Park neighborhood. They purchased chicken, fish, spaghetti, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, cake, cookies, fruit and water.



After Armani mentioned her plan at the family's local church, congregation members donated other items to create care packages for the homeless.



Each care package included a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hand sanitizer and a snack, such as a granola bar.

---------------------------------------



Her mother, Artesha, told ABC News that she and her husband, Antoine, initially thought she was joking but found out how serious she was when they said she wouldn’t be able to get her a gift if they went through with her plans.

They said Armani had asked that the homeless were given the same thing she’d have at a party so they spent $300 (£245) on chicken, fish, spaghetti, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, cake, cookies, fruit and water.

What is the secret behind the these small green boxes?

What is the secret behind the these small green boxes?

I've never been able to work out what they're for. There's no sign on them, no writing… they just appear in odd places

The retired public servant asked Curious Canberra to look into the green and sometimes grey boxes, and his question won our February voting round.

I'd seen the boxes Robert was asking about, they stand about a metre tall and can be found beside roads and on median strips.

Robert hadn't just been wondering about the boxes - he'd been photographing them too.



He emailed through a few examples, which helped me track down the person with the key to the boxes in question.

With a key in hand, the member of the traffic management and safety unit crouched down to unlock the rusty box we had come to see.

The box isn't completely empty though and we find a black power cable that runs down the length of the pole and into the ground.

At the other end is a round multi-pin connector. It plugs into a brick-like device that Pawel pulls from a canvas bag.

With the device plugged in and neatly stored in the box, the purpose of the unusual structures is almost revealed.

 The main idea is that they're always located on the major arterial road network

The counter inside the box monitors traffic flow and type by tapping into sensors that are buried in the road.

Every time a vehicle drives over it, the sensors detect that and measures the speed and volume

The boxes were originally installed by the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) in the 1970's.

But even in their heyday, many of the metal boxes remained empty.

We would basically put the device in certain units and then the device would be removed, the data collected and they would be circulated through the other boxes

These days traffic monitoring technology is more portable, economical and accurate too.

At the bottom of the metal box we're inspecting we find a rectangular device that's is connected to two black tubes that stretch across the road.

 They're basically rubber loops with air inside and every time a vehicle drives over them the impulse gets sent to the box and gets recorded with a very simple computer,

The loops work in a similar way to the buried sensors and the data goes on to be interpreted by software.

Nuclear submarine plans found in Welsh charity shop on a cold war thriller

Nuclear submarine
plans found in Welsh charity shop on a cold war thriller 

A north Wales town has
a cold war thriller on its hands after nuclear submarine plans were found in a
charity shop suitcase.

Staff at a Barnardo's
store in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, were amazed to discover the document showing
details of the former £200m HMS Trafalgar.

"Someone said that if
the phone rang and it was someone with a Russian accent, I should put it
down," joked manager, Stella Parker.

The plans will be
auctioned off.

Charity store staff
say the suitcase was donated anonymously and filled with books

But hidden in the
lining of the luggage was the impressive 6ft (1.8m) drawings of the former
Royal Navy vessel.

While unusual finds
are not uncommon for the charity shop, Ms Parker said she quickly recognised
this was something out of the ordinary.

"When I found it I just
thought, wow, this is amazing," she said.

"I can only imagine
perhaps the family of someone who had passed away donated the suitcase, that is
what often happens. perhaps they did not know the plan was there.

"We are all very
excited here about it and we've certainly never seen anything like it before."

Mrs Parker took the
plans to be looked at by experts when the TV show, David Dickinson's Real Deal,
visited the Gwynedd town.

She was told there
that the plans were most likely posted on the sub to familiarise the crew with
the lay-out of the vessel.

It seems more likely
that the document comes from Vickers, who built Trafalgar, or the submarine's
designers.

In 1996 the sub gained
notoriety after running aground off the Isle of Skye
during a training exercise, causing £5m worth of damage

But foreign agents looking to get their hands on the
document today will face an easier task than they did in the 1980s - as the
plans have been declassified and are being auctioned by the shop

Patrick Stewart Mothership podcast: Is 'Logan' the best X-Men movie ever

Patrick Stewart Mothership
podcast: Is 'Logan'
the best X-Men movie ever

Xavier's declining
health forces him into a wheelchair in the new X-men saga, meaning that
Jackman's Logan had to do a lot of carrying when the duo go on the run in the
film now in theaters. Stewart enjoyed the crew's jealousy over his prime
position in Jackman's arms during the Louisiana
shoot. "There were numerous envious glances in my direction by certain
members of the crew," Stewart tells USA TODAY.  In fact, Stewart places his time on the Logan set right up there
with getting his British knighthood on his accomplished resume.

