First up,some things that won’t surprise you about the Swiss people: they make some of the finest chocolates and watches in the world. They’re mad about Nespresso. Their meals revolve around cheese. And everyone in Switzerland rides trains. Now, some things that will surprise you: James Bond‘s mother is Swiss. Every citizen is required by law to own a bomb shelter or access to one. And the first person to circumnavigate the globe in a hot-air balloon was the Swiss Bertrand Piccard.

Well, so much for that! What I really want to share is this interesting news I’ve read on The Telegraph.

In Zurich, a 120-year-old building is being relocated in its entirety using hydraulics and railways tracks in order to save it from demolition.

The operation to translocate the 6,200 tonne former factory began on Tuesday with two hydraulic pressers, 500 rollers and six sections of railway line being utilised to help push the building roughly 60 metres to the west at speeds of around three to five metres per hour.

According to the company paying for the operation, the project to move the 80 metre long and 12 metre wide building is the largest Switzerland and Europe has ever seen.

The Machine Factory Oerlikon (MFO) building was facing demolition in 2010 due to the expansion of nearby railway lines but it was saved when the Swiss real estate company, Swiss Prime Site (SPS), decided to buy it.

The relocation is expected to take two days, and on Wednesday night (May 23) the building will have reached its new site. Here’s a video report from IBTimes TV:

Watch:

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Video: Massive Swiss building relocated in its entirety

The tallest construction ever made from LEGO bricks was recently unveiled in South Korea to commemorate the toy’s 80th anniversary.

The 105 foot tall tower, which looks like the Washington Monument, stands in front of Seoul’s Olympic Stadium. It was built over five days by young LEGO enthusiasts using over 500,000 bricks.

From The Daily Mail:

After it was finished and assembled, Prince Frederik [of Denmark] – on a six-day state visit to South Korea – was hoisted up on a crane to lay the final brick.

The very first Lego tower was built in London in 1988, standing at just under 50 feet.

Since then the record has been toppled more than 30 times.

Watch:

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Korean kids create world’s tallest LEGO structure

In 2009 Efren Peñaflorida was named CNN’s Hero of the Year by creating mobile “pushcart classrooms,” karitons filled with books and other school supplies, that bring education to poor children in the Philippines. Now a man in Argentina wants to follow his noble ways.

Artist Raul Lemesoff transformed a 1979 Ford Falcon, a model used as military tanks during the 70s, into a roving library. Equipped with about 900 books, he roams the streets of Buenos Aires, educating his community through the sharing of literature.

Raul hopes to eventually take his “book tank” beyond the borders of Argentina and spread peace through knowledge to different parts of the world. Here’s an interesting video of Raul and his Arma De Instruccion Masiva (Weapon of Mass Instruction).

Watch:

[Hat tip to My Modern Met]

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Raul Lemesoff’s Weapon of Mass Instruction

Mining magnate Clive Palmer announced on Monday that he will build a high-tech replica of the Titanic and sail it from England to New York by the end of 2016.

The cost is unknown, but according to the 58-year-old native of Australia’s Queensland, the diesel-powered vessel “will be every bit as luxurious as the original Titanic, but … will have state-of-the-art 21st-century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems.” The ship will have four smoke stacks like its predecessor, but they will be purely decorative in nature.

Titanic II will be built at a Chinese shipyard and will sail on its maiden voyage accompanied by the Chinese navy. Asked whether the new passenger liner could sink, Palmer said: “Of course it will sink if you put a hole in it.”

The original Titanic struck an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912, killing 1,514 people. Its passengers included some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as over a thousand emigrants from Europe seeking a new life in North America.

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Australian billionaire promises to build Titanic II by 2016

A team of journalists recently toured the Khan Younis Zoo in Gaza and found stuffed wild animals on display in cages since live ones are too expensive to feed or import.

Watch:

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Zoo displays stuffed animals

Teenagers in Iraq perceived to be emo are being brutally killed in Baghdad, according to reports by Iraqi media and human rights groups.

