The Special Ones

Most Expensive Resort

2008-09-19T01:56:00.004+07:00

Isla de sa Ferradura

It is a joy to live on Isla de sa Ferradura. The island has been transformed into a super-hacienda which, as a dream resort, knows no equivalent. This fabulous resort flows in harmony with nature and offers the ultimate in luxury. The architecture is unique; everything has been designed for undisturbed enjoyment.

Location:
Isla de sa Ferradura, also known as Isla del Bosc, is situated in the beautiful bay of San Miguel, next to the rocky island of Isla Murada which was in earlier centuries used to house prisoners.

Accommodation:
The white casa has exceptionally luxurious and majestic living space, in which nothing has been left to chance. The beautiful romantic bedrooms and guest suites have all facilities one could think of. Principal Suite: This suite is possibly more luxurious than the other. The view of the sea and the lush gardens are majestic from here. Bamboo Suite: It gives the guest the feeling of an experienced traveller, arriving in an oasis of tropical relaxation. The bath here is truly a thrill. Perla Suite: The spotless white bathroom with all luxury imaginable, the white bar, the white wardrobe and all other facilities. Suite Azul: In the Azul Suite the blue-azure colours are dominant, which give it a fresh and unusual atmosphere.

Dining:
A large professional and cosy designed Spanish kitchen gives every chef the possibility to create exquisite Spanish-French culinary delights. The kitchen staff will prepare the most delicious dishes. First of all, regional meals of Ibiza consisting primarily of cuisine using vegetables and fruit from the island itself, as well as fresh fish, fresh seafood and various meat dishes.

Activities:
A separate cave complex offers total body relaxation with a whirlpool, Turkish bath, sauna, solarium, infrared cabins and a beauty salon with massage facilities. The island offers all watersport facilities including waterskiing, jetskiing, watercycling, surfing, fishing, diving and more. The island also offers various sporting facilities including fully equipped gymnasium with modern equipment, aerobics, water aerobics, volleyball etc. Isla de sa Ferradura has its own entertainment center with modern flat screens where the latest movies can be shown through the resort«s satellite system or video and DVD computer collection.

Getting there:
Most travellers arrive in Ibiza by yacht, or via the international airport south of Ibiza city, either by private jet, scheduled flight or charter. In the future, you will be able to travel from the international airport to Isla de sa Ferradura by helicopter, which takes only a few minutes or to drive with the island car to Puerto San Miquel where you can be transported to the island by speedboat.

Best time to travel:
Most days during summer, the temperature hovers around 27°C (85°F), in May-June or September-October; the weather is still pleasant and warm. Winter (December, January and February) can be a peaceful time. Even in winter, though, you are bound to get one or two days of the much-touted 300 days-out-of-the-year worth of sunshine.

Price:
Rates (depending on season and number of travellers): EUR 130 000 - EUR 165 000 per week / all-inclusive

Most Expensive Hotel

2008-09-17T03:44:00.003+07:00

The Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, literally, Tower of the Arabs) is a luxury hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. At 321 metres (1,053 ft), it is the tallest building used exclusively as a hotel.[2] However, the Rose Tower, also in Dubai, which has already topped Burj Al Arab's height at 333 m (1,090 ft), will take away this title upon its opening.[3][4][5] The Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 metres (919 ft) out from Jumeirah beach, and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. It is an iconic structure, designed to symbolize Dubai's urban transformation and to mimic the sail of a boat.

World's Longest Bridge

2008-09-16T01:14:00.005+07:00

Donghai Bridge (simplified Chinese: 东海大桥; traditional Chinese: 東海大橋; pinyin: Dōnghǎi Dàqiáo; literally "East Sea Grand Bridge") was the longest cross-sea bridge in the world until Hangzhou Bay Bridge opened on 1 May 2008. It was completed on December 10, 2005. It has a total length of 32.5 kilometres (20.2 miles) and connects mainland Shanghai and the offshore Yangshan deep-water port in China. Most of the bridge is a low-level viaduct. There are also cable-stayed sections to
allow for the passage of large ships, largest with span of 420 m.

Neil Armstrong

2008-09-13T18:46:00.003+07:00

Neil Armstrong, born in 1930, one of the first civilian United States astronauts and the first human to set foot on the moon. Armstrong was the commander of the first Apollo program mission to land on the moon—Apollo 11—in July 1969. He also flew aboard a Gemini program mission in 1966 and has been a U.S. Navy combat pilot, test pilot, professor, businessman, and presidential adviser. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous international awards for his service on Apollo 11.

Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio. When he was 16 years old he began flying as a student pilot. He earned a navy scholarship and began attending Purdue University in 1947. In 1950 Armstrong began active duty with the navy for the Korean War. He flew fighter planes in Korea until 1952, when he returned to Purdue. Armstrong earned his B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955.

Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) at the Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1955, then transferred later that same year to the NACA Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He was a test pilot for many of the high-performance aircraft used to experiment with ideas for spacecraft. Armstrong left the Flight Research Center in 1962 to join the second group of U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut trainees.

