#reuters cites the guinness book of records????

[warriorcatsofficialfacts]

Your post made me remember a long forgotten memory from my childhood where I was at a zoo and saw this big ass snake.

Now, I’m not sure if it was an exaggeration due to how small I was, or if it was even real in the first place (could’ve been a dream for all I know). But after seeing how big that snake is, I’m starting to wonder if it was actually real (albeit probably not as big as kid me thought it was, but still pretty big). Just wanted to thank you for awakening this long lost memory from my brain.

from what i'm aware, the largest snake ever held in captivity was a reticulated python around 25.6 feet long (not much shorter than the recently discovered northern green!), meaning it's entirely possible you sure did see a very large snake in a zoo. the largest green anaconda kept in captivity was around 20 feet, which is how long a normal reticulated python gets

these two species are both kept in a fair number of zoos (off the top of my head, san diego has an anaconda and atlanta has a retic)

i've seen some claims there was also a 32 foot retic measured at some point but i can't find any reliable sources on that, just pop listicles (which cannot be trusted in the field of cool reptile facts) so i'm gonna call it probably bullshit (update i found sources, however i'm. still calling bullshit, explanation on my thoughts in the tags but the tldr is i don't trust big fish stories from 111 years ago (update update yeah this claim literally has no basis other than the guinness world records organization claiming it, they've been known to measure snakes as significantly larger than they are, i think it's safe to just entirely throw out this specimens reported size))

feel free to google either species to see if it rings a bell for your mystery childhood snake

[sportsavourblog]

To happen or not happen- the question looms large on Tokyo Olympics

The Olympic Games - the single greatest sporting spectacle in the world. It is the dream of arguably all athletes to get featured in the Olympics, and if possible, win a medal for their country. Unfortunately, there is serious turmoil surrounding the Tokyo Olympic Games owing to the effects of the novel Coronavirus. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has already seen the Summer Olympic Games being postponed from 2020 to 2021. The Tokyo Olympics have now been scheduled to begin on July 23 and then continue till August 8. However, with Japan declaring the third state of emergency for Tokyo, along with three of the country’s western prefectures (Hyogo, Kyoto, and Osaka), the Summer Olympics seriously seem to be on the line, this time around.

Japan has already notched up over 618,000 Covid-19 cases, which include more than 10,500 deaths since the pandemic first reared its ugly head. Though the numbers may not seem extremely disastrous in comparison to several other countries that have much worse numbers, it is the recent surge that has put a huge question mark on the viability of hosting this behemoth of a sporting event, at such a risky time. In the past few days, Osaka and Tokyo together have recorded around 1800 new cases, in one day. This dire situation is clearly illustrated by the fact that once in the past week, at an Osaka Nursing Home, 61 residents got infected, and 14 lost their lives in the queue, simply waiting to get admitted.

The effects of this incredible spike can already be seen on the Tokyo Olympics torch relay. The relay that began on March 25 in the northeastern part of Japan, is supposed to continue till the opening ceremony of the Games, on July 23. Almost 10,000 participants were supposed to be a part of this relay. But the officials have also had to pull the relay off the streets of Hiroshima, after they had already made five separate alterations to the relay, owing to the recent upsurge in new Covid-19 cases. 

Several relay participants are also having second thoughts as the situation progressively gets worse. Six people, who assisted with the torch relay have already been diagnosed with the virus, increasing the total number of cases involved in the Games, to eight and multiple celebrities who were supposed to take part in the relay have also withdrawn, due to safety concerns. 

One significant participant who has already stepped out of the torch relay citing Coronavirus concerns is 118-year old Kane Tanaka - the oldest person on the planet. Tanaka, who has her name recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, was one of the participants for the part of the relay, scheduled to be held in Fukuoka, Japan. 

