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Monday, September 26, 2011

Mind the gap! Wingsuit stuntman shoots through narrow slit in mountainside at 75mph

By Gareth Finighan
From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

A wingsuit pilot has taken the sport of sky diving to new heights after hurtling through a narrow slit in a mountainside.

Jeb Corliss launched himself from a helicopter at 6,000ft today, zooming through the air at 75mph towards the imposing Tianmen mountain in Hunan Province, China.

The stuntman's wingsuit, which has thin membranes between the limbs and torso, allowed the 35-year-old to glide through the air while losing altitude gradually instead of plummeting directly towards Earth.

Scroll down for video


Tight squeeze: Spectators watch as Jeb Corliss hurtles though the mountain's natural arch hundreds of feet in the air
Tight squeeze: Spectators watch as Jeb Corliss hurtles though the mountain's natural arch hundreds of feet in the air

He was able to travel for two-thirds of a mile - and through the 4,265ft mountain's natural archway - before releasing his parachute and descending gently to the ground. 

The arch measures less than 100ft across and left the daredevil with little margin for error.

Bird's eye view: A still from a camera mounted on the helmet of Jeb Corliss as he sweeps through the corridor of rock
Bird's eye view: A still from a camera mounted on the helmet of Jeb Corliss as he sweeps through the corridor of rock

Stunning: The stuntman keeps his nerve as he glides through the narrow alley
Stunning: The stuntman keeps his nerve as he glides through the narrow alley

Up in smoke: Corliss, seen here with another flyer, made an earlier attempt to glide through the mountain but had to perform a detour after his smoke canisters malfunctioned
Up in smoke: Corliss, seen here with another flyer, made an earlier attempt to glide through the mountain but had to perform a detour after his smoke canisters malfunctioned

Corliss, who has jumped from the Eiffel Tower and flown through a waterfall in the Swiss Alps, is the first wingsuit stuntman to fly in China. He carried out a test flight from the top of the mountain earlier this week and described conditions as 'perfect'.

But his first attempt to fly through the Tianmen arch this afternoon had to be abandoned after smoke canisters attached to his ankles developed mechanical problems. Corliss was forced to abandon the attempt in mid-flight and had to make a detour to avoid slamming into the side of the cliff face.

On a high: Back on terra firma, Corliss described the flight as one of the greatest of his career
On a high: Back on terra firma, Corliss described the flight as one of the greatest of his career

After completing the second, successful jump, which was broadcast on China's television networks, the Californian said: 'That was one of the greatest wingsuit flights of my entire life. 

'Thank you China, that was amazing. I love it, oh my God.'



The Best Flow Chart Ever

Carving up the record books: Watch mammoth pumpkin grow from seed to super-size in amazing time-lapse By

Daily Mail Reporter
From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

There have been warnings of a pumpkin shortage in the northeastern states of the U.S. after hundreds of patches were destroyed by Hurricane Irene.

And it could not have come at a worst time as the much-celebrated Halloween season approaches.


But one grower in Connecticut has produced a monster gourd that may just be big enough to go round the whole region.

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Gourd almighty! The mammoth pumpkin in Ken Desrosiers' patch
Gourd almighty! The mammoth pumpkin in Ken Desrosiers' patch
Despite the summer's hostile weather, Ken Desrosiers has nurtured a new record-breaking pumpkin weighing in at 1,487.5lbs - as much as a small car.
He began growing the whopper at the end of June and recorded its transformation by setting up a camera to take photographs every 15 minutes, creating a time-lapse video.

Humble beginnings: The apple-sized pumpkin starts to take shape
Humble beginnings: The apple-sized pumpkin starts to take shape

Pumped: Mr Desrosiers places a can next to his fruit to highlight its size
Pumped: Mr Desrosiers places a can next to his fruit to highlight its size

Smashing pumpkin: This record-breaker was spared the fate of thousands of others which perished in Hurricane Irene
Smashing pumpkin: This record-breaker was spared the fate of thousands of others which perished in Hurricane Irene

Would make one mighty Jack O'Lantern: The pumpkin is covered for protection ahead of harvesting
Would make one mighty Jack O'Lantern: The pumpkin is covered for protection ahead of harvesting

His pumpkin was weighed at the Durham Fair last Wednesday and came in 40lbs heavier than the state's previous record-holder.

