LO: A Map Collage - An idea for those extra photos

I just finished working on a gift album for my daughter (Post 1, Post 2 & Post 3). She went to Kenya on a school trip and this included a safari. As you may well imagine, the photos were numerous. Once I had finished the album I found that I had leftover a lot of photos of animals. Rather than throw them away I decided to make the last page of the album using them. You can follow the easy instructions to make a similar collage. It does not have to be a map – just look at all the extra photos you have and you will know the shape you want to make!

From the internet find a map outline of Africa in a GIF format. Print this out on a piece of paper the same size as your page - maintain aspect ratio while resizing.

Cut out the map.

Crop the photographs of the animals into small squares, cutting out the parts that I call the ‘dead’ zone – however do not discard these – they will make the perfect filler for your collage. Glue these, again cut into small squares, around the edge of the map.


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Then flip the map and carefully cut the photos, following the edge as precisely as you can.


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This is how the front of your map should look like:


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Now carefully glue down all your photographs, making sure that all areas are covered. It is okay if the photos overlap, or even go over the edges of the map.


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Again, flip the map and trim and photo edges sticking out.




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If your collage has more than one piece, use the negative of the printed paper as a template to stick down the pieces.


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Finish your page as takes your fancy!

Thoughts from within - Woody Harrelson

I love everything about this video - from Harrelson's voice, to the images, the words and of course the incredible message. never get tired of watching it!

Space station toilet working again!

Good to know that the astronauts won't have to keep using bags or whatever it was that they were peeing in ;-) The toilet is back in business! (If you must know more, here is the link)

Trailer: Wanted

Two versions of the trailer for the film with two of my favourite stars, James McAvoy & Angelina Jolie. I like the second trailer better. I am so going to see this film when it is released June 27th. Jolie is ferocious!

Wanted Exclusive Trailer HD


and

Wanted in HD

Trying to make babies with 3 parents

Stem cell research - it gets more bizarre and infinitely more interesting every time I read about it. Scientists have figured out that if they can make a child with DNA from 3 parents they might be able to prevent many hereditary disorders.

(Link)

Earlier this year a team at Newcastle University created the first IVF embryos to contain DNA from one man and two women. The project, highlighted by the latest issue of New Scientist magazine, was designed to offer a treatment for a series of genetic conditions, including some forms of muscular dystrophy and epilepsy, caused by mutations in the mother's mitochondria. The "batteries" which provide cells with energy, mutations in the mitochondrial DNA affect one person in every 6,500 and can cause around 50 known diseases, some which lead to disability and death.

Prof Doug Turnbull, who leads the research, said: "Over the next two or three years we are hoping to make significant progress on this, because we want to offer hope to mothers who have this fault in their mitochondria as soon as possible." (Link)

Emetophobia disrupts wedding plans - bride tries hypnotherapy

Emetophobia is the irrational fear of vomiting, being around others who are vomiting, and/or the vomit itself. It is very debilitating but there is help available like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, hypnotherapy and counselling.

A bride-to-be who suffers from an irrational fear of vomiting has postponed her big day until she finds a cure. Emma Pelling is so terrified of being sick on her wedding dress that she has enrolled with a hypnotherapist in the hope of finding the courage to walk down the aisle. The 19-year-old suffers from "emetophobia", an extreme fear of vomiting, and has put off her wedding to fiance Gareth Heal while she seeks treatment.

The trainee vet has suffered from the rare condition for five years, having never recovered from the embarrassment of being sick in front of her classmates at school. The phobia also means Miss Pelling cannot bring herself to revisit places where she has vomited, such as fairgrounds, aquariums and her local cinema. (Link)

Full-feature IE 8 coming in August

Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday it plans to test-release a feature-complete version of its Internet Explorer 8 Web browser in August. Microsoft released a first test version of IE 8 in March, providing developers and Web designers a preview of the latest update to the world's most widely-used browser.

The next test release, IE 8 Beta 2, will be targeted more at ordinary Web users. It will come with all the features that the browser will have when it is officially launched -- although it may still contain bugs, since it is a test version. Microsoft has not set an official release date for IE 8. The company released Internet Explorer 7 in October 2006. (More here: Reuters)

Man gets father murdered to secure his job

I have heard of people going to extraordinary lengths to get jobs but this really is crossing the boundaries!

An Indian man, frustrated at failing to find employment, ordered the murder of his father to get his government job, a day before the victim was to retire, police said on Tuesday. The man, arrested from a village in the impoverished eastern Bihar state, had planned to claim his father's job on the grounds that he died while still at work, police officer Naresh Singh said.

The son had paid a relative about $2,500 to carry out the crime which was committed at the weekend but reported on Tuesday. "He told us he would have got a government job on compassionate grounds had this murder remained a mystery," Singh said. The victim worked as a low-ranking employee at a local office. (Reuters)

Celebrity bicycle: comes with security guard

One thing I have noticed over the years travelling to London, is how the number of bicycles seems to keep increasing. I think this really is the best mode of transportation now, considering gas prices, and a great way to get the daily workout. But Londoners started quite a while back - setting the trend - making it cool to ride a bike to work. ( It just was not trendy enough to emulate when one saw the millions of Chinese on their bicycles :-) Anyway I guess it was just a matter of time before a 'celebrity' bike showed up. Now we have a gold bike for almost $19,000. And it comes with its own security guard. I wonder if the guards are always so hot ...

So what is the latest celebrity present? A bike. It's gold, costs £9,500 and it's environmentally-friendly too. It has been created for celebrity cyclists and it will hopefully be bought by the cyclist "cyclist who has everything", as it goes on sale today. The bike, the most expensive in Britain, is too expensive to be insured - so it comes with its own personal body guard. The bicycle, which has a 24ct gold-framed machine and is custom-made, has been commissioned by the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), an insurance provider. Not only is it environmentally-friendly to cycle but the money also goes to ETA, a non-profit organisation who campaigns for sustainable transport. (Telegraph)

How the fight started

A man and a woman were asleep like two innocent babies. Suddenly, at 3 o'clock in the morning, a loud noise came from outside. The woman, sort of bewildered, jumped up from the bed and yelled at the man "Holy Crap, That must be my husband!"

