SeaWorld trainer yelled ‘my neck is broken’ after being body slammed by most dangerous orca

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Monica Pop
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Joanne Webber, 26 at the time, had been working with orcas for five years when an incident that left her with a broken neck took place in 1987. While she was in the tank, the 6,000-pound mammal landed on top of her, pushing her to the bottom of the pool.

The orca in question, Kandu V, had been involved in several incidents prior to the one Webber was hurt in.

John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer who appeared in the 2013 documentary Blackfish, told The Sun Online that although he wasn’t working at the park at the time, he heard about the incident afterwards and said Webber was left in “excruciating pain.”

He added that the trainer was heard yelling, “I think my neck is broken” as she made several attempts to escape out of the pool and save herself.

SeaWorld

According to The Los Angeles Times, during the practice session Kandu V leapt into the air before landing on Webber with its full force, “fracturing her neck and thrusting her underwater to the bottom of a 40-foot-deep pool.”

Later, Webber sued SeaWorld in a case that was settled out of court for a sum unknown.

Ever since this incident, SeaWorld forbade trainers from swimming with the massive mammals. The park also added at the time that their orcas are not aggressive and receive world-class care by a number of specialist who practice “positive reinforcement.”

inherentlywild / Orcaholic

As per Webber’s lawsuit filed at San Diego Superior Court in June 1988, she was told the mammals were “gentle” and “safe” thus she made the decision to be inside the pool with them. The suit further claimed that staff members worsened her condition because they delayed her medical treatment by urging her to remove her wetsuit at the park so it wouldn’t be damaged by medical personnel.

Webber alleged park workers “well knew that killer whales had a dangerous propensity for attacking, ramming, dragging and smashing persons located in the pool,” but didn’t tell her. She claimed Kandu V often exhibited “extreme characteristics of aggression when frustrated. She does occasionally bite and aggressively rake other whales.”

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This wasn’t the first reported cases of the same mammal attacking a person. Months prior, former SeaWorld trainer Jonathan Smith was also attacked by Kandu V, but this time another orca, Kenau, joined in. In the three minutes that the attack lasted, Smith suffered serious injuries, including bruised kidneys and ribs as well as a cut on his liver. He spent nine days at the hospital. Just like in Webber’s case, Smith’s lawsuit was settled out of court.

Despite the two attacks, Kandu V continued performing for SeaWorld until her life ended in a horrific manner on August 21, 1989.

While Kandu V’s daughter Orkid performed a show with another female orca, Orkid, Kandu V, which was in a side back pool, started ramming into Orkid at full speed with her mouth open. At that moment, she broke her jaw, severing a major artery in her nasal passages.

To the shock of the visitors, Kandu V started spouting blood out of her blowhole and died.

According to SeaWorld, Kandu V fought for dominance and her behavior wasn’t out of the ordinary. “It’s common behavior. For the survival of any species, the stronger animal has to rule,” vet Jim McBain told the LA Times at the time. “The death was an unexpected shock, but the altercation was not a rare event at all. It was normal behavior.”

In 2016, SeaWorld promised to stop breeding orcas in captivity.

The story of the incident involving Webber emerged recently after two orcas attacked each other while performing.

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US actor Christian Oliver and his 2 daughters died in a plane crash in the Caribbean

By
Monica Pop
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Filmball Vienna 2016

The star of films Speed Racer and The Good German, Christian Oliver, and his two daughters were killed in a plane crash in the Caribbean, according to police in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The police further explained that the crash occurred Thursday just west of Petit Nevis island near Bequia as the plane headed for nearby St. Lucia. They were traveling with a single-engine plane which allegedly had some problems early in the flight and then crashed into the water.

“Moments after taking off, the aircraft experienced difficulties and plummeted into the ocean,” investigators said.

Filmball Vienna 2016

As per a statement from the Royal SVG Police Force, local divers, fishermen, and members of the coast guard rushed to the scene to render assistance.

Military personnel were eventually able to recover the bodies of those onboard the plane: Oliver, his girls, Madita, 10, and Annik, 12 and the aircraft’s pilot and owner, Robert Sachs from Bequia.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

According to Deadline, the actor had just finished shooting his last scenes for the upcoming movie Forever Hold Your Peace. The director, Nick Lyon, posted a photo of himself and Oliver on Instagram ate Thursday night.

