Craftsmen Convert AK47 Rifle To Guitar

Colombian instrument makers Jose Paredes assembles an AK47 rifle to be used as an electric guitar in his workshop in Bogota, seen in this photo taken on October 2, 2006.Musical craftsman Luis Alberto Paredes and his family have branched out from their fine classic string instruments to fashion electric guitars from shotguns and AK47s once used by fighters caught up in the country's lingering conflict.
Colombian instrument maker Jose Paredes converts an AK47 rifle to an electric guitar at his workshop in Bogota October 2, 2006.
Colombian instrument maker Luis Alberto Paredes plays an electric guitar converted from an AK47 rifle as he sits among classic instruments designed by him in his workshop in Bogota October 2, 2006.
Source:- People Daily

Miracle man Walks Again

He survived against all the odds; now Peng Shulin has astounded doctors by learning to walk again.

When his body was cut in two by a lorry in 1995, it was little short of a medical miracle that he lived. Peng Shulin, wearing new trainers, works on learning to walk again

took a team of more than 20 doctors to save his life.

Skin was grafted from his head to seal his torso – but the legless Mr Peng was left only 78cm (2ft 6in) tall.

Bedridden for years, doctors in China had little hope that he would ever be able to live anything like a normal life agan.

The bionic legs mimic the way Peng's limbs would have worked

But recently, he began exercising his arms, building up the strength to carry out everyday chores such as washing his face and brushing his teeth.

Doctors at the China Rehabilitation Research Centre in Beijing found out about Mr Peng's plight late last year and devised a plan to get him up walking again. They came up with an ingenious way to allow him to walk on his own, creating a sophisticated egg cup-like casing to hold his body with two bionic legs attached to it.

He has been taking his first steps around the centre with the aid of his specially adapted legs and a resized walking frame.

Mr Peng, who has to learn how to walk again, is said to be delighted with the device.

The World's Hairiest Baby

All parents like their babies to be the centre of attention – but that won't be a problem for one couple, who think they may have the world's hairiest newborn.

Heads turn whenever two-month old Katie-Lee is pushed down the street by her parents, Steph Pleasance and Danny Webster, because of her shocking hair.

Some onlookers even think the diminutive Cilla Black look-alike is sporting a toupé.Miss Pleasance said: 'Even the midwife asked if it was a wig. When they see a baby, most people say “Isn't she cute”. When people see Katie-Lee, they say “Look at her hair”.'

Mr Webster added: 'Her hair is of unique colouration. We are forever being stopped in the street and asked if her hair is real.'

Katie-Lee's grandfather, John Webster, said: 'It shocked me the first time I saw her.

'I just looked at her and said, “Blimey, look at that hair”.'

Katie-Lee's parents, from Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester, are at a loss to know why their daughter has such an amazing mop of hair, which shows no signs of growing more slowly.

Mr Webster has already got far less hair than his eight-week old baby and Miss Pleasance said she was born without a hair on her head.

Hong Kong's Youngest Ever University Student

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong's youngest ever university student said he was already bored with his "very easy" classes as he started his mathematics course on Tuesday.The nine-year-old maths genius gained two grade As and a B in his A-levels in England -- normally taken by 18-year-olds.

March Boedihardjo told reporters gathered at Hong Kong Baptist University he was excited about starting school, but the classes were not stimulating."I've learned it a year or two years ago," Boedihardjo said as reporters peppered him with questions and cameras flashed around him.

The boy appeared impatient with the endless questions from reporters and kept asking his father when they could leave.

Boedihardjo did not have a good impression of his classmates either.



"They made no response (in classes). They just listened in the class and didn't interact with each other," he said.

The boy said that his old school friends "wanted to play", unlike the university students.

The university accepted Boedihardjo last month and has designed a special five-year course for him that will lead to a masters degree.

Need a Record Broken? India Will Oblige

NEW DELHI - How do you stand out in a land with a billion people?Radhakant Bajpai did it by growing his ear hair more than five inches long.

