21 Oktober 2010

Stewie kucing terpanjang di dunia


GAMBAR menunjukkan Stewie yang sepanjang 1.23 meter.


LAS VEGAS - Seekor kucing yang berusia lima tahun telah memecahkan rekod dunia Guinness sebagai kucing domestik paling panjang di dunia. Kucing tersebut yang diberi nama Stewie diukur dari hujung hidungnya ke hujung ekor sepanjang 1.23 meter.

Rekod kucing terpanjang sebelum ini adalah 1.21 meter.

Pemilik Stewie, Robin Hendrickson dan Erik Brandsness dari Reno, Nevada, memberitahu, ramai orang terpegun dengan kepanjangan kucing itu. - AP

20 Oktober 2010

Barons Auctioning Classic British GTs at Six Figures



After selling former Aston Martin chief David Brown's rusty old DB2/4 last month at over twice its estimated value, British auction house Barons is back with another batch of tempting English classics for the anglophile motorist.

The exceptional MkI Aston DB2/4 pictured above is up for auction after a recent restoration. Before that it sat practically unused since its acquisition by an elderly doctor in 1953 through 2002, and has accumulated a shockingly low 11,000 miles on the odometer.

A rare 1963 Bentley Continental Coupe by Mulliner is also due to cross the block on October 26. One of only 11 made, the coachbuilt Bentley has just 91,000 miles on it, which is only high in comparison to the aforementioned Aston Martin. Only 3,000 of those miles were accumulated over the last 15 years. Both cars are estimated to fetch in the $150-200,000 range.

Man. City sedia melabur dapatkan Rooney RM493j


MASALAH Rooney di Old Trafford kini mendapat perhatian City.


LONDON – Manchester City sedia membuat tawaran perpindahan paling mahal dalam sejarah bola sepak dengan pakej berjumlah £100 juta (RM493 juta) bagi mendapatkan penyerang Manchester United, Wayne Rooney.

Penyerang England itu telah memaklumkan kepada United tentang niatnya yang enggan menyambung kontrak baru selepas perselisihan faham dengan pengurus, Alex Ferguson.

City kini bersedia mengambil kesempatan di atas masalah yang sedang melanda kelab Old Trafford itu.

Kelab Eastlands itu dikatakan merancang mengemukakan pakej perpindahan yang bakal menyaksikan mereka membayar United £50 juta (RM246.3 juta) ke atas Rooney dengan tambahan £50 juta (RM246.3 juta) bagi membayar gaji penyerang tersebut yang masih ada baki kontrak selama empat tahun lagi di United.

City juga sanggup menjadikan Rooney sebagai pemain yang menerima bayaran termahal dalam Liga Perdana England dengan gaji mencecah £250,000 (RM1.2 juta) seminggu atau £13 juta (RM64 juta) setahun.

Malah, Rooney yang semakin tidak gembira dengan kehidupannya di Old Trafford juga dikatakan bersedia menerima tawaran perpindahan paling kontroversi itu yang melibatkan dua kelab di Manchester.

Real Madrid telah menafikan yang mereka berminat membeli Rooney apabila musim perpindahan

dibuka Januari depan, manakala Barcelona pula tidak mempunyai sumber kewangan yang besar untuk mendapatkan penyerang berusia 24 tahun itu.

Rooney meninggalkan Everton ketika berusia 20 tahun untuk menyertai United pada musim 2004 dengan yuran perpindahan berjumlah £25.6 juta (RM126 juta). – Agensi

Lagi UFO muncul di AS


GAMBAR menunjukkan cahaya ganjil (dalam bulatan) yang didakwa objek terbang tidak dikenali di El Paso, Texas pada Rabu lalu.


NEW YORK - Tanggapan bahawa beberapa objek terbang tidak dikenali (UFO) yang dilihat di New York pada Rabu lalu dipercayai belon kian terhakis apabila objek sama muncul di El Paso, Texas, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Beberapa objek sama itu turut dilihat El Paso, Texas pada Ahad lalu sekali gus mencetuskan spekulasi bahawa makhluk asing telah mendarat di Bumi.

Saksi-saksi kejadian di El Paso kemudian menghubungi beberapa balai polis dan stesen berita tempatan bagi memberitahu apa yang mereka lihat itu.