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“We talked about producing a film together for years and finally did it,” Lyon wrote, adding that he and the late actor worked on five projects together throughout the years. “Thank you for being a great colleague, actor and friend.”

Lyon further referred to Oliver as to “such a brave actor and a beautiful person.”

Oliver’s ex wife and mother to their daughters said in a statement, “The deep bond, infectious laughter, and adventurous spirit shared by Madita and Annik will be profoundly missed in their communities,” among the rest.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the family of Oliver and his daughters. May they rest in peace.

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Husband-to-be wants everyone at their wedding ceremony to know his fiancée is not ‘pure’

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Monica Pop
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Sometimes we believe we know someone until they show their true face and turn our world upside down.

It was back in November 2022 when a woman who found herself in a total confusion because of an unusual request decided to take to the Reddit’s forum Off My Chest and seek advice.

Starting her story, the woman explained that she and her fiance have been together for six years and engaged for eight months. As they have decided on a date and booked a venue for their wedding ceremony, she was busy making plans and organizing everything, even the tiniest of details. Her future husband wasn’t as involved but he would occasionally throw some ideas.

One day, he made a rather unusual request. He wanted her to wear a red dress on the wedding day. As it is a tradition for the bride to wear white, she was puzzled by his words but didn’t pay much attention at the time. She only told him that she would wear white and although he seemed annoyed by her answer, he let the matter drop.

Around two weeks before the wedding, OP purchased her wedding gown. It was a beautiful white dress that fit her perfectly. Her fiance requested to see the dress, but she though it would be for the best for him to see her in it on the day of the wedding. He, however, insisted, and after a couple of minutes he asked about the color. When she told him it was white, he got really mad.

Perplexed by his preference of red, she asked him why he didn’t want her to wear white on her wedding day and his answer made her question their future together.

As it turned out, when the two met, he was still a virgin and she had a single previous partner so he considered her not to be ‘pure’ and only those women who were ‘pure’ were allowed to wear white on their wedding day.

OP couldn’t believe the words coming out of her fiance’s mouth.

In a desperate attempt to win the argument, he contacted his mother. Just as OP, she was shocked by her son’s words. She sided with OP and told her son that if he wanted his future wife to red because she wasn’t a virgin then he should wear red as well. He started crying and said it was different because he was a man.

Disgusted by his words, she started contemplating the decision to marry him.

In an update posted on Dating Advice, OP wrote that she called off the wedding and met someone else. Her first date with the new man in her life took place at a lovely waterfront seafood restaurant in North Carolina. She was unsure what attire would be appropriate, and the fellow redditors suggested she wear red.

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What those numbers on fruit stickers really mean

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Monica Pop
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When it comes to groceries, we usually pay attention to the brand and the expiry date, but when it comes to fruits and vegetables most of us pick the ripe ones that look appealing to the eye. The truth is that fruits and vegetables are also labeled, but not many pay attention to those numbers mostly because they don’t even know what they stand for.

Numbers on fruit stickers like 9

Numbers on fruits serve more than the single purpose of identify how much the item should ring up. In fact, they provide valuable information about the product. If you notice fruit stickers starting with the numbers 9, out of five digits, it indicates that the fruit has been grown organically.

Alandsmann | Pixabay

Number 8

If the five-digit number the fruit is labeled with starts with the number 8, it means the product has been genetically modified. GMO foods are controversial as many believe they cause and trigger allergies. This technology is often used in agriculture to enhance the resistance of crops to pests and diseases, improve tolerance to herbicides, or increase nutritional content.

Currently, researchers still investigate the long-term effects, if any, on humans. Some of the most notable GMO fruits are papayas, apples, plums, strawberries, and grapes, among the rest.

ElasticComputeFarm | Pixabay

4-digit code

A 4-digit code starting with either number 3 or 4 signifies the food isn’t organically grown. Instead, it has likely been “conventionally grown.” The meaning of conventionally grown food refers to the way they are fertilized. While organic produce uses organic matter like compost and is mechanically or biologically treated for weeds, conventional methods use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

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The debate about the environmental impacts and possible future health complications involving conventional food-growth methods is ongoing.

