Beautifull Religious Buildings Carved from ‘Living Rock’

Perhaps among some of the most astonishing buildings in the world are those cut from living rock. Known as rock-cut architecture, buildings like this can be found all over the world from Myanmar to Ethiopia and many contain priceless works of ancient art. Some of these incredible carved caves date back thousands of years while others are surprisingly a bit more modern than you’d think. These 15 buildings carved from colossal cliffs, monoliths and volcanic rock are breathtakingly beautiful and a fascinating look inside the traditions of cultures long gone.

Ancient Rock City of Matera, Italy

In the ancient rock city of Matera in southwestern Italy, people live in the same exact homes that their ancestors did 9,000 years ago. Matera was created from a rocky ravine and the many natural caves in the area – called the ‘Sassi di Matera’ – were the first houses of the Neolithic inhabitants of the region. The caves create a labyrinth of houses, and it’s practically impossible to distinguish the natural rock formations from the ancient architecture. The houses seem to sprout from the rock in an organic way, creating somewhat of a tourist attraction from what was in the mid 20th century a ghost town. Matera was notably the setting for Mel Gibson’s film ‘The Passion of the Christ’.

Po Win Daung Caves, Myanmar

Dozens of caves in the Po Win Daung hills contain a treasure trove of carved Buddhas dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries. The hills have been occupied since the dawn of human inhabitation of Myanmar – formerly Burma. Within the caves you can see 4,000 murals, and take a covered stairway up a hill to the main cave shrine. Intricately carved Buddhas act as pillars within the caves as well as sentinels outside the entrances.

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia

Among the most amazing structures carved from living stone are the churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia. 11 rock-hewn churches have each been carved from a single block of granite with its roof at ground level. 12th-century King Lalibela commissioned these churches with the goal of creating a New Jerusalem for those who couldn’t make the pilgrimage to the original city. Each church was created by carving a wide trench on all four sides of the rock and then painstakingly chiseling out the interior. The largest among them stands at 40 feet tall.

Ajanta Caves, India

The stunning rock-cut temples of Ajanta in Maharashtra, India, are among India’s most underrated treasures. Hollowed out of granite cliffs on the inner side of a ravine in the Wagurna River valley, the caves consist of two complexes: monasteries and sanctuaries. They were excavated between the 1st century BCE and 7th century CE, and contain paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.

Abu Simbel Nubian Monuments, Egypt

Four colossal statues of ancient Egyptian Pharoah Ramesses II guard the entrance of Abu Simbel, a temple cut out of the sandstone cliffs above the Nile River. Commissioned by Ramesses himself, the temple faces east so that twice a year, the sun’s rays reach into the innermost sanctuary, lighting up the statues of Ptah, Amun-Re, Ramesses II and Re-Horakhty. The complex was relocated entirely from its original setting in the 1960s to avoid being flooded when Lake Nasser was created.

Yungang Grottoes, China

The Yungang Grottoes of Datong in the Shanxi province of China are comprised of 53 caves and 51,000 statues, and are one of China’s most beautiful examples of cave art. Giant Buddhas tower over visitors who wind through the caves viewing the many sculptures inside. Much of the artwork that was once inside the grottoes was stolen in the early 20th century and the wooden temple buildings that once protected the caves burned down. So, the site is now in urgent need of protection and has been named a UNESCO world heritage site.

Cappadocia Cave Houses, Turkey

Cappadocia is one of the 73 current provinces of the Republic of Turkey, and has one of the most strange and fascinating landscapes of the world. The rocky, scrubby land features bizarre volcanic ‘tufa’ rock formations referred to as ‘Fairy Chimneys’ as well as complex underground cities and buildings cut from the soft ‘tufa’. Many of these are churches, with columns and arches decorating the stony face of an otherwise natural hunk of rock.

Golden Temple of Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Carved from a giant rock in Sri Lanka, the Golden Temple of Dambulla was once a set of caves inhabited during prehistoric times and then used for pre-Buddhist ceremonies. The temple was built and decorated in 89 BC by King Valagambahu. Inside, the cave ceilings and walls are painted with religious images that follow the contours of the rock. 150 statues of Buddhist order, figures from Sri Lankan history and a few statues of Hindu gods. A 14-meter-tall Buddha statue carved from the rock dominates the first cave as you enter.

Ellora Caves, India

Like the Ajanta Caves, the Ellora Caves are located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Carved from the Charanandri hills between the 5th and 6th centuries, the Ellora Caves were built just as Buddhism was declining in India and Hinduism was once again becoming more popular. As a result, there are both Buddhist and Hindu caves within the complex, with a rich variety of religious art including many elaborately carved shrines. The Ellora Caves are highly valued today as an example of the country’s tolerance of both religions.

Al-Hijr, Saudi Arabia

Among Saudi Arabia’s best-known architectural sites is Al Hijr, also known as Madain Saleh. The facades of the dwellings in Al Hijr were carved into the sandstone mountains sometime in the second millenium BC. Al Hijr – which literally means ‘rocky place’ – is believed to have been inhabited by the Nabataeans and the Thamud. It features water wells, well-preserved monumental tombs, inscriptions and cave drawings.

Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing, China

The Dazu rock carvings in Chongqing, China are hewn from the cliffside, featuring more than 5,000 statues and over 100,000 Chinese characters of inscriptions or epigraphs. Though Buddhist statues dominate, Taoist and Confucian figures can also be seen which is rather rare in Chinese grotto art. The carvings were made in 650 CE in the Tang Dynasty and continued in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1616-1911).

Petra, Jordan

The city of Petra in Jordan is known as a setting of the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It’s also one of the new 7 wonders of the world, and it’s easy to see why – its majestic rock-cut architecture is among the most sophisticated ever seen. Built into the slope of Mount Hor, Petra flourished during Roman times but was unknown to the western world until 1812 when discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Over 800 individual monuments can be seen in Petra, including tombs, baths, funerary halls and temples.

Goa Gajah, Elephant Cave Temple, Bali

Goa Gojah, the Elephant Cave Temple, is one of Bali’s most historically significant sites. The cave was apparently partially destroyed by a natural disaster long ago, and was undetected for centuries until a team of Dutch archeologists stumbled upon it in 1923. Thought to have been built in the 11th century, Goa Gojah features statuary influenced by both Hinduism and Buddhism and contains secret meditation chambers for priests or hermits. Two traditional bathing pools outside the cave contain water said to have magical properties.

Churches of Ivanovo, Bulgaria

In the Ruse area of Bulgaria, there are a set of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries hewn from solid rock known as the Churches of Ivanovo. Though the presence of these churches in the cliffside is impressive in itself, the structures are best known for their beautiful and well-preserved medieval frescoes. Christian monks dug out the caves and made the churches in the 13th century and though it’s a bit easier to access now, centuries ago people had to climb the cliff with ropes to get inside.

