tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15651462634110716972024-02-19T07:55:50.102-08:00odd and funny stuffWelcome to oddyfunny.tk.We bring you extremely weird, amazing strange, odd, news( But not too serious )and facts from all over the world. Have fun browsing our blog!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger253125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-82422400972722944342012-03-14T06:29:00.000-07:002012-03-14T06:29:14.172-07:00Most Expensive Perfumes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9Ck3WuDQXZZguTJuulu49tQTVZzLnvPKuPc8UcZUy61TAjcqXwTayGSg1YHSmmDBTdb_ttEqrWfKozY2H-vUYnkb7ri713Jz_dImGVCseTB-g8SMjAPRJgdRhyphenhyphenHa16heTBUme_5ptdc-/s1600/Clive-Christian-Imperial-Majesty-Perfume-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9Ck3WuDQXZZguTJuulu49tQTVZzLnvPKuPc8UcZUy61TAjcqXwTayGSg1YHSmmDBTdb_ttEqrWfKozY2H-vUYnkb7ri713Jz_dImGVCseTB-g8SMjAPRJgdRhyphenhyphenHa16heTBUme_5ptdc-/s640/Clive-Christian-Imperial-Majesty-Perfume-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Perfumes or Fragrances are not only popular among women but in men too. People do not use perfumes as a habit only but it has become their daily routine to maintain themselves. However, there are rich people in the world who do not care about the scent & it’s mesmerizing fragrance but they buy precious & expensive perfumes because of their names & brands. Below we are <a href="http://www.latesttopten.com/top-10-most-expensive-historical-guitars-in-the-world" title="See also Top 10 Most Expensive & Historical Guitars in the World">listing</a> top 10 most expensive
perfumes (fragrances) in the world. Not everybody can buy these
expensive scents but only the rich people who have purchasing power to
buy such expensive & precious perfumes. Let’s have a look at the top ten most expensive perfumes (fragrances) in the world.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Jar Parfums Bolt of Lightning </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnRIxrcSxeQa1LCaonVGnDx0kPaU7E_0PVjI8eGgOolZ9K9ywWZpmWP3Yr5q7ChPXaIeCkb8PCJ-vISVToAFHihO7gjw4DO-hBiBykMdT_OKd6D9SHtEqKsuJ4VcBtx20HmO3H3-NhDDF/s1600/Jar+Parfums+Bolt+of+Lightning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnRIxrcSxeQa1LCaonVGnDx0kPaU7E_0PVjI8eGgOolZ9K9ywWZpmWP3Yr5q7ChPXaIeCkb8PCJ-vISVToAFHihO7gjw4DO-hBiBykMdT_OKd6D9SHtEqKsuJ4VcBtx20HmO3H3-NhDDF/s400/Jar+Parfums+Bolt+of+Lightning.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Jar Parfums Bolt of Lightning <br />
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It has a rare and unique scent that really penetrates on the skin, not just in a few hours but also even for days, if you have plans not to take a bath for a couple of days. This is perfect in summer with a price of $765 USD. It is worth the money if you would want to use it rarely in specific occasions and events, which could be best added to your collections. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Jean Patou’s Joy </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1iChMZZCh_8cJMBrIS2MfBpiahAUpktZbpbbqedzuOd0M-BZRLzeEvLcMYdfM95M6nxDSwPXs-bdzH4rNurlfHfKGiLgoOlnc551WstZdnEwaHz0FdQ8mtpPhEDFfNKfX7bLC3OgoZkc/s1600/Jean+Patou%E2%80%99s+Joy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1iChMZZCh_8cJMBrIS2MfBpiahAUpktZbpbbqedzuOd0M-BZRLzeEvLcMYdfM95M6nxDSwPXs-bdzH4rNurlfHfKGiLgoOlnc551WstZdnEwaHz0FdQ8mtpPhEDFfNKfX7bLC3OgoZkc/s400/Jean+Patou%E2%80%99s+Joy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Jean Patou’s Joy <br />
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It has a classic and timeless smell, which fits for any gorgeous women that would totally transform personality and individual charm. This is introduced in the market in 1930 by Jean Patou herself, who has created this <a href="http://www.latesttopten.com/top-10-beautiful-lovely-flowers-which-bloom-at-night">fragrance</a> and being sold at $800 per piece in prominent stores. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Shalini Parfums Shalini</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9EqJj2k3CUw-b6vp96C9vK1djRfVGxL8A2vBfP7sjrRtHGMH0nJUJj0SlrmOWIi-X-c0KQbJhyi2DBFk3sN-Hnz20iAaT7SImryvSE28pwaQAvY2bTb93v6M7vLz26cYt-sclw0XM0u0/s1600/Shalini+Parfums+Shalini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz9EqJj2k3CUw-b6vp96C9vK1djRfVGxL8A2vBfP7sjrRtHGMH0nJUJj0SlrmOWIi-X-c0KQbJhyi2DBFk3sN-Hnz20iAaT7SImryvSE28pwaQAvY2bTb93v6M7vLz26cYt-sclw0XM0u0/s400/Shalini+Parfums+Shalini.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Shalini Parfums Shalini <br />
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It has a sensual smell, which describes and fits the modern era that we have now. This defines the women of this generation, which is carefree and independent. It is sold in limited quantity and it costs $900 each. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Herm’s 24 Faubourg Perfume </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaYTL5dGjnP-ERRQujqSiwRrW2vaSO_dwGncU0PFPt0k9GFgx9oHh_Es6BHm2gm5_FsR5jCg57AMu3FHR4KxoLkaJIsJ-hMmXpuPuTUx4lcuAjeptWMSWpW1Y9v3BM2mnTf1Uwc5k_wkG/s1600/Herm%E2%80%99s+24+Faubourg+Perfume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsaYTL5dGjnP-ERRQujqSiwRrW2vaSO_dwGncU0PFPt0k9GFgx9oHh_Es6BHm2gm5_FsR5jCg57AMu3FHR4KxoLkaJIsJ-hMmXpuPuTUx4lcuAjeptWMSWpW1Y9v3BM2mnTf1Uwc5k_wkG/s400/Herm%E2%80%99s+24+Faubourg+Perfume.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hermes 24 Faubourg Perfume <br />
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It caught the title of the fragrance women in 1995 and it has been consistently named as part of the top 10 most expensive brands of fragrances. It can be bought today for $1,500 that would really shine your face in the morning because of it brilliant effects on the skin. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Annick Goutal’s Eau d’Hadrien </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJ2BLsI2gBMbpiyLIq5ZFdY1XTKn82IZyIKS2b53zwwnXleXDg0sckZHHoL0RW3BI9R38twFlyVhFg_fwxdB87Xdw7FPVkFH4KdsPh-D7KaxGgJe_AFqKITVnoQrNgaElUB2vv_Ey-X2U/s1600/Annick+Goutal%E2%80%99s+Eau+d%E2%80%99Hadrien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJ2BLsI2gBMbpiyLIq5ZFdY1XTKn82IZyIKS2b53zwwnXleXDg0sckZHHoL0RW3BI9R38twFlyVhFg_fwxdB87Xdw7FPVkFH4KdsPh-D7KaxGgJe_AFqKITVnoQrNgaElUB2vv_Ey-X2U/s400/Annick+Goutal%E2%80%99s+Eau+d%E2%80%99Hadrien.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
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Annick Goutal’s Eau d’Hadrien <br />
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It had it kicked off in the market in 1996, which offers different flavors in bergamot, basil, grapefruit, lemon, Persian lime, peppermint, mandarin orange, lemon verbena, and woods. A freshly scent for $1,500 USD. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Baccarats Les Larmes Sacress de Thebe</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPu0N8diESBeO_mU5wkvup6uHCUNdMh8yRunX64K5p0ePviZX9TRpYwBdO_vKRI9LwWHL5lHk0yINhfq2Y0DEsqBTeK3D5vSNVga6sYs7Y6TnrHVA2A8llrj_ShdaDBdqRQpQ_zu-1HBV/s1600/Baccarats+Les+Larmes+Sacress+de+Thebe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPu0N8diESBeO_mU5wkvup6uHCUNdMh8yRunX64K5p0ePviZX9TRpYwBdO_vKRI9LwWHL5lHk0yINhfq2Y0DEsqBTeK3D5vSNVga6sYs7Y6TnrHVA2A8llrj_ShdaDBdqRQpQ_zu-1HBV/s400/Baccarats+Les+Larmes+Sacress+de+Thebe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Baccarats Les Larmes Sacrees de Thebe <br />
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It stands out among all other perfumes, which are hard to be seen and bought in the market. It is a combination of myrrh and frankincense, which is being sold at $1,700, which has a pure quality, and purity of aroma. Its appearance is also attractive, being a solid pyramid. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Chanel No. 5 Perfume</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJI3n2A8Wf3e3KtplMSnPxIljfIwFuUg8kxJuPUWMpDABTJbl6pxQbTEuy8SHOq01Egs3JFeV-voooZUwO2Sg3sGr3T20CDlqNx29oCGPu9fE_AQKKCUTvu9CMqmzr8McceIRJwMRB5FV/s1600/Chanel+No.+5+Perfume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJI3n2A8Wf3e3KtplMSnPxIljfIwFuUg8kxJuPUWMpDABTJbl6pxQbTEuy8SHOq01Egs3JFeV-voooZUwO2Sg3sGr3T20CDlqNx29oCGPu9fE_AQKKCUTvu9CMqmzr8McceIRJwMRB5FV/s400/Chanel+No.+5+Perfume.jpg" width="355" /></a></div>
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Chanel No. 5 Perfume <br />
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This is not just expensive but a very popular brand in the market because of the invasion that it undertook among its patrons. In fact, based on figures, this is being sold every 30 seconds despite of the huge amount of $1,850. It still one of the top favorites of celebrities and people from the top society. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Caron’s Poivre </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vPBAB0yk1vhyphenhyphenjj6v_s-v2lAvrBTOPlcoCb5tHoFA7C-NhwXZ-LWbfVOckjSOpEDI6LDXJv2S8q5fS-k5ZniFsaUVPuHi1a3tqUuM4zeONdP0_nASR49HNEAFAJq-EfvFFJXVwzLypybJ/s1600/Caron%E2%80%99s+Poivre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vPBAB0yk1vhyphenhyphenjj6v_s-v2lAvrBTOPlcoCb5tHoFA7C-NhwXZ-LWbfVOckjSOpEDI6LDXJv2S8q5fS-k5ZniFsaUVPuHi1a3tqUuM4zeONdP0_nASR49HNEAFAJq-EfvFFJXVwzLypybJ/s400/Caron%E2%80%99s+Poivre.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Caron’s Poivre <br />
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This can be used by both men and women. This is created by Caron in 1954, which cost $ 2,000 since this is being sold in a limited number and can only be afforded but by a few people. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Clive Christian No. 1 </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6elFxlBZgdS4gKyd21vFre9CDhRmgjhmfQSQSia7RQms_31oYzgnTeMyC1aTnUiNYgMRboM27dxgp9_MolEk45oImNHtrieimoh0pN8iJXwR_rsSWai43LhKD29_eNTLw5emgkYiFRgI/s1600/Clive+Christian+No.+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6elFxlBZgdS4gKyd21vFre9CDhRmgjhmfQSQSia7RQms_31oYzgnTeMyC1aTnUiNYgMRboM27dxgp9_MolEk45oImNHtrieimoh0pN8iJXwR_rsSWai43LhKD29_eNTLw5emgkYiFRgI/s400/Clive+Christian+No.+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Clive Christian No. 1 <br />
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It has bagged the number one spot for the most expensive perfume in the world like in 2008, and in 2001. In fact, this is the same perfume that Katie Holmes used on her wedding day, which has unimaginable cost of $ 2,150 USD. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Clive Christian’s Imperial Majesty </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKr89AG2pjxoyQ1Y56ROXMEh3ALBBnU4joR3GZ7kK81svoWrn7p45Tmxnj_IGmhF7KB2NLIk9eRzjldF0MBf4qmyOUhNkX8CON9xCZlx5z68q4Gxch8UfV1q393IwkTd3ViOu7i8piHCX/s1600/Clive-Christian-Imperial-Majesty-Perfume-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKr89AG2pjxoyQ1Y56ROXMEh3ALBBnU4joR3GZ7kK81svoWrn7p45Tmxnj_IGmhF7KB2NLIk9eRzjldF0MBf4qmyOUhNkX8CON9xCZlx5z68q4Gxch8UfV1q393IwkTd3ViOu7i8piHCX/s1600/Clive-Christian-Imperial-Majesty-Perfume-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Clive Christian’s Imperial Majesty <br />
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It is known to be the most expensive brand in Forbes survey in 2006 and it is part of the luxury of people who loved its limited scent. It is already a crown for you if you can take it home with you with its golden price of $215,000 USD, which can even buy a new car today. Imagine there are only 10 bottles of it being sold across the globe.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-2773017702106051162012-03-09T05:04:00.000-08:002012-03-30T21:33:41.591-07:00Top 10 Most Amazing Beautiful Temples in The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A temple is an important & holy part of eastern religions
like Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism. People believing on these
religions worship in the temples. These temples are the master pieces
of architectural work & are built in a way that a viewers just lost themselves in the beauty & creativity of the amazing temples. There are hundreds of amazing & beautiful temples in the world. Below we are presenting a list of top 10 most amazing & beautiful temples in the world. Lets have a look at those top ten.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tiger’s Nest Monastery</b></span> </div>
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Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched precariously on the edge of a 3,000-feet-high cliff in Paro Valley, is one of the holiest places in Bhutan. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, the second Buddha, flew onto the cliff on the back of a tigress, and then meditated in a cave which now exists within the monastery walls. The monastery, formally called Taktshang Goemba, was built in 1692 and reconstructed in 1998 after a fire. Now, the monastery is restricted to practicing Buddhists on religious retreats and is off-limits to ordinary tourists. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wat Rong Khun</b></span> </div>
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Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand is unlike any Buddhist temples in the world. The all-white, highly ornate structure gilded in mosaic mirrors that seem to shine magically, is done in a distinctly contemporary style. It is the brainchild of renowned Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat. Actually, the temple is still under construction. Chalermchai expects it will take another 90 years to complete, making it the Buddhist temple equivalent of the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, Spain! <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Prambanan </b></span></div>
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Prambanan is a Hindu temple in Central Java, Indonesia. The temple was built in 850 CE, and is composed of 8 main shrines and 250 surrounding smaller ones. Nearly all the walls of the temple are covered in exquisite bas relief carvings, which narrate stories of Vishnu’s incarnations, adventures of Hanuman the Monkey King, the Ramayana epic and other legends. Though not the biggest temple in Indonesia (Borobudur is larger – see below), Prambanan makes up in beauty and grace for what it lacks in size. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shwedagon Pagoda </b></span></div>
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No one knows exactly when the Shwedagon Paya (or Pagoda) in Myanmar was built – legend has it that it is 2,500 years old though archaeologists estimate that it was built between the 6th and 10th century. Now, when people say “golden temple” they usually mean that the structure is golden in color. But when it comes to the Shwedagon Pagoda, golden literally means covered in gold! In the 15th century, a queen of the Mon people donated her weight in gold to the temple. This tradition continues until today, where pilgrims often save for years to buy small packets of gold leafs to stick to the temple walls. As if all that gold wasn’t enough, the spire of the stupa or dome is covered with over 5,000 diamonds and 2,000 rubies (there’s even a 76 carat diamond at the very tip!). And oh, the temple housed one of the holiest relics in Buddhism: eight strands of Buddha’s hair. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Temple of Heaven</b></span></div>
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The Temple of Heaven is a Taoist temple in Beijing, the capital of China. The temple was constructed in 14th century by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (who also built the Forbidden City) as his personal temple, where he would pray for good harvest and to atone for the sins of his people. The Temple’s architecture is quite interesting: everything in the temple, which represents Heaven, is circular whereas the ground levels, which represent the Earth, are square. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chion-in Temple</b></span></div>
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Chion-in Temple was built in 1234 CE to honor the founder of Jodo (Pure Land) Buddhism, a priest named Honen, who fasted to death in the very spot. At one point in time, the complex had 21 buildings but due to earthquakes and fire, the oldest surviving building is from the 17th century. Visitors to the Chion-in Temple must first pass through the largest gate in Japan: the two-story San-mon Gate. The temple bell is also a record setter: it weighs 74 tons and needs 17 monks to ring it during the New Year celebrations. Another interesting feature of the Chion-in Temple is the “singing” floor of the Assembly Hall. Called a uguisu-bari or nightingale floor, the wooden planks were designed to creak at every footstep to alert the monks of intruders! <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Borobudur </b></span></div>
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In the 19th century, Dutch occupiers of Indonesia found a massive ancient ruin deep in the jungles of Java. What they discovered was the complex of Borobudur, a gigantic structure built with nearly 2 million cubic feet (55,000 m³) of stones. The temple has nearly 2,700 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Until today, no one knows for sure when and why it was built, nor the reason for its complete abandonment hundreds of years ago. Some scholars believe that Borobudur is actually a giant textbook of Buddhism, as its bas reliefs tell the story of the life of Buddha and the principles of his teachings. To “read,” a pilgrim must make his way through nine platforms and walk a distance of over 2 miles. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Golden Temple </b></span></div>
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The Harmandir Sahib (meaning The Abode of God) or simply the Golden Temple in Punjab, India is the most sacred shrine of Sikhism. For the Sikhs, the Golden Temple symbolizes infinite freedom and spiritual independence. The site of the Temple began with a small lake that was so peaceful that even Buddha came there to meditate. Thousands of years later, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism also lived and meditate by the lake. Construction of the Golden Temple began in the 1500s, when the fourth Guru of Sikhism enlarged the lake that became Amritsar or Pool of the Nectar of Immortality, around which the temple and the city grew. The Temple itself is decorated with marble sculptures, gilded in gold, and covered in precious stones. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vishnu Temple of Srirangam</b></span></div>
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The Temple of Srirangam (Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple), in the Indian city of Tiruchirapalli (or Trichy), is the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world (Ankor Wat is the largest of all temple, but it is currently non-functioning as a temple – see below). The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, one of three Gods in Hinduism. Legend has it that a long time ago, a sage rested and put down a statue of Vishnu reclining on a great serpent. When he was ready to resume his journey, he discovered that the statue couldn’t be moved, so a small temple was built over it. Over centuries, the temple “grew” as larger ones were built over the existing buildings. <br /><br />The temple complex is massive: it encompasses an area of over 150 acres (63 hectares) with seven concentric walls, the outermost being about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long! The walls demarcate enclosures within enclosures, each more sacred than the next, with the inner-most enclosure is forbidden to non-Hindus. The Temple of Srirangam is famous for its gopurams or entrances beneath colorful pyramids. The temple has 21 gopurams total, with the largest one having 15 stories and is nearly 200 feet (60 m) tall. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Bayon</b></span></div>
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Last but definitely not least is the largest temple in history and the inspiration to countless novels and action movies of Hollywood: Ankor Wat. Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century in what is now Cambodia. The world famous temple was first a Hindu one, dedicated to Vishnu. In the 14th or 15th century, as Buddhism swept across Asia, it became a Buddhist temple. <br /><br />The Western world’s got a glimpse of Angkor Wat when a 16th century Portuguese monk visited the temple and eloquently described it as “of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of.” His words still rang true today. Tourists visiting Angkor Wat usually also visit the nearby ruins of Angkor Thom and Bayon, two fantastic temples that serve as the ancient capital of Khmer empire. <br /><br /> </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-87954182731855838162012-03-09T04:19:00.002-08:002012-03-30T21:33:41.674-07:00Top 10 Legendary Precious Diamonds In The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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“Diamonds are forever” is a very popular saying about diamond. Diamonds
are mostly known as the symbols of power, purity & eternal love. The
value of a diamond is determined by its 4C’s which are “Carat, Color,
Cut & Clarity”. Lots of diamonds got fame as most beautiful & precious diamonds and also because of the famous people who bought, wore or sold them. Below we are presenting a list of top 10 legendary, most expensive & precious diamonds in the World. Let’s have a look…</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Tiffany Yellow Diamond</b></span></div>
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The Tiffany Yellow Diamond is one of the largest yellow diamonds ever discovered; it weighed 287.42 carats in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa. Founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1837, Tiffany & Co. came to the fore among diamond merchants during the second half of the 1800s. During the political disturbances in Paris in 1848, which cumulated in the overthrough of King Louis Philippe, the firm bought a large quantity of jewels. At the sale of the French Crown Jewels in 1887, Tiffany’s bought a great diamond necklace of Empress Eugénie, considered at the time to have been the finest single item to go on sale. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Centenary Diamond </b></span></div>
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On March 1, 1988, De Beers was having a big bash to celebrate their 100 years in business. Chairman Julian Oglivie capped off his speech with a little tidbit that stunned the crowd – De Beers’ Premier Mine had recently uncovered a diamond that was perfect in color and weighed 599 carats. It had been found nearly two years before; the company kept it quiet for the sole purpose of flaunting it at their 100th anniversary. It didn’t get to keep all 599 of those carats, though – it had to be cut down to remove some cracks around the edges and it took 154 days to cut 50 carats away. That was just the beginning of the stone’s overhaul – when all was said and done, the Centenary ended up weighing 273.85 carats with 247 facets. It was on loan to the Tower of London for a number of years (have any of you seen it?), but it’s rumored that the stone has since been sold. De Beers remains mum on the subject, saying they respect their clients’ anonymity. <br /> </div>
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<b>8. Hope Diamond </b></div>
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The Hope Diamond is a large, 45.52 carats (9.10 g), deep-blue diamond, housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure. It is famous for supposedly being cursed. The legend holds that the original form of the Hope Diamond was stolen from an eye of a sculpted idol of the Hindu goddess Sita and the specific legends about the Hope Diamond’s “cursed origin” were invented in the early 20th century to add mystique to the stone. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Orlov Diamond </b></span></div>
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The Orlov (sometimes spelled Orloff) is a large diamond that is part of the collection of the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin. The origin of this resplendent relic – described as having the shape and proportions of half a hen’s egg – can be traced back to 18th century in southern India. The particulars of the Orlov’s story have been lost with time, but it is widely reported that the diamond once served as an eye of the statue in a temple in southern India. The man held responsible for its removal was a French deserter, a grenadier from the Carnatic wars who apparently died after touching the gem. The Orlov is a rarity among historic diamonds, for it retains its original Indian rose-style cut. Its colour is widely stated as white with a faint bluish-green tinge. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Klopman diamond</b></span> </div>
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The Klopman diamond is a fabulous, legendaryand huge diamond, said to have a curse associated with it. The Klopman diamond was originally the subject of a traditional joke, a typical version of which is: <br /><br />A businessman boarded a plane to find, sitting next to him, an elegant woman wearing the largest, most stunning diamond ring he had ever seen. He asked her about it.<br /> “This is the Klopman diamond,” she said. “It is beautiful, but it’s like the Hope diamond; there is a terrible curse that goes with it.” “What’s the curse?” the man asked. She said “Mr. Klopman.” <br /><br />Due to the use of the name “Klopman” and the somewhat dark humor, and the fact that it was one of Myron Cohen’s standards, this joke is sometimes characterised as Yiddish in origin. Some commentators maintain that names other than Klopman would not be as funny, and point to the fact that this joke has survived essentially unaltered for decades. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Spoonmaker’s Diamond </b></span></div>
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The Spoonmaker’s Diamond the pride of the Topkapi Palace Museum and its most valuable single exhibit as part of the Imperial Treasury, it is an 86 carats (17 g) pear-shaped diamond. <br /><br />Various stories are told about the Spoonmaker’s Diamond. According to one tale, a poor fisherman in Istanbul empty-handed along the shore when he found a shiny stone among the litter, which he turned over and over not knowing what it was. After carrying it about in his pocket for a few days, he stopped by the jewelers’ market, showing it to the first jeweler he encountered. The jeweler took a casual glance at the stone and appeared disinterested, saying “It’s a piece of glass, take it away if you like, or if you like I’ll give you three spoons. You brought it all the way here, at least let it be worth your trouble.” What was the poor fisherman to do with this piece of glass? What’s more the jeweler had felt sorry for him and was giving three spoons. He said okay and took the spoons, leaving in their place an enormous treasure. It is for this reason they say that the diamond’s name became the “Spoonmaker’s Diamond”. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. The Sancy Diamond </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgK8O17REnIBj_mMEKdkJKKp5doAsV4k7CdV2O_m9kmxXdZspS8BllRAcISTJIocgO53Od_O3VDvpgwHAAXfRMxEeST61R1gGvpBYBwf3dXmwJwcW1m3AnN9-f7nRgdxHRUWW0snUBUp05/s1600/The+Sancy+Diamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgK8O17REnIBj_mMEKdkJKKp5doAsV4k7CdV2O_m9kmxXdZspS8BllRAcISTJIocgO53Od_O3VDvpgwHAAXfRMxEeST61R1gGvpBYBwf3dXmwJwcW1m3AnN9-f7nRgdxHRUWW0snUBUp05/s400/The+Sancy+Diamond.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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55 Carats, it was cut in a pear shape and was first owned by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, who lost it in battle in 1477. The stone is in fact named after a later owner, Seigneur de Sancy, a French Ambassador to Turkey in the late 16th century. He loaned it to the French king, Henry III who wore it in the cap with which he concealed his baldness. Henry IV of France also borrowed the stone from Sancy, but it was sold in 1664 to James I of England. In 1688, James II, last of the Stuart kings of England, fled with it to Paris. It disappeared during the French revolution. <br /> </div>
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3. The Great Star of Africa </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDD3_Cw8Nhwie46x51Gm6xUGKnKRXb15ba3RSfxbZslx0_Zd4b4poPqdnb72xbmx4EAyV4wN9-1TFpQCDaWShvCuwV-Bt0hgs87k3UdyuWjj-xv2a4LMQ2tL82CkVhgjx8Ej9TCOf4Vzg/s1600/The+Great+Star+of+Africa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDD3_Cw8Nhwie46x51Gm6xUGKnKRXb15ba3RSfxbZslx0_Zd4b4poPqdnb72xbmx4EAyV4wN9-1TFpQCDaWShvCuwV-Bt0hgs87k3UdyuWjj-xv2a4LMQ2tL82CkVhgjx8Ej9TCOf4Vzg/s400/The+Great+Star+of+Africa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Great Star of Africa a.k.a Cullinan diamond is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g), was discovered in 1905 in South Africa. It was named after the owner of the mining company. <br /><br />It was cut into 105 gems. Cullinan I, 530 carats is the largest of the cuts and is know as the Great Star of Africa. In 1907 this diamond was given to King Edward VII of England and set into the Royal Scepter. It is kept, along with the other British Crown Jewels, in the Tower of London <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Darya-e-Noor Diamond </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLDpT78El9XzMNE1PDUpRBBDGsG-PLuXbRwjnbz5vdTLOpXA05Oh2POWOyFNzI8rKjc1b8ees2SBaT4ibP4UHK1O5oKqZA0HJVe0PpHSXJFGuVL5wtjxEWY_gmqGDnunBTECW5xpv4rtL/s1600/Darya-e-Noor+Diamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLDpT78El9XzMNE1PDUpRBBDGsG-PLuXbRwjnbz5vdTLOpXA05Oh2POWOyFNzI8rKjc1b8ees2SBaT4ibP4UHK1O5oKqZA0HJVe0PpHSXJFGuVL5wtjxEWY_gmqGDnunBTECW5xpv4rtL/s400/Darya-e-Noor+Diamond.jpg" width="341" /></a></div>
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The Darya-e-Noor “Ocean of Light”; weighing an estimated 182 carats (36 g). Its colour, pale pink, is one of the rarest to be found in diamonds. The Darya-ye Noor presently forms part of the Iranian Crown Jewels and is on display at the Central Bank of Iran in Tehran. <br /><br />In 1739, Nader Shah of Persia invaded Northern India, occupied Delhi and then massacred many of its inhabitants. As payment for returning the crown to the Mughal emperor, he took possession of the entire fabled treasury of the Mughals, including the Darya-i-noor, in addition to the Koh-i-noor and the Peacock throne. All of these treasures were carried to Iran by Nader Shah and the Darya-i-noor has remained there ever since. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Koh-e-Noor Diamond </b></span></div>
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The Kōh-e-Nūr that means “Mountain of Light” is a 105 carat (21.6 g) diamond that was once the largest known diamond in the world. It is of great historical significance. It belonged to great Mughal Kingdom of Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent. Hindus, Mughals, Persian, Afghan, Sikh and British rulers fought bitterly over it at various points in history and seized it as a spoil of war time and again. It was finally seized by the East India Company and became part of the British Crown Jewels when Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1877.<br /><br /> </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-41550919166825457802012-03-09T02:12:00.000-08:002012-03-30T21:33:41.652-07:00Top 10 Most Colorful Amazing Snakes of The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUeICDZ6K3-15bjl-UKjQp2OVVHfFA-del_M9tJMDMyBQ8ZBFqAIrb0dYECStBu2LSymRDgGXDt3gpcouA-E2u7ORnw2yeBd8Io6aXNZrFVR-SG76NAnGhQOwFQbxOXz8_J3SOyLlhTaE/s1600/Albino_Burmese_Python.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUeICDZ6K3-15bjl-UKjQp2OVVHfFA-del_M9tJMDMyBQ8ZBFqAIrb0dYECStBu2LSymRDgGXDt3gpcouA-E2u7ORnw2yeBd8Io6aXNZrFVR-SG76NAnGhQOwFQbxOXz8_J3SOyLlhTaE/s640/Albino_Burmese_Python.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our world is full of beautiful & amazing animals/creatures. Some of these amazing creatures look really beautiful to see but are really harmful & can kill humans in just a matter of few minutes. Snakes are no doubt the most wonderful yet dangerous creatures in the world. We are presenting a list of top 10 most colorful & amazing snakes of the world. Let’s have a look…</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Emerald Tree Boa </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDiLtGAx1cHGFUEGBDtiQOAJGPU0y_Wl_5y8IdiLggVvs8KsZ-lYgKdYiCE5VQ7_OCYZQC-jPdZMiYxwIDdaYY3SiaD79iAZP-ZS2eqPpoZZOhtwfSqdZPXyyMrqVHyb7h7Db1cEogMNH/s1600/Emerald+Tree+Boa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDiLtGAx1cHGFUEGBDtiQOAJGPU0y_Wl_5y8IdiLggVvs8KsZ-lYgKdYiCE5VQ7_OCYZQC-jPdZMiYxwIDdaYY3SiaD79iAZP-ZS2eqPpoZZOhtwfSqdZPXyyMrqVHyb7h7Db1cEogMNH/s640/Emerald+Tree+Boa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Most species of boas are colorful like the Corallus caninus, a non-venomous snake found in the rainforests of South America. Adults grow to about 6 feet or 1.8 m in length. They have highly developed front teeth that are likely proportionately larger than those of any other non-venomous snake. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cobra’s Hood </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqlfRfYa-fimQYNzmdKaInEA2jGtXK-u3gk00yxMsinxnN51pF7-LSs_4vx8npi16_2KjNf6KfruDiX7IjVJr50ashURVR2rVA5W3V-whMKtwh9dpfuzgz7h6EfMuRUbO0ng5aZSMjKP9/s1600/Cobra%E2%80%99s+Hood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqlfRfYa-fimQYNzmdKaInEA2jGtXK-u3gk00yxMsinxnN51pF7-LSs_4vx8npi16_2KjNf6KfruDiX7IjVJr50ashURVR2rVA5W3V-whMKtwh9dpfuzgz7h6EfMuRUbO0ng5aZSMjKP9/s640/Cobra%E2%80%99s+Hood.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The spectacled cobra, named for the eyeglass design on its flared hood (seen here), shares with the Russell’s viper the infamy of causing more human deaths than any other snakes. Both are highly venomous and are found in the midst of vast populations of people in Southeast Asia. The spectacled cobra eats rats, poultry, and frogs and is known to enter houses when hunting. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blind Snake</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENfeVSpbndwUQxzODcDWFseKHCVKDMvO9WrAON9DEIpzATsCIOUCvORnuYZdGaPQrCSCPXx3NwqyFeo8cDScxIGiBvW5js8E4S_hCYvs1SyXNmhcKepHIeK-LoPGrCQ8sIKy5k4OUOzma/s1600/Blind+Snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENfeVSpbndwUQxzODcDWFseKHCVKDMvO9WrAON9DEIpzATsCIOUCvORnuYZdGaPQrCSCPXx3NwqyFeo8cDScxIGiBvW5js8E4S_hCYvs1SyXNmhcKepHIeK-LoPGrCQ8sIKy5k4OUOzma/s640/Blind+Snake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The genes of a newfound snake family suggest blind snakes lived on the island of Madagascar since, well, before it was an island. The discovery is helping to decode how these rarely seen—and barely seeing, though not completely blind—snakes came to colonize much of the planet. Growing to about a foot (30 centimeters) long, blind snakes act a lot like worms, burrowing under the surface of every continent except Antarctica. Unlike worms, though, blind snakes have backbones and tiny scales. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Albino Burmese Pythons</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUeICDZ6K3-15bjl-UKjQp2OVVHfFA-del_M9tJMDMyBQ8ZBFqAIrb0dYECStBu2LSymRDgGXDt3gpcouA-E2u7ORnw2yeBd8Io6aXNZrFVR-SG76NAnGhQOwFQbxOXz8_J3SOyLlhTaE/s1600/Albino_Burmese_Python.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUeICDZ6K3-15bjl-UKjQp2OVVHfFA-del_M9tJMDMyBQ8ZBFqAIrb0dYECStBu2LSymRDgGXDt3gpcouA-E2u7ORnw2yeBd8Io6aXNZrFVR-SG76NAnGhQOwFQbxOXz8_J3SOyLlhTaE/s640/Albino_Burmese_Python.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The snake pictured above is an albino Burmese python. Burmese pythons are readily available but grow up to be huge snakes. This is one of the snakes that need a healthy dose of caution, so think twice (or more) before getting one as a pet. Though Burmese pythons are generally quite docile, they are incredibly strong, and it just takes a single mistake in handling them (especially at feeding time when they are hungry) to have disastrous results. Sadly, increasing numbers of Burmese pythons are being dumped by owners who can’t handle them anymore (in fact, they appear to have become quite established in the Florida Everglades, and are preying on native species). <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bright Pink Snake </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0I7_uWfvcFMlZk8nA0F3piwUsC2dUK4_ix0MH-37DSv8P09ezSaNEfzu4pVnHT_RAneq_KHZgMM1agxp1AGVzfKDA8LREso4McOG1ZBAoHlpJKPVj1vP53VL0YavEwupUh6wnOjF3MhXY/s1600/Bright+Pink+Snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0I7_uWfvcFMlZk8nA0F3piwUsC2dUK4_ix0MH-37DSv8P09ezSaNEfzu4pVnHT_RAneq_KHZgMM1agxp1AGVzfKDA8LREso4McOG1ZBAoHlpJKPVj1vP53VL0YavEwupUh6wnOjF3MhXY/s640/Bright+Pink+Snake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The snake Liophidium pattoni grows to about 16 inches (40 centimeters) and preys on small rodents and lizards. ‘The bright pink markings on its back make it one of the most colorful snakes in all of Madagascar. It’s very unusual,’ Ratsifandrihamanana said. L. pattoni was first reported in 2010 in Masoala National Park in northeastern Madagascar. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Albino Nelsoni </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGioYgtSGOigVv-9BQ8kr3p98gSbU22xAv01f2V8r8-Mx6T3NHegQqyj_6YAvvxsn5vHjLFI8teY-WsPhxMikPWBQZZiklAmwmhGj6IRi4v9rEIAqIHt9eVSEpj6LMtnIJyQGNBVzU834R/s1600/Albino+Nelsoni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGioYgtSGOigVv-9BQ8kr3p98gSbU22xAv01f2V8r8-Mx6T3NHegQqyj_6YAvvxsn5vHjLFI8teY-WsPhxMikPWBQZZiklAmwmhGj6IRi4v9rEIAqIHt9eVSEpj6LMtnIJyQGNBVzU834R/s640/Albino+Nelsoni.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The brightly colored Nelson’s Milksnake is a kind of king snake that is found in Mexico. It grows to a 110 cm long or more. This non-venomous snake has 13 to 18 red rings. It was named in honor of Edward Nelson, former chief of US Biological Survey. Its natural habitats include semi-arid coastal thorn scrub and interior tropical deciduous forests. It feeds on birds, rodents, lizards and amphibians. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Blue Coral Snake </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaF8Ys1zEy6veUL09FKZJsCBL5NxWlBBYShuzu4CIMzfXGyyC3nDuVUOfXjxnkI5nWu3UlV-O0dj0-_4ueLmYK4WH84FuIr2hV7e-g-WmKReNZmkeFOKzIbAwA1t86G9OSRGnXbiunmoAk/s1600/Blue+Coral+Snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaF8Ys1zEy6veUL09FKZJsCBL5NxWlBBYShuzu4CIMzfXGyyC3nDuVUOfXjxnkI5nWu3UlV-O0dj0-_4ueLmYK4WH84FuIr2hV7e-g-WmKReNZmkeFOKzIbAwA1t86G9OSRGnXbiunmoAk/s400/Blue+Coral+Snake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Coral snakes are highly venomous members of the Elapidae family that are found in all elevations of rainforest in Southeast Asia. Their venom glands have been reported to extend all the way through the body, even reaching near the tail end in some species. They are distributed widely through Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Borneo but are not often seen due to their nocturnal and semi-fossorial nature. They will burry themselves under leaf litter, or forest debris, venturing out to hunt for prey during the night. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Elephant Trunk Snake</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjvDtjgKK_QhGib97222VFplmD7325xtF8BoLaiz49fPnXO38N56uZ3w4XDir8Ngh-LGFRrhKrEE-BWrOCmKwElDaLgU3bqNnIuDtCypbV10wJ8p6iWlb55lYeMF4jBZxfoL3w5af9_mb/s1600/Elephant+Trunk+Snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjvDtjgKK_QhGib97222VFplmD7325xtF8BoLaiz49fPnXO38N56uZ3w4XDir8Ngh-LGFRrhKrEE-BWrOCmKwElDaLgU3bqNnIuDtCypbV10wJ8p6iWlb55lYeMF4jBZxfoL3w5af9_mb/s640/Elephant+Trunk+Snake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Commonly known as the Elephant Trunk Snake, though that name can be used for all members of this family, this species is the best known member of the wart snake family. It is found throughout southeastern Asia, particularly in Indonesia, northern Australia, and New Guinea. It is the largest member of its family. Like other wart snakes, it is totally aquatic, and feeds on fish. It hunts fish mostly at night. Its raised scales help it hold on to slippery fish. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Langaha Nasuta</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLnrp36l4WUM9WPv683Kh3GDsMHLqbrHtzNbknNReOaqO2qZt7JrsnNU1jU-xAPCVnGvoshNH2vy3a4FpEnKvzh5CYMkt0HNvATit3EDrvMHITSBYeZ1f9u2x6qK6TyJyK2LVIyMYnd1r/s1600/madagascar_leaf-nosed_snake_langaha_nasuta_female_510528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLnrp36l4WUM9WPv683Kh3GDsMHLqbrHtzNbknNReOaqO2qZt7JrsnNU1jU-xAPCVnGvoshNH2vy3a4FpEnKvzh5CYMkt0HNvATit3EDrvMHITSBYeZ1f9u2x6qK6TyJyK2LVIyMYnd1r/s640/madagascar_leaf-nosed_snake_langaha_nasuta_female_510528.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Langaha snake (also known as the leaf-nosed snake) is adapted to an arboreal lifestyle and feeds mostly on lizards. Its most interesting trait is, of course, the weird “horn” or projection on its snout. Easily is one of the weirdest reptiles in the World. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Horned Viper</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYl9QGDLC0fnfqdCUZnGABiPxhPpOb6YoSFDHH6YiM1yAGfntTUcqCZZ9c7OLvnWQ96aHVKtBCj7QHFeeVjC9ST9BGl87HsXxdgsAeyFVCNK68O8l0pqqazqVd9d9eLfQLi0_ge9tY7W_E/s1600/horned+viper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYl9QGDLC0fnfqdCUZnGABiPxhPpOb6YoSFDHH6YiM1yAGfntTUcqCZZ9c7OLvnWQ96aHVKtBCj7QHFeeVjC9ST9BGl87HsXxdgsAeyFVCNK68O8l0pqqazqVd9d9eLfQLi0_ge9tY7W_E/s640/horned+viper.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A nocturnal viper which inhabits the dunes of the north west Negev desert of Israel. The snake was found early in the morning hiding in the sand next to a gerbil hole.<br /><br /> </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-55966831206651928332012-03-08T04:01:00.000-08:002012-03-08T04:01:57.094-08:00Top 10 Delicious And Awesome Gourmet Chocolate Makers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIFraocCMxZq1lc2DmFPStVrsbw7JR8egmweFPNLqufZIK-7ixmJuwCfDVzTFYx2fuzhyphenhyphenfXuwKjjxC-2nHPVq8ldubhpo_gZyP-VhP-EB_g4vi-H83yLO302WS-Powh7IemJdEKhF3KIj/s1600/chocolate_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIFraocCMxZq1lc2DmFPStVrsbw7JR8egmweFPNLqufZIK-7ixmJuwCfDVzTFYx2fuzhyphenhyphenfXuwKjjxC-2nHPVq8ldubhpo_gZyP-VhP-EB_g4vi-H83yLO302WS-Powh7IemJdEKhF3KIj/s640/chocolate_01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Chocolate is very popular among teens & specially kids because of
