Miscellaneous Masala/Spicy Stuff

Things That Are (Almost) Impossible To Do With Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:32:00 +0000

There are things that you think you should be able to do with your body. But if you’re like 99.9999% of people in the world, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t quite manage to do it.

Here is a list of things that are impossible to do with your body, and the few mutants who can do ‘em:

1. Raise One Eyebrow

I can raise both of my eyebrows in bewilderment on how some people can raise just one. In fact, I know only one person in my life who can do this: my mother-in-law, who said that her ability just came to her during the pain of childbirth - and that this superpower was very useful in raising kids. Well, her and of course Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock: "Fascinating, Captain"), Sean Connery, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Stephen Colbert.

Some people call this the eyebrow cock, and it is known as the universal sign of O RLY … I mean, skepticism. The ability to raising eyebrows may be an evolutionary trait: baboons, mandrills and cebus monkeys raise their eyebrows as a threat gesture. (Source: David Givens / Center for Nonverbal Studies).

For all of you who want to do this (and yes, geeks who want to imitate Mr. Spock: I’m talkin’ to you), it turns out that you can learn to raise one eyebrow. Here’s the trick, according to wikiHow:

1. Start by keeping one eyebrow down with one hand and holding one up with the other. Keep practicing this in the mirror so you can
detect the correct muscle movement to obtain one eyebrow up.
2. Once you are familiar with this and can do it quite well, try it with out using your hands.
3. Practice this in the mirror intil you get it just right
4. Scare and thrill people with your new talent!

Didn’t work for you? Try the methods in this Ask MetaFilter thread or this Yahoo! Answer.

2. Lick Your Elbow

Photo: Gussy (Luke) [Flickr]

I once read a trivia that said it’s impossible to lick your own elbow. And that 75% of the people told this immediately tried to lick their elbows.

Well! It’s obviously not so impossible for some people. Supposedly, Guinness World Records get about 5 claims a day from people who think that they are special just because they can lick their elbows (Source).

3. Gleeking

Patrick Ellison gleeking. Photo by Josh Devine [Wikipedia]

Okay, it is kind of gross but it’s fascinating. Gleeking (or gleeting / glicking) is like spitting - but not quite: the term means projecting saliva from the submandibular gland upon compression by the tongue.

Interestingly, the word gleek appears in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where a character named Bottom says "Nay, I can gleek upon occasion." (The Bard meant it as "joke," though, not spit like a camel)

4. Twitch Your Nose

Y’know, twitch your nose like the witch Samantha Stephens of Bewitched.

Elizabeth Montgomery, the actress that played Samantha, actually got sick and tired of being asked to twitch her nose by her fans that she refused to do it after the series was over.

They should bring back Bewitched. I missed that show.

5. Wiggle Your Ear

Jeff Goldblum wiggling his ears [YouTube]

Your cat can do it. And so can the hippo and Jeff Goldblum. But only few other people in the world can wiggle their ears. It turned out that in 2006, scientists determined exactly why most people couldn’t wiggle their own ears:

"The mechanism behind ear movements is sophisticated," says Bastiaan ter Meulen, who led the ear wiggling study, accepted for publication in the journal Clinical Neurophysiology.

Unlike other facial muscles, ear muscles have their own accessory nucleus, a control area for muscle function, in the brainstem, says ter Meulen, a researcher at Erasmus MC, a university medical centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

"Compared to animals, especially bats and cats, this nucleus is rather small in humans," he says. (Source)

But fear not, non-ear wiggling people! You can train yourself to do it. WikiHow explains:

Isolate your ear-wiggling muscles. You may be able to wiggle your ears, but it won’t be that impressive if you have to raise your eyebrows or look awfully surprised every time. You may not be able to move your ears without moving your scalp, but you should be able to learn to move them without moving your eyebrows. Practice wiggling your ears without moving any other parts of your face.

6. Touch Your Nose or Chin With Your Tongue

This is much better than a photo of Gene Simmons sticking his tongue out!
Photo: floyka [Flickr]

I betcha Gene Simmons of the rock band KISS could do both easily, but most people can’t touch the tip of their nose or their chin with their tongue. Rumor was Gene had a cow’s tongue grafted onto his own. But Snopes, ever the party pooper, set the record straight:

But, as Simmons wrote in his autobiography, his unusual tongue was indeed the work of Mother Nature alone, a feature whose distinctiveness (and value) he first realized in his early teens:

I was oblivious, for the first thirteen years of my life, that I was endowed with a large oral appendage, my superlong tongue. It really was longer than everyone else’s, and I was soon to find out that having a long tongue came in handy with the girls.

7. Strange Tongue Tricks

While we’re still on the subject of tongues, there are a few tricks that most people can’t do (just don’t get a tongue cramp trying to do all these, mmkay?):

Tongue tricks by YouTube user tinasandwich [YouTube Link]

Just go ahead and try to to the last one, the smiley face, like YouTube user a51a did [YouTube Link, shaky video but still!]

8. Sneeze with Your Eyes Open

Nope, you can’t sneeze with your eyes open (well, without forcing ‘em open with your hands, anyhow). Why? Because when you sneeze, the "sneeze center" in the brain "sends coordinated motor impulses along nerves controlling muscles of the abdomen, chest,diaphgram, neck, face, eyelids and various sphincters, as well as the mucus glands and blood vessels of the nose. All this happens automatically." (Source) You can’t help it.

Now, if you did force open your eyes, would your eyeballs pop out when you sneeze? Adam Savage of The Mythbuster risked his eyes doing the experiment:

The Mythbuster: Will Your Eyes Fall Out From Sneezing? episode [YouTube]

9. Tickle Yourself

We all have a ticklish spot or two, which are never a secret from the ones we love. Gentle tickling is fun - so one can be tempted to "auto-tickle" to amuse oneself. But alas, you can’t tickle yourself, and scientists actually know why.

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London explains:

The answer lies at the back of the brain in an area called the cerebellum, which is involved in monitoring movements. Our studies at University College London have shown that the cerebellum can predict sensations when your own movement causes them but not when someone else does. When you try to tickle yourself, the cerebellum predicts the sensation and this prediction is used to cancel the response of other brain areas to the tickle. (Source)

10. The Paralyzed Finger Trick

Okay, give this one a try: bend your middle finger like the picture on the left shows and put your hand on the table. Then lift your thumb, index finger, and pinkie. No problem, right? Now try the ring finger.

Stepanie Weaver of Science Made Simple explains why you can’t:

The tendons in your fingers are independent from one another apart from the ones in your middle and ring finger. These tendons are connected, so that when your middle finger is folded down you cannot move your ring finger. It feels like your ring finger is stuck!

11. Draw The Number Six While Making Clockwise Circles With Your Leg

Think you can multitask? Try this: while sitting on a chair, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles. Then, while doing that, draw the number 6 with your right hand. You can’t help it: your foot will change direction.

Similarly: move your right leg in anti-clockwise circles and simultaneously draw the number 8 with your right hand.

Another tricky thing to do: simultaneously rotate the index fingers of both hands clockwise. Do it slowly at first, but then pick up speed. Try to go faster and faster, and pretty soon your two fingers will be going in opposite directions!

12. Toot Your Own Horn

I’m going to let Will Ferrell in the famous SNL yoga skit explain this one ("Look, I’ve done yoga everyday for three years … now I’ve finally reached my goal"). Or if you prefer something more literary: There once was a man from Nantucket …

All right, all right, this one’s only for the guys: Why do dogs lick their balls? Because they can. And apparently, so can 2 to 3 out of 1,000 men in the world, according to sex researcher Alfred Kinsey. (Source)

As stand-up comedian Bill Hicks once famously quipped:

"A woman one night yelled out, ‘Yeah, you ever try it?’ I said, yeah. Almost broke my back. It’s that one vertebrae, I swear to God, it’s that close. I think that vertebrae is going to be the thing to go in our next evolutionary step. Just a theory and a fervent prayer. Yeah, now all the guys are going, ‘Honey, I have no idea what he’s talking about. I think he’s a devil-child.’ That may be true, but guys, yoooo u know what I’m talking about. I can speak for every guy in this room here tonight, guys, if you could blow yourselves, ladies, you’d be in this room alone right now. Watching an empty stage." (Source)

Read all about autofellatio over on Wikipedia (warning: NSFW, obviously).

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

How to Get a Job at Walmarts

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:29:00 +0000

This is an actual job application that a 75 year old senior citizen submitted to Walmart in Arkansas.

They hired him because he was so funny…..

NAME: Kenneth Way (Grumpy Old Bastard)

SEX: Not lately, but I am looking for the right woman (or at least one who will cooperate)

DESIRED POSITION: Company‘s President or Vice President. But seriously, what ever‘s available. If I was in a position to be picky, I wouldn‘t be applying here in the first place

DESIRED SALARY: $185,000 a year plus stock options and a Michael Ovitz style severance package. If that‘s not possible, make an offer and we can haggle.

EDUCATION: Yes.

LAST POSITION HELD: Target for middle management hostility.

