Amazing

The World's 10 Richest Tennis Player

2010-08-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the rating of the richest tennis player of the planet. Revenues consist of athletes of different sources. For example, Maria Sharapova, mainly the "rich" by advertising products known corporations, such as «Canon», «Colgate-Palmolive», «Motorola», «Nike», «Tiffany» and «Land Rover». Only on the promotion of dandruff shampoo company «Unilever» tennis player receives more than $ 2 million in the same time, revenue Roger Federer is mainly composed of bonus payments for tournaments.

01. Roger Federer (Switzerland) - $ 35 million. The picture shows Roger Federer sends the ball to Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) in the first set final match US Open in New York on 14 September 2009. yeh the same, more images after the break...

02. Maria Sharapova (Russia) - $ 26 million on the photo: Maria Sharapova in 3 Sete match with Melanie Udine US Open tournament on Sept. 4, 2009. Udine won the match 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

03. Rafel Nadal (Spain) - $ 18 million Rafael Nadal beats Fernando filing Gosnalesa (Chile) in the third set the match in the tournament chetvertfinalnogo US Open 12 sentbrya 2009. Nadal won 7-6, 7-6, 6-0 (UPI / Monika Graff)

04. Andy Roddick (USA) - $ 15 million Andy Roddick beats blow Swede Robin Soderling in the semi-final match of the tournament BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California March 20, 2010. Roddick won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 and reached the final.

05. Serena Williams (USA) - $ 15 million US Open winner Serena Williams in a match with Alexa Glatch. Playing the first round of US Open August 31, 2009 in New York.

06. Venus Williams (USA) - $ 15 million Venus Williams beats starting Magdalena Rybarikovoy (Slovakia) in the first set match on US Open September 4, 2009 in New York.

07. Justine Henin (Belgium) - $ 10 million first scattering Justine Henin in the quarterfinal match against Serena Williams at the French Open Roland Garros in Paris June 5, 2007. Henin won 6-4, 6-3.

08. Novak Djokovic (Serbia) - $ 9.5 million by turnstile count third rank number ATP Novak Djokovic takes the ball to David Ferrer (Spain) in the final of Men's Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday, February 28, 2009. Djokovic won the match 7-5, 6-3.

09. Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) - $ 8 million first scattering Anna Ivanovich against Vera Dusheninoy (Russia) in the first set match in the tournament US Open August 26, 2008 in New York.

10. James Blake (USA) - 7.5 million. In the photo, James Blake in a match against Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo in the tournament US Open August 31, 2009 in New York.

The Giant trees on the shore

2010-08-06T06:59:00.001-07:00

A surprising phenomenon, these giant trees threw out to the beach. More images after the break...

Cargo — Fastest delivery

2010-07-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

Specialists of the fastest delivery! They probably never heard of that product must be delivered intact. More images after the break...

Creative Pencil Sculptures

2010-07-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

Artists who create beautiful artworks using pencils can’t surprise us nowadays. But Dalton Ghetti found a way how to create miniature masterpieces using pencils. He simply carved the alphabet on the tips of 26 pencils, making letters come alive. More images after the break...

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Top 10 Highest Paid Musicians of 2010

2010-07-25T04:47:00.000-07:00

10. Black Eyed Peas - $48 million

Since crossing over to the mainstream in the early 2000s, the Black Eyed Peas have been everywhere from the Super Bowl pre-game show to discussing politics on CNN. A worldwide tour that took them from Switzerland to Mexico brought in $800,000 a night, while the band’s openness to endorsement deals led them to ink commitments with Target, Honda, Bacardi and Apple...More after the break...

What does it take to become one of the highest-paid musicians of the 2010s? A career that peaked in the 1980s. Nearly half of the artists that make up this year’s list of the top-earning music acts have been around long enough that they could have appeared on the soundtrack to Back to the Future. Here are top ten earning musicians of 2010.

9. Kenny Chesney - $50 million

Chesney continued his reign atop the country music industry by out-touring everyone else. His 2009 tour grossed $71 million and brought in an average of $1.6 million every night, nearly doubling the box office receipts of his closest competitor, Keith Urban. Prominent sponsorships with companies like Corona and MasterCard keep tour costs down, making the tours even more profitable.

8. Madonna - $58 million

The Material Girl isn’t quite ready to cede her spot in pop music’s hierarchy to Lady Gaga or Britney Spears just yet. The 52-year-old singer had the fourth highest-grossing tour of 2009, bringing in $6 million a night and $138 million overall. An episode of the Fox hit sitcom Glee, which featured cast members singing several of her songs, added to her already high profile and cushioned her significant earnings from publishing royalties.

7. Lady Gaga - $62 million

A newcomer to the Celebrity 100, Lady Gaga broke down the door to fame with outlandish outfits and quirky videos, including one that featured her and Beyonce poisoning an unappreciative boyfriend. With a 106-date tour that grossed $95 million, Lady Gaga is also a marketer’s dream, teaming up with Polaroid, Virgin Mobile, Monster Cable and Viva Glam.

6. Jay-Z - $63 million

Jay-Z likes to say he’s not a businessman; he’s a business, man–and it’s not idle boasting. The rapper-turned-mogul retains his crown as hip-hop’s cash king thanks to a new album and investments in the 40/40 nightclub chain, the Broadway show “Fela!” and the New Jersey Nets basketball team. Jay-Z’s biggest boost comes from his Blueprint 3 tour, which grossed over $1 million per concert this year. He still makes less than wife Beyoncé.

5. Britney Spears - $64 million

Not long ago, most of the entertainment world had written Britney Spears off as a celebrity flameout. But over the last year Spears logged the fifth highest-grossing tour in the world, bringing in $130 million in gross box office receipts by playing 98 dates. High-profile endorsement deals with Elizabeth Arden and Candies’ prove that the public expects Spears to stay in the spotlight for good.

4. Bruce Springsteen -$70 million

The poet laureate of New Jersey continues to connect with fans around the world. Backed by the E Street Band, Springsteen sold more than 2 million tickets on his world tour, which grossed $167 million, enough to make it the third highest-grossing tour in the world. Heavy radio play on classic rock stations and a steady-selling backlist adds to his bottom line.

3. Beyonce Knowles -$87 million

One half of the most famous couple in hip-hop (Jay-Z, No. 6, is the other half), Beyoncé continues to expand her business empire beyond music. Endorsement deals with companies ranging from Nintendo to L’Oreal and her growing House of Dereon fashion line bring in millions of dollars per year on top of the $86 million she grossed from a 93-stop world tour.

2. AC/DC - $114 million

This Australian heavy metal group has been shaking audiences all night long since 1973 and shows few signs of stopping. Second only to U2 in band tour earnings, AC/DC grossed a staggering $226 million on a worldwide tour that included 99 dates and brought in more than $2 million a night.

1. U2 - $130 million

The world’s biggest rock band, U2 launched a massive world tour in 2009 that has brought in more than $311 million in gross box office receipts. Each tour stop brings in $10 million in gross ticket sales. Add in lucrative merchandise sales, heavy radio play and a steady-selling back catalog, and you have the highest-earning band on the planet.

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The Richest Royals in the World

2010-07-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, worth $30 billion

Here is a list of the world's richest kings, queens and other royals, according to Forbes’s new ranking. More after the break...

Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, worth $20 billion

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, worth $18 billion

UAE's President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, $15 billion

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, worth $4.5 billion

Liechtenstein's Prince Hans-Adam II, worth $3.5 billion

Morocco's King Mohammed VI, worth $2.5 billion

Qatar's Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, worth $2.4 billion

Prince Albert II of Monaco, worth $1 billion

His Highness the Aga Khan, worth $800 million

Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said, worth $700 million

Britain's Queen Elizabeth, worth $450 million

Kuwait's Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al-Sabah, worth $350 million

The Netherland's Queen Beatrix, worth $200 million

Swaziland's King Mswati III, worth $100 million

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She Continues to Surf

2010-07-25T04:14:00.001-07:00

Her name is Danielle Bert, her 25 years. She lives in San Diego (California) and, like all young people of her generation, tries to spend time actively and cheerfully. She loves to travel, enjoys extreme sports, go to concerts, communicating with friends, but all the fun give it a little harder than others - in Daniel is not the right leg. More after the break...

This is difficult to write and speak aloud, because the Russian language, for whatever reason is not prepared for a quiet discussion of such problems. All words relating to amputation, prosthetics and other disabilities, sound rude and unnatural, we have taken on such issues remain silent. American brain a bit different - Daniel calmly tells what happened to her and how she copes with this problem. Moreover, she even wants to talk about it to show people that even with such a serious injury a person can be completely full and happy life.

She continues to surf Tell us why you have dentures?
About six years ago, I got in a motorcycle accident and lost a leg.

How long do you go for a surf?
About two years.

That is, you start to skate now without legs. It was difficult?
Yes, the main problem was to invent a prosthesis that he allowed to ride. My prosthesis was first artificial knee, but now it was not necessary. We spent a lot of time in water, to understand how to be arranged artificial leg, and, finally, we made it!

How do you generally had the idea to start riding?
I grew up in New Jersey on the ocean, and I simply love the wave. After the accident I could not even go into the water, and I was very upset - I wanted a normal prosthesis to at least begin to swim.

But why did you start riding so late, after all surfers ride from early childhood?
I did not have enough money to buy myself a serious board and really ride the waves, so I settled for bodibordom. Yes, before the accident, I skied on bodiborde.

How much do you know people who ride on the surf with a prosthetic leg?
I have no knees, and I know a surfer with the same injury - he lives in Brazil and very good rolls.