it’s taste. Gourmet chocolate makers know how to make their products
tasty & wonderful. Chocolate is your best selection when you find
the perfect gift for your loved one. There are many brands producing
quality chocolate products although they are expensive too. Below we are presenting a list of top 10
delicious and awesome gourmet chocolate makers. These companies produce
delicious & tasty chocolate products packed in wonderful & beautiful boxes and packing. Let’s have a look at the top 10 gourmet chocolate makers…</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. LA Burdick Handmade Chocolates </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52qCU5Mq1EQzegWta0arZScb95uS37XbWRCeR7QLresc_KWMOmU2IKabGn-JYNQLxe0O_u3YSvnKgX88eJOTp_4o0wb1qqFT5Y7ISSVfc-g78G_cegeWz1WhboGEviLC70fd1R57GdCpB/s1600/LA+Burdick+Handmade+Chocolates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52qCU5Mq1EQzegWta0arZScb95uS37XbWRCeR7QLresc_KWMOmU2IKabGn-JYNQLxe0O_u3YSvnKgX88eJOTp_4o0wb1qqFT5Y7ISSVfc-g78G_cegeWz1WhboGEviLC70fd1R57GdCpB/s400/LA+Burdick+Handmade+Chocolates.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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LA Burdick Handmade Chocolates <br />
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The first brand on the list of top gourmet chocolate makers is LA Burdick Handmade Chocolates, who specialize in all-natural products. They never use extracts, concentrates or flavorings in their products, and the flavors they do employ come directly from the source – coffees, teas, cooked fruits, squeezed and zested oranges and lemons, herbs and spices. This makes for wholly unique products, with no two batches of bonbons ever the same. They also use local honey, Mexican vanilla beans and a variety of nuts and dried fruits from California and Turkey. Sounds absolutely delicious! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Christopher Norman Chocolates </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-zXpGKjrYToHamJzDy0evkh0jZ7m_S2rxfGc-VluBICqRh92yM41iTywKHXQgX6-Td6o11b2nMLRWSKn5SrdeeeJIBXDEZKeLZlIJug7629R5fBgMj_tcaKfrcoWE6hi4ovQHNeDVf_F/s1600/Christopher+Norman+Chocolates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-zXpGKjrYToHamJzDy0evkh0jZ7m_S2rxfGc-VluBICqRh92yM41iTywKHXQgX6-Td6o11b2nMLRWSKn5SrdeeeJIBXDEZKeLZlIJug7629R5fBgMj_tcaKfrcoWE6hi4ovQHNeDVf_F/s400/Christopher+Norman+Chocolates.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Christopher Norman Chocolates <br />
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This New York-based producer is great at creating distinctive boxed collections, which contain hand painted and sculptural truffles, all innovatively flavored. The Christopher Norman Chocolates mission is “to create extraordinarily luscious and sensory-provoking confections that encompass the quintessentially classic flavors, as well as unique and fresh taste experiences”. All ingredients used are natural, and each piece is handmade. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. MarieBelle New York</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ36D3rw6ia3fLConXxgT1g017-JIoNdJlm65yyuDrarbPmTGmN5fMohdCDDuVdNDHsyaqCAFVoUGHkH4-AlMeMl0PEqdh0EsKkXkuD4LCHCgeC15t_NSpCVZsOnelXxanY_5c4HSn7l7/s1600/MarieBelle+New+York.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ36D3rw6ia3fLConXxgT1g017-JIoNdJlm65yyuDrarbPmTGmN5fMohdCDDuVdNDHsyaqCAFVoUGHkH4-AlMeMl0PEqdh0EsKkXkuD4LCHCgeC15t_NSpCVZsOnelXxanY_5c4HSn7l7/s400/MarieBelle+New+York.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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MarieBelle New York <br />
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MarieBelle New York is one top gourmet chocolate maker that combines top chocolate-making techniques, the finest chocolate, eclectic ingredients and artisanal techniques to create veritable chocolate masterpieces, each of them a unique work of art. The brand was named after designer and founder Maribel Lieberman. Their products resemble semi-precious jewels, on display in beautiful Italian boxes. The entire brand image is haute-couture, “with a timeless style that feels classic and contemporary.” <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Lake Champlain Chocolates </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDW0NqHYdSF8m-OD6R3swK1zeniBgzeCYib1hoQDaYndiaicM4s7O5bNlIr5KtjxP9uwsm6XF9lGyTuB0OIj8WwHgG99HpGa_WpRvVtcMQ5Z6vQKwbcBXtvnVUymPK29ZkLRywTrbIvqe/s1600/Lake+Champlain+Chocolates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDW0NqHYdSF8m-OD6R3swK1zeniBgzeCYib1hoQDaYndiaicM4s7O5bNlIr5KtjxP9uwsm6XF9lGyTuB0OIj8WwHgG99HpGa_WpRvVtcMQ5Z6vQKwbcBXtvnVUymPK29ZkLRywTrbIvqe/s400/Lake+Champlain+Chocolates.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lake Champlain Chocolates <br />
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This gourmet chocolate maker is based in Vermont and works starting from the basis of a rich fine chocolate making, craftsmanship heritage and wonderful Vermont-specific flavors. They take pride in “producing sweet indulgences with pride that goes into each bite.” Its garnered accolades include a mention in the New York Times, which dubbed it “some of the best chocolate in the country.” <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Romanicos Chocolate </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy7vLhKErYGz81JFb7EEUeSKpnPFJVpI1_HacEMKQy9JYOKIohaN7TyYbrztkKNIGefZqvaKKtosbzg-59xNaFGPgZemq0Sb15ab_l0XJYCem5vw7SI3r6WVcjJqJKDdiZ5ikUjCMJarN/s1600/Romanicos+Chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy7vLhKErYGz81JFb7EEUeSKpnPFJVpI1_HacEMKQy9JYOKIohaN7TyYbrztkKNIGefZqvaKKtosbzg-59xNaFGPgZemq0Sb15ab_l0XJYCem5vw7SI3r6WVcjJqJKDdiZ5ikUjCMJarN/s400/Romanicos+Chocolate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Romanicos Chocolate <br />
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The owner of Romanicos Chocolate, Alejandra Bigai, is all about producing luxurious, sexy and most of all delicious chocolate – just the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Romanicos hand-rolls their chocolate truffles with splendid flavoring such as wild coconut, holy berry, passion caramel and heavenly vanilla. The luscious names give the potential buyer a strong indication of the type of experience they’d be in for, with buying these chocolates. The Piccolo Art Collection features hand-painted chocolate with almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios or dulce de leche inside. The brand also produces custom gift baskets for businesses. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. La Maison du Chocolat </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC7ozDbz0ohXwvPX9bXmdqgerdQLKxryB2V5vpb2bYJKqHPF99bGugrXf5FYMg4vHnXSUI-PjvuTg7C_zu-fd1oEKoZiPjCsahUvFsUKcn7eo8PkdOJ8Yzso_WJyaNoSQ-CHPDIn9Ev6b/s1600/La+Maison+du+Chocolat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC7ozDbz0ohXwvPX9bXmdqgerdQLKxryB2V5vpb2bYJKqHPF99bGugrXf5FYMg4vHnXSUI-PjvuTg7C_zu-fd1oEKoZiPjCsahUvFsUKcn7eo8PkdOJ8Yzso_WJyaNoSQ-CHPDIn9Ev6b/s400/La+Maison+du+Chocolat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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La Maison du Chocolat <br />
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Yes, the fact that it’s got a French name makes this gourmet chocolate maker highly likely to delight your taste buds with superb chocolate products, made in the French tradition. They also sell chocolate-glazed chestnuts, a perfect wintertime treat. They are based in France and only sell to Western Europe countries and Canada. In addition to their commercially sold chocolates, they also produce lavish haute couture designs, all in chocolate from top to bottom. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Vosges Chocolates</b></span> </div>
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Vosges Chocolates <br />
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The owner, Katrina Markoff, has received a French education where making chocolate is concerned, and this is reflected in the truly extraordinary chocolates produced and sold by Vosges Chocolates. Katrina combines classic chocolate-making techniques with her personal penchant for world cuisine. Sample chocolates flavored with blood orange, Mexican chili, pumpkin, Hawaiian sea salt and other exotic flavors. If you’re into more classical tastes, you can always go for hazelnut, fine honey, rich caramel and more. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Richart Paris</b></span></div>
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Richart Paris <br />
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Here is one gourmet chocolate maker with a long-standing tradition of making wonderful cocoa-based goodies behind them. The company was started in 1925; today, two generations later, the company considers it their daily mission “to seek out both an inexhaustible supply of the finest cocoa the world has to offer and, along with it, an equally endless amount of the happiness and pleasure that chocolate has to offer,” says company owner Michel Richart. Their top seller and most amazing line is the Little Gourmet collection. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Recchiuti Confections </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLohdZO3idtPI4uaD1UJS6LurOcwlbz_ocBaePpASlehQKyABl2bNWE1mJzJv5T2Thvm-mlkiH9JiKlNMtQYQZCQJEiBzXWiwcMsXL_xg_KMrfwsR2wGnCiIYd4O0d8XlcDHaUfLj63Tk/s1600/Recchiuti+Confections.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLohdZO3idtPI4uaD1UJS6LurOcwlbz_ocBaePpASlehQKyABl2bNWE1mJzJv5T2Thvm-mlkiH9JiKlNMtQYQZCQJEiBzXWiwcMsXL_xg_KMrfwsR2wGnCiIYd4O0d8XlcDHaUfLj63Tk/s400/Recchiuti+Confections.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Recchiuti Confections <br />
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The artisan chocolate making company based in San Francisco has made it its goal to introduce average consumers to real chocolate, and to share with them the passion and great quality of what chocolate is truly supposed to be. They say that “one bite of these handcrafted morsels will change the way you think about chocolate forever.” Their product lines include classic fine chocolates, as well as more unusual combos, such as the company’s signature burnt caramel chocolates and their tarragon grapefruit. Their Paul Madonna collection features hand-painted chocolates with scenes from daily San Francisco life, by the acclaimed artist of the same name. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Payard’s </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNzMO0w9AXHdpXiIzC40ms9xhI27ca5UcUPDOgMT5LomS2THUC-MBWgEk78I2yb7tUp0DUQFwPbwUB_Vf1fmpXWnMTO0yRkT-E04Z5Br5pvNOqP3otA3WLH4mYTzlR592PcAHrgSgMwbe/s1600/Payard%E2%80%99s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibNzMO0w9AXHdpXiIzC40ms9xhI27ca5UcUPDOgMT5LomS2THUC-MBWgEk78I2yb7tUp0DUQFwPbwUB_Vf1fmpXWnMTO0yRkT-E04Z5Br5pvNOqP3otA3WLH4mYTzlR592PcAHrgSgMwbe/s400/Payard%E2%80%99s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Payard’s <br />
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Payard’s is one name you’ll often hear on the lips of gourmet lovers in New York, as Francois Payard is one of the best pastry chefs in the US. The Frenchman runs a cafe called Payard’s Patisserie and Bistro in New York, while also selling his lavish chocolates and cakes online, available for the entire world to enjoy.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-53210603607024401772012-03-07T03:28:00.001-08:002012-03-12T02:33:56.102-07:00Top 10 Most Expensive Historical Guitars In The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Guitar is one of the most popular and favorite music instrument in the
world of music. These days mostly the electric guitars have taken over
the place
of traditional guitars. But still the traditional guitars have their
own value they are being used by music lovers & guitar players. A
guitar’s value can be determined by its complexities or features it has
and historical value. Mainly the second reason makes a guitar expensive. Below we are listing top 10 most expensive
& historical guitars in the world. When you have some money to buy a
guitar, which one of the below expensive guitars would you like to buy?</div>
<a name='more'></a><br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. 1949 Fender Broadcaster prototype: $375,000 </b></span><br />
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1949 Fender Broadcaster prototype: $375,000 <br /><br />This guitar was the Leo Fender’s first prototype for the most popular guitar ever made (known as Fender Telecaster then). This particular model become a milestone of the world’s most successful electric guitar company. It was sold to private collector in 1994 for $375,000. The highest price ever paid for a guitar at that time. </div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Eric Clapton’s Gold Leaf Stratocaster: $455,550 </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXka1mwQMXx8KLPqQc5LU2e7IN4br_4zAuRFu6BQQihnEVjtsjkJDmCZovFVEWXKwhalLslNcGpnMj-2w-qtLke5_rp74hJG5dR2rEgOMvfeK6IDh4R15f_6-n11enryQ9F3f1Sx4fI74/s1600/Eric+Clapton%E2%80%99s+Gold+Leaf+Stratocaster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXka1mwQMXx8KLPqQc5LU2e7IN4br_4zAuRFu6BQQihnEVjtsjkJDmCZovFVEWXKwhalLslNcGpnMj-2w-qtLke5_rp74hJG5dR2rEgOMvfeK6IDh4R15f_6-n11enryQ9F3f1Sx4fI74/s400/Eric+Clapton%E2%80%99s+Gold+Leaf+Stratocaster.JPG" width="280" /></a></div>
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Eric Clapton’s Gold Leaf Stratocaster: $455,550 <br /><br />The guitar was ordered by Eric Clapton in 1996. It was around the 50th anniversary of Fender. Clapton wanted something that could hang in Louvre museum. The company answer with a custom fender plated with 23k gold. It’s then become the company’s first signature guitar. It was then sold in Christie’s auction in 1997 for impressive price of $455,000. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. George and John’s 1964 Gibson SG: $570,000</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJNTlx9nGP6773bo5EeIhW0UerH1Wi8n9qYlbKWmF9lv0M6sMkkBCaNs6IuoekqVvlQEM0aAOmIJt97SvucJjjAQ70XJGWAVtnxhnH6E4gLWaSi9otFURL6Ves9RmGdPsXVr4r0ood-7I/s1600/George+and+John%E2%80%99s+1964+Gibson+SG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJNTlx9nGP6773bo5EeIhW0UerH1Wi8n9qYlbKWmF9lv0M6sMkkBCaNs6IuoekqVvlQEM0aAOmIJt97SvucJjjAQ70XJGWAVtnxhnH6E4gLWaSi9otFURL6Ves9RmGdPsXVr4r0ood-7I/s400/George+and+John%E2%80%99s+1964+Gibson+SG.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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George and John’s 1964 Gibson SG: $570,000 <br /><br />This guitar was used by the Beatles between 1966 and 1969. George Harrison used it when recording and touring for the album “Revolver”. John Lennon used the same guitar during the sessions of “the White” album. It was given to George Peter Ham, from <a href="http://www.latesttopten.com/top-10-best-car-racing-movies-of-all-time">the rock</a> band Badfinger. After his death it was undiscovered until 2002. It was sold to an anonymous bidder at the auction in 2004 for a startling price of $570,000. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. “Lenny” – Stevie Ray Vaughan’s 1965 Fender Composite Stratocaster: $623,500 </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpw0E4ELaX8NP0vbsMdcir-Hai6bqFQUag3WWOw6G4QzYYLV7vkd93_6NyU1Jh1M63A0E0NOYLbTY7oB2kcUFm-3tZj6wfqp7wsro42rZxFdl_7T9Kw3mrvDcM77yOAzM_cqs9p2x6Ul-/s1600/Lenny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpw0E4ELaX8NP0vbsMdcir-Hai6bqFQUag3WWOw6G4QzYYLV7vkd93_6NyU1Jh1M63A0E0NOYLbTY7oB2kcUFm-3tZj6wfqp7wsro42rZxFdl_7T9Kw3mrvDcM77yOAzM_cqs9p2x6Ul-/s400/Lenny.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
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Lenny” – Stevie Ray Vaughan’s 1965 Fender Composite Stratocaster: $623,500 <br /><br />Stevie Ray Vaughan, great blues guitarist, received the guitar from his wife, Lenny, in 1980 as 26th birthday present. The guitar named after her then. This guitar was the one of his favorite guitar and he used it many times until his death in 1990. The SRV sticker on the body of this guitar is a trademark for most of the guitar of Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 2004 it was sold in auction to benefit of the crossroad centre in Antigua for $623,500. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Eric Clapton’s C.F. Martin & Co., circa 1939: $791,500 </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQjaRTRTgYr3lSKuyKENYyG6SNWk5BBAhjrKmArXuq0JDKbEIRJGXDPMIQUT1wUbyOBaEo5BYw8HcR7sesf-xPbACOZC8TRYZgQWdScLN1SpVAtbSswTLsa61oQIZSFpoJfaTMHDfP-FF/s1600/Eric+Clapton%E2%80%99s+C.F.+Martin+&+Co.,+circa+1939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQjaRTRTgYr3lSKuyKENYyG6SNWk5BBAhjrKmArXuq0JDKbEIRJGXDPMIQUT1wUbyOBaEo5BYw8HcR7sesf-xPbACOZC8TRYZgQWdScLN1SpVAtbSswTLsa61oQIZSFpoJfaTMHDfP-FF/s400/Eric+Clapton%E2%80%99s+C.F.+Martin+&+Co.,+circa+1939.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Eric Clapton’s C.F. Martin & Co., circa 1939: $791,500 <br /><br />Another guitar of Eric Clapton that “sold” to raise money for the Crossroads Rehabilitation Center. I guess there will be more guitars will be more expensive when they’re sold (owned by Jimmy Page, Van Halen, etc). <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Eric Clapton’s 1964 Gibson ES0335 TDC: $847,500 </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgzOS2O552a6_e6R1UcJx-BPhmrjoIWECc8Y2bwPBZcg5rphDCkXHtA6OhmT_MCVomxq-V7X3S_mvO94GK0DIaxUatBeG0h1Qxa5rr2gm-fRHW06knDfumg1WsZr7P744xqrDpkZjOeOE/s1600/Eric+Clapton%E2%80%99s+1964+Gibson+ES0335+TDC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgzOS2O552a6_e6R1UcJx-BPhmrjoIWECc8Y2bwPBZcg5rphDCkXHtA6OhmT_MCVomxq-V7X3S_mvO94GK0DIaxUatBeG0h1Qxa5rr2gm-fRHW06knDfumg1WsZr7P744xqrDpkZjOeOE/s400/Eric+Clapton%E2%80%99s+1964+Gibson+ES0335+TDC.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Eric Clapton’s 1964 Gibson ES0335 TDC: $847,500 <br /><br />This is the guitar that was used particularly by Eric Clapton during 1964, but just rarely used after that. It reached $847,500 when auctioned. It’s the highest price ever paid for a Gibson in auction. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Blackie – Stratocaster hybrid: $959,500 </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U7-LKLBXkUi4eNkZeDWgzrrO9n46WKhy9HvmHxJAcEr1b674oXv4N57O66ze7xbyI0YoXiaSvMS2JuwJ5YaQDX9V7_EakMVzd-ovBsexSFG_l_g0lPyz3yg_X0HtNInHGzhW7uWVknJG/s1600/blackie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U7-LKLBXkUi4eNkZeDWgzrrO9n46WKhy9HvmHxJAcEr1b674oXv4N57O66ze7xbyI0YoXiaSvMS2JuwJ5YaQDX9V7_EakMVzd-ovBsexSFG_l_g0lPyz3yg_X0HtNInHGzhW7uWVknJG/s400/blackie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Blackie – Stratocaster hybrid: $959,500 <br /><br />Because of the influence of other Guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, in 1970 Eric Clapton switch from Gibson to Stratocaster guitar. Clapton bought six vintage strats from guitar shop in Texas for a hundred dollar each. He gave 3 for George Harrison, Pete Townshend and Steve Winwood. Then he use the remaining three that he named Blackie. Clapton’s blackie was first played in January 1973 and continues to be played until 1985 when he is retired because of neck problems. Blackie sold at auction in 2004 and become one of the most expensive guitar for $959,000. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Bob Marley’s Custom made Washburn 22 series Hawk: estimated Price $1.2 to 2 million</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFKdkVSzKzCSFPMrUoezza2D6zrUB0kyhKK9NkI7kUMwNBB97amvp0yeR2-NUXq-A2nU5soljdWPDzoR280lcQ3sTViOOOwy5KKig_2cOU1MSa0VBhQo3yY5LaFtLm7WBr1yhhklK-y23/s1600/Bob+Marley%E2%80%99s+Custom+made+Washburn+22+series+Hawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFKdkVSzKzCSFPMrUoezza2D6zrUB0kyhKK9NkI7kUMwNBB97amvp0yeR2-NUXq-A2nU5soljdWPDzoR280lcQ3sTViOOOwy5KKig_2cOU1MSa0VBhQo3yY5LaFtLm7WBr1yhhklK-y23/s400/Bob+Marley%E2%80%99s+Custom+made+Washburn+22+series+Hawk.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bob Marley’s Custom made Washburn 22 series Hawk: estimated Price $1.2 to 2 million <br /><br />This guitar is classified as national asset by the government of Jamaica. This guitar is one of the only seven guitars of the Reggae icon’s life. On November 21st, 1971, after a gig in Vancouver, Marley gave the guitar to a guitar technician Gary Carlsen with the words, “Take it as you will understand later”. Amazingly, Carlsen took this guitar for a gift for a better world. He then founded the Charity “Different Journeys, One Destination”, and offered the guitar as a prize in the lottery. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Stratocaster: Estimated Price $2 million </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YiJhADLtWR4er0VfeBYhSdQTsKJyGl3_QM1grDzbCFmxqBA0PxpNVDBHzavMDrwwqFVCM8zavLX6I5KRJWkmRHXCS5zb5HOe0ptfSvg2v_4HLDpv1hT22lCKOxZmm_9lOQ2gmLTkan8q/s1600/Jimi+Hendrix%E2%80%99s+1968+Stratocaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YiJhADLtWR4er0VfeBYhSdQTsKJyGl3_QM1grDzbCFmxqBA0PxpNVDBHzavMDrwwqFVCM8zavLX6I5KRJWkmRHXCS5zb5HOe0ptfSvg2v_4HLDpv1hT22lCKOxZmm_9lOQ2gmLTkan8q/s400/Jimi+Hendrix%E2%80%99s+1968+Stratocaster.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Stratocaster: Estimated Price $2 million <br /><br />This guitar was played by Jimi Hendrix at the woodstock in 1969. From 1970 to 1990 it was in the hand of drummer Mitch Mitchell. It’s emerged again to the surface at the opening of new Fender artist center in 1990. It was then sold at Sotheby’s in the same year for $198,000. After that the rumors said that Paul Allen of Microsoft paid 2 million dollars for this guitar in 1998. <br /> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Reach out to Asia Fender Stratocaster: $2.7 million </b></span></div>
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Reach out to Asia Fender Stratocaster: $2.7 million <br /><br />This guitar sold in an auction held in Qatar in 2005 to raise fund for Reach Out to Asia, a Charity formed to help the tsunami victims. It was coordinated by Bryan Adams and was signed by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Brian May, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend, Mark Knopfler, Ray Davis, Liam Gallagher, Ronnie Wood, Tony Iommi, Angus & Malcolm Young, Paul McCartney, Sting, Ritchie Blackmore, Def Leppard and Bryan Adams himself. Initially was taken by Qatari royal family for $1 million and later donated as charity. Then It was sold again to a price of 2.7 million. Totally this guitar has yielded a total of $3.7 million dollars for charity.<br /><br /> </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-36071568501573651052012-03-07T01:51:00.000-08:002012-03-07T01:51:40.085-08:00Top 10 Facts About Elephants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAdP-mlV9Gxt3y_tDxCHf_BQ7SeKPWs0-XouvbloZxImEDKvcHRzuHQ22TpUioiobVKvTlpz2AtZLjRNLPGkUSkCN0Iav1_wk-kWS7ndIZeS2V6Oi212IPol-3psHOYPfb-5zs_62BO60/s1600/elephant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAdP-mlV9Gxt3y_tDxCHf_BQ7SeKPWs0-XouvbloZxImEDKvcHRzuHQ22TpUioiobVKvTlpz2AtZLjRNLPGkUSkCN0Iav1_wk-kWS7ndIZeS2V6Oi212IPol-3psHOYPfb-5zs_62BO60/s640/elephant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Elephants are a huge part of popular culture and show up as metaphors
across all media. They form a part of religious beliefs and are often
associated with wisdom or altruism. However, many people who live
outside the normal range of elephants are unfamiliar with the many
interesting facts about them. This list gives an overview of ten
interesting areas about elephants.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">10</span>.Types of Elephant</b></span></div>
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In English, when we say ‘elephant,’ we are actually referring to
several different species. Until 2010, only 2 species of elephant were
scientifically recognized. However, genetic testing has revealed that
there are at least 3 species. These are the Asian elephant alphas
maximus, the African bush elephant loxodonta Africana (also called the
savannah elephant), and the African forest elephant loxodonta cyclones.
The Asian elephant is the smallest, and has small ears and tusks. They
have two prominent bumps on their foreheads. They hold their heads more
erect than both African elephants, have no protruding upper lip, and
have a single short finger-like lip at the end of their trunk which they
use for fine manipulation of objects. Both African elephants have
larger ears, although the forest elephant has much rounder ears, are
less hairy, have larger tusks, rounded foreheads, and have two
finger-like lips on their trunks. The forest elephant has relatively
straight, downward-pointing tusks whilst the bush elephant has
magnificently curved ones. Most elephants are crepuscular, meaning that
they are most active during dawn and evening, although this varies due
to local climate. Unfortunately, all elephant species are endangered.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">9</span>.Reproduction</b></span></div>
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Homosexual elephants, which are well-documented, mate year-round, but
an elephant cow (female) is fertile for only a few days each year.
During this time, bulls (males) will try to court her by using rituals
involving various affectionate gestures and nuzzles. If she accepts one,
she will respond with similar gestures and after 20 minutes or so of a
courting ritual they will mate. If she conceives, she will be pregnant
for 22 months, longer than any other land animal. Some elephants induce
labour by self-medicating with certain plants. The calf (baby), when
born, weighs over 100kg. Elephants are quadrupeds, so unlike humans,
they can have relatively much wider pelvises which gives them lower
infant and mother mortality rates and birth complications than in
humans. Baby elephants are initially blind and some take to sucking
their trunk for comfort in the same way that humans suck their thumbs.
Infants have few survival instincts and are instead taught by their
mothers and the more experienced members of their herds. The mother will
selectively appoint several babysitters to care for the baby so that
she has time to eat enough to produce sufficient milk for it.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">8</span>.Social Lives</b></span></div>
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Female elephants live in a herd of about 10 individuals lead by the
most experienced matriarch, whereas the males are normally solitary and
move from herd to herd. The females in each herd help each other find
food and care for calves. They do not lie down to sleep because of the
excellent support their very straight legs give them. Elephants
communicate within their herds or between herds many kilometers away
mostly using sounds too low for human ears to perceive and by stamping
their feet. Within their herds, elephants are believed to have the same
or similar levels of cooperation as chimpanzees. An elephant herd is
considered one of the most closely-knit societies of any animal, and a
female will only leave it if she dies or is captured by humans. Males
will leave the herd as they become adolescent, around the age of 12, and
live in temporary ‘bachelor herds’ until they are mature and live
alone.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">7</span>.Death</b></span></div>
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Elephant graveyards are not supported by any hard evidence, but death
is important to them nonetheless. Their normal lifespan is 60-80 years.
Elephants, humans, and Neanderthals are the only animals known to have
death rituals. If an elephant becomes sick, herd members will bring it
food and help support it as it stands. If it dies, they will try to
revive it with food and water for a while. Once it is clear that an
elephant is dead, the herd will become very quiet. They often dig a
shallow grave and cover the deceased elephant with dirt and branches,
and will stay at the grave for days afterwards. If the elephant had a
particularly close relationship with its deceased peer, it can show
signs of depression. Even herds that come across an unknown lone
elephant who has died will show it similar respects. There are also
reported cases of elephants burying dead humans they have found in this
way.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">6</span>.Extinct Elephants</b></span></div>
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The elephant taxonomic order, proboscidea, has only 3 members today,
but it used to have over forty. Most of these thrived until the end of
the last glacial period 12500 years ago. These creatures were generally
similar in size to modern Asian elephants, although there were tiny
dwarf elephants and the humongous deinotherium, 4.5m tall and weighing
14 tones. For comparison, the largest African bush elephant recorded was
4m tall and weighed 12 tones. Within proboscidea, the mastodon family
mammutidae contains modern elephants and the very famous mammoths.
Mammoths had long curved tusks and were much hairier than even modern
Asian elephants. The last mammoth to go extinct was the woolly mammoth,
whose numbers had dwindled as the climate warmed and was finally hunted
to extinction in Europe, Asia, and the Americas 12000 years ago,
although some populations isolated from humans persisted until as
recently as 4000 years ago.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">5</span>.Jumbo the Elephant</b></span></div>
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There have been many famous individual elephants in the world, but
one of the largest was Jumbo, whose name is now used to mean ‘huge.’ His
name is thought to be derived from the Swahili word for ‘boss’ or
‘chief.’ He was an African bush elephant born in 1861 and taken to a
French zoo as an infant. He was later transferred to a British zoo where
he gave children rides on his back and was greatly admired. Jumbo’s
caretaker even gave him an occasional gallon of whisky which he believed
was good for Jumbo’s health. Eventually Jumbo was sold and exported to
the USA, and such was his popularity that one hundred thousand children
wrote to the Queen asking her to keep Jumbo for them. In the USA he
achieved his full fame and was widely exhibited until his death at the
age of 24. His health had been steadily declining for years, and when he
was hit by a train going at full speed he could not recover, dying soon
after. Jumbo was 4m tall at the time of his death.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">4</span>.Teeth and Tusks</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqto5FIPBCns17L3qnv6lLnNCp5f4j-FSNa1fqbhGIoKlyHju6a-acCzZNSISdcV8Vqm6PKNZ1QfUrmG0UCM7y2iQE8Pdjns1xtjHb65w-HZR9Z0OOHXsW3kPxIcDbu1MdKBiGSmhb72iu/s1600/Teeth+and+Tusks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqto5FIPBCns17L3qnv6lLnNCp5f4j-FSNa1fqbhGIoKlyHju6a-acCzZNSISdcV8Vqm6PKNZ1QfUrmG0UCM7y2iQE8Pdjns1xtjHb65w-HZR9Z0OOHXsW3kPxIcDbu1MdKBiGSmhb72iu/s1600/Teeth+and+Tusks.jpg" /></a></div>
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Humans are born toothless, grow a set of milk teeth, and finally lose
these as they grow permanent adult teeth. Similarly, elephants are born
without tusks, grow milk tusks, and replace these with adult tusks. In
Asian elephants, females are usually tusk less. Elephants use tusks for
digging and lifting heavy objects, and sometimes as a part of mating
rituals. Although now illegal, there is heavy poaching of elephants for
their tusk ivory. This is believed to be why the average size of
elephant tusks is gradually decreasing – elephants with smaller tusks
are not poached and live to reproduce more. Elephants normally only
sleep 2 or 3 hours each day because they need to spend time eating to
support their huge size, as they can eat up to 150kg of vegetation every
day. Due to their herbivorous diet, elephant teeth wear out quickly and
they have 6 or 7 sets instead of only 2 like humans. New teeth grow in
the back of the mouth and move forward to replace old worn sets. After
the last set has been worn out, solitary elephants will usually die of
starvation whereas herd elephants will help feed starving members of
their group.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">3</span>.Trunks</b></span></div>
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The elephant trunk, a specialized nose, is analogous to an octopus
tentacle in terms of dexterity. It allows them a high degree of
manipulation of objects and elephants are adept tool-users. Elephants
have been taught to paint with their adroit trunks and produce some
fascinating artwork. In captivity, elephants easily learn how to open
simple locks and many master more complex ones, something impossible for
most other animals due to a lack of dexterity and intellect. Elephants
in zoos have worked together to take advantage of this, by having many
act as lookouts as another undoes the lock, or in one instance an
elephant feigned injury as a distraction while another elephant helped
the others escape. Once all the elephants were out, the distraction
elephant climbed to its feet and ran for the door, surprising its
tenders who had been unaware of the ruse.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">2</span>.Feet</b></span></div>
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Each elephant foot has 5 toes, but not every toe has a nail. An easy
way to tell the two African elephant species apart is by counting
toenails. The African forest elephant and the Asian elephant both have 5
toenails on the front feet and 4 on the back feet. The larger African
bush elephant has 4 or sometimes 5 on the front feet and 3 on the back.
An X-ray of an elephant’s foot will reveal that its bones are actually
standing on tip-toe. Their feet are flat because of a large pad of
gristle under each heel which acts as a shock absorber and helps them
walk quietly. Their legs are much straighter than those of other animals
and support their weight so well that elephants sleep while standing.