So the guy quickly jumped out of the bed, scared and naked he jumped out the window like a crazy man. He smashed himself on the ground, ran through a thorn bush and then started to run as fast as he could to his car.

A few minutes later he returned and went up to the bedroom and screamed at the woman, "I AM your husband.!"

The woman yelled back, "Yeah, then why were you running?"

And that folks............is how the fight started.

(Thanks Michi!)

Woman marries the Eiffel Tower

Erika La Tour Eiffel has an object fetish. She falls in love with inanimate things. She decided to marry the Eiffel Tower. Last week I read a woman called Eija-Riitta Berliner-Mauer (which means 'Berlin Wall), who claimed she was married to the Berlin Wall for 29 years. And when they pulled the wall down, it broke her heart. It was like she lost a loved one. I thought that this objects fetish was something rare. Apparently not...

Erika La Tour Eiffel, 37, a former soldier who lives in San Francisco, has been in love with objects before. Her first infatuation was with Lance, a bow that helped her to become a world-class archer, she is fond of the Berlin Wall and she claims to have a physical relationship with a piece of fence she keeps in her bedroom.

But it is the Eiffel Tower she has pledged to love, honour and obey in an intimate ceremony attended by a handful of friends. She has changed her name legally to reflect the bond. (Telegraph)

LO: Thoughts about Nonna

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Lily with her Italian Grandma in 1997. I left the place for journalling blank so Lily can fill it in when she wants. For now I added a few lines of nonsense text digitally just to give the impression of writing.

Amazing photographs of China

These beautiful photographs of China are taken by Professor Feng Jiang who holds a Ph.D from the University of York. Click on this link to see more: The Wonders of China

Indian Statue to rival the Statue of Liberty

Farmers are committing suicide, people are suffering due to shortage of food, water and power. Education needs a boost. I can think of a hundred other things that the local authorities need to spend on to improve the lives of the millions living in this populous state. And yet on what is the Government of the state of Maharashtra (the state where the city of Bombay is) planning to spend US$4.5 million? A statue, rivalling the Statue of Liberty, to glorify the local hero Shivaji!!! And it will not be the first because statues of Shivaji are present in almost every important location in Bombay.

The government of the Indian state of Maharashtra says it plans to build a statue off the Mumbai (Bombay) coast to rival New York's Statue of Liberty. The statue will be of the Maratha warrior king Shivaji, considered a hero in Maharashtra for his defiance of Mughal and British forces.

The statue will be built on a man-made island, which will include a library, a museum and an amphitheatre. Vishal Dhage, a state government official, said the statue would be about the same height as the Statue of Liberty - which, with plinth included, stands at 305ft (92.69m). Mr Deshmukh said that when it was completed, the statue would be an important tourist spot, with sound and light shows to explain the importance of the warrior king, Shivaji.

King Shivaji is an icon adopted by the militant right-wing Maharashtra group, Shiv Sena, which says more should be done to promote the rights of "local" people in the state rather than "outsiders". Moves to erect the statue have been described as a ploy to win local support ahead of elections next year. (BBC)

Rickets increasing

Rickets is a condition when the bones in young children get soft, deforming and fracturing. It is very common in developing countries but now seems to be on the rise elsewhere too. Doctors are now advising all pregnant mothers to take vitamin D supplements.

A family with rickets. Paris, 1900.

All pregnant women should take vitamin D supplements to stave off increasing rates of rickets in children, researchers have advised. Babies and toddlers should also be considered for supplements in order to help stop the resurgence of the bone disease, they say.

It is thought use of high factor sunscreen and children increasingly playing computer games inside is contributing to a resurgence of the problem. Doctors say more children than ever are presenting with vitamin D deficiency which can cause seizures and rickets, which is a bone- wasting disease that was thought to have been wiped out in the 1950s.

It is believed cases of full-blown rickets, which impairs bone development leading to deformities, poor teeth, stunted growth and general ill health, could be as high as one in 100 in some groups. (Link)

Daily Mission

Some peoples ' daily mission in life is just to annoy you!
Don't let them!!

Thanks Michi!

Strong men pull tank

Two Belarusian men pull a World War II tank more than five metres to set a new world record. Kirill Shimko and Pavel Soroka were attached to the 30 tonne tank with harnesses and ropes, pulling themselves along ladders on the ground. The two strong men covered a distance of 5.10 metres. The T34 Soviet tank was assembled from parts salvaged from vehicles destroyed during World War II in Belarus.

(Reuters Video)

NASA photographs an impressive flare from a young star

For many years scientists have known that our sun gives off powerful explosions, known as flares, that contain millions of times more energy than atomic bombs.

But when astronomers compare flares from the sun to flares on other stars, the sun's flares lose. On April 25, 2008, NASA's Swift satellite picked up a record-setting flare from a star known as EV Lacertae. This flare was thousands of times more powerful than the greatest observed solar flare. But because EV Lacertae is much farther from Earth than the sun, the flare did not appear as bright as a solar flare. Still, it was the brightest flare ever seen from a star other than the sun.



What makes the flare particularly interesting is the star. EV Lacertae is much smaller and dimmer than our sun. In other words, a tiny, wimpy star is capable of packing a very powerful punch. How can such a small star produce such a powerful flare? The answer can be found in EV Lacertae's youth. Whereas our sun is a middle-aged star, EV Lacertae is a toddler. The star is much younger than our sun, and is still spinning rapidly. The fast spin, together with its churning interior, whips up gases to produce a magnetic field that is much more powerful than the sun's magnetic field.

