Community where couples have sex in open fields

Typically overcrowded: Council flats in Mariannridge

Inadequate housing and the attendant overcrowding have ensured that many couples in a community in South Africa cannot be intimate with each other inside their flats. They make do with open fields, building staircases and similar places.

Residents of the mostly coloured community of Mariannridge outside Pinetown claim their council-owned flats are so overcrowded that when they start to feel frisky they head out into the open field.

Some have even bought mattresses for their nightly sojourns, to avoid being pinched or nicked by spiky shrubs.

When 28-year-old Jeanine Stanley wants to be alone with her fiancé, the veld is the place to be.

"Having sex in the field is the life for many people here. You have to choose your spot first. People have sex everywhere, but not in the flats because there are children," she said.

Like most residents in the area, Stanley's family members have been sharing an overcrowded flat since 2001.

"About 11 people stay in my family flat. I cannot have sex in front of my mother and children. When I turn, my hand touches my mother's bed. So every time when I need privacy with my fiancé the open field becomes our first choice," she said.

Most couples share the same houses as their in-laws, with some families sharing their two-bedroom flats with up to 17 people.

When a couple feels the urge, Stanley says, they pick up their mattress - which they leave outside the flats during the day as there is no space for them inside - and venture into the field.

The next hurdle is to "pick a spot" to be alone in the field.

The people of Marrianridge who were moved there in 1976 through the apartheid government's Group Areas Act.  They are now agitating for improved housing condition.

For the past three weeks the community has protested violently against service delivery backlogs by blockading roads with burning tyres, shattered glass and bricks, and uprooted street signs.

Community leader Brain Charles said the community was squashed into about 80 units of flats. When the area was initially established, it contained about 600 units.

Charles added that most teenage pregnancies in the area also happened in the open fields.

New iPhone to be unveiled on 12 September

Rumours are rife that the new iPhone maybe unveiled on 12 September.

The Apple-focused blog iMore says that the actual release date for the so-called iPhone 5 could follow just nine days later on 21 September, mimicking earlier Apple product launch schedules. It cites insider sources that have “proven accurate in the past."

 The report suggests that the new iPhone could be unveiled alongside an anticipated smaller-screen iPad – known as the iPad Mini – and a new iPod nano. The already-announced iOS6 is likely to be made available around the same time.

 The new iPhone is thought to be thinner and have a larger screen; it will mark the first physical redesign of the iconic device since the iPhone 4 was unveiled in June 2010 (last year’s iPhone 4S featured only internal improvements).

 Apple sold 26 million iPhones last quarter, down from 35.1 million the previous quarter. CFO Peter Oppenheimer noted on an earnings call that “iPhone sales continue to be impacted by rumour and speculation around new products.” The iconic smartphone accounts for about half of the firm’s sales, generating US$16.2 billion last quarter.

Woman sets new swimming record

Ye Shiwen

Watchers are still wondering if Ye Shiwen, 16, used underhand means to get gold in women’s 400m individual medley at the ongoing Olympics. She smashed existing world record by more than a second, finishing in 4.28.43.

One of the world’s top swimming coaches described the Chinese teen’s record-breaking performance as “unbelievable” and “disturbing” amid fears about doping.

She swam the last 50 metres faster than US gold medallist Ryan Lochte in the men’s race.

John Leonard, head of the World Swimming Coaches Association, called it “flat out impossible”.

He said: “We want to be very careful about calling it doping”.

He said Ye “looks like ­superwoman,” and added: “Any time someone has looked like superwoman in the history of our sport, they have been found guilty of doping.”

His remarks came after BBC presenter Clare Balding ­questioned whether Ye used underhand methods to compete.

Mr Leonard said the “race brings back a lot of awful memories” of Irish swimmer Michelle Smith’s win at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

She was banned for four years for tampering with a urine sample.

He said Ye’s blood samples have been taken, as for all Olympic athletes, and would be tested.

But Ye put down her record-breaking swim to her coaching, adding: “I am very young and I am sure I will just get better.”

Olympics: You bring us bad luck, Britons tell Cameron

PM, David Cameron being shown his seat at the handball event

Britons are pleading with their Prime Minister, David Cameron to stay away from their remaining events at the ongoing Olympics.  This followed the evaporation of another British hope of a medal at the Games on Monday.