Temples of Damanhur, Valchuisella, Italy

Viewing photos of the Temples of Damanhur, carved into the rock under the village of Valchuisella, Italy, one might think they’re an ancient wonder. But what the Italian government has deemed “the 8th wonder of the world” is actually a modern product of one man’s very active imagination. A 57-year-old former insurance broker created the ornate temples, occupying almost 300,000 cubic feet, in secret over a period of 16 years. Oberto Airaudi selected the hillside for its sturdy rock, built an unassuming house and began excavating underneath it. The self-described ‘paranormal’ eccentric had volunteers work in 4-hour shifts to create the nine chambers full of astonishing murals, mosaics, statues, secret doors and stained glass windows. Airaudi’s entire story is a long and bizarre one, and though some may deem his creations a bit gaudy, the fact that he pulled all of this off certainly is amazing.

Read more...

Most Unusual Last Wishes & Testaments

Angel Pantoja: wanted to be standing at his own funeral

A funeral home in Puerto Rico used a special embalming treatment to keep the body of 24-year-old Angel Pantoja Medina standing upright for a three-day wake in his mother's San Juan home. Donning a New York Yankees cap and sunglasses, Pantoja was mourned by relatives while propped upright in the living room. "Angel wanted to be happy, standing," told his brother Carlos to the "El Nuevo Dia" newspaper.

The owner of the Marin Funeral Home, Damaris Marin, told The Associated Press that Pantoja's mother had asked him to fulfill her dead son's last wish. Pantoja was found dead underneath a bridge in San Juan and buried 3 days later. The police were investigating.



Helmsley: left $12 million to Trouble (her dog)

Some may refer to Leona Helmsley as the 'Queen of Mean', but I think her dog would disagree. Helmsley died at the age of 87 and her will was made public. In it, she provided quite nicely for her dog Trouble, creating a $12 million trust to ensure that the Maltese lives out the rest of her life in the luxury she is no doubt accustomed to. The trust will be overseen by her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, to whom she left $10 million. When Trouble's days on Earth are over, she is to be buried next to her mistress in the $1.4 million mausoleum in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, New York. Talk about a pampered pooch. She was less generous to her late son Jay Panzirer's children, cutting Craig and Meegan Panzire out completely for "reasons which are known to them" and leaving a relatively paltry $5 million each to David and Walter Panzirer.

The billionaire's grandchildren contested her will.


Bratt: left 330,000 pounds with the condition his wife would smoke 5 cigars a day

Samuel Bratt used his will simply to get even. His wife never allowed him to smoke his favorite cigars. When he died in 1960, the embittered Bratt returned the favor. He left her £330,000. To get it, however, she had to smoke five cigars a day.


9-year-old Jayla: wanted to get married before dying

Every little girl dreams about her wedding day, complete with visions of a big beautiful white dress and, of course, the perfect man. But 9-year-old Jayla Cooper doesn't have a lifetime to wait for Mr. Right. The Southlake, TX, girl has been battling leukemia for two years, a battle that could end in just a matter of weeks. But what Jayla does have is a groom. He's her best friend, Jose Griggs, a fellow patient at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. "He is very cute," Jayla giggled, "And I love him."

Jayla and Jose recently tied the knot to fulfill her final wish: Getting married in a beautiful wedding, surrounded by family and friends. From the flowers to the banquet hall, donations poured in to give a North Texas bride the wedding of her dreams.


T M Zink: donated his Money for the creation of a womanless library

Iowa attorney T.M. Zink, who died in 1930, had such a strong disdain for women that he wished to use his savings to establish a library that would allow no works by female authors or artists, and would prohibit female patrons. In his will, Zink stipulated that his $35,000 be placed in a trust for 75 years, and the accumulated sum be used to build the Zink Womanless Library, where every entrance would bear a sign with the words "No Women Allowed." Zink's daughter, who was left $5 in the same will, challenged it successfully, and the female-free learning zone was never built.


Heine: left all his money to his wife with the condition of she remarrying

In 1841, the poet Heinrich Heine married Eugenie Mirat, an uneducated, boorish, and absurdly vain clerk in a Parisian bootshop. Heine's affection for Eugenie was not without its ambiguities. In his will, Heine left her his whole estate, on one condition: that she remarry. Why? "Because then there will be at least one man," he explained, "who will regret my death." The German poet died in 1856.



Rodenberry (Star Trek creator): requested to be cremated and sent into space

Gene Rodenberry, the creator of the Star Trek TV phenomenon, loved space and science fiction so much that he requested that his body be cremated and sent into space. His final wishes were honored and he was carried away from Earth on a Spanish satellite in 1997. His ashes were shot into the atmosphere as the satellite orbited the planet. His wife joined him in space after her death about 10 years later.


Young disabled Nick Wallis: asked for a hooker to lose his virginity

A young disabled man who receives care for his life-limiting illness at a hospice run by a nun spoke of his decision to use a prostitute to experience sex before he dies. Sister Frances Dominica gave her support to 22-year-old Nick Wallis, who was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Sufferers usually die by their thirties. Mr Wallis told staff at the Douglas House hospice in Oxford that he wanted to experience sexual intercourse. He explained that he had hoped to form an intimate and loving relationship with a woman, but his disability had acted as a barrier. According to him "it took me two years to decide this and I discussed it with my carers and my parents. Telling my mother and father was the hardest part, but in the end they gave me their support”.

Arrangements were made and he finally got the visit of a prostitute. He said it was not emotionally fulfilling, but the lady was very pleasant and very understanding.


Benny: made arrangements to have one rose delivered to his wife everyday

Jack Benny wanted to get the right things to the right people at the right time. Jack and Sayde Marks (better known as Mary Livingstone, the character she played on his radio show) had been married 48 years when he died on the day after Christmas 1974. Their marriage was far from ideal. According to one source, she was sharp-tongued, demanding and vain. He was a philanderer. After he died, she claimed that his signature gesture of holding one hand to the side of his face came from trying to hide scratches she inflicted after he took a phone call from a female admirer. But he loved her and was devoted to her. The day after Benny's funeral, a florist delivered a single long-stemmed red rose to her. She received another the next day. And the day after that and the day after that. Some stories say she called the florist and demanded to know where they were coming from. More likely is that she just read his will. In his will, Jack set aside money to get a rose to her every day for the rest of her life. She lived another 9 years with that daily reminder of her husband's love.


Ms Edwards: donated her pacemaker to a dog

Having died at the age of 80, Dorothea Edwards left instructions with her family that her pacemaker be donated to an animal. A little-known fact is that, while U.S. federal regulations prohibit person-to-person pacemaker donations, there is no such restraint on offering the item to a dog, cat, pig or other animal that shares a human's cardiovascular arrangement. Ms. Edwards, an organ donor, understood this and made provisions to leave her pacemaker to the University of Georgia (UGA) College of Veterinary Medicine. The lucky beneficiary was "Sunshine", a 9½-year-old German Shepherd mix who has, until now, had a life's worth of hard luck.