This second group of trainees included the first two civilian astronaut candidates, Armstrong and test pilot Elliot See. (See unfortunately died in a plane crash while training to be commander of Gemini 9.) After completing initial training at NASA, Armstrong served as a backup to the Gemini 5 crew, then became the command pilot of Gemini 8; David R. Scott also flew aboard Gemini 8. The mission launched March 16, 1966, with the primary objective of docking with another spacecraft. Gemini 8 rendezvoused with a used segment of a launch vehicle called an Agena booster 298 km (185 mi) above the earth, and Armstrong successfully docked the two craft together 6 hours and 34 minutes into the mission. Roughly 30 minutes later, the paired spacecraft began to rotate unexpectedly and without any command from the astronauts. The rotation eventually reached about 60 revolutions per minute. The astronauts and the ground crew reacted rapidly and diagnosed a short circuit in the thruster rocket that controlled Gemini 8’s orientation. Armstrong and Scott had to use roughly 75 percent of Gemini 8's fuel to stabilize the craft, forcing the mission to end early with an emergency reentry during the seventh orbit.

Petra - Jordania

2008-09-13T00:40:00.002+07:00

Petra or Hor Haggidgad, "the cleft in the rock" (from πέτρα "petra", rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Batrāʾ) is referenced in the Bible as one end of a Nabatean irrigation project along a line of wells from Moseroth to Beeroth near what is today an archaeological site in the Arabah, Ma'an Governorate, Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor[1] in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. Petra is also one of the new wonders of the world. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was famously described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage."[2] In 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site.

So far, no method has been found to determine when the history of Petra began. Evidence suggests that the city was founded relatively late, though a sanctuary may have existed there since very ancient times. This part of the country was traditionally assigned to the Horites, probably cave-dwellers, the predecessors of the Edomites.[8] The habits of the original natives may have influenced the Nabataean custom of burying the dead and offering worship in half-excavated caves. However, the fact that Petra is mentioned by name in the Old Testament cannot be verified. Although Petra is usually identified with Sela which also means a rock, the Biblical references[9] are not clear. 2 Kings xiv. 7 seems to be more specific. In the parallel passage, however, Sela is understood to mean simply "the rock" (2 Chr. xxv. 12, see LXX). As a result, many authorities doubt whether any town named Sela is mentioned in the Old Testament.

It is unclear exactly what Semitic inhabitants called their city. Apparently on the authority of Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews iv. 7, 1~ 4, 7), Eusebius and Jerome (Onom. sacr. 286, 71. 145, 9; 228, 55. 287, 94), assert that Rekem was the native name and Rekem appears in the Dead Sea scrolls as a prominent Edom site most closely describing Petra. But in the Aramaic versions Rekem is the name of Kadesh, implying that Josephus may have confused the two places. Sometimes the Aramaic versions give the form Rekem-Geya which recalls the name of the village El-ji, southeast of Petra. The capital, however, would hardly be defined by the name of a neighboring village. The Semitic name of the city, if not Sela, remains unknown. The passage in Diodorus Siculus (xix. 94–97) which describes the expeditions which Antigonus sent against the Nabataeans in 312 BC is understood to throw some light upon the history of Petra, but the "petra" referred to as a natural fortress and place of refuge cannot be a proper name and the description implies that the town was not yet in existence. Brünnow thinks that "the rock" in question was the sacred mountain en-Nejr (above). But Buhl suggests a conspicuous height about 16 miles (26 km) north of Petra, Shobak, the Mont-royal of the Crusaders, aka Montreal.

More satisfactory evidence of the date of the earliest Nabataean settlement may be obtained from an examination of the tombs. Two types may be distinguished—the Nabataean and the Greco-Roman. The Nabataean type starts from the simple pylon-tomb with a door set in a tower crowned by a parapet ornament, in imitation of the front of a dwelling-house. Then, after passing through various stages, the full Nabataean type is reached, retaining all the native features and at the same time exhibiting characteristics which are partly Egyptian and partly Greek. Of this type there exist close parallels in the tomb-towers at el-I~ejr [?] in north Arabia, which bear long Nabataean inscriptions and supply a date for the corresponding monuments at Petra. Then comes a series of tombfronts which terminate in a semicircular arch, a feature derived from north Syria. Finally come the elaborate façades copied from the front of a Roman temple; however, all traces of native style have vanished. The exact dates of the stages in this development cannot be fixed. Strangely, few inscriptions of any length have been found at Petra, perhaps because they have perished with the stucco or cement which was used upon many of the buildings. The simple pylon-tombs which belong to the pre-Hellenic age serve as evidence for the earliest period. It is not known how far back in this stage the Nabataean settlement goes, but it does not go back farther than the 6th century BC.