Elephants spend most of their lives walking huge distances, and their
feet are suitably adapted to such a lifestyle. Zoos which keep elephants
often find they develop foot problems due to a lack of constant
walking, and treatments include tailored shoes to protect their softened
feet.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="itemnumber">1.</span>Intelligence</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEYYp2kix3FIZ1JmT6VrSwJ-XpT5EZ7nS4d-9bmiHwnGL0STTe6nVlhyphenhyphenQGMSqNu-dTfvElbgjsbXH01KHTeP2T1RXb5wRFiXpk1n6G-cVeNcgU1pp5cscfDwKk0edVp3x_KgIpoYVnOoi/s1600/Intelligence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEYYp2kix3FIZ1JmT6VrSwJ-XpT5EZ7nS4d-9bmiHwnGL0STTe6nVlhyphenhyphenQGMSqNu-dTfvElbgjsbXH01KHTeP2T1RXb5wRFiXpk1n6G-cVeNcgU1pp5cscfDwKk0edVp3x_KgIpoYVnOoi/s1600/Intelligence.jpg" /></a></div>
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Elephants are some of the most intelligent animals on Earth. Their
brains weigh 5kg, much more than the brain of any other land animal.
Their brains have more complex folds than all animals except whales,
which is thought to be a major factor in their intellect. They commonly
show grief, humor, compassion, cooperation, self-awareness, tool-use,
playfulness, and excellent learning abilities. An elephant in Korea
surprised its zoo keepers by independently learning to mimic the
commands they gave it by verbalizing on the end of its trunk,
successfully learning 8 words and their context. Elephants have a more
developed hippocampus, a brain region responsible for emotion and
spatial awareness, than any other animal, and studies indicate that they
are superior to humans in keeping track of multiple objects in 3D
space. There are many reports of elephants showing altruism towards
other species, such as rescuing trapped dogs at considerable cost to
themselves. As mentioned above, they respect their dead and have death
rituals. There are stories of the herds of elephants killed by humans
retrieving the poached bones and returning them to the place of death to
bury them.</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-31097109432969264922012-02-23T01:38:00.000-08:002012-02-23T01:38:35.279-08:00Amazing Underground Homes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVU53EuJZvc83XXPzegcR0PKUqiF-y7RgCjdE0uwPpXwXrGvmpnaCL0AeraeQb8at2nCVxa48U2eV0VD-SfZ07M3G1C1EDGUYBvjOJqhh1qyRvoOKADXrMpotHdOt1DYWmVts6EgPbi9i/s1600/Earth-house-Switzerland-Peter-Vetsch-eco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVU53EuJZvc83XXPzegcR0PKUqiF-y7RgCjdE0uwPpXwXrGvmpnaCL0AeraeQb8at2nCVxa48U2eV0VD-SfZ07M3G1C1EDGUYBvjOJqhh1qyRvoOKADXrMpotHdOt1DYWmVts6EgPbi9i/s640/Earth-house-Switzerland-Peter-Vetsch-eco.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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With the population growing more and more each year, it was only a
matter of time before people started building their homes underground
like Hobbits from the Tolkien tale. Mankind started off living in
caves, and now we realize that "earth homes" are actually a very
eco-friendly way to live. These ten underground homes are so <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">amazing</span> they might make you want to set up camp underground too!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cave House in Festus, Missouri </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WUIDxmZWnGnQKZ1h98A1O5IdRgZRwWlr45I_E-qEwlMfWSl8J_iMZHrfstEjkQu4PHN8QN3yQRDJVOxO49MPiftNOX9bo8yI41DOZWeYwq3B5mLvh0W6EdZqVh7jwxfY6DZDtaqAwke0/s1600/Cave+House+in+Festus,+Missouri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WUIDxmZWnGnQKZ1h98A1O5IdRgZRwWlr45I_E-qEwlMfWSl8J_iMZHrfstEjkQu4PHN8QN3yQRDJVOxO49MPiftNOX9bo8yI41DOZWeYwq3B5mLvh0W6EdZqVh7jwxfY6DZDtaqAwke0/s1600/Cave+House+in+Festus,+Missouri.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> This modern and energy-efficient 15,000-square-foot home is built within a sandstone cave in Festus, Missouri. Built by Curt and Deborah Sleeper, the home features modern interiors that blend with the natural unfinished sandstone walls. Thanks to geothermal heating and clever design, there is no need for air conditioning or a furnace to heat/cool the home.<br /><br />This space was previously used as a concert venue and a roller skating rink! It gained fame by being auctioned off on eBay before becoming a private residence. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Malator in Druidstone, Wales </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArbr7ZTF9aaapv0s_0hgGnEUY445IFujnq-rp-ZfsTwuVBMULl2mLTDcDpzN90SLON-ZfEbeuKtpXdOTwrFz9NHT9E1eTtwUIYHaRKaosb2KHn6tbvsbQLRY1kRJto4RXYuJ1T3pHaeiJ/s1600/Malator+in+Druidstone,+Wales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArbr7ZTF9aaapv0s_0hgGnEUY445IFujnq-rp-ZfsTwuVBMULl2mLTDcDpzN90SLON-ZfEbeuKtpXdOTwrFz9NHT9E1eTtwUIYHaRKaosb2KHn6tbvsbQLRY1kRJto4RXYuJ1T3pHaeiJ/s1600/Malator+in+Druidstone,+Wales.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> This contemporary home is touted as one of Wales' architectural masterpieces. According to their website: <br /><br />"The turf roof, steel chimney and peephole doorway inevitably gave way to its local nickname as ‘the Teletubby house'. The basic design of Malator is very simple, with essentially one room inside, divided by prefabricated coloured pods, while on the outside, the house melds with the surrounding landscape." <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hidden House in Lower Silesia, Poland </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-554w_rGrGTPJa2y6ANTEkbARfzEjuHEQGB_CVrHbHVHXubRuks4I-doX3cMrXD8K4mXDt0Uqtj96gDWLCRSbiVQjP1sgSw442smaEAogIJfbz4jrdNgKo5FAgcE7iSzvfxZbABur2u0J/s1600/Hidden+House+in+Lower+Silesia,+Poland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-554w_rGrGTPJa2y6ANTEkbARfzEjuHEQGB_CVrHbHVHXubRuks4I-doX3cMrXD8K4mXDt0Uqtj96gDWLCRSbiVQjP1sgSw442smaEAogIJfbz4jrdNgKo5FAgcE7iSzvfxZbABur2u0J/s640/Hidden+House+in+Lower+Silesia,+Poland.jpg" width="584" /></a></div>
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<br />This underground house from KWK Promes was designed so the grassy roof of the home is accessible only to the residents, via a set of stairs inside the house. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Underground House, Great Ormside, Cumbria, England</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOwXQ-tZ0aOKaXSX1KeoeV0YWMsfHeJA25Ude00UE2ZZtf3c0xHMEVVkjlNKnbrJcArmJR5iCuIe4g5smw8Ca4cSdKwtHAgpFOq_vS10E6WBzMzjWJSc8l2rROC7MGUedF5sR0lsjANG6/s1600/The+Underground+House,+Great+Ormside,+Cumbria,+England.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOwXQ-tZ0aOKaXSX1KeoeV0YWMsfHeJA25Ude00UE2ZZtf3c0xHMEVVkjlNKnbrJcArmJR5iCuIe4g5smw8Ca4cSdKwtHAgpFOq_vS10E6WBzMzjWJSc8l2rROC7MGUedF5sR0lsjANG6/s640/The+Underground+House,+Great+Ormside,+Cumbria,+England.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Built on an old quarry site, this two-story home was designed by architect, John Bodger, for Phil and Helen Reddy. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sedum House, North Norfloak Coast, U.K.</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmuM2zk2VZvDEoDDvB8aYPMMUFRca8OL98U7LwY8GEU_Prhcwez9CUSyz5QGBuJVrem8mWglb_azaEob-XibITvji8RqzRZ7GcvCfla-bigAsCGaMrsf_NA-XorTdZn-7RrRlNYXNg5qR/s1600/Sedum+House,+North+Norfloak+Coast,+U.K..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmuM2zk2VZvDEoDDvB8aYPMMUFRca8OL98U7LwY8GEU_Prhcwez9CUSyz5QGBuJVrem8mWglb_azaEob-XibITvji8RqzRZ7GcvCfla-bigAsCGaMrsf_NA-XorTdZn-7RrRlNYXNg5qR/s1600/Sedum+House,+North+Norfloak+Coast,+U.K..jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> This home was built to maximize exposure to sunlight, though most of the home is underground! Eco-friendly, easy to heat and cool, and featuring a unique rain water harvesting system, this private residence may very well be the home of the future! <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Flower Petals in Bolton, U.K.</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9yCi05j0ICOLeV5u4dTv8V7lDOq6vxvRJze2hvUaMFWgVMscBp2CtD201AWcIPxJOW51gPZ485jBeYZu9yCR3ts2eJ4l9IzZsSrx5Sr_P8pfsVd0tqA-J06yMF-QbMWb7WUfl1pO7Ev5/s1600/Flower+Petals+in+Bolton,+U.K..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9yCi05j0ICOLeV5u4dTv8V7lDOq6vxvRJze2hvUaMFWgVMscBp2CtD201AWcIPxJOW51gPZ485jBeYZu9yCR3ts2eJ4l9IzZsSrx5Sr_P8pfsVd0tqA-J06yMF-QbMWb7WUfl1pO7Ev5/s1600/Flower+Petals+in+Bolton,+U.K..jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> Former captain of the Manchester United football team, Gary Neville, has plans to build this eco-friendly underground home in Bolton, U.K., providing the town's planning committee finally approves his plans. So far, the committee has rejected the football star's proposal to build this 8,000-square-foot, four bedroom, energy-efficient home that will blend in with the surrounding Pennine hillside. The large flower-petal-shaped openings are designed to let in light to the floors below. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stone Desert Home in Greece </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEGZuAKKjR1Mw-LYcTQ6WPhCGgtX8VTwwVLab5bVhlD5P3U5Dpq0h27NG4W996LNLOj9Lu2biNQNKN1BXyyn9jgzRf1FLc8MB79hAavm6aIusVmSX8C3mHX3OpZoTGjbYN5V5kUsAsZgU/s1600/Stone+Desert+Home+in+Greece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEGZuAKKjR1Mw-LYcTQ6WPhCGgtX8VTwwVLab5bVhlD5P3U5Dpq0h27NG4W996LNLOj9Lu2biNQNKN1BXyyn9jgzRf1FLc8MB79hAavm6aIusVmSX8C3mHX3OpZoTGjbYN5V5kUsAsZgU/s1600/Stone+Desert+Home+in+Greece.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> This rectangular structure designed by Deca is very eco-friendly, utilizing natural light and heat, and cooling cross-winds. Built between the slopes of two adjacent hillsides, the house has a simple box-like plan that blends into the surrounding desert, while still incorporating traditional Greek design elements. The house is visible only in the center, and even then could pass as a half-buried ruin more than a modern home.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Estate Lättenstrasse, Dietikon, Switzerland </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNqruktoocjweSOewyg2TVBw-l-bJ5yjYLEIDWJ_ghSh6xnyqkWqvBCu0aZuaFVmZ3vWMKjKi3B2nCDDxuUuBwMumX1koaIlKAzVpiBKa1yjAXvfP8tx-zayMRe_Zc32ioWOnXqF3kys/s1600/Estate+L%C3%A4ttenstrasse,+Dietikon,+Switzerland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNqruktoocjweSOewyg2TVBw-l-bJ5yjYLEIDWJ_ghSh6xnyqkWqvBCu0aZuaFVmZ3vWMKjKi3B2nCDDxuUuBwMumX1koaIlKAzVpiBKa1yjAXvfP8tx-zayMRe_Zc32ioWOnXqF3kys/s1600/Estate+L%C3%A4ttenstrasse,+Dietikon,+Switzerland.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />This Swiss estate, by Vetsch Architektur, consists of 9 houses connected by stairs that lead down to a basement and even a subterranean parking lot. These "earth houses" use the ground as insulation that efficiently protects them from rain, extreme temperatures, wind and abrasion.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hobbit Home in Vals, Switzerland </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOeJ1jTjLsCpIE2rDXYQ9RsqI7fdV4pl4F7mPfXOCY7ZDTiirDJQ_LE3CqqmnK3bnyY79mtodONWM-p3BFFk74QEuvdF7_m_7k0VQyTk3L9aassWSmVvCwbswg2T96Eb65PZsGtDsrd4A/s1600/Hobbit+Home+in+Vals,+Switzerland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOeJ1jTjLsCpIE2rDXYQ9RsqI7fdV4pl4F7mPfXOCY7ZDTiirDJQ_LE3CqqmnK3bnyY79mtodONWM-p3BFFk74QEuvdF7_m_7k0VQyTk3L9aassWSmVvCwbswg2T96Eb65PZsGtDsrd4A/s1600/Hobbit+Home+in+Vals,+Switzerland.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> This Swiss home was designed by SeArch and Christian Müller Architects. Vals is famous for their thermal baths and boasts incredible views; this home is perfect for the location since it is very close to the baths, yet does not block the gorgeous mountain views! Also, since it is almost completely underground, it costs next to nothing to heat in the winter or cool in the summer. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cave Dwellings For Rent, Kandovan, Iran</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjCGFZLCIQYbd_sLNIEtKTX7Lk_srfhOjmQk3RjU0RdwhPgKXsGbwVXyW1Em2zZ39NFVY9lJuXg2M092_iybTcRZFkmivaNa9paMq4ljmH-bsSKm5ZNX9qYKtR7GZRbrikOjsHq0gsmNI/s1600/Cave+Dwellings+For+Rent%252C+Kandovan%252C+Iran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjCGFZLCIQYbd_sLNIEtKTX7Lk_srfhOjmQk3RjU0RdwhPgKXsGbwVXyW1Em2zZ39NFVY9lJuXg2M092_iybTcRZFkmivaNa9paMq4ljmH-bsSKm5ZNX9qYKtR7GZRbrikOjsHq0gsmNI/s1600/Cave+Dwellings+For+Rent%252C+Kandovan%252C+Iran.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /> Located in Iran at the base of Mt. Sahand, these 700-year-old dwellings are carved out of natural volcanic rock formations. Though these largely subterranean apartments are very old, they have all been updated and include all of the modern comforts of home. <br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-62636757576309026352012-02-15T01:39:00.000-08:002012-02-15T01:39:33.528-08:0010 Craziest and Creative USB Hubs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5zIcJ_FJPi3soPvqT1HUceZFXivuMx8sFpcGCTDRnVglsr-4_m3RtSGFOOvPuZhZH9JxOs6fdON17t7WqVtitSNyoIJWIdBU4F7_vk0A-RYIjDZsSCfvMAx-3gYOjuOufk7d6lB-rzlK/s1600/Skull+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5zIcJ_FJPi3soPvqT1HUceZFXivuMx8sFpcGCTDRnVglsr-4_m3RtSGFOOvPuZhZH9JxOs6fdON17t7WqVtitSNyoIJWIdBU4F7_vk0A-RYIjDZsSCfvMAx-3gYOjuOufk7d6lB-rzlK/s640/Skull+USB+Hub.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Meet some weird designs that are going to make your coworkers think you have the coolest cubicle in town</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Aphrodite Bust USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89J3KmzjOp46WetueY-vdggzN8FMsJsbTseFyn54VbY-7ScT2en_afnlirqXivCQiXrVsCi6ywxcwEWNgJiDZFpLh8Li-EK8oyKvp1BQIpN8Co6L2rEkIn3JtH_bh_FRccAV2zhuAZB8c/s1600/Aphrodite+Bust+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89J3KmzjOp46WetueY-vdggzN8FMsJsbTseFyn54VbY-7ScT2en_afnlirqXivCQiXrVsCi6ywxcwEWNgJiDZFpLh8Li-EK8oyKvp1BQIpN8Co6L2rEkIn3JtH_bh_FRccAV2zhuAZB8c/s400/Aphrodite+Bust+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Aphrodite was the Greek Goddess of love and now she can be your Goddess of Hub with the Aphrodite USB Hub. This bust is made of ceramic with a slip resistant base and has 4 ports to charge all the USB gadgets you love. <br />(<a href="http://www.fredflare.com/WHAT-S-NEW/Aphrodite-USB-Hub/">Link</a> | <a href="http://craziestgadgets.com/2012/01/25/aphrodite-bust-usb-hub/">Via</a>)<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pig Buddies USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdwNlO29jhO7FfK8BIc87PkqibjF0uwr_dRLBL68UNvuSWKL7G3RSCOgULr2hp_2EGkllpbU9gyMyZ3D2j5sa6ViX04RAsAiI9H_KdOSjBa9n0AO2mDaQGBq3fN_Mxkdhksx5C1R7IhqD/s1600/Pig+Buddies+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVdwNlO29jhO7FfK8BIc87PkqibjF0uwr_dRLBL68UNvuSWKL7G3RSCOgULr2hp_2EGkllpbU9gyMyZ3D2j5sa6ViX04RAsAiI9H_KdOSjBa9n0AO2mDaQGBq3fN_Mxkdhksx5C1R7IhqD/s400/Pig+Buddies+USB+Hub.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
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To put some fun into the daily boring USB's and USB Hubs we see day in, day out, in every home, office and work place. (<a href="http://www.weplaygod.com/buddypig.php">Link</a>)<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Airplane USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhzCaw0iViYNaUZKLv_-2riAZ-LSczK_pfL9sEwSINEdfCX98wjv-CSZ_EEMXEiN_A3VC8wqsgRpB-5fgW35pCh_sH8MYnJRYFRJirKWzheeGj7o0lmYKdblyervpKZaBLNcGu9nNysva/s1600/Airplane+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhzCaw0iViYNaUZKLv_-2riAZ-LSczK_pfL9sEwSINEdfCX98wjv-CSZ_EEMXEiN_A3VC8wqsgRpB-5fgW35pCh_sH8MYnJRYFRJirKWzheeGj7o0lmYKdblyervpKZaBLNcGu9nNysva/s400/Airplane+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Big ol' jetliner, don't carry me too far away. I really like the design of this USB Airplane Hub with Fan. The aircraft's propeller serves as a real working fan (with an on/off switch just above the cockpit) and the wings each have 2 USB ports to plug your gadgets into. When you plug this airplane into your computer it makes a sound like a jet engine taking off, which is only mildly annoying. Unlike a lot of other novelty USB Hubs, this one doesn't look like they just took some cool object and randomly slapped a few USB ports into it - the ports look like they belong on the plane. Nice one. (<a href="http://sclick.net/new-gadgets-2/cool-usb-gadgets-airplane-usb-hub-and-fan-new-cool-technology-usb-gadgets.html">Link</a>)<br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tulip USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QD1raH8kjsufmXs9V-6R-OeWIuO7auYpVGnFIGcgSKBaKbvPO1uNtNepxBYKpM8yfsD1DWh23ZvHS-AJiCIeNEJJN6-k-bq2RUNcTQPsAARVE33URsWT7Nwc6DjBPG1JHfOXOGLBIsM_/s1600/Tulip+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QD1raH8kjsufmXs9V-6R-OeWIuO7auYpVGnFIGcgSKBaKbvPO1uNtNepxBYKpM8yfsD1DWh23ZvHS-AJiCIeNEJJN6-k-bq2RUNcTQPsAARVE33URsWT7Nwc6DjBPG1JHfOXOGLBIsM_/s400/Tulip+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Turn your desk into a blooming garden with this pretty tulip USB Hub! Four USB high-speed ports are included, with one colorful red flower for each. (<a href="http://www.fredflare.com/APARTMENT-cameras-and-electronics/USB-Tulip-Hub/?bf=hs&xid=5ae354380b6226b795818081d9db60f7#">Link</a> | <a href="http://jobmob.co.il/blog/creative-office-workplace-ideas/">Via</a>)<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Robot USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTU01v1l6EnWhcsfs3G-oUQiXeB4OPHqP7b-Z9B-jbGoibdP0e7a48BG0crNUXHmLygcv9zz5h-lvUrh4ov0LJ8RuA3lnkio98UeE7DEFLmJJQDgynZT_oYOdZdK_iC_GvjdEisQEsylc/s1600/Robot+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTU01v1l6EnWhcsfs3G-oUQiXeB4OPHqP7b-Z9B-jbGoibdP0e7a48BG0crNUXHmLygcv9zz5h-lvUrh4ov0LJ8RuA3lnkio98UeE7DEFLmJJQDgynZT_oYOdZdK_iC_GvjdEisQEsylc/s400/Robot+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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All hail the mighty Roboto, come to conquer our desks and lay siege to our peripherals! Bow before his diminutive wrath!<br /><br />Standing a towering four inches tall, it really does wind up and stomp about your work space when it isn't commanding your accessories with its four USB slots, or controlling your mind with its glowing green eyes. Roboto is available from Fred Flare for $24. (<a href="http://www.fredflare.com/WHAT-S-NEW/Roboto-USB-Hub/">Link</a> | <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5842609/roboto-is-a-usb+powering-rampage-machine">Via</a>)<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Skull USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5zIcJ_FJPi3soPvqT1HUceZFXivuMx8sFpcGCTDRnVglsr-4_m3RtSGFOOvPuZhZH9JxOs6fdON17t7WqVtitSNyoIJWIdBU4F7_vk0A-RYIjDZsSCfvMAx-3gYOjuOufk7d6lB-rzlK/s1600/Skull+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5zIcJ_FJPi3soPvqT1HUceZFXivuMx8sFpcGCTDRnVglsr-4_m3RtSGFOOvPuZhZH9JxOs6fdON17t7WqVtitSNyoIJWIdBU4F7_vk0A-RYIjDZsSCfvMAx-3gYOjuOufk7d6lB-rzlK/s400/Skull+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Who in their right mind would NOT want this USB Hub on their desk? The top of the skull is even hollowed out to hold your fave candy (Candy Corn anyone?), keys, spare change, paper clips, razor blades, plastic spiders or even eye of newt! You can pick this baby up at ThinkGeek.com for $24.99. <br /><br />Macabre and yet useful! (<a href="http://www.oddee.com/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.thinkgeek.com%2fcomputing%2fusb-gadgets%2fe55e%2f">Buy it Here</a> | <a href="http://wildclawbloodradio.blogspot.com/2011/08/back-hack-to-school-skullduggery.html">Via</a>)<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Medusa USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fX_laSEluuASgYHbcbASKq1e_U-oaDQbhyCqQ70ls-JgMAu1xGWj4jvgR03zY8YI_V737fz5XmjI7k92cRl-APnrDlrTiO8bTa3cvczPITTFQG387RfOUJFUz5It5AQ6r8h7RJHmV-BE/s1600/Medusa+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fX_laSEluuASgYHbcbASKq1e_U-oaDQbhyCqQ70ls-JgMAu1xGWj4jvgR03zY8YI_V737fz5XmjI7k92cRl-APnrDlrTiO8bTa3cvczPITTFQG387RfOUJFUz5It5AQ6r8h7RJHmV-BE/s400/Medusa+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Far too many peripheral hubs are cranked out without a single thought given to design, but thankfully, the creators of the Medusa Hub realized that aesthetics do matter. This interesting piece, which is sure to claim a section of prime real estate on your desk, boasts a trendy white finish, four USB 2.0 sockets, a pair of FireWire 400 connectors, a fan, and even a light.<br /><br />Medusa was a mythical creature, a Gorgon woman with snakes for hair that was so ugly, she'd turn anyone who looked at her into stone. (<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/medusa-hub-provides-ports-galore-doubles-as-conversation-piece/">Link</a>)<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chocolate Bar USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yIYeydXXEV3ooOUHOeovqu_-VZY2jiMNlGtENjqK96z8bfJwrA2Ko5XHMi-sS92SuG3rpyIl5IQzsqC5nRmYeQeJbQrCldKkLPX9AEX30c-_mCKclgfnKe8iHV7GbWamJCOFtqSxSCKh/s1600/Chocolate+Bar+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yIYeydXXEV3ooOUHOeovqu_-VZY2jiMNlGtENjqK96z8bfJwrA2Ko5XHMi-sS92SuG3rpyIl5IQzsqC5nRmYeQeJbQrCldKkLPX9AEX30c-_mCKclgfnKe8iHV7GbWamJCOFtqSxSCKh/s400/Chocolate+Bar+USB+Hub.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
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This is a good choice for those USB fans. Shaped like a chocolate bar, the modular USB set could be a delicious device for your computer. Each piece functions as a modular flash drive, and the central hub's touchscreen allows you to organize your files without connecting to the computer. (<a href="http://www.inewidea.com/2007/12/15/3924.html">Link</a>)<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>LEGO USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWFTrraaQmuWrMODb2MOUDwA7HGuHQfmgrK6bITPwdQPt5Sa9VB3WSfJ6FS8E2B5U60uq7kwQ_mnOm8_72-Z2QHxTUfAG2egkmbkrcAC003ZXroLGnKfmGEqSwYE5GTdsWyiXPnH_cTq3/s1600/LEGO+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWFTrraaQmuWrMODb2MOUDwA7HGuHQfmgrK6bITPwdQPt5Sa9VB3WSfJ6FS8E2B5U60uq7kwQ_mnOm8_72-Z2QHxTUfAG2egkmbkrcAC003ZXroLGnKfmGEqSwYE5GTdsWyiXPnH_cTq3/s400/LEGO+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These stackable LEGO USB Hubs are available from Korean retailer, DCX, for 15,920 KRW ($12 USD). (<a href="http://www.shoppingblog.com/blog/516099">Link</a>)<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Transformer USB Hub</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqk5MUEgrOxG7cY_zmrmRw1w0wl8SCWFX5XZF4nxQ0kOtG3L2AVd6cjqAHwzdHemfFmZlQUpau2TSJxtBUFPDsQWhAngmuE7SvkKAIQZX5NX_uT24aIA4HK9NrZONmxKhRUda_DdO7N4sE/s1600/Transformer+USB+Hub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqk5MUEgrOxG7cY_zmrmRw1w0wl8SCWFX5XZF4nxQ0kOtG3L2AVd6cjqAHwzdHemfFmZlQUpau2TSJxtBUFPDsQWhAngmuE7SvkKAIQZX5NX_uT24aIA4HK9NrZONmxKhRUda_DdO7N4sE/s400/Transformer+USB+Hub.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ok, forget every USB Hub you've seen before…. these Transformers Hubs are the shit! He doesn't transform into your typical boom box, but into a fully functional USB HUB device disguised as a laptop computer. The USB HUB carries 4 ports and is usable in Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/Vista and MAC operating systems. When transformed into robot mode, Blaster can be posed in a variety of ways due to the multiple joints of movement, and will surprise anyone passing by your cubicle. Hey, where did that robot go, and why do you have two computers on your desk? This USB HUB truly is More than Meets the Eye! (<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5265940/just-what-ive-always-wanted-a-transformerusb-hubfake-netbookcassette-player">Link</a>)</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-75138238486569710912012-02-09T03:46:00.000-08:002012-02-09T03:46:01.244-08:00Most Creative Beds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh3F9vtU-X1HgYDJCcfOU6ezZFoDtPrbqqR6BtiJsz472V9s-BGLRwN0ZPg9eqRgXWygXEabFSvKOAk948fuvn44dDa5Rf1ZMMfA7HZ8xPeZdP-AxE6nMXy8HC8VPmr7QNlaqWZu7IVez/s1600/Coffin+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh3F9vtU-X1HgYDJCcfOU6ezZFoDtPrbqqR6BtiJsz472V9s-BGLRwN0ZPg9eqRgXWygXEabFSvKOAk948fuvn44dDa5Rf1ZMMfA7HZ8xPeZdP-AxE6nMXy8HC8VPmr7QNlaqWZu7IVez/s640/Coffin+Bed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is always nice to have a comfortable bed that you can enjoy sleeping in. It is even better if the bed has a bit of character. Here we have the coolest and most unusual beds you'll ever find<a name='more'></a></div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Magnetic Floating Bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CnGle2fvNFpURKDtimOCJpbumTUXMaI1pC61L62mhyy9xCiKJeJgazqEXsCry6SHqkOoefabqd_fu8Wm98o0qxXWRE_E_7KtuN01XE4jfgC0LE2Fsjpty_UlzN7E9yNhiq4TdRc19Gj8/s1600/Magnetic+Floating+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CnGle2fvNFpURKDtimOCJpbumTUXMaI1pC61L62mhyy9xCiKJeJgazqEXsCry6SHqkOoefabqd_fu8Wm98o0qxXWRE_E_7KtuN01XE4jfgC0LE2Fsjpty_UlzN7E9yNhiq4TdRc19Gj8/s400/Magnetic+Floating+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Talk about a cool bed. Designed by Dutchman Janjaap Ruijssenaars, this <a href="http://i.gizmodo.com/184990/magnetic-floating-bed-oh-your-god">magnetic floating bed</a> has enough magnets to keep 900 kilograms (1,984 pounds) floating in the air. To make sure that the bed doesn't float away because of hard wind or weird movements, it's tethered to the walls by four cables. Technically, the magnetic floating bed is for sale, but at a price of 1.2 million euros ($1.53 million), you're not likely to find it in your local mattress store. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hamburger Bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-yjGMeYO3vwGGitipwYZa7A1fPZ7A62NlWy9UNZlUlCtq4a5HzaePZoe-VvEkVfNVSC6EY98X00xKtZ2PCJtjowDzCVIes3rov_1eGWsEeCY7CC6EGXQACfYXR7Eo_akCh5ANnNij9K4/s1600/Hamburger+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-yjGMeYO3vwGGitipwYZa7A1fPZ7A62NlWy9UNZlUlCtq4a5HzaePZoe-VvEkVfNVSC6EY98X00xKtZ2PCJtjowDzCVIes3rov_1eGWsEeCY7CC6EGXQACfYXR7Eo_akCh5ANnNij9K4/s400/Hamburger+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Haven't you ever wanted to curl up inside a juicy hamburger? No? Well, too bad. The Internet loves hamburgers and therefore the glorious <a href="http://hamburgerbed.com/">Hamburger Bed</a> has over 1,000 fans on Facebook and a sesame seed duvet. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b> NapShell, an egg-like bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxIVlMjFU1OH2rNPDnH5cbFIy6dQyFqT09-IBiaRc3r6zxtiABuxrumV0-xz2jWGC_ccdiUJ73iIJS8yosFWOv_-DKMIQ2FZhuOMwaRtkCUmrrea3xeKaSxuT_EdaCsTO0FWzC65h433w/s1600/NapShell,+an+egg-like+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxIVlMjFU1OH2rNPDnH5cbFIy6dQyFqT09-IBiaRc3r6zxtiABuxrumV0-xz2jWGC_ccdiUJ73iIJS8yosFWOv_-DKMIQ2FZhuOMwaRtkCUmrrea3xeKaSxuT_EdaCsTO0FWzC65h433w/s400/NapShell,+an+egg-like+bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You might not have realized you needed a power-napping bed – but once you have seen this futuristic creation by <a href="http://www.napshell.com/aktuell/en/">Napshell</a> you’ll feel your life is totally incomplete without it. Ergonomically designed to be good for your back and spine, the Napshell bed’s super comfy shaped mattress will fit a wide range of body types and heights. Visual and acoustic elements within the bed make instant, deep relaxation possible at the press of a button. Complete with LED lights, MP3 player and sound proof walls, the Napshell is a busy businessperson’s ultimate dream come true.<br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Molecular Bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzPLoMsfDyyLEhp9ThWc30fIE-dlDKLejcLhlZDhECht0ChpTV2SE5vA1rCU9LqW8TgU3iS3zK-fLGQUoVF5UGHMj7pBs_x-Sbc-2DR7hwxX6qaRyxZJEcKI5TPtIJa8o5VrmI2ahRM1g/s1600/Molecular+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzPLoMsfDyyLEhp9ThWc30fIE-dlDKLejcLhlZDhECht0ChpTV2SE5vA1rCU9LqW8TgU3iS3zK-fLGQUoVF5UGHMj7pBs_x-Sbc-2DR7hwxX6qaRyxZJEcKI5TPtIJa8o5VrmI2ahRM1g/s400/Molecular+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Made of 120 sofa balls covered with elastic fabric, the <a href="http://www.designboom.com/weblog/read.php?CATEGORY_PK=&TOPIC_PK=1942">Feel Seating System</a> designed by Animi Causa has a really unusual shape. It is inspired by a molecular structure, the basic form for all objects is the universe. If you are a playful person you can use it in many creative ways, because the structure of the feel allows to create multiple forms. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fantasy Coach, </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGtcmJ8UEBbRVO8XTX5OOXQp_tWgu9WDZIodtys_h_P1oIby49tc4x_argOg5hDukLOVwlHEGyAy3qzIp1W11VuGA-K7CYTVe2NeF1LfQqokCkPTRGl9TbS45ZLYO4S2kirsy8CtPhLpW/s1600/Fantasy+Coach,+A+fairytale+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGtcmJ8UEBbRVO8XTX5OOXQp_tWgu9WDZIodtys_h_P1oIby49tc4x_argOg5hDukLOVwlHEGyAy3qzIp1W11VuGA-K7CYTVe2NeF1LfQqokCkPTRGl9TbS45ZLYO4S2kirsy8CtPhLpW/s400/Fantasy+Coach,+A+fairytale+bed.jpg" width="368" /></a></div>
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A fairytale bed Wave your magic wand and this carriage may appear to make your little princess' dreams come true. This <a href="http://www.poshtots.com/Childs-Furniture/Childrens-Beds/Fantasy-Themed-Beds/Fantasy-Coach/2639/2644/2387/927/PoshProductDetail.aspx">fanciful coach bed</a> is the most extraordinary children's bed we've ever seen. Handcrafted in England of wood and fiberglass, the oval shaped interior measures just over 6 ft. in diameter. Construction and delivery time on this piece is over 6 months. The bar is set with this magnificent piece; it simply has no equal outside of fairy tales. Linens and interior options priced upon request. The price of a dream come true? $47,000. <br /><br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cosmovoide Bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MH9TmeGULfiBysugwLkLjfWBxBmrYDBbpwPTkac7zx-WUuNSfyhwvCSFT7LbAodBzC_XDbBqU7_CAgoFaHsJ9BhvHYBn-WVt-OBvFRQrdR1MReqjjGVk45dULJq4y0n97meVyG3XQYbA/s1600/Cosmovoide+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MH9TmeGULfiBysugwLkLjfWBxBmrYDBbpwPTkac7zx-WUuNSfyhwvCSFT7LbAodBzC_XDbBqU7_CAgoFaHsJ9BhvHYBn-WVt-OBvFRQrdR1MReqjjGVk45dULJq4y0n97meVyG3XQYbA/s400/Cosmovoide+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We spend around a third of our lives asleep... but that can't justify spending $60,000 on a bed, can it? The makers of <a href="http://elitechoice.org/tag/hydro-therapy-massage-bed/">Cosmovoide</a> think it can. Their luxury bed is shaped like an egg (to either give you Morkian dreams, or wrap you up in cozy cosmic harmony or some such nonsense), has hammock-like suspending springs, seven rainbow-colored LEDs, a telephone, and a DVD/home theater set-up including a TV at its foot. Most fascinating? Its twin "electric relaxation bed frames," which just get the mind boggling. That price is the base model, by the way: it's customizable, according to its french manufacturers. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b> Quantum Sleeper, the "anti-terrorist" bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn5Q8drOqXOR9IwrBAnaw6BT90yDB8sg9kWtjNINNXiwcNiN4Jb8YkzrVzMkJvPXEskd060mfgZ4Er5mXkOTfUYMXWLGttfwmidcGyJTbpOhSRPq7KZBO4j9IZB2a6b3RnOTTBK_l7QKA/s1600/Quantum+Sleeper,+the+anti-terrorist+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn5Q8drOqXOR9IwrBAnaw6BT90yDB8sg9kWtjNINNXiwcNiN4Jb8YkzrVzMkJvPXEskd060mfgZ4Er5mXkOTfUYMXWLGttfwmidcGyJTbpOhSRPq7KZBO4j9IZB2a6b3RnOTTBK_l7QKA/s400/Quantum+Sleeper,+the+anti-terrorist+bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.qsleeper.com/">Quantum Sleeper</a> is a bed that hermetically seals itself as you sleep to protect you from Bio-Chemical terrorist attack, natural disaster, kidnappers/stalkers and affords Bulletproof 'Saferoom' protection." It also has one-way mirrors so intruders can watch themselves futilely try to get in while you sit inside and call the police on your mobile, shortwave or CB radio. You can cower in style with the optional CD and DVD players and microwave oven. The price of protection? 160,000 dollars. <br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Private Cloud, the rocking bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zva_W6WJKSoNd7Lnk8hqe4duIb33A7YvaSntEd7P9Fag0TCBVXQoifFnSM1o9_VGPoBB3wHvwf6ajSTDNHUqjkcS4T7uqCxvPZaPJmLiNCev9wsy13Yu2QeYoPW_5exRxwNpH_E-HM7G/s1600/Private+Cloud,+the+rocking+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zva_W6WJKSoNd7Lnk8hqe4duIb33A7YvaSntEd7P9Fag0TCBVXQoifFnSM1o9_VGPoBB3wHvwf6ajSTDNHUqjkcS4T7uqCxvPZaPJmLiNCev9wsy13Yu2QeYoPW_5exRxwNpH_E-HM7G/s400/Private+Cloud,+the+rocking+bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.private-cloud.de/">Private Cloud</a>, designed by Manuel Kloker, is a patented rocking frame for a bed that moves back and forth like a rocking chair. It sells for an average of about $6,800 depending on the size ordered, without the mattress. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Scoop!</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2r0skCH1UmdfW7iP6iBDJEXHzVdsbnhds0RD-0HwAesVsWqAy8KRJoHXHc7I7bFtB_G_UdD_J38WN3tWtK2XEWlMguzX7za2IcgpKUbmt4bi1HEMQDeFhI18vTZewfzv_DvmD2lQCGFQ/s1600/The+Scoop%21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2r0skCH1UmdfW7iP6iBDJEXHzVdsbnhds0RD-0HwAesVsWqAy8KRJoHXHc7I7bFtB_G_UdD_J38WN3tWtK2XEWlMguzX7za2IcgpKUbmt4bi1HEMQDeFhI18vTZewfzv_DvmD2lQCGFQ/s400/The+Scoop%21.jpg" width="381" /></a></div>
