In a bid to make use of nearly two tons of fibrous panda poop that animals drop each day, researchers at China's Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base in central-western Sichuan province are seeking to join hands with area paper mills. The catch: processing of the excrements of the grisly mammals into valuable office quality paper. According to Liao Jun, a researcher at the panda reserve, the idea of turning panda poop into paper came from Thailand where conversion of elephant dung into a variety of products such as artificial flowers, gift boxes and photo frames, is hugely popular.

A Clearfield, Pa. pub recently unveiled what they call a new world record -- a 123-pound cheeseburger. The sandwich was the main attraction at the Beer Barrel Charity event. Denny's Beer Barrel Pub owner Denny Leigey said he has beaten the competition -- a 105-pound burger from New Jersey and another from Thailand.

In a treatment that equates Internet addicts to mentally ill people, China is giving electric shocks to people who spend more time on the Internet than required. The Chinese government has launched a nationwide campaign to treat "Internet addiction" and many Internet-addiction clinics have been opened in this regard. A recent survey found that nearly 14 percent of teens in China are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the Internet. The Communist Youth League calls it a "a grave social problem" that threatens the youth of this Asian country.

Ashrita Furman, a 52-year-old man from New York claims to have set yet another world record. Well known for setting as many as 54 bizarre world records, Furman is claiming another entry in the Guinness Book of World Records by doing the maximum squat thrusts in one minute. But the beauty of Furman's recent record lies in its duality. Not only did he do maximum squats, he performed the feat on the back of an elephant.

Chefs in Thailand have made a 10-course dinner that costs diners $25,000 to eat. Among the delicacies included were Perigord truffles that are worth about $350 each. Six three-star chefs were commissioned to cook the dinner. It was served at the Lebua luxury hotel in celebration of the "Epicurean Masters of the World" event.