A period follows in which the dominant civilization combines Greek, Egyptian and Syrian elements, clearly pointing to the age of the Ptolemies. Towards the close of the 2nd century BC, when the Ptolemaic and Seleucid kingdoms were equally depressed, the Nabataean kingdom came to the front. Under Aretas III Philhellene, (c.85–60 BC), the royal coins begin. The theatre was probably excavated at that time, and Petra must have assumed the aspect of a Hellenistic city. In the reign of Aretas IV Philopatris, (9 BC–AD 40), the fine tombs of the el-I~ejr [?] type may be dated, and perhaps also the great High-place.

The Biggest Hotel

2008-09-11T22:57:00.002+07:00

WHATEVER it is - boobs, bottoms, buffets - Sin City has the biggest out there. And those are just the Bs.

Small wonder, then, that the biggest hotel in the world - and the second-largest building - has just opened on the Las Vegas Strip.

The £1billion, 50-storey Palazzo extends the existing Venetian to create a hotel with more than 7,000 suites. Its 50 restaurants, cafés, bars and banqueting halls can serve 10,000 diners a night.

“It's a city within a city; the beginning of the meta-resort' era of Las Vegas,” says William Weidner, president of the Palazzo's parent company, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.

He's not kidding. I was tired when I arrived after my ten-hour flight, but no, my eyes weren't playing tricks. Looming up out of the Nevada desert were towering colonnades that seemed to sweat neon into the warm desert night.

Inside, the giant marble cupola was adorned with reproductions of frescoes by Italian grand masters. Models in togas were tethered to the ceiling on top of giant indoor waterfalls. Down below, on the fake canals that flow through the hotel, gondoliers serenaded grannies.

The sheer scale of the place makes it difficult to get around, but it has its advantages. My suite was the size of Long Island (well, almost) and decorated in the kind of “no embellishment is an embarrassment” style that would make Elton John blush.

There were more frescoes over the four-poster bed and a retro-porno-chic sunken lounge. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows looked out over the giant cartoonish monuments to sex and seven-card stud that line the Strip.

The Palazzo has a vast casino, with 120 table games and 1,400 video poker machines creating an electronic goblin's chorus that accompanies the “kerching!” of the serried ranks of slot machines. The huge theatre - where the Tony award-winning Jersey Boys, the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is playing - was full every night with emotionally incontinent fans.

But its key appeal lies in the scale and ambition of the shops and restaurants. It's the first hotel in the world to have its own department store - and it's not just any old Grace Bros. Barneys New York has three floors, with the best designer collections in the city.

The hotel has poached two of the best American chefs and become the first outpost of one of New York's finest fusion cuisine restaurants that often featured in Sex and the City. Mario Batali's Carnevino offers the best of New York. I opted for the new-style Italian sashimi - raw fish with pesto and olive oil that made Esca in Manhattan Batali's first big hit.

Wolfgang Puck's CUT at the Beverly Wilshire is the must-be-papped-at restaurant in Los Angeles. Now it has its first Vegas outpost. Steaks don't come any rarer - and bills any more overcooked. Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte loved Sushi Samba. To find out why, I tried the roast shrimp with toasted brazil nut and “sake-saffron crema”. I think Mr Big would have approved.

No Vegas hotel and casino is complete without a celebrity scene, and the Palazzo has its own “resident” star, Jay-Z, who runs his 40/40 club. The key attraction is the 80 plasma TV screens on which the owner performs with his wife, Beyoncé. The night I went clubbers were not interested in “hanging” with Jay. They wanted to channel their inner Paris Hilton next to the real Paris Hilton, who had just arrived from the Hilton.

The Palazzo is more than Vegas with extra sequins. It's a hotel on crack. My advice? Enjoy the high while it lasts. And when the swirling kaleidoscopic buzz of franchised avarice and sleaze wears off, remind yourself that while what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, you don't have to. And leave.

Borobudur

2008-09-10T23:19:00.001+07:00

Borobudur (or Barabudur - the origin and meaning of the name are unknown) is a squat pyramid-shaped stupa 40km to the north west of Yogyakarta, in a volcanic region on the Indonesian island of Java. Erected in the late 8th or early 9th century, presumably by the kings of central Java, this Buddhist monument was probably abandoned within not much more than a century after construction when the power-base moved to east Java. There is no foundation inscription, no way of dating beyond the palaeography of the workers' inscripitions, and no later mention of the sanctuary until 1709 AD.

The quality and importance of Borobudur are world-class, for the sheer abundance and beauty of its figured reliefs, decorated panels and sculptures. In Europe, no such sculptural complexes had been seen since well before the fall of the Roman Empire; and none would be seen until more than 100 years after its abandonment. In the region, it ranks with a much larger complexes at Pagan (Burma) and Angkor (Cambodia).

