Monthly Archives: December 2014

World’s ‘worst Christmas tree’ finds a new home

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A Christmas tree described as the worst in Britain has found a new home after it was ridiculed at Christmas 2013 by residents of Stockton, the town where it was erected.

The 20-foot tree was described as a ‘dunce’s hat, an ice cream cone and an embarrassment’ along with other choice phrases when it was put up in Stockton town centre by Stockton Council last year.

The tree – which was made of white fabric and cones with illuminated snowflakes – became known as the worst tree in the country and residents clamoured for it to be taken down. However, this year it has found a new home in a nearby town.

Judith Haysmore, chief executive of the Daisy Chain autism charity, was offered the tree by Stockton Council and gladly accepted. It now sits outside a charity building in nearby Norton.

“I know not many people seemed to like it,” said Ms Haysmore to Sky News. “But when Stockton Council offered it to us we were happy to take it in and give it a home.”

A council spokesman added: “Surely there must be a place in our hearts at this time of year for the lost, the lonely and the outcast … including Christmas trees.”

If you’re going to get punched in the face, at least look pretty while you’re at it…

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Amir Khan has announced that he will be wearing the “most expensive shorts” in the history of boxing for his welterweight clash with Devon Alexander on Sunday.

The pair are meeting at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and England’s Khan, 28, has revealed that he will be wearing shorts that are worth around £30,000. The trunks will be made of white nappa leather, silk and have a waist band made of 24-carat gold thread.

The sound divine!

The flashy fighter will be taking on American boxer Alexander, with the winner purportedly going to fight against Floyd Mayweather in 2015.

To reclaim some masculinity for the well-dressed boxer, check out some of his greatest hits below…

Frank and Louie, the world’s oldest two-faced cat, dies

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How could you say no to a face… faces like that?!

One loveable feline managed to give a whole new meaning to the term ‘two-faced’ during his lifetime. 

The oldest two-faced cat in the world, named Frank and Louie, has died aged 15. He lived in Massachusetts with his owner Marty Stevens. 

Frank and Louie had two mouths, two noses and three eyes, but only one brain, which meant that both of his faces responded in unison. He was honoured in the 2012 edition of Guinness World Records as the longest-surviving ‘Janus cat’ in the world – so called after a Roman god with two faces.

The vast majority of Janus cats do not survive more than a few days, and many have a litany of other congenital defects. Careful nursing from Ms Stevens, from 1999 when she first took in the cat, until his death this year, saw him survive far longer than expected.

“I tube-fed him until he was three months old because I was afraid he wouldn’t be able to eat,” she told The Telegram of Worcester.

Ms Stevens also said that she would love to care for another Janus cat in the future: “I would love to do it again.”

Priest warns teens against using Ouija boards this Christmas

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Image: Dave Winer

Image: Dave Winer

A Catholic priest has warned people not to play with Ouija boards over the Christmas period in case they accidentally allow evil spirits into their home.

The Dublin-based man of the cloth spoke anonymously to the Irish Independent about the boards, which are believed by many to be a way of contacting the dead, saying: “It’s easy to open up evil spirits but it’s very hard to get rid of them.

“People, especially young people and teenagers who are likely to experiment with Ouija boards on a whim, can be very naive in thinking that they are only contacting the departed souls of loved-ones when they attempt to communicate with the dead using the boards. “It’s like going to some parts of Africa and saying I’m personally immune to Ebola, but it does leave people open to all kinds of spiritual dangers.”

The most famous film based around the idea of exorcism, The Exorcist, is due to be released again this Christmas in an updated format. It follows the release of the popular film, Ouija, starring Olivia Cooke.

Darren Ansell from the Paranormal Study and Investigation team agreed that Ouija boards were not a good idea for a festive game, saying: “[I] wouldn’t touch an Ouija board with a barge pole. I’ve had too many scares over the years.”