Content that will fascinate you!

2011-06-01T11:22:00.001+08:00

1. Paris

Gerard Brion took up the challenge of building a miniature model of Paris 15 years ago. With 18,000 hours of painstaking work logged, he has crafted a miniature city, known as Le Petit Paris, in his garden in Vaissaic in the South of France out of salvaged items like old concrete blocks, baby food jars and soup tins. 150,000 visitors a year experience over 40 Paris monuments, such as the Champs Elysées, Montmartre, the Seine River, and the Eiffel Tower on a 1:130 scale set in a French-style garden planted with 400 bonsais.

2. Madurodam – The Netherlands

Madurodam is opened all year round. The canal houses of Amsterdam, the Alkmaar cheese market and parts of the Delta Works, all replicated in minute detail on a 1:25 scale. All is set in beautiful gardens. Windmills turn, ships sail through the harbor and trains are traversing the city on the world’s largest miniature railway.

3. Moscow

Take a trip back in time with this 400 square feet model. Created in 1977 by 300 workers for the 60th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, is a very detailed depiction of the USSR’s capital. This scaled piece of propaganda by Russian artist Efim Deshalyt was designed to be visited and admired and ultimately to show that the Soviet Union’s capital was more magnificent than any Western capital. It is currently for sale with an asking price of $3 million dollars.

4. Sugar City

Artist Meschac Gaba imagined a city of sugar, and then built it. Models of some of the world’s most instantly recognizable buildings form part of an exhibition called Port City at the Greenland Street gallery in Liverpool.

He filled it with instantly recognizable landmarks from around the world, such as the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the London Eye, Petronas Towers, the Reichstag, the Empire State Building, and more. There are 600 buildings in the fantasy city, which measures 30 feet by 20 feet and took two years to build.

5. City of Biscuits

Chinese artist Song Dong used thousands of biscuits and sweets to create a replica of an Asian city complete with a stadium and a church. The cityscape, installed in London department store Selfridges, was comprised of over 72,000 edible treats including caramels and fruit shortcake. Once it was completed, customers were invited to dig in.

6. Origami City

An origami artist from Japan, Wataru Ito, has spent four years crafting an incredible model city from paper. The entire piece – which measures 2.4m by 1.8m and is 1m high – has been crafted using only paper, which Wataru stuck together using craft glue, an art knife and a hole puncher.

7. Toothpick City

Stan Munro builds famous landmarks out of millions of toothpicks. This Toothpick City took him six years. It is build with six million toothpicks and 170 liters of glue. Stan Munro works for the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, New York, USA.

8. Minato-ku, Tokyo

Located in the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, a 1:1000 scale model of Minato-ku in exquisite detail is on display. The scale model was recently used to show potential sites for Tokyo’s bid for the 2012 Olympics.

Each building was photographed by helicopter and by car with the composite image used for the model. The entire process took over 14 months.

The model covers the area from Yoyogi Park, Shibuya, Azabu, Roppongi, Shinagawa and the man-made islands of Tsukishima and Kachidoki.

9. Chongqing City Model

A view taken on Sept. 14, 2005 shows the model of southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality at the city planning exhibition hall in Chongqing. The 892-square meters-wide model, representing the overall view of this mountainous city with a scale of 1:750, boasts to be the largest of its kind in China.

10. New York City made from staples

The artist Peter Root, from Guernsey, spent 40 hours standing 100,000 staples on end to build his latest work of art: New York-style miniature city made from staples. And he’ll take just seconds to destroy it – by knocking it over with marbles.

Source

The Day of the Skulls celebration in Bolivia

2011-05-27T16:16:00.001+08:00

The Day of the Skulls is part of a vibrant ritual that mingles indigenous and Catholic beliefs. Every November, human skulls are honoured with special masses and paraded in cemeteries. Traditionally, the skull of one or more family members are kept at home to watch over the family and protect them during the year. On November 9, the family crowns the skull with fresh flowers, sometimes also dressing it up in various garments, and makes offerings of cigarettes, coca leaves, alcohol, and various other items in thanks for the year’s protection. The Catholic Church has no choice but to tolerate this ritual, even allowing the skulls to be brought to mass.

