Picnic On the Bridge - Sydney Harbour

Sydney Harbour Bridge was turned into a picnic en masse yesterday as thousands flocked to the world famous landmark to share breakfast. On most mornings, the bridge is packed with the vehicles of thousands of busy commuters driving bumper to bumper trying to make it to work in the rush-hour traffic. But this morning it was closed to traffic and instead transformed into a huge gathering for an al fresco breakfast as part of a city-wide food festival. Around 6,000 people were invited to lay siege on the grassy banks in the middle of the highway.

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

The aerial view of the bridge a scene like never before with freshly laid grass, grazing cows and hundreds of families enjoying a picnic breakfast. The forecast rain was thankfully held off and people turned out to enjoy croissants, sausages, bacon eggs and coffee - with a stunning view across the water to the Opera House. Many who were not among the lucky ticket-holders drawn from a ballot of 190,000 people to take part in the unique gathering still turned up at each end of the bridge.

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They gaze at the spectacle of cows grazing on 10,000 square yards of turfed grass that had been laid over the tarmac. 'It's the most extraordinary sight,' said Rhonda Williams, 21, a backpacker from Bath, Somerset. 'I've been taking pictures all around Sydney in the past couple of weeks and like everyone else I've taken dozens of photos of the bridge.

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

It was such a historic event that local man Sid Elias used the occasion to propose to his girlfriend.
And they have agreed that if the 'Breakfast on the Bridge' became an annual event they'll return each time. The cows had been transported in from an outlying agricultural college and seemed unperturbed by their lofty surroundings over the harbour as they tucked into the grass and hay.
To add to the occasion, musicians strolled among the families - who included one couple who brought their four-week-old baby along - playing accordions and trumpets, while a honky-tonk piano player bashed out happy melodies. New South Wales government officials estimated the cost of laying on the unique event cost around £400,000 - but agreed it was worth it.

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The state's premier, Mr Nathan Rees, said Breakfast on the Bridge was likely to become an annual event. 'It's worth a great deal in tourism dollars,' he said.'Everyone's been having a ball.'
Strolling across the grass, commuter Don Fuchs said: 'It's amazing to see the bridge in this perspective. 'Usually you sit in the car, you cross the bridge and that's it.' The breakfast was part of the Crave festival, one month of food, art, comedy and outdoor fun, which runs until next Saturday.

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters
Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters
Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

Via : Link

Photo EPA/AFP/Getty Image/Reuters

Al Hakawati - Zabeel Park, Dubai

Al Hakawati - The Storyteller Zabeel Park, Dubai

The thyssenkrupp elevator award was a competition which asked architects to develop an iconic tall emblem structure for zaabeel park in dubai. For their proposal visiondivision designed a statue based around al hakawati – a storyteller, whose profession that goes way back in ancient arabic times and still is performed in the arabic world today. the statue will be a home of stories! ; a children’s library in its base and various spaces for performance and reading inside of the statue.

In every part of the park, small speakers will be set up so people can gather around them and listen to the statue when he recites stories; perhaps great legends from one thousand and one night, historical anecdotes from the city itself and future speculations, all this performed with an animated body language.

The statue the walls in the base are stairs on the outside which leads to the platform where the storyteller begins to rise. windows punctuates various stairs for a bright indoor environment without any direct sunlight. the statue also has big rooms inside of it for reading,relaxing and other social activities. each big room has its own theme, be it a gold room, a crystal cavern, a green room or a room full of fish tanks, or the night views of dubai.

Technical aspects:

The statue can move its arms and head; this demands an articulate joint between the elevators and the floors on these critical points. the joints are similar in function to those seen in joint buses, and will guarantee an uninterrupted movement inside of the statue, even if he slightly tilts his head. The arms and head movement is controlled by computers and can mimic a prerecording of an actor for example. the rigid parts of the statue are made out of a steel frame structure with a cover of sheets of steel. the movable parts must be flexible, thus a material like rubber or silicon with a coating that mimic the glossiness of the steel is preferable.

Gold theme room in the eyeball of al hakawati (the storyteller)

Top 10 Tough Laws in the World

Ignorance is no defense – especially when it comes to ignorance of the laws in countries you plan to visit. While it may seem natural to study some of the general customs and laws in major foreign countries you might not expect, for example, to have to look for strange law changes in somewhere like Florida. Most places in the world are relatively easy to get along in. Some strange laws are nothing more than folklore. Every once in a while, though, you’re going to run into something a bit off the wall and it’s important for you to be prepared in advance.