Several years ago, Sunshine was adopted by neighbors Cindy and John Wren when the dog's home was raided by SWAT teams and the occupants were arrested for running a drug and prostitution ring. Sunshine's owner turned out to be #2 on the FBI's Most Wanted List. After that, the Wrens went to extraordinary lengths to rehabilitate the dog, both physically and mentally. But in 1998, Sunshine became very listless, lost her appetite and began fainting often. Medical examinations revealed that she had a congenital heart defect and required a pacemaker to be surgically implanted.

After several unsuccessful procedures, Ms. Edwards' life-saving legacy (a brand new, state-of-the-art pacemaker) was attached to Sunshine's heart, and the surgery was declared a complete success. Thanks to Ms. Edwards, one very excited dog is expected to live out the rest of her natural life.

Read more...

10 Animals On The Verge Of Extinction

Polar bears

This one shouldn't surprise you. The polar bear has become the poster animal for the devastating changes global warming is bringing to the Arctic. Polar bears are dying because their range is shrinking; the sea ice they use to hunt seals is melting as temperatures rise. It's estimated that there are 20,000-25,000 polar bears worldwide. Thirty percent of the 19 recognized subpopulations are in decline. (Shea Gunther)




Lions
It might be too late for lions. The number in the wild has dropped by as much as half in 20 years. Today there are an estimated 16,500 to 47,000 African lions, down from 400,000 in 1950. Their population has been carved up into ever-tightening, isolated ranges. Humans are spreading into these small pockets of space, and instability on the continent isn't conducive to conservation.



Elephants
There are about 500,000 African elephants in the wild. Poachers hunt elephants for their tusks, a relationship that has changed their evolutionary path -- elephants with shorter tusks are breeding more and producing offspring with increasingly stunted tusks. Elephants don't breed until they're teenagers and gestation lasts for 22 months -- creating a population unable to bounce back.



Tigers
Tigers and humans don't mix well. We hunt them for fur, gallbladders, paws, teeth and tail. Their habitat has been under assault by development over the past few decades. All six remaining subspecies are endangered. Some estimates put the total number of breeding tigers at 2,500 with no subpopulation larger than 250.



Cheetahs
Do you recognize any patterns? We're good at killing big cats. Cheetahs are fast, but they might not be able to outrun extinction. The cat that can accelerate faster than a muscle car isn't adaptable to habitat change and has recently suffered from genetic degradation due to inbreeding. It's estimated that about 12,000 cheetahs remain the wild. They have a high infant mortality rate and are losing more habitat every year.




Egyptian vultures
These beautiful, white, well-feathered birds have an average wing span of 5.5 feet and are found in southern Europe, northern Africa, and western and southern Asia. They use tools, dropping rocks onto ostrich eggs to crack the shell. Their thin beaks and long necks let them get carrion larger birds can't reach. However, they are being poisoned by Diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug used on domesticated animals.



Mountain gorillas
Of all the animals, I'm most hopeful for the mountain gorillas. They face poaching and loss of habitat, but they also have a lot of support. However, they are pursued by hunters and have been stricken by the Ebola virus. An outbreak between 2002 and 2004 in Gabon and Congo may have killed as many as 5,000 gorillas. Their populations are increasingly isolated, putting them in danger of being picked off by hunters, farmers and disease.



Chinese alligators
While American alligator populations are exploding, their Asian cousins are in danger. There are only about 200 Chinese alligators living in the wild in a handful of ponds along the lower Yangtze River in eastern China. They were pushed out of their habitats by agriculture and the presence of poisoned rats, which the alligators eat. The species is thriving in captivity, with about 10,000 around the world.



Blue whales
The world's largest animal is in trouble. Blue whales were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 20th century, and by the time hunting was deemed illegal in 1966, only a few thousand remained, down from a prewhaling population of about 240,000. Today, they are under attack from seas polluted by chemicals such as PCBs and noise from boats and sonar equipment. Add the warming and acidification of the seas, and the outlook is bleak.




Orangutans
About 62,000 Orangutans live on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Their habitat has been chopped up into smaller, more isolated pockets. Logging, road construction and especially the creation of palm-oil plantations have leveled their habitats, leaving them vulnerable to hunting and kidnapping (to be sold as pets). Like mountain gorillas, orangutans have the benefit of good PR, but that might not be enough.

Read more...

Top 10 Mass Extinctions

The year 2012 is quickly approaching, that means, according to doomsday theorists, that the end is near. While it is incredibly unlikely that the world will end in 2012, the extinction events listed here potentially could happen and in some cases have happened in the past (think dinosaurs).

10

Sea-level falls



Basically, if the sea levels drop drastically (whether it be through Global Cooling – more on that soon – or sinking of the mid-ocean ridges), it could reduce the area around the Continental Shelf (the most productive part of the oceans) causing a “marine mass extinction” meaning all the little fishies, sharks, whales and almost all the life in the big blue dies. If that’s not bad enough weather patterns can change drastically leading to mass extinctions on land (That means us!).

9

Impact Events



Hey is that a big space rock heading for us? Yes it is and it’s also the next nugget on the list. An Impact event caused the massive K/T extinction. Basically the big rock hits us sending “dust and particulate aerosols” which is geek speak for a lot of nasty shit up into the atmosphere. This blocks out the light from the sun which causes not only plants to die but also lowers the temperature. It gets worse, if the pesky rock hits rocks rich in Sulfur not only do we get darkness at noon but a wash of acid rain too! And did I mention the mega-tsunamis and global forest fires?

8

Global Cooling



This was the plot of “The Day after Tomorrow”. For some reason the earth gets too cold too fast causing death for many polar and temperate region animals. This in turn would cause a mass migration to the equator, and make more of the earth a desert. Also good luck finding water as most of it is now ice and snow. This event humanity could probably survive though, so breath easy.

7

Global Warming



There it is, basically the other side to Global Cooling. This time Temperate species will be in danger and other animals are forced to the poles. Melting snow and ice will make the ocean deeper and possibly cause Anoxic events (see further down).

6

Clathrate Gun



Simply put, there are these things called Clathrates forming on the Continental Shelf. Think of a “pig in a blanket” meaning a tiny sausage wrapped in a covering of bread. But instead of a delicious snack-food the clathrate is water covered methane. If these methane snacks break apart this would release the gas into the atmosphere causing accelerated Global Warming.

5

Anoxic Events



Oceanic anoxic events occur when the Earth’s oceans become completely depleted of oxygen below the surface levels. Although anoxic events have not happened for millions of years, the geological record shows that they have happened many times in the past. Anoxic events may have caused mass extinctions. The black lines in the image above are from the aptian anoxic event.

4

Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions



This might have happened during the Permian-Triassic extinction event, in which a warming trend upset the balance between Plankton and bacteria that reduce Sulfate. Imagine that massive emissions of hydrogen sulfide “aka Rotten egg and fart stink” suddenly rise from the ocean poisoning anything and everything on land and sea. And if that wasn’t enough it weakens the Ozone Layer exposing what’s left to UV radiation.