Information and image sources: 1 2 3

12 Delicious Edible Insects

2011-05-26T13:11:00.002+08:00

As any good Entomophage (eater of insects) knows, these twelve bugs are more than just pests… they’re what’s for dinner! In many cases people started eating these insects out of necessity, but these days they’ve become a delicacy. Read on to discover twelve insects that can be quite tasty.

Casu Marzu

In Sardinia, Italy, they eat a type of sheep’s milk cheese called Casu Marzu that is known to be crawling with insect larvae. This soft cheese has been fermented so long that it has actually begun to decompose, inviting the development of insect larvae that look like tiny translucent worms on the surface of the cheese. Some people remove the larvae before eating the cheese, but others eat it all, maggots and all.

Oven-Baked Tarantula

A unique Cambodian delicacy, tarantulas were originally consumed only during plagues but have since become standard fare. Tarantulas come pre-baked – simply remove fangs, warm, and serve.

Note: As our reader Harold points out, Tarantulas are actually arthropods, not insects. Still, we wouldn’t want to eat one!

Scorpion Sucker

These harmless California scorpions are encased in a delicious candy coating. According to the listing, scorpions are a major food source in many parts of the world, so sucking on a scorpion lollipop shouldn’t gross you out. No, not at all.

Termites

In Africa and parts of Indonesia, eating Termites is a way of life. Collected at the start of the rainy season when other sources of protein are scarce, termites are best eaten after being slightly roasted.

Pregnant Crickets

In the northeast area of Thailand, crickets laden with eggs are considered a tasty snack. These crickets are caught and flash-frozen in the wild then cleaned, cooked, and lightly salted. You can buy a bag of ready-to-eat pregnant crickets for less than $6.00.

Larvets Worm Snacks

These crunchy worms are baked and come in a variety of flavors including BBQ, Cheddar Cheese, and Mexican Spice. (Buy it here | Photo)

Giant Water Beetles

In Thailand, these beetles are de-shelled and then eaten either fried or roasted. Their taste is described as being similar to scallops.

Tequila Worm Lollipop

Now you can enjoy the taste of Tequila without all that pesky nudity and reckless behavior. Just suck on one of these sugar-free, Tequila-flavored lollipops, complete with an edible worm inside each pop. How many licks does it take to get to the worm? You tell us.

Weaver Ants Eggs

Weaver ants eggs can be collected for only one month per year in Thailand, and collecting the eggs is a time-consuming and often painful task. These eggs are described as being large and squishy, and they need to be cooked thoroughly before eating them on your salad or tortilla chips.

Chocolate-Covered Giant Ants

These Giant Queen Leafcutter ants are bathed in decadent Belgian chocolate. Their taste is described as “nutty” and they are said to boost the immune system and give those who eat them extra energy.

Witchetty Grubs

These large, white, wood-eating moth or beetle larvae are a staple in Aboriginal diets in Australia. Grubs are high in protein and edible either raw or lightly seared over fire coals.

Spicy Giant Bug Paste

Love spicy foods? This is the product for you! This dipping sauce contains crushed Giant Waterbugs (AKA Giant Scorpions) along with assorted Thai spices and chilis. This paste makes the perfect dipping sauce for tortillas, sticky rice, and all of those other edible insects you love to dip.