What other sports do you do?
In addition to surfing, I still ride on a skateboard, snowboarding, doing swimming - I generally enjoyed sports.

Do you feel that you've been given with great difficulty than others?
Yes, but this should just get used to. For example, when you ride the surf, you have to do a certain number of movements to jump on board. I have to make more steps, because I do not feel his leg, but it's just a matter of training.

How do people react when they see that you ride a surf?
I think my efforts and my skating inspire people to something new, give them to understand that they are capable of more. In particular, people devoid of feet or hands, realize that they are not so limited, as they think.

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Chinese Boy Born with a Mask-Like Face

2010-07-25T03:45:00.001-07:00

A Chinese boy born one year ago in Shanghai has a rare transverse facial cleft - his skull has a large horizontal section missing. It looks really creepy but the worst thing is that if the corrective surgery is done on him, it may kill him…Poor little kid. More images after the break...

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The world's largest dam is located in China

2010-07-21T23:17:00.001-07:00

Flooding in central China feels the strength of the world's largest dam - Three Gorges. It is reported that it now to the limit - resets 70,000 cubic meters of water per second. This is a record. However, the water level every hour only grows. The consequences, according to the engineers, can be disastrous, especially considering that the flooding in the area have already left homeless tens of thousands of people and caused material damage to millions of yuan. Evacuate had about a million people. More Images after the break...

World’s Most Tattooed Woman

2010-07-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

Julia Gnuse – nicknamed the ‘illustrated lady’ – has 95 per cent of her body covered in ink, ranging from jungle scenes and cartoons to her favourite actors. Miss Gnuse, from California, started getting tattoos on her legs after developing a skin condition called porphyria, which causes the skin to blister when exposed to sunlight. More images after the break...

In an interview, Miss Gnuse said although the ink did not stop her skin from blistering, it covered up the scars and allowed her to be exposed to the sun. ‘I had a friend who is a plastic surgeon, who suggested tattooing my skin the same color to the scarring that I had, seeing if we can match my just pale-looking skin that I had.’ Miss Gnuse said every one of her designs had been created by the same tattoo artist. Miss Gnuse features in the 2011 Guiness World Records book.

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Creative Tape Reel

2010-07-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

WCreative Tage Reel 14 more images after the break...

Super Creative Motorcycle Helmets

2010-07-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

If I saw a biker in a helmet, it would have been a long time to smile, a very cool idea! More images after the break...

A Brave Boy

2010-07-15T05:23:00.001-07:00

This boy's name is Gabe Marsh, originally from the U.S. state of Alabama, he was born with one arm and no legs. But this does not prevent him play for the school in swimming, and even with the results from past competitions, he won second place. More images after the break...

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Antisa — The oldest person on Earth turns 130

2010-07-13T05:52:00.000-07:00

Authorities in the former Soviet republic of Georgia claim a woman from a remote mountain village turned 130, making her the oldest person on Earth. Antisa Khvichava from western Georgia was born on July 8, 1880, said Georgiy Meurnishvili, spokesman for the civil registry at the Justice Ministry. The woman, who lives with her 40-year-old grandson in an idyllic vine-covered country house in the mountains, retired from her job as a tea and corn picker in 1965, when she was 85, records say.

Antisa 'the oldest person on Earth' turns 130 (and she doesn't look a day over)

Birthday in bed: Antisa Khvichava rests during her 130th birthday party in the village of Sachino, Georgia. She claims to be the oldest person in the world 'I've always been healthy, and I've worked all my life - at home and at the farm,' Antisa said, in a bright dress and headscarf - and red lipstick. Sitting in the chair and holding her cane, Antisa spoke quietly through an interpreter - since she never went to school to learn Georgian and speaks only the local language, Mingrelian. Her age couldn't immediately be independently verified. Her birth certificate was lost - one of the great number to have disappeared in the past century amid revolutions and a civil war which followed the collapse of the USSR. More Images after the break...

Proof of age: Her age has not been independantly verified but Antisa shows her passport and other documents clearly stating that her date of birth is July 1880 Her 70-year-old son Mikhail, who was also at the party, apparently was born when his mother was 60. She said she also had two children from a previous marriage, but says they died of hunger during World War II. Mikhail said that, although his mother had difficulty walking and had stayed largely in bed during the past seven years, she made a point of hobbling unaided to the outhouse on the other side of the yard, because she hates to be a nuisance.

Make a wish: Antisa blows out candles on a special birthday cake and, despite her advanced age, can still get about with the aid of a walking stick But Meurnishvili showed two Soviet-era documents that he says attest to her age. Scores of officials, neighbors, friends, and descendants backed up her claim as the world's top senior. The Gerontology Research Group currently recognizes 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard of Saint Barthelemy, France, as the world's oldest person. Antisa would make Eugenie look like a spring chicken - but the research group is yet to examine Antisa's claim. She has a son, 10 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and six great, great grandchidren.

Let's get this party started: A local folk group performs traditional songs for Antisa and her 70-year-old son Mikhail as part of the celebrations Though her body has all but quit on her - her fingers cramped by age mean she can no longer maintain her love of knitting - relatives say her mind remains sharp. 'Grandma has a very clear mind and she hasn't lost an ability to think rationally,' said Khvichava's granddaughter Shorena, who lives in a nearby village. To mark Antisa's birthday, a string ensemble played folk music out on the lawn, while grandchildren offered traditional Mingrelian dishes like corn porridge and spiced chicken with herbs to all guests as the party. Via : Link

Victims of Bulls

2010-07-13T05:35:00.000-07:00

Every year from July 7th-14th thousands pack into Pamplona to start Spain's most famous bull-running fiesta to honour Navarre capital's patron saint, San Fermin. Spain stages more than 3,000 fiestas (festivals) each year but the 7 days of bull-running are the favourite in terms of spectacle and excitement. More Images after the break...

After the daybreak of July 7th, runners (mainly young men) gather at the bottom of Santo Domingo, which is the starting line. They crowd together and sing to the image of San Fermin which is placed in a niche on a wall. The song goes: "A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro dándonos su bendición" ("We ask San Fermín, as our Patron, to guide us through the Bull Run and give us his blessing.")Then, as a rocket goes off, a number of fighting bulls are let out onto the streets. A second rocket is then let off to make sure everyone knows the bulls are loose in the street. The bulls run along the narrow street 825 metres (half a mile) to a bull ring. The runners dash along in front of the bulls, aiming to feel the breath of the bull on their backs, getting as close as possible - all whilst trying to avoid getting gored by their sharp horns.

The supposed way to do this is to start off slowly when the bulls are quite a distance behind. Then as they get nearer start running like hell! You can then go near them for a short time, as near as you are prepared to risk it, and then quickly get out of the way. Runners look for a gap in the fence to slip through or jump over, or a space against the wall of the street. Text Via : Link

Most Expensive Football Transfers

2010-07-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

Top 10 most expensive football transfers :Football Players — Real Madrid look to have blown the current transfer record for a footballer out of the water after having an £80m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo accepted by Man United. We look back at the ten mega-deals the Portuguese wizard's apparent move to Spain will put in the shadows. More images after the break...

1. Kaka £59m - from AC Milan to Real Madrid

Until Real came in for Ronaldo, their reported £59m bid for Kaka looked like it was going to be the new world record benchmark for a transfer fee. Kaka said he was moving 'for AC Milan'. Course he is.

Following the controversial arrival of Luis Figo in the Spanish capital a year before, Real president Florentino Perez continued his now infamous Galacticos project with the capture of the then FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane from Italian giants Juventus for a fee that stood as the world record until Kaka's deal.

2. Zinedine Zidane£46.7million - from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001

3. Luis Figo £37million - from Barca to Real in 2000

Perez was elected Real president in the summer of 2000 on the back of his promise to do the unthinkable and bring the star player from arch-rivals Barcelona to the Bernabeu. Upon appointment he was true to his word, breaking the world transfer record by signing Luis Figo for £37million.

4. Hernan Crespo £35.7million - from Parma to Lazio in 2000

In the summer of 2000 Sven-Goran Eriksson's Lazio were Serie A champions and flush with cash following the sale of Christian Vieri to Inter Milan a year before for a then world-record fee. They spent £35.7million of their money on Parma's Hernan Crespo, who finished top scorer in the league in his first season in Rome but was unable to help the club defend their Scudetto and also left for Inter in 2002.

5. Robinho £32.5million - Real Madrid to Manchester City in 2008

Having been taken over by the super-rich Abu Dhabi investment group on the final day of the 2008 summer transfer window, the new owners of Manchester City made a signal of their intent by beating Chelsea to the signing of unsettled Brazilian star Robinho from Real Madrid in a Premier League record deal worth £32.5million

Chinese Car

2010-06-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

58-year-old Chinese fan Zhang Haiting personally built the electric car.This crumb top speed of 30 km / h and runs on one battery charge of about 50 kilometers. Seeing the reaction of passers-by in Shanghai, samodelkin thinking about the commercialization of his invention. Alleged price elektromalysha - only 5600 yuan ($ 820). More images after the break...

10 Best Footballers in the FIFA World Cup 2010

2010-06-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

The biggest sporting event on this planet is about to start in a couple of days and all eyes are set on South Africa. Teams have started coming to host country and so does the spectators. Everyone is thriving to see there favorite players on the field fighting for FIFA world cup trophy. Some of the players of a certain sporting event are always highlighted as favorites. From the massive players who compete in a tournament, there are always best players who prevail. Let’s talk about the best players participating in the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa. So here is a list of 10 best footballers to look forward in the FIFA World Cup 2010.

