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Monday, December 29, 2003
World Record Attempt DJ Collapses
BBC: World record attempt DJ collapses
Malaysian DJ Maverick Teh has been taken to hospital after claiming a new world record for spinning discs non-stop for 79 hours and five minutes. The DJ collapsed one hour short of passing an unofficial 80 hour record set earlier by US DJ Buddy Love.Maverick was taken for medical treatment and his team told the BBC that he had been put on a drip suffering from suspected dehydration.
He broke the official 74 hour record on Monday at The Rooftop in Kuala Lumpur.
Playing a mix of techno, house and chill-out and sustained by coffee and honey, the rules set by Guinness World Records only allowed him a 15 minute break every eight hours and a gap of no more than 10 seconds between tracks.
After passing the 74 hour mark at the decks, Maverick told the BBC he was extremely tired, however he said that when he got home he would probably put some techno on his stereo before crashing out.
B.A.B.E.S.
B.A.B.E.S. (Bay Area Bug Eating Society) is a site dedicated to those who like to participate in entomophagy, or bug eating. The site contains article on bug eating, delicious recipes and links to books. An example recipe is:
Deep Fried BugIngredients:
Bugs
GreaseInstructions:
Heat up the grease. When it sizzles, put in some bugs. Cook until crisp. Lay them out on a paper towel to drain. Eat with your favorite condiment.
Mmmm... delicious. Almost beats the deep fried tarantula I posted about the other day. And if you ever plan on feasting on something that you find in your garden remember this piece of advice:
It is not the greatest idea to eat raw bugs. They could have parasites. If you would like to safely eat earthworms, soak them for a day (until their digestive track is cleared of soil). Then, sautee them in a frying pan with some garlic and maybe a little lemon. Serve hot.
FT: Year In Pictures
The Financial Times presents the Year In Pictures (Requires Flash).
A Liberian militia commander loyal to the government exults after firing a rocket-propelled grenade at rebel forces at a key strategic bridge July 20 in Monrovia, Liberia.
World's Largest Snake Caught
Local6: World's Largest Snake Caught
Indonesian villagers claim to have captured a python that is almost 49.21 feet long and weighs nearly 992.07 pounds, an official said Monday. If confirmed, it would be the largest snake ever kept in captivity.Hundreds of people have flocked to see the snake at a primitive zoo in Curugsewu village on the country's main island of Java, Republika reported. It splashed two large pictures of the reptile across its back page.
Local government official Rachmat said the reticulated python measured 49 feet and weighed in at 985 pounds.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the longest ever captured snake to be 32 feet. The heaviest -- a Burmese Python kept in Gurnee, Illinois -- weighs 403 pounds, the book said on its Web site.
Rebublika said the snake, which was caught last year but only recently put on public display, eats three or four dogs a month.
Reticulated pythons are the world's longest snakes. They are capable of eating animals as large as sheep, and have been known to attack and consume humans. The species is native to the swamps and jungles of Southeast Asia.
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Floaty Pen Heaven
Floaty Industries has a large selection of floaty pens (also known as float pens, floating action pens, tilt pens, strip pens, glitter pens, or photoramic pens) including the OJ Simpson chase pictured above. Not only do they make floaty pens but the also make floaty keyrings and floaty toothbrushes.
If you can afford it you can even have your own floaty pens custom made for you.
Student Bets On Himself To Date Kylie Minogue
Ananova: Student bets on himself to date Kylie Minogue
Brett Allen, from Canterbury, Kent, has bet £25 on himself achieving the feat over the next 12 months and was flattered to find that a bookmaker gave him "generous" odds of 100/1.He said: "100/1 sounds like I would have a good chance. It's nice to think that I have got a much better chance of dating Kylie than winning the lottery."
"I have a bit of a reputation with some people at my university for being a ladies' man, hence the idea for the bet."
However, the student - who could have £2,500 to spend on his dream date if he wins - conceded that he had yet to hatch a detailed plan for meeting the Australian beauty.
"I am not a nutter and I will not follow her around everywhere but if the chance comes up to meet her then I will take it. But I won't use chat up lines as girls don't go for them," he said.
Bookmaker William Hill, who took the bet from Mr Allen, said he would have to spend a minimum of two hours on a date with the star in 2004 for them to pay out on the bet.
I wonder if he will be successful like this guy who, judging from his comments in his guestbook, managed to get a date with Drew Barrymore.
Spot The Difference
The Telegraph: Disney 'copied my idea for Nemo' claims French author
A young French author is taking on the Disney corporation, claiming that it copied his idea for a lovable cartoon fish in its hit film Finding Nemo. Franck le Calvez says that the clown fish, whose antics are delighting children everywhere, bears an uncanny resemblance to his creation, Pierrot Le Poisson-Clown, which he claims he dreamed up in 1995.He is now suing Walt Disney Pictures and its distribution company, claiming damages for breach of copyright and trademark, and demanding they withdraw Nemo books and merchandise from French shops. Disney has hired five lawyers to fight the case.
Mr le Calvez, 33, who is also a marine lawyer, suspected something fishy was going on when he learned of the Disney movie's release in the US earlier this year. It was not simply the uncanny physical likeness - white stripes, large, bulging orange eyes - between Nemo and Pierrot, which he created when he was a student and aspiring film-maker.
Considering that one clown fish probably looks much like another, he reasoned that the resemblance could have been coincidental. But the plot seemed strangely familiar, too. In Finding Nemo, the fish lives in an anemone and loses his mother when she is swallowed by a predator. Pierrot also lives in an anemone and is blighted when his father falls prey to a scorpion fish. One of the characters Pierrot encounters is a cleaning prawn. A cleaning prawn also turns up during Nemo's odyssey.
Disney denies plagiarism and says Nemo is 100 per cent original. "The proposed legal action is completely unfounded. Nemo is an independent creation and poses no breach of copyright or trademark," said a company spokesman.
Own Jenna Jameson's Car
Are people bidding on this Dodge Viper because they like the car or because it is owned by Jenna Jameson? [via Attu sees all]