The Prime Minister took the tube to Stratford to cheer on Tom Daley and Peter Waterfield as they went for gold in the synchronised diving.

The pair were leading the field until the TV cameras picked out Mr Cameron in the crowd, grinning from the cheap seats.

They went on to blow their chances with a messy dive which left them finishing fourth, just missing out on the medals.

The disappointment was the second witnessed by the PM during the Games, sparking jibes about the “curse of Cameron”.

He also turned out to support British cycling hero Mark Cavendish, who was favourite for gold in Saturday’s men’s road race but ended up finishing 29th.

Mr Cameron was also at Wimbledon a few weeks ago to see Andy Murray throw away a lead against Roger Federer.

And the PM was left red faced when he watched England get beaten by Germany in the 2010 World Cup alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel at a G8 meeting in Canada.

Last night the Curse of Cameron had not escaped the notice of Twitter users.

Several people went on the website to brand Mr Cameron a jinx and urge him not to watch other British medal hopefuls in the wake of Daley and Waterfield’s fourth place finish.

One, Jim White, said: “David Cameron watching Tom Daley, after being at cycling on Saturday. His desperate effort to associate with gold is turning into a curse...”

Mike Forster said: “I blame David Cameron #jinx.”

Nick Barlow said: “David Cameron: please keep your medal jinx away from the Hampton Court area on Wednesday.”

Another user named Nick said: “Don’t turn up at the gymnastics, Cameron #jinx.” 

And Phil Cain said: “Is David ‘Photo opportunity’ Cameron going to jinx the Brits again!”

But the pleas to stay away fell on deaf ears with a spokesman for the PM insisting that he will continue to support British competitors whether they like it or not.

The spokesman said: “Like everyone else, he likes to show his support for British teams, whatever the sport may be.

“Those teams don’t always win, but that’s not a reason not to support them.”

Gunmen kill one at VP Sambo’s house

The family house of the Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Tundun-Wada, Zaria, Kaduna State, on Monday came under attack from gunmen on motorcycles, injuring the two mobile policemen guarding the house and killing a shoe cobbler.

 The cobbler was attending to one of the mobile policemen when the gunmen attacked. He died on the spot. The attack on the VP house occurred at 11 o’clock in the morning.

 The VP’s house had remained uninhabited by the VP family since it was attacked during the 2011 post-election violence in Kaduna State.

 In a related development, suspected suicide bombers launched attacks on the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 10 in Sokoto, Muhtari Ibrahim, and a shop owned by the Police Officer Wives’ Association, adjacent to the Unguwar Rogo police station, Marina, Sokoto.

Dead victims of the Sokoto attacks included a hairdresser, a policeman, and the two suspected bombers.

 Ibrahim confirmed the attack on his office and the death of a policeman, a Corporal; and the suicide bomber. He said eight policemen and a civilian were injured as a result of the attack.

 The AIG said that five offices and other parts of the one-storey building, the gate, and some neighbouring houses were shattered. The official car of the police chief was also reportedly damaged.

 He was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying that the suicide bomber who attacked his office drove a Honda Accord car and forced his way into the premises after he was denied entry.

 Ibrahim said that only the dead suicide bomber was in the vehicle, adding that investigations would continue on the development.

He asked members of the public to provide security agencies with useful information to curb the trend.

Legislator mistakenly drops female panties on the floor of the House

Brazilian Parliament

A pair of panties has become the most popular female clothing item in Brazil at the moment.  No, not because it belongs to a celebrity, but because of where the item turned up.  The frilly, red and white pair of panties fell out of a Brazilian legislator's pocket onto the floor of Congress just as the legislators rushed to vote.

According to Brazilian newspaper O Globo, a group of federal deputies came running into Congress to vote on a bill related to cyber crimes. One of the legislators put his hands in his pockets near the main entrance of the plenary and, without realizing, let the incriminating evidence fall to the floor: a pair of panties, said to lean more toward the style of long johns.

When one of the security guards saw the panties, which were left in plain view of all politicians and journalists present, he tried to discretely remove them from everyone's line of vision, giving them a kick toward a garbage can. The security guard later informed Workers Party president Marco Maia's assistant of the development.

After being examined by security guards, assistants and journalists alike, two conclusions were drawn about the women's underwear. The first was that they had been used before the unfortunate discovery, and the second was that they certainly never belonged to a model. Upon the failure of anyone to lay claim to the panties, they were later incinerated.

