How to Become Sociable

Steps
Look at other people. They're like you - the only difference is that they believe in themselves. A sliver of self-confidence goes a long way, so try to believe in yourself.
There are people around you who are funny and sociable. Analyze their behavior and see what they do. Identify their cues and attempt to assimilate some of their beneficial patterns into your demeanor (see Warning below).
Talk to others around you. Don't let what others say about you pull you down; just talk it out. Doing this will help you vent to people, which will make you feel more social. Ask questions, tell jokes, do whatever it takes to start a conversation.
Say yes. Always. Someone says a group of people are going to get pizza and they want to know if you want to come. You have to meet the FedEx guy because the package you're getting needs a signature? Not anymore. Now, you're going to go get pizza with your friends. There is no reason you should ever need to say no to a social obligation except if it interferes with a pre-existing one. Other than that, you're free Wednesday for pizza... And Thursday... And Friday, too... (So what if you're tired after a long week? Sleeping is for Saturday mornings.)
Ask your friends to talk about you, so you can find out how your behavior is perceived. Then, ask them how you can improve.
When you are at home, call your friends and talk to them on the phone for practice.
Always try to accept others' offers and invitations and be with them. Also make invitations to others; it's a good way to show people you enjoy them and they'll like you for it.

If someone cracks a joke and everyone falls about laughing, and you haven't been involved much into the conversation, join in laughing or agree with what they're saying (only if you actually agree though!). People will appreciate you and involve you more.
Go up to someone and just start a conversation with them. This will let them know that you want to talk to them and they will want to talk to you.
Don't be by yourself all the time! If you don't know a lot of people you're around, just walk over and start talking. Most likely, they will talk back to you.
Sit with a whole group of people at lunch, not just one or two friends. You can be more sociable this way, and around a lot more people.

Tips

* Always believe in yourself.
* Believe that you are exactly who you want to be.
* Don't act stuck-up. There is a difference between confidence and snobbery.
* Remember, being social does not mean being everyone's friend. It is okay to be selective with friends and a little cautious. It's safer that way and ensures you get quality friends, not quantity. The main test of if you should be friends is this: In general, do I feel good after being with this person? If not, your intuition is telling you something and it is time to move on.
* Compliment other people. What you compliment them on may lead to a conversation.
* Don't overanalyze what to say before saying it.
* Go with the flow.

Warnings

* Don't mimic your friends exactly. Just identify the things you find helpful, and form them into your social routine. However, do this without losing your respect for them. If you become cocky about it, over-arrogance will somehow get mixed into what you assimilate from them, and that won't be very social. Funny how that works. So respect them. They are just as good as you, in case you start to think you are better than them. This will keep your social life strong and productive.
* Don't talk all the time just to not seem shy. This can get very annoying. Listen, then add to what the other person said.
* Don't talk badly about others. This will not win you friends.
* Don't be afraid to act silly or funny, but know where to stop.

World�s Smallest School

An elementary school in China has just one teacher and one pupil.
Li Yongchun, 61, has been teaching at the school in Dasu village, Longjing region for over 25 years.
He explained: �At first, the school had more than 400 students, but in the �90s, more and more families migrated from the mountain village to make a living outside, and there were just over 10 students left.�
�In 2000, the city education bureau decided to shut down the school after the graduation of the last student. New kids can register and board at another school in nearby Sanhe town, which is a two-hour drive away.�But the family of a third grader named Han Hongyang can�t afford the boarding fee, so she became the last remaining student.
�We have been like this for more than half a year. She is my only student, and I�m her only teacher,� says teacher Li.
Teacher Li teaches his student six subjects - Chinese, Mathematics, Korean, History, Geography and PE.
�During class breaks, we play badminton, ping pong and football, which is a bit hard for a 61-year-old,� says Li.

In another half a year, teacher Li is to retire, and the city education bureau says then it will send another teacher to take care of the only student till her graduation, reports City Evening Post.

Largest crocodile in the world

This is the largest crocodile ever displayed in the U.S. This is when he was alive and on display at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological park.

How To Pour Ketchup?

The full technical explanation on how ketchup works and the correct way to pour ketchup from traditional ketchup bottles

The Jewel of Dubai - The Rotating Tower

Morphing into mesmerizing shapes under the sublime light of the moon, wooing romantic couples with a whir of the wind turbines, making the tenants slightly dizzy by the graceful rotation of their bedroom�s scenery - this is radical enough to attract scores of tourists, if successfully built. Jewel of Dubai A skyscraper built of rotating platters with built-in wind turbines.The tallest tower in the world to be Burj Dubai.

World Record Speed Eater has Jaw Arthritis

A Japanese man who set a world record by wolfing down dozens of hot dogs within minutes has suffered a severe jaw injury due to his rigorous training, making his next title uncertain.

Takeru �Tsunami� Kobayashi said he can only open his mouth to make a gap the size of a fingertip after being diagnosed with jaw arthritis.

In an entry on his blog entitled �Occupational hazard,� Kobayashi said: �My jaw refused to fight any more.�

The injury occurred only a week after the slender 29-year-old started training to win his seventh straight title at the annual July 4 Nathan�s Famous hot dog eating event on New York�s Coney Island.

�I feel ashamed that I couldn�t notice the alarm bells set off by my own body,� he said. �But with the goal to win another title with a new record, I couldn�t stop my training so close to the competition.

