The XO Directory

The Fisherdog, Dog Catches Fish Like Wild Bears Do

2009-12-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

This dog may have been watching the National Geographic channel a lot where he picked up his skills to catch fish like wild bears do.

Hotel Made from Plastic Key Cards

2009-12-20T19:32:00.004-05:00

If you think those plastic keys in hotels all goes to dump sites, think again. In Manhattan in New York, Holiday Inn made a hotel made from plastic key cards. This hotel, named Key Card Hotel, opened for business on September 19th to September 21st and was built by Bryan Berg, the world record-holding 'card-stacker'.

This 400 sq ft, two-ton construction includes a guest bedroom, bathroom and lobby, all fully equipped with life-sized furniture.

Kevin Kowalski, senior vice president of global brand management at Holiday Inn, said: ‘The Key Card Hotel is a fun and interactive way to showcase the changes happening at our hotels and is the only structure of its kind to ever be created by a hotel brand.’

Link

Lin Tianzhuan, the Human Coral Reef

2009-12-14T20:51:00.005-05:00

Lin Tianzhuan of Shuimen, China, is dubbed the human coral reef. This is because of shell-like growths in his entire body - mostly in his hands and feet. These growths is similar to Dede's, "the Tree Man".

Luckily, doctors in Fuzhou Dermatosis Prevention Hospital were able to cure Lin's condition and he is now going into full recovery.

Before being treated, Lin became a hermit, hiding at the family home. His friends and neighbors are all scared of him and would avoid and stay away from him because of his condition.

"It started with a few hard bumps so I tried to apply antibiotics and creams but it didn't get better," he explained.

"Instead it just got worse. They grew and grew and soon they were all over my arms and legs, my back and even my head. Ii was as if I was turning to stone and it was terrifying," he added.

Link

Joules, The Bicycling Robot

2009-12-13T21:30:00.004-05:00

If you're an avid fan of cycling but often get tired of doing so, then you need Joules, the bicycling robot. Joules sits on the back of a tandem bicycle and does the pedaling for both of you. How cool is that.

Sultan Kösen, Currently The World's Tallest Living Man

2009-09-29T22:30:00.007-04:00

At 8 feet and 1 inch, Sultan Kösen currently is the world's tallest living man. His feat was recently recognized by the Guinness World Records and he is included in the book's 2010 edition. He beat Bao Xishun for the world record. Aside from the height, Kösen is also the current Guinness World Record holder largest hands, and largest feet, measuring 27.5 cm and 36.5 cm respectively.

A Turkish national, 26 years old Kösen began growing fast when he was 10 years old due pituitary gigantism after doctors discovered a tumor behind his eyes. His abnormal growth continued the tumor was removed in 2008.

His condition has caused other medical problems and gigantic height causes stress on his knees that he needs to use walking canes for most activities.

He said, "I am great at hanging curtains and changing light bulbs".

Amazing Butterfly Wing Patterns

2009-09-27T21:28:00.004-04:00

Check out this amazing butterfly wing patterns that make butterflies stand out from it's surroundings. Nature really has it's ways of showing off it's beauty.

Zebra Winged butterfly
Swallowtail butterfly
Peacock Pansy butterfly
Callicore Neglecta butterfly
Blue Morpho butterfly
Australian Birdwing butterfly
Link

A Very Sad Movie Clip

2009-09-26T17:15:00.003-04:00

This is a very sad movie clip taken from The Fragrant Spirit of Life film. This particular scene depicts the very bad effect of poverty to the siblings of three in a small village of Uganda, Africa and how the eldest sister take care of her malnourished and polio-stricken brothers.

If you think you got nothing to be thankful of, watch this video.

Underwater Nuclear Bomb Explosion

2009-09-15T21:35:00.004-04:00

Wanna see how it looks like when a nuclear bomb detonates underwater. Check out this video and see the massive mushroom cloud it created.

Check also this under water explosion caused by explosives.

Bear Attacks Woman and Host in a TV Show

2009-09-04T06:39:00.004-04:00

This is an amazing footage of a bear attacking a woman and host in a TV show. If not for the bear's mouth guard and the trainer, it would have been worst.

Lucky Diamond Rich, World's Most Tattooed Person

2009-08-08T15:42:00.005-04:00

Born in New Zealand, Lucky Diamond Rich is currently the world's most tattooed person. His tattoos covers 100% of his body, including the inside of his foreskin, mouth and ears. He holds this Guinness world record, which was previously held by Tom Leppard, since 2006.

