Man Punches Shark to Save His Dog

Greg LeNoir was taking his dog, Jake, for a swim one day at a marina in Isla Morada, Florida. A 5-foot shark surfaced suddenly and grabbed the dog in its mouth. Greg wasn't about to let his pal become chum, so he dove off the pier headfirst and punched the shark in the back. He apparently scared the shark enough to make it let go, and he and the dog swam safely back to shore. The little rat-terrier was wounded but not critically injured. He was rushed to an animal hospital where he is making a full recovery.

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite stories of bravery/stupidity I have heard in a long time... and I write about incredible news stories all the time. I'll admit, I would probably do the same thing in the heat of the moment. I love my dog too. But afterwards, the only thing I would be able to think would be, WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Man Caught With Nearly 2 Million Dollars in Traffic Fines

In other news, a man in San Paulo, Brazil was finally caught after racking up a huge array of traffic fines. Authorities traced his charges back to 2001 when he bought his car. In just 7 years, he has managed to get around 1.9 million dollars in traffic fines. The man claims he never received any of these tickets because he was too busy to register the car in his name.

I personally believe this story. How would he have any time to register his car when he's too busy out getting speeding tickets? This man definitely deserves the worldwide recognition he's receiving. This is a huge accomplishment. And thankfully it is now safe to drive in Brazil again.

13 Year Old Boy Killed For Stealing Snacks

This is yet another reason you DONT MESS WITH TEXAS. A group of teenagers repeatedly broke into the trailers of residents in a Texas community. One night they were breaking into the trailer of Jose Luis Gonzalez when the 63 year old man caught them in the act. They had twinkies and cookies stuffed into their pockets when he beat them with the barrel of a shotgun and shot one of them in the back. Gonzalez claimed in court that the thirteen year old boy was advancing towards him and he fought back.

This case went to trial and the jury acquitted Gonzalez of charges ruling that it is within a homeowner's right to defend his property, and use deadly force if necessary. This was a very important case in many regards because it sets the precedent for similar cases. It's a tough call because the teenage kids may not have been a huge threat to his life, but then again they probably could have easily overpowered the elderly man.

What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to leave comments.

Hurricane Ike Unearths Civil War Ship

When the storm surge of Hurricane Ike finally subsided, it left behind massive flood damage and thousands of dead fish. It also uncovered a large wooden boat that had undoubtedly been buried off the coast of Texas for centuries. Scientists believe it is either a Civil War schooner from the 1860s or another ship from around 70 years later. Either way it represents a very valuable find for the history of America. It just goes to show that sometimes the waves of disaster can stir up new discoveries.

Fish in a Fence After Hurrcane Ike

Hurricane Ike left an unusual and disquieting scene in the wake of its storm surge. Thousands of dead fish were found covering roads, yards, and in a chain link fence. Ike's storm surge caused massive flooding in coastal areas and did a great deal of damage. When the water went back down, it revealed some of the more unusual debris. The fish pictured above was apparently trying to swim through the chain link fence when it became trapped and died. Other dead fish lay all over the city in West Orange Texas. One resident had to get rid of an eel and an alligator that were left in his hard. This scene from an intersection shows thousands of rotting fish. I guess you could say the fishing is pretty good in Texas now.

Stopping the Growth of a 7 Foot 12-Year-Old

In my last post, I wrote about Brenden Adams, the 7 foot tall twelve-year-old. Scientists and doctors have finally discovered the cause of his abnormal rampant growth. Human DNA contains chromosomes that determine many factors of our body. Brenden's 12th chromosome has broken off and reattached onto the wrong place in his DNA. This disrupted the gene that controls growth. It therefore affects every single cell in his body. Because of this, his current size is absolutely irreversible, but the doctors wished to slow him down from growing any bigger. They came up with a very simple solution. They are injecting him with large amounts of testosterone to start puberty. This naturally slows the growth of an individual when they near adulthood. Brenden may have a fully mature body by the time he is a teenager. Even with the slowed growth, it is expected he will reach over 8 feet tall before he stops growing.

7 Foot Tall 12-Year-Old

Brenden Adams is only twelve years old, but he already towers high above most adults. He has a rare growing condition--so rare that doctors have never seen or heard of anyone like him. He is still growing at an alarming rate. When he was four months old, he had all his teeth. At age 4, he was about the size of an 8-year-old. Doctors were puzzled at what to do with him. Most people suffering from giantism simply are too big for their organs to handle and their bodies just wear out. Doctors have been working to find the cause and a cure for this rare disease.

9 Year Old Boy Banned From Pitching for Being Too Good

Jericho Scott pitches for his team in the Youth Baseball League at New Haven, Connecticut. He is an excellent athlete and can pitch at speeds of over 40 mph. He pitches so well, that other teams refused to even try to hit anything he throws. His last opposing team forfeited their match with his team, declining to play at all. The league officials banned Scott from playing and plan to distribute his teammates among other teams in the league. His coach resigned and his team refuses to split. Parents are now protesting the league games demanding he be allowed to play. This is the first time a child has been under so much discrimination for being TOO good. It's amazing how far society will go to persecute people who truly excel.

Girl Survives 14 Story Fall Down a Chimney

Grace Bergere, a 12 year old girl from New York, was showing her cousin the view from the top of her apartment building. She climbed up a 25-foot chimney to get a better view, and promptly fell into the open hole. After falling 14 stories, she landed in a 2 foot deep pile of soot and ash. When rescuers reached the furnace, they feared the worst. But a hand reached out of the soot and Grace was pulled out relatively unhurt. She is now in the hospital recovering from an injured hip. Miraculously that's her only injury. We can thank New York's dirt and grime for saving the life of this girl.