�I was continuing my training and bearing with the pain but finally I destroyed my jaw.�

Kobayashi, who has become a niche celebrity in Japan and the United States, had already halted his competitive eating activities for several months due to mourning after his mother�s death earlier this year.

But he said he still wanted to go to the competition in New York.

�I want to be the pride of my mother,� he said in the blog entry posted Sunday.

Last year, Kobayashi put down a world-record 53 and three-quarters hot dogs in just 12 minutes.

In addition to the Nathan�s Famous titles, he holds world records for scoffing cows� brains and rice balls.

In 2004, he founded the United Food Fighters Organisation in hopes of making people take competitive eating seriously as a sport.

Despite Japanese people�s reputation as moderate eaters, Kobayashi helped to turn competitive eating into a television sensation with �food fighters� downing everything from sushi to cakes.

But Japanese television began to shy away from such contests after a 14-year-old junior high school student choked to death in 2002 trying to imitate competitive eating during school lunch.

10 Reasons To Plant Trees

1. Trees save energy and money. Just three trees strategically planted around your home can cut your air conditioning bill in half.

2. Trees save tax payers. Trees in a city slow storm water runoff and reduce the need for storm sewers. Tree shade also help cool municipal buildings, lowering electricity bills.

3. Trees cool our cities. Urban "heat islands" are directly related to massive tree-cutting for development.

4. Trees clean our water and air. From low level ozone in our cities to pesticide and fertiziler runoff from our farms, trees absorb harmful pollutants.

5. Trees help community life. Tree planting and community based forestry can add significantly to a local community's sustainable economy while restoring the environment.

6. Trees protect soil. By holding soil in place with their root systems, by deflecting pounding rain with their canopies, and by adding nutrients each fall with their leaves, trees are crucial to keeping and improving our soil.

7. Trees provide habitat for species of many kinds -- including endangered species. A key project of American Forests is "Trees for Tigers" in the Russian Far East that is restoring habitat for the endangered Siberian tiger.

8. Trees can pay your "carbon debt". Planting just 30 Global ReLeaf trees will absorb the amount of carbon dioxide that is generated in the production of energy for the average American lifestyle each year.

9. Trees provide clean water and natural flood control. Forests act as natural reservoirs, and they protect watersheds, providing clean water for cities, bays and rivers.

10. Trees are a beautiful part of our lives. From striking individual trees that are of historic significance or are simply large and majestic, to a grove of trees in a city park, trees enrich our lives by simply being there. Trees are not just a key to the natural ecosystem -- trees are an essential part of community life.

World�s Oldest Car Headed For Auction

The world�s oldest running car is set to cross the auction block at Pebble Beach in August.

The catchy-sounding De Dion-Bouton et Trapardoux was built in France in 1884, and amazingly, it�s a three owner car. Among its many credentials, �La Marquise� is a steam-powered four-wheeled car that is believed to have won the first automobile race.

Top speed on the car is a startlingly high 38 miles-per-hour, which must feel decidedly exciting given its primitive construction and solid rubber tires. To reach that heady speed, drivers need to first stoke the car with coal, wood, paper, or other readily combustible materials, and then wait for around a half-hour to generate enough steam for the car to get rolling.

The De Dion-Bouton et Trapardoux is expected to hammer for between $1.5 and $2 million

Indian miniature artist Jaspal show off Taj Mahal

Indian miniature artist Jaspal Singh Kalsi displays his creation of 1.5 cm high (0.59 inch) wooden replica of the Taj Mahal, in Amritsar, India, Monday, June 25, 2007. The Taj Mahal is among the leading contenders to be the new Seven Wonders of the World as a massive poll enters its final month with votes already cast by more than 50 million people, organizers say. The seven winners will be announced July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal. (AP Photo/ Aman Sharma)

The Unusual Suspects

Are you looking for something different to do? Do you enjoy performing? Are you interested in working in a fun, exciting atmosphere with a group of energetic professionals? The Unusual Suspects, a local entertainment for hire Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Troupe, are looking for members. We are looking for people who are not afraid of hard work, having fun and being in the Limelight. You must be 21 and have reliable transportation. Rehearsal schedules are flexible.

Unusual Animals Vinyl Series

Attention music lovers! Asthmatic Kitty, the label that has brought us wondrous musicians such as Liz Janes, Castanets, Half- handed Cloud, and Sufjan Stevens (just to name a few), has recently announced a new series of albums called the �Unusual Animals Vinyl Series�. From the AK website: �Asthmatic Kitty is pleased to announce the first in a series of vinyl-only releases. The series, entitled Unusual Animals, pairs Asthmatic Kitty roster artists with friends and sometimes-unlikely bedfellows.� And guess what else? Asthmatic Kitty was kind enough to ask me to design the covers for the series. Weehaw! The Japanese Macaque gets the distinguished honor of being the unusual animal featured on volume 1� more news as it becomes available.