Vadivelu Karunakaren did it by skipping 10 miles in 58 minutes.

Arvind Morarbhai Pandya did it by running 940 miles backward in 26 days and seven hours.

India is a land obsessed with superlatives, especially the kind that get you into the Guinness World Records book. Here, a Guinness record is the stuff of national headlines.

"Orissa man claims a record for cracking open 72 coconuts by elbow!" the Hindustan Times, a leading newspaper, trumpeted last month. "Uttar Pradesh boy can write on mustard seeds!" said a headline in July. The paper has run over 50 stories this year about bids for Guinness records, and it is by no means ahead of its competition.

And this just in from the Times of India, another highly respected daily: "Man looks to set world record pulling vehicles with mustache."

Why the fascination? India, after all, is awash in genuine superlatives — world's largest democracy, world's largest youth population. Why bother with fastest to drink a bottle of ketchup?

Guinness Rishi — yes, his name is Guinness; more on that later — submitted the ketchup record after downing a bottle in 39 seconds. The Guinness company has yet to accept his bid.

Rishi said he breaks records — his business card lists 19 feats — to distinguish himself in one of the world's biggest crowds.

"People consider me an extraordinary person, not an ordinary person," he said.

India, holding 219 Guinness World Records, is only 10th on the list. The U.S. has the most, followed by Britain, Australia and Germany. But for sheer obsessive enthusiasm, and ingenuity in dreaming up new superlatives, India seems unbeatable.

The explanations are various.

In the new India, more people than ever are earning prestigious degrees and staggering salaries. But for millions who don't have access to such routes for success, aiming for world records, no matter how ridiculous, provides a much-needed outlet in a society as rigid and hierarchical as India's, say Rishi and other world-beaters.

After all, India's widespread poverty and its caste system, though not the all-determining forces they once were, still make social boundaries hard to crack. Harder, perhaps, than breaking a world record.

"Persons who have no money wish to do something in their lives, so the poor people try to break records by their strength or their will," said Rishi, a 66-year-old partner in an auto parts factory.

His crowded bookshelves are filled exclusively with record books from years past. He also hires himself out as a consultant to would-be record breakers.

No one captures Guinness mania better. Rishi changed his first name from Har Parkash to Guinness after earning a record for being part of a team that kept a motor scooter in motion for 1,001 hours. He says he's broken more than a dozen records, but the Guinness company has not yet accepted any others.

To claim the record for oldest adoptee, he adopted his 61-year-old brother-in-law. (He's going to beat that one again now that he's "working with a 90-year-old.") He built the world's tallest sugar cube tower at 64 inches.

Rishi is so passionate about Guinness that he wrote in his will — the longest will in the world, of course — that he wants his record books used as the kindling at his cremation. (His wife, Bimla, claims to have the record for shortest will in the world: "All to son.")

Rishi says his two sons have successful careers abroad, and they don't think much of the Guinness obsession. But their accomplishments make Rishi more determined to prove that he counts, too.

"My children feel that they are more important in the field of business and moneymaking so I have to show the family and the community that I am a professional person," he said.

Some see broader explanations for India's peculiar relationship with Guinness.

Santosh Desai, a columnist with the Times of India, another newspaper that covers Guinness bids like political campaigns, says it's an example of India's hunger for Western approval, a defining trait in a country racing to achieve superpower status.

"We are desperate to be acknowledged by the world as being worthy," Desai said. "We hunt for any signs that the external world recognizes us, and then we celebrate them."

Even if it's, well, Bajpai's world-beating ear hair.

The Indian Express, a well-respected newspaper, called Bajpai "a proud man who has brought hairy recognition ... not only to his locality and city but to the whole nation."

But this theory — that it's all about self-esteem _doesn't explain why neighboring Pakistan doesn't share India's Guinness passion. The two were one country during British colonial times, and have a lot in common, culturally, ethnically and linguistically.

In their zeal for posterity, some in India have taken the Guinness obsession to dangerous extremes.

