Marathon runner diagnosed with terminal cancer only had one symptom that was easy to overlook

Marathon runner diagnosed with terminal cancer only had one symptom that was easy to overlook

Marathon runner diagnosed with terminal cancer only had one symptom that was easy to overlook

Marathon runner diagnosed with terminal cancer only had one symptom that was easy to overlook

The father-of-two has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer and is preparing for his ‘last Christmas’

A marathon runner who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer experienced just one symptom before being told he has ‘months to live’.

Lee Rawlinson, 51, from Essex, is preparing for the ‘last Christmas’ with his family after he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer on Halloween.

The father-of-two, who worked a medical sales representative, said doctors told him on 31 October that the cancer was inoperable and had spread to his liver.

Father-of-two Lee Rawlinson has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer and is preparing for his 'last Christmas' (PA Real Life)

Father-of-two Lee Rawlinson has been diagnosed with an incurable cancer and is preparing for his ‘last Christmas’ (PA Real Life)

Despite the horrible news, Lee still went trick-or-treating that evening with his children, Darcey, 10, and Marley, seven.

He waited until the next day to tell them about his diagnosis.

What is pancreatic cancer?

Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that develops when cells in the pancreas grow out of control, and form a tumour.

It is the deadliest out of the common cancers, with more than half of people dying within three months of a diagnosis, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Pancreatic cancer symptoms

Lee said he's 'wanted to raise awareness for this horrible disease' (PA Real Life)

Lee said he’s ‘wanted to raise awareness for this horrible disease’ (PA Real Life)

According to the NHS, symptoms of pancreatic cancer can include:

  • The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow
  • Itchy skin
  • Darker urine
  • Paler poo than usual
  • Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
  • Feeling tired or having no energy
  • A high temperature, feeling hot or shivery
  • Feeling or being sick
  • Diarrhoea, constipation, or other changes in your faeces
  • Pain at the top part of your stomach and your back
  • Indigestion or a bloated stomach

Lee’s single symptom

Lee says his family's 'worlds have been blown apart' (PA Real Life)

Lee says his family’s ‘worlds have been blown apart’ (PA Real Life)

Back in January, Lee said he started experiencing a ‘dull ache’ in his lower abdomen in January and he simply passed it off as a symptom of stress.

After a GP visit, he was referred to a gastroenterologist and after a 21-week wait, his blood tests came back all clear.

However, his stomach pain became unbearable in September as the dad explained to PA Real Life: “I was taking painkillers every day, and co-codamol, and it wasn’t touching the sides.

“If you can imagine a scaffolding pole and someone slowly pushing it through you, right through to your back, it was like that.”

“This will be my last Christmas,” Lee, who also has Type 2 diabetes, added.

“I’m facing the jaws of death. I’m sailing towards it and I can’t do anything about it, yet I just have to face it.

“I don’t fear death, I fear leaving my children and Faye behind – not being able to be there when they’re in trouble, not being able to make it better when tears flow, watching Marley developing his football, watching Darcey developing her theatrical talents, not being able to be there for Faye.

“Survival for pancreatic cancer has barely improved since the 1970s and it’s got to change. I want to get people to sit up and listen and think, what can we do for this not to destroy another young family’s life?”

Lee says his last days are ‘going to be amazing’

The family will be heading to Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League game against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium on 18 December.

Lee has thanked the community for the way they have ‘come together’ to help out with the family’s next adventure to Lapland in Finland.

“The kids have never been on a plane before, so they’re going to fly for the first time and look out the window and see snow, and I’m going to see their reaction,” he said. “It’s going to be amazing.

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J.K. Rowling Is Now Picking on a Visually Impaired 51-Year-Old Trans Woman

J.K. Rowling Is Now Picking on a Visually Impaired 51-Year-Old Trans Woman

J.K. RowlingJ.K. Rowling Is Now Picking on a Visually Impaired 51-Year-Old Trans Woman

A Complete Breakdown of the J.K. Rowling Transgender-Comments Controversy

The Harry Potter author is being criticized for comments she made about the trans community.
Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling came under fire in early June 2020 for controversial tweets she posted about the transgender community. Her stance has caused fans and stars of the wizarding world like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Eddie Redmayne to speak out against the author. Here’s everything you need to know:

What did J.K. Rowling say, exactly?

