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Top 5 Things Not To Miss in Prague

Administrator — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:35:08 +0000

Prague is an ancient city with full of contrasts. The large number of contrasts makes the city more interesting, appealing as well as more magical. The architectural splendors that every year invites huge number of travelers to Prague are constructed with pride as well as to offer the modern generation a quick glimpse of the past. This shows how superbly the city blends a melancholic feeling with a strong sense of beauty. With imposing and beautiful churches, castles, countless art galleries and quaint streets, restaurants and museums, Prague is able to everything that a tourist could ever probably wish for. However, owing to its excessive popularity among international tourists it is always advisable for you to find out detailed information about Prague Tourism prior to visiting the place.

Zizkov Tower

The Zizkov Tower serves as the modern landmark of the city. The construction of the tower was started in the year 1985 and in 1992 the structure was finally completed. From the tower one can get the spectacular view of the Prague skyline. It is 216 meters in height and includes a restaurant, café and observation decks.

Dancing House

Dancing House was designed by Vlado Milunic and Frank Gehry, who are very famous architects in the year 1996. The former Czech President and playwright, Václav Havel, had an intense fondness for ultramodern structural design and was involved in the contentious design of the Dancing House. The building is completely unique and is totally different from the other neo-Gothic, neo-baroque as well as art nouveau structures for which the city is renowned.

Pubs

The traditional pubs of the Prague normally serve inexpensive beer and selected local spirits, whereas the contemporary bars serve wide varieties of international and Czech beers, spirits, cocktails and wine. They also serve mouth watering traditional Czech cuisines.

Museum of Medieval Torture

Prague Museum of Medieval Torture is certainly not a place for the faint hearted. This one of a kind museum includes more than 60 torture devices, which were used during the Middle Ages, in the various European countries. The descriptions of the devices are given in English, Czech as well as other popular languages.

Prague Castle Guards and Ceremony

The Prague Castle is considered to be one of the most popular tourist attractions. The castle is believed to be the biggest medieval fortress complex in the entire Europe. Most tourists prefer to visit the castle during afternoon hours in order to watch the castle guard changing ceremony.

The best time to visit city is between April and October, when the Prague weather remains sunny and warm. In general the city enjoys four distinct seasons. Spring is the season mild temps and blooming flowers. Summer is the season of green and warmth, often accompanied by light showers. Autumn is described as a cool, crisp season, with occasional fogs and clouds. Winter is the coldest season with frequent snowfall.

9 Best Ever Investments

Administrator — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:54:34 +0000

We have created for your delectation, a list of the 9 best investments ever. Given that this is such a broad topic (does Eisenhower’s decision to invest in rail count? Or is it just companies!?), and given the fact that we simply don’t know the return on all investments in everything ever, our list cannot be said to be exhaustive. Bearing that in mind though, these are sterling examples of incredible investments that showed huge amounts of foresight, faith and focus. That, and a little bit of luck.

1. Goldman Sachs & ICBC

Goldman…

Back in 2006, Goldman Sachs spent a whopping $2.58bn (£1.68bn) for a measly 4.9% stake in Industrial and Commercial Bank of China ICBC. Sounds like a lot for a little, but apparently not. Three years later Sachs sold 20% of their stock (remember, $2.58bn initially) for $1.91bn (£1.25bn).

…Sax.

A year later, the investment bank sold 20% of their remaining stock for another $2.25bn (£1.46bn). Since then – and I don’t know if you’ve noticed this – there’s been a bit of a financial crisis. Well, they still managed to sell another $1.1bn (£0.7bn) of shares, and have still got a 2.2% stake in the company.

ROI x3.07

Source

2. Kleiner Perkins & Amazon

Amazon’s headquarters, or so we’re led to believe.

Now, this one works, but it works best if we pretend that it is still 1999. Cast your mind back. Will Smith is still cool. Everyone is excited about the millennium, despite the obvious fact that it isn’t really that exciting. Kleiner Perkins, those cunning foxes, currently have amazon.com stock that has risen by an incredible 55,000%. That’s a massive growth on investment. If only they’d sold it then, before it dropped like a stone!