Image Credit: Casey Reed/NASA

Old Marilyn Monroe

What would MArilyn Monroe have looked like if she had lived to old age? Polish photographer and artist Andrzej Dragan uses photo editing software to show us his interpretation. Check out his website for more like Adolf Hitler and Bruce Lee.

Shark Pictures

The wildlife photographer Chris Fellows spends over half of each year waiting off the coast of South Africa to capture the sharks at their grisly work. These dramatic pictures, taken near Seal Island, in False Bay, are part of a decade-long campaign to promote positive awareness of great white sharks, which are classed as "endangered" largely due to being hunted by man.

(More photos here: Link)

What's for Dinner? Grasshoppers!

Eat more insects, say scientists. Insects are a big part of the diet of the local populace in some countries in South East Asia - as I am elsewhere in the world. Grasshoppers, wasps, locusts, crickets and dragonflies. The mental image of the Australian Aborigines eating the fat white worms will stay with me forever! And now scientists are urging everyone else to add insects to their diets.

Eating insects such as wasps and grasshoppers has health benefits and should be encouraged in the Western diet, scientists have said. The bugs are rich in protein and some minerals and are lower in cholesterol than beef or pork. Research carried out at the National Autonomous University of Mexico found that 1,700 species are eaten in at least 113 countries across the world, usually as a substitute for meat.

Grasshoppers have 20 grams of protein and just 6 g of fat per 100g while fire ants have 13.9g of protein and 3.5g of fat. Crickets are sources of iron, zinc and calcium. Eating insects also keep puts less strain on the environment because cultivating insects requires forest to be preserved rather than felled. David George Gordon, a Seattle-based naturalist and author, says: "Insects are the most valuable, underused and delicious animals in the world. "Maybe we in the West are the weirdos." (Telegraph)

LO: Conflict Resolution

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Primary Six: This was a presentation the class prepared on various kinds of conflicts and their possible resolutions. It was not an easy topic to research and present but the children did an impressive job. I was so proud of Ricky when he got on stage and read out his part. He was articulate, precise, powerful and moving. And he looked so handsome too!

And speaking of Jews ...

Written across the wall of the cave were the following symbols:

It was considered a unique find and the writings were said to be at least three thousand years old! The piece of stone was removed, brought to the museum, and archaeologists from around the world came to study the ancient symbols. They held a huge meeting after months of conferences to discuss the meaning of the markings.

The President of the society pointed to first drawing and said:

"This is a woman. We can see these people held women in high esteem.

You can also tell they were intelligent, as the next symbol is a donkey, so they were smart enough to have animals help them till the soil.

The next drawing is a shovel, which means they had tools to help them."

Even further proof of their high intelligence is the fish which means that if a famine hit the earth and food didn't grow, they seek food from the sea.

The last symbol appears to be the Star of David which means they were evidently Hebrews. The audience applauded enthusiastically.

Then a little old Jewish man stood up in the back of the room and said,

"Idiots, Hebrew is read from right to left...... It says:

'Holy Mackerel, Dig The Ass On That Chick

(Thanks Dinna!)

Britain is being 'taken over' by Indians

I know that when Englishmen want a good meal they go eat curry, there are markets in the UK where the produce is fresher than in some Indian cities, but Lord Archer has taken it to another level altogether. "Indians are the new Jews' he says. And one day Britain will have an Indian PM!! Well ... he does have a book to sell. And I say ... while we are at it - let's take over the world!!! (insert maniacal laughter here)

Indian immigrants are "doing what the Jews did 30-40 years ago" and entering British politics, Lord Archer claimed. Asked if he could see any change in Britain, he replied: "Massive. It is going to be taken over by the Indians. And I don't joke... Now what you are doing is what the Jews did 30-40 years ago when they came to England after the war. The Indians are now taking over the local councils. There are mayors all over England who are Indian."

The former Conservative Party deputy chairman made his comments in India, where he is on a book tour promoting his latest novel, A Prisoner of Birth. He told the interviewer: "You are young enough, I suspect, to live to see an Indian prime minister in England."(link)

A Dancing Cockatoo

Remember the smart parrot that knew its home address? Well this parrot is pretty smart too! It's got some nice moves and even tries to sing ... lol!

How to spot a fake photo

Scientific American has a captivating article detailing 5 ways to spot a picture that has been doctored. Take a look at the photo below. If you study the light dots on the irises (specular highlights) on the four stars, you will see that two of them (Randy & Paula) are the same - which means that they were actually in the same place when the photo was taken. Simon & Ryan have completely different specular highlights. To me both these guys look pasted in - I think the lighting on Simon is all wrong too.

Surrounding lights reflect in eyes to form small white dots called specular highlights. The shape, color and location of these highlights tell us quite a bit about the lighting. In 2006 a photo editor contacted me about a picture of American Idol stars that was scheduled for publication in his magazine (above). The specular highlights were quite different.

The highlight position indicates where the light source is located left. As the direction to the light source moves from left to right, so do the specular highlights. The highlights in the American Idol picture are so inconsistent that visual inspection is enough to infer the photograph has been doctored. (Link) via Boing Boing

Brad Pitt to turn Architect!

Yup ... it's been his life long dream and now he is going to design a hotel in Dubai. It will be a five-star 'socially conscious' hotel complex - you know - environmentally friendly and all that. In Dubai? It is the most environmentally unfriendly city I know! Just think only of the air conditioning in a single mega steel structure (which are continuously mushrooming) needed to survive there. And, among other things, they have an indoor ski slope - how environmentally friendly can it be operating that thing? Oh well ... it's Brad and if he says it's eco friendly, lets all believe it. Methinks this is part of Dubai government's marketing plan to make the city look environmentally friendly - like they really do care!