On June 6, 2020, Rowling retweeted an op-ed piece that discussed “people who menstruate,” apparently taking issue with the fact that the story did not use the word women. “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” she wrote.

That initial tweet garnered a lot of backlash, but the Harry Potter author did not relent and wrote about her views in more detail. “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she tweeted. “The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women—i.e., to male violence—‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences—is a nonsense.”

She continued, “I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”

Then, on June 10, 2020, Rowling published a lengthy post on her website and sent out a tweet that read “TERF Wars.” (TERF is an acronym that stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist.)

“This isn’t an easy piece to write, for reasons that will shortly become clear, but I know it’s time to explain myself on an issue surrounded by toxicity. I write this without any desire to add to that toxicity,” she wrote. “For people who don’t know: last December I tweeted my support for Maya Forstater, a tax specialist who’d lost her job for what were deemed ‘transphobic’ tweets. She took her case to an employment tribunal, asking the judge to rule on whether a philosophical belief that sex is determined by biology is protected in law. Judge Tayler ruled that it wasn’t.”

Rowling explains that she became interested in trans issues while researching a character she’s writing. Rowling also outlined “five reasons for being worried about the new trans activism.”

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Elon Musk staggered at Britain as he warns of ‘shocking amount of censorship’ in UK

Elon Musk staggered at Britain as he warns of ‘shocking amount of censorship’ in UK

Elon Musk Elon Musk staggered at Britain as he warns of ‘shocking amount of censorship’ in UK

Earlier this year multiple people were jailed for writing social media posts which stirred up hatred and violence

Elon Musk blasted the UK’s justice system in an interview claiming that there is a “shocking amount of censorship” in Britain.

The businessman and investor spoke on the Tucker Carlson Show about the early release of prisoners in the UK and people sent to prison over riot-related social media posts.

Speaking to Carlson, he said: “There’s also like a shocking amount of censorship. You may have seen in Britain there.

Elon Musk discusses censorship in Britain

Carlson quipped: “But to be fair, those are posts that criticise the government, so they have a good reason.”

Musk responded by saying: “Well actually, the ones that I’ve seen don’t actually criticise the government. They were seen as hate speech.”

Carlson said: “Right. So because they noticed the society getting crappier and crappier with every year and they said so.”

Commenting on the video on X, political commentator Matt Goodwin said: “Much of the world is laughing at Bonkers Britain. Releasing criminals so we can imprison people who wrote offensive things on Facebook.”

In September 2024, over 1,700 prisoners were released early in England and Wales as part of a government scheme to ease overcrowding in prisons.

Eligible prisoners were automatically released after serving only 40 per cent of their fixed-term sentence, rather than the usual 50 per cent.

However, not all victims of crime were made aware of their offenders’ early release dates.

Offenders jailed for violent offences with sentences of at least four years, sex offenders and domestic abusers were not eligible for early release.

But it did include individuals on the sex offenders register who have been jailed for another offence. The former inmates qualified for the scheme because they were serving time for other crimes that were not of a sexual nature.

The government faced criticism after former inmate Amari Ward, 31, was charged with sexually assaulting a woman on the day he was freed.

Meanwhile, citizens were sent to prison for stirring up hatred and violence online in the aftermath of the Southport attack in the UK.

In August, Jordan Parlour, 28 was jailed for 20 months for advocating an attack on a hotel in Leeds and Tyler Kay, 26, was given three years and two months after calling for people to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers.

Julie Sweeney, 53, was also jailed for 15 months after posting a comment on Facebook which said: “Blow the mosque up with the adults in it.”

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Plastic surgeon reveals the procedures he believes are behind the changing faces in Hollywood

Plastic surgeon reveals the procedures he believes are behind the changing faces in Hollywood

Plastic surgeon reveals the procedures he believes are behind the changing faces in Hollywood

Cosmetic surgery has long been popular in Hollywood

A plastic surgeon has revealed the procedures he feels are in play for the changing faces that appear to be happening everywhere in Hollywood.

Cosmetic surgery is certainly very popular amongst celebrities, with the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Melania Trump and Donatella Versace revealing new looks over recent months, leading to fans to believe they’ve had recent treatments.

There seems to be somewhat of a taboo when it comes to cosmetic surgery even to this day – though it’s certainly popular amongst not just celebrities, but also the general public.

