XIAM007

Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World

Monday 3 March 2014

North Korea puts Yorkshire Terriers in zoo -

North Korea puts Yorkshire Terriers in zoo - 



A zoo in North Korea has reportedly welcomed its newest animal attraction -- a pack of Yorkshire Terriers.

The miniature dogs have been introduced to Central Zoo in the capital Pyongyang, according to state media.

Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said the dogs are now learning "several feats," although it did not elaborate on the type of tricks they might perform.

North Koreans not familiar with "Yorkies," which were bred in Yorkshire to catch rats and mice by scuttling around clothing mills, were given a helpful guide to the pint-sized pet.

"Each one has long hair -- tan on its head and legs and blue grey on its body," KCNA reported.

"It is 22-24cm tall and weighs 2.5-3.5kg. It lives about 14 years on an average."

A picture released by KCNA appeared to show three Yorkshire Terriers in seemingly good condition.

Read more - 
http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/03/03/north-korea-puts-yorkshire-terriers-in-zoo/?intcmp=latestnews

Pope drops F-bomb during Vatican blessing -

Pope drops F-bomb during Vatican blessing - 



Pope Francis may need to go to confession after inadvertently blurting out an Italian F-bomb during his weekly blessing from the Vatican.
“If each one of us does not amass riches only for oneself, but half for the service of others, in this f–k [pause], in this case the providence of God will become visible through this gesture of solidarity,” Francis said to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Italian media reported.
His Holiness meant to use the Italian word for “example,” which is “caso.”
Instead, he used the word “cazzo,” which Italians use as a synonym for the four-letter obscenity.
The papal slip-up immediately went viral on Italian websites and quickly made its way to YouTube.
But the 77-year-old pontiff kept his cool, and his defenders took to the Internet to say it was a common mistake for native Spanish speakers when they talk in Italian.
Others said the literal translation of the word is a synonym for the male organ — but that it is also commonly used as the F-word.
A Vatican spokesman had no comment on the foul-up.

Read more - 
http://nypost.com/2014/03/03/pope-drops-f-bomb-during-vatican-blessing/

GM Channel Stuffing Rises To All Time High -

GM Channel Stuffing Rises To All Time High - 



Moments ago GM reported that February total sales in February dropped 1% Y/Y to 222,2014, beating expectations of a 7.7% drop (if the same beat was not matched by GM's key competitor Ford, whose February sales dropped 6.1%, below the 5.3% expected, and Volkswagen whose US sales tumbled 13.8%). The bounce was largely thanks to Buick sales which posted an 18.8% increase in February. However, the actual sales were largely irrelevant. What was notable is the following number: 805,769. This is the number of units in dealer inventory at month end. This was an increase from the 780,140 in January and is the largest ever channel stuffing print yet recorded by the post-bankruptcy GM in history.

Good luck liquidating all that pent up inventory without major incentives and margin crushing price reductions for the everyone in the distribution chain.

Read more - 
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-03/gm-channel-stuffing-rises-all-time-high