Thursday, February 26, 2009

Top 10 Unsolved Murders

Every year a large number of murders go unsolved, but some gain such infamy that they remain in the public mind for many years to come. This is a list of the ten most famous murders in modern history. The one rule I had for this list was that there had be a body - this excludes people like Jimmy Hoffa.

10. Oscar Romero

Oscar Romero was a prominent Roman Catholic priest and Archbishop in El Salvador during the 1960s and 1970s. After witnessing numerous violations of human rights, he began to speak out on behalf of the poor and the victims of El Salvador’s long and bloody civil war. After speaking out against U.S. military support for the government of El Salvador, and calling for soldiers to disobey orders that harmed human rights, Archbishop Romero was shot to death while celebrating Mass at a small chapel near his cathedral. It is believed that his assassins were members of Salvadoran death squads, including two graduates of the School of the Americas.


9. Olof Palme

Palme was a Swedish politician and prime minister (1982 - 1986). The nuclear accident in 1979 at Three Mile Island in the United States had a great impact in Sweden, and Palme contributed to a referendum (passed in 1980) to remove all nuclear reactors in Sweden. After being elected prime minister again in 1982, Palme tried to reinstate socialist economic policies in Sweden, and he continued to be outspoken on matters of European security. He was shot and killed while walking home with his wife after a visit to a cinema. The motive and identity of the killer remain a mystery.


8. The Boy in the Box

In 1957, an unidentified Caucasian male, probable age 4 to 6 years, whose nude body, wrapped in a cheap flannel blanket, was found lying face up inside a large cardboard carton just a few feet from the edge of Susquehanna Road in Northeast Philadelphia. The body was dry and clean. The boy’s arms were carefully folded across his stomach. The finger and toenails had been recently trimmed short and neat. His hair had been cut recently - very close to the head, in a crude, hurried way, perhaps as a deliberate attempt to conceal the child’s identity. Small clumps of cut hair clung to his entire body, suggesting that someone had groomed him while he was unclothed, probably either shortly before or immediately after death. There were many bruises all over the child’s body; particularly on the head and face. All of the bruises appeared to have been inflicted at the same time. Despite recent DNA investigations in to the crime, it remains unsolved.


7. Jack the Stripper

Jack the Stripper was the nickname given to an unknown serial killer responsible for what came to be known as the London “nude murders” between 1964 and 1965. His victimology was similar to Jack the Ripper’s. He murdered six — possibly eight — prostitutes, whose nude bodies were discovered around London or dumped in the River Thames. The victim count is ambiguous because two of the murders attributed to him did not fit his modus operandi. Like the Jack the Ripper killings, the Stripper’s reign of terror seemed to cease on its own, and there were few solid clues for police to investigate. Though his identity remains unknown, crime writer Donald Rumbelow notes that the killer could have been a young man who committed suicide in south London. This main suspect, who was also a favorite suspect of Chief Superintendent Du Rose, was a security guard on the Heron Trading Estate in Acton whose rounds included a paint shop where one of the bodies was thought to have been hidden after the crime. Though there was never any hard evidence to link him to the crimes, his family found his suicide inexplicable, and his suicide note cryptically said only that he was “unable to take the strain any longer”.


6. The Axeman of New Orleans

On May 23, 1918, an Italian grocer named Joseph Maggio and his wife were butchered while sleeping in their apartment above the Maggio grocery store. Upon investigation, the police discovered that a panel in the rear door had been chiseled out, providing a way in for the killer. The murder weapon, an axe, was found in the apartment, still coated with the Maggio’s blood. Nothing in the house had been stolen, including jewelry and money that were nearly in plain sight. The only clue that was discovered was a message that had been written in chalk near the victim’s home. It read: “Mrs. Joseph Maggio will sit up tonight. Just write Mrs. Toney”. Almost exactly a month after the Maggio murder came a second crime. Louis Bossumer, a grocer who lived behind his store with his common-law wife, Annie Harriet Lowe, was discovered by neighbors one morning, lying in a pool of blood. The Axeman murdered a total of eight people before the killings stopped. There was no evidence to link the only suspect, Joseph Mumfre, to the crimes.


5. JonBenét Ramsay

JonBenet Ramsays was a six-year-old girl known for her participation in beauty pageants in the United States. She was found murdered in the basement of her parents’ home in Boulder, Colorado, nearly eight hours after she was reported missing. The case is notable in both its longevity and the media interest it has generated in the United States. After several grand jury hearings the case is still unsolved. In December 2003, forensic investigators extracted enough material from a mixed blood sample found on JonBenét’s underwear to establish a DNA profile. The DNA belongs to an unknown Caucasian male. The DNA was submitted to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database containing more than 1.6 million DNA profiles, mainly from convicted felons. The sample has yet to find a match in the database, although it continues to be checked for partial matches on a weekly basis.


