Rose Siggins | The woman with half a body | Great story

Born with a rare genetic disorder known as Sacral Agenesis, Rose had severely deformed legs with feet pointing in opposite directions. There was no feeling in the legs and, as a child, she was in danger of harming herself. When she was two years old her mother, after consulting with the doctors at the hospital, decided that the best course of action was to have the legs amputated. This insightful decision by her mother allowed Rose to lead a fairly normal childhood.

Rose grew up, with her mentally handicapped brother, in Pueblo, Colorado. Rose believes her parents made the right choice as she cannot imagine being confined to a wheelchair. She describes her physical condition in her own way "If you take a Barbie doll and remove it's legs, the region you are left with is what I have. I have all the female working organs, the only reason I sit shorter or more compact, as people say, is because I'm missing four sections of my spinal column".

Rose's great passion in life is cars. All things automotive, cars, trucks and V-8 engines have been a big part of her life since she started playing with her father's toolbox at the age of 3. When she was sixteen, her parents bought her a car. A used car which Rose and her father adapted with hand controls so that Rose was able to drive herself around. She is rebuilding a 1968 Mustang which she plans to race.

For years, the administrators at the local school forced Rose to wear artificial legs, they wanted her to look like everybody else. When she was in eighth grade she rebelled and refused to wear her prosthetic limbs, turning up for school on her skateboard. She wanted to be normal, and her normal is Rose who walks on her hands and has no legs. After meeting with her parents who were being very supportive, and realising that Rose was very stubborn, the school relented and allowed her to return, without her prosthetics.

In 1997 Rose met Dave Siggins who worked in an auto-parts store, they flirted over the phone and their relationship quickly blossomed, but it was going to put Rose's life in danger. When they decided to get married, Dave joked with her that she didn't have to worry about getting cold feet. Rose and Dave were married in 1999, it was her dream come true. It was a traditional white wedding and Dave, still joking, pointed out that the cake was bigger than she was. Rose and Dave lead a normal sex life, the only comment Dave has made are that the legs don't get in the way.

Two years into their relationship, Rose discovered that she was pregnant. Rose's pregnancy was extraordinary and ground-breaking, no-one with Sacral Agenesis had ever given birth. The only doctor who didn't advise Rose to have an abortion was Dr. Wilson who says "This couple have committed themselves to a pregnancy and she is, basically, laying her life on the line because nobody knows what this means, no-one has lived this experience before. With the first counselling with Rose and David I was very specific and told them that they have to know that if they move forward with this that she could die." The main concerns were with her lungs being compressed, as the baby was likely to grow up the way because of her short stature. The other concern was how she would tolerate a caesarean delivery, because the baby was lying transversely she would have to be opened across the top, a true 19th century caesarean delivery. Rose told her mum that if there were any complications and there was a choice between her life and the baby's, she should choose the baby.

Having given birth to a miracle baby, Rose was about to experience a terrible tragedy. Luke had just celebrated his second birthday when Rose's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She held the family together, provided an emotional pillar, and organised the vital day-to-day running of the house. Her death had a disastrous effect on everyone around her. Rose's father had already had the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia so he, like her brother, didn't understand what was happening. It became apparent that Rose was next in line to run the family and do everything her mother had done. As well as looking after her son and husband, Rose now cares for her dad and brother. Rose's dad, James, has smoked all his life and now has to rely on a constant supply of oxygen. He is also suffering from schizophrenia and the onset of Alzheimer's.

Rose has great moral strength and a remarkable attitude she says "A lot of people with disabilities feel that life owes them something, and I was raised in a way that no, no-one owes you a dime. The world doesn't owe you anything, this is what you have and you use your resources and you get through life. My personal opinion is, get up and go for it, just do it."

Rose's story as a woman who has overcome bewildering obstacles and succeeded despite seemingly impossible odds is a real life example of the American dream. However, away from the limelight and behind a determined self-assurance there's another side to Rose. With the usual day-to-day problems and the added stress of Jimmy's erratic behaviour Rose is feeling the strain.

She takes refuge in the garage where she can oversee the installation of a new V-8 engine in her Mustang. At last after weeks of hard work Rose feels the Mustang is ready to hit the race track, which will be another life-long ambition achieved.

Incredibly, despite the risks involved, Rose has had a second baby.

7 Breathtaking aquariums around the world | Australia | Dubai | Georgia

1 - Dubai aquarium in the Dubai Mall


Stingrays swim in the Dubai aquarium in the Dubai Mall, which covers the area of 50 soccer pitches.
The Dubai Aquarium - vast, entertaining, an engineering marvel, three storeys tall and featuring glass ‘walk-through’ tunnels that contain exotic marine life.