In June, a doctor couple in southern India boasted that their 15-year-old son had tried to become the world's youngest surgeon by delivering a baby by Caesarean section — a procedure they proudly filmed.

All three are now awaiting trial on charges of endangering human life.

Last year, a 4-year-old boy attempted to run 43 miles to earn a spot in a local record book. Doctors stopped the child after 40 miles and found him to be undernourished and anemic.

His coach has been arrested and charged with torturing the child.

Amarilis Espinoza, a Guinness World Records spokeswoman, said the company doesn't accept entries that encourage dangerous behavior. People across the world inquire about feats Guinness does not condone, but India's can-do attitude makes it stand out, she said. Rather than just ask about unsafe records, in India "they just go ahead and do it," she said.

For world-beaters who fail to reach the peaks of Guinness, there is the local Limca Record Book, published by Coca-Cola, a junior-varsity league for India's unlikely feats. ("Fastest Solving of Rubik's Cube Blindfolded.")

Another rung down is the Web site 4to40.com where people pay $50 to have their record posted. ("37 Men on a Bike.")

Rishi is considering publishing his own book of records, one that will be more inclusive than the Guinness book.

But some in India say that as living standards soar, Guinness mania will peter out.

"What has replaced it are more legitimate and more conventional areas of competing," said Desai. "I think India will outgrow its desire to grow its nails faster than the rest of the world."

Qian is queen of the pool

She may have been forced to use a basketball as a prosthetic but that has not stopped her ambition to compete on the sporting world's biggest stage.

Qian Hongyan, whose plight touched millions of people around the globe, has joined a swimming club and begun training to fulfil her dream of competing in the 2012 Paralympics in London. The ten-year-old suffered horrific injuries in a car crash when she was three and doctors had to amputate her legs to ensure her survival.

Unable to afford modern prosthetics, her family in Zhuangxia, China, used half a basketball to help her get about.

Hongyan's body slides into the ball and she holds two wooden props in her hands to assist movement.
But she has not let disability stand in her way and has joined the South Of The Clouds swimming club.

Although Hongyan now has a pair of hi-tech prosthetic limbs, she still uses the basketball from time to time as it helps her get in and out of the pool.

Pregnant Women Wye Five Births is Mischievous

Pregnant women Wye five births waist 1.75 meters bus and Columbia could not contain
Picture: Super pregnant Jiaoyubei

Last night at the hospital

Wealth "five births," she

Recently, readers have been concerned about the Songyuan "super pregnant woman" pregnant five twin thing is a fake!

Why lie? This one of the hidden reason?

Perfect.
Mi invited the media to recognize the "false pregnancy"

Yesterday afternoon, when the news media as "super-women" inside Jiaoyubei worried about the safety of five births, but in Songyuan Jiaoyubei quietly invited to a hotel in Changchun TV "City Express" Changchun journalists and Puji hospital named Li president herself have face-to-face about five births is false.
Subsequent to the live reporter to a telephone, Lee confirmed the matter and said that her husband is Jiaoyubei and cars rushed to the hospital by Changchun.
-- Lies Record
1. "Hospitals can not find proof"
Reporters received "super pregnant women," the news clues, the first reaction is a matter of credibility. In Jiaoyubei home, the reporters look at the first hospital checks proved that, Jiaoyubei said no, her family also said to have disappeared.Qiao said to reporters following the "China and the United States hospital" to verify, a doctor said, had really come to a pregnant woman, and have found multiple births, but a long time, other things do not remember it.
2. "Personally neighbors, stop"
To further verify the reporter visited the village and Jiaoyubei villagers.They said long ago that Joe roared though, "five twin" thing also spread in the village, there will be no mistake.
Jiaoyubei neighbor, 61-year-old Ma Granny said, a few days before her own neighbors Jiaoyubei the belly, pregnancy is really about.
Reporter provide clues to the news media Songyuan a reporter said that she had personally touch Jiaoyubei belly, I feel really pregnant.