Hollywood actor Brad Pitt is to fulfil his long-held dream of becoming an architect by designing a five-star hotel complex in Dubai. The project will be "socially conscious" and a world leader in environmental sustainability, according to the property company behind it. The resort will comprise an 800-room luxury hotel and adjoining leisure complex, and will play host to star-studded events and awards ceremonies. Its precise location is yet to be announced. (Telegraph)

Man teaches heron to fly by flapping his arms

The baby heron fell off his nest and was taken to the wildlife sanctuary where Gary Zammit works. He took care of the chick but when it came to flying, the bird did not seem to have a clue. So Zammit tried something new: he waved his arms and made squawking noises till the bird copied him and took off!

Gary Zammit, 42, started his training by running in a field with food in his pockets so the bird would follow him, and gain in strength. Mr Zammit said: "He never showed any sign of wanting to take off.

"To encourage him to try flying I had to tempt him along with food in the hope that instinct would kick in and he would go up. But for days he just walked alongside me, or occasionally hopped a bit. "I ended up getting really involved and running alongside him, flapping my arms like an idiot. Eventually he began half flying at a height of around three feet, and now, he soars around the buildings until I call him back down. It is a wonderful sight." (More here: Telegraph)

Man fakes his death to avoid creditors

... he even managed to get a death certificate, collected his insurance money and travelled all over the world with fake passports! Just like in the movies. He has some chutzpah!! Of course he has now been arrested and all that but what a story! Almost a 'Catch me if you can'.

A Singapore man was jailed for three years after he faked his own death in a civil war shoot-out in Sri Lanka in 1987 to escape his creditors and claim US$243,600 in insurance money, a newspaper reported Saturday. The Straits Times said that Gandaruban Subramaniam fled Singapore more than 20 years ago -- harassed by creditors and illegal money lenders since the failure of his car rental business -- and moved to London to work as a street sweeper.

The 60-year old eventually settled in Sri Lanka where he managed to obtain a death certificate stating he had been killed in a shootout between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels, allowing his family to claim on his insurance policies. But he returned to Singapore a number of times using a fake Sri Lankan passport and also remarried his wife in Sri Lanka in 1994 and fathered a son, their fourth child, two years later. (Reuters)

Explosion in Chem class - students injured

Chem labs are scary places (actually they can be fun too!) - I have vivid memories of the smells, the scarred table tops and exploding test tubes. But exploding test tubes is as bad as I have seen. These poor kids in Germany are going to have chemical nightmares for a while now!

(Link)

A dozen students and a teacher have been injured in a chemistry class blast in Germany. Police said a glass flask containing more than two pints of nitric acid exploded. The students were showered with acid and glass. Others were harmed by inhaling the noxious fumes. Thirteen people were taken to hospital. The incident happened in the 11th grade of a high school in Goettingen. The school was evacuated after the explosion and all 1,100 students were sent home. A police investigation has been launched into the incident. (Link)

More silly blonde jokes

GAUGING DISTANCE

Two blondes living in Oklahoma were sitting on a bench talking, and one blonde says to the other, "Which do you think is farther away... Florida or the moon?"

The other blonde turns and says "Helloooooooooo, can you see Florida ?????"



CAR TROUBLE

A blonde pushes her BMW into a gas station. She tells the mechanic it died.
After he works on it for a few minutes, it is idling smoothly.
She says, "What's the story?"
He replies, "Just crap in the carburetor"
She asks, "How often do I have to do that?"



SPEEDING TICKET

A police officer stops a blonde for speeding and asks her very nicely if he could see her license.
She replied in a huff, "I wish you guys would get your act together. Just yesterday you take away my license and then today you expect me to show it to you!"



RIVER WALK

There's this blonde out for a walk. She comes to a river and sees another blonde on the opposite bank "Yoo-hoo!" she shouts, "How can I get to the other side?"

The second blonde looks up the river then down the river and shouts back, "You ARE on the other side."



AT THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE

A gorgeous young redhead goes into the doctor's office and said that her body hurt wherever she touched it.
"Impossible!" says the doctor. "Show me."
The redhead took her finger, pushed on her left shoulder and screamed, then she pushed her elbow and screamed even more. She pushed her knee and screamed; likewise she pushed her ankle and screamed. Everywhere she touched made her scream.
The doctor said, "You're not really a redhead, are you?
"Well, no" she said, "I'm actually a blonde."
"I thought so," the doctor said. "Your finger is broken"


KNITTING

A highway patrolman pulled alongside a speeding car on the freeway. Glancing at the car, he was astounded to see that the blonde behind the wheel was knitting!
Realizing that she was oblivious to his flashing lights and siren, the trooper cranked down his window, turned on his bullhorn and yelled, "PULL OVER!"
"NO!" the blonde yelled back, "IT'S A SCARF!"


IN A VACUUM

A blonde was playing Trivial Pursuit one night. It was her turn. She rolled the dice and she landed on Science & Nature. Her question was, "If you are in a vacuum and someone calls your name, can you hear it?"
She thought for a time and then asked, "Is it on or off?"


FINALLY, THE BLONDE JOKE TO END ALL BLONDE JOKES!

A girl was visiting her blonde friend, who had acquired two new dogs, and asked her what their names were. The blonde responded by saying that one was named Rolex and one was named Timex. Her friend said, "Whoever heard of someone naming dogs like that?"

"HELLLOOOOOOO......," answered the blonde. "They're watch dogs!"

(Thanks Michi!)

Lithuanian baby crawling race

Lithuanian babies compete in a crawling race to mark International Child Protection Day. 25 infants took part in Lithuania's annual baby crawling contest held in Vilnius to find the 'fastest crawler in the land.'

(Reuters)

New 'potentially explosive' evidence of the existence of the Yeti?