10 Unbelievable Facebook Stories

2011-05-23T15:35:00.004+08:00

1) The woman who had her Facebook photo stolen and used as advertising in the Czech Republic

Everybody say cheese!! What a beautiful moment for this Missouri family posing for their Christmas card photo. But what they didn't expect is that the photo would end up somewhere else than their living room. Yes, a giant version of the image was spotted by a college friend of them on a food store in Prague, the Czech Republic. The photo was being used as an advertisement without any authorization. Grazie store in Prague's owner, Mario Bertuccio said he took it from the internet and he had no idea it belonged to a real family. Well Mario, say that to the judge. (Link)

2) The depressed woman who lost benefits over her Facebook beach photos

Nathalie Blanchard, a woman from Quebec on long-term sick leave has stopped receiving monthly benefits after she posted Facebook photos of herself having fun. A year and a half ago the woman was granted leave from her job at IBM in Bromont, because of a depression diagnosis and has been receiving sick-leave benefits every month by The Manulife insurance company.
However, the pictures posted on the networking site showed her frolicking on a beach, having fun at a Chippendales show and enjoying her birthday party made her look rather happy. So, the insurance company assumed she was no longer depressed and stopped paying the benefits.
The woman said that she informed Manulife about the trip and that the pictures are not a proof that her overall mood had improved. Bad luck Nathalie… I hope your depression doesn't get worse now! (Link)

3)The groom who updated Facebook at the altar during his wedding

What is the groom supposed to do after the vows of love and obey? Kiss the bride? Hmmm, not in a geek's wedding. Before kissing the bride, Dana Hanna, a Software Developer took his cellphone and updated his relationship status on Facebook and Twitter. He also handed one over to his new wife to do the same. We appreciate you keep us informed Dana, but I hope you don't do the same at every stage of your honeymoon… We get the picture anyways @;)

(Link)

4) The husband who dumped his wife by Facebook

A separation is hard for everyone but finding out your marriage is over on the internet is too much! Emma Brady, a 35-year-old woman was shocked by a message her husband posted on the social networking site: "Neil Brady has ended his marriage to Emma Brady." The woman said she had no idea about it until her best friend in Denmark phoned her to “check if she was all right”.
Her ex husband Neil Brady, who is now living with his mother, stated he had mentioned the separation to his wife. And added 'Id had enough of her'. We get the picture Neil… but anyways, you could have told it clearly to her face. (Link)

5) The teenager who walked away from assault charges thanks to a Facebook alibi

Rodney Bradford, a 19-year-old man would have never thought that a message typed on Facebook would become –literally- his passport to freedom. “Where's my pancakes" Rodney typed On Saturday, Oct. 17, at 11:49 a.m. from his father's apartment in Harlem.
The day after, the young man was arrested as a suspect in a robbery. His defense lawyer, Robert Reuland, used the Facebook entry, which was made at the time of the robbery, as his alibi. This, was later checked by the district attorney, who dropped the charges as soon as the Facebook alibi was confirmed. (Link)

6) The kidnapped kid who found his family after 22 years with help from Facebook

Alex Anfuso, an Italian man kidnapped by his own father at the age of 5, has lived in Cairo, the Egyptian capital for the last 22 years using a different name. The man reappeared via the famous social networking site with the following posts: "My name is Alex. I am looking for my family. I am looking for my mother".

In 1987, while Alex's mother was in Rome's Rebibbia prison jailed, his father took the little boy from Guidonia, Italy and brought him to Egypt, where he has since lived. Anfuso, who is now 28 years old, doesn't have an Egyptian birth certificate or even residency in Egypt.
After all these years, in a desperate attempt to get in touch with his Italian relatives, he sent messages to many people with the last name 'Anfuso'. He also contacted Pino Anfuso, a TV technician who works for state broadcaster RAI and in spite of not being his relative, he decided to share the story with the popular TV show "Chi l'ha visto" ("Who has seen them?"). Alex went on air to tell his story and unfortunately, he found out his mother had died. (Link)

7) The boy who set a Facebook poll saying “If I get 1,000,000 I will get the 150 Pokemon tattooed on my back!” He had to hide himself after failing to keep his promise.

