Roman descendants found in China?

Residents of a remote Chinese village are hoping that DNA tests will prove one of history's most unlikely legends — that they are descended from Roman legionaries lost in antiquity.

Scientists have taken blood samples from 93 people living in and around Liqian, a settlement in north-western China on the fringes of the Gobi desert, more than 200 miles from the nearest city.

They are seeking an explanation for the unusual number of local people with western characteristics — green eyes, big noses, and even blonde hair — mixed with traditional Chinese features.

"I really think we are descended from the Romans," said Song Guorong, 48, who with his wavy hair, six-foot frame and strikingly long, hooked nose stands out from his short, round-faced office colleagues.

"There are the residents with these special features, and then there are also historical records about the existence of these people long ago," he said.


http://www.china.org.cn/Beijing-Review/Beijing/BeijingReview/98Nov/bjr98-46-13.html

Woman Who Lost Her Wallet In High School Gets It Back After 60 Years

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Joan Martinek Barnes never imagined she would see her wallet again after she lost it at McKinley High School 60 years ago.

But the red alligator grain wallet turned up Monday when a building engineer tracked down a broken hot water pipe. It was found on top of an air duct in a basement storage room that once housed girls lockers.

Barnes, now 75 and living in San Antonio, said her wallet was lost when her coat was stolen during the winter of 1947-48.

"I don't remember all those details," Barnes said on Tuesday. "I just remember Mr. Paxson (the principal) got the coat back. I didn't have many coats."

The wallet didn't have any cash in it when it was found, but did contain a $4 activity pass, a student ID card, and a membership card for the YMCA's teen club.

MLB Tells Teams That Baseballs Must Be Stored At A Uniform Temperature

Baseballs will keep their cool this summer.

The commissioner's office is telling teams for the first time that balls must be stored at a uniform temperature after they are delivered from the manufacturer.

"The specifications that Rawlings recommends are a 70 degree (21 C) temperature and 50 per cent humidity," said baseball senior vice-president Joe Garagiola Jr.

"We have contacted all 30 of the clubs, and they have all confirmed to us that they will all be storing their baseballs in a temperature-controlled facility. We're not going to have humidors every place, but every place will be temperature controlled, and so I think there will be a very high degree of uniformity."

The decision was made following debate generated by the Colorado Rockies' use of a humidor at Coors Field. The ballpark ranked first in the major leagues in scoring in its first eight seasons, starting in 1995, but dropped to second in three of the last four years behind Arlington's Ameriquest Field (2003), Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park (2005) and Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium (2006).

Cats Strike Back

Cats have struck back against Menu Foods of Canada that has been accused of selling tainted food.

Nearly 100 brands of the “cuts and gravy” style food have been recalled by Menu Foods of Canada, including popular labels sold at Wal-Mart, Kroger and other large retailers.

The real story has not been released. The Feline Safe Food Front (FSFF), armed with their human’s collected armaments,
launched a series of attacks in Canada successfully forcing the company to recall the suspect food.

“The recall is huge. It’s unprecedented. . . said Tim Hackett, who runs a small-animal clinic at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

Priests To Purify Site After Bush Visit

GUATEMALA CITY - Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/guatemala_bush_purification

Contributed by the videoddgrapher

I'm a .....

>> Gunning for victory <<

Even Dr Strangelove would be proud

Last week Abu Dhabi hosted Idex-2007 - a massive arms fair, billed as "the Middle East's premier defense exhibition and conference".

Overheard at the demonstration of a state-of-the-art American
grenade launcher/machine gun by a US army lieutenant:

"We'll totally be able to kill EVERYONE with this new gun."

More: http://www.idexuae.com
This website seems to be down for some odd reason

Contributed by Vonross
http://www.clubofpioneers.com/blog/blog-from-ross-von-burg/16/

The World Is Nutz

Proof That The World Is Nuts
A email about world wide sex oddities with someone’s running commentary that is currently making the rounds.

In Lebanon, men are legally allowed to have sex with animals, but the animals must be female. Having sexual relations with a male animal is punishable by death.

(Like THAT makes sense.) *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Bahrain, a male doctor may legally examine a woman's genitals, but is prohibited from looking directly at them during the examination. He may only see their reflection in a mirror.