The stupa is some 31.5m high, and almost square with a side of 123m. From a broad podium, the visitor progresses through four relief-covered galleries to a circular terrace, adorned with 72 bell-shaped perforated stupas, each containing a seated Boddhisatva, surrounding a central stupa, once much taller than it is now, which may once have held a relic of the Buddha. Because the structure was built out of a mid- to dark-grey volcanic stone, the tropical climate, with an average rainfall of over 2m per annum, has ensured that the structure has been invaded by mosses and lichens. Originally, it was probably plastered white, and painted in bright colours. There must have been a substantial monastery for the monks who looked after the structure and the pilgrims, but nothing adequate has yet been discovered. The point of the pilgrimage was that the stupa (its shape perhaps intended as a replica of the universe) allowed the pilgrim to mimic a journey from base life through to enlightenment - from this temporal world to the attainment of enlightenment, symbolised by the Bodhisattvas on the circular terrace. (There are parallels here with the mazes found in mediaeval Christian buildings.)

The shape of the stupa - like a badly-risen cake, says one scholar - results from a mix of climate and ambition. The first building campaign began with a basement covered in 160 relief panels but, when the substantial weight of the first terrace was added, the land slipped, no doubt because the core of the structure (part natural hill, part infill) soaked up water like a sponge. A decision was taken to abandon the basement by girdling it with a terrace - a corset to ensure against future landslips. Hence we might assume that the profile originally intended was taller and sharper than what we see today.

As we see it today, Borobudur is the result of three major restoration schemes. After its description by by the Engineer officer H. C. Cornelius on the commission Sir Stamford Raffles, the English Governor, in 1814, the trees and bushes on the site were felled, and stones dislodged by water and earth movement rolled down to the base (with some damage) to await re-positioning. The resident of Kedu, C. L. Hartmann, did further clearance work in 1834 and 1835. Nevertheless, degradation continued; making casts of all the reliefs was contemplated, and in 1882 it was even proposed that the reliefs be dismounted and displayed in a purpose-built museum. The fact of the filled-in basement was discovered by J. W. Ijzerman in 1885, and this helped provoke the second great restoration which resulted in the monumental monograph by N. J. Krom & Th. Van Erp of 1919, which published photographs of all the sculptures and reliefs, including the hidden base. It is from this monograph that the digital images which adorn our VRML presentation of the stupa were made.

Nor was Van Erp's careful and restrained restoration the final one: the volcanoes and the climate saw to that. IFollowing a request of 1967, UNESCO undertook the dismantling, stabilisation and restoration of the monument once more.

needs more to finish.

The Highest Mountain

2008-09-10T22:50:00.003+07:00

Almost everyone knows that Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world and climbers from everywhere travel to Everest hoping to earn the distinction of climbing the "World's Highest".

The peak of Mount Everest is 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) above sea level. This high elevation gives Mount Everest the distinction of being the mountain with the highest altitude.

The Highest Waterfall

2008-09-10T05:27:00.004+07:00

Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the world, at 1,002 m, and is located in the Canaima National Park in Bolivar State, along Venezuela’s border with Brazil. It is more than 19 times higher than Niagara Falls. The uninterrupted descent of water falls 807 m.

Most Archaeological Jewels

2008-09-08T20:59:00.008+07:00

Location :

Machu Picchu is located at 120 kilometers (75 miles) North-West of Cusco city, at 2,400 meters (7,900 ft.) above sea level. The only ways to get there is by train (4 hours) or walking. It isn't a road from Cusco to Machu Pichu only a railroad along the narrow Vilcanota canyon. The topography is amazing, steep mountains covered by tropical forests, it's incredible how the Incas built temples and trails on the slopes of these mountains.

Climate :

It's tropical, warm and sunny days and cool nights. It's very rainy between December and March, but it's still wonderful. Bring a rain-jacket or umbrella, and you will be fine.

Landscapes :

Machu Picchu is 1,000 meters (3,300 ft.) lower than Cusco city, that's why the environment here is different. The cloud-forest that covers the steep mountains around the citadel is habitat of an interesting wildlife that includes the Andean bear and the cock-of the rock bird. The ruins and the surroundings are part of a national park to protect the archaeological remains and the environment.

History :

The Inca citadel of Machu Pichu is one of the world’s archaeological jewels and the main tourist destination in Peru. Since it was found by the North American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911, it has not stopped to surprise the world. The archeologists believe it was built in the second half of the 15th century, but the function of it is still a mystery. It has been proved that many people lived there, but only important people as noblemen, priests and nuns. After the Spanish conquest, the Incas fled and abandoned the citadel, and nobody else heard about it, not even the Spaniards who never got there. The citadel is divided in 3 areas, two neighborhoods, and an agricultural sector, that is a vast network of terraces and channels for its irrigation. The urban sector is divided in 2 neighborhoods, in one of it are many temples, ritual chambers and also the royal bedroom. In the second one are many houses for the noblemen and their servants. Between both neighborhoods is a big plaza. The sceneries are outstanding, the citadel was built on top of a hill and it's surrounded by big mountains. At feet of the mountains flows the Urubamba river, and the sound of its water can be hear all around the citadel. Perhaps the main attraction of the citadel is the degree of technology that its builders achieved in stone work. The joins between the stones in some of its buildings are so snug that it’s impossible to insert even the tip of a needle between them. The most fascinating stone is the "Intihuatana" (hitching post of the sun), which served as an astronomical calendar. Nevertheless, more interesting is the energy and peace you feel when you get in this mysterious place.

