Month: October 2013

Top Historical Novels

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, a historical novel is defined as “a novel that has as its setting a usually significant period of history and that attempts to convey the spirit, manners, and social conditions of a past age with realistic detail and fidelity (which is in some cases only apparent fidelity) to historical fact. The work may deal with actual historical personages…or it may contain a mixture of fictional and historical characters”.

10. THE REGENERATION TRILOGY

The Regeneration Trilogy comes in at number ten on this list. It is written by Pat Barker. It is the story of a psychiatrist called William Rivers. He treats many soldiers from the First World War. Just so you know, this isn’t some boring novel on some major war, it talks about mental illnesses, class, homosexuality and even creativity. The third book in the trilogy, The Ghost Road, won the Booker prize in 1995. The books remained very positive with the critics as well. If you are new into this genre, I would recommend starting with this book, because it should ease you into the ‘historical’ novels.

9. PROPERTY

Property was written by Valerie Martin. It is a very honest story. The novel was published in 2003. It talks about life on a slave plantation in the 1830s. The narrator of the story is Manon. She is a young married woman. The marriage is loveless and her husband is the owner of the plantation. She rebels against everything wrong with her. In a way, she happens to be the pioneering feminist. This novel won the Orange prize. It is a short novel and remains widely unknown for some reason. It made it to number nine on this list for a reason of course.

8. I, CLAUDIUS

This novel was written by Robert Graves in 1934. It is basically an autobiography of the fourth Roman Emperor. The writer presents the history of Claudius’s predecessors including Augustus, Tiberius and Caligula. Claudius’s various disabilities are also discussed which is why he remained shielded from public in his early adulthood. The writer presents him as a courageous figure though. The book remains a classic, though the writer said that it was meant for commercial gain only.

7. THE BLUE FLOWER

This particular novel is written by Penelope Fitzgerald that was published in 1995. She died five years later and it talks about the life of a German aristocrat of the eighteenth century, Friederich von Hardenberg. The novel revolves around his love for Sophie von Kuhn. She is only twelve years old when he falls in love. They get married even but she dies two years later because of Tuberculosis. This novel is regarded as one of the best novels she ever wrote, but it still didn’t make the Booker list in 1995.

6. PURE

Pure is a novel by Andrew Miller. It talks about the life a young engineer, Jean-Baptiste Baratte. He has to oversee the destruction of the Church of Les Innocents and also the clearance of the cemetery. The novel also talks about major conflicts of Enlightenment. It is superbly put in words. It is the eighteenth century Paris boys and girls and the sights and sounds described in the book are fantastic. While reading this book, you really don’t feel the need to visit Paris, but it also makes you feel the need to visit Paris even more.

5. BROOKLYN

This novel is by Colm Toibin. A historical novel is defined as something that is set at least 60 years prior to the date of publication. This particular novel is set in the early 1950s. The novel discusses a very important historical happening; The Irish Immigration to America. Eilis Lacey leaves Enniscorthy and settles in Brooklyn. She feels isolated and really excited at the same time. Her experiences are made to look very real and interesting. The novel is beautifully written.

4. THE LEOPARD

This particular novel is written by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and is set in Sicily during the 1860s. this is the writer’s only novel and was published in 1958. It talks about an aristocratic order in decline. He based the novel on his great grandfather. He brings the true nineteenth century into words. Wait till you get to the descriptions of houses and landscapes; they will blow your mind. The Leopard in the title refers to Prince Fabrizio.

3. ROMOLA

Romola is written by George Eliot. The novel focuses on Tito Melema and his wife Romola. Tito Melema is a scholar who becomes a politician. The novel discusses many important figures of that particular time including Savonarola and Machiavelli. The critics highly appreciated the novel. I am not very much into these sort of novels, but to the people who are interested, I believe this is an amazing novel. Just read the reviews and you will know.

2. WOLF HALL

Wolf Hall is written by Hilary Mantel. It is the first novel in the series of two (so far). The second one goes by the name of ‘Bring Up the Bodies’. This novel is a Booker winner of 2009. It presents the life of Thomas Bodies who is a Tudor statesman. He is of a brilliant and restless mind and that character was written with perfection. We see the events of Tudor history in crisp detail and brilliant words.