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Designed by Guido Rosati for Saba Italia, <a href="http://freshome.com/2008/03/18/16-of-the-most-extreme-modern-beds-youll-ever-see/">Scoop!</a> is a sophisticated and innovative answer to the demand for combinig the sofa function with the bed function. The two semi-circular sides of the bed can be separated resulting two new pieces of furniture. This bed is a great way to surprise your guests, and also you can be proud to have a stylish contemporary bed and two sofa’s in the same time. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Computer Bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteavAqSAfC4n0QeSSA_XFG1K0xHth1slJd2ZIWdstwZJtWrIKbxH_myQcjW7mq_3QYFM9ck0wp03Xo1hG4IGflbWoIKeYq0VxFi6Y2bddx46x3S4aw788rzn5wgW4_sJneyYzzOMViItw/s1600/The+Computer+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteavAqSAfC4n0QeSSA_XFG1K0xHth1slJd2ZIWdstwZJtWrIKbxH_myQcjW7mq_3QYFM9ck0wp03Xo1hG4IGflbWoIKeYq0VxFi6Y2bddx46x3S4aw788rzn5wgW4_sJneyYzzOMViItw/s400/The+Computer+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.flyingbeds.com/14.SmartBeds/Tale-ComputerBed.htm">computer bed</a> is a normal bed which makes an intelligent use of the space below the bed. The gas pistons enable the bed to double up as a computer table. Invented by European designer Lino's son Francesco, this twin model comes with a reinforced metal frame in your choice of several different kinds of wood. Prices start at $3650. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Sonic Bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pwBdTFB1nf5RINAxrUHoGQpDY1lePvIq_L5VbFZNbUvWonKPEhiCDKRQXGBhivJmJHv0okOJ8pmlYW2E63WPHxImSbF5_i5d5IEt5uGubH7pVcxc7L4yG18kxaJvdAYv3IzF_NDsPlNt/s1600/The+Sonic+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pwBdTFB1nf5RINAxrUHoGQpDY1lePvIq_L5VbFZNbUvWonKPEhiCDKRQXGBhivJmJHv0okOJ8pmlYW2E63WPHxImSbF5_i5d5IEt5uGubH7pVcxc7L4yG18kxaJvdAYv3IzF_NDsPlNt/s400/The+Sonic+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/sonic-bed-makes-you-deaf-while-you-sleep-210312.php">sonic bed</a> is a king-size bed with 12-channel surround sound. It may look like a wooden tank from the outside, but inside its got enough speakers to dwarf any home theater set up. Created by Kaffe Matthews as a museum exhibit (no plans for retail as of yet), the bed requires 220 volts of electricity and covers every inch of your body in sound. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Lomme Bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUtxC7NxxfxhwusjcP7_UWvf_F8C5tC_k5wt9SsCRKk7YfO0YSbygSeoRtIggHrhVb0nhDP5-Kckg4bdt-u0qcTNj-E8qQZe_rp_vU0qPX1meUhwSgJQRiFaS1KmiOseQRMlbNl5v47qb/s1600/The+Lomme+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUtxC7NxxfxhwusjcP7_UWvf_F8C5tC_k5wt9SsCRKk7YfO0YSbygSeoRtIggHrhVb0nhDP5-Kckg4bdt-u0qcTNj-E8qQZe_rp_vU0qPX1meUhwSgJQRiFaS1KmiOseQRMlbNl5v47qb/s400/The+Lomme+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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According to the product copy, owners of <a href="http://www.lomme.com/LOMME/Concept/tabid/119/language/en-US/Default.aspx">Lomme Beds</a> will benefit from state of the art light and sound therapy, which remove outside disturbances and "allow you to wake naturally feeling refreshed and full of energy." <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>BedUP, the Ceiling Bed</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTp9tmEFzduCQnmePeIS4XtYLjW46xOjhBPmGETw8pn74OCUlDBfmgOpfw2UyZHV-xlwGbelok2tDgQkUrLt9LazUUKKDtD2R80vkwBx1WcjZf5Yw3_UaoX0sFI-4cGDudii-uTx7X_N9L/s1600/BedUP,+the+Ceiling+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTp9tmEFzduCQnmePeIS4XtYLjW46xOjhBPmGETw8pn74OCUlDBfmgOpfw2UyZHV-xlwGbelok2tDgQkUrLt9LazUUKKDtD2R80vkwBx1WcjZf5Yw3_UaoX0sFI-4cGDudii-uTx7X_N9L/s400/BedUP,+the+Ceiling+Bed.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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Coming from the house of Decadrages, the designer <a href="http://www.decadrages.com/fra/BEDUP/bup01_accueil.html">BedUP</a> model offers you a perfect comfort level without occupying much space. Suspended from the ceiling, this novel furniture piece can be accommodated in 4 sq mt space of your apartment. By day, the bed is stored on the ceiling, the under-surface becomes ceiling with the possibility of integrating lighting. At night, the bed can come down in the manner of an elevator and stops at the height previously requested, thus avoiding moving furniture that would have been placed underneath it. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Hanging Bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZTu2O2vvAe9NexngNVKFI6Deo45z2ZGp4Ng6IpAwLxzbcoYspH5z6G_wPCmz45jsvNV_4F0nRuwQGO7obKP5JxZ7Mv4wsHsWxivxRNG1jvwIc34BKgPSVV-KJHzjdteyPOmNMIfsGJQi/s1600/The+Hanging+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZTu2O2vvAe9NexngNVKFI6Deo45z2ZGp4Ng6IpAwLxzbcoYspH5z6G_wPCmz45jsvNV_4F0nRuwQGO7obKP5JxZ7Mv4wsHsWxivxRNG1jvwIc34BKgPSVV-KJHzjdteyPOmNMIfsGJQi/s400/The+Hanging+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Created by italian designer Andrea Lucatello, the bed is not actually hanging but, it does looks like floating on the floor. The <a href="http://www.spacify.com/products-515-175-Catt.Dylan%7EBed.html">Hanging Bed</a> comes in two sizes, the Queen European King and Double and many colors. The gorgeous bed sells for almost $5,500 excluding the mattresses. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Coffin Bed </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh3F9vtU-X1HgYDJCcfOU6ezZFoDtPrbqqR6BtiJsz472V9s-BGLRwN0ZPg9eqRgXWygXEabFSvKOAk948fuvn44dDa5Rf1ZMMfA7HZ8xPeZdP-AxE6nMXy8HC8VPmr7QNlaqWZu7IVez/s1600/Coffin+Bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh3F9vtU-X1HgYDJCcfOU6ezZFoDtPrbqqR6BtiJsz472V9s-BGLRwN0ZPg9eqRgXWygXEabFSvKOAk948fuvn44dDa5Rf1ZMMfA7HZ8xPeZdP-AxE6nMXy8HC8VPmr7QNlaqWZu7IVez/s400/Coffin+Bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Casket Furniture Company designed a bed for those who wants to know the feeling of sleeping in a <a href="http://casketfurniture.com/items.php/nicodemus.html">coffin</a>. According to their site, this ‘long awaited' item can be yours for only a little over $4,000. It’s constructed of Solid Pine with a removable top and bottom and adorned with a handmade metal cross and gothic pall bearer handles. Finished with an ebony stain and lacquer with a burgandy velvet interior. Disturbingly, their site also indicated ‘locks and latches' are available at an added price. </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-86786716981614941192012-02-01T01:35:00.000-08:002012-02-01T01:35:35.181-08:00Most expensive Barbie dolls in the world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWH2-9CzRszluOCRQoCm3fdGpsAiivZba2LUXOw0hDpzVYUdZwdSFU_6GRQNkZ4piQxYvMMaM6_OUY0ivo69W5qAHw_ewpWku-YTv8hMt3PUz5-IR4Izx0qRykHYHrXmIWIExwvK80c3T/s1600/most-expensive-barbie-dolls_5swGv_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWH2-9CzRszluOCRQoCm3fdGpsAiivZba2LUXOw0hDpzVYUdZwdSFU_6GRQNkZ4piQxYvMMaM6_OUY0ivo69W5qAHw_ewpWku-YTv8hMt3PUz5-IR4Izx0qRykHYHrXmIWIExwvK80c3T/s640/most-expensive-barbie-dolls_5swGv_48.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Since its debut in 1959, the Barbie doll has kept up with the times and
trends. With more than 80 careers, from a teenage fashion model to a
presidential candidate to a computer engineer, she has become a cultural
icon who has been given honors that are rare in the toy world. She has
inspired designers and professionals from around the world to create the
fashions of their dreams. Today, we have some of the most expensive
Barbie dolls of all time. Hit the jump to see them all…</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>1) Barbie by Canturi</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoFchDmlIzOHE4l2J68qKRzc3S_E_wUryQTHhhCi_460QqPqyiXB4g7PYFSvbBeQUbueyoffweTydIRrsgb_1OUvutG82YKX-4Z11JfblIGQbKdXNfLLR5tWMe92I67mGHVroJLaelm_C/s1600/barbie-by-canturi_qX15J_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNoFchDmlIzOHE4l2J68qKRzc3S_E_wUryQTHhhCi_460QqPqyiXB4g7PYFSvbBeQUbueyoffweTydIRrsgb_1OUvutG82YKX-4Z11JfblIGQbKdXNfLLR5tWMe92I67mGHVroJLaelm_C/s400/barbie-by-canturi_qX15J_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This year, <a class="skimwords-link" data-group-id="0" data-skim-creative="10001" data-skim-product="0" data-skimwords-id="1511049" data-skimwords-word="mattel" href="http://mattelshop.com/" style="text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank" title="Shopping link added by SkimWords">Mattel</a> commissioned the famous jeweler Stefano Canturi to create the world's<a href="http://www.justluxe.com/fine-living/trends/feature-676274.php"> most expensive</a> Barbie doll. This one was made to coincide with the launch of the Barbie Basics Collection in Australia. Priced at <a href="http://www.barbiecollector.com/news/news.aspx?news_id=269">AUD $600,000</a>
and featuring rare Australian pink diamonds, the Barbie by Canturi has a
Canturi neckpiece made up of 3.00 carats of white diamonds around a
collectible 1.00ct square.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>2) Barbie and the Diamond Castle</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BZeo7JTY_Z50Ngiae89TlXJgZpDWUFE1OijvJ8Ry3RFg3A2fs65LpVk686aSdGJiyY7EyCUWQL-tprJ0tTyrfE0uX2I5qzPh_-KYD8mh8ayCadahsxJCDKiA9xWh6DUI5G9wSW_g9coz/s1600/barbie-and-the-diamond-castle_xLVNf_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BZeo7JTY_Z50Ngiae89TlXJgZpDWUFE1OijvJ8Ry3RFg3A2fs65LpVk686aSdGJiyY7EyCUWQL-tprJ0tTyrfE0uX2I5qzPh_-KYD8mh8ayCadahsxJCDKiA9xWh6DUI5G9wSW_g9coz/s400/barbie-and-the-diamond-castle_xLVNf_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Valued at <strong>$94,800</strong>, this Barbie
was a promotional stunt done to promote the movie from the Barbie
series, Barbie and the Diamond Castle, which was released back in 2008.
This variant adorned 44 round-cut stones including 318 real diamonds on
her attire. All of her accessories, including a tiara, slippers,
earrings, necklace, bracelet and the ring have been made out of diamonds
and white gold.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3) De Beers 40th Anniversary Barbie</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2sG8feH1vbJty0JJEfEZlUXk8_5JkWoJbl0QQVZivcpZjwdYN3nzoizzoLGFi2t6OTSAHZFc90Ow-yb6e_HsmEOhQk9O7E3QLS_I6U2EUISvE8lqCCPAAoQhuB3yoE7izern-udZYWDF/s1600/de-beers-40th-anniversary-barbie_a7tG2_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2sG8feH1vbJty0JJEfEZlUXk8_5JkWoJbl0QQVZivcpZjwdYN3nzoizzoLGFi2t6OTSAHZFc90Ow-yb6e_HsmEOhQk9O7E3QLS_I6U2EUISvE8lqCCPAAoQhuB3yoE7izern-udZYWDF/s400/de-beers-40th-anniversary-barbie_a7tG2_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Designed by De Beers, this <a href="http://www.namebrand300.info/85000-diamond-barbie-by-de-beers/">diamond Barbie</a>
comes clad in a gown flaunting 160 diamonds complemented by white gold
miniature jewelry. This Barbie was produced to mark the 40th anniversary
in 1999 comes and was priced at <strong>$85,000</strong>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>4) Barbie No. 1</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIigcX3HXQED8b5k3izQ-VvFnTIzCdc4KgpU4CpUbGdbZ813mwUykbWkPxBWhLWgOJhLSK8NXiKGa525UBVAYYmoTk0V413stGuMuuomrhm0Oi4zlhyBqpmkF4VijTfiZeRkfmxVgDs9k/s1600/barbie-no_coK5C_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIigcX3HXQED8b5k3izQ-VvFnTIzCdc4KgpU4CpUbGdbZ813mwUykbWkPxBWhLWgOJhLSK8NXiKGa525UBVAYYmoTk0V413stGuMuuomrhm0Oi4zlhyBqpmkF4VijTfiZeRkfmxVgDs9k/s400/barbie-no_coK5C_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This
is the world's first Barbie doll, in a zebra-print swimming costume and
hoop earrings. It was sold for £2,880 ($4,370) to an anonymous
collector at Christies in 2006. Currently, you can buy it from <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1-Barbie-Blond-Ponytail-All-Original-Doll-w-Box-1959-/360213747555?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53de699763">eBay</a> for <strong>$8,000</strong>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5) Lorraine Schwartz’s Bling Barbie</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTOiFywqWgNM4gnM1clMqbq2CN_PswmP1MRkngYR9Y1k3F-Leo9858Gb1Ly_3KJZIFh9howqO5cOEZhtCeb5pWWxg0alUfIWdlt1J5R-h4fPNV7gY8Yf6lc1vVligY7tVepEJbFbkZvho/s1600/lorraine-schwartz-barbie_ALSLo_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTOiFywqWgNM4gnM1clMqbq2CN_PswmP1MRkngYR9Y1k3F-Leo9858Gb1Ly_3KJZIFh9howqO5cOEZhtCeb5pWWxg0alUfIWdlt1J5R-h4fPNV7gY8Yf6lc1vVligY7tVepEJbFbkZvho/s400/lorraine-schwartz-barbie_ALSLo_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Starting this year, <a class="skimwords-link" data-group-id="0" data-skim-creative="10001" data-skim-product="0" data-skimwords-id="1511049" data-skimwords-word="mattel" href="http://mattelshop.com/" style="text-decoration: underline !important;" target="_blank" title="Shopping link added by SkimWords">Mattel</a>
paired up with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to
bring out Barbie Basics Collection that wears little black dresses and
come with accessory kits. The dolls went up for auction on January 28.
The highlight of the collection was Lorraine Schwartz's diamond-studded Barbie that features $25K worth of diamond accessories. Anyway, it managed to fetch <strong>$7,500</strong>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>6) Bob Mackie Gold Barbie</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4O6NM9exk16_2jDCuOzsqNk2Yj-P8qVgYRSUk5cwSlKLAg4UCWGD61glCSC6hi_LJXF6G9fAUUgGl1RaPw-XkXEbwPDuyvGinU3nD-f0RG6weBbKZVJmzFzFEb7pmRcDd8mjq5EDFw82/s1600/bob-mackie-gold-barbie_7h88n_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4O6NM9exk16_2jDCuOzsqNk2Yj-P8qVgYRSUk5cwSlKLAg4UCWGD61glCSC6hi_LJXF6G9fAUUgGl1RaPw-XkXEbwPDuyvGinU3nD-f0RG6weBbKZVJmzFzFEb7pmRcDd8mjq5EDFw82/s400/bob-mackie-gold-barbie_7h88n_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Very popular with the collectors, the first Bob Mackie-designed Barbie called the "<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/1990-Bob-Mackie-Gold-Barbie-Personally-Signed-Rare-/380218909927?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5886d024e7">Gold Barbie</a>" was launched in 1990. A rare personally signed Bob Mackie-designed Gold Barbie is up for grabs at eBay for a cool <strong>$1,200</strong>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>7) Devi Kroell's Barbie</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDvmDvx3WuljZ0ySbu0Tmb-A6aYtAnxq_zhr44XXhCtivwBdpGy4Hkrv1PkZk-nAjBJ-mdDTfZSTQa21SLJYenDzeGrlfm-CICPmGwGym-bbtCiziM85_H_30AYktmS_nSgdezzO5Qq7L/s1600/devi-kroell-barbie_GyyYK_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDvmDvx3WuljZ0ySbu0Tmb-A6aYtAnxq_zhr44XXhCtivwBdpGy4Hkrv1PkZk-nAjBJ-mdDTfZSTQa21SLJYenDzeGrlfm-CICPmGwGym-bbtCiziM85_H_30AYktmS_nSgdezzO5Qq7L/s400/devi-kroell-barbie_GyyYK_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Devi
Kroell, a New York luxury fashion house, created this Barbie doll for
the charity auction organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of
America (CFDA). The Devi Kroell <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/devi-kroell-one-of-a-kind-barbie-doll-raises-1075-in-cfda-charity-auction-84260517.html">one-of-a kind Barbie </a>went for <strong>$1,075</strong>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>8) Judith Leiber Barbie Doll</strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge72yiyMNTkdoWxeLYTFVAxldw6A3e33tpk5SoaeSMefsK7vThJQD6fGSW9aRh9_fgIFHKPTvtEmo0AH-xqxxjkZVsNI2UN6Epu8aSIu6JghV__yX1Q3olHvlh5YdwgFdUx7q0gs79cbGi/s1600/judith-leiber-barbie-doll_b8nSY_48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge72yiyMNTkdoWxeLYTFVAxldw6A3e33tpk5SoaeSMefsK7vThJQD6fGSW9aRh9_fgIFHKPTvtEmo0AH-xqxxjkZVsNI2UN6Epu8aSIu6JghV__yX1Q3olHvlh5YdwgFdUx7q0gs79cbGi/s400/judith-leiber-barbie-doll_b8nSY_48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Judith
Leiber, a known name in couture handbags, designed this dazzling Barbie
doll. The doll come with a strapless cocktail dress of taupe lace. The
full skirt and fitted corset are adorned with tiny golden sequins. Other
embellishments include a golden minaudiere decked out with
topaz-colored crystals and a Barbie “B” logo, leaf motif earrings and
golden cuff bracelet with set-in crystals. The 2005 Judith Leiber <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Judith-Leiber-Platinum-Barbie-MIB-RARE-HTF-RARE-/280534242265%20http://www.barbiecollector.com/showcase/product.aspx?id=1003591&t=modern&y=t150020&sort=name"> Platinum Barbie</a> is priced at <strong>$975</strong> on eBay.</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-20972967027283862752012-01-31T22:58:00.000-08:002012-01-31T22:58:26.493-08:00Most buzz-worthy luxury brand collaborations of 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6xN5_VkoHqT-u7rzgcv9W8yQ1iL3a3nKXGDqA_eHIZ1TNPKAQsLSJzIgeK0WLjitVDBdBJMH9I73BwXsYo5QUDUmLKvTS_uMMIy59iTnRwoyHZ8httAxH6R1j5__AjDwXc7Mpz6hmL0L/s1600/luxury_collaborations_qgedk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6xN5_VkoHqT-u7rzgcv9W8yQ1iL3a3nKXGDqA_eHIZ1TNPKAQsLSJzIgeK0WLjitVDBdBJMH9I73BwXsYo5QUDUmLKvTS_uMMIy59iTnRwoyHZ8httAxH6R1j5__AjDwXc7Mpz6hmL0L/s640/luxury_collaborations_qgedk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In the year 2011, which has virtually drawn to a close now, saw many
designer brands join hands together to create limited edition products
towards the targeted elite. Whether it were the cars, watches,
electronics, or bar equipment, the designer giants produced master piece
collectibles, much to the pride of the owners who have managed to pay
the premium prices and have received an increment in their pride. This
following list points out to some of these partnerships in various
segments of limited edition offerings:</div>
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<b>1) </b><b>Bell & Ross and Harley Davidson</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1soWXJG4welH1Om4v8p0nQs-6OasMPBK8u7lKcGjS61dz8pebwLebA4chWh2UD4qV5ZzMwOp7XeNudOllU0tO2FoyqpkvknTEStEVHFzmjDmyibnZjMvOfP-4qabAsBt7PA_Qt25aoWkO/s1600/bell_ross_harley_davidson_kehog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1soWXJG4welH1Om4v8p0nQs-6OasMPBK8u7lKcGjS61dz8pebwLebA4chWh2UD4qV5ZzMwOp7XeNudOllU0tO2FoyqpkvknTEStEVHFzmjDmyibnZjMvOfP-4qabAsBt7PA_Qt25aoWkO/s400/bell_ross_harley_davidson_kehog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: The Nascafe Racing bike</b></div>
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Bell
& Ross have long mastered the art of haute horologie creations,
with their interest primarily inclined towards aeronautics, especially
fighter planes. Harley Davidson on the other hand, is perhaps the most
celebrated brand for designer motorcycles, mainly because of the
advanced technology, and the cutting edge designs. Together they joined
hands for the Nescafe racer bike, which was built on the theme of the
classic racing bikes, characterized by their exposed thick tyres. The
bike featured extensive metal and leather work on the body, especially
the exposed engine which showed the brass coated and polished steel
finished pipes. Other additions included the carbon BR 01 timepiece on
the central console, with the FXSTB Softail Nightrain, just to name a
few.</div>
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<b>2) </b><b>Mobiado & Aston Martin</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39W_TL7QcxrxMuIwypK7OIa-Ga1i7sRF569ReMwRerfkqMVK0s2ZwuRHLXHVHfzhybnKh0KvIcBJk-Vfs4Wtr4g4m8K4j5SKSNBbScW3SyrkLlRj5Hcn1wuKXcalfwkJ_bG3f1BNYyDtz/s1600/mobiado_aston_martin_4vwx7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39W_TL7QcxrxMuIwypK7OIa-Ga1i7sRF569ReMwRerfkqMVK0s2ZwuRHLXHVHfzhybnKh0KvIcBJk-Vfs4Wtr4g4m8K4j5SKSNBbScW3SyrkLlRj5Hcn1wuKXcalfwkJ_bG3f1BNYyDtz/s400/mobiado_aston_martin_4vwx7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: luxury mobile handset series</b></div>
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When
luxury watch maker Mobiado joined hands with British luxury car maker
Aston Martin, they created the perfect synergy of style and technology
with the new mobile handset series. Using exotic metals like yellow gold
and platinum, these handsets were created keeping in mind the styling
quotient of the Aston Martin cars, and even used the watch making
technology by fitting in 2 mechanical watches in each of the handsets.</div>
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<b>3) </b><b>Johnnie Walker and Porsche Design Studio</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueHkIx6vfkBIDdRhJL3BEzQ_ZEzPj9nUTVbrx2cMt1ExuoqoL4a_8JQt4iQM-WzZjW6NRk6v1uY51SEOGk_QUQHASIAnLpUpbClCV8mu3N_S6nFmWPn4Fo1sAKGte5BzrmDnPOjp7xYKV/s1600/johnnie_walker_porsche_design_skr2k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueHkIx6vfkBIDdRhJL3BEzQ_ZEzPj9nUTVbrx2cMt1ExuoqoL4a_8JQt4iQM-WzZjW6NRk6v1uY51SEOGk_QUQHASIAnLpUpbClCV8mu3N_S6nFmWPn4Fo1sAKGte5BzrmDnPOjp7xYKV/s400/johnnie_walker_porsche_design_skr2k.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: Blue label private bar</b></div>
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Produced
in a limited edition run of 10 units only, Johnie Walker and Porsche
Design studio joined hands to create the Blue private bar, which stands
as the blend combo of British luxury lifestyle. Modern yet classic and
precise, these bars were made with brushed finished titanium, and
leather and were also given their own set of equipment. This included
the unique whiskey glasses, ice bowl, water jug, and also the 2 bottles
of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Whiskey. Using advanced technology just
like the Porsche cars, this personal bar set included motion sensors
which would allow the bar to open up on the side of the user to reveal
its luxurious interiors, and the 3 bottles of Johnie Walker inside,
along with the glasses contained inside.</div>
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<b>4) </b><b>Tumi & Mini Cooper</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ3xyUjpoZIdkm0SdAOqpwGqgobw_NVbdUjsbnE9JaLRJYJmotspmVU4W4KncIQ7Apr7egM3ijySdKY7N6r3MEZbALLE7epB-MvwvFV6e9NedzTDFAIqZ-LjXBFH9pOa3ivtdRzUJDORx/s1600/tumi_mini_cooper_wwmom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ3xyUjpoZIdkm0SdAOqpwGqgobw_NVbdUjsbnE9JaLRJYJmotspmVU4W4KncIQ7Apr7egM3ijySdKY7N6r3MEZbALLE7epB-MvwvFV6e9NedzTDFAIqZ-LjXBFH9pOa3ivtdRzUJDORx/s400/tumi_mini_cooper_wwmom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: Special edition Mini Cooper car</b></div>
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One
of the rare few in the segment, but this time luggage bag manufacturers
Tumi and BMW’s Mini-Cooper joined hands to create a limited edition
series of Mini Cooper cars, meant for the discerning rich traveler.
Featuring a unique paint scheme on the body, the car will be made in a
station-wagon design, which shall give travelers the extra space needed
to store their baggage during long journeys. Actually this is a
combination of the Clubman and Cooper S versions of the car, albeit with
Tumi inspired paint job on the car silhouette.</div>
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<b>5) </b><b>Hublot & Ferrari</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKep073958Shbf1oprS2Fj6fOnpCBtwo1SbJMSjne7bG6uxJCPL8x7Qo2bldtTE6lgleIfuHsoLYge0h2nIkl_omgo277oMaA7i7Zpj2n2X_sVkpsuwJq2ZDTPpRdFkOFHF6IMA0GY6Lin/s1600/hublot_ferrari_tourbillon_watch_for_china_z9x51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKep073958Shbf1oprS2Fj6fOnpCBtwo1SbJMSjne7bG6uxJCPL8x7Qo2bldtTE6lgleIfuHsoLYge0h2nIkl_omgo277oMaA7i7Zpj2n2X_sVkpsuwJq2ZDTPpRdFkOFHF6IMA0GY6Lin/s400/hublot_ferrari_tourbillon_watch_for_china_z9x51.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: Big Bang Ferrari Tourbillon watch for China</b></div>
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In
collaboration between a luxury watch brand and an equally celebrated
automobile brand, a limited edition series of watches were created, the
Hublot Big Bang Ferrari tourbillon, targeted at the Chinese buyers.
Produced with only 20 pieces worldwide, this watch used the similar
grade of fabrics used in Ferrari F1 cars, i.e. carbon fiber, with the
unique chequered pattern along the body. Featuring a HUB 6300 mechanical
movement, the engine of the watch is known to have 260 components of
various sizes, 35 of which are jewels. Even the casing of the watch was
done with red tinted sapphire crystal, known for the high corrosion and
anti-reflective properties. The occasion for unveiling of this special
timepiece, was the 20th anniversary of Ferrari in China.</div>
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<b>6) </b><b>Bianchi & Gucci</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5yCb-GzoX6pRZ0yoDQMf_051KmOz32GOO8UcpRG5Te7dhYX4ZbNKJZLhVDcjmTqbi1awWT4kc-lVWyMVyXd_A6EpWd4k1oW7XZrZK7zgB9NHE79uNB-nCxfvyc2n_GidluE3cLj42KGF/s1600/bianchi_gucci_ntke7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY5yCb-GzoX6pRZ0yoDQMf_051KmOz32GOO8UcpRG5Te7dhYX4ZbNKJZLhVDcjmTqbi1awWT4kc-lVWyMVyXd_A6EpWd4k1oW7XZrZK7zgB9NHE79uNB-nCxfvyc2n_GidluE3cLj42KGF/s400/bianchi_gucci_ntke7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: Bianchi by Gucci limited edition bicycle</b></div>
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When
2 Italian design masters come on a common platform, nothing short of
the extraordinary can be expected. Same was the case with the Bianchi by
Gucci limited edition bicycles, which were given 2 different faces for
different riders. The white edition featured a single speed design, with
Gucci leather work on the handle bar and body frame, along with the
customary 3 color stripes in the top bar. The other edition was the
11-speed carbon fiber edition that was meant for real heavy and rough
biking, and featured some extensive black leather seating. Accessories
included the colored matched helmet, signature kit gloves, and even a
water bottle.</div>
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<b>7) </b><b>Global Bright Group & Porsche Design Studio</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU42S6eyHeVKodJFEPloMJ00kj93WKnXvwPTHOMWmD-8TsfbKbRiFUWhQiUyu1VZeja-p9hB_jH1O6v63mLAWd3AANJz-Q758BmeRtoM3SMJkMTTquqT6ua7Vk28NLf_4QZyy9K0W8NpKL/s1600/porsche_design_global_bright_group_yxl19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU42S6eyHeVKodJFEPloMJ00kj93WKnXvwPTHOMWmD-8TsfbKbRiFUWhQiUyu1VZeja-p9hB_jH1O6v63mLAWd3AANJz-Q758BmeRtoM3SMJkMTTquqT6ua7Vk28NLf_4QZyy9K0W8NpKL/s400/porsche_design_global_bright_group_yxl19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: World largest outdoor LED TV </b></div>
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Using
the expertise of the Global Bright Group in consumer electronics, with
the designing finesse and premium quality of Porsche Design Studio, was
created what is now the world’s largest outdoor LED TV, targeted at that
those who wish watch movies in the outdoor space. In an equally
captivating way of casting its magic, the TV emerges from within the
ground rather silently until it goes to the zenith of its height, and
then starts to play video content to a considerable large audience,
gauging by its sheer size. The rather interesting and handy fact was it
all was waterproof which means that if there is any sudden instance of
rain or excess moisture in the air, it wouldn’t be a problem playing it
on open venues. The TV went on made-to-order sale from September 2011. </div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<b>8) </b><b>Garia & Mansory</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkQqCPEyQCMpdYAmmwQqDhA7oY2Qnxzp0MC8oiqOczd2fHm6eB43ydojAPIMFaLYikAC7ju1gtHBPwiujh2ldL0-OCkR9S_AC_YUu1Gdgxr2biuBgec6Yijtoskx3KUHiqmTPBP6nWb9J/s1600/garia_mansory_d39hr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkQqCPEyQCMpdYAmmwQqDhA7oY2Qnxzp0MC8oiqOczd2fHm6eB43ydojAPIMFaLYikAC7ju1gtHBPwiujh2ldL0-OCkR9S_AC_YUu1Gdgxr2biuBgec6Yijtoskx3KUHiqmTPBP6nWb9J/s400/garia_mansory_d39hr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: Garia Mansory Golf cart</b></div>
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With
the Dutch expertise at making golf carts and leisure vehicles through
Garia, and customization expertise of brands like Rolls Royce thorough
Mansory, came the special edition gold cart which could well be tagged
as the most luxurious in the world. Using carbon fiber to carve out a
sporty and light weight body, this golf cart used rare teak varieties
for lining, in order to bring it a niche products’ look. Even the
headlights of this leisure vehicle were made according to the latest
trend in the auto industry. It is currently available in a street legal
& non-street legal version.</div>
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<b>9) </b><b>Linley & Bentley</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUQib56-98IjpY5o80q1maKk5mbS9alD5cELt2-ddNSwI90mdPOFz4J1Aai-CBGqRuY4np3lab7Iqg_hSBrMbUfvP3GmPVaZQm5U4N0baD8_JBkcsUyIs9M3IFflgub3-QKzaYWpuTz57/s1600/linley_bentley_s9ka5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUQib56-98IjpY5o80q1maKk5mbS9alD5cELt2-ddNSwI90mdPOFz4J1Aai-CBGqRuY4np3lab7Iqg_hSBrMbUfvP3GmPVaZQm5U4N0baD8_JBkcsUyIs9M3IFflgub3-QKzaYWpuTz57/s400/linley_bentley_s9ka5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Product: Special edition Bentley Continental Flying Spur</b></div>
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In
a year which saw the Chinese making themselves felt on the luxury
lifestyle market, Bentley wasn’t to stay behind in the race of luxury
brands to create special edition cars for them. With the help of
customization expertise of British designing firm, Linley, Bentley
created a series of 10 Continental Flying Spur models, targeted
specially towards Chinese buyers. Since customization is the forte of
the brand, Bentley ensured it included extremely rare varieties of
fabric like single-pattern polished Oakwood used on the central control
panel, side door panels, and even the dashboard of the vehicle.