-- Many doubt
1. Pregnant women from jumping through the window
Yesterday, the province went to the media early Jiaoyubei home in the early to persuade her to the hospital for an examination to be qualified production.During Qiao also said to the problem and do not hesitate, when after all the attention, has hastily jumped out from the windows, disappeared.
2. Medical prevarication
"Jiaoyubei pregnant five births," the first article of the issue, including this newspaper, the province has more than media attention Joe's physical condition, and frequently consult the experts, Qiao Shi many production should be brought to the attention of (Joe During this period there have been vomiting), whose family also hope Joe Yu Changchun, the wave energy to the hospital for examination and expectant.
But Jiaoyubei hesitation on the matter has been volatile: the evening of June 12, Changchun Puji Hospital Songyuan Lee and his entourage arrived, to mobilize Joe Changchun, Joe agreed to the vehicle until the next day to long.But on the road, she changed his mind, saying that Beijing wanted to check, then returned to the Songyuan. Yesterday morning, said Jiaoyubei willing to Changchun, and take the initiative with the premier.

Not believe "infertility"
At noon yesterday, reporters Jiaoyubei home to see her mother-in-law, mother and other family members.It is understood, 13:30 Xu, their families locate and saw controlled television cabinets left few footprints vague - Jiaoyubei from jumping through the window and her husband had left home, family comparing them to every place possible, no fruit.15:30 XU, Jiaoyubei daughter-in-law's mother-in-law for fear of an accident, ended up.
According to reports, although the pregnancy thing is a fake, but Jiaoyubei I like the physical condition nearly four months pregnant person 20:40 XU, the reporter again went to Jiaoyubei home, will tell their families, her mother-in-law and cousin surprised his face: "impossible! Absolutely not! We watched her in the stomach a big change every day! "

Why tell lies super?

Lee said that at about 10 am yesterday, the husband Jiaoyubei he called De-Fu Liu said: "We have parents blame the hospital free inspection Why not? Really Sorry, this time we definitely, you hospital. "But Lee Jiaoyubei a pedestrian arrived at the home, but she and her husband missing the trace.
Lee introduced, and later with his counterparts in the hospital Xiezhulin Jiaoyubei second home is not easy to find her, but Jiaoyubei beside the toilet, not out on the toilet outside Xiezhulin constantly advised her out Quanzhaoquanzhao, Jiaoyubei suddenly pulling out clothes Xiezhulin crying aloud, subsequently, Also kneeling on the ground crying, then Jiaoyubei couples to tell the truth.
After the emotional stability, Jiaoyubei it beside the side of the stomach things out to: actually three quilts, a dozen pieces of clothes, sweaters, garment, cotton cushion, hats and other articles, a full 20."Using the Club, took a July 8 kilograms." (During the process anyone see)
Lee said that the reasons lie Jiaoyubei her first pregnancy, are carrying one pair of twins, but not the abortion care.Six seven months ago, her pregnant again, a check to the hospital, doctors said may triplets or quadruplets.More than three months ago may, Jiaoyubei parents back in the road, abortion Once off guard again, then are catching up with her husband Joe De-Fu Liu hit by a car, also the banner of the leg plate.Think of the husband is home only son, Joe afraid of the abortion issue are against him, hiding down. Half a month after Joe pregnant again.Then she suddenly come up with an idea is to use clothing, and other small pad to put up an stomachs, and then drove on, not to see her husband, and after a big belly, and then things out to.Thus, from time to time, Jiaoyubei deeper stomach filled, things will one day big belly up.Jiaoyubei said, in fact, they now have three months pregnant.

She really is under pressure to withdraw from the big lies?

