Crowds flock to monkey wedding

    Some 3,000 villagers have attended an elaborate Hindu wedding ceremony in eastern India for two monkeys.
    Crowds flock to monkey wedding

    The "bride" was dressed in a five-metre long sari and decked in flowers. The ceremony took place last Thursday in Ghanteswara village in Orissa state.

    The guests were served a feast of rice, lentils, vegetables, fish and sweets.

    Monkeys are revered idols in Hindu mythology. But the couples that took in and "married" off the two monkeys in Orissa say they love them as pets.

    The monkey marriage took place some 200km (125 miles) from the Orissa state capital, Bhubaneswar.

    The "groom", a three-year-old male monkey named Manu, was taken by procession to a temple in the company of hundreds of bemused onlookers, accompanied by loud music, dancing and fireworks.

    'Unique experience'

    Women welcomed the groom with loud, synchronised ululations typical in a Hindu marriage while priests chanted sacred hymns.

    "It was a unique experience for me. It was the first time I conducted a marriage between two animals. But I followed all the rituals that I do in human marriages," said Daitari Dash, the priest.

    Women prepared the female monkey, named Jhumuri, as they would a human bride, draping her in a red sari and smearing her with sandalwood paste.
    The monkeys were showered with gifts by those present. They included a gold necklace for the bride, donated by a local businessman.

    "I feel as if my own daughter is getting married. I cannot bear the thought that she would not be with us anymore," Mamina, the woman who has been looking after the female monkey said.

    Mamina has been looking after Jhumuri since her husband found her at a local temple.

    The male monkey, Manu, was found in a mango orchard in a neighbouring village by a couple who raised it as their pet.

    The two monkeys, who were kept in chains before the marriage, have now been released by their owners.

    They have been spotted hanging out at the temple where the "marriage" took place.

    A local villager, Mitrabhanu Dutta, said the event was a "nice way to release the monkeys from captivity".
    Source:- BBC News

6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You

    1 Picking your teeth in public
    6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You
    Actually, this is extremely useful for your dental health. Helps to remove the food that may cause tooth decay if it stayed in or between your teeth.

    2 Nose picking
    6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You
    Doesn't have particular health benefits, besides probably removing some snot containing bacteria, but is very pleasant and relaxing.

    3 Mouth washing during meal
    Washing your mouth with your drink is one of the healthiest bad habits as it helps to wash out the food remains. It may be especially beneficial if you do it with green tea. Green tea kills the bacteria that cause dental plaques and bad breath and increases the acid resistance of tooth enamel.

    4 Head scratching
    6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You
    For many people this is a "thought promotion process" habit. Also, as a possible alternative to scalp massage, it stimulates the scalp blood circulation, which is beneficial for hair follicles. Recent research in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found that, although scratching an itch feels like a pretty primal activity, there's some fairly complex communication going on between the skin and the brain - even when what we're scratching isn't actually itchy

    5 Finger sucking or nail biting
    6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You
    This may have immunity boosting effect. There are lots of bacteria on our hands. Getting the portion of these bacteria regularly makes you more resistant to microbes. And if you combine this with the nose picking, the effect becomes even stronger.
    6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You

    6 Bum scratching
    6 Bad Habits That May Be Good For You
    Although not aesthetically pleasing, it helps to get rid of nasty itching.

Baby Born With Its Heart Outside Its Chest

    A newborn baby has survived delivery despite its heart being outside the chest cavity.

    The infant's heart was born with its most vital organ exposed and is being treated in the intensive care unit of Shenzhen Children's Hospital in China's Guangdong Province.
    Baby Born With Its Heart Outside Its Chest

    The newborn will undergo an operation to repair the deformity

    The parents knew about the condition before the baby was born, but chose not to abort it.

    The unusual and dangerous development was caused by a rare disease - less than five babies in one million are struck by it. The illness affects the child's chest and abdomen.

    Less than 200 cases have been recorded and it is the first modern case in China.

    Most babies die from the disease before birth.