10. DON’T FEED THE PIGEONS (ITALY)

In Italy it is illegal to feed the pigeons. Ok, that’s a bit of a blanket statement. The rule actually has the potential to change from city to city. Make sure you leave the pigeons alone while you’re in Venice, though – the locals are tired of cleaning up pigeon poop. You’ll also want to avoid jumping into fountains, walking around without your shirt on (would you DO that as a tourist), and sitting on the sidewalk to eat your lunch. Fines range from a warning to monetary infractions anywhere from $50 to $600.

9. EATING IN PUBLIC (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)

Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you’ll want to make sure you aren’t visiting during Ramadan. During that time you are not allowed to eat or drink in public during fasting hours (ie. daylight hours) at all. Think we’re kidding? Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking juice in public. Avoid public displays of affection as well unless you want to spend a few months in jail.

8. DON’T PAY IN CHANGE (CANADA)

Ever have the urge to empty your piggy bank of quarters and run down to the corner store? Don’t do it in Canada. The Currency Act of 1985 prohibits consumers from using unreasonable amounts of coins to pay for purchases. This means you can’t pay for an item in all coins (especially if it’s over $10). Even the use of dollar-coins is limited. The shop owner has the right to choose whether or not he wants to take your coins but doesn’t have to.

7. WASH YOUR CAR (MOSCOW)

In the beautiful city of Moscow it is illegal to drive a dirty car. The definition of dirty, however, is up in the air. Is a dirty car one on which you can draw pictures in the dust? Does it hide the license plate? Does it make the driver invisible? We suppose you’ll find out if the police poll you over but the fines tend to be whatever the police decide to charge you – unless, of course, you offer him a bit of cash.

6. LEAVE YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON (DENMARK)

Studies in Denmark have shown that vehicles with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those who have their headlights off. You’d think this law would apply to night driving but it doesn’t. Drivers here are required to leave their headlights on during the day as well or may face a fine of up to $100.

5. DON’T STOP ON THE AUTOBAHN (GERMANY)

You’ve heard of the Autobahn, right? The notorious German road where there are no speed limits? Make sure you fill your gas tank BEFORE you get on this daunting road. It’s illegal to pull over on the side of this road for any reason and, if you do, it’s illegal to get out and walk. You are, after all, endangering the lives of the people who are still driving at warp speeds.

4. PUT YOUR SHIRT ON (THAILAND)

In Thailand it is illegal to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on – regardless of how hot it is that day. Punishments range from verbal warnings to tickets costing about $10. This is no joke – the local police will pull you over.

3. DON’T KISS YOUR LOVER GOODBYE (FRANCE AND ENGLAND)

Love died a little bit on April 5th of 1910. Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains were actually running late. The law is relatively old, though, and really isn’t enforced today – in France, that is. In Warrington Bank Quay in England, however, you’ll be asked to move your goodbyes to the “kissing zone.”

2. WEAR A COVER UP (GRENADA)

The folks at Grenada really do have a point. Cruisers visiting the beaches for day excursions have taken to strolling city streets in nothing but their bathing suits. In order to reign in a sense of decency, the city has instituted a fine for those who aren’t wearing decent clothing off of the beaches. Fines can reach up to $270 but the local tourist boards would like you to believe that the law is not enforced. Perhaps its best to simply cover up rather than trying to find out for yourself.

1. NO GUM CHEWING (SINGAPORE)

Those with gum chewing habits may want to call it quits before heading to Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum, feeding the birds (it causes poop) and forgetting to flush a public toilet. The only legal gum you can chew is Nicorette but you have to get it from a doctor and they will give your name to government officials to confirm you’re allowed to have a wad in your mouth. These aren’t the only strange laws around the world but they’re certainly worth noting. Make sure you do your research before leaving on your next trip. Better safe than sorry!

I got this stuff via mail from our Blog vistor, I dont know this true or ...? Its all depend on you friends, These aren’t the only strange laws around the world but they’re certainly worth nothing. Make sure you do your research before leaving on your next trip. Better safe than sorry!

