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We all know that Japan is probably famous for their own zealous warriors in the past. They wield long Katana and has extremely elaborated armour and stuffs like that. If you ask what do people normally think of when others says Japan, chances are that people would think about Samurais first.

A PIG farmer in a southern China county has sung to his pigs for 13 years to promote their growth and was dubbed the "pigs' good friend" by local villagers. Huang Jiayou, who used to sing at school, always performed in front of his pigs before feeding them everyday and the pigs seem to enjoy the daily show as they don't touch their food and watch Huang until he has finished, Nanning-based Nanguo Zaobao newspaper reported today. Huang has learned more than 200 songs and bought 400 compact discs for his loyal audiences. Huang, 66, from Dongping Town of Bobai County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, won a township singing competition when he was 16. He decided to perform moving songs for his pigs when he started the business in 1996 after he learnt that hens who heard music laid more eggs. His first performance scared the pigs, which ran about like chickens with their heads cut off. Huang then lowered his voice for a romantic melody. This time all the pigs calmed down and stood still watching him. From then on, Huang sung everyday when he fed the pigs. Huang's first name, Jiayou, means good friend in Chinese, so local villagers dubbed him "pigs' good friend." Huang said his pigs grew faster than others as they ate more after listening. His wife usually played songs from CDs to the pigs when Huang was on business trips, the newspaper said. Huang insists his habit could change pigs' emotions and decided to purchase professional audio recording equipment and disc his singing for his pigs.

Serves 4Calories per serving: 306 2 tablespoons white vinegar 4 whole-wheat English muffins 4 slices low-fat cheese 4 thin slices low-sodium ham 4 eggs 4 slices tomato Spritz of olive oil 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large, deep skillet of water to a depth of 4 inches. Add vinegar and bring to a steady simmer. 2. Arrange the muffin halves on a baking sheet and, using a round biscuit cutter, cut each half into a round. Cut the cheese slices into 3-inch rounds with the biscuit cutter. Place a slice of cheese on each of the bottom halves. Cut the slice of ham into shreds or ribbons and place on top of the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until cheese melts and top halves are toasted, about 4 minutes.Recipes From This EpisodeSouthwestern Turkey Burgers With Sweet Potato FriesCookies and Cream MilkshakeUltimate Sausage Cheese PizzaAll "Cook Yourself Thin" RecipesMain "Cook Yourself Thin" Site 3. Meanwhile, cut 4 slices from the tomato and spritz each slice with some olive oil. In a separate nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat, saute the tomato slices for 1 minute on each side. Then season with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Set aside. 4. Break one egg into a small bowl. Hold the edge of the bowl close to the simmering water and gently tilt the bowl to pour the egg into the water. Repeat with the remaining three eggs. Cook until whites are solid and the yolk is still runny, about 3 minutes. Carefully remove the eggs one at a time with a slotted spoon. Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain. 5. Remove the toasted muffin halves with cheese and ham from the oven and transfer to a plate. Place a slice of sauteed tomato on top of the ribbons of ham and top with a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper and top with the other half of each muffin. Serve immediately.  

smart and Kia have both recently supplied police forces with cars which are certain to attract second glances from onlookers. smart loaned a fortwo to Tayside Police for last weekend's T in the Park music festival in eastern Scotland, where it was used to transport officers around various sites including the command centre, the briefing room and the lost property office.

I love fair good but these go beyond the usual fare at the fair. • Spaghetti and Meatball on a Stick Proving that anything can be fried and put on a stick, the Minnesota State Fair has made spaghetti and meatball on a stick a staple for several years now. The spaghetti is wrapped around the meatball, dipped in batter, fried and served with marinara sauce

His fame has not perhaps transcended the generations as the fame of some celebrities does - it is the light of a distant star - but as word of his death began to spread, the US experienced one of those moments of collective numbness which marks its very darkest hours.

QUARTZ HILL, Calif. – Don't mess with the marching band.That's what California authorities are saying after a 17-year-old girl used her marching band baton to beat back two would-be muggers.Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Michael Rust says the Quartz Hill girl was walking to school April 24 when two men approached her from behind, tried to grab her coat and demanded money.Instead, one got a punch in the nose and the other a kick to the groin. Rust says the girl then beat both of them with her band baton before she ran away.The men had not been caught. But Rust says there's a clear message to take from the encounter:"The moral to this story is don't mess with the marching band girls, or you just might get what you deserve. Final score: marching band 2, thugs 0."___Information from: Antelope Valley Press, http://www.avpress.com

The hardest part of writing about the swine flu outbreak has been striking the right tone. No doubt, this is a serious threat, as even a mild flu pandemic, on the order of the 1968 Hong Kong flu, would cause significant economic downturn at a time when the country already faces immense financial problems. On the other hand, hyping the threat does a disservice to the very public that the media intends to help.