    Doctors are expected to operate to repair the malformation when the infant is strong enough.
    Baby Born With Its Heart Outside Its Chest

    The baby lies in intensive care with its heart outside the thorax

    In July 2004, Charli Southernwas born prematurely with a similar condition and survived two operations to repair her chest.

    And in 2006, Naseem Hasni underwent surgery to put his heart inside his chest hours after being delivered by Caesarean section at Holtz Children's Hospital in Miami.

Horror of Horse-fighting Sickening images of Camel-fighting

    Frothing at the mouth and tearing at each other with their teeth, this is the horrifying sight of camels being forced to fight for sport in Afghanistan.

    The sport of camel-fighting is popular in the north of the war-torn country - right up there with dog-fighting and cock-fighting.
    Horror of Horse-fighting Sickening images of Camel-fighting

    One camel has been felled and is stamped on by the other

    Horror of Horse-fighting Sickening images of Camel-fighting

    The camels tear at one another with their teeth

    These pictures were taken today in Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital of the Balkh province north of Kabul.

    They show a crowd of male onlookers watching two camels tear one another apart before one is announced as the winner.

    An announcer commentates from a loudspeaker.

    The pictures come close on the heels of shocking pictures taken in the Philippines recently which showed horses being forced into similar fights.
    Horror of Horse-fighting Sickening images of Camel-fighting

    A boy sits triumphantly on the winning camel as the fight is called

    Horror of Horse-fighting Sickening images of Camel-fighting

    Fight club: Goaded into a frenzy by a mare who is 'in season' and chained nearby for up to six hours, stallions battle for 'sport' in the Philippines

    Mazar-i-Sharif is the same city where an Afghan journalist was recently sentenced to death for passing around a piece taken from a website questioning why Muslim women cannot practise polygamy like their husbands do. He was found guilty of insulting Islam.

Ten Longest Bridges In World

    Here is a list of the ten longest bridges in the world with pictures and descriptions. Those beautiful photos are showing to us that there are no borders and everything is reachable.

    10. Seven Mile Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Seven Mile Bridge, in the Florida Keys, runs over a channel between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait, connecting Key Vaca (the location of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. Among the longest bridges in existence when it was built, it is one of the many bridges on US 1 in the Keys, where the road is called the Overseas Highway.

    9. San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge (commonly called San Mateo Bridge) is a bridge crossing California’s San Francisco Bay in the United States, linking the San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. More specifically, the bridge’s western end is in Foster City, the most recent urban addition to theeastern edge of San Mateo. The eastern end of the bridge is in Hayward. The bridge is owned by the state of California, and is maintained by Caltrans, the state highway agency.

    8. Confederation Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Confederation Bridge (French: Pont de la Confédération) is a bridge spanning the Abegweit Passage of Northumberland Strait, linkingPrince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick, Canada. It was commonly referred to as the “Fixed Link” by residents of Prince Edward Island prior to its official naming. Construction took place from the fall of 1993 to the spring of 1997, costing $1.3 billion. The 12.9-kilometre (8 mi) long bridge opened on 31 May 1997.

    7. Rio-Niteroi Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Rio-Niteroi Bridge is a reinforced concrete structure that connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi in Brazil.
    Construction began symbolically on August 23, 1968, in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in their first and thus far only visit to Brazil. Actual work begun in January, 1969, and it opened on March 4, 1974.
    Its official name is “President Costa e Silva Bridge”, in honor of the Brazilian president who ordered its construction. “Rio-Niteroi” started as a descriptive nickname that soon became better known than the official name. Today, hardly anyone refers to it by its official name.

    6. Penang Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Penang Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Pinang in Malay) E 36 is a dual-carriageway toll bridge that connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-SouthExpressway in Prai and Jelutong Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to traffic on September 14, 1985. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 km (8.4 miles), making it among the longest bridges in the world, the longest bridge in the country as well as a national landmark. PLUS Expressway Berhad is the concession holder which manages it.