Hotel of Key Cards

Ever wondered what to do with all those hotel key cards you’ve accumulated? Maybe you’ve thought about building your own hotel out of the them. No? Well, that's okay, because Holiday Inn had that bright idea, and will be unveiling the Key Card Hotel—yes, a hotel made out of many, many key cards (more than even we have)—tomorrow in New York. The elaborate stunt is part of the chain’s “Key to Change” promotion, which gives guests the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to a relaunched Holiday Inn of their choice, anywhere in the world. That’s right: this is not your daddy's Holiday Inn. Spending $1 billion on the relaunch roll-out, IHG expects that 1,200 of its properties will have been relaunched by later this month.
Key to Change Promo details

• From September 14 through October 22, guests at a newly relaunched Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express anywhere in the world can enter the contest. Winners will be identified immediately. (And you can play more than once. Bonus!)
• You can also enter online here. (You can generate a promotion code right there on the website. When we played the code was CHANGE85E4. We didn’t win. Boo.)
• Grand-prize winners will win an all-expenses-paid trip to a Holiday Inn of their choice, anywhere in the world.
• Key Card game pieces will also be distributed directly to Holiday Inn Priority Club® Rewards members.
• The Key Card Hotel was created by world-record holder, cardstracker Bryan Berg.
• It’s made of more than 200,000 Holiday Inn key cards, weighs 4,000 pounds, and took four months to construct. It’s the largest card structure Berg has ever built. (Even though he’s created a few city skylines, including Vegas.)
• The Key Card Hotel at New York’s South Street Seaport from tomorrow through next Monday, September 21st.
• Berg will also build a freestanding 9-ft. replica of New York’s Empire State Building in the lobby of the Key Card Hotel, using Holiday Inn branded playing cards.
• The Key Card Hotel has a lobby, bedroom, and bathroom, all furnished with amenities made out of Holiday Inn key cards.
• The first 250 guests who attend the Key Card Hotel grand opening tomorrow, September 17, at 2:00 pm will receive a free night stay at any Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express around the world.

Via : Link

Did We Already Have Electricity 2000 Years Ago

Sunset in Babylon By Raphael Lacoste / Photo from Raphael Lacoste

If you thought electric bulbs and batteries were modern European inventions, here is something to put that fact to question! A 1936 excavation of some 2000-years-old ruins in an ancient Baghdad village unearthed a small yellow clay vase about 6 inches in height. It had a copper-sheet cylinder lining within it that measured 5 x 1.5 inches.
A soldering material (most probably lead and tin) was used at the top edge of this mysterious cylinder, bearing remarkable affinity to modern solder alloy. A punched-in copper disk at the base of this cylinder was sealed with asphalt or bitumen. A similar asphalt layer also found at the top end held together an iron rod, bearing acidic corrosion marks inserted within the cylinder.

Ever since its recovery, several possibilities have been suggested by experts. Wilhelm König, the German archaeologist brought forth a startling idea that the clay pot could well be a form of electric battery. Following his theory, a Massachusetts based engineer Willard F.M. Gray created a model of this battery in 1940, filled it with copper sulfate solution and proved that it could produce electricity.

In 1970, the German Egyptologist Arne Eggebrecht followed in the footsteps of Gray. He supplanted the copper sulfate solution with fresh grape juice to generate about 0.87V of electricity for gold plating a silver statue. These experiments proved beyond doubt that 1,800 years old civilizations knew how to produce and utilize electricity by means of an acidic agent.

The path breaking conclusions of Konig lost its significance in the turmoil of the World War II. His European co-excavators had raised objection to his theories since the presence of batteries at a predominantly religious age seemed an unlikely possibility. However, soon a set of ‘ancient batteries’ were unearthed from the same sites in Iraq, inspiring a score of baffled propositions.

While some speculated that the electrochemical set up of the ‘batteries’ was meant to produce electricity, others refuted this claim. A series of thinly electroplated objects were found by König in Baghdad that probably used these cells though others opined that these were mainly fire-gilded. Demonstrative experiments have proved that though this battery uses a very primitive mechanism, it could plate a small object with a micrometer thick gold coat over two hours.
However, the electroplating theory was never unanimously accepted and other possible usages were suggested for these batteries. Paul Keyser hinted that the mild electric shock produced by using an iron bar in vinegar was used by healers or priests for electro-acupuncture. It could also have been a trick to create a sense of awe among devotees by electrifying the metal statue of a God.

Although these possible secular and religious applications for the ancient Baghdad batteries were credible, some archaeologists expressed their skepticism for the electrical theory. They raised questions on the absence of wires and the presence of bitumen insulators for the copper cylinder as the problem points of these so-called galvanic cells.
They pointed at the bitumen seal as an evidence for the clay pots being used for non-electronic, storage purpose. Accordingly, they said these were secure storage vessels for preserving sacred scrolls, parchments or papyrus documents within the airtight chamber of the cylinder.