His wife did not know the quilts stomach?
Lee said later Jiaoyubei 30 relatives and the media more than 20 reporters to the scene, Jiaoyubei things that make a big, cried and said Hingis, to River.Also borrowed the money to give a few thousand Puji Hospital, said beetles trips to the hospital, the hospital that I am sorry.
Another question out.
Jiaoyubei big scare in the stomach, her husband De-Fu Liu died after his pregnant daughter-in-law do not know is false.Moreover, a pregnant daughter-in-law told the media Multiple births are also his.
De-Fu Liu said, Puji Hospital yesterday morning imminent drove them home, the girl said before he Rafah to locate the true facts, the duo an anxious, from the rear window to jump out of hiding.
Puji hospital ambulance carrying Jiaoyubei couples enter Changchun suddenly stopped, has been in the back with an interview with the cars parked in the side, but it Jiaoyubei agitatedly shouted Nobody imagined.When they reached the hospital, Jiaoyubei couples rushed out of the hospital into the wards for their good, the door was locked up, in addition to her husband, Jiaoyubei refused to see people.
Until 23 o'clock yesterday, the reporter Jiaoyubei husband to his door, he said: "I really do not know that after this matter, since she knows pregnant multiple births, I dare not touch her at night are very far away."
Jiaoyubei husband said his wife 17 years old this year, is a snake (when she was interviewed by this 23-year-old Joe)."Last year, our 18 month-end marriage, she married shortly Wye pregnant, then I had a car accident, in the days when she had to take care of my side. Well, I support the disease, to support the family, I came to Songyuan urban wage, probably during this period, she abortion, but who has been her fear I was stimulated injury, so I have to hide it from. "De-Fu Liu said.
Note: Dr. Puji Hospital told reporters that the second abortion Joe, her husband of accident, the leg is also the banner plate.

He did not recall whether to accompany his wife went to the hospital?
"You know how his wife is pregnant with twin 5? Do check to the hospital? "When reporters asked about these issues, De-Fu Liu has said he does not recall whether to accompany his wife went to a hospital," I only remember that once accompanied his wife to the streets Maifan packs, get a woman, the wife of the elderly the clock, said his wife are carrying five births. know the news, I also accompany his wife to the bazaar done a skirt. "
De-Fu Liu said he was thinking is that if the five births, the family is unable, he would like to through the media publicity caused concern in society, it was able to lend them a helping hand."I am very giant, but I have to understand my wife, she is good for me, if I did not understand her, she finished ..."
Until 0:00 a.m. today, hospital superintendent and personnel from the hospital, husband and wife duo stay in the hospital this morning inspection will be done.

Wedding In The Air

Two high-rise Chinese window cleaners got married dangling in the air on their work platforms.

Jiang Dezhang, 27, and 26-year-old Tie Guangju both sat on wooden boards supported by ropes and pulleys.

"Our wedding was both romantic and like our daily work", said husband Jiang.

Also suspended with the couple were the best man and the bridesmaid who were work colleagues.

The couple exchanged rings in the air and hugged and kissed each other as the wedding guests and passers-by cheered below, reports Yunnan Daily.

As the couple were exchanging rings a scroll came down from the top of the building with the words "High Altitude Love" written on it.

Eight Year old Girl Completes 3,500km Run

The father of an eight-year-old Chinese girl who ran 3,560 km (2,212 miles) to Beijing to celebrate the 2008 Olympics on Tuesday denied accusations of child abuse.

Zhang Huimin arrived in Beijing on Sunday after she started her extraordinary odyssey on July 3 from Sanya, at the southern tip of the island province of Hainan, with her father following on a motorized bicycle.

Huimin got up at 2.30 a.m. every day to train for the run and would have had to have run about 65 km a day for 55 days -- the equivalent of about one and a half marathons a day.

Domestic media and some experts accused the father, Zhang Jianmin, a businessman, of abuse, saying the Beijing run would damage the girl's body and affect her growth.

Zhang told Reuters he was not concerned.

"I don't care about what the experts say. Although they accuse me of being cruel or abusive, I think I'm right," he said.

"She is always healthy around me and never said her legs hurt or that she was tired after running 30 kilometers," Zhang told Reuters in Tiananmen Square.