A young Ecuadorian decided to open a group on Facebook under the name of ¨ If I get 1.000.000, I , José Romero, will tattoo the 151 Pokemon on my back ". But he wouldn't imagine that the challenge would attract thousands of worldwide followers that were willing to support him in his exploit. Such was the euphoria of the people inspired by the boy's promise that after 24 hours, 50,000 people had already joined the group. The young man might have felt intimidated by the number of followers that kept growing by the second, that decided to suppress his profile so that nobody could find him.
The disappointed users of the group wanted to give him a drubbing for his prank and his absence of word, so decided to open a call to find his whereabouts. The space has so far 600000 followers! (Link 1 | Link 2)

8) The couple --with the same full name-- that got married after meeting through Facebook

What is so unusual about this couple is not that they met online but that they have exactly the same name! A guy from Texas named Kelly Hildebrandt met this cute gal from Florida also named Kelly Hildebrandt and they are about to get married. The love-birds met when Kelly, the girl, looked up her own name on Facebook. “I was like, ‘I wonder if there's any other Kelly Hildebrandts on Facebook, so, I searched my own name and he's the only one that came up. And actually, in the picture, he didn't have his shirt on, and I'm like, ‘oh, he's cute!'”. Kelly, the man was also intrigued. “She started off, ‘Hey, I see we have the same name, and I thought it was kinda cool, so I wanted to say hi, I guess' ” he said… Well, 8 months after that ‘love at Facebook sight', Kelly proposed to Kelly, and here they go…straight to the happy ending! (Link)

9) The thirteen year old girl who met a man on Facebook, had sex with him and then hid him in her closet

A very shocked woman called the police after she opened her teenage daughter's bedroom closet and found a 19-year-old man hidden inside. The 13-year-old girl admitted she had sex with the man after meeting him on Facebook. Actually, according to the police, the man had been hiding in her closet since at least 2 days. The Facebook Romeo was arrested and is in custody awaiting possible criminal sexual conduct charges. (Link)

10) The bride-to-be who cancelled the wedding after spotting her fiancée embracing another woman on Facebook

A few days before the wedding, a furious fiancée dumped her boyfriend after catching him fondling another girl's boobs on Facebook. The angry woman plastered posters all over Rome, when she saw snaps of her husband-to-be, identified as Antonio M. by the Italian media, embracing another woman on the social networking website.

On the posters, a picture - taken from Antonio's Facebook profile - shows him nestling his head between a girl's naked boobs. This message can be read underneath "Thank goodness there's Facebook! At least I've discovered you're a traitor pig before the wedding! Signed, your former betrothed bride and the 548 guests of our wedding".

Note: according to our reader, Simon, this story is not real, but a viral campaign for the Italian movie "Feisbum". The guy with the boobs on his head is actor Corrado Fortuna, who plays the part of Antonio. (Link 1 | Link 2)

Unusual Playground

2011-05-21T13:01:00.002+08:00

When designing a playground the designers made really something unusual and unseen before, something that will make you say WTF?!

World's Strongest Dad

2009-06-20T17:00:00.005+08:00

[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly] I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life. This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.

``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

Practicality @ Home

2009-05-12T11:07:00.005+08:00

Warehouse branded handbag sale

2009-05-08T09:36:00.003+08:00

Bangladesh -child labour

2009-05-08T08:57:00.008+08:00

Jainalworks in silver cooking pot factory. He is 11 years old. He has beenworking in this factory for three years. His work starts at 9 a.m. andends at 6 p.m. For his work he gets 700 taka (10 USD) for a month. Hisparents are so poor that they can not afford to send him to school.According to the factory owner, the parents do not care for theirchildren; they send their kids to work for money and allegedly don'tfeel sorry for these small kids. Dhaka 2008

A young laborer making metal components at a factory. Dhaka.Bangladesh

13-year-oldLiyakot Ali works in a silver cooking pot factory in Old Dhaka. Thechildren work 10 hour days in hazardous conditions, for a weekly wageof 200 taka (3 USD). Dhaka . Bangladesh . June 2008

A child on the side of the road attempts to sell roses to passing commuters in cars and buses. Dhaka.