Dr. Tamika D. Sims, the senior director of food technology communications in Atlanta Georgia, says both organic and synthetic fertilizers have been “federally regulated.”

Ajale | Pixabay

According to him, people shouldn’t worry about the numbers on fruits and vegetables they consume but rather focus on reaching a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods needed for good health.

When it comes to picking the right fruits and vegetables, the number of digits also matters. A 4 or 5-digit number indicates where and how the food was grown, in addition to the size and type of food purchased, but when the product is labeled with a sticker consisting of more than five digits, it means it’s not included in the “internationally standardized system.”

Shnomoe | Pixabay

For most, going grocery shopping is a dull task they tend to complete as swiftly as possible.

However, knowing that the food we consume is crucial for our survival and maintaining our health and fitness, we should all pay more attention when choosing the food we purchase. The International Federation for Produce Standards is dedicated to “improving supply chain efficiency” which involves, among other responsibilities, ensuring the provision of high-quality ingredients and “establishing and unifying international standards.”

JeffShattuck | Pixabay

This system was first implemented during the 90’s, when stickers on fruits and vegetables were added. Categorizing these items with numerical codes was to guarantee high quality. The IFPS has issued more than 1,400 such codes. However, since the system is optional, not all fruits and vegetables in stores have been inspected or approved by the IFPS or meet global standards.

Those people who care of the choice of food they consume can find the knowledge behind the meaning of numbers on fruits and vegetables useful. This knowledge can also expedite the self-checkout process by simply entering the PLU code instead of searching for the item by name. The PLU code system is an excellent method to track the delicious and nutritious foods that travel worldwide.

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Mysterious plane found in the sea – Navy goes speechless when they look inside

By
Monica Pop
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Jack, a recent Navy recruit, led a routine naval mission that took an unforeseen turn when a submerged aircraft, initially believed to have historical importance, exposed a dark and sinister secret.

The aircraft attracted plenty of attention and the team that stumbled upon it came across mysterious assortment of items that piqued their curiosity.

Upon further research, it was determined that the plane’s last reported position matched its current resting place beneath the waves. With this breakthrough, the team devised a strategic plan to raise the aircraft from its watery grave.

Screenshot: YouTube/ Did You Know

A team of divers armed with years of experience and training navigated around the aircraft, but it was made clear that accessing the plane in its current location was impossible. This asked for another plan – deploying a massive crane stationed on the ship’s deck, poised to undertake the monumental task of lifting the plane to the surface.

Finally, when the aircraft emerged from the ocean’s depths and surfaced into the daylight, a palpable sense of awe filled Jack and the rest of his team, but it was when they took a closer look of the inside of it that they were met with an unforeseen discovery.

Screenshot: YouTube/ Did You Know

Instead of the what they expected to find, the interior revealed a disquieting array of objects, intensifying the mystery surrounding the aircraft. Jack’s keen eye noticed a subtle clue, triggering a series of events that would expose a criminal conspiracy of unprecedented scale.

There was no single clue that would relate the aircraft of the presence of crew or any passengers. The cockpit, typically bustling with the pilot’s activities, was eerily quiet and deserted, prompting plenty of questions about the circumstances that preceded the plane’s landing into the ocean.

Screenshot: YouTube/ Did You Know

There was evidence of tempering with the emergency exit door, fueling debates about the fate of potential occupants. The lack of personal belongings of potential passengers deepened the enigma and left Jack and his team with more questions than answers.

To learn more go to the video below.

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What your typical day was like during ‘the Golden Age’ of commercial flying

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Monica Pop
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Besides the imperfections, the golden age of flying, a period in aviation history roughly spanning from the late 1940s to the 1970s, represents a striking chapter in the history of flying. It was a time when air travel captured the imagination of the world and embodied the spirit of adventure, innovation, and aspiration.

Flying was a symbol of prestige and not everyone could afford to purchase a plane ticket, no matter the destination.

Life on board used to be completely different than it is today, and if you feel like you are riding in a bus but in the sky while flying these days, in the past, the experience of flying was all about glamour and luxury.