Menurut mereka, satu cahaya seperti bulatan kecil bergerak di langit pada waktu malam sebelum berpecah menjadi tiga cahaya.

Setiap satu cahaya mempunyai ekor di belakangnya.

Cahaya-cahaya itu kemudian bercantum menjadi tiga titik seperti sebuah segitiga.

Segitiga itu adalah sama seperti imej yang dilihat sejumlah penduduk di New York pada Rabu lalu.

Seterusnya, cahaya keempat muncul di El Paso.

Semua cahaya itu berlegar-legar di udara sebelum tiba-tiba ia hilang.

Ekoran persekitaran waktu malam yang gelap pada masa itu, mustahil cahaya-cahaya itu merupakan belon.

Rakaman fenomena cahaya itu mencetuskan spekulasi meluas terutamanya selepas sebuah stesen berita menunjukkan bahawa ia menyerupai beberapa cahaya ganjil yang dilihat di New York pada Rabu lalu.

Dalam kejadian di New York itu, satu objek misteri berlegar di sebelah barat New York manakala ramai penduduk memikirkan apa sebenarnya yang mereka lihat.

Tiba-tiba, objek itu berpecah menjadi tiga bahagian.

Semasa ia muncul di New York, ketiga-tiga objek itu berlegar-legar di udara dengan menyebabkan lalu lintas terhenti.

Objek-objek itu dipercayai sebagai belon selepas seorang guru besar, Angela Freeman mendakwa 12 belon untuk meraikan seorang gurunya terlepas ke udara.

Tiga objek itu kemudian bercantum menjadi tiga titik dan berlegar-legar seperti kejadian di El Paso.

Namun, sehingga kini, penjelasan yang memuaskan masih belum diperoleh berhubung objek berkenaan.

Ramai pula yang memberi penjelasan daripada sudut ketenteraan.

Pengguna-pengguna Internet lain pula memberitahu, cahaya-cahaya ganjil itu sebenarnya pasukan payung terjun yang mengadakan latihan untuk satu pertunjukan pada waktu malam. - Agensi

Gempar klip video kuda bertanduk


GAMBAR yang dirakamkan dari satu klip video menunjukkan seekor kuda berwarna putih yang mempunyai tanduk di Lembah Don, Kanada.

ONTARIO - Pusat Sains Ontario (OSC) di sini, menyiasat satu klip video menunjukkan seekor kuda berwarna putih yang bertanduk satu berlari di sebuah hutan di Lembah Don, Kanada yang dihantar oleh sekumpulan penyiasat, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Haiwan itu mendapat perhatian kerana di Barat terdapat kisah kuda yang memiliki tanduk di kepalanya dan berwarna putih yang digelar sebagai unikorn.

Klip video itu turut disiarkan di laman web YouTube.

"Setakat ini, pusat sains masih meneliti rakaman itu bagi memastikan sama ada haiwan tersebut benar-benar seekor unikorn," menurut satu kenyataan OSC.

Kenyataan sama turut memberi amaran kepada orang ramai supaya berwaspada dan tidak menggunakan lampu kilat untuk merakamkan gambar haiwan itu jika mereka terserempak dengan seekor unikorn.

"Walaupun terdapat legenda yang menyatakan unikorn merupakan haiwan yang baik, saintis-saintis bimbang haiwan itu akan mencederakan tubuhnya atau orang lain jika ia menerpa ke jalan raya atau lebuh raya," tambah kenyataan itu

Satu talian perkhidmatan pelanggan turut diwujudkan bagi menyalurkan maklumat berhubung unikorn kepada orang ramai. - Agensi

Kereta api laju jalani ujian


RUANG pemandu kereta api laju yang dikendalikan firma Deutsche Bahn.


BERLIN - Sebuah kereta api laju buatan firma Siemens yang mampu membawa 888 penumpang dan selaju 321.87 kilometer sejam menjalani ujian pertama dengan menyeberangi Selat Inggeris ke stesen St Pancras, London dari Jerman semalam.

Kereta api itu yang akan digunakan menjelang 2012 dan dijangka menggantikan kapal terbang sebagai alat pengangkutan utama di Eropah dikendalikan oleh firma Jerman, Deutsche Bahn.