7-year-oldJasmine collects rubbish from a steaming rubbish heap on a cold wintermorning. She earns money to support her family by scavenging for itemson the Kajla rubbish dump. It is one of three landfill sites in a cityof 12 million people.. Around 5,000 tons of garbage are dumped here eachday and more than 1,000 people work among the rubbish, sorting throughthe waste and collecting items to sell to retailers for recycling.

Children at a brick factory in Fatullah. For each 1,000 bricks they carry, they earn the equivalent of 0.9 USD.

A young girl working in a brick crushing factory in Dhaka.

Children at a brick factory in Fatullah. For each 1,000 bricks they carry, they earn the equivalent of 0.9 USD.

Ten-year-old Shaifur working in a door lock factory in Old Dhaka. Unlike his colleague, Shaifur works without a mask.

Eight-year-oldMunna works in a rickshaw factory. He earns about 500 taka (7 USD) amonth, working 10 hours a day. When the production often stops due tolack of electricity, he has time to play. Dhaka 2007

Childrenare compelled to work for long working hours with inadequate or no restperiod. Moreover, they are paid with minimum wages and enjoy no jobsecurity. Many people prefer to employ young boys to maximize servicesfor those minimum wages. Dhaka 2006.

Thirteen-year- oldIslam works in a silver cooking pot factory. He has been working at thefactory for the last two years, in hazardous conditions, where it iscommon practice for the factory owners to take on children as unpaidapprentices, only providing them with two meals a day.

17.5percent of children in the aged 5?5 are engaged in economicactivities. Many of these children are engaged in various hazardousoccupation s in manufacturing factories. Dhaka 2006.

Eight-year-oldRazu works in a rickshaw factory. He earns about 500 taka (7 USD) amonth, working 10 hours a day. When the production often stops due tolack of electricity, he has time to play.

UNBELIEVABLE CAKES FROM RUSSIA

2009-05-08T08:52:00.003+08:00

HARD TO BELIEVE

Impressive Cakes from Russia.
Yes, everything you see is a cake with the frosting. Looks like they are the real thing -- but...they are all just cake and frosting.

A second before death...

2009-05-08T08:46:00.003+08:00

See the shots taken inside the plane before it crashed?Just unbelievable.

Photos taken from the GOL B 737 aircraft accident in Brazil
Last month a B737 had a mid air collision with a Embraer Legacy while cruising at 35,000 feet over South America . The Embraer Legacy, though seriously damaged, with the winglet ripped off, managed to make a landing at a nearby airstrip in the midst of the Amazon jungle. The crew and passengers of the Embraer Legacy had no idea what they had hit. The B737, however, crashed killing all crew and passengers on board.

The two photos attached above were apparently taken by one of the passengers in the B737, after the collision and before the aircraft crashed. The photos were retrieved from the camera's memory stick. You will never get to see photos like this. In the first photo there is a gaping hole in the fuselage through which you can see the tailplane and vertical fin of the aircraft. In the second photo one of the passengers is being sucked out of the gaping hole.

Photos taken inside the plane.
These photos were found in a digital Casio Z750, amidst the remains in Serra do Cachimbo. Although the camera was destroyed, the Memory Stick was recovered. Investigating the serial number of the camera the owner could be identified, as Paulo G. Muller, an actor of a theatre for children known in the outskirts of Porto Alegre It can be imagined that he was standing during the impact with the Embraer Legacy, and during the turbulence he managed to take these photos, s econds after the tail loss the aircraft plunged, so the camera was found near the cockpit. the structural stress probably ripped the engines away, diminishing the falling speed, protecting the ele ctronic equipment but not, unfortunately, the victims. Paulo Muller leaves behind two daughters, Bruna and Beatriz, from a previous relationship.

Leopard savaging a crocodile caught on camera - The Telegraph

2009-03-23T09:20:00.005+08:00

The astonishing spectacle of a leopard savaging a crocodile has been captured for the first time on camera.

A series of incredible pictures taken at a South African game reserve document the first known time that a leopard has taken on and defeated one of the fearsome reptiles.