 “I was in the coffee shop and two colleagues called me in to show me the panties,” said Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, a professional clown known as “Tiririca” who also has a seat in Congress.

 ”We have a suspicion as to who the owner is, but we're not going to turn him in,” said Tiririca.

Doctor in trouble for sleeping with patient in consulting room

A MARRIED doctor is in trouble with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) for having steamy sex sessions in his consulting rooms with a patient.  Dr Nndanduleni Tseisi has however defended himself, claiming the woman "forced" herself on him.

Nndanduleni Tseisi of Louis Trichardt in Limpopo is charged with "unprofessional conduct in that during the period 2007 to 2010 [he] had a love relationship and had a sexual relationship with a patient in [his] consulting room," read the charge sheet in part.

Former patient Ntombizodwa Ndou is the complainant.

Count two on the charge sheet relates to Tseisi issuing a fraudulent "sick note" to Ndou on March 11 2010 without examining her.

The doctor pleaded guilty to the charges before the professional conduct committee of the HPCSA and described how he ended up impregnating Ndou.

"This lady used to force me to do things with her. She used to threaten me.

"She would come into my consulting room uninvited and say, 'do this to me or I will not leave' or she would threaten to scream.

"Sometimes I would just hug and kiss her and say 'I will see you after hours'. She cost me a lot. I had to compromise many things while trying to protect myself, my patients and my family," Tseisi said.

"My first contact with her was in the consulting room but she was not a patient then. She was still consulting other doctors. She became a patient later."

Tseisi had earlier told the committee of five members, assisted by a legal assessor, that he met Ndou at his newly acquired practice which he took over from another doctor.

He described how the woman would demand money from him and claimed she would throw a tantrum when he did not oblige.

Tseisi said the woman fell pregnant and gave birth in 2009. The relationship ended in July 2010.

The doctor claimed that on one occasion he bumped into Ndou at a local supermarket while he was with his family.

Tseisi claimed he had to call police after Ndou poured baby powder milk over his head and blocked his way.

He also claimed that he had to get a protection order against Ndou after she followed him to his wife's workplace where she confronted her. He claims that Ndou told his wife to "leave my man alone".

After listening to Tseisi's story, committee chairman Kevin O'Brien said there were contradictions in the doctor's version of when his relationship with the complainant started.

Advocate Meshack Mapholisa, who represented Ndou in her absence, asked for a postponement so that she could personally tell the committee how and when the sexual escapades in the doctor's consulting room started and ended.

Sowetan reports that the matter was subsequently postponed to September 10.

Be naked, pastor tells couples

A Seventh-day Adventist minister is under investigation in South Africa for allegedly advising 17 couples to run around naked, and taking naked pictures of one of the couples, according to a Sapa report.

The Bloemfontein minister apparently dished out this advice during pre-marital counselling sessions.

He told the couples to run around naked in parks and streets in Bloemfontein.

But instead of adhering to his advice, the couples complained to the church.

However, one couple agreed to have naked pictures taken of them. The minister apparently kept copies of the pictures for his own pleasure, apparently.

The church declined to comment.

My worry is that the report did not state which verse of the Bible the minister of God used to buttress this admonition. “Blessed are the naked, for they shall be arrested for indecent exposure by the police...”? Perhaps, it’s the end time already.

Ogere remains chaotic

The Ogere end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway remains as chaotic as usual.

I passed there very early on Friday. No serious traffic because it was early. But tankers and lorries remained parked on either side of the road, slowing down the movement of vehicles, in defiance of the state and everyone else. I could imagine the chaos that would happen much later in the day when the stream of vehicles would have increased. True enough, those who arrived Ilesa later in the day told of the serious stress they were subjected to at that spot in the evening.

We will continue to remind Governor Ibikunle Amosun of his promise to succeed in this particular assignment where his predecessor failed.

A cleric's creativity

It's a little embarrassing not having the hymn book and not knowing the hymn in a church service. You are forced to adopt one of two approaches: play deaf and dumb or use Mr. Bean's approach of moving your mouth soundlessly and finding your voice when you get to the familiar chorus part. 

Some churches have responded to this small challenge by providing hymn books or booklets containing songs to be used in a programme that will involve visitors. The challenge remains getting the visitors to drop the said hymn books/booklets after the service for the benefit of other visitors in future. Churches usually inscribe 'Not to be Taken Away' boldly on such materials.

