Living the holiday..

Snow monkeys: Japanese Macaques Living The Holiday – In sub-zero temperatures, Japanese macaques soak in the warmth of a volcanic hotspring at Jigokudani (Hell’s Valley) in Nagano Province, Japan – the only known place in the world where monkeys bathe in natural hot springs. You can even watch them live on a webcam. [stills / webcam]

General Motors Drops Tiger – Boom! General Motors says that its agreement with Tiger Woods that allowed him to have free vehicles, like the Cadillac Escalade he crashed in his Florida neighborhood on Nov. 27, ended two weeks ago. Should have gone with Audi, pal. They’ve stayed with me, even after that whole Vanessa Raphaely scandal. They’ve seen the tape, but they’re cool with it. Because that’s how we roll. [usatoday]

Audi’s Electric Car Gets Even Hotter – The German automaker unveiled the second iteration of its sweet electric concept at the North American International Auto Show. But it looks less like a concept designed to wow journalists and more like a production car designed to attract buyers. We’ll be watching the windows of Audi Centre Cape Town patiently! [wired]

Presidency Confirms Shaik Pardon – This is pretty massive. The presidency has confirmed receiving an application for a presidential pardon from convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik, the SABC reported on Wednesday.The application is one of over 300 currently before President Jacob Zuma, according to a report on the broadcaster’s website. As we cross over to Helen. Helen, your thoughts? [mail&guardian]

Hugh Hefner Drops The Twins – I totally understand his vibe here. I mean, have you watched the twins on Girls of The Playboy Mansion? They just seem so contrived. So fake. Nowhere near as wholesome and real as Bridg, Kendra and Holly were. They were cool. Like when you go to Caprice and play with the waitresses. Good times. [celebslam]

Haiti Gets Totalled Following Earthquake – I skipped over the earthquake news yesterday but it hard to ignore a new total of 100,000 deaths. The presidential palace has been destroyed. Parliament is destroyed. Even the prisons have crumbled, releasing thousands of bad guys onto the streets. Not that they can do much harm. Haiti is now completely reliant on foreign help. [usatoday]

Caster Semenya Set To Resume Competition – South Africa’s controversial world 800m champion Caster Semenya could return to competition next month despite an ongoing gender test investigation. Semenya, 19, who stormed to victory in Berlin in August last year, intends to compete in a domestic series. Oh, so she is allowed to compete sometimes? [bbc]

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Armani Adverts – This one’s for the laysezz! It’s footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s new Armani underwear ads. While we’re at it, regarding those rumours going around about me… YES, I have been approached by a leading international underwear brand to model their range, following my naked spread in the latest Marie Claire. There, I said it. [anorak]

La Colombe in Constantia – I went there for lunch yesterday. Absolutely mind blowing! Crayfish to start and linefish (kingklip) for main. Thanks to Luke and the gang for the best meal I’ve had so far this year! This simply has to be Cape Town’s finest restaurant. It kind of makes sense that it won the 2009 Restaurant of the Year title. Awards that some other restaurant owners should perhaps focus on – rather than drawing attention to themselves and behaving like lunatics. I guess that’s why they get banned from the likes of HQ and Caveau. . [la colombe ]

Duke Semans Mansion for Sale at $50 Million – Cab driver-turned-fertilizer king Tamir Sapir has just listed his palatial New York abode, the famed Duke Semans mansion on Fifth Avenue, for sale at $50 million. The billionaire bought the historic seven-story Beaux Arts mansion across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Doris Duke’s heirs for $40 million in 2006 after a single walk-through. [luxist]

Princess Caroline In Court – Princess Caroline of Monaco appears in German court Princess Caroline of Monaco has appeared in a German court to describe the moment her husband slapped a hotel owner in Kenya during and argument over noise from a disco. Awesome, let’s go with that! [telegraph]

China’s Secret Cyberterrorism – A classified FBI report indicates that China has secretly developed an army of 180,000 cyberspies that “poses the largest single threat to the United States for cyberterrorism and has the potential to destroy vital infrastructure, interrupt banking and commerce, and compromise sensitive military and defense databases.” [dailybeast]

Pope Forgives Female Assailant – Remember that maniac woman who jumped over the railing and pulled the holy one to the floor? Ja, well, she feels really bad (God will do that to you) and apologised for her action. She met briefly with his Uber-Holiness, who forgave her. Well, I think that’s bloody decent of him! [telegraph]