3

Oceanic Overturn



The ocean is made of water but more importantly it’s salt water. But it’s more salty up top than down below. Oceanic Overturn is basically the deeper water replacing the water up top. “So what right?” Wrong! Remember Anoxic Events? The water down there has less oxygen meaning that the critters on the surface and middle depths are as good as dead.

2

Gamma Ray Bursts



This one is my favorite! Imagine that it’s a normal night. You’re stargazing with your girl (or guy), when a flash lights up the night sky, rather close by “galactically” speaking. A star has exploded. Before you can say “oh shit!” you and everyone on Earth is dead. That was a Gamma Ray Burst that just slammed into you, but instead of mutating into a rampaging green behemoth, you die instantly. You see that Gamma basically killed every cell in your body. But if it was weak only the half of the planet facing it died instantly. For the other half the Ozone was ripped away exposing Earth to UV radiation, dead anyway!

1

Human Cause



Man has become so powerful that nature can virtually do him no harm. But unfortunately he has developed his own methods for self-extinction. The most obvious is nuclear war. We have enough nukes on the planet to destroy all life – something which has seemed imminent in the past (think Cuban missile crisis). We can but hope that one day we become peaceful enough to not use these weapons on a global scale.

Read more...

How long does it usually take you to make a hairstyle? I doubt that’s more than 10 minutes in the morning, actually it takes me around two minutes to

So, you’re sick of drinking boring old beer and wine every day? You feel like trying something completely new and exciting? Well, you’ll have a tough time finding more interesting drinks than the six crazy concoctions you’re about to discover:

Chicha


One of the oldest beverages on Earth, Chica is a maize-derived drink prepared in several South-American countries. Discoveries show Chicha has been consumed for thousands of years, since the time of the Inca, but, nowadays its popularity had decreased considerably and only a few villages in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica still prepare it.

Traditional Chicha-makers grind the maize and then chew it to moisturize it. After the human saliva breaks down the starch, the balls of chewed maze are put in large clay vats and warm water is added. After several days of fermentation, Chicha is ready to be consumed. With just 1-3% alcohol, Chicha is not the strongest drink you can try.

Kumis


Very popular among the people living in the plains of Central Asia, Kumis is a fermented drink made from mare’s milk. Described by Herodotus in the 5th century BC, Kumis, just like Chicha, is very old.

To make this unusual dairy product, mare milk is fermented for hours or days, while stirred so it doesn’t coagulate. Traditionally, the mare’s milk was kept in a horse-hide tied to the saddle and bounced around for a day’s ride. Nowadays it is made in wooden vats and, because mare milk is scarce, industrial-producers use cow milk with added sucrose. Kumis is not a very potent drink, containing between 0.7 and 2.5% alcohol.


Lizard Wine


It might sound repulsing, but lizard wine is a very popular drink in China. It’s prepared by adding ginseng and Geko lizards into a clay vat, full of fermenting rice wine. After 12 months, the mixture is strained and green liquor is obtained.

Lizard wine tastes a lot like brandy and is said to improve eye-sight and ward of evil spirits.


Baby Mouse Wine


Very popular in China and Korea, baby mouse wine is a considered a cure for anything from the common cold to liver problems. Think of it as cheap remedy for people who can’t afford to visit a doctor.

Baby mouse wine is prepared by drowning a large number of baby mice in vats full of rice wine. The critters mustn’t be more than 2-3 days old, to ensure the drink ends up being fur-free. The mixture is stored in a dark, dry space for about a year before it can be consumed.

Just one or two glasses of baby mouse wine are enough to get you hammered, but because of its horrible smell and taste, most people shouldn’t have to worry about that.


Snake drinks


Just like baby mouse wine, snake liquors are considered powerful cures for a wide array of illnesses, ranging from impotence to hair loss. These drinks are found in the markets of various countries from south-east Asia.

Odd liquors like snake whiskey and snake sake, contain the most poisonous snakes, including several species of Cobra.



Seagull Wine

The weirdest and probably most disgusting drink on our list is also the simplest. Before I explain how it’s made, keep in mind that it was invented by Eskimos and they don’t really have the luxury of fermenting different types of food in order to get wasted.

Now, as I was saying, seagull wine is so simple you could make it yourself, if you wanted to. But believe me, you don’t. You take a dead seagull, stuff it into a bottle (don’t ask me how), pour water over it and leave it in the sun until it’s done fermenting. That’s it.

Don’t expect a taste similar to the finest whiskey, after all, we’re talking about a fermented seagull. But it packs quite a punch.

Read more...

The History Of Coiffure In The XVIII Century

How long does it usually take you to make a hairstyle? I doubt that’s more than 10 minutes in the morning, actually it
takes me around two minutes to make something on my head since my hear is really short. Can you imagine yourself or your friend making you a hairdo from the early morning till very evening before going to the club? Believe me or not, but there were times when this was a reality. And can you imagine that all the other women around have the same hairstyle? Same length of the hair? Same color of the hair? Sounds like hell right, but if you were in the court in the earlier days you would have to keep to the strong rules of the court etiquette.

The history of the coiffures of the XVIII century is amazing. The XVIII century is considered to be “a century of women”. That’s the time of sophistication, mannerism, simplicity and unimaginable complex coiffures at the same time. Hair has always been a reflection of general trends in fashion and Rococo style defines the accents in the XVIII century.

The history of the women hairstyle of the 18th century can be divided into several stages. Till 1713 the aristocratic ladies were still wearing the fontage which form and look by itself was a piece of art.

The new era in headdresses began in 1713, at a ceremonial reception at Versailles, when a Duchess of Shrewsbury appeared before Louis XIV without a fontage with the smooth and slightly curly hair decorated with lace and flowers. Louis liked that, and since he was the leader of European fashion at that time it was a command for the court to follow this new trend in hairstyles. This seeming simplicity became a major fashion tendency of Rococo century.

All the ladies from the paintings by Watteau, Boucher, Patera, de Troyes, Chardin of this time have simple and modest yet graceful coiffures, no matter whether this is a luxury marquise de Pompadour, virtuous Maria Theresia or young Fike of Tserbsta. Just listen to the names of the hair cuts: «Butterfly», «sentimental», «secret», «mollycoddle».

However somewhere from mid 70-ies the hairstyle started “growing up” again. It emerged into a complex structure and was was as high and unimaginable as ever before. Ingenious women used almost everything they could find to make their headdress ,including most popular belts, jewelry, fabrics, flowers, fruit. Of course, their own hair was not enough to make such a piece of art and they used the hair of their servants and even the horse’s mane.

After becoming a Queen Marie Antoinette spent most of the time inventing new hairstyles and clothes. Her personal hairdresser Léonard was bringing all her fantasies into life. Joint work of a hairdresser and the Queen gave the world such masterpieces as «explosion sensitivity», «concupiscent», «secret passion» (just compare with pale «mollycoddle» or modest «butterfly»).

The most stylish womеn managed to wear stuffed birds, statues and even a mini-gardens with tiny artificial tree on their heads. The well known and beloved A-la Belle Poule hair model with the famous frigate also belongs to this time. Such a design could take the whole day and coiffure itself could be weared for several days and sometimes even a week. Not speaking about the fact that it was impossible to sleep, such hairdresses were homes for lots of insects and it was allowed to scratch the head with a special stick.

