tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70828921344259177602024-02-18T19:57:51.400-08:00Rate #1, best ranking systemSergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.comBlogger121125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-37710723463407943582011-07-28T00:03:00.001-07:002011-07-28T00:09:10.576-07:0010 monsters that inspire dread<p> </p><h1>#10 - Cockatrice</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vxJEk_XM4wk/TjEJrnawOII/AAAAAAAAB8M/YsLKxM-4VSc/10%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="375" /> </p><p>The Cockatrice can cause death with a single glance. Reports indicate that anything catching sight of the lethal bird’s eyes is turned instantly to stone. Just as deadly is their poisonous saliva, which can fell even an elephant. Also known as a Basilisk, a Cockatrice has the head and feet of a cockerel and the tail of a serpent. The Cockatrice is believed to be the product of a seven-year-old cockerel’s egg, laid during a full moon, and then hatched for nine years by a serpent or toad. There are a few ways to protect oneself from a Cockatrice. One is to carry something reflective – like a mirror – and turn the creature’s gaze back on it. Another is to keep either a weasel or a cockerel nearby. The weasel is said to be the mortal enemy of the Cockatrice, While the crowing of the cockerel is even more effective as it causes the Cockatrice to have fatal fits and ultimately thrash itself to death.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#9 - Manticore</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-i2MYrGm_FTuwRaYP9AyGpuWBpOFt24qSUfCcm7zNxagtOY5J2qgfH-tZU4oKN3SNVeSAEkloHSrPXOtrLLC8HI2EfommDtlmALXhHvIcVYlKDn6Wbd2J2Y5yiLxJ4SA9CwX6mqMmtY/?imgmax=800" width="327" height="457" /> </p><p>The manticore is a legendary creature similar to the Egyptian sphinx. It has the body of a red lion, a human head with three rows of sharp teeth (like a shark), and a trumpet-like voice. Other aspects of the creature vary from story to story. It may be horned, winged or both. The tail is that of either a dragon or a scorpion, and it may shoot poisonous spines to either paralyze or kill its victims. It devours its prey whole. It leaves no clothes, bones or possessions of the prey behind. The creature’s feet may be those of a dragon, but are most often described as the paws of a lion. Its size ranges from the size of a lion to the size of a horse. It is also mistaken as a bearded man when seen from a distance – a deception which makes it easy to fall victim to the creature.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#8 - Kelpie</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9N9HH2Jq007KjmqVwhiUk-WJ2TLFd8kFSNFlEi0j9JUU0DFqhYnjIu6wt_lzNCqkS1uetSLRrvjFMloJP3ibIE06LUG1LCyJJ2cGg8TE1l7ogkqPo8rlfvgMXRKTiA-tdl6qPLh-L5Q/?imgmax=800" width="315" height="390" /> </p><p>The kelpie is a supernatural water horse from Celtic folklore, that is believed to haunt the rivers and lochs of Scotland and Ireland. The horse’s appearance is strong, powerful and breathtaking. Its hide was supposed to be black (though in some stories it was white), and it will appear to be a lost pony, but can be identified by its constantly dripping mane. Its skin is like that of a seal, smooth, but is as cold as death when touched. Water horses are known to transform into beautiful women to lure men into their traps. The water horse is a common form of the kelpie, said to lure humans, especially children, into the water to drown and eat them. It performs this act by encouraging children to ride on its back. Once its victims fall into its trap, the kelpie’s skin becomes adhesive and it bears them into the river, dragging them to the bottom of the water and devouring them—except the heart or liver.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#7 - Soucouyant</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPUXaWdu5f6DqfvPb-ol8SMYb_qguBuG6N7qtzughhKaZ3e6Ka3Adz584RCkLrx0hENGOeDUogjtrmHlNibvOuCG3EIjVTwYOpDu8f2f-LngL6jZ3Ka5qHt2Ot4DY2oIY9QKZzTF-rUw/?imgmax=800" width="326" height="268" /> </p><p>Not only is the soucouyant scary – it is probably the most bizarre entry here. The soucouyant in Dominica, Trinidadian and Guadeloupean folklore, is a kind of vampire. The Soucouyant lives by day as an old woman at the end of the village. By night, however, she strips off her wrinkled skin, puts it in a mortar, and flies in the shape of a fireball through the darkness, looking for a victim. Still in the shape of a fireball, the soucouyant enters the home of her victim through the keyhole, or any crack or crevice. Soucouyants suck the blood of people from their arms, legs and other soft parts, while they sleep. If the soucouyant draws out too much blood from her victim, it is believed that the victim will die and become a soucouyant herself, or else perish entirely, leaving her killer to assume her skin. The soucouyant practices witchcraft, voodoo and black magic. Soucouyants trade the blood of their victims for evil powers with Bazil, the demon who resides in the silk cotton tree.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#6 - Umibōzu</h1><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uIf7zl83qQoWwJ03wEPLIHx7u-0JzK5cIZLX3V4PQWkSJ8ARjqdjjoeMXu29UUNPBXtaZi5xOiTGrjsvaxu730iXmKDyd1-X3-KFc3BxKW9yXg0l1NY1ycj7E3ruGx5ZpB8eUWTF_Sw/s1600-h/6%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JmxlZko4nSE/TjEJvHMhl-I/AAAAAAAAB8g/Xv7JEaFY4Sc/6_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="283" height="418" /></a> </p><p>Umibōzu is a spirit in Japanese folklore. The Umibōzu is said to live in the ocean and capsize the ship of anyone who dares speak to it. This spirit’s name, which combines the character for “sea” with the character of “Buddhist monk,” is possibly related to the fact that the Umibōzu is said to have a large, round head, resembling the shaven heads of Buddhist monks. Alternatively, they are enormous Yōkai (spectres) that appear to shipwreck victims and fishermen. They are believed to be drowned priests, exhibit the shaven head and typically appears to be praying. It is usually reported as having a grey, cloud-like torso and serpentine limbs. As you can see from the image above, this is not a creature you want to bump into in the middle of the night.</p><p> </p><p><ins><ins></ins></ins></p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><br />
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<h1>#5 - Hidebehind</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-APgahs12yjo/TjEJvg7Pz9I/AAAAAAAAB8k/1MpoEr2lgzU/5%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="401" /> </p><p>A hidebehind is a nocturnal fearsome critter from American folklore that preys upon humans that wander the woods, and was credited for the disappearances of early colonial loggers when they failed to return to camp. As its name suggests, the hidebehind is noted for its ability to conceal itself. When an observer attempts to look directly at it, the creature hides again behind an object or the observer, and therefore can’t be directly seen; a feat it accomplishes by sucking in its stomach to a point where it is so slender that it can easily cover itself behind the trunk of any tree. The hidebehind uses this ability to stalk human prey without being observed, and to attack without warning. Their victims, including lumberjacks who frequent the forests, are dragged back to the creature’s lair to be devoured. The creature subsists chiefly upon the intestines of its victim. Tasty.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#4 - Bakeneko</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1QDMqTBekog/TjEJwBRBZNI/AAAAAAAAB8o/3uOr0vn24jY/4%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="298" height="388" /> </p><p>Cats are meant to be furry and cute – but not when it is five feet high and shoots fireballs! A bakeneko (“monster-cat”) is, in Japanese folklore, a cat with supernatural abilities akin to those of the fox or raccoon dog. A cat may become a bakeneko in a number of ways: it may reach a certain age, be kept for a certain number of years, grow to a certain size, or be allowed to keep a long tail. A bakeneko is a cat that gains paranormal powers after certain circumstances. They also have the ability to eat (bigger or smaller) anything in its way, no matter what it is. Poison is its main food. A bakeneko will haunt any household it is kept in, creating ghostly fireballs, menacing sleepers, walking on its hind legs, changing its shape into that of a human, and even devouring its own mistress in order to shapeshift and take her place. When it is finally killed, its body may be as much as five feet in length. It also poses a danger if allowed into a room with a fresh corpse; a cat is believed to be capable of reanimating a body by jumping over it.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#3 - Draugr</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uV9MrT-V2Ag/TjEJw-Iey0I/AAAAAAAAB8s/wOvUUpzc5K8/3%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" height="379" /> </p><p>A draugr is an undead creature from Norse mythology. Draugar were believed to live in the graves of dead Vikings, being the body of the dead. As the graves of important men often contained a good amount of wealth, the draugr jealously guards his treasures, even after death. Draugar possess superhuman strength, can increase their size at will, and carry the unmistakable stench of decay. The draugr’s ability to increase its size also increased its weight, and the body of the draugr was described as being extremely heavy. Thorolf of Eyrbyggja Saga was “uncorrupted, and with an ugly look about him… swollen to the size of an ox,” and his body was so heavy that it could not be raised without levers. In folklore the draugar slay their victims through various methods including crushing them with their enlarged forms, devouring their flesh, devouring them whole in their enlarged forms, indirectly killing them by driving them mad, and drinking their blood. Animals feeding near the grave of a draugr may be driven mad by the creature’s influence.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#2 - Monstrous Races</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FCl-G_7AUYc/TjEJxWlni7I/AAAAAAAAB8w/i9e7Wl9Gd90/2%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="315" height="403" /> </p><p>Pliny (in his Natural History, 77AD) gives us the first accounts of monstrous races in his attempt to describe the various unknown peoples of foreign lands. Some of the races he describes are hairy choromandae, which make a terrifying gnashing noise, half-beasts and half men created by the gods to terrify men for their amusement, and perhaps most horrifyingly a race of creatures who feed exclusively on the milk of dog-headed men (cynocephalae). In medieval history we find men with chests in their heads, and gigantic men who roam about on one leg, but prefer to lie on their back using their giant foot to protect them from the sun (sciapods). Pictured above is a weird mix of a man with a head in his chest, mixed with a bird.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h1>#1 - Tiamat</h1><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Yt4-EbWStQE/TjEJyDfozbI/AAAAAAAAB80/tNGxx1XTs3U/1%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="403" /> </p><p>We are all familiar with dragons from various historical tales and myths, but Tiamat really takes the cake for inspiring terror. Tiamat comes to us from Babylonian mythology. She is often wrongly described as being a sea-serpent or dragon, but it is far worse than that. First, here is a description: “[Tiamat had] a tail, a thigh, “lower parts” (which shake together), a belly, an udder, ribs, a neck, a head, a skull, eyes, nostrils, a mouth, and lips. She has insides (possibly “entrails”), a heart, arteries, and blood.” She was made up of such a jumble of things that she truly was a creature of chaos. But it gets worse. Tiamat was so horrifying, so monstrous, and so dread-inspiring because, from her bizarre pseudo-human cum cryptozoological body, she gave birth to dragons, scorpion-men, merpeople (yes, that is a real word), and countless other horrifying things. The Tiamat myth says that she was eventually killed by the god Marduk, who then split her body in two forming heaven and earth.</p>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-25447786753557201852011-01-06T02:08:00.001-08:002011-01-06T02:11:05.465-08:00Top 10 Military Field Tacticians<p> </p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<h3>#10 - Genghis Khan</h3><p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUO1ybWtI/AAAAAAAAB64/QYEdAqRUdWg/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="293" height="414" /> </p><p>The entire Mongol Empire, at its peak, covered some 12.7 million square miles, which is 22% of all the land area on Earth. The tactics that enabled such conquests can be traced primarily to Genghis, the empire’s founder and first Khan. His birth name was Borjigin Temujin, and he devised a versatile attacking style, that of missile cavalries: his best archers were not trained merely to shoot, but to shoot accurately while riding horses at full gallop. They could even shoot accurately directly behind the horse at full gallop. No infantry force in the world at that time could have withstood such soldiers, and all the nations the Mongols invaded were overwhelmed very quickly.</p><p>Genghis’s legacy has been cemented by his conquest of Khwarezmia, which is most of modern Iran, along with parts of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Genghis originally respected the leader, Ala ad-Din Muhammad II, as another conqueror, but when Genghis sent emissaries to strike up commerce with Ala ad-Din, the latter killed the diplomats and sent the rest back with shaved heads as an insult. First rule of Genghis Khan: don’t insult Genghis Khan.</p><p>He invaded Khwarezmia with 200,000 men, as many as half of these mounted archers, and split his army into smaller forces designed to conquer more territory faster. In military schools, this is always advised against, but Genghis’s scouts indicated that Ala ad-din was waiting with stronghold defenses, which suited Genghis’s desire for maneuvering room. His armies surrounded the walled cities of Samarkand, Urgench and Bukhara, and utterly destroyed them, one after another. On the third day of siege at Burkhara, the Turkish generals inside decided that they did not have the food and water to outlast Genghis, and so sallied a force of 20,000 cavalrymen and infantrymen, who attacked in the open steppe outside the city. Genghis’s army slaughtered them, to the last man.</p><p>Then he finished the siege within another 2 weeks, killed the Turkish soldiers who survived, sent the rest of the population’s youth into slavery, and executed everyone else, men and women deemed inefficient for labor. Seeing that the Turkish attempt to free itself from siege failed so well, Genghis next besieged Samarkand, whose garrison sent 50,000 veteran troops against Genghis’s army when it pretended to withdraw piecemeal. This was a simple plot that worked magnificently. His men retaliated, flanked on both sides, enveloped, and shot the Turks down in a massive pile of human and horse carcasses. He saw no need to preserve their horses since his did not seem to be at risk. Ala ad-Din arrived with a relief force of several tens of thousands, but could not approach because of Genghis’s mounted archers. The other 50,000 or so defenders of the city were executed to the last man, as was every single civilian, whose heads were arranged into a giant pyramid outside the walls.</p><p>Urgench was not so easy to attack, since it was built on swamp land around Amu Darya River. Genghis sent his men in without fear, and they lost significantly more men than usual due to the urban street fighting. The high end estimate of Turkish deaths, both civilian and military, in Urgench is 1,200,000, but much more plausible is 250,000 to 500,000. The rest were enslaved. This was one of the bloodiest genocides in history. </p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#9 -  Julius Caesar</h3><p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcnXdqRb0ioUibllJrjGbJYwwvmdq5-jl1ypVAqzjgP1KIyL83Y3SYqge9jm-DCK2QuMZbz_-HjoZqe0BFWrSBegAMPMCcJVgVwKCMiExHYu0URSk3fUShb-FPsccki4uRkiLA5BsPjk/?imgmax=800" width="301" height="392" /> </p><p>The politics involved in the opening of hostilities between Caesar’s legions and Vercingetorix’s armies are very complicated, and Rome and Gaul are both to blame. But Caesar considered and announced that Gaul had become a serious threat to Roman safety by 58 BC, and so he invaded with the intent to destroy and annex the entire territory. What happened next is famously recorded by Caesar himself, in his own hand, in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico. Assuming he told the truth, and he was remarkably honest and respectful of fine opponents, Vercingetorix, the primary leader of Gaul, has been given a well-deserved honorable mention below.</p><p>He beat Caesar fair and square at the siege of Gergovia, and the stage was set, after some 7 years of pitched battles, long marches and sieges, for the Battle of Alesia, in 52 BC. Caesar besieged the Gauls there with 12 legions, plus cavalry: at least 60,000 men. The Gauls had a garrison of 80,000, supplemented in a timely manner by at least 100,000 more troops under Commius, Vercingetorix’s ablest ally. He may have arrived with 250,000. Caesar had intended to starve the garrison into submission by building a circumvallation around the entire fort, but Vercingetorix managed to send a cavalry detachment through a gap in the wall as it was being constructed. Once it got away, Caesar anticipated a relief force arriving, and thus had a second wall built, called a contravallation, around the first, trapping themselves inside for protection. Now the besiegers were besieged and Caesar was in quite dire straits. </p><p>The weakest part of his wall was over a natural break in the northwestern area of the mountainous ground, and Vercingetorix desperately attacked in all directions from the inside, especially here, timing his action with an attempt by the relief force on the other side of the fort. Caesar’s army was flagging badly against both inner and outer assaults, and he inspired his men to redouble their efforts by personally leading a 6,000-horse cavalry charge around the Gallic relief force’s flank into its rear, and there was no mistaking the one and only great, crimson cape visible for miles on the battlefield. He had picked up a spear and shield, and was killing Gauls himself. Everyone on both sides knew to whom the cape belonged, and his men “burst frenzious with the joy of war,” as he wrote, and finally routed the relief army. </p><p>Once they began retreating in disarray, they were cut down by the thousands. Vercingetorix witnessed all this and surrendered the next morning.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#8  - George S. Patton</h3><p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUQyR1KGI/AAAAAAAAB7E/OyLRMufVc7M/s1600-h/8%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUSKfb8VI/AAAAAAAAB7I/cLZK6ExJVWs/8_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="258" height="344" /></a> </p><p>He is now famous for using the Nazis’ own patented tactic against them: blitzkrieg. A “lightning war” is generally thought of as one which concentrates all available men and material into the enemy lines, breaking them, then pressing forward without first defending one’s flanks. To defend one’s flanks gives the enemy valuable time to bring up reserves or prepare its own defenses.</p><p>Germany most infamously used this tactic to great effect in France and Russia. The idea was proposed by the next entry, who can be considered the author of the Battle of France. Patton understood blitzkrieg warfare, the fast mobilization of armor to overwhelm the enemy to be successful in almost all cases. It relied on air supremacy but, after 1940, the Allies permanently had this in Europe. Patton first rose to prominence in North Africa, outmaneuvering the German tanks at El Guettar, and winning a fine victory over #5, though #5 was not present. </p><p>After North Africa fell to the Allies, Patton was transferred to Sicily and always pressed forward with every available man, using the very same style of fighting against the Germans for which the latter had become legendary. After the Allied conquest of Italy, Patton was given command of the U. S. Third Army, and bashed right through the German lines in France. He was the only Allied general whose army was referred to by the Germans by name, rather than number. When he was on the move, the Wehrmacht did not report that the Third Army was coming, but, “Patton’s Army is coming.”</p><p>He only stopped once, near Metz, France, when his entire army ran out of gas. He had intended to conquer Germany on his own. Once resupplied, he relieved the Americans in Bastogne and joined in the Battle of the Bulge. This logistical achievement is particularly impressive and well studied in military schools today. Patton was not in position to relieve Bastogne, but when asked, he immediately accepted the task. His men did not particularly like the freezing cold march, but Bastogne’s defenders were saved.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#7 - Erich von Manstein</h3><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUTPryPMI/AAAAAAAAB7M/X_-N3OklmpQ/s1600-h/7%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUUVd847I/AAAAAAAAB7Q/InjDnjchpMo/7_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="271" height="385" /></a> </p><p>Manstein makes the list largely for his masterful defense of Kharkov, the third battle for this city, in modern Ukraine. The Soviets were fresh off a monumental victory at Stalingrad, and the Germans had lost the initiative. Manstein very nearly got it back by holding the Soviet advance to a standstill around Kharkov, though faced with 350,000 men against his 70,000. His task was to cut off and destroy the Soviet armored spearheads, which had advanced too far from their own lines. Then he would have to recapture Kharkov and hold the Soviets back. He succeeded with both objectives.</p><p>The Soviets attacked as expected, and were held to a draw in the center, and beaten back on both flanks, whereupon the Soviet center had to withdraw or be surrounded. Manstein had his men storm into Kharkov in pursuit, and the battle became one of street fighting and house-to-house close combat. This should have favored the Soviets, who had more men, many of whom were fresh from the very same fighting in Stalingrad. But the city had not been bombed into rubble as at Stalingrad, and Manstein’s tanks were consequently able to maneuver without much difficulty, taking the city in about a week. Manstein then arranged a defensive line on the eastern side of the city to prevent its recapture. He had killed or captured 52 Soviet divisions, of about 80,000 men, losing only about 10,000 himself.</p><p>Hitler, in a feat of mental brilliance, fired Manstein in 1944, for persistently arguing with Hitler on military objectives, tactics, strategy, etc. Manstein’s theory was of mobile defense along the entire Eastern Front, allowing the Soviets to take ground here and there, then cut them off and chew them up. This would probably have worked, given the bloodlust the Soviets had for taking Germany.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#6 - Scipio Africanus</h3><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUVRcBA6I/AAAAAAAAB7U/cNr1P_mniXA/s1600-h/6%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj22Tj9sXa3G0vlFQ-K0_cvCGpK9gdVSFaPMYK5KTiHAi-OX5ei_1AGYlEUvoRDG35Thb6Pmh4BZgBZb-qZomsg6iqfwtKvAqs9A4Crio3Px3ZWQNou5YEGen2dKKY2TDxe5AFqx0B4myU/?imgmax=800" width="319" height="223" /></a> </p><p>Scipio’s proper name is Publius Cornelius Scipio. He achieved the nickname “Africanus” after defeating #3 on the plains of Zama in Carthage (modern North Africa). He managed this victory against a substantial numerical superiority: 43,000 Romans versus 64,000 Carthaginians (and allies) supplemented by 80 war elephants. #3 ordered the elephants to charge first, then intended his infantry to follow them into the holes they trampled in the Roman lines.</p><p>Scipio countered this by arranging his infantry in vertical lines, instead of the usual horizontal, which is to say vertical perpendicular to the Carthaginians. The elephants charged headlong into clever traps of javelins, spears, bows and arrows, etc., which caused them to panic and trample back into their own lines. Meanwhile, Scipio’s cavalries charged on both flanks against the enemy cavalries, managed to rout them, then doubled back and smashed into the rear of the Carthaginian infantry. Shades of #3′s finest hour. But Scipio’s finest hour was at Ilipa, in Hispania (Spain). It would take too long to describe here, but Wikipedia has a fine article on it. Scipio was outnumbered here as well, by 43,000 to some 70,000, but he outmanouevered the 3 enemy generals every step of the way (#3 was not there). A sudden rainstorm was all that spared the Carthaginians from annihilation.</p><p><ins><ins></ins></ins></p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#5 - Erwin Rommel</h3><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUaJy69KI/AAAAAAAAB7c/Cfc8x3Vikew/s1600-h/5%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUjfOyu2I/AAAAAAAAB7g/-cV_MJgIIX4/5_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="261" height="350" /></a> </p><p>Rommel is remembered today as the man who nearly stopped the Allied offensive in its fledgling tracks in North Africa. He was up against Bernard Montgomery of Great Britain, and later, General Patton. After showing himself magnificently in the Axis push through Belgium and France, he was promoted to Generall der Panzertruppe, commander of the 5th Light Division, which became the 21st Panzer Division, and transferred to North Africa. His orders were to hold the Nazi foothold in the Saharan Desert until Hitler had conquered Britain or, despairing of this, conquered Russia, whereupon Hitler would certainly have transferred all the necessary manpower and machinery to Rommel, and prepared an all-out offensive against Britain and across the Atlantic against the United States of America (or sued for peace depending on his nerve).</p><p>Rommel very nearly lasted as long as this would have taken. Hitler lost the air battle for Britain, after which Rommel was never going to get the material he needed, and he only lost the Nazis’ foothold in Africa because he ran out of fuel. Hitler refused to transfer any more to him because he considered it more necessary for the Eastern Front. Not only did Hitler repeatedly refuse Rommel’s pleas for material, but after Montgomery repeatedly threw in reserves after reserves until Rommel had run out of tanks and fuel, Hitler refused to allow Rommel to retreat. Hitler later changed his mind as Rommel had 20 tanks facing an onslaught of 500 tanks from Montgomery, but by then, there weren’t many Germans left to retreat. </p><p>In the interim, however, Rommel showed himself to be a master for the ages, inflicting massive defeat upon defeat against the British and Americans. Because of bad intelligence, he could not break the fortifications of Tobruk, Libya, and would not have bothered trying had he known they were so staunch. When a British relief force en masse arrived through Egypt, codenamed Operation Crusader, Rommel turned his army from the siege to open battle and, though outnumbered, surrounded the British tank army and destroyed or captured two-thirds of it in the open desert. He pursued them to the Battle of Gazala, on May 26, 1942, and for the next month, one of the largest armored engagements in history to that date played out. Both sides suffered terrible losses, but Rommel won in the end, taking the ground, losing 114 tanks, destroying 540, and all while suffering a numerical inferiority of 80,000 to 175,000, with 560 tanks to 843.</p><p>After flanking the entire British army and driving it to the coast, he surrounded and took Tobruk. He had no intention of resting on his laurels, but advanced into Egypt to take as much ground from the retreating Allies as he could, and met them at El Alamein. This was a stalemate which halted Rommel’s drive through Egypt, and both sides dug in. During the summer, while they rested, the British received steady supplies and Montgomery as their new Field Marshal. He renewed the attack on Rommel at El Alamein, and Rommel was finally defeated because he had no supplies coming from Europe. Hitler deemed them more critical for the push into Russia. Rommel had only half the material, and 116,000 men to 195,000, and he still managed to hold Monty to a tactical draw, refusing to be outflanked and giving no ground until Monty received even more material.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#4 - Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson</h3><p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUlKczqcI/AAAAAAAAB7k/W11Pd7OkG8M/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="301" height="374" /> </p><p>The greatest general of American military history (a long history) only lost one battle in his career, at Kernstown, VA, on March 23, 1862. This loss has been attributed to bad intelligence: Jackson was told that there was only about one regiment of Union soldiers in the area, but encountered a full division of 8,500 men, confronting his 3,800. He attempted to turn the Union right flank, but was beaten back, and the North held the field. The result, however, proved more complex.</p><p>The North discovered that its intent to reinforce its armies marching on Richmond would be fought by Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, the only feasible route the North could take to its army quickly. This valley is some 150 miles long by about 50 miles wide, and comprises the northwestern border of Virginia with West Virginia. To combat Jackson’s army of 17,000 men, President Lincoln dispatched no less than three separate armies, totaling 52,000 men, led primarily by Gens. Fremont, Banks, Schenck and Shields.</p><p>After his first defeat, Jackson never lost again, and defeated the combined Union offensive in no less than 5 battles throughout May to early June of 1862. These battles ranged all over the Shenandoah Valley, as the Union pressed as hard as it could to break through and reinforce the assault on Richmond. Jackson forced his men to march some 650 miles in 48 days, and whenever the armies met, Jackson’s flanks could not be turned from their anchor points on steep ridges before Jackson sent in reserves. At Front Royal, Jackson had 3,000 men to Kenly’s 1,000, and broke his lines with hard cavalry charges. Jackson’s method was to anticipate his enemy’s movements based on the terrain (the path of least resistance, usually), and attack one army at a time, never all three at once.</p><p>He made a fairly poor showing at the Seven Days’ Battles around Richmond, but cemented his legacy at Chancellorsville, on May 2, 1863, two months before Gettysburg. Gen. R. E. Lee risked splitting his army in two, giving Jackson the left to turn the right flank of Hooker’s army. Jackson succeeded in doing so, routing Hooker’s entire right flank into utter disorder, forcing it onto a permanent defensive, and enabling Lee to split the enemy army in two, and arrange a pincer movement around this larger section of it.</p><p>Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men that night while scouting the lines, and had to have his left arm amputated. He then contracted pneumonia and died 8 days later. Many historians like to say that if there is a God, he must be opposed to slavery because he took General “Stonewall” Jackson away to enable its eradication.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#3 - Hannibal Barca</h3><p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUmByzKDI/AAAAAAAAB7o/ur_-BFYvSDA/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="236" height="415" /> </p><p>Hannibal oversaw the most truculent devastation in a single battle in the history of ancient warfare. It is cemented in history as the Battle of Cannae, in southeast Italy, just above the heel of the boot. Hannibal’s intent was utter conquest of the Roman Empire, and he came closer than anyone else in history to pulling it off. He had already defeated the Romans twice at Trebia and Lake Trasimene, inflicting tens of thousands of casualties and, in response, Rome gave dictatorial power to Fabius Maximus, who waged attrition warfare against him, refusing to fight him, and denying his army access to farmlands and food.</p><p>At Cannae, the Roman public demanded a victory, and the generals assigned to deliver it were Gaius Terentius Varro and Lucius Aemilius Paulus. They fearlessly and foolishly assailed Hannibal’s center, where they saw his troops to be weakest. Hannibal intended this as deception, and they fell for the trap: the center engaged in a very organized retreat in the face of superior numbers of Roman phalanges. This phalanx formation adopted from the Ancient Greeks and employed almost exclusively ever since, was thought unbreakable. This is true if the enemy attacks it from the front. But Hannibal saw its severe Achilles’s Heel: once in phalanx formation, the entire Roman mass of soldiers could not maneuver to protect itself from cavalry flanking or encirclement.</p><p>Hannibal allowed the Romans to advance and push his men back, whereupon he ordered his flanks, where all his very best soldiers waited, to close in from the sides. Meanwhile, he ordered his cavalry to outflank the Roman cavalry on the extreme right, then circle round behind the Romans, shut them in and lay waste to them entirely. And it worked. Paulus was killed in the atrocious carnage, and by the end of the day the Carthaginians were so exhausted from slaughtering every single man they could swing their swords and thrust their spears at that their hands seized to their weapons and they could not discard them. The Romans could not flank the Carthaginians’ left flank because of the Aufidus River.</p><p>Near nightfall, with the dust so badly obscuring everyone’s vision, about 14,000 Romans, including Varro, finally cut through a weak section of the lines and escaped to Canusium. Some 600 Roman soldiers were cut to pieces every minute for the better part of the day. Thousands of them dug little pits and buried their faces in them, suffocating rather than face the oncoming butchery. This may have been history’s first use of the pincer maneuver. The entire Roman army was obliterated.</p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#2 - Napoleon Bonaparte</h3><p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUnGwjPlI/AAAAAAAAB7s/bNgzADRoOPY/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="285" height="361" /> </p><p>Napoleon did something which, at the time, no one on Earth thought possible: he conquered almost all of Europe. He was quite full of himself, and that may have had something to do with his 5’2″ height, or his 1″ penis (look it up). But what he lacked in physicality, he more than made up for in daring and brilliance. When it became evident that he wanted Europe to be entirely French, all of Europe banded together against him. This coalition was comprised of The United Kingdom, Austria, Russia, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden and a host of others.</p><p>Napoleon singlehandedly led his Grande Armee to victory after victory, his most impressive occurring at Austerlitz and Ulm, among many others. His victory at Austerlitz is still regarded with awe in military universities around the world. Napoleon was outnumbered 72,000 to 92,000, but he knew that the Russian-Austrian coalition (the third coalition) was eager to attack and crush him, and he furthered their desire by feigning a weak appearance in his soldiers while on the field the day before the battle began. Then he deliberately thinned out his right flank to weaken it, and the coalition took the bait, attacking there the next morning. In doing so, the coalition depleted the forces in its center, and this is where Napoleon intended to strike at the right time. It worked.</p><p>There was more to it than that, of course, but Napoleon owed a large part of his success to his modernization of artillery tactics: the cannon had been used for centuries as simple supporting fire for the infantry. Napoleon used them as their own, mobile attack units, striking in small groups of 10 to 20, firing for up to 30 minutes, then displacing to another position on the field. He loses points, of course, for invading Russia. He fell victim to one of the classic blunders: never get involved in a land war in Asia. The Russians had lost enough battles to him, and simply retreated deeper and deeper into Russia, praying for Generals January and February, which arrived as timely as ever, and froze Napoleon in his tracks. The Russians burned absolutely everything in his path, including Moscow, and an army of some 600,000 men (maybe 690,000) needs a lot of food, especially for its horses. Only 180,000 made it back to France. Hitler deserves lowest mention on a list of the worst military strategists for attempting the very same invasion 200 years later.</p><p>Many experts believe that Napoleon had lost his edge by his return to Europe in 1815. He raised another army and fought the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo. Napoleon may have waited too long in the morning for the ground to dry out before commencing. This gave Wellington’s badly needed reinforcements, 50,000 men under Field Marshal Blucher, the time to get there and save the day. Napoleon nearly broke through the lines.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-"></a></p><h3>#1 - Alexander III of Macedon</h3><p><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TSWUoRnkyiI/AAAAAAAAB7w/oQ-Er04CYqY/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="301" height="353" /> </p><p>The Greeks call him “Μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος,” that is, “Alexander the Great,” and he truly remains so, because he fought a total of 17 major battles, and won every single one of them. He was severely outnumbered in most of them, but by his generalship his men never lost more than 16% of their army in any one battle. That 16% death rate occurred only once, at Issus, in 333 BC, at which battle Alexander lost 6500 to 7000 men out of 40,000. His enemy, Darius III of Persia, lost 20,000 to 30,000 dead.</p><p>At Gaugamela, two years after Issus, he lost only 2.5% of his army, or about 1,100 men dead out of 47,000. He defeated the Persians spectacularly and his men killed at least 40,000, and as many as 90,000. The Persian army was comprised of at least 100,000 men, and may have had as many as 1,000,000. Darius was finally able to use his entire army at once without terrain restrictions, since at Issus Alexander fought him in a fairly narrow mountain pass. </p><p>Alexander surveyed the Persian army the night before, and decided to shift his army to the Persian left. Darius could not force his entire army to displace because the logistics were impossible. He did not want to present Alexander with his left flank, so he lengthened his lines, covering more ground with the same men, thus thinning their lines considerably. This had the effect Alexander wanted: his breakthrough on the Persian left was easier to achieve, and with his extraordinarily well trained cavalry (the Companions), he flanked the Persians, nearly speared Darius himself, and caused the Persians to panic and flee.</p><p>This was his typical strategy on the field, and it required his own left flank to be unbelievably tough, since the enemy army charged full force into it and attempted to flank it. Unfortunately for his enemies, you simply cannot break a Greek phalanx in the front. It is designed to withstand such assaults, and Alexander’s primary captain, Parmenion, deserves a lot of the glory for maintaining the army’s formation throughout all Alexander’s battles. Horses are very intelligent animals and will not charge into a line of spear points, however vehemently they are made to run.