Here we go again!! This is always fun - trying to prove (or disprove as the case may be) the existence of these fantastical creatures. I will not say that I completely disbelieve all these stories because that would imply having intimate & thorough knowledge of many things. This I have not. So I like taking everything with a pinch of salt and while being almost skeptical, keeping an open mind. Anything is possible ... (Horton music in my head)

A British artist has produced what she calls a "photo-fit" of the Yeti based on "potentially explosive" new evidence of the elusive creature's existence. Wildlife painter Polyanna Pickering was shown what is believed to be a 100-year-old yeti scalp at a remote monastery in the Himalayas. At least one expert believes it could be the most important proof yet that the giant apelike beast is more than mere folklore. Ms Pickering was gathering material for a new exhibition in the remote Bhutan region of the Himalayas when she made her chance discovery - with a little help from David Beckham.

She said: "I was told this was from a Migoi - their name for the yeti. All I know is, it was bigger than any human or ape scalp I have ever seen. It had tufts of reddish-black fur coming out of it and was mounted on a pole and seen as a holy relic." The scalp was housed in a part of the monastery closed to visitors. "The sole occupant was a caretaker monk who got very excited when he found out we were English and he was a huge David Beckham fan and then ushered us through to the back." Photography is banned in all such monasteries but Ms Pickering, 65, was able to make a rough sketch of the scalp. She also produced a full sketch of the creature, based on scores of eyewitness accounts by indigenous people. (More Here: Telegraph)

Celebrity Hat Wearers

You've got to click the link below to see photos of some celebrity hat wearers. Zara Phillips & Brad Pitt top the list but there are some funky hats displayed! And OMG! Becks & Prince Harry look so hot but in completely different styles.

Celebrity Hat Wearers

P.S. Lily took a look at the photos and informed me that I was off my rocker to find Prince Harry hot. I insist though ... not every one can carry off a bowler. I have a permanent Chaplin association in my brain with that hat!

Teacher runs to safety - leaves students behind in quake

This is a teacher who admits to 'having a very strong sense of self preservation'. He is now nicknamed 'Runner Fan' because he has admitted to thinking only about himself when the quake hit. He freely admits he is not very brave!

A secondary school teacher has set himself dramatically against the tales of heroism arising from the Sichuan earthquake by describing how he callously abandoned his pupils to their fate. In an act of moral foolhardiness, Fan Meizhong set out on a blog his guiding principle: in matters of life and death, it's every man for himself. When the quake struck, rather than overseeing an orderly evacuation, he said he just shouted "Stay calm, it's an earthquake!" and ran for it without looking back to see if his pupils were following.

Many news reports have focused on stories of teachers putting children first, almost certainly representing the vast majority, such as that of another teacher, Tan Qianqiu, whose body was found shielding four of his pupils, all of them alive.

But some schools were uneasy that their teachers had a higher survival rate than pupils. One such was Juyuan School, where hundreds of pupils died - parents say 500 to 700 though the official number is 278 out of 900 - but only six out of 80 teachers. Parents pointed out that teachers stood nearest the doors. (Link)

Biofuel land demand puts peasants at risk

By Robin Pomeroy

ROME (Reuters) - The rise of biofuels is not only adding to the global food price crisis but also poses a risk for peasants, pushed off their land to make way for energy crops, a report prepared for this week's food summit said. The use of food such as maize, palm oil and sugar to produce fuel has been blamed in part for record high commodity prices which are driving millions of people into hunger, and will be a key issue discussed by world leaders at the Rome summit.

Condemned as a "crime against humanity" last year by the then U.N. food rapporteur, Jean Ziegler, critics of biofuels say they divert nutrition away from mouths and into fuel tanks and compete for land that should be used to grow food. Both the United States and the European Union have policies promoting the use of biofuels as alternatives as a way to reduce reliance on crude oil. (More here: Reuters)

Food Crises: 60 Hours left

The world food crisis is sky-rocketing – steadily rising prices are squeezing billions and triggering food riots from Bangladesh to South Africa. Aid agencies say 100 million people are facing starvation.

In response, the United Nations is convening an emergency summit of world leaders in Rome this week. There is a real danger that rich country leaders will push half measures and band-aid solutions – we need a huge global outcry to demand rapid, massive, coordinated action.

The head of the UN, Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, will receive the petition from Avaaz at the summit at 9:30AM on Wednesday morning. This is a huge opportunity for our voice to reach our leaders directly, but we need half a million voices in the next 60 hours. Click below to sign the petition if you haven't yet, and forward this site to everyone you know:

Help Avaaz hit 500,000 signatures!
SIGN THE PETITION!

Zainab Bangura, Sierra Leone's foreign minister

LO: Bordighera

Layout done with Background paper - Worldwin Cascata Cardstock; Other paper - Ruche Cardstock by Worldwin Papers in White, Cocoa, Red; Black dye ink; Alphabet Stamps by Ma Vinci's Reliquary; Hearts - Basic Grey Chipboard elements - covered with Red Ruched cardstock.

This was a difficult time I had - immediately after the birth of my son - things were extremely trying for me. My in-laws and I went to the seaside town of Bordighera (near Monte Carlo) and stayed there for nearly two months. Lily who was three, had a wonderful time there. I made this layout for her but I think some of the bad feeling I associate with the place must have crept into the journaling. She read it and then looked at me and said 'You do not like Bordighera very much, do you?' I did not want it to be so evident. But after all the trouble I took to hand journal, I am not changing anything. Lily is a big girl now - she understands I am sure.

Video: Hollywood history goes up in smoke

It is not everyday when something like this happens that we can say "I was there; I saw that; I have photos with it" - I am sure many of you will be thinking these thoughts about the Clock Tower from Back to the Future.