ROI x41 (Currently)

Source

3. Kleiner Perkins & Netscape

Anyone else remember this?

1994 was a glorious year. America and Russia stopped aiming nukes at each other, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black President, and Kleiner Perkins invested $4m (£2.6m) for a 25% stake in a funny little company called Netscape.

Fast forward a few years – AOL, pioneers of dial-up internet, buy the company for a whopping $4bn (£2.6bn). Kleiner Perkins’ return on their $4m (£2.6m) is $1bn (£0.65bn). Ridiculous, frankly.

ROI x249

Source

4. Benchmark Capital & Ebay

It looks photoshopped, we know. It isn’t.

In 1995, a new venture capital firm called Benchmark was launched. They promised to revolutionise their industry by using teamwork (I know, it sounds dubious), and they had a focus on technology firms.

Good thing they did, too – in 1997 they spent $6.7m (£4.4m) on a company known as eBay. By 1999, their share was valued at approximately $5bn (£3.3bn), one of the best performing stocks and shares ever to grace the Valley.

ROI x746

Source

5. Sequoia & Kleiner Perkins & Google

Things have moved on since those early days.

Back in 1999, when Pikachu was cool and nobody had even heard of Osama Bin Laden, a pair of investment firms paid $25m (£16m) for a 20% stake in Google. Now, even for the promise of a decent return, $25m seems like a lot to stake. Google’s value at the time was around $125m (£81m). It subsequently grew to the point where ,in November 2008, Google’s market capitalisation was around $108bn (£70bn). A massive, massive, massive period of growth.

ROI x863

Source

6. Peter Thiel & Facebook

Not, in fact, a Christian cross stood in a gale.

Back in 2005, a man named Peter Thiel paid $500,000 (£325,000) for a 10% stake in a website called Facebook. At the time it was like MySpace, but nowhere near as good. Fast forward seven years – suddenly, MySpace is like Facebook but nowhere near as good. Oh, and Facebook is now worth not $5m (£3.25m) but $33m (£21m). His initial $500,000 investment will now have grown by around 6,000%, to be worth in the region of two or three billion dollars.

Now that’s money well spent.

ROI x6599

Source

7. Andy Bechtolsheim & Google

When it comes to investment, two heads are better than one.

And bodies, too.

Andy Bechtolsheim is a fascinating man who has managed to incorporate a very successful career working with computers in Silicone Valley with a very successful career investing in people that work with computers in Silicone Valley. King among these investments, and possibly all investments, was the $100,000 (£65,000) Bechtolsheim paid in 1998 (along with one other person) to fund a company called Google.

Now, it is 2012 and Bechtolsheim’s one hundred grand is worth a stonking $1.7 billion. His $100,000 (£65,000) is now worth seventeen thousand times as much as it was initially.

ROI – x17,000

Source

8. Major Banks & Capitol Hill

THIS is where to invest.

Teamwork pays. In terms of a return on investment, it’s pretty difficult to beat what the banks managed to achieve when, instead of going for each other’s throats, they decided to work together. “When,” I hear you cry with bug-eyed curiosity, slavering mouth agape, “did that happen?”.

Saving lunch money really pays off.

Well. In 2008, the companies that were the principal beneficiaries of the congressional bailout bill spent $77m (£50m) lobbying the government, in addition to $37m (£24m) in campaign contributions. That $77m (£50m) dollars was wisely invested in convincing our dear legislators that banks couldn’t possibly be allowed to fail.

They also managed to convince our dear legislators that the only really feasible option was to bail them out of any hole they happened to get themselves into. Money well spent? The companies involved were recipients of a $700 BILLION (£455m) bailout, giving them a return nearly 19,000 times their initial investment.

ROI – x18,917

Source

9. Ferdinand, Elizabeth and Columbus & South America

A board meeting at one of America’s more conservative investment banks.

This might not be an obvious choice, but it’s a lot more interesting than most investment stories. In 1492, Christopher Columbus needed investment. He had a harebrained idea that he could set sail in the wrong direction and reach India. The King and Queen of Spain, Ferdinand and Elizabeth, having refused funding for the last two years, finally agreed.