Most Dangerous Road

2008-09-08T20:46:00.002+07:00

About 300 people a year die on a winding mountain road, what used to be the main path connecting Bolivia's capitol to the Amazon region. Locals have nicknamed it ''El Camino de la Muerte'': ''Death Road.'' But for thrill-seeking bicyclists, the hairpin turns and 800-foot cliff drops are all part of the fun.

Most Expensive Mobile Phones in the World

2008-09-08T14:00:00.003+07:00

Goldvish “Le million” = $1,000,000 (£540,540)

Until recently, the vast majority of mobile phones had been priced between £100 and £300, with only Vertu, a division of Nokia, manufacturing uber-premium phones. With prices starting at around £4,000 Vertu phones are only for the filthy rich, and the super famous.

However, Vertu’s monopoly of the luxury phone market is coming to an end with the launch of several new luxury mobile makers, including Gresso, Mobiado and GoldVish. Other mobile phone manufacturers are also partnering with luxury brands to produce a range of premium mobile phones, such as LG and Prada, D&G and Motorola, and now Tag Heuer and Modelabs. Finally, there are the ridiculous, super-expensive one-offs, made purely for headline grabbing, such as Goldvish’s “Le million”, worth a cool $1,000,000, see below for details!
A PR stunt it may be, and they surely can’t be expecting to sell any, but the Goldvish “Le million” is officially the most expensive mobile phone in the world, according the Guiness Books of Records. There’s even been talk of a $1.3million phone, but this has fewer diamonds than the Goldvish so I can’t see where the extra expense comes from! The “Le million” is a one off, featuring a blinding 120 carats worth of VVS-1 grade diamonds, according to designer Emmanuel Gueit. If $1 million is out of your price range. the Geneva-based Goldvish also offer several other diamond-encrusted 18k gold models in your choice of rose, yellow, or white, starting at a much more reasonable $25,600 (£13,837).

Most Expensive Wine in the World

2008-09-08T13:56:00.003+07:00

The word wine has its root from the ancient Greek word for vines, vinos. The vine produces lush grapes which are then fermented to create the popular yet sophisticated alcoholic drink we know as wine. In many areas, the English word wine and its synonyms in different languages are protected by law, as other beverages similar to wine can be produced from fruits, rice, flowers and honey. At the highest end, rare, super-expensive wines are often the costliest item on the menu, and exceptional vintages from the best vineyards may sell for thousands of dollars per bottle. Expensive red wines with their complex subtleties are traditionally more costly than other expensive wines. The most expensive wine ever sold is a bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite which sold at Christie’s London in December, 1985 for £105,00 (about US $160,000). The wine is reported to be from the cellar of Thomas Jefferson, the former US President, and this most expensive bottle of wine had the initials Th.J etched into the glass bottle. Chateau Lafite is a famous winery situated in the village of Pauillac, France. The winery has been occupied since at least the 14th century, and the majority of the vines were planted around 1680. Jefferson first sampled the wine while in France but continued to be a customer of these expensive Bordeaux wines throughout his life. Recently a wine which sold for $90,000 was mis-reported as the most expensive wine bottle ever, and we shall see how long the $160,000 bottle will stay the most expensive bottle of wine.

Longest Documented Hair

2008-09-07T22:45:00.002+07:00

The world's longest documented hair belongs to Xie Qiuping (China) at 5.627 m (18 ft 5.54 in) when measured on May 8, 2004. She has been growing her hair since 1973 from the age of 13.(Guinness World Records 2008)

Tallest Rideable Motorcycle

2008-09-07T01:54:00.002+07:00

Gregory Dunham (USA) has constructed a rideable motorcycle that is 3.429 m (11 ft 3 in) tall to the top of handlebars, 6.187 m (20 ft 4 in) long and weighs 2.948 tonnes (6,500 lb). It is powered by a 8.2 litre (502 cu in) V8 engine and has tyres that are 1.88 m (74 in) tall.(Guinness World Records 2008)

Most Expensive Motorcycles

2008-09-07T00:04:00.001+07:00

Motorcycles have had mass appeal to the general public for roughly a century and a half. An American named Sylvester Howard Roper designed one of the first motorcycles in the 1860s. The motorcycle was displayed at fairs and circuses around the eastern U.S.. Europeans also had their hand in popularizing motorcycles and during the World Wars, motorcycles functioned as a quick means of transportation.

As the motorcycle progressed, the engines and frames became bigger, sleeker, faster and more powerful, resulting in the high-tech and expensive motorcycles of today. If you can afford one, a custom motorcycle built to your exact specifications is within reach.

