A worker struck the building’s ceiling with a crowbar when gold coins, tucked into the rafters, began to rain down on him.
Friday’s links say farewell to 2011 by celebrating the finer, and odder, things in life.
Raffi Stepanian scours the sidewalks of New York’s Diamond District, seeking out metals and gems that have been inadvertently discarded. It’s a surprisingly profitable gig.
You don’t have to have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but you better have deep pockets if you want a taste of the world’s most expensive dessert.
Gone are the days of grain subsidy giveaways. In the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, voters in this week’s elections are more likely to walk away with a free cable connection and a small flock of sheep.
Robbers beware. It’s not the security guards you need to watch out for, but a woman and her flailing purse.
Tour operators, plate manufacturers and graphic novelists have already started milking the cash cow that is Kate Middleton’s wedding. Now officials in Wales worry gold prospectors may try to cash-in, too, potentially damaging the local ecosystem. (via Demotix)
Some immortalize themselves with a statue or a painting. Kanye has encrusted his image in diamonds and proudly displayed on his wrist. Would we expect anything less?
The Christmas tree in an Abu Dhabi luxury hotel is rocking more bling than Kate Middleton’s finger.
What happened to the days where vending machines only sold Fritos and Coke?