10 Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, a 22 years old forward, from Argentina with a club team named Barcelona. He is the youngest among the top 10 and a left-footer who uses low center of gravity in striking the ball to goal. More about Footballers after the break...

09 Kaka

Kaka, a 27 years old midfielder, from Brazil with a club team named Real Madrid. Coming from the upper-middle-class clan, he has been one of the best players in the football world making the Brazil team one of the best.

08 Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney, a 24 years old forward, from England with a club team named Manchester United. He is known as the baby-face-assassin who can strike from anywhere which allows him to score any type of goal and been proving his finishing skills.

07 Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, a 25 years old midfielder, from Portugal with a club named Real Madrid. He has a special skill in long-range free kicks which enables him to score from anywhere.

06 Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba, 31 years old, from Ivory Coast with a club team named Chelsea and holds the position of forward. This athletic player has become one of the world’s leading strikers. His participation in world cup is not shower right now due to his recent injury.

05 Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard, a 29 years old midfielder, from England with a club team named Liverpool. He has been an outstanding midfielder who also acts as a second striker or as a winger. Along with Frank Lampard, they formed the best duo attacking midfielders in the world. He is a nine-year veteran of the English team.

04 Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres, a 25 years old forward, from Spain with a club team named Liverpool. He has been playing in the football world since the age of 7 and never stops scoring goals which made him one of the best strikers in the world.

03 Xavi

Xavi, 30 years old, from Spain with the club team FC Barcelona and acts as a midfielder. He has his artistic ways of accurate passes and vision with a great ability of keeping the ball.

02 Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard is an English footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and at international level for the England national team. He plays most often as a box-to-box midfielder and has also enjoyed spells in a more advanced attacking midfield. He is considered to be one of the best footballers in the world.

01 Robinho

Robinho is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Brazilian National team. Robinho was personally picked by Brazil legend Pele as his heir apparent at only 15 years of age.

Bicycle with Sidecar

2010-06-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

This is not a movie "about the Germans and not the old Soviet great - this vehicle is built not on an industrial scale and in the backyard or in the garage. This cool bike with a sidecar collected Briton Steve Bodiley his own hands. More images after the break...

Liang Yong - The Thickest Chinese

2010-06-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

Liang Yong, 30, who weighs about 230 kg (507 lbs) and is 1.58 m (5.18 ft) tall, lies on a bed as his 3-year-old daughter Liang Shuang (L) and 5-year-old son Liang Xin (R) visit him in a ward at a hospital in Chongqing municipality June 1, 2010. Liang, who has suffered from obesity since 1998 and has unsuccessfully tried different methods of losing weight, is in a critical health condition due to his weight, and has been warded in the intensive care unit since last week, local media reported. More images after the break...

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Big Wheel Bicycle

2010-06-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

What can be done with the wheel of BelAZ. More images and video after the break...

Tallest man in America named Igor Vovkovinskiy

2010-05-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

At a towering 7 feet 8 1/3 inches, Igor Vovkovinskiy now holds top honors as the tallest man in the United States, according to Guinness World Records officials. more images after the break....

The 27-year-old Minnesota resident -- who sports size 24 10-E shoes -- one-upped previous record-holder George Bell, passing the 7-foot-8 deputy sheriff by a third of an inch.

{{{Standing 7 feet and 8 1/3 inches, Minnesota resident Igor Vovkovinskiy was named the tallest man in the United States by Guinness World Records officials.}}}

Tallest man in America named Igor Vovkovinskiy

Taking trips when you are 7 foot 8.33 inches tall can be a challenge but Igor Vovkovinskiy left his Minnesota home for the New York City set of the Dr. Oz Show to be named the tallest man in the United States by the Guinness World Records this week.

Vovkovinskiy took the record set by Virginia deputy sheriff George Bell by just a third of an inch.

Vovkovinskiy came to the US from the Ukraine as a 7-year-old with his mother Svetlana twenty years ago.

The young man with a size 24 10-E shoe faces daily challenges living in a world where the average man is just 5 foot 10 inches tall. Just sitting at a desk at the Minnesota School of Business can be a task for the paralegal studies student. Upon accepting the Guinness World Record, Igor said in a press release obtained by Digital Journal, "It feels good to finally have proof that I am the Tallest Man in America. Everyone is always asking me if I'm certain that I'm the tallest and I was never able to prove it. Now that I have this certificate to hang on my wall, I could finally show it!" "Igor had been on our radar for a while, so we were eager to measure him and see if he was, in fact, the Tallest Living Man in America," said Guinness World Records adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. "Following stringent Guinness World Record guidelines on measurement, we're pleased to confirm that Igor is now a part of record-breaking history."

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Top 10 Prehistoric Fish Alive Today

2010-05-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

10 Hagfish

According to the fossil record, hagfish have existed for over 300 million years, which means they were already old when dinosaurs took over the world! Found in relatively deep waters, these animals are sometimes called slime eels, but they are not really eels, and actually, they may not even be fish at all,according to some scientists. They are very bizarre animals in all regards; they have a skull but lack a spine, and they have two brains. Almost blind, they feed at night on the carcasses of large animals (fish, cetaceans etc) which fall to the sea bottom. They owe their “slime eel” nickname to the fact that they produce a slimey substance to damage the gills of predatory fish; as a result, they have virtually no natural enemies. 9 more after the break...

9 Lancetfish

The lancetfish has a very obvious “prehistoric” appearance, with those fierce-looking, sharp teeth on its jaws and the sail on its back, reminiscent of that of some dinosaurs (although, in the lancetfish the sail is actually an enlarged dorsal fin). Even its scientific name has a dinosaurian sound to it (Alepisaurus ferox). Up to two meters (6' 6?) in length, this predator is found in all the oceans except for polar regions; very voracious, it feeds on smaller fish and squid, and has known to feed on members of its own species sometimes.

8 Arowana

Belonging to the ancient group of the Osteoglossids, these fish already existed in the Jurassic period. Today, they are found in the Amazon, and in parts of Africa, Asia and Australia. Sometimes kept as exotic pets, arowanas are voracious predators that feed on any small animal they can catch, including birds and bats which they catch in mid flight (they are able to leap up to 2 meters (6' 6?) into the air). In China, arowanas are known as “dragon-fish” due to their appearance, and they are thought to be harbingers of good luck.

7 Frilled Shark

This deep sea predator, one of the most primitive sharks alive today, is a relic from the Cretaceous period, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Seldom seen alive, and only recently filmed for the first time, the frilled shark can grow up to 2 meters (6' 6?) (with females being larger than males) and they live in deep waters, where they feed mostly on squid. They are not dangerous to humans, and as a matter of fact, most frilled sharks spend their whole lives without seeing a human being. Only dead or dying specimens are usually seen and recorded by fishermen or scientists.

6 Sturgeon

Another survivor from the age of dinosaurs (they were already around in the early Jurassic), the sturgeon is well known for being one of the main sources of caviar (which is made out of their roe or egg masses); due to overfishing, these magnificent, armored fish are sadly endangered nowadays. The largest sturgeon species can grow up to 6 meters (19' 7?) long, being as large as most great white sharks; they feed on small animals from the sea bottom and pose no danger to humans, unless provoked (although they are so big that they have hurt, and even killed, people unintentionally by leaping out of the water and landing on boats!)

5 Arapaima

A close relative to the arowana (see #8), the Amazonian arapaima is sometimes considered to be the largest freshwater fish in the world. According to early descriptions, it could grow up to 4.5 meters (14' 8?) long, but today, enormous individuals like these are seldom found and most adult arapaimas average 2 meters (6' 6?) long. These slow moving predators feed on smaller fish, crustaceans and whatever small animal they can fit in their mouth. An interesting trait of this fish is that it needs to breath oxygen from the air, like a cetacean, in order to survive. Arapaimas pose no danger to humans and are often hunted for their meat; unfortunately, they are very scarce nowadays. Although the arapaima seemingly appeared in the Miocene period, it belongs to a much older family, the Osteoglossidae, and therefore its origins can be traced back to the age of dinosaurs.

4 Sawfish

This critically endangered animal is a survivor from the Cretaceous period, and can be found both in saltwater or in rivers and creeks, and has been found up to 100 kms inland. Up to 7 meters (23') in length, sawfish may look like sharks but are actually more closely related to rays. Their “saw” is both a weapon and a sensory organ, covered on electro-sensitive pores which allow it to sense prey despite its terrible eyesight. Although usually peaceful, the sawfish can become extremely dangerous if provoked. Due to an extraordinary fossil, we know that gigantic, prehistoric sawfish were probably a staple food for the largest carnivorous dinosaur, Spinosaurus, as a vertebra from the fish was found stuck between the dinosaur’s teeth.

3 Alligator Gar

This formidable, thick scaled predator is found in the southern US and northern and eastern Mexico, being the largest freshwater fish in North America (although it sometimes wanders into the sea). It can grow up to 4 meters (13') long and weigh up to 200 kgs (440lbs). Gator gars are so called because of their reptilian appearance and long jaws, armed with a double row of sharp teeth. They are voracious ambush predators and have been known to bite humans on occasion, although no confirmed deaths due to alligator gars have been recorded to date. Gars are among the oldest fish alive today; their origins can be traced back to the Cretaceous period.