PREVIOUS SALARY: A lot less than I‘m worth.

MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT: My incredible collection of stolen pens and post-it notes.

REASON FOR LEAVING:

It sucked.

HOURS AVAILABLE TO WORK:

Any.

PREFERRED HOURS: 1:30–3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS?:

Yes, but they‘re better suited to a more intimate environment.

MAY WE CONTACT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYER?:

If I had one, would I be here?

DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM

LIFTING UP TO 50 lbs.?:

Of what?

DO YOU HAVE A CAR?:

I think the more appropriate question here would be ‘Do you have a car that runs?‘

HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL AWARDS OR RECOGNITION?:

I may already be a winner of the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, so they tell me.

DO YOU SMOKE?:

On the job-no! On my breaks-yes!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS?:

Living in the Bahamas with a fabulously wealthy dumb sexy blond supermodel who thinks I‘m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Actually, I‘d like to be doing that now.

NEAREST RELATIVE:

7 miles

DO YOU CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF

YOUR KNOWLEDGE?:

Oh yes, absolutly.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

11 Awesome Geek-Themed Art Cars

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:24:00 +0000

We thought we’d take a little break from the usual and take a look at some cool art cars that geeks have modded into their own visions of coolness. So here’s some random pimped out tonnage of pure nerd love coming at ya. When a nerd has a car, all things are possible…Though it will usually end up having something to do with the Star Wars universe.

VW Microbus Ball-A piece of art by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top fame.
He took a vw microbus and made it into a VW ball. Truly a thing of beauty. The tires unfold when you need em. This is what we need to see more of on the road. Or in the sky for that matter.

Circuit Board Car-Someone went a little crazy with circuit boards. This one must be blinding in direct sunlight. You have to wonder how much weight the boards added to the car in total.

The Pyramid Car-This pyramid electric car weighs 8,000-pounds and is powered by 80-batteries, with four engines. It can supposedly reach speeds of up to 45mph. I love how the canopy pops open like a Colonial Viper from Battlestar Galactica. It was built by a Father and his two sons.

The Pac-Man car-This is the best way to outrun ghosts that I have seen yet. And it attracts the ladies.

The Subaru Outback Ecto-1-This guy started a thread on the NASIOC forums (North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club) to showcase his 2003 Subaru Outback which he’s converted into a slightly smaller version of the Ecto-1 from the Ghostbusters films.

The Floppy Disk car-A 1998 Honda Civic covered with computer keys and, of course, floppy disks.

U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-7 Shuttlecar-Now this is truly a geek ride. The only thing that could make it better is if they sold Ice cream from the back of this thing.

Star Wars Landspeeder-You probably remember this one from a while back. The vehicle was actually licensed in California. It just needs a few droids and your Uncle dressed as Ben Kenobi.

Jawa Sandcrawler-I had no idea that Jawas attended Burning Man. I hope they collected enough robot parts to really stick it to the Skywalkers this season.

The X-Wing…car-A California guy modded his Honda del Sol into Luke’s X-Wing Fighter. It even has R2 astromech droid in the rear, some burns, and the Rebel insignia, and laser blasters on the car doors.

Battlestar Galactica Viper-Dean Shorey built this car, based on the Vipers from classic Battlestar Galactica, by hand. I would love to see this thing coming down the street.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Top 3 Extreme Rich-poor divides in Cities

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:37:00 +0000

Here’s a quick selection of shocking photos / google maps links. They all Illustrate an extreme degree of wealth divide in different parts of the world.

1. Paraisópolis Favela, Morumbi, Sao Paulo

(above: check out the size of the tennis courts in comparison to the size of the housing on the left)

the shantytown area in the photo is called paraisópolis favela, which bizarrely translates as ‘paradise city’.

you can see the area on google maps hither.

2. Caracas, Venezuela

caracas is the capital of venezuela - the shacks on the left are called ranchos and most of the hillsides in the area are inhabited by the poorer population (a whopping 80% of the entire population of caracas) in similar housing.

the area on google maps is shown below. map link here.

3. Dharavi, Mumbai

dharavi is one of the largest slums in the world, home to over 1 million people. due to the location of the slum, the ground below it is actually worth a huge amount of money and the government apparently has plans to transform the area in the near future.

below is the slum on google maps. direct link here.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Top 10 Physical Transformations for a Film

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:35:00 +0000

Top 10 Physical Transformations for a Film

In Honour of Acting Masterclass here are The Top 10 Physical Transformations for a film role…..

10. Sylvester Stallone - Cop Land

stallone shocked everyone by actually attempting to act in cop land, and while that may have failed he did manage to do one impressive thing - lose some muscle and gain some fat. he had to put on 40lbs/2.8 stone (that’s roughly the weight of one of his nipples on a cold day).

9. Renee Zellwegger - Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason

renee gained 28lbs/2 stone for the film, mastered the english accent and went to advanced pouting classes. it also seems that her hair became hay-like and her breasts quadrupled in size.

8. Eric Bana - Chopper

now that’s what i call a transformation - i honestly wouldn’t have known it was the same person. bana gained 30lbs/2.1 stone, spent 4 hours per day on set having shit tattoos applied to his body and even spent a few days with the real chopper in the name of research.
legend.

7. Jared Leto - Chapter 27

i actually think he looks better when he’s rotund.
he gained a ginormous 62lbs/4.4 stone as preparation for the film chapter 27 (that’s probably the first and last time you’ll hear of that movie) and said he did it by eating pizza every single day, a result of which was daily vomit burps.
6. Matt Damon - Courage Under Fire

this one really gives me the creeps. how fucking ill does he look on the right?
he had to lose 40lbs/2.8 stone for the film and damaged his health so much that he needed medical supervision for months afterwards.
holy shit. a bit too far?

5. Ed Norton - American History xX

possibly the scariest transformation to date, norton gained 30lbs/2.1 stone prior to filming american history x and went to the gym a lot. additionally he taught himself how to grimace like a nazi, applied a fake swastika to his chest and shaved his head.
the result?
one of the most powerful performances ever in one of the darkest films since bmx bandits.

4. Charlize Theron - Monster

(left to right, aileen wuornos - charlize as aileen - charlize as herself)
in order to play extremely unattractive serial killer aileen wuornos in the film monster ms theron gained 30lbs/2.1 stone, wore prosthetic teeth and generally acted like a really angry slob.
and it worked. she won an oscar and managed to look hideous.
3. Hilary Swank - Boys Don’t Cry
this is hilary swank….

this is also hilary swank…

confused? me too. she prepared for the film by living as a bloke for a month - her breasts were bound with tape to hide her curves and she wore socks down the front of her trousers to accentuate her non-penis. her neighbours apparently thought her brother had been visting for the past few weeks.
on top of that, it’s a fucking brilliant performance. if you aint seen it i suggest you do, just not during a first date.
boys don’t cry trailer…

2. Robert De Niro - Raging Bull

when it comes to method acting you can’t beat de niro. for cape fear he had a dentist crack his teeth to make his character look more believable, prior to taxi driver he worked 12 hour shifts in a new york cab to get into the role, he learned to play the saxophone before starting filming on new york, new york…. it goes on and on.
but the reason for his inclusion in this list is the fucking awesome weight gain during raging bull. forget gaining weight in between projects, bobby put on a massive 60lbs/4.2 stone whilst filming in order to play an ageing jake la motta, and this was after training like a madman in order to play the younger boxer.
the best of raging bull:

1. Christian Bale - Machinist/Batman Begins

holy shit, this guy’s committed to the point of insanity. a clear winner.
in 2004 (apparently in only a few months) he lost a whopping 63lbs/4.5 stone for his role as an insomniac in the machinist. his co-stars have since claimed that he was even eager to lose more weight during filming and had to be stopped by the director.
as if that wasn’t enough he then immediately had to stuff his face in order to play Batman. he gained, in the space of 6 months, a ridiculous 100lbs/7 stone! how in shit’s name do you do that? over a stone a month?! must’ve been tricky finding time to get down the gym in between shoving chicken down his gullet and sitting on the toilet.
the machinist trailer:

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

10 Ways to Manage Stress

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Stress is a normal part of life and usually comes from everyday occurrences. Here are some ways you can deal with everyday sources of stress.

1. Eliminate as many sources of stress as you can.

For example, if crowds bother you, go to the supermarket when you know the lines won't be too long. Try renting videotapes rather than going to crowded movie theaters. Clear up the clutter in your life by giving away or throwing away the things that get in your way. A garage sale is one effective way to do this.

2. Make a Time-Table.

If you are always running late, sit down with a pencil and paper and see how you are actually allotting your time. Say it takes you 40 minutes to get to work. Are you leaving your house on time? You may be able to solve your problem (and de-stress your life a bit) just by being realistic. If you can't find the time for all the activities that are important to you, maybe you are trying to do too much. Again, make a list of what you do during the day and how much each activity takes. Then cut back.