1. WAR AND PEACE

War and Peace was written by Leo Tolstoy in 1869. It has often been described as one of the greatest novels ever written. It discusses the impact of the Napoleonic wars on five different Russian families. The story seems absolutely flawless and has a very smooth flow to it. It moves from character to character, then describes a particular drawing room and moves onto the horrifying details of war and it seems almost effortless. He wanted to use the techniques of fiction to mirror the ‘reality’ of history.

October 30, 2013
10 Highest Grossing Leonardo DiCaprio Movies – Page 2 of 2

5. THE AVIATOR

$127,585,100

Martin Scorsese directed this fast-moving, epic-scale biopic documenting the life and loves one of the most colorful Americans of the 20th century, Howard Hughes. The Aviator follows Hughes (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) as the twentysomething millionaire, having already made a fortune improving the design of oil-drilling bits, comes to Hollywood with an interest in getting into the picture business. It doesn’t take long for Hughes, with his passion for airplanes, to jump from producer to director of his first major film project, a World War I air epic called Hell’s Angels

4. THE DEPARTED

$159,356,600

As the police force attempts to reign in the increasingly powerful Irish mafia, authorities are faced with the prospect of sending in an undercover agent or seeing their already frail grip on the criminal underworld slip even further. Billy Costigan (Leonarrdo DiCaprio) is a young cop looking to make a name for himself in the world of law enforcement. Collin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a street-smart criminal who has successfully infiltrated the police department with the sole intention of reporting their every move to ruthless syndicate head Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). When Costigan is assigned the task of working his way into Costello’s tightly guarded inner circle, Sullivan is faced with the responsibility of rooting out the informer before things get out of hand.

3. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

$217,135,900

Frank W. Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a 16-year-old high school student who finds himself emotionally cut adrift when his mother, Paula (Nathalie Baye), leaves his father, Frank Abagnale Sr. (Christopher Walken), after Frank Sr. falls into arrears with the Internal Revenue Service. One day at school, Frank Jr. attempts to pass himself off as a substitute teacher, and easily makes the subterfuge work. His small-scale success gives Frank some ideas, and he soon discovers bigger and more profitable ways of hoaxing others, passing himself off as an airline pilot, a doctor, and an attorney.

2. INCEPTION

$291,472,100

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) doesn’t steal things, he steals ideas. By projecting himself deep into the subconscious of his targets, he can glean information that even the best computer hackers can’t get to. In the world of corporate espionage, Cobb is the ultimate weapon. But even weapons have their weakness, and when Cobb loses everything, he’s forced to embark on one final mission in a desperate quest for redemption. This time, Cobb won’t be harvesting an idea, but sowing one. Should he and his team of specialists succeed, they will have discovered a new frontier in the art of psychic espionage.

1. TITANIC

$1,074,383,500

102-year-old Rose (Gloria Stuart) reveals she’s the person in the portrait; she is summoned to the wreckage site to tell her story of the 56-carat diamond necklace and her experiences of 84 years earlier. The scene then shifts to 1912 Southampton where passengers boarding the Titanic include penniless Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), returning to Philadelphia with her wealthy fiance Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). After the April 10th launch, Rose develops a passionate interest in Jack, and Cal’s reaction is vengeful. At midpoint in the film, the Titanic slides against the iceberg and water rushes into the front compartments. Even engulfed, Cal continues to pursue Jack and Rose as the massive liner begins its descent.

October 30, 2013
10 Discoveries that have Changed History

Here’s a look at some discoveries that have changed the world. It’s nearly impossible to rank their importance though.

10. Australopithecus

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Discovered by: An unknown South African

This is known to be the very fist human to exist. The skull was actually discovered by an unknown South African but further investigations were made by Raymond Dart. The fossil was recorded to be 3.7 million years ago. The brains of most species of Australopithecus were roughly 35% of the size of that of a modern human brain. Most species of Australopithecus were diminutive and gracile, usually standing no more than 1.2 and 1.4 m (approx. 4 to 4.5 feet) tall. Actually, the skull found by the South African native was thought be the skull of an ape, but after seeing that the spinal column was connected below the skull and not at the back, it was later concluded that it should be a skull of a man and not of an ape.