Currently, the most expensive motorcycles in production are fetching in between $100,000 and $200,000 US. While researching expensive motorcycles, we found 4 bikes that dominate all others in performance, appearance…and cost.
The fourth most expensive motorcycle we found is the new MV Agusta F4 CC created by Claudio Castiglioni, the motorcycle company’s director. He wanted to create a spectacular motorcycle that met strategic marketing needs while also being something truly special and unique. The expensive motorcycle bearing his very own initials “CC” has a top speed of 315 kph (195 mph), 1078 cc’s and a 198 hp engine. Each bike will boast a platinum plate located near the top of the steering column showing the model number from 1 to 100, making this motorcycle all the more special to its owners. This Italian dream costs 100,000 Euros ($133,745US).

Next on our list is the MTT Turbine Superbike costing $150,000 (111,000 Euros). Not only is this motorcycle expensive, its also extremely fast. The Superbike is the Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Powerful Motorcycle Ever to Enter Series Production”. The turbine engine in this one is made by Rolls Royce and is capable of over 300hp. The motorcycle also boasts carbon fiber fairings, a rear mounted camera with LCD color display, forward-and rear-looking radar detector with laser scrambler, one touch “Smart Start” ignition, and many other cool gadgets. This bike seams to be pretty popular in Hollywood. It starred in the movie “Torque” and even Jay Leno owns one!
The Macchia Nera Concept Bike is near the top of the list of most expensive motorcycles at 150,000 Euros ($201,000). Built around a Ducati 998RS engine, its Italian designers and engineers set out to create an extremely high tech and expensive motorcycle that would be thought of as “the ultimate track bike” that is “simply beautiful and beautifully simple”. The Testastretta engine is fitted with lightweight metals and alloys like titanium and aluminum making it very lightweight. The view from the side of the Macchia Nera shows exposed belts and engine components, giving its design a minimalist feel while still being aesthetically pleasing. We should add that this bike is a one of a kind and not in produced for retail at this point, but if you have an extra 150,000 Euros ($201,000) laying around for an expensive toy, your dream might come true.

The most expensive motorcycle in production will cost you at least $250,000. The production is limited to a few hundred models, so you better place your order. The Dodge Tomahawk V10 superbike boasts 8.3 liter engine (505 cubic inch), and the 10 cylinders can bring the bike to a maximum speed of almost 400 mph. The 1500lb bike has an independent 4 wheel suspension and can reach 60 mph in around 2.5 seconds.

The Cheapest Laptop

2008-09-06T02:50:00.003+07:00

Place of origin: China Guangdong
Model No: NPX-9000
Fob Price: FOB Shenzhen USD 129.00~130.00
Port: Shenzhen
Payment Terms: T/T
Minimum Order Quantity: 100 Piece/Pieces
Brand Name: Impulse
Processor Speed: 400 MHz MIPS
RAM: 128 MB
80 Key Keyboard & Touchpad
Screen Size: 7"
Hard Drive Capacity: 1 GB

SPECIFICATIONS:

1) 400 MHz MIPS CPU
2) 7" Analog Screen
3) 128 MB SDRAM
4) 1 GB Flash Memory
5) 80 Key English Keyboard & Touch Pad
6) Linux O.S.
7) Connectors: SD Card Slot, VGA Port, USB x 3, Mini USB, Microphone and Earphone Jack
8) AC Adaptor and Accessories
9) External USB LAN or 802.11g WiFi dongle (optional)

INCLUDED APPLICATIONS:

1) Excel File Viewer and Editor
2) Word File Viewer and Editor
3) Internet Browser
4) Media Player
5) Flash Viewer
6) O-Image Photo Viewer
7) Typing - Word Processor
8) Drawpad - Paint Application
9) Pointer Application

The Cheapest Car

2008-09-06T02:46:00.003+07:00

A lot is riding on the the world's cheapest car. In the words of Ratan Tata, chairman of the company behind the upstart econobox, India's "People's Car" will be a "safe, affordable, all weather vehicle for a family which is today traveling on a two wheeler." The entry level model is ticketed at just over $2,500 — or the equivalent of 100,000 rupees or one Lakh — a revolutionary price where the average lower middle class income is $200 a month. (For comparison's sake, in the early 1970s, Honda introduced affordable, good quality Civics at about $2,200, which adjusted for inflation would now be nearly $10,500.) It could well be one of the most important cars ever designed. The car emerged at a much-anticipated launch on Thursday: a cute, short thing, with four doors, tiny wheels placed out at the far corners of the body and what looked like plenty of room inside. The Nano has just enough space for a briefcase or small bag under the hood. The engine — all two cylinders, 624cc and 33 horsepower of it — is in the back, just like the Volkswagen Beetle of old. The speedometer and other instruments cluster in a central pod in the middle of the dashboard rather than directly in front of the driver, the easier (and cheaper) to offer both left- and right-hand versions when Tata Motors starts exporting the car to Southeast Asia and Africa in a couple of years. The top third of the over-sized headlights act as the turn signals (indicators) and look like cheeky yellow eyebrows above the main lights. It has a top speed of about 60 miles per hour. "Car companies are in probably the most emotive business area that one can find apart from fashion," company chairman Ratan Tata told TIME a day before the big launch. "There will be people who say it looks like a toy, but if you consider the value proposition I think the car is great."

