Geo Beats

A luxury hotel in Dubia is giving gold-plated iPads to guests.When Dubai’s Burj Al Arab hotel bills itself as the world’s most luxurious, they’re not kidding around.Recently, they’ve started handing out iPads made with real gold for their guests to use to order up services and information. The gilded tablets were made especially for the hotel and are inscribed with their logo. Burj Al Arab’s General Manager said the devices are in-line with both the hotel’s “stay different” ethos and its commitment to offering technological conveniences to its guests. It’s not the first time a glitzy iPad has shown up there. A rose gold one was commissioned from Gold & Co. London as part of the hotel’s campaign in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Exactly what types of services warrant the use of such an extravagant gadget?Well, they have the regular ones like housekeeping, room service, and spa options. They also offer Rolls Royce, BMW, and helicopter rides to and from the airport.In-room amenities include a butler-prepared aromatherapy bath and a pillow menu, which offers 13 pillow and quilt options.

Check out 5 exotic car rentals.Most people can’t afford to own a $200,000 car, but you can always rent an expensive car for a special trip? Here are 5 exotic rentals according to executive travel.Number 5 – If in London, check out Holders Vehicle Contracts. The company has a Bugatti Veyron 16.4, starting at $26,470 a day. It is capable of traveling 254 mph and houses a W16 engine. The car is described as the “most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world.”Number 4 –Gotham Dream Cars rents out the coupe known as the MP4-12C for $2,450 per day or $5,450 for an entire weekend. With 600 horsepower from a twin-turbo V8 engine, the McLaren sports car essentially roars to life and goes from 0-60 in 3.1 seconds.Number 3 – Miami based, Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals offers the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe for a little under $3,500 a day. The remarkable convertible houses a V12 engine and boasts 453 horsepower.Number 2 – San Diego prestige rentals rents a Ferrari California for $2,200 per every 24 hour period. The exceptional red car possesses a 7 Speed transmission complete with a double clutch.Number 1 – Black and White Car Rentals in Beverly Hills lists the Ferrari FF for $2,860.00 a day. The two door, four passenger model comes with a 7-speed dual clutch and a 6.3 Liter V12 engine.

A coyote covered in cactus spines is saved and released into the wild.Animals and sharp objects can often lead to heartbreaking sights.A coyote pup is lucky to be alive after having a run-in with a cactus in Arizona.85-year-old, Gwen Maxwell discovered the wild critter running across the street. Initially, she thought the creature was a dog, but soon realized it was a baby coyote, partially covered in clumps of cholla cacti.The animal’s face, upper body and back legs contained the spiky clusters. Maxwell contacted a neighbor for help and soon, maintenance workers from a nearby golf course arrived on the scene. Using pliers, the crew was able to cut the spines and cacti groups loose. The male coyote remained calm through the painful ordeal. Once all of the sharp thorns were removed, the pup ran to his mother and they took off together. Last year, a bulldog from Oklahoma named Bella Mae lived through a horrifying confrontation with a porcupine.The encounter resulted in her receiving emergency veterinary care for 500 quills protruding from her body and face.

A Bugatti Veyron becomes part of a police fleet in Dubai.Police departments around the world aren't limiting themselves to standard sedans. Some are beefing up their fleet with hot sports cars.A Bugatti Veyron is the newest addition to the law enforcement's fleet in Dubai. Described as “the world's fastest street legal car”, the low-riding automobile is white in color with some added green stripes. It boasts a top speed of about 267 miles per hour. Housing a 16-cylinder engine, it is capable of hitting over 60 miles per hour in 2.7 seconds. The department’s newest ride is a convertible, complete with a rear, tilting spoiler. Right before the Veyron became police property, a Lamborghini Aventador landed in the car fleet. It bears the license number 8.Photos of the uber-fast machine went viral on Twitter.What do you think? Should law enforcement stick with vehicle types we are used to seeing or you think they should splurge and get a bit more creative?

A swan requires a second wing clipping for its helicopter obsession.Planes and birds don't go well together.A swan in Jersey, United Kingdom was forced to have its wings clipped for the second time due to its fascination with helicopters.Named Whooper, the waterbird lives at a country club, which is situated near a local airport. Roughly two years ago, he lost his partner. Since then, Whopper has been trying to find companionship elsewhere, in the form of flying contraptions. Last year, he became obsessed with a blue helicopter and he began constantly chasing it down the runway. The airport fire service took notice of Whooper and ordered for his wings to be trimmed to avoid a bird strike. His owner clipped them again recently after his feathers grew back. Bird strikes can be extremely dangerous. Last year, a United Airlines Boeing 737 declared an emergency after colliding with a flying creature during its descent towards the Denver International Airport.Flight 1475 from Dallas, landed safely without any injuries to the 151 passengers on board, but was left with a huge hole in the nose of the aircraft.

