Archive for June 22nd, 2012
Texas woman hit with $1.3 million-plus electric bill | The Sideshow – Yahoo! News
We all dread opening an electric bill, especially when air-conditioning drives up costs and maxes out a family budget.
But Kristin Harriger’s recent electric bill was beyond shocking. Rather than a bill for $100 or so that the single mom from Abilene, Texas, was expecting, she was billed for $1,381,783.92, according to the Business Insider.
“I opened it. I read it. Then just went, ‘Oh, my gosh. That’s a lot of money,” Harriger told the Abilene Reporter News.
via Texas woman hit with $1.3 million-plus electric bill | The Sideshow – Yahoo! News.
Topless feminist disrupts psychic pig’s feeding time – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A topless protest by a Ukrainian feminist group livened up feeding time for Ukraine’s Euro 2012 psychic pig Funtik, as soccer fans waited to see who he would choose to win this morning’s quarter-final.
Ukraine’s tournament mascot had been dozing in his pen in Kiev but stirred and got up when he heard the familiar sound of the gate opening for his afternoon meal.
Funtik is given two bowls daily to eat from, each marked with the national flag of two teams playing each other at the finals.
Those who have faith in his psychic powers say the bowl he eats from first will prove to be the winner on the night.
But even before a fan zone steward could bring in his food – a bowlful each for Portugal and the Czech Republic – an activist from feminist group Femen barged into the pen.
Olexandra Nemchinova, 31, threw off her blouse to reveal the words “F… Euro 2012″ on her torso and began shouting slogans denouncing the tournament, being co-hosted by Ukraine and Poland.
Stewards led Ms Nemchinova out of the pen and handed her over to the local police.
The group carries out topless protests to highlight the growth of the sex industry in Ukraine and has targeted the championship – which it says feeds sex tourism – and UEFA president Michel Platini.
London hosts ‘world’s first facewalk’ – pictures – Showbiz News – Digital Spy
“There’s no city on Earth more exciting or inspiring than London this year, so what better place for us to create a world first,” said QVC’s Sue Leeson.
“We are so used to taking fashion inspiration from the catwalk but this show is all about illustrating the potential of make-up, how it can be applied and adapted as trends evolve.”
She added: “One of the things that’s unique about QVC is the way we demonstrate our cosmetic and skincare brands on air with the brand owners themselves giving viewers step-by-step guides to application and tips on technique.
“Viewers are encouraged to adapt their looks and experiment with new products daily – knowing they have 30 days to return any product they try but don’t like.”
Looks on the ‘facewalk’ included ‘nu wave’, ‘flower’, ‘geisha’, ‘sky’ and ‘space’.
via London hosts ‘world’s first facewalk’ – pictures – Showbiz News – Digital Spy.
Video: Human tower built in New York to honour rebuilding of World Trade Center – Telegraph
The 150-strong Castellers de Vilafranca team took about five minutes to get into position.
Cheers erupted when the final child, wearing a safety helmet, topped the precarious human tower.
Earlier, the team had built an eight-person high human tower, apparently setting a new Guinness World Record.
The performance is the first in a series of events being held to celebrate the rebuilding of the World Trade Center complex that was destroyed by terrorists in 2001.
via Video: Human tower built in New York to honour rebuilding of World Trade Center – Telegraph.
Top 10 iconic London images – red bus is top photo for tourists – Quirky London – London 24
In a survey to find tourists’ most iconic London photographs, the red bus came out on top followed by The Queen and red telephone boxes.
Of course, the most iconic red bus of all is the Routemaster, which was introduced in 1956 and was in continuous service until 2005.
Nearly 3,000 of the original model were built, outlasting several replacement types.
A new vehicle, dubbed the Boris Bus, has taken its inspiration from the Routemaster, bringing back the hop-on-hop-off style. The first one went into service earlier this year.
via Top 10 iconic London images – red bus is top photo for tourists – Quirky London – London 24.
Erotic art festival whips up frenzy – Odd – Scotsman.com
AN X-RATED arts festival featuring Japanese bondage workshops is set for a sell-out, with more than 700 expected to attend.
Tickets for the Festival of Erotic Arts, taking place at city venues this weekend, have been so popular that many of the risqué shows are already at capacity.
Organisers say the most popular events include flagship club night Torture Garden and revue spectacular Kabarett, which boasts burlesque and showgirl performers.
Critics previously warned the event would attract a seedy element – a claim refuted by organisers who said the three-day festival represents a “sleaze-free, sex-positive celebration of a thriving artform”.
The festival will feature readings of erotic poetry, film screenings and parties, the largest of which will include a sado-masochist dungeon and require revellers to wear “latex, leather or rubber” or “all-out burlesque glamour”.
End-of-night parties will be hosted at the Voodoo Rooms in West Register Street and The Caves and Banshee Labyrinth in Niddry Street. White Space in Gayfield Square and the Pleasance Cabaret Bar will also house erotic art exhibitions and revues.
About two-thirds of tickets have been sold in Edinburgh or the central belt of Scotland.
via Erotic art festival whips up frenzy – Odd – Scotsman.com.
Woman found with superhuman sight | Orange UK
A woman has been found with ‘superhuman’ sight enabling her to see 99 million more colours than the rest of us.
She can see an unimaginable range and depth of hues and is the first so-called ‘tetrachromat’ to be discovered in Britain, reports Metro.
Gabriele Jordan, a neuroscientist at Newcastle University, says the condition only affects women – and there may be others.
“Unfortunately, she cannot describe how her colour vision compares with ours any more than we can tell a colour-blind person what red looks like to us,” she said.
Vision is based on eye cells known as cones – but tetrachromats have four types instead of three.
“Tetrachromats may never need to draw on their full capacity,” said Ms Jordan.
“They may be trapped in a world tailored to creatures with lesser powers.”
Pavarotti lookalike entertains passengers | Orange UK
A Pavarotti lookalike is entertaining train passengers by breaking into song after getting a job as a station guard.
Colin Miller travelled the world as the opera singer’s double after Nessun Dorma became the anthem of the Italia 90 World Cup.
But work dried up after the singer died in 2007 and he has landed a job with Virgin Trains at Lichfield Trent Valley station in Staffordshire.
The former greengrocer, known as ‘Pav’ to colleagues, now sings impromptu choruses of Nessun Dorma to soothe commuters held up by delays.
Some queue up to have their picture taken with the station guard – and others hop off to take a snap before their train leaves.
Mr Miller, 61, said: “I can’t sing like Pavarotti – but I give it a good go.
“All the punters love it, they know the railways don’t always run on time but people know I will be out there to keep them smiling.”
Scientists Make Easter Island Statues ‘Walk’ Into Place (VIDEO, PHOTOS)
Ever wondered how the native inhabitants of Easter Island managed to move their 33 feet, 80 tonne statues – known as ‘moai’ – to their positions on the coast without any use of wheels or draft animals?
Scientists Hannah Bloch and Carl P. Lipo have, and they’ve got an answer that seems to fit: it was a combination of manpower, patience and ropes that allowed the statues to ‘walk’ to their current locations.
This idea, first put forward by anthropologist Terry Hunt, was put into practice with the help of National Geographic, and above is the video footage that proves that the idea is entirely possible.
via Scientists Make Easter Island Statues ‘Walk’ Into Place (VIDEO, PHOTOS).