But it still falls short of the world's largest, which tipped the scales last year at just over 1,800lbs.


Chris Stevens, from New Richmond, Wisconsin, used seaweed, cow manure and fish emulsion to grow his gargantuan specimen. 


Celebration: The treasured pastime of carving pumpkins will soon be upon us, but the northeastern states have been warned to expect a shortage of the fruit as a result of Hurricane Irene
Celebration: The treasured pastime of carving pumpkins will soon be upon us, but the northeastern states have been warned to expect a shortage of the fruit as a result of Hurricane Irene




Cyborgs - they do exist.

Is that Ozone from Breakin'



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A cyborg dances to Pumped Up Kicks beast track remixed by "butch clancy"

Cliffhanger! Lion cub saved by mum in dramatic scenes caught on camera as he cries out pitifully for help

By Paul Thompson
From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/


Clinging on for dear life to the side of a vertical cliff, the tiny lion cub cries out pitifully for help.

His mother arrives at the edge of the precipice with three other lionesses and a male. The females start to clamber down together but turn back daunted by the sheer drop.

Eventually one single factor determines which of them will risk her life to save the youngster – motherly love.

The drama begins: The mother arrives at the edge of the cliff as her son cries out for rescue after being trapped when he slipped
The drama begins: The mother arrives at the edge of the cliff as her son cries out for rescue after being trapped when he slipped


On the brink: Four lionesses look over the edge before aborting their rescue mission because of the sheer drop
On the brink: Four lionesses look over the edge before aborting their rescue mission because of the sheer drop


Slowly, agonisingly, the big cat edges her way down towards her terrified son, using her powerful claws to grip the crumbling cliff side. 


One slip from her and both animals could end up dead at the bottom of the ravine.
 
Just as the exhausted cub seems about to fall, his mother circles beneath him and he is snatched up in her jaws. 


She then begins the equally perilous journey back to the top. Minutes later, they arrive and she gives the frightened creature a consoling lick on the head.

The dramatic rescue, captured by wildlife photographer Jean-Francois Largot, was played out in Kenya’s Masai Mara game reserve. 


Despite the presence of wardens to deter poachers, day-to-day life for the lions is not without its dangers … as the cub learned the hard way.

The mother inches her way down towards the terrified cub 
Locked tight in her jaws, the mother carries her son back up the cliff face
Rescue mission: The mother inches her way down the cliff face to rescue the terrified cub before locking him in her jaws and making her way back up the cliff face



Motherly love: The mother gives her son a lick to say that all is well in the pride following the drama
Motherly love: The mother gives her son a lick to say that all is well in the pride following the drama

Lady Gaga sings tribute to gay teen who was bullied to death

By David Edwards
From http://www.rawstory.com/

Lady Gaga dedicated a performance of her hit single Hair to Jamey Rodemeyer, a gay 14-year-old Buffalo-area high school freshmen who killed himself after enduring years of bullying over his sexuality.
“We lost a Little Monster this week,” Gaga told a crowd at the iHeartRadio Festival Saturday. “I wanted to dedicate this song to him tonight because he was really young.”

“I wrote this record about how your identity is really all you’ve got when you’re in school… So tonight, Jamey, I know you’re up there looking at us, and you’re not a victim. You’re a lesson to all of us. I know it’s a bit of a downer, but sometimes the right thing is more important than the music.”

“I just wanna be myself / And I want you to love me for who I am,” Gaga sings. “I’ve had enough / This is my prayer / That I’ll die living just as free as my hair.”

The singer announced last week that she wanted to meet with President Barack Obama and urge him to press for laws making bullying a federal hate crime.

Rodemeyer, who had been a big Lady Gaga fan, even thanked her in his final blog post. In a YouTube video posted earlier this year, the teen had said how much he loved the singer.

