Exercise Your Brain With Our Top Five Web Hits

Blog

Youtube

Want more from the Holyrood team? Check out our Facebook and Twitter pages to see what we’ve been up to.

ELECTRIC EEL CHRISTMAS TREE (Aimee)

Most of us have our Christmas trees up now, most with a flashy set of bobby dazzler lights that probably took a week to untangle. But how many can say their livingroom woodland addition is powered by a fish? They can in Japan where an electric eel was used at the Enoshima Aquarium to power the tree by connecting with two aluminum panels inside the tank. It gives up to a massive 800 watts of electricity every time it moves
Might head down to Leith Docks and see if I can catch something equally as reactive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO00tPIYSUQ

298 WISE MEN (Laura)

In the traditional version of the nativity story there is just a trio of wise men and a handful of shepherds but in this world record breaking attempt held by one community in Southampton the baby Jesus has just under 300 visitors. 298 people gathered in this festive scene dressing up as various characters from the story of the birth of Christ, including a six month old baby boy who played the part of the baby Jesus. Sadly after all that rushing round to find tea towels and some gold, frankincense and myrrh the towns folk were left 269 people short of the current 567 people record. Still there is always next year and from the looks of the pictures a jolly good time was had by all.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2075757/Almost-300-people-attempt-break-world-record-largest-nativity-scene.html

WHO’S IN LINE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE RACE? (Adrian)

It’s easy to forget that 2012 will showcase one of the biggest political events in the world, when the United States holds its latest Presidential election. Yes, Barack Obama is approaching the end of his first 4-year term as President and now the race is firmly on to find a Republican nominee to challenge him in the polls in the latter half of next year.
If you haven’t been following the GOP primaries – which have involved a succession of right-wing oddities jostling for their party’s nomination – I highly recommend you do. It’s been one of the most fascinating, bizarre, hilarious and downright unsettling political feeding frenzies I’ve ever seen. And if you have no idea who is in the frame to take on Obama, here’s a handy guide to the frontrunners from the New York Times. You never know: one of these people could turn out to be the next U.S. President. God help us.  
http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/primaries/candidates

WHEEL’S ON FIRE (Gaynor)

I don’t know about anyone else but I am so excited for the return of Absolutely Fabulous this Christmas to BBC One. The return of Eddie and Patsy is going to make for some interesting viewing after being absent since 2003. I love the flamboyant Public Relations ‘guru’ and her chain smoking, champagne swigging pal! The thing I’m most looking forward to has to be the fashion. I really hope it’s as tacky but fabulous this time around.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2075913/Absolutely-Fabulous-Christmas-Special-2011-pulls-punches-says-Liz-Jones.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

RONERY NO MORE (Victoria)

With the news of the passing of North Korea’s diminutive leader, perhaps more people in the West will remember Kim Jong Il for his spoof portrayals in TV and film rather than his brutal and oppressive rule.
The Huffington Post rounds up his screen highlights, including mock appearances on 30 Rock, SNL and not forgetting on Team America where his inability to say the letter L has been quoted the world over.
It is reported that the dictator had a serious penchant for films, holding a collecting of 20,000 DVDs and running the state’s movie industry with a leading role in the Godzilla-esque flick “Pulgasari”.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/18/kim-jong-il-dead-movies-tv_n_1157030.html?ref=mostpopular,kim-jong-il