A cowboy, a one-eyed boxer and a parachuting priest…. meet the original SAS who struck terror into Nazi troops

THEY were some of the bravest, toughest soldiers of World War Two, trained killers who struck terror into Nazi troops in North Africa.

But they were also wildly unconventional pirates in a private army — oddballs who didn’t fit into the traditional ranks.They included a former cowboy, a one-eyed boxer, a parachuting priest and a rugby international.

Some were natural warriors, nerveless and calm. Some were surprisingly gentle. Many were eccentric. And a few were close to being psychotic.

These were the real SAS, the men who founded Britain’s most famous fighting force, in North Africa in 1941, and went on to fight behind the lines in Italy, Nazi-occupied France and Germany.read more

flaviu -lynx update -25-09-2016

flaviu the famous carpathian lynx is now back on public display and to get a new mate in next few months.

the white throne.

no not a new episode of television show game of thrones or a new fantasy film but the most used seat in everyone's house the humble toilet seat.the toilet seat is one we all use and i personally whilst awaiting for my body to perform its nature function and too think about the day and how to slow down and go with it ,some read a book ,do the crossword or read newspaper or even listen to music .i wonder what you do my loyal reader ,so please make your surroundings nice and comfortable next time on your white throne.

texas old reptile.

dug up in texas ,u.s.a a reptile that lived 230 million years ago before dinosaurs.

Flat-faced dog’s fight for life left me ‘a mess,’ says Ulrika Jonsson, as she supports vets’ health warning

THEIR cute scrunched-up faces have made them some of our favourite dogs.

But would-be owners are being urged by vets to steer clear of “flat-faced” breeds such as pugs, bulldogs and shih tzus, as the extremes of selective breeding have left them prone to health problems from breathing difficulties to eye ulcers.

Former British Veterinary Association president Robin Hargreaves says: “Their nasal passages are so thin that it’s like breathing through a straw.”ANYONE who tells you a dog is “just a dog” hasn’t experienced a pet’s unconditional love.

My two bulldogs — Nessie, five, and three-year-old Dexter — are my companions and both came from reputable, responsible breeders.

They are my best friends, my ­children and a bigger part of my life than I can respectfully concede.

But all that nearly changed three months ago when Dexter fell ill.read more

Ancient buttons reveal new theory on beach skeletons

Historians have shed new light on four skeletons found buried near a beach – by studying their buttons.

They believe the four men, found in the 1990s buried near Croyde, North Devon, probably drowned in a shipwreck. But clues from the skeletons and their buttons suggest they were probably not seamen but wealthy passengers or merchantmen.

The new information about the skeletons has just been published by the Devon Archaeological Society.

A report by Tim Gent, of Exeter Archaeology, says the burials were discovered between 1996 and 1998 at Saunton Down End.

Two of the skeletons were found with finely decorated pewter buttons. This suggests they would have benefited from relatively elevated positions in life, says the report.

Bone buttons found with the two other skeletons suggest they were somewhat lower on the social scale.

Charlotte Coles, from Exeter Archaeology, studied three of the skeletons and concluded that two of the men were aged between 35 and 40 years when they died. The third, the tallest man at 6ft, was aged 25-30.

She said in the report: "If these were naval seamen, or men who spent a great deal of time at sea, more severe trauma or illness might be expected, with falls, breaks and infection being very common among sailors."READ MORE AND SEE AT BARNSTAPLE MUSEUM ENGLAND

Feelings of loneliness appear to be partially down to your genes

New research suggests that it's not just the social situation you're in, but also the genes you're born with that affect your likelihood of feeling lonely.

While environmental factors definitely play a bigger role, a new study of more than 10,000 people has shown that loneliness can be partly hereditary too.

As loneliness feeds into all kinds of physical and mental health problems, and is a significant factor in early deaths, scientists are keen to understand more about where it comes from so that we can get better at preventing it.

Specifically, the team was interested in understanding if there could be a genetic risk factor for loneliness.

"We want to know why, genetically speaking, one person is more likely than another to feel lonely, even in the same situation," said lead researcher, psychiatrist Abraham Palmer, from the University of California, San Diego.

"For two people with the same number of close friends and family, one might see their social structure as adequate while the other doesn't," he added. "And that's what we mean by 'genetic predisposition to loneliness'."

The researchers pored through a longitudinal health study in the US of 10,760 people aged 50 and older to try and spot links between genetics and loneliness.read more