</p><p>Darius solved this problem by blindfolding his horses and harnessing them to chariots with sword blades attached to the wheel hubs. These would cut men’s legs off at the shins. Alexander solved this problem by training his men to separate their phalanges to half their depth, allow the horses and chariots into a three-sided pocket, kneel with their shields to the ground, and then swarm onto the charioteers. The scythed wheels rattled harmlessly across the shields. Today this tactic is called “Alexander’s Mousetrap.”</p>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-71078266259778688642010-09-14T02:49:00.001-07:002010-09-14T02:50:41.264-07:007 Ways To Indulge In the Seven Deadly Sins<p> </p><p>Disclaimer: This list is just for fun and not of a religious nature. We all indulge in guilty pleasures from time to time, and we all find ways to not feel guilty about them. Here is a list of ways to heavily indulge in the 7 guiltiest of pleasures: the Seven Deadly Sins. <p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Wrath</h3><p><em>Destroy a Car</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TI9FLsIp0SI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/cEDTjA6wc74/1%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="323" height="240"> <p>Who doesn’t like taking their anger out on inanimate objects from time to time? There was a “Smash for Cash” fundraising event held recently, where people donated a few dollars to do as much damage to an automobile as possible in 30 seconds. A few cars had been donated from salvage yards, as well as a few donated from people. Those who paid the $2 were given goggles, gloves, a sledgehammer or baseball bat, and 30 seconds on the clock. Participants then proceeded to relieve their stress by demolishing the car with the bludgeon of their choice. If the sin of Wrath can be described as anger or hate expressed through violence, then this fundraiser can be described as an indulgence in Wrath. In this case though, unleashing your Wrath is acceptable because the money raised by committing the sin is going to charity — and Charity is the virtue opposite Greed. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Gluttony</h3><p><em>Eat at the Heart Attack Grill</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TI9FMOyq-3I/AAAAAAAAB6c/zyf1MlLmwck/2%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="291" height="198"> <p>The Heart Attack Grill in Arizona is a perfect example of moth-to-a-flame Gluttony. This unashamed establishment is known for their “Double Bypass” burgers and “Flatliner Fries”, that are deep fried in pure fat. A combo includes a large Jolt Cola and a pack of no filter cigarettes. Seriously. While you feast on the enormous 4-patty “Quadruple Bypass Burger,” the waitresses (who are dressed up like nurses) dab the sweat from your brow with napkins, and should you finish the whole thing, the girls will wheel you out to your car in a wheelchair. If that wasn’t enough of an slap in the face to the American Heart Association, anyone who weighs over 350lbs. eats for free. There is not much to justify eating at the H.A.G., but the extreme levels of Gluttony (and the Sloth that is sure to follow the meal) are far overshadowed by the Wrath towards unhealthy Americans displayed by the owners of the restaurant. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Greed</h3><p><em>Start a Ponzi Scheme</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TI9FM7iznMI/AAAAAAAAB6g/KzE-uNs_IRg/3%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="241" height="325"> <p>In 1920, Charles Ponzi became a millionaire in about six months by giving in to Greed, and creating a dishonest money making system. His scheme promised substantial returns on investments that were seldom paid to the investors. Because of the apparent money making potential, investors would usually reinvest their “profit” back into the system, being content with simply receiving statements showing what they had supposedly earned. It’s a simple scheme: tell people that if they pay you $100, you will give them $150 next week. Anyone who wants their $150 at the end of the week would be paid from the $100 of the next victim, while anyone who reinvests their profit just receive a statement showing they made money. The people who were actually paid the $150 are likely to reinvest after they’ve seen how easy it is to make money. The system doesn’t begin to collapse until the majority demand their payout, which is usually when the con man disappears. The odd thing about this list item is that not only the con man is indulging in Greed, but the investors who are hoping to be paid for nothing seem to be as well. <p> <h3>#4 - Lust</h3><p><em>Book an Exotic Adult Vacation</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TI9FNuEA6-I/AAAAAAAAB6k/FKXbBJlOSy0/4%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="303" height="206"> <p>To fully immerse yourself in the sin of Lust, look no further than experiencing the ultimate in sleazebaggery: an Adult Vacation. Companies like Affordable Adult Vacations offer excursions similar to a normal tropical Caribbean resort vacation, except for one thing: prostitutes (or “escorts” as resort literature lovingly refers to them). You can book a week-long retreat at a secluded island resort with food, drink, and “companionship”, for singles or couples, included in the price. Just pay for your flight and hotel, and you’ll have someone with whom you can jet-ski, snorkel, and enjoy the beaches and high thread count sheets for an entire week. On one day of your trip, you may choose a second escort to accompany the first while you go fishing, swimming, or …whatever. <p> <p><a name="item-5"></a> <h3>#5 - Sloth</h3><p><em>Drive the Toyota i-REAL</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxXJlmrx02Gpu5cODyg1Kv8ypplaGpr5jP5vz25_pVE_bLm7jCntSoJI77jX736XHEjX2aGeBkzi6hyphenhyphenYpH8n5MgK1LC4Rz11tWd1GuOR525Biu0qXF9BABptCc7RogOCUDWpKtaJxlY4/?imgmax=800" width="241" height="381"> <p>Toyota has recently unveiled the i-REAL, a “personal mobility vehicle” that is basically just a futuristic motorized wheelchair for non-disabled people, and an excellent way to indulge in the laziness known as Sloth. The i-REAL’s utilizes a small wheelbase, keeping you at approximate eye-level with pedestrians and enabling you to move around “naturally” in a social setting. However, the difference between this and a normal wheelchair doesn’t end at it’s size and mobility. With the push of a button, the wheelbase widens, the chair sinks and leans back, which lowers the center of gravity and enables the high-speed mode. In high-speed mode, the i-REAL can reach speeds of 18mph and will actually lean into turns to prevent tipping. So in a wonderful display of Sloth, Toyota has now made it possible to remain seated all day long. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Envy</h3><p><em>Buy MTV Cribs on DVD</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TI9FOxmhAfI/AAAAAAAAB6s/dGVwouxHl6E/6%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="305" height="220"> <p>For those unaware, MTV Cribs is a modern version of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous that shows off the extravagant homes of music artists and athletes. Few things can spark the sin of Envy like watching a 24 year old watch fish, that cost more than your car, swim in the 480-gallon aquarium installed in his foyer, or seeing a former crack dealer show off his fleet of Ferarris and rare Oriental rugs. Of course, footage of exactly those things is available for you to own and watch again and again in the comfort of your significantly smaller home. The only thing crazier than MTV Cribs being available on DVD is that people actually buy it. Then again, the Envy felt by watching people blow ridiculous sums of money is probably outweighed by the Pride shown by those who blow it. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Pride</h3><p><em>Freeze Yourself</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TI9FPRJTp-I/AAAAAAAAB6w/uhr-DtH0VTs/7%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" height="257"> <p>Pride is arguably the worst of the deadly sins, and nothing seems more narcissistic than cryogenically freezing yourself to be “resurrected” at a later time. Not only is this assuming the technology to reanimate you will be available someday, but it also assumes you are important enough that future scientists will spend their time and money on thawing out an elderly caveman for the sole purpose of letting you continue your life normally (or as normal as you can as a formerly dead person in the distant future). So, for a modest fee of $150,000, companies like the Alcor Life Extension Foundation will preserve you in ice despite the extremely high risk that the process won’t even work.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-11589022504288750762010-09-11T09:27:00.001-07:002010-09-11T09:28:05.832-07:0010 Great Scam Baiting Operations<p> </p><p>If you’ve checked your email anytime in the last twenty years, you’ve likely been subjected to appeals from mysterious foreign nationals promising you money for nothing. Or, more accurately, a whole lot of money for only a little of yours — wired internationally to someone you don’t know. Most of these scams involve you supplying seed money, or disclosing confidential data used to deplete your savings account. While these cons are usually recognizable and safely ignored, enough suckers are fooled to make the effort profitable for the criminals who have no fear of legal retribution. Fortunately, a new breed of counterspy, the scam baiter, has risen to our defense. Aware they can’t stop the legions of online con men, these brave souls do their best to waste as much of the scammer’s time and resources as is humanly possible. The results are often hilarious. Submitted for your approval are 10 clever and involved scam baiting operations. Be sure to follow the source links if you can, because the transcripts are too lengthy to publish in this format.</p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<p> </p><p><a name="item-10"></a></p><h3>#10 - Maryam Abacha Letters</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIuttythiZI/AAAAAAAAB5w/JiaKRBlW65w/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="457" /> </p><p>Included because the online documentation of this full-on runaround is so user-friendly it’s a great introduction to scam baiting. Seriously, this guy could have taken notes in law school. Fully color coded email entries and annotated notes detail the plan of, and correspondence with, Maryam Abacha, wife of the late military head of State for Nigeria. According to her unsolicited email to a total stranger, she has $30 million in cash and needs to get it out of the country but doesn’t trust her family. She even includes hyperlinks from BBC.com to bolster her credibility. However, our scam baiter, Mr. “Dick Heyd” feigns interest and begins “the game”, as he calls it. Heyd proceeds to complicate a deal for a transfer of $20,000 from him in exchange for ‘the consignment’ (presumably the money), and he claims to have already sent $7500 to a Mr. Mbeki at Global Security in Amsterdam, who he believes is in the employ of Ms. Abacha. (Ms. Abacha has no idea who Mbeki is — Heyd made it up). The preferred drop site is London (where Abacha obviously has contacts), so Heyd fixates on Amsterdam and won’t budge. Finally they relent, but Mr. Heyd has security concerns. Appearing spooked in emails and using a fellow scam baiter in Amsterdam, he feigns travel to Amsterdam and concocts a last minute cancellation of the exchange, citing security protocols for him as the CEO of Bovine Excreta Custom Manufacturing. Via the fellow scam baiter in Amsterdam, he is able to describe the very people sent to fetch him from the hotel, since they were casing the lobby at the prescribed time and making ‘massive amounts of phone calls’. Heyd then plays Mbeki and Ms. Abacha against one another and swears to never work with Mbeki again or the deal’s off. The annotated notes indicate the scammers are now VERY confused, and they propose a new dropsite in China with new contact John Kuma. Heyd agrees but secretly emails Kuma with an offer of a 50/50 split and a Green Card for US citizenship. To top things off, he also fakes an email from Mbeki threatening Abacha, telling her to stop ruining his scam. Ms. Abacha (and I’m sure her whole scam gang) is now totally flummoxed, so Heyd slips her Kuma’s incriminating email response to the offer of US citizenship. Then he lets her know that Kuhn is trying to have her bumped off, with an itemized payment schedule for the assassins. After that, there haven’t been any more emails from Ms. Abacha. I’m worried for her…aren’t you? </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-9"></a></p><h3>#9 - To Catch a Con Man</h3><p> </p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:59db99d4-36e1-4d18-8171-cb1c2ed78476" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="194c2e00-02c6-4cb8-8ebe-79452b84661b" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRbHXezGX9I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutupjtwSI/AAAAAAAAB50/hyM5uECAu5s/videocb6bab3b1054%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('194c2e00-02c6-4cb8-8ebe-79452b84661b'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"532\" height=\"399\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/dRbHXezGX9I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/dRbHXezGX9I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"532\" height=\"399\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div><p>This scam baiting operation is unique in its scale—backed by an American network news budget, full camera team, and travel expense account, investigative reporter Chris Hansen decides he wants to follow a 419 scam all the way through, and expose the criminals in this ‘faceless’ crime. To do this, his team answers a lot of scam emails and send seed money early in the conversations. The scams are simple— the victim is promised millions of dollars for helping someone supposedly in need, but first the victim must pay thousands in processing fees (and of course the millions never arrive). Again, because Hansen sent money early in his communications, several separate scammers offer to do something they rarely do— agree to meet him in person. So Hansen and his team fly to London to meet their defrauders in public places, local bars, and even hotel suites, filming the confrontations in a fashion similar to his groundbreaking “To Catch a Predator” series.</p><p> </p><p> </p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Painted Breast</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutvGtbQ6I/AAAAAAAAB54/My912gKlQxw/8%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="298" height="422" /> </p><p>“Prince” Joe Eboh, the purported chairman of the “Nigerian Delta Development Commission (NDDC)” promised millions to anyone who could help him siphon off excess revenues from the late head of state, General San Abacha (does he know Abacha’s wife is trying to do the same thing?). Using a familiar “church” theme, scam baiter “Father Hector Barnett” responded to the email, since he was looking to provide financial assistance for new converts. Barnett spun a story of how the ministry was founded in 1774 by Betsy Carrington, who spent years spreading the holy gospel to the Masai. In fact, they even initiated her into “The Order of The Red Breast” via a ceremony where she had to mark the top half of her nude body with red paint as a gesture of faith. As a result, she was immediately accepted, and remained one of the most trusted westerners known at that time. As a qualification to enter the Holy Church of The Order of The Red Breast, Barnett told Prince Eboh that all converts must also complete the initiation that Miss Carrington did. Barnett even included a photograph of four young men going through the procedure. Eboh predictably jumped at the chance and supplied a photo of himself with a spray painted ‘9’ around his nipple, and even sent $80 in processing fees for the promised $18,000 (which has never been sent). The $80 received (most likely stolen) was later sent to a children’s charity in the north of England. The email correspondence goes on to this day, even through the traumatic death of Father Barnett’s good friend Minny Mowse, his doomed plans to spend church money exporting snow to Siberia, and failed dreams of joining the circus. Since then, Prince Joe Eboh rockin’ his ‘9’ has become an icon in the scam baiting community. </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-7"></a></p><h3>#7 - Carve This</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutwJhOhnI/AAAAAAAAB58/Z867EdMJMd0/7%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="292" /> </p><p>The primary goal of scam-baiting is to distract the scammer so he can’t rip off anyone else. And that’s what happened when scammer “F. Williams Smith” from the “Special Committee for Budget and Planning of the Ministry of Petroleum” contacted scam baiter “Derek Trotter”. Smith offered 25% of $10.5 million in exchange for an “account in which the funds will be transferred.” What he got instead was a carpentry assignment from Mr. Trotter, who posed as an arts dealer. Through clever emails and the promise of $100,000, Trotter lured Mr. Smith into creating elaborate wood carvings–some of which were pretty good, and obviously took time to construct. In the end, after weeks of paperwork, disagreements over shipping fees, and the untimely “death” of Derek Trotter, the deal fell apart, and everyone parted ways. Later, scammer “John Boko” also fell for the Derek Trotter treatment and also submitted a wooden replica of the sample figure. But due to “shipping shrinkage” Trotter claimed the piece didn’t meet the agreed-upon specifications and the submission was refused. So Boko was given a second chance, only this time he had to carve a replica of a Commodore 64. Which he did.</p><p> </p><p>  </p><p><a name="item-6"></a></p><h3>#6 - Handwritten Harry</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutxGEm7WI/AAAAAAAAB6A/YLn3WQbqjB4/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="548" height="389" /> </p><p>After offering millions of dollars for a few thousands in advance, alleged attorney for “the late President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, Barrister Mussa Issah, fell deep into the clutches of mastermind “Arthur Dent.” Dent claimed that his company was conducting a research project on “Advanced Handwriting Recognition and Graphology systems”, and offered Mr. Issah $100 per handwritten page of any text. Dent demanded a strict minimum of 100 pages, and anything less would be rejected outright. Issah fell hard, and transcribed all 293 pages of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, each page meticulously handwritten. Sadly, the deal fell through for some reason.</p><p> </p><h3>#5 - Skeleton Coast</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutx5hUg7I/AAAAAAAAB6E/XBPC6ha-87Y/5%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="542" height="439" /> </p><p>From July to August 2006, scam baiter “Troy McClure” weaves a story of ready cash at the NASA compound he cleans in Namibia. However, if the money were to go missing, Troy would be the first suspect. He needs a partner like Steven Okama–the scammer–to come and get it. A month of emails, Internet phone calls, and visits to a fake web page keep Mr. Okama breathlessly engaged, until the two decide to stash the money in a watertight GPS-enabled cashbox on a deserted beach. Okama’s brother-in-law, Tony, agrees to pick up the money using online GPS coordinates (from Troy’s fake website), and the pickup will be confirmed when the online location of the cashbox changes. Then Okama will deposit the money in a South African bank account for dispersal. Tony dutifully heads out to the beach and is horrified when he discovers that the box is not there. Okama is livid. Fortunately, Troy convinces them that the box was swept out to sea and he’s tracking its movement up the Namibian coast. Okama keeps asking for money to hire a boat, and begins complaining of medical problems that prevent him from retrieving the box. Eventually, the baiting loses steam as “Troy” plans to get the money himself now that the box is out of Namibia. And since Steven won’t spring for a boat, he’s cut out of the heist. </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-4"></a></p><h3>#4 - Mikel Bolton Loan Scam</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutyRzdmPI/AAAAAAAAB6I/Ap9GbR-up1g/4%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" height="413" /> </p><p>This elaborate bait is as complete as it is lengthy, and I confess to getting lost in places— which is why it probably worked so well. The scam baiter pretended to be “Calvin Huckle”, a naïve scam victim just ready for the taking. The original goal was to just run up a scammer’s long distance fees. But then Huckle (and many of his other online identities) came into contact with British banker “Mikel Bolton”, who was willing to lend him up to $150,000 without ever meeting him. Posing as a fellow scam artist making a good living sending fake checks, Huckle co-opted the scammer(s) into contacting former 419 victims. Unbeknownst to them, Huckle had the real victim’s permission to assume their online identity for the duration of the sting. Hollywood thrillers have nothing on this: the counterscam involved a boggling 11 separate storylines and several times Huckle contacted other scam baiters by accident, but they agreed to corroborate one another’s stories to the real criminals. Luckily, during the operation, our hero obtained a list of 86 intended victims, and he notified each of the plans to defraud them. Of course, some believed him, and others thought he was running a scam (which is progress, I think).</p><p><a name="item-3"></a></p><p> </p><h3>#3 - Mark of Respect</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutzM92RNI/AAAAAAAAB6M/W6QpZLypJiI/3%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="424" /> </p><p>Scammer Ahmed Sadiq first contacts scam baiter “Lance Myboyle” for airfare money to Mecca. However, Ahmed’s lie of attending Weister City University in London quickly fails — mainly because it doesn’t exist– and British citizen Lance tells him so in no uncertain terms. Oddly, Ahmed is unfazed and continues to ask for money. Their discussions ferret out that Ahmed lives, not in London, but Nigeria, and if he really needs money, he should contact Father Bruce Corbin, of the Church of the Tattooed Saint. Email exchanges with Father Corbin inform the scammer that a donation can only be made if Ahmed converts to the church and gets a tattoo of the Order somewhere on his body. I think you know where this is going. After many emails, Ahmed gets a BIG tattoo “Baited by Shiver” on his left leg (other scammers have used their arms). Tragedy then strikes, as Father Corbin passes away from a Tribble infection, and Ahmed is passed between a jive-talking pastor and a disgruntled ex-con volunteer. However, Ahmed’s demands for money continue unabated, even when he’s passed on to an “Inspector Morse”, who is investigating embezzlement by employees of the Church of the Tattooed Saint. Ahmed even sends a laughably fake passport to the Inspector, who insists on releasing the “owed” funds only after proper identification is presented. The baiting ends when the gullible Ahmed suspects the Western Union email receipt from Frank Sinatra of 221B Baker Street looks a little “iffy”. Realizing he’s totally busted, Ahmed first gets belligerent and then tries to play on sympathy. But make no mistake– this playa got played for four straight months, and even has a sweet “tat” to show for it.</p><p> </p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Gold Scam</h3><p> </p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:217f8f93-1e42-4b06-ac47-50d39ba9e541" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="c4fe8b2c-72f2-407c-bc04-fa82b654ff3a" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-9mrgykW6s&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIutz_O_qzI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/AHZX26j2gm4/video6ab6f9aabc48%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('c4fe8b2c-72f2-407c-bc04-fa82b654ff3a'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"545\" height=\"408\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/c-9mrgykW6s&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/c-9mrgykW6s&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"545\" height=\"408\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div><p>Who needs Chris Hansen and his NBC budget? Scam-baiter “Jack Ophten” doesn’t— he got the scammer to come to him! Ophten and his pals at 419hell love “being jerks to those who deserve it”, and no one deserved it more that Frank Owusu, who was using email spams to sell phony gold dust. Ophten was able to convince the scammer that he was a scammer, too, and needed help defrauding his aged father-in-law. In emails and phone calls, Ophten played the parts of fellow scammer and scam victim for Owusu and his partners in crime. Unbelievably, Ophten even convinced Owusu to pay for his own travel from Ghana to St. Louis, USA, to defraud Ophten’s father-in-law. When finally confronted in the lobby of the St. Louis Crown Plaza Hotel, Owusu bolted like a spooked racehorse. Too bad he was in such a hurry: he left his bag of real gold dust behind (appraised value: $200). Ophten documented the entire operation on both audio and videotape, and did everything he could to include cybercrime law enforcement. However, despite email death threats from someone he’s met in person, the Missouri state attorney’s office, the local sheriff, and the FBI politely refused to get involved at any point of the operation. </p><p> </p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Anus Laptops</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIut09JILGI/AAAAAAAAB6U/yeyWgIm8cJ0/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="549" height="483" /> </p><p>The mother of all scam baiting operations has to go to scam baiter “The Failure”, who may or may not work in a New York computer shop. Too bad scammer “Cole” didn’t know his intended victim was a regular at www.scambaiter.com. What happens over the next several weeks was documented day-by-day online, and even involved many of the website’s readers. It all started when “Martin Cole” sent a fake check to buy some laptops for shipment overseas. Failure’s alias “Warren Turnbuckle” protested he could not ship overseas without all freight fees paid, in cash, up front. Since he was paying with a fake check anyway, Cole sends the cash, but cunningly overpays the $4000 bill with a $4500 check, and asks Turnbuckle to refund him the $500 overpayment within 45 minutes of receiving the check. Turnbuckle responds that he can’t cash the check for 5-10 days, but will sell the laptops anyway if Cole sends a shipping courier to pick them up. Turnbuckle also promises to refund the shipping costs once the check finally clears. Cole bites, and agrees to pay for freight for several “Anus” brand computers, arranging for UPS to pick up them the very next day (far ahead of the check bouncing). So Failure packed 7 large boxes with garbage, dead CD ROM drives, and two trashed laptops with “ANUS” scratched on the screen. Estimated shipping charges totaled $3,186.67. UPS was in on the sting, and agreed to not deliver until Cole paid them for shipment. Scambaiter.com readers wanted in on the joke as well, and when the shipment was suspiciously diverted to Manchester, UK, a reader posed as city worker offering to fix Cole’s house as part of an urban renewal project. Cole then proceeded to show the “damages” he did to his own house after receiving ‘a bunch of rubbish in the post”. Photos, audio recordings, shipping labels, and hilariously incoherent death threats from the ‘governor’ and the dreaded ‘Clique Mob’ can be found on a now-classic thread that spans 80+ pages. NSFW, but worth an hour’s reading all the same.</p>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-36878013836092934352010-09-10T02:50:00.001-07:002010-09-10T02:50:36.986-07:00Top 10 Bizarre Birth Defects<p> </p><p>This list looks at birth defects – the dread of every expectant parent. Some are fairly well know while others are, thankfully, extremely rare. <strong>Warning:</strong> some images on this list may disturb. <p><br />
<p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - Siamese Twins</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_NNyTeDI/AAAAAAAAB5I/a1GO1NExrLQ/1%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="372"> <p>We are all familiar with the tales of Siamese twins (named for the country of birth of the first known conjoined twins). It is, of course, a rare disorder in which twins are born joined together at one or more parts of their bodies. In the most rare cases, children can be born joined at the top of their head. Sometimes Siamese twins can be separated, allowing both to live full lives, but more frequently, this is not possible. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Ambras Syndrome</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_NxoUTjI/AAAAAAAAB5M/wG7hNaZbZGU/2%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="546" height="421"> <p>Ambras Syndrome is a disorder that causes someone to be born with excessive hair over the face and body. This is fortunately a very rare disease; in fact, there are only 40 humans in the world with it at present. The disease is extremely debilitating for children, as they are often rejected by their peers. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Fused Limbs</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_Of_C6mI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/CQFagFVln5k/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" height="375"> <p>Fused limbs are two limbs which are joined together. This can happen in some cases with toes or fingers, but in a recent case in Peru, a young girl was born with her <a href="http://listverse.com/2010/09/08/top-10-bizarre-birth-defects/#">legs</a> completely fused, giving her the appearance of a mermaid. One in every 70,000 babies has this disorder. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Cyclopia</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_O6bQytI/AAAAAAAAB5U/9LX2kw4T6zw/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="234" height="361"> <p>Cyclopia is named for the famous mythical creature the Cyclops. Children born with cyclopia have one eye in the middle of their head. It is believed that the cause may be related to certain cancer treatment drugs taken by pregnant women. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Craniopagus parasiticus</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQsufQ0BRo99OOkDm0FcDPELuw1OZqk5o7e3XKsAsfZeKt1-AzmjId-YOOdv4JIsldWZLrhQ4bfAFlOFO0Shsbaq2rQJhvlzsODu3MskoJnw8BO-DSrdfTWY_HZZ4gMc0x7KVYkA6y2CM/?imgmax=800" width="552" height="404"> <p>Craniopagus parasiticus is a condition in which a child is born with a parasitic extra head from their unborn twin. There have only been ten cases of it in documented history, with only three surviving birth. In one bizarre case, the second head was able to smile, blink, cry, and suckle. <p> <p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<h3>#5 - Foetus in Foetu</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_QLRZmgI/AAAAAAAAB5c/oTFUXVlucSU/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="344" height="336"> <p>Foetus in foetu is when a child is born with his twin inside him, giving the appearance of pregnancy. Both twins are usually formed from one egg, but during the pregnancy, one is absorbed by the other and it begins to live off it like a parasite. Surgery can usually remove the undeveloped twin from the stronger one with no ill effects. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_Qvq2BNI/AAAAAAAAB5g/0htdumEJ34I/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="307" height="355"> <p>Children who are born with this disease grow bone in areas that are hurt. Where a child is injured and would normally scar or have their skin grow back, the child suffering from fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva develops bone in sufficiently large quantities that it can become debilitating, with the excess <a href="http://listverse.com/2010/09/08/top-10-bizarre-birth-defects/#">bone</a> fusing joints. The bone cannot be removed in surgery because it would cause more bone to grow in the surgery wounds. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Progeria</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_RM1RCcI/AAAAAAAAB5k/4cbhgvDnHdU/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="288" height="367"> <p>Progeria occurs in one in eight million births. It causes a child to look aged well beyond their years. Children with progeria lose their hair, develop wrinkles, and take on the facial characteristics of the very old. Severe arterial damage caused by the disease means that most sufferers die by the time they hit adolescence. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Vestigial Tail</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_RrUuVbI/AAAAAAAAB5o/65xkOPbGTN8/9%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="337" height="266"> <p>Vestigial tail is when a child is born with a semi-functional tail, complete with <a href="http://listverse.com/2010/09/08/top-10-bizarre-birth-defects/#">muscles</a>, nerves, skin, and blood vessels. It is believed to be caused by a mutation of the genes that exist in infants to cause the cellular death of body parts that are not needed. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Anencephaly</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn_SUKlKJI/AAAAAAAAB5s/w9hhO85DOfY/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="272" height="380"> <p>Anencephaly is the absence of a brain and spinal chord. There is no cure and most anencephalic babies die during childbirth. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “a baby born with anencephaly is usually blind, deaf, unconscious, and unable to feel pain. Although some individuals with anencephaly may be born with a main brain stem, the lack of a functioning cerebrum permanently rules out the possibility of ever gaining consciousness. Reflex actions such as breathing and responses to sound or touch occur.” <p><a name="item-bonus"></a>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-12588317217859628282010-09-10T02:11:00.001-07:002010-09-10T02:12:43.266-07:00Top 10 Worst Theological or Mythological Demons<p> </p><p>Whether you are religious or not, demons have played a large part in mythology, books, movies, and even music. Films, such as “Paranormal Activity”, “The Exorcist”, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”, “Fallen”, and–more recently–”The Last Exorcism”, have made demons something to fear. Movies, however, rarely scratch the surface of just how evil these former, corrupt servants of God (or many gods) can be. Here, in no particular order, are the 10 worst–and/or weirdest–demons in theological and mythological history. <p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - Abyzou</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2EUpOIAI/AAAAAAAAB4g/PeMkhTOl2Ik/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="305" height="405"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Jewish mythology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> Abizou, Obizu, Obizuth, Obyzouth, and Byzou <p>This female demon was believed to be responsible for miscarriages, still-births, and infant mortality. Abyzou is believed to have been infertile, so these heinous acts were/are most likely out of jealousy. She is often depicted having snake- and/or fish-like attributes. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Agares</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2E3I2MwI/AAAAAAAAB4k/QBGEeO57csI/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="320" height="343"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Christian demonology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> Agreas <p>This male demon makes “those who run stand still”, a terrible thing to be a victim of during, say, a tornado. He is also said to be one of the demons that controls earthquakes. Agares also teaches many languages, focusing on the profanities and ethnic slurs. He is also believed to be the ruler of the eastern zone of Hell, and he is said to have 31 legions of demons at his command. He is also one of the–if not the–strangest looking demon on this list. He is often portrayed as a pale elderly man riding a crocodile, with a hawk either attached to or on his fist. No joke! <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Aka Manah</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2FduSoyI/AAAAAAAAB4o/g7jjgj_g6pY/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="308" height="405"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Zoroastrian mythology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> Akem Manah, Akoman, Akvan <p>His name means “manah made evil”; in this case, the word “manah” represents “the mind”. Many refer to him as the demon of “evil intention”, “evil mind”, “evil purpose”, or “evil thinking”. His job: To prevent people from fulfilling their moral duties (.i.e.: being a good parent, saving a life, etc.). <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Ala</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2Fz1b2II/AAAAAAAAB4s/XUaEjnwxf7A/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="287" height="221"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Pre-Slovic and Slovic mythology, and Christian demonology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> plural: Ale <p>Ale are some of the few demons on this list who does evil deeds, but can be persuaded to do good deeds, and can even help you! They particularly like creating bad weather (most notably, hail- and thunder-storms) over farms, orchards, and vineyards, in order to destroy crops. They also are said to like eating children. Ale are so hungry, that they are said to be able to “eat the sun and/or moon”, creating eclipses. They can pose a great threat to a persons’ mental and physical life; they can even possess you. However, if you approach an Ala with trust and respect, she and the other Ale will save your life whenever necessary, and make you rich! Ale are also very afraid of eagles…just in case you don’t want to become friends with one. What they look like changes with each account; some say they look like ravens, others like clouds or dark winds; many say snakes or female dragons. They are believed to live in lakes, springs, clouds, unreachable mountains, forests, caves, or gigantic trees. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Asag</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxPMrELvKb2ns4RbxbfMYP9J9btBxOAOMFHZQXx5qFcGOdxDGVcau4N3n5dO-l1vv3hWiqvA2wRFXOwS2wUBDjZI6AZ0gn0AI3Jq7VhQsBvA5nMzw2ux6BCcVBeoyq7Wdfv9bXDpj5mk/?imgmax=800" width="263" height="361"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Sumerian mythology <p>Asag is one of many demons that causes sickness. “But what,”, you say, “separates him from other demons that cause sickness?”. Well, for one, he had sex with all the mountains in the world, and had a litter of “rock-demon” offspring that defends him in any battle. He is also believed to be so grotesquely, unbelievably ugly, that his very presence causes fish to be boiled alive in rivers and/or lakes within viewing-distance! <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <h3>#5 - Belphegor</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2GzwUnrI/AAAAAAAAB40/ma8V8drCQ9Y/5%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="214" height="244"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Christian demonology and Kabbalic mythology <p>Belphegor is absolutely unbelievable. He got his start in Assyria, many, many years ago. He was first called Baal-Peor, and he was associated with orgies, and other types of lewdness. The Israelites worshiped him, in the form of a phallic (penis-shaped) idol. Later on, in Kabbalic mythology, he was a demon who made people paranoid of each other, and who would seduce them with money and overall wealth. Needless to say, it was hard to summon Baal-Peor, because he required the sacrifice of human excrement! In the 16th Century, he changed his name to Belphegor, and changed his strategy (somewhat). He pretty much threw away the idea of causing mutual mistrust in people, and instead…focused on inventions. He would “suggest” crazy (yet plausible) inventions to people, and then use their greed to his (and their) advantage when they became successful. According to legend, Belphegor was sent to Earth from Hell to either justify of disprove the rumors that marriage can result in happiness. Finding no evidence that happiness is possible in a marriage (now, there’s a surprise), he chose to stay on Earth. He is notable for two bizarre attributes: He is believed to be physically, mentally, and strategically strongest in the month of April, and he either was or is Hell’s/Satan’s ambassador to France. Belphegor also played an role in Milton’s book, “Paradise Lost”. He is either depicted as a hideous, bearded demon with horns and claws, or a beautiful young woman. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Jikininki </h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2HmWUC3I/AAAAAAAAB44/N-q_Jl1eRfc/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="356" height="242"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Japanese Buddhist mythology <p>Jikininki are the spirits of selfish, greedy, or ungodly people who have passed on. They are said to be cursed to eat the flesh of human corpses. It is also said that they take valuables from the corpses, in order to bribe local law-enforcement officials to leave them alone. Unlike most demons, they actually hate what they are, and are in a constant state of self-disgust and self-loathing. Some accounts state that they are so terrifying to look at, that seeing one would make you paralyzed with fear. Other accounts indicate that Jikininki can take the form of normal human beings, and can even lead seemingly normal lives by day. They are notable in that–unlike other gaki or rakshasa (“hungry ghosts”), and ghosts in general–they are an endangered species, if one can use such a term in this context. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Pontianak</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2IPCdH7I/AAAAAAAAB48/_x3wHISdQxM/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="243"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Indonesian mythology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> Kuntilanak, Matianak, or Boentianak <p>The Pontianak are the spirits of ladies who died during child-birth, and became undead. Pontianak are said to scare people (mostly men), and then rip out their internal organs for feeding with their claws. In the case of men that the Pontianak knew when they were alive (who abused, or otherwise betrayed them), they are said to remove the man’s genitalia with their bare hands (Ouch!!). They are much like vampires; however, they do what they do more out of vengeance, rather then necessity or sustenance. It’s also hard to judge just how far away from you they are; usually, a loud cry means the Pontianak is far away, whereas a soft cry signifies that the Pontianak is nearby. It is also said that a faint floral fragrance is detected upon first seeing it, however, the fragrance changes to something rotten after a short period of time. Pontianak are believed to live in banana trees, a possible phallic-/fertility-reference. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Lady Midday</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2Ii80KtI/AAAAAAAAB5A/B7-JezhyqYw/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="251" height="325"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Slavic mythology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> Pscipolnista, Poludnica, Polednice <p>“Lady Midday” is certainly a unique female demon. She is said to pose tough questions and make conversation with laborers working in the fields during the hottest part of the day in summertime. Any incorrect answer or unprompted subject change results in a beheading, either with a scythe, or a pair of shears. “Lady” is also the personification of heat-stroke, and can also give people insanity or heat-sickness, in lieu of decapitation. Her description varies between a 12 year old girl, an old woman, or a generally beautiful woman. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Lamashtu</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TIn2JIQxkFI/AAAAAAAAB5E/6N2AGf2UfiQ/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" height="359"> <p><strong>Origin:</strong> Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology<br />