    5. Vasco da Gama Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Vasco da Gama Bridge (Portuguese: Ponte Vasco da Gama, pron. IPA: [’põt(?) ‘va?ku d? ‘g?m?]) is a cable-stayed bridge flanked by viaducts and roads that spans the Tagus River near Lisbon, capital of Portugal. It is the longest bridge in Europe (including viaducts), with a total length of 17.2 km (10.7 mi), including 0.829 km (0.5 mi) for the main bridge, 11.5 km (7.1 mi) in viaducts, and 4.8 km (3.0 mi) in dedicated access roads. Its purpose is to alleviate the congestion on Lisbon’s other bridge (25 de Abril Bridge), and to join previously unconnected motorways radiating from Lisbon.

    4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland; spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state’s Eastern and Western Shore regions. At 4.3 miles (7 km) in length, the original span was the world’s longest continuous over-water steel structure when it opened in 1952. The bridge is officially named the William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after William Preston Lane, Jr. who, as governor of Maryland, implemented its construction.

    3. King Fahd Causeway
    The King Fahd Causeway is multiple dike - bridge combination connecting Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and the island nation of Bahrain.
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    A construction agreement signed on July 8, 1981 led to construction beginning the next year. The cornerstone was laid on November 11, 1982 by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and Sheikh Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa of Bahrain; construction continued until 1986, when the combination of several bridges and dams were completed. The causeway officially opened for use on November 25, 1986.

    2. Donghai Bridge
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    Donghai Bridge (simplified Chinese: ????; traditional Chinese: ????; pinyin: D?ngh?i Dàqiáo; literally “East Sea Grand Bridge”) is the longest cross-sea bridge in the world and the longest bridge in Asia. It was completed on December 10, 2005. It has a total length of 32.5 kilometres (20.2 miles) and connects Shanghai and the offshore Yangshan deep-water port in China. Most of the bridge is a low-level viaduct. There are also cable-stayed sections to allow for the passage of large ships, largest with span of 420 m.

    1. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
    Ten Longest Bridges In World

    The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, or the Causeway, consists of two parallel bridges that are the longest bridges in the world by total length.[2] These parallel bridges cross Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. The longer of the two bridges is 23.87 miles (38.42 km) long. The bridges are supported by over 9,000 concrete pilings. The two bridges feature bascule spans over the navigation channel 8 miles (13 km) south of the north shore. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana.

Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies

    Poisonous or dangerous food is considered a special delicacy by some cultures in several parts of the world. In most cases, a nice feast may turn into a deadly game of Russian roulette.
    1):-"Fugu" or Pufferfish
    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    This goes on top of my list as the world's deadliest delicacy. Even a drop of toxin from a Pufferfish or Fugu (in Japanese) can immediately leave you paralyzed, followed by death.

    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    Fugu is considered an authentic Japanese delicacy and it would take years for a chef to master the art of preparing the dish. The toxin, called tetrodotoxin is concentrated in the roe, ovaries and the liver of the fish.
    Video:-YouTube

    2):-"San Nak Ji" or Live Octopus
    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    A slight error during the removal of the toxic parts can allow the toxin to contaminate the entire flesh of the fish. Despite the risk of eating Fugu, it is reported that yearly,there are dozens of death from Fugu poisoning in Japan.
    video:- YouTube

    “San Nak Ji” or live octopus is a popular delicacy in Korea and Japan. The enjoyment
    of eating this food is when the octopus is still moving with the tentacles sticking to the roof of the mouth. The challenge is to munch and swallow the live octopus
    without choking. It is reported that there are on average of 6 deaths due to choking
    (on live octopus), each year in South Korea.

    3);-Cassava
    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies

    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    video:- YouTube
    This is one of the world's popular staple food. Cassava is often used to make the
    tropical delicacy in the form of tapioca starch or flour. However, if not properly
    washed or cooked, cassava leaves and roots contain toxin called cyanide which is
    fatal to humans even in small doses.