At least 15 youths, have been stoned, beaten or shot to death in the past month in what appears to be a campaign by Shi’ite militants against kids with emo appearances, security and hospital sources say.

There have also been reports of leaflets being distributed, warning the teens that if they will not abandon “this filthy work within four days the punishment of God will descend upon you at the hand of the Mujahideen.” Another leaflet says: “We are the Brigades of Anger. We warn you, if you do not get back to sanity and the right path, you will be killed.”

Emo is short for “emotional” and in the West the term refers only to musical preference and appearance. In Iraq, however, emo is associated with homosexuality, which remains taboo in the conservative Muslim country.

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Emo kids reportedly killed by militants in Iraq

It’s no Dougie, but Britain’s Prince Harry showed that he can bust a move when he was invited on the dance floor by a local worker in Kingston, Jamaica on Tuesday (March 6).

Wearing a pair of blue – and, quite possibly, suede shoes, the 27-year-old royal gyrated to a rendition of Bob Marley’s “One Love” while the cheering crowds praised his dancing skills.

Prince Harry, a British Army captain who recently qualified as an Apache attack helicopter pilot, is visiting Jamaica as part of a Diamond Jubilee tour in honor of her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II as she celebrates 60 years on the throne.

Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm – a sovereign state that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state.

Watch:

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Video: Prince Harry dancing to Bob Marley in Jamaica

Apple’s business took some scrutiny during the recent news on Foxconn and any integrity or social justice was questioned. This infographic highlights the shocking comparisons of Apple’s products to their factory workers.

Created by: Online MBA Programs

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iKill

Filipina actress Bela Padilla flaunts her sexy bikini body on the March 2012 cover of FHM Philippines.

But wait! Take a closer look at the cover! It says “Bela Padilla: stepping out of the shadows”, with the 20-year-old Kapuso star surrounded by five girls covered in black paint. You might say: “What’s the fuss? It’s no big deal!” But we think this is very offensive. An international publication like FHM has no business reinforcing that “racist” stereotype, and we don’t understand how the editors and the art department of the mag would fail to recognize the sensitivity of the issue.

Details of Bela’s interview with the men’s magazine haven’t been released, but the cover alone has been getting a lot of criticism on social networking sites.

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Photo: FHM Philippines’ “racist” cover featuring Bela Padilla

Caltex, one of the world’s leading energy brands and marketed by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), is helping three charity organizations generate awareness and funding by recently launching an online game called “Captain Bubbly’s Enjoyable Journey”

The game features a hot air balloon which players keep afloat until they reach their destination while dodging obstacles along the way. Obstacles that hit the balloon slow it down and drain the life bar. Game ends when life bar hits zero.

The game which can be accessed after “liking” the Caltex Philippines Facebook page, has four stages or destinations: Ilocos to Manila, Manila to Bicol, Bicol to Bohol, Bohol to Zamboanga. Player earns P10 by reaching their target destination. Player has the option to donate earnings to one of three charities or continue playing. Caltex will convert game earnings to cash donations for charities selected by player.

The three recipient non-profits are Project Seahorse Foundation (PSF) for environment, Smokey Mountain Team for sports and Hospicio de San Jose (HSJ) for education.

CPI Caltex Brand Manager Veronica Pangilinan said, “Caltex has always been active in partnership with non-profit groups that positively impact people’s lives. These disadvantaged groups of people are also host communities of Caltex, living next or near our terminals and facilities. We created this simple online game so that these partner non-profits of Caltex will be able to draw upon a global network of like-minded people.

To create the game and facility for donations Caltex partnered with Ammado, a global funding network for non-profits. Ammado connects non-profits, socially responsible companies and engaged individuals in a unique, interactive environment. It harnesses the power of the Internet to accelerate communication, awareness and fundraising.

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Caltex rolls out online game for charity

Art Republik is a 30-minute program on Philippine arts and culture, profiling 51 artists from various art fields and two art collectors for its first season.

For the first episode, Art Republik features two families involved in the fields of independent film and the visual arts: the Lee Brothers and the Dalena sisters. Roxlee is the hero of underground cinema; Romeo Lee commonly known as Lee is a University of the Philippines-Diliman icon and visual artist/performer.