Patrick Stewart gives
the dirt on his Poop Emoji and shocking 'Logan'
role

In fact, Stewart
places his time on the Logan
set right up there with getting his British knighthood on his accomplished
resume.

Stewart lost 20 pounds to show off
Xavier's ailing state and to help out his friend Jackman in the carrying
department. But that didn't matter to Jackman. He could have handled anything.

"There was one moment
where he had to pick me up off the floor, and all of this is done in one
shot," says Stewart. "And I am glad to assure you, and the world at
large, that I was never ever in any peril. Even when he was carrying me quickly
up and down deep flights of stairs."

Stewart, who is
proudly voicing Poop Emoji in upcoming The Emoji Movie, says the only downside
to filming Logan was shooting scenes in the car
during Louisiana's
summer. The air-conditioning was awful and didn't reach Xavier's backseat

Man out walking finds 34 garbage bags of cannabis in dumped in bushland

Man out walking finds 34 garbage bags of cannabis in dumped in bushland.





A man taking a Saturday evening walk on Sydney's northern beaches has found 34 garbage bags of cannabis in dumped in bushland.



NSW Police said the man found the bags on the edge of a residential area in Terrey Hills





He's just a daily walker up there and just noticed what he thought was garbage, which wasn't there the day before," Northern Beaches local area command duty officer Susan Gill said.



"But then he saw that it was cannabis."



It is one of several large seizures of cannabis across the state in the last month.



Police found more than 2,500 cannabis plants - with an estimated street value of $5.5 million - on a farm in Colinroobie, 70 kilometres east of Griffith, on February 23.

VERY DISTURBING | Mass grave of up to 800 children found underground in ...

VERY DISTURBING | Mass grave of up to 800 children found underground in Ireland

at a former home for unmarried mothers and their babies in Ireland

A "significant" quantity of human remains has been discovered in "underground chambers" at a former home for unmarried mothers and their babies in Ireland.

A commission set up to investigate alleged abuse at religious-run so-called mother and baby homes has been carrying out an excavation at the former Catholic Church institution in Tuam, Co Galway.

the discovery of "significant quantities of human remains" in at least 17 of 20 underground chambers being excavated in recent weeks.

"These remains involved a number of individuals with age-at-death ranges from approximately 35 foetal weeks to 2-3 years.

"Radiocarbon dating of the samples recovered suggest that the remains date from the time frame relevant to the operation of the mother and baby home."

The Tuam home operated from 1925 to 1961.

Meanwhile, the commission has asked that the relevant State authorities take responsibility for the appropriate treatment of the remains."

"It was not unexpected as there were claims about human remains on the site over the last number of years," she said.

"Up to now we had rumours. Now we have confirmation that the remains are there, and that they date back to the time of the mother and baby home, which operated in Tuam from 1925 to 1961."

A children's story about a wonderful sad sea VIDEO

Sea sad story





Tells that on the day of the hot summer days out Gana with her brother Saif to walk to the sea shore so enjoy playing on the beach and build the most beautiful palaces of sand, and get rid of the heat breezes sea cold, prepared their mother a number of sandwiches and equipped them with a basket of juices and water Gana also did not forget to bring with them playing with sand tools



When they arrived at the beach and found that the waters of the sea far from the beach and looked rocks in the sea and spiked the swamps of mud and slime, stuck committees scared but he found an ask: Why I went sea water away from the beach, my grandfather? Also, when will again? Told her grandfather, which proves the parachute on the sands of the beach to the sea in the case of islands and shortly after will pass the status of the tide and return the water to the beach again, I took Sarah question the meaning of the tide he said to her grandfather: that sea water does not remain at the same level throughout the day, but they pass the rise of the movement called the tidal movement and landing called the islands, and who controls the tidal movement of the attractiveness of the sun and moon



Jana slept under the umbrella closed my eyes and listen to the wonderful sea breeze and began in deep thought and suddenly felt the water-wet feet, Vhmst in HE: O beautiful sea Do I returned to the beach again? Sea breeze carrying words to the authorized committees heard him say: I wanted to tell you that I Sea very sad and I feel very angry people, Gana got up quickly soon as I heard whispers sea, she wondered: Why are people angry, O sea? Do not you see how much we are kind and love you so much and we come to visit you every year, children fill Hatik and throwing Bonevsm you even Tnachehem Bmaahec cold and fresh air



She whispered her sea again, saying: I love them very much, therefore Ogmarham Bmaaha damper and air them and bring them Girata of the thickness of the shells and Amtaainhm blue balloon, but do you know why I react everything I do for them? Look around you, O Gana and tell me what you see when they turn away from the beach .. looked at Sarah to the beach and saw piles of waste and cut old clothes and bags foods, sweets and juice bottles and empty some healthy and others are broken, I understood what it means Sarah sea



Returned the sea say again: Do you see what I give them and what they give in return? What Roata is only apparent on the beach, and there is a lot of pollution in my water inside me because of the ships and oils that pollute the bottom and kill the organisms that live in my heart, do not be surprised if you moved away.