<strong>Also known as:</strong> Dimme <p>Lamashtu is a heinous, terrifying, demoness. She is said to menace women throughout and after the end of their pregnancies. She is routinely said to kidnap infants while they’re breastfeeding; she would suck their blood, and chew on their bones. Add to that the fact that her other hobbies included: Infesting rivers and lakes, killing crops and other plants, sucking the blood of men, creating sleep-disturbances, spreading diseases and illnesses, and bringing nightmares. And, unlike most demons from Mesopotamian mythology, she didn’t answer to anyone; not any god, or man, or any part of any divine hierarchy. So evil was Lamashtu, that pregnant women and their loved ones would routinely summon the demon, Pazuzu, to protect them. For the uninitiated, Pazuzu was the demon made famous by the, “The Exorcist” movies! Allegedly, Pazuzu and Lamashtu were fierce rivals, who would attack each other at any chance. While Pazuzu was known for bringing famines and droughts, soon-to-be-mothers were so afraid of Lamashtu, that they were willing to take the risk! That means that, yes, Linda Blair’s performance in “The Exorcist” was nothing compared to the wrath of Lamashtu! Lamashtu is usually described as a “mythological hybrid”, with the head of a lioness, the teeth and ears of a donkey, the feet of a bird (complete with sharp talons), as well as a hairy body, and long, sharp fingers and fingernails. She is usually depicted nursing a dog and a pig and holding snakes, while standing or kneeling on a donkey! Subtle, isn’t it?Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-51526446379917617142010-08-31T04:41:00.001-07:002010-08-31T04:43:35.384-07:0010 Classic Dying Lines in Movies<p> </p><p>The only thing better than a good death in a movie, is a good line immediately before it. Some lines have achieved immortality in their own right. Here is a brief sample, in reverse chronological order.</p><h3>#10 - Jack Dawson</h3><p>Leonardo di Caprio, Titanic (1997) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28xW0nBsyeoC9Tlit4HHOcv4LUV26dkqt8WP0cgCOaScexttMGJ1PbaXTGKiQsX1pCzMTkYT_H3PgQUEHXhmI93c7Ufgjqa4BDDMDTmItKi-0MKqeKGDnIcU6MN8XEsRnIMAfDO2JYaA/?imgmax=800" width="546" height="258"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> Never let go. <p>After the ship sinks (uh – you <em>did</em> know that, didn’t you), Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) scrambles onto a door which can only support one person and Jack remains in the freezing ocean. He assures her that she is going to survive, and die an old lady in her bed, before he succumbs to hypothermia. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - William Wallace</h3><p>Mel Gibson, Braveheart (1995) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqYX11A-I/AAAAAAAAB3w/u0OVGbjb3CE/9%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="542" height="377"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> Freeeedom!!! <p>After the deaths of his father and brother, and later his wife, at the hands of the English, William Wallace becomes involved in the Scottish uprising against King Edward I of England. After some military successes, he is betrayed to the English, taken to London, tried and convicted of high treason. As he is undergoing public execution by torture, the magistrate offers him a quick death in exchange for a plea for mercy. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Thelma and Louise</h3><p>Thelma and Louise (1991) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqZFyfDQI/AAAAAAAAB30/GSYvYdlxBeQ/8%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="377"> <p><strong>The Lines:</strong> Thelma: Go!<br />
Louise: You sure?<br />
Thelma: Yeah … yeah. <p>Two girl-friends’ weekend out turns into a nightmare after one of them shoots and kills a man attempting to rape the other. On the run from the police, led by the gruffly sympathetic Detective Hal Slocumb (Harvey Keitel), the pair are cornered near a large cliff. The final scene is well-known to most movie fans. The lines may be less familiar. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Hans Gruber</h3><p>Alan Rickman, Die Hard (1988) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqZmg7ojI/AAAAAAAAB34/CLwHrJ63odU/7%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="361"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> What was it you said to me before? “Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker!” <p>Not quite as classic as Detective John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) line in the first place. McClane is a New York cop who has been caught up in an “exceptional” robbery disguised as a terrorist attack in Los Angeles. He has survived everything that the suave criminal mastermind and his gang have thrown at him. He confronts Gruber and a henchman with just two bullets left in his gun. They hesitate just long enough to give him a chance. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Roy Batty</h3><p>Rutger Hauer, Blade Runner (1982) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqapoAOVI/AAAAAAAAB38/EFLx0Tbg0QE/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="377"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time… like tears in rain… Time to die. <p>Batty is the leader of a group of replicants (bioengineered or biorobotic beings who serve as soldiers and slaves in off-world colonies) illegally on Earth. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a jaded ex-police officer who once specialized in “retiring” replicants, is coerced into tracking and killing them. After dispatching three of them, he confronts Batty in a cat-and-mouse chase. Batty saves Deckard’s life just before his pre-programmed four-year lifespan runs out. <p> <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Colonel Kurtz</h3><p>Marlon Brando, Apocalypse Now (1979) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqbEv8YSI/AAAAAAAAB4A/B5U23TB4I1c/5%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="344"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> The horror… the horror… <p>Colonel Walter E Kurtz, a member of the US Army Special Forces in Vietman, has gone insane and is commanding a native army deep in the Cambodian jungle. Captain Benjamin L Willard (Martin Sheen), a deeply troubled special operations veteran, is dispatched to find Kurtz and to “terminate [him] with extreme prejudice”. After a hazardous journey, Willard and his last remaining crew member arrive at Kurtz’ camp. Willard attacks Kurtz with a machete, and he dies whispering words taken from Joseph Conrad’s novella, Heart of Darkness, on which the movie is based. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Rabbi</h3><p>John Cleese, Life of Brian (1979) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqbvHOlfI/AAAAAAAAB4E/UXYsdc4kmAY/4%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="438"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> STOP IT STOP IT! Now look! No one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle, understand? Even, and I want to make this absolutely clear, even if they do say “Jehovah”. <p>Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman) and his mother Mandy (Terry Jones) are attending the stoning of a man condemned for blasphemy. In attempting to explain himself, he utters (not) the divine name again, and the crowd begins throwing stones. The rabbi attempts to restore order and is himself set upon by the crowd. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Obi-Wan Kenobi</h3><p>Sir Alec Guinness, Star Wars [IV: A New Hope] (1977) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqcMmR5mI/AAAAAAAAB4I/qtSIGU-ZUG4/3%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="551" height="419"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> You can’t win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. <p>Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) joins forces with Obi-wan Kenobi to rescue a beautiful princess, who turns out to be his long-lost sister, and battle an evil warlord, who turns out to be their long-lost father and Obi-wan’s long-lost protegee. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - HAL 9000</h3><p>Douglas Rain, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqcn3fPcI/AAAAAAAAB4M/JbKTucd6eUc/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="422"> <p><strong>The Lines:</strong> I’m afraid. I’m afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I’m a…fraid. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the HAL plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January, 1992. My instructor was Mr Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you’d like to hear it I can sing it for you.<br />
[Dave: Yes, I'd like to hear it, HAL. Sing it for me.]<br />
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I’m half crazy all for the love of you. It won’t be a stylish marriage, I can’t afford a carriage. But you’ll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two. <p>HAL is the controlling brain of the Discovery One spaceship, bound for Jupiter on a top-secret mission. Due to a conflict in his programming, HAL becomes erratic and kills four of the ship’s crew. The remaining crew member, David Bowman (Keir Dullea), disconnects HAL’s circuitry. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Charles Foster Kane</h3><p>Orson Welles, Citizen Kane (1941) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqdMPOGsI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/471RI5GZnPE/1%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="547" height="416"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> Rosebud… <p>This is the first line of the movie, and the film proceeds in two directions, one tracing Kane’s life and the other showing a reporter’s search for the meaning of the enigmatic utterance. The intriguing thing is that Kane is alone when he dies, so no-one hears his dying word. <p> <p><a name="item-bonus"></a> <h3>Bonus</h3><p>Michael Corleone <p>Al Pacino, The Godfather: Part II (1974) <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="b" border="0" alt="b" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THzqd0eOB_I/AAAAAAAAB4U/DkfBhaR4zY4/b%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="545" height="364"> <p><strong>The Line:</strong> I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart! <p>Not a dying line, but the heartbreaking moment which seals the character’s fate.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-31482482229873151902010-08-30T04:07:00.001-07:002010-08-30T04:08:00.661-07:008 Ways to Ensure Human Survival<p> </p><p>Recently, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking announced that if humans didn’t want to face extinction, our only option is to abandon planet Earth. In addition to the threats most species face, we humans also have the capability to destroy ourselves and/or our planet with thermonuclear weapons. Nuclear devastation tops a long list of ways for us to go out, including asteroid impacts, solar storms, disease outbreaks, etc. Here’s a fun fact: Over 99% of all species that have ever existed on our planet have gone extinct. Still, assuming Earth someday becomes inhospitable due to some catastrophe, here are 8 ways for us to avoid extinction. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Fix the Planet</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQyIqDXhI/AAAAAAAAB3M/ZdsaE1o7ixM/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="309"> <p>In the event of widespread devastation such as a nuclear holocaust, asteroid impact or some other large-scale environmental disaster, one way humans could survive would be to simply rebuild. For shelter, humans would most likely be forced to settle in places either untouched or the least damaged by the disaster. Securing food and water may not prove as difficult as expected. There are many techniques for purifying, distilling, and ensuring water is safe to use. The short-term solution to food would be to forage. Nuclear fallout can be washed off sealed food, fruits and vegetables, etc. with minimal risk of danger. Long term solutions could include reintroducing destroyed species into nature. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway is home to over 250 million seeds, with a total capacity of more than 2 billion. Underneath a cooling layer of permafrost, it is located inside a mountain near the North Pole, 400 feet above sea level and far away from tectonic plates. If the food chain were ever disrupted, genebanks like Svalbard would be crucial to our survival. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Forced Evolution</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQylgDO-I/AAAAAAAAB3Q/B7xUNeuggO8/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="548" height="416"> <p>If the food chain were disrupted by plague, or a deadly pandemic were spreading among humans, an option to fight back might be genetic manipulation. Scientists have already figured out how to force evolution of a virus to manipulate it’s behavior and reproduction, and they also know how to manipulate and replace genes in humans. Certain harmless viruses can be forcibly evolved to bypass our immune systems, making them perfect delivery systems for drugs that target specific cells. Genetic engineering and gene therapy in humans could potentially prevent future generations from contracting diseases and also to help the living by swapping out bad genes for good ones – a technique called somatic cell gene therapy. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Live Underground</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQzJ7RnDI/AAAAAAAAB3U/X3-nOSCD30w/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" height="436"> <p>In the early 1930s, plans were drawn up for a 35-story “depth scraper,” to be built underground in an enormous excavation. This was proposed as an engineering solution to survive earthquakes in Japan. The idea was never realized, but extended human habitation underground has long been a popular idea. If the surface of the earth was somehow rendered inhospitable to humans, through nuclear or solar radiation, a nuclear winter or impact winter, etc., living underground may be a solution to survival. The obvious problems are lack of sunlight, ventilation and food and water, but, as we’ve recently heard from the trapped miners in Chile, the psychological issues associated with being stuck underground are immense, and maintaining mental health is equally as important as maintaining physical health. Farming underground utilizing skylights may be possible, but recycling and efficient energy use would be paramount. Ultimately, living underground would most likely be a temporary fix until a return to the surface (or one of the last four list items) is possible. <p> <p><a name="item-5"></a> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Colonize the Ocean</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQzlz1B7I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/-Oj0TJlrVZM/5%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="341"> <p>One solution to the problem of overpopulation and mass over consumption of resources would be for humans to colonize the ocean. A technology called Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) uses the temperature differences between shallow and deep water to run an engine, which would provide an easily obtained renewable energy source. Solar and wave power could also be easily obtained at sea. OTEC technology can also be used to provide fresh water which could support large scale hydroponic farming. Extended human habitation would require underwater, partially submerged, or floating cities. Megastructures like the Shimizu Mega-City Pyramid have been suggested, but due to the immense weight issues involved, it would require technology that is currently unavailable. <p> <p> <h3>#4 - Space Stations</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQ0NyLF9I/AAAAAAAAB3c/dVabREWUbZY/4%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="545" height="414"> <p>If our planet is somehow damaged beyond repair or becomes too saturated with people, we may have no choice but to leave. The first step away from Earth would most likely be large space habitats. Space habitats have been a popular recurring theme in science fiction, with many of them resembling the Stanford Torus idea. This is comprised of an enormous rotating donut shaped ring (torus) which would simulate gravity on the interior by using centrifugal force. The interior of the torus would be large enough to simulate a natural environment, resembling a long valley that curved up at the ends until meeting overhead and forming a complete circle. Energy would primarily come from solar power, and building resources could be mined from asteroids or nearby moons and planets. In addition to providing habitation away from Earth, having multiple and separate space habitats would ensure the survival of our species even if one population is destroyed. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Satellite Outposts</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQ0mMgU9I/AAAAAAAAB3g/BAbKU0oR-hA/3%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="548" height="430"> <p>Another option when leaving our planet would be to colonize satellites like moons or asteroids. Satellite outposts would most likely be specific to the resources available on the satellite. Almost all known elements can be found in stable forms on asteroids or comets. Satellites that are rich in specific elements or minerals could be mined for their materials and easily transported due to the lack of strong gravity. Large amounts of frozen water and carbon-bearing compounds have been detected on moons orbiting Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. One of Jupiter’s moons, Ganymede, even has a magnetosphere which would reduce solar radiation at the surface. Outposts on satellites, while being crucial for getting building materials and/or fuel, would likely not be permanent human settlements, as there would be no reason to remain once the resources have been consumed. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Planet Outposts</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQ1G5W3dI/AAAAAAAAB3k/rpFvF_4JAR0/2%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="545" height="277"> <p>Once humans are in space, outposts and colonies on other planets would be the next step in expanding away from Earth. These settlements would be of a more permanent nature because of the more abundant resources available for extraction on planets, and because of the large amounts of energy needed to leave the atmosphere once on the surface. Habitats on planets like Mars and Venus would have to be underground or enclosed, due to the inhospitable conditions on the planet. Because of the extreme temperature and air pressure differences, methods to support life would be similar to that of underground or space habitats. There have also been less practical ideas on how to populate the larger gas giant planets. One method even involves suspending floating cities from giant balloons in the upper atmospheres. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Planet Terraforming</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuQ1rHlaXI/AAAAAAAAB3o/GEaHWvEUXsY/1%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="413"> <p>The last, and by far the most ambitious item on the list, is to deliberately make an inhospitable planet suitable for humans to live normally as they do on Earth. This process, called terraforming, is well beyond our current realm of technology and capability, but could possibly be a viable option in the distant future. The first step would be to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere of the planet, trapping the Sun’s heat and raising surface temperatures. In the case of terraforming Mars, raising surface temperatures would be needed in order to vaporize the polar ice caps. This would, in turn, release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, further warming the planet. Ice would melt, raising atmospheric pressure and providing the much-needed water. The final (and by far the most time consuming) stage would be to plant trees that use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, making the air breathable.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-11671909325982596442010-08-30T03:48:00.001-07:002010-08-30T03:52:42.676-07:0012 Worst Traffic Jams<p> </p><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMO7H0qTI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/ATmdrTN1-Q4/1%5B7%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="567"> </p><p>The world's longest traffic jam was 110 miles (176 kilometers) long, between Paris and Lyon on the French Autoroute in 1980. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMPhP3RAI/AAAAAAAAB2c/nZ8dTN92D_E/2%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="340"> <p>A 60-mile-long traffic jam on a major Beijing highway has lasted more than nine days, with stranded drivers taking to playing chess on their cars as local vendors organize roadside shops like in a Cortázar short story. What's causing this potentially month-long jam? In short, increased traffic on the highway mixed with maintenance and construction. Britain's Sky News reported the snarls have been commonplace since May as a result of a spike in the number of trucks using the roads, with the daily peak reaching about 17,000. In this specific case, cars and trucks have been piling up since August 14, 2010 on the National Expressway 100, which is also known as the G110, the major route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHWM0cwR8KmLSm_UT8nSbL1aI7_C8N0UgENGh0h72MLOXwlSHehqencqCdfI_DDq_2sl_c917QHlfXeLlS0xfENCnP3gcAI_muzPSI9Lnn1NFDdnwu32JXlTQXJ88idW9V_XlBqh9SsE/?imgmax=800" width="553" height="775"> <p>A traffic jam in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In June 2009, Sao Paulo set a new record for bad traffic, 295km of traffic jam accumulated throughout the entire city, meaning over 35% of the city's roads. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMRVeFjZI/AAAAAAAAB2k/EicpKttytKM/4%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="690"> <p>Gridlock resulting from vehicles and pedestrians "blocking the box" at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 57th Street in New York City. <p><ins><ins></ins></ins> <p> <img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMRx38OhI/AAAAAAAAB2o/eDNsuNo1luE/5%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="349"> <p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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Moscow also has different reasons for traffic jams. One of them is frosty severe winter. Transportation roads cannot work well because of black ice. The other problem is high quantity of life and, as a result, possession of many vehicles. And apparently, some streets must be reconstructed and broadened. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMST9_XTI/AAAAAAAAB2s/TJRF1uBgbWU/6%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="416"> <p>Car and Motorcycle jam in Taipei. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMS9xe2iI/AAAAAAAAB2w/R7CPU_WuNy8/7%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="416"> <p>Vehicles are stuck in a traffic jam caused by a demonstration held by flood-affected people demanding that the government provide aid to flood victims in Nowshera, Pakistan. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMTqgpCBI/AAAAAAAAB20/ZLUG7kfbcms/8%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="372"> <p>Traffic jam caused by the celebration of the Diwali in North India. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMUG4soYI/AAAAAAAAB24/HUagIPNvCzg/9%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="372"> <p>Patna witnessed unprecedented traffic jam in December 1, 2009, following protest rallies taken out by different organizations in support of their demands. Throughout the day, traffic chaos ruled all the roads giving a tough time for commuters. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMU8HifUI/AAAAAAAAB28/jBXJlbwDR1M/10%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="496"> <p>Another picture of Sao Paulo, at the intersection of Faria Lima and Juscelino Kubischek Avenue. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="11" border="0" alt="11" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMaQkjtHI/AAAAAAAAB3E/7omzzDLYgDk/11%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="798"> <p>Frozen Traffic Jam in Moscow. <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="12" border="0" alt="12" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THuMayskKEI/AAAAAAAAB3I/Ag5WiAM55yg/12%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="553" height="370"> <p>Traffic congestion caused by people fleeing from Houston, Texas, due to Hurricane Rita in 2005. Evacuees used Interstate 45 which was/is an official evacuation route.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-63944373823702418072010-08-27T04:04:00.001-07:002010-08-27T04:05:55.203-07:0010 Bizarre and Insanely Expensive Auctions<p> </p><h3>#1 - Lennon's Toilet <small>(£1,000)</small></h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebpH0PaEI/AAAAAAAAB1w/9jAd9Bg-Y7o/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="347" height="218"> <p>John Lennon's toilet is among the highlights of an auction of Beatles memorabilia. Bids are invited for Lennon's toilet from Tittenhurst Park, his Berkshire home between 1969 and 1972. Lennon told a builder, John Hancock, to keep the porcelain lavatory and "use it as a plant pot" after he had installed a new one. It was stored in a shed at Hancock's home for 40 years until he died recently. The toilet is estimated to fetch £750 to £1,000. The auction organizer, Stephen Bailey, said: "The toilet might be worth something, and it might not, but it is certainly one of the most unusual items we've sold." <p> <h4>#2 - 867-5309 Phone Number <small>($186,853)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebpjZ7zEI/AAAAAAAAB10/D9nwNfYA-q4/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="210"> <p>One of the most famous phone numbers in popular music is up for sale – or at least, one version of it is. 867-5309, the titular digits of Tommy Tutone's 1982 hit, was listed in an eBay auction by New Jersey DJ Spencer Potter. Potter was not just selling the phone number, which would violate the telephone company's rules, but rather the DJ business to which the phone number is linked. He claimed he used to receive almost 10,000 calls each year, from curious "80s fanatics" hoping to have a word with Jenny, to whom the song is addressed. Of course, Potter's 867-5309 was not the only 867-5309 in existence. There are several 867-5309s across the United States (and the world) – his was simply the one with a popular New Jersey area code. The ebay auction ended on February 9th (2009) and the winning bid was an amazing $186,853.09. <p> <h4>#3 - A Jerking Off Manga-boy Sculpture<small>($13,5 million)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebqcuxEVI/AAAAAAAAB14/eEeL39v2gDY/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="352" height="463"> <p>“My Lonesome Cowboy” by Takashi Murakami, a life-sized sculpture of a bright-eyed anime manga-boy j**king off and whipping his j*zz into a gigantic lasso around his head at the Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening was estimated to go for $3-$4 million, surpassed expectations and ended up with a $13.5 million closing bid. Add in the 11% house commission and you've got yourself a world-famous Murakami for a cool $15.161 million. The only question that remains… where to put it? <p> <p> <p> <p> <h4>#4 - Churchill's Denture <small>($23,000)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebrHipb2I/AAAAAAAAB18/ebG8iq24mUk/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="206"> <p>A pair of false teeth worn by Winston Churchill was sold at auction for more than $23,000 -- on the same day that plans were announced to put the British wartime leader's archive papers online for the first time. Churchill, famous for his rousing speeches during World War II, had several sets of the partial upper dentures specially constructed to hide his natural lisp and accentuate his signature slurred diction. The former prime minister "lived in fear of losing his false teeth" and would always have a spare set to hand, entrusted to his private secretary. The set which sold for £15,200 ($23,700) -- more than three times its expected price -- was put up for sale by Nigel Cudlipp, the son of the dental technician who made them, Derek Cudlipp. According to Nigel, his father said he could always tell how the war was going from the distance Winston hurled the teeth. <p> <p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<h4>#5 - GigaYacht <small>($168 million)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebr-2hPrI/AAAAAAAAB2A/mOKLzBC7ECs/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="337" height="255"> <p>The most expensive item ever auctioned on eBay was a 405-foot yacht, appropriately named the Gigayacht. A Florida company named 4Yacht sold the monstrosity for a final purchase price of $168 million. To even acquire the boat, the seller had to make a onetime payment of $84 million (half the sticker price) to hold it for him. The Gigayacht was designed by former naval architect Frank Mulder, who has since designed an even more extravagant Gigayacht for sale on eBay. The new boat is lavish as they come, featuring fourteen multi-level VIP suites and a helicopter garage. <p> <h4>#6 - Marilyn Monroe's Dress <small>($1.26 million)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebsaeNf1I/AAAAAAAAB2E/VsTRFdpyp8Y/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="349" height="288"> <p>In New York the sale of a dress that screen legend, Marilyn Monroe, wore when she breathlessly sang Happy Birthday to President Kennedy in 1962 broke records by fetching more than $1m at an auction. The flesh-coloured dress, so tight she had to be sewn into it, had been expected to attract the highest bid when it went under the hammer at the end of the first session of a two-day auction at Christie's of her personal belongings - and it did. It originally cost $12,000, and the final bid of $1,267,500 easily broke the previous record for a dress sale at an auction which had been the $225,000 paid for an ink blue, Princess Diana gown that was sold two years ago. The dress, which has become a part of 20th Century American history, was worn by the glamorous star just three months before she died as she serenaded to the young president who was later assassinated. It was sold to New York dealers, Gotta Have It! Collectibles. Company co-owner Robert Schargin said afterwards he thought it was worth $3m. "We really got the bargain of the century," he said. <p> <h4>#7 - World's Biggest Gold Coin <small>(£2.68 million)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacYnZiMfMa5sxoLrjUL9kYnv2KTvhyC66VHS9q77ejkQR668ugknOUfFObCBOiyvAkajN7KRWU_QJccrfAvlafv9XN3WegrqRGWSQHE9tUy_CdIShRXBUGv4BUNzylfMYgVMw-EElNJs/?imgmax=800" width="343" height="256"> <p>A Spanish precious metals trading company bought the world's largest gold coin for £2.68 million, its exact material worth, from the estate of an insolvent investment firm at a rare auction in Vienna. The 220.5 lb piece, one of only five Canadian $1,000,000 Maple Leaf coins the Royal Canadian Mint has ever produced, was snapped up immediately in a written bid from ORO direct, a gold trading company based in Madrid. There were no counter offers in an auction room packed with more journalists than potential buyers. The auction was ordered by the administrator of Austrian investment group AvW Invest, which filed for insolvency after its owner and chief executive was arrested on suspicion of fraud, breach of trust and other charges. AvW had acquired the coin in 2007, joining an exclusive club of owners including Queen Elizabeth, who is also displayed on one side of the coin, two unidentified investors in Dubai and one who is so reclusive even his or her residence is unknown. Its purity is 99.999 percent, the purest type in the market. <p> <h4>#8 - Edward Scissorhands' scissor hands <small>($16,000)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebtgfHe4I/AAAAAAAAB2M/QlhJmVzQdug/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="370" height="248"> <p>During a Christie's auction of entertainment items, Edward Scissorhands' scissor hands was one of the top earners, selling for an astounding $16,000! The prop, composed of steel, leather, painted rubber and foam-latex, was only expected to garner $5,000! The scissor hands were created and designed by Stan Winston. <p> <h4>#9 - A Meteorite Collection <small>($1.4 million)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THebuNL-flI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/61AO4GhFnos/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="236"> <p>At first glance, it looks like a rather uninspiring collection of rocks. But these stones can truly be described as out of this world – and look set to net their owner an astronomical sum. Scots meteorite hunter Rob Elliott is thanking his lucky stars after auctioneers put a $1.4 million price tag on his stockpile. The former electronics engineer is selling 170 meteorites from his 1,000-strong collection after spending the last 13 years scouring the world for examples. Tonight Mr Elliott, 48, said that it was time for someone else to enjoy the fruits of his labour. <p> <h4>#10 - A Black Watermelon <small>($ 6,000)</small></h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZpepmUtorF_FRMQQtkyKzB3U-WeR4NQ4S5HkfRfBtoUbWFuroLJCK1CW7D5JhoIJc5CPUpJgf8wdpQBTweXmaB4lCdvugkm7KX0OMeLIRYgHht7PpChAqpzmYMAFW1jUVvrpMqIHYzIM/?imgmax=800" width="339" height="347"> <p>A black jumbo watermelon auctioned in northern Japan fetched a record $6,100, making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold in the country - and possibly the world. The 17-pound premium Densuke watermelon, one of only 65 from the first harvest of the season, was purchased by a marine products dealer who said he wanted to support local agriculture. The fruit is grown only on the northern island of Hokkaido. In a country where melons are a luxury item commonly given as gifts, the watermelon's hefty price tag follows another jaw-dropping auction, where a pair of Yubari cantaloupe melons sold for a record $23,500. For seasonal, high-end fruits like the Densuke watermelon and the Yubari cantaloupes, Japanese buyers are often willing to pay top prices at auction for the prestige of owning the very first ones of the year.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-32370732085835190592010-08-27T03:54:00.001-07:002010-08-27T03:55:40.971-07:008 Unbelievable iPod Stories<p> </p><h3>#1 - The girl who survived a lightning strike after the wire of her iPod diverted 300,000 volts</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZRNNRtxI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/WsDf-Sy8Ui0/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" height="420"> <p>A teenage girl survived a terrifying lightning strike after she was saved by the wire of her iPod. <br />
