They say the efficiency of the justice system can be tested at its best when actual criminals, are caught. The enlisted manpower with law enforcement sometimes fall short to perform the tasks that demands much attention and thus there arouses a need for more hands. But these days suspecting alleged is not restricted to humans and we have Microdrone to support humans.

The British Transport Police lately enrolled the aide of a $60,000 German-made UAV Microdrone to help hammer the British railways from metal thieves. True imagining an aerial Microdrone competent of surveillance disincentive, the Brits have escalated an extraordinary shoot gun on top of the robot that sprays the goon with Smart Water, a liquid that enables tracking of the suspect in question.

Via BotJunkie/ Telegraph

A first edition copy of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit lately got sold for £60,000 at an auction to an unidentified bidder. This 1937-edition signed copy is a part of the original first run of 1,500 copies. It fetched almost two-times of the expected price at Bonham’s London-based auction house. The copy is emblazoned to Tolkien’s friend Elaine Griffiths, who enacted a critical role in enabling author securing a printing deal for the narrative. The auction also included the first foreign language edition of The Hobbit, a Swedish translation from 1947 that fetched £1,560 against its anticipated price of £400-£800. To your much-surprise almost 100 million copies of The Hobbit or There and Back Again got sold off.

Via InTheNews

Featured above is a lately exposed wooden sculpture of Dainichi Nyorai or Buddha carrying religious objects sealed in its torso for almost 800 years. It got sold for $14.3 million (€9.07 million) during Christie’s auction, thereby breaking the earlier record set by a Rakuchu Rakugai screen that fetched $1.76 million in 1990. Enjoying the presence in the sphere of Japanese work of art by making a world record, the figurine is accredited to Unkei, measured as one of the two best sculptors of the early Kamakura period in 1190s, when Buddhist art was actively practiced.

It was sold off on 18 March 2008 by Mitsukoshi Ltd. You would be surprised to know that the presale estimate was $1.5-2 million. Made of Cyprus wood, the Buddha is clad in generous attire and is positioned in a lotus position with a tiara and trinkets, and hair in a topknot.

Its whereabouts were unknown until now when it was sold to a dealer of Buddhist art most recently. The identity of the buyer is not to be disclosed. The knowledge of the owner considering Buddha statue to be hollow underwent an X-ray at Tokyo National Museum and it was identified that it carries three memorial items, representing Buddhist cipher viz. a wood pagoda, a crystal pagoda and a crystal ball on a bronze stand.

Via IHT

News is a man based in Australia has made up to headlines by auctioning his life (house, job, clothes and friends) on eBay, after his marriage broke up. Now he wishes to start a new life. Ian Usher, 44 is tired of old-sick life and wants to explore where life takes him. His life package along with the house is valued at A$420,000 ($385,000, euro250,000).

“Hi there, my name is Ian Usher, and I have had enough of my life! I don’t want it any more! You can have it if you like!,” reads his web page Alife4Sale that redirects the interested ones to ebay for bidding.

Usher declared that his life auction scheduled for 22 June is not restricted to his house, car, motorbike, Jet Ski and spa, but also includes his prologue with “great friends” and a job at a rug shop in Perth for a trial two-week period. On hearing about the auction his ex-wife said: ‘it seems a bit mental to me.”

Yah, what you have seen above is real. Pinch yourself. The most interesting point in this 5 1/2 inches creation designed by Briton Antonio Berardi is that they lack heels but still gives you the feel of maintaining a catty walk. They almost go with any form of attire since they are available in gold or silver snakeskin. But a smart dudette would carry it these heels with a crash helmet and an instruction manual.

Ready to be yours at a bargain price of £1,800, the wearer can easily manage to totter around with all her weight evenhanded on a coagulated platform sole. Obviously, fashionistas would be rushing to buy at least one pair. Celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Uma Thurman have picked up black patent version valued at £1,100 plus. To my non-surprise, Victoria Beckham tagged a snakeskin pair to her name. If the piece-of-news has managed to convince you then you can also buy one as they will be available for sale in Browns stores, London. But folks, you have to make a pre-order for this at least five-weeks ago.