Credit: Keith Lovegrove

Graham M. Simons, an aviation historian, recalls, “Air travel at that time was something special. It was luxurious. It was smooth. And it was fast.” The seats were spacious, and passengers were offered cocktail lounges, five course meals, and an endless flow of champagne. “People dressed up because of it. The staff was literally wearing haute couture uniforms. And there was much more space: seat pitch – that’s the distance between the seats on the aircraft – was probably 36 to 40 inches. Now it’s down to 28, as they cram more and more people on board.”

Credit: Keith Lovegrove

Nowadays, booking a flight is as easy as a gentle breeze on a sunny day, carrying you effortlessly to your destination. Back in the day, however, the choices were limited and far more expensive. A return ticket from Chicago to Phoenix was priced at $138 as indicated in a TWA brochure from 1955. This may not sound much today, but when adjusted for inflation, this relatively short journey, not even spanning the entire country, would amount to approximately $1,200 in today’s currency.

Guillaume de Syon, an aviation history expert, says, “[Depending] on the route, it was four to five times as expensive to fly in the Golden Age,” which is why flying was only reserved for the wealthiest individuals.

Credit: Keith Lovegrove

The service, as well as the food was top notch. “The airlines were marketing their flights as luxurious means of transport,” Simons added.

Suzy Smith, a former flight attendant, recalled: “We started with canapés, then we came out with a cart with appetizers, which included beluga caviar and foie gras.” 

The rules and the security weren’t as strict, so flying brought passengers a sense of freedom. “It was like going to a cocktail party. We had a shirt and tie and a jacket, which sounds ridiculous now, but was expected then,” Keith Lovegrove, a fan of old-fashioned flying said.

Credit: Tim Graham/Getty Images

Pan Am was one of the airlines that really stood out. Joan Policastro, who worked for them, described those days like flying with the stars. “My job with Pan Am was an adventure from the very day I started,” she said.

Credit: Ivan Dmitri/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The flight attendants were dressed to impress. They were expected to provide exceptional service while adhering to strict appearance and behavioral standards. Airlines imposed requirements on attire, hair length, weight, and even marital status. Uniforms became increasingly revealing by the 1960s, reflecting the era’s emphasis on presentation.

Although safety was nowhere near as good as today, everything else made flying an exceptional experience during the Golden Age of flying.

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Mum cruelly branded a ‘toad’ due to thousands of tumors covering her body reveals dramatic transformation after undergoing surgery

By
Monica Pop
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Just like her mother, Libby Huffer, 45, suffers from a condition known as neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic disorder that causes non-cancerous growths wherever nerves are present.

Sadly, this condition has left her with over 6,000 tumors on her body, which led to bullying. Libby has been called named over the years, and people went to the extent of branding her “a toad” and “lizard breath.”

Her condition became even worse when she fell pregnant and gave birth to her daughter 23 years ago. At the time, the number of tumors multiplied into thousands.

Caters News Agency

Libby has these tumors on every part of her body, including her face. What’s worse, they not only affect her appearance but also cause her chronic pain.

Unable to cope with the condition and they way she looked, Libby decided to start a fundraiser back in 2016 that would help her pay for electrodessication – a pioneering surgery to remove the tumors and prevent them from growing back.

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Luckily, she was able to raise the money, and in June the following years, she had underwent the much-anticipated surgery which helped her get rid of around 1,000 of the tumors on her face and other parts of her body. The surgery was successful, but it left her with many scars which required a CO2 laser treatment.

“There’s still a long way to go to heal the emotional damage I’ve undergone over the years, but I know that will only improve over time,” she said.

“The more surgeries I have, the more confident I will become and that will help to erase some of my painful childhood memories.”

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“Now I don’t have as many large tumours on my face and I feel like I’ve gained more confidence since the surgery.

“I don’t think people are staring at me as much now, I’ll still get kids looking at me occasionally but there’s definitely been a big difference.”

Speaking of the pain and the bullying she has suffered, Libby said, “I have been bullied and victimised my whole life because of the bumps all over my skin, they cover me from head-to-toe.

“In school kids would pick on me all the time, they called me lizard breath and toad.