The photographs were taken by Hal Brindley, an American wildlife photographer, who was supposed to be taking pictures of hippos from his car in the Kruger National Park .

The giant cat raced out of cover provided by scrub and bushes to surprise the crocodile, which was swimming nearby.
A terrible and bloody struggle ensued. Eventually, onlookers were amazed to see the leopard drag the crocodile from the water as the reptile fought back.

With the crocodile snapping its powerful jaws furiously, the two animals somersaulted and grappled. Despite the crocodile's huge weight and strength, the leopard had the upper hand catching its prey by the throat.

Eventually the big cat was able to sit on top of the reptile and suffocate it.
In the past, there have been reports of crocodiles killing leopards, but this is believed to the first time that the reverse scenario
has been observed.

Mr Brindley said: 'I asked many rangers in South Africa if they had ever heard of anything like this and they all said no.

"It just doesn't make sense. The meat you get out of a crocodile is just not worth the risk it takes a predator to acquire. The whole scene happened in the course of about 5 minutes. Then the leopard was gone.

"I drove away, elated in disbelief. It may have been the most amazing thing I've ever seen."
Ellie Rose, a reptile keeper at London Zoo, said: "Normally, crocodiles are well able to defend themselves against attack. I can't think of any examples of this happening before."

Very Amazing English

2009-02-16T12:42:00.004+08:00

6 Foods to Keep You Young

2009-02-11T16:39:00.009+08:00

Olive Oil

Four decades ago, researchers from the Seven Countries Study concluded that the monounsaturated fats in olive oil were largely responsible for the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete. Now we know that olive oil also contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases.

Yogurt

In the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was rumored to have more centenarians per capita than any other country. Reports at the time claimed that the secret of their long lives was yogurt, a food ubiquitous in their diets. While the age-defying powers of yogurt never have been proved directly, yogurt is rich in calcium, which helps stave off osteoporosis and contains 'good bacteria' that help maintain gut health and diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness.

Fish

Thirty years ago, researchers began to study why the native Inuits of Alaska were remarkably free of heart disease. The reason, scientists now think, is the extraordinary amount of fish they consume. Fish is an abundant source of omega-3 fats, which help prevent cholesterol buildup in arteries and protect against abnormal heart rhythms.

Chocolate

The Kuna people of the San Blas islands, off the coast of Panama, have a rate of heart disease that is nine times less than that of mainland Panamanians. The reason? The Kuna drink plenty of a beverage made with generous proportions of cocoa, which is unusually rich in flavanols that help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining youthful blood vessels lowers risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.

Nuts

Studies of Seventh-Day Adventists(a religious denomination that emphasizes healthy living and a vegetarian diet) show that those who eat nuts gain, on average, an extra two and a half years. Nuts are rich sources of unsaturated fats, so they offer benefits similar to those associated with olive oil. They’re also concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals and other photochemical, including antioxidants.

Blueberries

In a landmark study published in 1999, researchers at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging fed rats blueberry extract for a period of time that in 'rat lives' is equivalent to 10 human years. These rats outperformed rats fed regular chow on tests of balance and coordination when they reached old age. Compounds in blueberries (and other berries) mitigate inflammation and oxidative damage, which are associated with age-related deficits in memory and motor function.

Cage of Death - Australia

2009-02-11T08:56:00.007+08:00

Pictured: The theme park's 'cage of death' that drops tourists into a crocodile's lair

Without the cage you wouldn't stand a chance swimming with a massive saltwater crocodile.
But for brave punters who still want to get cosy with a feisty croc, a new Australian tourist attraction is offering the chance for a close encounter in the safety of a clear acrylic box dubbed the 'cage of death'.
Just 4cm of acrylic, a pair of goggles and a swimsuit, will separate thrill-seekers from the jaws of Choppa, a saltwater crocodile.
Close encounter: A tourist dives into a cage partially immersed in a crocodile pen at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin , Australia
The cage has no bars, unlike cages used in shark dives, which prevents the reptiles from gripping on but deep teeth scratches are visible on the sides, deterring some hesitant participants.
Top End tourists climb into the clear box before being lowered into Choppa's lair.
They then spend 15 minutes inside the 9ft high cage and watch Choppa, who lost both front feet while fighting other crocodiles, trying to take a bite out of them.