“Lady Gaga, she makes me so happy, and she lets me know that I was born this way,” he explained.
Police are considering harassment, cyber-harassment or hate crimes charges for the students who bullied Rodemeyer.

Watch this video from YouTube, uploaded Sept. 25, 2011.

World's 50 best beach bars

Drink in hand, toes in sand: These classic beach bars do it better than anyone 
 
Anyone can stick up a shack on the sand, stock it with beers and call it a beach bar.
But what makes a great beach bar?

It could be the sand-in-your-toes factor, or the washing and hissing of the waves nearby, or the sunsets or the people you meet.

But the truth is there’s no formula, no magic ingredients that will guarantee a place in a list of the world’s best beach bars. 

We’ve included spots that range from the chic and the elite with smooth lines and mesmerizing cocktail waiters, to the haphazard, thrown-together shacks constructed from scavenged driftwood.

The only thing these places have in common is that once you’ve been, you inevitably start planning to get back there someday, somehow.

We know this list won't hit all the great beach bars around the world, so let us know -- which beach bars did we miss? Leave a comment.

50. La Plancha, Bali, Indonesia

La plancha beach bar
Kind of like a teen's dorm room, with less booze.

How did a simple beach shack beat out ultra luxe bars such as KU DÉ TA and Potatohead? By keeping it real. La Plancha’s laid-back reggae beats, ice-cold beers, oversized bean bags and jugs of potent sangria have made it the spot to be from 4 p.m. every day.
Surfers use the spot as a strip-down, wax-on spot before catching the last waves of the day. But La Plancha’s biggest draw is the sunset.
An uninterrupted view of the changing pink-to-red-to-orange sky will have you seriously considering retiring here, even though you’re only 28 and broke.
Double Six Beach, Bali; +62 0361 890 0000; www.laplanchabali.com

49. Nikki Beach, Miami, United States

Nikki beach bar
Reservations and good-lookers only.

This cool club with a rep for its strict door policy -- be irresistibly beautiful or don't turn up without a reservation -– didn’t invent the beach bar, but it did reinvent the genre for a generation who may never have felt the sand between their manicured toes. St. Trop-style chill joint by day, with raised “opium beds” and linen-covered loungers, it turns into an alfresco nightclub after dark, when international DJs man the decks at weekends.
There are now Nikkis from Koh Samui to Cabo San Lucas -- not to mention the desert resorts of Las Vegas and Marrakech, where Nikki has created a modern-day mirage.
1 Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, United States; www.nikkibeachmiami.com

48. Tortilla Flats, Dominical, Costa Rica

tortilla flats
Rustic, cluttered, perfect.

This long-standing beach hut is a surfer hotel, seaside restaurant and happening night spot all rolled into one. The two-story establishment is located right on the sand in the laid-back surf town of Dominical. During the day, the crowds (mostly comprising dripping wet surfers) flock to Tortilla Flats for the surprisingly good food.
As the day winds down, you can grab a drink from the well-stocked bar and watch the waves roll in against the sunset.
Tortilla Flats, Playa Dominical, Dominical, Costa Rica; +506 2787 0033; www.tortillaflatsdominical.com
Also on CNNGo: 30 of the world's best hotel bars

47. Pelican Bar, Jakes Treasure Beach, Jamaica

pelican bar jakes
One drinking session you can never claim to have forgotten.

When a place claims to have “the best cocktails in the sea” it’s easier to be cynical. But Pelican Bar really could have the best, because it really is in the sea.Part of the Jakes Treasure Beach resort, the Pelican is built out on a shoal requiring a short boat ride for a visit.
No Internet, no TVs, no pool tables -- just thatched roof, seats and booze. No wonder it’s considered by fans to be the single best beach bar in the Caribbean.
Calabash Bay, Jakes Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, W.I.; www.jakeshotel.com

46. Purobeach, Mallorca, Spain

PuroBeach bar
A beach bar for the aesthetically minded.