At a wake-keeping I attended in Ilesa on Friday, the church adopted the modern approach of distributing booklets containing relevant songs to non-members. To ensure recovery, 'Not to be Taken Away' was boldly written on the booklets. 

But the reverend introduced a creative touch to ensure 100 percent recovery rate. The man of God announced that the songs contained in the booklets were not used for happy events such as naming ceremonies, weddings, or house-warming. He told his audience the songs were all used for wake-keeping ceremonies and funerals, and as such should not stay overnight in the house of anyone. The only suitable place for such booklets to stay overnight was the House of God, from where they would surface in the home of the next person to meet the Lord. It was a nice spectacle seeing people rushing over each other to give back the booklets to ushers. Naija may be tough, but nobody wants to die! 

Man with world's largest penis sparks security scare at airport

A weapon of mass conception? Man with world's largest penis sparks security scare at airport after bulge is mistaken for 'suspect package,' reports the Mirror.

Jonah Falcon, 41, aroused suspicion when eagle-eyed guards from the Transport Security Administration at San Francisco International Airport spotted his bulging package.

The man with the world’s largest penis was subjected to a rigorous frisking by airport security staff amid fears he was trying to smuggle a weapon on board a flight.

The well endowed New Yorker was thoroughly searched and even had powder sprinkled on his pants to check for explosives after his “very noticeable” manhood was mistaken for a biological threat.

Mr Falcon told the Huffington Post: “I had my 'stuff' strapped to the left. I wasn't erect at the time.

"One of the guards asked if my pockets were empty and I said, 'Yes.' I said, ‘It’s my d***.

"He gave me a pat down but made sure to go around [my penis] with his hands.

“They even put some powder on my pants, probably a test for explosives. I found it amusing."

Mr Falcon is considered to have the world’s largest penis, although the Guinness Book of World Records does not record such achievements.

His manhood, which has even featured in a documentary, measures 9 inches limp and 13.5 inches when erect.

His huge crown jewels have made him a minor celebrity, as he has featured on numerous talk shows in the US and has been approached to do porn, but has never accepted.

Despite his interrogation, Mr Falcon managed to see the funny side, adding: “I’m just going to wear bike shorts from now on.”

Officials from the Transport Security Administration have not yet commented on the incident.

Cruel robbers rape woman and wiped her family out

The robbers

These three men forcefully entered a home in SA, killed a man and his wife and drowned their 12-year old son in hot water.  South Africa is reeling from the unbelievable level of callousness displayed by the three men, who have admitted to the heinous crimes.

Three men broke into the family's home in Walkerville, Johannesburg, where they assaulted and shot dead Tony Viana, 53, and brutally raped and killed his wife, Geraldine.

They then tied up and gagged the sobbing boy, Amaro, and pushed him into a bath of boiling hot water to drown him, 'because he would be able to identify them'.

According to Sowetan, the culprits are the family’s gardener, Patrick Petrus Radebe, 24, their domestic servant’s son, Sipho Mbele, 21, who pleaded guilty to three charges of murder and one charge of rape each, and David Motaung, 20, who pleaded guilty on Tuesday to robbery charges.

They then left the South African court and walked back their cells laughing, according to Beeld newspaper. The family dog was killed by having his stomach cut open.

The men’s lawyer told Vereeniging Regional Court that they had broken into the house to steal and to get revenge for the way they had been treated by 42-year-old Mrs Viana, their employer.

The court heard that Mr Viana arrived home at the house to be attacked with a golf club and a machete-like 'panga' and ordered to open the family's safe.

When clear-cut cases like this happen, one wonders what the point of a trial is. Since they have pleaded guilty, why can't they just be put down like animals that they are?

How Sun Editor was shot

Suspected dare-devil armed robbers, yesterday, shot the Daily Sun editor, Mr Steve Nwosu in Lagos.
LEADERSHIP learnt that Mr. Nwosu, who went to withdraw some money from a Zenith Bank Branch in Maza-maza, near FESTAC town, may have been trailed to the bank by the robbers. He was said to have made the withdrawal and was about leaving the banking hall when the robbers confronted him.
The robbers were said to have aimed and shot at his head but narrowly missed their target as the bullet was said to have brushed through the side of his head near his eyes. The robbers made away with the money he withdrew from the bank.
Nwosu was said to have been rushed to the hospital where he is responding to treatment.
When LEADERSHIP contacted the spokesperson of the Lagos State police command, Ngozi Braide, she confirmed the incident and said that the police were already investigating it.
                                                                                      Leadership

Colonel to pay N25,000 fine for BRT violation

The army officer caught with his hand inside the sweet jar (so to speak) by Gov. Fashola will not go scot free afterall.   

