Watch this video!!
(Link)
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Solve one problem, another crops up!
Most wine bottles these days have screw caps instead of the the corks. But this is having an adverse effect on the environment too. The destruction of the cork oak forests which are home to some rare and beautiful animals in Europe.
The cork oak can have its bark stripped off every nine years. Each stripping yields enough cork for 4000 bottles. However of late, to avoid the problem of wine being 'corked' wine producers have started switching to screw caps and synthetic corks. As a result, farmers who harvested cork are finding themselves with no income. So they are uprooting the cork oaks and trying to replant with more economically viable trees. There is one problem though ... it is not easy to replant on land where cork oaks stand. It usually just turns to desert.
The cork oak can have its bark stripped off every nine years. Each stripping yields enough cork for 4000 bottles. However of late, to avoid the problem of wine being 'corked' wine producers have started switching to screw caps and synthetic corks. As a result, farmers who harvested cork are finding themselves with no income. So they are uprooting the cork oaks and trying to replant with more economically viable trees. There is one problem though ... it is not easy to replant on land where cork oaks stand. It usually just turns to desert.
Cork oak forests, which cover 2.7 million of hectares worldwide and support rare species such as Iberian lynx, black storks and booted eagles, are already disappearing in some areas. Faced with falling demand for cork stoppers, which make up 70 per cent of the income from cork harvests, farmers are ripping up trees that have been on their land for hundreds of years in an attempt to grow alternative crops, such as eucalyptus.
The land that cork oaks grow on, however, is poor quality and when the trees are removed, the land often turns into desert. In the Algarve, Portugal, cork forests have declined by 28 per cent in the past 10 years.
A study by conservation charity The World Wildlife Fund estimated that up to three quarters of the Mediterranean cork forests could be lost within 10 years if the trend for plastic stoppers and screw tops continues, and a new BBC Natural World documentary, will next month highlight the threats facing the forests and warn they could vanish completely unless wine makers switch back to using real corks.
The land that cork oaks grow on, however, is poor quality and when the trees are removed, the land often turns into desert. In the Algarve, Portugal, cork forests have declined by 28 per cent in the past 10 years.
A study by conservation charity The World Wildlife Fund estimated that up to three quarters of the Mediterranean cork forests could be lost within 10 years if the trend for plastic stoppers and screw tops continues, and a new BBC Natural World documentary, will next month highlight the threats facing the forests and warn they could vanish completely unless wine makers switch back to using real corks.
(Link)
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Eleven
Can you tell I am working on the school album these days? Blue printed paper is K & Co. As is the faux stitching rub-on. Chipboard alphabet by Heidi Swapp. Sentiment coaster by Imaginations Project. Font downloaded from 2Peas. Ric-rac ribbon from my stash.
Someone needs a trim ... :-D
China police stop a driver - discover he has no arms!
Police were amazed at their discovery during a routine check of vehicles on the road. Zing Shen, 42, was steering the vehicle with his feet and said he had been doing so for years. It was reported that he was stunned when police officers issued him with a public safety summons. The man told traffic police that ever since he lost his arms in an industrial accident several years ago, he had used his feet to steer his vehicle without difficulty. He has no arms from the elbows down. His car was an automatic so he did not have to concern himself with changing gear.
(link)
(link)
Priceless Observations
Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself,'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.'
- Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)
I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalog: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to withdraw that statement.
- Mark Twain
The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.
- George Burns
Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.
- Victor Borge
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
- Mark Twain
By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
- Socrates
I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.
- Groucho Marx
My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.
- Jimmy Durante
I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
- Alex Levine
My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying.
- Rodney Dangerfield
Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
- Spike Milligan
Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP.
- Joe Namath
I don't feel old. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap.
- Bob Hope
I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.
- W. C. Fields
We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress.
- Will Rogers
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty .. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.
- Phyllis Diller
By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.
- Billy Crystal
And the cardiologist's diet: - If it tastes good spit it out.
(Thanks Michi!)
- Lillian Carter (mother of Jimmy Carter)
I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalog: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Last week, I stated this woman was the ugliest woman I had ever seen. I have since been visited by her sister, and now wish to withdraw that statement.
- Mark Twain
The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.
- George Burns
Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year.
- Victor Borge
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
- Mark Twain
By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
- Socrates
I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.
- Groucho Marx
My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.
- Jimmy Durante
I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
- Alex Levine
My luck is so bad that if I bought a cemetery, people would stop dying.
- Rodney Dangerfield
Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery.
- Spike Milligan
Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was SHUT UP.
- Joe Namath
I don't feel old. I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap.
- Bob Hope
I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.
