Teeth Chiseling Tradition in Mentawai Island, Idonesia

Pointy teeth as a Symbol of beauty for Mentawai People

Definition of beauty may vary. If in West Africa, a woman with a black gums spelled gorgeous. pointy teeth became a symbol of beauty in some parts of Indonesia. Call it the Mentawai tribe in Sumatra.

The inland tribes inhabiting the four major islands of Sumatra, the Siberut, North Pagai, South Pagai, and Sipora. They generally live in villages located near river banks or beaches. In addition to the art of tattooing the body (commonly called titi), Mentawai tribe likes to sharpen dental practice to beautify the appearance, especially for the mayor's wife.

As the wife of the most powerful men in the village, the mayor's wife is required to perform this procedure. In addition to beautify themselves, sharpen teeth tradition meant to maintain the balance between body and soul.

"My wife asked me to do it and I'm sure she will look more beautiful," said one of the Mentawai village chief in National Geographic documentation.

Pilongi, the wife of the village chief, initially avoiding ritual sharpened teeth. However, in order to please her husband, she was then doing. Certainly there is a feeling of nervousness when they undergo the ritual. After seeing the results, Pilongi feel satisfied and not necessarily just forget the pain that she felt.

However, as well as other unique traditions in the world, ritual tattooing and sharpened teeth are now beginning to be abandoned by the Mentawai people. The influence of the outside world to be the main reason for the erosion of the ancestral culture of the Mentawai. Before extinct, let us preserve the heritage of this nation.

Adapted from Merdeka

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Miracle Milly named World’s Smallest Dog

The record-holding Chihuahua is just 3.8 inches long

A 2-year-old Chihuahua from Puerto Rico has nabbed the Guinness World Records' title for the world’s smallest dog.

Miracle Milly is even shorter than a soup can, measuring just 3.8 inches from backbone to paw, and weighs in at about 1 pound.

Milly’s owner, Vanesa Semler, says the dog could fit in a teaspoon when she was born. She had to feed the pup milk through an eyedropper every two hours because she was too small to nurse from her mother.

"She does not understand that she is a dog," Semler said. "She thinks she's a kid." The previous title-holder was Boo Boo, a 4-inch long-haired Chihuahua from Kentucky.

Quoted from MSN

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Sewer Turns into Geyser after Flooding in Colorado

A Geyser of Water

A geyser of water shoots out of a sewer on Canon Avenue as storms continued to dump rain Thursday over the Waldo Canyon burn scar in Manitou Springs, Colo.  According to the Denver Post, roads in and out of Manitou Springs were closed Thursday because of high water and flood danger.

Flooding is worse in some areas that have seen forest fires in recent years, including the High Park area and Waldo Canyon, the scene of fires of the same name in June 2012. Read full story

Sources : MSN

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Lying eyes? 10 Ways a Look Gives You Away

10 Ways Your Eyes Give You Away

Eye movements and eye contact reveal what you’re thinking.

Your eyes communicate more than you may think -- and you can’t always control everything they reveal. Body language experts tell how to read a person’s eyes to tell if they’re happy to see you, disgusted, bored, stressed and even lying.

Pupil Size

You may be able to control your facial expressions, but your pupils tell a different story, letting others know if you like what you see. Many studies show that looking at a person or object you love increases the size of your pupils. On the opposite end, pupils shrink when you’re repulsed or view something distasteful. “Even if you can’t see a person’s pupils, their reaction registers with you subconsciously,” says Joe Navarro, a former FBI counter intelligence officer, body language expert and author of “What Every Body Is Saying.” He says, “Pupils also constrict when we’re stressed. It’s hard wired into us.” Large pupil size also makes us more appealing, says Navarro. Egyptians put belladonna (a plant from the deadly nightshade family) in their eyes to make them dilate and appear more attractive.

Eye twitch

A twitchy eyelid may be incredibly distracting to the person with the twitch, but it can also be noticed by others. Does it mean they don’t like what you’re saying? “You can’t take it personally,” says Dr. Sandy T. Feldman, an eye surgeon and the medical director at ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center in San Diego. “An eyelid twitch results from a spasm of the eyelids and may be indicative of stress or a medical condition.” It’s typically less of a form of body language and more the effect of caffeine, eye irritation or alcohol, all of which can cause a twitchy eye. An eyelid that twitches along with the side of the mouth may indicate a neurological issue and should be checked by a doctor.

Shifty eyes

Ask a person a question and see if their eyes go up as they conjure up an answer. Some training experts say if they look up and to the right they’re probably lying; if they look up and to the left they’re telling the truth. It’s not quite that simple, says Navarro. “A lot of myths exist about lying and eye direction. We look in certain directions according to how we process the information, which varies from person to person.” Some people look down when they’re dealing with emotions, but it’s not universal. Looking up and around doesn’t necessarily mean that person is lying, it simply shows they are processing information, says Navarro.