Sari Lluch Dalena is a multi-awarded filmmaker who recently bagged the Best Picture and Best Director awards at the 2011 Cinema One Originals Film Festival for Ka Oryang. Aba Lluch Dalena is a visual artist, an art teacher and the lead vocals of Rockbato. Kiri Lluch Dalena traverses the fields of visual arts and film.

“We created the show to provide an alternative program to the usual entertainment and political fare on television. TV is a powerful medium to inform and engage people. We hope that Art Republik could contribute in increasing the awareness on Philippine art to a wider public by presenting its creators, the Filipino artists, whose work reflect our culture,” Betty Uy-Regala, producer of the TV program, said.

The other members who complete the show’s team are co-producer Evie dela Cruz, director JL Burgos, Imelda Morales, Opaline Santos, Ria Torrente, Kathrina Reston, Tom Estrera III, Allan Alcantara, Erwin dela Cruz, Rene Bayking, and Joel Laserna. Alma dela Pena, Mavie de Ocampo, Kristine C. Tabada, and Phillyn Lorenzo were part of the pilot episode production.

The show is produced through the Asian Christian Arts Association, Inc., a non-governmental organization, and partially funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the policy-making body and grants-giving government agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.

Felipe de Leon, Jr., chairman of the NCCA, said, “The Philippine government recognizes the role of culture in the development of the economy and national unity. This is embodied in our Constitution (Article XIV) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).”

Art Republik will be aired on Knowledge Channel (Sky Cable ch. 42) every Tuesday starting February 28 at 8:40 p.m. with replays on Thursday at 8:40 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. You can visit the program’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/artrepublik.

Check out the trailers for the first two episodes below:

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New TV show on Filipino artists airs February 28 on Knowledge Channel

Imagine being trapped inside a snow-covered vehicle for two months without food or water and little hope of survival because no one has any idea where the hell you are. That is exactly what happened to a 45-year-old man from Sweden who was rescued by snowmobilers on Friday.

“Just incredible that he’s alive considering that he had no food, but also since it’s been really cold for some time after Christmas,” said a rescue team member.

The man, who is now recovering in a hospital in Umea, said he had been in the car (not pictured above) since December 19. According to doctors, the guy managed to survive by eating snow and going into a dormant-like state inside his sleeping bag.

“A bit like a bear that hibernates. Humans can do that,” physician Stefan Branth said. “He probably had a body temperature of around 31 degrees (Celsius) which the body adjusted to. Due to the low temperature, not much energy was used up.”

Exactly how the man got trapped and why he was at a deserted forest road to begin with are unknown.

(Photo Credit: wikia)

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Man survives two months trapped in frozen car

BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), the rich and unique messaging platform for BlackBerry® users, is now more accessible than ever. For as low as PHP 99 per month, BlackBerry users can stay constantly in touch with their colleagues, friends, and loved ones, and enjoy unlimited BBM messages, photo-sharing, and group chats anytime. Other fun perks of BBM include adding contacts by swapping PINs and scanning barcodes, sharing multimedia, expressing yourself with profile photos and status messages, and knowing when your messages have been delivered and read.

If you are not a BlackBerry user just yet, you can get started on the road to experiencing BBM by participating in two exciting activities that will give you the chance to win BlackBerry smartphones and other amazing prizes.

BBMPhotoMe Contest.* Get your creative juices flowing and join the BBMPhotoMe contest running from February 15 – 28, 2012 at the BlackBerry Pilipinas Facebook Fan Page (www.facebook.com/BlackBerryPH). Visit the contest tab and upload an original photo of yourself with the BBM speech bubble, demonstrating the contest theme “Show How BBM™ Lets You Express Yourself.”

Rally your friends to join the BlackBerry Pilipinas Facebook community to support you during the two week voting period from February 29 to March 11, 2012. All photos will be judged according to the following criteria: Online Votes 20%, Creativity: 30%; Originality: 30% and Relevancy to the Theme 20%. The 6 entries that garner the highest percentage will be declared winners.