    4):-Giant Bullfrog

    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    Giant bullfrog is considered a delicacy in Namibia. The Namibians eat the entire giant bullfrog except for the internal organs. In most cultures, only certain body parts of the frogs such as the legs are consumed as most frogs have poisonous skin and poisonous internal organs. A premature bullfrog is said to contain a certain toxin which could lead to kidney failure in most cases.

    5):-Ackee Fruit
    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    Ackee plant is originated from West Africa. Later, it was introduced to Florida, USA.
    Ackee fruit is widely used in Jamaican cuisine, which includes its national delicacy,
    "ackee and saltfish".

    Video:-YouTube
    The fruit looks like a pear, red in color when it's ripe. The ackee fruit must be picked after it has naturally opened and revealed the seeds. The fruit must be eaten at the right time. The fruit is poisonous if it is both immature and overripe. The fleshy part around the seeds is the only part which is edible. The rest of the fruit contain a type of toxin called hypoglycin which can be fatal if consumed.

    6):-Silver-Stripe Blaasop
    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    The silver-stripe blaasop is a delicacy among the locals who live in some parts of the Indian Ocean.The locals are experts in removing the toxic parts of the fish before cooking and consuming it. The poison is concentrated in the liver,reproductive organs and also the skin of the fish which can cause paralysis and breathing problems
    if consumed by humans.Somehow, the silver-stripe blaasop made its way to the eastern Mediterranean waters. In early 2007, there are about 10 reported deaths relating to the poisoning of the fish which include 8 in Egypt and 2 in Israel.


    7):-Echizen Jellyfish
    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    The giant Echizen jellyfish is a huge, poisonous jellyfish which moves in swarms in
    the Japan waters. The jellyfish lives on tuna fish and this poses a problem as the
    tuna supply is affected by the huge consumption. So, the solution is to catch the
    jellyfish and turn it into a delicacy.

    Seven of the Deadliest Delicacies
    Like “Fugu” the tricky part lies in the preparation of the dish. The toxic parts must be removed and the jellyfish must be properly cooked for safe consumption.

The World's Shortest Bodybuilder

    In these troubled, despairing times, the world needs heroes to offer a message of hope to the huddled masses. Well, we have that hero:
    the world's shortest bodybuilder

    They say that 'a noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.' If that's the case, then nobody could be more embiggened than Aditya 'Romeo' Dev - the world's smallest bodybuilder.

    Dev, 19, who is excellent, stands just 33 inches tall - but weighs an impressive 9.25kg (just under 1.5 stone), and has a chest measurement of 20 inches.

    The World's Shortest Bodybuilder


    Romeo' trains at the Leo Health Club in Phagwara, India, where his trainer is club owner Ranjit Pal (also known as 'Mr Punjab'). Pal is reputed to be the fastest skipper in India, which is a fairly brilliant claim in itself.

World's longest inverted roller coaster

    The world's longest inverted roller coaster will start running during China's upcoming Spring Festival in an amusement park in this capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, offering the thrilling fun of falling 80 meters, the park said Tuesday.

    Xiong Xiaojie, assistant to the president of the Chimelong Paradise, told Xinhua on Tuesday that the one-km-long roller coaster, designed by Switzerland-based Bolliger and Mabillard for the park, will be safety tested on Jan. 28, and has a planned debut in China's most important festival, the Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 7 this year.
    World's longest inverted roller coaster
    The 200 million-yuan (27 million U.S. dollars) roller coaster is one of the world's most expensive and the first of its kind introduced to China's mainland. It would offer fun-seekers an experience of a vertical drop of 80 meters, as high as a 30-story building," said Xiong.

    Bolliger and Mabillard invented the world's first inverted roller coaster in 1992. Since then, it has designed 71 roller coasters for theme parks around the world. The roller coasterit designed for Chimelong Paradise has three carriages capable of carrying 30 people at a time. Its highest speed is 120 km per hour.

    The Chimelong Paradise opened in Guangzhou in April, 2006, and has become one of the must-go tourist attractions in the city, for its sophisticated amusements.

    The privately-owned park, built for 1 billion yuan, covers 66 hectares, and can handle 50,000 tourists a day.