Carefully handcrafted, there were several add-ons such as a cashmere
wool blanket, luggage tag, and even a special edition leather bag for
the 10 elite customers.</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-90964412964119966152012-01-31T22:28:00.000-08:002012-01-31T22:28:09.533-08:00Ten strangest cars at the Barrett-Jackson auction<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoKvXADro5Me5sUEfYqqZZ2GVbeO8SKj9ej3D1Pr3vJ1g1S69jGC0O9e5Ve0vw50LZVSdefVLspvCCRmySj3j1BPtW5HKAVjnNnmZzvMq56lQHPz8wqzSvgxeA2DwxFaQhh9fbUtzsr9F/s1600/1952+Chevy+Pickup+ratrod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoKvXADro5Me5sUEfYqqZZ2GVbeO8SKj9ej3D1Pr3vJ1g1S69jGC0O9e5Ve0vw50LZVSdefVLspvCCRmySj3j1BPtW5HKAVjnNnmZzvMq56lQHPz8wqzSvgxeA2DwxFaQhh9fbUtzsr9F/s640/1952+Chevy+Pickup+ratrod.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">From three-wheel electrics to mini-semis, here are the ten most bizarre collector cars selling at this week's Barrett-Jackson auction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLbaDH8GIRBF8otXyS28ziRmPCZ46lJp6EasJq0I08h8YvrdepOav-fS80qv1MercydeqD1QXhu3-dp7GNo7bLzLchFOK7AlpWaLlJJhb9bzDJRN7BZ1wt0Iah7A1QKbo3xJGr8w_l7ml/s1600/firevette_165249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLbaDH8GIRBF8otXyS28ziRmPCZ46lJp6EasJq0I08h8YvrdepOav-fS80qv1MercydeqD1QXhu3-dp7GNo7bLzLchFOK7AlpWaLlJJhb9bzDJRN7BZ1wt0Iah7A1QKbo3xJGr8w_l7ml/s400/firevette_165249.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With 1,300 vehicles set to sell at this week’s Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., the managed mania of collectable cars will hit its annual high. Thanks to a growing number of million-dollar models and a penchant for publicity, Barrett-Jackson draws more gawkers than any other such event. Thanks to its open doors for any seller willing to forgo an auction reserve, it also offers a welter of weirdos. Here’s our pick for the most outlandish, starting with a 1998 Corvette with $90,000 invested in a stroked engine, nitrous and a paint job that looks like a fiery rash. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCORJrfzH8jCVvfAStkNAGk7jrmW48ub1J45EwUcFM6rGJK2VZL62B2szf36J6vUzS3V8sseBrJolxixxiTvwLZQHDjatNCZdJ-NpeaMxNqdQjBx-8VrMX8GVL3WqwBoiV62O0mRSwfTn/s1600/ultravan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCORJrfzH8jCVvfAStkNAGk7jrmW48ub1J45EwUcFM6rGJK2VZL62B2szf36J6vUzS3V8sseBrJolxixxiTvwLZQHDjatNCZdJ-NpeaMxNqdQjBx-8VrMX8GVL3WqwBoiV62O0mRSwfTn/s400/ultravan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1968 Ultra Motorhome: Any wealthy person can invest in classic Ferraris and Porsches, but it takes real gumption to put your money on a Corvair-based motorhome built with airplane construction techinques and all the brown, durable fabrics the late '60s could muster. It could be the coolest band van ever.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q1iyNnIVIkYXA08V_mrZWCaEvfH3UmIWfVjE1DWXhzvGR7Bftx5kRLqg6ymAgAGm93OWJPj08sRQHqp3FbXawgWZsYzu_TptFbMB_Vdx4jE5RQ11ocwBq-5ou9VICXrzooMuI-R0zto2/s1600/kelsenelectric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5q1iyNnIVIkYXA08V_mrZWCaEvfH3UmIWfVjE1DWXhzvGR7Bftx5kRLqg6ymAgAGm93OWJPj08sRQHqp3FbXawgWZsYzu_TptFbMB_Vdx4jE5RQ11ocwBq-5ou9VICXrzooMuI-R0zto2/s400/kelsenelectric.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1971 Kelsen Sports Rider EV</span><a href="http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=1507&aid=443&pop=0" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </a><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Americans laugh from afar at the antics of European three-wheelers like the Reliant Robin, but there's something shameful in our attic: the Kelsen Sports Rider EV. While it looks like a cast-off from the rides of a traveling carnival, the Kelsen was sold to carry living people on public roads, its plain.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyPGRQ_PUizUOSxKb9HDaZQRElhD7sz-Ws6Ik6atrBQog_DRA636iZTgX6Hr5DIE6LcLWR8POP4Z0B0X4oRiobij_kp7Ae1sbNTokb9a5A_fgMkIW8AI8xtzq-fT9BAU5psor6HbsyamW/s1600/peterbuilt-pickup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyPGRQ_PUizUOSxKb9HDaZQRElhD7sz-Ws6Ik6atrBQog_DRA636iZTgX6Hr5DIE6LcLWR8POP4Z0B0X4oRiobij_kp7Ae1sbNTokb9a5A_fgMkIW8AI8xtzq-fT9BAU5psor6HbsyamW/s400/peterbuilt-pickup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are two ways to get that big rig feeling while driving a pickup: Convert your pickup into a faux Peterbilt, or take a real Peterbilt and cut it down to size with a pickup bed. This example took the latter course, preserving the Caterpillar diesel and 9-speed Eaton transmission of the original. Best of all, you don't need a commercial driver's license.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7TzrMb8mokI8OLD4b03ErFBbDxE4mvLpleyB3bPQSrLHCexNNSDOX6wnNv_l9maOrUo8DZxipiW65f6-00TxrfJsjVCLpj2LJPUi9KMf3Rloy5ICirlIO9Zs349BuHI1VUnHB1kAvM8A/s1600/submarine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7TzrMb8mokI8OLD4b03ErFBbDxE4mvLpleyB3bPQSrLHCexNNSDOX6wnNv_l9maOrUo8DZxipiW65f6-00TxrfJsjVCLpj2LJPUi9KMf3Rloy5ICirlIO9Zs349BuHI1VUnHB1kAvM8A/s400/submarine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><a href="http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=710.1&aid=443&pop=0" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1969 2-Man Sonar Submarine</a><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This Yellow Submarine comes with...wait for it...a guitar signed by Sir Paul McCartney. Since it's not actually usable as a submersible, you'll just have to sit inside and hum "Blue Jay Way" while imagining the depths of your nearest fish pond.</span></div>
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<br /><a href="http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=94&aid=443&pop=0">1952 Chevy Pickup ratrod</a><br />This slammed pickup has already sold for $28,600, because real "patina" -- i.e., rust in several shades of rust -- has become the hottest trend among rat rodders. Forget the Mercedes and Packards; this is the best example of why people sell their cars at Barrett-Jackson.</div>
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<br /><a href="http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=18&aid=443&pop=0">1973 Datsun Custom Roadster</a><br />Given the multi-million dollar prices commanded for '60s era Ferrari 250 GT Lussos, the market is clearly calling for increased supply to meet demand. One answer: Recreate the Ferrari body on a Datsun chassis. Impressimo!</div>
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<br /><a href="http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=656.1&aid=443&pop=0">1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette OSV #2</a><br />Barrett-Jackson often becomes the gateway for show cars of yesteryear from the SEMA conference, like this candy apple-red Oldsmobile Silhouette OSV. Because nothing got people excited for an Oldsmobile minivan like a one-off with custom wheels and floormats.</div>
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<br /><a href="http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=1296&aid=443&pop=0">2008 Devon GTX</a><br />Of all the rare cars at auction this week, only one can claim to be the stillborn plans for a 21st century American supercar. The Devon GTX was envisioned by its creators as a way to launch a supercar business using the tooling and parts of the Dodge Viper, which Chrysler attempted to sell before its bankruptcy in 2009. The Devon was a good-looking model, but with Chrysler now reviving the Viper on its own, there's little room for a privateer. </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-9171551054706781222012-01-26T05:09:00.000-08:002012-01-26T05:09:53.277-08:00Top 10 hacking scandals of 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27pQN5kbuWS03Oq9EzAA928DWP2H3agNzW1prC1xnR8n8YMQ6a69CHbSW5gs1vcZvTJ-UCDJOIXYuEyRJ6yX2sXJszWU2-Ref3Xq3jCbO07aMlMvyBmDPTM2R7v8gdUUflummbik8JVcV/s1600/rim-blackberry-logo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27pQN5kbuWS03Oq9EzAA928DWP2H3agNzW1prC1xnR8n8YMQ6a69CHbSW5gs1vcZvTJ-UCDJOIXYuEyRJ6yX2sXJszWU2-Ref3Xq3jCbO07aMlMvyBmDPTM2R7v8gdUUflummbik8JVcV/s640/rim-blackberry-logo-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As more and more</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">celebrities</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">join the social networking
bandwagon, they also become increasingly vulnerable to hacking. From
heads of states to Hollywood celebrities, this year saw a series of
hacking incidents involving high-profile victims. Check out the top 10
most controversial ones...</span></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Selena Gomez's Twitter and Facebook
fans woke up to an uncharacteristic post about her boyfriend Justin
Bieber. The venomous post screamed "Oh yeah, JUSTIN BIEBER
SUCKS!!!!!!!". The teen singer immediately clarified that it was a case
of hacking and she had nothing to do with the post.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher, who used to host the celebrity prank show, Punk'd,
got a taste of is medicine his Twitter account @aplusk was hacked. A
tweet sent to his followers said, "Ashton, you've been Punk'd. This
account is not secure. Dude, where's my SSL?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWL7GEVTn2Vsu58bm0ja-hg-uqdrfQutoAMPTleq5vaamrOBgitbQwpZUPPv6f3Z8dWFy2LkRbnf5CT-hEWNb0PvtBkNWrbzeNX3-V2N0AdJkRgTBMNUAMjYNHgAfybHflrrlB6ACszxV/s1600/Justin-Bieber-Selena-Gomez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWL7GEVTn2Vsu58bm0ja-hg-uqdrfQutoAMPTleq5vaamrOBgitbQwpZUPPv6f3Z8dWFy2LkRbnf5CT-hEWNb0PvtBkNWrbzeNX3-V2N0AdJkRgTBMNUAMjYNHgAfybHflrrlB6ACszxV/s400/Justin-Bieber-Selena-Gomez.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Kim
Kardashian went into a panic mode when her Twitter account was hacked
by internet pranksters this year. On discovering fake tweets posted by
an imposter, the socialite appealed to bosses of the site to help
restore the security on her account.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">In
one of the biggest data breaches, Sony admitted to an external
intrusion which exposed personal information of 77 million PlayStation
Network users. The PlayStation maker warned users that the hackers might
have access to customers' vital information, including names,
birthdates, physical and e-mail addresses, and logins, handles and
credit card details.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Hackers defaced a website belonging to Blackberry maker Research in Motion soon after the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>company
revealed its plans to support police investigating the London riots.
The hackers posted on the blog: "No Blackberry you will NOT assist the
police." Blackberry took off the blog briefly and restored it to its
original form.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">In
one of the most shocking security breach incident, around two lakhs
Facebook accounts were hacked in Bangalore. The users' photos and videos
were morphed and the sleazy links mailed to friends and families
overnight.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOqCOAqjh_H1pwOyyLapcxhtvARfZpFxV2F1Ah8E6iqyM1Nne0EgqIaVbEGWrwl74z6hEYOaiivmu_3ApLtvSQLUl0xiNT0T6eZwa7eEgXU0pfYV2ltLUu6VLOIf-v_KjWgSmXBN-xwJ-/s1600/Facebook-Zuckerberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOqCOAqjh_H1pwOyyLapcxhtvARfZpFxV2F1Ah8E6iqyM1Nne0EgqIaVbEGWrwl74z6hEYOaiivmu_3ApLtvSQLUl0xiNT0T6eZwa7eEgXU0pfYV2ltLUu6VLOIf-v_KjWgSmXBN-xwJ-/s400/Facebook-Zuckerberg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">A scam on Lady Gaga's Facebook page
fooled many fans into clicking the link to win an iPad. The contest
rules and registration were presented as a link to a Blogspot page.
"Lady Gaga's new iPad comes out in 3 days! So for the next 72 hours we
will be hosting a massive giveaway to all the Mother Monster fans. Sign up and receive your special Lady Gaga edition iPad in time for the Holidays!"
hackers posted on her Facebook page. The presence of the fake iPad
offer didn't go unnoticed, and was taken down within an hour.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Hackers played a cruel<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>joke<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>on French
President Nicolas Sarkozy when they posted a fake resignation letter
from his Facebook page. The post, which went out to more than 350,000
'friends' of the head of the state read like this: "Dear compatriots,
given the exceptional circumstances our country is experiencing, I have
decided in my spirit and conscience not to run for office again at the
end of my mandate in 2012".</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidR8SCNw12mYUYNbjXhyphenhyphensAArmIIdrX-KU96Wrt6GcPgAwItkW49M6VIMngXNjK8t9eceKhNaWnL22cDHojpP1BhS7jJTpIu3f_IdKPNR__pSoUwO5bTxa5sdNxFHmdq_q5o2QRuL5nI0ia/s1600/French-president-Nicolas--007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidR8SCNw12mYUYNbjXhyphenhyphensAArmIIdrX-KU96Wrt6GcPgAwItkW49M6VIMngXNjK8t9eceKhNaWnL22cDHojpP1BhS7jJTpIu3f_IdKPNR__pSoUwO5bTxa5sdNxFHmdq_q5o2QRuL5nI0ia/s400/French-president-Nicolas--007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> Thailand's
Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, fell victim to the hacking menace
when her Twitter account was hacked. Her followers received tweets
criticizing her political experience and incompetence. The tweets also
suggested that she was her brother's (former Prime Minister - Thaksin
Shinawatra) puppet.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF_50R9mwWa419XW2I2Nf7iIa0VOyzcVxyjkgLHOm_lbTfneeSc7rY8_KrxcW2O6J5UJAWKLx6-NhqZNpuD8F3U_lknFm2MoeqZeYBiKkJoql1u2g2FjdkrfYaNzBzQshSuOp6dsHc0Lz/s1600/Yingluck-Shinawatra-2011-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzF_50R9mwWa419XW2I2Nf7iIa0VOyzcVxyjkgLHOm_lbTfneeSc7rY8_KrxcW2O6J5UJAWKLx6-NhqZNpuD8F3U_lknFm2MoeqZeYBiKkJoql1u2g2FjdkrfYaNzBzQshSuOp6dsHc0Lz/s400/Yingluck-Shinawatra-2011-007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">While
celebrities and popular figures have been the target of hackers, it was
media house Fox News who faced their ire in July this year. In a
gruesome joke, the hackers tweeted the death of president Obama. Some of
the tweets read like this: @BarackObama has just passed. The President
is dead. A sad 4th of July, indeed. President Barack Obama is dead."
This was followed by more on the same lines claiming that Obama was shot
at a restaurant while campaigning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgmf0r8G7irvqNQ8Rvi4O6_hjnnVhNPltONMYP4PbqeUd7ZFHV_TjVP6hWNCeA2ggh983DKLO8Fs1kwoPpjL5XbjRRTYaemnjnGgkCqSHwoimmOD9GBkO-19ASlvgZmIUzUSWRU1RFIEJ/s1600/fox-news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgmf0r8G7irvqNQ8Rvi4O6_hjnnVhNPltONMYP4PbqeUd7ZFHV_TjVP6hWNCeA2ggh983DKLO8Fs1kwoPpjL5XbjRRTYaemnjnGgkCqSHwoimmOD9GBkO-19ASlvgZmIUzUSWRU1RFIEJ/s400/fox-news.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-34170964111527168062012-01-25T03:02:00.000-08:002012-01-25T03:02:10.422-08:00Top 10 Unbelievable Prison Smuggling Stories<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2shUMrZyMIlxa0-asC8nKQrZkF1IG19vG9N36kyDujV2-4MXZZ9EKvThPi8lZKEe7wYDVRlYeBs8UqoNNzy_K3kiXBoNqzx4d-mONpdc533LxvIWKHlyf_Op1Fx3HPSC_RYmiqS4o-bc/s1600/prison+break+in+a+suitcase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2shUMrZyMIlxa0-asC8nKQrZkF1IG19vG9N36kyDujV2-4MXZZ9EKvThPi8lZKEe7wYDVRlYeBs8UqoNNzy_K3kiXBoNqzx4d-mONpdc533LxvIWKHlyf_Op1Fx3HPSC_RYmiqS4o-bc/s640/prison+break+in+a+suitcase.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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People have been smuggling things from explosives to exotic birds into prisons for years.</div>
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Here's oddyfunny list of the best ways to smuggle banned goods into prison.</div>
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<br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The inmate who had condom stuffed with 30 items crammed up his anus</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOikOXEHJpanEsrTySj30NzNJHZo6JNXeGZUYISFY0no5zeRJbQwyRZ_9Ah98DQQibM0H-99-KiYnIA96XWoS7CTX-YFhdjSGlppSI6Sarpx13SDcXkIX7de2vI3QazKvJ3roeFROeuOc/s1600/condom+stuffed+with+30+items+crammed+up+his+anus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOikOXEHJpanEsrTySj30NzNJHZo6JNXeGZUYISFY0no5zeRJbQwyRZ_9Ah98DQQibM0H-99-KiYnIA96XWoS7CTX-YFhdjSGlppSI6Sarpx13SDcXkIX7de2vI3QazKvJ3roeFROeuOc/s400/condom+stuffed+with+30+items+crammed+up+his+anus.jpg" width="318" /> </a></div>
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Florida prison <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3">officials</span> found 17 Oxycodone <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD4">pills</span>, 1 cigarette, 6 matches, 1 flint, 1 empty syringe with an eraser over the needle part, 1 <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2">lip balm</span> container, 1 condom, 1 CVS receipt, and a coupon ... in Neil Lansing's, 34, rectum.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The woman who tried to sneak husband out of jail in suitcase </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2shUMrZyMIlxa0-asC8nKQrZkF1IG19vG9N36kyDujV2-4MXZZ9EKvThPi8lZKEe7wYDVRlYeBs8UqoNNzy_K3kiXBoNqzx4d-mONpdc533LxvIWKHlyf_Op1Fx3HPSC_RYmiqS4o-bc/s1600/prison+break+in+a+suitcase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2shUMrZyMIlxa0-asC8nKQrZkF1IG19vG9N36kyDujV2-4MXZZ9EKvThPi8lZKEe7wYDVRlYeBs8UqoNNzy_K3kiXBoNqzx4d-mONpdc533LxvIWKHlyf_Op1Fx3HPSC_RYmiqS4o-bc/s400/prison+break+in+a+suitcase.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Police in Chetumal, Mexico say a woman was caught trying to sneak her
common-law husband out of a Mexican prison in a suitcase following a
conjugal visit. Prison guards checked the bag of 19-year-old Maria del
Mar Arjona and found inmate Juan Ramirez Tijerina curled up inside in
the fetal <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD7">position</span>.<br />Her husband is currently serving a 20-year sentence for illegal <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD8">weapons possession</span></div>
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<br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The obese inmate who tried to smuggled gun under his fat rolls</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNypmk0P5eFT2RxiS-BC_d6Co_Chyphenhyphenj2Bx4jft6E6vSq2rkMue0XVf5lXbpMNA0PpMYJQJzvCSpCUeaeqHGfT37Z6bX70-224kia1bFMWH4y-mo7WbhtXRMWFOjB9AO7yvLhv9TrSGfwJmc/s1600/The+obese+inmate+who+tried+to+smuggled+gun+under+his+fat+rolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNypmk0P5eFT2RxiS-BC_d6Co_Chyphenhyphenj2Bx4jft6E6vSq2rkMue0XVf5lXbpMNA0PpMYJQJzvCSpCUeaeqHGfT37Z6bX70-224kia1bFMWH4y-mo7WbhtXRMWFOjB9AO7yvLhv9TrSGfwJmc/s400/The+obese+inmate+who+tried+to+smuggled+gun+under+his+fat+rolls.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
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A 500-lb. inmate at a Texas prison was able to sneak a gun past prison
guards after cleverly using his fat flab to his advantage. George Vera
smuggled an unloaded 9mm pistol past several frisks and searches by
wedging the gun between his fat folds.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The gang members who stashed cell phones in their backsides</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_4L-_UPJ3C3ywzViMuY243FaD7LSxuwZTypsG7G3uWg-76fczg4VnZgE_dwAjxEDok3QYb06aiOcwJLnf8ygNTr5K3be0Raa1Rnk1fu-z8xBfktqeIAco76rTXpn6UJTeyFAAIAE6NFC/s1600/The+gang+members+who+stashed+cell+phones+in+their+backsides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_4L-_UPJ3C3ywzViMuY243FaD7LSxuwZTypsG7G3uWg-76fczg4VnZgE_dwAjxEDok3QYb06aiOcwJLnf8ygNTr5K3be0Raa1Rnk1fu-z8xBfktqeIAco76rTXpn6UJTeyFAAIAE6NFC/s400/The+gang+members+who+stashed+cell+phones+in+their+backsides.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A Mexican prison gang all got caught hiding cell phones inside their
backsides. Guards were tipped off by one of the gang member's mother who
complained to them that her son couldn't get good reception in his
cell. After not finding any cell phones in their bunks, they had them
all x-rayed, where they found the devices neatly packed away. No wonder
her son had crappy reception.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />The inmate whose family melted drugs drawn into children's coloring book</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOKDlD68U_0-6hb3Bs3dEtsLPKID4ORSKerNJ_exH55gZncxMzyx5wHSis1pZ2brcViWy5tiovxoavdnzxJ38A0vbrWKStrDHx5Ntw65DKwonGpWGrupDlsAzwStj7sfM7SKrgwHaIJz8/s1600/The+inmate+whose+family+melted+drugs+drawn+into+children%2527s+coloring+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOKDlD68U_0-6hb3Bs3dEtsLPKID4ORSKerNJ_exH55gZncxMzyx5wHSis1pZ2brcViWy5tiovxoavdnzxJ38A0vbrWKStrDHx5Ntw65DKwonGpWGrupDlsAzwStj7sfM7SKrgwHaIJz8/s400/The+inmate+whose+family+melted+drugs+drawn+into+children%2527s+coloring+book.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Three inmates and their loved ones tried to smuggle drugs into a New Jersey jail on the pages of a children's <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD11">coloring</span> book. The drug called subozone, is normally used to treat heroin addiction but is <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD5">classified</span> as a controlled dangerous substance, and was dissolved into a paste and then painted into the coloring book. Scribbled at the top of the offending pages were the words "To Daddy". <br /><br />Charged
in the case were prisoners Zachary Hirsch, Charles Markham and Paul
Scipione. Also charged were Markham's mother, Debbie Longo, of West
Wildwood, New Jersey, and Katelyn Mosbach, of Trevose, Pennsylvania, who
was still being sought.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Columbian inmates who trained drug smuggling pigeons</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4fxYlPsyvuV0BRD5JPWCH9F34uZgWU6U3Uf6ZppgODSuHz0B-ERzKeqKxe7z15ROVgBDL-x7zv1lDSt-Iwzeb2Y59EjW-x_yUOzxokfCeR1DgBYg5AvyKLAk6WiMsZ8poofcpzQCaEk9/s1600/The+Columbian+inmates+who+trained+drug+smuggling+pigeons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4fxYlPsyvuV0BRD5JPWCH9F34uZgWU6U3Uf6ZppgODSuHz0B-ERzKeqKxe7z15ROVgBDL-x7zv1lDSt-Iwzeb2Y59EjW-x_yUOzxokfCeR1DgBYg5AvyKLAk6WiMsZ8poofcpzQCaEk9/s400/The+Columbian+inmates+who+trained+drug+smuggling+pigeons.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Inmates and their accomplices in Columbia used trained pigeons to
smuggle both drugs and cell phone parts into the prison courtyard. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD10">The plan</span>
was foiled only because prisoners got greedy and overloaded cargo,
causing the pigeons to be found by police a block away from the prison.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The strippers who were smuggled into a Miami jail posing as paralegals </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcrR13cDKXwgXKeWkFsnJUM1v6GOV228sA9TJzgy1sK-6OKJ2lJ48H9MZY8RJ5XFtga0_p0uyuqS9dlGDkUxvfssC_h5FhlnuA60vgVUvhzMiodFliizFXzq3F5u6xmveZBZk1VARKDMf/s1600/The+strippers+who+were+smuggled+into+a+Miami+jail+posing+as+paralegals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcrR13cDKXwgXKeWkFsnJUM1v6GOV228sA9TJzgy1sK-6OKJ2lJ48H9MZY8RJ5XFtga0_p0uyuqS9dlGDkUxvfssC_h5FhlnuA60vgVUvhzMiodFliizFXzq3F5u6xmveZBZk1VARKDMf/s400/The+strippers+who+were+smuggled+into+a+Miami+jail+posing+as+paralegals.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Wealthy drug lords behind bars in a Maximum Security Federal Detention
Center in Miami figured out a way to get strippers into prison. They had
their expensive lawyers hire the strippers and pose them as paralegals
or legal <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD12">assistants</span>. Supposedly,
the women not only would take off their tops and let the men touch
them, but they also snuck in items such as Playboy magazines, alcohol,
and money.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />The prison guard who attempted to deliver a heroin burrito to inmate</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4_NK_5GzAIUulq3Lp6-SBKK_4fyA5qnlrdFovYwx3D2bWGreEzTIA-GdHqsETGCxg6m6nEx8l8MzXol5-n5kRhMgWeHNfhDcflolbMwfAcg-zOfjkHk3jzZlFz_V3_asLYJntjzDE3hy/s1600/The+prison+guard+who+attempted+to+deliver+a+heroin+burrito+to+inmate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4_NK_5GzAIUulq3Lp6-SBKK_4fyA5qnlrdFovYwx3D2bWGreEzTIA-GdHqsETGCxg6m6nEx8l8MzXol5-n5kRhMgWeHNfhDcflolbMwfAcg-zOfjkHk3jzZlFz_V3_asLYJntjzDE3hy/s400/The+prison+guard+who+attempted+to+deliver+a+heroin+burrito+to+inmate.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sometimes the criminals aren't the ones behind the bars, they are the ones outside of them. <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1">Los Angeles County Sheriff</span>
deputy Henry Marin, 27, attempted to bring a heroin-stuffed burrito
into a courthouse jail for an inmate. Supposedly, this wasn't the first
time the sheriff deputy engaged in this type of conduct and is now no
longer watching prisoners or delivering burritos.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The arrested man who had a gun hidden in his rectum </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41lDViM7qKDPBA-GOZhvulh0V0419fCVYizEKabCBWQCtBPe8ALEauzvtnEs7saKeqYWaQqbTR_rgcQoNVhQqc_i61UeE7n5BtMAla_GRwYa8cWsOyj9QRmd-9BzaEuTLM2q2TZwGe9M1/s1600/The+arrested+man+who+had+a+gun+hidden+in+his+rectum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41lDViM7qKDPBA-GOZhvulh0V0419fCVYizEKabCBWQCtBPe8ALEauzvtnEs7saKeqYWaQqbTR_rgcQoNVhQqc_i61UeE7n5BtMAla_GRwYa8cWsOyj9QRmd-9BzaEuTLM2q2TZwGe9M1/s400/The+arrested+man+who+had+a+gun+hidden+in+his+rectum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Michael Leon Ward from North Carolina was arrested and apparently stashed a .38 <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD9">barrel</span>
revolver in his rectum. According to police, the unloaded 10-inch
weapon was not discovered until after the suspect had been booked into a
cell in the county jail and had a thorough strip search. Thankfully the
gun was unloaded.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />The father who had heroin stored in his anus to be given to inmate son through french kiss </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC6iStJDx1iD26ERZ0ytkPxgAIQ5Cah2wkhCAibi8XISoZYwOQaQSMWhzWNPO-LhSPbNc5oBmTh584pPCMg6Tns4zJ-QNkGtvSvQYP1C5AKyoeHBHKWhTio4a1de1IcTfwzVVbNwsMlZt/s1600/The+father+who+had+heroin+stored+in+his+anus+to+be+given+to+inmate+son+through+french+kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC6iStJDx1iD26ERZ0ytkPxgAIQ5Cah2wkhCAibi8XISoZYwOQaQSMWhzWNPO-LhSPbNc5oBmTh584pPCMg6Tns4zJ-QNkGtvSvQYP1C5AKyoeHBHKWhTio4a1de1IcTfwzVVbNwsMlZt/s400/The+father+who+had+heroin+stored+in+his+anus+to+be+given+to+inmate+son+through+french+kiss.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD6">Colorado</span> father and his inmate son tried to come up with a plan to smuggle heroin into prison. The plan was made through a series of phone calls between the two but, little did they know, authorities were listening. The plan
was for the heroin to be brought into the prison by a female accomplice
and then give to the son via a mouth-to-mouth kiss. The father, Mr.
Donald Denney, 56, unable to locate a woman with a clean record to visit
the prison, decided he would do it himself. Needless to say,
authorities were waiting, and after a search found the heroin firmly
planted where it shouldn't have been. </div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-13899010958248433762011-11-21T00:04:00.001-08:002011-11-21T02:16:42.281-08:00List of the oldest buildings in the world<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Nf7hl-ygBcUvVRkwisFuOyeUDqkv_kGnBYaurEoi1W4APhArAStt4KGWZpG48sAdIX7ttXhhoQBDT_gpyrW7ZDEwfpsndmysgS7EkYF2IWpgMg5n2sITa3vRW1xCM67GT-W2dYxs8HIZ/s1600/Newgrange+-+ireland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Nf7hl-ygBcUvVRkwisFuOyeUDqkv_kGnBYaurEoi1W4APhArAStt4KGWZpG48sAdIX7ttXhhoQBDT_gpyrW7ZDEwfpsndmysgS7EkYF2IWpgMg5n2sITa3vRW1xCM67GT-W2dYxs8HIZ/s640/Newgrange+-+ireland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This article attempts to list the oldest <b>extant</b> freestanding buildings constructed in the world, including on each of the continents and within each country.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Megalithic Temples of Malta</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqghfcRjdLOUCn4bStKBgz2BuOTBzc5Z9VQfEjlV8Nl2fDNDTasohR21qYqdGLnpnznPgE5HEQranOoUuduqZ95-niUJK2j9Sz5C-rElu3d8Tk9E3DoPFoOnHWJmsKK0MA9xyEqkJCFUOn/s1600/Megalithic+Temples+of+Malta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqghfcRjdLOUCn4bStKBgz2BuOTBzc5Z9VQfEjlV8Nl2fDNDTasohR21qYqdGLnpnznPgE5HEQranOoUuduqZ95-niUJK2j9Sz5C-rElu3d8Tk9E3DoPFoOnHWJmsKK0MA9xyEqkJCFUOn/s640/Megalithic+Temples+of+Malta.JPG" width="427" /></a> </div>
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The Megalithic Temples of Malta are a series of prehistoric monuments in Malta of which seven are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Archaeologists believe that these megalithic complexes are the result of local innovations in a process of cultural evolution.This led to the building of several temples of the Ġgantija phase (3600-3000 BC), culminating in the large Tarxien temple complex, which remained in use until 2500 BC. After this date, the temple building culture disappeared.<br />
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The Ġgantija temples (two sites) were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.In 1992, the UNESCO Committee further extended the existing listing to include five other megalithic temple sites. These are Ħaġar Qim (in Qrendi), Mnajdra (in Qrendi) , Ta' Ħaġrat Temples (in Mġarr), Skorba Temples (in Żebbiegħ) and Tarxien Temples (in Tarxien). Nowadays, the sites are managed by Heritage Malta, while ownership of the surrounding lands varies from site to site. They are the oldest free-standing structures on Earth.<br />
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Other sites apart from those included in the UNESCO World Heritage list include Borġ in-Nadur (in Birżebbuġa), Kordin III, Il-Bidni, Xemxija Temple,Hal Ginwi Temples, Tal-Quadi(fr, ru), Ta' Marżiena, Ta' Raddiena, L-Imramma Temple, Buggiba, Santa Verna,Tas-Silġ (in Żejtun) and a complex network of tracks gouged in the rock Misraħ Għar il-Kbir (in Dingli) and other.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Knap of Howar</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSdH-KGpM8dm1voEbMZv3-jeYzDKXlunbJo2zguGvsA_kgVQYdzjUnjLpbBBthm63jx9VqmTRQ_v1q7qXfFxCB7oazpBZxsTk74B4iKuBZlm-QaZD1BxzCCqJc_hgn1xiFsw5p3JfvTKm/s1600/Knap+of+Howar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSdH-KGpM8dm1voEbMZv3-jeYzDKXlunbJo2zguGvsA_kgVQYdzjUnjLpbBBthm63jx9VqmTRQ_v1q7qXfFxCB7oazpBZxsTk74B4iKuBZlm-QaZD1BxzCCqJc_hgn1xiFsw5p3JfvTKm/s640/Knap+of+Howar.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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At Knap of Howar on the island of Papa Westray in Orkney, Scotland, a Neolithic farmstead may be the oldest preserved stone house in northern Europe. Radiocarbon dating shows that it was occupied from 3700 BC to 2800 BC, earlier than the similar houses in the settlement at Skara Brae on the Orkney Mainland.</div>
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The farmstead consists of two adjacent rounded rectangular thick-walled buildings with very low doorways facing the sea. The larger and older structure is linked by a low passageway to the other building, which has been interpreted as a workshop or a second house. They were constructed on an earlier midden, and were surrounded by midden material which has protected them. There are no windows; the structures were presumably lit by fire, with a hole in the roof to let out smoke. Though they now stand close to the shore, they would have originally lay inland. The shore shows how the local stone splits into thin slabs, giving a ready source of construction material.</div>
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The walls still stand to an eaves height of 1.6m, and the stone furniture is intact giving a vivid impression of life in the house. Fireplaces, partition screens, beds and storage shelves are almost intact, and post holes were found indicating the roof structure.<br />
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Evidence from the middens shows that the inhabitants were keeping cattle, sheep and pigs, cultivating barley and wheat and gathering shellfish as well as fishing for species which have to be line caught using boats.<br />
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Finds of finely-made and decorated Unstan ware pottery link the inhabitants to chambered cairn tombs nearby and to sites far afield including Balbridie and Eilean Domhnuill. The name Howar is believed to be derived from Old Norse word haugr meaning mounds or barrows. The site is in the care of Historic Scotland.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Newgrange</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Nf7hl-ygBcUvVRkwisFuOyeUDqkv_kGnBYaurEoi1W4APhArAStt4KGWZpG48sAdIX7ttXhhoQBDT_gpyrW7ZDEwfpsndmysgS7EkYF2IWpgMg5n2sITa3vRW1xCM67GT-W2dYxs8HIZ/s1600/Newgrange+-+ireland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Nf7hl-ygBcUvVRkwisFuOyeUDqkv_kGnBYaurEoi1W4APhArAStt4KGWZpG48sAdIX7ttXhhoQBDT_gpyrW7ZDEwfpsndmysgS7EkYF2IWpgMg5n2sITa3vRW1xCM67GT-W2dYxs8HIZ/s640/Newgrange+-+ireland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument located in County Meath, on the eastern side of Ireland, about one kilometre north of the River Boyne.It was built around 3200 BC during the Neolithic period. There is no agreement about what the site was used for, but it has been speculated that it had some form of religious significance because it is aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice, which floods the stone room with light. Newgrange is also older than Stonehenge and the great pyramids of Giza It is in fact just one monument within the Neolithic Brú na Bóinne complex, alongside the similar passage tomb mounds of Knowth and Dowth, and as such is a part of the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site. Newgrange also shares many similarities with other Neolithic constructions around Western Europe, such as Maeshowe tomb in Orkney, Scotland and the Bryn Celli Ddu site in Wales.<br />
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After its initial use, the entrance to Newgrange was sealed and it remained closed for several millennia, subsequently gaining several associations in local folklore and mythology. It first began to be studied as a prehistoric monument by antiquarians in the seventeenth century AD, and over subsequent centuries various archaeological excavations took place at the site before it was largely restored to an interpretation of its original Neolithic appearance by conservators in the 1970s. Today, Newgrange is a popular tourist site, and according to the archaeologist Colin Renfrew, is "unhesitatingly regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of Ireland" and is also widely recognised as one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hulbjerg Jættestue</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtNGuLtPN26CikTF8Epw3JE7veifCgnOinTnecmXF0ogCuGg6QXbTJbS8-iG9EIvt8FaCx03tQyAQeij9OvUuGjO5t3JB3x630n-CTjwI3_2BZEuGHPDp5a0dLoLR7pE0OPFiX3Y7L_f9/s1600/Hulbjerg+J%25C3%25A6ttestue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtNGuLtPN26CikTF8Epw3JE7veifCgnOinTnecmXF0ogCuGg6QXbTJbS8-iG9EIvt8FaCx03tQyAQeij9OvUuGjO5t3JB3x630n-CTjwI3_2BZEuGHPDp5a0dLoLR7pE0OPFiX3Y7L_f9/s640/Hulbjerg+J%25C3%25A6ttestue.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The Hulbjerg passage grave is concealed by a round barrow on the
southern tip of the island of Langeland. The walls of the 6.5m by 1.7m
chamber consisting of 13 large uprights, tightly compacted with a fine
wall of hewn stone tiles. When the Hulbjerg passage grave was excavated,
archaeologists found the remains of 40 individuals who had been buried
at different periods of the Neolithic Age. One of the skulls showed
traces of the world's earliest dentistry work.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Monte d'Accoddi</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL89_oUxr2VyokKMz4OfK0OMkWooCH3OhIXp4dhAQBBXGzpHfPLI4g5ydiWgAvcgUrBDAdI22_EiX-pPFXTt4yzL8h-pRrWeylaoIuyNjrIOc2RG7AUfzzMN6XFIoSajWzT4UnFDMDWcEC/s1600/Monte+d%2527Accoddi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL89_oUxr2VyokKMz4OfK0OMkWooCH3OhIXp4dhAQBBXGzpHfPLI4g5ydiWgAvcgUrBDAdI22_EiX-pPFXTt4yzL8h-pRrWeylaoIuyNjrIOc2RG7AUfzzMN6XFIoSajWzT4UnFDMDWcEC/s640/Monte+d%2527Accoddi.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Monte d'Accoddi is an archaeological site in northern Sardinia, between Sassari and Porto Torres.<br />
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It is the site of a megalithic structure dated to around 2700=2000 BC[1] and discovered in 1954. The structure has a base of 27 m by 27 m and probably reached a height of 5.5 m. It culminated in a platform of about 12.5 m by 7.2 m, accessible via a ramp. It has been variously described as an altar, a temple or a step pyramid. It has been partially reconstructed during the 1980s.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pyramid of Djoser</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYzVwieqqd-V7t4cSniUbbRttw9p-UEoMmOe1S7gW3UJ8Qa-BQTSQKrH4Z6G1-Mdd7Hhnf6eYNbl-kpOsb0eibp_xno_SouI-p5yzVtF7rEjRoqA6yEOwzFKMkiALCnV2hIcmIXMJ7f6c/s1600/Pyramid+of+Djoser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYzVwieqqd-V7t4cSniUbbRttw9p-UEoMmOe1S7gW3UJ8Qa-BQTSQKrH4Z6G1-Mdd7Hhnf6eYNbl-kpOsb0eibp_xno_SouI-p5yzVtF7rEjRoqA6yEOwzFKMkiALCnV2hIcmIXMJ7f6c/s640/Pyramid+of+Djoser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Pyramid of Djoser (Zoser), or step pyramid (kbhw-ntrw in Egyptian) is an archeological remain in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the city of Memphis. It was built for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser by his vizier Imhotep, during the 27th century BC. It is the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration.<br />
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This first Egyptian pyramid consisted of six mastabas (of decreasing size) built atop one another in what were clearly revisions and developments of the original plan. The pyramid originally stood 62 metres (203 ft) tall, with a base of 109 × 125 m (358 × 410 ft) and was clad in polished white limestone. The step pyramid (or proto-pyramid) is considered to be the earliest large-scale cut stone construction, although the nearby enclosure known as Gisr el-mudir would seem to predate the complex. The oldest known uncut stone pyramid structure dates to 3000 BC in the city of Caral, Peru.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Caral</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmJp66aDu31hKIU-xJTN0suBWdf2E1N643P3FK31YoRfWV13_lJwK1MhRGB_wvnDueqxHyjSn1osLwCVEmMNeY_QDGlLhaCW5v1ahpSsXyXv0Zbpe9htCa44fvQAWeR7PVD8uSxVuXy_p/s1600/Caral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmJp66aDu31hKIU-xJTN0suBWdf2E1N643P3FK31YoRfWV13_lJwK1MhRGB_wvnDueqxHyjSn1osLwCVEmMNeY_QDGlLhaCW5v1ahpSsXyXv0Zbpe9htCa44fvQAWeR7PVD8uSxVuXy_p/s640/Caral.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Caral was a large settlement in the Supe Valley, near Supe, Barranca province, Peru, some 200 km north of Lima. Caral is the most ancient city of the Americas, and is a well-studied site of the Caral civilization or Norte Chico civilization.</div>
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Paul Kosok discovered Caral in 1948, but it received little attention until recently because it appeared to lack many typical artifacts that were sought at archeological sites throughout the Andes at the time. Archaeologist Ruth Shady further explored the 5,000 year-old city of pyramids in the Peruvian desert, with its elaborate complex of temples, an amphitheater and ordinary houses. The urban complex is spread out over 150 acres (607,000 m²) and contains plazas and residential buildings. Caral was a thriving metropolis at roughly the same time that Egypt's great pyramids were being built.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Great Pyramid of Giza</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqYUOYxw8c7-bu9pYFDW5eCbe_A3uSpBhKzJWi9jkcKXfaRLw6g4AmWrR3Xo6PGlHHFdgAyCcr5utUjhb7yV1ZL7-AFbLOR6xBLg7DU5QnohxEWCV8U2qJmVHaasVH9PsrdWFtH3YpgVr/s1600/Great+Pyramid+of+Giza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqYUOYxw8c7-bu9pYFDW5eCbe_A3uSpBhKzJWi9jkcKXfaRLw6g4AmWrR3Xo6PGlHHFdgAyCcr5utUjhb7yV1ZL7-AFbLOR6xBLg7DU5QnohxEWCV8U2qJmVHaasVH9PsrdWFtH3YpgVr/s640/Great+Pyramid+of+Giza.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Great Pyramid of Giza (called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. Egyptologists believe that the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) over an approximately 20 year period concluding around 2560 BC. Initially at 146.5 metres (480.6 ft), the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years, the longest period of time ever held for such a record. Originally, the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface; what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base. There have been varying scientific and alternative theories about the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction hypotheses are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.<br />
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There are three known chambers inside the Great Pyramid. The lowest chamber is cut into the bedrock upon which the pyramid was built and was unfinished. The so-called Queen's Chamber and King's Chamber are higher up within the pyramid structure. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only pyramid in Egypt known to contain both ascending and descending passages. The main part of the Giza complex is a setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honor of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small mastaba tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Treasury of Atreus</b></span></div>
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The Treasury of Atreus or Tomb of Agamemnon is an impressive "tholos" tomb on the Panagitsa Hill at Mycenae, Greece, constructed during the Bronze Age around 1250 BCE. The lintel stone above the doorway weighs 120 tons, the largest in the world. The tomb was used for an unknown period of time. Mentioned by Pausanias, it was still visible in 1879 when the German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the shaft graves under the 'agora' in the Acropolis at Mycenae.<br />
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The tomb perhaps held the remains of the sovereign who completed the reconstruction of the fortress or one of his successors. The grave is in the style of the other tholoi of the Mycenaean World, of which there are nine in total around the citadel of Mycenae and five more in the Argolid. However, in its monumental shape and grandeur it is one of the most impressive monuments surviving from Mycenaean Greece.<br />