History of Baden-W�rttemberg

A Half Million Years

About a hundred years ago a Heidelberg scholar by the name of Schoetensack called attention to an astonishing bone discovery: in the little village of Mauer they kept digging up remains of ancient animals while excavating gravel and sand. These were of types that had never been noted in southern Germany: saber toothed tigers, lions, elephants, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses among them. Dr. Schoetensack started avidly collecting whatever they brought him and what he himself discovered. But he awaited futilely the discovery that would please him the most: human remains were not to be found in the Mauer gravel pit.
Twenty years later, someone wrote on 21 October 1907, the door of the Hochschwender Inn in Mauer opened. The gravel pit worker Daniel Hartmann, called "Sand Daniel," came in and shouted: "Today I found Adam!"
"Sand Daniel" had really found something at the foot of a gravel pit wall some 20 meters high that got Dr. Schoetensack excited and would make the village of Mauer famous: a human mandible. Just a jawbone, nothing more. But this jawbone caused a sensation. Dr. Schoetensack published a year later (1908) a precise scientific description. In that it was stated that had a mandible without teeth been discovered, it would not have been possible to recognize it as human: "the absolutely certain proof that we are dealing with a human part lies solely in the nature of the denture."
The teeth of apes, for example gorillas, differ from ours, but not those of the Mauer mandible. The being to whom this rare jawbone once belonged was clearly a human. Dr. Schoetensack called him "homo heidelbergensis," Heidelberg Man. Two unusual things appeared in this jawbone: the very wide and primitive rear bone and the lack of a pointed chin. What can be concluded from that? - The primitive bone reveal that the whole face was primitive. The man from Mauer would also have had a somewhat differently formed mouth cavity than we do. The making of many sounds, especially consonants, must have been difficult for him. He would thus not have had a highly developed language.
When did the man from Mauer live? Scholars have not quite been able to agree. It is estimated that the age of the mandible is about a half million years! How can a bone survive for such a long time? That is explained by fact that the sand in which it was embedded contained a great deal of lime.
The animals whose remains were found near Mauer were for the most part contemporaries of our homo heidelbergensis. Whether he was in a position to hunt them is hard to say. The man from Mauer would have been satisfied with lesser wildlife. Berries and forest plants would have been his general meal.
Our homeland at that time was covered with sparse mixed woods. The bone remains of Mauer betrays that to us, especially the teeth of the elephant and the rhinoceros. The molars are suited for chewing foliage, but not steppe grass.
If there were woods, it could not have been cold. In the Ice Age, the trees disappeared. The man from Mauer thus lived in one of the warm periods that have occurred several times in the last million years.
On 24 July 1933 there was, again in a gravel pit, another sensation-producing discovery: near Steinheim on the river Murr, a tributary of the Neckar, there was excavated the very well preserved skull of an early human. Years of investigation began. The scientists worked like detectives who had a difficult case to solve. Where did this skull come from?
Today it is believed that it is the remains of a young woman who lived 250,000 or even 300,000 years ago. The bulges over the eyes revealed a primitive appearance. But overall, this "homo steinheimensis" must have been quite similar to the human of today. It is certain that he like the man from Mauer lived during a warm period. That is revealed by the numerous animal remains that were also found in the Steinheim gravel pit. Even a water buffalo is among them, an animal that only lived in a very warm climate.
It is lucky that we have the many caves of the Swabian Alb. They are the most important discovery sites for life during the last Ice Age. Like treasure hunters, researchers into prehistory push into this subterranean world and carry out countless digs. They have truly brought treasures to light.
There have indeed not been many human remains discovered so far. Professor Riek made an important find in July 1931: in the Vogelherd cave (near Stetten in the Lon valley in Heidenheim county) he dug up a skull with mandible but without a face, also an upper arm bone, two lumbar vertebrae and a metacarpal bone. He named this find "Stetten I." Then there appeared a second, less well preserved skull that Riek designated "Stetten II."
The two persons from whom these remains came appear not to have belonged to the same time. "Stetten I," it is believed, could have lived about 30,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age. No doubt, in terms of his appearance, this man was very close to today's people and he was markedly different from the bipeds that inhabited southern Germany and many other parts of Europe 30,000, 40,000, 50,000 years before him: the famous Neanderthals. The chin of the Stetten man is pointed like ours; there are no bulges over his eyes. That he was intellectually more advanced than his predecessor, the Neanderthal, is shown by his weapons and his tools. He understood how to make spear points out of bone fragments: he worked the ivory of mammoth tusks, and he honed extraordinarily fine knives and blades from hard stone. The scientists named him Aurignac Man. Here we will call him simply Ice Age Hunter.
In the Vogelherd cave, this treasury of prehistory, there were found quite different things: small animal figures of ivory, only five to seven centimeters (2 to 2 � inches) long. A charming wild pony is among them, a mammoth, a cave lion. They are among the oldest works of art in the world: then previously Man in the southwestern area had evidently not attempted to depict living things. Where our skilled Ice Age Hunter came from, is not known. One may nevertheless not assume that the Ice Age Hunters lived in caves the year around. They would perhaps have established their camp in the summer on a lake and lived from fishing. Certainly they knew exactly when the best time was to hunt reindeer, deer and ibex. They also did not avoid the mammoth. It is assumed that they constructed pitfalls for the giant beasts, a difficult job for people who did not have iron picks, spades and shovels available.
They would have hunted bear not only for the meat, but also for the warm fur. They lived in the Ice Age; they needed clothing.
Whoever visits these archaeological sites, perhaps the caves in the Swabian Alb, should not forget that the terrain during the Ice Age looked quite different. When our man from the Vogelherd cave climbed the mountain, he saw to the south the immense ice fields of the Alpine glacier glistening. The mountain peaks themselves were quite bare. Below, in the valley, dwarf birches and stunted Scots pines stooped. A raw land! And even so, there lived here an animal world of rich variety. Enough grasses and herbs grew to nourish the mammoth, wild horse, reindeer, and other plant eaters, and lions and tigers also lived from them - and not least, Man.

