Category: Sidebar

South African millionaire Mark Shuttleworth has landed
safely back on Earth after a 10-day journey into space. The Russian Soyuz
space capsule carrying the South African millionaire and two crewmembers
touched down near Arkalyk in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 0351 GMT on
Sunday 28th April. As he was carried away from the capsule, a grinning
Mr Shuttleworth said: “Every second will be imprinted and will be
with me for the rest of my life.” He had spent some of his time carrying
out scientific work on the ISS, including experiments on the virus responsible
for Aids, and examinations of ocean life. Mr Shuttleworth, a 28-year-old
internet magnate, was rumoured to have paid $20m for his trip to the International
Space Station (ISS). Mr Shuttleworth, who lives in London, is the world's
second holidaymaker in space.

He follows in the footsteps of Dennis Tito, a US businessman
and former American space agency (NASA) employee, who rode into orbit
last year. The South African is reported to have bought the Soyuz capsule
and his space suit as a souvenir of his trip. We hear Tom Cruise is queuing
up for his chance to do something similar!

Source: bbc.co.uk

If you are thinking of travelling in Chile, it might
make sense to investigate an air pass with LanChile and Ladeco flights.
The pass is valid for 1 month and must be used in 14 days of arrival in
Chile. Backtracking is not allowed. Special fares to Easter Island can
be incorporated. Ask your travel agent about the pass before you book
your international tickets.

Ingredients: For four people

4 portions of Sea Bass, ½ Kilo diced tomato, 1 teaspoon
of salt, 100 grams diced Parsley , 100g diced Coriander, 4 medium diced
whole onions, 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil, ½ tablespoon of sweet Paprika

Preparation:

The fish is cleaned and put in a bowl with a little salt
and the juice of one Lemon. Then leave to marinate for at least an hour.
In a Ceramic Pot if a Panela de Barro is not available, with the Olive
Oil at the bottom of the pot. Next add the Paprika and mix. The rest of
the ingredients are then mixed and divided into two parts. One half of
the mixture goes in the pot, then by a layer of fish, followed by the
rest of the ingredients. The pot is put on a medium hob for 30-40 minutes.
Gentle rocking of the pot from time to time. Do not add water.
Serve with white rice: then, just enjoy.

Washington DC is already known as a museum mecca, but
in July later this year, the new International Museum of Spying will open.
The museum has full official backing from both the CIA and the KBG. Exhibits
include an enigma machine, a Soviet shoe transmitter and all the usual
(and unusual) gadgets!

For more info

GERMANY: A Berlin man claims that handling 10-euro banknotes
has made him impotent. Mr Wolfang Fritz (55) spent hours last January
counting money his girlfriend inherited after the couple withdrew it all
in 10-euro notes. Mr Fritz says he hasn't had an erection since handling
the money. He is demanding the German government supply him with the erectile
disfunction-drug, Viagra.

“The euro notes made me sick. It just won't
go up anymore,” he told Berlin tabloid BZ. Mr Fritz has engaged a
lawyer to fight his case, blaming the impotence on the chemical Tributyl-Zinn
found in the 10-euro notes.

Each note contains 740 mcg of the chemical that, in sufficient
quantity, can affect the human hormone system. “The amount in euro
notes cannot lead to acute hormonal disturbances,” said hormone specialist
Prof Dietrich Klingmüller.
© The Irish Times

The Beetle recently received this and thought it might
be of interest to the travellers out there who use hotmail. The Beetle
has long given up on Hotmail as it was inundating her with embarrassing
amounts (and content!) of porn e-mails.

If you have a hotmail account in your name, this might
interest you – hotmail has changed the privacy settings on each of it's
user accounts so they now have permission to share all user details with
other companies. All of their users have effectively just opted in to
receive yet more Spam, without even being informed.

There's a couple of checkboxes in hotmail's 'options'
section under 'personal profile' labelled 'Share my e-mail
address' and 'Share my other registration information' which
have been automatically checked regardless of their previous setting without
even informing the owner of the account. It's incongruous with their
privacy policy, but by now the user details could have been sold. Interesting
direct marketing tactic. And while most of the hotmail site is fairly
accessible, you can't access the personal profile page to revert these
settings with anything other than a Microsoft browser.

Tokyo hotel's rules and regulations:
GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN
BED.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

In a Tokyo bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

In a Bangkok temple:
IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN EVEN A FOREIGNER IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Hotel room notice, Chiang-Mai, Thailand: PLEASE DO NOT
BRING SOLICITORS INTO YOUR ROOM.

Write in and tell us your funny sign! Drop a line to
the Beetle!

the Beetle!

At the Royal Academy from 26 April—14 July. This
exhibition shows 35 of the best-preserved figures, carved from limestone
(around 550—577 AD) out of the 400 or more Buddhist sculptures found
in 1996 in a field in the Shandong province in eastern China.

According to early written sources the area in which
the sculptures were found once formed part of Longxing Temple, a name
that means 'Dragon Spring'. The figures show the sculptural styles
that developed as Buddhism spread along the trade routes across central
Asia, mixing foreign with Chinese qualities. Among the statues uncovered
are beautiful examples of Buddhas, bodhisattvas (attendants of the Buddha)
and triads, in which a Buddha, flanked by two bodhisattvas, stands against
a leaf-shaped nimbus.

Experts wonder why were so many figures of Buddha were
buried during the twelfth century in a carefully constructed pit within
the precincts of a monastery. Whatever the reason, the discovery of a
Buddhist treasury at the former temple site confirms the important role
that Longxing played as a centre of Buddhist culture in the Qingzhou region
during the sixth century.

Thanks to Kevin Brackley from London for spotting this!

Need help? Want a travelling buddy or advice about a
place or country – want to share something with us – why not visit our
Mutual Aid section of the Website:Mutual Aid

Can anyone help Jane? She is a retired college teacher
with extensive international experience looking for a short-term volunteer
opportunity in East Africa. (Her website is www.mystudybuddy.org) and she says she has no
idea where to look, and would be grateful for your suggestions. If you
can help, or have any suggestions, please contact
Jane.

Can anyone help Mike, who has not heard from his friend
for four months? His friend is sailing from the UK to Australia, and his
last letter was from Fatu Hiva. He was looking for crew to sail to Fanning
island. Can anyone suggest a web-site to help Mike find his friend? If
you have any suggestions, please contact Mike Thorneloe:

Thomas from Munich offers up to date advice for anyone
planning on going to Kazakhstan, as he has just returned. To contact Thomas,
e-mail him

According to press sources, the authorities in China’s
second largest city, Shanghai, have closed down nearly 200 internet cafes.
The move is reported to coincide with the launch by the central government
of a drive against “harmful” content on the web, to prevent
young people from being corrupted. One official said the premises were
in areas overlooked in previous campaigns. Last year, the Chinese authorities
reportedly shut down 17,000 internet cafes that failed to install the
necessary software, or they are being used for “illegal activities”.
Some say that the move is in line with the government's desire to
encourage the internet as a commercial medium without creating a forum
for political dissent.

Beijing requires internet bars to install software to
block restricted web sites and record user activities. Unsurprisingly,
banned websites include those run by democracy activists, outlawed groups
such as Falung Gong, and some foreign news organisations. Those containing
pornographic material are also blocked.