Long URLs: do they make sense?

I guess, long domain names don’t make good business sense as they are harder to remember and are more prone to errors when someone types them out on a browser’s address bar. But there sure are some crazy names you can’t even make sense of. Most of them are made for name sake and don’t have much contents so you certainly won’t need to visit them again.

I was thinking if you can make a long name in free blog hosts. It doesn’t make much sense as I can always make a very long subdomain (which precede the primary domain name and are followed by a period) for xnepali.com itself. But these free blog hosts have some restriction in length of subdomain. For example I created a blogspot account can-you-remember-this-long-blog-names and that was the maximum allowed: http://can-you-remember-this-long-blog-names.blogspot.com/

Wordpress.com can host a bit longer names but it does not allow dashes so the names are a bit difficult to read. But this one is pretty long http://worldslongestdomainnameinwordpressdotcomoranywhere.wordpress.com

Regarding standalone domains, there are a lot of them and http://www.thelongestdomainnameintheworldandthensomeandthensomemoreandmore.com claims to be the world’s longest domain name. But is it? It turns out that this is a matter of definition. According to the domain registrars, the longest legal domain name is 63 characters starting with a letter or number.

If you included subdomains you can get longer, probably up to some limit supported by individual browser software. If you include domain suffixes in your character count you also can get longer (+4 for .com and +6 for .co.uk, for example).

I don’t think either subdomains or suffixes should be included in the search fro the world’s largest domain name, meaning the best you can do is tie for first with 63 characters.

Some other fun long domain names:

http://3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592.com – the 3 is a subdomain, I like the photo of Dr. Evil

http://www.abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzabcdefghijk.com – a free email service

http://www.llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch.com – named after a Welsh Village, claims to be the world’s longest domain name (of course, by my definition, it is at best tied) and in Guinness records as the world’d longest domain name (turns out the title is for world’s longest domain named after a real place) (source)

As expected the contents in these looooooooong sites are not of much interest for you and me. If you are interested in reading more about the domain-names I suggest you to visit this page with some graphs and charts of domain name usage.

“King Kong” falls in Love

Well, there is someone for everyone in this world. Yu, Zhenghuan,30, who likes to call himself ‘King Kong’ after watching the American Movie, is going to get married by the end of the year.

He met his sweetheart at a friend’s party.

“We fell in love at the first sight.” he was quoted as saying. “I am like King Kong and would do everything for the woman I love. If my schedule is not too full this year, I plan to get married with her at the end of the year.”

“I am a normal person. But when I was young, I always felt I was inferior to others, who saw me as a freak.”

In a news released earlier this month, he had launched a campaign to carry the Olympic Torch during the relay ahead of next year’s Beijing Games.

It is told that 96 per cent of his body is covered by hair. Well, if you think he might be one of the hairiest people in the world, you are wrong. A pair of Mexican brothers, Victor “Larry” and Gabriel “Danny” Ramos Gomez (see Danny’s photo on right side), are listed by Guinness World Records as having 98 per cent hair cover.

source | via

Princess Diana anniversary

The 10th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 is being marked with a memorial service in London. Princes William and Harry will lead readings for their mother at Guards’ Chapel, near Buckingham Palace.

Prince Charles and the Queen will be at the service, although Charles’s second wife Camilla refrained from attending the ceremony.

“No-one who ever knew Diana will ever forget her.”

That was quoted from the live broadcast speech the Queen gave from Buckingham Palace at six o’clock on the evening before the princess’s funeral. (From an article by Nicholas Witchell)

Chicago drops city Wi-Fi plan

Some of Chicago residents might have felt excited on the plan announced early last year to blanket Chicago’s 228 square miles with wireless Internet access. They were hoping to become one of the largest cities to offer all-over access to the Web.

But in a recent report according to Chicago officials the ambitious plan proved to be too costly. They also told that too few residents would actually use it if it were actually materialized. In my opinion it is a “sour grapes” type of excuse. More in CNN.

Man loses top of his head: Court says plastic is better than the original

In Germany a man had his top of his head removed in a brain surgery. But due to a defective refrigerator, it was replaced with a plastic skull roof. The man went to court claiming 20,000 euros for the physical discomfort caused by the skull roof and loss of one of his body part.

The court however awarded 3,000 euros meant for discomfort only.

“The experts consulted by the court concluded the new skull roof was better than the original,” a court spokesman said. (source)

Well, well … if it is better than the one I am carrying on my head … I want my skull roof replaced too!!