If, upon setting foot in Mallorca's Purobeach, you feel as if you've stepped into a design magazine, you're exactly right. The gorgeous beachfront property, run by Swedish entrepreneur Mats Wahlström, has been featured in countless fashionable glossies.This no doubt accounts for its popularity among the international jet set.
At Purobeach beautiful bodies lie perennially on white loungers, sipping passion fruit mojitos under the shade of white beach umbrellas and potted palms.
During the day, Purobeach offers spa and yoga sessions to its designer swimwear-clad patrons. Come nightfall, clubbers gather around the large pool to dance to tunes from Wahlström's music label.
Montenegro, 12 Palma, Mallorca, Spain; +34 971 425 450; www.purobeach.com

45. Tamboo Tavern, Rincon, Puerto Rico

Tamboo Tavern puerto rico
Sometimes beaches are better at night.

Imagine a bar where you spend lunch time bathing on the sands and drinking pina coladas, the afternoons watching old black and white movies in a cozy corner and the evenings listening to live Latino music while humpback whales break the ocean surface in front of the glowing sun. It's not a dream -- this place exists on the idyllic coastline of Puerto Rico. It's chilled out, but lively, it's popular but roomy. If you're planning a visit to the Caribbean, make sure you visit.
Open from noon. Sandy Beach Road, 413 Interior, Puntas, Rincon, Puerto Rico; +787 823 8550; www.besidethepointe.com
Also on CNNGo: World's 50 most delicious foods

44. Cary Arms, Babbacombe, England

Cary Arms, Devon
It's England; the beach umbrellas are in case it rains.

Now into its third summer as a posh people's gastropub, the once-derelict Cary Arms is like a little glimpse of English heaven -- as long as the sun’s shining. One part traditional British watering-hole with beamed ceiling and stone fireplace, non-diners can settle into a pint of Otters Ale or Bays Gold among the specialty beers.
For the hungry there's lobster and chips, the best crab sandwiches in Devon, all manner of gourmet fish dishes and the county's famous Devon cream teas. Chill to a view of the coastline in one of the Adirondack chairs on the terrace, or move fast to grab a lunch table in the high-perched pergola known as the Captain's Table.
Beach Road, Babbacombe, Devon, England; www.caryarms.co.uk

43. Catch Beach Club, Phuket, Thailand

catch beach club
The world's most purple bar?

The Thai resort's most fashionable beach bar is particularly popular on Friday night, when lamb and tuna hit the spit along with oysters and other seafood. There's more barbecue action on Tuesdays, and drinks are a draw every night of the week, with signature cocktails including a Sly Thai and My Thai.
While reports of the cuisine are mixed, the beachfront ambiance and live music are universally acclaimed; get there early to bag one of the day beds close to the water's edge.
Twin Palms Hotel, Surin Beach Road, Cherng Talay, Surin Beach, Phuket, Thailand; catchbeachclub.com/index.html

42. Nammos beach club, Bali, Indonesia

nammos beach bar bali
A private inclinator -- to get rid of those who can't walk home afterward.

Kudos for effort -- this lively watering hole aims to recreate the ambiance of a Greek island, despite being based on a bamboo platform with a roof of indigenous grass. The only access to its home on a tranquil turquoise lagoon fringed with white sand is via a private inclinator, which transports guests up and down 100 meters of sheer limestone cliff.
While the beach is the star by day (not to mention the waiters who dive into the lagoon to collect a lunch of locally farmed seafood to order), by night the bar turns on the romance with Champagne and cold beer to lubricate the prawns and lobster.
Karma Kandara Resort, Jalan Wijaya Kusuma, Bali, Indonesia; www.karmakandara.com
Also on CNNGo: Shanghai's 6 best new cocktail bars


41. Tanjong Beach Club, Singapore

Tanjong beach club
A gritty piece of fun. Who called this island sterile?