The Swedish tax agency fines a man following a LinkedIn discovery.Almost all of us have our personal information online these days.A man in Sweden landed in some hot water after the country’s tax agency discovered some intriguing facts on the web.Government authorities received an anonymous letter, alerting them that an unnamed male failed to report a portion of his income from a business located in the British Virgin Isles. The Swedish police financial crimes division checked out his professional networking page on the website LinkedIn.There they learned that the man had been working at the company since 2004. The tax agency has now sent a formal letter to the man, demanding $750,000 for back taxes. In another case of tax evasion, last year, 35-year-old, Andrew J. Watts was sentenced to 9 years in prison after he filed nearly 650 fraudulent tax returns by using the names and social security numbers of deceased people.The IRS seized about $17 million in Watts' bank accounts. According to court documents, the scheme went on from 2007 to 2011.

Harvard researchers make self-building gardens.To what extent can we replicate nature in our labs.Researchers from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have found that microscopic crystals create beautiful formations that look like flowers. When scientists combined barium chloride salt and sodium silicate, known as waterglass, and exposed them to carbon dioxide in the air, the chemicals made crystals of barium carbonate that could be controlled and altered to take on unique shapes and patterns. The pH levels, temperature, and other conditions of the chemical reaction can manipulate the size and shape of the crystals. Wim L. Noorduin, from Harvard, who led the study said: “For at least 200 years, people have been intrigued by how complex shapes could have evolved in nature. This work helps to demonstrate what’s possible just through environmental, chemical changes.” Images of the crystals are taken with an electron microscope and colored digitally to enhance the pictures. Besides just looking pretty, the study of silicon based structures naturally forming may contribute to the advancement of nanotechnology.

Florida's crime rate hit a 42 year low.The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported recently that the state’s crime rate is at a 42-year low.The lower numbers also proved to be the case for Palm Beach County. The popular vacation destination reported a 3 percent drop in most types of incidents in 2012 when compared to the year prior. In terms of violent crime, the state overall posted a decline in violent crime, however, the Palm Beach area saw an unfortunate increase in murders.There was also a significant spike in the number of rapes, escalating from 340 in 2011 to 381 in 2012. Some communities in south Florida had above-average crime declines. Broward County reported double-digit improvements in Pembroke Pines, Plantation, and Margate. Statewide the number of firearm related attacks fell 2 percent. Agencies remain committed to getting guns off of the streets. Officials attribute the improved safety in the lower part of the state to regional authorities combining their investigative efforts. Miami was, nonetheless listed in the top 20 on the FBI’s latest compilation listing of most dangerous cities in the US.

The first industrial hemp crop in 60 years is planted.One Springfield, Colorado farmer’s latest crop planting is getting a lot of attention. He’s planting hemp on a 60-acre expanse of land, an act that recently became legal in the state, but remains a federal crime. The farmer and his business partner are also going to install a seed press for the production of hemp oil. Hemp, a genetic relative of marijuana, is used to make a wide range of products including food, cosmetics, and clothing. The plant was originally gown in Central Asia thousands of years ago. Its fibers were used to make some of the first textiles and remained a popular option until the mid 19th century. It was popular in the United States for the making of sailcloth and rope, but eventually lost its preferred position to synthetics and new manufacturing technologies. Laws forbidding the planting of all cannabis plants were enacted in the 1950s. However, it is legal to consume, sell, or manufacture hemp products if they don’t contain THC, the Hallucinogenic element in marijuana that causes high. It’s estimated that 40.5 million dollars worth of hemp products were sold in the US in 2010.

The mother of a murder victim accepts a college diploma.Graduations are usually a joyous time. For one family, the feelings were mixed. The mother of a Washington D.C. murder victim recently accepted her son’s college diploma. 31-one-year-old, Olu Williams was shot to death outside of his apartment building in March of this year.While police did not release any specific motive, it’s believed the intended purpose was robbery. Church members, classmates family and friends took part in the graduation ceremony, honoring Williams hard work and determination.Sadly, the crime remains unsolved, but Williams’ loved ones hope that someone in the community will stand up and come forward with information. Recently, another family turned a tragedy into something a little more positive. After a 15-year-old boy named Skylar Marion was killed in a hit and run accident, the victim’s father made the very difficult decision to donate his deceased son's organs. Skylar's heart has now been transplanted into the chest of one of his classmates, who suffered from a genetic disorder which caused his heart failure.

A Marine Sergeant is reunited with a yellow lab. Even in war-torn areas, inseparable bonds can be formed.A Marine Sergeant from Wisconsin was recently reunited with a female yellow lab. The pair met in Afghanistan where 25-year-old Ross Gundlach was working as a dog handler. After he left active duty, Gundlach began trying to adopt the 4-year-old pooch named Casey. He learned that Casey had been sent to Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office to detect explosives. Gunlach sent a letter to Ray Reynolds who serves as the State Fire Marshal Director and asked to adopt Casey.After some time, Reynolds lured Gundlach to Des Moines, by telling him that he needed to plead his case to an oversight committee. When he arrived, the Marine Sergeant sat in a room with hundreds of officers and military workers. To his surprise, Casey was brought out for a tearful reunion.

Boston bombing suspect's nurses reportedly focused on the job at hand.Several of the nurses assigned to the recovery of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev recently spoke about their conflicting feelings while administering his care.Each of them said that the foundation of their profession is to care for all, regardless of the victim, and so that’s what they did. That doesn’t mean they weren’t aware of how his presence was affecting them and others in the hospital. While they all said they were proud of the job they did, none of them provided their full names. Some said it was out of fear for what the public reaction may be, and others revealed that they felt guilty for doing a good job. Drawing non-typical emotional lines between themselves and the patient was the preferred coping mechanism for a few. One woman said that she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him because of his injuries, but wouldn’t feel dismayed in the least if he ends up getting the death penalty. Of Tsarnaev’s release, the hospital’s CEO said, “…we can move forward and continue with the healing process here for the victims, the families and our community here.”

A coin discovery could rewrite Australian history.Five copper coins and an old map rediscovered by an Australian scientist and professor could change Australia’s history. Ian McIntosh, currently teaching at Indiana University, plans to visit the map site marked by an X. It turns out, the coins discovered there are older than current historical understanding permits.This, he feels, introduces the possibility that ships from afar could have landed on Australian shores much earlier than currently believed. The coins were uncovered in some beach sand by an Australian soldier during World War II. He put them away for safekeeping and rediscovered them in 1979. Closer examination has since shown the coins to be over 1000 years old and from the former Kilwa sultanate, now a World Heritage ruin near Tanzania.Now that they’re known to be from between 900s and 1300s, archeologists just need to figure out how and when they got to the Australian beach. Another African coin has toppled some long-accepted theories. The recent discovery of a 600 year-old piece in Kenya points to the Chinese as being the first to trade with East Africa, not the Portuguese as previously thought.

Dolphins discover a rare torpedo.Dolphins are amazing in many ways.Recently, Bottlenose dolphins discovered an old torpedo from the late 19th century in the ocean off the coast of Coronado, California. The Howell torpedo was considered an important US military advantage for its time, and only 50 of them were manufactured in Rhode Island between 1870 and 1889.Christian Harris, the operations supervisor for the biosciences division at the Systems Center Pacific said: “Considering it was made before electricity was provided to U.S. households, it was pretty sophisticated for its time.” Until the bottlenose dolphins located the torpedo in Coronado, only one remaining Howell torpedo was known to be left in the world. It is on display in the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington. Trained dolphins and seals have been used by the US Navy to locate important objects that are underwater like a mine or ship wreckage since the 1960s. Although some marine animals are used for missions by the Navy, a lot of marine life is negatively affected by military activity.

Honeybees are trained to detect explosives.Scientists are trying to train honeybees to see if they can detect landmines. By training the insects to identify food with the smell of explosives, researchers in Croatia are hoping they can use the bees to detect the presence of left over land mines from the Balkan Wars. 90 thousand landmines were reportedly placed randomly across the country of Croatia, and since 1991, 25 hundred deaths have been caused by landmine explosions. Usually dogs or rats are used to find the unexploded landmines, but sometimes they set off the explosions themselves due to their weight. Using the bees would allow the mines to be removed rather than explode. Rats have successfully cleared many landmines in parts of Africa.African pouched rats have proven to be effective at smelling the TNT explosives used in landmines. The rats are trained from a young age for nine months using food reward techniques when they correctly identify the presence of TNT.