Clipmarks | hitchhiker08's 'usa' clips

Tree That Owns Itself

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:00:12 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08

Tree That Owns Itself

The Tree That Owns Itself is a white oak tree, widely assumed to have legal ownership of itself and of all land within eight feet (2.4 m) of its base. The tree is located at the corner of Finley and Dearing Streets in Athens, Georgia, USA. The original tree fell in 1942; a new tree was grown from one of its acorns and planted in the same location. The current tree is sometimes referred to as the Son of The Tree That Owns Itself. Both trees have appeared in numerous national publications, and the site is a local landmark.

earliest known telling of the tree’s story comes from a front page article titled "Deeded to Itself" in the Athens Weekly Banner of August 12, 1890.

Older plaque at the site, weathered by exposure. The stone faintly details a passage from William H. Jackson's deed to the tree.

The original Tree That Owns Itself is estimated to have started life at some time between the mid 16th and late 18th centuries.

Tags: tree, ownership, rights, georgia, usa

World’s Most Spectacular Skylines

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:04:50 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: 'Spectacular' is right - each city/location has its own mesmerizing charm!

Clip Source: matadornights.com

The World’s Most Spectacular Skylines

Something about the outline of a city against its clear, crisp sky stops us in our tracks and commands our attention.

Below are staggeringly beautiful images where city meets sky all across the globe.

Miami, Florida, USA

Bangkok, Thailand

Vancouver, British Columbia

Republic Plaza, Singapore

Sydney, Australia

Shanghai, China

London, England

South Perth, Australia

Cologne, Germany

Graz, Austria

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Hong Kong

Detroit, Michigan

Berlin, Germany

Venice, Italy

New York, New York, USA

Warsaw, Poland

San Francisco, California, USA

Tags: skyline, horizon, architecture, photography, landscape, buildings

Spanish shopkeeper finds Homer Simpson euro

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:23:17 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: 'Homin' in on the rest of the world I guess...?!

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

Spanish shopkeeper finds Homer Simpson euro

MADRID (Reuters) - A one euro coin has turned up in Spain bearing the face of cartoon couch potato Homer Simpson instead of that of the country's king, a sweetshop owner told Reuters on Friday.

Jose Martinez was counting the cash in his till in the city of Aviles, northern Spain, when he came across the coin where Homer's bald head, big eyes and big nose had replaced the serious features of King Juan Carlos.

"The coin must have been done by a professional, the work is impressive," he told Reuters.

The comical carver had not taken his tools to the other side of the coin displaying the map of Europe. So far, no other coins of the hapless, beer-swilling oaf have been found in circulation.

"I've been offered 20 euros for it," said Martinez.

Tags: simpsons, homer simpson, usa, cartoons, humor, mint, coins, euro, king juan carlos, spain

Tow trucks swoop in on paradegoers' cars

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:17:43 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Quite evidently Freedom of expression doesn't come for free!

Clip Source: www.suntimes.com

Tow trucks swoop in on paradegoers' cars

The 79th annual Bud Billiken Parade was without incident until after the event Saturday, when police responded to a barrage of calls from attendees who found their cars missing.

Motorists, residents and store owners in the area say a tow company waited until lots near the parade route were full of cars before posting towing notices and taking vehicles. Each owner had to shell out at least $170 to Rendered Services Inc. to retrieve their cars.

About 50 cars were towed from a lot at 51st and Indiana. Owners argued they would not have risked towing fees had there been signs.

"They just put it up no less than an hour ago," said Eric Bacon, owner of Butch Bacon's Hats, a nearby store.

A woman answering the phone at Rendered, however, maintained the notices were "posted and reposted and reposted."

Tags: violation, parking, parades, bud billiken, police, chicago, usa

America's never-ending prohibition: Bernd Debusmann

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:18:51 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Unlike alcohol, for Marijuana there is no distinction between use and abuse

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

America's never-ending prohibition: Bernd Debusmann

Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - America's alcohol prohibition lasted 13 years, filled the country's prisons, inspired contempt for the law among millions, bred corruption and produced Al Capone. What it did not do was keep Americans from drinking.

America's marijuana prohibition drew into its 72nd year this month. It has created a huge underground industry

in 1978, when a bill introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy was passed by the Senate but never got to a vote in the House.

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN USE AND ABUSE

Americans who have admitted smoking marijuana

include President George W. Bush, Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Senator John Kerry, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Vice President Al Gore and Barack Obama

Clip Source: www.reuters.com

"It's not funny," he said, "not funny at all."