9. Penicillin

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Discovered by: Alexander Fleming

Everybody knows the story – or at least, should – the brilliant yet notoriously absent-minded biologist Sir Alexander Fleming was researching a strain of bacteria called staphylococci. Upon returning from holiday one time in 1928, he noticed that one of the glass culture dishes he had accidentally left out had become contaminated with a fungus, and so threw it away. It wasn’t until later that he noticed that the staphylococcus bacteria seemed unable to grow in the area surrounding the fungal mould. Fleming didn’t even hold out much hope for his discovery: it wasn’t given much attention when he published his findings the following year, it was difficult to cultivate, and it was slow-acting – it wasn’t until 1945 after further research by several other scientists that penicillin was able to be produced on an industrial scale, changing the way doctors treated bacterial infections forever. Penicillin antibiotics are historically significant because they are the first drugs that were effective against many previously serious diseases such as syphilis and Staphylococcus infections.

8. Oxygen

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Discovered by: Carl Wilhelm Scheele

Oxygen was first discovered by Swedish pharmacist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. He had discovered it by about 1772. Scheele called the gas “fire air” because it was the only known supporter of combustion, and wrote an account of this discovery in a manuscript he titled Treatise on Air and Fire, which he sent to his publisher in 1775. However, that document was not published until 1777. Meanwhille, oxygen was also identified by Joseph Priestly in 1774. Priestly discovered a colourless gas from heated red mercuric oxide. He found this gas was highly combustible. He called it dephlogisticated air. Priestly shared his discovery with the French scientist Antoine Lavoiser. Lavoiser was able to show oxygen supported animal life respiration.

7. Gravity

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Discovered by: Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton, an English mathematician and physicist, is considered the greatest scientist of all time. Among his many discoveries, the most important is probably his law of universal gravitation. In 1664, Newton figured out that gravity is the force that draws objects toward each other. It explained why things fall down and why the planets orbit around the Sun.

6. Fingerprints

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Discovered by: Evangelista Purkinje

The discovery that fingerprints are unique to each individual, are left behind on objects a person touches and can be lifted off those items is nothing short of miraculous. This discovery completely changed the way that law enforcement conducted investigations. In today’s modern age, Jack the Ripper would eventually be caught. Even though it was 1823 when Jan Evangelista Purkinje noticed how unique our fingerprints are, it took some time for law enforcement to figure out ways to use this knowledge. Today, this discovery is used in everyday police work.

October 22, 2013
11 Innovative and Interesting Ways to Generate Power – Page 2 of 2

5. Snake

Anaconda Anaconda is a snake with a rubber tube body, 200 yards in length or longer, filled with nothing but water. The snake is capable of generating 1MW (Megawatt) of power per year. The set up contains harnessed snakes, allowed to swim. The waves in the sea stimulate a ‘bulge wave’ which passes down the tube and gathers enough energy to drive a turbine in its tail. The electricity generated by the turbine can be captured and carried to shore by cables. Groups of 50 anacondas could each generate enough electricity to power 50,000 homes. The project is being developed by the Checkmate Group said.

4. Waste Tea Leaves

Used Tea Leaves A Pakistani scientist, Dr. Syed Tajamul Hussain, working at National Center for Physics (NCP) (Islamabad), invented a nano-catalyst with his research team, to produce low carbon emission bio-diesel and ethanol from used tea leaves. The nanoparticles can produce 560 ml of bio-diesel from each kilogram of used tea. If scaled up to a commercial basis, it would be a giant step towards production of alternative energy resources.