(Reuters)

Crooks: Dumber & Dumbest

Police are hunting two robbers who failed to grasp a fundamental rule of crime - mask your identity. CCTV cameras caught them at a Colorado convenience store wearing thongs over their faces. One wore a green thong while the other opted for blue - but the pair's nose, mouth and chin were barely covered. The rest of their face was clearly visible, police in Arvada say. Officers also have a few more clues to work with as one of the men failed to cover up a distinctive tattoo on his arm. (Link)

A Chicago man is being hailed as the US's dumbest crook after he gave workers at a garage his mobile phone number and told them to phone him when the manager arrived with the keys to the safe. CBS reporter Joanie Lum has more.(link)

Baldness cured by hair cloning

This will be welcome news to so many! It maybe a bit too late for DH who went bald before 40 - he loves his shaved head too much now - 'freedom' he says! No way is he going to get a thousand injections to get back his hair.

(Link)

Premature baldness could soon be assigned to history after scientists have pioneered a treatment to clone hair. Follicular cell implantation works by replicating remaining hair strands and has already shown positive results in continuing clinical trials on human beings. It could eventually help millions of people to regain a full head of their own hair.
The technique has been hailed as a major advance in hair restoration and is backed by a £1.9 million government grant. It has the potential to re-grow a limitless supply hair for individuals who have become bald during cancer treatment, from suffering severe burns, or simply the onset of age. Scientists say the therapy could be made available to patients within five years. (Link)

Video: Teacher Student brawl

A bit upsetting this ... a cell phone video of a teacher and student brawling in a High School in Georgia, USA.

China bans plastic bags - the thin ones

Well ... its a start! From Sunday the ultra thin plastic bags, that one sees everywhere in China, are illegal. These really thin bags are the type people throw away after one use. They are a big part of visible litter on streets, beaches, fields, streams, etc. causing 'white pollution'. The authorities are cleaning up their act before the Olympics and perhaps they have also realised how 3 billion plastic bags a day can contribute to destroying the environment.

China on Sunday became the latest country to declare war on plastic bags in a drive to save energy and protect the environment. Under new regulations, flimsy bags under 0.025 millimeters thick are banned and shopkeepers must charge for carrier bags. Those found breaking the law face fines and could have their goods confiscated. Shoppers in downtown Beijing and in Internet chatrooms seemed largely sympathetic to the idea. Sceptics say the fate of the initiative will depend on how diligent police and inspectors are in enforcing the law.

China, which consumes 37 million barrels of crude oil each year to manufacture more than one trillion plastic bags, is following in the footsteps of countries such as Ireland, Rwanda and Bangladesh. Italy is due to introduce a ban by 2010. (Reuters)

India tops 'World Murder Count'

India has earned the dubious distinction of being the country where maximum number of murders takes place in the world, three times more than its neighbour Pakistan and double the figures in United States. India was followed by South Africa which registered 30,960 incidents of murders. Austria had recorded just 148 murders, whereas Israel registered 177 such incidents.

However, the rate (per 100,000 population) of murder and other crimes in India was much less compared to other countries. The murder and rape rate in India is three and four (per 100,000 population) respectively whereas South Africa recorded occurrence rates in the two categories as 65.27 and 115.8 respectively.

The number of rape cases was maximum in the US which recorded 93,934 such assaults followed by South Africa 54,926 and India 18,359.

The data was compiled in 22 countries which included Australia, Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Japan, Canada, England and Wales, Germany, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and Sri Lanka besides others. In India, there were 44,159 incidents of sexual offence, 270,861 cases of serious assault and 22,814 robbery and violent theft-related incidents, the report said.

The maximum number of robbery related cases were reported in Japan which had registered 1,725,072 such counts. The US topped the crime list with 23,113,708 total crime related incidents, whereas India registered overall 5,026,337 criminal cases. (TOI)

Gay Rights action in Russia squashed

In Russia homosexuals are called 'satanists' by politicians, 'morally corrupted' by the Orthodox church and are not being tolerated by the authorities. The bigger picture, which is infintely more worrying is that the present Government does not seem to be at all tolerant about any rallys, protests or marches.

Russia's gay rights movement faces oblivion after riot police and the Orthodox Church joined forces to stifle a protest in Moscow. Yuri Luzkhov, Moscow's mayor, had already banned the city's third Gay Pride march after dismissing homosexuals as Satanists. Campaigners were too afraid to protest on the street, so a small group instead hung a banner calling for tolerance from an apartment window opposite Mr Luzhkov's offices. As the four activists unfurled the banner, Orthodox priests on the street below denounced the "moral corruption" of homosexuality.

The manner in which the demonstrations were held reflects the Kremlin's increasing intolerance for all forms of public protest. Political demonstrations in the past two years have been stamped on by the police with increasing brutality. (Telegraph)