Tags: prohibition, abuse, alcohol, drugs, marijuana, usa

Venezuela's Mendoza wins 2008 Miss Universe contest

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:32:11 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: She's lovely...

Clip Source: www.aol.in

Venezuela's Mendoza wins 2008 Miss Universe contest

Nha Trang City, July 14: Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 in Vietnam's resort city of Nha Trang on Monday in a pageant that drew contestants from 80 countries.

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

The new Miss Universe 22-year-old Dayana Mendoza received the crown from Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007

Out of this world: Dayana reveals the stunning physique which helped her in her quest to become Miss Universe

Humiliation for Miss USA as she stumbles over gown and hits the deck at Miss Universe pageant

No one said the route to being crowned the most beautiful girl in the Universe would be easy.

But maybe not quite the one she did make, as the 5ft 10in beauty tripped on the train of her dazzling evening gown during the competition and ended up in a heap on the floor.

Hit the deck: Miss USA Crystle Stewart came a cropper as she stumbled during the Miss Universe pageant

second year in a row that a Miss USA has fallen over at the contest.

Tags: beauty pageant, contest, miss universe, miss world, vietnam, dayana mendoza, venezuela

Gold Chopper that costs $500,000!

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:59:06 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Wicked machine!

Clip Source: www.shareordie.in

Gold Chopper that cost about $500,000

At the international motoshou in Seattle (International Motocycle show) was submitted to the motorcycle manual assembly, remain indifferent to which more than difficult. If u have guts to spend then thats for you ..

Low landing and extravagant front wheel fork chopper complement paste made of gold. This miracle Motorcyclists estimated at $ 500000. Wanna buy this hot bike ? ..

Tags: luxury, chopper, motorcycle, bikers, two-wheelers, automobiles, gold, seattle, usa

United States of Obesity 2008

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:30:27 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Mirror mirror on the ...

Clip Source: calorielab.com

Mississippi is the fattest state for 3rd straight year, Colorado still leanest, D.C. loses weight

Most Obese States

West Virginia passed Alabama to become the second fattest state in 2008. The four states of Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, and Louisiana have obese populations

Thinnest States

Colorado repeats as the slimmest state, despite a slight increase in obesity of 0.8 percent over three years.

Regional Obesity Trends

In general, states in the West and New England rank lowest in the fattest states rankings, while states in the South and the Rust Belt tend to rank highest.

The CalorieLab United States of Obesity Fattest States Ranking 2008

Rankings were computed by CalorieLab based on a three-year average of state-by-state statistics for adult obesity percentages from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database.

Tags: obesity, bmi, calories, weight, usa, eating disorder, junk food, fat

The Balloon Festival - Maine, USA

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:52:14 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08

Clip Source: www.wackyarchives.com

The Balloon Festival

One of the most colorful and most exciting festivals is the Great Falls Balloon Festival, taking place August 15, 16 & 17 at Simard & Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston, Maine and Festival Plaza in Auburn, Maine.

There are over 30 different balloons floating annually in the ski above Lewinston. Along with these, visitors get the chance to experience amazing fireworks displays, taste what over 30 food booths have to offer or take part in the parade.

Tags: balloon, inflatable, helium, festival, entertainment, hobby, maine, usa

Washington - High court strikes down gun ban

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:02:01 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

High court strikes down gun ban

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a sweeping ban on handguns in the nation's capital violated the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Ariel Sarousi, left, and Steve Bierfeld of Arlington, Virginia, celebrate the court's ruling Thursday.

The justices struck down the ban in a 5-4 decision, with Justice Antonin Scalia writing the opinion for the majority.

Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said he was disappointed in the ruling but will give the district's police department 21 days to implement a process for registering handguns.

There were 143 gun-related murders in Washington last year, compared with 135 in 1976, when the handgun ban was enacted.

In a statement, President Bush also praised the decision, saying he agreed with the court's interpretation of the Constitution.

Political momentum for the bill increased after the Virginia Tech shootings last year, when a student shot and killed 32 people and then himself.

Tags: guns, handguns, rifles, ammunition, usa, washington, george bush, virginia tech, law and order

Souvenirs - Michael Hughes' Offbeat Travel Photos

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:43:57 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Suggest you look at the entire set of 95 photos... might want to click your travel photos differently from hereon?!

Clip Source: humor.about.com

Souvenirs - Michael Hughes' Offbeat Travel Photos

Flickr photoset featuring landscapes and historic locations from around the globe

The nutty touch here is the pictures also incorporate related objects into the scenes, such as previous images taken on the same spots, refrigerator magnets, pencil sharpeners, CDs, coffee mugs, toy vehicles, assorted figurines, inflatable props, and some weird stuff.