4. Black Dahlia

Elizabeth Short (born 29 July 1924) was a 22-year-old American woman who was the victim of a gruesome and much-publicized murder. Nicknamed the Black Dahlia, Short was found cut in half and severely mutilated on 15 January 1947 in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. The murder, which has remained unsolved, has been the source of widespread speculation as well as several books and film adaptations. Sensational and sometimes inaccurate press coverage, as well as the horrible nature of the crime, focused intense public attention on the case. About 60 people confessed to the murder, mostly men, as well as a few women. As the case continues to command public attention, many more people have been proposed as Short’s killer, much like London’s Jack the Ripper murders of 1888.


3. Andrew and Abby Borden

On a Thursday morning, August 4, 1892, Andrew Borden left home to conduct his business, leaving in the house, besides his wife, an Irish maid (Bridget Sullivan) and his daughter Lizzie. On his return, he settled on a sofa for a nap. About 11:15 AM, Lizzie (according to her testimony) discovered her father dead, repeatedly struck in the head with a sharp instrument. Upstairs his wife’s body was found, even more brutally mutilated; examination proved that her death had preceded her husband’s by an hour or so. It was found that Lizzie had tried to purchase prussic acid (a poison) on August 3, and a few days later she was alleged to have burned a dress in a stove. Sullivan, who also has been suspected, later that evening reportedly left the house carrying an unexamined parcel. No weapon was found, though an axe found in the basement was suspected. Lizzie was arrested and tried for both murders in June 1893 but was acquitted, given the circumstantial evidence. She was nonetheless ostracized thereafter by the people of her native Fall River, Massachusetts, where she continued to live until her death in 1927.


2. The Zodiac

The Zodiac Killer is one of the great unsolved serial killer mysteries of all time, taking only second place to Jack the Ripper. Even though police investigated over 2,500 potential suspects, the case was never officially solved. There were a few suspects that stood out, but the forensic technology of the times was not advanced enough to nail any one of them conclusively. The Zodiac murdered five known victims in Benicia, Vallejo, Lake Berryessa, and San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969. Four men and three women between the ages of 16 and 29 were targeted. Others have also been suspected to be Zodiac victims, but there has been thus far no conclusive evidence to link them to the killer.


1. Jack the Ripper

Traditionally, Jack the Ripper is considered to have killed five women, all London prostitutes, during 1888. The Ripper generally killed by strangling his victims, then laying them down and cutting the arteries in their throats; this was followed by a varied process of mutilation, during which parts of the body were removed and kept. During the autumn and winter of 1888/89 a number of letters circulated among the police and newspapers, all claiming to be from the Whitechapel murderer; these include the ‘From Hell’ letter and one accompanied by part of a kidney. Ripperologists consider most, if not all, of the letters to be hoaxes. Over a century later Jack’s identity has never been wholly proven (there isn’t even a leading suspect), most aspects of the case are still debated and the Ripper is an infamous cultural bogeyman.

How to Beat Asthma

Asthma partially obstructs the bronchial tubes, making breathing difficult. The cause of asthma is still not known. But if you are an asthma sufferer, you can, through natural means, considerably reduce the number of asthma attacks you get.

A placebo study has shown that asthmatics who consume 1 gram of vitamin C per day had 4 times fewer attacks. When they stopped taking vitamin C, the attacks resumed with the same frequency as before (Trop. and Geog. Med., Vol. 32, Mo. 2, 1980).

As for magnesium, it also works wonders! Dr. Zack H. Haddad of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southern California conducted a study on thirty children suffering from asthma associated with allergies.

Twenty of them drank a daily amount of mineral water rich in magnesium, while the others received no magnesium supplement. After three months, the first group had a higher level of magnesium in their blood, and they were able to breathe more easily.

So taking vitamin C and magnesium is an excellent way to
prevent asthma attacks.

But what can you do to breathe more easily during an attack? Simply drink 2 or 3 cups of strong coffee. By activating blood circulation, it eases respiratory blockage.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

David After Dentist

Poor kid, I shouldn't be laughing but I can't help it =)

Monday, February 23, 2009

10 Beautiful Apple iPhone Concept Designs


While the world is waiting for the announcement of the next generation Apple iPhone, here are some of the great iPhone concept designs. Enjoy!

iPhone Concept from Japan
Apple iPhone concept by Japanese photographer Isamu Sanada [link]




Apple iPhone Nano Concept
Creative iPhone Nano concept with microphone integrated into the earbuds designed by Tracy Hall. [link]



iPhone Slider Qwerty Concept
Apple iPhone Slider Qwerty concept designed by Aaron Besson. [link]



iPhone with iChat Concept
Designed by Rodolphe Desmare, this Apple iPhone concept was inspired by the curves and tapering of the Macbook Air. [link]



iPhone ELITE Concept
iPhone ELITE concept, designed by Mat Brady, comes with optional slide out keyboard and front-facing camera that enables video conferencing. [link]



iPhone Pro Concept
Extended version of the iPhone ELITE concept with added direction pad and two buttons for better gaming. [link]



Titanium iPhone Concept
Beautiful titanium Apple iPhone concept designed by Jim Young. [link]






iPhone Air Concept
This is the iPhone Air, a duel touch screen iPhone with a clam shell design to protect both screens. When closed you can still see and control what is playing on your iPod as well as see an incoming call. [link]



iPhone Nano Concept
Another beautiful Apple iPhone Nano concept design. [link]



Futuristic iPhone Concept
See-through Apple iPhone concept designed by Robert Davis. [link]


Sunday, February 22, 2009

Men Like Car’s

Funny image of human faces shaped like car front’s. I think the funniest is the BMW with the nose like a two big holes!