Cyclops Kitty

Time for that end-of-the-year wrap up and I was thinking about some of the more unusual things I�d seen this year, and thought of Cylcops Kitty. The cat belonged to Traci Allen and was born a year ago today on December 28th, 2005. She says the kitten she named Cy, short for Cyclops, was born with one single eye and no nose. Allen said she stayed up all night with the deformed kitten on her recliner, feeding Cy a liquid formula through a syringe. She says she cared for the kitten the next day as well, until it died that evening. The name of this deformity is called �Holoprosencephaly�, and Life Science discusses the case in length. Some bloggers have questioned the authenticity of the photo distributed. AP regional photo editor Tom Stathis said he took extensive steps to confirm the one-eyed cat was not a hoax. Boing Boing lists �Cyclops Kitty� as one of its most trafficked posts for 2006 Cyclops Kitty by Kipling West Many folks were inspired by the kitten, including artist Kipling West, who painted the lovely �Cyclops Kitty�. Kirsten Anderson and Marlow Harris at Roq la Rue Gallery with Cyclops Kitty I, myself, was so inspired I had to own Cyclops Kitty for myself. Is that so wrong? Here I am with the painting and Roq la Rue gallery owner Kirsten Anderson, in front of this, by now, almost sacred work of art. The gal who owned Cy said she�d never sell her on Ebay, implying that was bad, but apparently selling it to John Adolfi of the New Creation Museum was ok. The owner of the now-dead cyclops kitten sold it to John because a blogger had written that it was �the icon of atheism,� and she didn�t like that. John plans to take the pickled feline on tour this summer, and will later make it the centerpiece of his museum. Other artists were inspired too, including Martha Sue and Phil Corbett. And if you don�t want a doll or don�t own a painting, you can buy your own made from durable latex and completely submersible, from Fiendish Curiosities.

Sexy Sex Education Caress the Breast

World's Largest Digging Machine

This is the largest digging machine (or trencher or rotating shovel) in the world. It was built by Krupp and is shown here crossing a road in Germany on the way to its destination, an open air coal mine. Although at the mine the treads are unnecessary, it was cheaper to make the machine self-propelled than to try and move it with conventional hauling equipment. Some factoids:

The machine is 95 meters high and 215 meters long (almost 2.5 football fields in length)
Weight is 45,500 tons (that's equivalent to a bumper to bumper line of jeeps 80 miles long)
It took 5 years to design and manufacture at a cost of $100 million
Maximum digging speed is 10 meters per minute
Can move more than 76,000 cubic meters of coal, rock, and earth per day

Underwater Sculpture Park

The aim of the Sculpture Park is to create a unique space which highlights environmental processes and celebrates local culture. By creating an artificial reef of sculptures which depict Grenadian peoples and their history, the project fulfils its dual purpose of protecting the marine environment and illustrating the richness of Grenada.

Hedgehogs Make Interesting and Unusual Pets

If you�re looking for a truly unique and unusual pet, you need not look further than a hedgehog. There are 14 species of hedgehogs native to Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. In the United States, the species Atelerix albiventris has been imported purely for being kept as pets, but not released into the wild. In the wild, hedgehogs live for three or four years, and in good climates they may live seven years or longer. Hedgehogs are nocturnal insectivores that hibernate in colder months. Their diet consists mainly of earthworms, snails, beetles, and caterpillars, but they also eat a large range of other insects. The diet of a hedgehog may vary depending on its environment, and some have even been known to eat carrion, small birds, small mammals, or cracked birds� eggs. As pets, they enjoy being treated to dog biscuits and pieces of sweet fruit. Hedgehogs have poor eyesight, so they rely mostly on hearing and smell to locate their food. In the wild in cold climates, hedgehogs usually hibernate during the colder months of the year, but when kept inside as a pet, the hibernation period is either eliminated entirely or very short. During hibernation, a hedgehog will seem dead, because its heart rate drops from 190 beats per minute to 20 beats per minute, and its body temperature is lowered by 20% or more. Hedgehogs as Pets The quills of a hedgehog feel like a bristly brush, rather than a porcupine. They sport soft fur on their faces and bellies, and their tails are very hard to see because they are nothing more than nubs. The average size of a hedgehog is between 4 and 9 inches in length. Because they are nocturnal creatures, they aren�t the best pets for an early riser if you want to actually see them awake. As for personality, hedgehogs tend to be a bit nervous and not a standard cuddly lap animal. In order to bond with a hedgehog, you need to buy a just weaned, 6-8 week old hedgehog. Look for bright clear eyes, a well-rounded body, and an alert and energetic inquisitiveness. Hedgehogs have not been kept in people's homes as a pet for very long. Their life expectancy is thought to be 4-6 years. Normally it is the Pigmy Hedgehog that you see for sale in pet shops. Most hedgehogs can be trained to use a litter box, but not all. If their cage is kept cleaned they have very little odor. Some commercial foods tend to cause hedgehogs to have a stronger odor. People that are normally allergic to cats are rarely allergic to hedgehogs. Welcoming a hedgehog into your home Before bringing your hedgehog home from the pet store, make sure your house is escape proof. Hedgehogs are masters at escaping and can fit through anything their little head can fit through. They also climb everything, like water bottles in their cages. Several types of cages will work, but be sure that the cage is secure. Wire cages work well, but make sure the squares are small enough so the hedgehog can't get out. An excellent container is a good size Tupperware bin. Drill lots of holes for ventilation, but not big enough for the little guy to escape. Hedgehogs must be kept warm, so it can be beneficial to place a heating pad on the lowest setting under one side of the cage. Although there are some good quality hedgehog foods beginning to appear on the market, they are not readily available. Their favorite food and treat is mealworms. If a commercial food or mealworms aren�t available, a high quality dog or cat food can be fed in a pinch. The dietary needs of a hedgehog have not been completely established, but you can offer them some fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber. Hedgehogs are active animals and exercise is very beneficial to them, so a large sturdy wheel is a must. Also empty toilet papers rolls that have been cut through completely across so the animal doesn't get his head trapped. They love to dig and root, so you can make a small sandbox for him, add sand and some mealworms, and he will have a blast! Never use pine or cedar for cage bedding, because they will certainly dig in it, and aromatic softwood is dangerous to their respiratory systems. You can use aspen shavings, or non-dusty clay litter. Choose the bedding carefully because the hedgehog will ingest some of the bedding. Aspen shavings are good because they are digestible. How to uncurl a hedgehog To handle a hedgehog, place your hand on each side of him and gently cup him in your hand. Use great caution not to place your fingers in the middle. They can ball up quickly and your finger can get caught in the middle of a bunch of quills being squeezed together by very strong muscles. If this happens, you will need to gently uncurl him to ease his anxiety. First pick him up, and turn him over on his back to identify where the nose is located. Hold the hedgehog by his back with the head under your fingers. Gently rock forwards and backwards, and when the nose starts to show the front legs will also emerge. As the legs reach for the ground, gently put the hedgehog down. Bonding with a hedgehog is quite different than bonding with other animals. The hedgehog has very poor eyesight, and their hearing isn't much better, so they bond using their sense of smell, which is highly developed. Don't use gloves when handling a hedgehog or he won�t know who you are. If you want him to learn to identify your smell as being that of a friend, don't change your odor each day by wearing different perfumes. Spend a great deal of time with your new friend. It is better to spend small amounts of time frequently than large amounts of time infrequently, so that he gets used to having you around. Find an old article of clothing that has no loose threads or holes, wear it for a day, and then place it in his cage so he can adjust to your smell. A hedgehog can be a special pet for the right person, but they aren�t as cuddly and cute as they look. Many hedgehogs have suffered because of people purchasing them as a fad item and then losing interest, so be sure to do your research first to be sure you are really interested in taking care of a hedgehog. If you are a responsible pet owner, a hedgehog can make a wonderful little pet for you, especially if you have a busy lifestyle or cramped quarters. They can be interesting and entertaining, and best of all, you won�t have to take them for a walk when it�s raining outside!