The two nations of Canada and North Korea have already pulled out of the event. Kei Nishikori, the only Japanese player to be ranked in the top 5 in Men’s Singles(in the Open Era), and Naomi Osaka, presently ranked second in Women’s Singles, have both expressed deep concerns over the Olympics being held during such trying times. Asked about the Games, Osaka replied, "Of course I would say I want the Olympics to happen because I'm an athlete and that's sort of what I've been waiting for my entire life. But I think a lot of unexpected things have happened and if it's putting people at risk, and if it's making people very uncomfortable, then it definitely should be a discussion."

The results of a public opinion survey, conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun Daily (7-9 May) showed that an astounding 59 percent were in favour of the Olympic Games being completely scrapped. TBS News conducted a separate poll which found that 65 percent of the people who participated in the poll were in the favour of the Games being cancelled outright, or postponed once again. 37 percent of that 65, wanted complete termination of the Games.

Around a century of Japanese civilians held a march around Tokyo’s National Stadium, to mark their Anti-Olympic protest, as a ‘test event’ for the Olympics was being held inside. They vented their frustration towards the organizers in Tokyo along with the International Olympic Committee(IOC) for continuing with the Games, despite the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases. The stance of the general public about the Olympic Games being held, became crystal clear when an online petition calling for the cancellation of the Olympics recorded more than 300,000 signatures, in roughly the first 5 days, since its launch. 

Despite large parts of the Japanese population staunchly against the Games being held at this time, top Olympic official and the vice-president of the IOC John Coates has been adamant that the Games will commence as planned. He has expressed that even though the increasingly negative Japanese sentiment towards the Tokyo Olympics, “was a concern”, there was no scenario that would prevent the sporting extravaganza from going ahead as planned, despite Covid-19 concerns. 

Replying to the AFP’s question, whether there was any event because of which the Games might be postponed or canceled, Coates replied, “No, there’s not. The Diving World Cup featuring more than 200 athletes from 50 countries, a half-marathon, and others, are already being held as test events for the Olympics. 

IOC officials and Tokyo Planners have all insisted that the spectacle, worth around $15.4bn, will progress as planned, in “a safe and secure” way. The Planners came up with a long list of rules to prevent the spread of the virus, one of the most important which is that overseas spectators have been entirely banned from the Games. US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc, along with German partner BioNTech SE has announced that doses of their Covid-19 vaccine will be donated for the inoculation of athletes and other Olympic delegation members.

However Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, when asked whether the Olympics would commence despite coronavirus cases continuing to spike, replied: “I’ve never put Olympics first.” Suga reiterated that the IOC always took the final call on the fate of the Olympics and the only role of the government was to take necessary measures to organize the event safely and securely. A TBS survey showed that the Japanese Prime Minister’s public approval rate percentage was dwindling at 40 percent, scarily close to the record lows that were recorded earlier in the year.

Japan has fallen behind the majority of wealthy countries when it comes to its vaccination campaign. A Reuter’s tracker has revealed that only a mere 2.6% of the nation’s population has been inoculated, and reports are coming out that state civilians are facing multiple difficulties to book shots. This coupled with the rapid transmission of the virus in the country, makes Japan hosting the Olympic Games at this time a tricky situation. Unfortunately for all Japanese nationals, they have to accept the decision of the IOC and the government of moving forward with the Olympics, whether they support it or not. The future will tell us the gravity of this decision and hopefully, human life is not its casualty.

[euroman1945-blog]

The Daily Tulip

The Daily Tulip – News From Around The World

Saturday 16th June 2018

Good Morning Gentle Reader….  Bella and I walked the narrow back streets of the “Old Town” this morning, avoiding the inebriated tourists, and where the Honeysuckle and Jasmine fill the quiet streets with their heady smell, and all is good with the south on Spain, as we crossed one of the small squares, hidden away the sound of a guitar could be heard, Spain,  adventure around every corner…

POLIO RETURNS TO VENEZUELA DECADES AFTER ERADICATION….Venezuelan doctors have reported several new cases of the crippling childhood disease — the first since the Americas were declared polio-free 24 years ago. According to a public health group, the first case was reported three weeks ago in the impoverished eastern state of Delta Amacuro, where residents hadn’t been vaccinated since 2016. Critics say vaccines in the crisis-hit country have dried up as the government struggles to cope with political turmoil and soaring inflation. “This situation is unfortunate,” one opposition politician said, “but we saw it coming.”