2 Polypterus Senegalus

These african fish are often called “dinosaur eels”, due to their reptilian appearance and serrated dorsal fin, reminiscent of some dinosaurs’ spiked backs. They are not really eels, but members of the bichir family. Bichirs were already around in the Cretaceous, so the “dinosaur” part of their name is actually fitting in a way. Although often sold as exotic pets, dinosaur eels are prone to escaping their fish tanks. They can survive out of the water for long periods of time as long as their skin remains wet, which enables them to wander far away from their tank.

1 Coelacanth

The Coelacanth is the most famous of all “living fossils” and deserves to be #1 in this list, because it is the best example of a “Lazarus taxon”, this is, animals that were supposed to be long extinct and are unexpectedly found to be alive. Coelacanths were supposed to have become extinct in the Cretaceous period, along with the dinosaurs, but in 1938, a live specimen was caught in South Africa. Since then, more specimens have been seen and photographed, and a second coelacanth species was even found in Indonesia in 1999. Coelacanths are large predators, up to 2 meters (6' 6?) long; they feed on smaller fish, including small sharks, and are usually found in deep, dark waters. Although rarely captured and consumed due to their horrible taste, coelacanths are critically endangered nowadays.

Supercar turned into a Taxi

2010-05-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

Within two days the inhabitants of Rome and visit the Italian capital were able to use the services of unusual taxi - Giugiaro Quaranta. This concept was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008, as it turned out now, the prototype was quite workable. Unfortunately witnesses, double lift supercar could only two adult people - in fourth place can seat only child. More images after the break...

For body panels Giugiaro Quaranta hid hybrid propulsion Hybrid Synergy Drive from the Lexus RX400h - 3,3-liter gasoline engine V6, electric motor and CVT, outstanding 268 horsepower and 288 Nm of maximum torque, and in addition, charge batteries from solar panels. Passport acceleration time up to a hundred - about 4,0 seconds. Photos Via TopSpeed

Sassy Thomas - Eating for Pleasure and Profit

2010-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

Eating anything you want and getting paid for it seems like a fantasy, but for Sassy Thomas, a supersized internet model, it’s just everyday life.

30-year-old Sassy Thomas has had trouble with her weight, ever since she can remember. her parents put her on a diet, wen she was only 10-years old, but after countless diets and nutritionist consults, the poor girl still weighed a lot more than most kids her age. School, and pretty much life in general, were a nightmare for the young Brit, from Tottenham, North London. In everyone’s eyes, she was the fat kid, and that’s never easy.

At 18, Sassy left school, and got a job as a security guard. She would spend her shift reading glamor magazines and thinking celebrity life-style was out of her reach. But one day, after a simple Google search, she discovered the wonderful world of Big Beautiful Women (BBW). She signed up on a forum, with a picture, and within minutes, received 20 emails from men who wanted to see more of her. It was the start of the life she always dreamed of. More images after the break...

After contacting a fellow BBW, Sassy Thomas learned there are men out there (known as fat admirers) wiling to pay big money to see her stuff her face and rub her 63-inch belly. She set up a website, bought some fat food and started filming herself eating it. After only one session, Sassy had already become a star, and fat admirers couldn’t get enough of her. She began charging between $8 and $60 for photos and videos of her eating away at super-sized portions of food, and is now making up to $3,000 a month, as an internet model.

Sassy gave up her $20,000 a month job, as a security guard and is now enjoying the high life as a super-sized model, that everyone wants to see eat. Admit it, you’d hit that piece of…chocolate cake, in her hand. Via Link

Little Designer

2010-05-05T23:26:00.000-07:00

While other little girls were watching cartoons, or playing with Barbie dolls, Cecilia Cassini was reading fashion magazines and learning how to sew. Now, at 10 years of age, she’s already an established fashion designer for kids. More images and video after the break...

Cecilia Cassini, from Encino, California, began her career as fashion designer, when she was just 5 years old. She cut up her sister’s Betsy Johnson dress, when no one was looking, and adjusted it to her own design. For her 6th birthday, she received a sewing machine and began taking sewing lessons. At 7 years old, she wrote a letter to her favorite fashion designer, Coco Channel, for school, and designed her own logo, at 8.

It’s safe to say Cecilia was very creative, from an early age, but she got her big break last year, when her mother mentioned to a store owner that her daughter made dresses. During a trunk show, the fifth-grader sold 50 pieces. Things started happening, from there, and now Miss Cassini has her own manager, no other than Pilar DeMann, the woman behind the Kardashians’ rise to power.

Cecilia Cassini and her fashion creations are becoming more and more popular, with each passing day, and she’s even opened up a cool-looking website, where people can check out and order her works. Another super-kid that’s going places, fast. Photo by — Holzman/Lapresse, Cecilia Cassini, Lawrence K. Ho, MCT, Lionel Cassini.

German Dude Marries His Cat

2010-05-05T23:00:00.000-07:00

A German postal worker, from Possendorf, has unofficially married his beloved cat, Cecilia. 39-year-old Uwe Mitzscherlich has shared precious moments with Cecilia, for the last 10 years. Unfortunately, the purring fur-ball is now obese and asthmatic, and the vets don’t think she has much more to live. Because they’ve had such a unique relationship, for many years, Mr. Mitzscherlich decided to make it official, and asked Cecilia’s…paw, in marriage. More images and video after the break...

Sadly, human-animal weddings aren’t recognized in Germany, so Uwe Mitzscherlich had to pay a female actor to officiate the ceremony. At first she thought it was a joke, but quickly realized this was a dream come true, for the German postal worker.The couple dressed for the occasion, with Uwe wearing a wedding suit and top hat, and Cecilia boasting a lovely white dress.

It was a beautiful ceremony, and 15-year-old Cecilia even meowed loudly, through the exchanging of the vows. Check out a video of this unusual wedding, at the bottom. Via — Link

Interesting Facts About the Sun

2010-04-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

Photo : Link

Think you know everything there is to know about the Sun? Think again. Here are 10 interesting facts about the Sun, collected in no particular order. Some you might already know, and others will be totally new to you. Interesting facts after the break...

1. The Sun is the Solar System.

We live on the planet, so we think it's an equal member of the Solar System. But that couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is that the mass of the Sun accounts for 99.8% of the mass of the Solar System. And most of that final 0.2% comes from Jupiter. So the mass of the Earth is a fraction of a fraction of the mass of the Solar System. Really, we barely exist.

2. And the Sun is mostly hydrogen and helium.

If you could take apart the Sun and pile up its different elements, you'd find that 74% of its mass comes from hydrogen. with 24% helium. The remaining 2% is includes trace amounts of iron, nickel, oxygen, and all the other elements we have in the Solar System. In other words, the Solar System is mostly made of hydrogen.

3. The Sun is pretty bright.

We know of some amazingly large and bright stars, like Eta Carina and Betelgeuse. But they're incredibly far away. Our own Sun is a relatively bright star. If you could take the 50 closest stars within 17 light-years of the Earth, the Sun would be the 4th brightest star in absolute terms. Not bad at all.

4. The Sun is huge, but tiny.

With a diameter of 109 times the size the Earth, the Sun makes a really big sphere. You could fit 1.3 million Earths inside the Sun. Or you could flatten out 11,990 Earths to cover the surface of the Sun. That's big, but there are some much bigger stars out there. For example, the biggest star that we know of would almost reach Saturn if it were placed inside the Solar System.

5. The Sun is middle aged.

Astronomers think that the Sun (and the planets) formed from the solar nebula about 4.59 billion years ago. The Sun is in the main sequence stage right now, slowly using up its hydrogen fuel. But at some point, in about 5 billion years from now, the Sun will enter the red giant phase, where it swells up to consume the inner planets – including Earth (probably). It will slough off its outer layers, and then shrink back down to a relatively tiny white dwarf.

6. The Sun has layers.

The Sun looks like a burning ball of fire, but it actually has an internal structure. The visible surface we can see is called the photosphere, and heats up to a temperature of about 6,000 degrees Kelvin. Beneath that is the convective zone, where heat moves slowly from the inner Sun to the surface, and cooled material falls back down in columns. This region starts at 70% of the radius of the Sun. Beneath the convection zone is the radiative zone. In this zone, heat can only travel through radiation. The core of the Sun extends from the center of the Sun to a distance of 0.2 solar radii. This is where temperatures reach 13.6 million degrees Kelvin, and molecules of hydrogen are fused into helium.

7. The Sun is heating up, and will kill all life on Earth.

It feels like the Sun has been around forever, unchanging, but that's not true. The Sun is actually slowly heating up. It's becoming 10% more luminous every billion years. In fact, within just a billion years, the heat from the Sun will be so intense that liquid water won't exist on the surface of the Earth. Life on Earth as we know it will be gone forever. Bacteria might still live on underground, but the surface of the planet will be scorched and uninhabited. It'll take another 7 billion years for the Sun to reach its red giant phase before it actually expands to the point that it engulfs the Earth and destroys the entire planet.

8. Different parts of the Sun rotate at different speeds.

Unlike the planets, the Sun is great big sphere of hydrogen gas. Because of this, different parts of the Sun rotate at different speeds. You can see how fast the surface is rotating by tracking the movement of sunspots across the surface. Regions at the equator take 25 days to complete one rotation, while features at the poles can take 36 days. And the inside of the Sun seems to take about 27 days.

9. The outer atmosphere is hotter than the surface.

The surface of the Sun reaches temperatures of 6,000 Kelvin. But this is actually much less than the Sun's atmosphere. Above the surface of the Sun is a region of the atmosphere called the chromosphere, where temperatures can reach 100,000 K. But that's nothing. There's an even more distant region called the corona, which extends to a volume even larger than the Sun itself. Temperatures in the corona can reach 1 million K.