"I am suffering huge media pressure. But I have never worried about her future health. As she was able to endure the long distance running and has grown up healthily from the year three to eight, which are the weakest ages, there's no reason she could not endure this in the next years."

Huimin started running 3 km a day when she was three and was hitting 23 km a day by the time she was seven, the China Daily said.

Liu Hong, director of the China School Sports Federation, was quoted by the newspaper as saying the exercise regime was extremely hard, even for an adult.

"The running will certainly harm her," he said.

As for her future, Dad had one eye on the Olympics.

"If she is interested in running then we will keep working on it. She'll be 18 in 10 years time and it will be possible to take part in the Olympics... Whatever she is interested in, I'll do my utmost to support her."

On the Beijing trip, she only rode twice on her father's motorized bicycle, the China Daily said -- when she was chased by four wild dogs and when it was too steep to run down a steep mountain road.

Huimin herself appeared unfazed by the whole marathon event and the attention it had brought.
"I've liked running since I was very young," she said. "Running makes me happy."
Source:- Reuters

Japan Warns of 4,000 meters of millions of people living Juda

Core Presentation : Japan in Tokyo idea is the construction of the "X-Seed4000" Juda skyscraper-a 4,000-meter-high, with 800 floors, one million will be living in the building super. Juda this skyscraper construction modeled on the shape of Mount Fuji, but also higher than Mount Fuji 213 meters.Designed primarily to the residents living in 2,000 meters below the floor, and the higher air temperatures likely will be built ski resort facilities.

Ferris Juda simulation map

Internal envisaged map

Ferris Juda chart

Chongqing Morning News on August 27, according to American media reports on the 26th, Japan Da construction company in Tokyo idea is the construction of the "X-Seed4000" Juda skyscraper-a 4,000-meter-high, with 800 floors, one million will be living in the building super. Juda this skyscraper construction modeled on the shape of Mount Fuji, but also higher than Mount Fuji 213 meters.

The Empire State Building will be nine times higher

It was reported that according Da construction company's design blueprint, "X-Seed4000" will become Tokyo's city within a city, once completed, "X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda will be the height of the Empire State Building in New York at least nine times, the base will have an area of six square kilometers, is the most major construction -- Boeing Aircraft Company in Washington State's Everett plant six times.

"X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda will have 800 floors, they can live one million residents. However, Juda penetrated the clouds, the designer must consider the bottom and the top between the temperature and pressure are poor thorny issues. Fortunately, the pyramid-like structure, and can help resist the tallest height of Juda strong winds.

Large elevators can sit 200 people

　　 Under the blueprint, "X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda will be a self-supporting eco-city AI, it will hustle and perfect combination of the natural environment, the main structure is steel, and the outside wall using solar panels, using solar energy to provide the main energy Juda. Juda house as natural lighting and weather changes under external lighting automatically adjust brightness, the building also has artificial parks and other "natural scenery," Ferris Juda water will be used 100% of the circulating water.

It is reported that the "X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda will be used to accommodate 200 people while the large magnetic ride elevators, the passengers sit at the top floor from the ground floor, will need to spend 35 minutes. Although it was designed primarily to the residents living in 2,000 meters below the floor, and the higher air temperatures likely will be built ski resort facilities.

Cost up to 900 billion US dollars

"X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda cost of about 300 billion US dollars to 900 billion US dollars between its cost than is contained human landing on Mars mission is even higher. 据专家称，建造"X-Seed4000"According to experts, the construction of the "X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda creativity back in the 1980s alone, and construction technology already exists, only the astronomical figure of Cost is the main barrier.

Currently, the construction blueprint has been the subject of lively discussion. Some experts said that such a massive construction, if the frequency of earthquakes in Japan built a stable, preferably on the sea, and not on land."X-Seed4000" Ferris Juda building project can be achieved, it has also attracted many people's doubts.