Dendera – Egypt / Photo from Nikki&Michi

However, in the Temple of Dendra in Egypt a stone relief seems to feature an electric lamp throwing light. The believers also pointed out that there was no soot in any of the pyramid shafts or underground tombs of Egypt, which must have stayed if the workers used fire as a source to make the elaborate carvings and decorations within the chambers. Many think, there must have been an alternate source of light other than fire and this speaks volumes in support of the battery theory. The concept of using polished copper plates for mirrors does not hold much ground as a promising source of light.

Carved walls in the temple’s crypt / Photo from Lenka P

The Dendera Light Bulbs / Photo from Hazelra

The Dendera Light Bulbs / Photo from Hazelra

Currently the Baghdad batteries are preserved as valuable pieces of curios in the Baghdad Museum. The dating of these unique clay vases revealed them to be belonging to the Parthian occupation era, somewhere between 248 BCE and 226 CE, although disputed. The Parthian were predominantly a warrior clan and not given to scientific sophistications. Dr St John Simpson of the British Museum attributes the Baghdad batteries to Sassania.

Via : Link

10 Places You Don’t Want To Live

The world is a giant jigsaw puzzle, spotted with both exquisitely beautiful and potentially dangerous places. While you may dream of spending a lifetime in some of the true paradises-on-earth, you should be equally wary of stepping up in some real hell spots for your own safety. But not everyone is fortunate enough to get a cozy and safe home and there are places on earth where people are actually living on the edge of peril.
Here are top 10 such nightmarish places on earth where you would never want to live:

Dharavi in Mumbai, India

The slums of Mumbai

Roughly half the residents of Bombay live in crowded slums such as these.

Photo from bwillen

Sprawling over 175 hectares between Mahim and Sion, Dharavi has emerged as the largest slum of Asia inhabiting a population exceeding 600,000. Dharavi has its rival in Orangi Town in Karachi, Pakistan that has a notorious filth and expanse. Dharavi presents a brighter picture as a cheap pocket in the midst of expensive Mumbai where you could stay for as low as 4 US dollars rent per month.

Dharavi, the most biggest slum of the world / Photo from sandrinecohen22

Dharavi is an abode for various small-scale industries like pottery, embroidered garments, leather and plastic goods. Unbelievably the total net income of the residents of Dharavi amounts to almost 650 million US dollars. But Dharavi is no paradise - its inadequate water supply and toilet facilities get worse during the monsoon floods and the unhygienic environment of Dharavi poses serious threats to public health issues.

Rocinha - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / Photo from Leonardo Martins

Photo from razorbern

The largest favela (basically meaning shanty town) in Rio De Janeiro. / Photo from -bos[s]-’Situated between the São Conrado and Gávea districts of Rio de Janeiro, Rocinha meaning small ranch in Portuguese is the largest slum or “favela” in South America. Posed on a hillside within one kilometer of the beach, Rocinha originated as a shanty to transform quickly into a modern slum neighborhood. You will find it better off than many shanties because of its brick buildings, sanitation, plumbing and other urban facilities.

Favela, Rio de Janeiro / Photo from dreamindly

What makes Rocinha a potentially dangerous place to live is the prevalence of a violent drug trade. This leads to endless tussles and encounters between the drug peddlers and the police, giving rise to a dangerous ambiance. The population of 100,000 has a poor economic state and high mortality rates. What is more, Rocinha being built on steep mountain slope is susceptible to landslides, rock falls and floods.

Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya

1,000,000 residents live on a mountain of Garbage. / Photo from Chicago Wedding Photographer, Wes Craft

Kibera, meaning ‘forest’ in Nubian is the home for a million people, which earned notoriety for being the biggest slum in the whole of Africa. Most of the population here are tenants with no rights living in mud-walled shacks owned by landlords who have vacated Kibera. Most of the population is African Muslims, who huddle up eight per shack, often sleeping on the floors.

Photo from alongtheway

Just 20% of Kibera has electricity and no regular supply of clean water. The dam water that people use is the root to cholera and typhoid, aggravated by poor sewage condition. There is widespread menace of AIDS and the total absence of government medical facilities. What worsens the general livelihood of Kibera is the availability of a cheap alcoholic drink called ‘Changaa’.
Faced with rampant unemployment, most of the slum-dwellers resort to Changaa early in life and grow into criminals, drunkards and rapists. The problem is aggravated by the availability of cheap drugs and tendencies of glue sniffing. The result is the rising rate of unwanted pregnancy among girls of all ages who invariably turn to abortion. Some charities and churches are working towards the betterment of the condition.