Beer Cans House

5 sets of twins in one class of 20

At an early age children are taught that two plus two makes four.

But pupils at one primary school have quickly learned to expand that basic calculation. And now they know that five pairs of twins makes ten toddlers - and one very confused teacher.

The children also know that their twinned friends make up an entire half of the pupils in one class at Pembroke Dock Community School in Wales.

Fran Thomas is in charge of calling out the repetitive register every morning for her nursery class of 20.

She is already getting used to doing a double take with the children who were all born within six months and live less than a mile from each other.

She said: "It was a shock when they all arrived for school. We couldn�t believe it - it was like we were seeing double.

"One set of twins is fairly unusual, but to have five sets in a class is something I've never heard of. It can get confusing to say the least."

She added: "We�ve no idea why there are so many in the class. There must be something in the water."

The twins, aged two and three, make up half of the nursery class at the school�s newly-formed Flying Start nursery.

And the ten - six of whom are identical twins - could even go right through their school careers together because they live in the same catchment area and are the same age.

Their appearance in one nursery together is so unlikely that mathematicians have calculated its probability as almost zero.

Playgroup leader Carol Mansell said: "They are adorable. They are like little angels - although they can be little devils sometimes too.

"The blonde little girls Rebekah and Teagan Wheatley are behaving so well today. They�ve been brilliant.

"And the Bugby twins Callum and Damian are full of mischief. They are lovely but I don�t know where they get their energy from."

Her colleague Lynda Gould added: "The children all mix well but twins have a special bond.

"It is lovely to see how close they are. If one of them is not around the other is less sure of themselves.

"It is hard to tell which one is which sometimes but you�d be surprised how often we get it right."

All 10 children were born between April and September 2004, and have been attending the nursery since it was set up in January with funding from the Welsh Assembly.

Although the chances of getting five sets of twins in one class are extremely slim, multiple births have become more common, partly due to the increasing use of fertility drugs.

Also, the trend for having children later in life is thought to have contributed to the rising numbers of twins, since multiple births are statistically more likely for older mothers.

Several factors can increase the chances of having a multiple birth, including a mother being over 30 when she conceives.

While there is a three per cent chance of having a multiple birth at age 25 to 29, it increases to four per cent at 30 to 34 years old and almost five per cent at 35 to 39 years old.

The chance of having twins with the use of fertility treatments can be as high as 20 to 25 percent.

The latest Government figures show that 3 out of every 100 pregnancies currently result in twins or in higher multiples of children.

Flowers grow from steel

A Chinese man has reportedly found flowers growing from a steel pipe in his vegetable garden.
Grandpa Ding told Sohu News: "I was cleaning the pipes, then my hand touched something fluffy."

Ding says he was surprised to see the patch of tiny white flowers growing on the smooth steel.

"The stems are slimmer than human hair, and altogether there are 38 small white flowers on top," he said.

The flowers open in the mornings, then close when the sun grows strong. Each flower has a diameter of 1mm.

