Archive for October 13th, 2009

The World’s Smallest Man Makes a Wish For His 18th Birthday

Khagendra Thapa Magar, who is 2ft tall and has just turned 18 has wished for two things: to be officially recognised by the Guiness World Records and to find a wife.

The teenager is a full head and shoulders shorter than He Pingping of China, who at 2ft 5in is the current holder of the world’s smallest man title. He is now waiting for official recognition from Guinness World Records.

His other wish is to find a wife of a similar stature to marry.

“When I am officially recognised as the smallest man in the world I expect to get lots of proposals.”

I’m sure you will Khagendra, and I’d love to come to the wedding. Is it wrong of me to be imagining a doll house church? How cute! Seriously though, I hope it goes to plan for you Mr Magar. It’s not all about size now, is it?

Link

Diagonal Line Perception Illusion

Here’s an example of how space can cause problems with our eyes and brains. Damn you space … and brain!

The Simple Concept by BMW

Meet the Simple Concept by BMW – Simple is the acronym for sustainable and innovative mobility product for low energy consumption, a vehicle concept combining features and advantages of both motorcars and motorcycles.

The concept owes its protective passenger compartment to motorcars whereas the streamline shape, the two occupants seated one behind the other and the uniquely driving experience are naturally owed to motorcycles. Whilst researching ideas for futuristic urban mobility combined with the prerequisite of reduced consumption (less than 2l /100 km eqals more than 120mpg) and emission values (50g CO2 /100 km), the BMW Group spawned this concept vehicle featuring the extremely low weight of 450 kg and aerodynamic drag properties (0,18 drag coefficient), which of course also fulfilled all the BMW Group premium brand demands: sheer driving pleasure, innovative vehicle configuration, technology integration and a sense of comfort and spaciousness.

It’s a nice concept, but in the real world how viable is it? Would you drive one to your workplace? Without a paper bag on your head?

The World Will NOT End In 2012 Mayan Elder Insists

Despite the internet rumors, psychic predictions, and the belief of many who follow the Mayan calendar, a Mayan elder insists that the world will not end in 2012.

The Mayan calendar runs out on December 21, of 2012, which has made many believe that will spell the end of the current cycle of the world. However, Mayan elder, Apolinario Chile Pixtun says the doomsday theories spring from Western, not Mayan ideas.

But hysteria surrounding 2012 does have some grains of archaeological basis. One of them is Monument Six.

Found at an obscure ruin in southern Mexico during highway construction in the 1960s, the stone tablet almost did not survive; the site was largely paved over and parts of the tablet were looted.
The inscription describes something that is supposed to occur in 2012 involving Bolon Yokte, a mysterious Mayan god associated with both war and creation. However, erosion and a crack in the stone make the end of the passage almost illegible.

Guillermo Bernal, an archaeologist at Mexico’s National Autonomous University, believes the eroded message is: “He will descend from the sky”.

Link

The Mothership Has Arrived!

This incredible ring-shaped luminous cloud was seen floating in skies in Moscow city’s Western District on Wednesday, last week.

Whilst many speculate the vision was a UFO, other pessimistic (and probably more sensible) people say it’s just a natural phenomenon caused by pollution or a passing front combined with sunlight shining from the west.

What do they know? I’m pretty sure the mothership has arrived.