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

berlin, brandenburger tor

05_trabi_mauer004de

berlin, germany

london the strand

london

houses of parliament, london-combined pencil sharpener and bell

abbeyroad_8268

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

pisa italy

florenz, italy

37_lubbock002us

Buddy Holly memorial with "air guitar"

amarillo usa

cadillac ranch, amarillo, texas

new york

Hunting Island, Beaufort, South Carolina

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

paris fr

paris france

21_paris_disney001fr

19_carnac_obelix002fr

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

atomium brussels

salzburg austria

helsinki

bombay/Mumbai india

gateway of india

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

73_sphinx_4349

72_pyramids_4361

mermaid-4428

62_karnak_4060

64_luxor_4089

62_souvenirs010belgian

74_camel_4331

zadar_3239cro

Tags: michael hughes, photographer, travel, tourism, landmarks, soevenirs, memoirs

Upside down Amusement Park

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 05:19:49 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Far as I see, its the only 'upright' structure in this upside-down world!

Clip Source: www.wonderworksonline.com

Welcome to WonderWorks!

Central Florida’s only upside down attraction. An amusement park for the mind, featuring over 100 interactive exhibits for the entire family to experience.

Unlimited Pizza, Salad, Popcorn, Beer, Wine and Soda

Clip Source: www.wackyarchives.com

It might seem unsafe, unstable or hit by an earthquake, but this house looks exactly as it was meant to look. Among the activities, you can enjoy some unique trembling of a 5.3 earthquakeface a 65mph hurricane force winds, explore an astronaut space suit, feel the sensation of 3,500 nails elevate you, fly a fighter jet, design and ride your own rollecoaster or even make a 3-D impression of your entire body. There’s plenty to do there, but here is what struck us as the oddest thing of all.

Tags: amusement park, bizarre, earthquake, richter scale, florida, usa

World's largest casino

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:28:03 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: I'm suddenly reminded of 'Gambler' sung by Kenny Rogers (if my memory serves me right!).

Clip Source: www.odditycentral.com

World’s largest casino

the Venetian Macao in China, the world’s largest casino and the third largest building in the world. It has more than 1000 slot machines and over 600 gaming tables open 24/7. So it’s safe to say you’ll find a table to lose your money at.

The Venetian is a huge complex with the central building standing over 40 stories high and costing $1,8 billion to build. It also has a smaller replica of the famous, romantic city of Venice which proves once again that Asians love to copy western culture.

Tags: casino, gambling, slot machines, macao, china, las vegas, usa

Armed America - Why do you own a gun?

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:59:42 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Interesting, hard-hitting & debatable...

Clip Source: www.armedamerica.org

Armed America:
Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KYLE CASSIDY
208 pages, hardback. In bookstores everywhere & at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de

Clip Source: www.armedamerica.org

Jerry and Colin and their Browning Citori's.

Jerry: We are our own last line of defense. I haven't seen a compelling argument from the anti's as to why law abiding citizens shouldn't have guns

Clip Source: www.armedamerica.org

Jessica with her Kahr P9 and Samantha

Jessica: I'm just one little girl in the world.

Clip Source: www.armedamerica.org

Jean and Fleming and his Winchester .410 model 42

Fleming: I was born and raised 12 miles down the road from where Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed -- this was in 1935.

Clip Source: www.armedamerica.org

Beth, Paul, Gavin and Emma
AK-47, Bersa .380, Ruger P345

Paul: My family had guns the whole time I was a kid. then i went off and joined the army and went away and come back. I

Tags: arms, ammunition, guns, gun laws, usa

Seattle Pigeons Attacked With Darts

Fri, 09 May 2008 21:01:58 GMT

clipped by: hitchhiker08
clipper's remarks: Why blame Satan when humans emulate ...?

Clip Source: news.nationalgeographic.com

PHOTO IN THE NEWS: Seattle Pigeons Attacked With Darts

April 29, 2008—Pigeons in Seattle, Washington, are under attack by an unknown assailant with a dart gun, officials say.

At least three birds, including the one pictured here, have been found alive with the needlelike projectiles lodged behind their eyes.

The animal-rights group is offering a U.S. $2,000 reward for information about the attacks.

Meanwhile, local animal-control officials are puzzling over how, if at all, to capture and treat the birds.

"They are quite athletic, good fliers," said Don Baxter, enforcement supervisor for the Seattle Animal Shelter. "They're not hanging around waiting for an officer to get close."

Tags: pigeon, animal cruelty, seattle, washington, usa