How to (Almost) Guarantee You’ll Never Have to Check Your Luggage Again

How to (Almost) Guarantee You’ll Never Have to Check Your Luggage Again

TRAVEL

Checking your luggage is like gambling with your belongings. Something could break, get stolen, lost, and so on, and checked baggage generally comes with high fees. Here's how to almost guarantee you'll never have to check your luggage again and, if all plans fail, how to make the best of a bad situation.

Make the Most of Your Two Carry-on Bags

The easiest way to avoid the need to check your bags is to pack your bags efficiently. You may be surprised by how much you can fit with some smart techniques. Here's a look at af ew.

Taliban target 19 NATO oil tankers...

A scene from hell: Flames and black smoke fill the air as Taliban target 'sitting duck' NATO oil tankers yet again

A suspected U.S. missile strike killed four alleged insurgents on Monday

By OLIVER PICKUP

As black clouds of smoke billowed from the charred remains of at least 19 NATO tankers, and flames licked the dark sky near the Afghanistan border, agog locals observed the wreckage following an ambush.

Gunmen atop motorbikes opened fire yesterday on the narrow main highway at Kolpur village in Pakistan, 15 miles south of Quetta, the capital of the usually restive Baluchistan province.

The tankers, carrying tonnes of fuel, were heading through the southwestern Pakistan region en route to NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan when they were fired upon in an attack that has become all too familiar to coalition forces.

Tallest tower in the world will be built in 2020

Saudi Arabia, like many other Arab oil states, known for its ambitious projects in the energy and architecture of the future. Recently the authorities of this country have voiced an ambitious new project. In Jeddah, will build the tallest building in the world - a tower of "The Kingdom." The tower's height - 1600 meters. Currently the tallest tower in the world is considered with the Burj Dubai (828 meters).

දෛවෝපගත සිදුවීමක්

මේක සිද්ධ උනේ මිට හුගාක් කාලෙකට ඉස්සෙල්ලා....ස්විට්ස්ර්ලන්තේ...

එහේ ගොවිපොළක් තිබුන දුප්පත් ගොවියෙකුට...මෙයාගේ නම ෆ්ලෙමින්....

දවසක් ෆ්ලෙමින් ගොවිපොළේ වැඩ කර කර ඉන්නකොට ඇහුන පොඩි ළමයෙක් උදව් ඉල්ලලා කෑගහන සද්දයක්..මෙයා දුවගෙන ගියා ඒ පැත්තට...ගිහින් බලනකොට මෙන්න පොඩි දරුවෙක්..ගොවිපොළට ටිකක් ඈතින් තියෙන වගුරක එරිල...ගිලෙන්න යනවා.

Libya on the brink of change

Rebels swept into the center of Tripoli over the weekend, and the end appeared to be inevitable for the 42-year reign of Moammar Khadafy as leader of Libya, but government forces were still putting up sporadic resistance in pockets of the city. The whereabouts of Khadafy were unknown. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for crimes against humanity. The six-month uprising had been marked by slow progress followed by setbacks, but moved with startling speed over the weekend. Gathered here are pictures from the last few days of the fighting and celebrations. -- Lane Turner(31 photos total).t56



Libyan rebel fighters celebrate as they drive through Tripoli's Qarqarsh district August 22, 2011. (Bob Strong/Reuters)

Truck driver loses court case over amputated penis

A Kentucky truck driver who went into surgery for a simple circumcision but awoke without part of his penis has lost a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the urologist who amputated a cancer-riddled section of the organ.



Mr Seaton's wife, Deborah (left) seeks unspecified damages for "loss of service,
love and affection" Photo: AP/Brian Bohannon

The cat who got stuck up a cactus...

How did he get up there? The cat who got stuck up a cactus

By LEON WATSON

Last updated at 2:54 PM on 24th August 2011He's found himself in a rather prickly situation - but at least he didn't get eaten.

This terrified bobcat was spotted teetering on top of a 50ft cactus after running for its life from a hungry lion.


He stayed there for SIX hours, just to make sure the lion had gone, and incredibly escaped without a scratch.