Dr Dennis Schimpf, a South Carolina-based plastic surgeon, has revealed how such looks can be achieved.

A plastic surgeon has detailed the procedures happening in Hollywood (Getty Stock Photo)

A plastic surgeon has detailed the procedures happening in Hollywood (Getty Stock Photo)

The surgeon explained how cosmetic work done on the likes of lips, cheeks and jawlines are increasingly popular amongst celebrities nowadays.

Speaking to the Daily Mail’s FEMAIL, Dr Schimpf said: “One thing that is consistent right now, especially with Hollywood celebrities is volumization of the face. Basically what these celebrities have done is increase volume in their cheeks, their jawline and their lips predominantly.

“You can see in their lips that they’ve lost their natural contour in shape and have become more sausage-like appearing. They have increased volume in their cheeks that they did not have years ago, as well as improved definition of the jawline.

“There are multiple ways to increase this volume, including fat grafting products, such as sculpture and multiple injectable fillers.”

Fans believe Lindsay Lohan has undergone a few treatments after unveiling an incredibly youthful look (James Devaney/GC Images)

Fans believe Lindsay Lohan has undergone a few treatments after unveiling an incredibly youthful look (James Devaney/GC Images)

Of course, natural ageing is a thing we all have to deal with, some of us more than others.

Though the surgeon explained how there are methods you can undertake to reverse the signs of ageing, particularly in your face.

“With natural aging everyone loses volume in their face,” Dr Schimpf explained. “We have resorption of our underlying bone structure, meaning the jaw, the cheeks, the chin all of these skeletal structures begin to decrease in size and undergo resorption.”

He continued: “In addition, we begin to lose soft tissue. This is a result of changes in multiple elements in the soft tissue including collagen, hyaluronic acid etc… and finally loss of elastin in the skin leads to skin laxity.

Donatella Versace is also believed to have gone under the cosmetic knife (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Donatella Versace is also believed to have gone under the cosmetic knife (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

“All of these factors of natural aging lead to a decrease in volume of the face and an aged appearance.”

While cosmetic surgery certainly has its benefits, Dr Schimpf notes how it can sometimes not go to plan, leading to someone’s face looking a little ‘weird’.

“The contrast between certain parts of the face looking much more youthful than other parts tends to lead to a weird appearance,” he explained.

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How Kodak went from a $31,000,000,000 photography company to bankrupt after making one fatal mistake

How Kodak went from a $31,000,000,000 photography company to bankrupt after making one fatal mistake

How Kodak went from a $31,000,000,000 photography company to bankrupt after making one fatal mistake

Kodak’s fall from grace stems from its refusal to invest in new technology

While Kodak cameras are now a beloved relic of the past for amateur and professional photographers alike, the company’s long-winded decline was quite meteoric given their previous heights.

Throughout the late-20th century, Kodak was the brand on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Due in large part to a high demand for film cameras among Americans especially, Kodak was a billion-dollar company.

So, what happened?

Kodak was among the most popular camera companies throughout the 20th century (SSPL/Getty Images)

Kodak was among the most popular camera companies throughout the 20th century (SSPL/Getty Images)

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2012, and while they are still operating today, they are widely (and understandably) considered a shell of the juggernaut company they used to be.

However, the reason for this downward spiral is oftentimes misjudged as being a failure to adapt to a changing industry rather than the company’s true mistake.

You see, in 1975, one of Kodak’s engineers made a brand new invention that you might’ve heard of: the digital camera. A camera without film was a legitimately revolutionary idea at the time, and Steve Sasson – the engineer who created it – knew as much, showing it to everyone he could within the company.

However, Kodak ultimately made the decision to pass on the invention, instead asking Sasson to bury it and not speak too openly about the new, potentially disruptive technology.

Can you imagine the world without the digital camera? (Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images)

Can you imagine the world without the digital camera? (Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images)

Ultimately, selling film separately from the cameras themselves was far too profitable for the company, and the idea of purposefully hindering film sales by releasing the digital camera was just not deemed to be financially wise. And, for the time being, they were right.

By not releasing the digital camera and instead continuing to ride the wave of sales from both cameras and their film, Kodak thrived for decades without publicizing its digital camera discoveries.

