Special News

31October2009

Halloween any time of the year in London

Posted by Cecilia under: Culture; Economy.

Today is Halloween, when the spooks come out in your neighborhood.  But there are some places around the world where the spirits hang out all year.  On your next trip to London, try a frightening, gruesome and funny tour around the city.

This ultimate London Ghost Walk is called “Lantern Walks of Hidden Horror” and guided by Fred Strangebone  alias Ben Whitehead, British comedian and voice imitator.

Holding a hurricane lantern and with sullen looks he leads horror-loving tourists to London’s most creepy places.

Some called this kind of city tour “more of a moving performance than a tour”.

Ben Whitehead offers in five different horror tours through London.

Happy Halloween!

30October2009

How intelligent are crows?

Posted by Cecilia under: Nature; Science.

Crows exhibit a remarkable intelligence.  They can show amazing tactical thinking abilities, such as hiding food from their rivals.

Researchers at the University of Vienna, Austria observed crows as they hid the food.  They wait until other crows stand in the “blind spot” to hide their food reserves.

In order to confuse would-be thieves, some crows periodically move their hiding place.  One day they even confused the researchers when they pretended to change the hiding place and then moved it to a new location.

Researchers call this intelligent crow behavior “tactical cheating”.

29October2009

David Lynch Weekend to come

Posted by Cecilia under: Culture; Education.

During the past 4 years the David Lynch Foundation has provided scholarships for over 100,000 at-risk public and private school students to learn to meditate.  Research on the meditating students has shown improved grades and decreased stress, depression and violence compared to non-meditating students.

Each year the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa organizes the David Lynch Weekend, which will take place this year on November 13-16, 2009.

Filmmaker David Lynch himself will be at Maharishi University of Management to launch the David Lynch Foundation’s national initiative to train new teachers of the Transcendental Meditation technique.  Physics professor John Hagelin, Ph.D. will speak about the science of consciousness and brain researcher Fred Travis, Ph.D. will conduct a live brainwave demonstration on meditation.

Registrations are accepted at the website lynchweekend.org until November 5, 2009.

28October2009

Hobbit House in Manila

Posted by Cecilia under: Art; Economy.

Normally when we write about an unusual restaurant its because of the location, or its unique design.  The Hobbit House in Manila, Philippines belongs on the list of extraordinary restaurants for another reason.  

They claim to be the bar with the smallest waiters in the world.

 The Hobbit House is inspired by Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.  Its interior is decorated with swords, lights and accessories reminiscent of Middle Earth.

The diminutive waiters serve to complete the effect of a visit to the Shire.  The staff’s friendliness is as renowned as the bar itself.

27October2009

Who invented the sauna?

Posted by Cecilia under: Culture; Health.

The sauna has a long history that most likely began in Finland a thousand years ago.  In addition to its Nordic origins, other cultures have created their own versions - such as the banya in Russia, the Native American’s sweat lodge, the hamam in Turkey and the onsen in Japan.

With its long, dark and cold winters it seems no wonder that the sauna was invented in Finland.

The origin of the word “sauna” lies in the Finish word “savvia” which means “a pit dug into snow for temporary shelter”.

In order to use a sauna properly you need to have a place where you can cool off.  In Finland, the closest snowbank is an obvious place. 

To use a sauna in the recommended way you have to get undressed, showered and dried off.  Step into the sauna with only a towel and spend 5-10 minutes inside. Then go outside for a cold dip in the snow or water and return inside for a longer stay.  Then you exit again for on more roll in the snow, rest and get dressed again.

The effects of a sauna on the body are the cleansing and strengthening the skin, renewing cells and strengthening the immune system - as well as the heart.  And last but not least: a visit to the sauna improves your general mood.  All in all, the perfect way to survive Finland’s endless winter.

26October2009

World Heritage site: Malpelo Island

Posted by Cecilia under: Nature.