This hideout on the sands does its best to recreate a relaxed beach attitude on the outskirts of the uptight city-state. It came into existence thanks to a pair of not-so-uptight Aussie brothers who saw the sands of Sentosa as the perfect environment for seafood platters, tropical cocktails and good healthy fun like beach volleyball.
120 Tanjong Beach Walk, Sentosa, Singapore; www.tanjongbeachclub.com

Spain's Catalonia bids farewell to bullfighting

By: AP
From: http://www.usatoday.com/




BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Matadors drove the killing sword into bulls for the last time Sunday in Spain's powerful northeastern region of Catalonia in an emotive farewell fight before a polemical regional ban on the country's emblematic tradition takes effect.

Three of Spain's top bullfighters, including No. 1 Jose Tomas, starred in the sold-out show at Barcelona's 20,000-seat Monumental ring. Catalan bullfighter Serafin Marin closed the fight killing the last of six bulls to great applause.

Many fans then invaded the ring to grab handfuls of sand to keep as souvenirs.

The bullfighters were later carried shoulder high from the ring into the streets outside the bullring while the crowd chanted slogans in favor of freedom and against the prohibition. A brief bout of scuffling broke out as fans confronted about 20 animal welfare activists, but there were no reports of injuries or arrests.

The fight was also preceded by moments of tension as pro- and anti-bullfighting activists exchanged insults.

Catalonia's Parliament banned bullfighting in July 2010 following a signature-collection campaign by animal rights activists. The ban does not take effect until Jan. 1, but Sunday's fight was the last scheduled this season.

Critics say the prohibition is less about animal welfare and more a snub to Spain by independence-minded Catalans.

Bullfighting's popularity in Catalonia has plunged in recent decades and the Monumental was its last functioning ring, although the city once boasted three.

Hours before the fight, a small group of anti-bullfight activists gathered outside the arena, celebrating with sparkling wine.

"Obviously a lot of political parties have tried to politicize this, but we mustn't forget that this popular proposal sprouted from a pure pro-animal rights standpoint aimed at eradicating animal cruelty," campaigner Soraya Gaston said.

Others hoped the prohibition might only be temporary.

"It looks like this may be the last day (of bullfights in Catalonia). But the last word hasn't been said yet," fan Eduardo Edurna said. "I think we will have bullfighting back in Catalonia."

The prohibition caused a furor and triggered a nationwide debate over the centuries-old spectacle that inspired such artists and writers as Goya, Picasso and Hemingway.

"Banning bullfighting in Catalonia is nothing more than an attack on liberty," said Carlos Nunez, president of Spain's Mesa del Toro pro-bullfighting umbrella group. "It's the fruit of policies in Catalonia against bullfighting and all that is seen to represent Spain."

Although mostly symbolic — the Monumental staged only some 15 fights a year — the prohibition sent bullfighting supporters frantically looking for ways to overturn the decision or at least make sure it doesn't spread to other regions.

Bullfighter Enrique Ponce of Spain performs during the third bullfight of the 2011 season at the Monumental bullring on July 17 in Barcelona.

Spain's leading conservative opposition Popular Party— tipped to win general elections in November — has appealed the ban before the Constitutional Court, while its Catalan branch is battling for a delay in the implementation of the ban.

Meanwhile, the Mesa del Toro is seeking 500,000 signatures in the hope it can persuade the Madrid national parliament to grant bullfighting cultural heritage status.

Animal rights activists, meanwhile, are triumphant.

"It's like a crack has developed in the armor plating (of bullfighting). It's a small crack but the protective shield might crumble altogether," said Leonardo Anselmi, a key promoter of the Catalan prohibition.

Catalonia is the second of Spain's 17 regions to ban bullfighting. The Canary Islands outlawed the practice in 1991 although it had never been a popular tradition there.

For the moment, however, there are no signs any other Spanish region will follow suit.

The practice was once immensely popular in Barcelona and other Catalan towns but its decline began with the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1978 and the subsequent rise in Catalan nationalism and a rejection of things deemed Spanish.

But critics say the hypocrisy of banning bullfighting in the name of animal rights was shown up when months after the ban, Catalonia passed other legislation protecting the "correbous," a typical Catalan town festival event in which flaming balls of wax or fireworks are attached to the horns of bulls which are then taunted and teased by rowdy crowds in bullrings or town squares.

