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Wednesday, December 31, 2003
NYE In Japan
Apparently New Year's Eve in Japan is a lot more peaceful than elsewhere in the world. One benefit of this is that you can get to sit down on a train, something that is not usually possible for most commuters. The picture on the left shows a train on a normal day and the picture on the left shows it during the New Year. [via Tokyo Times]
Satellite Image of Bam, Iran
This one-meter resolution satellite image of Bam, Iran was taken by Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite on Dec. 27, 2003, just one day after a catastrophic earthquake struck the historic city. The full image shows widespread destruction as a result of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that leveled 70 percent of the buildings according to news reports.Clearly seen in the center of the image is the 2,000-year-old citadel, considered the world's largest mud fortress. According to news reports, much of the medieval fortress crumbled like a sand castle when the quake hit. The citadel was a popular tourist attraction and is on the register of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and has been a World Heritage site.
The CatSeat
Pet owners fed up with cleaning litter trays have been given an alternative - a toilet seat for cats.
Kevin Rymer designed the seat which he hopes will wean cats away from the litter tray into the family bathroom.
Here's some information from their FAQ.
How can the CatSeat™ toilet train my cat(s)?Once your cat(s) is successfully using the CatSeat™ as a replacement to the litter-box, it is designed to mount to your toilet. It is slightly oversized to allow your cat(s) to easily balance on the seat, and the textured shelves replace the feel of litter which satisfies their need to "cover up".
Does the CatSeat™ function like a regular toilet seat?
If you decide to mount the CatSeat™ to your toilet, it functions exactly like a regular toilet seat. It lifts up and operates just as you would expect. It is almost as if they have a separate seat all to themselves.
Thankfully the makers of the CatSeat have made the seat big enough for more than one cat to share so there'll be no long queues for the toilet. The makers claim that as many as 7 cats can use the CatSeat at the same time!
Would You Want These Running Your Country?
Ananova: Tatu take on Putin
Tatu are running against Vladimir Putin in a bid to become joint presidents of Russia.Yulia Volkova, 18, and Lena Katina, 19, have vowed to win the election battle in March.
The girls believe they can do a better job than current head of state Putin.
Yulia and Lena will have to convince officials they are eligible to run as rules state candidates must be at least 35 years old.
But the pair insist they are old enough because their combined age is 37.
Despite the singers' political ambitions, President Putin is expected to win the March 14 vote and clinch his second term in office.
Sir WWW
BBC: Web's inventor gets a knighthood
The inventor of the world wide web, Tim Berners-Lee, has been awarded a knighthood for his pioneering work.Dubbed the "Father of the Web", he came up with a system over 10 years ago to organise, link and browse net pages.
The British scientist, who lives in the US, was told he was getting the unexpected Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year honours list a few days ago - by telephone, not by e-mail.
Sir Tim said the honour was an acknowledgement that the net was becoming globally powerful, and not just a "passing trend".
"There was a time when people felt the internet was another world, but now people realise it's a tool that we use in this world."
Introducing The Pet Umbrella
The Pet umbrella keeps your pet dry and comfortable in rain, sleet or snow.Features include a clear oblong arc trimmed with classic plaid waterproof fabric and ergonomic, angled handle with padded comfort grip.
An umbrella leash with hook attaches easily and quickly to your pet's collar or harness. Clear umbrella body allows full view of pet.
Pet owners need not feel left out -
Pet Umbrella is also available with its matching People Umbrella
[via kottke.org]
Extreme Weather Pictures
WeatherPix has an excellent collection of lightning storm pictures as well as other weather pictures.
Fastest Pentiium 4 - 5.25GHz
The guys at Tom's Hardware Guide managed to get a P4 running at a blistering 5.255GHz! All it required was a constant supply of liquid nitrogen. As you can see from the picture, temperatures of -190°C can cause things to get a little icy. Read the full story here, there is a also a video to accompany the article.
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Longest Snake In the World - Update
Is this the longest snake in the world? [Thanks to Sissy for the link to the image]
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Madness!
Even if I was a keen fisherman I don't think that I would sit out in that kind of weather!
Time Magazine Covers
Find the Time magazine cover for the week that you were born.
The archive contains every cover from 1923 to the present day. You can also look through popular collections such as covers featuring Internet related topics, AIDS, actors and events such as wars. There is also an option to buy a framed copy of any of the 4,000 covers featured in the archive.
My cover, seen on the right, is pretty boring. What features on your cover?
[via Linkfilter]
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]
Sunday, December 28, 2003
The Most Expensive Shower?
For those who have more money than sense, the SilverTAG Shower costs a mere $120,000 but is is customised to fit your own unique personal profile.
The SilverTAG Shower uses and reinterprets traditional European hydrotherapies, including varying temperatures and pressure, to simulate the feeling of showering under a waterfall and other cardio-gymnastic effects. It's 100 percent customized for each client's body shape and size. The design also takes into account recurring areas of tension and/or discomfort and overall stress level. (The process of compiling the personal profile for a SilverTAG Shower is not unlike being interviewed by a psychiatrist.)Inside the shower, a touch-screen panel allows the user to select up to six different reprogrammable shower frequencies and experiences, using 18 showerheads that target six different zones of the body. You can choose "Tonic," in which the water temperature increases gradually from warm to hot, relaxing your muscles, before suddenly turning cool, like an invigorating dip in the pool, and then hot again, deepening the muscle relaxation still further. Or "Anti-Stress," in which strong jets of water start on your shoulders and then slowly move up and down your body, eliminating muscle tension. And Galyean is introducing a new sequence, which he claims will reduce cellulite by using a series of pressure variations to increase circulation.
Read more here.
[via Diversionz]