US AIR FORCE DESERTER FOUND AFTER 35 YEARS…. A man who deserted from the US Air Force in July 1983 has been apprehended in California, the US military says. Capt William Howard Hughes Jr, who had top-secret clearance, was last seen withdrawing $28,500 (£21,300) from his bank account at 19 different locations in New Mexico. A man claiming to be Barry O'Beirne was interviewed earlier this month by officials investigating passport fraud. Pressed on inconsistencies, the man said his real name was William Hughes. He claimed he had been depressed about being in the air force so left and created a false identity. He had been living in California ever since, he said. Capt Hughes is currently being held at Travis Air Force Base in California, a statement from the USAF's office of special investigations said. At the time of his disappearance he had just returned from the Netherlands, where he had been working with Nato officers. Due to his access to classified information he was declared a fugitive and was on a list of the USAF's seven most wanted individuals.

INDIAN JEWELLER ACCUSED OF FRAUD 'FLED TO LONDON'…. Nirav Modi, whose jewellery has been worn by Hollywood and Bollywood stars, is seeking political asylum in London following fraud allegations, the Financial Times has reported. The Indian jeweller went missing in February after allegations emerged of a $2bn fraud at the Punjab National Bank. Indian police issued a warrant for his arrest. The firm's Indian stores were closed, and assets were seized including bank accounts and luxury cars. Over the past eight years Mr Modi has established an international jewellery brand with stores in London, New York and Hong Kong, selling diamond encrusted necklaces and earrings. Stars such as Kate Winslet, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Naomi Watts, have been seen wearing his products. Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra advertises the brand. The success made him one of India's richest people, with a personal wealth of $1.75bn, according to Forbes. Earlier this year Punjab National Bank (PNB), India's second-largest state-run bank, alleged Mr Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi had defrauded it of around $2.2bn. The banks said they had used unapproved guarantees, issued by rogue PNB staff, to borrow from other lenders. Both Mr Modi and Mr Choksi have denied any wrongdoing. The Financial Times said that Mr Modi is now in London and seeking asylum from "political persecution". The report cites UK and Indian officials. The Home Office said it could not comment on individual cases.

DERRY: VIDEO EMERGES OF PEOPLE SCALING 100FT CRANE…. A video has emerged of three people scaling the arm of a 100ft crane in Londonderry Northern Ireland. The video was posted on social media earlier this week. The crane is being used in the construction of a hotel being developed by the Duddy Group on the Strand Road. "The site is extremely well secured. We don't know exactly how they got on site," said Brendan Duddy. "Security is not 24 hours. That might have to be looked at." "It's mad that anyone would do this. We will do our best to make sure no one gets in again. "This could have been a complete tragedy."

HUNDREDS OF WALLYS GATHER IN KIRKSTALL ABBEY LEEDS ENGLAND…. Generations of children have gathered around Where’s Wally? picture books in excited efforts to find the famously elusive character in loopy locations. But nobody could fail to spot the red and white stripes today as a suitably bizarre world record attempt for the most Wallys together at once took place at Leeds beauty spot Kirkstall Abbey. Crowds enjoy the sun at Kirkstall Abbey. Mums, dads, children, grandparents – and even the dogs – turned out for the event in the character’s trademark garb and thick, round specs. Organiser Adele Rae, 51, said: “It was a world record attempt but we made a slight adjustment. Because it was always about bringing people together and having fun – we knew we were never going to break the world record – we decided we would do the first world record of the amount of Wallys in an abbey – which we smashed by 177 plus three stuck in a car in traffic!” Wallys aside, it is thought that around 1,000 people turned out to the event, which was mainly aimed a promoting good health. Activities included crafts, singing, and laughing yoga – an exercise of prolonged voluntary chuckling which aims to set others off too. Dogs were brought along too. There was a Kirkstall Valley Development Trust 2018 Cutest Dog Dressed as Wally competition, won by little Tia, and one for the “waggiest tail”. Community director of the trust Adele, of St Ann’s Way in Burley, said: “It was just lovely to see people laughing and having fun.