3. Heat Up Roads

Heated Up Roads Can Generate Power
Concrete roads absorb a lot of heat. A company from Holland, Ooms Avenhorn Groep bv, came up with a brilliant idea of using this heat to generate power. The heat can be extracted and used. Here they use the heat to warm water running in pipes under the roads. This warm water can be used to generate electricity as well as can be supplied to houses and buildings. This system provides hot water to the buildings while keeping the roads ice free in winters. This reduces gas bills and road maintenance and can produce electricity too.

2. Walking on Special Tiles

Tiles at Airport Generate Electricity In Japan piezoelectric tiles are being used to generate electricity. This picture is taken at the Tokyo Station where people walk on piezoelectric tiles which in turn generate electricity. Subways, airports, shopping malls and MRT stations are places where hundreds of thousands of people walk everyday e.g. 2.4 million people pass through the sprawling Shibuya Station on an average week day. “An average person, weighing 60 kg, will generate only 0.1 watt in the single second required to take two steps across the tile,” said Yoshiaki Takuya, a planner with Soundpower Corp. “But when they are covering a large area of floor space and thousands of people are stepping or jumping on them, then we can generate significant amounts of power.” So every step matters and the combined power generation is amazing and impressive. This idea needs to be implemented worldwide.

1. Antimatter

Antimatter Antimatter is the opposite to ordinary matter. It is composed of antiparticles like normal matter is composed of particles. For example a positron (antiparticle of electron) and an antiproton forms antihydrogen atom. As antiparticles are made just like normal matter, they have the same mass as that of the ordinary matter but with opposite atomic properties known as spin and charge. We all know that the opposed particles annihilate each other on meeting and release tremendous amounts of energy as dictated by Einstein’s famous equation, E=mc2. This principle is under experiment to generate power. NASA is putting large efforts and huge funding in this direction.

October 21, 2013
Top 10 Signs that Paul McCartney Actually Died in 1966

Leading internet sources will tell you that Paul McCartney, composer and bassist of the Beatles, lived 18 June 1942-present. But if you believe the rumors, he actually died in 1966 and the present “Paul” is a lookalike. Some cite the “Frog Song” as evidence that he’s a different person to the one who wrote “Yesterday”, but as with most conspiracy theories, there’s more to it if you dig a little. According to some, there’s a wealth of evidence that Paul is dead. And so we present the Top 10 Signs that Paul McCartney Actually Died in 1966.

10. “The Walrus was Paul”

Here’s a bit of a disappointing one to start with – the clue comes from “Glass Onion” on the White Album, when John sings – “well here’s another clue for you all/The walrus was Paul”. Theorists got excited over the mention of Paul in the lyrics and rumors started flying that walrus was a Scandanavian word, meaning death. Unfortunately, a little digging reveals that the word is derived from the Old Norse “rosmhvalr”, which means…walrus. Sorry folks!

9. Billy Shears

This clue all ties in with the man that was said to have replaced Paul – William Shears Campbell, winner of the 1965 Paul lookalike competition. When the band are announcing the arrival of Billy Shears at the start of Sgt Pepper, they are actually introducing the new version of Paul. It’s also a bit of wordplay, as “Billy Shears” can be willfully misheard as “Billy’s here.”

Apparently, a picture of the real Billy (above) appears on the poster that was given away with the White Album, and he had plastic surgery to look more like the real Paul. Still, die-hard fans claim to notice differences between Paul and William, whom they christened “Faul”. Some even say that there is a 2-inch height difference and the color of his eyes has changed. As recently as 2010, things “Faul” said in interviews were still being picked apart for discrepancies.

8. Magical Mystery Tour Cover Art

An obscure one next, from the fittingly obscure Magical Mystery Tour EP. On the cover, the word “Beatles” is spelled out in stars, but if you put a mirror up to it, it comes up with a number – 2317438. What’s the significance of the number? It’s meant to be the telephone number of a London mortuary, but there’s no evidence that anyone ever called this number to find out.

The clues don’t end there though – there’s a cartoon of Paul, with a cracked head, labelled “The Fool on the Hill”. There’s a picture of all 4 Beatles where Paul is wearing a black carnation, and the others are wearing red. And then there’s a picture of Paul, sitting in front of a poster that says “I was”. Enough for you yet? Don’t worry, there’s more to come….