3. Avoid predictably stressful situations.

If a certain sport or game makes you tense (whether it's tennis or bridge), decline the invitation to play. After all, the point of these activities is to have a good time. If you know you won't, there's no reason to play.

4. If you can't remove the stress, remove yourself.

Slip away once in a while for some private time. These quiet moments may give you a fresh perspective on your problems. Avoid stressful people. For example, if you don't get along with your father-in-law but you don't want to make an issue of it, invite other in-laws at the same time you invite him. Having other people around will absorb some of the pressure you would normally feel.

5.Avoid Competing with Others.

Competing with others, whether in accomplishments, appearance, or possessions, is an avoidable source of stress. You might know people who do all they can to provoke envy in others. While it may seem easy to say you should be satisfied with what you have, it's the truth. Stress from this kind of jealousy is self-inflicted.

6. Keep Your Distance from Gadgets.

Laborsaving devices, such as cellular phones or computer hookups, often encourage us to cram too many activities into each day. Before you buy new equipment, be sure that it will really improve your life. Be aware that taking care of equipment and getting it repaired can be stressful.

7. Try doing only one thing at a time.

For example, when you're riding your exercise bike, you don't have to listen to the radio or watch television.

8. Learn to do Nothing.

Remember, sometimes it's okay to do nothing.

9. Try to remain Calm.

If you suffer from insomnia, headaches, recurring colds, or stomach upsets, consider whether stress is part of the problem. Being chronically angry, frustrated, or apprehensive can deplete your physical resources.

10. Seek professional Help.

If you feel stress (or anything else) is getting the better of you, seek professional help -- a doctor or therapist. Early signs of excess stress are loss of a sense of well-being and reluctance to get up in the morning to face another day.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Man paints Car like Police Cruiser

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Jessie Vigil isn't a police officer, but the car he drives sure makes him look like one.

Vigil painted his 2007 Ford Mustang black and white, added a red-and-blue emergency bar across the top and painted the word "police" on the doors. The decorating started last summer, in an effort to make the car look like the police cruiser in the "Transformers" movie because his 7-year-old son, Thomas, was a fan.

"My intent was to re-create the movie car," said Vigil, a 35-year-old disabled veteran from the war in Iraq. "When I came back from Iraq, I tried to spoil him. I wasn't the best dad before."

Law enforcement agencies say what he's done with his car isn't illegal as long as he doesn't act like a police officer.

Vigil said he called the district attorney's office beforehand and spoke to Chief Deputy District Attorney Joe Ulibarri, who tried to discourage his decorating scheme but couldn't find anything in the law that would stop Vigil as long as he didn't impersonate an officer.

Ulibarri said a state law prevents people from mimicking state police cars, which are painted black and white. But he also said the state police sell their old cars to private citizens without changing the colors.

"I don't think this guy has any intent to mimic a state police officer," Ulibarri said. "I'm not hearing that he is causing a problem and arresting people."

Vigil did take some liberties with his design. Instead of the familiar slogan "To protect and serve," the car carries the words "To punish and enslave" on the side. Instead of telling people to dial 911 for emergencies, the Mustang advises them to "dial 411 for theater information."

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

10 Weird Science facts you didn't know

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:06:00 +0000

1. A fetus can get trapped inside of its twin

Fetus in fetu (or Foetus in foetu) describes an extremely rare abnormality that involves a fetus getting trapped inside of its twin. It continues to survive as a parasite even past birth by forming an umbilical cord-like structure that leeches its twin's blood supply until it grows so large that it starts to harm the host, at which point doctors usually intervene. Invariably the parasitic fetus is anencephalic (without a brain) and lacks internal organs, and as such is unable to survive on its own, though it may have almost human (albeit underdeveloped and bizarre) features such as limbs, digits, hair, nails and teeth. Fetus in fetu is such a rare condition that only some 91 cases worldwide have ever been reported. Fetus in fetu happens very early in a twin pregnancy, when one fetus wraps around and envelops the other. The dominant fetus grows, while the fetus that would have been its twin lives on throughout the pregnancy, feeding off its host twin like a kind of parasite. Usually, both twins die before birth from the strain of sharing a placenta. Sometimes, however, the host twin survives and is delivered.

2. Animals can rain from the sky

Raining animals is a relatively common meteorological phenomenon, with occurrences reported from many countries throughout history. The animals most likely to drop from the sky in a rainfall are fish and frogs, with birds coming third. Sometimes the animals survive the fall, especially fish, suggesting a small time gap between the extraction and the actual drop. Several witnesses of raining frogs describe the animals as startled, though healthy, and exhibiting relatively normal behavior shortly after the event. In some incidents, however, the animals are frozen to death or even completely enclosed in blocks of ice. These occurrences may be evidence for the transport of the victims to high altitudes, where the temperature is below zero, and they show how powerful meteorological forces can be. Most recent occurrences include the rain of frogs and toads in Serbia (2005) and London (1998), and rains of fish in India (2006) and Wales (2004).

In Honduras, the Lluvia de Peces (Rain of Fishes) is a unique phenomenon that has been occurring for more than a century on a yearly basis in the country of Honduras. It occurs in the Departamento de Yoro, between the months of May and July. Witnesses of this phenomenon state that it begins with is a dark cloud in the sky followed by lightning, thunder, strong winds and heavy rain for 2 to 3 hours. Once the rain has stopped, hundreds of living fish are found on the ground. People take the fish home to cook and eat them. Although some experts have tried to explain the Rain of Fishes as a natural meteorological phenomenon, the fish are not sea water fish, but fresh water fish; they are not dead, but alive; they are not blind, they have eyes; they are not big fish, but small; and the type of fish is not found elsewhere in the area. There is no valid scientific explanation for this phenomenon. Many people believe this phenomenon occurs because of Father José Manuel Subirana, a Spanish catholic missionary and considered by many to be a Saint. He visited Honduras from 1856-1864, and upon encountering so many poor people, prayed for 3 days and 3 nights asking God for a miracle to help the poor people by providing food. The Rain of Fishes has occurred ever since.

3. The universe is beige

Cosmic Latte is the color of the universe, according to a team of astronomers from Johns Hopkins University. In 2001, Karl Glazebrook and Ivan Baldry determined that the color of the universe was a greenish white, but they soon corrected their analysis in "The 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey: constraints on cosmic star-formation history from the cosmic spectrum", published in 2002. In this paper, they reported that their survey of the color of all light in the universe added up to a slightly beige white. The survey included more than 200,000 galaxies, and measured the spectral range of the light from a large volume of the universe. The hexadecimal RGB value for Cosmic Latte is #FFF8E7.

In a Washington Post article, the color was displayed. Glazebrook jokingly said that he was looking for suggestions for a name for the new color. Several people who read the article sent in suggestions. "Cosmic Latte" was selected.

4. Poisoning can make masses to dance hysterically

Dancing mania is the name given to a phenomenon that occurred mainly in mainland Europe from the 14th century through to the 17th century, in which groups of people would dance through the streets of towns or cities, sometimes foaming at the mouth or speaking in tongues, until they collapsed from exhaustion. The first major outbreak of the mania was in Aachen, Germany, in July 1374. The dancers went through the streets screaming of wild visions, and even continued to writhe and twist after they collapsed from exhaustion. The dancing quickly caught on, and spread rapidly throughout France and the Low Countries. The mania reached its peak in 1418 in Strasbourg. At at least one point, so many people had either been afflicted with the dancing mania, or caught up in the dancing, or were trying to give assistance, or simply watching the events unfold, that the town was brought to a complete halt.

Although no real consensus exists as to what caused the mania, some cases, especially the one in Aix-la-Chapelle, may have had an explainable physical cause. The symptoms of the sufferers can be attributed to ergot poisoning, or ergotism, known in the Middle Ages as "St. Anthony's Fire". It is caused by eating rye infected with Claviceps purpurea, a small fungus that contains toxic and psychoactive chemicals (alkaloids), including lysergic acid (used in modern times to synthesize LSD). Symptoms of ergot poisoning include nervous spasms, psychotic delusions, spontaneous abortion, convulsions and gangrene; some dancers claimed to have experienced visions of a religious nature.

5. The Moon is moving away from the Earth

The Moon's orbit (its circular path around the Earth) is indeed getting larger, at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year. (The Moon's orbit has a radius of 384,000 km.) The reason for the increase is that the Moon raises tides on the Earth. Because the side of the Earth that faces the Moon is closer, it feels a stronger pull of gravity than the center of the Earth. Similarly, the part of the Earth facing away from the Moon feels less gravity than the center of the Earth. This effect stretches the Earth a bit, making it a little bit oblong.

It is expected that in 15 billion years, the orbit will stabilize at 1.6 times its present size, and the Earth day will be 55 days long equal to the time it will take the Moon to orbit the Earth.