Artist sets sail in life-size paper boat

Artist Frank Boelter set sails in his lifesize paper boat as he leaves a shipyard in Lauenburg, Germany.
He constructed the 9-metre vessel from 'Tetrapack' and fearlessly sailed it up the Elbe, despite the fact the light material is more commonly used for packaging milk.The 37-year-old artist came up with the idea one breakfast time, while he was sitting at his kitchen table fiddling with an empty milk carton, which he cut up and made into a scaled-down model.

The £110 boat is 30 feet long, weighs 55 pounds, uses a 170-square-metre piece of Tetrapack paper, and took only two hours to construct.

Boelter waves to fans

Boelter said it will survive forty days before it disintegrates into a wet, sinking mass.
It is part of the artist's exhibition named 'Bis ans Ende der Welt' (Until the end of the world).
It's aqua-origami, all right, but is it art?

Boating Under the Bridge

The boat is the MV Cahaba owned by Warrior and Gulf Navigation of Mobile, AL. The pictures were taken by an amateur photgrapher named Barger. This happened in April, 1979 at Demopolis, AL on the Warrior River. Nobody was seriously injured and the boat continued to it's destination with the barges. To my knowledge, the boat is still in service. The bridge has since been replaced.

TUGBOAT

Do not try this at home. Remember, this is a professional captain.

The towboat is approaching the bridge with barges loaded with coal.

This frame gives you an idea of how fast the river is running. Obviously at or near flood stage

Oh CRAP!!! The bridge didn't open and the boat can't stop. Notice that the tug has released the barges.
He is backing as hard as possible to try and avoid a collision with the bridge.

Can't back down enough against the current.

Uh Oh! The current has swung the boat around sideways.

The cook thinks maybe something isn't quite right.

The boss is going to be REAL mad!

Uh... Boss? Do we have flood insurance on this boat?

Uh.... Boss? You ain't gonna believe what we just did!

She's low, but the flag is still flying.

The wheelhouse door and the door in the second deck are now open.
Look close at the bottom righthand side of the picture and you will see that the bridge guardrail is underwater.

Look at the water pouring out of the second deck doorway.

Look at the water pouring out of the second deck doorway.

The working deck is still underwater, but rising.

Notice anything unusual? Look at the smoke coming from the exhausts. This thing is running!!!

Notice the propwash at the rear of the tug. The boat is upright and back under power.

Ho Hum. Just another day on the river.

There are some things about me that you are just unaware of, and this
instance is a fitting example. Please send this to all, my explanation.
And as Paul Harvey used to say..." that's the rest of the story..."
It was either late 1978 or early 1979, I have forgotten exactly, but anyway,
I am close on either... The river is the Tombigbee River and this happened
to be the record high water ever for that area. The towboat you see coming
down on the bridge is the Motor Vessel Cahaba owned by Warrior Gulf
Navigation out of Mobile, Alabama. Warrior Gulf is a subsidiary of
Pittsburg Steel. I know you are familiar with Birmingham's coal mines and
steel mills, and this company would haul iron pellets up to Birmingport and
off-load to make steel plate.
On the return the barges were filled with coal for export at the McDuffie
Coal Terminal at the mouth of the Mobile River and at the head of Mobile Bay.
The Bridge was the Old Rooster Bridge (since demolished and removed - I saw
the explosion to tear it down also) located below Demopolis, Alabama. The
land-side highway dead ends at the bluff, and you can still drive to this
site and imagine how high the river had to be to get to the bottom of the
bridge...

The pass or Channel Span of the bridge was located on the far West side of
the river, or on the opposite bank from the photographer's standpoint. In
normal river flow, we would drop down near the rock bluff and steer through
the opening to pass southward with our tows of coal barges. Normal loads
were six barges, each measuring 195' X 35' and loaded to a 10' draft. This
allowed each barge to carry approximately 2,000 tons of coal (times six =
12,000 tons X 2000 pounds = 24 Million pounds of cargo.)