Ia yang berharga £33 juta (RM161.27 juta) sebuah bakal digunakan untuk membawa penumpang menyaksikan Sukan Olimpik di London pada 2012.

Tambang yang akan dikenakan bagi perjalanan ke Jerman dari Britain ialah antara £39 (RM190.65) hingga £49 (RM239.54). - Agensi

19 Oktober 2010

Typhoon lashes the Philippines

Swirling ... NASA satellite image of Typhoon Megi
Swirling ... NASA satellite image of Typhoon Megi
A SUPER typhoon lashed the Philippines with huge waves, torrential rain and ferocious winds this morning.

Electricity poles were toppled, one man drowned and massive emergency preparations were triggered after Typhoon Megi struck.

Thousands sought shelter while authorities warned millions of residents and rice farmers along the typhoon's path to prepare for damage to crops, homes and power lines.

Flood-ravaged areas of China and Vietnam were also bracing for more rains from the powerful storm.

Megi packed winds of 140mph and gusts of 162mph as it made landfall at Palanan Bay in north-eastern Isabela province.

It is expected to move on toward southern China, which has already evacuated more than 100,000 people from villages because of earlier flooding.

The typhoon, bringing nearly two inches of rain per hour, Megi was the most powerful typhoon to hit the Philippines in four years, government forecasters said.


  • SURGING currents sucked a bus off a flooded highway and swept away 20 of its passengers, including a girl ripped from her mother's arms, as flooding caused 30 deaths in Vietnam

    New 463-ft. 'Dream Ship' Will Be World's Largest Sailing Superyacht


    The incredible 289-ft. Maltese Falcon is still the world's largest, best designed, and most expensive sailing yacth - but not for much longer. Turkish yachtbuilder Dream Ship Victory just signed a contract with the same team that designed the Maltese – naval architects Dykstra & Partners and Ken Freivokh Design – on a new 463-ft. sailing superyacth (above) that will literally dwarf the competition and become one of the largest yachts in the world. Unlike the Maltese however the new Dream Ship will be constructed entirely of wood, and will boast four masts to the Falcon's three. An initial concept of the new behemoth, which features an Art Deco-inspired streamlined design, was presented at the Monaco Yacht Show on the Dykstra & Partners stand and construction is slated to begin in 2011.

    Lambang Batman di Jepun


    PETA enjin carian Google menunjukkan lambang seperti Batman (dalam bulatan) di Pangkalan Tentera Udara Amerika Syarikat (AS) di Kadena, Pulau Okinawa, Jepun.


    KADENA, Jepun - Beberapa gambar pemandangan udara yang diperoleh daripada enjin carian Google di Internet menemui lambang Batman pada sebuah hangar di Jepun, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

    Simbol adi wira itu ditemui oleh seorang pengguna peta Google yang tertera pada bumbung sebuah hangar di Pangkalan Udara Kadena milik Tentera Udara Amerika Syarikat di sini, pulau Okinawa.

    Lambang itu dicat dengan warna putih pada salah sebuah hangar yang menempatkan pesawat-pesawat pejuang skuadron Ke-44 Tentera Udara AS.

    Skuadron berkenaan yang mengendalikan jet F-15 Eagle, menggunakan kelawar sebagai simbolnya. - Agensi

    18 Oktober 2010

    Serangga terbesar di dunia.

    Bugs tend to freak us out. Mosquitoes, spiders, wasps, centipedes... you name it. If it crawls, bites or buzzes (especially anywhere near our faces), then we squirm, swat and run. But what's worse than a little bug crawling on, or biting you? How about a really, really big one?

    Here are some pictures of the biggest bugs on Earth. Enjoy!


    Belostomatidae

    Belostomatidae is a family of insects better known as "giant water bugs" or "toe-biters." Most species in the Belostomatidae family are relatively large (2 cm or more) with some of the largest, such as Lethocerus, exceeding 12 cm, and nearly reaching the dimensions (length and mass) of some of the larger beetles in the world.

    All bugs in the Belostomatidae family are fierce predators which stalk, capture and feed on aquatic crustaceans, fish and amphibians. They often lie motionless at the bottom of a body of water, attached to various objects, where they wait for prey to come near. They then strike, injecting a powerful digestive saliva and suck out the liquefied remains. Yum!