2 - Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta



World’s Largest Aquarium, Georgia Aquarium,Atlanta, a wonderful home for more than 100,000 animals of 500 different species (notable specimens: whale sharks, beluga whales, manta ray) and with a capacity of 8.1 million US gallons (31,000 m³) of marine fresh water

3 - Churaumi Aquarium


World’s Second Largest Aquarium , Churaumi Aquarium,part of the Ocean Expo Commemorative National Government Park located in Motobu, Okinawa, Japan; capacity: 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water; one of the few places where visitors can see a great variety of sea creatures including sharks and manta rays.

4 - The Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA)



AQWA, an unbelievable journey to the underwater world of Western Australia, “from the icy waters of the southern ocean to the tropical wonderland of coral reefs in the Far North”
The Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) is a privately owned aquarium in Hillarys, Western Australia. It opened as Underwater World, Perth on April 13, 1988 and was acquired by the current owners, Coral World International and Morris Kahn, in 1991. It changed to its current name on January 1, 2001.
The facility holds approximately 400 species of marine life.

5 - UShaka Marine World



Largest Aquarium in Africa - UShaka Marine World, located on the strip of land between the beachfront and the harbor in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; a beautiful amusement park and at the same time the worlds fifth largest aquarium with 32 water tanks. The sea creatures found in the aquarium range from small sea horses all the way through to sharks and dolphins. The Aquarium is built to look like an old wreck.

6 - AquaDom, Radisson Hotel Aquarium



World’s Largest Cylindrical Aquarium , AquaDom, Radisson Hotel Aquarium, Berlin; 25 meters high aquarium, with a capacity of 260,000 gallons of water and over 2,500 fish (56 species); visitors can travel through the aquarium using an encased elevator and get to the top where there is a restaurant and an open view of the city; hotel rooms can also experience the underwater view.

7 - The 32 million dollar Virtual Aquarium



World’s Largest Virtual Fish Tank, 30 by 250 meters LED screen or 32 million dollar Virtual Aquarium mounted at about 80 feet in the air between two shopping malls in Beijing.

Extreme Hamburger Makeover | Original Burger | Double Toastie Burger

We’re not completely sure when the traditional hamburger stopped being enough, but a quick Internet search should convince anyone that that’s exactly what’s happened. Today, the onset of burger boredom has spurred creations so inventive (and often gluttonous) that some examples have even made national news. We went on the hunt for the most impressive of all and found a few that are sure to make a lasting impression on the way you think about burgers. Check out our favorite crazy creations below, and you’re sure to reach the same conclusion as we have: When it comes to thinking outside the bun, these culinary pioneers have it down pat.


UP Mario Burger:
Instructables.com first introduced the public to this Nintendo-themed veggie burger, and it quickly picked up appreciation in the hamburger ‘hood. Gobble up the mushroom-shaped treat, and you may just earn yourself an extra life!


The Luther Burger:
The Luther Burger sandwiches the contents of your standard bacon cheeseburger between two glazed donuts, sparking heated Internet debate since its debut on ThisIsWhyYourFat.com and 1nation.com. Rumored to be inspired by Luther Vandross, its origin can only really be traced back to a mention in a 2006 episode of The Boondocks.

The Fifth Third Burger:
The newest addition to the West Michigan Whitecaps’ ballpark menu is picking up quite a bit of media attention, having recently been featured on “Inside Edition”, “The Today Show” and the Early Show. Named after Fifth Third Bancorp, the team sponsor, the burger weighs in at a whopping 4 lbs and packs 4,800 calories, stacking five one-third pound hamburger patties, chili, nacho cheese, Fritos, salsa, lettuce, tomato and sour cream on an 8-inch sesame seed bun.


The Aussie:
“The Aussie” from downtown Manhattan’s Burger Burger loads a gently-toasted brioche bun with a 6oz angus patty, which is then topped with lettuce, tomato, a thick slab of roasted beet and a fried egg “for good measure,” says Daniel Krieger, the official Downtown Lunch Correspondent for MidtownLunch.

The French Onion Burger:
The French Onion Burger from Burger Deluxe in Wayne, NJ is one of many palate-friendly burgers fueling the outbreak of gourmet burger joints across the country (not to mention the world!). Capped with a crunchy Parmesan-panko topping, sautéed onions and provolone cheese, the burger needs no further explanation of its culinary merits.

The Original Burger:
Ranked high on GQ’s infamous “The 20 Hamburger’s You Must Eat Before You Die” list, we couldn’t resist including this seared burger on toast from Louis Lunch—a restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut, that claims to be the birthplace of the hamburger. It pairs a freshly-ground steak patty with Louis’s works, which include onions (grilled into the burger as it cooks) and sliced tomato. Just don’t ask for ketchup—it’s forbidden at the establishment.

