Ten things which raised an eyebrow this week - 06/11/2013

Ten things which raised an eyebrow this week EP brings you a brief round-up of some of the news items which were perhaps as surprising as they were enlightening Try saying "Pad kid poured curd pulled cord" ten times quickly – according to researchers from MIT in Boston, this is officially the world’s most frustrating tongue twister In the run up to Christmas, most of us will be thinking carefully about what gifts to get for our nearest and dearest. A word to the wise if you’re shopping for the lady in your life, avoid any of the items on a list of the worst gifts women have ever received including a cabbage, rubber gloves, a cement mixer and – of all things – a beard trimmer! The Corruption Perceptions Index 2013 lists 177 countries in order of most corrupt to most honest. With a score of 100 meaning “very clean” and 0 being “highly corrupt” Denmark and New Zealand share the top spot with a score of 91 while Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia languish at the bottom with 8 points apiece (the UK came in 14th with 76 points and Ireland placed 27th with 72) The traditional use of the abacus in China, the Belgian practice of shrimp fishing on horseback, Taureg Imzad music and the Mediterranean diet are among the 14 new entries added to UNESCO’s "intangible heritage" list Six year old Emma was battling leukaemia for the 2nd time when doctors made the incredible decision to inject her with HIV. The reasoning behind the action and the resulting consequences are as equally alarming as they are heart-warming Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has signed a deal worth an estimated £45 million to British farmers which will see pig semen exported to China to be used to "improve stock" for the future A dunce’s cap, an “upturned ice cream cone”, a wigwam and “Britain’s worst” are just some of the terms of reference used to describe the less than popular 15ft white "Christmas Tree" erected in Stockton town this week A 44 year old woman in Japan has been arrested for fraudulent obstruction of police business after she called emergency services more than 15,000 in six months for "nonsense reasons" (in one day alone she called 927 times!) “Geek”, “Klansmen”, “morphine” and “Demerol” are some of the 1,400 hitherto innocuous words not recognised by Google’s android mobile operating system DNA taken from the thigh bone of 400,000 year old human remains has been decoded by anthropologists – previously the oldest remains to have been decoded was from a girl who lived 80,000 years ago For more information on initiatives run by EP and to get involved with the community please contact Arlene McCaffrey