Schoolgirl Sophie Frost and her boyfriend Mason Billington, both 14, stopped to shelter under a tree when a storm struck as they were walking near their homes. Doctors believe Sophie survived the 300,000-volt surge only because it travelled through the gadget's wire, diverting it away from her vital organs. The teenager was taken to hospital and is recovering from burns to her chest and legs while Mason suffered damage to his eyes. Sophie will be thankful she was wearing her iPod, which she had been given four days earlier as a gift from her grandmother. Sophie and Mason were knocked unconscious by the lightning bolt while holding hands and taking shelter in a field. Mason came round and carried Sophie, who was scorched and unconscious, to a nearby road where he flagged down a female motorist who took the couple to Southend hospital. Sophie suffered burns to her body and legs, some temporary damage to her eyes and a perforated eardrum. <p> <h4>#2 - The soldier who was saved from an AK-47 attack thanks to his iPod</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZR9n5OgI/AAAAAAAAB1U/fdyZrviQQdI/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="315" height="366"> <p>Kevin Garrad (3rd Infantry Division) was on a street patrol in Iraq and as he rounded the corner of a building an armed (AK-47) insurgent came from the other side. The two of them were within just a few feet of each other when they opened fire. The insurgent was killed and Kevin was hit in the left chest where his IPod was in his jacket pocket. It slowed the bullet down enough that it did not completely penetrate his body armor. The iPod in question was an older and thicker 20GB model, that had been previously manufactured and distributed by HP. The thickness of this model most likely served a big part in slowing down the bullet. Fortunately, Kevin suffered no wound. <br />
Note: according to some sources the iPod did not actually save the soldier's life - it was in fact the vest he was wearing. <p> <h4>#3 - The teacher who got his neck broken by two students after he confiscated their iPod</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZSXsN1kI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/aIzBCQN3AOU/3%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="259"> <p>Two students accused of attacking a teacher in a hallway of Germantown High School are now behind bars. The attack happened after 60-year-old Frank Burd confiscated an iPod from one of the students who was using it in class. The 14-year-old returned later with an 11th grader. <br />
The teens allegedly pushed Burd, who struck his head on a locker. Schools CEO Paul Vallas said Burd broke his neck in two places. He was taken to Einstein Medical Center, but showed no sign of paralysis. The confrontation was caught on videotape. School officials were able to use the tape to immediately identify the students. 17-year-old Donte Boykin was taken to Northwest Detectives in handcuffs shortly after arresting the 14-year-old. Burd, a popular math and photography teacher, was sent to Einstein Medical Center for recovery. <p> <br />
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<h4>#4 - The pair who was arrested for trying to trade iPod Touch and Marijuana for iPad on Craigslist</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZS0ue7bI/AAAAAAAAB1c/QZSkCELey84/4%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="356"> <p>Police arrested two men in Arizona for attempting to trade a third generation iPod touch and about seven grams worth of marijuana for a 32G iPad via an ad on Craigslist. After receiving a tip about the ad, which included photos of both the iPod touch and marijuana, police officers sent an e-mail purporting to be interested in the exchange. When the police met up under the pretense of completing the trade, 20-year-old Jacob Walker and Jacob Veldare were instead arrested when Walker offered up the marijuana. Both now face charges for possession and the attempted sale of an illegal substance.Not only were the two unwise enough to post pictures of marijuana on Craiglist, but they were also gullible enough to believe that anyone would trade a 32G iPad, which costs $599, for a $299 32G iPod touch and a quarter ounce of marijuana of dubious quality. <p> <p><ins><ins></ins></ins> <h4>#5 - The sub navigator who caused a £60m ship crash because he got distracted with iPod</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZTeTFj2I/AAAAAAAAB1g/D6sslZ9KtKg/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="322" height="362"> <p>The navigator of a US nuclear submarine was listening to his iPod when it collided with another ship, causing £60m damage. Crew on board of the attacked sub USS Hartford had also rigged up loudspeakers so they could listen to music on duty. Captain Commander Ryan Brookhart was relieved of his duties after the investigation revealed nearly '30 tactical and watchstander errors' which led to the ‘avoidable accident'. The navigator was also revealed to have been revising for an exam at the time of the collision. Fifteen sailors on board the USS Hartford were injured when it rammed into the transport ship USS New Orleans in the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage in the Persian Gulf in March 2009. The US Navy report slammed the Hartford's ‘ineffective and negligent command leadership' and its ‘informal atmosphere'. The damaged sub will cost £57m in repairs, while the USS New Orleans, which ‘bears no fault' needs £1.5m <p> <h4>#6 - The man who found a one-year-old frozen iPod still alive</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZT_-zTiI/AAAAAAAAB1k/092HPlmOQzs/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="347" height="292"> <p>Andrew Robulack, a resident of Whitehorse, Yukon, found an iPod Classic emerging from a block of ice while he was taking a walk. At first, he mistook it with a piece of canine excrement, a common thing in Whitehorse this time of year, as he gladly informs us. But then he noticed that the unidentified frozen object had a familiar rectangular shape. Obviously, he got the frozen iPod out of the ice in which he thinks it had been laying “since early winter” and took it home to see whether it still worked. Incredibly, after only a few minutes of charging, the player booted up and seemed in full operating order. Of course, it needed some cleaning, but it even displayed the correct date. After the mud was wiped out, the iPod revealed that the only damages were a few scratches and some condensation under the screen; otherwise, it worked just fine. <p> <h4>#7 - The Tokyo subway train that was delayed because of an iPod fire</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZUXPyjvI/AAAAAAAAB1o/9OTJuIIN5nw/7%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="238"> <p>In August 2010, an unidentified, malfunctioning iPod brought a Tokyo subway train to a halt for several minutes during rush hour in western Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, 17 km (10.5 miles) from the capital's centre. Passengers started complaining about a burning smell, forcing the train to come to a halt while officials went searching for the source. A female passenger then came forward to show that her iPod had burst apart after overheating. The train was delayed for 8 minutes while the stench cleared. For the busy train line, which serves over 1 million commuters daily, that's an extremely rare delay -- the average delay for a train is a scant 20 seconds for some Japanese railways. Apple has described the problem as rare, and attributable to a single battery supplier <p> <h4>#8 - The girl who almost got injured after her iPod exploded</h4><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THeZU5fg7ZI/AAAAAAAAB1s/-MyOfwRcohQ/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="279"> <p>Ken Stanborough, 47, from Liverpool, had to drop his 11-year-old daughter Ellie's iPod Touch after he started hearing a hissing noise and felt it was getting hotter. After throwing the device out of his back door, within 30 seconds there was a pop, a big puff of smoke and it went 10 ft in the air. According to Mr Stanborough, Apple attempted to silence him and his daughter with a gagging order, offering a refund, only if he agreed to keep it quiet. A number of bloggers have reported cases where iPods have exploded — usually involving older versions of the digital music players.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-33255498157747701432010-08-26T04:41:00.001-07:002010-08-26T04:42:01.955-07:0010 Incredibly Controversial Sting Operations<p> </p><p>A sting operation is defined as “a complicated confidence game planned and executed with great care (especially an operation implemented by undercover agents to apprehend criminals)” Stings are commonly used throughout the world by law enforcement and recently it has become very popular with news and media organizations including trashy tabloids as ways of getting sensational headlines. One of the big concerns surrounding these operations is whether or not they constitute entrapment. I am personally on the fence concerning the ethics of sting operations because I know it can be a great tool to catch violent criminals. This list looks at some of the more interesting and controversial sting operations. Please comment if you have any additional information on these or other stings and if you believe these techniques are ethical. <p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - ACORN Sting</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSwvA_9VI/AAAAAAAAB0o/jppc3yuNCbU/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="299" height="341"> <p>ACORN stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. ACORN was a collection of community-based organizations in the United States that advocated for low and moderate income families. They also provided information on voter registration and affordable housing. In 2009, selectively edited videos were released by two young conservative activists, James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles (shown above). The two dressed up like a pimp and prostitute and then used a hidden camera to elicit damaging responses from ACORN employees, that appeared to advise them how to hide prostitution activities and avoid taxes. The ACORN workers also didn’t seem to be put off by the request for help in getting financing for a brothel. This created a nationwide controversy, resulting in a loss of funding from government and private donors. On March 22, 2010, ACORN announced it was closing all remaining affiliated state chapters and disbanded due to falling revenue. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> On January 25, 2010, James O’Keefe, along with three others, were arrested on felony charges for interfering with the phones of the New Orleans office of Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu. O’Keefe said he was investigating accusations that Landrieu’s office had ignored phone calls from constituents who were complaining about the health care debate. They were dressed as telephone repairmen as O’Keefe videotaped the operation. They were eventually charged with entering a federal building under false pretenses which is a misdemeanor. O’Keefe pled guilty and was sentenced to three years probation, 100 hours of community service, and a $1,500 fine. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Operation West End</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSxANlZTI/AAAAAAAAB0s/CWWE1HK99lo/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="341" height="293"> <p>This has been called the biggest undercover news story in Indian journalism. In 2001, a popular newspaper from India called Tehelka (meaning “sensation” in Hindi) launched its first major sting operation, “Operation West End” to expose the alleged culture of bribery at the India’s Ministry of Defense. The newspaper had two reporters pose as arms dealers from a bogus company in London. The undercover video shows several politicians and defense officials, including the secretary of the ruling party BJP, Bangaru Laxman, discussing and taking bribes for helping them procure government contracts. After the tapes were made public, Laxman and Defense Minister George Fernandes (shown above) resigned, and several additional defense ministry officials were suspended. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> Instead of initially acting on the evidence from the sting operation, the Indian government accused the newspaper of fabricating the allegations. The main financial backers of Tehelka were made targets of investigations, and the newspaper company was almost ruined. In 2003, Tehelka was re-launched as a weekly newspaper, and was funded by faithful subscribers and other well-wishers. In 2007, Tehelka shifted to a regular magazine format. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Senator Larry Craig</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSxgfvsiI/AAAAAAAAB0w/L3F6Y_YD-Vc/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="211"> <p>On June 11, 2007, Idaho Senator Larry Craig was arrested by an undercover police officer who was conducting a sting operation against men cruising for sex at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Arresting officer Sgt. Dave Karsnia said he went into a stall shortly after noon and closed the door. Craig then entered the stall next to him and put his luggage against the front of the stall door. This is often used as an attempt to conceal sexual conduct by blocking the view from the front. Minutes later, the officer said he saw Craig peering into his stall through a crack, then tapped his right foot several times and then moved it closer to Karsnia’s, until their feet touched. Craig then passed his hand under the stall divider into Karsnia’s stall with his palm up and guided it along the divider toward the front of the stall three times. Karsnia then waved his badge back, to which the senator responded, “No!” The senator pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and paid a fine, but changed his mind after word of his arrest later became public. Craig claimed he just had a “wide stance”, and he only pleaded guilty to avoid a spectacle. When he tried to withdraw his guilty plea, an appeals court turned him down. Craig served out his Senate term and was unsuccessful to clear his name in the Senate Ethics Committee. Craig did not seek reelection in 2008 and left office on January 3, 2009. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> Shortly after Craig was arrested, the men’s room became kind of a tourist attraction, with men and women asking directions and stopping to take pictures. Even toilet paper from the restroom was offered on E-Bay. You can listen to Sgt. Karsnia and Senator Craig’s conversation right after the arrest <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GSIimxpFe0">here</a>. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Sarah Ferguson</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSxwUZpGI/AAAAAAAAB00/YpsJ8RElyvE/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="386" height="200"> <p>In May of 2010 Sarah Ferguson fell prey to Mazher Mahmood, a journalist for the tabloid newspaper “News of the World”. Mahmood posed as an international tycoon and was able to arrange a meeting with Ferguson. During the meeting, the Duchess was secretly videotaped and offered to connect the “tycoon” with the powerful inner circle of her ex husband, Prince Andrew. On the tape Sarah Ferguson is heard saying “500,000 pounds when you can, to me, open doors.” She is also seen taking away a briefcase containing $40,000 in cash. Ferguson‘s spokesman said she was both “devastated” and “regretful” after the reporting of the incident. She also said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that she had been drinking prior to soliciting the cash, and was “in the gutter at that moment”. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> The man who posed as the tycoon, Mazher Mahmood, is known as the “Fake Sheikh” and has hoodwinked dozens of celebrities. He keeps his identity as mysterious as possible, and no one is sure if that’s his real name or what his real background is. The journalist claims to have received many death threats, does not appear in public, and has never allowed his face to appear in any of his stories. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Bait Cars</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSybsN-fI/AAAAAAAAB04/Gyk42wlALrk/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="246"> <p>The first bait cars were used in the 1990s by the Minneapolis Police Department. Today the largest bait car fleet in North America is based in Surrey, British Columbia, which is known to many as the “car theft capital of North America”. The vehicles are specially modified, with audio/video surveillance and GPS tracking technology, and can be remotely controlled to disable the engine. Since 2004, when it was launched in Surrey, BC, it has contributed to a 47% drop in auto theft. One of the more controversial bait cars stings occurred in 2008, in Dallas TX, when a woman was killed almost instantly when a thief, driving a bait car slammed into her. The victim’s family was awarded $245,000 to settle the lawsuit. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> The key in deciding when police are using a bait car illegally, and would cause entrapment, is whether they leave it in such a state that would entice someone who would normally not commit a crime. You can watch one of the more colorful (to say the least) bait car stings <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyyphuxM8Xg">here</a>. I’m sure many will be thinking the same thing I was thinking. “Where the heck was the kill switch?” <p> <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Marion Barry</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSyo_wdYI/AAAAAAAAB08/Qn8375SbgmA/5%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="173"> <p>Marion Barry is a well known politician and long-time mayor of Washington D.C. On December 22, 1988, police officers were about to make an undercover drug buy from Charles Lewis, a former Virgin Islands official, and were called back when they learned that Mayor Marion Barry was in Lewis’s hotel room. This led to a grand jury investigation into possible interference, by the mayor, in the drug investigation. Barry appeared before the grand jury and testified for three hours and later told reporters he had done nothing wrong. Then, on January 18, 1990, the FBI and D.C. Police set up a sting operation and arrested Barry in a Washington D.C. Hotel, after he smoked crack cocaine in a room with his former girlfriend, who had become an FBI informant. It was there that Barry said the now famous words that are often associated with him; “Bitch set me up”. As a result of his arrest and the ensuing trial, Barry decided not to seek reelection as mayor. A grand jury returned 14 counts against him, including possible perjury before a grand jury. If convicted on all 14 counts, the mayor could have faced 26 years in jail. The jury only found Barry guilty of cocaine usage and he was sentenced to six-months in prison. After Barry was released from jail he ran for city council. Because of the feeling by many that the government was just out to get Marion Barry, along with his general popularity; he received 70 percent of the vote. Then, in 1995, Barry was elected Mayor of Washington DC for the fourth time. Today, Barry is back serving on the D.C. city council. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> Whatever you think of Marion Barry you have to admire his tenacity, and his passion for serving the people of D.C. The incident above is just a small chapter in his fascinating life. Last year HBO made a documentary called “The Nine Lives of Marion Barry,” You can watch the trailer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1DsEUIFn6s">here</a>. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Joran Van der Sloot</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZSzFiEtkI/AAAAAAAAB1A/ta1g81VqckQ/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="212"> <p>Joran Van der Sloot is a Dutch national who is a prime suspect relating to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, who has been missing since May 30, 2005, during a high school graduation trip in Aruba. The case was revived on March 29, 2010 when Van der Sloot contacted John Q. Kelly, legal representative of Holloway’s mother Beth Twitty. Van der Sloot offered to reveal information around the circumstances of Holloway’s death, and the location of her body, for a total $250,000 with $25,000 paid in advance. Kelly and Twitty contacted law-enforcement authorities in Alabama, and the FBI set a sting operation into motion. On May 10, Van der Sloot accepted the amount of $15,000 by wire transfer to his account in the Netherlands, and then another $10,000 was paid to him in cash. In exchange for the money, he took Kelly on a drive to show where Holloway’s remains were. He pointed out a house and said his father had helped dispose of the body in the foundation. This turned out to be false because the house was not built when Holloway disappeared. Later Van der Sloot told Kelly in an e-mail that it was all a hoax. At this point Van der Sloot could have been arrested for wire fraud and extortion, but authorities delayed the arrest because they were trying to build a murder case against him. Van der Sloot was not only left free, he was allowed to leave Aruba and use the money he received from the sting to go to Bogotá, Colombia, and then to Lima Peru. In a Casino hotel in Lima he met Stephany Flores Ramirez, a 21 year old business student at the University of Lima. Security video shows Van der Sloot and Ramirez entering a hotel room together, but only Van der sloot leaving. On June 2, Ramirez was found beaten to death, her neck broken, in the hotel room which was registered in Van der Sloot’s name. Ramirez died on May 30, 2010, exactly five years from Natalee Holloway’s disappearance. Van der Sloot was arrested On June 3, and on June 7, he confessed to the killing. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> Van der Sloot is currently locked away in the Miguel Castro prison in Peru, where murder charges are filed. He reportedly now says he’ll reveal the location of Natalee Holloway’s body if he is allowed transfer to an Aruba jail. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Perverted Justice Stings</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZS0HMEgPI/AAAAAAAAB1E/0I9XjgygeV8/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="313" height="238"> <p>Perverted-Justice in an organization that carries out sting operations by having volunteers pose as 10-15 year old minors on chat sites, and then wait for an adult to message or email the decoy back. If the conversation turns sexual in nature they will not discourage it or outright encourage it. Then they will try to identify the men by obtaining their telephone numbers and other details, so that a meeting can be arranged. The organization then passes the information on to law-enforcement. Perverted-Justice has also collaborated with an American reality program called “To Catch a Predator”. One of the more controversial cases occurred in 2006 in Murphy, Texas. Louis Conradt (Pictured above) was a district attorney in Texas, and posed as a 19-year-old university student and engaged in sexually charged online chats with someone who he believed was a 13-year-old boy. After Conradt asked for pictures of the boy’s penis, they brought in an actor to play the boy over the phone. When Conradt stopped responding to phone calls and instant messages, police and the reality show decided to bring the operation to Conradt’s home, with a search warrant. When officers moved in to make an arrest, they heard a gunshot. They found Conradt inside with a self-inflicted wound and he later died at a hospital. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> The sting in Murphy, Texas, resulted in 23 arrests for on-line solicitation of a minor. In June, 2007, all 23 cases were not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence. Conradt’s family filed a suit against Dateline’s To Catch a Predator series for $105 million. The case was eventually settled out of court. In 2008 the network canceled production of all future episodes. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Rachel Hoffman</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZS0SNNyQI/AAAAAAAAB1I/jiGT388NfxI/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="251"> <p>During a traffic stop in Tallahassee, Florida, on February 22, 2007, Rachel Hoffman (pictured above) was caught with 25 grams of marijuana. Then, on April 17, 2008, police searched her apartment and uncovered 151.7 grams of cannabis, and 4 ecstasy pills. She was reportedly told by police that she would go to prison unless she became an undercover informant for them. She was then sent, untrained, to an undercover meeting to buy a large amount of drugs and a handgun from two suspected drug dealers. While she was at the drug buy, the suspects changed the location of the buy. The policemen that were monitoring the sting, lost track of her when she left the buy spot with the two suspects in their car. While in transit, the two suspects executed her with the same gun she was supposed to buy. Her body was recovered two days later near Perry, Florida. On December 17, 2009, which would have been Rachel Hoffman’s 25th birthday, one of the murder suspects, was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The second murder suspect is scheduled for trial in October 2010. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> On May 7, 2009, a law called “Rachel’s Law” was passed by the Florida State Senate. Rachel’s Law requires law enforcement agencies to (a) provide special training for officers who recruit confidential informants, (b) instruct informants that reduced sentences may not be provided in exchange for their work, and (c) permit informants to request a lawyer if they want one. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Mr. Big</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THZS00LkA-I/AAAAAAAAB1M/E38a3eHgNsY/1%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="203"> <p>Mr. Big is also called “the Canadian technique”, and was developed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the early 1990s for unsolved homicides. It is used in Canada and Australia, but it is considered entrapment in many other countries, including the United States and England. The technique works something like this: An undercover police unit poses as members of a fictitious gang, into which the suspect is inducted. The suspect is invited to participate in a series of criminal activities (all faked by the police). In addition, the “gang members” build a personal relationship with the suspect, by drinking together and other social activities. After a period of time, he is introduced to Mr. Big, the gang leader. The suspect is told that the police have a renewed interest in the original crime, and to give the gang further details. They explain that Mr. Big may have the ability to influence the police investigation, but only if he admits all of the details of the crime. He is also told that he must be completely clear about any other past crimes, or the gang may not be willing to continue to work with him because he would become a liability. The photo above shows Royal Canadian Mounted Police during a memorial service, carrying the hats of four officers slain in Edmonton Canada, in 2005. Two of the men serving prison sentences for the murders made confessions to Mr. Big operatives. <p><strong>Interesting Fact:</strong> In British Columbia, the technique has been used over 180 times, and, in 80% of the cases, it resulted in either a confession or the elimination of the suspect from suspicion. However, cases of false confessions and wrongful convictions have recently come to the public’s attention, and many are starting to question the controversial technique. In 2007, a documentary was made, called Mr. Big, that was very critical of the procedure.You can watch the trailer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmLcLXcJjFU">here</a>.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-25916859759303655872010-08-25T02:34:00.001-07:002010-08-25T02:35:36.572-07:00Top 10 Talking Donkeys<p> </p><p>This is a list recognizing the ten greatest talking donkeys from books, movies and television. Some of the donkeys on this list are special because they were never expected to talk (like any normal donkey), and it is either magical or miraculous that they did. Others simply live in a world where all animals can talk, and they are noteworthy for other reasons. At all events, the two things each entry has in common are they all talk, and they all are donkeys. So with that, here are your top ten: <p> <p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - The Ass in the Lion’s Skin</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjf3POkMI/AAAAAAAAB0A/VEjAL2s70BI/10%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="171"> <p>The Ass in the Lion’s Skin is a fable attributed to the Greek slave, Aesop (famous also for the Tortoise and the Hare, the Ant and the Grasshopper, etc). The story is about an ass that dresses in the skin of a lion so that he can go around scaring the other animals. His trick works until he tries to talk to a fox, who, upon hearing him bray (he doesn’t say anything specific) instantly realizes that he’s not a lion but, in fact, an ass dressed in lion’s skin. The moral of the story is that you can never tell a fool by the way they dress, but you always can tell once they open their mouth. So true! <p>The donkey in the fable was directly alluded to, and given much more of a voice, in the book “The Last Battle,” the seventh and final book of C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, which features the talking donkey, Puzzle. Puzzle is noted for being courageous and humble, but also very naïve. He is tricked by his friend, Shift the Ape, into retrieving a lion’s skin from the frigid Caldron Pool, dressing himself in it, and then using it as a disguise for Aslan the Lion, in a ploy to gain control over Narnia. This pretense is eventually betrayed by Shift himself, but in the end Puzzle is pardoned by the real Aslan. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Ya’foor</h3><p><em>Muhammad’s Talking Donkey</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjgVRsnUI/AAAAAAAAB0E/QDkJTVSdWHQ/9%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="178" height="244"> <p>From the book The Beginning and the End comes an interesting story called “The Conversation of the Donkey.” In it, Muhammad receives from God a gift of four sheep, four goats, ten pots of gold and silver and a black donkey that can talk. The ensuing “conversation” between Muhammad and the donkey goes something like this: <p>Muhammad addresses the donkey asking, “What is your name?” “Yazid Ibn Shihab,” the donkey answers. Then Muhammad says to him, “I will call you Ya’foor!” Then Ya’foor replies, “I obey.” Muhammad then asks, “Do you desire females?” To which the donkey replies, “NO!” <p>Interesting, to say the least. Due to the difficulty in finding an image of Ya’foor, pictured above is the donkey Buraq, another donkey closely related to the tales of Muhammad. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Benjamin</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjhE7h9NI/AAAAAAAAB0I/BxhD0uzoB0Y/8%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="195"> <p>Animal Farm (1945), by George Orwell, is an allegorical novella about a group of farm animals (mostly pigs) meant to symbolize Soviet politics. In other words, it’s one fairly boring topic allegorizing another. Nevertheless, it has its place in history and, supposedly (I admit I’ve never read it), there’s a talking donkey named Benjamin. The following is from the Cliffs Notes character description of him: <p>“Donkeys are known for their stubbornness, and Benjamin stubbornly refuses to become enthusiastic about the rebellion. While all of his comrades delight in the prospect of a new, animal-governed world, Benjamin only remarks, ‘Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey.’ While this reply puzzles the animals, the reader understands Benjamin’s cynical yet not-unfounded point: In the initial moments of the rebellion, Animal Farm may seem a paradise, but in time it may come to be another form of the same tyranny at which they rebelled. Of course, Benjamin is proven right. Although pessimistic, he is a realist.” <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Nestor</h3><p><em>The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjhh_WnxI/AAAAAAAAB0M/AsNx7WTCiLk/7%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="185"> <p>For anyone who hasn’t seen this show, it’s basically a mash-up of Dumbo and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and it is worth checking out for sure. Nestor is a gray, stop-motion donkey with freakishly long ears who is rejected by all the other donkeys. After his mother is killed (okay, there’s a little Bambi in there too) he wanders to Israel and finds Joseph and Mary, whom he helps travel to Bethlehem where Baby Jesus is born. <p>Like the classic holiday hit A Charlie Brown Christmas, this movie seems to strike the perfect balance between secular and spiritual. And there’s plenty of talking donkeys to get your fix. The narrator of the story is a talking donkey named Spieltoe, and is mildly amusing. “You never knew Santa Claus had a donkey?’ he asks with a drawl, “who do you think pulls his snow plow?” <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Leroy</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjiTIKdZI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/E1xXY2cJF-g/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="309" height="180"> <p>From the movie The Muppet Musicians of Bremen, Leroy is a talking donkey who, more impressively, plays the tuba. The movie is an adaptation of the German folktale, The Town Musicians of Bremen, first recorded by the Brothers Grimm. The Muppet version is set in the rural bayou of Louisiana, and the music is New Orleans-style jazz. Leroy is the first protagonist introduced but is later joined by Rover Joe, the hound dog (who plays the trombone), Catgut the cat (the trumpet) and T.R. the rooster (vocals and tambourine), with various rats and Kermit the Frog serving as MC. Together the animals escape their abusive, criminal owners and embark on a quest for freedom as a traveling band. This show alone is enough to demonstrate Jim Henson’s unique and enduring genius, as both a craftsman and a storyteller, and in no small part due to Leroy the Donkey. <p> <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Baba Looey</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjjFkT_ZI/AAAAAAAAB0U/5CVgGnxjnms/5%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"> <p>For my money, there’s nothing cuter than a short cartoon burro with a sombrero and a thick Mexican accent. Enter Baba Looey from the wild west themed Quick Draw McGraw Show. When Baba Looey, voiced by Hanna-Barbera legend Daws Butler, says “Quick Draw” it sounds like “Quick Straw.” Now that’s adorable. <p>But in all seriousness, Baba Looey really was the archetypal sidekick. Loyal and resourceful, he rescued Quick Draw when in trouble, provided valuable advice and information, and was always there to pull Quick Draw’s head out of the clouds. In that regard, he was a very close reincarnation of the Miguel de Cervantes character, Sancho Panza, who actually rode a donkey in the Spanish masterpiece Don Quixote de la Mancha. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Balaam’s Talking Ass</h3><p><em>Numbers 22</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjjwGFCgI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/SYCZCae8HwU/4%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="192"> <p>This one is just plain awkward. Unlike the tale of Muhammad’s talking donkey which is obscure at best, the Judeo-Christian version, amazingly, is right there in the scriptures. In fact, on a Listverse top ten of the most bizarre biblical tales, it was weird enough to reach #2. <p>To recap, the prophet Balaam and his donkey are traveling together when the donkey sees an angel and refuses to walk any further. Frustrated, Balaam begins to beat the animal until it speaks, asking “What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?” [<a href="http://www.drbo.org/chapter/04022.htm">Source</a>] <p>Balaam then says, “Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.” At about this point Balaam finally sees the angel and falls down on the ground. Then the angel says to Balaam, “Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me[.]” (On this one I would like to invoke the Fox News slogan: “We Report. You Decide.”) <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Eeyore</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjkf0JtaI/AAAAAAAAB0c/Kxmqt_Bk8Fk/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="143"> <p>Originally created by the British author A.A. Milne for the Winnie-the-Pooh books, Eeyore has reappeared in several Disney movies and television shows and has achieved the greatest popularity, by far, of all the characters in the series. As a quick demonstration, consider that, at the time this list was composed, Eeyore had over 241,000 fans on Facebook—92,000 more than compatriot Tigger and 85,500 more than the Pooh Bear himself. (Piglet, Rabbit, Owl and Christopher Robin don’t even come close to approaching these figures, not even combined.) Maybe all those fans can do something to help Eeyore overcome all his mental and emotional problems. <p>Now, I understand that his severely despondent attitude is, in part, to counterbalance the other characters, much like Oscar the Grouch or the Raincloud Care Bear, but Eeyore takes it way too far. He has dangerously low self-esteem and zero self-worth. In fact I dare anybody to read the following passage (credit to overthinkingit.com) and tell me it’s not a little disturbing: <p>“You seem so sad, Eeyore.”<br />
“Sad? Why should I be sad? It’s my birthday. The happiest day of the year.”<br />
“Your birthday?” said Pooh in great surprise.<br />
“Of course it is. Can’t you see? Look at all the presents I’ve had.”<br />
He waved a foot from side to side.<br />
“Look at the birthday cake. Candles and pink sugar.”<br />
Pooh looked – first to the right and then to the left.<br />
“Presents?” said Pooh. “Birthday cake?” said Pooh. “Where?”<br />
“Can’t you see them?”<br />
“No,” said Pooh.<br />