(Do they look different reversed?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Muslims are banned from looking at the genitals of a corpse. This also applies to undertakers. The sex organs of the deceased must be covered with a brick or piece of wood at all times.

(A brick?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is decapitation.

(Much worse than "going blind!")
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There are men in Guam whose full-time job is to travel the countryside
And deflower young virgins, who pay them for the privilege of having sex for the first time.
Reason: under Guam law, it is expressly forbidden for virgins to marry.

(Let's just think for a minute; is there Any job anywhere else in the world that even comes close to this?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Hong Kong, a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her adulterous husband, but may only do so with her bare hands. The husband's illicit lover, on the other hand, may be killed in any manner desired.

(Ah! Justice!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool, England - but only in tropical fish stores.

(But of course!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Cali, Colombia, a woman may only have sex with her husband, and the first time this happens, her mother must be in the room to witness the act.

(Makes one shudder at the thought.)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, it is illegal for a man to have sex with a woman and her daughter at the same time.

(I presume this was a big enough problem that they had to pass this law?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Maryland, it is illegal to sell condoms from vending machines with one exception: Prophylactics may be dispensed from a vending machine only "in places where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises."

(Is this a great country or what? Well, not as great as Guam!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

(Who volunteers for this stuff?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

(Is that why Flipper was always smiling?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Officials Paint Mountain Green

Local government officials in China have been criticised for spraypainting a barren mountain face green.

Laoshou mountain, near Fumin in Yunnan province, was left an eyesore by quarrying.

But instead, of re-foresting the mountainside, forestry officials hired seven workers for 45 days to spraypaint it green.

Nearby villagers have been driven from their homes by the strong smell of paint,

Some villagers speculated that Fumin County officials, whose office building faces the mountain, were trying to change the area’s feng shui — the ancient Chinese belief of harmonizing one’s physical environment for maximum health and financial benefit.

A woman who answered the phone at the Fumin County forestry department said the department was unaware of reasons behind the paint job.

"This is an order from above," she said.

China's official Xinhua News Agency estimated the cost of the paint job at 470,000 yuan ($60,000) and quoted villagers as saying that, if spent on plants and trees, the money could have restored a far greater area of barren mountain.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2012697,00.html

Contributed by the videoddgrapher

Get your money on HD-DVD

Back in the 80s when there were two competing video technologies, VHS
triumphed over Betamax largely because Sony, who owned Betamax, refused to
allow their format to be used by the porn industry.

Hence VHS became the industry standard.

There’s a TV format war brewing again - HD DVDs versus Blu-ray.

Sony own Blu-ray and, guess what, they don’t seem to want porn on this
system either, having backed out of a deal with adult film studio Digital
Playground.

HD-DVD is easier to produce anyway so the porn industry is 100% behind
this format.

PS3 uses Blu-ray so there is some hope for Sony but we’re still sticking
our money on HD-DVD.

Contributed by Vonross
http://www.clubofpioneers.com/blog/blog-from-ross-von-burg/16/

Chocolate Car

A Chinese car dealer covered a car in chocolate for Valentine's Day.

About 450 pounds of melted chocolate was spread over the VW Beetle after it was first wrapped in cling film.

Seven people worked overnight to make sure the chocolate car was ready to go on display on the morning of Valentine's Day.

There is no word if anyone ate the car

Hannibal Helmurto

Soon To Be A Movie?
From Misc-Reports contributor Larry

Former tax inspector Helmurto was kept in intensive care under observation for three weeks and was unable to eat or drink.

The blade pierced the inside of his respiratory tract. But doctors decided to let the throat repair itself rather than operate.

Several weeks ago, the entertainer took to the stage for the first time since receiving his self-inflicted injury.

Helmurto, who has more than 200 tatoos, said: "The accident was just one of those freak moments and it certainly hasn't put me off performing."

Hailing from Germany, he has spent 10 years modifying' his body after seeing the Circus of Horrors in his home town of Munich in 1996.

"I was working for the German government at the time," he said. "I did not have one tattoo or piercing but after seeing the show I knew I had to join it."

And now the performer boasts there is more ink on his skin than blood running in his veins.