Ding has consulted his neighbours, who believe the flowers are the legendary Youtan Poluo flower, which blossoms only once every 3,000 years.

"No soil, no water. These flowers can bring me good luck,"

Tokyo technological titillation

With its sleek design, touch-screen technology and iTunes compatibility, it�s not surprising that North America is going gaga over Apple�s soon to be released iPhone.

In Japan however, the priorities for portable products are a little different � advancements in camera technology in particular garnering a lot of attention. Like the new 5005X for example, a piece of kit* that explicitly caters for the keen photographer.

A phone that Messrs Danny and Hector could possibly have made more than good use of at their recent idol photo shoot in Tokyo.

Free bra-fitting could reduce breast reduction surgery

Women should be offered free bra-fittings on the NHS to cut the number getting unnecessary breast reductions, doctors said yesterday.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said if women got the right size underwear it could save the NHS tens of thousands of pounds each year it currently spends on operations.



The organisation, which represents doctors' interests, is to demand bra-fitting should become the first step in a referral for breast reduction surgery.

Studies have shown nine in ten women do not wear the correct size of bra, and 22 per cent have never been measured at all.

This is despite the problems an ill-fitting bra can cause such as wires digging in, chafing and pain in the neck and shoulders, all of which could mistakenly be interpreted as evidence that a breast reduction operation is needed.

A motion to be put forward to the BMA annual conference later this month states: "This meeting believes many women requesting breast reduction surgery are wearing bra sizes several sizes too small and that the services of bra-fitters should be made available on the NHS as the first step in the referral for breast reduction surgery.

"We therefore call on the BMA to lobby for these services to be provided."

Cosmetic surgeons are often consulted by women who mistakenly thought they needed breast reduction surgery when a correctly fitted bra would have ended their discomfort.

Professor Kefah Mokbel, a consultant breast surgeon at St George's and the Princess Grace hospitals in London, said: "In one study we found 100 per cent were wearing the wrong bra.

"They tend to underestimate the back size and overestimate the cup.

"This leads to discomfort in the breast, neck and shoulders. These symptoms are interpreted as physical symptoms which indicate the need for breast reduction.

"I strongly believe that setting up a proper bra-fitting service would reduce the symptoms these women suffer and reduce the number of women who are referred requesting breast reduction."

Breast reduction is one of the most common forms of cosmetic surgery in Britain.

A large NHS hospital carries out about 100 breast reductions a year, costing about �4,500 each.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), 3,219 people paid to have private breast reduction surgery last year, an increase of 19 per cent on the year before.

Patrick Mallucci, a consultant plastic surgeon at the Royal Free hospital, London, said: "A number of large-breasted women have not been wearing the right bras and experience extra discomfort.

"If you get them wearing the right bra and fit them properly you can probably relieve some of that discomfort without them necessarily needing surgery.�

Emma Chapman, a bra expert with Fayreform, an underwear label, said she had helped women avoid surgery by fitting them with the right bra.

"I have fitted women who had been wearing bras that were too small and causing pain and discomfort due to the wires digging in and the fabric chafing," she said.

"By fitting them into a larger size all discomfort was alleviated and their shape and appearance were much improved."

A spokeswoman for Marks and Spencer, which sells more bras than any other high street retailer, said: "We offer a free bra sizing service to anybody that wants to take advantage of it."

Thousands of rare pearls found in shipwreck

Salvagers have discovered thousands of pearls in a small, lead box they found while searching for the wreckage of the 17th-century Spanish galleon Santa Margarita.

Divers from Blue Water Ventures of Key West said they found the sealed box, measuring 3.5 inches by 5.5 inches, along with a gold bar, eight gold chains and hundreds of other artifacts earlier this week.

They were apparently buried beneath the ocean floor in approximately 18 feet of water about 40 miles west of Key West.

Duncan Mathewson, marine archaeologist and partner in the group said "there are several thousand pearls starting from an eighth of an inch to three-quarters of an inch".

James Sinclair, archaeologist and conservator consulting with Mel Fisher's Treasures, Blue Water's joint-venture partners, said the pearls are very rare because of their antiquity and condition.

The pearls will be conserved, documented and photographed in an archaeological laboratory above the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West.

Strongman Stone

Jaja Stone reacting as the durian and bricks on his head are hammered during a "strongman" competition in Jarkata.



The most amazing thing was...... he succeeded in pulling a 8.9- tonne bus 50m (55 yards) forward with his genitals. Both actions were part of a strong man contest to mark the city's 480th anniversary.

Ferrari Sets New Guinness World Record With 385 Ferrari

CARS WORTH �60 MILLION TO CELEBRATE FERRARI'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY

Ferrari and the Ferrari Owners Club GB joined forces at Silverstone on Saturday 9 June, 2007, to set an incredible new Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars', with an astonishing parade of 385 Ferrari cars, more than triple the previous record. With road and race cars from every decade of the Prancing Horse's proud and unique heritage, Ferrari owners from the UK and all over the world joined together to create an amazing spectacle to celebrate Ferrari's 60th Anniversary and the Ferrari Owners Club GB's 40th Anniversary.

With several rare and extremely valuable cars in the Guinness World Record parade, ranging from a 250 California Spider and a 275 GTB/C through to the ultra-desirable 250GTO and the ultra-exclusive FXX, as well as several examples of Ferrari's iconic supercars, the F40, F50 and Enzo, a conservative estimate of the value of the cars in the parade on Saturday would be in excess of �60 million � a perfect number to mark the company's anniversary year.