6. Belly button lint comes from your underwear

Many people find that, at the beginning and end of the day, a small lump of fluff has appeared in the navel cavity. The reasons for this have been the subject of idle speculation for many years but in 2001, Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki of the University of Sydney, Australia undertook a systematic survey to determine the ins and outs of navel lint. His primary findings were as follows:

Navel lint consists primarily of stray fibres from one's clothing, mixed with some dead skin cells and strands of body hair. The rotting cells can create unpleasant odors.
Contrary to expectations, navel lint appears to migrate upwards from underwear rather than downwards from shirts or tops. The migration process is the result of the frictional drag of body hair on underwear, which drags stray fibres up into the navel.
Women experience less navel lint because of their finer and shorter body hairs. Conversely, older men experience it more because of their coarser and more numerous hairs.
Navel lint's characteristic blue-gray tint is likely the averaging of the colors of fibres present in clothing; the same color as clothes dryer lint.
The existence of navel lint is entirely harmless, and requires no corrective action.

7. Fly larvae helps to heal wounds quicker

Long ago, some doctors noticed soldiers that had maggots on their wounds healed quicker than those without maggots. Maggots eat the dead skin cells and bacteria. Maggot Therapy (also known as Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT), larval therapy, larva therapy, or larvae therapy) is the intentional introduction of live, disinfected maggots or fly larvae into non-healing skin or soft tissue wounds of a human or other animal. This practice was widely used before the discovery of antibiotics, as it serves to clean the dead tissue within a wound in order to promote healing.

8. Animals can naturally explode

Natural animal explosions can occur for a variety of reasons. On 2004, a buildup of gas inside a decomposing sperm whale, measuring 17 meters (56 ft.) long and weighing 50 tons, caused it to burst in Taiwan. The explosion was reported to have splattered blood and whale entrails over surrounding shop-fronts, bystanders, and cars.

A significant population of toads in Germany and Denmark were exploding in April 2005 in an act described as a self-defence mechanism that failed, as it consisted of puffing up to look bigger while under attack by crows.

9. You can still have an erection once dead

A death erection (sometimes referred to as "angel lust") is a post-mortem erection which occurs when a male individual dies vertically or face-down with the cadaver remaining in this position. During life, the pumping of blood by the heart ensures a relatively even distribution around the blood vessels of the human body. Once this mechanism has ended, only the force of gravity acts upon the blood. As with any mass, the blood settles at the lowest point of the body and causes edema or swelling to occur; the discoloration caused by this is called lividity.

If an individual dies vertically such as in a hanging, the blood will settle in the legs and pool at the feet. The pressure will be greatest as the weight of the blood pushes down. This causes the blood vessels and tissues in the feet to engorge to their greatest elastic capacity and hold the greatest volume of blood possible. This effect occurs right up the legs although to a lesser extent than the feet and is also notable at the waist. The blood which remains in the torso attempts to move to a lower position due to gravity, and as the blood in the waist (which cannot move down due to the legs being full) causes the penis, consisting of erectile tissue, to fill with blood and expand. This is the death erection. As long as the body remains in this position the effect will continue.

10. Male seahorses can get pregnant

Seahorses reproduce in an unusual way: the male becomes pregnant. Pipefishes and seahorses are the only species in the animal kingdom to which the term "male pregnancy" has been applied.

The male seahorse has a brood pouch in which he carries eggs deposited by the female. The mating pair entwine their tails and the female aligns a long tube called an ovipositor with the male's pouch. The eggs move through the tube into the male's pouch where he then fertilizes them. The embryos develop in ten days to six weeks, depending on species and water conditions. When the male gives birth he pumps his tail until the baby seahorses emerge.

The male's pouch regulates salinity for the eggs, slowly increasing in the pouch to match the water outside as the eggs mature. Hatched offspring are independent of their parents. Some spend time developing among the ocean plankton. At times, the male seahorse may try to consume some of the previously released offspring. Other species (H. zosterae) immediately begin life as sea-floor inhabitants (benthos).

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Why Sachin is Still Happily Married !

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:51:00 +0000

This Pic explains it all.... the secret behind Sachin's Happy Marriage..

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Anna Kournikova without Skirt Pics ---- 18+

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:43:00 +0000

Want to see Anna without skirt ?

Scroll down !

What were you expecting ? Dirty Mind :-)
Now get back to Work Pervert !!!

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13 Wackiest Computer Keyboards

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:55:00 +0000

1. The Roll-Up Keyboard

These keyboards feature 104 keys in a standard QWERTY layout, but with a nifty twist of being the most portable keyboard seen to date. Simply roll the unit up when you’re done with it! A great tool for laptop users who miss their full-sized KB when on the road, or LAN party warriors looking to lighten their load.

2. The Virtual Laser Keyboard

The I-Tech Virtual Keyboard uses a light projection of a full-sized computer keyboard on almost any surface. Used with PDA’s and Smart Phones, the Virtual Keyboard provides a practical way to do e-mail, word processing and spreadsheet tasks, enabling users to leave laptops and computers at home.

3. The Wrist Keyboard

Completely sealed, it can operate in the rain and other harsh environments. A curved back provides a secure and comfortable placement on the wrist. The keyboard layout is optimized to provide alphanumeric entry. Carefully positioned arrow keys ease menu-oriented tasks. The WristPC keyboard comes with an optional wrist strap to provide the capability of attaching it to your wrist.

4. The Frogpad

The FrogPad mobile keypad with its innovative 20 full-size key layout optimized around the most frequently used characters sets a new standard in information access with superior portability and ergonomics, global adaptability, rapid learning and ease of use. Its unique patented keystroke algorithms enable it to be used in either a right or left-handed mode and with any international language set.

5. Maltron 3D Ergonomic Keyboard

These fully ergonomic two handed keyboards fit the shape of hands and the different lengths of fingers to reduce movement and tension.

6. The Orbitouch Keyboard

The orbiTouch Keyless ergonomic Keyboard creates a keystroke when you slide the two domes into one of their eight respective positions. You type the different characters by sliding the domes to create letters and numbers. The orbiTouch Keyless ergonomic Keyboard also has an integrated mouse, so moving the domes gives you full mouse and keyboard capability!

7. The Tidy Tippist

The marriage of eating and tipping: the decorative tablecloth, made of felt, contains a textile keyboard. The electronic is woven into a fabric, which finds itself between layers of water resistant felt as sandwich material. The soft felt surface makes it a pleasure for fingers to tip a cozy keyboard.

8. The SafeType keyboard

This well thought at keyboard will allow you to type in a relaxed position, saving you the pain. All that despite its futurist look. The supplementary keypad allows the user to position the 10-key numeric pad with arrow keys anywhere that is most usable and comfortable. It can be on the left or the right, or even in your lap. We are constantly amazed by the tremendous variation in challenges and how people find solutions for their own problems.

9. The Twiddler 2

The Twiddler2 is a pocket-sized mouse pointer plus a full-function keyboard in a single unit that fits neatly in either right or left hand. The Twiddler2 plugs into both keyboard and mouse PS/2 ports (USB port with the PS/2 to USB Adapter) on any computer that accepts standard PS/2 mouse and keyboard (or USB input). Combining major innovations in pointer and keyboard technology, the twiddler is designed to bring renewed enjoyment to current computer users and to attract newcomers to the world of personal computing.

10. The Datahand Keyboard

The DataHand ergonomic keyboard offers a total of 132 keys (more than even extended flat keyboards) through the use of five key switches clustered around the tips of each of the fingers. With four modes, shifted by the thumbs, hand movement is no longer required to perform keyboard work. Hand support results in the elimination of the major source of muscular-skeletal stress in hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, backs, and necks.

11. Optimus Keyboard

Each and every key on the Optimus Keyboard is a stand-alone display that shows you exactly what it is controlling at the very moment.

12. Das Keyboard

Where is the letters? Das keyboard believe with no keys to look at when typing, your brain will adapt and memorize the key position thus increasing typing speed.

13. AlphaGrip

Claimbled to the most comfortable computing device. It is a gaming pad, a keyboard also comes with a mouse trackball.

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Top - Ten Longest Bridges In World

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:37:00 +0000

Top - Ten Longest Bridges In World

Here is a list of the ten longest bridges in the world with pictures and descriptions. These beautiful photos Show us that there are no borders and Everything is reachable.

10. Seven Mile Bridge

The Seven Mile Bridge, in the Florida Keys, runs over a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait, connecting Key Vaca (the location of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. Among the longest bridges in existence when it was built, it is one of the many bridges on US 1 in the Keys, where the road is called the Overseas Highway.

9. San Mateo-Hayward Bridge

The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge (commonly called San Mateo Bridge) is a bridge crossing California’s San Francisco Bay in the United States, linking the San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. More specifically, the bridge’s western end is in Foster City, the most recent urban addition to the eastern edge of San Mateo. The eastern end of the bridge is in Hayward. The bridge is owned by the state of California, and is maintained by Caltrans, the state highway agency.

8. Confederation Bridge

The Confederation Bridge (French: Pont de la Confédération) is a bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, linking Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick, Canada. It was commonly referred to as the “Fixed Link” by residents of Prince Edward Island prior to its official naming. Construction took place from the fall of 1993 to the spring of 1997, costing $1.3 billion. The 12.9-kilometre (8 mi) long bridge opened on 31 May 1997.