At the height of its strength in 1996, Kodak was worth $31 billion, and while competition was fierce, the company was still at the forefront of the camera industry.

With the power of hindsight, though, not pushing digital cameras was among the greatest mistakes the company ever made, and even worse–they doubled down on it.

Kodak's commitment to film cameras led to its eventual downfall (Chris Furlong/Getty Images)

Kodak’s commitment to film cameras led to its eventual downfall (Chris Furlong/Getty Images)

Once the technology for digital cameras was fully developed and became a worthwhile alternative to film cameras, most companies hopped on the bandwagon or got left behind completely.

For Kodak, their commitment to film cameras resulted in them being among the latter examples, as the company began struggling greatly by the mid-2000s when the digital camera boom entered full swing.

So today, while digital cameras and phones are the norm for taking photos, film cameras like the ones Kodak has been selling for decades are mostly reserved for photographer aficionados and lovers of 20th-century nostalgia.

How Kodak went from a $31,000,000,000 photography company to bankrupt after making one fatal mistake Read More
Google’s new chip just did a calculation in 5 minutes that would usually take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years to complete

Google’s new chip just did a calculation in 5 minutes that would usually take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years to complete

Google’s new chip just did a calculation in 5 minutes that would usually take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years to complete

Google has revealed a chip which is a ‘major step’ in a 10-year journey to build a large quantum computer

Google has created a quantum chip which outperforms ‘today’s fastest supercomputers’ by a ridiculous amount of time.

Yesterday (December 9), founder and lead of Google Quantum AI, Hartmut Neven, announced its new ‘state-of-the-art quantum chip’.

The journey

Neven explains when he first founded Google Quantum AI in 2012, the plan was ‘to build a useful, large-scale quantum computer that could harness quantum mechanics’.

For those of us who dropped science as soon as we could, quantum mechanics ‘is the field of physics that explains how extremely small objects simultaneously have the characteristics of both particles (tiny pieces of matter) and waves (a disturbance or variation that transfers energy),’ the Department of Energy explains.

And a quantum computer is basically a device that solves problems far faster than any of the devices you or I may have through harnessing the power of quantum mechanics.

Google Quantum AI’s plan to create a large-scale quantum computer began in the hopes of benefitting ‘society by advancing scientific discovery, developing helpful applications, and tackling some of society’s greatest challenges’.

And the company has since revealed an exciting update in its journey.

Google Quantum AI's Willow chip (Google Quantum AI)

Google Quantum AI’s Willow chip (Google Quantum AI)

What’s the latest update?

Introducing Willow – Google Quantum AI’s new quantum chip which has proven itself to have a ‘state-of-the-art performance across a number of metrics’ – with two achievements particularly exciting.

Neven reveals: “The first is that Willow can reduce errors exponentially as we scale up using more qubits. This cracks a key challenge in quantum error correction that the field has pursued for almost 30 years.

“Second, Willow performed a standard benchmark computation in under five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers 10 septillion (that is, 1025) years — a number that vastly exceeds the age of the Universe.”

Let me break that down into normal speak for you.

How does the chip work?

To break the first one down a bit for you, basically, in quantum computing, the units of computation – called qubits – ‘have a tendency to rapidly exchange information with their environment, making it difficult to protect the information needed to complete a computation’.

“Typically the more qubits you use, the more errors will occur,” Neven explains.

However, when testing out Willow, the team found the more qubits they used, errors actually ended up occurring less and less.

Basically, it's very fast (Getty Stock Images)

Basically, it’s very fast (Getty Stock Images)

The Willow chip is subsequently the ‘first system’ to have ever been able to ‘drive errors down while scaling up the number of qubits’ and so the chip is ‘the most convincing prototype for a scalable logical qubit built to date’.

And if that wasn’t impressive enough already, the chip is also ridiculously fast.

The team used the ‘hardest benchmark that can be done’ to test the chip and the benchmark essentially ‘checks whether a quantum computer is doing something that couldn’t be done on a classical computer’.

Neven revealed: “Willow’s performance on this benchmark is astonishing: It performed a computation in under five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers 1025 or 10 septillion years. If you want to write it out, it’s 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years.

“This mind-boggling number exceeds known timescales in physics and vastly exceeds the age of the universe. It lends credence to the notion that quantum computation occurs in many parallel universes, in line with the idea that we live in a multiverse, a prediction first made by David Deutsch.”