Lucky spent over 1,000 hours having his body modified by hundreds of tattoo artists. He started by having a full collection of colorful designs from around the world tattooed over his entire body. Still not contented, he soon opted for a 100% covering of black ink, including eyelids, the delicate skin between the toes, down into the ears, and his gums. He is currently being tattooed with white designs on top of the black, and colored designs on top of the white.

(Image Source)

Gibraltar Airport, World's Closest Airport to the City

2009-08-06T21:21:00.004-04:00

The Gibraltar Airport is the world's the closest airport to the city that it serves. Constructed during World War II for the British Naval, the airport is only 500 meters from Gibraltar's city center. It's runway intersects with a major city highway and when a plane has to take off or land, traffic is shut down to gave way.

Link

Dave Marcel Bit By a Shark While Kissing It

2009-08-05T10:26:00.000-04:00

This is a video of Dave Marcel when he was bitten by a shark when he kissing it. Dave is a professional diver. To attract client, one of his trick is to kiss sharks. This time, the shark is not on the mood for it.

Gym Fail

2009-08-03T22:15:00.000-04:00

This gym rat was captured in his first gym fail.

Florida's 32 Stories Highrise Condo, One Tenant

2009-08-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

Located in Fort Myers, Florida, this 32 stories highrise condo has only one tenant. This is just one example of how bad economy in the US took a toll in the housing industry.

Victor Vangelakos and his family bought one unit here four years ago when the US economy was still solid as steel. Now, they have the whole building to their own as most of the other tenants in the 200-unit condo didn't close on their contracts and others have transferred to an adjacent building owned by the same company because more people live there.

"It's a beautiful building," said their attorney, John Ewing, who is representing 27 others who made deposits on units. "The problem is, it's a very lonely building."

When the Vangelakos' travel from Weehawken, N.J., to spend a week or a few days in their Florida home, they have exclusive use of the pool, game room and gym, but they miss having a few tenants around.

"Being from the city, it's very eerie," Vangelakos said. "It's almost like a scary movie."

Link

Jem Stansfield Climbs BBC Building with Vacuum Gloves

2009-08-01T07:23:00.003-04:00

Jem Stansfield, climbs the 40m (120ft) BBC building with a pair of vacuum gloves, while being watched by hundreds of people. He used an everyday vacuum cleaner to construct the kit.

Link

Don't Mistreat Pluto, Or Else...

2009-07-29T08:21:00.001-04:00

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Cathie Jung, Woman with the World's Smallest Waistline, 15 Inches

2009-07-27T04:47:00.000-04:00

At more that 70 years old, Cathie Jung still got what it takes to be the Guinness World Records' living woman with the world's smallest waistline. Her waist measures a astonishing 15 inches. In fact she got a perfect (or imperfect) figure of 39-15-39.

A resident of Connecticut, USA, and dubbed the "Corset Queen", Cathie got her small waistline by wearing tight fitting corset which she wore 24/7 since 1983 - that's 26 years up to now. She first wore one in 1959, for her wedding day. And now she got around 100 of them.

(Image Source: Link)

UK's Oldest Working TV Found in North London Home

2009-07-26T08:42:00.004-04:00

After a nationwide search, the UK's oldest working TV was found in a home of a north London resident. This 1936 Marconiphone is said to have been made in the time that Britain's first "high-definition" television service started.

This old 12-inch (30cm) TV set is owned by an electrical engineer named Jeffrey Borinsky, who collects antique television and radio sets. He bought it 10 years ago and is working on restoring it to its original state.

Link

July 22 2009 Eclipse, Longest Solar Eclipse of 21st Century

2009-07-24T08:47:00.008-04:00

The July 22, 2009 eclipse is the longest solar eclipse of 21st century. It lasted a maximum of 6 minutes and 39 seconds and can be tatolly seen off the coast of Southeast Asia, particularly in China, India and Nepal. Many tourist have gathered to this country to witness this natural phenomenon.

Not to be surpassed until June 2132, the eclipse was the the second in the series of three eclipses in a one-month period, being book-ended by two minor penumbral lunar eclipses, first on July 7 and last on August 6.