The boat is 1800Horsepower twin engine diesel built in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. It is named
after one of the eight "friendly" Indian tribes. It is the Motor Vessel
Cahaba. At the "sticks" or helm is Captain Jimmie Wilkerson, a long time
river pilot and was my personal friend - since deceased. The river current
was so very treacherous that we were forced to drop down to the bridge in
the slack(er) water on the left descending bank and when we got down to the
bridge, we uncoupled the boat from the barges and let the barges drift down
under the bridge. The bottom of the bridge would "shave" the coal stacked
in the barges off to a level surface. The next step was to back the vessel
upriver and then go over to the far West side and traverse the bridge's
channel span with the boat, and run down and catch the barges. It was just
too dangerous to try to bring the barges through the bridge span in the
current.
Anyway, Jimmie dropped down properly and with the entire rest of the crew
standing on the barges for safety, he began to reverse his engines to back
away. His stern would have to be kept directly pointed into the current or
the boat would travel sideways like a kite without it's tail. Captain Jim
was a fine pilot, but he made a small mistake and his stern was caught in
the current, twisted sideways and the river smashed him into the bridge
sideways. Notice that the boat re-surfaced right side up on the down stream
side. What luck you say? Nope, WGN ballasted all their vessels with three
to four feet of cement in the bottom. The boat was like a little yellow
rubber duckie, and came back up like a duckie oughta do. The boat suffered
major cosmetic damages, but little flooding because of water tight doors,
except in the pilothouse. Notice the picture where the boat is not quite
righted and you can see water pouring out of the wheelhouse door. The chair
washes out, and Jimmie told me he was holding on to the controls with all
his might to keep from going out the drain and into the river. He was very
shook up and you can see him approach the tow of barges downriver. Well he
didn't get it together quite soon enough and he smashed into the barges,
causing further damage.
I next saw Jimmie about a month after this and we had a cup of coffee
together and talked about the incident. He was smoking a Camel Non-filter
but didn't even need an ashtray beacuse his hands were still shaking too
much for the ash to build up to any degree.
How do I know all this? I was on the boat that went through the bridge
immediately before the Cahaba. The Motor Vessel James E. Philpott made the
bridge and was headed south at close to 15 MPH. For all you who don't
understand, that is very fast on a commercial towboat with that much
tonnage.

Source:- Towboat

Paintings by disabled embrace life

Armless painter Zheng Jieping shows his calligraphy skills yesterday at the art show by disabled artists.A PAINTING exhibition by disabled artists opened its doors yesterday for a five-day free show.

Held at the Shanghai Arts Center for the Disabled in Zhabei District, the exhibition, whose theme is "Embracing Life," boasts a total of 134 Chinese paintings, calligraphy works, oil paintings and other works created by disabled artists and children from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Japan. Local artists contributed 33 works, organizers said yesterday. Run by the Shanghai Disabled People's Federation and Hong Kong Center for Community Cultural Development, the exhibition aims to make common people understand more about disabled people, and understand their wish to pursue life.

Father of 78 kids, eyes 2 brides to hit 100

A one-legged Emirati father of 78 (the eldest of whom is 36 years old and the youngest of whom is 20 days old) is lining up his next two wives in a bid to reach his target of 100 children by 2015.

Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman, 60, has already had 15 brides although he has to divorce them as he goes along to remain within the legal limit of four wives at a time. "In 2015 I will be 68 years old and will have 100 children," the local tabloid quoted Abdul Rahman as saying.

"After that I will stop marrying. I have to have at least three more marriages to hit the century."

Abdul Rahman said his large family lived in 15 houses. He supports them with his military pension and the help of the government of Ajman, one of seven emirates that comprise the UAE, which includes the Gulf trade and tourism hub of Dubai.

Let's Kiss on Chinese Valentine's Day

Lovers participate a kissing contest at the foot of Huaying Mountain, southwest China's Sichuan Province August 18, 2007 to celebrate the eve of Chinese Valentine's Day. About 150 pairs took part in the contest. The festival is called Double Seventh Festival, which falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month.