Massimo Fedeli, Managing Director of Ferrari GB Ltd, said: "What an amazing sight... We are proud to have the support of so many Ferrari owners today in setting a new Guinness World Record. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Owners Club, our Sponsors and everyone who has been working behind the scenes for months to achieve this fantastic record."

Peter Everingham, Secretary of the Ferrari Owners Club GB, was equally effusive: "I'm so proud to have been asked by Ferrari to help set a new Guinness World Record. What our members achieved here today on the Club's 40th Anniversary is quite remarkable � with over 1000 Ferrari cars from every era here this weekend. We have so many enthusiastic owners, and I want to thank them for their support as we couldn't have achieved this without them. I'm sure this one will take some beating."

In order to comply with the Guinness World Record's rules for such an attempt, the cars must all travel over a minimum 2 mile distance, no more than two car lengths apart, and must be counted at

the beginning and the end of the parade. With a starting grid of Ferrari cars stretching from Becketts all the way to Copse on the Silverstone Circuit, the cars completed one full lap and covered a distance of 3 miles, driving two abreast around the entire circuit.

At the head of the parade was a 599 GTB Fiorano driven by Bruno Senna, nephew of three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna, driving in the Ferrari Challenge as a guest driver this weekend, and a specially-liveried 612 Scaglietti which was driven by PC Paul Atkin who recently joined the Ferrari 60 Relay as it toured around the UK. Behind the lead cars were a fleet of Fiorano Ferrari F430 cars driven by Ferrari GB's VIP guests and sponsors who all had the unique opportunity to participate in setting a new Guinness World Record. Then came the extensive stable of Prancing Horses from the Ferrari Owners Club GB which made up the bulk of the 385 cars on track on Saturday.

After double-checking her count, both at the start and the end of the parade, Nadine Causey, Adjudicator for the Guinness World Record, presented Massimo Fedeli and Peter Everingham with a Certificate to mark the occasion.

Ferrari's 60th Anniversary worldwide celebrations culminate on 23 June when the Ferrari 60 Relay baton, which has been carried around the world by enthusiastic Ferrari owners from every country, arrives in Maranello, Italy, the historical and present home of the Prancing Horse.

Two headed conjoined twins Abigail Loraine Hensel and Britanny Lee Hensel

Two headed conjoined twins Abigail Loraine Hensel and Britanny Lee Hensel had a short documentary about their lives on The Learning Channel. It is not easy to be born sharing a single body with your other twin and they are incredible that they had tried their best in leading a normal life. Here are some photos of the Hensel twins which peers into some of the moments in their lives.

Male Goat Found to Produce Milk

Impossible is nothing, now some a Chinese male goat produces milk too! Expert thought that a possible internal secretion stimulated the male goat's breasts to produce milk.

The goat is white, resembles a calf standing one metre high and two metres long and lives in the Cao village of Zhengding County in Hebei province.

Its owner, An Gui-suo reportedly said he bought the four-year-old goat for 1,000 yuan (131 U.S dollars) from a nearby villager for hybridization half a year ago.

At that time, he doubted if the goat with a pair of large breasts could work, but later, the doubt went away when a female goat gave birth to several lambs.

Accidentally, he found white liquid flowed from the male's breasts, and after squeezing them got milk. Since then the owner could get almost half a litre of milk every day.

How much gold is there in the world?

Gold is considered one of the most precious metals in the world; and it has been used as a symbol for purity, value and royalty.

But do you know much gold is there in the world? And who owns most gold? If not, read on. . .

What is gold?

Gold is a rare metallic element with a melting point of 1064 degrees centigrade and a boiling point of 2808 degrees centigrade. Its chemical symbol, Au, is short for the Latin word for gold, 'Aurum', which literally means 'Glowing Dawn.' It has several properties that have made it very useful to mankind over the years, notably its excellent conductive properties and its inability to react with water or oxygen.

Where does the word gold come from?

The word gold appears to be derived from the Indo-European root 'yellow', reflecting one of the most obvious properties of gold. This is reflected in the similarities of the word gold in various languages: Gold (English), Gold(German), Guld (Danish), Gulden (Dutch), Goud (Afrikaans), Gull (Norwegian) and Kulta (Finnish).

How much gold is there in the world?

The World Gold Council estimates that at the end of 2001, it is estimated that all the gold ever mined amounted to about 145,000 tonnes.

Who owns most gold?

If we take national gold reserves, then the most gold is owned by the United States, followed by Germany and the International Monetary Fund.

But if we include jewellery ownership, then India is the largest repository of gold in terms of total gold within the national boundaries. In terms of personal ownership, it is not known who owns the most, but it is possibly a member of a ruling royal family in the East.

If all the gold that there is in the world is laid around the globe, how far would it stretch?

If we make all the gold ever produced into a thin wire of 5 microns (millionths of a metre) diameter -- the finest one can draw a gold wire, then all the gold would stretch around the circumference of the world an astounding 7.2 million times approximately!

Why is gold measured in carats?

This stems back to ancient times in the Mediterranean /Middle East, when a carat became used as a measure of the purity of gold alloys. The purity of gold is now measured also in terms if fineness, i.e parts per thousand. Thus 18 carats is 18/24th of 1000 parts = 750 fineness.

What is Carat?

A Carat (Karat in the US & Germany) was originally a unit of mass (weight) based on the Carob seed or bean used by ancient merchants in the Middle East. The Carob seed is from the Carob or locust bean tree. The carat is still used as such for the weight of gem stones (1 carat is about 200 mg). For gold, it has come to be used for measuring the purity of gold where pure gold is defined as 24 carats.