Colonel K.I Yusuf and Staff Sergeant Adeomi, who were accosted by Governor Babatunde Fashola for taking the designated Bus Rapid Transit lane on July 17, 2012, will pay the mandatory fine of N25, 000 for taking the BRT lane.

The General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, disclosed this to journalists. Minimah said at a press briefing that the Nigerian Army was not above the law.

 “They passed the BRT lane and it’s a traffic offence and they’ll pay the fine. The fact that he has apologised to the governor does not mean that he won’t face the law. He will pay the fine,” he said.

The GOC seized the opportunity to warn all army personnel to obey the laws of the state and avoid taking the BTR lane.

“The law was made for Lagosians and we are part of Lagos and the Nigerian Army and the military as a whole are law-abiding and enforcers of the laws, not outlaws. We’ll conform to the laws and obey the law and also aid civil authority in enforcing the laws and we’ll continue to help the state government in this regard.”

 Way to go, GOC!

Traffic gridlock grips London 48 hours to Games

As Olympic planners prepared for Friday's opening ceremony, 'Games Lanes' came into force across London, causing inevitable traffic chaos on already busy road networks, as well as delays on the London Underground as those trying to escape queues opted for public transport.

There were also reports of traffic queues going back 32 miles on the M4, as the opening of the Games Lane coincided with an accident near Reading.

Aside from the occasional errant motorist, the majority of road users decided not to risk a fine in the Games Lanes, sitting instead in gridlocked traffic

There were also hold-ups for motorists on the A12 at the Lea Interchange in east London and at the A13 Canning Town Flyover.

The A40 around Ealing and at Westway in west London was also congested, while Grosvenor Place in Victoria in central London and the Hyde Park Corner Junction were also busy.

Other areas of London where there were rush-hour jams included Tower Bridge and Baker Street.

On the Tube, there were severe rush-hour delays today on three Underground lines, two days before the start of the Olympics.

One of the affected lines was the Metropolitan which will carry thousands of people to Wembley Stadium for Olympic football matches.

The Cabinet minister responsible, Jeremy Hunt, admitted: ‘The next 48 hours are absolutely critical.’

But despite pleas by the Prime Minister for ministers not to use the lanes he also did not rule out taking advantage of them himself – though only when on official business and for ‘operational and security’ reasons, he insisted: ‘It might happen from time to time.’

Culture, Media, Sport and Olympics Secretary Mr Hunt denied this was a ‘cop-out’ and stressed that if going to the Games purely for the ‘enjoyment’ of watching the sport he would use public transport like everyone else.

Speaking on BBC News 24, Transport Secretary Justine Greening said it was not surprising there had been some disruption to traffic on the day the lanes became operational.

'There will be a lot of disruption and London is a congested city anyway.'

The AA said the Games Lanes will make traffic in London 'pretty hectic', adding that the best way for motorists to keep ahead of delays is to watch temporary signs which show when the lanes are live and inactive.

Motorists will be told which roads have active Games Lanes through 150 temporary signs placed around the capital.

Londoners and road users took to Twitter this morning to describe the condition of the roads as the Games Lanes opened.

One user, James Shrager, said: 'The #gameslane on the m4 is an embarrassing joke. There isn't one on the elevated section and it's a car park. Poor athletes.'

The lanes have been nicknamed ‘Zil lanes’ after the limousines used to ferry communist leaders in specially reserved lanes from the Kremlin during the Soviet era in Russia.

One of the most notorious symbols of Whitehall’s  war on the motorist - the controversial M4 Bus lane – sprang back to life a week ago as the first ‘Games Lane’ ferrying VIPs from Heathrow Airport to the Olympic village and the capital’s top hotels.

A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘Ministers will be using public transport to get to the Games wherever possible, unless particular operational or security reasons mean that cars are required.

A spokesman added ‘If ministers are accompanying foreign dignitaries – for example to help firm up trade – then they will be allowed to use the lanes.

