Believe it or not !

Rugby player has stroke… wakes up gay and becomes hairdresser

When 19-stone rugby player Chris Birch suffered a stroke during a freak training accident, his family feared it would be a life-changing injury.


Yet while his recovery certainly brought about a transformation, it seems to have been in a way no one could have expected.


For when he regained consciousness, the 26-year-old – who was engaged to his girlfriend – claimed he had become gay.

I don't know what to make of this but click below to...

READ THE WHOLE STORY ...

... just tax the STUPID people !!!

... A favourite quote from my favourite episode of Absolutely Fabulous! ~ video below ~

I was one of the first people I know to ever object to stupid people walking down the sidewalk while texting, obviously oblivious to their surroundings and the people in them.

I jumped for joy when Ontario first banned the use of cellphones while driving - although just yesterday I saw a driver on Bank St. with a phone to his ear.

Never did I dare dream that reason would eventually triumph over stupidity.

Come on cellphone users, no matter what you think, you CANNOT walk, talk, drive, or even listen when you are using your phone! WAKE UP!

Or maybe we should just let the stupid people kill themselves off by walking into traffic.

Below is a link to an audio clip from CBC Radio:

CBC News - World - AUDIO: States mull texting bans while walking

Homophobia and Hockey

Brendan Burke's legacy lives on

CBC's Fifth Estate recently did a documentary on The Legacy of Brendan Burke.

Brendan Burke [ wikipedia ] was a remarkable young man. Growing up in a hockey family, with a sports icon as a father [ Brian Burke - Pres./Gen.Mgr. of The Toronto Maple Leafs ], he was probably destined to make his mark in hockey.

And he did, but in a way few could have predicted. He decided to tell the world he was gay — a courageous move in a sport where no player, current or former, has ever come out.
Brendan Burke's life was tragically cut short, but his legacy lives on.

Click on the link to watch the full 45-minute documentary about Brendan and how his example is changing the world.

Keep your EARS on the road!

An Ontario law came into effect Monday making it illegal for drivers to use hand-held cellphones, BlackBerrys and other electronic devices while behind the wheel.

Drivers are forbidden to use hand-held devices to talk, text or email while behind the wheel, or to use portable video games or DVD players.

The only exception to the ban is a 911 call.

[NOTE: Today, 2 days after the ban went into effect, I saw 2 morons driving and talking!!! Knock it off, BOZOs!]

It's about time!

Ontario passes law to ban hand-held devices while driving

A new law that bans using hand-held devices to talk, email, or send text messages while behind the wheel has been passed by the Ontario legislature.

The new rules, which don't come into effect immediately, include a fine of up to $500 as the province joins other jurisdictions in cracking down on drivers using the devices.

The law doesn't affect the use of hands-free devices such as Bluetooths or using cellphones for 911 calls, but it does include portable video games, MP3 players and DVD players.

Global positioning systems will be allowed, as long as they're properly secured to the dashboard.

There are no demerit points attached to the bill, unlike in other provinces. But drivers who place others at risk by using one of the banned devices can also be charged under existing careless driving laws.

Ontario is the fourth province to enact such a ban, following Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

I am your Navigator, Trust Me

The phrase "You have reached your final destination" almost took on a whole new meaning for one British driver on Sunday when the soothing robot voice of his car's GPS became a siren's call luring him toward his doom.

Robert Jones said he trusted the Navigation gadget and continued to follow its instructions, even when it took him up a steep, narrow footpath.

He only realised something was wrong when his car hit a fence and came to a stop just inches from a 100ft drop.

Excuse me, my cod is ringing!

A BUSINESSMAN who lost his mobile phone on a beach was amazed when it turned up — in the belly of a massive cod.

Andrew Cheatle thought his Nokia handset had been lost at sea after it slipped from his pocket.

But a week later his girlfriend’s mobile rang and it was fisherman Glen Kerley saying he’d found the phone in a 25lb fish.

Even afterward, there is something you can do.

IMAGE: Mexican campaign against discrimination toward HIV carriers
http://blog.uncovering.org/en/archives/2007/03/against_the_discrimination_of_hiv_carriers.html

Following from the previous item about PRE-exposure drugs, here is a discussion of a treatment that is already available to people who might have just been exposed to HIV.

Gay men may not be accessing HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in situations when its use would be warranted, a study published in the online edition of Sexually Transmitted Infections suggests.

Investigators in Brighton conducted interviews with 15 gay men who were currently taking, or had recently completed, a course of post-exposure prophylaxis after unprotected anal intercourse. They found that prior to accessing this treatment, the men generally had a poor understanding of what post-exposure prophylaxis involved.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (a short course of treatment with antiretroviral drugs after possible exposure to HIV) is becoming increasing available for individuals reporting sexual risk behaviour. The number of gay men presenting for such treatment has increased following targeted advertising campaigns and the publication of professional guidelines.

There is robust evidence that post-exposure prophylaxis can prevent infection with HIV. But there have been reports of HIV infection despite its use following possible sexual exposure to the virus. In many instances these infections can be attributed to ongoing sexual risk behaviour.

The diary that fell to earth

Pages from a diary that mysteriously floated down to earth went on display at a museum in Israel on Sunday.

The diary holds the words of Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut, who was killed along with six other astronauts when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entering the atmosphere in February 2003.

The book survived temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees Celsius as Columbia tore apart while it re-entering earth's atmosphere

The 37 pages found fell 60 kilometres to the ground, landing in Palestine, Tex., named after the biblical region of Palestine.

Traffic Cop: Have you been sending text messages, Sir?

Motorists who send text messages while driving are "significantly more impaired" than those who drive drunk, even at the minimum legal limit for alcohol, according to a British study.

The study showed that drivers' reaction times deteriorated by 35 per cent and they saw a 91 per cent decrease in steering ability.

"When texting, drivers are distracted by taking their hand off the wheel to use their phone, by trying to read small text on the phone display, and by thinking about how to write their message," said Reed.

SEE MAP of places that restrict the use of cellphones while driving

Doctors : Curb cellphone to avoid collisions

Ontario's doctors are the latest to weigh in on the risks of chatting on a cellphone while driving, saying it significantly increases the chance of an accident.

Mobile-phone use affects a driver's cognitive function, visual concentration, speed of information processing and reaction time, the Ontario Medical Association said Sunday.

'There have been studies that show when cellphones are banned, that accident rates decrease.'— OMA president Dr. Ken Arnold

The group compiled studies from around the world pointing to the dangers in a bid to get action from the Ontario government.

Air Canada Jazz removes life vests to lighten planes

It's hard to imagine myself swimming 50 nautical miles with only a seat cushion to keep me afloat. I think I would prefer it if they got rid of the seat cushions and kept the life jackets!

TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- An official with Air Canada's regional carrier Jazz says the airline is removing life vests from all its planes to save weight and fuel.

Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stuart said Thursday that Transport Canada regulations allow airlines to use flotation devices instead of life vests, provided the planes remain within 50 miles of shore.

Now everyone will want to get rear-ended by George Clooney!

47-year-old dreamboat George Clooney certainly can't be said to neglect those who he rams into from behind ... with his black sedan.

When the woman whose car he hit in Italy went to collect it from the repair garage she found a brand new model and a note of apology on the windscreen.

Could we love George any more?