Tata hopes the Nano will help millions of poor people around the world — the "Bottom of the Pyramid" in developing world marketing-speak —switch from two wheels to four. Environmentalists, city planners and even some competitors, on the other hand, warn that the new vehicle will clog up India's crowded roads and add clouds of pollution to its already filthy air.
Ratan Tata emphasized that the new car complies with India's emissions laws and even with Europe's much stronger Euro 4 standards. Emissions, Tata says, are "lower than a scooter's today". The company claims the car will also deliver 50 miles per gallon, or better than 20 kilometers per liter, which would make it one of India's most efficient vehicles, and vastly more efficient than the average in the U.S. Chief U.N. climate scientist Rajendra Pachauri, who shared last year's Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore, said recently that he was "having nightmares" about the low-cost car. "Dr. Pachauri need not have nightmares," said Ratan Tata at today's unveiling. "For us it's a milestone and I hope we can make a contribution to the country."
But with India's road infrastructure struggling to keep up with explosive growth in car sales, won't the new Tata just add to the country's road hassles? That's a problem the Indian government has to deal with, not manufacturers, Tata said. "We'd certainly be concerned if our vehicle created absolute chaos all across India," he told one questioner who complained that his morning journey of a few miles across Delhi took over an hour. "But if you had chaos today and it did not include our vehicles, then I would suggest the problem has to do with something else besides the presence or absence of our vehicles." India, he agreed, "does desperately need mass transit systems... both within cities and between cities." But poor Indian families also have a right to what millions take for granted elsewhere in the world. "Should they be denied the right to independent transport?"
Eventually, Tata Motors hopes to sell a million Nanos a year. Even before it goes on sale, though, it has become an important symbol of an emerging trend in the developing world, a new brand of innovation that makes more out of less and engineers clever but cheap fixes to problems that Western companies might throw expensive technology at.
The head of the Nano team says Tata Motors has applied for 34 patents on various components and design features on the new car, though he was short on specifics. The car reportedly uses super strong glue rather than welds in some joints — a technique that a handful of other car makers have used before, though perhaps never as extensively. Tata Motors' cost-cutting drive was relentless: the windshield has just one washer rather than two, the metal steering column was hollowed out to save on steel, cheaper bearings — strong enough to perform well up to (70 kph) but fast wearing beyond that — may be used rather than more expensive components. "It's a very tight package," Ratan Tata said. Given the steep rise in the cost of steel, rubber and other inputs in the past few years, it's possible that the entry level Nano might not break even, though Tata made a point of saying the "one lakh" price tag in India will stay because "a promise is a promise". The car, the company says, will make money across its various models.
The Indian magnate, who has hinted he will soon retire, sees the Nano as an evolution rather than a revolution. "What is revolutionary anyway?" he asked TIME before the launch. "If you asked me would it be possible to build a lower cost car than this — a car say for 50,000 rupees [$1,300] — I might be driven to say, 'Yes, it might be possible.'" He pauses for a few seconds. "I don't think anything's impossible." The half lakh car anyone?

The Most Pierced Woman

2008-09-05T03:29:00.002+07:00


WHO:
Elaine Davidson
WHAT:
720 piercings
WHERE:
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
WHEN:
August 9, 2001

By August 9, 2001, Elaine Davidson, of Edinburgh, Scotland, had a record-breaking total of 720 piercings. She first broke the record in May 2000, when a Guinness World Records official examined her and found 462 piercings on various parts of her body, including 192 on her facial area alone.

The Tallest Man

2008-09-05T03:25:00.004+07:00

WHO:

Robert Pershing Wadlow

WHAT:

2.72 m (8 ft 11 in)

WHERE:

Alton, Illinois, USA

WHEN:

Last measured on July 15, 1940

The tallest man in medical history for whom there is irrefutable evidence is Robert Pershing Wadlow. He was born at Alton, Illinois, USA, on February 22, 1918, and when he was last measured on June 27, 1940, was found to be 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in) tall.

Wadlow died at 1:30 a.m. on July 15, 1940, in a hotel in Manistee, Michigan, as a result of a septic blister on his right ankle caused by a brace, which had been poorly fitted only a week earlier. He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Alton, in a coffin measuring 3.28 m (10 ft 9 in) long, 81 cm (32 in) wide and 76 cm (30 in) deep.

Wadlow's greatest recorded weight was 222.71 kg (35 st 1 lb) on his 21st birthday and he weighed 199 kg (31 st 5 lb) at the time of his death. His shoe size was 37AA (47 cm, 18½ in long) and his hands measured 32.4 cm (12¾ in) from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger. He wore a size 25 ring. His arm span was 2.88 m (9 ft 5¾ in) and his peak daily food consumption was 8000 calories.

At the age of nine, he was able to carry his father Harold F. Wadlow, later Mayor of Alton, who stood 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) and weighed 77 kg (170 lb), up the stairs of the family home.