Getting cosy: Choppa the crocodile looks like he's 'affectionately' trying to hug the dare-devil tourist
The attraction at Crocosaurus Cove in the heart of the city of Darwin in the Northern Territory has been given high marks by adrenaline-junkies.
'This is it!' said self-confessed thrill-seeker Mark Clayton from Darwin after spending 20 minutes face-to-face with the crocodiles.
'I dive with sharks, large rays, moray eels ... but it's not this close. It's exhilarating to get that close to a crocodile of that size.'

Face-to-face: The experience is made even more thrilling for tourists because the cage has no bars
Saltwater crocodiles, known locally as "salties," are the largest crocodile species, with the males growing up to 19.6ft long and weighing up to 2,204lbs.
They are found in across Southeast Asia but the highest numbers are found in northern Australia .
Michael Scott, who opened the attraction in July, said there was plenty of demand for the £35 thrill.
'In the Northern Territory , the saltwater crocodile is an icon and is part of our life. They are always in the news, either in someone's swimming pool or killing someone's favourite horse,' Mr Scott said.

Hunting for food: Up to two people are allowed in the cage at the one time
The most famous crocodile to be housed at the park is Burt, who starred as the beast that nearly ate Linda Koslowski's character in Crocodile Dundee .
Although saltwater crocodiles are dangerous, fatal attacks on humans are rare in Australia with only one or two reported a year.
Warning signs are displayed at rivers, lake and beaches in areas inhabited by crocodiles.

Dicing with danger: Swimming face-to-face with a massive saltwater crocodile might not be everyone's idea of fun but thrill-seekers are snapping up Australia 's newest tourist attraction
The most recent fatality was reported last month in Queensland when the suspected remains of a British man were found inside a crocodile.
Arthur Booker, 62, was last seen checking crab pots on a crocodile-infested river in the state's north.

Please forward to the whole world !!!

2009-01-23T15:11:00.003+08:00

REN Building

2008-12-03T16:07:00.002+08:00

The REN Building is a proposal for a hotel, sports and conference center for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai . The building is conceived as two buildings merging into one. The first building, emerging from the water, is devoted to the activities of the body, and houses the sports and water culture center. The second building emerging from land, is devoted to the spirit and enlightment, and houses the conference center and meeting facilities. The two buildings meet in a 1000 room hotel, a building for living. The building becomes the Chinese sign for ' The People ' , and a recognizable landmark for the World Expo in China.

Old Calculators

2008-11-20T12:55:00.002+08:00

PORK CHOPS

2008-11-19T08:46:00.002+08:00

In a zoo inCalifornia , a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans' that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops?
Take a look...you won't believe your eyes.

Ferrari Motorbike

2008-10-29T10:01:00.003+08:00

Flower Carpet

2008-10-29T09:57:00.004+08:00

Northern Lights over Yellow Knife Canada and a Fire Rainbow

2008-10-13T10:07:00.004+08:00

THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!
Hope you enjoy the beautiful sceneries.

THIS IS A FIRE RAINBOW - THE RAREST OF ALL NATURALLY OCCURRING ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.

THE PICTURE WAS CAPTURED THIS WEEK ON THE IDAHO / WASHINGTON BORDER. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 1 HOUR.
CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20K FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE CRYSTALS AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58
DEGREES.

Beautiful sight! Pass along for others to see!!

Chinese Soup of Duck Blood

2008-10-10T12:15:00.005+08:00

A Girl Can Change Your GOAL

2008-10-09T14:38:00.001+08:00

Olympic accident...

2008-10-09T14:28:00.005+08:00