Spain's ancient fascination with bulls, and with using the animals as a test of bravery, is still very much a part of the national identity. Bullfights and related events, such as the annual San Fermin Pamplona bull-runs, make up a multimillion-dollar industry and draw many tourists.

But modern times and the economic crisis have nevertheless hit the tradition hard and surveys consistently show most Spaniards have no interest in bullfighting.

In an article headlined "The Fiesta is Ending," leading newspaper El Pais highlighted that changing tastes and economic difficulties, particularly in small towns, have led to a 34 percent drop in the number of bull-related festival events from 2,622 to 1,724 between 2007 and 2010.

In January, Spain's leading broadcaster said it would no longer show live bullfights in order to protect children from viewing violence.

10 Celebrity Heads That Are Literally Growing [Photos]


After extensive medical research on WebMD, we found the human head reaches its fully mature size by the age of 18. Apparently, these "medical professionals" never consulted that fun fact with any of the following 10 celebrities because photographic evidence proves their heads have exponentially grown since their 20s. And we don't mean an inflated sense of self, we mean their heads are physically getting larger with each passing sitcom, rom-com and box office bomb! We have a number of theories on what is contributing to this defiance of human biology. Most of them involve booze and unabashed sandwich consumption, but we're no doctors. View the below evidence and make up your own crackpot theories.

Alec Baldwin: The Potato


In the old days, Mr. Alec Baldwin had the proportionate head of a high school class president or drama club heartthrob. But as the years passed, his head inflated to something that could float by 30 Rock during the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Luke Wilson: The Oh, Brother


We watched Luke Wilson go from a young man in "Bottle Rocket" to the guy in some commercial campaign for cell phones. We can't even tell you what he's selling because we're too busy wondering what happened to his cranium. Did he eat his other two brothers and then store the fat in his head?

Kathleen Turner: The Lettin' It All Hang Out


Kathleen Turner is an inspiration. She used to have the head of an angelic beauty waiting to be kissed by Michael Douglas. These days she just doesn't give a fudge! That head is clearly living life to its fullest size potential. Her stone got romanced into a boulder.

Mickey Rourke: The Contender


They say a big head looks better on camera. So maybe Mickey Rourke decided to grow out his capitulum so his triumphant comeback into the film biz would be hard to miss! And that pasty punching bag will forever be remembered as...kinda creepy.

Val Kilmer: The Zenith


Val Kilmer went from the Lizard King to King Sized Lizard. The size of that head is just phenomenal. Traditional hat sizes quiver at his approach. Elastic ball caps turn to stone. Do-rags scream, "DON'T!" We're left with two questions: Are those purple lenses prescription? And can you purchase frames at Big & Tall stores?

Vince Vaughn: The Swaaaanger


What? Oh yeah, that is the same guy from "Swingers." Vince Vaughn taught us how to meet ladies, and now he's teaching us the ultimate tragedy of being puffy around the eyes...and chin, and ears, and well...the entire skull.

Steven Seagal: The Beefsteak Eskimo


Steven Seagal recently told a UFC reporter he "...doesn't keep track of space and time that well." Apparently, neither does his head.

John Travolta: The Hugerino


Being a licensed pilot, does John Travolta have to pay a fee for the extra weight of that dome? If Scientologists have to wear ceremonial hats, his would have to be custom made with generous amounts of elastic.

Gerard Depardieu: The De-Par-HUGE


Ahhh, the French. In Europe, a head the size of Gerard Depardieu's is a symbol of success and good fortune. In America, that head is a sign that you need neck supports. Maybe he urinated on that plane because the blood flowing to his brain got misdirected in that huge skull.

Eddie Vedder: The Poetic Pumpkin


To tell you the truth, ladies and gentleman, Eddie Vedder always had a gigantic noodle. We just felt the need to point it out and compare it to a jack-o'-lantern to get all of you in the Halloween spirit.
Photos: Getty Images