Linfen, China

Pollution / Photo from sheilaz413

Located right at the center of Shanxi Province of China’s coal region, Linfen is one of the most polluted cities in the world. The air is thick with dust and smoke to a degree that hampers visibility. The three million people who live in Linfen take regular doses of arsenic rich water, further polluted with fossil fuels and poisonous gases through the air they breathe. You can actually catch a lasting stink when you step in Linfen with overflowing sewage everywhere.

Young coal worker in Linfen (Shanxi, China) / Photo from andi808

The river flowing by Linfen has its water thickened with oil. No wonder! The inhabitants using this water have high occurrences of cancer. When you look at the trees around the Linfen factories, they present a sad withered picture. It is the last place on earth that you would think of sending someone, even your worst enemy.

Kabwe, Zambia

Photograph by Blacksmith Institute / Photo from nationalgeographic.com

The lead and cadmium accumulations in this former British colony have skyrocketed since their discovery in 1902 when Zambia was valued for a rich lead mine. Although the mines have closed and no smelters are operational now, Kabwe residents have faced the threat of lead poisoning through decades. Blood tests in the children have revealed lead concentrations exceeding 5-10 times the normal limit that could turn fatal any day. Only recently, the World Bank has allotted funds for tackling the problem.

Photo from livescience.com

Chernobyl, Ukraine

Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant / Photo from Ken and Nyetta

adiated Apartment Building / Photo from Stuck in Customs

Talking of life-threatening pollution and poisoning, nothing could beat the nuclear reactor accident record set by Chernobyl that has left about 5.5 million people facing the threat of thyroid cancer. The fallout that occurred in April 26, 1986 has led to the leakage of nuclear radiation 100 times more pronounced in volume and effect than that of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions. It is a horror that thousands of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian children living close to the damaged plant still cannot escape the radiation impact.

This used to be the public gym, back in 1986. / Photo from philippe simpson

Dzerzhinsk, Russia

Dzerzhinsk / Photo from Oleg aka Xraboy

Situated beside the Oka River in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast of Russia, Dzerzhinsk is named after the Russian leader Feliks Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky. Right From its inception, Dzerzhinsk has remained a chemical industry hub and has been producing chemical weapons for Russia. It has been labeled one of the worst polluted cities of the world with a staggering death rate.

Skyline of Dzerzhinsk / Photo from Spendruleziya

In Dzerzhinsk, the average life of men is just 42 years and women 47 years. Environmentalists attribute such high mortality rate to the ceaseless production of organic chemicals like toxic dioxins, hydrogen cyanide, lead and sulfur mustard. The phenol and dioxin contents in the Dzerzhinsk waters surpasses the normal limit by seventeen million times.

Cubatão - São Paulo, Brazil

Cubatão / Photo from Alceu Bap

The city of Cubatão extending over 142 square kilometers is more appropriately known as the ‘Valley of Death’ for its precarious living conditions. It has a high air pollution level that has led to the destruction of forests over the surrounding hills and birth of children with congenital organ defects.

sticker mundo / Photo from caio antunes

The life threatening pollution took a new dimension in 1984 when an event of oil spill burnt down the town, killing almost 200 people. Only recently extensive steps worth $1.2 billion are being taken to improve the damages caused by organic pollutants. Despite such measures, it is quite impossible to clean the soil and underground water from the spreading tentacles of pollution thus making Cubatão unfit for staying.

Bassac Apartments, Cambodia

One of the architectural jewels of Cambodia, the innovative apartment complex designed in the early 1960s by Lu Ban Hap / Photo from Rich Garella

Photo from jinja_cambodia

The 300-metre-long Basaac Apartments were built due to the town planning director Lu Ban Hap’s initiative to put up a low-cost social housing project in the 1960s. However, this government-financed housing project has been the home to 2,500 refugees since 1979, when its legal tenants vacated the property because of the onset of decay. The structure made of concrete and brick has now given way to dangerous gaps in between the reinforced concrete walls marked by the ingrowths of parasitic plants. The building can collapse any time burying alive its 2500 residents.

Mogadishu, Somalia

A rusty and bullet-ridden Coca Cola sign gives a telling welcome for visitors to the volatile city of Mogadishu. / Photo from khairi_us

Pictures from an armed convoy trip in Mogadishu / Photo from ctsnow

Mogadishu, an advanced former port has been witnessing the 17-year tussle between rival military camps since the fall of the government in 1991. It turned into the most chaotic and anarchic city of the world, marked by civil unrest and insurgencies. Such disturbances caused its original inhabitants to flee, leaving Mogadishu to be controlled by military factions. Only recently, a new federal government has taken up the reins of control and is trying to re-establish law and order.

Photo from Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone