It’s ‘bearly’ art

HOW far can you go to do the strangest of acts? Perhaps not as far Abraham Poincheval, the French artist who has spent much of the past two weeks in the tight inside of a dead bear. Yup, Mr Poincheval is boldly going where few living people have gone before — a hollowed-out bear stomach. Since April 1, Poincheval has been partaking in the interactive exhibition at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, essentially chilling inside a taxidermy bear with a sparse amount of food and water.

Mr Poincheval has taken with him some of additional survival materials in there, including a light, cushion, kettle and toilet of some kind. He is doing this to test his physical limits while allowing the artist to get in touch with his animal instincts.

Footwear that will help you find your way home

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HERE is another useful, yet weird, gadget in the market — shoes with a Bluetooth link to connect to the mapping system on your mobile phone, sending discreet vibrations to your feet telling you which way to go and when you need to turn.

The technology is called Lechal and comes either ready-fitted in a Ferrari-red shoe or as an insole that can be inserted into any shoe. The Lechal shoes can last around three days before they need charging.

“They are as easy to use as a tap on the shoulder,” Krispian Lawrence, 30, who developed the shoes with Anirudh Sharma, 28, in Hyderabad, India, told The Daily Mail.

However, others are less impressed by the technology. When told about the shoes, Sir Ranulph Fiennes asked: “What’s wrong with a good old-fashioned map?”

He added: “If you rely too heavily on technology you’re heading for trouble. Too many people have forgotten — or never learned — the basics: how to read a map and a compass.”

Smelly cat!

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AN unfortunate black and white feline has been returned to the animal shelter because he suffers from excessive flatulence. Lenny was rescued from a New York park in February and was nursed at Scottsville Veterinary Hospital and Pet Adoptions in Washington. Two days after adoption, he was returned to the shelter, because the cat was causing a stink in the home.

His short-time custodians suggested the cat as better suited for an outdoor life because of the frequency and duration of Lenny’s emissions. However, the staff say that the cat is doing well at the shelter. Jessica Giehl, Scottsville’s adoptions director said: “Clean living and a healthy diet may be the reason for that, but we did still nickname him ‘Smelly Cat.’”

Squirrel sabotage

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ONE tiny squirrel did a heck of a lot of damage to the electrical system of Fort Wayne community centre, US. The poor little squirrel got into the electrical system and caused a power surge so great that it “fried the three new HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems and damaged some parts of the boiler system.” The total cost to repair the damage done will wind up being around $300,000.

The McMillen Community Centre is still under construction and was set to open on June 7, but after the poor squirrel’s actions on April 1, the plans might be put on hold.

Parks Department Director Al Moll told the paper that the damage is covered by insurance. Unfortunately, the squirrel did not survive.