10. There are spacecraft observing the Sun right now.

The most famous spacecraft sent to observe the Sun is the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, built by NASA and ESA, and launched in December, 1995. SOHO has been continuously observing the Sun since then, and sent back countless images. A more recent mission is NASA's STEREO spacecraft. This was actually two spacecraft, launched in October 2006. These twin spacecraft were designed to watch the same activity on the Sun from two different vantage points, to give a 3-D perspective of the Sun's activity, and allow astronomers to better predict space weather.

Via : Link

World's Youngest Tattoo Artist

2010-04-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

Most three-year-old girls are just getting to grips with felt pens, but Ruby Dickinson is taking her artistic tendencies a step further. The toddler is set to become the world's youngest tattoo artist after learning the trade from her father, Blane, who runs a tattoo parlour in Wales. Mr Dickinson, 36, is importing an ink gun from the U.S. that has been specially designed to be used by small hands. More images after the break...

Ruby Dickinson is set to become the world's youngest tattoo artist after learning the trade from her father, Blane, who runs a tattoo parlour in Wales. Ruby will be getting the miniature tattoo kit for her fourth birthday in October. Mr Dickinson told North Wales Pioneer: 'Ruby is well aware she is getting the kit, she cannot wait. She wants to be a tattoo artist when she grows up. 'The aim is to get her to tattoo my leg with a birthday message for my 40th birthday.' The toddler currently takes tattoo lessons after nursery as well as practising with a toy kit at her father's shop. Mr Dickinson hopes to beat Canadian Emilie Darrigade's record of tattooing part of a butterfly on to her father's arm when she was five.

Mr Dickinson, 36, is importing an ink gun from the U.S. that has been specially designed to be used by small hands, According to her father, Ruby is nearly able to draw a complete version of her favourite design - a spider.

'I'm under no illusions that she'll do a Van Gogh, after all she's only three-and-a-half,' Mr Dickinson told The Sun.

'But I've got 70 per cent of my body covered in tattoos already and it'll only be the size of a 2p piece, so I'm not too worried she'll make a mess of it.'

Mr Dickinson, who runs Inkaholics Anonymous at his home in Penmaenmawr, Conwy, added: 'It'll be a proud and very special moment for me and for her.

'She really loves it and I'm pleased I can teach her the skills.'

However, despite hoping Ruby will take up tattooing as a career, the toddler's father is keen to let her make her own choices.

Via Link

Sheep - Pig pulling the wool over

2010-04-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

At first glance, with its woolly coat, onlookers would be forgiven for mistaking this creature for a sheep. However, a closer look at this rare breed reveals a snout and trotters usually found on pigs. It’s a confusing sight, but this is one of three curly coated Mangalitza ‘sheep-pigs’ which have been delivered to a UK zoo. More images after the break...

Pig in a blanket: Buddy, one of the Mangalitza sheep-pigs that have been delivered to a zoo in Essex, As part of a programme to help save the animals from extinction, staff at Tropical Wings in Essex are hoping they can help the breed survive.Originating from Austria and Hungary, the Mangalitza is similar to the native Lincolnshire curly coat breed which died out in Britain 40 years ago. ‘At first sight, people think they are sheep,’ Denise Cox, education co-ordinator, at Tropical Wings, said. ‘It is not until they turn around and you see their faces and snouts you realise they are in fact pigs.

‘The woolly coat makes them very hardy and helps them to survive in the harsh winters in their native Austria and Hungary. ‘In the summer it helps protect them from sunburn.’ The sheep-pig used to be a common sight in Lincolnshire and was shorn once a year to make sweaters, but it became extinct in Britain in 1972. In the early 1900s, many Lincolnshire curly coats were sold to Austria and Hungary where they were crossed with the Mangalitza, creating the Lincolista. Three years ago this cross-breed were found thriving in Austria and a small number were brought back to create a herd in Britain. Now offspring from this herd have gone to Essex to form part of a programme to prevent the breed from disappearing. They are worth around £1,000, five times the value of an ordinary pig and are fond of fruit and the odd tipple. Blond-haired male, Buddy, black-coated female, Porsche, and ginger Margot have already attracted lots of interest from visitors. ‘Although there is a small amount of genetic DNA in there, they are in a small way linked to Lincolnshire curly coat,’ Ms Cox added. ‘It’s extremely rare, particularly in its native Hungary and Austria. ‘We want to show people what these native woolly pigs used to look like and ensure the breed remains in this country and survives. ‘They have already become a real talking point at the zoo and everyone loves them.’

Ms Cox said there was a possibility Porsche could already be pregnant. ‘Her tummy looks much rounder than the other female, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed,’ she said.

Spotlight: Emma Thompson takes a sheep-pig to a world film premiere at the Odeon West End in London

Mangalitza pigs are much hardier than normal pigs and moult in the summer to prevent them getting too hot. Unlike normal commercial pigs they do not get sunburnt. Hair from the pigs is particularly popular in the U.S. as it retains air bubbles under water making it ideal for tying fishing flies. They come in three colours, bright red, blonde and black with a cream stomach and they are lardier than most breeds, making them perfect for Parma ham-style cuts. Sheep-pigs hit the headlines last month after Emma Thompson took one to the London premiere of her latest film Nanny McPhee And The Big Bang. The actress was nearly upstaged by the animal - which refused to pose for the cameras and was so startled by the screaming fans it relieved itself at the entrance to the Leicester Square cinema.

Via : Link

New Chinese Invention

2010-04-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

Huskies Can Pull Not Only Sleds, This Chinese man found what his pack of Huskies can pull and I may say it is a good idea. Completely eco-friendly :) more images after the break...

Via : Link

Presidents in Their Young Age

2010-04-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama, 3 Years Old, With Grandfather, 1965

Photos of some of the most famous US presidents when they were just kids. There is nothing special about them and there is no way to know, just by looking, that these boys would grow up to become the leader of the most powerful country in the free world. More images after the break...

George W. Bush, 9 Years Old, With His Mother and Father, 1955

Bill Clinton, 5 Years Old, 1952

George H.W. Bush, 5 Years Old, With Sister Mercy, 1929

Ronald Reagan, 12 Years Old, 1923

Jimmy Carter, 12 Years Old, With Dog Bozo, 1937

Gerald Ford, 6 Years Old, With His Half-Brother, Tom, 1920

Richard Millhouse Nixon, 4 Years Old, 1917

Lyndon Johnson, 6 Months Old, 1909

John F. Kennedy, 10 Years Old, 1927

Dwight D. Eisenhower (Center) With Friends, 17 Years Old, 1907

Harry S. Truman, 6 Months Old, 1884

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 3 Years Old, 1885

Abraham Lincoln, Age Unknown

Vai Link

The Man with Half a Body

2010-04-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Kenny Easterday is a 35-year-old American man born with a rare disease (sacral agenesis) that prevents his spine from growing correctly. Doctors amputated his legs when he was a baby to use his shinbone for completing his underdeveloped spine.Kenny never liked wheelchairs and refused to wear prosthetic legs, so he learned with his dad to walk on his hands and to move with a skateboard.As many other men, he enjoys sports (especially bowling and pool), has a job and has found his sweetheart, Nicky, with whom he raises her two kids.Nicky got pregnant when she started to date Kenny 7 years ago, so they made a test to know for sure if he’s the real father. They’re waiting for the results…Kenny’s unbelievable story is filmed for the new documentary “The Man with Half a Body” that appeared yesterday on TLC. See more pictures and an extract of the documentary inside the post…

10 Amazing Things You Didn't Know About China

2010-04-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

01. China executes three times as many people as the rest of the world

China carries out almost three times as many executions as the rest of the world put together, according to the most conservative estimate by Amnesty International. In 2008, the group confirmed 1,718 executions through news reports and public documents, but many others are not reported. Some analysts say the figure may be above 6,000. The exact number is a state secret. Many executions are done on the road using vehicles called the death vans designed by Jinguan Motors. The makers of these vans say the vehicles and injections are a civilized alternative to the firing squad, ending the life of the condemned more quickly, clinically and safely. According to them, the switch from gunshots to injections is a sign thatChina "promotes" human rights now. (Link 1 | Link 2) More ....after the break...

02. There are already more Christians in China than Italy, and it's on track to become the largest center of Christianity in the world

Due to the extremely rapid expansion of Christianity in China, there are now an estimated 54 million Christians in the country, comprised of about 40 million Protestants and 14 million Catholics. Meanwhile, Italy has just 60 million people in total, of which 79% are Christian these days, which means Italy has 47.4 million Christians, that's 12% less thanChina. (Photo by Robert Reinlund) (Via Link | Photo)

03. Over 4000 babies in China were named "Olympic Games" while the country was getting ready for Beijing 2008

The Beijing Olympics was more than just a point of pride for China — it was such an important part of the national consciousness that over 4,000 children have been named for the event. Most of the 4,104 people with the name "Aoyun," meaningOlympics , were born around the year 2000, as Beijing was bidding to host the 2008 Summer Games. The vast majority of people named Aoyun are male. Names related to theOlympics don't just stop with "Olympics ." More than 4,000 Chinese share their names with the Beijing Games mascots, the "Five Friendlies." Chinese have increasingly turned to unique names as a way to express a child's individuality.

In a country with a population of 1.3 billion, 87 percent share the same family names. (Link 1 | Link 2)

04. China uses 45 billion chopsticks per year.

In China, an estimated 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are used and thrown away annually. This adds up to 1.7 million cubic metres of timber or 25 million fully grown trees every year. (Link)

05. 200 million people in China live on less than $1 a day.