Blink rate

Can you catch someone lying in “the blink of an eye”? Quite possibly. We blink less in some situations (e.g. reading, daydreaming and working at the computer) and more when we’re under stress -- and when lying. Most people normally blink between eight and 21 blinks per minute at rest. Watch someone like Lance Armstrong being interviewed and you may see him blink much more when responding to the tough questions, says Navarro. “But you can’t call everyone a liar just because their blink rate goes up, however.  Bill Clinton blinked over 92 times per minute during his deposition, which was a reflection of the stress he was under.” Factors such as dry air and pollen can also increase blink rate.

Eye blocking

If you ask a friend for a favor and they agree but rub their eyes at the same time they respond, they’re not comfortable with your request, says Navarro. Called “eye blocking,” this body language maneuver is extremely accurate, according to Navarro. Eye blocking includes covering or shielding the eyes or lowering the eyelids for a prolonged period. “President Obama does this frequently whenever Joe Biden says something he doesn’t like,” Navarro says. In the case of you asking for your friend’s help, his eye blocking behavior reveals his true feelings, even though he may agree to your request. “Even children who are born blind will block their eyes when they hear things they don’t like,” says Navarro.

Eye Contact

A person who looks you in the eye isn’t necessarily telling you the truth, says Navarro. In fact, it’s likely the opposite.  “When people are lying they actually engage in more eye contact. They look into your eyes to see if you’re buying their story,” says Navarro. Often, when you’re relaxed and comfortable with another person you won’t look them in the eyes but may look around you as you talk to them. In addition, the socially acceptable length of time to look into another person’s eyes is largely cultural. “In the U.S. we can stare at someone for about two seconds without making them feel uncomfortable,” says Navarro. “It’s much longer in the Arab or Latin American world, however, and even varies regionally. People from the Midwest hold a gaze longer.”

Narrowed eyes

Accuse someone of an act they didn’t do and you may see them narrowing their eyes at you. “People narrow their eyes in response to something they find disgusting or distasteful or they feel they’re being wrongly accused,” says Cara Hale Alter, president of SpeechSkills, a communication training company in San Francisco and author of “The Credibility Code.” She says, “The narrower the eyes, the more distasteful.” The true key to the person’s feelings can be found in the rest of the face. Narrowed eyes accompanied by tight lips, for example, may indicate anger or seething, says Alter. “Clearly it’s a negative response, so you may want to ask if you’ve said something or misjudged that person.”

Arching Eyebrows

We exhibit gravity-defying behaviour such as eyebrow arching when we’re happy and contented, says Navarro. Like raising your arms over your head when you cross a finish line or when your team scores a touchdown, arching your eyebrows when you see a person gives them a sense you’re really happy to see them. “When you approach someone with arched eyebrows and a ‘hey, how are you?’ it conveys positive emotions,” says Navarro. “People who are clinically depressed do not exhibit this behaviour. Mothers naturally do this with their babies. It’s a trait we see in all cultures.”

Wide open eyes

Wide open eyes can be interpreted only by looking at the person’s entire face, says Alter. “Eyes wide open can indicate a number of different things, depending on what the rest of the face is doing.” High eyebrows with open eyes and hollowed cheeks likely indicates fear. On the other hand, raising your eyebrows (arching) and smiling indicates happiness and interest. A short glance with eyes wide open and then back to normal shows surprise. At times people may arch their eyebrows to feign excitement or interest in what you’re saying, but it’s likely to look phony, says Alter. “Wide open eyes without a smile also comes across as fear.”

Eyes Glazed Over

If you tell a long, drawn-out story and see the listener’s eyes get a faraway “glazed over” look, they may have mentally checked out, says Navarro. “The brain needs to take a break and withdraw. They’re shutting down some of the input.” If they’re truly bored, their eyelids will start to droop and they’ll look disengaged, says Alter. “In other cases, they may half close their eyes because they’re uncomfortable with a situation and may be trying to hide.  If you’re on a date it’s a pretty clear sign the other party isn’t very interested.” Keep eyes wide open to anyone you want to impress because it’s a key issue and it takes stamina, suggests Alter.

Quoted from MSN

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Italy's Wrecked Costa Concordia Cruise Ship will be Raised

Process of Raising Italy's wrecked Costa Concordia Cruise Ship

An aerial view shows the Costa Concordia as it lies on its side
next to Giglio Island taken from an Italian navy helicopter August 26, 2013.

The wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship could be upright again next week, nearly two years after the liner capsized and killed at least 30 people off the Italian coast.

The giant vessel, which has lain partly submerged in shallow waters off the Tuscan island of Giglio since the accident in January 2012, will be rolled off the seabed and onto underwater platforms.

Workers will look for the bodies of two people, an Italian and an Indian unaccounted for since the disaster, as machines haul the 114,000-tonne ship upright and underwater cameras comb the seabed.