Ah, such a nice photo. President Barack Obama kissed former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius Tuesday night after she was sworn in as Health and Human Services Secretary in the Oval Office. She was immediately dispatched to a top-level briefing about the swine flu outbreak. Maybe they should have just stuck with the handshake? | Lisa Gutierrez, The Star

Ah, such a nice photo.</p><p>President <b>Barack Obama</b> kissed former Kansas governor <b>Kathleen Sebelius</b> Tuesday night after she was sworn in as Health and Human Services Secretary in the Oval Office.</p><p>She was immediately dispatched to a top-level briefing about the swine flu outbreak.</p><p>Maybe they should have just stuck with the handshake?</p><p>| Lisa Gutierrez, The Star

At a news briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack took pains to repeatedly refer to the flu as the “H1N1 virus.” “This is not a food-borne illness, virus. It is not correct to refer to it as swine flu because really that’s not what this is about,” Vilsack said.

This Julius Shulman photo shows the interior of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City (July 5, 1957). (J. Paul Getty Trust. Julius Shulman Photography Archive. Research Library at the Getty Research Institute)

The true meaning of Easter must never be lost amidst painted eggs and rabbits. Mankind was forever changed, when the angel proclaimed, “He is not here, because He is risen.”  It has been said that if the Resurrection is false, the earth has no hope.  But if the Resurrection is true, it represents the earth’s only hope.

Relatives and friends of Nathan and Sammetra Christman help salvage personal belongings from their home at 2040 Westbury St. in the Oakwood East Royale neighborhood. It was their first opportunity to get a look at their home that was destroyed in Thursday's wildfires. in Midwest City Thursday, April 9, 2009. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman

"But I don’t think we’re going to have these fires out anytime soon. They’re out of control,” Clabes said Thursday evening, adding the fires rekindled as fast as they could be put out because of the winds.

Chet Huntley is most famous for his role as co-anchor of the critically acclaimed and highly rated The Huntley-Brinkley Report. This evening newscast, which first appeared in October 1956 on NBC, ushered in the modern era for television evening news. The Huntley-Brinkley Report introduced an innovative broadcast style, cutting between Huntley in New York and David Brinkley in Washington, D.C. The energy, pace, and style of the program was clearly a step beyond the more conventional work of "news readers" who had preceded the new format.

[We come in peace; shoot to kill.] Wired's Danger Room says that this won't be like Star Wars' blasters or Star Trek's phasers, but it can shoot "mortars and rockets" in war zones now. Two problems left to solve before we can start using lasers full time: how to dissipate heat and how to get them small enough to be practical. [Wired - Photo courtesy Northrop Grumman]

Just as that little black dress and a string of pearls will see most women in the western part of the world through almost any occasion, wearing something red at any Chinese function is never a mistake.

In 1916, Clayton J. Howell, president and founder of the Orange Crush Company, partnered with California chemist Neil C. Ward to incorporate the company. Ward, a beverage and extract chemist, perfected the process of blending ingredients to create the exclusive formula that yielded the zesty, all-natural orange flavor of Orange Crush. J.M. Thompson of Chicago is recognized as the original inventor of Orange Crush in 1906.C. J. Howell was not new to the soft drink business, having earlier introduced Howell’s Orange Julep. Soft drinks of the time often carried the surname of the inventor along with the product name. Howell sold the rights to use his name in conjunction with his first brand; his partner, Ward, was given the honors and Crush was first premiered as “Ward’s Orange Crush.”Orange Crush was the first flavor produced by the company and others followed. Lemon Crush and Lime Crush were introduced in a line known as “the Crushes” within a few years of the brand’s creation. Grape Crush was introduced in 1960, Cherry Crush in 1962 and Pineapple Crush in 1966.In 1989, Cadbury Beverages acquired Crush USA from Procter & Gamble Co. Colorful new packaging graphics, introduced in 1991, and new Crush Tropical Punch and Crush Peach, introduced in 1992, extended the Crush flavor tradition in the ’90s.Today, Crush is part of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc., an integrated beverage business marketing more than 50 beverage brands throughout North America.What’s in a name?Clayton J. Howell included the word “crush” in the original soft drink’s name to refer to the process of extracting oils from oranges.

Although you can definitely pre-order an Aptera if you're okay with space-aged design, Volkswagen is hoping to provide another option for those looking for ridiculous MPG and a little bit of normalcy in construction. Okay, so maybe the 1-Liter isn't exactly standard fare -- with its plastic / magnesium shell and all-glass roof -- but at least it packs four whole wheels and an iconic VW badge, right? According to Motor Authority, the automaker will be producing said vehicle and pushing it to market as early as 2010, and while the minuscule engine will only take you to 75MPH, it will still seat two people -- one in front of the other, though -- and get around 235MPG. No word on a price or any of that good stuff, but we're hearing that they'll only be produced in "limited numbers" whenever they're launched.[Via EcoGeek, thanks Yossi]