‘But if they are going as a fan to support Team GB at the volleyball or a running late for a meeting, then they should not.’

David Cameron has said: ‘I will be using public transport and that is how I recommend [everyone] should travel,’ he said. ‘I now use the Tube, I drive my protection team mad in London by saying why on earth are we in the car, the Tube is quicker.’

However, Number 10 said there would be times when operational reasons meant he too would use the lanes.

The full 109-mile Olympic Road Network, including the controversial reserved 30 miles of ‘Games Lanes’  went live from 6am on Wednesday ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, with drivers straying into them or stopping along the route  facing £130 fixed penalty fines.

Any illegally parked vehicles will be removed to a vehicle pound and may incur a release fee of £200

The phasing of more than 1,300 sets of traffic lights has been changed to give priority to Olympic vehicles.

-Dailymail

Michael Jackson’s children, siblings in violent clash

Jackson at a press conference at the O2 Arena, Grenwich shortly before his death

Police were called to break up a fight between security staff and family members who had turned up at the children’s home, reported Mirror, UK.

The feud tearing apart Michael Jackson’s family descended into violence this week as his siblings were accused of “ambushing” the late singer’s children.

In the latest drama, police were called to break up a fight between security staff and family members who had turned up at the children’s home.

According to reports, Jacko’s son Prince Michael, 15, was responsible for ordering guards to fend off his uncles, Jermaine and Randy, and aunt, Janet.

Jermaine and Janet were pictured arguing outside the property.

Prince, his sister Paris, 14, and his brother Blanket, 10, have been living in the house in Los Angeles without their legal guardian, Jacko’s mother Katherine, 82, since she “went missing” nine days ago.

A lawyer acting for Katherine said in a statement that Janet, Jermaine and Randy Jackson had confronted Michael’s children on Monday.

She said the children had at one stage been forced to leave the family home for their own safety.

The statement said: “Certain Jackson family members ambushed Katherine Jackson’s home.

They ran up to Michael’s children as they yelled and began to aggressively grab at the cell phones in their hands.

"Out of concern for the wellbeing of Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson, the children were forced to temporarily leave their home and were taken to a safe location. An altercation ensued shortly thereafter and law enforcement arrived at the scene.”

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of the fight.

Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department, said a report was taken but no arrests were made.

He said: “Deputies determined that a physical altercation had occurred, a battery.”

The statement from Katherine’s lawyers added: “Following the incident, it was learned that one of the family members who was part of the ambush admitted a plan has been in place for the last three years to remove Katherine Jackson from her home and her beloved grandchildren.”

The fight came days after the Jackson children reported their grandmother missing. But Jermaine Jackson, 57, has since claimed his mother is safe in Arizona.

He and Randy, 56, insist she is resting on doctor’s orders due to stress.

A family source said: “This situation is getting darker by the hour.”

Meanwhile, the family are reported to be at war over the $1billion (£638million) fortune left by Michael, who died in 2009.

The latest drama comes just days after Michael’s sisters Rebbie and Janet and brothers Jermaine, Randy and Tito wrote a letter to the executors of the his estate claiming they have been taking advantage of their elderly mother and defrauding them of what is rightfully theirs.

In another move, the executors are expected to go to court to support a bid for a temporary guardian for Michael’s children.

Flying Car Makes Successful Maiden Flight

The concept of a vehicle that can take to the air and then return to the road is becoming real, as one of such vehicles has just had a maiden flight. The Dutch company PAL-V Europe NV successfully concluded test flights of its flying car, PAL-V (Personal Air and Land Vehicle).

During the past two weeks, several test flights were conducted at the Gilze Rijen Airport (The Netherlands). The patented vehicle flies in the air like a gyrocopter with lift generated by an auto-rotating rotor and forward speed produced by a foldable push propeller on the back. On the road it drives like a sports car. No new infrastructure is required because it uses existing roads and airstrips.