Ali immediately moved committees of the place and began to collect waste and garbage bags and called on her brother even help her in that she says: Come on, we will make this happy sea and delighted, we will collect all waste and we invite other children to help us keep beautiful and clean beach, and I'll tell you all what he told me the sea

White boy haircut as black friend 'to confuse his pre-school teacher

White boy haircut as black friend 'to confuse his pre-school teacher'

A little boy from Louisville, Kentucky, is warming everyone's heart with his "haircut prank."

The boy's mom, Lydia Rosebush, posted on Facebook that her almost 5-year-old son Jax wanted to get his head shaved really close so he could look identical to his best friend, Reddy Weldon.

This morning Jax and I were discussing his wild hair. I told him that he needed a haircut this weekend. He said that he wanted his head shaved really short so he could look like his friend Reddy. He said He said that he wanted his head shaved really short so he could look like his friend Reddy," she continued. "He said he couldn't wait to go to school on Monday with his hair like Reddy's so that his teacher wouldn't be able to tell them apart. He thought it would be so hilarious to confuse his teacher with the same haircut."

Although there is an obvious difference between the two preschoolers, Rosebush said it shows that "hate and prejudice is something that is taught."

According to her, the only difference Jax sees between him and his best friend is their hair

Jax thought his new 'do would trick his teacher and she wouldn't be able to tell the boys apart, although Jax is white and Reddy is black.

Sometimes life's lessons come from those with the least experience

Turkeys Circling A Dead Cat Are Probably Wary / walk in a circle

Turkeys Circling A Dead Cat Are Probably Wary

/ walk in a circle

More than 15 turkeys walk in a circle  not running or distressed, but walking with intention  around a dead cat in the middle of the road.

Boston Magazine called "Massachusetts' foremost turkey expert," who said it was possible that the birds were trailing behind one animal who set out to investigate the corpse, and then wound up  follow-the-leader style  in a perfect circle.

Biologist Alan Krakauer, an expert on the behavioral ecology of birds, offers an explanation that ascribes a little more intention to the birds. He tells NPR it's "most likely  predator inspection behavior."

He explains that turkeys, when faced with an animal that might eat them, sometimes follow the risky route of actually approaching the predator. It can help signal to other turkeys in the area that there's a threat, or help the turkeys evaluate how big of a danger the predator is.

"Or it could let the predator know the prey are aware of its presence, which might encourage the predator to move elsewhere to seek an easier meal, he says a lot like a group of small songbirds mobbing a hawk or owl they have discovered."

Or, you know, it could backfire  if the predator is a little more  conscious than the cat in the video.

Krakauerhe says

"During my studies of wild turkeys I watched a coyote trot through a group of turkeys  the turkeys gave it some space but acted alert in a similar manner to this video. In that instance the coyote kept walking and the turkeys went back to their business.

"However, in this video, the dead cat 'predator' doesn't get up to leave, and the turkeys appear to be kind of stuck in their pattern of behavior. Maybe they are waiting to see if the cat wakes up?

That is, waiting to see if the dead rise, instead of ritually working to raise the dead.

Either way, we can all agree it would be alarming for turkeys and humans alike if that cat sprang up.

Australian Navy to pass over warship's grave 75 years after sinking

Australian Navy to pass over warship's grave 75 years after sinking





An Australian Navy patrol ship has passed over one of Australia's most significant World War II battle grounds in the ocean off Java.



In a solemn event without great fanfare, those on board paused to remember a day 75 years ago when Australia's pride warship succumbed to the Japanese.



They paid tribute to 681 sailors who were on board HMAS Perth, which was sunk by the Japanese on the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra on March 1, 1942.

In waters to Jakarta's west, they remembered those who lost their lives at the time of the sinking and later in prisoner of war camps.



A total of 218 managed to return to home soil all with stories of remarkable survival.



In December last year, the museum and Indonesia's research centre for archaeology undertook a sonar survey of the wreckage, showing the site had significantly deteriorated since 1967.



It is thought illegal salvagers have extensively damaged HMAS Perth for scrap metal.



He said once the divers assess what remains, the focus can shift to the protection of the ship.



He said the Indonesian Navy had already begun patrolling the site.



During Indonesian President Joko Widodo's visit to Australia last week, both nations agreed to strengthen cooperation in the area of maritime cultural heritage.