'STRIP AND DIP' ON IRISH COAST SETS GUINNESS RECORD FOR LARGEST SKINNY-DIP…. Several thousand women descended on an Irish beach on Saturday wearing smiles, body paint and not much else. The group set a Guinness record for the world's largest skinny-dip — 2,505 women in all, according to a Guinness representative who was on site, breaking the previous record of 786 set in Australia in 2015. "For those who have cancer, they're taking ownership of their bodies again," event organizer Dee Featherstone, a cancer survivor, told the Irish Times. "A lot of women said that the experience really changed their lives." Participants in the swim, an annual event, raised money for Aoibheann's Pink Tie, a charity that supports children with cancer. Over the first five years, the swims raised about $180,ooo, the Irish Times reported. A crowdfunding page showed that this year's swim had raised about $13,500 in donations. Proceeds from a registration fee of 10 euros per person — about $12 — would also go to charity. Featherstone told the Times that after receiving a cancer diagnosis in 2012, she tried to "take the scariness out of it for everyone." She held a "chemo party" for friends and started a blog to chronicle her experience. After six months of chemotherapy and a mastectomy, Featherstone says she decided to stage a skinny-dip fundraiser for cancer research and awareness. "I contacted some friends and family ... and told them, 'I only have one boob and I'm bald, so what's your excuse?'" Featherstone told the Times. "Sixty of us did the first one, and last year's event grew to 200 women." Dee Featherstone, organizer of the "Strip and Dip," said before the event she wanted to "smash" the record for largest skinny-dip. The women stayed in the water — which measured a chilly 54 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Reuters — for five minutes in order to set a new world record. "Oh my god it was amazing," participant Deirdre Betson told Reuters after she left the water. "I have never been naked in front of anybody before, except my husband, and it was brilliant and bracing."

Well Gentle Reader I hope you enjoyed our look at the news from around the world this, morning… …

Our Tulips today are Pink showing our support for the girls at Strip and Dip…

A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it's always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of "Colombian" Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 16th June 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…

All good stuff....But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in

Be safe out there…

Robert McAngus #tulips #travel #news #blog #love #spain

[graciedroweuk]

Pillar beyond exercise and dietVulnerability

Wim Hof, that also holds a Guinness world record for the longest time swimming beneath ice, immerses himself in ice hockey during a 2010 event to increase public awareness of global warming. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

The majority of us understand it to be healthy, exercise and we need to eat well.

But focusing on just those 2 items may be inadequate, according to a theory investigated (and seasoned) by journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney in his recent book “What Does Not Kill Us: The Way Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, along with Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength.”

This theory implies that along with exercise and diet, our bodies may need stress — like exposure to temperatures — if we’re to reach our entire potential. People had no air conditioning or heat to help shield us from extreme conditions for most of our existence, after all.

The explanation for this idea is comparable to explanations for why we need to eat food and work out. Nature is brutal, and we’ve evolved to live in a world that is harsh, but modern technology protects us from those challenges.

We are built to move and operate; being conducive leads to greater incidences of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes most of the most common causes of death in today’s world.

And our bodies flourish when we eat natural foods similar to what we would be able to raise and find in the wild; they experience negative effects when we consume a lot of processed materials. We seek out fat and sugar because of their high carbohydrate content, however, those foods have become so accessible that we’re eating in more ways that are unhealthy.