Over time in the beginning of the 80-ies the bulky and fussy hair models become much more modest. The fashion for the «sails» and «vases» disappears. Only tape and muslin fabric are now being used by fashion-mongers, though the hair models still look pompous.

French revolution has changed it all. New hair cuts were on scene now.

Read more...

Top 10 Bizarre Cultural Disorders

Cultural disorders (culture-bound syndromes) are mental disorders or quirks which seem to affect a single cultural group and are, therefore, often unknown outside of their own regions.

Koro

Koro is a psychological disorder characterized by delusions of penis shrinkage and retraction into the body, accompanied by panic and fear of dying. This delusion is rooted in Chinese metaphysics and cultural practices. The disorder is associated with the belief that unhealthy or abnormal sexual acts (such as sex with prostitutes, masturbation, or even nocturnal emissions) disturb the yin/yang equilibrium which allegedly exists when a husband has sex with his wife, i.e., during “normal intercourse.” Koro is also thought to be transmitted through food. In 1967, there was a koro epidemic in Singapore after newspapers reported cases of koro due to eating pork which came from a pig that had been inoculated against swine fever. Not only did pork sales go down, but hundreds of koro cases followed.

Windigo



Wendigo Psychosis is a mental disorder in which a person intensely craves human flesh and thinks they are turning into a cannibal (despite an abundance of healthy food available). The most common response amongst the aboriginal communities in which wendigo psychosis was most prevalent, was curing attempts by traditional native healers or Western doctors. In the unusual cases when these attempts failed, and the Wendigo sufferer began either to threaten those around them or to act violently or anti-socially, they were then generally executed. While some have denied the existence of this disorder, there are a number of credible eyewitness accounts, both by aboriginal communities and by Westerners, that prove that Wendigo psychosis is a factual historical phenomenon.

Gururumba



Gururumba is a “wild man” episode in which the suffer (typically a married male) begins by burglarizing neighboring homes – taking objects that he thinks are valuable but which seldom are. He then runs to the forrest for a number of days returning without the objects and with a case of amnesia. The sufferer appears hyperactive and clumsy with slurred speech. This disorder is specific to New Guinea.

Saora Disorder



Among the Saora tribe of Orissa State in India, young men and women sometimes exhibit abnormal behavior patterns that western trained mental health specialists would likely define as a mental disorder. They cry and laugh at inappropriate times, have memory loss, pass out, and claim to experience the sensation of being repeatedly bitten by ants when no ants are present. These individuals are usually teenagers or young adults who are not attracted to the ordinary life of a subsistence farmer. They are under considerable psychological stress from social pressure placed on them by their relatives and friends. The Saora explain the odd behavior of these people as being due to the actions of supernatural beings who want to marry them.

Berserkers



This fury affecting the Norsemen, which was called berserkergang, occurred not only in the heat of battle, but also during laborious work. Men who were thus seized performed things which otherwise seemed impossible for human power. This condition is said to have begun with shivering, chattering of the teeth, and chill in the body, and then the face swelled and changed its color. With this was connected a great hot-headedness, which at last gave over into a great rage, under which they howled as wild animals, bit the edge of their shields, and cut down everything they met without discriminating between friend or foe. When this condition ceased, a great dulling of the mind and feebleness followed, which could last for one or several days.

Shenkui



A sufferer of shenkui (a Chinese culture-bound syndrome) shows marked anxiety or panic symptoms with accompanying somatic complaints for which no physical cause can be demonstrated. Symptoms include dizziness, backache, fatiguability, general weakness, insomnia, frequent dreams, and complaints of sexual dysfunction (such as premature ejaculation and impotence). Symptoms are attributed to excessive semen loss from frequent intercourse, masturbation, nocturnal emission, or passing of “white turbid urine” believed to contain semen. Excessive semen loss is feared because it represents the loss of one’s vital essence and can thereby be life threatening.

Ghost Sickness



Ghost sickness is a culture-bound syndrome which some Native American tribes believe to be caused by association with the dead or dying. It is sometimes associated with witchcraft. It is considered to be a psychotic disorder of Navajo origin. Its symptoms include general weakness, loss of appetite, a feeling of suffocation, recurring nightmares, and a pervasive feeling of terror. A symptom of “ghost sickness” is suffocation. This may be associated with a coffin. If you were buried alive with a loved one or friend below ground, you may feel as if you were suffocating. The sickness is attributed to ghosts (chindi) or, occasionally, to witches.

Grisi siknis



Grisi siknis (”crazy sickness”) is a contagious, culture-bound syndrome that occurs predominantly among the Miskito People of eastern Central America and affects mainly young women. Most of the victims are young girls from 15 to 18 years old. The attacks are prefaced by headaches, dizziness, anxiety, nausea, irrational anger and/or fear. During the attack, the “victim loses consciousness” and falls to the ground, subsequently running away. The victim may view other people as devils, feel no pain for bodily injuries and have absolute amnesia regarding their physical circumstances. Some grab machetes or broken bottles to wave off unseen assailants. Other victims are reported to have performed superhuman feats, vomited strange objects such as spiders, hair and coins and spoken in tongues. In some cases the semi-conscious victim will speak the names of the next to be infected, although it is not always accurate. Grisi siknis is highly contagious.

Couvade Syndrome



Couvade syndrome is a medical/mental condition which “involves a father experiencing some of the behavior of his wife at near the time of childbirth, including her birth pains, postpartum seclusion, food restrictions, and sex taboos”. The term originally referred to the medieval Basque custom in which the father, during or immediately after the birth of a child, took to bed, complained of having labour pains, and was accorded the treatment usually shown women during pregnancy or after childbirth. In some extreme cases, fathers can grow a belly similar to a 7-month pregnant woman and gain approximately 25 to 30 pounds (”phantom pregnancy”). Other symptoms include and are not limited to developed cravings, suffered nausea, breast augmentation, and insomnia.


Homosexual Panic



Homosexual panic is a term, first coined by psychiatrist Edward J. Kempf in 1920, describing an acute, brief reactive psychosis involving delusions and hallucinations accusing a person of various homosexual activities. The condition most often occurs in people who suffer schizoid personality disorders who have insulated themselves from physical intimacy. Breakdowns often occur in situations that involve enforced intimacy with the same sex, such as dormitories or military barracks. It was most common during the mass mobilization of World War II when barracks typically provided little privacy with communal showers and often without doors or even cubicles around toilets. Treatment usually involves hospitalization, firstly to remove the person from the situation and also because the condition may lead to suicidal or homicidal acts. Usually members of the opposite sex are selected to treat those suffering from the disorder, and invasive procedures such as injections with needles or suppositories are avoided.

Read more...

17 of the World's Biggest Liars

Read more...