Poverty in China refers to people whose income is less than a poverty line of $1.25 per day. The poverty rate in China in 1981 was 64% of the population. Fortunately, this rate declined to 10% in 2004, indicating that about 500 million people have climbed out of poverty during this period. (Link)

06 Over 700 million Chinese people drink polluted water

China has 20% of the world's population but only 7% of global water resources. To make matters worse, 90% of cities' groundwater and 75% of rivers and lakes are polluted according to the World Bank. This means that 700 million people drink contaminated water every day. (Link)

07. Ice Cream and Pasta may have been created in China.

A frozen mixture of milk and rice was invented in China around 200 BC, giving birth to ice cream. Also, a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles was discovered at an archaeological site in westernChina, possible demonstrating that China invented pasta before Italy. (Link 1 | Link 2)

08. Over 50% of counterfeit goods in the EU come from China.

In Europe, China was the main source country for intellectual property rights infringing articles with 54% of the total amount.CD/DVD was the top category of articles detained with a total amount of 79 million, which accounted for 44% of the entire amount, followed by cigarettes (23%) and clothing and accessories (10%). (Link)

09. China is not free from Europe's medieval plague yet.

In 2009 China ended a quarantine blockade around a remote northwestern town hit by pneumonic plague. The outbreak of the highly infectious disease killed three villagers around Ziketan Town in Qinghai province. But with no new infections reported for over a week, authorities decided to lift the blockade on the remote town of 10,000 in a heavily ethnic Tibetan area.China experiences sporadic outbreaks of the plague, which is typically spread by rodents and fleas and can pass easily between people. (Link)

10. By 2025, China will build TEN New York-sized cities.

The scale and pace of China's urbanization promises to continue at an unprecedented rate. If current trends hold, China's urban population will expand from 572 million in 2005 to 926 million in 2025 and hit the one billion mark by 2030. In 20 years,China's cities will have added 350 million people—more than the entire population of the United States today. By 2025, China will have 219 cities with more than one million inhabitants—compared with 35 in Europe today—and 24 cities with more than five million people. Also, 40 billion square meters of floor space will be built - in five million buildings. 50,000 of these buildings could be skyscrapers - the equivalent of ten New York Cities. (Link)

Tiger Almost Gets an Acrobat

2010-04-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

During a dangerous circus show in China a Siberian Tiger almost caught an acrobat. More images after the break...

Via : Link

Chinese boy with 30 fingers and toes

2010-03-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

A Chinese hospital has released x-ray images of a six-year-old boy who was born with 14 fingers and 16 toes. The boy was scheduled for surgery at a hospital in Shenyang, Liaoning province, to removed the extra fingers and toes, local media reported. Experts said a gene mutation contributed to the growth of the extra fingers and toes, according to reports. More images after the break...

Via Link

Noddy - The World's Tallest Horse

2010-03-23T07:18:00.000-07:00

Luscombe Nodram (Noddy)- The worlds Tallest horse. Luscombe Nodram (Noddy) is coming back home to QLD for a special appearance at the Clydesdale and Heavy Horse Field Days at Gatton on May 1 & 2. After being away for 6 years. Noddy will be coming back to QLD to take part in Australias largest and most prestigious heavy horse show. After leaving home as a 15 hand weanling, Noddy returns as a 20.2 hand horse. Come and see him and say hello. 8 more images after the break...

Yahoo, big news Noddy is coming home. Noddy will be back in QLD for a little while when he is a special guest at the Gatton heavy Horse Field Days show in May. Noddy will return to his birthplace for this once in a lifetime appearance. After spending his time at the Royal Easter Show (for its duration), Noddy will make his way to QLD. Luscombe Nodram started life just like all of our other foals. He was a normal height when he was born and a normal height as a weanling. That is where Noddy stops being normal. He just kept growing and growing. Now Nodram stands 20.2 hands. Nodram was bred and born at the Shires of Luscombe in Queenlsand. His sire is the grey Shire Stallion, Luscombe Whats Wanted “Ted” and his dam is the black Shire Mare, Cedars Annabella “Annabella”. Both of these horses stand 18 hands. Nodram’s Great Great Grandsire Ladbrook Invader, was also tall. In 1981 he was in the Guiness Book of World Records as the tallest living horse, standing 19.2 hands.

Nodram is the tallest horse in Australia , he is the tallest horse in the world. He is a purebred shire gelding and is now owned by Jane Greenman of Victoria . He is broken to saddle and harness.

Noddy will also be spending 14 days as a special guest at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. He will be on display during show time and his owner Jane will be on hand to answer questions and tell you about this wonderful horse.
Nodram was the normal size of any foal born here at the Shires of Luscombe. He left home as a 6 month old weanling to go and live with Jane. He was 15 hands, the usual size for our weanlings. Jane however was not expecitng such a big 'foal', even though she wanted a Shire that was grey and that would grow to be a big horse. Little did she know she would end up with the Worlds Tallest Horse.
Nodram and his half brother Luscombe Grey Spark are the only two grey shire geldings in Australia . Nodram has been a special guest at Equitane in the past as well as making many other appearances in Victoria. He is already the star of TV shows, magazines and newspaper clippings.

Nodram enjoys spending his days with famous Thoroughbreds; he is acquainted with some of the top racing horses in Australia . Though one of his mates on the farm is another rare horse, a Suffolk Punch named Nash.

Via Link

A little Cat Friend

2010-03-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

Cats Family and little belchonka, now they live together. More images after the break...

Russians Used To Build Iron Pterosaurs

2010-03-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

Ekranoplan "Lun", or project 903

This flying-sailing “monster” was built by Russians in the former USSR. At those times Russians seemed to know how to make water planes look like huge iron “pterosaurs”. I wonder how safe this tank-ship-bird must have been. See more images after the break.......

Strange Pets on Walk

2010-03-12T05:31:00.000-08:00

Some people have some strange pets and do some even stranger things with them. In these photos, the people are walking some of the strangest pets ever as if they were their dogs. Some of these animals are even dangerous. I wonder what the neighbors think of that. More images after the break...

Via : Link

Grandma with a Horn on Her Forhead

2010-03-10T06:07:00.000-08:00

This grandma is called Zhang Ruifang and she lives in Henan province, China. The interesting thing is that she is already 100 years old. A horn started to grow on Zhang Ruyfang forhead last year and now it reached the length of about 6 centimeters...images after the break...

10 Amazing Little Heroes

2010-03-05T03:17:00.000-08:00

01 Nathan Thomson

The nine-year-old boy who saved his mother when an armed intruder tried to stab her to death. The boy was stabbed in the face as he fought to save his mum from a knife maniac. Nathan Thomson jumped on Hugh Clark's back as the drunken thug tried to kill his mother Ena. Clark turned on the little boy and lashed out with the blade, scarring him for life. But Nathan helped save Ena, who was knifed eight times but survived. The attack happened after the drunk offshore worker broke into the Rosyth's home in Fife. (Link | Photo).

More image after the break...

02 Alexis Goggin

The seven-year-old girl who used her body as a shield to save her mother's life. Alexis Goggins, a first-grader at Campbell Elementary School, was hailed as an "angel from heaven" and a hero, for jumping in front of an enraged gunman who pumped six bullets into the child as she used her body as a shieldto save her mother's life. The girl's mother, Selietha Parker, 30, was shot in the left side of her head and her biceps by a former boyfriend, but before he could fire again, Alexis jumped over the seat between her mother and the gunman and begged him not to shoot her mother. (Link)

03 Kamal Nepali

The twelve-year-old boy who risked his own life to rescue a baby girl from a 60-foot-deep gorge. A two and half year old toddler, Aradhana Pradhan, was rescued by Kamal Nepali, 12 years, after a team of professional rescuers all gave up having failed to bring the child back up even after repeated attempts. But even after 22 hours of repeated attempts, the rescuers weren't able to bring the child out. They started fearing the worst and then Kamal arrived at the scene. His elder brother Salum had told him that only a very small and thin person could manage to get through the very narrow gorgeto save the girl. "A small girl like our own little sister is trapped in the gorge, would you like to go down to rescue her?" Salum had asked Kamal. Immediately after that Kamal had readied himself to go into the gorge. (Link | Photo)

04 Isabelle Keeling

The two-year-old girl who called 999 to save her mother's life. Isabelle Keeling, 2, called the emergency services as her mother Joanne suffered a reaction to latex at their home, and was able to give her name, address and telephone number. She even opened up the front door to let in neighbours and paramedics, who were able to promptly treat her mother. Just the day before, Isabelle had watched an episode of the children's TV programme Tweenies where she had seen how to call 999. (Link)

05 Agustin Robinet:

The six-year-old boy who helped his mother to give birth. When his mother began to suffer strong contractions, and was forced to give birth at home, Agustin was the only one who was with her, so he attended his mother at giving birth. Also Agustin was encharged to call his father, who arrived home a few minutes later. When the little boy was asked if he was afraid, he answered: “My mom always says that all women are in pain when they go to have a baby”. (Link | Photo)

06 Cody McNeese

The five-year-old boy who saved his youngest brother from burning mobile home. Cody McNeese fought through flames and smoke to return to his bedroom to make sure his 3-year-old brother, Dustin, got out of their burning mobilehome alive. (Link)

