Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Reach for the sky

Dubai unveils plans for tallest tower - one kilometer high 3,281 feet

Dubai, emirate of extravagance and superlatives, laid claim to an extraordinary new record yesterday with a multi billion dollar plan to build the world's tallest tower in the face of deepening global financial gloom.
The tower, at the center of the Nakheel port and harbor complex, is to be "over one kilometer" high and have more than 200 floors, beating its nearest rival, the existing Burj Dubai tower, still under construction and due to rise to a mere 818 meters."At more than a kilometer high this is an unbelievably ground breaking design," boasted Chris O'Donnell, Nakheel's Australian CEO. "We are pushing the boundaries of sustainable design."
The complex will provide homes and offices for 100,000 people. If all the reinforcing bars were laid end to end they would stretch from Dubai to New York - one quarter of the way round the world.
The tower will be so tall that it will have five different micro-climates. The temperature in the atmosphere at the top of the building could be as much as 10 degrees cooler than at the bottom. High-speed lifts will allow people to see the sunset twice - from the bottom and again from the top of the building.

Monkey Waiters

The local hangout just north of Tokyo employs a pair of Japanese monkeys called Yat-chan and Fuku-chan to serve their customers.
The younger of the two, Fuku-chan, usually begins the first shift and is quick to hand out customers a hot towel to help them clean their hands before they order their first drinks.
Fuku-chan, who is four, has two years experience under his furry belt and his work load is limited to hot towels.
Both monkeys are well appreciated by customers who tip them with boiled soya-beans to enjoy during their down time.
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Dog pulls 1-year-old baby to safety

A family in near Paducah, Kentucky lost everything they own in a house fire this week but they are thankful that everyone got out alive. That may not have happened had it not been for one "four-legged" member of the family. Jason Breiding was cooking when he says a grease fire started. At first it didn't seem too bad, so he tried to contain it. "I was trying to do anything I could to put it out, that's what was going through my mind," he said. And while Jason battled to save his home, his wife Heather grabbed their three month old son and made it outside. He assumed their 1-year-old daughter Samara was with them.
But, turns out the little girl was with another member of the family. "He grabbed the back of the diaper with his teeth going through the diaper and didn't even touch her, and pulled her into the living room," said Jason.
Jason scooped up Samara and then holding his daughter tight, watched as their home burned. Nothing was able to be saved, but Jason has his wife, and two kids and a dog, he's says he's indebted to. He's already got his kids names tattooed on his body, and says the family pet might be next. "I wasn't gonna but I think I will, he's a part of the family now," said Jason.

Starbucks wasting 6 million gallons of water a day

A U.K. newspaper is reporting that coffee-giant Starbucks wastes about 6 million gallons of water each day because stores are told to keep water running in their sinks.The water is kept running as part of a company policy to keep utensils clean and wash away food. It’s enough daily water "for the entire 2 million strong population of drought-hit Nambia in Africa or fill an Olympic pool every 83 minutes." The investigation started after it was tipped off by an employee and then a letter was sent to Starbucks confirming the policy to keep running water constantly into dipper wells. The practice is done in both American and U.K. Starbucks stores to maintain health standards.

Albert Einstein Quotes

A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.
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All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.
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All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.
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An empty stomach is not a good political adviser.
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Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage - to move in the opposite direction.
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Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
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Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish. Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.
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Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
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Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love
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