Helmsley’s dog: got $12 million nothing for her grandchildren

Late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire, Leona Helmsley, divided all her weath among her beloved including her dog but two of her grandchildren didn’t receive a penny.

Her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble got a $12 million trust fund. Her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, recieved $5 mil. So did her two out of four grandchildren from her late son Jay Panzirer on a condition they vidit their father’s grave site once each year. Even her chauffeur, Nicholas Celea, was lucky enough to recieve $100,000.

Leona Helmsley and her dog Trouble photographed in Leona Helmsley’s Park Lane Hotel apartment. Friday, January 31, 2003 in New York. Helmsley left her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble, a $12 million trust fund, according to her will, which was made public Tuesday Aug. 28, 2007 in surrogate court, according to published reports. But two of Helmsley’s grandchildren got zilch from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire’s estate. (AP Photo/Jennifer Graylock)

Helmsley died earlier this month at her Connecticut home. She became known as a symbol of 1980s greed and earned the nickname “the Queen of Mean” after her 1988 indictment and subsequent conviction for tax evasion. One employee had quoted her as snarling, “Only the little people pay taxes.” (source)

Greek Forest Fire Update (Video)

In the recent news, trapped villagers in one of the worst forest fire in Greece are being airlifted to safety. There are news of 100s of protesters demonstrating against the government’s handling of the forest fires. nikonrex posted this news compilation in YouTube.

UPDATE: Fire fighting with wine

One farmer saved part of his house by fighting fire with wine. Farmer George Dimopoulos, 64, used his home-made wine to quench the flames threatening his home. He poured all of 300 litres (80 U.S. gallons) of wine into a fertiliser pump and started wetting the house with it. (Reuters)

Major Fires Controlled (30th Aug)

Firefighters say they have beaten back most of the major fires in the Greek countryside. But authorities remain on high alert for possible rekindling with a new heatwave forecast this weekend…

Some 10,000 people rallied in central Athens last night to protest over the wave of destruction caused by the infernos which have claimed 64 lives in six days.(Euronews)

Indian Cop dragged thief on mototbike: NHRC worried

Indian police are notorious for beating people and this time somebody caught the event in video. The incident took place in Bhagalpur district of Bihar state of India, which is also considered one of India’s most lawless states.

In a video clip aired in Zee TV, a man with hands tied behind his back, was being repeatedly punched in the face and kicked in the stomach, chest and back by a mob. The man named Salim was also show tied to the back of a police motorcycle and dragged down the street.

The National Human Rights Commission has registered a case against the police for handling the issue badly and asked the state government to submit a report on the matter. (source)

Salim, who allegedly stole a gold chain from a local woman, was seriously injured and is being treated at a clinic in the city.

I couldn’t get the actual video to share with you but I found the first photo from NDTV site and second one from a friend’s blog. Will post the video if I get it.

UPDATE: Videos of the incident

Thanks to xgotfiveonitx
Another video

Thanks to Shaktipwc

100th birthday candle lights cigarette

Yesterday Winnie Langley celebrated her 100th birthday by lighting her 170,000th cigarette from a candle on her birthday cake.

She started smoking at 7 which sums up to a 93 years of smoking five cigarette a day. Winnie tells that she never tried to quit and she is not going to start now. She claims it has never made her ill.  (source)

Well, what about the health officials, are they lying? 

Top 10 Highest Peaks in the World

Nepal is blessed with 8 out of 10 highest peaks in the world and Nepali people are proud of it. I am going to present some photos and details of the ten highest peaks in this post.

1. Mount Everest 8850m (29035ft) Nepal

The highest peak in the world, Mount Everest is also called Qomolangma/Chomolungma (Tibetian) and Sagarmatha (Nepali). Chomolungma in Tibetian means “Mother of the Universe” or “Goddess Mother of the Snows” and Sagarmatha in Nepali means “Head of the Sky”. Further details about the peak can be read in this wikipedia page.

Aerial view of Mount Chomolungma (Everest). Picture: ICT(source)

2. K2 (Qogir) 8611m (28250ft) Pakistan / China

K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, is located in the Karakoram segment of the Himalayan range, on the border between the Gilgit-Baltistan region of the Pakistan administered Northern Areas and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China. Further read in Wikipedia.