You’re investing in what now?

With his funding in place, Columbus set off. The silver that flowed back to Spain over the next 300 years, as it ruled South America, paid for armies, war and technology. The Potosi mines alone generated 8,200 metric tonnes of silver – worth, at today’s prices, around $9.7bn (£6.3bn).

ROI – x63,815

Source, source

What can we take away from this? It’s clear to say that if you want to get really, really rich, investing in new technology ‘before the curve’ is the way to go.

However if you want to get really, really, REALLY rich – conquer an entire resource-rich continent.

Antarctica anyone?

Astonishing Cherry Tree With Differently Colored Blossoms

Administrator — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:28:36 +0000

Although this is not any kind of another amazing natural wonder, this beautiful tree with differently colored blossoms is definitely an attraction in the Portchester village, in Britain.

In springs, when trees get their blossoms, this tree looks little bit different than the others. One half of the tree has white blossoms and other half has pink blossoms. The visitors who see this tree for a first time are often astonished by what they see. However, the explanation beside this little natural phenomena is pretty simple and obvious.

This tree was formed like this because of some not so successful grafting. People tried to graft an ornamental cherry tree onto the native British cherry tree which was aimed to serve as a rootstock.

The purpose of rootstock was just to provide the newly grafted tree with nutrients and water from roots. However, the rootstock decided to fight and live and day by day, it fought out for almost an equal share of food and space from the rest of tree.

Image sources: DailyMail, Gsblog1, Goodmorninggloucester.

Forgotten Soviet Military Navy Repair Factory in Estonia

Administrator — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:44:27 +0000

You are watching at photos of abandoned Soviet Military Navy repair factory in Estonia. It is placed at Arkula, near Tallinn. This is another one abandoned Soviet military building which once used to be an instrument in Cold War race with United States.

When Cold War ended Russia and rest of Soviet countries changed their military politics and plenty of similar facilities became useless so they had to simply abandon them leaving plenty of military equipment and arms.

You can see here a few of photos which are telling us that this facility also could contain some dangerous biological weapon. However, that fact does not stop kids from local villages to play with that abandoned but very dangerous equipment.

Via WarRellics.

Ephemicropolis – An Amazing Model of Futuristic City Made of Stacked Staples

Administrator — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:44:55 +0000

Have you ever wondered about how New York or some other giant city could look in hundred years? If you have no idea about how it would look like, then, you should see the city model made by Peter Root.

Peter Root made this amazing city model using a bunch of stacked staples. He decided to call it Ephemicropolis. As you can see, he needed a plenty of patience and time to create such magnificent model.

There is a whole ‘forest’ of buildings and skyscrapers of different size. He made this model of city from about 100,000 staples on the surface of 18 square meters. I really believe that, if technological development continues to grow as equal as in previous years, this model could become real, one day but I am afraid that this civilization has slowly reaching its peak.

Via Peter Root.

Milestii Mici – The Underground City of Wine

Administrator — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:48:13 +0000

In August, 2005 Mile?tii Mici is a collection of wine was registered in the Guinness World Records for being the biggest Wine Collection in the world. It took nearly a year to consider the application. The collection comprises 1.5 million bottles. Stretching for 250 kilometres (160 mi), of which only 120 kilometres (75 mi) are currently in use, the Mile?tii Mici cellar complex is also the largest in the world. Overall, the complex holds nearly 2 million bottles. More than 70% of the stored wines are red, 20% are white and about 10% are dessert ones. The most valuable items of this collection, worth €480 a bottle, were produced in 1973-74; they are now exported only to Japan.The State Enterprise Quality Wines Industrial Complex “Milestii Mici” was found in 1969 as a mini-complex for storing, preserving and maturing high quality wines.