The 10 Most Shocking Olympic Gender Scandals

Gender scandals happen way more often than you'd think. Like that one time the fastest “woman” in the world was killed in a bank robbery and found to have a penis…

Dora Ratjen

For the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, Adolf Hitler wanted to show the world the supremacy of the Aryan race. German, Dora Ratjen, notable for her deep voice and her refusal to share the shower room with the other female athletes, was Germany's entry for the women's high jump. She came in fourth. Britain's competitor, Dorothy Tyler, who won a silver medal, remembers her. “I had competed against Dora and I knew she was a man,” she says. “You could tell by the voice and the build.” Ratjen was discovered to be a man on his way back from the European Championships at a train station in Germany. Although Ratjen was wearing a skirt, two women spotted him with a five o'clock shadow. A doctor was summoned and Ratjen's sex was revealed. In 1938 Ratjen was barred from further competition.

Stella Walsh

At one point, Stella Walsh, a Polish-American sprinter, was the fastest woman in the world. She won gold in 1932 and silver in 1936 for the 100m sprint. During her career, she set more than 100 national and world records and was inducted into the American Track and Field Hall of Fame. She lived her entire life as a woman, and even had a short-lived marriage to an American man. In 1980, Walsh was killed by mistake during an armed robbery at a shopping mall in Cleveland, Ohio. The postmortem revealed she had male genitalia. She was also found to have both male and female chromosomes.


Sin Kim Dan

Dan broke the women's records for 400m and 800m in 1961/62. She was the first woman to run 400m in less than 52 seconds. In 1963 in Moscow, other female sprinters refused to run against her because she looked like a man. At that same time a South Korean man claimed that she was his son who had disappeared during the war. Obligatory sex-testing for international athletics was introduced in 1966, and for whatever reason, Sin did not compete after that.


Edinanci Silva

Born with both male and female sex organs, the Brazilian judo player had surgery in the mid-90s so that she could live and compete as a woman. According to the IOC, this made her eligible to participate in the games and she competed in Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Athens in 2004. In Sydney, she beat the Australian Natalie Jenkins, who raised the issue of Silva's gender in a press conference, constantly referring to her as “he”


Tamara and Irina Press

Sisters Tamara and Irina Press won five track and field Olympic gold medals for the Soviet Union, and set 26 world records in the 1960s. Their careers suddenly ended at the time that gender verification was introduced. Critics have suggested that the Presses were actually male, or perhaps hermaphrodites.


Heidi Krieger

It is believed that as many as 10,000 East German athletes were caught up in a state-sponsored attempt to build a race of superhuman communist sports heroes and force-fed cocktails of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. One of them was Heidi Krieger, a shot putter. When she was 16, her coach put her on steroids and contraceptive pills and she gained weight, built muscle and started to develop body hair. By 1986, aged 20, she was European champion and an Olympic shotput gold medalist. In the mid-90s, Krieger underwent gender reassignment surgery and changed her name to Andreas.


Ewa Klobukowska

Eda was a Polish sprinter who won the gold medal in the women's 4x100 m relay and the bronze medal in the women's 100 m sprint at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Klobukowska was the first Olympic athlete to fail a gender test. Having registered “one chromosome too many”, she failed an early form of the chromatin test in 1967 and was subsequently banned from competing in professional sports.


Santhi Soundarajan

Santhi Soundarajan, a middle distance runner from India, won a silver medal at the 2006 Asia Games. She was stripped of her medal after she failed a verification test.


Mary Edith Louise Weston

Mary Edith Louise Weston of Great Britain was the best shotputter from 1924 to 1930, and the best javelin thrower in 1927. She still holds Great Britain's shot put record. Mary Edith Louise Weston became Mark Weston in the mid-1930s.


Iolanda Balas

After mandatory gender testing was implemented in the 60's, high jumper Iolanda Balas refused to compete in the Olympic Games. She went to the Budapest games - but only as a spectator, wearing an Ace bandage. She was suspiciously, according to Rumanian track officials, suffering from a “calcified right tendon,” and was said to never be able to compete again.

Read more...

World Famous Photos

Afghan Girl [1984]
And of course the afghan girl, picture shot by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry. Sharbat Gula was one of the students in an informal school within the refugee camp; McCurry, rarely given the opportunity to photograph Afghan women, seized the opportunity and captured her image. She was approximately 12 years old at the time. She made it on the cover of National Geographic next year, and her identity was discovered in 1992.



Omayra Sánchez [1985]
Omayra Sánchez was one of the 25,000 victims of the Nevado del Ruiz ( Colombia ) volcano which erupted on November 14, 1985 . The 13-year old had been trapped in water and concrete for 3 days. The picture was taken shortly before she died and it caused controversy due to the photographer’ s work and the Colombian government’s inaction in the midst of the tragedy, when it was published worldwide after the young girl’s death



Portrait of Winston Churchill [1941]
This photograph was taken by Yousuf Karsh, a Canadian photographer, when Winston Churchill came to Ottawa . The portrait of Churchill brought Karsh international fame. It is claimed to be the most reproduced photographic portrait in history. It also appeared on the cover of Life magazine



The plight of Kosovo refugees [1999]
The photo is part of The Washington Post’s Pulitzer Prize-winning entry (2000) showing how a Kosovar refugee Agim Shala, 2, is passed through a barbed wire fence into the hands of grandparents at a camp run by United Arab Emirates in Kukes , Albania . The members of the Shala family were reunited here after fleeing the conflict in Kosovo.



Stricken child crawling towards a food camp [1994]
The photo is the “Pulitzer Prize” winning photo taken in 1994 during the Sudan Famine. The picture depicts stricken child crawling towards an United Nations food camp, located a kilometer away. The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat him. This picture shocked the whole world. No one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who left the place as soon as the photograph was taken. Three months later he committed suicide due to depression.



Segregated Water Fountains [1950]
Picture of segregated water fountains in North Carolina taken by Elliott Erwitt



Burning Monk - The Self-Immolation [1963]
June 11, 1963 , Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk from Vietnam , burned himself to death at a busy intersection in downtown Saigon to bring attention to the repressive policies of the Catholic Diem regime that controlled the South Vietnamese government at the time. Buddhist monks asked the regime to lift its ban on flying the traditional Buddhist flag, to grant Buddhism the same rights as Catholicism, to stop detaining Buddhists and to give Buddhist monks and nuns the right to practice and spread their religion. While burning Thich Quang Duc never moved a muscle.



Bliss [~2000]
Bliss is the name of a photograph of a landscape in Napa County , California , east of Sonoma Valley . It contains rolling green hills and a blue sky with stratocumulus and cirrus clouds. The image is used as the default computer wallpaper for the “Luna” theme in Windows XP.
The photograph was taken by the professional photographer Charles O’Rear, a resident of St. Helena in Napa County , for digital-design company HighTurn. O’Rear has also taken photographs of Napa Valley for the May 1979 National Geographic Magazine article Napa, Valley of the Vine.



The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire [1911]
Picture of bodies at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Company rules were to keep doors closed to the factory so workers (mostly immigrant women) couldn’t leave or steal. When a fire ignited, disaster struck. 146 people died that day.



