Different types of wonder.

Another week and more strange and wonderful news stories hit the headlines the world over.

Among those which got tongues wagging on this side and across the pond was the heart-warming and uplifting story of the young Californian woman who gave birth to eight babies.

The world oohed and aahed in unison over the thought of eight identical little critters and, we all felt such compassion for the poor wee woman who was blessed with the wonderment. Yes, it's safe to say the world grabbed onto the story with both hands, yanked it to it's bosom, raised it in the air and screamed 'See not everything is doom and gloom, not every story ends with crunch'.

Alas, it appears every story does end with 'crunch', because as the news settled and nosy journalists did their jobs, all was not so rosy through those operating doors. Sadly it turns out there are a few crunches and bites to this fairytale. Crunch number one; the little lady was not in fact a barren infertile wasteland; to the contrary, she already had six children. Begging the question of course, why shoot for medical help to have children?

Crunch number two, mother octuplet, lives with her parents and her 14 children in a three bedroom house; talk about a tight squeeze.

Crunch three, she is single, unemployed and did this to herself. Leaving the world's media grasping for answers to the riddle. How and why did this happen? And who is to blame? Hopefully these and many more questions will be answered in the coming weeks, as said little lady is in a bidding war with magazines as we speak. At least she now has a form of income.

Excuse me as I slowly raise an eyebrow.

This story brings up so many moral/ethical questions. If it was the case that she received infertility treatment and that embryos were inserted, show me the doctor we can blame. Is there a governing body we can scapegoat here? Can strict rules and regulations not be put in place to safeguard other, mentally ill women from falling fowl of this form of self inflicted body torture?

Now to something completely different and a bit more lighthearted.

I want you to look at the picture and try to work out what you're looking at. Any further along?
Okay what if I give you two hints: Burmese python and alligator?

The remains of the two reptiles were found by astonished rangers in the Everglades National Park. The picture amounts to an unusual clash between a six foot alligator and a 13 foot python. The greedy python tried, but failed, to swallow the alligator whole. Rangers at the park think the gator chewed or clawed through the pythons stomach.

The python's remains were found with the victim's tail protruding from its burst midsection. The head of the python was missing.

"Encounters like this are almost never seen in the wild," Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor, was quoted as saying. "They were probably evenly matched in size. If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a grip on him, he would win," the professor said.

Mother nature never ceases to amaze.