Google’s new chip just did a calculation in 5 minutes that would usually take 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years to complete Read More
Expert issues warning for three foods you should never eat before going to sleep

Expert issues warning for three foods you should never eat before going to sleep

Expert issues warning for three foods you should never eat before going to sleep

What we eat before hitting the hay can make a huge difference to the quality of our sleep

What we consume before our heads hit the pillow can actually have a huge impact on the quality of sleep we have, a sleep consultant has warned.

Reaching for a midnight snack when the peckish hour strikes might feel satisfying at the time, but indulging in some types of food could lead to ‘restless sleep’ and would be better off skipping before hitting the hay.

Rosey Davidson, author and sleep consultant at Just Chill Baby Sleep, said that while some products can promote a better night’s kip, three certain food groups can have the opposite effect.

Be careful what you grab before bed (Getty stock images)

Be careful what you grab before bed (Getty stock images)

Speaking to The Mirror, Davidson said: “Food plays an important role in how well we sleep, as it can influence our hormones and digestion.

“Foods rich in tryptophan, magnesium, or melatonin can promote relaxation and better sleep.”

It all comes down to a ‘well-balanced meal’ of protein, healthy fats and carbs, the expert said, but what about the ones we should avoid?

Spicy food

Rosey said spicy food is certainly one to steer clear of as it can ’cause heartburn and discomfort, which may disrupt sleep’.

According to 2011 study investigating 440 medical students’ diets and sleeping patterns, spicy food, such as curry, can impact sleep patterns through conditions like acid reflux, indigestion and heartburn, with another study from 2010 finding that those who suffered with frequent bouts of heartburn had also reported sleep disturbances.

Meanwhile, a 2022 study also found those who ate spicy food everyday had a 4.73 likely chance of having bouts of insomnia than those who didn’t.

Spicy food, like curry, can increase heartburn when eaten before bed (Getty stock images)

Spicy food, like curry, can increase heartburn when eaten before bed (Getty stock images)

High-fat food

Greasy food types can also cause indigestion, which Rosey says makes it harder for our bodies to fall asleep – so your late night takeaways after a drunken night out aren’t doing as well as you might think.

A 2023 study examined the effects of a high-fat diet on a person’s sleep in comparison to those on a lower-fat diet.

They discovered that the subjects on the high-fat diet had fewer sleep characteristics, like delta power, which measures brain waves during deep sleep, as the quality of their sleep decreased in comparison to the other participants’ diet.

While noting the small sample size, which largely included men, Dr Florencia Halperin still considered the study to be ‘important’ to providing ‘novel insight into how lifestyle factors such as the diet we consume affect our sleep, which in turn affects our overall health’, as per Medical News Today.

Coffee before bed probably isn't a good idea either (Getty stock images)

Coffee before bed probably isn’t a good idea either (Getty stock images)

High-sugar and caffeine

Most of us know a coffee before bed is probably not the wisest idea, but it’s not just coffee that we need to be mindful of as caffeine can be found in other beverages.

Davidson said that too much sugar or caffeine can cause the body to be too stimulated, adding: “Sugary snacks can lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes, potentially causing night [awakenings], while heavy protein meals can slow digestion and result in more restless sleep.”

What food to eat for a better sleep

Although certain foods can jeopardise a good night’s sleep, some foods can actually improve it – though Davidson said research is still developing on the topic.

According to the expert, kiwi, cherries, bananas, oats, turkey, nuts and chamomile tea could be good options to grab as an alternative evening snack.

Davidson further explains that kiwi is ‘high in serotonin, a precursor to melatonin’ which can regulate sleep-wake cycles, as well as being high in antioxidants and folate which could boost benefit brain function and sleep regulation.

Meanwhile, cherries and oats are also high in melatonin, while bananas contain magnesium, potassium, and tryptophan which Davidson said are key to ‘relax muscles and nerves’.

The expert said kiwi could be a better alternative as a bedtime snack (Getty stock images)

The expert said kiwi could be a better alternative as a bedtime snack (Getty stock images)

Almonds and walnuts are also ‘packed’ with magnesium and melatonin, while turkey is an ‘excellent source of tryptophan’.