7. Revolution 9

This track from the White Album is largely inexplicable, with its strings of gibberish, strange noises and Yoko Ono droning “number 9” over and over again. But again it contains clues that point to Paul’s demise. Lyrics like “his voice was low and his eye was high and his eyes were closed” and “intended to die” are meant to refer to Paul, but the real giveaway is when you play it backwards. There’s the noise of a car crash, a scream and then the repeated phrase “turn me on dead man”. It seems there is some point to that track after all…

6. Lyrical Prophecy

A bit of a red herring next. Many conspiracy-theory sites list the lyric “I was alone I took a ride I didn’t know what I would find there” as another pointer, but the theory collapses under scrutiny. That line was taken from “Got to Get You Into My Life”, a track from Revolver (above). Revolver was released on 5 August 1966, a full 3 months and 4 days before Paul’s supposed accident. I think we can safely rule this one out, unless it was Paul singing about his own death. Now, that really would be spooky…

5. Yesterday and Today “Butcher Cover”

Now here’s a cover that provoked its own controversy. A product of a photo shoot with Robert Whitaker, this gruesome picture adorned a clumsily put-together compilation of Beatles’ tracks from various albums, aimed at the American market. When it was released in the US on 20 June 1966, the cover causes immediate outrage and new covers were sent out to stick over the old ones, featuring Paul in a trunk. A few years later both covers would be raked for clues, such as the decapitated head in Paul’s lap and the way that Paul seems to be in a coffin. There was only one problem. Have a look at the date of release again – yes, it’s another anachronism. Just a bad taste photoshoot after all!

4. “I Buried Paul”

Another clue which at least fits into the chronology, this derives from a murmur at the end of “Strawberry Fields Forever”, which was released as a double A-side in February 1968. It’s unclear what John Lennon is saying at the end, but it certainly sounds a bit like “I buried Paul”. Later, John would insist that the line was “cranberry sauce“. Sound unlikely? Bear in mind the original lyrics to “Yesterday” were “Scrambled eggs, oh my darling how I love your legs”. Suddenly, Lennon muttering about a condiment doesn’t seem anything out of the ordinary.

3. Linda Eastman

This was a cruel but plausible fan theory that points to Paul becoming Faul. Paul had been in a relationship with actress Jane Asher for 3 years prior to the “accident” and they were living together. Two years later he was marrying Linda Eastman, with the smallest of gaps in between women. Paul’s fans – who George referred to as the “Apple Scruffs” – were skeptical about his choice of bride and sneered at awkward Linda who had none of the poise of Jane. When Paul’s “death” was uncovered, many people took his change of personality as evidence that he wasn’t the same Paul who’d dated Jane. He also withdrew from London and spent time with his family and sheepdog on a remote Scottish farm. Case closed?

2. Abbey Rd Cover Art

The cover art of the Beatles’ last-recorded album is supposed to be blatant proof of Paul’s death. The iconic walk across the zebra crossing is meant to be Paul’s funeral procession, with George as scruffy denims as the gravedigger, barefoot Paul as the corpse, Ringo as the pallbearer in black, and all-white John as the preacher. Then it’s said that if you zoom in, a car license plate reads “28 IF” – 28 if Paul had lived. It can be argued that Paul would have been 27, not 28 in 1969 but Eastern religions include months spent in utero as part of someone’s age, and the Beatles were very involved in Eastern religion at the time. The first part of the license plate – “LMW” stood for “Linda McCartney weeps”. Probably the most famous set of clues, but not the most compelling.

1. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Cover Art

The album that introduced Billy Shears was bound to be a treasure trove of visual clues, especially considering the famously complicated cover art. Some “clues” are more convincing than others, but there are a lot of them. A floral wreath spells out “Beatles” with a bass guitar with only three tuning pegs, indicating that only three Beatles were left alive. There’s an open palm behind Paul’s head – a symbol of death in some societies- and a tiny Aston Martin, representing the car he was driving in the apparent crash. There’s a picture of the four early Beatles, and they seem to be looking into a grave. Meanwhile, inside Paul wears an armband with the initials OPD – said to stand for “officially pronounced dead” – and on the back, Paul faces backwards and George’s thumb points to the line “Wednesday morning at five o’clock as the day begins” which is supposed to be the time of the accident.