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It is formed of a semi-subterranean room of circular plan, with a corbel arch covering that is ogival in section. With an interior height of 13.5m and a diameter of 14.5m, it was the tallest and widest dome in the world for over a thousand years until construction of the Temple of Hermes in Baiae and the Pantheon in Rome. Great care was taken in the positioning of the enormous stones, to guarantee the vault's stability over time in bearing the force of compression from its own weight. This obtained a perfectly smoothed internal surface, onto which could be placed gold, silver and bronze decoration.</div>
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The tholos was entered from an inclined uncovered hall or dromos, 36 meters long and with dry-stone walls. A short passage led from the tholos chamber to the actual burial chamber, which was dug out in a nearly cubical shape.<br />
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The entrance portal to the tumulus was richly decorated: half-columns in green limestone with zig-zag motifs on the shaft, a frieze with rosettes above the architrave of the door, and spiral decoration in bands of red marble that closed the triangular aperture above an architrave. Segments of the columns and architraves were removed by Lord Elgin in the early nineteenth century and are now held by the British Museum. The capitals are influenced by ancient Egyptian examples, and one is in the Pergamon Museum as part of the Antikensammlung Berlin. Other decorative elements were inlaid with red porphyry and green alabaster, a surprising luxury for the Bronze Age.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Naveta des Tudons</b></span></div>
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The Naveta des Tudons is the most famous megalithic chamber tomb in Minorca. It was used between 1200 and 750 BC. It is a collective tomb which contained, when it was discovered in 1975 at list 100 men and different objects like bronze bracelets or bone and ceramic buttons.<br />
The most usual shape for navetas is an inverted boat. That gives them their name. They are chronologically prior to talaiotic culture and age. They are still built with big stones - orthostates - that cover their walls and are placed in a vertical position. <br />
Currently it is restored and opened to the public for visits. It is one of the symbols and main tourist attractions of Minorca. It is located in the road Me-1, km. 40, between Ciutadella de Menorca and Ferreries.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The King's Grave</b></span></div>
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The King's Grave near Kivik (Kungagraven i Kivik, Kiviksgraven) in the southeastern portion of the Swedish province of Skåne is what remains of an unusually grand Nordic Bronze Age double burial c. 1000 BC.</div>
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The King's Grave near Kivik (Kungagraven i Kivik, Kiviksgraven) in the southeastern portion of the Swedish province of Skåne is what remains of an unusually grand Nordic Bronze Age double burial c. 1000 BC.</div>
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The site is located about 320 metres (1,050 ft) from the shore of the eastern coast of Scania in southernmost Sweden. In spite of the facts that the site has been used as a quarry, with its stones carried off for other uses, and that it was restored carelessly once it was known to be an ancient burial, these two burials are unique.<br />
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In both construction and in size—it is a circular site measuring 75 metres (246 ft) in diameter—this tomb differs from most European burials from the Bronze Age. Most importantly, the cists are adorned with petroglyphs. The images carved into the stones depict people, animals (including birds and fish), ships, lurs being played, symbols, and a chariot drawn by two horses and having four-spoked wheels.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> Parthenon</b></span></div>
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The Parthenon (Ancient Greek: Παρθενών) is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although decorations of the Parthenon continued until 432 BC. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, generally considered the culmination of the development of the Doric order. Its decorative sculptures are considered some of the high points of Greek art. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece and of Athenian democracy and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. The Greek Ministry of Culture is currently carrying out a program of selective restoration and reconstruction to ensure the stability of the partially ruined <br />
The Parthenon itself replaced an older temple of Athena, which historians call the Pre-Parthenon or Older Parthenon, that was destroyed in the Persian invasion of 480 BC. The temple is archaeoastronomically aligned to the Pleiades.most Greek temples, the Parthenon was used as a treasury. For a time, it served as the treasury of the Delian League, which later became the Athenian Empire. In the 5th century AD, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. After the Ottoman Turk conquest, it was turned into a mosque in the early 1460s, and it had a minaret built in it. On 26 September 1687, an Ottoman Turk ammunition dump inside the building was ignited by Venetian bombardment. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and its sculptures. In 1806, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin removed some of the surviving sculptures, with the Ottoman Turks' permission. These sculptures, now known as the Elgin Marbles or the Parthenon Marbles, were sold in 1816 to the British Museum in London, where they are now displayed. The Greek government is committed to the return of the sculptures to Greece, so far with no success.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sanchi Stupa</b></span></div>
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Sanchi is a small village in Raisen District of the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, it is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Vidisha in the central part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the location of several Buddhist monuments dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE and is one of the important places of Buddhist pilgrimage. It is a nagar panchayat in Raisen district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Toranas surround the Stupa and they each represent love, peace, trust, and courage.<br /><br />The 'Great Stupa' at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha. It was crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolising high rank, which was intended to honour and shelter the relics. It has four profusely carved ornamental gateways and a balustrade encircling the whole structure.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Broch of Mousa</b></span><br />
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Broch of Mousa is the finest preserved example of a broch or round tower in Shetland, Scotland. It is the tallest still standing in the world and amongst the best-preserved prehistoric buildings in Europe. It is thought to have been constructed circa 100 BC, one of 570 brochs built throughout Scotland. The site is managed by Historic Scotland.<br />
It has one of the smallest overall diameters of any broch, as well as one of the thickest wall bases and smallest interiors; this massive construction (as well as its remote location) is likely to be the main explanation for its excellent state of preservation.<br /><br />Located on the island of Mousa (at grid reference HU457237), it stands some 44 feet (13 m) high and is accessible via a single entrance at ground level. Once inside, a visitor may ascend an internal staircase to an open walkway at the top. It is the only broch which is complete right to the top, including the original intramural stair. It is built of dry stone with no mortar, thus any disturbance could cause a great deal of damage. The characteristic hollow-walled construction is very clear at this site.<br /><br />The broch went through at least two phases of occupation. In its original condition it doubtless contained a complex wooden roundhouse with at least one raised floor resting on a ledge or scarcement 7 ft (2.1m) above the ground. This floor was probably reached by the stone stair inside the wall. A second scarcement about 13 ft (3.09m) up could have supported a second floor or a roof. The entrance passage was low and lintelled with flat slabs and a water tank was cut in the underlying rock. There was also a large rectangular hearth resting on the rock.<br /><br />Some time later a low stone bench was added round the base of the inside wall and this extended a short way into the entrance passage. The wooden roundhouse may have been demolished at this point; it was certainly demolished before the small wheelhouse (with three projecting stone piers) was built in the interior.<br /><br />These Norse occupations are probably reflected in the fact that the original low lintels of the broch entrance have been torn out (their stumps can be seen), and the outer doorway doubled in height (it has now been restored to its original low level). This implies that the interior and the entrance were full of debris so the Norsemen had to raise the roof of the passage to get in.<br /><br />In the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh is a large rim sherd from the broch of Mousa, probably found during the 19th century clearance. It is part of a large Everted Rim jar with a black burnshed outer surface and horizontal fluting along the inner surface of the rim.<br /><br />In January 2005 it was announced that archaeologists used 3D laser scanning to catalogue the structure in detail for possible repairs. With the scans it is now possible to see how the structure was constructed in detail.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Maison Carrée</b></span><br />
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The Maison Carrée is an ancient building in Nîmes, southern France; it is one of the best preserved temples to be found anywhere in the territory of the former Roman Empire.<br />
The Maison Carrée is an example of Vitruvian architecture. Raised on a 2.85 m high podium, the temple dominated the forum of the Roman city, forming a rectangle almost twice as long as it is wide, measuring 26.42 m by 13.54 m. The façade is dominated by a deep portico or pronaos almost a third of the building's length. It is a hexastyle design with six Corinthian columns under the Pediment at either end, and pseudoperipteral in that twenty engaged columns are embedded along the walls of the cella. Above the columns, the architrave is divided by two recessed rows of petrified water drips into three levels with ratios of 1:2:3. Egg-and-dart decoration divides the architrave from the frieze. The frieze is decorated with fine ornamental relief carvings of rosettes and acanthus leaves beneath a row of very fine dentils.<br /><br />A large door (6.87 m high by 3.27 m wide) leads to the surprisingly small and windowless interior, where the shrine was originally housed. This is now used to house a tourist oriented 3-D film on a series of heroes that arose through Nîmes' history. No ancient decoration remains inside the cella. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Colosseum</b></span><br />
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The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.<br /><br />Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started in 72 AD[1] under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).<br /><br />Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.<br /><br />Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum.<br />The Colosseum is also depicted on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pantheon, Rome</b></span><br />
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The Pantheon (play /ˈpænθiːən/ or US /ˈpænθiːɒn/; Latin: Pantheon,[nb 1] from Greek: Πάνθειον, an adjective meaning "to every god") is a building in Rome, Italy, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. The nearly-contemporary writer (2nd–3rd centuries AD), Cassius Dio, speculated that the name comes either from the statues of so many gods placed around this building, or else from the resemblance of the dome to the heavens.[3] Since the French Revolution, when the church of Sainte-Geneviève, Paris, was deconsecrated and turned into a secular monument, the Panthéon of Paris, the generic term pantheon has sometimes been applied to other buildings in which illustrious dead are honored or buried.<br />The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment. A rectangular vestibule links the porch to the rotunda, which is under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft). It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria Rotonda"; the square in front of the Pantheon is called Piazza della Rotonda.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Porta Nigra</b></span><br />
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The Porta Nigra (Latin for black gate) is a large Roman city gate in Trier, Germany. It is today the largest Roman city gate north of the Alps and has been designated a World Heritage Site.<br /><br />The name Porta Nigra originated in the Middle Ages due to the darkened color of its stone; the original Roman name has not been preserved. Locals commonly refer to the Porta Nigra simply as Porta.<br />
The Porta Nigra was built in grey sandstone between 186 and 200 AD. The original gate consisted of two four-storied towers, projecting as near semicircles on the outer side. A narrow courtyard separated the two gate openings on either side. For unknown reasons, however, the construction of the gate remained unfinished. For example, the stones at the northern (outer) side of the gate were never abraded, and the protruding stones would have made it impossible to install movable gates. Nonetheless, the gate was used for several centuries until the end of the Roman era in Trier.<br /><br />In Roman times, the Porta Nigra was part of a system of four city gates, one of which stood at each side of the roughly rectangular Roman city. The Porta Nigra guarded the northern entry to the Roman city, while the Porta Alba (White Gate) was built in the east, the Porta Media (Middle Gate) in the south, and the Porta Inclyta (Famous Gate) in the west, next to the Roman bridge across the Moselle River. The gates stood at the ends of the two main streets of the Roman Trier, one of which led north-south and the other east-west. Of these gates, only the Porta Nigra still exists today.<br /><br />In the early Middle Ages the Roman city gates were no longer used for their original function and their stones were taken and reused for other buildings. Also iron and lead braces were broken out of the walls of the Porta Nigra for reuse. Traces of this destruction are still clearly visible on the north side of the gate.<br /><br />After 1028, the Greek monk Simeon lived as a hermit in the ruins of the Porta Nigra. After his death (1035) and sanctification, the Simeonstift monastery was built next to the Porta Nigra to honor him. Saving it from further destruction, the Porta Nigra was transformed into a church: The inner court of the gate was roofed and intermediate ceilings were inserted. The two middle storeys of the former gate were converted into church naves: the upper storey being for the monks and the lower storey for the general public. The ground floor with the large gates was sealed, and a large outside staircase was constructed alongside the south side (the town side) of the gate, up to the lower storey of the church. A small staircase led further up to the upper storey. The church rooms were accessible through former windows of the western tower of the Porta Nigra that were enlarged to become entrance doors (still visible today). The top floor of the western tower was used as church tower, the eastern tower was leveled, and an apse added at its east side. An additional gate - the much smaller Simeon Gate - was built adjacent to the East side of the Porta Nigra and served as a city gate in medieval times.<br /><br />In 1802 Napoleon Bonaparte dissolved the church in the Porta Nigra and the monastery beside it, along with the vast majority of Trier's numerous churches and monasteries. On his visit to Trier in 1804, Napoleon ordered that the Porta Nigra be converted back to its Roman form. Only the apse was kept, and the eastern tower not rebuilt to its original height. Local legend has it that Napoleon originally even wanted to completely tear down the church. Allegedly, locals convinced him that the church had actually been a Gallic festival hall before being turned into a church. Another version of the story is simply that they told him about its Roman origins. It is claimed that this prevented the destruction of the building and persuaded Napoleon instead to convert the gate back to its original form.<br /><br />In 1986 the Porta Nigra was designated a World Heritage Site, along with other Roman monuments in Trier and its surroundings.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Aula Palatina</b></span><br />
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The Basilica of Constantine (German: Konstantinbasilika), or Aula Palatina, at Trier, Germany is a Roman palace basilica that was built by the emperor Constantine (306–337 AD) at the beginning of the 4th century.<br />Today it is owned and used as church by a congregation within the Evangelical Church in the Rhineland. The basilica contains the largest extant hall from antiquity (see List of ancient roofs) ranked a World Heritage Site. The room has a length of 67 m, a width of 26.05 m and a height of 33 m.<br />The Aula Palatina was built around 310 AD as a part of the palace complex. Originally it was not a free standing building, but had other smaller buildings (such as a forehall, an entrance vestibule and some service buildings) attached to it. The Aula Palatina was equipped with a floor and wall heating system (hypocaust).<br />During the Middle Ages, it was used as the residence for the bishop of Trier. For that, the apse was redesigned into living quarters and pinnacles were added to the top of its walls. In the 17th century, the archbishop Lothar von Metternich constructed his palace just next to the Aula Palatina and incorporating it into his palace some major redesign was done. Later in the 19th century, Frederick William IV of Prussia ordered the building to be restored to its original Roman state, which was done under the supervision of the military architect Carl Schnitzler. In 1856, the Aula Palatina became a Protestant church. In 1944, the building burned due to an air raid of the allied forces during World War II. When it was repaired after the war, the historical inner decorations from the 19th century were not reconstructed, so that the brick walls are visible from the inside as well.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ancient Pueblo Peoples</b></span><br />
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Ancient Pueblo People or Ancestral Pueblo peoples were an ancient Native American culture centered on the present-day Four Corners area of the United States, comprising southern Utah, northern Arizona, northwest New Mexico, and southern Colorado. They lived in buildings called pueblos, designed so that they could lift up entry ladders during enemy attacks, which provided security. Archaeologists referred to one of these cultural groups as the Anasazi, although the term is not preferred by contemporary Pueblo peoples. The word Anaasází is Navajo for "Ancient Ones" or "Ancient Enemy".Archaeologists still debate when this distinct culture emerged. The current consensus, based on terminology defined by the Pecos Classification, suggests their emergence around the 12th century BCE, during the archaeologically designated Early Basketmaker II Era. Beginning with the earliest explorations and excavations, researchers postulated that the Ancient Puebloans are ancestors of the modern Pueblo peoples. In general, modern Pueblo people claim these ancient people as their ancestors.<br />
The Ancestral Puebloan People crafted a unique architecture with planned community spaces. The ancient population centers such as Chaco Canyon (outside Crownpoint, NM), Mesa Verde (outside Cortez, CO), and Bandelier (outside Los Alamos, NM) for which the Ancestral Puebloans are renowned, consisted of apartment-like complexes and structures made from stone, adobe mud, and other local material, or were carved into the sides of canyon walls. Each were influenced by themselves and design details from other cultures as far away as modern-day Mexico. In their day, these ancient towns and cities were usually multi-storied and multi-purposed buildings surrounding open plazas and viewsheds and were occupied by hundreds to thousands of Ancestral Puebloan People. These population complexes hosted cultural and civic events and infrastructure that supported a vast outlying region hundreds of miles away linked by transportation roadways.<br /><br />Constructed well before 1492 CE, these Ancestral Puebloan towns and villages in the Southwestern U.S. were located in various defensive positions, for example, on high steep mesas such as at Mesa Verde or present-day Acoma "Sky City" Pueblo, in New Mexico. Earlier than 900 CE progressing past the 13th century, the population complexes were a major center of culture for the Ancient Pueblo Peoples. In Chaco Canyon, Chacoan developers quarried sandstone blocks and hauled timber from great distances, assembling 15 major complexes which remained the largest buildings in North America until the 19th century. Evidence of archaeoastronomy at Chaco has been proposed, with the Sun Dagger petroglyph at Fajada Butte a popular example. Many Chacoan buildings may have been aligned to capture the solar and lunar cycles, requiring generations of astronomical observations and centuries of skillfully coordinated construction. Climate change is thought to have led to the emigration of Chacoans and the eventual abandonment of the canyon, beginning with a 50-year drought in 1130<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Church of Our Lady (Aarhus)</b></span><br />
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The Church of Our Lady (Danish: Vor Frue Kirke) is one of the largest churches of Århus, Denmark. It is situated in the centre of the city not far from Aarhus Cathedral (Århus Domkirke). The church's crypt contains a stone church dating to 1060 AD.<br />
The crypt church is the oldest extant stone church in Scandinavia. Built in 1060 after the old wooden church had been burned in an assault on the town, the church is situated under the main building of the Church of Our Lady. After its discovery in the 1950s it was restored and reopened on 10 November 1957 and is still used for mass once a week.<br /><br />During the restoration by the Danish National Museum, two graves were found - one of a child and one of an adult - and 23 coins from the 14th century. Five of these coins were from Lübeck and the rest from Hamburg.<br /><br />The crypt church was initially built as an attempt to weaken Adalbert, archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, who had considerable influence on Danish clerical matters as the head of the Danish church. Svend Estridsen (1047–1074) divided Denmark into 8 bishoprics, and in 1060 Christian became the first bishop of Aarhus. The crypt church was built the same year.<br /><br />In approximately 1080 a new and larger church was built named after Saint Nicholas, just like numerous other Danish churches of the time. In 1180 it was mentioned as Aarhus' first cathedral, but was demolished when the Dominicans came to the town.<br /><br />There is no information regarding the following centuries of the history of the crypt church. At some point the rooms were walled off and used as a storage room until the church itself was forgotten.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tower of London</b></span><br />
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Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100, although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.<br /><br />The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history. It was besieged several times and controlling it has been important to controlling the country. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. From the early 14th century until the reign of Charles II, a procession would be led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch. In the absence of the monarch, the Constable of the Tower is in charge of the castle. This was a powerful and trusted position in the medieval period. In the late 15th century the castle was the prison of the Princes in the Tower. Under the Tudors, the Tower became used less as a royal residence, and despite attempts to refortify and repair the castle its defences lagged behind developments to deal with artillery.<br /><br />The peak period of the castle's use as a prison was the 16th and 17th centuries, when many figures had fallen into disgrace, such as Elizabeth I before she became queen, were held within its walls. This use has led to the phrase "sent to the Tower". Despite its enduring reputation as a place of torture and death, popularised by 16th-century religious propagandists and 19th-century writers, only seven people were executed within the Tower before the World Wars of the 20th century. Executions were more commonly held on the notorious Tower Hill to the north of the castle, with 112 occurring there over a 400-year period. In the latter half of the 19th century, institutions such as the Royal Mint moved out of the castle to other locations, leaving many buildings empty. Anthony Salvin and John Taylor took the opportunity to restore the Tower to what was felt to be its medieval appearance, clearing out many of the vacant post-medieval structures. In the First and Second World Wars, the Tower was again used as a prison, and witnessed the executions of 12 men for espionage. After the Second World War, damage caused during the Blitz was repaired and the castle reopened to the public. Today the Tower of London is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. It is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and is protected as a World Heritage Site.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-7161331033455275262011-11-09T00:50:00.000-08:002011-11-09T00:50:07.667-08:00Most Controversial Monuments in The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Outgoing president Alan García wanted to leave Peru a surprise and hoped a 120-foot statue of Christ would protect Lima.
But not everyone likes surprises—not Lima’s mayor, informed only days
before its June 2011 unveiling, and not locals frustrated that
construction was outsourced to Brazil.</div>
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<br />García’s surprise statue certainly isn’t the first to spark
controversy. Some of the world’s most impressive monuments have
backstories of bickering, which, in addition to good gossip, give
travelers insights into local culture, history, and priorities. Even
when a monument’s construction is well publicized, a positive reception
isn’t guaranteed, whether because of differing aesthetic tastes,
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<br />Outside Madrid,
unhappy locals have railed against a certain site for so many years
that the government has formed a commission to recommend modifications.
Read on for the inside story on that and more monumental controversies.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Second World War Monument to the Soviet Army, Bulgaria </b></span></div>
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Soviet-era war memorials honoring Red Army soldiers are often vandalized. But this WWII monument in the capital, Sofia, got an especially colorful makeover in June 2011: fresh paint transformed the soldiers into Superman and other pop-culture figures. Tourists and locals flocked to see the monument, but the Bulgarian Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov was not amused, calling the makeover a “crime.” The soldiers have since been scrubbed to their original state.<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Valley of the Fallen, Spain</b></span></div>
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Dictator Francisco Franco ordered the construction of this monument outside Madrid to honor those who died for his cause during the 1930s Spanish Civil War. And he enlisted political prisoners to carve the massive basilica into a mountainside—infuriating many Spaniards. After years of demonstrations and debate, in May 2011, the government assembled a commission to evaluate its future. Its initial recommendation calls for Franco’s body to be removed from the site.<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Crazy Horse Memorial, <br />South Dakota</b></span></div>
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The Sioux fought unsuccessfully to block the development of Mount Rushmore on hallowed Native American ground. Out of defeat, they decided to erect their own monument: the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is being carved into Thunderhead Mountain within eight miles of Mount Rushmore. Yet it has sparked its own controversy within the Native American community. Some view its construction as an attack on the landscape and an affront to Crazy Horse’s beliefs.<br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />African Renaissance Monument, Senegal</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RopDCtkyry9jQHSGJ_tdZ-J3UmukSewbwQjDh8zxKMfBio8CPGgCzh_iXZ3wJioyJf4s-F6gPGHZD8ZBs4vYuLCxlW1dhaEf1c3eVOc_R6ZjAuHPQRMXK5B0raOep_u0iNWv_n7lMcd3/s1600/African+Renaissance+Monument%252C+Senegal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RopDCtkyry9jQHSGJ_tdZ-J3UmukSewbwQjDh8zxKMfBio8CPGgCzh_iXZ3wJioyJf4s-F6gPGHZD8ZBs4vYuLCxlW1dhaEf1c3eVOc_R6ZjAuHPQRMXK5B0raOep_u0iNWv_n7lMcd3/s640/African+Renaissance+Monument%252C+Senegal.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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President Abdoulaye Wade didn’t win any popularity votes when he funneled millions into the construction of a monument to the African Renaissance. A waste of money wasn’t the only reaction to this 160-foot bronze colossus unveiled in April 2010. It depicts a stylized muscular man with a baby in his arms, emerging from a volcano and pulling along a half-naked woman—and has been criticized for both skimpy clothing and sexism.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Christ of the Pacific, Peru</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvLmjEJTYIxEvl4PjXFKhnVjR6jp6PpePXSh9ThIjL3AWfve3q4-ZRyi2LFR3jkzqxqReauELL_rDkkcn_q6NnH1KA5iouvVuBFkMG1crXUkTGZeHMtqpWhVvdQUM5Rd2FZYDbwaFpvnA/s1600/Christ+of+the+Pacific%252C+Peru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvLmjEJTYIxEvl4PjXFKhnVjR6jp6PpePXSh9ThIjL3AWfve3q4-ZRyi2LFR3jkzqxqReauELL_rDkkcn_q6NnH1KA5iouvVuBFkMG1crXUkTGZeHMtqpWhVvdQUM5Rd2FZYDbwaFpvnA/s640/Christ+of+the+Pacific%252C+Peru.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Former President Alan García may have thought he was leaving a gift for his public, but the 120-foot Christ of the Pacific has been nothing but a monumental headache since its surprise construction was revealed in June 2011. Lima’s mayor was angry at not being consulted, while others questioned why it was designed and built in Brazil, not Peru. The one aspect that can’t be debated: Christ of the Pacific is now the world’s tallest Christ statue.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Brown Dog Statue, London</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoXLkxqVT6jFYOy5Ly-6kKVn9I7iY8WaImFCRMvBjwfIQhHcLmynrgVRghetr3JuuUDm30rnADkii5P8itgv-PQvAqu-l2pEnSKt0nONR9ZnVIC2enU-eYCGAhUuFKnNP3RHgtcdM1aO7/s1600/Brown+Dog+Statue%252C+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNoXLkxqVT6jFYOy5Ly-6kKVn9I7iY8WaImFCRMvBjwfIQhHcLmynrgVRghetr3JuuUDm30rnADkii5P8itgv-PQvAqu-l2pEnSKt0nONR9ZnVIC2enU-eYCGAhUuFKnNP3RHgtcdM1aO7/s640/Brown+Dog+Statue%252C+London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A small dog statue in London’s Battersea Park looks harmless, but it’s a 1985 replacement of a statue with a fraught backstory. The original terrier was erected in 1906 by a group opposed to the use of animals in medical experiments. It displayed a plaque condemning pro-vivisection students at the University College. Outraged and embarrassed, those students destroyed it. The new statue is plainer, sans fountain or plaque, but it is still a terrier, modeled after the pet of sculptor Nicola Hicks.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Che Guevara Statue, <br /> Bolivia </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKydWcDKXpuhFIWMZC-c9qQiwpCpVCkh4nl7jIXPqWJHfwybcOfom3CTnC4NPdi3aQ7h7B6kD9jMyhytryTSM_mhwWXJpiJfOBq7fhiXaQ4QLfn6ThAUw0DEKkvfTMb_b46C__R6GyFw30/s1600/The+Che+Guevara+statue+at+the+site+of+his+death+in+Bolivia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKydWcDKXpuhFIWMZC-c9qQiwpCpVCkh4nl7jIXPqWJHfwybcOfom3CTnC4NPdi3aQ7h7B6kD9jMyhytryTSM_mhwWXJpiJfOBq7fhiXaQ4QLfn6ThAUw0DEKkvfTMb_b46C__R6GyFw30/s640/The+Che+Guevara+statue+at+the+site+of+his+death+in+Bolivia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Infamous revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara fought for the rights of the poor, inciting passions along the way. While some condemn his violent methods or philosophy, to the farmworkers in the town of La Higuera, he remains “Saint Ernesto.” There, on the spot where the leader of a guerilla Marxist movement was captured and executed, residents dedicated a bust in his honor in 1997.</span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-44469609636305826042011-10-18T00:04:00.000-07:002011-10-18T00:05:00.653-07:00Scariest Roller Coasters From Around the World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmD6nW9w8t5SCEFtRttXP9l9eAoMh5okZYMCwcnnckYsNRdxuY0HSNZThezGt9aKyr_0ZLSZtBx5cRgZZ2VQE-AFZyxi04UEpTZoAoL2fzet-31zRrCj0hdbRFE94KTyKnzOnn5D0UdQi/s1600/Steel+Dragon+2000%252C+Japan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmD6nW9w8t5SCEFtRttXP9l9eAoMh5okZYMCwcnnckYsNRdxuY0HSNZThezGt9aKyr_0ZLSZtBx5cRgZZ2VQE-AFZyxi04UEpTZoAoL2fzet-31zRrCj0hdbRFE94KTyKnzOnn5D0UdQi/s640/Steel+Dragon+2000%252C+Japan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Brace yourself for death-defying thrills when you board the world’s scariest roller coasters. <br />You’re climbing slowly up the roller coaster’s first hill. Tiny cars gleam a few hundred feet below and trees look like broccoli florets. The rickety chain clanks as it thrusts you forward, and there’s nowhere to go but down. As your car teeters at the pinnacle, one thought flashes before you: “I paid to do this?” <a name='more'></a>Crazy as it seems, we are predisposed to pay up for such heart-pounding thrills. A few thundering turns on a roller coaster set off a chemical reaction—the release of adrenaline and dopamine—that makes us feel giddy and intensely alive. As roller coasters continue to push the extremes of acceleration, speed, and corkscrew-like inversions, what does it take to be among the world’s scariest? <br /><br />The answer turns out to be highly personal; there’s little consensus among even the most discerning riders about the recipe for a good scare. “Some like smooth rides full of floating zero Gs while others want to be thrown around and brutalized so they can live to brag about it,” says Scott Rutherford, a senior writer and editor for Amusement Today who has experienced more than 500 coasters on four continents. <br /><br />Even so, record-breakers can be counted on to deliver some of the biggest adrenaline rushes. At 45 stories, Kingda Ka is the world’s tallest roller coaster, one of only two Stratacoasters that plummet more than 400 feet. (Call the other, Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster, the scariest and you could be in for a heated debate.) <br /><br />A memorably scary coaster gets inside your head, employing suspense, the element of surprise, and the illusion of fragility. It’s not only a matter of mind-boggling statistics like accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in—count them—two seconds. Older, wooden coasters bring their own set of thrills, since they actually move. When a train whips around a turn, the coaster sways with it. <br /><br />The most infamous, The Cyclone, still draws thrill-seekers to Coney Island, NY, where the first roller coaster debuted in 1884. Today, 2,472 are operating around the world, and there’s one for whatever scares you the most, be it speeds of 150 mph or a series of 10 stomach-churning inversions. As Rutherford says, “You have no choice but to let go, to surrender to the ride.” <br /><br />See if you can stomach the world’s scariest roller coasters, and share your opinions in the comments below.</div>
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<h3>
Steel
Dragon 2000, Japan</h3>
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<img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtneJ6be-Rz6DsgnBcdGBPQgWtuCuaRXiAALDawDOD5hb8cUNTSORYeUJxQnfqKnfy3-Lro_VOO8nIyxTgGTLp_YoPXjnGSnQmZTK2Hsodv97qsgvKfYvDPoQecOIu9XId9Zluos8nCJ58/s640/Steel+Dragon+2000%252C+Japan.jpg" width="640" /><strong> </strong></div>
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<strong>Where:</strong> Nagashima
Spa Land in Mie Prefecture.</div>
<strong>Scary Stat:</strong> Slow climb to a 306-foot drop.<br />
It takes nerves of steel to sit
calmly through what feels like the most suspenseful 1:15 minutes of your life
as this coaster gradually climbs to the top of the first hill before dropping
306 feet. Built in 2000, the year of the dragon, the world’s longest coaster
stretches on for 8,133 feet—an endurance test of marathon-like proportions—and
you’ve got no choice but to wait it out for all four minutes. </div>
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<h3>
Kingda
Ka, New
Jersey</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAB-eLm-bubTigctvVpXakuLUK0JE9BT4tMgjc1fgc56VUXZMQ_3VLjh33fR2XPEBVx8o-XMBRMduE5lzm5RuI5aHppz1np78iqOBYS19dmyK5a4cVYRw0rU79ITFUBQstLqixMJistCH/s1600/Kingda+Ka%252C+New+Jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAB-eLm-bubTigctvVpXakuLUK0JE9BT4tMgjc1fgc56VUXZMQ_3VLjh33fR2XPEBVx8o-XMBRMduE5lzm5RuI5aHppz1np78iqOBYS19dmyK5a4cVYRw0rU79ITFUBQstLqixMJistCH/s640/Kingda+Ka%252C+New+Jersey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<strong>Where:</strong> Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson.<br />
<strong>Scary Stat:</strong> 456-foot drop.<br />
At 45 stories, the Kingda Ka is
the tallest roller coaster on earth—closer to the sky than any Egyptian
pyramid—and among the fastest, reaching 128 mph. It’s also one of only two
existing Stratacoasters, rides that plummet more than 400 feet. (The other is
Cedar Point’s intimidating Top Thrill Dragster.) Kingda Ka shoots riders around
an upside-down U track in just 59 heart-stopping seconds. Except when it
doesn’t. <a class="external" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNYzj6tw7XA" rel="nofollow">Beware of
rollbacks</a>, when, occasionally, the coaster doesn’t gather enough momentum
to pump itself over the very top and plummets backward, forcing riders to
experience the launch all over again.<br />
<h3>
Bizzaro,
Massachusetts</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBf4gO7cTu8sysvrvTDjmUPCi49qlgDSFSdJjA6oOrJOW3hA6oxmYTBbxXVFvrE55mcfYBK1UXWz38a60W2VVFxFIciO0XZUwtdHkPErRe69y6HBE_II4FcvrGTFNpEUwwZ6gcvVNkJzk/s1600/Bizzaro%252C+Massachusetts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBf4gO7cTu8sysvrvTDjmUPCi49qlgDSFSdJjA6oOrJOW3hA6oxmYTBbxXVFvrE55mcfYBK1UXWz38a60W2VVFxFIciO0XZUwtdHkPErRe69y6HBE_II4FcvrGTFNpEUwwZ6gcvVNkJzk/s640/Bizzaro%252C+Massachusetts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<strong>Where:</strong> Six Flags, New England in Agawam.<br />
<strong>Scary Stat:</strong> 221-foot drop into a tunnel.<br />
Named after Superman’s evil twin,
this imposing coaster rules Six Flags New England’s skyline. It rises 208 feet
only to fall 221 into a dark tunnel brimming with fog. Coaster enthusiasts love
it because it packs in a lot of “airtime,” that out-of-control feeling you get
when your guts fly up into your chest. The cars themselves contribute to the
fear factor because the sides come up only to riders’ ankles, creating a major
sense of vulnerability.<br />
<h3>
Colossus,
England</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTRFFYtS8h7L7EJJmb4FkomX8f2Qrdk4UurZykZRvGyL1TiAsTV2xQo-p_vrH2Bpf4ALd2j_boa8FcXAvHqN04Cfl6WEOUVjHoBxQYQAlkKkdkjpqUptr1EHH0nvHx0zmkAKIBwAXG9oM/s1600/Colossus%252C+England.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTRFFYtS8h7L7EJJmb4FkomX8f2Qrdk4UurZykZRvGyL1TiAsTV2xQo-p_vrH2Bpf4ALd2j_boa8FcXAvHqN04Cfl6WEOUVjHoBxQYQAlkKkdkjpqUptr1EHH0nvHx0zmkAKIBwAXG9oM/s640/Colossus%252C+England.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<strong>Where:</strong> Thorpe Park in Surrey.<br />
<strong>Scary Stat:</strong> 10 inversions.<br />
It’s unwise to board the Colossus
after lunch. Riders endure a record of 10 disorienting loops in under two
minutes, including a vertical loop, a “cobra roll,” and five “heartline
twists.” The last one’s also heart-wrenching—it comes right when you <em>think </em>you’re
pulling into the station. Coaster fans and reviewers warn that Colossus is
rough, so keep your head forward and ride in the last car only if you’re in the
mood to be punished.<br />
<h3>
Formula
Rossa, United
Arab Emirates</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hh8_V4lPPc_7NwFx6feMDK1iecbvxGzySmH6jl7CpkZejF_uSj8ohdxXmI7KsYKBV2nosxrzkSzaYnM_zTN-svERMOceYwtIbg0boCK6IT8mAwisa4FWNFi6mYFnMe5JEbcbIJ6Tj2GR/s1600/Formula+Rossa%252C+United+Arab+Emirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hh8_V4lPPc_7NwFx6feMDK1iecbvxGzySmH6jl7CpkZejF_uSj8ohdxXmI7KsYKBV2nosxrzkSzaYnM_zTN-svERMOceYwtIbg0boCK6IT8mAwisa4FWNFi6mYFnMe5JEbcbIJ6Tj2GR/s640/Formula+Rossa%252C+United+Arab+Emirates.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<strong>Where:</strong> Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi.<br />
<strong>Scary</strong> <strong>Stat:</strong> 149 mph.<br />
Constructed above Abu Dhabi’s Formula One
racetrack, the world’s
fastest coaster aims to re-create the sensation
of racing in a red Ferrari. It
uses a hydraulic launch system similar to the
kind that propels fighter jets
off aircraft carriers to accelerate from 0 to 60
mph in the first two seconds.