- W. C. Fields
We could certainly slow the aging process down if it had to work its way through Congress.
- Will Rogers
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
Maybe it's true that life begins at fifty .. But everything else starts to wear out, fall out, or spread out.
- Phyllis Diller
By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.
- Billy Crystal
And the cardiologist's diet: - If it tastes good spit it out.
(Thanks Michi!)
Rare Squid on Film
This is the Magnapinna Squid which lives at depths of 4000 feet in total darkness. The video footage below is the first time they have been filmed with such clarity. The tentacles of this squid have elbows.
The squid was spotted a mile and a half below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico at an oil and gas drilling site off the coast of Houston, Texas. The footage, recorded on a remote-controlled camera, shows the creature's long tentacles hanging at right angles from shoulder-like "arms" jutting out of its body.
The magnapinna's peculiar arrangement of limbs has baffled marine biologists since the deep-sea species was first identified in 1998. One theory is that the elbows help prevent the squid's tentacles from becoming tangled, as it drags them along the seabed trawling for food. Others suggest that the squid waits for prey to collide with and get trapped among its sticky limbs.
(Link)
The magnapinna's peculiar arrangement of limbs has baffled marine biologists since the deep-sea species was first identified in 1998. One theory is that the elbows help prevent the squid's tentacles from becoming tangled, as it drags them along the seabed trawling for food. Others suggest that the squid waits for prey to collide with and get trapped among its sticky limbs.
(Link)
Friday, November 28, 2008
First Merit Certificate
Layout done with a Club Scrap kit. This particular paper was so beautiful to look at and touch but not easy at all to scrapbook with. It overpowered the photographs very easily and coloured photos just did not go with it at all. I think it would be perfect for sepia toned photos but I have none of those at present. It would make amazing cards and I have some stashed away just for this purpose ... someday I shall use them! lol! It is a good thing these papers are of very good quality - otherwise they'd turn brown by the time I got around to using them!
So I decided to use it for this layout, where the photograph is not really that important. It is a reduced scan of Lily's first merit certificate which was too big to put inside the scrapbook. I layered a photo of her onto the scan - one of my 'photoshop learning' projects. Letter stickers and stamp are also from Club Scrap.
So I decided to use it for this layout, where the photograph is not really that important. It is a reduced scan of Lily's first merit certificate which was too big to put inside the scrapbook. I layered a photo of her onto the scan - one of my 'photoshop learning' projects. Letter stickers and stamp are also from Club Scrap.
Fossil Ammonite washbasin
Gosh ... how beautiful is this?!!? Makes me want to redo my bathroom all over! HighTech Design Products AG (I think they are a German company but they seem to have a Chinese branch too ... yay!) makes this washbasin in concrete. Cool spiralling fossil look - something new in the world of washbasin fashions!
Called 'Ammonite' like the fascinating fossils, a rolled up helix is the basic design of this basin. The Egyptian god Amun or Ammon was always depicted wearing sprial rams horns and Pliny the Elder named these fossils ammonis cornua ("horns of Ammon"). There is also something mathematical about the spiral - some very interesting calculation with ratios (I think!) but I cannot remember it exactly. If you know what I am talking about, please contact me. I need to remember!
Called 'Ammonite' like the fascinating fossils, a rolled up helix is the basic design of this basin. The Egyptian god Amun or Ammon was always depicted wearing sprial rams horns and Pliny the Elder named these fossils ammonis cornua ("horns of Ammon"). There is also something mathematical about the spiral - some very interesting calculation with ratios (I think!) but I cannot remember it exactly. If you know what I am talking about, please contact me. I need to remember!
(Link)An interesting subject at school: Witchcraft
It is a sad thing that not only do people still believe in witches but that this belief often leads to the killing of innocents. It is like we never left the Middle Ages! So now schools in India will include witchcraft in the syllabus as part of the Governments efforts to stamp out the superstitions and put a stop to the horrendous witch hunts. I wish them well.
Many tribal communities in the country believe in witches and their ability to cause harm to people, animals and the harvest. About 750 people, mostly old women, are estimated to have been killed in witch-hunts in rural India since 2003. In one of the worst cases, a family of four stoned and buried alive for allegedly cursing a relative of the village chief, the Times reports. Advocates for a change to the syllabus say beliefs must be altered early if India’s witch-hunts are to be stamped out.
(Link)
Many tribal communities in the country believe in witches and their ability to cause harm to people, animals and the harvest. About 750 people, mostly old women, are estimated to have been killed in witch-hunts in rural India since 2003. In one of the worst cases, a family of four stoned and buried alive for allegedly cursing a relative of the village chief, the Times reports. Advocates for a change to the syllabus say beliefs must be altered early if India’s witch-hunts are to be stamped out.