But it’s the disc itself which is said to hold the greatest clue – if you hold a mirror along the drum in its center, a message appears, reading “I ONE IX HE DIE”. It’s been interpreted as meaning “ 1 1 9 he die”, or 11 November, the date the accident is meant to have happened. Other people have interpreted it as “1”, “ONE” and “I” referring to the three remaining Beatles, and the X representing the dead Paul. The lyrics of the album were dissected too, until the full theory arose, involving Paul, a car, an early morning drive and a girl called Rita. It may not be true, but the conspiracy theorists certainly did a good job of making you wonder….

October 19, 2013
Top Ten Cartoons of All Time

6. G.I. JOE

These cartoons need no introduction. All I have to say is, ‘G.I. Joe is the code name for America’s daring, highly trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world.’ The original animated series began in 1985 but it was cancelled after the movie came out. The animated series then continued from 1989. I still remember the G.I. Joe reference in FRIENDS. God, that was hilarious. All in all, if you’re into this genre, these cartoons were absolutely amazing.

5. VOLTRON

Robots were the thing back then. I remember the original series of Voltron, then there came a revised edition. Anyone remembers the Saber Riders and the Star Sheriffs? The original Voltron was a robot made up by combining five different robotic lions and it was then used to defend the galaxy from evil. The said lions were piloted by humans. The original number of episodes is 124 and the project was collaboration between USA and Japan. Voltron was created by World Events Productions and Toei Animation and was absolutely brilliant.

4. HE-MAN

The cartoon series was based on the toy line by Mattel called Masters of the Universe. This is an American animated series and it was one of the most popular shows in the 1980s. The show has a total of two seasons comprising of 130 episodes. The series debuted in 1983 and ran until 1985. USA bought the syndication rights in 1988 and they aired reruns of the series till the September of 1990. The show has a lot fans to this day. ‘By the Power of Grayskull, I HAVE THE POWER!!!!!!!!!’

3. TOM AND JERRY

This is one cartoon show that made even the adults laugh their heads off. The show was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and it centered on just two main characters. A cat called Thomas (Tom) and a mouse called Jerry. Throughout the show, Tom would try his level best to catch Jerry and Jerry would evade him but the situations were absolutely hilarious. They make me laugh to this day; brilliantly written and directed.

2. TRANSFORMERS

Now that the movies and games have come out, not a lot of people pay attention to where it all started from. The show is based on toy line of Diaclone and Mircoman and it is an American television series. The show was written and recorded in America, while it was animated in Japan. The show has a total of four seasons comprising of 98 episodes each averaging 23 minutes of run time. The series became so popular that The Transformers: The Movie came out in 1986. Transformers: Animated debuted on Cartoon Network in 2007 and you have seen the three films and games. It happens to be one of the most successful franchises when it comes to cartoons.

1. BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

I am sure you have read the comics and watched the movies. This particular show is based on the character by DC Comics and it is an animated Television series. The series is produced by Warner Brothers and was originally aired on the FOX network from the 5^th September in 1992 to 15^th September in 1995. With the high artistic quality and dark tones, this particular series was loved by many and it received critical acclaim all over the world. It is also perhaps the most faithful adaption of Batman to date.

October 15, 2013
Top 10 Most Complicated Mazes

Ever wanted to get lost somewhere? Well, there are some mazes out there where you can do just that. You go in one side, and it’s down to luck rather than judgement if you ever come out again. Mazes have been a feature of popular culture since the Ancient Greek times and have appeared in works of literature from “Alice in Wonderland” to “Harry Potter”, symbolizing hopelessness and confinement. But which mazes are the most fiendishly complicated or ingeniously designed? Find out in our Top 10 Most Complicated Mazes.