The idea behind conditioning is the same, as Carney explains it:

“Anatomically modern humans have lived on the planet for almost 200,000 years. Meaning your office-mate who sits on a seat behind fluorescent lighting all day has pretty much the exact human anatomy as the caveman who made spear points from flint to hunt antelope. To get from there to this humans faced challenges because we fled predators, even froze in snowstorms, sought shelter from the rain and continued breathing despite suffocating heat. Until recently there was never time a when comfort could be taken for granted — there was a balance between the downtime we all got and the effort we assessed. Without even a question of what anybody today would consider technology we managed these feats for the bulk of the time. Instead, we had to be strong to endure.”

And though our newfound ability to reside in comfort is pleasurable, Carney thinks it may not be healthful.

“Without a challenge to conquer, frontier to press, or danger to flee, the people of this century are overstuffed, overheated, and understimulated,” he said.

There are some caveats to that opinion. Modern technology lets us remain productive during the hottest days of summer and helps us prevent freezing.

But there are others who believe that many of our struggles with mental and physical health have to do with all the ease of modern life. Anxiety, as an instance, is among the most common mental-health problems people face today, but some researchers think that it can be an evolutionary adaptation which has gone out of control. Anxiety may be part of the “fight or flight” reaction, that helps keep us living in dangerous situations, but since we no longer panic predators and other dangers, it may kick in when we have to give a speech or ask somebody out.

Rodale

In his publication, Carney explores the idea that incorporating some ecological challenges back to our lives could lead to health benefits. He also embarks on a trip to determine whether “ecological conditioning” — guided by Wim Hof, a Dutchman who goes by the nickname “Iceman” — will help him unlock new levels of fitness.

Hof advocates (and practices) a procedure of bodily transformation which unites environmental exposure, mostly in the chilly, with conscious breathing techniques to try and acquire more control over naturally involuntary bodily responses. He asserts that the entire body can not be only strengthened by doing this in ways that go beyond that which exercise can achieve, but also help people heal from injuries and ailments.

It’s hard to understand how much to buy into the theory of Hof. One the one hand, it is appealing to those of us who consider that an almost-always comfy life is not physically hard. And it does appear to have some health benefits — Carney relates a collection of anecdotes in which relief is experienced by students of the Wim Hof method from symptoms or injuries of Parkinson’s and Crohn’s disease. Some scientific studies have even independently verified a couple of asserts that Hof creates, such as that a process of cold immersion and conscious breathing may give people some ability to voluntarily activate or suppress their immune system.

It’s possible that some or all of the pain and symptom relief which Hof’s Trainers have experienced is due to the placebo effect, something Carney acknowledges.

The disclaimer in Carney’s book. Kevin Loria/Business Insider

In addition, it is worth noting that a number of the items Hof has done (swimming in icy water, as an instance) have almost murdered him and have murdered other folks who attempted to replicate his feats. Carney’s book starts with a severe disclaimer that warns readers to not try these methods without the approval of a physician and without training and prep. Even then, it states “readers must bear in mind that these practices are inherently hazardous and might result in grave injury or death”

Risk aside, athletes enjoy legendary big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, that Carney trains with while focusing on his analysis, cite Hof’s techniques as influential. And there’s promising data that indicates cold exposure could play a role in weight reduction and assist counteract the effects of diabetes.

The idea that it is possible to acquire control over apparently involuntary bodily responses isn’t confined to Hof’s function — folks such as open water swimmer Lewis Pugh along with particular monks have also been found to exercise some control over their internal body temperature, also a seemingly excellent capacity.

Whether those skills learned and can be taught is your question. Hof thinks so, although Carney leaves space for skepticism, he appears convinced, also.

“If you have been wrapped in a thermogenic cocoon to your entire lifetime, then your own nervous system is aching for entersignal,” he writes. “All you need to do is get a little bit out the comfort zone and try something from the normal. Try finding comfort in the cold”

from network 4 http://www.church-papers.com/pillar-beyond-exercise-and-dietvulnerability/