07 Charlie Simpson

The seven-year-old boy who made a cycle ride to raise funds for Haiti earthquake victims. Charlie launched his efforts with a simple message: "My name is Charlie Simpson, I want to do a sponsored bike ride for Haiti because there was a big earthquake and loads of people have lost their lives. I want to make some money to buy food, water and tents for everyone in Haiti." His efforts have touched the hearts of people around the world with visitors to his JustGiving website page piling on the pounds following his sponsored ride for the charity Unicef in Fulham, south London. Charlie hoped to raise £500 for the Haiti earthquake relief by cycling five miles around a local park, but he has raised £120,000 in donations and gift aid. (Link)

08 Michael Bowron

The eight-year-old boy who stripped the radio wires and connected them to call for help as his dad lay trapped in the wreckage of a truck rollover. Michael and his father, Justin, were driving home to the family farm in a truck, when a tyre blew and truck rollover. When Justin regained consciousness minutes later his leg was caught in the mangled truck, trapping him in the vehicle. Michael, who had been sitting in the sleeper cabin, crawled out of the wreck through the windscreen and tried to free his dad with a tyre lever. When that didn't work, he rummaged for the radio, but it couldn't work because it wasn't connected to the truck anymore. Finally, under his father's guidance, Michael was able to get the radio working and call for help. (Link)

09 Aidan Turner

The ten-year-old boy who saved his mum from drowning in a bath. Amanda Smith had fainted in the tub and slipped under the water when her 10-year-old son found her. Aidan pulled the plug out of the bath, grabbed his mum by the hair, dragged her out of the water and put her in the recovery position. He then phoned his gran Sheila MacDonald, who works as a domestic worker at Borders General Hospital, to ask for help. An ambulance was called to take Amanda to the hospital, where she spent three days recovering. (Link | Photo)

10 Maddie McRae

The eleven-year-old girl who saved seven people when their cars ended up in the river. After heavy rains washed out a section of the roadway, two vehicles, including the one Maddie McRae was riding in with her mother and two siblings, ended up in the river. "I thought we were going to die because the water was going over our heads", she said. But Maddie managed to get out of the vehicle through the broken windshield, crawl across a tree branch to the shore, and then climb an electric fence to reach a nearby farmhouse. She called 9-1-1 and rescuers were able to pull her family to safety using ladders and ropes. (Link | Photo)

Chinese Man Married Dead Bride Who Died for 8 Days

2010-02-22T05:13:00.000-08:00

A 26-year-old Chinese man Zhuang Huagui has married his dead girlfriend Hu Zhao, 21, who was murdered 8 days ago. The couple originally planned to get married on February 4, but on January 28, one week before their wedding, the girl was stabbed to death by two break-in thieves. With all the pain, lost and love, the man still decided to marry his dead girlfriend. More images after the break...

Their wedding ceremony was held at a funeral parlor in Zhangzhou, Fujian, China, and family from both sides witnessed their wedding. The bride was dressed with beautiful wedding gown and lying in a crystal coffin.

Zhuang Huagui held his wife’s wedding photo in front of the funeral parlor to welcome the guests for coming to the wedding.

The broom gave wedding ring to his dead wife.

This is true love, the girl in heaven will be touched…

Via : Link

A Happy Family

2010-02-19T05:22:00.000-08:00

The happy parents in these photos celebrate a decade of their remarkable daughters. The photos depict the chronology of the girls from birth until the age of ten. Take a look at the photos and see if you don’t agree. More images after the break...

The World Famous Capybara Caplin

2010-02-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Is it a cat? Is it a dog? Is it a hamster? These are just some of the questions Melanie Typaldos and her daughter Coral have to answer when they are seen with their pet. In fact, Caplin Rous is a capybara, the largest species of rodent in the world and closely related to the guinea pig. Capybara Caplin lives in Texas and he is the most famous capybara in the world. The capybara is the largest living rodent in the world. More images after the break...

Via Link

Worlds Tallest

2010-02-12T05:22:00.000-08:00

01 World's Tallest Model

Eve, a US model measuring 6 ft 9 in (about 205cm) is the cover of Australian men's magazine Zoo Weekly. This beauty appears on the cover of the magazine's recent issue alongside a 162cm-tall Australian model. "No other magazine has put a woman who's nearly 7ft tall on the cover," editor Paul Merrill said. "We had ... her bikini specially made, but it was worth it." (Link) More images after the break...

02 World's Tallest Horse

Poe the Clydesdale, is an impressive 6 ft 8 in tall horse, and his owner, Shereen Thomspon, is seeking to have him admitted into the Guinness Book of World Records. Poe weighs over 3,000 pounds and stands at 80.8 inches high. The current record holder is shorter by a mere .8 inches. The giant horse eats 10 pounds of grain and drinks 75 gallons of water per day. “He is extremely popular, but his size always means people keep a cautious distance from him — although they shouldn't, as he is a real puppy,” Thompson said. (Link 1 Link 2 )

03 World's Tallest Bridge

The Millau Viaduct (French: le Viaduc de Millau, Occitan: lo Viaducte de Milhau) is an enormous cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and British architect Norman Foster, it is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft) — slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 37 m (121 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building. The viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Montpellier. Construction cost was around €400 million. It was formally dedicated on 14 December 2004, inaugurated the day after and opened to traffic two days later. The bridge won the 2006 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award. The Millau Viaduct is located on the territory of the communes of Millau and Creissels, France, in the département of Aveyron. Before the bridge was constructed, traffic had to descend into the Tarn River valley and pass along the route nationale N9 near the town of Millau, causing heavy congestion at the beginning and end of the July and August vacation season. The bridge now traverses the Tarn valley above its lowest point, linking two limestone plateau, the Causse du Larzac and the Causse Rouge, and is inside the perimeter of the Grands Causses regional natural park. The bridge forms the last link of the A75 autoroute, (la Méridienne) from Clermont-Ferrand to Pézenas (to be extended to Béziers by 2010). The A75, with the A10 and A71, provides a continuous high-speed route south from Paris through Clermont-Ferrand to the Languedoc region and through to Spain, considerably reducing the cost of vehicle traffic travelling along this route. Many tourists heading to southern France and Spain follow this route because it is direct and without tolls for the 340 kilometres (210 mi) between Clermont-Ferrand and Pézenas, except for the bridge itself. The Eiffage group, which constructed the viaduct, also operates it, under a government contract which allows the company to collect tolls for up to 75 years. The toll bridge costs €5.60 for light automobiles (€7.40 during the peak months of July and August). (Link)

04 World's Tallest High Heels

Apparently, the world's highest heels are 16 inches tall with an 11 inch platform – that's a 5 inch difference. Can you imagine wearing something like that? Your demure, average height 5ft 4in lady will end up looking like one of those Amazonian warriors, or worse, circus clown who's 6ft tall and struggling not to fall over. (Link)

05 World's Tallest Building

At 2,684 ft (818 m), the Burj Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, will be the tallest man-made building ever built. Its construction began on 21st September 2004, and the tower is expected to be completed and ready for occupancy on 4th January 2010. The total budget for theBurj Dubai project is about US$4.1 billion. Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the CEO of Emaar Properties, said that the price of office space at Burj Dubai had reached US$4,000 per sq ft (over US$43,000 per m2) and that the Armani Residences, also in Burj Dubai, were selling for US$3,500 per sq ft (over US$37,500 per m2). (Link / Photo)

06 World's Tallest Snowman

The world's tallest snowman is no man. The "snowwoman" towering over this village in Maine features eyelashes created from discarded skis and bright red lips made from painted car tires. She wears a giant red hat and a 100-foot-long scarf, and her blond tresses were made from rope. It was a 122-foot-tall mountain of snow. This ski town of about 2,400 residents already held the record for tallest snowman. Since then, they have been waiting for someone else to break the record. When no one rose to the challenge, the folks decided they'd have to break the record themselves.

"Olympia," named after Maine's senior senator, Olympia Snowe, stands nearly 10 feet taller than "Angus, King of the Mountain," who was dedicated by the town in 1999.

It took more than a month, dozens of volunteers and tons of snow to create Olympia. Jim Sysko, a civil engineer, oversaw design and construction. To get an idea of scale, Olympia is about 30 feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty (without the base). Her arms consist of 27-foot-tall evergreens. (Link)

07 World's Tallest LEGO Tower

The new record for the world's tallest LEGO tower returns to USA. The 94.3ft-high pirate ship mast was made with 465,000 bricks, breaking a previous record of 93.43ft set in Denmark in 2006. (Link)

08 World's Tallest Fountain

As you would expect, the world's tallest fountain is in Dubai, next to the world's tallest building. Set on the 30-acre Burj Dubai Lake, the fountain shoots water jets as high as 500 ft (150 metres), equivalent to that of a 50-storey building. The fountain is 900 ft (275 metres) long and has five circles of varying sizes and two central arcs. It has been designed by California-based WET, the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas and costed $217 million. The water show uses 6,600 lights, 50 colored projectors, and hundreds of servos, all computer controlled and synchronized with music.(Link)

09 World's Tallest Dog

A dog named Titan lived up to his name when he earned the title world's tallest dog. The 4-year-old white Great Dane from San Diego is blind, deaf, epileptic and undergoes acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments every three weeks, said owner Diana Taylor. The massive canine is often mistaken by young children for a horse or cow. Titan's official height, as measured by a veterinarian, is a hair over 3 1/2 feet tall from floor to shoulder. You could add 8 inches if official measurements included the head, Guinness spokesman Stuart Claxton said. Titan weighs 190 pounds and doesn't stand on his hind legs because it isn't good for him. If he did, Taylor figures he would stand 80 or 82 inches tall. Titan takes the title held by Gibson, a 7-year-old harlequin Great Dane from Grass Valley, who died earlier this year after battling bone cancer. He was actually slightly shorter than the new title holder. (Link)

