Odd News
Meet Dr Moose – the therapy dog awarded honorary doctorate degree
Virginia Tech has awarded an honorary doctorate degree to one of its most beloved staffers: a therapy dog named Moose.
Like most other universities, USA’s Virginia Tech celebrated the class of 2020 with a graduation ceremony conducted online amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During the virtual commencement ceremony on Friday, eight-year-old Moose was awarded an honorary doctorate in veterinary medicine.
In a statement released online, the university said it was recognising the work of Dr Moose Davis, who has “spent a career serving and supporting the university community.”
The Labrador Retriever has been with the university since 2014 and is one of four dogs serving at the Cook Counseling Center.
“The students here talk a lot about how Moose has broken down the stigma around mental health care on campus,” owner Trent Davis, a counselor and coordinator of the university’s Animal-Assisted Therapy program, told said.
“Veterinarians are unfortunately a very challenged population. They have high rates of suicide, and this profession can be quite disturbing. He has really helped the students and staff at Virginia Tech and has gotten a lot of recognition for that.”
Dr Moose has been helping students and staff despite his own health problems – he was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, for which he has undergone radiation, chemotherapy, and other therapies.
His treatment is ongoing but he remains his usual cheerful self, said Moose’s owner.
Moose has aided in more than 7,500 counseling sessions and over 500 outreach events in his six years at Virginia Tech. When he is not at work, the pooch enjoys swimming, snacking and playing tug-of-war.
– ndtv.com
Odd News
NASA Astronaut shows how he wears pants in Space: ‘two legs at a time’
Astronauts have a unique way of getting dressed in space. In a fascinating video posted on February 21, NASA chemical engineer, Don Pettit, demonstrated how he puts on his pants aboard the International Space Station. Instead of the traditional one-leg-at-a-time approach, Mr Pettit descended into his floating trousers, essentially jumping into them with both legs at once.
He simply captioned the video, “Two legs at a time.”
The lighthearted video delighted viewers, prompting a flurry of comments and reactions from users who enjoyed the humorous glimpse into life in space. One user wrote, “I thought you were going to land right in them at first. Haha. That might be fun to try.”
Another joked, “This is the real content that I needed! I attempted to recreate this on Earth and well.it didn’t go well.”
A third said, “Missed opportunity to not have the theme from Space Odyssey 2001 playing for this.” A fourth added, “Such a pro! Well done.”
Odd News
Company threatens to fire employees …..if they don’t get married and have children
A company based in China’s Shandong province caught the attention of government officials after it threatened to fire its single and divorced employees if they remained single by the end of September.
According to a report in South China Morning Post, Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co. Ltd., issued a notice to its 1,200-odd employees, emphasising that they work well and establish families.
The notice required single employees aged 28-58, including those divorced, to get married and settle down by the end of September this year. Those who do not by the end of March need to write a self-criticism letter. If they do not get married by the end of June, the company will conduct an “evaluation” of them. If they are still single by the end of September, they will be fired.
The company said the move was intended to promote the spirit and cultural values of “diligence, kindness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness”.
As the news went viral, Chinese social media users slammed the decision, stating the company was violating several laws.
“Corporate rules should not override laws or social morals,” one user commented, while others pointed out that the Chinese marriage law guarantees freedom of marriage.
“This crazy company should mind its own business and stay away from the personal lives of employees.”