How does a gold mine work?

The gold-containing ore has to be dug from the surface or blasted from the rock face underground. This is then hauled to the surface and milled to release the gold. The gold is then separated from the rock (gangue) by techniques such as flotation, smelted to a gold-rich dor? and cast into bars.

These are then refined to gold bars by the Miller chlorination process to a purity of 99.5%. If higher purity is needed or platinum group metal contaminants are present, this gold is further refined by the Wohlwill electrlytic process to 99.9% purity.

What happens to gold after it is mined?

The ore is normally sent to a refinery, which will extract and melt down the gold into a pure 24ct form, normally as bars or ingots.

How big is a tonne of gold?

Gold is traditionally weighed in Troy Ounces (31.1035 gm). With the density of gold at 19.32 g/cm3, a troy ounce of gold would have a volume of 1.61 cm3. A metric tonne (equals 1,000 kg = 32,150.72 troy ounces) of gold would therefore have a volume of 51,762 cm3 (i.e. 1.61 x 32,150.72), which would be equivalent to a cube of side 37.27cm (Approx. 1' 3'').

What percentage of gold is used in jewellery, industry and investment?

Around 70% of gold demand is jewellery, 11% is industrial (dental, electronics) and 13% is investment (institutional and individual, bars & coins). Gold jewellery has strong 'investment' attributes in all countries, and in markets such as India and Middle East is sold by weight at the prevailing daily rate with a supplementary "making charge" which varies according to the complexity of the piece.

Dynamic Skyscraper

A skyscraper built of rotating platters with built-in wind turbines

Largest Pearl on Market Up for Auction

The "Arco Valley Pearl", 3.1 inches in length, will be up for bidding at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace and on the Internet, where it is estimated to fetch up to $8 million. The 575-carat pearl from 12th century Mongolia once belonged to Chinese emperors, Persian kings, the grandson of Genghis Khan and Marco Polo.

It has been passed down for 800 years, from Chinese emperors to Marco Polo. The name of its current owner is a secret. But Thursday, hundreds of people will get the chance to buy the world's largest natural pearl on the market.

The "Arco Valley Pearl" 3.1 inches in length will be up for bidding at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace and on the Internet, where it is estimated to fetch up to $8 million.

The 575-carat pearl from 12th century Mongolia once belonged to Chinese emperors, Persian kings, the grandson of Genghis Khan and Marco Polo.

The value of the saltwater pearl is based on its size, colour, weight, exclusivity, history and records of what people have been prepared to pay for similar precious items.

"It's 800 years old and it still takes your breath away," said Khaled al-Sayegh, 35, a jeweller from Abu Dhabi and chairman of the organizing committee for Thursday's event.

Arco Valley is only the biggest pearl up for sale in the world.

The 9.45-inch Pearl of Allah is the world's largest. It was found by a diver off the Philippine island of Palawan in 1934 and is stored in a museum in that country.

The Arco Valley pearl, named after a previous owner from Austria's Arco Valley family dynasty, is white with a touch of blue, mixed with pink and cream colours on its sides. It has been drilled three times: to fit among the jewels of an unknown woman's tiara, to go with a ceremonial mandarin suit and to fit a crown or turban decorated with precious stones belonging to a Persian king.

It has since been restored to its original shape.

Court documents prove the pearl was owned by Kublai Khan, the 13th century emperor of China and grandson of Genghis Khan. Experts believe Kublai Khan gave the pearl to Marco Polo as a gift.

Al-Sayegh said he and his partner brought the Arco Valley pearl to Abu Dhabi less than two months ago. He said the pearl was privately owned but did not disclose the owner's name.

At least 400 people from the Emirates, Gulf countries, China, India, Britain, the U.S. and Tahiti are expected to attend the auction.

Rotating Tower

An artificial reef of sculptures

An underwater sculpture park in Grenada West Indies, created by Artist Jason Taylor.Aiming to depictCaribbean folklore it aim to re-generate a coral reef

Digging Machine

Most Expensive One-Bedroom Flat: �3 million!

This is the most Most Expensive One-Bedroom Flat ever to go on sale in the capital. London�s Belgravia has effectively become �detached� from the rest of Britain�s housing market because of the influx of foreign capital and massive City bonuses. The Eaton Place home, which at 1,400 square feet has the floor area of an average four-bedroom flat elsewhere, has a 125-year lease.

The property has a large drawing room, a bedroom with an en suite bathroom, a separate lavatory and a goodsized kitchen. The property is one of dozens of onebedroom flats on sale at more than �1 million - a graphic illustration of London�s soaring property prices.



Latest figures show that the London property market went up in value by an average 2.3 per cent last month alone. That rise took prices in the capital up 15.6 per cent year-on-year.

Interest rates have already risen to 5.5 per cent in an attempt to cool the market and are thought likely to go up again to 5.75 per cent within months. Eaton Place, in Belgravia, is home to City bankers, retired ambassadors and a range of famous faces. Elizabeth Hurley owns a �5 million house in the street and David Blunkett�s home is within walking distance.



At more than 1,200 sq ft, it is the size of a typical four-bedroom flat in a London suburb. It has a large drawing room, the bedroom with ensuite bathroom, a separate lavatory, and a good-sized kitchen.

If you buy this property, don�t be surprised when you see Roman Abramovich, Roger Moore and the Duke of Westminster. They will be your neighbourhood!