The wines stored here are made from crops of various years, beginning with 1969: “Pinot”, “Traminer”, “Muscat”, “Riesling”, “Feteasca”, “Dnestrovscoie”, “Milestscoie”, “Codru”, “Negru de Purcari”, “Trandafirul Moldovei”, “Auriu”, “Cahor-Ciumai”, and others. Local ancient underground galleries, reach the Chisinau borders. The first parties of wine were brought into the galleries at the end of the 60-es and the results exceeded all expectations. The limestone played the role of a natural accumulator of constant humidity (85-95%) and temperature (12 °C (54 °F) – 14 °C (57 °F)) throughout the year. The longer the wines are stored in such ideal conditions, the better their qualities are. The wines are being brought at the enterprise for many decades, only there becoming splendid collection and high quality wines.

World Largest Sand Carpet

Administrator — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:21:43 +0000

Sand castles are not the only thin whihc you can make with sand. The group of artists created the world’s largest sand carpet. They have used colored sand and it looks very traditional as Persian rugs. The 39 400 square foot rug was created by 25 artists who were used 70 different types of colored sand. The previous sand carpet record was 2.955 square feet created on the Canary ISlands.

Ice Age 3D Street art By Edgar Mueller

Administrator — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:32:44 +0000

I found this really cool 3D street artwork made by Edgar Mueller. He made this in Ireland at Festival of World Culture. He turned a part of the eastern Pier into the Ice Age. I must say great job Edgar, really impressive and probably the best and the most amazing street (pavement) art works which I ever saw.

Meet Gregory – The Egg Man

Administrator — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:16:39 +0000

A walking work of art, Gregory Da Silva is more than an odd spectacle – he is a symbol of Africa’s many diverse cultures…In the first heady years of the African Union, the world’s eyes are increasingly turned to the continent from which humankind first appeared. Beneath the seemingly impenetrable mask of violence portrayed in popular media, lies a living and thriving cultural climate which Des Warde finds well depicted by West African street artist Gregory Da Silva.

His headdress weighs up to twenty five kilograms, his body is armored with artifacts and his face painted with tribal patterns and an undying smile. Each day, Gregory Da Silva presents the city center with a new display of his symbolic art.

Gregory’s voice is lively and he repeatedly offers phrases and words in French. Born in Benin, West Africa, 1979, he was trained in computer science at university, but went on to found a theatre group in Benin called ‘Voice of Spirit’ or ‘Voix de l’Esprit’ which performed politically motivated as well as comic and poetic theatre at the Benin National Library.

When he is traveling in Africa, be it in Senegal, Cameroon, Mali or the Congo, the local people invariably look at him and say “ahh, that is our culture” as they see something of their own represented. “All Africa is in my clothes” he says, drawing attention again to his peerless suit.

He is very popular with tourists, especially those from Italy, England, America and Germany, who frequently ask why he does not come over and do his thing in their own country. But he says his focus is on Africa. Pictures of him certainly do get back to their countries though, as Gregory says everyday “hundreds” of pictures are taken of himself, usually posing with the tourists.

Asked about his dreams and ambitions, Gregory (or the “Egg Man” or “Ei man” as he is also known) says that this year he is planning on starting an art school, which is part of his ‘Project For Africa’ for this year. He wants to impart creative knowledge to South African youth, giving them the power to create beautiful things and also to support themselves, all part of his ultimate venerable ambition to “[bring] Africa together to make one”.

The Paper House In Rockport

Administrator — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:38:51 +0000

Mr. Elis F. Stenman, a mechanical engineer who designed the machines that make paper clips, began building his Rockport summer home out of paper as a hobby. That was in 1922 The paper was meant to be good insulation. Elis Stemnan started out making a house for the summer.

The framework to the house is wood-just like any other house-it has a regular wood-en floor and wooden roof. The wall material, which was supposed to be insulation really, is pressed paper about an inch thick. It’s just layers and layers of newspaper, glue, and varnish on the outside that keeps it pretty water-proof actually. This was done in 1924 and he lived here in the summertime up until 1930.

After the wall material was made, and he was living in it, he made the furniture. The furniture is made out of little paper logs. The little rolls of paper are maybe a half inch thick and they’re all cut to different sizes-cut with a knife. Then they’re glued together or nailed together. The furniture is usable-it’s quite heavy. Basically the furniture is all paper except for the piano which he covered.

The fireplace actually is usable because it’s really a brick fireplace.