Malpelo Island is located about 314 miles off the coast of Columbia.  What made this site worthy of listing as a World Heritage site is its large aggregations of marine biodiversity.

This vast marine park that encompasses Malpelo Island and its surrounding marine environment is the habitat for internationally threatened marine species.

These deep waters support important populations of large predators such as the extremely rare short-nosed ragged-toothed shark.  The park allows for an undisturbed environment where species maintain natural behavioral patterns.

As a destination for world-class diving expeditions it’s essential to keep the marine biodiversity of Malpelo Island well-protected and preserved.

25October2009

How eating habits affect sleep

Posted by Cecilia under: Health.

Sleeping habits and eating habits are inexorably connected.  Bad eating habits can influence our sleep in a negative way.  Eating a big meal too close to bedtime is one of the most common reasons why people don’t get adequate sleep.

Some people incorrectly believe that a big meal will help them fall asleep more easily.  In fact, the reason for feeling a tired after a big meal lies in the redirected blood flow during digestion - which can make our brain feel tired.  A big meal causes the opposite of relaxing the body.  Digestion means that numerous parts of our body need to be active in order to digest normally.

A heavy meal shortly before bedtime also has a negative impact on our weight.  While we sleep our body can’t convert the released energy and instead stores it in form of fat.

Another lesser known reason is that our digestion organs rest between 7pm and 5am as a part of our natural biorhythm.  Eating during this resting time reduces digestion activity - which can lead to general digestion problems and negatively effect our weight.

24October2009

Al Capone sentenced to jail 78 years ago

Posted by Cecilia under: Art; Economy.

 The 1920s were a time of prohibition, speakeasies and corruption that made a character like Al Capone possible.  He is America’s best known gangster and a symbol of the collapse of law and order in Chicago’s roaring Twenties.

Today is the anniversary of the day Al Capone was sentenced to Federal Prison for income tax evasion. 

Capone pleaded guilty in the belief that he would be able to plea bargain, but judge James H. Wilkerson wouldn’t cut any deals.  Capone changed his pleas to “not guilty” and tried to bribe the jury but the judge shrewdly changed the jury panel.  On October 24, 1931 the judge sentenced him to a total of ten years in jail.

In the Oscar-winning 1987 film ”The Untouchables“, with Robert de Niro, Capone is hunted relentlessly and finally brought to justice by noted G-man Eliot Ness.

23October2009

The artist Vincent van Gogh speaks

Posted by Cecilia under: Art; Culture.

 At long last, all 902 correspondences of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) are freely accessible.  Editors Leo Jansen, Hans Luijten and Nienke Bakker started this project in 1994 and recently published these precious documents in their only digital form.

On the website vangoghletters.org you can view all 902 letters written and received by Vincent van Gogh, richly annotated and illustrated with more than 2,000 of his paintings and drawings, with new transcriptions and translations.

With evocative style and lively language the artist reveals his life’s story and work.  It’s an exciting glimpse into the man and the opportunity to re-discover his work through his letters.

22October2009

Unique photos made by Albatross-borne cameras

Posted by Cecilia under: Nature; Science.

Albatross are among the world’s largest flying birds.  Their wingspread reaches an incredible 8 feet.

Scientists have always been interested in how albatrosses locate their prey and feed themselves.  A recent study provides interesting insight into their daily life.

Akinori Takahashi from the University of Tokyo and Philip Trathan from the University of Cambridge attached mini cameras on the backs of four different albatrosses from the breeding colony at Bird Island, South Georgia.  The cameras were programmed to take a photo every 30 seconds.

The results were fascinating.  The more than 28,000 photos were almost exclusively views of the ocean.  But unusual encounters are also documented.  According to the photos the albatross liked to follow killer whales or other birds when seeking food.

Albatrosses are one of the most vulnerable groups of seabirds because of natural and anthropogenically-induced changes in the marine environment.  In order to protect them it’s important to know as much about their life and behavior as possible.