10 World's Tallest Thermometer

At 134 feet, the "World's Tallest Thermometer" is easily visible from Interstate 15 in Baker, California. An appropriate landmark for the town that calls itself "The Gateway to Death Valley," the thermometer regularly records temperatures well in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. In fact, its height recalls the highest temperature ever recorded in the United States: 134 degrees in Death Valley in 1913. Erected by a Baker businessman in 1991, the thermometer is right next to the Bun Boy restaurant and the visitors center for the Mojave National Preserve. (Link)

11 World's Tallest Tree

A redwood tree discovered in a remote California forest has turned out to be the world's tallest tree, edging out one nearby that had been the titleholder. Prof. Steve Sillett of Humboldt State University said the record-setting tree, named Hyperion, was 379.1 feet tall, bettering the previous record holder, the 370.5-foot-tall Stratosphere Giant. Researchers exploring remote and rugged terrain this summer in the Redwood National and State Parks along California's northernmost coast also discovered two other redwoods taller than the Stratosphere Giant, suggesting there had been many more massive ancient redwoods in the area, Professor Sillett said. (Link / Photo)

The Big Picture Photo Mosaic

2010-02-03T22:26:00.000-08:00

The Big Picture is a project to create the biggest photo album in the West Midlands where the people there submitted over 110,000 photos. The photos are then used to create a huge record breaking photo mosaic the size of three tennis courts which was unveiled at Birmingham’s Thinktank at Millenium Point on 23rd August 2008. British artist Helen Marshall is the creative mind behind the project where she worked with photo mosaic specialists PollyTiles to realize the enormous image. 2 more pics of ‘The Big Picture’ photo mosaic after the jump.

Via Link

Rabbit Becomes Herons Meal

2010-02-03T22:21:00.000-08:00

Herons are not known for preying small mammals but these intelligent birds are known to adapt flexibility in their feeding habits and in this case the cutesy bunny just got unlucky. The little rabbit was drowned in the water which also makes the rabbit more slippery to down into the heron’s throat. It’s interesting to see the cycle of life in nature but its pretty disturbing to see birds that should be eating fish taking a taste of small land mammals. Perhaps the photographer should have rescued it instead of just observing but then again the heron would probably just look for another prey.3 more pics of the unlucky rabbit after the jump.

Via Link

Unusual Friendship of Tiger, Lion and Bear

2010-01-23T05:39:00.000-08:00

Living with the zoo's founders for the past eight years, Shere Khan, Baloo and Leo have now moved to a purpose built habitat Photo: BARCROFT .

More images after the break...

Tiger, lion and bear form unusual friendship Charles Hedgecoth with Shere Khan the tiger and Baloo the bear Photo: BARCROFT Tiger, lion and bear form unusual friendship...and with with Leo, the lion.

Rescued eight years ago during a police drugs raid in Atlanta, Georgia, the three friends were only cubs at the time and barely two months old. They had been kept as status symbol pets by the drug barons. Delivered to the Noah's Ark animal rescue centre in Locust Grove, Georgia, the decision was made to keep the youngsters together.

"We could have separated them, but since they came as a kind of family, the zoo decided to keep them together," said Diane Smith, assistant director of the Noah's Ark zoo.

"To our knowledge, this is the only place where you'll find this combination of animals together, they are our BLT, (bear, lion and tiger).

Living with the zoo's founders for the past eight years, Shere Khan, Baloo and Leo have now moved to a purpose built habitat were the US public can now witness first hand their touching relationship.

"We didn't have the money to move them at first," said DIane.

"Now their habitat is sorted and they have been moved away from the children's zoo areas where the public couldn't really get a good look.

"Now, though, it is possible to see Baloo, who is a 1,000 pound bear, Shere Khan, a 350 pound tiger and Leo, who is also 350 pounds messing around like brothers.

"They are totally oblivious to the fact that in any other circumstance they would not be friends."

Handled by Charles and Jama Hedgecoth, the zoo's owners and founders, the three friendly giants appear to have have no comprehension of their animal differences.

"Baloo and Shere Khan are very close," says DIane.

"That is because they rise early, as Leo being a lion likes to spend most the day sleeping.

"It is wonderful and magical to see a giant American Black Bear put his arm around a Bengal tiger and then to see the tiger nuzzle up to the bear like a domestic cat.

"When Leo wakes up the three of them mess around for most of the day before they settle down to some food."

Surprisingly for three apex predators with the power to kill with a single bite or swipe of their paw, they are very relaxed around each other.

"They eat, sleep and play together," said Jama Hedgecoth, founder of Noah's Ark zoo.

"As they treat each other as siblings they will lie on top of each other for heat and simply for affection.

"At the moment they are getting used to their new habitat.

"Shere Khan is being quite reticent about the move, but Baloo, the bear is very good at leading him on and making him feel comfortable and safe."

Explaining that the three 'brothers' have always seemed to share a unique bond, Charles Hedgecoth, Jama's husband and fellow founder talks about his role in their upbringing.

"They are obviously not wild animals any more," said Charles.

"Noah's Ark is their home and they could not possibly be separated from each other.

"You just have to remember who you're dealing with when you are with them though.

"It's when you forget that these fellows are wild animals that you get yourself in trouble."

According to DIane Smith, the trio's new habitat cost an estimated £15,000 and had to be constructed carefully, in order to accommodate its occupants.

"The clubhouse had to be very sturdy for the guys, because they all sleep in it together,"

We had to include a creek, because the tiger and the bear both like to be in water." Via : Link

Portraits of Power By Platon

2010-01-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

More Images after the break...

Via :Link

Astro Boy made from recycled train tickets

2010-01-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

A 3.2 x 2.1 meter (10 x 7 ft) work of Astro Boy pixel art made from 138,000 recycled Tokyo Metro tickets is on temporary display at the Shinjuku Takashimaya Department Store (2nd floor) to mark the opening of Tokyo’s new Fukutoshin subway line. Created by volunteers from Takashimaya and other Shinjuku-area businesses, the work depicts Astro Boy, Uran, Professor Ochanomizu and Higeoyaji (Mr. Mustachio) in Shinjuku along with the new Fukutoshin train. More images after a break...

Mona Lisa from recycled train tickets

Via : Link

Tree man

2009-12-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Dede Koswara dubbed the Tree Man is back after nine months of operations to remove the woody growth from his body. He was once sacked from his job, deserted by his wife and shunned by his neighbors - treated like a freak becaused of his gnarled growths sprouting from his hands and feet. The warts on Dede’s body was the cause of a severe Human Papilloma Virus infection. The 37 year old man’s life quality has improved where he now can use his hand write and use the cell phone. Dede still has to go through more surgery in October after the fasting month to trim more warts and was given strong course of medicine including vitamin A in an attempt to prevent the return of the growth. 3 more images of Dede Koswara the tree man getting better after a break....

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World's Tallest Dog

2009-12-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

Standing at nearly 43 inches tall from paw to shoulder and weighing a staggering 245lbs could this be the world's new tallest dog? Pictured here in the parks of Tuscon, Arizona, George, a four-year-old blue great dane, looks more like a miniature horse than a dog. More images after a break.......
'Giant George' and owner Dave Nasser share a couch together: The four-year-old blue great dane, weighs a staggering 245lbs and measures almost 43ins at the shoulder. The gentle giant, who measures 7ft 3ins from nose to tail, could be a prime contender to take the title from the former record holder, Gibson, a harlequin Great Dane who passed away from cancer last August.

Now George's owners, David and Christine Nasser, are awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records to see if he has achieved the lofty heights.

'He's 42.625 inches at the shoulder,' said David. 'He's very very unique.'

According to David, George consumes 110lbs of food every month, and sleeps alone in his own Queen Size Bed. David and Christine raised George from when he was 7 weeks old, but never expected him to grow so big.

Magnificent: George measures more than 7ft from nose to tail and tucks away 110lbs of food every month

With size comes problems: The giant great dane barely fits in the back of his owner's SUV

The couple eventually had to move their aptly named dog out of their king sized bed, when he grew too large for the three of them to share the same sheets.

Dr. William Wallace of the Buena Pet Clinic in Tucson, who witnessed the documentation necessary for the Guinness record, said: 'In my 45 years of experience working with giant breed dogs, without question, George is the tallest dog I have ever seen.'

David is currently rushing to get that necessary documentation into Guinness as other dog owners are coming forth claiming the record. As they wait for the results to come through, George is busy occupying himself with his new found stardom and even has a Facebook fan page and Twitter accounts for his adorning fans. It appears as though the sky's the limit for this mammoth hound.

Paws for thought: George's giant feet dwarf his owner Dave Nassar's hand. Last August the worldís tallest dog, Gibson, a harlequin Great Dane, passed away from cancer

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Bull Frog Vs Sparrow

2009-12-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

Spectacular captures of the American Bullfrog preying on an unlucky sparrow. Growing up to a length of 20 centimeters or 7.9 inches, the bullfrog preys on any animal that it can overpower and stuff down its throat. Their stomachs have been found to contain rodents, small turtles, snakes, frogs including bullfrogs and birds of course. Ambush predators as they are known for, the bullfrog can be seen submerging large preys (in this case the sparrow) into the water to cut their air supply and defense. Check out the whole sequence of the bullfrog and the unlucky sparrow with 5 more pics after the jump........

Via : Link