The Loudest Burp

2008-09-05T03:17:00.006+07:00

WHO:

Paul Hunn

WHAT:

104.9 dB

WHERE:

London, UK

WHEN:

July 20, 2004

The world's loudest burp measured from a distance of 2.5 m (8ft 2 in)and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high, read 104.9 dB on a certified and calibrated class 1 precision measuring noise level meter, and was achieved by Paul Hunn (UK) at the offices of Guinness World Records, London, UK, on July 20, 2004.

Most Expensive Cigars

2008-09-03T23:34:00.002+07:00

Cigar tobacco is grown in many places throughout the Americas and Caribbean, but certain cigars manufactured in Cuba are widely considered the best cigars in the world. Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar. As expensive cigars are symbols of wealth and success, the world’s most expensive cigars may hold far more value than their price tag suggests. Altadis’ Behike When Altadis of Spain launched their “Behike” cigars, they were the most expensive cigars in the world. The expensive cigars were reportedly named after the tribal chief or sorcerer of the Cuban/pre-Colombian Taino tribe.
A mere four thousand of the limited edition Cohiba brand cigars have been released and each box includes forty expensive cigars and allegedly retails for around $18,846. Yes, the expensive cigar will cost you $420 for each smoke. Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve They’ve been outdone, however, by Gurkha’s premier cigar, His Majesty’s Reserve. Rightfully touted as the most expensive cigar in the world, these cigars aren’t just made with premium tobacco—they’re also infused with a generous portion of Louis XIII Cognac in a process that retains the flavor of the tobacco. Louis XIII Cognac, as you may know, is one of the finest cognacs on the market today. Each year, fewer than 100 boxes of His Majesty’s Reserve cigars are produced and Gurkha’s president oversees their allocation to retailers. At $750, just one of these most expensive cigars will probably cost more than your vintage smoking jacket, but for the true aficionado, it may be a smoke too good to pass up.

Most Expensive Laptop

2008-09-03T23:26:00.002+07:00

If you thought your 17” Apple MacBook or Alienware Aurora mALX qualified as an expensive laptop, think again.

In 1982 GriD Systems released the Compass 1100 laptop costing about $10,000 (inflation adjusted $20,200). Even this cost pales in comparison to the reports of a costly laptop that luxury manufacturer Luvaglio London is set to release in the near future by special order the most expensive laptop ever sold, with a price tag of a million dollars. As of now all of the details are very sparse and the technical
specifications have not been made fully available. We aren’t even sure what this laptop is made with to give it a cost of $1,000,000, but the exterior looks impressive. You can bet with a price this excessive, the expensive laptop will be a spectacle of precious metals and materials and include more than a couple gemstones. In late 2005 the Dutch company Ego Lifestyle B.V. released the Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop, which was previously the world’s most expensive laptop and this mobile computer had over 80 total carats of diamonds and a retail price of €283,000.

Most Expensive Coffee

2008-09-03T23:23:00.000+07:00

The most expensive coffee in the world does not hail from Jamaica or Hawaii, but instead from Indonesia.
Kopi Luwak the most expensive coffee in the world does exist, and those who drink the expensive coffee insist that it is made from coffee beans eaten, partly digested and then excreted by the Common palm civet, a weasel-like animal. “Kopi” the Indonesian word for coffee along with “luwak” is local name of this animal which eats the raw red coffee beans. The civet digests the soft outer part of the coffee cherry, but does not digest the inner beans and excretes them. Apparently the internal digestion ends up adds a unique flavor to the beans, removing the bitter flavor, and then beans are then picked up by locals and sold. The most expensive coffee beans can cost up to $600 a pound, and up to $50 per cup, if you can get over the fact that you are drinking such a strange brew. You would know if you drank the most expensive coffee in the world, because the quantities of it are tiny amounts.

Most expensive house

2008-09-03T21:16:00.004+07:00

The sprawling Villa Leopolda on the Cote d'Azur Photo: BIGPICTURESPHOTO.COM
While the global credit-crunch has seen property in the UK falling for the sixth month in a row, the sprawling Villa Leopolda on the Cote d'Azur has dramatically bucked the international trend.
Its new owner is believed to be a Russian oil oligarch but his identity is a closely guarded secrecy.
The cream-coloured villa, set in 20 acres of gardens, overlooks Cap Ferrat near Villefranche and was originally built as a summer retreat for King Leopold II of Belgium.

It is the latest property in the area to be snapped up by the Russian super-rich. The price soared so high because the original owner was reluctant to part with the luxury property.
The villa once belonged to the Agnelli family, founders of car giant Fiat, and in the 1960s became the scene for legendary jet-set parties attended by Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan.
But the huge price tag is just the start of the expense for its new owner. The grounds take 50 full-time gardeners to look after estate which includes 1200 olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees.
Villa Leopolda has been rumoured to be on and off the market ever since last owner Edmond Safra was murdered. Wife Lily was expected to sell it to Microsoft Bill Gates but the reports came to nothing.