3. Kangchenjunga 8586m (28169ft) Nepal

Kangchenjunga translated means “The Five Treasures of Snows”, as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 metres.

• Kangchenjunga Main 8,586m (28,169 ft.)
• Kangchenjunga West (Yalung Kang) 8,505m (27,904 ft.)
• Kangchenjunga Central (Middle) 8,482m (27,828 ft.)
• Kangchenjunga South 8,494m (27,867 ft.)
• Kangbachen 7,903m (25,925 ft.)

Photo and details in Wikipedia

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Greek fire damage Olympia

In the latest news the Greek fire death toll has reached at least 69 and a blaze damaged Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic games. European Union nations have sent fire- fighting planes and about 1,200 soldiers to help Greek fire fighters in the effort to control the fire.

In one news it is told that three people have been arrested in connection with starting fires, including a 65-year-old man who has been charged with arson and multiple murder. But in another news it is told that 32 people were detained on suspicion of arson and the government is offering a reward of up to 1 million euros ($1.37 million) for information leading to arsonists.

The fire has forced the politicians to cancel their campaigns for the country’s September election. (source)

About 9,000 fire-fighters, helped by 500 soldiers, 1,800 fire engines, planes and helicopters were battling the fires withouth much success. A total of 14 planes and 11 helicopters are joining the fleet from countries including France, Norway, Germany, Serbia, Israel and Iceland.

The flames in the Ilia region have damaged the Olympia archeological site that marks the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The fire swept through the site, scorching several trees and hills at the ancient Olympic stadium while leaving the ruins and monuments unharmed, Greek Culture Minister George Voulgarakis told reporters, according to a statement posted on the ministry’s Web site.

The adjacent museum, which houses classical Greek antiquities from the 5th century B.C., was evacuated and narrowly escaped the flames after a last-ditch effort by firemen.

High temperatures and strong winds are attributed to the spread of more than 220 blazes across the country since Aug. 24. Record temprature as high as 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) temprature and wind as much as 54 miles per hour has helped in spreading the fire.

Vietnam – domestic record on mass breastfeeding

In order to promote the importance of breastfeeding; 440 mothers in Hanoi, 590 mothers in Ho Chi Minh city, and 181 mothers in Can Tho city simultaneously fed their babies on Sunday.

Here is CNN news video:

Topless car wash: CNN “Breaking News” Video

I stumbled upon a news in CNN about a “topless” car wash. They had posted a video about the service in which two ladies are announcing the topless wash service. It is funny how the one with a better body shape is on full display but the other with body not that appealing is hiding behind a huge placard. Well, they were not going to wash the cars anyway.

Male drivers who paid for a topless car wash may have felt hosed by what they got.

The funniest part is when they show 5 hunks (topless of course) wash the cars.

In the tiny letters below the video it is written “Source: Affiliate”. It looks like the Affiliate must have paid dearly enough to be covered as a breaking news.

Update: Well it seems the “Breaking News” videos tag applies to all the videos posted in CNN website. It looks like they started the video section to post only the breaking news and the webmasters forgot about it. Now when they post every this and that videos in the website we are told they are breaking news and they become “breaking” for ever!!

That is smart, you are never short of breaking news and may be CNN is aiming for a Gunnies Record of having the only site with thousands of breaking news videos at any time.

Greece : Worst Forest Fire

A worst forest in Greece has killed 44 people and it was feared the toll could rise with villages still cut off by flames sweeping through parts of the Peloponnese peninsula. Greece has called for urgent help from its European Union partners.

Villager surveying forest fire damage in Artemida (Photo: Reuters)

“It’s a tragedy,” a witness told Greek television. “I can see the burnt bodies of a mother holding her child in her arms. Further away there are more bodies. It’s terrible.”

At lease 19 firefighting aircraft and 18 helicopters are currently fighting the fire. There are 87 active fire fronts and a number of villages have been cut off by a wall of flames, stretching 80 kilometres from the Ionian Sea on the west coast of the Peloponnese to Mani on the peninsula’s southern tip. (source)

Software Pirate – No Linux! Use Windows

This man is convicted of illegally uploading a movie to the Internet and is ordered not to use Ubuntu Linux on his computer.

Scott McCausland, a former administrator of the EliteTorrents a BitTorrent site which was shut down in 2005, plead guilty last year to ‘conspiracy to commit copyright infringement’ and ‘criminal copyright infringement’ by uploading Star Wars: Episode III illegally. (source)

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