7. Rio-Niteroi Bridge

The Rio-Niteroi Bridge is a reinforced concrete structure that connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi in Brazil.
Construction began symbolically on August 23, 1968, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in their first and thus far only visit to Brazil. Actual work begun in January, 1969, and it opened on March 4, 1974.
Its official name is “President Costa e Silva Bridge”, in honor of the Brazilian president who ordered its construction. “Rio-Niteroi” started as a descriptive nickname that soon became better known than the official name. Today, hardly anyone refers to it by its official name.

6. Penang Bridge

The Penang Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Pinang in Malay) E 36 is a dual-carriageway toll bridge that connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to traffic on September 14, 1985. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 km (8.4 miles), making it among the longest bridges in the world, the longest bridge in the country as well as a national landmark. PLUS Expressway Berhad is the concession holder which manages it.

5. Vasco da Gama Bridge

The Vasco da Gama Bridge (Portuguese: Ponte Vasco da Gama, pron. IPA: [’põt(?) ‘va?ku d? ‘g?m?]) is a cable-stayed bridge flanked by viaducts and roads that spans the Tagus River near Lisbon, capital of Portugal. It is the longest bridge in Europe (including viaducts), with a total length of 17.2 km (10.7 mi), including 0.829 km (0.5 mi) for the main bridge, 11.5 km (7.1 mi) in viaducts, and 4.8 km (3.0 mi) in dedicated access roads. Its purpose is to alleviate the congestion on Lisbon’s other bridge (25 de Abril Bridge), and to join previously unconnected motorways radiating from Lisbon.

4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland; spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state’s Eastern and Western Shore regions. At 4.3 miles (7 km) in length, the original span was the world’s longest continuous over-water steel structure when it opened in 1952. The bridge is officially named the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after William Preston Lane, Jr. who, as governor of Maryland, implemented its construction.

3. King Fahd Causeway

The King Fahd Causeway is multiple dike - bridge combination connecting Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and the island nation of Bahrain.

A construction agreement signed on July 8, 1981 led to construction beginning the next year. The cornerstone was laid on November 11, 1982 by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa of Bahrain; construction continued until 1986, when the combination of several bridges and dams were completed. The causeway officially opened for use on November 25, 1986.

2. Donghai Bridge

Donghai Bridge (simplified Chinese: ????; traditional Chinese: ????; pinyin: D?ngh?i Dàqiáo; literally “East Sea Grand Bridge”) is the longest cross-sea bridge in the world and the longest bridge in Asia. It was completed on December 10, 2005. It has a total length of 32.5 kilometres (20.2 miles) and connects Shanghai and the offshore Yangshan deep-water port in China. Most of the bridge is a low-level viaduct. There are also cable-stayed sections to allow for the passage of large ships, largest with span of 420 m.

1. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, or the Causeway, consists of two parallel bridges that are the longest bridges in the world by total length.[2] These parallel bridges cross Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. The longer of the two bridges is 23.87 miles (38.42 km) long. The bridges are supported by over 9,000 concrete pilings. The two bridges feature bascule spans over the navigation channel 8 miles (13 km) south of the north shore. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana.

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Canadian Site Aims to help Mail-order Brides

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:20:00 +0000

TORONTO - Canada can be a bewildering, even frightening place for immigrant women who arrive as mail-order or Internet brides, but now they have a new Web site to help smooth the transition.

While the Canadian government says it does not track where foreign brides come from or how they met their Canadian spouses, those who work with immigrant women say they are seeing more and more brides who connected with their husbands online -- through matchmaking Web sites as well as chatrooms.

However, they often have little knowledge about where they will be living, what the local society is like or what legal rights they have in Canada as a new bride.

"We were seeing more and more foreign brides coming to us asking for help," said San San Sy, of Changing Together, a center for immigrant woman in Edmonton, Alberta, which helped launch the Internet help site www.lawforforeignbrides.ca.

"The dream is for them to access the information before they come (to Canada)," she said.

Sy said foreign brides don't know where to find support and many are often shy or wary of seeking it. Others don't know their legal rights within a marriage or whether or not they have to have children.

"Sometimes the bride comes not knowing that she will be the live-in nanny to take care of aging parents," Sy said.

Some brides, she added, have seen e-mailed photos of the house they will live in -- but once they arrive are surprised to discover the house is in a small, remote town or in a rural area several kilometers from the nearest neighbor.

The adjustment is hardest on women who end up living in remote areas and don't have a car to get around.

For example, Sy said the number of mail-order brides is increasing in Fort McMurray, the booming northern Alberta town of 64,441 that is the center of Canada's huge oil sands industry -- where men easily outnumber women.

"A lot of them are very scared," Sy said, adding many women just want to blend in and don't want to "lose face" back home.

Sy said that while there are no hard statistics -- only anecdotal evidence -- that Canada is attracting more foreign brides, the country is seen as a place of opportunity where people can build a good future.

In that sense, the tradition of mail-order brides, which goes back more than a century to when lonely Prairie farmers would advertise for a spouse, has changed little.

The federal immigration ministry says that, in 2006, about 45,000 women arrived as spouses, but it has no data on how many were brides found through the Internet or were part of an arranged marriage.

"We don't break it down," said Danielle Norris, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada in Ottawa.

"To us, as long as it's a bona fide and legitimate marriage, we wouldn't track how they got married."

Meanwhile, Sy said they don't often hear from happy brides but the unhappy ones are usually frustrated over the time it takes to get sponsorship papers or how long their spouse takes to file them.

She said they also don't realize the length of time it takes to be allowed to work legally in Canada, she said.

The Web site is funded by the Alberta Law Foundation and managed by the Legal Resource Center, which is affiliated with the University of Alberta's Faculty of Extension department.

The site also aims to help women who come to Canada through an arranged marriage, who do not feel safe in their marriage, or those already married to a Canadian and need more information about sponsorship.

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9 Amazing Ways to Overcome Laziness

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Laziness = lack of desire = no productivity. Laziness is a perfectly natural thing. For some reason if we weren’t had to do offices, meet deadlines, we could have dozed the whole day, watch TV or just do nothing.

Laziness is the lack of desire to perform work or expend effort. What behavior is considered laziness varies according to personal and societal standards.

1. Have a good rest.

If we don’t get enough rest we could easily feel lazy. Don’t waste your time with those late night shows, hurry up to bed and have a good rest. During daytime you can take a nap for say half an hour or 20 minutes, enough to get back some lost energy.

2. Exercise.

Exercise is a great way to boost your energy levels and put you in a better mood. Its very easy for people to fall into the laziness trap if they feel low of energy. Make sure you have a workout in the morning every day, it will keep you fresh and active for most part of the day.

3. Motivation.

Its is very easy to forget the purpose of your work. Remind yourself why is your work so important, think for your satisfaction, family, money and so so. What if something happens to
me , family if I don’t start with my work? Think about the consequences.

4. Remove the distractions.

Laziness attracts distractions. Kids like watching TV while talking, yep we bloggers tend to browse others blogs when we are supposed to write on our own. If you remove those distractions, for example unplugging the Internet, lockup the TV, you’ll notice in couple of days how laziness is gradually leaving your life.

5. Reward yourself!

Reward yourself! You need to reward yourself for completing each task, in order to feel good about having stressed yourself in order to get the job done. Reward yourself to eat your favorite meal or watch movie if you complete the tasks.

6. Healthy diet.

Make sure you’re on a healthy diet ; junk or fast food doesn’t give your body the nutrients it needs to be active. You’ll only become fat and lazier if you don’t stop those chips, frys, pizzas etc. Fruit juices are great way to supplement your body with nutrients while working.

7. Divide the task into smaller chunks.

If the task at hand is big it can easily overwhelm anyone. In such cases, divide the task into smaller chunks, and go through them one by one. Remember, you can’t gobble an apple at one go, its much easier to eat if you take it bit by bit.

8. Set goals for yourself.

If you have goals set up for yourself, you have something to look forward to, it maybe your paycheck, a car etc. Create list of large and small things and prioritize. Its lot easier to overcome laziness if you have purpose in life.

9. Don’t stop.

Its easy enough to get lazy after completing task. Don’ t let your brain talk you into lazying. Once you have completed a task move over to the next one but make sure you reward yourself with something for accomplishing the latter task. If you really don’t have any work, head over to the gym, start jogging, help your kids with the homework, do anything to keep your hands and feet’s moving but say no to TV, internet, etc.

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Mother goes to Jail for allowing daughter, 12, to have Sex

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:57:00 +0000

A Westmoreland County woman has been sentenced to two to four years in prison for letting her 12-year-old daughter have sex at home with a 16-year-old boy.

Thirty-four-year-old Angel Harp Suman was sentenced after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child.

Suman's three children are now in foster care. Westmoreland County Judge Rita Hathaway says she believes Suman is a danger to her children and other children.

Prosecutors say the sex incidents occurred while Suman was on probation for allowing another daughter and other juveniles to drink at her home while Suman was drunk.

