The World’s Oldest Trees…40 centuries plus
Of the many scenic wonders found within the Inyo National Forest, one of the most amazing is the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, located between 10,000 and 11,000 ft. in the White Mountains, east of the Sierra Nevada. These trees are the oldest known living trees on earth. Here in the White Mountains, the ancient trees have survived more than 40 centuries, exceeding the age of the oldest Giant Sequoia by 1,500 years…
Each Bristlecone pine, from young seedling to ancient relic, has an individual character. And in the Ancient Forest, where trees had more than four and a half millennia to develop their character, each tree is a true individual. Every single tree in the Ancient Forest is at least 4,000 years old, many reach 4,500 years and the oldest one – Methuselah – has a confirmed age of 4,768 years which secured its place in the Guinness Book of World Records. In order to protect Methuselah from souvenir hunters and people who would just “love it to death,” the forest service does not disclose its location. It only hints that Methuselah is on of the trees right along the trail in the Ancient Forest.
Flying bath tub
Electricity had to be cut off after 75mph winds from Typhoon Morakot blew a [bath tub] onto 40ft high power cables in China.
The bath ended up resting on high voltage cables over a road in Longgang town, Wenzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, reports People’s Daily.
It is believed the [bath tub] was being thrown out by a nearby hotel and had been left on a balcony where the wind picked it up.
If the price on that flat screen TV sounds too good to be true…
A brand-new 37-inch Sony flat screen television for $100? Great deal — until you take it out of the box and realize you just bought an oven door.
San Leandro police Lt. Pete Ballew called it a variation on the old “rocks in a box” scam, in which a box is presented as containing new, expensive electronics for sale but is actually full of rocks.
More at San Jose Mercury News.
Via So…what were you doing at age 14?
The life of Promethea Pythaitha has the makings of a Greek myth.
Promethea was the youngest student ever to graduate from Montana State University at age 14. Born with incredible intellectual gifts, Promethea started reading at age 1, was learning college-level calculus at age 7 and was hailed on national TV as a child genius. At 13 she became the youngest student ever to complete work for a bachelor’s degree at Montana State University, and at 14 she graduated with a diploma in mathematics.
More at Bozeman Montana Local News.
Something in the water at an Indian village?
It was a phenomenon that had gone unnoticed for several years, even by the residents. But now a village in Kerala (India) with over 200 [pairs of] twins and a few more on the way is in the limelight.
“None of us was aware of this phenomenon and now many have started thinking of this. There is also a new association for these twins,” said Kunju Marikar, president of the Nannambra panchayat (village council) under which comes Kodinhi village that boasts of the record.
via The Times of India.
What? They don’t have a metal detector?
An obese inmate in Texas has been charged after officials learned he had a gun hidden in his rolls of fat.
George Vera, 25, was charged with possession of a firearm in a correctional facility after he told a guard at the Harris County Jail about the unloaded 9mm pistol.
via Police: 500-pound inmate hid gun in flab – Criminal weirdness- msnbc.com.
Mouse’s nest egg
A mouse found inside an automatic teller machine — along with a nest it had built with chewed-up $20 bills — gave an Oregon gas station employee the surprise of her life.
The mouse, discovered Thursday, had thoroughly torn up two bills and damaged another 14 to line his nest. Employee Millie Taylor says she screamed and slammed the machine’s door shut.
The bank replaced all the money that wasn’t extensively damaged, and the ATM has continued to work just fine. The mouse also got a reprieve: He was evicted from his nest but set free outside the station.
via ABC News.
Are your eyelids tired?
Although estimates vary, humans blink their eyes around five million times each year.
Cloverclan: Empowering independent musicians
Through bleary, pre-coffee, eyes this morning I came upon a comment on a recent post (thanks, Col) and, as I usually do, followed it back and found one of the best sites I’ve seen in a long time. It’s full of great music and fun. Check out icompositions.com
You won’t be sorry. To use the vernacular from my time. Groovy, man!
Thought for the day
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle
Watch out for flying splinters…and lumber
A Chinese farmer with only a basic school education has made his own helicopter out of wood. Wu Zhongyuan, 20, of Luoyang, in central China’s Henan province, took nearly three months to complete his home-made aircraft.
He says he used his memories of middle school physics lessons to make the machine which he claims can fly up to a height of 800 metres.
“I didn’t have a design,” he said. “The only source for me to get relevant knowledge was surfing the internet via my mobile phone.”
The blades are made from an elm tree, the engine is from a motorcycle and the frame is reinforced with steel pipes, reports Dahe Daily.
More at Ananova – Farmer’s home-made helicopter
Why am I skeptical about this thing?
UPDATE: The Chinese government has grounded him.
‘Bubbleologist’
These incredible pictures show what is thought to be the world’s largest free-floating soap bubble.
‘Bubbleologist’ Samsam Bubbleman created the giant ball of air using a top-secret mixture he has developed over 20 years.
More at Mail Online.
More pictures at the link.
Acid-spitting, lightning throwing Mongolian death worm…no, seriously
Armed with explosives, two men are heading to Mongolia’s Gobi Desert to find the fabled acid-spitting and lightning-throwing Mongolian death worm.
The worm has never been documented but some Mongolians are convinced it exists. They call it Allghoi Khorkhoi, or “intestine worm” because it resembles a cow’s intestine and is about 1.5m long.
The worm apparently jumps out of the sand and kills people by spitting concentrated acid or shooting lightning from its rectum over long distances, NZPA reports. (Seriously.)
More at The Courier-Mail.
They sort of lost me after the “lightning from its rectum” part…
‘Career shoplifter,’ 86, swipes anti-wrinkle cream
An 86 year old Chicago woman is being held on $10,000 bond after being arrested for the 61st time. The charge is shoplifting.
Did I mention that among the things she allegedly stole is an anti-wrinkle cream? Hope springs eternal.
More at CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
Bob Maddox is looking for sponsors
This is Bob Maddox and he is planning to tuck a four engine pulse jet into this tube, strap himself on to it, and send himself 25,000 feet into the sky at which point he will jump off and parachute back to earth. Well, that’s the plan anyway. All he needs now is $40,000. If you’d like to contribute he lives in Medford, Oregon.
It’s a good thing bugs are little…
It’s a really good thing that bugs are little. Imagine meeting up with this critter if it was the size of a big dog…
Check your medicine cabinet: Sanitizer not so sanitary
Officers with the U.S. Marshals Service have seized all skin sanitizers and skin protectants, including ingredients and components, at Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory s facility in Roy, Utah, the Food and Drug Administration said.
The FDA also warned the public Saturday not to use any Clarcon products because they contain harmful bacteria and are promoted as antimicrobial agents that claim to treat open wounds, damaged skin, and protect against various infectious diseases. No cases have been reported to the FDA.
Full details at Ozarksnow
About
Oldster’s View is intended to be a news and oddity aggregation site which presents the more unusual or just timely
items. No blood or gore or fatal car accidents or fires or cameras stuck in the face of grieving parents or any of the other “news” that your TV proudly presents.
Links back to my source can be found at the bottom left of each post. Go to those links. It will make the bloggers happy and encourage them to do more. Enjoy.
NOTE: I derive absolutely no profit from this blog and I make no representation as to the accuracy or truthfulness of anything on this site. I am simply passing along things I have found. Follow the link and use your own judgment.
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