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Treasure unearthed in Kerala Temple
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Found
- Hits: 1940
From the BBC:
"Precious stones, gold and silver are among valuables found at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.
The riches are thought to have been languishing in the temple vaults for more than a century, interred by the Maharajahs of Travancore over time.
They have not been officially valued and inspectors are taking an inventory.
Inspectors say they will continue cataloguing the treasure for at least one more week.
Unofficial estimates say that the treasure discovered so far over four days of inspections may be valued at more than 25 billion rupees ($500m). But historians say that assessing the true value of these objects is likely to be extremely difficult. "
Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13994351
Update: Value of treasure now estimated at 22 billion dollars
Garage Sales - Week 9 - 2011
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1912
A thousand sales, nothing too great.
Friday, in Killarney, a skillsaw mitre saw for $45.00, which, given the renovations I've undertaken, is a bargain.
And on Saturday - off to a variety of garage sales, there are hundreds, the first sunny Saturday morning since....? well, I don't know.
But there are signs everywhere, and I stop at countless.
The Kensington Parade of Garage Sales finally takes off, and I'm sure to be there by 9:00 - 3 ceremonial Sabres, probably from the 20's or 30's, complete with scabbard and ornate hilts, surprisingly sharp (given their ceremonial status) - $20.00.
And hundreds of others of sales, most of which don't bear description. The sabres content me, there's much to be done about the house at the moment and I can't give over too much time to treasure hunting...
Panning for Gold & Diamonds in Manhatten
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Found
- Hits: 1938
An interesting one from the New York Post about a man who makes a living prospecting for gold and diamonds in Manhatten.
Link: Got his "mined" in the gutter
Of course, this isn't without precedent, there have long been panners for gold wherever there are big cities and clearly defined jewelry districts - here's an article on the gold panners of Mumbai:
Link: Panning for gold, Mumbai streetsweepers watch for all that glitters
And if those articles fail to inspire you, in Japan recently they've taken to mining the precious metals out of sewage,
Link: Sewage yields more gold than top mines
Which might make a fun afternoon for the kids, panning out the remnants of bran muffins and pancakes...
Of course, if you wanted to keep them interested it might not hurt to "salt the pot" a bit with this or some other edible accessories here or here.
Wall to Wall
- Details
- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Miscellany
- Hits: 1970
Another day entirely wasted pulling up Wall to Wall carpet.
The installers, they go crazy, firing staples from machine guns, they assume that whoever ordered this carpet will want it forever.
I don't. I want it gone yesterday.
The whole idea of wall to wall carpet offends me, not least because I have to spend hours ripping it up, pulling staples and nasty wooden-spike-clips from the floor that have filled me with tetanus. Or the dirt, so much of which has built up beneath the floor that I think - momentarily - that the house has been built directly upon the ground and the wall-to-wall carpet is there to hide the grass...
No such luck.
And hours and hours of pulling up staples and tacks and sweeping up garbage bags full of fine dust later I'm done.
It should be illegal.
What is the benefit? A haven for allergies, dirt, mites? "It's like having slippers on your feet wherever you go, only at many hundreds of times the price"
For health reasons alone it should be illegal. But it's done, I've pulled it all up and hidden the remnants in the neighbors trash bin. Now to lay the floor.
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