He also has giant yoyos fitted inside his earlobes and his tongue
has been sliced with a laser to ensure it is permanently forked.

His stage show sees him insert huge hat pins through his face then drink water and squirt it out through the holes.

The self-taught' Bavarian staples £10 notes to his forehead and dangles himself from just two meat hooks rammed through his back.

For More Info:
http://www.swordswallow.org/news.php

What? That Was 23 Years Ago, Officer

SMETHPORT, Pa. (AP) - Talk about the slow wheels of justice. A man was arrested on a 23-year-old bench warrant that he said he thought was taken care of years ago.

Merle Hulbert Jr., of Eldred, was brought Thursday before McKean County Judge John Yoder, who noted that Ronald Reagan was president when the warrant for failing to appear at a hearing was issued.

Hulbert said he had no idea the case, a driving-while-intoxicated charge, was still open. His former attorney has since died and he said he was stopped once or twice by police before without the warrant coming up.

Yoder ordered the case to be scheduled for a plea, then told prosecutors he hopes they have a witness with a good memory.

Virgins Wanted Reality

From roving reporter R

UK TV has been unfavourably compared to
US series for a few years.

It's not always the case. MTV UK made a series this year called The Virgin Diaries,in which some teenagers made video diaries of the months before and after they first had sex.

Cue usual Daily Mail furore, but it was a sympathetic and genuinely revealing piece of TV, and picked up a Broadcast Award this week.

In America this year, get ready for Virgin Territory. Teens are being auditioned in Los Angeles and New York to lose their virginity on screen.

It's brought to you by the man behind Paris Hilton's home sex
tape and he's trying to get porn star Jenna Jameson involved.

Update Go To: TMZ

The Cold Wave

It is the middle of January and freezing weather is finally upon us.

Fitness American Style

Snakes Used To Predict Earthquakes

Scientists in China say they can predict earthquakes - by observing behaviour in snakes.

Officials at the earthquake bureau in Nanning, in southern Guangxi province, monitor snake farms via 24-hour internet video links.

Researchers claim the snakes can sense a quake from 75 miles away, up to five days before it happens.

Jiang Weisong, director of the earthquake bureau in Nanning claims: "Of all the creatures on the Earth, snakes are perhaps the most sensitive to earthquakes.

"When an earthquake is about to occur, snakes will move out of their nests, even in the cold of winter. If the earthquake is a big one, the snakes will even smash into walls while trying to escape," he told China Daily newspaper."

He added: "By installing cameras over the snake nests, we have improved our ability to forecast earthquakes. The system could be extended to other parts of the country to make our earthquake forecasts more precise."

2004 Mike Ditka Kick Ass Red

Bam! Just in time for the SuperBowl.

Produced by the Mendocino Wine Co. in California, “Mike Ditka Kick Ass Red” is primarily a Zinfandel with a plumy color and a briny aroma rife with notes of cherry, ripe berries and other non Dikta aromas.

Armed with an almost 15% per cent alcohol level and a $50 price tag, it is not a wine for the timid.

Only 3,600 Bottles were produced so this year so be prepared to fight it out on the line of scrimmage for your bottle.

The Canary Project

The Canary Project

You don't have to see Al Gore's new documentary to know that there's a new kind of canary in the coal mine, and it comes in the form of Austria's desiccated glaciers or Costa Rica's enervated cloud forests.

At numerous places around the globe, the Earth is melting, drowning, drying up, or increasingly battered. Since 2005, The Canary Project has dedicated itself to capturing large-scale photographic evidence of locations in the grip of such dramatic climate change.

Armed robber, 7, in Lego heist

Police in Florida are looking for a little girl, aged about seven, who tried to steal Lego at knife-point.

The girl pulled a knife on a cashier at a Wal-Mart store in Largo as she tried to walk out with two boxes of Lego.

Police say the girl, aged about seven or eight, hid the toys under her coat and tried to walk out, reports Tampabays10.com.

A store employee approached the child, asking her to turn over the Lego blocks.

Police say the little girl then opened her jacket and pulled out a 10ins carving knife.

The employee talked the girl into putting down the knife and the toys. The girl then rode away on her bicycle.