The exact day of the Concordia's rotation - known as parbuckling - has yet to be set, but on Wednesday Civil Protection Commissioner Franco Gabrielli said Monday was likely.

A rendering showing the steps in the process of rotating the Costa Concordia.

The Costa Concordia hit a rock when it maneuver too close to the island, prompting a chaotic evacuation of more than 4,000 passengers and crew, in one of the most dramatic marine accidents in recent history.

Divers have pumped 18,000 metric tons of cement into bags below the ship to support it and prevent it from breaking up in an operation which is expected to last 8-10 hours and is part of a salvage operation estimated to cost at least $300 million.

A buoyancy device acting "like a neck brace for an injured patient" will hold together the ship's bow, and fishing nets will catch debris as it rises from beneath the ship, said Nicholas Sloane, senior salvage master at Titan Salvage.

The salvage team will go through the ship cabin by cabin and had over items found on board to the Italian state prosecutor, and the vessel will be towed away to be dismantled.

Four Costa Concordia crew members and a Costa Cruises company official were sentenced to jail in July for their part in the accident, and the ship's captain Francesco Schettino remains on trial for manslaughter and causing the loss of the ship.

The captain is accused of abandoning ship before all crew and passengers had been rescued. A coastguard's angry phone order to him - "Get back on board, damn it!" - became a catchphrase in Italy after the accident.

Quoted from : MSN

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Jeep Reveals 6 Concepts for Moab

Wrangler and Grand Cherokee get off-road upgrades.

Jeep revealed six new concepts for the 2013 Moab Easter Jeep Safari on Wednesday. Both the Grand Cherokee and the Wrangler are represented in beefed-up, concept form. Jeep teased two of the concepts on Tuesday.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Concept is powered by Jeep's EcoDiesel V6 making 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. It's coated in Electric orange paint and rolls on 35-inch Mickey Thompson tires.

The wheel openings are larger with custom fender flares, custom skid plates, dual rear tow hooks and modified Mopar rock rails. The Trailhawk gets the hood, front and rear fascias from the SRT Grand Cherokee, but is modified for extra ground clearance.

Jeep Wrangler Mopar Recon

The Jeep Wrangler Mopar Recon features the 470-hp, 6.4-liter Hemi crate engine from Mopar. It's mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and Dana 60 front and rear axles with 4.10 gearing. It gets a 4.5-inch lift as well as eight-lug, beadlock 39-inch off-road tires. The Recon also gets a number of Mopar parts, including half-door and window kits, front and rear modified bumpers, Warn winch, rock rails, prototype LED headlights and a handful of other upgrades for going over the bumpy stuff. The interior is upgraded as well.

Jeep Wrangler Stitch

The Jeep Wrangler Stitch is a follow-up vehicle to the Pork Chop concept of 2011. It has been lightened to about 3,000 pounds, giving it the power-to-weight ratio of the Grand Cherokee SRT8. Mass was shaved from the frame, axles, body and interior. All the extra stuff (radio, heating and air conditioning) has been removed. The hood is hewn of carbon fiber while the roll cage has been replaced with a chrome-moly unit.

Off-road upgrades consist of a Mopar cold-air intake and exhaust kit, 35-inch tires, and DynaTrac Pro Rock 44 axles with 4.88 gears. It also gets ARB front and rear lockers, King shocks and Tom Woods drive shafts.

Jeep Wrangler Sand

The Jeep Wrangler Sand trooper debuted at the SEMA show in 2012, and the Sand Trooper II builds on that for the Easter Jeep Safari. The second edition gets a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 making 375 hp and a five-speed transmission. Eight-lug, beadlock wheels with 40-inch tires sit at the corners. Mopar upgrades include the satin black grille, half-doors and window kits, shorty bumpers, a Warn winch and more. Inside, the concept has a rear backup camera, Mopar slush mats, storage boxes and leather seats.

Jeep Wrangler Flattop

The Jeep Wrangler Flattop is going for an upscale appearance, while also being equipped with hardcore off-road parts. The Flattop gets a one-piece, windowless hardtop finished in beige paint with copper accents.

The Flattop gets a Mopar cold-air intake, Mopar exhaust kit, aluminum five-spoke wheels with 37-inch Mickey Thompson off-road tires, the DynaTrac Pro Rock 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles featuring ARB air lockers and TeraFlex sway bars.

Jeep Wrangler Slim

The Jeep Wrangler Slim gets the standard 3.6-liter V6 with a 3.73 anti-spin axle. Rolling on prototype 17-inch wheels, the Slim gets a 10th anniversary Rubicon bumper, lightweight rock rails, LED headlights and Rubicon tires. The Slim is lifted 2 inches while a Mopar cold-air intake is also installed.

For the moment, these are just concepts. But usually after Moab, Jeep picks one or two popular vehicles and devises a package that is close to these dirt-spitting monsters. Of course, many of the parts can be picked up from Mopar right now.

Adapted from MSN


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