In regards to drinks, chamomile tea is a good suggestion to relax the body since it contains apigenin, which Davidson says is an ‘antioxidant that may reduce insomnia and promote relaxation’.

However, she also stressed a holistic and well-balanced diet is the ‘best thing’ to improve our sleep, as well as ‘effective stress management’.

She said it’s best to finish your meals two to three hours before bed, avoid heavy meals and create a ‘calming bedtime routine’, adding: “By prioritising these things, we can improve our sleep quality and overall health without needing to rely on specific ‘miracle’ foods.”

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Inmate showed no remorse as he reveals why he killed two convicted sex offenders with a walking cane

Inmate showed no remorse as he reveals why he killed two convicted sex offenders with a walking cane

Inmate showed no remorse as he reveals why he killed two convicted sex offenders with a walking cane

An investigation remains ongoing into Jonathan Watson’s conduct

A California inmate showed no remorse as he revealed why he killed two convicted sex offenders with a walking cane.

NBC Los Angeles reports Jonathan Watson, an inmate, attacked David Bobb, 48, and Graham De Luis-Conti, 62.

The 41-year-old attacked his two fellow prisoners at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran, with both men subsequently being taken to hospital.

The pair had sustained head wounds after being hit with the cane; Bobb died while being transported to hospital, while Luis-Conti passed away three days later from his injuries.

Watson admitted to killing the pair, having been in prison for 10 years already after being handed a life sentence for a previous first-degree murder and discharging of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death.

Jonathan Watson had already been handed a life sentence for first-degree murder and discharging of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

Jonathan Watson had already been handed a life sentence for first-degree murder and discharging of a firearm causing great bodily injury or death (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)

According to NBC Miami, both Bobb and Luis-Conti were behind bars for aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14.

Watson provided a detailed report of what happened to Mercury News, beginning in his letter by claiming he was given a lower-level security classification, which led to his transfer to the prison in Corcoran.

The criminal was put into a dorm-style room alongside a ‘child molester’, with Watson telling officials he wanted to be moved after he was close to getting violent.

Joshua Mason, a gang expert and legal consultant, said to Mercury News: “This guy should have never been housed with those people, and that’s common laymen knowledge.

“He told them, ‘I can’t be housed here,’ and that’s admirable. That’s a deviation from normal prison general population behavior. … The culture is, if you’re uncomfortable, do something about it. The fact that he did seek out the administration shows he was just trying to do his time.”

The inmate killed the sex offenders with a walking cane (Getty Stock Photo)

The inmate killed the sex offenders with a walking cane (Getty Stock Photo)

In his letter, Watson penned: “I was mulling it all over when along came Molester #1 and he put his TV right on PBS Kids again.

“But this time, someone else said something to the effect of, ‘Is this guy really going to watch this right in front of us?’ and I recall saying, ‘I got this.’ And I picked up the cane and went to work on him.”

Watson said he went to find a guard at this point and hand himself in, but encountered a second person and decided to kill again on his way.

“As I got to the lower tier, I saw a known child trafficker, and I figured I’d just do everybody a favor,” Watson wrote.

“In for a penny, in for a pound.”

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has declined to comment on the situation, citing an ongoing investigation to Mercury News.

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The Simpsons fans are just realizing why Maggie is scanned in opening credits

The Simpsons fans are just realizing why Maggie is scanned in opening credits

The Simpsons fans are just realizing why Maggie is scanned in opening credits

The price that Maggie gets scanned at was purposeful and deliberate.

Honestly, who doesn’t love The Simpsons?

Today, well over 30 years into its run, The Simpsons is a show that has lived so much life it’s hard to even call it the same show today that it was in its earlier seasons.

However, beyond the beloved characters and setting, there is one thing that has stood the test of time more than perhaps anything else within the show – its opening credits.

From Bart drawing on the blackboard all the way up to the beloved couch gags, many Simpsons fans know those scenes by heart.

Which actually is why it’s honestly quite surprising that so few have noticed one Easter Egg about halfway through the montage when Marge leaves her beloved daughter Maggie to be scanned at a grocery store checkout.

This Easter Egg isn’t quite as lore-dependent or revelatory as some might’ve hoped –no, Maggie is not actually a robot with a barcode on her – it is instead a small instance of a real-world metric being used to tell a joke within the animated TV show.