Caters News Agency

At the time she tried to raise money for her surgery, Libby opened up about her struggles and asked from people to help her feel normal again.

“The tumours all over my back cause chronic pain, the nerves in my feet have a tingling sensation all the time which make it hard to sleep,” she said.

“They can even hurt from simple things like a hug or even if water from the shower hits them in a certain way.”

“But I am a human being too, all I want is to be adored and cared for like anyone else.

“Instead of making comments, I wish people would talk to me rather than stare like I’m a circus freak, it just makes me feel really uncomfortable.”

The surgery that changed her life cost her $23,500 and let her live without the stares and taunts from people for the first time in three decades.

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My brother kicked our grandma out because she had no money left – She taught him a lesson he will never forget

By
Monica Pop
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When people get old, some families struggle with the demand of eldercare while others remain dedicated to supporting and providing for their elderly relatives.

Paul and Rachel, a brother and sister, got into an argument over their elderly grandmother Eleanor.

The old lady spent her days painting, and according to Paul, she became a burden because she didn’t contribute to the finances of the family. Hearing Paul’s words, Rachel was shocked. “Paul, she’s our grandmother. She raised us, remember?” she said. But Paul was determined to kick his grandma out of his home. “That was then. Things are different now,” he said, crossing his arms. “She doesn’t bring anything to the table anymore. She just sits there, painting and wasting time.”

“Those paintings mean something to her,” Rachel said. “And they could mean something to us if we let them.”

“Sentimental nonsense. I need to think about the future, Rachel. We can’t afford dead weight.”

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Realizing he was no longer planning to take care of their grandma, Rachel found herself wondering what life would bring for the elderly lady. It was then that Paul suggested Rachel taking grandma Eleanor in. “She can stay with you,” he said bluntly. “You seem to care so much.”

Rachel agreed. There was no way that she would leave her grandma without a roof over her head, although her brother’s demand left her with a bitter taste in her mouth.

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Grandma Eleanor got the spare room in Rachel’s house. It became a nice place that felt cozy and felt like home. She could paint there, with the help of Rachel’s children who adored her and loved listening to her stories.

“Thank you, Rachel. You’ve always had a kind heart.”

“Grandma, you don’t need to thank me. This is your home too,” Rachel said, hugging her tightly.

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As time passed by and Eleanor made a number of beautiful painting, Rachel’s children made her post them on the social media.

To Eleanor’s surprise, her work attracted plenty of attention, and one day, she received an invitation by the local gallery to exhibit her paintings.

The weeks leading up to Eleanor’s solo exhibition were a flurry of activity. She worked tirelessly because she not only painted, but wrote the stories behind each of her paintings.

On the big night, the gallery was filled with people and almost every painting was sold. Rachel even received several commissions, securing her financial independence.

“Thank you all for believing in me,” the sweet grandma told the crowd, tears of joy streaming down her face.

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When the word of her success reached Paul, he suddenly showed at Rachel’s door. When she opened it, the first thing he said was that he was sorry for kicking their grandma out of his house. “I made a mistake,” he kept repeating while looking down. “I shouldn’t have kicked her out, I see that now.”

“It’s a little late for that, Paul,” Rachel told him. “You showed your true colors when you turned your back on family.”

Speaking to his grandma, Paul said he wanted to make things right. “No, Paul. You only want to make things right because you see my success now. Where was this concern when I needed a home, when all I had was my art and my memories?” Eleanor said.

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“I was wrong,” Paul said with a breaking voice. “I see that now. I’ve lost so much because of my actions.”

“You lost our respect,” Eleanor added. “And that’s something you can’t buy back with apologies or money. Family is about love and support, not about what you can get from them.”

Realizing that his apologies weren’t enough to rebuild the bridges he had ruined, Paul turned around and left.

Eleanor then turned to her granddaughter and told her that she was thankful for everything she had done for her. But it was Rachel who was grateful because her grandma taught her to cherish the people who truly matter.

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Eleanor’s career as a painter blossomed. People loved her work and she sold plenty of paintings. As of Paul, he only witnessed his grandma’s success from afar. Hopefully, he learned a valuable life lesson.

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