(Link)
A Santa training school in South Korea!
Want to learn how to say 'Ho Ho Ho' just right? Or maybe do the Santa dance moves (what are those?!) ... Off you go to South Korea to learn how to be a Santa. And then maybe to Germany for a month long working holiday? You have got to get used to globe trotting anyway - it's part of the job description.
A South Korean amusement park is teaching students what it takes to be a good Santa Claus during the festive season. Dozens of Santa school students gathered on Wednesday (November 26) at Everland Park, which is about an hour's drive south of Seoul, to master the Santa technique. Instead of riding a sleigh, the 30 male and female Santa students rode on the roller coaster, they were also trained to perfect their chuckle, dance-moves and carolling.
(Link)
Comments that could have been made in the year 1955
'I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00.'
'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.'
'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.
'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?'
'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.'
'When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.'
'Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.'
'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.'
'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .'
'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.'
'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.'
'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.'
'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.'
'Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.'
'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.'
'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.'
'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.'
'There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.'
'No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.'
'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.'
'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.'
'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.
'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?'
'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.'
'When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.'
'Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.'
'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.'
'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .'
'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.'
'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.'
'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.'
'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.'
'Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.'
'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.'
'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.'
'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.'
'There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.'
'No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.'
'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.'
Thursday, November 27, 2008
My Heart Hurts
I grew up in Bombay ( it will never be Mumbai for me). Lived there for twenty-one years.
I shall leave the figuring out the 'whys' and the 'hows' to others who understand this stuff better. I do not understand, cannot comprehend, how killing and maiming of innocents can achieve anything. I see people bleeding and dying. I see the city I love in chaos and suffering. And my heart hurts ...
My first ever employment - a real job where I actually got paid good money - was at the Taj hotel. It is a beautiful building, gracious, old, charming, full of works of art. Inside the building a lot of the structure is in wood. It is the preferred hotel for most visitors. It was a lovely place to work. Now I see this grand old building in flames. And my heart hurts ...
I shall leave the figuring out the 'whys' and the 'hows' to others who understand this stuff better. I do not understand, cannot comprehend, how killing and maiming of innocents can achieve anything. I see people bleeding and dying. I see the city I love in chaos and suffering. And my heart hurts ...
My first ever employment - a real job where I actually got paid good money - was at the Taj hotel. It is a beautiful building, gracious, old, charming, full of works of art. Inside the building a lot of the structure is in wood. It is the preferred hotel for most visitors. It was a lovely place to work. Now I see this grand old building in flames. And my heart hurts ...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Seven Kinds Of Sex....
The 1st kind of sex is called ... Smurf Sex.
This kind of sex happens when you first meet someone and you both have sex until you are blue in the face..
The 2nd kind of sex is called ... Kitchen Sex.
This is when you have been with your partner for a short time and you are so needy you will have sex anywhere, even in the kitchen..
The 3rd kind of sex is called ... Bedroom Sex.
This is when you have been with your partner for a long time. Your sex has gotten routine and you usually have sex only in your bedroom.
The 4th kind of sex is called ... Hallway Sex. (also called Oral Sex)
This is when you have been with your partner for too long. When you pass each other in the hallway you both say .... 'F*%k You.'
The 5th kind of sex is called ... Religious Sex.
Which means you get Nun in the morning, Nun in the afternoon and Nun at night. (Very Popular)
The 6th kind is called ... Courtroom Sex.
This is when you cannot stand your husband/wife any more. He/She takes you to court and screws you in front of everyone.
And last ... But not least ...
The 7th kind of sex is called ... Social Security Sex.
You get a little each month.. But not enough to enjoy your self.
PLEASE ... NO COMMENTS TO TELL ME WHAT STAGE YOU ARE IN.
This kind of sex happens when you first meet someone and you both have sex until you are blue in the face..
The 2nd kind of sex is called ... Kitchen Sex.
This is when you have been with your partner for a short time and you are so needy you will have sex anywhere, even in the kitchen..
The 3rd kind of sex is called ... Bedroom Sex.
This is when you have been with your partner for a long time. Your sex has gotten routine and you usually have sex only in your bedroom.
The 4th kind of sex is called ... Hallway Sex. (also called Oral Sex)
This is when you have been with your partner for too long. When you pass each other in the hallway you both say .... 'F*%k You.'
The 5th kind of sex is called ... Religious Sex.
Which means you get Nun in the morning, Nun in the afternoon and Nun at night. (Very Popular)
The 6th kind is called ... Courtroom Sex.
This is when you cannot stand your husband/wife any more. He/She takes you to court and screws you in front of everyone.