A team of top engineers has been working on the first prototypes since finalization of the design concept in 2008. Renowned institutes such as the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory and Delft University have also been involved in the development. The driving prototype was fully tested in 2009 and now the flying-driving prototype has made its first flights. The PAL-V complies with existing regulations in all major markets, which means that the vehicle is allowed both in road traffic and in the air.
Robert Dingemanse, CEO and co-founder of PAL-V commented: "We are very proud to announce this successful maiden flight of the PAL-V and we now invite investors to create the future with us. We know there is a lot of interest for the PAL-V. Prior to announcing these test flights, we were already approached on a daily basis by potential customers and dealers wanting to be part of this exciting project."
Door-to-Door Mobility
A PAL-V offers the choice of flying like a plane or driving like a car. This means fast door-to-door mobility for private individuals as well as professionals and organizations. The flying range will be between 350 (220 miles) and 500 km (315 miles), depending on the type, pay load and wind conditions. Driving, a PAL-V will have a range of about 1200 km (750 miles). It runs on gasoline like a conventional car and there will also be versions that use biodiesel or bio-ethanol. It can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h (110 miles/h) both on land and in the air.
On the ground the slim, aerodynamic, 3-wheeled vehicle combines the comfort of a car with the agility of a motorcycle thanks to its patented, cutting-edge, ‘tilting’ system. Driving, a PAL-V accelerates like a sports car and drives through curves like a motorcycle.
Flying, a PAL-V is like a standard gyrocopter. It is quieter than helicopters due to the slower rotation of the main rotor. It takes off and lands with low speed, cannot stall, and is very easy to control. This makes a PAL-V one of the safest types of aircraft. Obtaining a licence requires only 20 to 30 hours of training.
Thanks to its very short take off and landing capability, it is possible to land a PAL-V practically anywhere. For take-off, a strip of 165 meters (540 feet) is enough and it can be either paved or grass.
Governments are already preparing for increasing traffic with Personal Air Vehicles like the PAL-V. In the United States and in Europe government-funded development programs are determining the infrastructure of ‘digital freeways’ to provide a safe corridor using GPS technology. The technology is available today to allow personal air traffic to grow safely. PAL-V Europe N.V. is determined to play a leading role in this market.

Ghana turns back Nigerians over yellow fever

Nigerian travellers going to Ghana are advised to keep N2000 extra handy to pay to Ghanaian immigration officials for compulsory yellow fever inoculation or they risk being turned back.

Some Nigerian travellers to Accra told The Guardian that they were recently subjected to inhuman treatment at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, over yellow fever vaccination.

The Guardian learnt that all the yellow fever cards from Nigeria were presumed fake and international passports of such Nigerians seized and the Ghanaian immigration officials insisting that the affected persons get Ghana’s yellow fever cards at the cost of N2,000 before their  documents  could be released to them.

According to one of the affected Nigerians, “on June 29, 2012, there were two last flights by Aero and Arik that landed almost simultaneously at about 6.10 p.m. Nigerian time. Immediately, the health officials mounted an unconventional roadblock on the way to the immigration points. Every vaccination card issued in Nigeria was presumed fake. We were all asked to move to a side after all our international passports have been seized.

“New vaccination cards were issued to us after injecting us with the vaccine and a fee of N2, 000 charged for that which was paid in Nigerian currency. Charging for this in naira is curious. A pregnant woman was issued only with a card when she told them she is pregnant but after parting with N2, 000,” he added.

He said attention was not paid to new international arrivals consisting of whites and blacks on board, stressing that on inquiry, “the health officials claimed ignorance of such arrivals, disclosing that they were only after Nigerians.

“We were held for hours that day. To confirm extortion of money from Nigerians, why should they collect money from a pregnant woman who was not jabbed an injection? Why should we be paying in Naira and why should every yellow fever card issued in Nigeria be presumed fake? Do the health officials of foreign countries have the powers to seize the passports of travellers/visitors to their countries? he queried.

Secret of the popularity of the Olympics (Lol)

The 2012 summer Olympic Games start next Friday. Millions of enthusiasts are going to have a time of their life in London. Organisers announced a sales target of a whopping 6.6 million tickets, almost entirely allocated. To give you some perspective, the entire population of Denmark is about 5.5 million. Yet a million enthusiasts are grumbling about being shut out of first-hand tickets for the great games.

It would interest you to know that this great event has not always generated this much interest. Indeed, very early editions left organisers scratching their bald heads about why the galleries were bare.

Well, I’ve been doing some research on the transition from a period of poorly attended Olympics to an era of sold-out Olympic Games. My theory is that the organisers, after agonising over poor attendance for long, hit upon a bright idea that has continued to work like magic.  Follow the transition in pictures....

