Bamboo Taxis in Phillipines

World's Largest Dam in China

Flooding in central China feels the strength of the world's largest dam - Three Gorges. It is reported that it now to the limit - resets 70,000 cubic meters of water per second. This is a record. However, the water level every hour only grows. The consequences, according to the engineers, can be disastrous, especially considering that the flooding in the area have already left homeless tens of thousands of people and caused material damage to millions of yuan. Evacuated about a million people.

Luxurious Bus

This is the coolest bus for noisy parties! Have a look.

The Oldest Person Turns 130

Authorities in the former Soviet republic of Georgia claim a woman from a remote mountain village turned 130, making her the oldest person on Earth. Antisa Khvichava from western Georgia was born on July 8, 1880, said Georgiy Meurnishvili, spokesman for the civil registry at the Justice Ministry. The woman, who lives with her 40-year-old grandson in an idyllic vine-covered country house in the mountains, retired from her job as a tea and corn picker in 1965, when she was 85, records say.

Antisa 'the oldest person on Earth' turns 130 (and she doesn't look a day over)

Birthday in bed: Antisa Khvichava rests during her 130th birthday party in the village of Sachino, Georgia. She claims to be the oldest person in the world 'I've always been healthy, and I've worked all my life - at home and at the farm,' Antisa said, in a bright dress and headscarf - and red lipstick. Sitting on the chair and holding her cane, Antisa spoke quietly through an interpreter - since she never went to school to learn Georgian and speaks only the local language, Mingrelian. Her age couldn't immediately be independently verified. Her birth certificate was lost - one of the great number to have disappeared in the past century amid revolutions and a civil war which followed the collapse of the USSR.

Proof of age: Her age has not been independantly verified but Antisa shows her passport and other documents clearly stating that her date of birth is July 1880 Her 70-year-old son Mikhail, who was also at the party, apparently was born when his mother was 60. She said she also had two children from a previous marriage, but says they died of hunger during World War II. Mikhail said that, although his mother had difficulty walking and had stayed largely in bed during the past seven years, she made a point of hobbling unaided to the outhouse on the other side of the yard, because she hates to be a nuisance.

Make a wish: Antisa blows out candles on a special birthday cake and, despite her advanced age, can still get about with the aid of a walking stick But Meurnishvili showed two Soviet-era documents that he says attest to her age. Scores of officials, neighbours, friends, and descendants backed up her claim as the world's top senior. The Gerontology Research Group currently recognizes 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard of Saint Barthelemy, France, as the world's oldest person. Antisa would make Eugenie look like a spring chicken - but the research group is yet to examine Antisa's claim. She has a son, 10 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and six great, great grandchidren.

Let's get this party started: A local folk group performs traditional songs for Antisa and her 70-year-old son Mikhail as part of the celebrations Though her body has all but quit on her - her fingers cramped by age mean she can no longer maintain her love of knitting - relatives say her mind remains sharp. 'Grandma has a very clear mind and she hasn't lost an ability to think rationally,' said Khvichava's granddaughter Shorena, who lives in a nearby village. To mark Antisa's birthday, a string ensemble played folk music out on the lawn, while grandchildren offered traditional Mingrelian dishes like corn porridge and spiced chicken with herbs to all guests as the party.

Making of Bicycle with Sidecar

“Bicycle Sidecar” is, interestingly enough, one of those persistently high search phrases that bring people to Cyclelicious. Happy, Steve Bodiley posted up his build details of a bicycle sidecar with a metal frame and wooden body.

Steve also discusses his experiments and prototypes to come up with his perfect design. He discovers that adding a 3rd wheel to the side of a bicycle changes its dynamics drastically — counter steering, which is the intuitively normal way to steer a two wheeled vehicle, will steer you the wrong way when you add that sidecar! Steve resolved the issue by making the link between the sidecar and the bike a pivot, so the bike can still lean to some extent.

Snake-Massage Therapy

'Some people said that holding the snakes made them feel better, relaxed,' she said.

'One old lady said it was soothing, like a cold compress.'

The owner of Israel's Barak's Snake Spa said her pets are able to give massage as their slithering causes a rubbing sensation on the body.

Ms Barak had relied on exhibiting her scaly friends to make money, but found there is more cash rolling in from people wanting a massage - reptile therapy style

 

The larger snakes are used for deep massage while the smaller creatures are used to give a lighter touch.

And those with a slight reluctance to have a snake massage will be pleased to know the reptiles are all non-venamous.

But if the thought of reptiles is too much, Ms Barak also offers a rodent-style massage where mouse and rats are placed on the bottom of people's feet instead.