The coaster can’t maintain its top speed of 149
mph for long, but front-seat riders still have to wear the same
protective
glasses used by skydivers. <br />
<h3>
Phantom’s
Revenge, Pennsylvania</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCCp_sN43j3iTP6BHoYkdJHT7_A1I661VD7JGACPH37OpaP-ACLmXYjeqf09zyC4qCVxbQWI5nJ6QxkZ62W_F1LqTdpt5GBg0TYPVQImV6d_w2z-TgCOLJ1yPbfT_zZ04Qe0vQ9d0XMAv/s1600/Phantom%25E2%2580%2599s+Revenge%252C+Pennsylvania.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCCp_sN43j3iTP6BHoYkdJHT7_A1I661VD7JGACPH37OpaP-ACLmXYjeqf09zyC4qCVxbQWI5nJ6QxkZ62W_F1LqTdpt5GBg0TYPVQImV6d_w2z-TgCOLJ1yPbfT_zZ04Qe0vQ9d0XMAv/s640/Phantom%25E2%2580%2599s+Revenge%252C+Pennsylvania.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<strong>Where:</strong> Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh.<br />
<strong>Scary Stat:</strong> 232-foot drop under another coaster.<br />
The Phantom’s Revenge owes its nasty reputation to its
infamous second hill, which plunges riders 232 feet into a ravine and underneath
the support structure of another coaster, creating the impression that the
rider will be, well, decapitated. Most riders have no inkling of the terror
that awaits them because it’s impossible to see the bottom of the drop unless
you’re already on the ride.<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-62479312394300011222011-10-17T06:32:00.000-07:002011-10-17T06:32:17.910-07:00Strangest Circuses in The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrxtR3PFPmIXiYzb1KZs2iHcJGgHLWT2Rw0J4LEFv0ygpPoPqjK84yoms6PmlYv4QaWq9N4Ns4ruXKCb9hp_LtNse_KseXYon6tDVnyJp78AAn33hWrrzd7E_Hdg0T5BWMWB5hzitYhVx/s1600/mmill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrxtR3PFPmIXiYzb1KZs2iHcJGgHLWT2Rw0J4LEFv0ygpPoPqjK84yoms6PmlYv4QaWq9N4Ns4ruXKCb9hp_LtNse_KseXYon6tDVnyJp78AAn33hWrrzd7E_Hdg0T5BWMWB5hzitYhVx/s640/mmill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Forget any fear of circus clowns. The strangest shows on earth feature backflipping cats, race-car stuntmen, and burlesque puppeteers. <a name='more'></a><br />At London’s Hoxton Hall, acrobats scamper up each other’s shoulders to form a pyramid—although it hardly looks human. The performers are unrecognizable beneath elaborate ant costumes complete with antennae and googly eyes. <br /><br />Circuses have always been a bit offbeat, but they’ve morphed well beyond the classic three-ring spectacle of clowns and animal tamers. Today’s strangest circuses are small and innovative. Some, like the Insect Circus, push the boundaries by incorporating burlesque or performance art, while others are reviving near-extinct sideshow traditions for a new generation. <br /><br />“Circuses were once the biggest shows in town,” says Marc Hartzman, author of American Sideshow. “People didn’t have the same mediums of entertainment that we have today.” As audience interest drifted in the 1970s, circuses began adapting, particularly in the U.K., the U.S., France, Canada, and Australia. <br /><br />A painter by trade, Mark Copeland founded the U.K.-based Insect Circus in 2002, designing fantastical costumes for the acrobatic “ants,” a winged trapeze duo that go by the names of Baron and Baroness Flutterby, and others. He is especially proud of a stag beetle shell worn by three performers. This lumbering six-legged “insect” takes on a matador in an act that resembles a Spanish bullfight. <br /><br />Still other circuses get their strange factor from sideshow elements like sword-swallowers and actual insects. Adam G. Gertsacov, creator of Acme Miniature Flea Circus, practices a craft that dates back to the late 1800s. After graduating from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, he wandered from circus to circus until he got some career-changing advice. Legendary clown Avner Eisenberg told him to “focus on the fleas,” and Gertsacov hasn’t wavered since. He trains 12 fleas at a time to perform tricks like being shot out of a mini cannon into a Hula-Hoop dubbed “the hoop of death.” <br /><br />For truly death-defying stunts, look to Delhi, India, where the Diamond Maruti Car Circus has become infamous for performing while hanging out of speeding vehicles. For 25 cents, you can peer over the edge of a pit and watch performers on motorcycles and in cars zoom in circles as they grab hands and stand up on their seats—an unbelievable performance that also qualifies as one of the <br /><br />Even in an age of entertainment overload, the world’s strangest circuses share the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat. Here’s a sneak peek at their shows.</div>
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<h3>
The Mill by Ockham’s
Razor, England</h3>
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<br /> This circus is built around one of mankind’s most humble yet revolutionary inventions: the wheel. Suspended from a 23-foot-high rig, performers execute aerial stunts around a large wood and metal wheel. Only five aerialists manage to keep this prop in constant motion throughout the entire performance. <br /><br />Strange Factor: A high-flying human-scale hamster wheel, suspended from the ceiling by only rope. </div>
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Moscow Cat Circus, Moscow</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSzpIO6qz7gmppQ1caUKnIM61y5xbdycXi02XCFf4q9W2EZYCq9CWSnmh8q_3QPMZQfYMn4aa40mBfW5tilFGimhJwWe0mcMUp_4mDbvyHCyM4wZbwULsR3U8NO5gW_kU0bQF8sdhG-A7/s1600/moscow+cat+theatre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSzpIO6qz7gmppQ1caUKnIM61y5xbdycXi02XCFf4q9W2EZYCq9CWSnmh8q_3QPMZQfYMn4aa40mBfW5tilFGimhJwWe0mcMUp_4mDbvyHCyM4wZbwULsR3U8NO5gW_kU0bQF8sdhG-A7/s400/moscow+cat+theatre.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /> Any owner will admit that cats can be fussy and difficult to train. But with no more than kind words and gentle gestures, veteran circus performer Yuri Kuklachev coaxes his cats into tricks ranging from handstands to aerial acrobatics. It’s a talent his oldest son—now his sidekick—has inherited.<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> Kuklachev’s cats perform alongside
human mimes in variety shows including <em>The Nutcracker</em> and <em>Cats from
Outer Space</em>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Sideshows by the
Seashore, Coney Island,
New York</h3>
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<h3>
</h3>
Sideshows highlighting freakish abilities used to be
everyday entertainment. But now Coney Island amusement park is the only venue
in America where you can experience a traditional 10-in-1 circus sideshow. It’s
a squeamish throwback that’s been entertaining crowds since 1985 and fits in
well with Coney Island’s reputation for the outrageous.<br />
<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> A snake charmer named Serpentina who
performs with a 15-foot albino Burmese python.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Circus Monoxide, Australia</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6VJOXHtI1J5lLL7krgeED2bPF0s5uBJr-ejk53hP16W5eyGa5XMidrMiz-qcZAX8PhGTqRttM0tN9znn5_JXy8lVWvdz6zA_AwfNC_8dSCS4eSRd9DBaifqs-afzMs9ucDfPijgBmBGq/s1600/Circus+Monoxide%252C+Australia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6VJOXHtI1J5lLL7krgeED2bPF0s5uBJr-ejk53hP16W5eyGa5XMidrMiz-qcZAX8PhGTqRttM0tN9znn5_JXy8lVWvdz6zA_AwfNC_8dSCS4eSRd9DBaifqs-afzMs9ucDfPijgBmBGq/s400/Circus+Monoxide%252C+Australia.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br /> Traditional aerial and juggling acts may be part of the lineup, but each show also comes with an unconventional theme that provokes audience members. (Superb & Broken dramatized the search for passion and meaning in everyday life through three characters, including a neat freak and a father who dreams of donning red sequins.) A live band plays throughout the show, building up the anticipation for stunts like performers being catapulted out of a bus.<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> A bathtub act during which a female
aerialist plunges in and out of the water.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Diamond Maruti Car Circus, Delhi, India</h3>
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<h3>
</h3>
So much for fastening a seat belt—these stuntmen perform
tricks while hanging out of speeding vehicles. For the ticket price of 10
rupees (25 cents), you can watch as the cars race around in a pit accompanied
by motorcycles. The show promises a view so close that you could give the
performers a high five.<br />
<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> An act called “The Wall of Death,” in
which performers race their motorcycles and cars, stand up on their seats, and
hold hands with each other.<br />
<br />
<h3>
007, San Francisco</h3>
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<br /> The international man of mystery has run off to join the circus—at least that’s what this troupe would have you believe. With high-flying acts and futuristic dancers, James Bond and his Bond Girls put on a campy show complete with a hero-versus-villain plot that entails aerial stunts and theatrical fights.<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> Aerial Bond girl dance sequences,
accompanied by psychedelic lights, music, and disco ball.<br />
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<h3>
Acme Miniature Flea Circus, New York</h3>
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Inspired by Hubert’s Flea Circus in Times Square, which
closed in 1957, Adam Gertsacov pieced together the tricks of the flea trade
from his circus mentors. The Acme Miniature Flea Circus’s bloodsucking insects
have tumbled their way through four different countries and 38 states since the
mid-1990s. The only thing Gertsacov asks from his audience? No dogs allowed.<br />
<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> Two fleas race to a finish line while
pulling a chariot. Other less fortunate fleas are shot out of a mini cannon
into a Hula-Hoop called the “hoop of death.”<br />
<br />
<h3>
La Soirée, London</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngNkJJUHnBoY9vp_QPIt60o2RwxtVun3z3wX5pxIXp9JRa16iygYarhXChtHzJBvSQNwEAcTbypgSpZip-ndqeSGMPMRBAq7o8XL-VUGgx7hA1HegAT-ldBO5gEwJRyAw2e9L7oX-kiqy/s1600/La-Soiree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgngNkJJUHnBoY9vp_QPIt60o2RwxtVun3z3wX5pxIXp9JRa16iygYarhXChtHzJBvSQNwEAcTbypgSpZip-ndqeSGMPMRBAq7o8XL-VUGgx7hA1HegAT-ldBO5gEwJRyAw2e9L7oX-kiqy/s400/La-Soiree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /> Filled with bizarre acts, La Soirée is a prime example of a contemporized variety show that borrows from circus, burlesque, and vaudeville traditions. Look for roller skaters doing tricks, rocker stuntmen, and puppeteers whose decidedly adult work has been described as Priscilla, Queen of the Desert meets Moulin Rouge as written by Pedro Almodóvar.<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> An opera-singing drag queen named Le
Gateau Chocolat belts out renditions of everything from pop-rock to opera.<br />
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<h3>
The Insect Circus, England</h3>
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<h3>
</h3>
In 2002, Mark Copeland stumbled upon a book about circuses
and began working on paintings that played with scale, eventually creating a series
in which insects took over the roles of circus animals. And like that, the idea
of a real creepy-crawly circus was born. The 10 circus members wear elaborate
insect costumes for classic hat tricks, air stunts, and comedic numbers.<br />
<strong>Strange Factor:</strong> A wasp tamer performs with two
life-size wasps. Each wasp balances on a high wire and jumps through hoops.<br />
<h3>
</h3>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-68405154300727833032011-10-12T03:52:00.000-07:002011-10-12T03:52:18.970-07:00World's Strangest Prisons<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Offbeat prisons from Montana to Australia that give travelers a glimpse into an area’s infamous history. <br />
<a name='more'></a>What cage is three stories high, rotates, and was designed for human beings, not rats? <br />
<br />
It’s
the Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs, IA, and from 1885 to 1969,
this prison stacked its inmates in pie-shaped cells that revolved, so
jailers could see all the prisoners from a single vantage point. If it
sounds like a lazy Susan jail, that’s exactly what it was—and it’s the
only one ever built. <br />
<br />
Prisons have long been popular
tourist destinations; famous spots like San Francisco’s Alcatraz, Cape
Town’s Robben Island, and the Clink in London allow travelers a glimpse
at their infamous past—sometimes with a tour from former inmates. But
other less-famous jails—often a bit more off the beaten path—have
strange features or an odd history that equally warrant a detour. <br />
<br />
Not
every prison has kept its strange features intact. A 90-year-old former
Turkish prison in Istanbul, for example, was transformed into the
luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet in 1996. And
Boston’s former Charles Street Jail was opened as the Liberty Hotel in
2007, with features like floor-to-ceiling windows that inmates never
enjoyed. <br />
<br />
True, these hotels offer a unique opportunity
to be surrounded by history. But to taste prison life as it once
actually was, head to the Jailhotel in Lucerne, Switzerland. Its
“unplugged” cells put guests behind the same heavy wooden doors as the
inmates who were incarcerated here from 1862 to 1998. Fancier suites
occupy the former prison library—with walls still lined with antique
prison books—and there’s a rec room, where inmates once played cards and
foosball. <br />
<br />
Sometimes, these offbeat prisons aren’t so
well-maintained. Goli Otok, a Croatian prison on an island in the
northern Adriatic Sea, has buildings crumbling from neglect. Yet it
contains odd sights that graphically illustrate its more obscure past.
More than 16,000 political prisoners were detained and tortured on Goli
Otok by the former Yugoslavian Communist leader Josip Broz Tito. Today
it’s a bit surreal wandering the barren landscape, but you can see the
prison’s cinema, where inmates once watched propaganda documentaries,
and its bowling alley, reserved strictly for wardens’ use. <br />
<br />
If
offbeat history is your passion, then unchain yourself from your sofa.
These strange prisons offer the opportunity to explore—and sometimes
spend the night in—truly unique places.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cascades Female Factory, Tasmania, Australia </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddqZkBlLKuX_lr3YlDkcAliYOCDI6yEBMZH4Ho5Tc4BwadLJDfTCeVMvTugTmJo8998REYue_St-_vm_5Ao4icDfIste2JU8nijcgQg5psPIVv6unYVO-zV00r-yT7XJPvZJg4uGsx6rs/s1600/prisons-cascades.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddqZkBlLKuX_lr3YlDkcAliYOCDI6yEBMZH4Ho5Tc4BwadLJDfTCeVMvTugTmJo8998REYue_St-_vm_5Ao4icDfIste2JU8nijcgQg5psPIVv6unYVO-zV00r-yT7XJPvZJg4uGsx6rs/s400/prisons-cascades.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sure,
Australia was essentially one big jail cell in the 19th century, but
this prison in Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart, was one of the few for
females only. In operation from 1828 to 1856, it was home to more than
5,000 female convicts and their children, many of whom died from poor
hygiene, inadequate nutrition, and back-breaking work. <br />
<br />
What
You’ll See: Check out the matron’s cottage (the only original building
still standing) and the memorial gardens, modeled after formal European
gardens that Cascades’ inmates might once have enjoyed in a previous
life. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTdAm2EFUtBv8VT-XvzJVGdbZ17dzsTqd3k8NEAn8B8H8h3j1O8iB2fUS32ooERyQs5HHXyTWDiMQHrJVZ-WSRR-YA0IOADN0wNAgIi2jhrQZ6xMRxqfJZhPeF0YaeFnu8zCWmayO3JIK/s1600/prisons-celica.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTdAm2EFUtBv8VT-XvzJVGdbZ17dzsTqd3k8NEAn8B8H8h3j1O8iB2fUS32ooERyQs5HHXyTWDiMQHrJVZ-WSRR-YA0IOADN0wNAgIi2jhrQZ6xMRxqfJZhPeF0YaeFnu8zCWmayO3JIK/s400/prisons-celica.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Plenty
of old jails are turned into hotels, but how many maintain their
original prison bars on the doors and windows? Having to push open the
bars to get to your room brings a taste of real prison life to the
experience. Inside, though, is a nicer décor than what the inmates had:
each of the 20 former prison cells has a unique design, created by a
team of more than 50 Slovenian and international artists. <br />
<br />
What
You’ll See: The hostel’s ground floor contains three cafés that serve
everything from booze to hookahs. Also, be sure to check out the two
former solitary-confinement cells that remain intact in the basement. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dartmoor Prison, Devon, England </b></span></div>
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Sure,
American prisoners of war have been held all over the world at various
times. But it’s unusual to find a history of American POWs on the turf
of such a longtime ally. See how this history played out at the Dartmoor
Prison, which housed American POWs during the War of 1812. <br />
<br />
What
You’ll See: Although Dartmoor is still an active prison, serving mainly
as an educational facility for inmate rehabilitation, it has a museum
that displays uniforms and hairstyles once required for inmates and
prison officers, plus weapons used by officers to keep inmates in line.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Goli Otok, Croatia </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZxKM3a7cNkdaJpAse5n79de2tPmHsQh4DASbB0htk6TXA24eG7MmzdteSDggYztW-rdkDsPpmdVq1X5cbe5SaXBvEmV0eMEmR1EQW1wRek-lIaQvNZ6zlxrJdEc2rIdGIitvCuCn0yKu/s1600/prisons-goli-otok.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZxKM3a7cNkdaJpAse5n79de2tPmHsQh4DASbB0htk6TXA24eG7MmzdteSDggYztW-rdkDsPpmdVq1X5cbe5SaXBvEmV0eMEmR1EQW1wRek-lIaQvNZ6zlxrJdEc2rIdGIitvCuCn0yKu/s400/prisons-goli-otok.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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The
buildings of Goli Otok are spread over an uninhabited Croatian island
near the island of Krk. Wandering through the crumbling structures on
the barren island is a surreal experience that offers an insight into
the reign of Josip Broz Tito, Communist leader of the former Yugoslavia.
<br /><br />What You’ll See: Check out the administration
building—affectionately called “the hotel” by inmates—and a combination
bowling alley and movie theater.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jailhotel, Lucerne, Switzerland </b></span></div>
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Lucerne’s
picturesque city center is home not only to its famous Chapel Bridge
and Lion Garden, but also to the Jailhotel, a converted 19th-century
prison that offers some of Switzerland’s strangest accommodations.
“Unplugged” cells—actually guest rooms—let you experience what living
conditions here once were like. <br /><br />What You’ll See: If they’re not
occupied, check out the prison’s former library—now a suite whose walls
are lined with antique prison books—and the Barabas suite, a former rec
room decorated with an inmate’s mural illustrating life after a
jailbreak. Also stop by the hotel’s Knascht Club, one of Lucerne’s
weekend hot spots.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Langholmen, Stockholm, Sweden </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NPRLc2durcnUtve-NebnKUOZD1WGh5ttIvO4uR_YVJFHYz8KcpbD7MvbwskNyTjAPU85LsDg4gpxiLMaemgRtt7KguSQ_LkTJdt0Q91XesJru80X4mw9vcikWkIeXMD7SVp6GsBfXbwb/s1600/prisons-langholmen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NPRLc2durcnUtve-NebnKUOZD1WGh5ttIvO4uR_YVJFHYz8KcpbD7MvbwskNyTjAPU85LsDg4gpxiLMaemgRtt7KguSQ_LkTJdt0Q91XesJru80X4mw9vcikWkIeXMD7SVp6GsBfXbwb/s400/prisons-langholmen.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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Who
would have thought inmate labor could create Langholmen, one of
Stockholm’s prettiest islands? Originally a rocky, barren island
occupied by two prisons, it was covered in the 18th century with mud
dredged from surrounding waterways by inmates, who created fertile soil
where beautiful gardens eventually grew. Today it is a green oasis
popular for walks, picnics, and swimming. <br /><br />What You’ll See: The
“From Crime to Chains” museum traces Langholmen’s 250-year prison
history. If you want to stay overnight, you can choose between a hotel
in the former old jail and a less expensive youth hostel, in the former
Crown Remand Prison.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Old Montana Prison, Deer Lodge, MT </b></span></div>
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One
of the weirdest pieces of prison equipment anywhere resides here: the
galloping gallows, a portable gallows built in 1920. Each part of the
gallows was designed to be easily dismantled and “galloped,” or moved
quickly, to the next hanging site. <br /><br />What You’ll See: The prison’s
grounds—where at least one member of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch was
incarcerated—have captured Hollywood’s imagination, serving as the set
for films like 1985’s Runaway Train, with Jon Voight, and 1992’s
Diggstown, starring James Woods and Louis Gossett, Jr. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Squirrel Cage Jail, Council Bluffs, IA </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJiR2hQ49i3sRxk5uUDUcqxiTzayspEOD-kA5FBzgpJqsXvvzSRnJRi5KQOAFQe135Av-m53NTvCYf3YqnLdkE1x9555SBHOh5l7MQLxonWyEBMDik7mqqxTdD5S5oWtDnj6RoqANYCp8/s1600/prisons-squirrel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJiR2hQ49i3sRxk5uUDUcqxiTzayspEOD-kA5FBzgpJqsXvvzSRnJRi5KQOAFQe135Av-m53NTvCYf3YqnLdkE1x9555SBHOh5l7MQLxonWyEBMDik7mqqxTdD5S5oWtDnj6RoqANYCp8/s400/prisons-squirrel.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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The
Squirrel Cage Jail of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, is a one-of-a-kind
contraption, the only three-story, revolving squirrel-cage jail—also
known as a human rotary or lazy Susan jail—ever built. The jail has
three floors of revolving, pie-shaped cells inside a cage. <br /><br />What
You’ll See: The prison cells, which jailers could view from a single
vantage point, remain much as they were when the jail closed in 1969;
signatures and dates of many prisoners still adorn the walls. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vieille Prison de Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDd8r6psb_zHracCkc1iKNa5pUs9fl14oWwLF3zgcBbOdhl1WgWS9U1u0HVe71zAQOcxWO30Rh8ia4o32LlDtFZKY1PFh4WnGiSofuhIo26VUjdhqPJnXxalddIVFbbcwJ0X-_qK5k-Xf/s1600/prisons-vieille.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiDd8r6psb_zHracCkc1iKNa5pUs9fl14oWwLF3zgcBbOdhl1WgWS9U1u0HVe71zAQOcxWO30Rh8ia4o32LlDtFZKY1PFh4WnGiSofuhIo26VUjdhqPJnXxalddIVFbbcwJ0X-_qK5k-Xf/s400/prisons-vieille.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you
can round up a group, try the “Sentenced to One Night” program. After
being greeted by Trois-Rivières’ warden, you’ll be booked,
fingerprinted, photographed, and issued a prisoner’s T-shirt. You’ll
then spend the night in the incarceration wing, which you will be forced
to clean the next morning before eating a bare-bones breakfast of
porridge and toast. <br />
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What You’ll See: If you’re here just for a tour, you’ll get one from
former inmates. Open from 1822 to 1986, Trois-Rivières was once Canada’s
oldest functioning prison. </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-73473609052463802572011-10-10T07:22:00.000-07:002011-10-10T07:22:44.258-07:00Weirdest Animal-Smuggling Incidents<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUFew8B1ivWJk4kgB0zChGBkMEGsznZESQkATShWIisW8tq-ecxrFgY0jqSPeh2TMIMr59zkLgqT4EGS8uQb-jTyvYk0muar9g4kCEq-f2MQfsuOm8yRsv8Z7mlO9Kf2JO6zjHDPCSvYE/s1600/animal-smuggling-snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUFew8B1ivWJk4kgB0zChGBkMEGsznZESQkATShWIisW8tq-ecxrFgY0jqSPeh2TMIMr59zkLgqT4EGS8uQb-jTyvYk0muar9g4kCEq-f2MQfsuOm8yRsv8Z7mlO9Kf2JO6zjHDPCSvYE/s640/animal-smuggling-snake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Animal smuggling is big business, and people will try just about anything to sneak creatures through security. Some of them get caught. <a name='more'></a><br />If getting a six-ounce perfume bottle through airport security seems impossible, imagine trying to bypass scanners with 18 monkeys strapped to your waist. In July 2010, one smuggler did just that, flying from Lima, Peru, to Mexico City, only to get busted after acting nervous during a random check, according to news reports. <br /><br />If successful, he could have sold the monkeys for as much as $1,550 each (and turned a profit of more than $25,000), said the news reports. That’s because, for some people, it’s no longer enough to pick up an animal at the local pet shop. Exotic wildlife has become yet another status symbol—and one reason that illegal animal smuggling is on the rise, with one case weirder than the next. <br /><br />Animal smuggling is a hideous and shadowy business. It’s also widespread—and lucrative: Freeland, an international organization fighting wildlife trafficking, estimates it at $10–$20 billion annually. In 2009, law enforcement officials recovered more than 18,500 live animals with an estimated value of $35 million—and that was just in Southeast Asia. <br /><br />Thailand remains a key hub for traffickers, who use it as a gateway to China and other Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam. Freeland reported that between 2007 and 2008, undercover agents found brothels in Vietnam offering tiger and bear products to clients as sexual enhancers. <br /><br />Rare animal parts are also coveted for traditional medicine. An 86-year-old Hmong-American woman who considers herself a shaman was convicted for smuggling more than 1,300 pieces of wildlife, including Asian elephant and clouded leopard parts, through Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport in May 2009. <br /><br />Of course, airports are often the scenes of the crime bust since security tends to be stricter than at car or ferry crossings. But some people still make it through. In one 2007 incident, a mother and daughter couldn’t resist bringing a pet from Thailand home to Washington State. So, according to news reports, they sedated a baby rhesus macaque and hid it under the daughter’s clothes—as if she were pregnant. They cleared security and were arrested only after bringing their “baby” to a Spokane-area mall and boasting about it. <br /><br />Of course, seized animals are the more fortunate ones. They are typically transferred to zoos or rescue centers such as Monkey World, an English center that coordinates with governments worldwide and currently shelters more than 240 rescued and endangered primates. <br /><br />Read on for more strange animal-smuggling incidents. And if you’d like to learn more about this crime and how to help combat it, check out organizations such as Monkey World, Freeland, and the World Wildlife Fund.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Norway: Pythons, Geckos </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiETCp-vanxi3chNPej0YX-7v2kUYh5vl1-1MZ-_uzQjVu2-OyMViXjFrP-n1q3zMDuejw7MpM25OKmfmV0OIiFutx7TqQcZWXjjJ_SEn63U9QWvZOT4hbTv5Uh57jp73eMOxY8sXFR9Qn/s1600/smuggling-python.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiETCp-vanxi3chNPej0YX-7v2kUYh5vl1-1MZ-_uzQjVu2-OyMViXjFrP-n1q3zMDuejw7MpM25OKmfmV0OIiFutx7TqQcZWXjjJ_SEn63U9QWvZOT4hbTv5Uh57jp73eMOxY8sXFR9Qn/s400/smuggling-python.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A 22-year-old Norwegian man was arrested in a routine check by customs officials after arriving in Norway by ferry from Denmark in October 2009. He was, shall we say, inappropriately dressed. Pythons had been stuffed into stockings strapped to his chest, and 10 cans were taped to his legs, each with a lizard inside. The officials first got suspicious and called for a full body search after finding a tarantula in his bag. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>England: Parrot Eggs </b></span></div>
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Dried seahorses, alligator lizards, plucked dead pigeons…UK Border Agency officials have seen it all. In one particularly memorable incident in September 2010, they stopped a passenger at London Heathrow Airport who was trying to smuggle 40 parrot eggs—including those of the endangered blue-headed macaw—in a customized vest worn under his shirt. The eggs were seized, put into incubators to hatch, and transferred to zoos. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Brazil: Spiders </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixDGNSH5WTOhlxsNusMyeGr6pt7BlDdsi98rjwNoA5K1CrUEeRE0SABg40PKf-GxSr1v0ZbkEaPzgiuqpCBuQWtU8d4jtna5_uoyFsQQBUWtD7eZuMk8aociom5bXYuAQnaWfln8yD9UQ/s1600/smuggling-tarantula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixDGNSH5WTOhlxsNusMyeGr6pt7BlDdsi98rjwNoA5K1CrUEeRE0SABg40PKf-GxSr1v0ZbkEaPzgiuqpCBuQWtU8d4jtna5_uoyFsQQBUWtD7eZuMk8aociom5bXYuAQnaWfln8yD9UQ/s400/smuggling-tarantula.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A British man was arrested at the Rio de Janeiro airport in November 2009 for trying to sneak various species of venomous and bird-eating spiders out of the country. The spiders were found in his two suitcases when the man was randomly selected for a security check. The man was said to have run a pet shop in the U.K. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sweden: Snakes </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUFew8B1ivWJk4kgB0zChGBkMEGsznZESQkATShWIisW8tq-ecxrFgY0jqSPeh2TMIMr59zkLgqT4EGS8uQb-jTyvYk0muar9g4kCEq-f2MQfsuOm8yRsv8Z7mlO9Kf2JO6zjHDPCSvYE/s1600/animal-smuggling-snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUFew8B1ivWJk4kgB0zChGBkMEGsznZESQkATShWIisW8tq-ecxrFgY0jqSPeh2TMIMr59zkLgqT4EGS8uQb-jTyvYk0muar9g4kCEq-f2MQfsuOm8yRsv8Z7mlO9Kf2JO6zjHDPCSvYE/s400/animal-smuggling-snake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Customs officials at Stockholm airport became suspicious back in 2005 when a woman kept scratching her chest vigorously. When they performed a security check, the reason became immediately clear: she had somehow squished 75 squirmy baby snakes in her bra. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ireland: Chihuahua </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oW9YNE3djkyWUWvpfjUJDrjtNTN7g4r7VHHGK4XUD5cSbT-oZcM1LU3RNEBkYFNoIsG1ZbFcOEFImn-6MoG76gHLEIbwZPTm0rP6EOM3Lo9VA43BXaLeQOXrLFp4tZC7NZljD_S5P2iO/s1600/smuggling-chihuahua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oW9YNE3djkyWUWvpfjUJDrjtNTN7g4r7VHHGK4XUD5cSbT-oZcM1LU3RNEBkYFNoIsG1ZbFcOEFImn-6MoG76gHLEIbwZPTm0rP6EOM3Lo9VA43BXaLeQOXrLFp4tZC7NZljD_S5P2iO/s400/smuggling-chihuahua.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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A Bulgarian man traveling to Dublin from Madrid was busted for hiding a tiny chihuahua in his hand luggage. The airport X-ray scanner picked up the outline of the dog, which was in a cage within the luggage. At first, customs officials thought it was a stuffed toy but soon discovered the live dog when they opened up the bag for further inspection. The dog, which had no health certificate or clearance permit, was quarantined by the Department of Agriculture. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thailand: Leopards, Panthers, Monkeys, Bear </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgP09nVnPnJHswJ8Vu3o75Od3uheEKAM4j-1KeNeyVw90dmrNktR3I_bjt_6zPCJyX8EZESWjaLKQ8iLVCgRz5EqxILrNKnzO3NQYMO9fahs7oUvyrE1NrnaeUplCo_zJBRX58n3H5bPEl/s1600/smuggling-bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgP09nVnPnJHswJ8Vu3o75Od3uheEKAM4j-1KeNeyVw90dmrNktR3I_bjt_6zPCJyX8EZESWjaLKQ8iLVCgRz5EqxILrNKnzO3NQYMO9fahs7oUvyrE1NrnaeUplCo_zJBRX58n3H5bPEl/s400/smuggling-bear.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A man from the United Arab Emirates was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand, for trying to transport a zoo of sorts to Dubai: two baby leopards, two baby panthers, two baby macaque monkeys, and one baby Asiatic black bear. According to Thai customs officials who had been monitoring the man, the animals had been drugged and were lying in flat cages to limit their movements. Each wildcat could be sold for $5,000 in the Thai black market—and authorities estimated their value was significantly higher in Dubai. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>America: Monkey</b></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyoxWq8bb7XTTKs_I-MnPB2AjjYNfsK4H5x5fDz1w7tzeXymImyjcphidvI56C9mY5PLI6dGQOkHJe5Wn_ym5iQGuSFECksU7t0IDqVEFLoimhM2TopkX0Ks4v7fHPZVfqjAkxAt7481m/s1600/smuggling-rhesus-monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyoxWq8bb7XTTKs_I-MnPB2AjjYNfsK4H5x5fDz1w7tzeXymImyjcphidvI56C9mY5PLI6dGQOkHJe5Wn_ym5iQGuSFECksU7t0IDqVEFLoimhM2TopkX0Ks4v7fHPZVfqjAkxAt7481m/s400/smuggling-rhesus-monkey.jpg" width="336" /></a></div>
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In November 2007, a mother and daughter on vacation in Thailand bought a baby rhesus macaque to bring home to Washington State as a pet. According to news reports, they sedated the monkey and placed it under the 28-year-old daughter’s clothes—as if she were pregnant—and cleared security. They were arrested only after bringing their “baby” to a mall and boasting about it. The monkey was transferred to a primate rescue facility in Oregon. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mexico: Monkeys </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcKbdE6qxnRkSvp9mYuoHq7mOECxZQVgfioo4OpnOdK3SFahvOzHS6MQwccxgvSLnxXroBD-dTrAWmMyXb3BIeSVBmCnx9bijKuTewaDOWi-H79z5SPLxsM717Ksl5Rs7njuwDbPXUn87/s1600/smuggling-monkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcKbdE6qxnRkSvp9mYuoHq7mOECxZQVgfioo4OpnOdK3SFahvOzHS6MQwccxgvSLnxXroBD-dTrAWmMyXb3BIeSVBmCnx9bijKuTewaDOWi-H79z5SPLxsM717Ksl5Rs7njuwDbPXUn87/s400/smuggling-monkey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In July 2010, a Mexican man coming from Lima, Peru, was arrested for trying to get through Mexico City International Airport with 18 endangered six-inch titi monkeys strapped to his body. The smuggler aroused suspicions, say news reports, because he was acting nervous and had a mysterious bulge around his waist where the monkeys were hidden in a girdle. Worse still, when the monkeys were uncovered on his body, two were already dead. The smuggler had bought them in Peru for $30 each and planned to sell them as pets for up to $1,550 each in Mexico. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yemen: Baboon </b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LMiKTpNO2h0dX2fyZAUIcCNLwa_s653CCtARg-njVubLCOMtIHyRpYPzTN255XenIsdC123wYFz0drjDBqcp_3gykfI3zMumPjpZXwHXl56tiaATpCVbs9ALfZzTBsYWEhzNmTwaPva0/s1600/animal-smuggling-baboon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LMiKTpNO2h0dX2fyZAUIcCNLwa_s653CCtARg-njVubLCOMtIHyRpYPzTN255XenIsdC123wYFz0drjDBqcp_3gykfI3zMumPjpZXwHXl56tiaATpCVbs9ALfZzTBsYWEhzNmTwaPva0/s400/animal-smuggling-baboon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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About 90 minutes into a flight from Sanaa, Yemen, to Damascus, Syria, a drugged baboon awoke and broke loose—terrifying and waking up any slumbering passengers. Crew members scrambled to catch the hamadryas baboon, just one of many that a smuggler had brought onboard in boxes. Instead of selling the baboons for $3,000 apiece as planned, the smuggler was arrested and the baboons repatriated to Yemen. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-62426127334567625362011-10-07T03:47:00.000-07:002011-10-07T03:47:57.648-07:0010 of the Best – and Worst 9/11 Tattoos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguH8kddU0dU8BL3JNfXUdWTdGk_g4tj9cWV_QFGmHqxy8H8sejn9OWjEJds7eEaA9XmZaLEc17QxQqHzlpg0cP4yCWzyPiWeuvIKjVLlFr8gpS3EwaasVDhYbCSp2mdQQrdc_XqzAFOH66/s1600/911+Tattoos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguH8kddU0dU8BL3JNfXUdWTdGk_g4tj9cWV_QFGmHqxy8H8sejn9OWjEJds7eEaA9XmZaLEc17QxQqHzlpg0cP4yCWzyPiWeuvIKjVLlFr8gpS3EwaasVDhYbCSp2mdQQrdc_XqzAFOH66/s1600/911+Tattoos.jpg" /></a></div>