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Woman Didn't Leave Toilet for 2 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:55:00 +0000

NESS CITY, KS (AP) -- Deputies say a woman in western Kansas sat on her boyfriend's toilet for two years, and they're investigating whether she was mistreated.

Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple says a man called his office last month to report that something was wrong with his girlfriend.

The sheriff says the woman's muscles had atrophied and that medical personnel had to remove her from the toilet because she was bound to it by "natural means."

Whipple says the woman at first refused ambulance service and "didn't want to leave." She's hospitalized in Wichita, but is refusing to talk with authorities.

Whipple says his office is considering a charge of mistreatment of a dependent adult.

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10 Most Common Methods of Committing Suicide

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:53:00 +0000

[WARNING: This list contains adult content and images]

The unfortunate and depressing issue of suicide has become a staggering piece of harsh reality in today’s world. In the US, ranking 46th in the world of rates per capita, we experience 11,000 self-inflicted deaths per year, and the UK: 7,000. This has become a serious issue for many countries whether the factors be family issues, health issues, money problems, or relationship failures. The ways in which people decide to shuffle this mortal coil are numerous and varying. Ten of the most often seen are as follows.

10. Drowning

How it’s Done: Maybe a relationship tremor has caused you to rethink your life here on the planet, and the weight of it all has made you decide to drown yourself. Sometimes, driving or even convincing yourself to walk into a large body or water will do it, otherwise many perish in as little water as a slightly-filled bathtub.

Results From Failure: Oxygen deprivation can cause severe and permanent brain damage.

9. Electric Shock

How it’s Done: Sometimes the thought of continuing to live in a world inundated with problems and insurmountable issues results on one wanting to die by electric shock. Something as simple as jamming a utensil in a wall outlet, to the more notable dunking an appliance in an occupied bathtub, can result in death by electric shock.

Results From Failure: Deep burns from 500-1000 volts, ventricular fibrillation at 110-220 volts, and severe neurological damage.

8. Exsanguination

How it’s Done: Frequently the most obvious way to rapidly harm one’s self yet pass on relatively slowly, is to slit the wrists or the carotid, radial, ulnar, or femoral artery. Using a sharp implement is the easiest way to go. Razors or knives are popular. Contrary to popular belief, the effective method for this is not to cross the wrist, but to draw the blade up the forearm (as is evident in the photograph above). This is the same way Japanese perform Jigai (women) and Seppuku (men), although their’s is often for more spiritual purposes.

Results From Failure: Extreme loss of blood causing the heart to dramatically slow eventually depriving the brain of oxygen. Also, most often, deep scars and tissue damage.

7. Jumping

How it’s Done: Pondering the emptiness in one’s life can be a painful experience. Yet, when it all seems so overwhelming, you might decide to plummet from a significant height to your own death. Leaping from a building to the pavement below is quite lethal, and popular. However, romantics may choose to use a cliff over jagged rocks. Or bridges.

Results From Failure: Shattered femurs from impacting with water up to severe bodily harm from impacting with any solid surface.

6. Suffocation

How it’s Done: You’ve decided that your life is in disarray and you can no longer stand the pressure. One way to end it all is to encase your head in a plastic bag and asphyxiate yourself. Or, if you’re really ready to go, nitrogen or helium directly inhaled is useful.

Results From Failure: Turning back at the last minute before passing out can result in serious and long-lasting to permanent brain damage.

5. Carbon Monoxide Inhalation

How it’s Done: It’s all so difficult and the full weight of the world is seemingly square upon your shoulders. You’ve decided to go to the great beyond and you are going to lock yourself in a car, in a closed garage with the engine running and go to sleep. Or, if you have any appliance that puts of CO, that’ll do.

Results From Failure: CO molecules irreversibly attach themselves to human hemoglobin and the result is often fatal even if one backs out.

4. Poisoning

How it’s Done: Romeo and Juliet had it down when, once seeing the other presumably dead, the other fatally poisons himself. Taking a substance internally not meant to be done so can be considered poisoning: cleaners, industrial fluids, diazepam, cyanide, and the like.

Results From Failure: The toxic levels of poison required to kill one’s self are generally non-reversible. However, hospital staff can attempt it and often make one vomit or something similar. Lasting effects can include internal organ damage.

3. Hanging

How it’s Done: It’s all over. Nothing in life seems to make it worth living any more. You can acquire a length of rope and construct yourself a noose, which is, by the way, considered a deadly weapon if tied correctly. Once built, wrap one end securely around something high: a rafter or a ceiling fan, and leap, head fastened within the loop, from a chair. Or, if you’re short of rope, anything strong enough to support your weight from your neck can be employed.

Results From Failure: Brain damage from lack of oxygen, Often, failure to actually break your own neck may only yield strangulation and you can be saved, but damaged. Also, permanent rope burns or implement scarring can occur.

2. Drug / Alcohol Overdose

How it’s Done: The pressure and stress of daily routines has beaten you down for the final time. Within your medicine cabinet lies the answer to your extermination: prescription and over-the-counter meds. A huge mouthful can do you right in. Or, to speed along the process, couple your target pills with a few swigs of alcohol. Many of our favorite musicians have chosen this route. Even alcohol alone, in extreme excess can kill you.

Results From Failure: Severe to permanent organ failure if successful removal isn’t achieved, as well as impaired judgment. Often, clinical assistance is necessary if attempt is repeated.

1. Gun Shot

How it’s Done: One of the most often achieved forms of suicide is by gun shot. Generally a head shot is desired since its results are 99 percent effective, however a chest shot can be equally as devastating.

Results From Failure: Sometimes the blast isn’t enough to kill. In this case, severe to permanent bodily damage can occur as well as blood loss, organ and tissue damage, and brain damage.

Support

Suicide is never a solution. There is no problem so great that it can not be resolved with time and care. This list is meant not as an instruction guide, but a description of the most common forms of suicide. The following is a list of sites you can visit to get help if you are feeling beyond help. Please remember, no matter how bad things get, someone, somewhere is able to listen to you and help you through.

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
The Samaritans UK

Additionally, here are some numbers to call:

United States: 1-800-273-TALK (National Suicide Prevention Hotline)
United States (Spanish): 1-888-628-9454
United Kingdom: 08457 90 90 90 (Samaritans)
Republic of Ireland: 1850 60 90 90 (Samaritans)

Notable Omissions: Leaping in Front of a Speeding Object

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10 Ways to Instantly Build Self Confidence

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:47:00 +0000

Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. Your perception of yourself has an enormous impact on how others perceive you. Perception is reality — the more self confidence you have, the more likely it is you’ll succeed.

Although many of the factors affecting self confidence are beyond your control, there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self confidence. By using these 10 strategies you can get the mental edge you need to reach your potential.
Build Self Confidence

1. Dress Sharp

Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.

This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.

2. Walk Faster

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.

3. Good Posture

Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

4. Personal Commercial

One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.

5. Gratitude

When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.

6. Compliment other people

When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.

7. Sit in the front row

In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.

8. Speak up

During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.

9. Work out

Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physcial appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

10. Focus on contribution

Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

The World's Smallest Countries

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:23:00 +0000

How Big do you think the World's Smallest Country Is? Better yet, What do you Think the World's Smallest Country is? You may be surprised by the Answers.

Here is a list of the world's ten smallest countries (by land area). To give a little bit or prospective, if you were to combine all ten countries, their size would still be less than that of Rhode Island.

1.Vatican City - 0.2 square miles -

Also called the State of the Vatican City, this country is the smallest independent country in the world. Vatican City is an enclave within the city of Rome in the country of Italy. Often thought of as the governmental capital of the Catholic Church, the tiny nation is home of the Pope. Vatican City has a population of 770. However, the majority of the population are not considered permanent residents. In total, Vatican City is 0.2 square miles which is barely one-hundred acres.

2. Monaco- 0.7 square miles-

Also called the Principality of Monaco, this nation is located on the Mediterranean Sea and borders France. The country is a constitutional monarchy. Monaco has a total land area of 0.7 square miles. For prospective, that is less than 500 acres. It is also home to more than 32,000 residents, making it the most densely populated country in the world.

3. Nauru- 8.5 square miles -

Officially called the Republic of Nauru, this nation is a group of islands in Micronesia and is located in the western Pacific Ocean. Oddly enough, the country has no capital. Nauru consists of 8.5 square miles, making it the world's smallest island nation. The country is also home to 13,000 people.

4. Tuvalu- 9 square miles -

This nation used to be called the Ellice Islands. A Polynesian island nation, Tuvalu consists of only nine reef islands and atols. The country is home to approximately 12,000 people, making it the second least populated country in the world. Tuvalu has a total land area of 9 square miles.

5. San Marino- 24 square miles -

This nation is often referred to as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino. An enclave and completely surrounded by Italy, San Marino is located in the Apennine Mountains. The country is said to be the oldest in Europe and perhaps the oldest constitutional republic in the world. In all, San Marino has a population of nearly 30,000 and a land area of 24 square miles.