1908 London Olympics: Ladies Archery

Check out the full regalia of the ladies. Note how their ankles disappeared completely under the Cinderella skirt. Do note also that the only audience here seemed to be the couple of boys recovering the arrows for the ladies...

 1908 London Olympics: Gymnastics

Danish team getting set for action. Research is still ongoing to determine if the bottom part of this team’s attire was meant to be a skirt, a pair of shorts or full trousers. Please, note, as well, how the stockings took off from where the shorts ended.

  1908 London Olympics: Gymnastics

In action. A Danish gymnast performing on a gymnastic pommel horse at the 1908 London Olympics.  Save for a couple hiding behind the railings (probably seizing the occasion of a deserted sporting event to smooch), this athlete was performing strictly for self, the judges and the camera man.

1948 London Olympics: Track and Field 

Female competitors in one of the heats in the 80-Metres Hurdles at the London Olympics, Wembley Stadium, London, 3rd August 1948. Track and field was one of the few crowd pullers. Even then, there were still many empty seats.

  

Then, the Turnaround

A few decades ago, the organisers of the games hit upon a bright idea and thereupon started tweaking the wear of the athletes, especially the female artistes, with amazing results and incredible audience numbers. They have continued to tweak and tweak until....

Gymnastics



Gymnast Nastia Liukin at the London 2012 Olympics trials. (She didn’t make the cut for the US, by the way.)



 

Alluring gymnast Aly Raisman, in her form-fitting wear, doing her thing. (She was beaten to a spot, too.) 



Track and Field:



Basic Essentials: Sensational German sprinter Sina Schielke, 100-meter dash queen.

And of course, Beach Volleyball

See the expressions on the faces of a majority of these boys. Just watching these girls, I mean, this game, these boys are dead and gone to heaven!

 

Are you still wondering why some of the largest ticket sales are made in Beach Volleyball?

I lay no claim to being infallible. But this theory of mine has been subjected to rigorous scrutiny. Now, if you have a different theory as to how the audience numbers have ballooned over the years, I would love to hear it. :-)  

Balotelli pays highest bill ever in a bar!

Balotelli with friends at the bar

Super Mario's limbering up for the new season by hanging around with Dean Gaffney and having it large in nightspot owned by Gary Lineker's brother

Mario Balotelli racked up a venue’s biggest ever bar bill as he partied at an exclusive club in the party capital of the world.... Ibiza

The enigmatic Manchester City and Italy striker shelled out a record-breaking amount of cash during a day and night session at the Ocean Beach Club.

The new venue, which is owned by Gary Lineker’s brother Wayne, has hosted a string of big-spending soccer stars this summer including Joe Hart, Andy Carroll, Micheal Carrick and Danny Welbeck, but partyloving Mario outdid them all in the spending stakes which ran into thousands of pounds.

Stunned Wayne, who owns a string of nightspots across Europe tweeted: “Wicked night last night in @LinekersIbiza with Mario Barotelli. His bill was the biggest anyone has ever had in 25 years in any Linekers.

“Balotelli has just texted and said @LinekersIbiza was crazy place. Ha.”

The 21-year-old hitman hired the most exclusive table at the swanky venue - which has a minimum spend of 5,000 Euros.

Balotelli booked the ‘Owner’s Bed’ which is described as the ultimate VIP experience and the most exclusive VIP bed in the venue which caters for up to 20 guests.

Wayne added in a full-on Twitter spew: “Mario Balotelli has booked the owners bed today @oceanbeachibiza.he’s on route now. Let’s see if he can party!!

“Just spoke to Mario Balotelli in @OceanBeachIbiza and OMG he has never heard of @GaryLineker WTF I said are you joking me !! £hesnotblonde

“Me and Mario Balotelli at @OceanBeachIbiza today. All I will say is mmm. £interestingguy

“OMG Mario balotelli is on the back benches getting his groove on in @linekersibiza £awesome.”

Balotelli, 21, and former Eastenders actor Dean Gaffney, 34, hit it off a treat during a boozy night out on the party island of Ibiza.

Sharing a £600 magnum of premium vodka, the odd couple chatted at length – both in slightly broken English – in the VIP area of Ocean Beach Club.

Flirting with, and staring at, an array of beautiful women, they talked football before moving on to nearby Lineker’s bar.

Despite expecting his first child with former lover Raffaella Fico, the Manchester City striker showed off his new flame, a blonde known only as Amber on Saturday night, reported Mirror.