Prickly situation: Bobcat is 50ft up the Giant Saguaro Cactus in Arizona

"Black hole" shredding a star to pieces for the first time....

Super-massive black hole caught shredding a star to pieces for the first time By GARETH FINIGHAN and CLAIRE BATES Last updated at 8:42 AM on 25th August 2011 A stunning cosmic jet from a super-massive black hole which shredded then swallowed a star has been observed by astronomers for the first time. The extremely rare phenomenon caused by stellar debris being consumed by the hole has never been observed before. Stunning: This illustration shows plasma shooting out of the black hole after it devours a star. Such an event took place four billion light years from Earth

Air hostess applicant 'had breasts checked for implants during job interview'

By RICHARD SHEARS Last updated at 8:12 AM on 25th August 2011 Dozens of women applying for air hostess jobs with an Indonesian airline were ordered to strip nearly naked and have their breasts handled in medical check-ups, one of the applicants claimed today. She said Garuda - Indonesia's main airline - wanted to screen out women who had tattoos on their breasts or who had had breast implants. As part of the medical check-up, they had to strip down to just their pants, the woman making the allegations claimed. Declining to be named - because she said she still wanted the coveted job - the woman said the breast checks were carried out at the airline's South Korean branch in Seoul. Air hostesses at work on a Garuda International flight

ගඩාෆිගේ බලකොටුව අල්ලයි....

කැරළිකරුවන් ගඩාෆිගේ බලකොටුව අල්ලයි. ලිබියානු නායක කර්නල් මුවමර් අල් ගඩාෆිගේ ටි‍්‍රපොලි හි පිහිටි බලකොටුව වන බාබා අල් අසිසියාස් මුළුමනින්ම අත්පත් කර ගැනීමට විපක්ෂ කැරළිකරුවන් සමත්ව තිබෙනවා. ඊයේ (23) උදෑසන බලකොටුව ආසන්න ප‍්‍රදේශයේ දරුණු ගැටුම් පැවතුණා. තහවුරු නොකළ වාර්තා සඳහන් කළේ සවස් කාලයේ නේටෝ ගුවන් සහායෙන් කැරළිකරුවන් බලකොටුවේ පළමු පිවිසුම තරණය කළ බවයි.  ලිබියානු නායකයා ආරක්ෂිත උපක‍්‍රමයක් ලෙස සිය බලකොටුවෙන් පසුබැස ඉවත්ව ගිය බව කැරළිකරුවන් බලකොටුව අත්පත් කර ගැනීමෙන් පැය කිහිපයකට පසුව ඔහුගේ ප‍්‍රකාශකයෙකු රාජ්‍ය මාධ්‍ය ඔස්සේ විශේෂ ප‍්‍රකාශයක් කරමින් සඳහන් කළා. එහෙත් ඔහු රැදී සිටින ස්ථානයක් පිළිබඳ මෙතෙක් නිශ්චිත තොරතුරක් වාර්තා වී නැහැ. ගඩාෆිගේ ප‍්‍රකාශකයා උපුටා දක්වන විදෙස් වාර්තා සඳහන් කළේ නේටෝ ගුවන් ප‍්‍රහාර 64ක් පමණ බාබා අල් අසිසියාස් බලකොටුව වෙත එල්ල වූ බවයි. තවත් තහවුරු නොකළ වාර්තාවකින් සඳහන් වූයේ ලිබියානු නායකයා රැදී සිටි බලකොටුව හරහා ප‍්‍රදේශ රැසකට උමං මාර්ග පිහිටා ඇති බවත් එක් උමං මාර්ගයක් මුහුද දෙසට විහිදී ඇති බවටත් තොරතුරු වාර්තා වී ඇති බවයි.  ලිබියානු නායකයා මෙම උමං මාර්ග හරහා පළා ගියේ දැයි යන්න තවදුරටත් සැකයක්. කෙසේ වෙතත් පෙන්ටගනය නිවේදනයක් නිකුත් කරමින් සඳහන් කළේ කර්නල් ගඩාෆි තවදුරටත් ලිබියාවේ රැදී සිටින බවයි. ටි‍්‍රපොලි නගරයේ සැලකිය යුතු කොටසක පාලනය කැරළිකරුවන්ට නතුවීමත් සමග ජාත්‍යන්තර ප‍්‍රජාව ලිබියාව නිසි පාලනයකට ගෙන එන ලෙස ඔවුන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලීමක් කළා. Gaddafi's Neverland: Fairground rides, a zoo and a shrine to his dead daughter... inside the tyrant's bizarre lair By ANDREW MALONE and VANESSA ALLEN Last updated at 8:04 AM on 25th August 2011 It was the day when the ordinary people finally got to peer beyond the fortified concrete walls. For the first time, Tripoli's citizens discovered how Colonel Gaddafi had lived a life of opulence and surreal fantasy while they cowered under his bloodthirsty rule. After the rebel fighters had overrun the tyrant's massive sprawling compound, yesterday it was the turn of normally law-abiding Libyans to ransack and loot his properties. And they could scarcely believe what they saw. Astonishing: This teapot and teacups fairground ride was just one of sites that greeted insurgents inside Gaddafi's compound. They also found a zoo