Tech Assistance

Customer: 'I've been calling 700-1000 for two days and can't get through; can you help?'
Operator: 'Where did you get that number, sir?'
Customer: 'It's on the door of your business.'
Operator: 'Sir, those are the hours that we are open.'
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Samsung Electronics
Caller: 'Can you give me the telephone number for Jack?'
Operator: 'I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand who you are talking about.'
Caller: 'On page 1, section 5, of the user guide it clearly states that I need to unplug the fax machine from the AC wall socket and telephone Jack before cleaning. Now, can you give me the
number for Jack?'
Operator: 'I think it means the telephone plug on the wall.'
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RAC Motoring Services
Caller: 'Does your European Breakdown Policy cover me when I am traveling in Australia?'
Operator: 'Does the product name give you a clue?'
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Caller (enquiring about legal requirements while traveling in Europe)
'If I register my car in France, and then take it to England, do I have to change the steering wheel to the other side of the car?'
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Directory Enquiries
Caller: 'I'd like the number of the Argo Fish Bar, please'
Operator: 'I'm sorry, there's no listing. Are you sure that the spelling is correct?'
Caller: 'Well, it used to be called the Bargo Fish Bar but the 'B' fell off.'
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Then there was the caller who asked for a knitwear company in Woven.
Operator: 'Woven? Are you sure?'
Caller: 'Yes. That's what it says on the label -- Woven in Scotland.'
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On another occasion, a man making heavy breathing sounds from a phone box told a worried operator: 'I haven't got a pen, so I'm steaming up the window to write the number on.'
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Tech Support: 'I need you to right-click on the Open Desktop.'
Customer: 'OK.'
Tech Support: 'Did you get a pop-up menu?'
Customer: 'No.'
Tech Support: 'OK. Right-Click again. Do you see a pop-up menu?'
Customer: 'No.'
Tech Support: 'OK, sir. Can you tell me what you have done up until this point?'
Customer: 'Sure. You told me to write 'click' and I wrote 'click'.'
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Tech Support: 'OK. At the bottom left hand side of your screen, can you see the 'OK' button displayed?'
Customer: 'Wow! How can you see my screen from there?'
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Caller: 'I deleted a file from my PC last week and I just realized that I need it. So, if I turn my system clock back two weeks will I get my file back again?'

Changes in Parenting attitudes

Dorling Kindersley, the family reference book publishers, Practical Parenting magazine, and the website saga.co.uk. have conducted a survey comparing parental attitudes today with those of the 60s and 70s. One of the major changes they found was the presence of Fathers-to-be during the birthing process. It is 94% now whereas in the 1960s it was 27%.

Perhaps because women can 'see' the unborn child due to scans, there has also been an increase in the number of mother-to-be communicating with their child.

The child care expert Dr Miriam Stoppard, who has been publishing child care books for 25 years now, has praised fathers for overcoming their squeamishness to be present at their child's birth. The survey will be published in the July issue of Practical Parenting.
(More here: Telegraph)

Beauty Pageant for Transvestites

I first saw a transvestite when I was in Bangkok in 1989. I was in a ladies toilet and there was this really ugly chick next to me touching up her lipstick. It took me a while to figure things out (and I know I was staring all the while but could not help myself!) but I now know for sure that that person would not be able to enter any kind of beauty contest - she/he was really ugly. My photo is of the 2006 winner, who I still consider the most beautiful transvestite I have yet to see! Anyhoo, the ladies (ahem!) got together again this year for Miss Tiffany's Universe Beauty Pageant. Click on link to see the current winners.

(Link)

Dolled up to the nines in satin, sequins and lace, their dazzling white-toothed smiles adorned with thick lipstick and their eyes artfully smeared with shadow, the contestants descended upon Pattaya, a beach resort around a hundred miles south of the capital Bangkok. The beauty pageant captures the attention of the south-east Asian kingdom every year, with winners often going on to careers in television or modelling.

This year the winner was one Kangsadarn Wongdusadeekul, mercifully known by her more manageable stage name “Nonk”, who tearfully accepted the prize of 100,000 baht (around £1,600) and a car. (Telegraph)

Real Octopus Jewelery

I saw this on Boing Boing and was fascinated by how creative people can get. I am not sure about the rings but I could sure hang a tentacle or two around my neck or my ears ... LOL!

This ring is made from a REAL Octopus tentacle which has drilled, carved, shaped and cast in Sterling Silver! It looks different from all angles when you spin it around your finger! It has a nice sexy flowing curve to it. The texture on it is amazing! And, it has all of those cute little suction cups flowing all around the ring! There is a nice weight and chunkiness to the piece. It looks great on both guys and gals!! The finish is light oxidation with some added texture. The inside is finished with a near mirror finish for contrast. It is also available in dark oxidation and bright finish. (OctopusMe)

Machine to scrub out CO2 from atmosphere?

Sounds extremely promising. This machine, called a 'CO2 scrubber' is designed to suck carbon dioxide from the air. There are technical details scientist have yet to resolve - like what to do with the CO2 once it has been scrubbed from the air. The prototype will cost £100,000 and take about two years to construct. And these sorts of machines should not stop us from continuing on our quest for a greener lifestyle. Like not cutting trees and planting even more. Best CO2 scrubbers I know of :-)

A group of scientists are devising a 'CO2 scrubber’ which they claim will capture one tonne of CO2 from the air every day, about the same per passenger as a flight from London to New York, reducing the warming effect of greenhouse gases produced each year.

Although the idea has been mooted as a possible weapon in the battle against climate change, it falls far short of a quick fix solution. The 'scrubber’ devices – small enough to fit inside a shipping container – would need to be produced in their millions to soak up human carbon emissions, and the CO2 trapped would still need to be disposed of. (Telegraph)

RIP YSL

Here are links to various articles on Yves Saint Laurent, who died in Paris, at age 71.

• BBC
• Associated Press
• Wikipedia
  

Trying for the piercing supremacy

Some up-close shots of piercings so do not watch if you are squeamish. Texas body-piercer hopes to puncture Guinness record with 1000 piercings on one person in one day. Some reports say they made it to 900 needles before stopping.

How did they decide who would get which job? ”Oh, that’s okay pal, you can have the easy job this time. All’s you have to do is lie there, while I jam all these needles into you. Naw, don’t thank me. That’s what friends are for…” The human pin cushion himself was quoted as saying he did it to impress his momma, but that now “she thinks I’m stupid.” (Link)

Numb what?

A fun moment at the Spelling Bee, which was won by 13 year old Sameer Mishra.

I have a few questions ...

• Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety-one?
• If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea...does that mean that one out of five enjoys it?
• Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?
• If people from Poland are called Poles, then why aren't people from Holland called Holes?
• If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
• Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a race car is not called a racist?
• If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
• If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, then doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?
• If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?
• Do Lipton Tea employees take 'coffee breaks?
• What hair color do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?
• Is it true that you never really learn to swear until you learn to drive?
• If a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?
• As income tax time approaches, did you ever notice: When you put the two words 'The' and 'IRS' together, it spells 'THEIRS'

LO: Dance Competition

Layout done with Worldwin Cobalt cardstock; Printed paper is 'Sedona Stripe' by Scrapwork and 'Paisley & Petals' by s.e.i.; 'Zany Fou' & 'Document' stickers by 7 Gypsies; 'Blue Label Stickers' by Jenni Bowlin Studio; Punch out alphabet stencils 'The Office Line' by Autumn Leaves; Mini ABCs & Nos Bookworks by EK Success; 'She' chipboard alphabet in raw by Heidi Swapp; Zig brush pen in Pure Blue; Sizzix alphabets.


The dance contest is part of the year long competition between the four houses of the school for the house cup. Lily's house colour is blue. And she is always very active in supporting her house. Even though her house did not win the dance competition, they did well elsewhere. So there is a good chance they will retain the cup this year.

Being sad helps concentration in school

Not sure exactly how I can apply this bit of research to my son - I am interested in trying anything that helps him to concentrate better but I cannot see me making him sad every day before sending him to school ... LOL! No need to actively enforce misery as part of the school curriculum, says the lead researcher. That's good to know!! Maybe the trick is to keep him in a neutral mood - not too buoyant, but not sad either.

Children who are wiping away a tear in class are better able to concentrate than those who are feeling happy, according to new research. The research, carried out at the University of Plymouth, found children who were in a negative or neutral mood were more likely to be questioning and critical in their thinking, assisting them in tasks which required close attention. Those who were feeling happy and carefree were more likely to gloss over details and therefore more prone to error.

Dr Simone Schnall, the lead researcher, said the results showed that while being happy assists creativity and imagination, a negative or neutral mood was more useful when it came to concentration skills. "Research has shown that when it comes to the broader picture, or creative tasks, the confidence that comes with a good mood helps performance," she said. "Our study shows that a negative mood can be useful. It tells us to pay attention. It warns us there is a risk of something going wrong and that caution can help children to perform better." (More Here: Telegraph)

Swelling lakes force surviors to flee

China moves thousands of people to higher ground amid worries over rising water levels in "quake lakes". Engineers in Sichuan province have constructed a sluice to discharge water from a lake at Tangjiashan. The area's landslide-blocked river has become the most pressing danger following the 7.9 magnitude quake that struck on May 12. (Reuters)

QE2 almost ready to retire - the ship that is ...

I regret that I never did get to go on a cruise on the QE2. Not sure I want to go for a cruise on the Queen Victoria considering the luck that is dogging her! That leaves Queen Mary 2. Hopefully I can save up enough for a cruise before QM2 also retires ;-)

(Photo: Zimbio)

The Queen is to say an emotional farewell to the QE2, more than 40 years after she launched the world's fastest merchant ship.

The QE2 was bought for £50 million last year by Dubai World's investment arm, Istithmar, for use as a floating hotel. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of Dubai World, said: "We understand the rich heritage of QE2. She will be cherished." (Telegraph)

Tips for the ladies in year 2008

1. Aspire to be Barbie - the bitch has everything.
2. If the shoe fits - buy one in every colour.
3. Take life with a pinch of salt... A wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.
4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!
5. Go on the 30 day diet. ? (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).
6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.
7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.
8. I know I ' m in my own little world, but it's okay. They know me here..
9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.
10. Don't get your knickers in a knot, it solves nothing; and makes you walk funny.
11. When life gives you lemons in 2008 - turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.
12. Remember every good-looking, sweet, single male is someone else's ex-boyfriend.

(Thanks Michi!)

Lorenzo's Oil boy dies

Lorenzo Odone, whose parents' battle to save him from a rare nerve disorder was depicted in the 1992 film Lorenzo's Oil, has died from pneumonia aged 30. Doctors had predicted he would not live beyond childhood when he was diagnosed with the incurable disease aged six.

But his parents found what seemed to be a cure made of acids from olive and rapeseed oils. Lorenzo had Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a genetic disease that progressively destroys the brains of young boys.Lorenzo was given less than two years to live but his parents refused to accept the doctors' prognosis. With no scientific training, they took on the medical establishment and set about finding a cure.

In 1986 it seemed they had succeeded with a combination of oils that effectively reduced the long-chain fatty acids in the blood. Despite the fairytale ending in the film, the claims have always been controversial and children suffering from ALD continued to die, despite being treated with Lorenzo's oil.

However, a 10-year study showed that while the oil does not appear to work for people who are already ill, it does seem to prevent illness in those whose genes make them vulnerable to developing symptoms. (BBC)

Older fathers - Higher risk of death for children

As men get older, the quality of their sperm declines. This means any children born of older men have a higher chance of having some sort of congenital defect and therefore lesser chances of survival. Another argument for having children when one is still young.

Children are almost twice as likely to die before adulthood if they have a father over 45, research has shown. A mass study found that deaths of children fathered by over-45s occurred at almost twice the rate of those fathered by men aged between 25 and 30. Scientists believe that children of older fathers are more likely to suffer particular congenital defects as well as autism, schizophrenia and epilepsy. A total of 100,000 children born between 1980 and 1996 were examined, of whom 830 have so far died before they reached 18, the majority when they were less than a year old.

The deaths of many of the children of the older fathers were related to congenital defects such as problems of the heart and spine, which increase the risk of infant mortality. But there were also higher rates of accidental death, which the researchers believe might be explained by the increased likelihood of suffering from autism, epilepsy or schizophrenia.

Most research into older parents has, until now, focused on the risks passed on by older mothers. But the new study, published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, was adjusted to take account of maternal age and socio-economic differences. (More Here: Telegraph)