Twelve-year-old Taylor Barnes from Cooks Beach, Whitianga, baking for her Whenuakite School class.
The ‘alpha male’ is a misunderstanding
Wolf packs don’t actually have alpha males but thanks to pop culture and some money-hungry publishers the confusion still persists. While most people believe that a wolf pack follows a strict
hierarchy, with the alpha pair at the top of the pecking order, a beta acting as a deputy, and even an omega who might be referred to as the victim of the group, the reality is much more family-oriented. Turns out, the alleged alpha male was simply the dad of the pack. Once bonded, wolf pairs are highly monogamous and usually do not change partners unless one of the pair dies. The male and female dominate the pack and decide who eats first simply because they are the parents of the rest of the group. There are almost no fights between wild male offspring and their fathers for alpha male status. To be the leader of the pack, there is no fight to the top; simply find a mate and start your own pack.
Diminished faith in humanity after reading this ...
A grieving mother in Australia has exhumed her daughter’s buried corpse after hiring a suspicious funeral company that refused to proceed with an open casket service. Teresa Moraitis, 82, spent more than AU$10,200 on Peter Tziotzis’ Orthodox Funeral Services to lay her daughter to rest. She paid for an open casket service and embalming for her child, Helen Moraitis, 56. Five months later, she decided to exhume her corpse after suspecting the funeral staff stole the jewellery that Helen was buried with. What the mother saw upon getting her daughter back was depressing. First, her suspicions were correct as the gold chain and locket she was supposed to be buried with, along with two bracelets and a diamond ring were all missing. Second, and sadder news than the previous discovery, is that her daughter was naked, unembalmed, and stuffed in a blue body bag. Helen was also found to have one of her arms forced behind her head. Usually, the deceased have their hands on their chest or abdomen. Peter Tziotzis was later arrested over the allegations but was then released without charge. Police investigations are still ongoing. A new funeral service for Helen will be held.