'මෙහේ එන්න' making of the video.....

Mehe enna making of the video (gossip9.com)

Planet found made of DIAMONDS......

 

Is this the biggest rock ever?  Astronomers discover planet made of DIAMONDS By GARETH FINIGHAN Last updated at 9:52 PM on 25th August 2011 It is certainly what you could call a gem of a discovery. Astronomers believe they have found an entire planet made of diamonds. Scientists at the University of Manchester think they have unearthed a once-massive star in the Milky Way that has been transformed into a small planet made of the precious rock. Scroll down for video Twinkle, twinkle little star: The diamond star is a chunk of crystallised carbon measuring 2,500 miles across

Fashion with riding a bike...

What a pro! Fashionista Kelly Brook proves heels can be worn on any occasion... even while riding a bike By SARAH BULL Last updated at 6:30 PM on 25th August 2011 She often tops lists of the most fashionable and beautiful women in the UK.And Kelly Brook today proved that she never lets her style standards slip, as she arrived for the launch of London's Sky Ride wearing sky-high heels. The 31-year-old model showed off her cycling skills as she rode around Potters Fields Park in her tiny pink minidress and cream sandals, showing no signs of any nerves as she confidently navigated the cycle paths. Pretty in pink: Kelly Brook looked cute in a pale pink and black dress and sky-high heels as she launched London's Sky Ride 2011 today in Potters Fields Park

one of the world's biggest tall ships squeezes under Tower Bridge...

Ahoy there! Sailors put on spectacular display as one of the world's biggest tall ships squeezes under Tower Bridge

By ANNA EDWARDS

Last updated at 11:55 PM on 26th August 2011

One of the largest tall ships in the world had a tight squeeze today, as it proudly sailed along the Thames.

The ARC Gloria, one of the biggest tall ships in the world and still in service, narrowly passed through Tower Bridge after a successful three-day visit to London.

The three-masted Colombian training vessel, which is making its first voyage to London in 18 years, is currently on a goodwill tour of the world.



Mind your head! The crew of the ARC Gloria balance on masts while singing the ship's anthem



What a send off: The ARC Gloria, one of the biggest tall ships in the world, heads out of the city

Gaddafi wanted - Reward $ 1,700,000

Take that Gaddafi: The symbolic monument to hiding dictator's power is desecrated by rebel forces British Tornado jets pound bunkers in Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte Rebels face resistance from the dictator's loyalists in Tripoli £1bn frozen Libyan funds made available to National Transitional Council New evidence that Gaddafi's adopted daughter WASN'T killed by U.S. in 1986 Gaddafi forces damage a plane at Tripoli airport in retaliatory strikes Twenty African states recognise rebels as Libya's legitimate government By DAVID WILLIAMS Last updated at 10:37 PM on 26th August 2011 It was once the symbol of Gaddafi's strength over the west, a brutal image of power and victory. Now it stands ruined with the Mad Dog's illusion of power over the country shattered, like the windows in his once regal compound. Built in 1986, after the US air strikes in Libya, the iconic statue shows a fist crushing an American aircraft and was the majestic backdrop for many of the dictator's speeches. In a final gesture of contempt rebels forces climbed and painted the statue screaming victory as their dictator remains absent, presumably in hiding. Scroll down for video Ransacked: Gaddafi's Bab Al Azaziya compound in Tripoli is trashed - the dictator's whereabouts is still unknown

Underwater World in Indonesia..

Welcome to Indonesia treated by divers as a unique region that contains the largest amount of resorts and diving areas in the world. Lembeh Strait on the northern part of the Sulavesi island is very popular among those who prefer diving.

Video: How to steal jewelery in 10 steps

No, its not really a write up as it says in the title, but an interesting video showcasing BMW's latest Vision Connected Drive Concept.

In eye catching HD the video dazzles the viewer with all the gimmicks technology can achieve these days specially while you are driving. Imagine having all the information you would storm up available to you instantly in a blink of an eye.

Vision Connected Drive was first debuted at the Geneva Motor Show 2011. The car seems futuristic with its automatic sliding doors, partly see through engine hood. But amazingly BMW wanted to emphasise on the technological gizmos rather than the design of the car at the show.

This new concept was originally showcased as a example of what technology can do in the future and how each and every BMW will carry these remarkable technological aides. The roadster is one of a kind specially made for this purpose while making it an integral part of the networked world.

The concept has a heads-up display as you will see in the video as well in full 3D. All the information including navigational details are displayed here.  BMW Vision ConnectedDrive Infotainment system is mainly based on the location and many other details that relates to the driver. its sensors monitor many aspects of the driver and bases the services accordingly, Many preferences can be set in the comfort of your home via your Iphone or from your PC. 


now let’s have a look at the video,

Italian landmarks at risk under the weight of romantic padlocks

 

Symbol of love so soppy that even the bridges are groaning... By DAILY MAIL REPORTER Last updated at 11:15 AM on 25th August 2011 Lovers have a tradition of marking their affection in unusual ways, from carving initials in trees to tying knots in ropes. Now, a new craze is threatening Italy's landmarks — and causing a boom in bolt-cutter sales. Couples have taken to sealing their devotion by writing both their names on a padlock, fixing it to a bridge, then tossing the keys into the river. The fad began in Rome after the publication of the best-selling 2007 novel Ho Voglia De Te (I Want You) by Federico Moccia, which sees the main characters swear eternal love by attaching a padlock to Rome's Milvio bridge before flinging the keys into the Tiber. Bridge of Love: Thousands of padlocks have been hung on bridges by romantic couples throughout Europe after the craze began on Rome's Tiber bridge

10,000ft mountain balancing on just a cable car wire...

 

Don't look down! Daredevil scales 10,000ft mountain balancing on just a cable car wire  By SARA NELSON  Last updated at 1:26 PM on 22nd August 2011 A daredevil stuntman has scaled a 10,000ft mountain – by creeping up a two-inch thick cable car wire. Freddy Nock took 90 minutes to edge to the top of the Zugspitze mountain in south Bavaria – without any safety equipment. Nock, who began his highwire career at the age of 11, said of his 3,000ft long trek: 'I don't want to do it again, not without a balancing pole. It was exhausting.'

Swisscom Doubling the speed of DSL Mini and DSL Standard for the same monthly fee.

Swisscom annouced in its Swisscom Labs blog that they are planning in doubling the speeds of the two packages DSL mini and DSL standard before end of 2012. but most of the customers of DSL standard will have their speed of 5000/500 doubled to 10000/1000 end of September.

This is mainly due to the increased usage of data of residential customers according to Swisscom but  my theory is that it has something to do with the competition with other data providers in Switzerland as well.

To enjoy this data bump you will need a new router as well which will be provided free of charge by Swisscom when the customers are individually contacted as it becomes available.

so say amen for Faster surfing speed for the same price !

Here is a extract from the Swisscom site : http://labs.swisscom.ch/en/news/faster-surfing-speed-same-price