Amazing Architecture of Dubai

Burj Al Arab - the tallest hotel in the world
Burj Al Arab is the tallest hotel in the world (321 meters or 1,053 ft) and characterizes itself as the world’s only “7-star” property. It was built in 1999 and resembles the sail of a boat. The hotel cost $650 million to build. The cost of staying in a suite begins at $1,000 per night; the Royal Suite is the most expensive, at $28,000 per night.
Imagine yourself falling asleep after paying $28,000.

(Picture: James Cridland)

Burj Al Arab also has a helipad. And the most amazing thing that it can be used as a tennis-court!


(Picture: Larsz)


Burj Dubai - the tallest building in the world
The largest and most famous construction project currently taking place in Dubai is of course the Burj Dubai. Opening in 2009, the Burj Dubai is a super duper tall skyscraper set to be the tallest in the world (818 meters or 2,684 ft). Currently it is the tallest man-made structure on Earth but Burj Dubai will not officially gain the title of tallest building in the world until its completion in 2009.
The total budget for the Burj Dubai project is about US$4.1 billion and the price of office space had reached $4,000 per sq ft.

(Picture: Tom Olliver)


(Picture: Ferdinand Reus)

Just look at this lovely view from Burj Dubai.

(Picture: 770)

“The World” Islands
The World is a man-made archipelago of 300 islands constructed in the shape of a world map. It can be also seen from space. The overall development cost of The World was estimated as 14 billion USD. The prices of individual islands range between 15 and 50 million USD.

(Picture: matthamm)

The islands were created from sand dredged from the sea.

(Picture: Tom Olliver)


(Picture: bryangeek)


(Picture: Michael Foley Photography)


Wafi City
Wafi City is a mixed-use complex which includes a mall, hotel, restaurants, residences, and a nightclub. The “city” is styled after Ancient Egypt. There you can find columns reminiscent of Karnak, small pyramids, and images of pharaohs.

(Picture: Wikipedia)


(Picture: lloydi)


(Picture: lloydi)


Palm Islands Trilogy - world’s largest artificial islands
Of course many of you know Palm Jumeirah as an international icon, but actually it was created help solve Dubai’s beach shortage. The Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum drew a sketch of a palm tree and realized its fronds could provide more beach frontage than a traditional circular island. So the idea of Palm Jumeirah was born.
There is going to be 3 Palm Islands (the project will result in the world’s largest artificial islands). They will have a large number of residential, leisure and entertainment centers.
Below we can see some nice pictures of the first island (Palm Jumeirah).

(Picture: Wikipedia)

The island itself is 5 kilometers by 5 kilometers and will create 4,000 residences.

(Picture: Azizul Ameir)

It would be awesome to live in that place - beautiful view from a window, sand and a sea.

(Picture: Greek Aviator)


Atlantis
Atlantis, The Palm is a 1,539 room, ocean-themed destination resort located at the centre of the crescent of the man-made Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The hotel is enormous and there are rumors that rooms above the arch will go for $10000 a night when it opens. The overall price of the project is US$1.5 billion.

Opening in September 2008, the resort will have 17 hectares of water park amusement, further marine and entertainment attractions and a collection of some of the most renowned world-class chefs. It will also have largest open-air marine habitats in the world, with 65,000 marine animals in lagoons and displays including The Lost Chambers, a maze of underwater corridors and passageways providing a journey through ancient Atlantis.

And a couple of years ago this was just sea…

(Picture: Tom Olliver)

Saturday, February 21, 2009

15 Most Unfortunate Town Names


Penistone, UK (photo by John Nguyen/Ross Parry Agency)


Middelfart, in central Denmark (photo by Alana Berrington)


Dildo, Newfoundland, Canada (photo by Jcmurphy)


Fucking, Austria. That's one of the most stolen road-sign in the world.


Crotch Crescent, UK (photo by xueexueg)


Crapstone, UK (photo by chris_kh_poh)


Intercourse, Pennsylvania, USA


Boring, Oregon, USA (photo by chiculadreams)


Accident, Maryland, USA (photo by oh candy)


Wetwang, UK (photo by GingrichCrew)


Hell, Michigan, USA (photo by morville)


Hooker, Oklahoma, USA (photo by harrell)


Embarrass, Minnesota, USA (photo by auvet)


Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania, USA


Titty Ho, UK (photo by joelpeck)

 

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