Via ThisIsLondon

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Screaming “My Violin” is obvious and much-anticipated cry when one happens to fell off the stairs holding an antique 18-century violin priced at $1million. David Gareth, the former model and the present proud owner of the violin was stepping down the stairs after performing at the Barbican Hall, when his leg jerked and he could not maintain balance. As a result, he fell of the concrete stairs turning this pricey musical instrument into pieces. But Gareth is hopeful that the violin can easily be repaired in New York. We also pray that the damage to this violin gets fixed soon otherwise it would result in causing harm to one’s mental stability along with disturbing bank balance. Via LuxuryLaunches

And the RED auction finally happened in New York hosted by U2 singer Bono. A Damien Hirst pill cabinet packed with tinted antiretroviral drugs fetched $6.2 million non-inclusive of fees. The AIDS charity auction was backed by the beat of the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” Out of the total sales generation of $38.7 million, Hirst’s cabinet called “Where There’s a Will There’s a Way,’” raised almost one-sixth of the proceeds. The proceeds would be donated towards the HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa, thereby edging the estimated amount of $29 million.

The proud buyer of cabinet is London-based White Cube Gallery. The auspicious day was St. Valentine’s Day in the U.S., and Queen Noor of Jordan was the walking beauty on the red carpet greeted by Bono. Amongst other dignitaries was actor Dennis Hopper, tennis star John McEnroe, real-estate developer Aby Rosen. In total, the seven works by Hirst at this charity auction brought in $17.4 million minus fees. The charity auction witnessed the presence of artworks by 75 artists counting Jeff Koons, the world’s priciest living artist, Hirst, the second-most expensive, and Richard Prince.

Via Bloomberg

Right on the heels of my words, I would like to say it loud that this seemingly concept to many is been practiced in Korea. Most of you would agree with me when I say that our life is nothing but synonymous to stress. And thus our hunt for a soothing moment begins. But if you want a quick-fix solution then visit Korea now. The unique exercise organized by the Korea Life Consulting Co. makes you rejuvenate your life temporarily dying. To be direct, at a drop of $325, you can feel your funeral experience while being alive.
It begins by laying clients inside a coffin with a tight-lid followed by a voluminous spray of dirt on the face of the coffin. The lights are switched off and soothing funeral music is on. There you get good 15-minutes to spend with your own self or a full-on panic attack. After this, the coffin is opened up and person comes out taking this moment as his “rebirth.”
This process is popularly known as “well-dying”, a gloomy drift energized toward cheering Koreans to lead happy and improved lives. The trial is a proven success as it has boosted the efficiency of many employees deputed in certain factories. As a result of this many companies are interested wanting their employees to undergo this process. No one can mar this innovative but weird way of increasing productivity. Around 50,000 people have experienced this since this concept turned reality in 2004. This is a good way to ‘start over.’

Via CNN

Hungarian scientists say yes! The question demands a deserving amount of attention as much as you love your pets. So please don’t cheat! Scientists based in Hungary are engaged working on software that will analyze dogs’ growl to let their owners have a better understanding of what their dear friend is feeling.

Reuters reports that Hungarian ethologist Csaba Molnar along with his colleagues from Budapest’s ELTE University have veteran software that identifies the poignant reaction of 14 dogs on the basis of six situations viz. feeling lonely, seeing a ball, aggressive, playing, coming across a stranger and departing for a walk. The scientist believes that a commercial application or a monitored device can help strengthen dog-human communiqué.

The computer accurately predicted the emotional response of the dogs by reading their barks and counted 40% of the cases from given 43% of the cases were judged correctly. If this happens, it would need a great amount of celebration for efforts invested in this cause.

Via Reuters

My curiosity aroused after hearing that the Ring House has bagged the award for being the best Private House by the Wallpaper Design Awards 2008. What made it make up to this platform? What is its USP? Having peeled into this house I realized that the weekend house is a beautiful blend of creativity, design, and environment. And for this three cheers goes to the innovative architects behind this model viz. Makoto Takei and Chie Nabeshima (TNA).

On demand, architects were asked to design a weekend retreat miles away from the jostle and commotion of the Tokyo life. And they did it! Positioned right amid the lush green flora and fauna of Japan, it is just at a two-hour drive dividing the city dwellers from eco-paradise. It is surrounded by the delicate, glass and wood mini-tower. The huge but not so-intense makeup creates a retreat to revitalize and revive its populace. The incessant 360-degree vantage points in the Ring House makes you stand next to nature from within the four boundaries.

Gallery: The Ring House

Via Wallpaper