10. Escot Gardens Maze (UK)

Created in 2004, this maze consists of over 4,000 beech trees as well as flying bridges and switch gates that change the route as you go along. It was designed by Adrian Fisher, who has planned over 600 mazes worldwide as well as writing puzzles for British newspapers.

It’s part of the Escot estate in East Devon, which also contains a manor house and a nature reserve. So, as well as getting lost in a maze you can meet wild boar and beavers. As long as you find your way out, that is…

9. Mirror Labyrinth at Glacier Garden (Switzerland)

Also known as Gletschergarten, this labyrinth in Lucerne, Switzerland was modeled after the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, which is famous for its ornate architecture. It contains 90 mirrors and visitors have to walk with their hands in front of them in case they walk into one of them. It was created in 1896 for the National Exhibition in Geneva and it moved to Lucerne 3 years later.

The mirror maze is part of a bigger attraction built around a set of glacial potholes, which used to be the base of a glacier. So, there’s a natural phenomenon to visit as well as the manmade maze of mirrors. And apparently a pen of rabbits as well…

8. Ashcombe Maze (Australia)

Set on the Mornington Penisula, near Melbourne Ashcombe has not one but 3 different mazes – the hedge maze (above), which is the oldest one in the Southern Hemisphere, the lavender labyrinth and the rose maze. The hedge maze was planted in the 1970s, with over 1000 cypress trees and comprises the South Maze, the Centre Garden and the North Maze. Each bit if the maze has a different layout, so it’s easy to get lost. As the website says “any tricks you worked out while making your way through the first part, mean absolutely nothing in the other.”

Then there’s the circular rose maze, with 1200 rose bushes and the lavender labyrinth which has a floating pathway through 4000 lavender plants. It’s a sensory treat to wander through the scented plants and there are woodland gardens to visit too. Worth a visit if you’re ever in Melbourne.

7. Cow in the Field (Germany)

Now, this isn’t particularly complicated as mazes go, but deserves its place for sheer ingenuity. It’s a maze cut into the shape of a cow’s stomach and it appeared in a field in Marienfelde, Germany. It was created by the Federal Institute of Risk Assessment, which studies the risks caused to the environment by chemicals and modern living. It aimed to explain how a cow digests food and raise awareness of healthy eating. I’m not entirely sure how it does that, but it’s certainly an interesting tourist attraction. In case that hasn’t satisfied your appetite for cow-themed mazes, there’s another one cut into a field near Holt in the UK.

6. Hampton Court Maze (UK)

Dating from 1700, this was described as “the most famous Maze in the history of the world, and immeasurably the one most visited” by Ernest Law in 1926. It still remains popular and is a unusual trapezoid shape, with inbuilt speakers projecting 1000 sounds from a sound installation called “Trance”. There are even benches in the center of the maze, which make subtle noises when sat on.

Hampton Court Palace sits near the Thames, on the outskirts of London. It was a favorite of Henry VIII’s but it was a much later king – William III – who commissioned the maze. It was designed by George London and Henry Wise and was originally planted with hornbeam. Some say that Cardinal Wolsey also had a maze on the site, during Henry VIII’s time but there is no trace of this left.

October 11, 2013
50+ Awesome Megan Fox Image Illustrations

Some people may call her as thankless, classless, graceless, dumb, trailer trash, and ungracious but whatever, nobody can deny the fact that she is a hot bombshell.

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October 6, 2013
Top 10 Ways To Propose

5. With a Song

Are you a musician? Do you know any musicians? Writing a piece of music to declare love isn’t exactly the freshest of ideas, however writing one to propose marriage just may be. You of all people should be aware of what kind of tunes your potential spouse is into, therefore giving you an idea of the musical direction you should take with the piece you create for them. Once again, how you choose to present your song in entirely up to you, it could be a case of posting it to them, placing it in an elaborate fashion on the dash of their car- or staging a fully-fledged live performance of the track in your sitting room.

4. In French

French is said to be the language of love, it’s also relatively easy to grasp in short phrases for those who speak fluent English, so why not commit ‘veux-tu m’epouser?’ to memory and go all continental with your big moment? I’m sure there’s a video or two on YouTube that could help you out with pronunciation and the like. The one must for this option is that your partner will actually understand what you’re saying to them and not just stare at you blankly.