The Double Toastie Burger:
Certainly the most gluttonous on this list, the Double Toastie Burger involves stacking 100% British-beef burger patties, thin-cut Spanish chorizo and Monterey Jack cheese between several layers of cheddar-bacon Toasties (bread stuffed with—you guessed it—bacon and cheddar). Douse with spicy barbecue sauce.


The Butter Burger:
Yes, people really do eat these. According to RoadFood.com, they hail from Milwaukee, where “there is no such thing as too much butter.” Each serving packs up to two tablespoons of butter, which is spread on the bun and used to cook the burger, as well as any accompanying toppings.


The Bulgogi Burger:
Bulgogi is a Korean meat dish which involves marinating beef in a salty-and-sweet mixture of soy sauce, garlic, sugar and sesame oil and cooking over an open flame. This recipe borrows a few traditional American burger essentials like eggs and breadcrumbs to help shape the meat into patties, then piles each burger high with hot-and-spicy kimchi (a signature Korean fermented cabbage dish).

The Hamburgler:
At first glance, Muu-Muu’s burger on a baguette just looks like an elongated burger stuffed with fries—but we like to think of it as an homage to the low-brow American obsession with stuffing sandwiches with just about anything made of potatoes (chips, mashed spuds, etc.) in hope of creating the perfect bite.

Angel oak | The fairytale tree | Over 1,500 years-old tree

Angel Oak is one of the oldest organisms east of the Mississippi, believed to be over 1,500 years-old.


Before you start with the “It’s photoshoped” comments, check Wikipedia and you’ll see it’s very real. Angel Oak is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Charlestone, South Carolina. It has a height of 20 meters, measures 2.7 meters in diameter and it’s crown shades an area of 1,600 square meters. It’s longest limb stretches out 27 meters.


Its name comes from the Angel estate, but local legends say ghosts of former slaves sometimes appear around the tree, as angels.


Angel Oak has survived countless earthquakes and floods, as well as human interference. It was damaged by Hurricane Hugo, in 1989, but has since then recovered.

Cloned camel unveiled in dubai | World’s first cloned camel

The ambitious desert emirate of Dubai has claimed another first, this time in the science of cloning camels.

Injaz, or Achievement, was unveiled to the world alongside her surrogate mother five days after being born at the city's Camel Reproduction Centre.

"This is the first time scientists have cloned a camel calf," the scientific director of the central veterinary research laboratory, Dr Ulrich Wernery, said. "She is a healthy female."

The project had the personal backing of Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, best known in Britain as one of the world's leading racehorse owners.

The Camel Reproduction Centre now hopes to use the technique on some of Dubai's leading racing camels to preserve elite bloodlines for the future.

Camel racing is a popular past-time in the Gulf region, though the traditional child riders have largely been replaced by robots due to humanitarian concerns.

"We are all very excited by the birth of Injaz," Dr Lulu Skidmore, the centre's scientific director, said. "This significant breakthrough in our research programme gives a means of preserving the valuable genetics of our elite racing and milk-producing camels in the future."

The scientists employed the standard animal cloning techniques first used in the case of Dolly the sheep in 1996 by scientists in Edinburgh.

Injaz is the clone of a camel slaughtered for its meat in 2005. The ovaries were removed and DNA extracted and placed in an egg taken from and re-implanted into the surrogate mother.

Tests since Injaz's birth have shown the camel's DNA to be a copy of the dead animal, not the mother.

The birth, after an "uncomplicated" gestation period of 378 days, followed a number of unsuccessful attempts at producing a clone.

The Camel Reproduction Centre previously produced the world's first "Cama", the first surviving hybrid of a camel and a guanaco, a type of llama.

Old plane boat | The cosmic muffin | A touring boat

What do you do with an old plane, that can’t fly anymore? Simple, you turn it into a boat.

The Cosmic Muffin used to be a real plane, with wings, tail and everything and she actually flew. She used to be a Boeing 307 Stratoliner, one of only ten ever built. The owner, David Drimmer says the plane was bought by a certain Ken London, long after its flying days had passed, due to extensive damage caused by a hurricane. He purchased it for the staggering sum of $62.

After he ended up with the old plane, the only thing that he thought of was to cut it down into pieces. Thankfully he had a moment of genius and decided to transform it into a touring boat. Back then it was named the Londonaire.

Drimmer says he came across his Cosmic Muffin while he was searching for a place to live. He paid $7,500 and is now the owner one of the wackiest boats on any waters. The Cosmic Muffin awaits tourists in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.