“Neither can I,” said Eeyore. “Joke,” he explained. “Ha Ha.” <p>God help Eeyore. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Donkey</h3><p><em>Shrek</em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjlEwL62I/AAAAAAAAB0g/Razq6TEOZHw/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="286" height="183"> <p>He’s positive, sensitive, talkative, his favorite food is waffles, and he even flew for a brief moment with the help of some pixie dust. Yes, the one and only Donkey from the Shrek tetralogy hardly needs any further explanation. In 2001, Donkey, voiced by veteran Eddie Murphy, and the rest of Shrek gang announced, with a bang, the arrival of DreamWorks Animation as a power player in the computer-animated family film genre. Up until that time this extremely lucrative industry had been dominated, if not monopolized, by the Pixar studio. Yet critics and fans alike hailed Shrek for its fresh jabs at fairytale conventions, hurled openly at Pixar bedfellow Disney, and it was enough for Shrek to win the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Bottom</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THTjlg4eXaI/AAAAAAAAB0k/_TfSJpcyI4M/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="309" height="208"> <p>It is impossible to overstate the sheer beauty and brilliance of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, although many have certainly tried. So what’s one more attempt going to hurt, right? It is, simply put, a timeless wonder; a phenomenon that has inspired at least one opera, one ballet and five modern films. And it all starts with Bottom. After all, it’s Bottom who dreams the dream, or as he calls it, the “most rare vision,” and any high school teacher could tell you the most important role in any Shakespeare comedy is the fool. <p>A resident Athenian and weaver by vocation, Bottom is transformed (or more precisely “translated”) from human being to ass by the “shrewd and knavish sprite” Robin Goodfellow in the first scene of the third act. The rest, well, we all know what happens. But for those who don’t; he has sex with the Queen. In most performances he is given an ass’s head or ears, only, but there are alternative interpretations that hold that he was endowed with a lot more than that. Peter Brook, who directed the epic 1970 Royal Shakespeare Company’s production, apparently shared this view. “Peter used to tell us that the ass has the largest penis in the animal world,” recalls Sarah Kestelman, who played Titania. <p>Anyway, without going any more into that, or any other textual analyses—of which there are hundreds, and many quite intriguing—suffice it to say that Bottom is a globally beloved ass who gave us the greatest midsummer night in all of literature. <p>Plus, he’s an ass named Bottom. How could he not be at the top of this list?Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-64485852964984470342010-08-24T10:33:00.001-07:002010-08-24T10:41:32.726-07:00Top 15 Most Evil Nazis<p> </p><p>The Third Reich, 1933-1945, was arguably the most heinous regime in history. Comprised of some equally malevolent characters, this administration was responsible for initiating the biggest and most costly war mankind has ever known, and perpetrated one of the worlds biggest acts of genocide, in what is now referred to as the Holocaust. This list could have been bigger but I settled on these 15 (mostly) NSDAP members.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-15"></a></p><h3>#15 - Hermann Goering</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="15" border="0" alt="15" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCLiFcRWI/AAAAAAAABzA/wY2k-LIFpbc/15%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="291" height="420" /> </p><p>A WW1 veteran, the Reichsmarschall was head of the luftwaffe, and the founder of the gestapo. After the fall of France he stole millions of pounds worth of art from Jews, and amassed a personal fortune. Goering took part in the beer hall putsch of 1923 and was wounded in the groin. Subsequently, taking morphine for pain relief, he became addicted to the drug for the rest of his life. In 1940, the Marshal ordered the bombing of the civilian population of Britain (the Blitz) and was involved in planning the holocaust. Goering was the highest ranking defendant during the Nuremberg Trials. Sentenced to hang, he committed suicide in his cell the night before his execution by cyanide ingestion.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-14"></a></p><h3>#14 - Ilse Koch</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="14" border="0" alt="14" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCMajqcnI/AAAAAAAABzE/rifKZd0GGN8/14%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="294" height="387" /> </p><p>Known as The “Bitch of Buchenwald” because of her sadistic cruelty towards prisoners, Ilse Koch was married to another wicked Nazi SS, Karl Otto Koch, but outshone him in the depraved, inhumane, disregard for life which was her trademark. She used her sexual prowess by wandering around the camps naked, with a whip, and if any man so much as glanced at her she would have them shot on the spot. The most infamous accusation against Ilse Koch was that she had selected inmates with interesting tattoos to be killed, so that their skins could be made into lampshades for her home (though, unfortunately, no evidence of these lampshades has been found). After the war she was arrested and spent time in prison on different charges, eventually hanging herself in her cell in 1967, apparently consumed by guilt.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-13"></a></p><h3>#13 - Joseph Goebbels</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="13" border="0" alt="13" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCM029QUI/AAAAAAAABzI/yxrIcqcdQYc/13%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="305" height="401" /> </p><p>Dr. Paul Josef Goebbels was the Reich Minister of Propaganda, and a vehement antisemite. Goebbels speeches of hatred against Jews arguably initiated the final solution, and no doubt helped sway public opinion to the detriment of the Jewish people. A sufferer of polio, Goebbels had a club foot, but this did not effect his standing as the second best orator in The Reich. He coined the phrase “Total War”, and was instrumental in convincing the nation to fight long after the war was effectively lost. At the end of the war, a devoted Goebbels stayed in Berlin with Hitler and killed himself, along with his wife Magda and their six young children.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-12"></a></p><h3>#12 - Franz Stangl</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="12" border="0" alt="12" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCNjI6T5I/AAAAAAAABzM/EBrYFdE81Lc/12%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" height="443" /> </p><p>Born in Austria, Stangl was a commandant of the Sobibor and Treblinka extermination camps. In 1940, through a direct order from Heinrich Himmler, Stangl became superintendent of the T-4 Euthanasia Program at the Euthanasia Institute at Schloss Hartheim where mentally and physically disabled people were sent to be killed. Stangl accepted, and grew accustomed to the killing of Jews , perceiving prisoners not as humans but merely as “cargo”. He is quoted as saying, “I remember standing there, next to the pits full of black-blue corpses…. somebody said ‘What shall we do with rotting garbage?’ that started me thinking of them as cargo. Stangl escaped Germany after the war and was eventually arrested in Brazil, in 1967. He was tried for the deaths of around 900,000 people. He admitted to these killings, but argued: “My conscience is clear. I was simply doing my duty”. He died of heart failure in 1971, while serving a life sentence.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-11"></a></p><h3>#11 - Paul Blobel</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="11" border="0" alt="11" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCOY_cxVI/AAAAAAAABzQ/EszjOWPsvgM/11%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="282" height="371" /> </p><p>During the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he commanded Sonderkommando 4a of Einsatzgruppe C, that was active in Ukraine. Following Wehrmacht troops into Ukraine, the Einsatzgruppen would be responsible for liquidating political and racial undesirables. Blobel was primarily responsible for the Babi Yar massacre at Kiev. Up to 59,018 executions are attributable to Blobel, though during testimony he was alleged to have killed 10,000-15,000. He was later sentenced to death by the U.S. Nuremberg Military Tribunal in the Einsatzgruppen Trial. He was hanged at Landsberg Prison on June 8, 1951.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-10"></a></p><h3>#10 - Josef Kramer</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCO2nYqxI/AAAAAAAABzU/s05prEtMNc8/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="375" /> </p><p>Kramer was the Commandant of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Dubbed “The Beast of Belsen” by camp inmates; he was a notorious Nazi war criminal, directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. Kramer adopted his own draconian policies at Auschwitz and Belsen and, along with Irma Grese, he terrorized his prisoners without remorse. After the war he was convicted of war crimes and hanged in Hameln prison by noted British executioner Albert Pierrepoint. Whilst on trial he stated his lack of feelings as he was “just following orders”.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-9"></a></p><h3>#9 - Ernst Kaltenbrunner</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCPmw2NII/AAAAAAAABzY/9PDA5_bnL4U/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" height="394" /> </p><p>Austrian born Kaltenbrunner was chief of security in the Reich where he replaced Reinhard Heydrich. He was president of Interpol from 1943 to 1945, and was there to destroy the enemies within the Reich. Kaltenbrunner was a physically imposing man with scars on his cheeks, which made him look like the tyrant he really was. Kaltenbrunner was one of the main perpetrators of the holocaust and he was hanged after the Nuremberg trials on 16th October 1946. He was the highest ranked SS man to be hanged.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><h3>#8 - Friedrich Jeckeln</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCQ5uwziI/AAAAAAAABzg/laQkE00NtV8/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="429" /> </p><p>Jeckeln led one of the largest collections of Einsatzgruppen, and was personally responsible for ordering the deaths of over 100,000 Jews, Slavs, Roma, and other “undesirables” of the Third Reich, in the occupied Soviet Union during World War II. Jeckeln developed his own methods to kill large numbers of people, which became known as the “Jeckeln System” during the Rumbula, Babi Yar, and Kamianets-Podilskyi Massacres. After the war he was tried and hanged by the Russian,s in Riga on February 3, 1946.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-7"></a></p><h3>#7 - Oskar Dirlewanger</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCR0x-cPI/AAAAAAAABzk/BylY5IpZVUw/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="287" height="396" /> </p><p>WW1 veteran Dr. Oskar Dirlewanger led the infamous SS Dirlewanger Brigade, a penal battalion comprised of the sickest most vicious criminals in the Riech. Dirlwanger raped two 13 year old girls on separate occasions in the 1930s, and lost his Dr. title after being imprisoned, only to have it reinstated after his bravery Fighting in the Spanish Civil War. He volunteered for the SS at the start of WW2, and was given his own battalion due to his excellent soldiery, Dirlewanger’s unit was employed in operations against partisans in the occupied Soviet Union, but he and his soldiers are widely believed to have tortured, raped and murdered civilians (including children) and he allegedly fed female hostages strychnine in order to entertain his soldiers whilst they died in agony. Dirlewanger was captured by the French in a hospital after being injured at the front as he had always led his soldiers into battle. The French handed him over to the Polish, who locked him up and beat and tortured him over the next few days. He died from injuries inflicted by the Polish guards around June 5, 1945.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-6"></a></p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<h3>#6 - Odilo Globocnik</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkbRlRxQDp5Wek8nFDpmOFb1iTIVmwPm1p9aauVv2qw-IyZO01tswKiFc1eACLdvIaLpbin0dF1lRhh9kcM9t8vJM7eTz1EWlDs41zczmBabS4KkKhyaYHz2d8VaOPFIQXXiESLycBdQ/?imgmax=800" width="277" height="386" /> </p><p>Odilo Globocnik was a prominent Austrian Nazi, and later an SS leader. He was one of the men most responsible for the murder of millions of people during the Holocaust. Globocnik was responsible for liquidating the Warsaw Ghetto, which contained about 500,000 Jews, the largest Jewish community in Europe, and the second largest in the world, after New York. He is also known for liquidating the Bialystok Ghetto, which stood out for its strong resistance to German occupation and resettling a large quantity of Poles under the premise of ethnic cleansing. He was in charge of the implementation and supervision of the Lublin reservation, to which 95,000 Jews were deported, with its adjacent network of forced labour camps in the Lublin district. He was also in charge of over 45,000 Jewish laborers. On May 21st, Shortly after capture, Globocnik committed suicide by means of a cyanide capsule hidden in his mouth.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-5"></a></p><h3>#5 - Adolf Eichmann</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyP-0JWHbpSW0xrRCma6Q81pGpyEOdkojlm-rMZ0qM2IKineZe7HXSlAkj3QHatJyits0vRoLtQmZiYAfpRKQL6f_pVsh8iiKa_SfGYFkzD23dzuPvbhDGy8SyaFSmnQNHewDsLu0XfXk/?imgmax=800" width="269" height="371" /> </p><p>Eichmann was the organizational talent that orchestrated the mass deportation of Jews from their countries into waiting ghettos and extermination camps. A prodigy of Heydrich, he is sometimes referred to as “the architect of the Holocaust”. He learned Hebrew and studied all things Jewish in order to manipulate Jews, through his power of coercion, to leave their occupied territories and possessions in favor of a better life in the ghettos. At the end of the war he was doing the same to Hungarian Jews and, if it wasn’t for the intervention of Raoul Wallenberg, the number of victims of the holocaust would have been much higher. He fled Germany at the end of the war via a ratline to south America, and was captured by the Mossad in Argentina. He was extradited to Israel and executed by hanging in 1962, after a highly publicized trial. Eichmanns death was, and is, the only civil execution ever carried out in Israel.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-4"></a></p><h3>#4 - Joseph Mengele</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCU8ChvRI/AAAAAAAABzw/KZ9p-nwuN04/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="257" height="403" /> </p><p>Mengele initially gained notoriety for being one of the SS physicians who supervised the selection of arriving transports of prisoners, determining who was to be killed and who was to become a forced laborer, but is far more infamous for performing grisly human experiments on camp inmates, for which Mengele was called the “Angel of Death”. His crimes were evil and of many. When it was reported that one hospital block was infested with lice, Mengele gassed every single one of the 750 women assigned to it. Mengele used Auschwitz as an opportunity to continue his research on heredity, using inmates for human experimentation. He was particularly interested in identical twins. Mengele’s experiments included attempts to take one twin’s eyeballs and attach them to the back of the other twin’s head, changing eye color by injecting chemicals into children’s eyes, various amputations of limbs, and other brutal surgeries. He survived the war, and after a period living incognito in Germany, he fled to South America, where he evaded capture for the rest of his life, despite being hunted as a Nazi war criminal.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-3"></a></p><h3>#3 - Reinhard Heydrich</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCVsDB4TI/AAAAAAAABz0/kX6VnXp2Mno/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="312" height="378" /> </p><p>Heydrich was appointed Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. In August 1940, he was appointed and served as President of Interpol. Heydrich chaired the 1942 Wannsee Conference, which discussed plans for the deportation and extermination of all Jews in German occupied territory, thus being the mastermind of the holocaust. He was attacked by British trained Czech agents on 27 May, 1942, sent to assassinate him in Prague. He died slightly over a week later from complications arising from his injuries. The foundations of genocide were laid by Heydrich and carried out in Operation Reinhard in his name.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-2"></a></p><h3>#2 - Adolf Hitler</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCWW2YnRI/AAAAAAAABz4/EYCXaZKoGDs/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="299" height="387" /> </p><p>Hitler would be some people’s choice to be number one but not mine. Adolf Hitler went from being a lance corporal in the German army, to chancellor of Germany in 15 years. The holocaust may have been his subordinates doing, but he knew about it, which, amazingly, has only been fairly recently proven. Adolf Hitler had a major role in initiating the bloodiest conflict ever, which still has a massive bearing on the world to this day. His megalomania saw large parts of Europe devastated in his lifetime and forced into communism after the war.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-1"></a></p><h3>#1 - Heinrich Himmler</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THQCXqR6ogI/AAAAAAAABz8/rsiohRXgkyk/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="286" height="402" /> </p><p>Heinrich Himmler, the architect of the holocaust and considered to be the biggest mass murderer ever, by some (although it’s really Josef Stalin). The holocaust would not have happened if not for this man. He tried to breed a master race of Nordic appearance, the Aryan race. His plans for racial purity were ended by Hitler’s vanity in making rash military decisions rather than letting his generals make them, thus ending the war prematurely. Himmler was captured after the war. He unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the west, and was genuinely shocked to be treated as a criminal upon capture. He committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule he had bit upon.</p>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-88758950010373486132010-08-24T10:17:00.001-07:002010-08-24T10:20:32.187-07:00Top 10 Unusual Islands<p> </p><p>This is a list of islands that are somehow unusual or notable. The ranking from ten to one is somewhat arbitrary, in my opinion, since each island is unique in its own way and ratings can’t really apply (it would be kind of like asking which piece of music is better, “Stairway to Heaven” or “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”). So this one is really more like a grocery list than a “countdown from ten to one” list. The islands listed were chosen in part for their obscurity, which is why (for example) Easter Island is not on the list — everyone has heard of that one!</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-10"></a></p><h3>#10 - Ni’ihau</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-oKCEquI/AAAAAAAAByY/xKDU7Q4oVmk/10%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="403" height="310" /> </p><p>The westernmost of the eight major Hawaiian islands, Ni’ihau (pronounced NEE-ee-how) is distinct from the other seven in that it is completely privately owned, having been purchased by Elizabeth Sinclair from the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1864. Visitors are seldom permitted, hence the island’s nickname, “The Forbidden Isle”, although in recent years the island has begun to allow very limited tourism (primarily safaris). Ni’ihau has a population of about 130 people, who speak Hawai’ian as their native language (although English is also spoken).</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-9"></a></p><h3>#9 - Attu Island</h3><p> </p><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-ooSVV2I/AAAAAAAAByc/8sIvP0a-fPk/9%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" height="388" />Another westernmost island, this time the westernmost in the Aleutian Islands chain in Alaska. Although Attu Island is the Aleutians’ westernmost island, it actually lies in the Eastern hemisphere. Attu has a population of twenty, all of whom live and work in Attu Station, a United States Coast Guard LORAN (Long Range Aid to Navigation) facility. Apart from being the last island in the 1,200 mile (1,900 kilometer) long Aleutian Islands chain, Attu is also distinct in that it is the location of the only land-based conflict on American soil in all of World War II.</p><p> </p><p> </p><h3> </h3><h3> </h3><h3>#8 - Monuriki Island</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-pddZ56I/AAAAAAAAByg/EL7rlnkVmpE/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="367" height="279" /> </p><p>Monuriki is a small, uninhabited island in the Mamanuca Island group in Fiji. Monuriki would not ordinarily be noteworthy for any particular reason, but it came into the spotlight when it was used as the primary filming location in the 2000 Tom Hanks film, “Cast Away”, about a man whose plane crashes and who, subsequently, ends up living on the island for four years. In the movie, the island is completely isolated, although in reality, there are several other islands within a few miles of it, including Tavua, with a population of some 2,400 people. Monuriki has now become a popular tourist destination due to its appearance in the film.</p><p> </p><p> </p><h3>#7 - Navassa Island</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-pqk1x-I/AAAAAAAAByk/cWU2VKu4pGU/7%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="362" height="251" /> </p><p>Navassa is an uninhabited Caribbean island about thirty miles west of Haiti and ninety miles south of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Its entire coastline consists of steep cliffs, making boat landings impossible. The United States annexed it in 1857, and spent the next few decades mining its extensive guano deposits. The island is now classified as a nature reserve, requiring United States government permission (which is rarely granted) to enter. Navassa is also one of the few United States territorial disputes — it is also claimed by Haiti.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a name="item-6"></a></p><h3>#6 - Spitsbergen</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-qYsh-9I/AAAAAAAAByo/IYlDXrGBeAM/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="359" height="253" /> </p><p>Spitsbergen is the largest of the Svalbard islands, north of Scandinavia. A Norwegian territory, it is home to the town of Longyearbyen, one of the world’s most northerly permanent settlements. As such, Spitsbergen contains a good deal of “world’s most northerlies”, most northerly church and most northerly airport being among them. Due to the danger of polar bears, whenever one travels anywhere on Spitsbergen outside of Longyearbyen, one is required by law to carry a rifle. Spitsbergen is also the location of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, where a variety of plant seeds are stored for safekeeping to preserve biodiversity in case of any kind of large-scale disaster.</p><p> </p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<h3>#5 - Palmyra Atoll</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-ruxV_BI/AAAAAAAABys/jaNizOPVqVI/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="388" height="202" /> </p><p>Palmyra is actually a collection of small islets, located roughly halfway between Hawaii and Samoa. The largest, Cooper Island, is privately owned and administered by The Nature Conservancy. The rest is owned by the United States federal government and is administered by its Fish and Wildlife Service. Palmyra is staffed by a small group of government scientists and Nature Conservancy volunteers for preservation and research. In 1974, Palmyra was the location of a double murder, later detailed in Vincent Bugliosi’s best selling true crime book, “And the Sea Will Tell”.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-4"></a></p><h3>#4 - Howland Island</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-sKo5SdI/AAAAAAAAByw/U2nzahWGqNo/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="366" height="277" /> </p><p>Howland lies about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, and is only about fifty miles north of the equator. Like many small Pacific islands, it was claimed by the United States and mined for its guano deposits. There was also an attempt at colonization, but it was interrupted by World War II, when Howland was attacked by Japanese bombers the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, killing two of the colonists and requiring the other two to be evacuated. No further attempt at colonization was made after the war. Howland is now a nature preserve and is probably best known for being the stop on Amelia Earhart’s around-the-world flight at which she never arrived.</p><p><a name="item-3"></a></p><p> </p><h3>#3 - Pitcairn Island</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17z8hyphenhyphenh2zLluIYutdLVxUXy2uTocEm666s0PFcK4rqKeCVmbKgW82-_rwVJF-gltkhBFljJCnNVmH3_Rvr-02_s2w7Fq_ltlBXhRf4qSVZMCZSszeiPIm20u_IqkAB_qOalAZxIoK7lI/?imgmax=800" width="348" height="265" /> </p><p>Pitcairn is the only inhabited island of the four in the Pitcairn Islands group. It is the last remaining British overseas territory in the Pacific. Pitcairn Island, with only fifty or so inhabitants, is the least populous and most remote jurisdiction in the world (being some 1300 miles, or 2100 kilometers, west of Chile). All of its inhabitants are descendants of the mutineers from the HMS Bounty and the Polynesians who accompanied them. The burned wreckage of the Bounty is still visible under the waters of Bounty Bay. Pitcairn makes what is supposedly some of the best honey in the world, so much so that even the Queen has praised its virtues. If you decide to buy some through their web site, though, be prepared for a long wait. Pitcairn has no airport, and Bounty Bay is small and shallow, so the island is visited and supplied only occasionally. Mail deliveries can be months apart. (I ordered some honey myself about two or three months ago and am told that it will still be about another month before it even gets off the island.) Pitcairn is unique in quite a few other ways as well, so much so that I had a hard time deciding which ones to include and which to leave out!</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-2"></a></p><h3>#2 - Bouvet Island</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-tvaavJI/AAAAAAAABy4/6TXcHgFpI40/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="351" height="268" /> </p><p>Bouvet is a 19 square mile (49 square kilometer) volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 1550 miles (2500 kilometers) south-southwest of South Africa. It is almost completely covered with ice. Most of the coastline consists of very steep cliffs, making landings difficult. Bouvet was originally a British territory, but Britain waived its claim and ceded the island to Norway, which maintains it today as a nature preserve. Bouvet has never been inhabited and almost certainly never will be, but it still has its own top-level Internet domain name, .bv, which is unused. Bouvet’s claim to fame is that it is the most remote island in the world. The nearest land, Queen Maud Land in Antarctica, lies some 1,100 miles (1,750 kilometers) to the south. Adventure travelers and amateur radio operators (using the island-specific prefix 3Y) therefore like to travel there.</p><p> </p><p><a name="item-1"></a></p><h3>#1 - North Sentinel Island</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/THP-uVx4YTI/AAAAAAAABy8/bww0V4xkybY/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="346" height="262" /> </p><p>North Sentinel Island lies some 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Smith Island, in the Bay of Bengal. It is about 28 square miles (72 square kilometers) and is completely forested, with the exception of the thin strips of beach that encircle most of it. It is otherwise unremarkable, except that it is populated by one of the few remaining “uncontacted peoples” in the world. The Sentinelese are highly xenophobic and resist virtually all attempts at contact, frequently firing arrows at boats and helicopters that come too close to the island (sometimes killing the “intruders). Between their active isolationism and the difficulty of observing the island from the air, almost nothing is known of the Sentinelese — their language, culture, and even an accurate estimation of their numbers are all unknown. North Sentinel Island is technically part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory, but in practice, the local government has said that they intend to leave the island to its inhabitants, making it de facto autonomous.</p>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-65601807266853296392010-08-20T00:20:00.001-07:002010-08-20T00:44:25.241-07:00Top 10 Truly Bizarre Taxes<p> </p><p>Tax is the bane of all of our lives. Indeed, as the old saying goes, “nothing is certain but death and taxes”. Governments (and not just democratic ones) seem to find the most inane things to tax; they especially like popular activities and goods, as is evidenced by the recent attempts of various governments to tax the Internet. If there is a way for them to make sure you are using it, they will tax it. In the United Kingdom televisions are taxed via the television license – though, fortunately, if you are legally blind you only have to pay half of it. <p>This list looks at ten of the most ridiculous taxes to have been levied in both the past, present and future. <p> <p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - Card Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TG4sjTBBrtI/AAAAAAAABxw/JTB7qNDFdBA/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" height="168"> <p>The card tax is a great example of people being taxed for something which is popular and pleasurable. At the time of the instutution of the tax, playing cards was extremely popular after dinner (no doubt due to the lack of televisions and playstations) so the King saw an opportunity to fleece his people. The tax, along with the fancy design and manufacturer’s logo commonly displayed on the Ace of Spades began under the reign of James I of England (16th-17th century), who passed a law requiring an insignia on that card as proof of payment of a tax on local manufacture of cards. Until August 4, 1960, decks of playing cards printed and sold in the United Kingdom were liable for taxable duty, and the Ace of Spades carried an indication of the name of the printer and the fact that taxation had been paid on the cards. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Candy Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TG4sjynqnCI/AAAAAAAABx0/OGZh7kzaxcc/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="294" height="197"> <p>In September 2009, the state of Illinois decided to tax candy at a higher rate than other food. The Illinois Department of Revenue carefully explains that “if an item contains flour or requires refrigeration,” it is not considered candy and is taxed at the same lower rate as other food. This explanation legally classifies yogurt covered raisins as candy, but yogurt covered pretzels as food; Baby Ruth bars as candy, but Twix bars as food; Milky Way Midnight bars as candy, but original Milky Way bars as food. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Jock Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TG4skQWW2TI/AAAAAAAABx4/30fASgnPaOs/8%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164"> <p>In the United States, the jock tax is the colloquially named income tax levied against visitors to a city or state, who earn money in that jurisdiction. Since a state cannot afford to track the many individuals who do business on an itinerant basis, the ones targeted are usually very wealthy and high profile, namely professional athletes. Not only are the working schedules of famous sports players public, so are their salaries. The state can compute and collect the amount with very little investment of time and effort. And as we all well know, the government doesn’t like to put an effort into anything. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Cowardice Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bAOEPPZxAvtp3HYCR1Ue0ugEirHpO9jq-_v7hbkk_VFimll0-8oz0zX3A6rklmkpx2RoFo4GYXZj4w3U5m2Upuv-ycB0aKKdQ5I9xOywo-Q5GZuv_U0b9WUGrvaU83BTz9GUcQJK-LA/?imgmax=800" width="194" height="244"> <p>The cowardice tax (properly known as scutage) was a special tax levied against people who chose not to fight for the King (not just for reasons of cowardice). The institution existed under Henry I (reigned 1100–1135) and was initially relatively cheap, but then King John raised it by 300% and started charging it to all knights in years in which there were no wars. This is partly what led to the Magna Carta. The tax lasted for around 300 years and was eventually replaced by other methods of fund-raising from the military. <p> <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Hat Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv78nK83vw8KHxgmSTxhDrMy0yndub3SD82PLcZ5kT8LcR9tpT399_-EWDQTkpJTh8jHH3K_3BpsGqemAkP95DSPxNg-kg81IVyBHyIw6Y7DHKvPOXvQTX-65LZ7SUk5TMzXZA8UD4sg/?imgmax=800" width="186" height="244"> <p>The hat tax was a tax levied by the British Government from 1784 to 1811 on men’s hats. The tax was introduced during the first ministry of Pitt the Younger, and was designed to be a simple way of raising revenue for the government in a rough accordance with each person’s relative wealth. It was supposed that the rich would have a large number of expensive hats, whereas the poor might have one cheap hat, or none at all. The hat tax required hat retailers to buy a license, and to display the sign Dealer in Hats by Retail. The cost of the retail license was two pounds for London and five shillings elsewhere. Heavy fines were given to anyone, milliner or hat wearer, who failed to pay the hat tax. However, the death penalty was reserved for forgers of hat-tax revenue stamps. <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Window Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TG4smby2NBI/AAAAAAAAByE/qJr67XEULLc/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="173" height="244"> <p>The window tax was a significant social, cultural and architectural force in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and, then, Great Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries. Some houses from the period can be seen to have bricked-up window-spaces (ready to be glazed at a later date), as a result of the tax. The tax was introduced under the Act of Making Good the Deficiency of the Clipped Money, in 1696, under King William III, and was designed to impose tax relative to the prosperity of the taxpayer, but without the controversy that then surrounded the idea of income tax. When the window tax was introduced, it consisted of two parts: a flat-rate house tax of 2 shillings per house and a variable tax for the number of windows above ten windows. The richest families in the kingdoms used this tax to set themselves apart from the merely rich. They would commission a country home or a manor house whose architecture would make the maximum possible use of windows. In extreme cases they would have windows built over structural walls. It was an exercise in ostentation, spurred by the window tax. Amazingly, the tax was not repealed until 1851. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Beard Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TG4sm464Y5I/AAAAAAAAByI/Xhtxsz9PVyg/4%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="126"> <p>In 1535, King Henry VIII of England, who wore a beard himself, introduced a tax on beards. The tax was a graduated tax, varying with the wearer’s social position. His daughter, Elizabeth I of England, reintroduced the beard tax, taxing every beard of more than two-weeks growth. The tax also appeared in Russia but for a different reason: to make the people shave as the Tsar considered beards to be uncultured. In 1705, Tsar Peter I of Russia instituted a beard tax. Those who paid the tax were required to carry a “beard token”. This was a copper or silver token with a Russian Eagle on one side and on the other, the lower part of a face with nose, mouth, whiskers, and beard. It was inscribed with two phrases: “the beard tax has been taken” and “the beard is a superfluous burden”. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Crack Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TG4snf-r4JI/AAAAAAAAByM/5NxL7TsHafI/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="161"> <p>The “crack tax” is a name given to the taxes on illegal drugs in Tennessee. The tax, under a law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly, in January, 2005, is applied to illegal substances, including cocaine, marijuana and moonshine. Drug dealers are required to pay anonymously at the state revenue office, where they receive a stamp to prove their payment. If a drug dealer is arrested without having a stamp, the state would seek the money owed it. 22 other states have drug collection laws similar to the crack tax in Tennessee; the law was based upon that of North Carolina’s. Another often taxed illegal activity is prostitution. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Fart Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingWpW6yHz4FmfaK7d0JS_5Cys37hKyEcG30xIJqD6NsPc1D3IKvpdFbfbH2bZEPP7OFs5OQepJ3SDytXSsGVUFu4DcJSXaWWhD-fR5iVIEU35agtwXE11ybfCummDMsUbB1v_Q3o6gHg/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="163"> <p>The Agricultural emissions research levy (commonly described as a “flatulence tax” or “fart tax”) was a tax proposed in New Zealand, in 2003, to assist with compliance with the Kyoto Protocol. The tax would target the release of methane by farm animals, which, in New Zealand, account for over 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions. Needless to say there was an outcry due to the importance of farming in New Zealand and the Labour government eventually gave up their ridiculous idea to tax cow’s farts.</p><p><a name="item-1"></a> <p> </p><h3>#1 - Urine Tax</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="right" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKyzlSBnQNhoUmAmA4vYWUrlX2A4TKapdPyZQcTW-G08OHHml7LZW4Be7orat18Qjhp85EX0-kncJZKuiwSbr7ZmJXWKfQCtLef3JrZySS7cIV8u6rHakAzlnF9bqbOBwMwbuBfBypKQ/?imgmax=800" width="183" height="244"> <p>Pecunia non olet (money does not stink). This phrase was coined as a result of the urine tax, levied by the Roman emperors Nero and Vespasian in the 1st century, upon the collection of urine. The lower classes of Roman society urinated into pots which were emptied into cesspools. The liquid was then collected from public latrines, where it served as the valuable raw material for a number of chemical processes: it was used in tanning, and also by launderers as a source of ammonia to clean and whiten woolen togas. There are even isolated reports of it being used as a teeth whitener (supposedly originating in what is now Spain). When Vespasian’s son, Titus, complained about the disgusting nature of the tax, his father showed him a gold coin and uttered the famous quote. This phrase is still used today to show that the value of money is not tainted by its origins. Vespasian’s name still attaches to public urinals in France (vespasiennes), Italy (vespasiani), and Romania (vespasiene).Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-32549026506714270942010-08-19T00:18:00.001-07:002010-08-19T00:19:38.759-07:00Top 10 Soccer Club Rivalries of all Time<p> </p><p>Football (or soccer to many), the beautiful game, can become a matter of life & death for some clubs & its supporters. Cultural, as well as regional, differences contribute to the fierceness of these clashes & performances of players in such matches decide whether they will be eternally loved or hated. A mistake or a moment of magic can create history, but can also result in brawls, fights, clashes & riots. Here are the 10 most fierce & important rivalries in the world of football. <p> <p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - Corinthians vs Palmeiras</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzayizEQ_I/AAAAAAAABxI/H-qLSCViQRI/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="247"> <p>Derby Paulista is a name that is known among the traditional São Paulo soccer clubs, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista and Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras. It is the rivalry between two football clubs still active in the oldest city of São Paulo. The Derby Paulista is among the 10 greatest classics of the world. Corinthians and Palmeiras have already decided state championships (Campeonato Paulista), regional (Torneio Rio-São Paulo), national (Campeonato Brasileiro) and wave to the end of continental competition (Libertadores Cup of America). No other classic has decided so many major championships. <p>A big rivalry in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, SE Palmeiras and Corinthians have always drawn a lot of attention when they face off against each other. There have been books written and movies shot about this rivalry, including a version of Romeo and Juliet where Palmeiras and Corinthians take the place of the Montagues and Capulets. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Nacional vs Penarol</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzazKnNMWI/AAAAAAAABxM/KLIxn3a6Zic/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="254"> <p>One of football’s classic derbies, since the late 19th century, the Uruguayan Clásico is the confrontation between the two greatest teams of Montevideo: Nacional and Peñarol. Both teams have played a big part in developing South American football, and are respected in the Americas and worldwide, despite their recent lack of international success. Together they make up 8 Copa Libertadores and 6 Intercontinental Cups. <p>The 0-0 draw of 14 April, 1990, was not for lacking a good fight, 22 red cards, 11 each side, (Nacional-9 field players and 2 bench players). The match ended at 85′ for the rule of less than 7 players. Then the 1-1 match of 26 November, 2000, ended in another confrontation with several boxing and karate kicks and chops, in which 9 players had to spend a month in jail, along with one of the coaches. Two editions of the match were played abroad, one in La Plata (Argentina) in 1960, the other in La Coruña (Spain) in 2005, due to the risk of local crowd interruption & brawling. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzazpSaWhI/AAAAAAAABxQ/p9MhVFhn9W4/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="315" height="239"> <p>Fenerbahçe SK versus Galatasaray SK is a Turkish football rivalry involving two of the most successful clubs in the Süper Lig. It is also a local derby, one of many involving Istanbul clubs. The rivalry is more than a century in existence, and has developed into an intense and often bitter one, traditionally attracting large attendances. Both clubs compete against each other for the title of the most successful football club in Turkey, as well as the greatest Turkish sports club overall. Their football departments have always been the most attractive among their fans, but the rivalry also extends into other team sports such as basketball, volleyball, athletics, rowing. Galatasaray SK is the more successful of the two, having won 68 official titles compared to Fenerbahçe SK’s 66 titles. Fenerbahe SK is the most successful in their head-to-head fixtures, while Galatasaray SK boasts of their achievement in winning the 2000 UEFA Cup Final and the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, being the only Turkish side to have won them so far. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Internazionale vs Milan</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGza0SD5Q1I/AAAAAAAABxU/v_-QQ-1thfY/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="346" height="181"> <p>Derby della Madonnina, or the Milan Derby as it is sometimes known, is a football match between the Italian clubs Associazione Calcio Milan and Football Club Internazionale Milano. It is a hotly contested local derby and is one of the most followed derbies in the football world. Along with the Rome and Turin derbies, it is widely considered one of the major cross-town derbies in the Serie A, so much so that only selected referees may officiate whenever these teams meet. It is a biannual fixture in the Italian football league Serie A; however, the derby has also taken place in the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League. It is the only derby in Europe played by two teams which have been champions of Europe and the world. It is called “Derby della Madonnina” in honor of one of the main sights of the city of Milan, the statue of the Virgin Mary on the top of the Duomo, which is usually called “Madonnina”. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Liverpool vs Manchester United</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGza0zhFC9I/AAAAAAAABxY/8ZigZVmD8QE/6%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="187"> <p>The history between Liverpool and Manchester United is one of the most significant sporting rivalries in football, sometimes referred to as the North West derby. Both clubs hail from the North West of England, they are also the two most successful teams in England, and between them they have won 115 honors. With Manchester United’s victory in the Premier League season 2008-09, the two clubs are tied with 18 league titles in England. Despite Liverpool’s success in England, they have failed to win the Premier League, since its founding in 1992. Winning the League Cup in 2010, Manchester United set a new English record of 33 domestic honors – moving one clear of the Merseysiders for the first time. As well as competing on the football pitch, both teams are also two of the biggest-earning, and widely-supported, football clubs in the world. The rivalry has extended to the players as well. <p> <p><a name="item-5"></a> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Internazionale vs Juventus</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXLEEpdZt4c6L69EAYL8GNlOBiJrTO7NFZSUSCgWdw-kgx2hVtOL034Kl7QrjVWzJ9J-drpq2LORNZFL95HTKqg7zOA9jh5G90tRNIO30Xc1CQI7leyTm4QpJA8m_vLzvVFTRKGZiUjwE/?imgmax=800" width="302" height="224"> <p>The name Derby d’Italia (Italian for “Derby of Italy”) was coined back in 1967, by the famous Italian sports journalist Gianni Brera, as the biannual football fixture in Italian football between Internazionale of Milan and Juventus of Turin. The name was also given to this fixture as Inter and Juventus were (as in 1967) the two teams with the highest number of international (the first) and national (the latter) honors. <p>The matchup between Juventus and Inter is one of the most intense derby matches in Italy, between two teams not from the same city. The two teams are also ranked first and second in wins and goals in Serie A history. The match features two clubs who have never been relegated from the Serie A (prior to the Calciopoli scandal in which Juventus were forcefully relegated for their role in it). <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Boca Juniors vs River Plate</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGza187fzRI/AAAAAAAABxg/NS9eI3_a2oY/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="212"> <p>Superclásico is the name used to describe the football match in Argentina between Buenos Aires rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate. It derives from the Spanish usage of “clásico” to mean derby, with the prefix “super” used as the two clubs are the most popular and successful clubs in Argentine football. Due to their huge fan bases (Boca has 40% of the Argentine population and River 33%), and remarkable success, the enmity encompasses a major part of the country’s populace. Known worldwide for the passion of the fans, the stands of both teams are loaded with passionate songs (often based on popular Argentine rock band tunes) against their rivals, fireworks, flags and rolls of paper, and sometimes end in riots between the most ardent supporters of both sides, or against the police. Tourists from around the globe come to Argentina to watch the match, sometimes even with packages that include a ticket to the Superclásico. <p>The Superclásico is known worldwide as one of the fiercest and most important derbies. In April 2004, the English newspaper, The Observer, put the Superclásico at the top of their list of “50 sporting things you must do before you die”, saying that “Derby day in Buenos Aires makes the Old Firm game look like a primary school kick-about.” <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Celtic vs Rangers</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGza2a7nQyI/AAAAAAAABxk/PdJ1nDIEUnM/3%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="325" height="128"> <p>One of the biggest and most intense derbies in the world, the Old Firm derby between Scottish teams Celtic and Rangers, is more than a football match – it pits religion, politics and opposing social attitudes against each other. Both clubs play in Glasgow, Scotland, and the match is one of the oldest derbies in the world, dating back to 1888. The Old Firm derby is also one of the most contested matches in the world, with over 370 games having been played. The matches are played at either Ibrox Stadium with 51,000 fans, or Celtic Park in front of 60,000. In some cases, the match is played at Hampden Park, if the tie happens to be a Scottish Cup or Scottish League Cup final or semi-final. Both teams have won many titles, but currently Rangers are ahead of Celtic with 53 league titles to 42. The most recent Old Firm ended Celtic 2-1 Rangers. <p>This rivalry is considered by many to be one of the most fervent in the world, with amazing atmospheres and loud chanting, it is easy to understand why it is. Millions tune in to the Old Firm derby across the globe. Rangers are considered a Protestant club with Unionist and loyalist supporters, while Celtic are considered a Catholic club with Republican and Nationalist supporters. It has long had connections with the political conflict in Northern Ireland, with thousands of fans from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland making the trip to Scotland for these matches. There is even violence in Northern Ireland following Old Firm games. Indeed, the rivalry between the two clubs is so great that only five players have ever moved between clubs. In 1980, around 9,000 fans fought an on-pitch battle in the aftermath of Celtic’s 1-0 victory in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden. This remains the worst invasion onto a football pitch ever reported. The Old Firm rivalry fuels many assaults and many deaths on Old Firm Derby days; an activist group that monitors sectarian activity in Glasgow has reported that on Old Firm weekends, admissions to hospital emergency rooms increase nine fold over normal levels, and journalist Franklin Foer noted that in the period from 1996 to 2003, eight deaths in Glasgow were directly linked to Old Firm matches, and hundreds and thousands of assaults. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Lazio vs Roma</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrgogk65xy6OkVahRvIPqzBwyKZMIyy41vOq08aSdVhhuIt-sIxbWWgQQuusvOSqLeIdJlNXuOOGe_PboivAdWRcUfCN9N0ms3ironKVaK4tsfzkfMS126h1SQyoCfH3KcyinIzjoz9w/?imgmax=800" width="311" height="143"> <p>The Derby della Capitale (English: Derby of the capital) is the local football derby in Rome, Italy, between the two major teams of the city, Lazio and Roma. It is considered to be the fiercest derby in the country ahead of the other major local derbies, Derby della Madonnina (Milan derby) and Derby della Mole (Turin derby), and one of the greatest and hotly contested capital derbies in Europe. The derby has been historically marked by massive crowds, excitement, violence and – recently – racist banners in the crowd. <p>Some extreme incidents in particular have left their mark on the history of this fixture. In 1979, Lazio fan Vincenzo Paparelli was hit in the eye and killed by a flare fired by a Roma fan from the opposite end of the stadium, becoming the first fatality in Italian football due to violence. In 2004 an unprecedented event occurred when the Roma ultras forced the game to be suspended after spreading false rumors among the crowd that a child had been killed by the police prior to the beginning of the game. In the recent derby, in December 2009, the referee stopped play for some seven minutes, just 13 minutes into the first half, due to fireworks being thrown onto the pitch. The derby on March 21, 2004, was abandoned four minutes into the second half, with the score tied at 0–0, when a riot broke out in the stands and the president of the Italian Football League, Adriano Galliani, ordered referee Roberto Rosetti to suspend the match. After the match was postponed a prolonged battle among fans and between fans and police ensued, with stands being set on fire and people fleeing the stadium, eventually resulting in over 13 arrests and over 170 injured among the police alone. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Real Madrid vs Barca</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGza3DX09FI/AAAAAAAABxs/zvLneApRK5U/1%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="299" height="183"> <p>The rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, in Spain, is generally considered to be the biggest in football, and is similar in context to Celtic – Rangers. From the start the clubs were seen as representatives of two rival regions in Spain, Catalonia and Castile respectively, as well as the two cities themselves. In the 1950s, the rivalry was intensified further when the clubs disputed the signing of Alfredo Di Stéfano, who finally played for Real Madrid and was key in the subsequent success achieved by the club. <p>As Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two biggest, and most successful, clubs in Spain, the rivalry impacts the league championship on an almost annual basis. The flash-points of this rivalry are the twice-a-season clásicos, which draw vast audiences from around the world. Real has won more La Liga and Champions League titles than Barça, but Barça has won more Spanish Cups, Cup Winners Cups and UEFA Cups. Also Barça became the first Spanish team to win the treble (2008–2009). In 2009, they won six competitions, becoming the first team to win all competitions they entered in a calendar year. The rivalry has also been strengthened throughout time by Real Madrid and Barcelona top players who have defected to their arch-rival. Notable Barcelona players who have later played for Real Madrid include Bernd Schuster (1988), Michael Laudrup (1994) and Luís Figo (2000). Luis Enrique switched from Real Madrid to Barcelona in 1996 and went on to captain the Blaugrana. <p>A 2007 survey by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas determined that Real Madrid was the team with the largest following in Spain with 32.8% of football fans, while Barcelona had 25.7%. The next team, Valencia CF, was 5.3%. Barcelona in turn seems to be the most popular team in Europe. According to a survey made by SPORT+MARKT in 2009, Barcelona have about 44.2 million supporters throughout Europe, which is about 2.9 million more than the number of Real Madrid supporters.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-44276414074831649272010-08-19T00:06:00.001-07:002010-08-19T00:09:56.535-07:00Yet Another 10 Artistic Uses of Ordinary Things<p> </p><p>Art satisfies the soul. It makes us appreciate things we normally take for granted. Feast your eyes and soul on these ten amazing artworks, made from otherwise ordinary objects, proof of how art can make us see the world differently. <p> <p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - Coffee</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX74Pa5lI/AAAAAAAABwc/w_qVVoG9Guc/10%5B10%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" height="242"> <p>Sunshine Plata of Manila, Philippines, creates whimsical paintings with a difference: instead of oil or acrylic paint, she uses coffee as her medium. Inspired by an exhibit of 19th-century artworks done in coffee, Plata creates entrancing sepia images of fairies and religious figures from the aromatic beverage. Her paintings proved to be so unique and beautiful, that on her first solo exhibit of caffeine art (entitled ‘L.S.D. (look, smell, discover) Trip by Caffeine’), only seven of the thirty-two works exhibited were left unsold. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Chicken Wire</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX8ciIrlI/AAAAAAAABwg/ctHotb7N-gI/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="358"> <p>Ivan Lovett of Queensland, Australia, creates remarkably lifelike busts of famous icons such as Salvador Dali, Bob Dylan and John Lennon, from ordinary chicken wire. Each one of the highly-detailed pieces takes around three weeks to finish. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Rice Crops</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX9C8zbMI/AAAAAAAABwk/F9ax3WvoqsA/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="281" height="341"> <p>Every year since 1994, the small village of Inakadate, located in the Minamitsugaru District in Aomori, Japan, creates astonishing images in their rice fields to draw tourism to the place. The pictures are made using two types of rice plants: the purple or yellow-leafed “kodaimai” rice and the green-leafed tsugaru-roman rice. The giant pictures are visible until September, when the crops are harvested. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Typewriters</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX9majVRI/AAAAAAAABwo/0Irtoy1lG-A/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="369" height="234"> <p>Jeremy Mayer sculpts anthropomorphic figures out of vintage typewriter parts. The metal creations were made without the aid of welding or adhesives. Some of his life-sized works contains parts from roughly 40 typewriters and could take a thousand hours to create. <p> <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - A4 Paper</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX-Pvz76I/AAAAAAAABws/1GrflG6bOX4/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="371" height="253"> <p>Peter Callesen creates incredible cut-out sculptures of skeletons and buildings out of single sheets of A4 paper. Callesen remarked on his unusual medium: “I find the A4 sheet of paper interesting to work with, because it is probably the most common and consumed media and format for carrying information today, and in that sense it is something very loaded. This means that we rarely notice the actual materiality of the A4 paper. By removing all the information and starting from scratch using the blank white 80gsm A4 paper as a base for my creations, I feel that I have found a material which we all are able to relate to, and at the same time is non-loaded and neutral and therefore easier to fill with different meanings. The thin white paper also gives the paper sculptures a fragility which underlines the tragic and romantic theme of the works.” <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Balloons</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX-qNbJ4I/AAAAAAAABww/RkRfIn-1Hjg/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="403" height="266"> <p>New York artist Jason Hackenwerth uses thousands of colorful balloons to create amazing installations that resembles alien creatures. As many as 3,000 individual balloons go into each piece, and each piece can take up to 25 hours to finish. <p> <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 – Smoke</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX_Ns7y6I/AAAAAAAABw0/AZ6njSnTpI8/4%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="236"> <p>Using a special camera with a fast shutter speed, Graham Jeffrey captures amazingly beautiful pictures of smoke. Using incense sticks as the smoke source, Jeffrey preserves images of the ephemeral subject, adding color and manipulating the smoke to make enchanting shapes and forms. <p> <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - X-Rays</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzX_o-v27I/AAAAAAAABw4/n8K2-mhfzic/3%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" height="334"> <p>Nick Veasey of Kent, England, turns the mundane into the magnificent by X-raying ordinary objects, and turning the photographic results into art. While working as a photographer/designer for a television company, he was tasked to X-ray a truck full of soda cans to find a can containing a prize-winning ring pull. After three days without a winner, he X-rayed his sneaker out of boredom. Fascinated by the result, he was duly inspired, and after three months of exploring and experimenting with the medium, Veasey has perfected his unusual art. Using an abandoned radar station as his studio, Veasey creates ghastly yet stunning X-ray images of various animals, a DJ holding a microphone, a man riding a bike, a tractor, and even a bus loaded with people. But Veasey’s most ambitious X-ray project as of yet is a 20,000 square-feet X-ray of a hangar containing an entire Boeing 777 jet, making it the largest object ever X-rayed. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Electricity</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTaIJ6tSj-66tHS68R6WXP39kx30RMzZfzPnxVNnJzsrt3C9GZCmhTYnOLqLLY2l1zgSqbSI0eCTOO_rzTDMrgWtK79ySNT6ce-HE2DKxebiOzRJNcKXKI8AY5PjJmL_Qlz8xA1c86Tfk/?imgmax=800" width="334" height="315"> <p>Australian Peter Terren likes playing with electricity. He does what he calls the ‘Holy Art of Electrickery,’ which is basically creating spectacular art made of pure electricity. Using an electric transformer called a Tesla coil (that he built himself ) that shoots out bolts of electricity (called plasma), Terren photographs these electric discharges, using long exposures to capture impressive images of electric ‘sculptures’ that danced through the air. Terren sometimes even incorporates himself into his photographs, like in his rendition of the famous sculpture ‘The Thinker’. Despite the unreal nature of the images, Terren insists that there is no Photoshopping involved in the production of his pictures, and only slight alterations were made to them post-production. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Food</h3><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGzYBhX-bqI/AAAAAAAABxA/OcDn-RSsH1U/s1600-h/1%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMyw5rJ9-SPaRc0CFaXcZLxYbzdGfRwuQC3Loys81Diw9DzvNWbiAmOXJtpXlMGPOB3BsR_052SaL3IzAuB7Bk7G7NHZ4n4MkE704tmoAJUc0Pp8Za7PX9mRTN4nsV7tgGf9cRqbcKzk/?imgmax=800" width="372" height="224"></a> <p>Carl Warner gets the top spot on this list for his brilliantly realistic photographs of landscapes, which are created entirely from food. Warner, a London-based photographer, uses various food items like vegetables, fruits and bread, to create amazingly detailed dioramas, and photographs them for posterity. The dioramas, nicknamed ‘foodscapes’ , were made atop an eight feet by four-feet table, with the assistance of model-makers, and the scenes depicted ranged from a broccoli forest to a smoked-salmon sea in sunset. Warner photographs each scene multiple times, then he edits the images on a computer to produce the striking images.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-46409385117101261992010-08-15T22:17:00.001-07:002010-08-15T22:18:58.316-07:0010 Sayings and their Strange Origins<p> </p><p>This is a list of phrases we are all familiar with and most likely use from time to time. The origins of these phrases are often unexpected and strange. As you will see on this list, some of them originate in places you simply wouldn’t believe.</p><p> </p><h3>#10 - Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ6wMZ2TI/AAAAAAAABv0/1E4dGA8v34s/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="259" height="322"> <p>This phrase, surprisingly, was used to sell Listerine mouthwash! To promote their product, the manufacturers of Listerine employed the personal experience of girls at the time, who desperately wanted to settle down but seemed always to be left on the shelf. First used in the 1920’s, it portrays a situation and a possible explanation for the lack of success these girls had. Here is the transcript of the ad: <p>Poor Edna was getting on for thirty and most of her girlfriends were either already married, or about to tie the knot. How she wished that, instead of being their bridesmaid, she could be the bride! However, any romance of hers invariably ended quickly. There was a reason. Unbeknownst to her, she suffered from bad breath and no one would tell her, not ever her closest friends. The advertisement sold millions of bottles of mouthwash and also gave the English language a new saying! <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Bark up the wrong tree</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ7gKWlJI/AAAAAAAABv4/1MVeZh1Q_lU/9%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="346" height="363"> <p>Originating back when hunting was still a major sport, this phrase came from when animals were used to track, catch or retrieve prey. This applies, not least, to dogs. Dogs were used in the chasing of raccoons, which was chiefly undertaken at night and were trained to indicate the tree in which the animal had taken refuge by barking at it. Of course, even dogs can err and, at times, barked up the wrong tree. <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Be on a good footing</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ8A_RHsI/AAAAAAAABv8/ncs3-kS7h8I/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="343" height="228"> <p>A pleasant relationship with other people, not least those in a superior position, is portrayed as being ‘on a good footing’ with them. There are two thoughts as to where this saying came from. Some say the phrase goes back to a practice of early apprenticeships. It was the custom, on the first day at work, for apprentices to invite all their workmates for drinks. The new apprentice ‘footed the bill’. If proved a generous host, he made friends for keeps. The hospitality would never be forgotten. Recalling how much it had cost, it was said the novice gained ‘a good footing’. A second derivation links the phrase with an early and bizarre interpretation of human anatomy, the importance given to the length of one of a person’s digits. At one time, the dimension of the middle toes determined a person’s ‘standing’ in the community. Thus, the measurement of their foot decided their status in the eyes of others. Those whom nature and genes had endowed with large feet were lucky to be ‘on a good footing’. Draw your own conclusions on this one! <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Beat around the bush</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ8lKhy2I/AAAAAAAABwA/0rWr4l4M1aI/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="371" height="253"> <p>Someone who doesn’t get to the point is said to ‘beat around the bush’. The origin of this phrase is, undoubtedly, from hunting, and more specifically from the hunting of boars. A ferocious animal, it often hid in the undergrowth and beaters were employed and ordered to go straight in to chase it out. But very much aware, and afraid, of the animals’ sharp tusks, they much preferred to merely ‘beat around the bush’ a practice strongly disapproved of by their masters. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Best foot forward</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ9NjAY3I/AAAAAAAABwE/98xoGsg0ZXY/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" height="316"> <p>When you are trying to make a good impression it is said that you should put your ‘best foot forward’. There are many options as to where this phrase came from, one being that it was believed that ‘the left’ was the realm of the devil, of evil and misfortune. After all the Latin word sinister means left, and in English sinister has kept its ominous meaning. Hence, it was advisable to keep the left foot behind and step forward with the best, the right, foot first. <p>But this phrase seems to have come from the fashion world, rather than the occult. The saying can be traced to male vanity, particularly apparent in the late eighteenth century, the period of the dandy. His desire to attract people’s attention and admiration took strange and elaborate forms. At the time, people imagined that their two legs differed in shape and that ‘normally’ one was more becoming than the other. To draw attention to it they kept the worse one in the background, literally putting ‘their best foot forward’, and with it, of course, their leg. <p> <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Bite the bullet </h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ9kZdnXI/AAAAAAAABwI/fBwz7AM4VYw/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="277" height="316">A person who ‘bites the bullet’, without any sign of fear, acts with great courage in the face of adversity. The phrase recollects a dangerous army practice in the 1850s. Soldiers were then equipped with the British Enfield rifle. Prior to using it, they had to bite off the head of the cartridge to expose the explosive to the spark which would ignite it. The procedure was fraught with danger, particularly so in the heat of battle. It needed firmness and courage, as even the slightest deviation or hesitation would endanger the soldier. <p> <p> <h3> </h3><h3> </h3><h3>#4 - Blow Hot and Cold</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ-CZTeKI/AAAAAAAABwM/rH7IyUSnQr4/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="271" height="382"> <p>People who waver in their opinions and quickly change from being enthusiastic to showing disinterest are said to ‘blow hot and cold’. The saying can be traced to one of Aesop’s Fables. It was a cold winter’s day, and the freezing traveler was blowing on his stiff fingers. Mystified, a satyr wanted to know what he was doing. The man explained to him that, with his breath, he was warming his chilled fingers. Taking pity on him, the satyr invited the man to his home for a hot meal. This time, he watched him blowing on the food, which intrigued him all the more. Inquiring why he did so, his guest explained that he was blowing on the stew to cool it down. There and then the satyr told the traveler to leave at once. He was not prepared to entertain, or even mix with, someone who could ‘blow hot and cold from the same mouth’. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Break a leg</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ-iwq6FI/AAAAAAAABwQ/glFiU44fjWg/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="272" height="324"> <p>To wish an actor prior to his going on stage to ‘break a leg’ is a well-known practice. A pretty strange wish, actually it is meant magically to bring him luck and make sure that his performance will be a success. From the superstitious age it was thought that jealous forces, always present, are only too anxious to spoil any venture. A good luck wish would alert and provoke them to do their evil work, whilst a curse will make them turn their attention elsewhere. The underlying principle is the belief that if you wish evil, then good will come. I’m sure it’s called reverse psychology these days. <p> <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Bury the hatchet</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ_PMXp8I/AAAAAAAABwU/-IOEXPfq14w/2%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="230"> <p>To bury the hatchet means to create peace. With hostilities at an end, the hatchet was no longer needed, and therefore could be disposed of. Now a merely figurative expression, the phrase is based on an actual practice of North American Indians. When negotiating peace, they buried all their weapons; their tomahawks, scalping knives and clubs. Apart from showing their good faith, simultaneously it made it impossible for them to go on fighting. <p> <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - By hook or by crook</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjJ_XQGMbI/AAAAAAAABwY/eic-qcDqQ9o/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="285" height="217"> <p>The achievement of a goal with determination, by fair means or foul, is described as getting things done ‘by hook or by crook’. The origin of this phrase is linked with an early British practice, at a time when forests were still the exclusive property of royalty. For any unauthorized commoner, then, to gather firewood in them was a crime, poor people being the only exception. Though they were not permitted to cut or saw off branches, they were free to remove withered timber from the ground or even a tree, doing so by means of either a hook or a crook.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-67522953404363770472010-08-15T22:03:00.001-07:002010-08-15T22:04:43.145-07:00Top 10 Most Bizarre Shoes in History<p> </p><p>Shoes date back to the 8,000s BC – a very long history, indeed. Over the millennia all manner of styles and materials have been used for shoes. Some successful (the modern athletic shoe) and some not successful at all (lotus shoes). This list looks at ten bizarre styles of shoe from early to modern history.</p><h3>#10 - Okobo</h3><p><em><strong>Japan, 18th century – today</strong></em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqXgSgJd7JpKIdnctKDLiQ9vYfTd5gZb-xLMzA7ztvbYjJjmLmc207jNsHUPplTut62K7AQpIxLu29WWmze-s8HXpkcLRY6WZr495TMwTapre_RMadMwZcw7-EFpOsRvvrSsykQLGnCM/?imgmax=800" width="341" height="250"> <p>Long before the 1970′s and the platform shoes, Japanese maiko (apprentice geisha) had been wearing Okobo sandals or clogs. The reason for wearing these very high platform shoes was not solely for fashion, but also for very practical reasons. If you are wearing a very expensive kimono that hangs all the way to your feet, you do not want to get mud on it when you walk outside. Okobo are made of one piece of solid wood forming the sole. Usually the wood has a very natural finish, or no varnish at all. But during the summer, maiko will wear black lacquered Okobo. The hight of Okobo shoes generally measures at 5 1/2 inches (14 cm), and the wood sole is carved hollow, giving them a very distinctive sound when one walks in them. In fact, the word Okobo is an onomatopoeia, that is it represents the sound of walking in them. A V-shaped thong of cloth forms the upper part of the sandal. The color of the cloth depends on the status of the maiko. For instance, a new maiko will wear red, while one who has nearly finished her apprenticeship will wear yellow. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Men’s high heels</h3><p><em><strong>Europe, 1700′s</strong></em> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2Rj82cDVqma2fNsgCmkAXIVTXWG1toTwLh4eKFNiecxgeSWXTIcI1B3OYCgn7-580prwUVTgGR44WuJsX5S5y-LjlAthBywcoYCYZooEvI_oqXfiSKsB3Q9TnKs4PgxPLnQZNfbuJas/?imgmax=800" width="358" height="234"> <p>Shoes and stockings became very important for men in the 1700′s, when the tailored coat and breeches came into fashion and the focus shifted to the lower body. Suddenly, it was all about the shapely legs, and men wanted to wear flattering, fanciful hose and shoes to accentuate them. Louis XIV also had a thing for high heels with red soles and heels. It must have been tough being short in stature but lofty in power, so I guess he thought he would even it up a bit. Of course, what the king does, everyone else copies, so everyone who was anyone wore high heels with red soles and heels. After all, what would be more proper to wear with Petticoat breeches, than high-heeled shoes? Boots went completely out of style in favor of these new elegant heels, now elaborately decorated with ribbons, rosettes or buckles. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - kabkabs</h3><p><strong><em>Lebanon, 14th-17th century</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGnGhGLQI/AAAAAAAABvQ/rw4cMaEgJyE/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="346" height="269"> <p>Silver studded Wooden stilts known as “kabkabs” or “nalins” were once a practical way for women in the Middle East to protect themselves from dirt and discomfort on wet, muddy streets and in hot, wet bathhouses. Those belonging to the wealthy were often richly inlaid with mother of pearl. They were several inches high and had embroidered leather, silk or velvet straps. The name “kabkab” is derived from the sound they make when walking on marble floors. The uppers were embroidered with silver, gold or pewter wire. For special occasions, like a wedding, the wooden stilts were entirely covered with intricately decorated silver, or with small silver ornaments. Many times brides were very young girls and, therefore, small in stature. To compensate this, bridal kabkabs were sometimes made as high as two feet. Socially, kabkabs were only worn by women. In bathhouses, however, simple ones, sometimes with a little carving only and a leather-strap upper, were also worn by men. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Plaited birch bark shoe</h3><p><strong><em>Finland, mid 20th century</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGnjiotpI/AAAAAAAABvU/1bGLocjooYo/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="367" height="243"> <p>In the early part of the 20th century, women wore bark shoes daily, with cloth foot wrap inserts. They were also used as overshoes to protect more costly leather shoes against rain, mud and snow. These shoes were commonly made from Birch bark, but they could also be made from linden or lime-tree bark. Norway, Sweden and even Russia have all had their own version of the footwear. The lifespan of bark shoes is limited to about one week. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Chopines</h3><p><strong><em>Italy, 1580 – 1620</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGoErBPcI/AAAAAAAABvY/jQHUp78qJPY/6%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="362" height="248"> <p>Today, only a very small number of museums have examples of original chopines. The debut of these shoes was during the renaissance, but they were still the shoe of choice for many Italian women at the beginning of the 17th century. Like the Japanese Okobo, Chopines were highly impractical, their primary purpose was to make the wearer stand out. They not only heightened the wearer by up to 18 cm (5 inches) but were extremely extravagant and expensive. <p>These treasured shoes were made of wood, and either covered with fine silk or velvet. They were embellished with silver lace, tacks, and were finished with a silk tassel. The tragic twist to these coveted shoes is that chopines were rarely ever visible, even in paintings from the period, since women always wore long dresses that covered their footwear. <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Heelless shoes</h3><p><strong><em>2007</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGoltmzXI/AAAAAAAABvc/UXNqsRnwyLI/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="366" height="228"> <p>I decided to put a couple of modern shoe designs here too, as they are just too bizarre to miss. Heelless shoes made their debut on Antonio Berardi’s runway in 2007, and were made famous by Victoria Beckham in 2008. And despite their unnatural and extremely uncomfortable look, according to their English Italian designer, they do not cause the wearer any pain. He has said “They are perfectly balanced. When the girls come for fittings, they look a bit daunted, but by the end they say it’s just like wearing a regular shoe.” But medical experts have their concerns, saying that the shoes could lead to permanent damage to the feet, knees and spine if worn regularly. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Padukas (Toe-knob sandals)</h3><p><strong><em>India, 1700′s</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGpMJLo7I/AAAAAAAABvg/5daHuVdiuKY/4%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="367" height="246"> <p>Ceremonial padukas, or toe-knob sandals, is the name of India’s oldest, and ultimate footwear. They were little more than a sole with a post and knob, which was situated between the big toe and second toe. They were commonly made from silver, wood, iron or even ivory. There is even a Spiked Paduka used for masochism. Masochism is for obtaining gratification or sexual arousal by having pain inflicted upon oneself. Some masochists enjoy a form of aichmophilia (the love of needles and spikes). Once pain has been registered for 20-40 minutes, the body will begin to produce opiate-like chemicals to reduce pain sensation. The release of these chemicals causes anesthetic, euphoric and trancelike qualities that allegedly enhance sexual sensitivity or experience. Spiked padukas sandals are worn by Indian Hindu Sadhus, or Holy Men, for this very purpose. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Wooden Bridal Shoes</h3><p><strong><em>France, late 19th century</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGpkaiW1I/AAAAAAAABvk/h-ceu3wEa4Y/3%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="342" height="260"> <p>Out of the Bethmale Valley, south of the city Saint Girons in the Ariege district, comes this high pointed bridal wooden shoe. They go back as far as the 9th century, when local villagers conquered a camp of Moorish invaders, who kidnapped the village women, and pricked the hearts of their enemy on the pointed tips of their clogs, in celebration of their victory. The clogs were made in one piece of the trunks of walnut trees which formed a rectangle with its roots. Later the branches of a tree were pulled and warped in a special way to pre-shape the tree for making this type of clogs. Village men created the clogs for their future brides. It is said that the higher the point, the greater his love for her. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - The Ballet Boot</h3><p><strong><em>1980′s-present day</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGqJ4GRAI/AAAAAAAABvo/DnBvQrepGyE/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="344" height="257"> <p>The ballet boot is a contemporary style of footwear. They started as a fetish shoe, but have grown in popularity as a general fashion statement, particularly in Japan. This shoe merges the look of the traditional ballet slipper with the ultimate high heel. The illusion is to force the wearers feet almost en pointe, like those of a ballerina using an ultra long heel. The Ballet Boot originally gained popularity in the 1980′s, and is now available worldwide through specialty stores and online. You may have guessed, but these shoes are not intended to be worn for any extended period of time. The shoes (based on the images one finds on google images) seem to be rather popular with fetishists. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Lotus Shoes</h3><p><strong><em>China, from the 10th century to 2009</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGqhSSWFI/AAAAAAAABvs/C2JKUgdZzy4/1%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="356" height="261"> <p>The Han Chinese tradition of binding women’s feet to make them appear as small as a lotus bud lasted well over a thousand years. Shoes from the north, especially Beijing, had a ‘bow’ shape, an exaggerated curved sole and heel in one piece, often with leather reinforcements at toe and heel. Style conscious women from Shanghai in the late 19th century and early 20th century, (then the fashion capital of China), liked a multiple heel, while those from the southern provinces such as Guangdong wore shoes often made of black cotton or silk, with a fairly flat heel. Iron or wooden studs were added in some cases to the soles to raise and protect the embroidered silk shoe from the dirt of the streets. <p>As part of her dowry, a woman would make several pairs of shoes as proof of her needlework ability, as well as her small feet. After her wedding, a bride gave each of her main female in-laws a pair of shoes at a special ceremony known as “dividing the shoes.” The last shoe factory to stop mass production of lotus shoes was the Zhiqiang Shoe Factory. The factory added lotus shoes for old Chinese women who still had bound feet to it’s product range in 1991. In the first two years, more than 2,000 pairs of shoes were sold annually. It announced in 2009 that it will make the shoes only on a special-order basis. <p><a name="item-bonus"></a> <h3>Bonus</h3><p><strong><em>Armadillo Shoes</em></strong> <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="b" border="0" alt="b" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjGrv_qqtI/AAAAAAAABvw/N7nvfFNauLY/b%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="295" height="433"> <p>Alexander McQueen in 2010 released a set of armadillo shoes. They were then popularized by the likes of “Lady” Gaga, and other celebrities, who are not too worried about looking utterly ridiculous in public. The shoes above were the originals – many other styles have since followed. My advice to any real ladies reading this list – don’t buy these awful shoes!Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-56457620082701491342010-08-15T21:48:00.001-07:002010-08-15T21:49:02.431-07:00Top 10 Cryptids That Turned Out to be Real<p> </p><p>Cryptozoology, the study of “hidden animals”, concerns itself with animals whose existence has not yet been recognized by mainstream science. These animals, known as “cryptids”, are often the stuff of legends, written off as myths or elaborate hoaxes. Some famous cryptids are Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and El Chupacabra, all of which remain shrouded in mystery. However, many animals widely recognized today were once among these cryptids. The following ten creatures were once dismissed by science as products of folklore, imagination, or deception, but are now formally recognized as their own species. <p>For the sake of consistency, animals falsely thought to be extinct have not been included (coelacanth, Chacoan Peccary, ivory-billed woodpecker). <p> <p><a name="item-10"></a> <h3>#10 - Devil Bird</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC7RgMLYI/AAAAAAAABuc/3iHDOvLRV88/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="327" height="249"> <p>The Devil Bird, or Ulama, is a frightening horned bird of Sri Lankan folklore. This elusive creature is rarely seen, but is often heard in the form of its infamous, blood-curdling screams. Its cries are said to resemble a wailing woman and are perceived by locals as an omen of death. For centuries, the nocturnal cries of the Devil Bird were the only evidence of its existence; Western science wrote if off as mere superstition. <p>Then, in 2001, the Devil Bird was identified as a new species of owl, the spot-bellied eagle owl (bubo nipalensis). The largest of all Sri Lankan owls, the bubo nipalensis matches the description of the Ulama perfectly, down to its characteristic screech and tufted “horns”. Although some debate still remains as to the true identity of the Devil-Bird, the spot-bellied eagle owl stands as the most compelling source of inspiration for this mysterious creature. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Ziphius</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC711-PFI/AAAAAAAABug/PmR_8_jXt1o/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" height="254"> <p>In Medieval folklore, the Ziphius, or “Water-Owl”, was a monstrous nautical creature said to attack ships in the northern seas. It possessed the body of a fish and the head of an owl, complete with massive eyes and a wedge-shaped beak. “Ziphius”, meaning “sword-like” in Latin, may refer to the beast’s fin, which was said to pierce the hulls of ships like a sword. <p>Today, the inspiration for the Ziphius is known as Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, a widespread species of beaked whale. Also known as the Goose-beaked whale, this creature is found as far north as the Shetland Islands and as south as Tierra Del Fuego at the tip of South America. It is the only member of the genus Ziphius, which bears the name of its legendary identity. Some additionally attribute the inspiration of the Ziphius to the orca or the great white shark, based on some depictions of the beast as a predator to seals. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Bondegezou</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC8SinAWI/AAAAAAAABuk/4qCzrSQy4hc/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="275" height="429"> <p>The Bondegezou (“man of the forests”) is a legendary, ancestral spirit of the Moni people in Western Indonesia. Described as a tree-dwelling creature, the Bondegezou resembles a small man covered in black and white fur. It is said to be a tree climber, but often stands on the ground in a bipedal stance. <p>In the 1980s, a photograph of the Bondegezou was sent to Australian research scientist Tim Flannery, who initially identified the creature as a young tree kangaroo. But in May, 1994, Flannery conducted a wildlife survey of the area and discovered that the animal in the picture was new to science. The Dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso), as the creature is also known, is a forest-dwelling marsupial with bold coloration that spends most of its time on the ground. The Dingiso remains a rare sight – the first real evidence of the creature was only skins, and to this day, no Dingiso exists in captivity. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Kangaroo</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC87B6VSI/AAAAAAAABuo/CQQ51WD84p0/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="362" height="228"> <p>Early explorers to Australia described bizarre creatures never before seen by Europeans. They wrote of creatures with heads like deer that stood upright like men and hopped like frogs. The creatures sometimes sported two heads – one on their shoulders, and one on the stomach. Such accounts were understandably disregarded and ridiculed by fellow colleagues. <p>That changed in the 1770s, when a dead specimen of this odd beast was exhibited in England as a public curiosity. Today, this creature is known as the kangaroo, a widespread marsupial endemic to Australia. Well-known for their leaping abilities and the female pouch for carrying young (marsupium), kangaroos are a nationally recognized icon of Australia. Four species of kangaroo exist: the Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus), the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), and the Antilopine Kangaroo (Macropus antilopinus). <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Platypus</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC9n-vYKI/AAAAAAAABus/1yHLKBCiCeM/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="344" height="247"> <p>When European naturalists first encountered this bizarre creature, they were understandably baffled. Accounts described it as a venomous, egg-laying mammal with a duck bill and beaver tail. Many prominent British scientists deemed it a hoax when presented with a sketch and pelt, in 1798. Even when offered a corpse, scholars suspected that it was an elaborate, sewn-together fraud. <p>Today, this bizarre but fascinating creature is known as the platypus, one of only five extant monotremes (egg-laying mammals). While formerly recognized by science, it is no less unique today: this semi-aquatic creature, native to eastern Australia, swims with webbed feet, uses electrolocation to hunt, and possesses an ankle spur that, in males, can deliver a powerful injection of venom. While non-lethal to humans, this venom is excruciatingly painful and is not responsive to most pain-killers. <p> <br />
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<h3>#5 - Sea Serpent</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79FWTU1oFWYXvXwKJhD2LOYZUYGETjEn2V6S96O90-sdRo_LPWr9Y62nr87mfR0DL8awbspvKE9u8CW63T3n0bACJ0UUs0-3Rxi2goN-CV6BR2kqR2N41ESr-24m-xhysF95ewDijCak/?imgmax=800" width="356" height="207"> <p>For centuries, the Sea Serpent persisted as the most captivating cryptozoological mystery in the world. Sightings of these mysterious, and often frightening, creatures have occurred plentifully throughout history, even up until the early twentieth century. From northern European waters to the Eastern North American coast, tales of serpentine, aquatic beasts of colossal proportions dot the globe. Their descriptions vary, ranging from horse-headed creatures to massive snakes. <p>Cryptozoologists speculate that various misidentified animals can account for Sea Serpent sightings. However, one elusive species is a particularly likely source for many of these accounts. The oarfish (or ribbonfish) is a massive, elongated fish found worldwide. It is the longest of all bony fish, the largest recorded being 17 meters (56 ft) in length. Oarfish typically dwell in the deep ocean, but are occasionally washed ashore in storms, and linger at the surface near death. A live oarfish was filmed for the first time in 2001, demonstrating its rarity and reclusive nature. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Komodo Dragon</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC-QfyhlI/AAAAAAAABu0/mFaYIEkqM2E/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="356" height="242"> <p>By the early twentieth century, Western science had determined that giant lizards were nothing more than a relic of the prehistoric past. Thus, when pearl fishermen returned from the Lesser Sunda Islands, in Indonesia, with tales of monstrous “land crocodiles”, their accounts were met with overwhelming skepticism. An expedition from the Buitenzorg Zoological Museum, in Java, produced a report of the creatures, but the legendary dragons of Komodo faded into obscurity as World War I took precedence. <p>Then, in 1926, an expedition from the American Museum of Natural History confirmed that the tales of giant lizards were true. W. Douglas Burden, the leader of the expedition, returned with twelve preserved specimens and two live ones. The world was introduced to the Komodo Dragon, a massive monitor lizard that grows up to ten feet, making it the largest lizard in the world. Komodo Dragons possess massive claws and fangs with which they can kill almost any creature on the island, including humans and water buffaloes. One particularly bizarre attribute of these creatures is their venomous bite, which has been attributed to bacteria-laden saliva or venom glands in the mouth. <p>The 1926 expedition to Komodo served as the inspiration for King Kong, in which a similar expedition to a foreign island reveals prehistoric megafauna. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Mountain Gorilla</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjC_Hs9pzI/AAAAAAAABu4/Jmv3TV4AEcs/3%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="347" height="264"> <p>For centuries, tales of large “ape-men” in East Africa have captivated explorers and natives alike. Numerous tribes have legends of massive, hairy creatures that would kidnap and eat humans, overpowering them with their ferocity and strength. The creatures go by many names, among them ngila, ngagi, and enge-ena. In the sixteenth century, English explorer Andrew Battel spoke of man-like apes that would visit his campfire at night, and in 1860, explorer Du Chaillu wrote of violent, bloodthirsty forest monsters. Up until the twentieth century, many of these tales were ignored or discounted. <p>In 1902, German officer Captain Robert von Beringe shot one of these “man-apes” in the Virunga region of Rwanda. Bringing it back to Europe with him, he introduced the world to a new species of ape: the mountain gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Beringe, in Beringe’s honor). Today, mountain gorillas are known to be communal, largely docile herbivores that live in the Virunga Mountains in Central Africa, and in Bwindi National Park in Uganda. Mountain gorillas are threatened by poaching and civil unrest, elusive and often unseen in their activities. No more than 400 remain in the wild today. <p>One of the earliest written accounts of gorillas may come from Hanno the Navigator, a Carthaginian explorer who documented his travels along the African coast in 500 B.C. Hanno describes a tribe of “gorillae”, roughly meaning “hairy people”. It is unknown whether Hanno referred to gorillas, another species of ape, or humans. Nevertheless, his description served as the inspiration for the modern name “gorilla”. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Okapi</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HJLiBF395rtAQQz-QfdBqZAYHzP97Y3wPIL6VNvntkryUoKrhiI7OTQCTT-mesWIObYpFnFF57uwAAdfZ2-WH9e4JA9tlGi3sC6jy6J5JDzxs_UkCKowrdJagM8bg_eEckwr5nOnGUQ/?imgmax=800" width="344" height="262"> <p>Central African tribes and ancient Egyptians described and depicted a bizarre creature for centuries, colloquially dubbed the “African unicorn” by Europeans. It is known locally by such names as the Atti, or the O’api, resembling a cross between a zebra, a donkey and a giraffe. Despite descriptions from explorers and even skins, Western science rejected the existence of such a creature, viewing it as nothing more than a fantastical chimera of real animals. Determined expeditions uncovered nothing, and it would seem the “African unicorn” was just as mythical as its namesake. <p>This changed in 1901 when Sir Harry Johnston, the British governor of Uganda, obtained pieces of striped skin and even a skull of the legendary beast. Through this evidence and the eventual capture of a live specimen, the animal now known as the okapi (okapia johnstoni) was recognized by mainstream science. The okapi is no less unusual today: it is the only living relative of the giraffe, sharing a similar body structure and its characteristic long blue tongue. However, the markings on its back legs resemble that of a zebra’s stripes. Okapis are solitary creatures that remain captivating to scientists; although not endangered, there is still much to learn about their habits and lifestyle. <p>The okapi was the symbol of the now defunct International Society of Cryptozoology, and remains a persisting icon of Cryptozoology to this day. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Giant Squid</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjDAeBuPrI/AAAAAAAABvA/-yRcZ9gLQmE/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="341" height="264"> <p>Tales of enormous squids have circulated throughout the world since ancient times. Aristotle and Pliny the Elder both described such monsters; legends such as the Lusca (Caribbean), Scylla (Ancient Greece), and the sea monk (Medieval Europe) all describe a bizarre, often dangerous nautical creature. Perhaps the most famous legendary squid is the Norse Kraken, a monstrous, tentacled beast as large as an island that devoured ships whole. Prior to the 1870s, scientific opinion held such creatures as nothing more than ridiculous myths, on par with mermaids or sea serpents. <p>Despite this, investigations into the existence of the legendary Kraken took place as early as the 1840s. Danish zoologist Johan Japetus Streensup methodically researched and catalogued giant squid sightings and strandings, eventually examining a beached corpse and designating the beast’s scientific name: Architeuthis. Even so, fellow scientists remained skeptical and continued to dismiss accounts. <p>In the 1870s, the skepticism stopped as several carcasses were beached in Labrador and Newfoundland. Tentacles and complete corpses revealed to the scientific world that the giant squid was indeed real. Today, this creature remains just as mysterious and rare. Typically living at great depths, giant squid sightings are uncommon and often undocumented. For a century, scientists dutifully attempted to observe it in its natural habitat, but failed. Only in 2004 were a group of Japanese scientists able to capture a live giant squid on camera, taking 500 automatic photographs before the creature swam back into the blackness. <p>Many questions remain concerning the giant squid. Very little is known about its habits and lifestyle, and it is still unknown how large a giant squid can grow. The largest specimens are between 30 and 40 feet long, weighing over 100 pounds. However, its close relative, the Colossal Squid, may grow to much greater sizes, as evidenced by the size of sucker marks on sperm whales. To this day, the giant squid remains a legendary example of how fantastic animals on earth can be. <p> <p><a name="item-bonus"></a> <h3>Bonus</h3><h3>Giant Panda</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="b" border="0" alt="b" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGjDA66vjzI/AAAAAAAABvE/_ey9ocC4fVE/b%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="238"> <p>The existence of the giant panda has never been disputed by the scientific community; therefore, it has never been a true cryptid. However, its story offers a valuable lesson to believers and skeptics alike on the merits of cryptozoological research. The giant panda became known to Western science in 1869, when a dead specimen was presented to French naturalist Perè Armand David. In the following years, museums eagerly sent off expeditions to obtain pandas for their exhibits. <p>However, as anthropologist George Agogino writes, “From 1869 until 1929, a period of sixty years, a dozen well-staffed and well-equipped professional zoological collecting teams unsuccessfully sought an animal the size of a small bear in a restricted area . . . The giant panda lives in the same general area and at the same general elevation as the Yeti, yet this animal has remained hidden for over sixty years.” In 1929, Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt finally killed a giant panda after six decades of elusion and fruitless searching. This historical episode of zoology should send a strong message that nature still has many mysteries to yield, and that our efforts to uncover them can be a daunting, but worthwhile, task.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-58135216893477776082010-08-12T04:16:00.001-07:002010-08-12T04:17:14.267-07:00Top 10 Greatest Monarchs<p> </p><p>Throughout history, there have been good leaders and bad leaders. There have been dictators, and there have been benevolent kings. This list is about the greatest, most benevolent monarchs in history – those rulers who made life better for their people. <p> <p><a name="item-10"></a> <br />
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<h3>#10 - Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYAnK97TI/AAAAAAAABtw/GbhBH38CXHo/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="407"> <p><em>Reign: November 6, 1494 – September 7, 1566</em> <p>Suleiman I, also known as Suleiman the Magnificent, reigned as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for 69 years, longer than any other Sultan. His reign marked the beginning of the golden age of the Ottoman Empire. During his rule, the Ottoman Empire encompassed most of the Middle East, Southeastern Europe and Rhodes. Suleiman also made educational, legislative, taxation and criminal reforms.</p><p><a name="item-9"></a> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><h3>#9 - James I of England</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYBFhV2gI/AAAAAAAABt0/q1SSQPwuvL0/9%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="410"> <p><em>Reign: March 24, 1603 – March 27, 1625</em> <p>James I, also known as “the wisest fool in Christendom”, was the fist king of both England and Scotland. Under his rule, the two kingdoms were united. Literature and the fine arts flourished under his reign, he himself writing many books and poems. During his rule, international trade through the British East India Company increased dramatically. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - John III of Poland-Lithuania</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYBq_c7tI/AAAAAAAABt4/5uwtDnrVa20/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="398"> <p><em>Reign: 1674 – 1696</em> <p>John III, also known as the Lion of Lehistan, was a military and political genius. Under his rule, Poland-Lithuania became a stable, flourishing state. John became known as the Lion of Lehistan after his victory against the Turks in the Battle of Vienna. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Meiji of Japan</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYCJKM0WI/AAAAAAAABt8/Op0y1iGw2kA/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="408"> <p><em>Reign: </em><em>February 3, 1867 – July 30, 1912</em> <p>When Meiji became Emperor of Japan at the age of 14, Japan was a primitive and isolated country. By the end of his reign, Japan was an industrial powerhouse. Meiji was a key player in making Japan a major world superpower. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Gustav II Adolf of Sweden</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-GUp1PknqtiSZ4sw8aEPQWMYiGawNeF_fbQPdfoLhFtthiHN51pl-0Ixslsr08f-hBLLR0-XGZfNGTdnKunEslkgrEf9WYXsLOzBN-YYqHsALw6jw9XPyVcrUuiEwMUbsJW8A_4J4_s/?imgmax=800" width="300" height="376"> <p><em>Reign: October 30, 1611 – November 6, 1632</em> <p>Gustav II Adolf, also known as Gustavus Adolphus, was the King of Sweden for 21 years. During his reign, Sweden became a major European power. Gustav II Adolf led his Protestant army against the Catholic armies of France and Spain. After his death in battle, Sweden became known as a military powerhouse. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <h3>#5 - Augustus of Rome</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0lQ8wMD5FmhCMFKVjv3YMTA9VyygyEfvswO5MCHALDoHYygJIk6jakJrFdlI4R6d7XQiP6D7OEvgjJe4RBqyyHqPIOHtOR-OaQxbtwB0kmZolq3EeXJnDintxDEB_t-_fvw2DFkvFu4/?imgmax=800" width="300" height="448"> <p><em>Reign: January 16, 27 BC – August 19, AD 14</em> <p>Augustus Caesar ruled as the Emperor of Rome for 41 years. During this time, Augustus improved the infrastructure and military of Rome. He also reformed the taxation process. His reign is known as Pax Romana, or Roman Peace, because during his reign diplomacy flourished. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - Cyrus II of Persia</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYDv47CUI/AAAAAAAABuI/3O8kEgyr1MU/4%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="372"> <p><em>Reign: 559 BC – 530 BC</em> <p>Cyrus II, also known as Cyrus the Great, ruled Persia for 30 years. During his reign, the Persian Empire encompassed much of the Middle East, including Iran, Israel and Mesopotamia. Under Cyrus’s reign, human rights and military strategy were greatly improved. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Frederick II of Prussia</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVdUhr4t_mo12AFJ3ppR6Eb1bBOncAX9izDZObCCQ8hjHuoSwHFgjhcLXdTB0rDXmzzDh_n4f0HKQcf1l0GnIN71bMhkuLQ4n-0c9MNbpI845yx8WJTvMv01_TdTuyWJbv1Nem1bRCDo/?imgmax=800" width="300" height="419"> <p><em>Reign: May 31, 1740 – August 17, 1786</em> <p>Frederick II, also known as Frederick the Great, ruled Prussia for 46 years. During his reign, the borders of Prussia expanded to encompass West Prussia and Silesia. Under his reign, the infrastructure, military and bureaucratic process of Prussia was greatly improved. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Victoria of the United Kingdom</h3><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPI2li4CiYieB_Rq-Ta5uEm8UsQqAGY0ppMyp5eRSuIuQ9F2fSQAjTNZPNNA_STFV1gulTfbvcH8maKS83XyAauR68jewLn-bW7qoO2W8LES0I36-Bj-P5hl9zWSv6toxjEWFUGMBHes4/s1600-h/2%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYFIenY4I/AAAAAAAABuU/DIBX7zdftUs/2_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="408"></a> <p><em>Reign: June 20, 1837 – January 22, 1901</em> <p>Queen Victoria was ruler of the United Kingdom for 67 years, longer than any other British monarch. During her reign, the British Empire expanded to encompass one quarter of the land on the Earth, making it the largest empire ever. The United Kingdom flourished under her reign, with the Industrial Revolution taking place. Victoria lent her name to the Victorian Era, a time when the United Kingdom’s power was at its zenith. <p> <p> <p> <p> <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - Louis XIV of France</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPYFkj-a9I/AAAAAAAABuY/DsU0uo6ZKqc/1%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="424"> <p><em>Reign: May 14, 1643 – September 1, 1715</em> <p>Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, reigned as King of France for 72 years, longer than any other European monarch. Under his reign, France became the most powerful country in Europe. Louis ended feudalism in France and modernized the country. During his rule, the military and fine arts flourished. Louis believed strongly in the divine right of kings, saying that he was the sun and that his courtiers and France should revolve around him like planets.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-5332376968205973052010-08-12T04:03:00.001-07:002010-08-12T04:05:51.148-07:0010 Great Financial Collapses in History<p> </p><p>Apparently we’ve been living in some horrific financial crisis for over a year now, and the news simply won’t let you forget about it. You would almost think it was the end of the world, as if this kind of thing is unique to our times and to modern economies, and that it’s a problem nobody has had to deal with before. But history, as always, has something to say about the matter. Plenty of countries have gotten into a sticky situation with their accounts before, and in some of these cases empires have risen, and fallen in no small part due to bad treatment of the books. People have starved, people have gotten rich, and no small number lost their heads.</p><p> </p><script type="text/javascript"><!--
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<h3>#10 - The Fourth Crusade</h3><p>1202-1204 <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUvl2dG2I/AAAAAAAABsk/_h1PAwz_q8A/s1600-h/10%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUweFiCII/AAAAAAAABso/So58cDPOALs/10_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="342" height="223"></a> <p><em><strong>Then: 86,000 silver marks<br />
Now: $41 million</strong></em> <p>The plan for the Fourth Crusade was to launch an invasion of Cairo, and from there attack Saracen controlled Jerusalem through Egypt. The Crusading movement had lost steam after the failure of the Third Crusade to keep Jerusalem, but nonetheless an army was assembled and the greater part of it gathered at Venice, where Doge Enrico Dandolo had agreed that the Venetian navy would transport them to Egypt. The Venetians had suspended their economy for the better part of a year to construct the transport ships and train almost a third of the population as sailors, and the Doge would not agree to transport the Crusade unless they paid the entire agreed sum of 86,000 silver marks. The Crusaders could only pay 51,000. <p>Dandolo suggested that, as an alternative form of payment, the Crusade could help recapture the Christian city of Zara on the Dalmatian coast, an act for which the Pope sent a letter excommunicating the Crusaders, but which was luckily misplaced. <p>Emperor Isaac II of the Byzantine Empire had been forced into exile by his brother Alexius in 1195, who had then gone on a populist rampage, killing the mistrusted Latin population of Constantinople, an act which did not endear the Byzantines to the Venetians. Isaac’s son offered the Crusaders 200,000 marks to help him capture Constantinople and reclaim the throne, and the debt crippled Crusade was easy to convince. When the Crusader’s fee was not met – due to the ransacking of the treasury by the fleeing usurper – the Crusaders sacked the city, pillaging up to 900,000 marks worth of valuables, burning much of the city. The Venetians and other leaders of the Crusade took direct control of the city, forming a corrupt and decadent regime that squandered what was left of Constantinople’s grandeur. The Byzantine Empire, last remnant of the Roman Empire split into several separate kingdoms, and never recovered. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - The Darien Scheme</h3><p>1695-1700 <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUw68LjMI/AAAAAAAABss/oOi0tiRhFrI/s1600-h/9%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUxjGDWPI/AAAAAAAABsw/dBE6puVSqJM/9_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="365" height="337"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: £400,000<br />
Now: $56 million</em></strong> <p>In 1695 the Kingdom of Scotland chartered the Company of Scotland in an attempt to bolster its limited finances by joining the other major trading empires of the world in Africa and the Indies. William Paterson, a successful Scottish entrepreneur who had been a founder of the Bank of England, convinced Scottish investors they could dominate East Asian trade by establishing a colony on the Isthmus of Panama, transporting goods by land from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic so that ships could avoid the long and treacherous voyage around South America. The plan, which he had unsuccessfully tried to market to the English government under James II, is known as the Darién Scheme. <p>Investors from all social strata gave £400,000 to the scheme, and the first ships set sail in 1698, arriving at the Bay of Darién in November, where they began building the colony of New Caledonia. Paterson’s plans were far fetched, however, and the difficulties of life in Central America were not something he had witnessed or researched. His own wife was dead before the colonists even arrived in the mosquito plagued bay, and within 7 months hundreds more were dead from starvation, fever and skirmishes with the Spanish, who considered the area part of their colony of New Granada. Supplies were limited as the English colonies had been ordered not to assist the Scots for fear of angering the Spanish. Even had the colony been properly established, the logistics of hauling cargo across densely forested and rugged terrain would surely have been impossible. <p>After a second expedition had set sail, without knowing of the already interminable situation, the colony was abandoned, only a single ship returning from the disaster. With almost half of all Scotland’s money sunk into the scheme, only the most die hard Jacobites were against it when the English parliament offered to bail them out as incentive to agree to the 1707 Act of Union, combining the two nations into the United Kingdom. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Welsh conquest</h3><p>1277-1283 <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SJ-Fo4rasvM538vHE1sk7LSpYqySzay2Ebgnn7slCmNmZdvUQROtJjWwxfD3fqkljcySJTdK8UfF23vnMxcCuPZMOHlqf6n5HlYXbOeNxxjgYbxdAUfidCtOSzLs6hoMEhymnjJBlrU/s1600-h/8%5B5%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUykPtJ5I/AAAAAAAABs4/XlTgAmmoSEQ/8_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="247" height="372"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: £240,000<br />
Now: $193 million</em></strong> <p>Many people will be familiar with the English King Edward I from Braveheart, which we all now know to be a historically dubious, if entertaining, movie. Well, one thing was true about Edward: he was definitely a brutal, megalomaniacal tyrant, and before he turned his malefic gaze to Scotland he was concerned with Wales. Following the Norman invasion, the osmosis of Norman nobility across the Welsh border had opened up feudal debates over lordship between the nobility of the two countries. <p>In 1277, Edward I, who had ascended the throne 5 years earlier, led an army 15,000 strong into Wales after the Welsh leader Llywelyn ap Gruffud refused to acknowledge Edward’s sovereignty. Llywelyn had previously been confirmed as the sole authority in Wales by the Treaty of Worcester, having allied with Simon de Montfort, the baron whose civil war against King Henry III resulted in the convening of the very first parliament. The first invasion forced Llywelyn to accept a peace treaty limiting his control to the land west of Conway Castle. In 1282, the Welsh rose in rebellion and Edward led an even larger army into the country. Llywelyn was killed in a minor skirmish in the centre of the country. <p>The cost of the invasions, and the building of a massive network of castles to cow the local population and subsume their culture, was around £240,000, more than 10 times the annual income of the kingdom, and a great deal of the sum was borrowed from Jewish bankers in London. Very soon, no doubt in a fit of conscience, Edward outlawed money-lending and forced the Jews to wear yellow identity badges. Within a year of the conquest he had the heads of their households arrested, and hanged over 300 in the Tower of London, expelling the rest of the population, handily erasing a good portion of his debt, even receiving a tax bonus from the Catholic Church for the immensely popular act. One positive effect of the invasion (always look on the bright side, I suppose) was that a large part of the cost had to be paid by tax grants which were acquired by summoning a parliament, the necessity of which added to the long process whereby a (somewhat) democratic institution took more and more power away from the monarch. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - French Revolution</h3><p>1789 – 1799 <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUy3Qaa4I/AAAAAAAABs8/ls11I4uaYdk/s1600-h/7%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUzX65cII/AAAAAAAABtA/s_nIUuEyJms/7_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" height="346"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: 2 billion livres-tournois<br />
Now: $6 billion</em></strong> <p>When Louis XV died he left his historically maligned successor Louis XVI with a handbag full of troubles, having been engaged in four catastrophic wars in the 18th century. While the first War of the Austrian Succession and the American War of Independence technically weren’t losses, France came away with less than she put in. The first failed to restore the previous balance of power in central Europe, while after the latter war the Americans repaid French assistance by going straight back to trading with Britain instead of favoring French trade. Meanwhile the Seven Years’ War (see below) shore away almost all of France’s overseas empire. <p>Louis XVI was not a complete dithering fool, as he is sometimes portrayed – he did try to do something about the imminent financial meltdown – he was largely a weak, impotent man who lacked the gumption to force the necessary changes through. The prospect of imposing taxes on the tax exempt nobility and clergy to offset the debt failed outright, being scorned and virtually ignored. France lacked an equivalent to the Bank of England, which allowed the UK to manage a considerably larger debt in the same period, to help manage the problem. <p>The strains on ordinary people mounted. Food prices rose, squalor spread disease through the cities and widespread famine broke out. Soldiers were unpaid, unemployment was rife, and all the while the nobility paid no tax and enjoyed a lifestyle of excess and power, and in 1789 the Revolution broke out. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - Philip II of Spain</h3><p>1554 – 1598 <p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPUz3T1QAI/AAAAAAAABtE/MdbbDh6VX8E/6%5B8%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="278" height="419"> <p><strong><em>Then: 86 million ducats<br />
Now: $11 billion</em></strong> <p>Philip II ruled Spain during the ‘Golden Age’ of its superpower global empire, yet in his lifetime also saw the beginning of its long decline. Already burdened with a 36 million ducat debt by his predecessor, the poorness of Spain itself meant low tax revenues, so Philip relied heavily on gold shipped from the Americas to supplement his treasury. Along with the tax burden and increased state spending this caused high inflation, which devalued the currency and harmed Spanish industries. The unreliability of New World gold during war time caused the first bankruptcy of a nation in modern history, in 1557. To cover the costs of multiple wars Philip began borrowing from Italian bankers, who kept financing his wars despite repeated failure to keep up interest payments, sending Spanish debt payments up to 40% of the country’s yearly income and resulting in further bankruptcies in 1560, 1576 and 1596. <p>Eventually the debt was 85 million ducats, when the state’s yearly income was only 9 million. Repeated military disasters resulted in the casual squandering of millions. When Philip lost control of England after his wife, Queen Mary, died, leaving England in the control of Protestant Queen Elizabeth I, he financed an armada to eliminate protestantism before it could spread to Europe. When the armada sank, over 10 million ducats sank with it, while privateers like Francis Drake captured Spanish Gold Galleons. The Dutch Revolt was particularly damaging as the wages of soldiers ended up going into the emergent Dutch economy instead of Spain’s, and the value of Spanish exports and imports were damaged. <p>Spain’s economic woes meant that it could not maintain its stranglehold on New World colonialism, and following Philip’s reign it was overtaken by the Dutch, the French and then the English. The Spanish navy lost its position to the emerging power of the Royal Navy, and Spanish holdings in Europe were soon lost. <p> <p> <h3>#5 - Ottoman Empire</h3><p>1853 – 1923 <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU0YHLioI/AAAAAAAABtI/WDBIelVuQsI/s1600-h/5%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawhmvwI6_ADZkSdBwn7V_VgA8TipbN0pLWohba6RFjQ6AIyvlpS9Z_U_MdGW1qrH6lyT1q2cM24ThEcAPb1UdVcObQ1gObHYcT0N60YaC-0U6TsZ_cIPZJCgtEs3zuvNJhfpzAzjZSAA/?imgmax=800" width="312" height="239"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: £200 million<br />