Finally, a question for you…………. Who is this famous guy?

Read more...

World's Coolest Bikes

Features

New 1340cc, DOHC liquid-cooled engine with 16-valves, Twin Swirl Combustion Chambers provides 11% higher performance and smoother operation

New Suzuki SDTV fuel injection system with dual injectors per cylinder and ram air intake with large volume airbox

New S-DMS (Suzuki Drive Mode Selector) allows the rider to choose from three different engine settings depending on riding conditions or rider preferences

New lightweight titanium intake and exhaust valves with narrow 14 degree valve angle for high combustion chamber efficiency

New lightweight aluminum alloy pistons feature a revised shape and a higher compression ratio of 12.5:1 for maximum performance in all conditions.

SCEM (Suzuki Composite Electro-chemical Material) plated cylinders minimize cylinder size and improve heat dissipation and new hydraulic cam chain tensioner for reduced mechanical noise

New ventilation holes at the cylinder skirt for reduced pumping losses and increased performance

High efficiency curved radiator now features dual electric fans controlled by the ECM for increased cooling capacity. Oil cooler now has 10 rows cores for increased heat dissipation.

New large volume 4-2-1-2 exhaust system with a large capacity catalyzer, dual triangular canisters and closed loop system that meets Euro 3 and Tier 2 regulations

New Shot-peened chrome-moly steel connecting rods for maximum durability
Ion plating treatment utilizing PVD (physical vapor deposit) method is applied to piston rings providing a smoother surface treatment for increased durability, reduced friction loss and reduced oil consumption

Slick shifting 6 speed transmission working in conjunction with an innovative back torque limiting clutch for smooth and controlled downshifts

Read more...

german cars

german car
german made cars
german small cars

hot german cars
east german cars
brands of german cars
german made rc cars
german rc cars
1935 german callectibal cars

german ammored cars and reichswehr

Read more...

rolls royce cars rolls royce cars belgium

rolls oyce cars
rolls royce armoured cars
rolls royce car belgium
rolls royce of amerca testing cars
1940s rolls oyce cars
1942s rolls royce cars
rolls royce cars blegum
rolls royce cars
rols royce pictures
rolls royce inages
rolls royce 2006
rolls 1999 royce
rolls royce in baground
rolls royce cars

Read more...

cadillac cadillac cts cadillac esclade cadillac rench

cadllac
cadillac cts
cadillac esclade
cadillac rench
cadillac srx
2012 cadillac cts
cadillac evining news
cadillac xlr
cadillac quality issues in the1980s
cadillac records
pink cadillac
gran marnier cadillac
1959 cadillac
cadillac dealers
cadillac cts v
cadillac diville
classic cadillac
cadilac elcarado
cadillac dts
cadillac small cars
rita cadillac
cadillac repair manual
1956 cadillac
cadillac hearse
german cadillac of durbin
cadillac black cars

Read more...

fast carS

Son Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Song Title Wyclef Jean Fast Car, PhpBB, DivX Wyclef Jean Fast Car, AnglaisFacile, Making Of Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Piments, T'Chat Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Pistes de l'album Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Musique Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Lyrics Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Pixmania, Trace Tropical, Music Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Myspace Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Google Trends, Pics Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Discographie de Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Tracklist Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Contact Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Track Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Voter pour Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Réseau Social, Vreel Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Page Rank, Perte de cheveux, Nouvel/Dernier Album de Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Musique Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Claude François, Streaming Video Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Nouvelle Chanson Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Locations Vacances, Concerts Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Actualité de Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Nouveautés Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Version Originale Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Search Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Cadeaux de Noel, FilmsStreaming, Paparazzi, Traduction de Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Version Radio Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Download online Wyclef Jean Fast Car, Télécharger en ligne Wyclef Jean Fast Car, ,
fast car good colors

fast car pics

fast car red colors

fast car new style

fas t car old model

fast racing car

fast car is parking


fast car is flying

fast car casino royal

fast car is the road

fast car is the beatifull

fast car wallpaper

Read more...

racing cars racing cars pictures

cars racing
drag racing pictures cars
street racing cars
games racing cars

street racing for sale
all racing csars for track
compition of racing cars
f1 racing cars
spite fire racing cars
racng cars for sale
ttricked out street racing cars
all racing racing cars
free racing rcing pictures

Read more...

US Presidential Children

In this undated file photo, President Abraham Lincoln poses with his son Tad. As a youngster in the White House, Tad once hitched two goats to a chair and drove it into a sitting room where his unamused mother was giving a tour.

President Richard Nixon receives a mini surfboard from his daughters, Julie and Trisha, June 13, 1969 at the White House.

President Gerald Ford and his daughter Susan prepare for a White House diplomatic reception in 1974.

President Gerald Ford demonstrates his skill on a trampoline as his daughter Susan looks on at Camp David, Maryland in 1974.

Then-Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter is seen with his wife, Rosalyn, and their daughter, Amy, as he answers reporter's questions in front of the White House in Washington in this April 4, 1976.

Ronald Reagan plays with his daughter Patricia in the pool of their Pacific Palisades, Calif. home in 1966.

California Gov.-elect Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan, and two children, Patricia, 13 and Ronald Jr., 8, tour their new home, the Executive Mansion, after their arrival in Sacramento, Calif., in this Jan. 1, 1967.

President and Mrs. Reagan sent this family portrait to 'America's Family Album,' sponsored by Eastman Kodak Co., and slated for permanent display at the Statue of Liberty. Front row, from

left: Bess Reagan, Neil Reagan, Colleen Reagan (holding daughter Ashley), Cameron Reagan, The President, Mrs. Reagan, Doria Reagan, Anne Davis and Patricia Davis.

Back row: Maureen Reagan, Dennis Revell, Michael Reagan, Patti Davis, Ron Reagan, Geoffrey Davis and Dr. Richard Davis. This photo is dated 1985.

John F. Kennedy Jr. plays in the cockpit of a helicopter while visiting Camp David, Md., in this March 31, 1963.

The family of President John F. Kennedy vacations in this undated photo. From left: Caroline, first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, John Jr. and President Kennedy.

President Kennedy and his son John Jr. stand hand-in-hand at the White House around 1963.

The Bush family is seen in front of their Kennebunkport, Maine, home on August 24, 1986.

BACK ROW: Margaret holding daughter Marshall, Marvin Bush, Bill LeBlond.

FRONT ROW: Neil Bush holding son Pierce, Sharon, George W. Bush holding daughter Barbara, Laura Bush holding daughter Jenna, Barbara Bush, George Bush, Sam LeBlond, Doro Bush Lebond, George P. (Jeb's son), Jeb Bush holding son Jebby, Columba Bush, and Noelle Bush

Caroline Kennedy

File photo of Caroline Kennedy at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, October 15, 2008.

In April 20, 2008 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. shares a moment with Caroline Kennedy before addressing supporters at a rally in Scranton, Pa. The Kennedy clan wants to see their Caroline in the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton. The family just needs to convince her to do it, and New York Gov. David Paterson to put her there.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg speaks at the fifth annual John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards ceremony at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts November 24, 2008.

