Top 10 Mythical Creatures

We have all heard or read stories about mythical creatures – either from ancient Greek stories or more modern tales. This is the list of the most well known mythical creatures. As always, if you want to add more, use the comments at the bottom of the page.

1. Griffin (or Gryphon) [Wikipdia]

The griffin is normally characterised as a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. It was thought to be a particularly strong creature as the lion is the king of beasts and the eagle is the king of birds. In ancient times it was considered the protector of the divine. The creature was seen in civilisations as early as the Minoan civilisation (2700BC to 1450 BC).

Top 10 Bizarre Festivals

Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival (celebrated mostly by Tamils) held in January/February each year to celebrate the birth of Murugan (the son of gods Shiva and Parvati). The participants shave their heads and perform a pilgrimage, at the end of which they shove very sharp skewers through their tongues or cheeks. Some of the practitioners put hooks into their back and pull heavy objects like tractors. The aim is to cause as much pain as possible – the more you endure, the more “blessings” you receive from the gods. The festival is popular in India, but the largest celebrations take place in Singapore and Malaysia, where it is a public holiday.

10 Horrifying Premature Burials

Being buried prematurely is one of the most terrifying of all fears. Edgar Allan Poe wrote about it and it has been the subject matter of many horror movies. Surprisingly real life cases of this terrible mistake are more common than one might think. Years ago when embalming wasn’t as common and because of inferior medical equipment to detect life there are numerous cases where people have had the terrifying experience of regaining consciousness in their own coffin. This list includes 10 such cases. Some sources for the list are from newspaper articles or journals and include the exact text which gives you a feeling of the time period. Another main source used for this list is a book written in 1905 called Premature Burial and How it May be Prevented which includes several actual cases of premature burials.

10.Virginia Macdonald

1851

Virginia Macdonald lived with her father in New York City and became ill, died, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn. After the burial, her mother declared her belief that the daughter was not dead when buried and persistently asserted her belief. The family tried in vain to assure the mother of the death of her daughter. Finally the mother insisted so strenuously that her daughter was buried alive the family consented to have the body taken up. To their horror, they discovered the body lying on the side, the hands badly bitten, and every indication of a premature burial.

Interesting Fact: When the Les Innocents cemetery in Paris, France was moved from the center of the city to the suburbs the number of skeletons found face down convinced many people and several doctors that premature burial was very common.

Top 10: Sin Cities

No.1 - Pattaya, Thailand

 

From “happy ending” massage parlors, brothels, go-go bars, and cabarets with transsexuals to ping-pong dancing theatrics, everything is on display at this beachside resort city. Sex is the No. 1 activity (it’s called “entertainment” in Thai), and if you can imagine any variation, you’ll probably find it on Walking Street, a hub in South Pattaya. While you’re walking, prostitutes will call out to you and some will likely try to pull you into their brothel for services. If you’re tired of sex shows, however, you can always sit down to watch guys beat each other to a pulp in a Thai boxing match hosted at the outdoor bars. Since the city is right on the beach, you can sleep off your hangover and sin from the night before and get a tan -- just in time for the next evening’s “entertainment.” 

10 Craziest Hotels in the World

Capsule Hotel, Netherlands: a hotel made out of a survival pod

Your own survival pod! Escape pod hotel in a city centre dock location. Moored in The Hague , your room is a bright orange survival pod which once saw service on an oil rig platform. Originally built in 1972 they are 4.25 metres in diameter and unaltered apart from the addition of a lock on the outside and an ‘emergency' chemical toilet inside. While not everyone's luxury choice, each pod provides cosy protection from the elements for up to three occupants.

First created for accommodation as an art project in 2004, owner Denis Oudendijk has 8 different models ready for use and is currently working on additional locations in central Amsterdam and Nantes , France .

Here are the top 10 of the most favorite Dog Breeds for 2009.

10.Shih

The Shih Tzu is a dog breed which originated in China. The name is both singular and plural. The spelling “Shih Tzu”, most commonly used for the breed, is according to the Wade-Giles system of romanization.

The Shih Tzu is reported to be the oldest and smallest of the Tibetan holy dogs, its vaguely lion-like look being associated with the Tibetan Snowlion. The Shih Tzu therefore also has the nickname “Tibetan temple dog”.

6 extraordinarily stubborn 'nail houses

above: carl friedrickson's defiant 'nail house' in up [source]

near the start of up (pixar's latest gold-plated effort) we come to learn that carl fredricksen's house, or the land beneath it more specifically, is in demand by hungry developers due to its location amongst a sea of half-built, multistorey building projects, a fact that seems to make him all the more reluctant to let go of the nest he made with his late wife regardless of the offer slapped on the table. the result, until the house floats away at least, is the depressing but somehow uplifting landscape in the picture above.