Thousands of pilgrims gathered on the banks of the Ganges River in Varanasi, India to experience the eclipse as a religious or spiritual event. Some people expected that there would be a relationship, either positive or negative, between their health and the occurrence of the eclipse. Indian scientists observed the solar eclipse from an Indian Air Force plane

Link

Extraordinary Wedding Entrance

2009-07-23T08:05:00.004-04:00

If you've been to a lot of weddings, you might say that the entrance is the most exciting part to watch. But this couple, Jill and Kevin, made their wedding entrance extraordinary that you might not wanna miss this.

David Wei Liang Howell, UK's Youngest Chess Grandmaster

2009-07-22T07:41:00.004-04:00

At the age of 16, David Wei Liang Howell became UK's youngest chess grandmaster. Born on November 14, 1990, and now 18 years old, Howell earned the title when he came second during the 35th Rilton Cup in Stockholm on January 2007. The record was previously held by Luke McShane who was six months older when he became a grandmaster.

Howell has been playing chess since the age of five years and eight months, after his father bought a second-hand chess set. He quickly learned and defeated his father and soon came to the attention of the Sussex Junior Chess Association, where he received tuition from a number of established county players. He progressed rapidly and became the British Under-8, Under-9 and Under-10 chess champion.

In August 1999, Howell became famous internationally when he broke the world record for the youngest player to have defeated a Grandmaster in an official game. He defeated GM John Nunn in a blitz game at the Mind Sports Olympiad. David still holds this record. He is also the youngest player in the world to have qualified to compete in a national chess championship, taking part in the British Chess Championship in August 2000. He came fourth in the Player of the Year ballot held by the British Chess Federation during 2000.

Link

How to Protect your Password

2009-07-21T23:01:00.003-04:00

If you want to protect your online profile or bank, you should know how to protect your password. Here are some tips you can use. :)

No one can see your passwords or whatever you're typing…

No one can see whatever you're typing or which website you're surfing…

And the ultimate is... hide your keyboard and monitor.

(Source: Forwarded Email)

Zac Sunderland, Youngest Person to Sail Solo Around the World

2009-07-20T22:15:00.004-04:00

On July 16, 2009, at age 17, Zac Sunderland became the youngest person to sail solo around the world, a record previously held by Australian David Dicks. Zac began his trip on June 14, 2008 at the Marina del Rey, California on board his sailboat he name Intrepid. After 13 months and 2 days at sea, he arrived at Marina del Rey, California greeted by his family and friends and a crowd of reporters, a world record holder.

When Sunderland decided to attempt the circumnavigation, he purchased a 36 feet (11 m) Islander for $6,000, using all of his savings. With the assistance of his father, he retrofitted the yacht for the trip. Sunderland planned to complete his voyage in April 2008 with a maximum time of 18 months. He continued his schooling while on his trip, saying, "I have all my books with me. I have one more year to finish at high school and I have to send back my tests (via e-mail) to my mom. She's going to grade them and make sure I am doing well.

Link (Image by: zacsunderland.com)

Xavier Rosset, Survived 300 days in Forest with Just Two Knives

2009-07-16T07:57:00.007-04:00

With just two knives - a Swiss army knife and a machete, Xavier Rosset, survived 300 days in the tropical forest of Tonga, in the uninhabited, 64-square-kilometre volcanic Pacific island called Tofua. His companion - a wild pig he captured in the island. But unlike Tom Hanks in the movie Cast Away, he said he didn't talked to the pig.

This young Swiss adventurer and former professional snowboarder, totally isolate himself and survive only on food and shelter got by his own hands. He said he did this to challenge the modern way of life that many of us got used to.

Rosset document his adventure with a video camera and will be aired later this year.

"It was hard, yes, very hard," Mr Rosset said, freshly arrived back in Europe after ending his 10-month stint in Tonga.

His island of choice was Tofua, a 64-square-kilometre volcanic isle home to nothing except "some pigs, lots of coconuts, a lake and tropical forest".

"At the beginning I had to try hard to survive," the former professional snowboarder said.

Link

Tran Van Hay, Man with the World's Longest Hair

2009-07-15T07:41:00.005-04:00

The man with the world's longest hair is Tran Van Hay. This 73 year-old Vietnamese has hair that measures at approximately 6.2 meters long. Due to it's massive size, he balanced it on his head under a scarf which makes it looks like a giant turban.

Tran Van Hay is proud of his "achievement" and with the help of his wife would gladly unravel his hair on the table to show off.

Here's a pictures of Tran with his long hair that hasn't been washed for more than six years.

And a video of him showing it off.