Daughter of the late US president John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, addresses the Democratic National Convention 2008 at the Pepsi Center in Denver in August 2008. Kennedy may take over Hillary Clinton's seat in the Senate when she resigns to become US secretary of state in January, US media reported.

Caroline Kennedy, left, daughter of President John F. Kennedy, speaks with Vice President-elect Joe Biden, right, before the start of a special convocation held to present Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., not shown, with an honorary degree at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass., Monday, Dec. 1, 2008. Kennedy was originally scheduled to receive the degree at Harvard's commencement last spring, but was recuperating from surgery.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (R) and her daughter Rose listen during a special convocation ceremony to confer an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts December 1, 2008. Senator Kennedy was initially scheduled to receive the degree at last year's Harvard Commencement ceremonies in June 2008, but was unable to attend while receiving treatment for a malignant brain tumor that was diagnosed in May 2008.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (L) and U.S. Vice President-Elect Joe Biden listen during a special convocation ceremony to confer an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts December 1, 2008.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (R) and her daughter Rose listen during a special convocation ceremony to confer an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Caroline Kennedy (C) poses for photographs with the recipients of the fifth annual John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award, Giovanna Negretti (L), co-founder of the Boston-based non-profit Oiste, and Cory A. Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts November 24, 2008. The awards were created by the John F. Kennedy Library and Harvard's Institute of Politics to honor Americans under the age of 40 who are changing their communities and the country with their commitment to public service.

Giovanna Negretti, co-founder of the Boston-based non-profit Oiste, speaks after being honored with a John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts November 24, 2008. The awards were created by the John F. Kennedy Library and Harvard's Institute of Politics to honor Americans under the age of 40 who are changing their communities and the country with their commitment to public service.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (L) presents the fifth annual John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award to Giovanna Negretti, co-founder of the Boston-based non-profit Oiste, at the John F. Kennedy School of government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts November 24, 2008.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (L) presents the fifth annual John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award to Cory A. Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, at the John F. Kennedy School of government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg speaks during the fifth annual John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards ceremony at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts November.

Barack Obama (L) campaigns alongside Caroline Kennedy, daughter of late US president John F. Kennedy in Scranton, Pennsylvania in April 2008. Americans reflected Saturday on the presidency of John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated 45 years ago, as once again a young, inspiring president is headed to the White House.

Then democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama acknowledges the crowd on stage with Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano (L) and Caroline Kennedy during a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, in January 30, 2008. Obama is considering Napolitano to be U.S. Homeland Security secretary, heading a sprawling agency formed to bolster civil defense in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a senior Democrat said.

Eric Holder, who is reported to be president-elect Barack Obama's pick for US attorney general, walks with Caroline Kennedy, daughter of late US president John F.Kennedy, on Capitol Hill in Washington in June.

In this June 25, 2008 file photo, Eric Holder walks with Caroline Kennedy on Capitol Hill in Washington. Holder is President-elect Barack Obama's top choice to be the next attorney general and aides have gone so far as to ask senators whether he would be confirmed, an Obama official and people close to the matter said Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008.

Chelsea Clinton

First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea tour the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in this March 28, 1996.

President Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, cheers during Olympic men's individual sabre fencing in Atlanta, in this July 21,1996.

Chelsea Clinton performs Dec. 5, 1996 during the dress rehearsal of the Washington Ballet's version of Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker' at George Mason University's Center for the Arts in Fairfax, Va.


Chelsea Clinton sits with Mark Mezvinsky of Stanford, Calif., while watching a football game on the beach at Hilton Head Island, S.C., in this Dec. 30, 1996.

President Clinton dances with his daughter Chelsea during the Arkansas Ball in Washington in this Jan. 20, 1997.

President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton and daughter Chelsea wave as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue in this Jan. 20, 1997, to start the presidential inaugural parade.

President and Mrs. Clinton stand with their daughter, Chelsea, after her high school graduation ceremony at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, in this June 6, 1997. President Clinton addressed his daughter's graduating class with a personal sendoff saying, 'A part of us longs to hold you once more'.

President Clinton jogs with daughter Chelsea and an unidentified Secret Service agent along a bike path on Martha's Vineyard, Mass. in this Aug. 19, 1997.

President Clinton, right, shares a laugh with daughter Chelsea, center, and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sept. 19, 1997, during convocation ceremonies on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.

Chelsea Clinton, center, cheers for the Stanford basketball team during their 72-59 win over UCLA at the Pauley Pavilion in the Westwood section of Los Angeles, in this Jan. 16, 1999.

President Bill Clinton with first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton, talk with NATO's Kosovo commander, Lt. Gen. Mike Jackson, second from right, and NATO Supreme Commander for Europe Wesley Clark, far right, surrounded by U.S. soldiers at Task Force Able Sentry Camp 15 miles (25 kms) east of Skopje, Macedonia, in this June 22, 1999.

President Clinton and daughter Chelsea walk off of Marine One at JFK International Airport in New York City after attending the memorial service for John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, July 23, 1999.

Stanford University student Chelsea Clinton listens to a speech by U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Oct. 6, 1999, at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif.

Singer Madonna with daughter Lourdes, Chelsea Clinton and designer Donatella Versace attend the launch of the Versace Retrospective Exhibition held at The Victoria and Albert Museum on October 14, 2002, in London.

Chelsea Clinton attends the launch of the Versace Retrospective Exhibition held at The Victoria and Albert Museum on October 14, 2002, in London.

British musician Sting and Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea speak at the Grand Concert for the Old Vic Theatre in Old Billingsgate Market, on February 5, 2003, in London.

Former President Bill Clinton plants a kiss on his daughter Chelsea's cheek as they arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for a party celebrating the publication of his autobiography 'My Life,' in this June 21, 2004.

Chelsea Clinton waves to the crowd before the 134th Kentucky Derby in this May 3, 2008, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

In this file photo, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., listens as her daughter, Chelsea, introduces her to supporters during a rally in Sunrise, Fla., May 21, 2008.

Read more...

Sporty Bike

I told you there was this bike conspiracy going on amongst the designers, add the Furious Sports Bike to the list. Dishy in its current avatar; the bike boasts of an aerodynamic design coupled with user-friendly ergonomics. What I really like is the ample display nestled between the handlebars. You get details like the route-map, current bike gear, temperature, time and speed displayed on it. The seat however looks tad uncomfy for me.

Read more...

Sea King Luxury Yacht

The Sea King Yacht has been made keeping the Middle Eastern market in mind. It is the kind of luxury yacht that you can comfortably live in overnight. It has the best to offer its customers with no compromises what-so-ever. The entire structure is made of the finest of wood and is 60 feet. The body has an elegant streamlined shape to be and this yacht can take passengers with ease between islands. The manufacturers have been able to showcase a fine use of the traditional and the modern. Every little detail has been taken utmost care of so that the traveler gets the best.

Read more...