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It’s been a decade since the twin towers fell. Life has changed as
nobody would’ve imagined. As the nation begins to pay tribute to the
fallen, we take a look at ways in what New Yorkers have done to keep
their loved ones’ memories alive.</div>
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We start with the more permanent
memorials — in loving memory tattoos of those who were affected the
most. These are fine folks who simply wanted to express their pain in a
more unique way — getting tattoos with loaded meanings to them and
something to remind them for a lifetime.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTAJb-X1QBoW4bb-xuCKN5o47nXKgOok_DzHD9xNkinq4TY4ksTHRkTFH-ns3aDVg0Mz7IH9rMjrdo8mVvNjF8u1dHsfFOMkKA2bOBulivDRnUE6lYJgwKhltIsTB8zuU3Q0jejxzjlWo/s1600/911+Tattoos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTAJb-X1QBoW4bb-xuCKN5o47nXKgOok_DzHD9xNkinq4TY4ksTHRkTFH-ns3aDVg0Mz7IH9rMjrdo8mVvNjF8u1dHsfFOMkKA2bOBulivDRnUE6lYJgwKhltIsTB8zuU3Q0jejxzjlWo/s1600/911+Tattoos.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYZUurK817kOeZW-pPIIJF8rk1CIYJEeE2b2YGel8yGEZ65nqS7BK4XtbZca4fV3tFsTKllLYQNEG-1TZb16iSbMfwSjcR-oSyvenp4ltvZTKlF3fsiBBeuA9D5RHFdNuVQJ9l8Bmc5fu/s1600/911-tattoo_2-batman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYZUurK817kOeZW-pPIIJF8rk1CIYJEeE2b2YGel8yGEZ65nqS7BK4XtbZca4fV3tFsTKllLYQNEG-1TZb16iSbMfwSjcR-oSyvenp4ltvZTKlF3fsiBBeuA9D5RHFdNuVQJ9l8Bmc5fu/s1600/911-tattoo_2-batman.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSo9zoEl8PhVyBKmlz4nluL7KxSMXs095ZcOHGrKC-2qhVAWiX0SrOTO2BVQUrDGFHHpIt28X9AzTsvQkV_rE-l1QW71YskJz2paftMOJBq8nqWyfGeluHO8eZNZxy-x_NWKlTZ2RbcZW/s1600/911-tattoo_3-soldier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSo9zoEl8PhVyBKmlz4nluL7KxSMXs095ZcOHGrKC-2qhVAWiX0SrOTO2BVQUrDGFHHpIt28X9AzTsvQkV_rE-l1QW71YskJz2paftMOJBq8nqWyfGeluHO8eZNZxy-x_NWKlTZ2RbcZW/s1600/911-tattoo_3-soldier.jpg" /></a></div>
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A soldier with a 9/ 11 tattoo stands with other soldiers with U.S. Army
Able Company, 3-509 Infantry Battalion inside protective shelter during
an afternoon rocket and mortal attack on Combat Outpost (COP) Zerak on
Jan. 22, in Zerak, Afghanistan. Getty Images / Spencer Platt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_jmu65uFyzmLe5CuWI_pvDi9IceKMt4uDQX20vR4yOqijKUUEg_FA13gNltB0O25K9CCSK18EgQHcrCLx5oIbcHgtocXUS-A7AS_IakEwpetn9BQ8BjLDz4F3ZsLptoBumjoWV61qO1P/s1600/911-tattoo_4-partner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_jmu65uFyzmLe5CuWI_pvDi9IceKMt4uDQX20vR4yOqijKUUEg_FA13gNltB0O25K9CCSK18EgQHcrCLx5oIbcHgtocXUS-A7AS_IakEwpetn9BQ8BjLDz4F3ZsLptoBumjoWV61qO1P/s1600/911-tattoo_4-partner.jpg" /></a></div>
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A soldier with a 9/ 11 tattoo stands with other soldiers with U.S. Army
Able Company, 3-509 Infantry Battalion inside protective shelter during
an afternoon rocket and mortal attack on Combat Outpost (COP) Zerak on
Jan. 22, in Zerak, Afghanistan. Getty Images / Spencer Platt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDOFztJtS1XIG2D-bj0cQKLOCL7U7sMUOEtue3dzL9T9CQPVHe090Owp5IISFX4-rN2bGoEpnPPiBLgR0ax3iUQkgtfjjDx7vUKriR1akATlTLTdgTNIW12mON7pHAjA5q4pA9wrWbZYx/s1600/911-tattoo_5-raining-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDOFztJtS1XIG2D-bj0cQKLOCL7U7sMUOEtue3dzL9T9CQPVHe090Owp5IISFX4-rN2bGoEpnPPiBLgR0ax3iUQkgtfjjDx7vUKriR1akATlTLTdgTNIW12mON7pHAjA5q4pA9wrWbZYx/s1600/911-tattoo_5-raining-men.jpg" /></a></div>
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Most offensive tattoo ever!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspc4sY3lBIJcgLiwAGxXm1HPyiyFIQFfxIppypeVNjMhX4cuNFIsUwsYd3Sap5i-dgt6bv2byJwvydDdRudRX5g57lAEK5GJYwbynrfLHAWxLdCNbbIBUID5hSCD95-1UdMA54NgqX0AV/s1600/911-tattoo_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspc4sY3lBIJcgLiwAGxXm1HPyiyFIQFfxIppypeVNjMhX4cuNFIsUwsYd3Sap5i-dgt6bv2byJwvydDdRudRX5g57lAEK5GJYwbynrfLHAWxLdCNbbIBUID5hSCD95-1UdMA54NgqX0AV/s1600/911-tattoo_6.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMd8WcoVSn_Q3Pk4iNx6B-5J6Gar29fsN3WY8ywR_Q6jniZju3Yf1fDXx1QJfrU0xy-RCuCgSUn5v0lh6vonzM0epQ36yO019bOgX9xDH7G6U8CA-LF0cYC0VOsMui2o4OgAhNZADFHKa/s1600/911-tattoo_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMd8WcoVSn_Q3Pk4iNx6B-5J6Gar29fsN3WY8ywR_Q6jniZju3Yf1fDXx1QJfrU0xy-RCuCgSUn5v0lh6vonzM0epQ36yO019bOgX9xDH7G6U8CA-LF0cYC0VOsMui2o4OgAhNZADFHKa/s1600/911-tattoo_7.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckwqGyvRAo8oS_jVJCWaRmrqOjGKpLXdDz1gTJsXn8RYUMOKmPtmgZIDu-b4LJkrf7aJ6fUgShQzWbOFfRMCgAtdzs0zLVgIbnDGGHQn6qNgI7BXhpASdun8NpLloZhVr8xzSjqOsP6tw/s1600/911-tattoo_8-neck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckwqGyvRAo8oS_jVJCWaRmrqOjGKpLXdDz1gTJsXn8RYUMOKmPtmgZIDu-b4LJkrf7aJ6fUgShQzWbOFfRMCgAtdzs0zLVgIbnDGGHQn6qNgI7BXhpASdun8NpLloZhVr8xzSjqOsP6tw/s1600/911-tattoo_8-neck.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCZi6E9MXlZG1mHtorDpjJwBAvigXl78CXbrF7_OJSUhN4MAD6W8iy09969sTEpry9y3cc6tMO5M9_2I8njNT6P_hlGbobgup86shspLmrNhs3b7bsAPbR_vYN0e0P8ZqklKvxzDSFuJk/s1600/911-tattoo_9-hero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCZi6E9MXlZG1mHtorDpjJwBAvigXl78CXbrF7_OJSUhN4MAD6W8iy09969sTEpry9y3cc6tMO5M9_2I8njNT6P_hlGbobgup86shspLmrNhs3b7bsAPbR_vYN0e0P8ZqklKvxzDSFuJk/s1600/911-tattoo_9-hero.jpg" /></a></div>
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Another super hero tattoo. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnR5C2Q5AjuBdw0LmFRWmDb_KLz_dubwki0CeN8sndxmNPjScVjs3Wf_5VnJ37ASxbF-i9fZdAdHtvppSoZ-wBh5bNGjQJiNKuAEsQbeCYJTMk5Aw2A0z82Ba2akt08QcumqbCEtRG9Ar/s1600/911-tattoo_10-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnR5C2Q5AjuBdw0LmFRWmDb_KLz_dubwki0CeN8sndxmNPjScVjs3Wf_5VnJ37ASxbF-i9fZdAdHtvppSoZ-wBh5bNGjQJiNKuAEsQbeCYJTMk5Aw2A0z82Ba2akt08QcumqbCEtRG9Ar/s1600/911-tattoo_10-.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-10135477668453146112011-10-07T01:46:00.000-07:002011-10-07T01:46:09.083-07:00World's Smallest People<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfoN-Xb_c2ShwJXvraYZGB6LMpEPBzJGdnLg_MzIZ-Qw3CdIs3nuZym-n9jhXiBdj2N15oEpX6iEE-hsXQW1MR6kjYiIipTrdmha-ARn8pzlNQei8mAOrj6khl0MByaqk-EW57qhWJSpo/s1600/Edward+Nino+Hernandez.jpg"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfoN-Xb_c2ShwJXvraYZGB6LMpEPBzJGdnLg_MzIZ-Qw3CdIs3nuZym-n9jhXiBdj2N15oEpX6iEE-hsXQW1MR6kjYiIipTrdmha-ARn8pzlNQei8mAOrj6khl0MByaqk-EW57qhWJSpo/s640/Edward+Nino+Hernandez.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /> This list of shortest people includes people who have been described or claimed as "shortest" in their lifetime or profession. Listed here are those in Top 10<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ajay Kumar (World's Smallest Actor)</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUKrykiy_dGmnfEx6NkQt6cVLFhzcYOSj1o6kszkiJpK2vDWSYNZ7kQYouemKgo4rfNJL92ySxeVTe0s3q-1EJRMF9oCLDCUTethFlqvcgudLMC1XzpR28zKtOaSA_fzcLS1erUGtQTWD/s1600/Ajay+Kumar.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUKrykiy_dGmnfEx6NkQt6cVLFhzcYOSj1o6kszkiJpK2vDWSYNZ7kQYouemKgo4rfNJL92ySxeVTe0s3q-1EJRMF9oCLDCUTethFlqvcgudLMC1XzpR28zKtOaSA_fzcLS1erUGtQTWD/s1600/Ajay+Kumar.jpg" /></a> <br /> Indian comedy star Ajay Kumar has been officially recognized as the world's smallest actor. Kumar, who is just 2 feet 6 inches tall has made it into the Guinness Book of World Records after starring in 50 films over 13 years.<br /><br />Better known by his stage name Unda Pakru, the tiny star has become a household name in his native Kerala. Having earned fame and a small fortune through his acting, Ajay was even considered an eligible bachelor by families keen to find a good husband for their daughters. His marriage in 2005 to wife Gayatri who at 5ft 1in is more than twice her husband's height was broadcast on local television across India's southwestern states. <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />Chen Guilan & Li Tangyong (World's Shortest Couple) - 2ft 4in and 3ft 7in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNpyn_HxYGdS2BT2kKmPgzvCxIsihch1UMDX-jDMUFNjY7QwyaskqTIQlg8kvbhzYGDmRCa6oT24ShNUrL57SlmMaGFcWfdvD7z9BIiAfyVnPB2W1kTWlOEzKkc7J9EKzkRG0QsUbtw81/s1600/Chen+Guilan.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNpyn_HxYGdS2BT2kKmPgzvCxIsihch1UMDX-jDMUFNjY7QwyaskqTIQlg8kvbhzYGDmRCa6oT24ShNUrL57SlmMaGFcWfdvD7z9BIiAfyVnPB2W1kTWlOEzKkc7J9EKzkRG0QsUbtw81/s1600/Chen+Guilan.jpg" /></a><br /> Two Chinese newly-weds are hoping to get into the record books as the world's shortest couple Chen Guilan, 2ft 4ins, of Shunde city, China, married Li Tangyong, 3ft 7ins in October 2007. </div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Edward Nino Hernandez (Previous World's Smallest Man) - 2ft 31⁄2 in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfoN-Xb_c2ShwJXvraYZGB6LMpEPBzJGdnLg_MzIZ-Qw3CdIs3nuZym-n9jhXiBdj2N15oEpX6iEE-hsXQW1MR6kjYiIipTrdmha-ARn8pzlNQei8mAOrj6khl0MByaqk-EW57qhWJSpo/s1600/Edward+Nino+Hernandez.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfoN-Xb_c2ShwJXvraYZGB6LMpEPBzJGdnLg_MzIZ-Qw3CdIs3nuZym-n9jhXiBdj2N15oEpX6iEE-hsXQW1MR6kjYiIipTrdmha-ARn8pzlNQei8mAOrj6khl0MByaqk-EW57qhWJSpo/s1600/Edward+Nino+Hernandez.jpg" /></a><br /> Edward Niño Hernández was officially named as the world's shortest living man on September 4, 2010, by the Guinness World Records. At 24 years of age Hernandez was 0.7 m (2ft3 1⁄2 in) tall and weighed 10 kg (22 lb). Hernandez lives in Bogotá, Colombia, and hasn't grown a millimeter since his 2nd birthday. Why his growth has halted, however, remains a mystery.<br /><br />Hernandez's reign ended on October 14, 2010 when Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal turned 18. (Photo by Piers Calvert).</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />Khagendra Thapa Magar (Previous World's Smallest Man) - 2ft 2in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lXTDXXyoGDtwhI_uNwzYLue7FKZwJFWUwd9wRERSyxy-8CtjWpiQ1Yt8b3W7WboH9HICrxkLPzJYJggMqrvaXnz9CZ_JAqwm3U6gowyuB7iyEhE_InaQWGiq51auNWk61y3E_Vg4XYwA/s1600/Khagendra+Thapa+Magar.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lXTDXXyoGDtwhI_uNwzYLue7FKZwJFWUwd9wRERSyxy-8CtjWpiQ1Yt8b3W7WboH9HICrxkLPzJYJggMqrvaXnz9CZ_JAqwm3U6gowyuB7iyEhE_InaQWGiq51auNWk61y3E_Vg4XYwA/s1600/Khagendra+Thapa+Magar.jpg" /></a><br /> Khagendra Thapa Magar (born October 14, 1992), son of Rup Bahadur and Dhana Maya Thapa Magar, was the shortest man in the world, measuring 0.67 m (2ft 2in).Formerly the shortest teenager in the world, Magar took the title of shortest man from Edward Nino Hernandez when he turned 18 on October 14, 2010. Magar is a primordial dwarf. He lost the title of "World's Shortest Man" on June 12, 2011, to Junrey Balawing of the Philippines.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jyoti Amge (World's Smallest Girl) - 1ft 11i</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnm1ZG4pduNQWNYSFkz5uTFO1yUUKO1TdWOPf6hQipN919E8NMGY3kuTX3VbcriHPM6UGazGjMuGN4voYc7XhGT7-uoNz2ztDoohZ_3YSBTtp2pMcxfu-FUTuezyE930UWllf-gEuVZ1pY/s1600/Jyoti+Amge.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnm1ZG4pduNQWNYSFkz5uTFO1yUUKO1TdWOPf6hQipN919E8NMGY3kuTX3VbcriHPM6UGazGjMuGN4voYc7XhGT7-uoNz2ztDoohZ_3YSBTtp2pMcxfu-FUTuezyE930UWllf-gEuVZ1pY/s1600/Jyoti+Amge.jpg" /></a><br /> 15 year old Indian teenager Jyoti Amge is the smallest girl in the world at a weight of 11lbs (around 5kg) and height of 1 ft 11 inch (around 58 cm). She has a form of dwarfism called achodroplasia and will never grow any taller. Instead of being unhappy Jyoti is proud to be small and loves all the attention she is getting. People flock to see her and some even treated her like a goddess. Jyoti hopes that she could one day break into Bollywood as an actress.</div>
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<br /> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Junrey Balawing (Current World's Smallest Man) – 23,5in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20oD_5LOQYnIkFulIcxWf_IfU-2Fm9bBrjG8KQ_59FWk_WtXoMco977-3Zf6rNi5CZKoeyYGgwGjeDzV45TEJt69BMr9BcSTp-xg_6CQpSC4E2eokMWCH3Op_m0f8wJQulPGSUGU0koAP/s1600/Junrey+Balawing.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20oD_5LOQYnIkFulIcxWf_IfU-2Fm9bBrjG8KQ_59FWk_WtXoMco977-3Zf6rNi5CZKoeyYGgwGjeDzV45TEJt69BMr9BcSTp-xg_6CQpSC4E2eokMWCH3Op_m0f8wJQulPGSUGU0koAP/s1600/Junrey+Balawing.jpg" /></a><br /> A Filipino man who stands less than two feet tall got an 18th birthday gift from Guinness World Records - the official title of world's shortest man. Junrey Balawing, a blacksmith's son from the village of Sindangan in the southern Phillipines, stands just 23.5 inches tall and mysteriously stopped growing when he was two months old, his parents said. Balawing got the title of world's shortest adult man from Guinness officials at a ceremony in his coastal town, where he was fed with roast pigs, cake, balloons and gifts.</div>
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<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Stacey Herald (World's Smallest Mother) - 2ft 4in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf17nzuU6wV4bXbrdbea6F2y4zEqvsnzuIGtPS02qCugEG_TzSK_A5AlAPEds32qjW6j83HcASIo0MiD2rA7qGjQ5Rkl-APAS6ZV1rdxnGz2-qIE2qEl4Jyf-7jOVM4nDD_FDdOO2zUtK/s1600/Stacey+Herald.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf17nzuU6wV4bXbrdbea6F2y4zEqvsnzuIGtPS02qCugEG_TzSK_A5AlAPEds32qjW6j83HcASIo0MiD2rA7qGjQ5Rkl-APAS6ZV1rdxnGz2-qIE2qEl4Jyf-7jOVM4nDD_FDdOO2zUtK/s1600/Stacey+Herald.jpg" /></a><br /> The world's smallest mother is about to give birth for the third time - despite warnings she is risking her life.<br /><br />Stacey Herald, who is just 2ft 4in tall, was told that becoming pregnant could kill her, but bravely defied doctors to have two babies half her height. The 35-year-old from Dry Ridge, Kentucky, in the U.S. suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which causes brittle bones and underdeveloped lungs, and means she failed to grow. Mrs Herald, who uses a wheelchair, and her husband Will, who is 5ft 9in, are eagerly awaiting the birth of their third baby, due in the next four weeks.<br /><br />Currently as wide as she is tall, she cannot hold her daughter because her belly gets in the way, and has to rely on her husband to do most things around the house. She admits being pregnant is ‘uncomfortable' and leaves her bedridden for weeks on end. By the time the new addition, a boy, is one, he will already tower over his mother. But despite all the obstacles, the mother and father, a trainee priest, say they want even more children. The couple met in 2000 while working for a supermarket in their home town. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Aditya "Romeo" Dev (World's Smallest Bodybuilder) - 2ft 9in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFL00tZNM1wu4KK61VNRIYrswIKNNZccgSTpQ9E1Hm6TSHzpWQOlnMmdYecoRR6s6mlbbU5XggZvafBGJIEUTl_7ojvG_KgSrMci-Xf84-2z5sgn4YmGnhq7ul_cFhgCwRKw7YdksT1NQ/s1600/Aditya+Romeo+Dev.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFL00tZNM1wu4KK61VNRIYrswIKNNZccgSTpQ9E1Hm6TSHzpWQOlnMmdYecoRR6s6mlbbU5XggZvafBGJIEUTl_7ojvG_KgSrMci-Xf84-2z5sgn4YmGnhq7ul_cFhgCwRKw7YdksT1NQ/s1600/Aditya+Romeo+Dev.jpg" /></a><br />Meet Aditya "Romeo" Dev, who at just 2 ft 9 in. (0.84 m) is the world's smallest bodybuilder. Pint-sized Romeo is well-known in his hometown of Phagwara, India – for his ability to lift 1.5 kg dumbbells – despite his overall 9 kg body weight. Every day, crowds flock to the local gym to see the mini-muscleman in training. While most dwarfs have large heads compared to their bodies, Romeo is perfectly proportioned, and despite his diminutive stature has triceps, biceps, calves and thighs that would make many full-grown man blush. He was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records in 2006 following three months of intense exercise.<br /> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Shannon Bobbitt (World's Shortest Professional Basketball Player) – 5ft 2in </b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-D063SN-6ENEIkP-yCMuYjzrC8lGsmhCSuOO1NO7E_cCxdFClItglGLnk6x9Z8LcCe9p9uAeXC_zinmfIEGuhHAK0TioAJmhD_DLIH_76guKtUVC9JGDN18PBNYxDYWujHS5P5kJLeji/s1600/Shannon+Bobbitt.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-D063SN-6ENEIkP-yCMuYjzrC8lGsmhCSuOO1NO7E_cCxdFClItglGLnk6x9Z8LcCe9p9uAeXC_zinmfIEGuhHAK0TioAJmhD_DLIH_76guKtUVC9JGDN18PBNYxDYWujHS5P5kJLeji/s1600/Shannon+Bobbitt.jpg" /></a><br />Compared to the other members of this list, Shannon may look like a giant, but in the basketball world where every inch counts, she is known for being the shortest professional player ever. One of eight children and a native of the Bronx, New York, Bobbitt honed her basketball skills on the neighborhood project courts of Harlem. Following a stellar college career in which 5'2" Bobbitt won two Division I national titles at University of Tennessee. She decided to enter the WNBA and began her professional basketball career playing point guard for the Los Angeles Sparks.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /> Gul Mohammed (Shortest Man Ever Documented) – 1ft 10in</b></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYchATNoMiiUj1Y-wNFQ65jZZLDd8WS_1o8i48lX7HVcakPSwRU_hij0ubUNFfWE9DcTdUg4hyphenhyphenWkTbWvZPvjL9T29eBAyD-YW1H-jZI5VtElJLN_qtr2MuNbhnF4hx4j5fxaBUxQb6KY4J/s1600/Gul+Mohammed.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYchATNoMiiUj1Y-wNFQ65jZZLDd8WS_1o8i48lX7HVcakPSwRU_hij0ubUNFfWE9DcTdUg4hyphenhyphenWkTbWvZPvjL9T29eBAyD-YW1H-jZI5VtElJLN_qtr2MuNbhnF4hx4j5fxaBUxQb6KY4J/s1600/Gul+Mohammed.jpg" /></a><br /> Gul Mohammed (February 15, 1957 – October 1, 1997) of New Delhi, India, according to The Guinness Book of World Records, was the shortest adult human being whose existence and height have been independently verified. On July 19, 1990, he was examined by Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, India and he stood 1 foot 10.4 inches (57 cm) tall and weighed 37.5 lbs (17.0 kg). He died on October 1, 1997, from respiratory complications and after a long struggle with asthma and bronchitis, acquired due to heavy smoking.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-45885705805674261882011-10-06T00:36:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:36:24.229-07:00Best Islands of the Caribbean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2QRMz-zZRWKPP7LxQe2tYCg9OXGmhQ32xpkJoc8zYPY9uOiwW1Kb85PU7o6w_082iiuk0sB-OvwhO8I3JNNoebsofwzqE_HTBbFujf7Hr5VB3-I_xYzE3edPoKoP97wfkti0jbHdDhq1/s1600/Anguilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2QRMz-zZRWKPP7LxQe2tYCg9OXGmhQ32xpkJoc8zYPY9uOiwW1Kb85PU7o6w_082iiuk0sB-OvwhO8I3JNNoebsofwzqE_HTBbFujf7Hr5VB3-I_xYzE3edPoKoP97wfkti0jbHdDhq1/s640/Anguilla.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> </b>The Caribbean is unlike any other place in the world. It is home to some of the most beautiful islands and waters you will find anywhere. You will see white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters filled with some amazing marine life. The cultures that you will encounter are among the most carefree and relaxing in the world.<b> </b><br />
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<b> 1. Anguilla </b></div>
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A sister of the Leeward island chain, Anguilla is truly one of the most romantic places on earth. Tucked away in the middle of the tranquil Caribbean Sea, a magical island lives and breathes a dynamic culture amidst a Garden of Eden of white sandy beaches and scintillating azure waters. As one sways with the ebb and flow of the gentle currents, you become a witness to nature’s perfect functions when left untouched. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2QRMz-zZRWKPP7LxQe2tYCg9OXGmhQ32xpkJoc8zYPY9uOiwW1Kb85PU7o6w_082iiuk0sB-OvwhO8I3JNNoebsofwzqE_HTBbFujf7Hr5VB3-I_xYzE3edPoKoP97wfkti0jbHdDhq1/s1600/Anguilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2QRMz-zZRWKPP7LxQe2tYCg9OXGmhQ32xpkJoc8zYPY9uOiwW1Kb85PU7o6w_082iiuk0sB-OvwhO8I3JNNoebsofwzqE_HTBbFujf7Hr5VB3-I_xYzE3edPoKoP97wfkti0jbHdDhq1/s1600/Anguilla.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>2. Antigua</b></div>
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Antigua means ancient or antique in Spanish, and it is the perfect name for that tropical and charming island in the Caribbean. Located in the West Indies, Antigua was colonized by the Spanish in the fifteenth century, and makes the absolute perfect destination of Caribbeans. Antigua is also famous as a best wedding destination in the world. Antigua is historic but not run down, and it has a special charm and beauty that makes it the most desired tourist destination in the Caribbean.</div>
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<b>3. British Virgin Islands </b></div>
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The pristine BVI has long attracted yachties and royalty to its turquoise waters, thanks to posh resorts like Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, and Peter Island. The British Virgin Islands are part of the British Territories in the Caribbean. They are located northeast of the US Virgin Islands, on the northeast corner of the Caribbean Sea. Their exotic beaches are considered among the best Caribbean Beaches and the Islands are famous for Caribbean fishing, Sailing, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7557" height="450" src="http://thewondrous.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/British-Virgin-Islands.jpg" title="British-Virgin-Islands" width="600" /></div>
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<b>4. Curacao </b></div>
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Curacao has historically trailed its sister Caribbean islands of Aruba and Bonaire when it comes to attracting vacationers, largely because oil refining and financial services, rather than tourism, dominate its prosperous economy. Sea Aquarium is a must for any one in Curacao for holiday. You can swim with the dolphins, kiss the sea lions (or get kissed by them actually) and see the beautiful flamingos.</div>
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<img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7558" height="450" src="http://thewondrous.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Curacao.jpg" title="Curacao" width="600" /></div>
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<b>5. Dominican Republic </b></div>
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Dominican Republic is an island with many features and incredible history. Dominican Republic main attractions gets the attention of many tourists with its great historical landmarks and nice people. The country has too many places to see and explore. One of the places located in the capital is the Cathedral of Santa Maria. The Aquarium with lots of beautiful marine life to see is another great attraction. The beaches are something you cannot forget. There is more than a 1000 miles of beaches all around. Punta Cana and Cabarete are worldwide known to have incredibly beautiful beaches. You can also go to a tour that will take you to Saona island and Catalina island for some of the best scuba diving you have ever seen.</div>
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<b>6. Grenada</b></div>
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Grenada is a spectacular beautiful island that has golden beaches; crystal water falls, flourishing green mountains and aromatic spice trees, which give this island its nickname as the Isle of Spice. There are 46 sun soaked beaches around the Spice Island of Grenada. One important reason to visit Grenada is its wild and lively carnival held every year in the third quarter. It seems that anyone who visits will not be lacking in things to do and sights to see because of the many beautiful spots and year-round festivities Grenada is known for.</div>
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<b>7. Jamaica</b></div>
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Jamaica vacations don’t just mean luxurious resorts with all amenities at your fingertips. Besides its pristine beaches lapped by warm turquoise water, Jamaica boasts a host of natural scenic wonders which are well worth a visit. Well, the most exciting is Dunn’s River Falls, where visitors can climb up the falls as part of a human chain, and enjoy the soothing effect of the massage parlor’s rushing waters as they cascade to the ocean. There are also nature trails through the lush tropical foliage of bamboos, ferns, ginger lilies, orchids, crotons, palms and breadfruit trees. Shoppers will delight in the straw crafts, wood carvings, and other artworks available at the craft park and there is a cafeteria specializing in Jamaican delights such as jerked chicken and curried goat.</div>
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<b>8. St. Lucia </b></div>
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St Lucia is one of the smaller more leisurely Islands in the Caribbean, boasting beautiful beaches with a welcoming light breeze, like the popular Anse de Sable beach. As most Caribbean Islands, it has the typical white sands where the calm ocean waves are ideal for water sports, like sailing and para-gliding. The island is a popular stop for both cruise visitors and vacationers coming for a long-term stay at nearly 100 hotels, resorts and inns.</div>
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<b>9. St. Vincent and the Grenadines </b></div>
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Before St. Vincent served as the setting for “Pirates of the Caribbean”, this remote island and the whole Grenadine chain was primarily known only to sailors and seclusion-seeking rock stars. Indeed, Mick Jagger and David Bowie discreetly frequent the exclusive Grenadine isle of Mustique. These days, however, the even prettier, quiet island of Bequia is on the rise, thanks to buzz about newcomer Firefly Plantation Bequia and the halfway complete Bequia Beach Hotel. Canouan Island already boasts a sprawling, superluxe Raffles resort that evokes the South Pacific. And lush St. Vincent is touching up its popular sights like the panoramic Belmont Lookout and the canopied Vermont Nature Trail.</div>
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<b>10. Vieques, Puerto Rico</b></div>
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Vieques, Puerto Rico is one of the most unspoiled islands of the Caribbean. It is an unforgettable and very affordable destination for any traveler. Since embracing tourism in 2003 after decades as a U.S. naval base, the tiny island of Vieques has been the most accessible “uncharted territory” in the Caribbean. With Vieques harboring more than 40 miles of unspoiled sand and the Caribbean’s largest wildlife refuge, its small hotels and casual restaurants have attracted easygoing, eco-minded tourists.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565146263411071697.post-19436848418256244492011-09-30T06:26:00.000-07:002011-09-30T06:26:40.939-07:00Hollywood's Top 10 Tech Savvy Stars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwPJR055ze-VmkqlNyxYBFaMyAEWAJNhSxYX1MjQlifKv18OQaQN1-RQSAowHweNFX32DqNfSMn8FZzO5G91Bdic-rDF3iFUX0Hf5FS0r7iRi-gxymOntMKYZNKVnFjzYVKWsGMi4eSS_/s1600/celeb+tech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwPJR055ze-VmkqlNyxYBFaMyAEWAJNhSxYX1MjQlifKv18OQaQN1-RQSAowHweNFX32DqNfSMn8FZzO5G91Bdic-rDF3iFUX0Hf5FS0r7iRi-gxymOntMKYZNKVnFjzYVKWsGMi4eSS_/s640/celeb+tech.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Most of us love gadgets and technology is our friend. From Teeny to
Gramps, people can't deny the effect that this modernized civilization
offers - not even star or celebrity. Tomio Geron (Forbes Social Markets)
shared to us a list of Hollywood tech savvy stars.</span><br />
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Tomio quoted </span><i style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Celebrities from Hollywood, music or the sports world
seem to have a fascination with Silicon Valley and tech start-ups.
Whether it’s the inner gadget geek, the urge to start a company, an
interest in a quick-flip investment, a hope to be an hip early adopter,
or just an interest in schmoozing with the next Ev Williams, celebrities
seem to have a strong attraction to tech. Some like to show up at
industry conferences, others invest in companies, while others just like
to sign up for new web sites to boost their geek cred."</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 - Ashton Kutcher</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEsn8HAs5d_nk5tQJyqIIHGsjLMkFrMi0R5EAhJJK2xK7zvIERkryGMDj9vuaZlBPht11YamAvqpCqMoBRvi4kU7vlSy13LxEADoYzgbjGHKt00gmGYD1BNRCmsAaCRmX_FJWTqKXJmwl/s1600/Ashton+Kutcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPEsn8HAs5d_nk5tQJyqIIHGsjLMkFrMi0R5EAhJJK2xK7zvIERkryGMDj9vuaZlBPht11YamAvqpCqMoBRvi4kU7vlSy13LxEADoYzgbjGHKt00gmGYD1BNRCmsAaCRmX_FJWTqKXJmwl/s400/Ashton+Kutcher.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> He is better known for his acting career. But he has invested in tech companies including Skype, Airbnb, Likealittle and Milk. He recently started a tech investing fund called A Grade with Ron Burkle and Gary Oseary. Kutcher recently attended a Demo Day for incubator Y Combinator in Mountain View, Calif., drawing a crowd of wide-eyed entrepreneurs eager to talk to him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>2 - MC Hammer</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcHIS1uakqCNeED0HhEEzONq1ys343IPZrEZMOfx711pfwJp0c7cJyjVYXWU_7IwT475HPO7oEIxJj9WjcxwlgyP4hXN2Jn663jSkX7KZloitzMzovua4_ftoRECs5V7yFXadELsBw15G/s1600/MC+Hammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcHIS1uakqCNeED0HhEEzONq1ys343IPZrEZMOfx711pfwJp0c7cJyjVYXWU_7IwT475HPO7oEIxJj9WjcxwlgyP4hXN2Jn663jSkX7KZloitzMzovua4_ftoRECs5V7yFXadELsBw15G/s400/MC+Hammer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> MC Hammer, a.k.a. rapper Stanley Kirk Burrell has been a frequent guest at tech events in Silicon Valley with the likes of Ron Conway. Hammer also was an advisor to start-up DanceJam.com. Hammer here is seated with Conway in the audience during a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama, Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>3 - Chamillionaire</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeryEh7E7nclZ379OtJvuggxTPD8mA9CrNnvjmxuPycbBJZvLrk3_xZE2K94Y8sjpdkkzKHrvliu9SLp_IXQ-3rxsG3-rl0T7pbC72pNRsyStUwB3cR3YkpQVLZhpqLBLYXkNFBCIRafm/s1600/Chamillionaire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeryEh7E7nclZ379OtJvuggxTPD8mA9CrNnvjmxuPycbBJZvLrk3_xZE2K94Y8sjpdkkzKHrvliu9SLp_IXQ-3rxsG3-rl0T7pbC72pNRsyStUwB3cR3YkpQVLZhpqLBLYXkNFBCIRafm/s400/Chamillionaire.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> He has become a regular at Silicon Valley tech conferences, where he says he wants to learn more about how new technology can affect the music industry. Most recently he attended the July 29 TechCrunch Crunchup at AOL in Palo Alto, Calif. He also has been a judge at a TechCrunch start-up conference.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>4 - Tim Ferris</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXD0TU-b9AQ9338miNYNSd7JrqIG4WIOk7Hmapz7f7MRDrHysIChjvRh4cw_SLLvz3Tivr8VSV81vw-bzup3LzviRHbJ-dROg5MvFSeQqmCEek4DdTTcXclXk-E7BSIwt7xWM-cX-sIUI6/s1600/Tim+Ferris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXD0TU-b9AQ9338miNYNSd7JrqIG4WIOk7Hmapz7f7MRDrHysIChjvRh4cw_SLLvz3Tivr8VSV81vw-bzup3LzviRHbJ-dROg5MvFSeQqmCEek4DdTTcXclXk-E7BSIwt7xWM-cX-sIUI6/s400/Tim+Ferris.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Bestselling author Tim Ferris (The 4-Hour Workweek) has also been an active angel investor in tech start-ups. His investments include Twitter, Reputation.com, DailyBurn and SimpleGeo. He's also an advisor for companies including Evernote, StumbleUpon and Uber.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>5 - Kim Kardashian</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> She is a co-founder of online subscription shoe company ShoeDazzle.com, which has reportedly raised $60 million in total venture financing. The founder of the company is Brian Lee, a serial entrepreneur whose first company, LegalZoom is expected to go public soon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>6 - Justin Timberlake</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXDMBYdHiPiEuEs697WmDvhTgcgsJfmdaYd60ZQQbAr5e3G9HEMBKrnvpzy95qWX8azqzaewndSfyBTyV09cjgf0hEDYhoVsXY_zYyejy7FezzQ77P_upyVmyOPFJuOmYoXpElOzuguHb/s1600/Justin+Timberlake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXDMBYdHiPiEuEs697WmDvhTgcgsJfmdaYd60ZQQbAr5e3G9HEMBKrnvpzy95qWX8azqzaewndSfyBTyV09cjgf0hEDYhoVsXY_zYyejy7FezzQ77P_upyVmyOPFJuOmYoXpElOzuguHb/s400/Justin+Timberlake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Justin Timberlake is an investor in companies including Stipple, a photo advertising start-up, and Miso Media, a music education start-up. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 7 - Curt Schilling</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is a founder of gaming start-up 38 Studios.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> 8 - Will.i.am</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbacm5nkoegbfP6B4hTngJH-SbFyrl5WnqhJkLXw2lHWAMjBSzw0tPf-LdpY-SmSL0mF-_vJj7YkvL0HOBnX9kweqN5yYO9YZXNbhY5eT0lRcMnQuYxpRFH0lWlETrGi63FrxkT1trkRqB/s1600/Will.i.am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbacm5nkoegbfP6B4hTngJH-SbFyrl5WnqhJkLXw2lHWAMjBSzw0tPf-LdpY-SmSL0mF-_vJj7YkvL0HOBnX9kweqN5yYO9YZXNbhY5eT0lRcMnQuYxpRFH0lWlETrGi63FrxkT1trkRqB/s400/Will.i.am.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Will. i.am of the Black Eyed Peas in January was named director of creative innovation at chip giant Intel. (What that means exactly is unclear.) His geek cred was solidified in December 2010 when he wrote and performed a song about cloud computing for Salesforce.com at CEO Marc Benioff's keynote. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>9 - Lady Gaga</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Lady Gaga invested in Backplane, a social networking start-up, along with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt's Tomorrow Ventures. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>10 - Shaquille O'Neal</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Shaquille O'Neal joined Twitter in November 2008 and helped draw mainstream users to the service. He also used web video service 12seconds.tv, drawing massive traffic to that website. He still records spots regularly on video iPhone app Tout.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0