And last ... But not least ...
The 7th kind of sex is called ... Social Security Sex.
You get a little each month.. But not enough to enjoy your self.
PLEASE ... NO COMMENTS TO TELL ME WHAT STAGE YOU ARE IN.
Bra for Boys ...
A bra for men becomes the hottest selling men's underwear item on a Japanese online shopping site. The move has provoked heated online discussion in Japan with thousands debating the merits of male use of the item of underwear.
Toshi Maeda reports.
(Link)
Toshi Maeda reports.
(Link)
And hats off to him for reporting in a bra ...! lol!!
Worm in the brain
Another story emphasising the importance of washing your hands frequently! Supposedly a worm on dirty hands got inside the body of a woman from Arizona. It then travelled up into her brain where it caused her to have numbness in her right arm and blurred vision. On being operated, surgeons found the worm happily lodged in her brain stem.
I spent time time staring at the photo (check the link) but I still can't see the worm. Some one point the worm out to me!
I spent time time staring at the photo (check the link) but I still can't see the worm. Some one point the worm out to me!
Doctors in Arizona operated on Rosemary Alvarez after she started feeling numbness in her arm and blurred vision. Ms Alvarez went to the emergency room twice and had an x-ray, but everything appeared normal. It was only when doctors took a closer look at a scan that they discovered something very disturbing.
Neurosurgeon Dr Peter Nakaji said: "Once we saw the MRI we realised this is something not good. It's something down in her brain stem which is as deep in the brain as you can be." Ms Alvarez was taken into the operating room where Dr Nakaji and his colleagues were expecting to remove a tumor.
Experts said worms can come from eating undercooked pork or spread by people who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom, according to reports. "It only takes one person who is spreading it constantly to get a lot of people exposed and some of those people are going to go on to develop this problem," Dr Nakaji said. Ms Alvarez, who is now healthy, said she hopes people learn lessons from her story. "Wash your hands, wash your hands," she said.
(Link)
Germany needs Santas!
The job pays up to $75 (60 Euro) an hour. Even though the job is only for a month, the pay is not bad, is it? Qualifications: Chubby, cheerful and no criminal record. If you have a white fluffy beard growing from your chin, it will be an added bonus. But not too many takers around!
Germany is running out of qualified Santa Clauses and needs to recruit and train them fast, a leading job agency says. Germans are trying to shut out the financial crisis by taking comfort in traditional festivities, and there is an acute shortage of Santas to entertain children at shopping centers, Christmas markets and private parties.
"Being Santa is not an easy job," says Jens Wittenberger, in charge of Santa Claus recruitment at the Jobcafe Munich. The job center wants its Santas to be child-friendly, good organizers, reliable and have acting skills. They also need a clean police record. Recruitment sessions are being held in cities across the country, and while the job may be stressful, it's better than being jobless.
(Link)
Finally: Widescreen YouTube!!
YouTube has switched to a widescreen format as part of its drive to encourage Hollywood studios to release films on the site. The video-sharing website increased the size of its player after years of complaints from users, many of whom have switched to rivals offering bigger screens and higher quality.
The move to widescreen is the latest in a number of recent changes at YouTube, which was purchased by Google for $1.65 billion (£1.07 billion at the current exchange rate) in 2006 but has been unable so far to turn its massive popularity into profits. The website has also been experimenting with high-definition videos.
(More)
And a very interesting clip that shows the difference between widescreen and box view:
Tokyo
Mostly used supplies from Club Scrap - some stamps from Sunday International. I enjoyed the folding of the kimonos using coloured vellum. I used to be very good at origami as a child. There are two kinds of boxes that I could fold almost blindfolded. Have been meaning to take up the art form again. Yes ... yes .. lots of plans for my free time - which seems to be getting ever more scarce!
Dutch will now grow their own Cannabis
Folks in Holland, who visit the famous 'coffee houses' will now be able to consume cannabis grown in the country. Just think how much the environment is helped by consuming locally grown produce! And that is not the only plus point. By allowing the local production of soft drugs, the criminal element in this industry will be thwarted. Good for business!!
But there are some nay-sayers ... well sort of. Read on ...
The "grow-your-own" idea has taken hold in Eindhoven, while Tilburg's city council has said it is considering starting up a "cannabis market garden" of its own to supply local coffee shops. Others are expected to follow suit, as the Dutch government considers nationalising soft drugs production and sales in a bid to decriminalise the industry. Forty mayors met at the weekend, with many in favour of legalising soft drugs, whose consumption is a major tourist draw for Holland.
But there are some nay-sayers ... well sort of. Read on ...
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