    Their bite is considered one of the most painful that can be inflicted by any insect. The saliva liquefies muscle tissue. In rare instances, their bite can do permanent damage to humans. So don't get drunk and pass out with your face near one of these guys.


    Occasionally when encountered by a larger predator, such as a human, they have been known to "play dead" and emit a fluid from their anus to make them look less appetizing. Giant water bugs are a popular food in Thailand.



    Atlas Moth
    (Attacus Atlas)


    Atlas moths are...

    • ...considered to be the largest moths in the world in terms of total wing surface area. Their wingspan is often up to a foot long.
    • ...are said to be named after either the Titan of Greek mythology, or their map-like wing patterns.
    • ...unsteady fliers and the female does not stray far from the location of her discarded chrysalis.
    • ...found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia.


    Giant Camel Spider

    When American soldiers aren't worrying about insurgents and IEDs, they have to keep an eye out for Giant Camel Spiders. Iraq's Giant Camel Spiders have even been found hiding in sleeping bags. Fortunately, the giant desert camel spiders native to Iraq aren't venomous. But they are FAST. Giant Camel Spiders have been known to run around 10 MPH. Although most Camel Spiders are about the size of a credit card, they have been know to grow larger than 10 inches, especially in the deserts of the Middle East.


    The above photo was taken in the desert area outside of Baghdad. The 2 camel spiders were in a fight to the death. The spider on the bottom has his fangs locked on the torso of the spider above.

    The image below is of a U.S. solider stationed outside of Kuwait. He was bitten by a Camel Spider in his sleep. The infected wound was so bad doctors couldn't stitch it up. They had to leave it open to drain and heal from the inside out. The bitten soldier now has a scar the size of a penny on his elbow.


    Camel Spiders are common in the Middle East, but they can also be found in the southwest U.S. and Mexico. The Mexican's call Camel Spiders matevenados, which translates to"deer killers" in English.





    Many stick insects are easy to care for, and believe it or not make good tropical pets.

    Indian stick insects are all female and reproduce by themselves (parthenogenesis) and seem content living without mates or kin. Occasionally part-male part-female individuals are reared in captivity, but never true males.

    The stick insects molt and may eat their own shed skin. By the 6th molt, the stick insect will lay eggs. Yum!




    Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing
    (Ornithoptera alexandrae)


    Queen Alexandra's Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) is the largest butterfly in the world. The species was named by Lord Walter Rothschild in 1907, in honor of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. Female Birdwings can reach a wingspan of about 14 inches, a body length of 3-4 inches and a body mass of up to 1/2 ounce. These are all enormous measurements for a butterfly and actually much more common for small birds.


    Goliath Beetle

    The Goliath beetles are among the heaviest insects on Earth. They are found in Africa. The heavily armored adults are so large that when flying, they produce a sound akin to a toy helicopter in flight. They are scavengers and eat rotting fruit, vegetables and animal feces off the jungle floor. Jungle poop. It's what's for dinner.




    Giant Weta

    Weta are extremely large by insect standards. They can weigh more than 70g, making them one of the heaviest documented insects in the known world. The Giant Weta can't even jump because it's so heavy. Giant Weta and are classified in the genus Deinacrida, which is Greek for terrible grasshopper. They are found primarily on small islands off the coast of the main islands, and are examples of island gigantism. Wetas like to hide under rocks or plant debris.




    Giant Isopod

    The Giant Isopod isn't technically an insect. Believe it or not, it falls under the Crustacean class along with crab, shrimp and lobster. That's right kids, it's aquatic. Like a giant sea roach.

    Although rarely found on food menus in most of the world, it's not uncommon in some Eastern Asian countries to find seaside restaurants serving boiled Giant Isopods.

    Even though the Giant Isopod is a deep sea dwelling creature, it might look strangely familiar to you. A close cousin of the Giant Isopod is the much smaller terrestrial Woodlouse (3-30 mm). But you might know the Woodlouse by one of its more common nicknames like pill bug or roly-poly. Woodlice are usually found in damp, dark places, rotting logs and typically eat decaying plant material.

    Genetically, Woodlice and Giant Isopods have been unchanged for over 160 million years.

    DUIT