3. Over the Radio

Quite similar to the Newspaper Ad approach, a proposal over the radio is just another way of using the popular media to pop the question. It’s advisable to enact this method at a time you are 100% certain that they’re listening, but that’s just obvious isn’t it? Whether you arrange to go on and ask yourself or have their favourite DJ do it for you, this method can’t miss. The only downside being that you may not be able to receive an instant answer, unless you get them on the phone of course…

2. Get a Tattoo

Although originally frowned upon, body art is quickly becoming more integrated and accepted within society. Though once an unthinkable taboo to have a proposal message tatt’d onto oneself, the idea is becoming increasingly popular generation to generation. This option is not for the faint hearted however, instead more suitable to the headstrong and the confident. It’s one thing having regret and resentment over the most simple of tattoos, never mind one declaring outright love for a person who you may stray from in the future. Actually, forget that last bit. If you want a tattoo to do your proposing, go right ahead- what else are they for but to immortalise a significant moment in your life?

1. Hire a Skywriter

Now, I’m not even convinced that this is a real option; can this be done in real life? I’ve obviously seen it in films and that Valentine’s day episode of The Simpsons, however never in you know, real life. Maybe it’s because of the cloudy climate that I live in, or maybe it’s down to the fact I’ve never seen anyone propose in any way shape or form. Either way, this is one cool way of doing it. Whilst I imagine the costs to be sky-high (haha?), the aesthetical benefits must be so worth it- especially if he/she accepts.

October 5, 2013
Top Ten Countries with Highest Defense Spending

5. FRANCE

Spending: $62.5 Billion

World Share: 3.6%

Percentage of GDP: 2.3

The French Armed Forces consist of the French Army, French Navy, French Ari Force and National Gendamerie. The President of the nation is the head of those forces and his title is ‘Chief of the Military Forces’ or ‘Chef Des Armees’ in French. The name of the President or the C-in-C is Presiden Francois Hollande while Jean-Yves Le Driam is the Minister of Defense. They have around 251,750 active military troops with another 70,000 in reserve.

4. UNITED KINGDOM

Spending: $62.7 Billion

World Share: 3.6

Percentage of GDP: 2.6

The British Armed Forces include the Navy, Air Force and Army. They are also known as Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or the Armed Forces of the Crown. The Queen serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the forces; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Rt. Hon Philip Hammond MP is the Secretary of State for Defense and General Sir David Richards is the Chief of the Defense Staff. They have around 227,160 active personnel while another 174,800 in reserve.

3. RUSSIA

Spending: $71.9 Billion

World Share: 4.1%

Percentage of GDP: 3.9

When the Soviet Union was dissolved the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was formed. The army is under the control of the government and therefore their president Vladimir Putin serves as the Supreme Command-in-Chief of the army. Anatoliy Serdyukov is the Minister of Defence. They have around 1,027,000 active personnel (2010) with another 754,000 in reserve. Their forces are ranked fifth in the entire world.

2. CHINA

Spending: $143 Billion

World Share: 8.2%

Percentage of GDP: 2.0

People’s Republic of China has a unified military organization by the name of People’s Liberation Army. It was established in the year 1927 on the 1^st of August and to this date it is celebrated as the PLA Day. Hu Jintao serves as the Chairman of Central Military Commission, General Liang Guanglie is the Minister of National Defense while General Chen Bingde is the Chief of PLA General Staff. They have around 2,285,000 active troops and are ranked first while they have another 800,000 as a reserve.

1. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Spending: $711 Billion

World Share: 41%

Percentage of GDP: 4.7

The forces of the United States of America are the United States Armed Forces. Their president serves as the head with help from the United States Department of Defense. Therefore the Commander-in-Chief of the entire forces is President Barack Obama. Leon Panetta serves as the Secretary of Defense and General Martin Dempsey is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They have around 1,456,862 active military troops while another 1,458,500 in serving as reserve.

October 5, 2013