BlackBerry Pilipinas is giving away the following prizes to the best entries per contest theme:

• 1st Place Prize (1 winner). A BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900 smartphone

• 2nd Place Prize (3 winners). A BlackBerry® Curve™ 9300 smartphone

• 3rd Place Prize (2 winners). A BlackBerry® Curve™ 8520 smartphone

Dare To Do More: The Ultimate BBM Challenge @ Trinoma. BlackBerry smartphones, exclusive premiums, and other fun prizes are also up for grabs at the Dare To Do More: The Ultimate BBM Challenge happening on February 18 (Saturday), at the Activity Center of Trinoma, Quezon City. Gather your whole barkada, have fun at the experiential booths, and purchase the latest BlackBerry smartphones in the Philippines today. Discover just why BBM is the ultimate messaging platform by participating in the BBM tournament from 1-4pm. Prove your mastery of BBM and advance to the finals from 6-8pm, which will pit your BBM skills with trailblazers and a mystery celebrity BBM user.

The BBM event in Trinoma officially kick starts the BBM mall tours in Metro Manila.

Like www.facebook.com/BlackBerryPH, follow @BlackBerryPH on Twitter, and visit ph.blackberry.com for the latest information and updates on BlackBerry in the Philippines.

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Experience BlackBerry Messenger Now and Win Prizes!

The celebration of Enchanted Kingdom’s I ♥ EK campaign continues with the grand launch of “The Music of Enchanted Kingdom” CD. Sing and dance to the tunes that will relive the music and entertainment of Enchanted Kingdom’s magic. Enjoy musical tracks such as “I Love EK” sang by EK’s Circle of Artists Lee J Atadero, Princess Lising and Alen Faustino, “It’s a Wonderful World” , “Happiness”, “I Dream I Dream”, all compositions of EK’s very own musical genius, Tats Faustino. Compositions of other famous writers such as Louie Ocampo, Ryan Cayabyab and Charo Unite are also included in the album. Not to be missed out is a special song composed by Gary Valenciano entitled “You Got the Power” and sang by young talents, Vanessa Rangadohl, Rex Flores and Jem Marquez.

You can grab your own CD of The Music of Enchanted Kingdom at EK souvenir shops now for only PHP 300! The EK CD will also be available in Astrovision and Odyssey outlets in March.

For more information you may log in at www.enchantedkingdom.ph or the Facebook fanpage.

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I Love EK: “The Music of Enchanted Kingdom” CD Launch

Vultures are seen by a lot of people as ugly and disgusting creatures, but in reality these birds have been an important part of our ecosystem by keeping the environment clean and preventing the spread of dangerous diseases.

Here’s the sad part: approximately 40 million vultures have been lost in the last 15 years. Their rapid decline is blamed on the widespread use of diclofenac, a non-steroidal drug used for treating inflammation in livestock such as cows. When these scavengers feed on the carcass of those cattle, they die of liver and kidney failure.

In a move to revive the dwindling population of vultures, “restaurants” have been established in Nepal which provide nourishment for the endangered birds. These feeding stations get their meat from old ox and cows, and the serving of healthy food has helped increase the number of vultures in that region.

From Reuters:

Pithauli, some 100 km (60 miles) southwest of the Nepali capital of Kathmandu, was the site of the first such feeding station, which now number six around the country.

The number of nesting pairs there has grown to 46 compared with just 17 before the feeding site was opened five years ago, said Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary, who coordinates the project.

The vulture restaurant has become a tourist attraction in the poverty-stricken village, and admission fees from visitors — who last year numbered some 2,000 — help support it.

Despite the positive results, though, some locals remain skeptical.

“Why save a bird that feeds on dead animals?” said 34-year-old Chet Nath Gandell, noting that the scavengers sometimes leave parts of the carcasses unfinished. “Stinking carrion pollutes the air and we are forced to breathe in a slow poison.”

Check out this amazing footage of vultures feeding from a cow carcass in Nepal.

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Nepal sets up “restaurants” for endangered vultures