‘Handsome’ gorilla delights female zoo-goers in Japan
Officials at a Japanese zoo said a gorilla branded “too handsome” online is proving popular with the country’s ladies. Shabani, an 18-year-old gorilla at the Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Nagoya, has proven popular with Twitter users and zoo visitors who have dubbed him “too handsome” and “ikemen,” a “good-looking man”.
Zoo officials said young women hoping to get into the good graces of the gorilla with the chiseled features and brooding poses might be disappointed to learn he has two wives of his own species, Ai and Nene. The gorilla is also said to be a doting and protective father for Kiyomasi and Annie. Zoo spokesman Takayushi Ishikawa told CNN Shabani’s sudden popularity was “totally unexpected.”
“It’s a perfect example of the Internet society... we were very surprised by the phenomenon,” he said. Officials said Shabani now regularly has a crowd of about 100 people watching whenever he comes out to greet the public.
(UPI)
eight-foot-wide vortex opens up in Texas lake
The US Army Corps of Engineers shared video of an 8-foot-wide vortex in Texas’ lake Texoma that officials said could swallow a boat. The Tulsa District US Army Corps of Engineers shared a YouTube video of the vortex near the Texas-Oklahoma border from earlier this month, when it measured about 8 feet in diameter, and officials said the vortex was still ongoing this week, but it has reduced in size to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet. BJ Parkey, assistant lake manager at lake Texoma, said the vortex was caused by water being drained from the reservoir’s Denison Dam due to unusually high water levels. “Just like in your house when you fill a bathtub full of water and [open] the drain, it will develop a vortex or whirlpool,” said Parkey. The YouTube post said the vortex is “capable of sucking in a full-sized boat, so please heed all safety buoys and caution signs”.
(UPI)
squirrel steals the show at Cardinals-Phillies game
The St louis Cardinals may have come out ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies, but a curious squirrel was the real star of the game. The squirrel was first spotted scaling the net behind home plate during the second inning at Citizens Bank Park and the rodent soon spurred chaos in the Phillies dugout by jumping down among the players.
A video taken by a fan went viral during the weekend and Major league Baseball shared a clip from the game on its official YouTube account. The official Twitter account for the Phillies joked about the incident after the game. “Hey @Cardinals, keep the squirrel at home next time,” the tweet read. The game wasn’t the first time a squirrel interrupted a matchup between the teams — a squirrel famously distracted a Phillies pitcher during a 2011 postseason game, which the Cardinals ended up winning. The bold critter was nicknamed “rally squirrel” by St louis fans.
(UPI)
Disney bans selfie sticks at theme parks citing safety
Walt Disney Co has banned selfie sticks at its theme parks around the world, joining a growing list of attractions that restrict the camera accessories for safety reasons. The company will not allow selfie sticks — extension rods used for taking self-portraits with smartphones — at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, or Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The ban began on Wednesday at parks in Hong Kong and Paris.
“We strive to provide a great experience for the entire family, and unfortunately selfie sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast,” Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.Disney tried allowing selfie sticks in the park but not on rides, according to Prunty. But violators were forcing park staff to stop rides for extended periods of time, including on Wednesday when a roller coaster was shut down at Disneyland, frustrating other guests.
Starting next week, security personnel will ask Disney guests who arrive with selfie sticks at the parks to stow them at a storage facility or return the sticks to their hotels or cars, the company said.
(Reuters)
Skinny jeans send woman to hospital with nerve damage
An Australian doctor has warned against the dangers of so-called “skinny jeans,” citing a patient who collapsed after a day of strenuous activity while wearing tight pants. Neurologist Thomas Kimber, of the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp that a 35-year-old woman from Adelaide was recently hospitalised after wearing skinny jeans.
Kimber said the woman was helping a relative move and spent the day squatting to help them clean. “She noticed that her legs were becoming increasingly uncomfortable as the day went on [but] didn’t really think much of it,” Kimber said.
The woman didn’t notice anything was wrong until she fell on the sidewalk and couldn’t get up again. “By this time it was dark and quite late at night, and she was unable to stand up again, and was there for some time before she could crawl to the side of the road, hail a cab and bring herself to the Royal Adelaide Hospital,” Kimber added.
(UPI)