6. Liechtenstein- 24 square miles -

Also called the Principality of Liechtenstein, this country is a landlocked nation located on the Rhine and in the European Alps of Western Europe. It is bordered by Switzerland and Austria. Liechtenstein consists of 62 square miles and 34,000 residents.

7. Marshall Islands-70 square miles -

Officially called the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), this group of islands is part of Micronesia and is located in the western Pacific Ocean. The nation consists of reefs, atols, and more than thirty islands. In all, the country has a land area of 70 square miles and a population of 58,000 people.

8. Saint Kitts and Nevis- 104 square miles -

This nation is sometimes called the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis as well as Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. It is located in the West Indies. Together, the two islands have a population of 39,00 and a land area of 104 square miles.

9. Seychelles- 107 square miles -

Officially called the Republic of Seychelles, this nation consists of a cluster of 155 islands in the Indian Ocean just north of Madagascar. In total, Seychelles is 104 square miles and is home to approximately 81,000 people.

10. Maldives-115 square miles -

Located in the Indian Ocean, Maldives is comprised of approximately two-thousand atols and islands. Of these, only about two-hundred are inhabitable. Maldives has a population of more than 300,000 and a land area of 115 square miles.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Man Killed While Riding in Shopping Cart

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:21:00 +0000

ORLANDO, FL -- The Florida Highway Patrol says an 18-year-old Winter Park man was killed after riding in a shopping cart while holding onto a moving sport utility vehicle.

FHP says that at about 11:28 p.m. last night Cameron Bieberle was sitting in a shopping cart in the parking lot while hanging on
to a Cadillac Escalade. It was being driven by his friend, Michael Smith, 23, of Orlando.

The car and the shopping cart went over a speed bump and the cart overturned. Bieberle was ejected onto the ground. Bieberle was
pronounced dead at the scene.

Smith and a passenger in the car were not injured.

FHP says charges are pending against Smith.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Top Tips to Improve Your Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:23:00 +0000

A Marvelous Sense
They are two of your most precious possessions, but chances are, you take your eyes for granted. Most of us do. But think for a second what life would be like without being able to gaze on your grandchild or your flower garden or even navigate the kitchen without incident

Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to vision issues, estimates that 50,000 people lose their sight needlessly every year and that 80 million Americans are at risk of eye diseases that can lead to low vision and even blindness.

The good news: The most common diseases -- age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), cataracts, glaucoma, and dry eye disease -- are all preventable to some extent. Read on to see (pun intended) how you can get Stealth Healthy protection for your peepers. Before we go any further, we have to tell you that the first step, if you smoke, is to stop. Smoking increases your risk of cataracts, glaucoma, dry eyes, and age-related macular degeneration.

1. Mix a cup of blueberries with a cup of yogurt for breakfast this morning.
Blueberries are one of the richest fruit forms of antioxidants, and a study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology found that women and men who ate the greatest amount of fruit were the least likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the leading cause of blindness in older people.

2. Spread bilberry jam on your morning toast.
Or take a bilberry supplement every morning. The berries contain compounds called anthocyanosides, which may protect the retina against macular degeneration.

3. Have spinach twice a week.
Could be a spinach quiche, steamed spinach, or maybe Tuscan spinach -- sautéed in some olive oil with garlic and raisins. Regardless, be sure to get your spinach. Studies find that lutein, a nutrient that is particularly abundant in spinach, may prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Ideally, get your lutein in combination with some form of fat (olive oil works great) for the best absorption.

4. Cook with red onions, not yellow.
Red onions contain far more quercetin, an antioxidant that is thought to protect against cataracts.

5. Aim your car vents at your feet -- not your eyes.

Dry, air-conditioned air will suck the moisture out of eyes like a sponge. Aim the vents in your car away from your eyes, or wear sunglasses as a shield. Dry eyes can be more than an inconvenience; serious dryness can lead to corneal abrasions and even blindness if left untreated.

6. Move your computer screen to just below eye level.
Your eyes will close slightly when you're staring at the computer, minimizing fluid evaporation and the risk of dry eye syndrome, says John Sheppard, M.D., who directs the ophthalmology residency program at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia.

7. Take a multivitamin every day. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth.
A major study suggested that if every American at risk for age-related macular degeneration took daily supplements of antioxidant vitamins and zinc, more than 300,000 people could avoid ARMD-associated vision loss over the next five years. Other studies find that women who took vitamin C supplements for at least 10 years were 77 percent less likely to show initial signs of cataracts than those who took no supplemental C. So take a multi with at least 150 mg vitamin C, or take a separate C supplement.

8. Walk at least four times a week.
Some evidence suggests that regular exercise can reduce the intraocular pressure, or IOP, in people with glaucoma. In one study, glaucoma patients who walked briskly four times per week for 40 minutes lowered their IOP enough so they could stop taking medication for their condition. It's also possible -- although there's no proof yet -- that walking could also reduce your overall risk of developing glaucoma.

9. Eat fish twice a week.
A study from Harvard researchers presented at the 2003 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's annual meeting evaluated the diets of 32,470 women and found those who ate the least amount of fish (thus getting the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids) had the highest risk of dry eye syndrome. Even tuna fish (yes, the kind that comes in a can) protected against the syndrome. If you can't stand fish, or are worried about mercury consumption, try fish-oil supplements to get your omega-3s.

10. Twice a week, walk away from greasy or sweet snacks.

A 2001 study found that people whose diets were high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids (found in many fat-filled snack foods like commercially prepared pie, cake, cookies, and potato chips) were significantly less likely to develop ARMD than those whose diets were high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, if your diet was high in omega-6 at all -- even if you still ate plenty of fish -- the protective effects of the omega-3 fatty acids disappeared.

11. Have sweet potatoes for dinner tonight.
Since they are rich in vitamin A, these sweet spuds can help improve your night vision.

12. Turn down the heat in your house.
Heat dries out the air, which, in turn, dries out your eyes. In the winter, you might also try adding some humidity with a humidifier or even bunching a lot of plants together in the room in which you spend the most time.

13. Wear sunglasses whenever you leave the house.
When researchers examined the relationship between exposure to sunlight and cataracts or ARMD in Chesapeake Bay fishermen, they found that fishermen who protected their eyes from the harsh glare of the sun and its damaging UV rays were significantly less likely to develop these conditions than those who went bare-eyed. Wear the sunglasses even when it's not sunny out, says Dr. Sheppard. They protect your eyes from the drying effects of wind.

14. Wear a broad-brimmed hat along with your sunglasses.
A wide-brimmed hat or cap will block roughly 50 percent of the UV radiation and reduce the UV radiation that may enter your eyes from above or around glasses.

15. Pick some Southern greens for dinner tonight.

Because they are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, greens like collards and kale (delicious when lightly steamed with a splash of hot pepper vinegar) may reduce your risk of developing both cataracts and ARMD, and may even slow progression of these diseases once they've begun. Both have strong antioxidant properties, which may help repair some of the damage that contributes to both conditions.

16. Roast some fresh beets for an eye-saving side dish.
Beets get their deep red color from phytochemicals called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect the smaller blood vessels in your body, including those in your eyes.

17. Switch to "lite" salt or use spices and herbs instead of salt.
Studies find that high-salt diets increase your risk of certain types of cataracts, so stay away from the salty stuff. And while you're de-salting your diet, don't forget the salt in processed foods. Check labels for "no-salt" or "no-sodium," or "low-salt" or "low-sodium" tags when buying canned and other prepared foods.

18. Dab an essential oil of jasmine, peppermint, or vanilla on your arm and sniff.
Jasmine, says scent researcher Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., of the Chicago-based Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation, increases the beta waves in the frontal lobes of your brain, promoting wakefulness and enabling you to focus better and see things more acutely. All three scents stimulate the limbic system in your brain, which, in turn, stimulates the rods in your eyes, which help you see in dim light.

19. When you're working or reading, set your alarm to beep every 30 minutes.
Use this as a reminder to look up and away from your computer or book to some distant point for 30 seconds. This helps prevent eye fatigue and eyestrain.

20. Check your blood pressure every month.

You can do this yourself with a home blood pressure kit, at the doctor's office, or at the pharmacy. The two leading causes of blindness in the United States are high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which damage blood vessels.

21. Replace your mascara every three months and other eye makeup once a year.
Eye makeup is a great repository for bacteria, which can easily be transferred to your eyes and cause infections.

22. Use eye makeup remover every night before going to bed.
This prevents small pieces of mascara from winding up in your eye and possibly scratching your cornea.

23. Wear goggles when you're doing carpentry or even yard work.
Debris in the eye can lead to corneal abrasions, which can ultimately damage your vision. Also use protective goggles when you're swimming to protect your eyes from the chlorine.