In early episodes of The Simpsons, the cash register charges Marge $847.63 (£683) when Maggie is scanned at the checkout, and according to show creator Matt Groening, there’s a key reason why this is the case.

$847.63 was actually the estimated monthly cost of raising a child in the United States back in 1989, the year The Simpsons first aired.

Maggie is one pricey baby (Disney)

Maggie is one pricey baby (Disney)

This inside joke eventually evolved throughout the years, as that 1989 figure became less and less relevant as time went on. More recently, Maggie merely doubles Marge’s total shopping bill, changing the $243.26 (£196) price total to $486.52 (£392) as she gets scanned. This was likely done to emphasize the high expense of having a young child without typing the show to any given metric that can very easily become outdated.

Learning the reason why Maggie ‘costs’ the amount that she does has amazed X (formerly Twitter) users over the years, with popular account Uber Facts routinely sharing the Easter Egg on the website.

One person responded to Uber Facts, saying: “I’ve always wondered about that. Not kidding.”

Maggie being scanned was an inside joke. (Disney)

Maggie being scanned was an inside joke. (Disney)

Otherwise, some people simply couldn’t ignore just how much more expensive it is to raise a child now than it was when the show first aired.

“That’s one month of daycare for an infant (if you’re lucky),” one fan wrote.

As of 2023, the average monthly cost of raising a child hit $1,334 (£1,046) per month to raise a child, and it seems as though that number will continue to go up as time goes on.
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Proposed $20,000,000,000,000 tunnel would get you from NYC to London in just 54 minutes

Proposed $20,000,000,000,000 tunnel would get you from NYC to London in just 54 minutes

Proposed $20,000,000,000,000 tunnel would get you from NYC to London in just 54 minutes

It could link the UK with the US in less than an hour

Imagine being able to travel between the USA and the UK in less than an hour – you could even commute in that time.

Well, it could one day become a reality, with proposals put forward to create a Transatlantic Tunnel linking New York and London.

The tunnel would cross the Atlantic Ocean (Getty Stock Photo)

The tunnel would cross the Atlantic Ocean (Getty Stock Photo)

At present, the quickest way to fly between NYC and London is by air, with flights taking around eight hours on average.

So, the idea of being able to cut the journey time to just 54 minutes is certainly appealing – but it would come at a huge cost.

The project would said to come at a price of $19.8 trillion, with the tunnel stretching 3,400 miles.

It’s thought the project would take decades to complete, due to the sheer amount of work that would be needed to create a tunnel that stretched so far.

For context, the Channel Tunnel, which links England with France, is just 23.5 miles long and even that took six years.

The Channel Tunnel took six years to make (SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

The Channel Tunnel took six years to make (SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

So how would it even work?

Well, there’s a few ideas being proposed, including building it underneath the seabed, while another suggestion is hovering it over the Atlantic Ocean.

The tunnel would essentially be suspended with cables, meaning building a tunnel within the ocean – and all the obstacles that come with the mammoth project – would essentially be bypassed.

It’s reported that thanks to vacuum technology, trains could travel through the tunnel at speeds of over 3,000mph, which would slash the journey time down to under an hour.

The idea of using jet propulsion has also been suggested, which is where the engine thrust is produced by fast moving jet of fluid. However, this would require an 18-minute period of deceleration to ensure the train arrives at its destination safely.

Despite the proposals, there are no plans currently being considered by governments in America or the UK, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be a possibility in the future.

Flights to the UK take around eight hours from New York (Getty Stock Image)

Flights to the UK take around eight hours from New York (Getty Stock Image)

However, people on Reddit pointed out that should the tunnel ever be created, the ticket prices would likely be astronomical.

One person wrote: “Perhaps more relevant that any technical issues, at that cost the price of a ticket would be sky high (ironically perhaps) to get any return in a reasonable timescale.”

Others said the cost of making the tunnel would be far too high, with another adding: “It would cost an insane amount up‐font. We’re talking enough to bankrupt every government in the world.

“It would never pay for itself, because yearly maintenance costs would always be more than the amount it would save in air and sea transport—which isn’t as much as you might think, because many people would pay for air travel instead of spending several days crossing by train/automobile, and sea freight would remain cheaper.”

Proposed $20,000,000,000,000 tunnel would get you from NYC to London in just 54 minutes Read More