Silly/Odd News Stories from around the World

[WanderingKnight]

Teddy Bear to rescue American troops.

[Kensuke]

The Vulcans have arrived!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6733203.stm

[TinyRedLeaf]

Ancient Rome brought back to life

BBC News (UK) - Ancient Rome has been brought back to life through a unique digital reconstruction project, said to be the world's biggest computer simulation.

An international team of architects, archaeologists and experts spent 10 years working on a real-time 3D model of the city called Rome Reborn.

Some 7,000 buildings were scanned and reproduced using a model of the city kept at a Rome museum.

Users enter the city at the time of Constantine and see inside buildings.

The simulation takes place in AD320, which is said to be the city's peak, when it had grown to a million inhabitants.

"We can take people under the Colosseum and show them how the elevators worked to bring the animals up from underground chambers for the animal hunts they held," said Bernard Frischer, the project's leader who heads Virginia's Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities.

The simulation reconstructs the interior of about 30 buildings - including the Senate, the Colosseum and the basilica built by the emperor Maxentius - complete with frescoes and decorations.

Wow, that's cool. We're one step closer to a real Matrix.

On another tangent, in my younger, more idle days, I often wondered if it were possible to construct a virtual simulation of my country through various periods in history. Singapore being the rapidly developed place that it is, there is almost no trace left of the historical facades that used to line the commerical & government districts of the city. Iconic buildings have come and gone, and all we're left with are grainy photographs preserved in the National Archives.

Then again, Singaporeans being as money-minded and materialistic as we are, such a dream is hardly ever going to turn into reality, lol. Besides which, most Singaporeans seem content to live in a neverending Present.

(I remember my ex-girlfriend being completely puzzled over why I should be concerned about the Past. It's only the Future that matters, in her opinion.)

[Ziv]

Originally Posted by WanderingKnight

Teddy Bear to rescue American troops.

That thing is straight out of the bottom of the uncanny valley.

[onehp]

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddly...ype=RSS&rpc=22

the squirrel attack 3 people but died to the third person assaulted. supersquirrel!

reasons for the squirrel attacking might be mating season or it is mentally ill

[MakubeX2]

http://www.clickclickclick.com/

Somewhere on the internet, a newest, most fun, unbloody's war and game has been start. People who is reality or in virtual from whole world come to this page, and keep clicking to win the name of best click country of the world. After day's of the war in Europe and days of war between Japan and Hungary, in fifth game's fifth days, Taiwan joined into this war.

People from 2CH, PTT, komica, Gamer and other bbs has join into the game in 07.06.15, they sit in front of their computer and keep clicking there mouse in hands, some of then even start to write some kind of project to enhanse their click speed.

After the game start on internet, the war in whole war start to be a show on some country's TV--even in New. Gerverment and NGO support their people to join in it, than this game become the game that has two winner put other countrys very far away....

Source :-
http://blog.xuite.net/lis.ucb/JJLi/12099183

I don't know what this is all about, but to have a 10 times difference between the 2nd and 3rd place.....

Anyone feels like joining in the madness ?

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by MakubeX2

I don't what this is all about, but to have a 10 times difference between the 2nd and 3rd place.....

Anyone feels like joining in the madness ?

No way I suppose this is for people that cannot play real games with their PCs. Then again I hate mmorpgs for their addictive nature (basically cyber drugs). And therefore I should support such mindless non-addictive games. But oh well it is way too mindless and can be easily cheated (how does the server know if a human or some program with a randomized response time is clicking?) so I say it deserves the silly status for good.

[Aoie_Emesai]

True. I never want to be addicted to another MMORPG.

[MakubeX2]

Perhaps the Hungarians here might like to explain themselves.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Aoie_Emesai

True. I never want to be addicted to another MMORPG.

If I could have it my way, I'd happily take the blue pill and stay in the Matrix. MMORPGs ftw!

[dan88]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

If I could have it my way, I'd happily take the blue pill and stay in the Matrix. MMORPGs ftw!

We've all take the blue pill of life.... just stay clear of the hard core player vs player areas of Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Sazelyt]

Source: Deutsche Welle

A German teenager (17-year old) on holiday in Turkey has been held in an Antalyan prison cell for allegedly molesting a British girl (at 13 year old, and it was the girl's family who asked for help from the police, and police found dead sperms of that boy on that girl). Now the German foreign minister is demanding the boy's release.

Can you imagine what message they are trying to give? If you want to rape kids go to Turkey and other countries, and do that there. Your country is going to defend you. You really got to love the freedom and democracy those people are trying to sell to other countries. Sillyness at max!

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by Sazelyt

Source: Deutsche Welle

A German teenager (17-year old) on holiday in Turkey has been held in an Antalyan prison cell for allegedly molesting a British girl (at 13 year old, and it was the girl's family who asked for help from the police, and police found dead sperms of that boy on that girl). Now the German foreign minister is demanding the boy's release.

Can you imagine what message they are trying to give? If you want to rape kids go to Turkey and other countries, and do that there. Your country is going to defend you. You really got to love the freedom and democracy those people are trying to sell to other countries. Sillyness at max!