24. Use a fresh towel every time you wipe your face.
Sharing face towels is a great way to get conjunctivitis, the infection also known as pinkeye.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

8 Expenses You Should Cut and How

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Are you looking to simplify your life? Do you have financial issues? Are you still paying off debts with no end in sight? Hey, me too! Part of my methodology includes plugging expense holes, and shunting that money towards my debts. Here are eight expenses to cut and how:

* Make Your Own Morning Coffee-
I have a tiny little one-cup machine with a steel filter. Why? Because it’s silly easy to operate and clean. I buy really good coffee by the pound, and so a pound of coffee costs $6.50 or so US. Buying coffee at the coffee shop is $2.50 or so for a large. That means, I save after only 3 uses, and it doesn’t really slow down my getting out the door, especially if you think about how much time it takes to wait in a drive-up line.

* Sum up all Your Entertainment Expenses-- When you look at each one separately, it probably doesn’t seem weird to pay $15 a month for Netflix, $10 a month for XBOX Live, $60 or so a month for Cable TV, $100 or more a year on various magazines, not to mention all the ways you spend money when you go out, including clubs, pubs, bars, concerts, shows, events, and dinners. These are all entertainment. If you’re working on your debt, tally up all those expenses and look at them in a big sum per month. How much does your entertainment budget really cost, and does that relate to how much money you’re putting towards your debts and other expenses? Maybe it’s time to reconsider.

* Get Netflix-
Going to the movies isn’t a great plan if you’re trying to save money, but renting movies is a hassle too, right? At least in the States, this is a much better option to going to brick and mortar stores for movies. They deliver the movies to your mailbox. You can’t get a late fee. Oh, and you can choose from getting just one disc at a time, two, three, or even larger numbers, for those of you who get to watch tons of flicks at once. BONUS: using one of your Netflix slots for a kids movie lets you save money, too. Kids will watch a movie 200 times, and then never need to see it again. Right?

* Bring Meals From Home or Find a Cheap, Repeatable Meal-
We tend to bleed cash on feeding ourselves, and rarely do we really savor or notice the food anyhow. It’s just a meal that we consume in between doing other things. If you can bring meals from home, that’s the least expensive, and it’s also the bet way to ensure that you know what you’re getting. I’m currently taking frozen dinners that cost only $2.00 a meal, and that’s cheaper than any sandwich I can buy. If you have to eat out, trying finding the healthiest, best value meal you can find, and stick to it or slight variations. The more adventurous your meal seeking gets, the more it will likely cost you.

* Drink at a Friend’s House, Not a Pub-
The cost of a dozen bottles of beer shared between a few friends will always be less expensive than a single drink out at a pub. Surely, one of you has a place to go for the casual entertainment experience, right? Okay, you might not be able to meet attractive members of the opposite sex there, but even if you spent a few days at one of your homes, that’d save some cash, true?

* Use Your Public Library-

Libraries have changed. Most libraries are now connected into a big sharing consortium, expanding the collection of what you can take out and what they’ll have that you might want. Further, most now have an online catalog that you can use to browse and request from home. Libraries now frequently stock DVDs (mine favors Hollywood movies, and the one in the next town features mostly highbrow independent stuff). Heck, my library just launched a big commercial digital audiobook download deal, so I can get books on my computer from my desk.

How often do you reference a book after reading it once? Make that your point. Are you going to open it many times over the years, or is this a read once, use often kind of information dump?

* Reconsider Your Driving Habits-
Are you a leadfoot? Are you the kind who goes on an hour or more jaunt just for something to do? With gas/petrol costs being so high thanks to some interesting world stage situations, considering how often and how fast you travel will help you cut a few bucks in the short term. BONUS: Get out your bike and kill two birds with one stone. Work that spare tire back off the ole belly.

* Go on a Clothing Fast-
There are a hundred reasons why you need that new shirt, or that clever belt. You might need those shoes because they’re quite a bargain. But take a good long look at your closet, at what you already have. Do you need more right now? How often are you buying clothes for fashion’s sake versus need? Are there ways you can stretch your budget by coordinating differently? We buy clothes on impulse more often than just about anything. Pay close attention to this, and consider a clothing fast. Promise not to buy clothes for one month at a time. Say, “I’ll go all of August without buying a single article of clothing.” At the end of August, assess. Do you really need anything? See if you can go September, too.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Man arrested for having Sex with Lamp-Post !

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:05:00 +0000

A 32-year-old man has been arrested in Wiltshire for allegedly simulating a sex act with a lamp-post.


	The incident was witnessed by children

The incident is the latest in a spate of bizarre sex crimes involving inanimate objects.

A police spokesman said officers were called to a road in the town of Westbury on February 16 after they received a report of a man acting indecently outside a block of flats "occupied by several young women".

When they arrived they arrested him on suspicion of outraging public decency.

The man was released on bail, but following an investigation into the incident and several interviews with witnesses - including children - he was recalled for questioning. He has since been re-released pending further inquiries.

The Wiltshire police spokesman said: "We are awaiting a decision as to whether there should be a prosecution".

The incident echoes a similar case last week when a Polish contractor was caught on his knees with a vacuum cleaner in a hospital staff canteen.

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A security guard walked in on the man in the middle of a compromising act with the Henry Hoover appliance. He later claimed he was cleaning his underpants. He has now been fired.

Last year, Robert Stewart was placed on probation for three years after being caught trying to have sex with a bicycle.

The 51-year-old was naked from the waist down when two cleaners walked in on him at the Aberley House Hostel in south west Scotland.

He paused only to ask, "What is it, hen?", before continuing to "move his hips back and forth as if to simulate sex".

In 1993, Karl Watkins, an electrician, was jailed for having sex with pavements in Redditch, Worcs.

Check out Some other Sex-Maniacs.

Worker caught having sex with Henry Hoover

Man who had sex with bicycle sentenced

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

5 Ways to Feel Better in Difficult Times

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:39:00 +0000

As much as we hear a spiritual evolution is at hand, in many ways we still live in a very physical, down and dirty world. It can feel like you are competing in a 10K with a bum leg.

Whether you are kissing up to your boss or negotiating with your creditors, this is simply not the life you imagined for yourself. The truth is when people tell you how good life is, sometimes you just want to slap them.

You understand the concept of having a positive attitude — you are not a moron. But the reality is you have another mortgage payment due, and not enough money in the bank. Okay, let’s all agree, this sucks. You have people counting on you—you wife, you son, your ex-wife, your mutt, your IRS agent, your Mom, etc, etc.

Now that we are on the same page (facing the reality that life is not fair) what can you do about it? Here are five practical things you can do to ease the pain:

1. Write.
If you’ve never gotten in the habits on putting your thoughts on paper, start now. Keep a pad and pen next to your nightstand, next to your coffee pot, in your bathroom, on your kitchen counter, and on your coffee table.

When you have a predominate feeling, write it down. Pissed off? Write it down. Feeling blue? Write it down. Feeling anxious? Write it down. What were you thinking about when this feeling came up? What part of your body did it come from? What does it make you feel like doing? Write it down.

2. Visualize.
Let’s say you just had a passing thought of how your ex-wife screamed at you two days ago (in front of your son). Okay, you have her picture in your mind, and your son is there next to you, wincing on cue—like father, like son. Change the face of your ex-wife. Put in Santa’s face instead. He got the white beard, the big ruby cheeks, the bright red hat with the puffy ball—the whole shebang.

Instead of your ex’s sweet raspy voice, you hear Santa joyfully ask you and your son what would make you happy. Santa says, “You name it, you got!” Cut to you and your boy—excited with anticipation.

3. Breathe.
Once you have wiggled your way to a happier state of mind, breathe. Breathe deeply three or four times. Focus on you’re the breath coming in and your tummy rising. Breathe out, focusing on your body decompressing. Allow you breath to get to a normal, even place so that it feels balanced. Notice an energy moving from inside you, and experience the sensation it brings.

4. Meditate.
Allow whatever thoughts you have to be there. If Santa is still there, that’s great. If your ex-wife reappeared, so be it. Don’t judge the blips of flashing thoughts, simply observe them as if you were on the bleachers at a football game. Know that you have no control over what happens on the field in front of you. Begin to see that there are really no good or bad actions, only different ones. Enjoy the variety and contrast-it makes for an enjoyable game.

5. Practice.
This new perspective in the real world. By this time you have your eyes open, and there is no Santa, and no ex-wife in front of you. Your thoughts are still moving in and out of your consciousness, but you do not feel controlled by them. Your problems have not disappeared but you start to look at them in a new way. You do not allow yourself to become emotionally reactive to events that take place. You tackle your problems objectively, like a surgeon removing cancerous matter from an open body.

Your dispassionate focus allows your mind to be clear of unnecessary, disparaging thoughts and emotions. Through this clear lens, problems become challenges, and challenges become opportunities for learning. When a so-called problem now arises, you welcome it. Wisdom is one step closer.

The steps listed above may seem a bit simplistic. They are in a way, but what makes them challenging is that they need to be done consistently, every day, throughout the day. There are no easy answers, and no quick fixes to dealing with chaotic events.

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage

Tornado Caught Forming On Video

noreply@blogger.com (Factopedia) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:21:00 +0000

Source: The World Wide Web! - Back to Homepage