A Little Friday File Fun (08/24)

August 24, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - They say a picture is worth a thousand words....

Well, here’s a couple of thousand:

If you have the hedge fund, subprime, leveraged too much blues, you’ll appreciate what is being described as the first country song about world financial markets (2007).  MORE at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtcnXLDnXvs


Japanese researchers at Osaka University have developed head gear that uses infrared sensors and a microcomputer to let people operate their iPods by clenching their teeth – – – the computer receives a command when the user clenches his or her teeth for about one second — which differentiates the action from other activities such as chewing gum and talking.   The system could also allow users to flip through pages of a PowerPoint demonstration, allowing the presenter to gesture freely by clenching teeth instead of pressing buttons.  MORE at http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20070820/capt.sge.mka59.200807170009.photo00.photo.default-512×373.jpg?x=180&y=131&sig=EZTMHgmoHLrUx955oZ6ryw–


In Mudjimba, Australia , Les Stewart has finally gotten into the Guinness Book of World Records – – – and as the third most bizarre world record of all time – – – for the 15 year period from 1983 to 1998, Les typed out all of the numbers from one to one million (in letters not numerals) – – – – not for fame, mind you – – – but simply because he “wanted something to do” – – – (he also captured the record in 1983 for typing one to one million in numerals) – – – Les says he typed for 20 minutes, “every waking hour”, on the hour until he was done – – – he’s also named in the Guinness Book of World Records for putting the most number of stamps on a single envelope, three thousand- four hundred, to be exact – – – MORE at http://media.thedaily.com.au/img/photos/2007/08/21/les-stewart_t350.jpg


Speaking of bizarre records, in Calgary, Canada , Brian Utley, 54, a 350-pound high school teacher, has won the Trident Splash National Cannonball Championship – – – Brian, away from the “sport” for 21 years, won the cannonball title by beating out nine other competitors in the event’s final round, including the first-ever female finalist, former national swim team member Kelly Doody – – – judges determined scores based on splash, flair and the ability to tuck.  MORE at http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2007/08/15/K081524AU.jpg


Speaking of winning contests, in West Berlin, Germany , one hundred women braved broken heels and sprained ankles, but this was no normal work day – – – it was the second annual “Stiletto Run” 100-meter race – – – the stiletto heels had to be at least 7 centimeters (2.75 inches) high and no more than 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) wide at the tip – – – and it featured a €10,000 prize – – – with a time of 14.7 seconds, Denise Hanitzsch, 24, beat out the competition – – -she finished second in last year’s competition – – -after one of her heels broke – – – you can see photos of the event at http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,5538,24096,00.html


At the Kierikki Stone Age Centre, Finland, Sarah Pickin, 23, has found was is reportedly the world’s oldest piece of chewing gum – – – at least 5,000 years old, reportedly – – – MORE at http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2007/08/ChewingGum_450x388.jpg


How about an image of the Virgin Mary in chocolate?   A miracle?   A hallucination?   You be the judge.  MORE at http://cbs2.com/video/?id=46050@kcbs.dayport.com


What about a battle between a crocodile and a shark?   Who would win?   Which would be “lunch?”   We have a picture from Daly River, Darwin, Australia.  MORE at http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007380376,00.html


– – – In Leicester, UK , Nicki Jex, 27, held up a bookmaker’s shop here, right at closing time, and got more than £600 in cash – – – armed only with a “Rampant Rabbit” se.x toy – – – his daring act was captured on camera – – – MORE at http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2007/08/20/stickup372.jpg


– – – In Estero, Florida , an as yet-unnamed man tried to hold up a gas station with an unusual, but remarkably effective, disguise – – – although the aptly-named “mop-head bandit” gave up and fled the store when the cashier was slow in handing over the cash – – – you can see him in action at MORE at http://video.nbc10.com/player/?id=144601


– – – And finally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma , Police dispatcher William Hedrick appeared as part of a story on on-campus security – – – and was photographed showing how he kept an eye on one of five computer screens to control everything from the dispatch of campus police to cameras mounted on buildings – – – but if you look closely at the screens pictured, you will see that one of them is being used to play Super Mario – – – MORE at http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2007/8.19OSU-Intern-Project.jpg


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