    World's longest inverted roller coaster

    World's longest inverted roller coaster

    World's longest inverted roller coaster

Irish setter has record breaking 16 pups

    An Irish setter has had a record-breaking 16 pups - after wolfing down battered cod from the local chippy.

    Kelly's bumper litter of puppies is proof that fish is just the job for a dog's dinner.

    Her owner Dee Farndell last night revealed battered cod was the secret behind the stunning baby boom - the biggest in her 35 years of breeding.
    Irish setter has record breaking 16 pups

    Puppy love: Irish setter Kelly with her bumper brood of 16 pups

    Two-year-old bitch Kelly endured an amazing 10-hour labour to bring the staggering brood into the world on January 15.

    Over the last couple of days, the new arrivals have opened their eyes and started to explore their new surroundings at Zilveren Kennels, Terrington St Clement, near King's Lynn, Norfolk.

    Mrs Farndell, 56, said: "I always say when the dogs are pregnant that what you put into the mother is what you get out in terms of quality.
    Irish setter has record breaking 16 pups

    Dog's dinner? Kelly's owner believes the secret to her breeding success lies in omega three oils in the battered cod she feeds her animals

    At three weeks we feed them fresh chicken with complete food, gravy and vegetables. At six weeks we give them battered fish for the omega three oils."

    The top dog breeder added: "We just give them the really good quality stuff which is high in protein.

    "We have 14 adult Irish setters here and I've got tins of tuna and pilchards which they get two or three times a week. It keeps their coats nice and shiny and oils their joints."
    Irish setter has record breaking 16 pups

    The record-breaking litter, which entered the world on January 15, have begun opening their eyes and exploring their surroundings over the last couple of days

    Dave Audley, who runs the Three Cottages Fish and Chip Restaurant in North Walsham, is president of the Fish Fryers' Association.

    He said: "Everybody thinks fried food is bad for you but fish cooked in batter is very healthy because the batter prevents the fat getting into the fish - it is actually steamed.

    "I didn't know it had this effect on dogs, but it obviously proves the health benefits."

    After the birth, Mrs Farndell and her husband Malcolm, 58, put their puppy love to the test with a 24-hour bedside vigil to ensure the family survived its first few days.

    "It was Kelly's first litter and will probably be her last - it was terrifically hard work," she said. "The mother and puppies are all fine. I think it is me that is beginning to struggle.

    "I was fine up until number 13 but then we felt her tummy and could feel other puppies moving about. We didn't panic but when we got to 15, I said: 'Please, Kelly, no more.' There was one more and that was it.

    "They have an acre field and they get at least an hour a day of solid running. They are extremely fit and this is why Kelly was able to have this many puppies without a Caesarean."

    Mrs Farndell said Irish setters usually deliver a litter of between nine and 11 puppies after a pregnancy term of nine weeks.

    Four of the dogs will be kept back to follow in their grandfather's paw-steps as show animals, while the others will be sold off as pedigree pets at a price of £700 each.

    The puppies have a daunting family reputation to follow as their grandfather Thendara Don Corleone was a double champion at Crufts, winning best of breed in 2006 and 2007.

    He was named after the Mafia boss from the Godfather movies who chillingly asked if his rivals wanted to "sleep with the fishes". Now his canine descendants have decided to eat with the fishes instead.

Man devours chicken wings to win contest

    Man devours chicken wings to win contest

    Reigning Wing Bowl champion Joey Chestnut eats chicken wings during the 16th annual Wing Bowl event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 1, 2008. Chestnut from San Jose, California ate 241 chicken wings to retain the crown.

    Man devours chicken wings to win contest

    Man devours chicken wings to win contest

Large ice sculpture works in China

    Large ice sculpture works in China

    A photo taken on Jan. 30, 2008 shows large ice sculpture works at Luhua port secnery area in Bostan Lake, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 12 ice sculpture works were shown here to visitors on Wednesday.

    Large ice sculpture works in China


    Large ice sculpture works in China

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