Now: $14 billion</em></strong> <p>When Tsar Nicholas I described the Ottoman Empire as the ‘sick man of Europe’, he described a nation incapable of keeping up with the advances of European powers, and in the late 19th century it was still administered in an almost medieval fashion. Rail transport was virtually non existent, industry was still based on small scale manual manufacturing, and the economy was based mostly on taxation of the poor, largely agrarian population. Up until 1853 the Empire had slowly begun to develop its infrastructure, but was unable to advance very far on its limited finances, and was wary of going into debt with European nations. <p>The Crimean War changed that stance, however, and the Ottoman Imperial Bank was established by British and French financiers to provide a line of credit to the government. The government began defaulting on its interest payments in 1875, however, and the province of Egypt, nominally part of the Empire but partially autonomous, was occupied by the British in 1883 to take control of the Public Debt. The Ottoman government was now firmly dependent on Britain and France for its finances, and much of the new infrastructure was owned by their investors. <p>The end came with World War One. With the Empire still underdeveloped and its satellites picked off by its creditors, the British invasion took Mesopotamia (Iraq), Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, and the Sykes-Picoult agreement divided these former holdings between the French and British Empires. Finally, in 1923, after occupation by the Allied powers, the Empire was dissolved and the Republic of Turkey formed in its place. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - 7 Years’ War</h3><p>1756 – 1763 <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU1sgYhGI/AAAAAAAABtQ/AhlYl_LHlGA/s1600-h/4%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU2ZeG-QI/AAAAAAAABtU/uMTTsSlUnH8/4_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="316" height="217"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: £133 milion<br />
Now: $18 billion</em></strong> <p>When the French started building a ring of forts along the Ohio river to box the English colonies against the sea, it was quite evident that something big was brewing. That something would turn out to be the Seven Years’ War, a truly global conflict primarily between the United Kingdom and France for domination of the colonies in North America, the West Indies and India, while a continental war between Prussia, Austria and their allies raged in Europe. <p>The cost of such a vast war on states with a still fledgling understanding of mercantile economics was great, but the difference between Britain and France was the Bank of England and the possibilities of government borrowing, which prime minister William Pitt seized upon, and which his French counterparts, under Louis XV, could not. Louis’ war cabinet was divided over focusing their efforts in the colonies, or focusing on the war in Europe. The French decided to focus on Europe, and planned an invasion of England through Scotland that would force a peace treaty giving colonial dominance to France. <p>Pitt’s evaluation was the opposite, and he determined that complete victory in every theatre was worth paying any price, and that failure anywhere was complete failure. A vast amount of money was poured into the colonial war effort, and paid off handsomely with James Wolfe’s victory at Quebec, at Pondicherry in India, and at Minden in Germany. To finally scupper the French plans, Admiral Hawke destroyed the French fleet intended to escort the invasion barges to Scotland at the Battle of Quiberon bay. The cost of the war resulted in unpopular measures such as the very first income tax and a tax on windows which may have coined the phrase ‘daylight robbery’. <p> <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3>#3 - Russian Revolution</h3><p>1917 <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU2_iWgiI/AAAAAAAABtY/PqcFVo_HONM/s1600-h/3%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU3Y3d0KI/AAAAAAAABtc/RWz4Rm2GP98/3_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="340" height="230"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: 50 billion rubles<br />
Now: $270 billion</em></strong> <p>Following Imperial Russia’s disastrous defeat in World War One, the government faced debts of up to 50 billion rubles and near bankruptcy. Industries collapsed, and the chaotic disruption of the transportation network caused many industrial closures and resulted in huge unemployment, while the wages of those who kept their jobs fell drastically. Facing starvation from poverty, the disrupted food supply and rampant inflation due to the overprinting of money to cover the war deficit, people abandoned their jobs and cities to look for food. Soldiers lacked adequate equipment, and thousands froze in the streets. <p>Mass strikes and riots began in Petrograd, formerly St. Petersburg, and spread across the country. The Bolsheviks, who had seized a portion of political power after the February Revolution’s institution of a limited constitutional government, organized strikers into militias. It was easy to convince people that their suffering was due to the greed and ineptitude of the rich and the corrupt, oppressive monarchy. In July 1917, the Provisional Government ordered that a demonstration in Petrograd be quelled, and violence broke out as soldiers opened fire on the crowds. The following month a rogue general led his troops in an attack against the Bolsheviks in the city, and was beaten back by militia, sailors and strikers. Uprisings began two months later, taking over the Winter Palace and government facilities, and in 1922 the USSR formally began. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - Weimar republic</h3><p>1919-1933 <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU3_-PjCI/AAAAAAAABtg/6pvldn4PoZ8/s1600-h/2%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU4R3VqAI/AAAAAAAABtk/gqs2mty1q2U/2_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="273" height="366"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: 269 billion gold marks<br />
Now: $420 billion</em></strong> <p>In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles stated that Germany and its allies were responsible for all damage done to allied countries, and in 1921 it was decided that Germany owed 269 billion gold marks, or 23 billion pounds, in monetary and material reparations. Germany began defaulting on its payments by 1922, stalling shipments of coal and wood to France, prompting the French to occupy the valuable Ruhr valley in order to take the raw materials themselves. This in turn led to sabotage and strikes, and weakened the Versailles Treaty with both sides claiming the other was dishonoring one or more clauses. <p>In 1924, the Dawes plan reduced Germany’s payments to 112 billion marks, following widespread criticism that the sums were impossible for a heavily destabilized economy to manage. The government printed more and more money to try and cover the economic downturn and pay the debt, but the flood of money caused prices to rise and required more money. Economists hurriedly tried to stabilize the mark by buying it in foreign markets with valuable gold and materials, but this only caused the its value to plummet further, along with the loss of stable currency. The effects on the poor and middle classes was devastating: pensions were destroyed, savings vanished, and, in 1923, the cost of a loaf of bread was 200 million marks, and even if you had that much (carried in a wheelbarrow, usually) its value might have depreciated by the time you reached the baker’s. <p>All of this created in ordinary Germans the feeling that they were being persecuted, starved and impoverished, for something that was not their fault. It was already commonly thought that the army had not lost the war, but that it was Weimar politicians, bolsheviks, socialists and Jews who had caused defeat, as well as the idea that the Triple Entente had begun the war in the first place. When Adolf Hitler became chancellor in 1933 he exploited the ‘Stab in the Back’ myth to its fullest, and thus the Nazi party stormed into power on a new wave of nationalism. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - British Empire</h3><p>1945-1997 <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU470t_2I/AAAAAAAABto/Hlw1GC6axU0/s1600-h/1%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGPU5bYCoPI/AAAAAAAABts/aVhxPpQSei8/1_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="244"></a> <p><strong><em>Then: £21 billion<br />
Now: $872 billion</em></strong> <p>At the end of World War 2 most of Europe was in financial, and literal, ruins. The cost of maintaining the army, navy and newly burgeoning air force left the United Kingdom in economic peril, with the American Lend-Lease act supplying ten billion dollar’s worth of vital equipment. When Lend-Lease was terminated the equipment, still sorely needed for the recovery effort, was loaned at the cost of £1 billion, but this was just a drop in the ocean. The financial situation was dire, and resulted in vast and rapid socio-political changes in the Empire. The Royal Navy was the first major target, and by 1960 1100 of its 1300 ships were dismantled and sold for scrap, and the shipyards that had built two thirds of the world’s ships were closed or limited in capacity. <p>At home wartime rationing continued years into the peace, and housing shortages were endemic for decades, breeding cultural and economic stagnation, unemployment and homelessness. Later decades were characterized by constant strikes, riots, power shortages and reading by candlelight, economic booms followed by economic busts, and repeated nationalizations and privatizations by opposing parties with different ideas about how to save the economy. <p>Abroad, the Empire, now a crippling burden, was quickly taken apart. Almost nobody in the modern age would say the end of colonialism was a bad thing, however the rapid pace of decolonization unwittingly created some of the most volatile political conflicts of the modern age. Lines were hastily drawn on maps, countries split and ushered awkwardly into self-governance, and countries painfully partitioned. Israel was carved out of Palestine. India and Pakistan were partitioned with immediate sectarian violence around the new border, culminating in a modern day Asian Cold War over Kashmir between the two nuclear powers. Many African colonies fell into ethnic warfare and sadistic dictatorships under the likes of Robert Mugabe and Idi Amin, while in the Middle East Iraq and Iran both saw their British supported monarchs overthrown by repressive dictatorships. If you could salvage any good thing from the mess of imperialism it might be the ironic legacy of democratic parliamentary systems in most of the former colonies. <p>The war loan was finally paid off in 2006.Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-71485611307286615822010-08-10T01:14:00.001-07:002010-08-10T01:18:30.710-07:00Best Prank Videos<p> </p><h1>#1</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKKGx6qGI/AAAAAAAABqw/tJfidYiNXPQ/s1600-h/1%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MPB3kQ5Pjk8aDwsQCGcGr6_nZmCBZiN8dlkBm0oHBjJ13eZoBGAEV8Rl71oIJY9yIavtOiPELRoMLtx-Y_OvYXKn8EokTvq2u-Prz6P0OpdndTWDy_qJimTe_g9Ry-9aOhQzXugrwZg/?imgmax=800" width="544" height="377"></a> </p><p>Here's a neat prank where the bathroom mirror has been replaced with a regular glass and a set of identical twins are placed in rooms opposite of each other.</p><p><object width="464" height="376" id="384045" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" alt="EMBED-Hilarious Prank free videos"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.break.com/Mzg0MDQ1"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://embed.break.com/Mzg0MDQ1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" width="464" height="376"></embed></object><br />
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<h1>#2</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKLSJJJ_I/AAAAAAAABq4/bJUdq03HQzM/s1600-h/2%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKL1HZNvI/AAAAAAAABq8/R70DEoZgchk/2_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="429"></a> </p><p>Pranksters Dan Podosek and Yuki Palermo like to pretend to hold a rope across walkways and roadways to see who will stop rather than break the invisible (and non-existent) rope. Here's their Christmas video, shot at a snowy road and a shopping mall.</p><p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:32c02aff-d515-4c5c-b319-9f1c13ee3300" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="6d5f883e-4cf2-4271-a66f-2fa3baa6d124" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZjwU1mGGaY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKMdOSY3I/AAAAAAAABrA/INwWVpPBOMo/video6a8b1382fbc7%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('6d5f883e-4cf2-4271-a66f-2fa3baa6d124'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"524\" height=\"393\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/KZjwU1mGGaY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/KZjwU1mGGaY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"524\" height=\"393\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p><p> </p><h1>#3</h1><p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKMwvWDLI/AAAAAAAABrE/e7xHifKhF_A/s1600-h/3%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKNlxH_eI/AAAAAAAABrI/P8zAF9rXFSw/3_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="429"></a> </p><p>Babysitter guy freaks out during hidden camera ghost prank.</p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:34f0a900-7431-4d5a-a342-6d80300b57df" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="0a55fbc2-6d07-4cbf-86ef-a82e06e3567a" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FCrdM5ADgE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKONFcpSI/AAAAAAAABrM/nJXr_9z838A/video0c95dd10c0e0%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('0a55fbc2-6d07-4cbf-86ef-a82e06e3567a'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"535\" height=\"401\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8FCrdM5ADgE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/8FCrdM5ADgE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"535\" height=\"401\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div><p></p><p> </p><h1>#4</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKOl4chzI/AAAAAAAABrQ/yaEFVbtsEsk/s1600-h/4%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKPMfGO7I/AAAAAAAABrU/nR_ll9Krugg/4_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="348"></a> </p><p>A boy is pranked with a maze challenge. The ingenious game makes the player concentrate and is silent throughout the game, but upon completion there is a scary face and scream. It's enough to make anyone jump out of their seat, even when you know what's coming.<br />
This video is the original one that has generated thousands of videos on YouTube of people videotaping their friends and family playing the scary maze game and getting scared silly. <p> </p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8d9568a8-15a1-4197-a0e0-0dd4965225dc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="45b7ed56-c9c6-40f5-bb4d-a71876d1e4ed" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6YsYO7C-68&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKP-TlyDI/AAAAAAAABrY/w0ErbMJwM_Q/videobf19cadc8001%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('45b7ed56-c9c6-40f5-bb4d-a71876d1e4ed'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"531\" height=\"398\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/k6YsYO7C-68&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/k6YsYO7C-68&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"531\" height=\"398\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div><p></p><p> </p><h1>#5</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKQB9GFgI/AAAAAAAABrc/NQ3hbUf6pqY/s1600-h/5%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKRAERz4I/AAAAAAAABrg/JlNMJj7Tp4Q/5_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="389"></a> </p><p>A man pretends he has stolen an iPhone and calls for the help service to assist him download an app to clear it out. Hilarious.</p><p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:19b83477-7c2d-459a-9685-37d46ef96121" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="7d40b8ac-30f2-4f63-ae71-1f8b28869398" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_axjZ78wU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKRlj_OII/AAAAAAAABrk/6HTVa4fGvBI/videoaf852169da82%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('7d40b8ac-30f2-4f63-ae71-1f8b28869398'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"531\" height=\"398\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Uk_axjZ78wU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Uk_axjZ78wU&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"531\" height=\"398\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p><p> </p><h1>#6</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKSMU6K3I/AAAAAAAABro/tyhstx_LyYs/s1600-h/6%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zMWFo-SfyYHDHKrg3jbU8oEeJxfPhmQQQ1a9Waa1DuXuTI66uxlcdp3TPUtVsRAY0Yde4yGWzGxqVfsIu8t3IvNhLEBooaLSRVunKxkzy8QE8tTANbZX9RetI4sgrBvF8mw6NFpUgdg/?imgmax=800" width="544" height="389"></a> </p><p></p><p>This is the most viewed phone prank ever in Youtube.</p><p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:03d8202f-bc0c-43fe-bb56-3be66fc216a8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="f1738be2-fde3-46f5-86bc-2c759b33e56e" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqhlG9qYsR8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKTN3C8cI/AAAAAAAABrw/moN_USRpTic/video0eb48802ac11%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('f1738be2-fde3-46f5-86bc-2c759b33e56e'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"540\" height=\"405\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/pqhlG9qYsR8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/pqhlG9qYsR8&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"540\" height=\"405\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p><h1> </h1><h1>#7</h1><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36is17T_vXChJrjofpt_dLvX97mx7qFRmbi1pqqAXCCK3p8QOZVp0Ax1B49LCY8-yCWKtJS4Q9OdW2S1wEuSzxKtgfwaW1dVLyghY6ZfY-QbpJLHF9sOShiBRc-yXUSsVQt_qDW_BU_M/s1600-h/7%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKUve7FUI/AAAAAAAABr4/mxVxoZi_A4c/7_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="389"></a> </p><p>An elderly lady needs help to cross the street. See what happens when people try to help her.</p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:a70da834-30d0-48f7-ad0e-382b5dc37cab" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="4aec942c-cf48-470f-8b60-2d29af4bbd0c" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNfFc4-gV38&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKVdOvkwI/AAAAAAAABr8/Eb8ur42iRHw/video4e631c0c1a71%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('4aec942c-cf48-470f-8b60-2d29af4bbd0c'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"533\" height=\"399\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/ZNfFc4-gV38&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/ZNfFc4-gV38&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"533\" height=\"399\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div><p> </p><h1>#8</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKV6NLaEI/AAAAAAAABsA/0G3YuG077RY/s1600-h/8%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKWnlZQTI/AAAAAAAABsE/6Hxkqz2cHSc/8_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="389"></a> </p><p>Imagine going to the toilet and having a head pop out of the loo.</p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:517d41c6-b356-4d3c-b620-4a9dcffbd1bb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="659feb8e-ed1b-4178-baa2-1b3680b9c3e6" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjGd1C6E4ys&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKXmB1_VI/AAAAAAAABsI/fmGkqDd5-20/video4c48310ec2f5%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('659feb8e-ed1b-4178-baa2-1b3680b9c3e6'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"538\" height=\"403\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/JjGd1C6E4ys&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/JjGd1C6E4ys&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"538\" height=\"403\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div><p> </p><h1>#9</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKYDBGu6I/AAAAAAAABsM/RZCsF4LZjus/s1600-h/9%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKYqbXQfI/AAAAAAAABsQ/j_18ySZz-B4/9_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="389"></a> </p><p>Watch these unsuspecting intern applicants on hidden camera to see how far they'll go to land a job!</p><p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:cf55201e-29c6-40d2-bb51-8d496a794126" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="8011bf66-104f-49a2-bd2f-6f9a43ef1e04" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epWUzdNnWs0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKZDaw__I/AAAAAAAABsU/0jeTdiw76i4/videoc2201d3347e5%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('8011bf66-104f-49a2-bd2f-6f9a43ef1e04'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"536\" height=\"402\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/epWUzdNnWs0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/epWUzdNnWs0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"536\" height=\"402\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p><p> </p><h1>#10</h1><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKZuycnnI/AAAAAAAABsY/bz21Z29U8YI/s1600-h/10%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKaYZwTrI/AAAAAAAABsc/Rr1gYrVb9GI/10_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="544" height="350"></a> <p>A policeman's practical joke: they change people's license plate and accuse them of stealing a car.</p><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:030c9836-6353-4595-8b63-2bc278a0c9f9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="085932a3-12c7-478a-81b1-4e178f2be930" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNTj5Fus1K4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TGEKa51-atI/AAAAAAAABsg/vUPU7WoIme8/videob68be071568f%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('085932a3-12c7-478a-81b1-4e178f2be930'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"532\" height=\"399\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/oNTj5Fus1K4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/oNTj5Fus1K4&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=es_ES&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"532\" height=\"399\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div>Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7082892134425917760.post-41491800277013898122010-08-06T05:44:00.001-07:002010-08-06T05:45:40.672-07:0010 Unbelievable Technologies that Exist Now<p> </p><p>The state of technology in 1999 was pretty impressive, we thought, and it was hard to imagine things getting much better. We were doing pretty well for ourselves and surely wouldn’t see any major technological advancements for decades to come. <p>Ten years later, the world is a very different place than we never could have imagined, in our wildest of dreams. There has been a surge of revolutionary technologies in the last decade that even Science Fiction couldn’t have predicted. Everything from the way we play, to the way we think, has been challenged due to these advancements. Here are just a few. <p> <br />
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<h3>#10 - Portable Gaming Devices</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="10" border="0" alt="10" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDiaHnaoI/AAAAAAAABpc/eUzu2EXIREw/10%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="341" height="298"> <p>Just before the turn of the millennium, portable gaming was booming. Most people that had a portable gaming device sported a Gameboy, and the really lucky ones had a Gameboy Color. There was always that one rich kid at Pizza Hut, too, with the Sega Gamegear that people couldn’t stop talking about, and Pokemon was taking the world by storm. <p>At night, you would fall asleep with images of the Atari Lynx swimming around in your head and hope that one day you could afford one. 10 years later, you’re glad that your parents never sprung for one of them. <p>Not long after that part of your life, the portable gaming world changed dramatically. With their staunch lead, Nintendo started to be more experimental and it paid off. The Gameboy Advance put quality graphics that were slightly above Super Nintendo, and sound in the palm of your hand, and further still the Nintendo DS (a few years later) managed to squeeze out post-N64 quality gaming with a touch-screen, and opened up a whole new world of gaming possibilities. <p>What’s more impressive is that, for once, Nintendo had some serious competition in the portable gaming racket. Sony took their powerful juggernaught, the Playstation 2, and compressed it into a comfortable, handheld console that demanded respect. Graphics and sound quality that Sony was notorious for could now be enjoyed, portably, on a beautiful 4.3″ screen. <p>If only you knew, back in your room 10 years ago, that things were about to change, and that one day you would forget all about the Atari Lynx… until you read about it in a Listverse article. <p> <p><a name="item-9"></a> <h3>#9 - Hybrid Cars</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="9" border="0" alt="9" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDi7cMLCI/AAAAAAAABpg/YD03CVw2GJo/9%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="314" height="240"> <p>Electric cars have been on the tongues and minds of consumers for decades, and the conspiracies and facts behind their obvious exclusion in the automotive world have raised a lot of questions and frustrations. Electric cars will greatly reduce man-made pollution, make the roads quieter and safer, and take the icky smell out of the air at Quick-e-marts worldwide. They’re an obvious “next step” in technological evolution. <p>In 1999, however, during a time when much of the world experienced a great deal of prosperity, the electric car was little more than a pipe dream. We all thought it sounded like a neat idea but were reluctant to accept it as a real possibility in the near future. <p>Well, we were half right. <p>Hybrid cars have finally clawed their way into the spotlight. Their part-gasoline-part-electric functionality has brought the whole concept of being “carbon sensitive” into the mainstream. Gasoline cars got the job done, but required too much pollution and too low of gas mileage to be acceptable anymore. Electric cars were silent and gave off virtually no pollution, but had to be recharged every 50-100 miles. The hybrid was the perfect answer. <p>It’s true that we still have a few years (but possibly fewer than we think) until we see every car on the street be Electric Powered, but for now the number of cars that run at least *partially* on electric power would incite quite a bit of skepticism one decade ago. <p> <p><a name="item-8"></a> <h3>#8 - Solid State Data Storage</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="8" border="0" alt="8" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDjQhfITI/AAAAAAAABpk/DEmLgVA9-j0/8%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="352" height="254"> <p>In 1999, if you had an 8 gigabyte (gb) hard drive, you were the cool kid on the block. “What can you possibly fill that whole thing up with?” your friends would ask you. <p>Computer games you bought at the store fit on a single CD-ROM, and everyone knew that you had to wait for your hard drive to spin up before each level. Those of us who were especially caring of our expensive, magnetic, spindled drums of data would even run Scandisk and Defrag on them (which would take hours, of course). Things were looking up, too, as hard drive experts predicted that in the year 2000, 30gb hard drives could be as cheap as $200. <p>Now, imagine yourself waking up in the middle of the night because someone outside your window is throwing pebbles on it. When you open your window, you notice that they look exactly like you, only about 10 years older. They tell you not to worry, because in a single decade hard drives will be ridiculously smaller, lack any moving parts, be practically weightless and can withstand far more brutal environments. <p>Oh, and it’s far cheaper, too. You know that 8gb hard drive you just spent $150 on? You can get one that fits in your coin pocket for $15, down the street. <p> <p><a name="item-7"></a> <h3>#7 - Broadband Internet</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="7" border="0" alt="7" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDjyW8QaI/AAAAAAAABpo/-2zTCfMBsFA/7%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="348" height="245"> <p>Remember ISDN? Integrated Service Digital Network? Although it’s possible that you do, it’s far more likely that you don’t. It was the closest thing to broadband in 1999. <p>No, the vast majority of people accessed the internet from a 56k modem. Those who were not at least in the lower-middle class, however, had to dink around a 14.4 modem, or worse: 2400 baud. It’s enough to make one shudder. <p>Back then, though, the internet was a much simpler place. Text, images and an occasional embedded MIDI were all that was expected of any given website. Animated GIF’s were the future, and Flash showed some serious potential. <p>These days, however, the internet is a wonderland of bandwidth-sucking marvels. Streaming video and music, BitTorrent and Cloud Storage systems are everyday necessities and require almost as much bandwidth as our hard drives do. If you were to try to watch a 10 minute Youtube video back in 1999, it would take 68 minutes to buffer. These days, if it takes more than 15 seconds, we get our ISP on the line. <p> <p><a name="item-6"></a> <h3>#6 - The iPhone</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="6" border="0" alt="6" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDkptIdAI/AAAAAAAABps/H_c4nG2d1kQ/6%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="367" height="250"> <p>Almost anyone can admit that when they first heard of the iPhone, they thought it was a hoax. <p>Criticize it, love it, boycott it; it’s undeniably one of the most influential changes to the consumer electronics world in the last 10 years. It has revolutionized how we see and use cell phones and has inspired numerous alternatives. These days, devices that have nothing to do with cell phone technology adopt the most popular features of the iPhone. Touch screens, flick-style scrolling, app-based operating systems (complete with some rendition of an ‘Application Repository/Market’ system), device screens that almost completely cover the system, drawer-style interface elements and mobile internet browsing have all become commonplace since the iPhone, and for good reason. The iPhone did what everyone wanted, but no one had yet accomplished. <p>Suddenly having the full, non-WAP-based internet at your fingertips was demanded by the masses. Many other devices offering similar features (Google Android, WebOS/PalmPre, etc.) sprung up to offer competition, which is a common sign of extreme influence over an entire industry. And let us not forget the iPhone 4g which is now offering video calling between phones – a dream that many of us thought impossible some twenty or so years ago. <p>To sit down and describe the iPhone to someone back in 1999 would be the equivalent of describing the Holodeck to someone today. <p> <p> <h3>#5 - The Nintendo Wii</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="5" border="0" alt="5" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDlOV4FeI/AAAAAAAABpw/gtMyZOc_FAw/5%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="265"> <p>The Nintendo Wii has been criticized for its hype, but any way you look at it, it’s a revolutionary system. The graphics aren’t as good as the competition and the media capabilities are lacking among its peers, but the number of sales speaks for itself: The Wii is a hit. Why? Well, unless you call your local quarry an apartment complex, you know. <p>It’s motion-capture technology, among the multitude of other unique interfaces (the Wii Fit board, Nunchuck and numerous attachments to make them seem more like their digital counterparts), have set it above the rest. It’s, arguably, so impressive that most users can forgive its lackluster shortcomings. Even grandma is off the couch, now, and tossing a bowling ball down the lane. <p>Despite all of the controversies around the Nintendo Wii, remember that, in 1999, the best system on the market was the Dreamcast (which was considered ahead of its time). Along with the dreamcast was the Playstation and Nintendo 64. If you were to convince someone to pause Super Mario 64 for a moment and tell them that, in 10 years, there was going to be a system that allowed you to control the game by way of virtually free motion, they would laugh at you and go right back to stomping Goombas. <p> <p><a name="item-4"></a> <h3>#4 - HD TV</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="4" border="0" alt="4" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDlxlGDPI/AAAAAAAABp0/RDaJlQQY97M/4%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="317" height="268"> <p>As with most technological advancements, we don’t know how good it can be until we see it. Television in 1999 was downright fuzzy by today’s standards. The visual differentiation between DVD and VHS was negligible and live TV was the highest quality it had ever been before. <p>The videophiles out there would watch their DVD’s on their computer screens, where it — for some reason — looked much crisper. Of course, the reason why it looked so much clearer was that it was higher resolution. <p>The average, standard definition television renders at about the equivalent of 640×480 pixel resolution. That was more than enough to see the hairs on Grace’s head, but had you an HD television, you’d be able to see Will’s five-o-clock stubble. <p>HD television is still not quite as common as standard definition, but if the other advancements on this list are any indication — that is about to change. The prices of consumer-level High Definition televisions is on the decline, and it’s expected that the number of HD TV’s in the United States will increase significantly this holiday season. <p>Think it’ll take another 10 years for an HD TV to be in the living room of every American Home? <p><a name="item-3"></a> <h3> </h3><p> </p><h3>#3 - iPods</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="3" border="0" alt="3" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5CGgZW3uOoKoStJwIpiTAC7ha6T88jc7kQfJelnuD1s7_zqfYHMu_o_qSju6rgajJkqVFAuFO4qy4b5sl-q9njyWJvX37eVTE8WBNoyXQbd0cS0wXv-0svHyRROzu8bJoE6nugtKhkoE/?imgmax=800" width="343" height="220"> <p>Yes, yes, it’s true that the iPod isn’t the only MP3 player on the market, but given the fact that it was the first MP3 player to end up in the <em>average</em> person’s pocket is enough clout to put it on this list. <p>To understand the influence the iPod has had over music in general, you have to understand how much more it did than put a music player in the pockets of the everyman. <p>The iPod played a pivotal role in the MP3 format. With the ability to have a hard drive’s worth of songs in your pocket came the need to squeeze as many songs into a confined space as possible. The MP3 format, with sound quality that is indistinguishable from CD’s by the average ear, put thousands of songs where only dozens once stood. These days, an album of MP3′s is far more common than the CD, and more people are listening to music now on a daily basis than ever. <p> <p><a name="item-2"></a> <h3>#2 - WiFi</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2" border="0" alt="2" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDm5P-rAI/AAAAAAAABp8/Lwwj_nttEGE/2%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="339" height="258"> <p>Wireless technology was still relatively immature in 1999. Cell phones were relatively common, but still a luxury (and a bit larger than they are, now). Texting wasn’t very popular, and data plans were light years behind where they are now. Beyond that, the only other common access to wireless technology was the radio stations we would play in our car. <p>The Internet was primarily accessed at home, or more commonly at higher speeds at your local library or your school’s computer lab. The internet was quickly building momentum, and local area networking (LAN) was pretty commonplace for LAN gaming and business communication. Few people were unaware of computer networking. <p>The problem, however, was wired connections and lack of portability. If you brought your laptop to work, it essentially became a small desktop, tethered forever to the wall for network access. Anyone familiar with the LAN party scene of the late 90′s remember how long it would take to get everyone connected to the network, able to “see” each other and, furthermore, able to communicate properly. No one complained much about the technology at the time, simply because no one realized how much easier it would be in the near future. <p>If you told someone in 1999 that, in 10 years, they could “beam” a video from a computer in one room to another computer halfway across the house, they would tell you it was science fiction. How could you transmit that amount of bandwidth over the airwaves? The concept was as alien as UFO’s. <p>What is really strange about the WiFi phenomenon is that it could be considered a nearly silent infiltration of consumer electronics. It seemed like overnight WiFi went from an interesting, speculative article you read in Wired to being advertised on every coffee shop window in town. Now, suddenly, you found yourself charging your laptop twice a day, instead of just leaving it plugged in and connected to the network all day long. <p> <p><a name="item-1"></a> <h3>#1 - The WikiReader</h3><p><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="1" border="0" alt="1" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_oR3w8KSV5Ig/TFwDnZaOYGI/AAAAAAAABqA/pizSTu6MUPA/1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="372" height="255"> <p>In the 2002 movie The Time Machine (and, also, the original masterpiece by H.G. Wells), a character named Vox calls himself, “a compendium of all human knowledge.” <p>That concept alone (even in 2002) was pretty remarkable. To have a single source, with an easy-to-use interface, for access to all the recorded knowledge that humans have ever achieved was a concept of wonder and awe that the average person could only dream about. <p>Then Wikipedia came. Now, right off the bat, no doubt many of you are warming up your keyboards to smash out disappointment in Wikipedia being cited as anything but a hacked together SuperBlog. It’s true, there is quite a bit of literary vandalism on Wikipedia and a huge portion of the cited resources within the site simply refer to *more* websites. However, the enormous amount of *verifiable* knowledge within is adequate enough to be considered — arguably — the largest collection of human knowledge ever compiled. <p>That concept alone, as amazing as it is, would likely be believable. A really huge website with a whole lot of text. Sites like that existed even back in 1999. <p>What would likey *not* be conceivable, is being able to hold all of that information in the palm of your hand, retrievable at any time. Any time that someone asks you about something that you don’t know, or if you find yourself lost for information in a jam or if you simply want to be able to prove someone’s claims as utterly false, that now is possible at a moment’s notice. <p>“But I can do that with my phone,” you might say. That’s true! Accessing Wikipedia from the data connection of your phone within decent range of a cell phone tower is possible in many populated areas right at this moment. However, once you find yourself with a dead cell phone or in the wilderness, your access to the compendium is lost. <p>Until now. The WikiReader boasts a full year of power off of two AAA batteries and no data access requirements of any kind. It’s Wikipedia in your pocket, no strings attached. <p>Who would have thought that Vox would exist before flying cars?Sergiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14479044974704389485noreply@blogger.com0