I think from a german point of view, this guy cannot be treated like an adult since he has not the age yet. And since the law systems are lets say a little different, this means the authorities have to take action. This applies also if a german citizen is faced with a death sentence in some country. Under german prosecution laws a death sentence is not possible. To make a long story short since turkey's standards in the prisons and the law enforcement are too different from germany's the officials must do something (its their duty). On a side note. When we had this case with the youth turk that did crimes here in germany, a bavarian minister president wanted to shift off this guy into his home country turkey. In the end this was possible just because this guy had not to fear prosecution in turkey. Otherwise germany cannot even send criminals back in their home countries. Thats also the reason why Abdullah Öcalan was not handed over before turkey promised not to face him with the death sentence (and that really caused tensions between germany and turkey).

But you know... actually I don't care... if anyone I'ld blame those parents or the guy or the girl. I mean I don't even really know if she told him how old she is. If these parents just wanted to have some sort of revenge. Both are underaged, so in theory it would be wrong from both sides (and as rumours go they did it with each others agreement).

[Sazelyt]

Originally Posted by Jinto Lin

To make a long story short since turkey's standards in the prisons and the law enforcement are too different from germany's the officials must do something (its their duty).

I think it is not about laws or death penalty. Cause, Turkey has no death penalty, and the punishment is typically much lower than Europe standards. Unfortunately that is the truth. I don't like my country's system (because the laws are not powerful enough), but, I completely dislike if another country interferes as if there is no law. That is not the case. About the prisons, yes, I don't think they are good. But, the prisons are not built to welcome Paris Hilton and the likes in Turkey.

Edit: Also, about the prison conditions, if Midnight Express is the first to come to your mind, then do not trust that information. The main character in that movie did not have that experience (he told that many times, though, I am not surprised if you haven't heard about it), it was just another well-known act against Turkey.

On a side note. When we had this case with the youth turk that did crimes here in germany, a bavarian minister president wanted to shift off this guy into his home country turkey. In the end this was possible just because this guy had not to fear prosecution in turkey. Otherwise germany cannot even send criminals back in their home countries. Thats also the reason why Abdullah Öcalan was not handed over before turkey promised not to face him with the death sentence (and that really caused tensions between germany and turkey).

Ocalan is a different matter. And, it was not about the death penalty (it is mainly about Germany and other European countries not actually admitting that PKK is a terrorist organization, and not wanting do much about them because the side that will be hurt will be Turkey, at the end, which is a happy ending for most of those countries). For the boy that was given to Turkey, I remember a boy like that, but I am not sure we are talking about the same person. But, if he is the same person, then, I believe, he was given to Turkey, because Germany wanted to get rid of that person. It is as simple as that.

Edit: Also, as a note, the death penalty was not in effect (for the last 20 years or so) even if it was allowed with the laws at that time. And, just to prove you that it is not about death penalty, you can search for Fehriye Erdal's case. A terrorist (actually a few of them) who killed a well-respected businessman (a leading member from the Sabanci family, and a few other people) to glorify their terrorist organization's name. After that, she (let's say the leading member of that killing group) took refugee in Belgium, using that lame excuse. And, after the death penalty was completely removed from the laws in Turkey, it was then the type of weapon does not make it a terrorist act. It is just another stupid reason to not give back a terrorist.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Australian drivers hit below belt

BBC News (26 June 07) - A new Australian ad campaign is seeking to reduce road deaths by questioning the manhood of speeding drivers.

The series of TV ads shows women shaking their little finger - a gesture used to symbolise a small penis - as speeding male motorists race past.

The "Speeding. No-one Thinks Big of You" campaign will run on TV, in cinemas, at bus shelters and online.

The shock tactics of previous adverts that showed disturbing images of death and injury in road crashes have not worked, says the New South Wales state government authority behind the ads, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA).

Exposure to "computer games, modern media ... and horror films" had desensitised many young males to the violent images of those campaigns, RTA spokesman John Whelan told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

I recall a live forum discussion where half the audience (mainly men, surprise surprise) believe that speed limits are meant only to provide a "benchmark", ie, you should be allowed to go past the speed limit if you judge the road conditions to be appropriate.

(Eg, You shouldn't need to keep to a 50mph [80kph] limit when there is no other vehicle in sight. Straight open road as far as the eye can see. Would you still want to move like a snail, honestly?)

The other half of the audience were, unsurprisingly, opposed. Speeding means less reaction time. If something unexpected did pop up on the road at the last minute (eg, a kangaroo or a deer, or worse, a pedestrian), you wouldn't be able to brake in time to avoid collision.

Where do I stand? I would have to admit, I love to speed too, conditions permitting. Although, I do notice that as I grow older, I feel less compelled to drive dangerously -- I have less to prove and more to lose.

[ibreatheanime]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/01/vam....ap/index.html

Be wary of vampire peacocks

[TinyRedLeaf]

Not really new news, but I was surprised to learn about it.

Cow burps make for bad air

CNN (21 July 2000) -- Cows, which have doubled in population in the last 40 years to an estimated 1.3 billion worldwide, produce one pound of methane for every two pounds of meat that they yield. Methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.

A burping cow is a polluting cow.

[GHDpro]

I spotted this on ArsTechnica and figured it fit here:

Googling "how to crack a safe" nets robbers $12,000

Two burglars thought they were prepared to steal thousands of dollars in cash from a couple of safes but forgot to find out how to actually open them. Google to the rescue!

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post...he-rescue.html

[gummybear]

I POD KILLS!

[OutPhase]

Pitbull rapes two year-old baby.