Friday, January 20, 2012

What's in a word?


What's in a word? We may live in a very different and much more complex world, but without the ancient Greeks we wouldn't even have the words to talk about many of the things we care most about. Take politics for example: apart from the word itself (frompolis, meaning city-state or community) many of the other basic political terms in our everyday vocabulary are borrowed from the ancient Greeks: monarchy, aristocracy, tyranny, oligarchy and - of course - democracy.
The ancient Greek word demokratia was ambiguous. It meant literally 'people-power'. But who were the people to whom the power belonged? Was it all the people - the 'masses'? Or only some of the people - the duly qualified citizens? The Greek word demos could mean either. There's a theory that the word demokratia was coined by democracy's enemies, members of the rich and aristocratic elite who did not like being outvoted by the common herd, their social and economic inferiors. If this theory is right, democracy must originally have meant something like 'mob rule' or 'dictatorship of the proletariat'.

By Professor Paul Cartledge

University of Cambridge

Greek Army Paratroopers

World's 50 best beaches - by CNN


Beaches are the Valium of the travel world. They soothe, they relax, they make you realize that "real life" occasionally needs escaping. 
Most of all, these slivers of sand against the ocean are a reminder that the world can be quite beautiful. 
Of course, we'd be fools to think we've captured every great beach out there. If you think we've missed a few, let us know: what's your favorite beach? Comment below.  
Or vote now on our world's best beach Facebook poll.

50. Pigeon Point, Trinidad and Tobago

pigeon point, tobago
Try not to photograph this jetty ... it's impossible.

The smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, 41-kilometer-long Tobago boasts an endless procession of gorgeous beaches.
The crowning glory is Pigeon Point.
Here, what is reportedly the world’s most photographed jetty juts out into the glistening sea. The beach is carpeted with powdery white sand, perfect for beach volleyball. In the distance, almond and coconut trees sway in the breeze.
Pigeon Point is such a literal representation of the Caribbean beach ideal that it almost seems like a dream -- right down to the charming old lady who sells sour-sop ice cream by the pound.
The beach is a walkable two kilometers north of Crown Point proper. For more on how to get there, visit www.simplytobago.com.

49. Praia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Praia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
Humans like this beach, but dolphins and turtles love it.

Often voted Brazil's best beach, and one of the best in South America, Praia do Sancho is a bay on the island of Fernando de Noronha, which faces the coast of Brazil rather than out into the Atlantic Ocean. 
Steep, rocky cliffs covered in vegetation form a backdrop to the clear waters that are accessible only via ladders attached to the cliff face. Or by boat. 
Although much of the island's vegetation was cut down in the 19th century, when the island was used as a prison, it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, underscoring the island's value as a feeding site for tuna, billfish, cetaceans, sharks, marine turtles and dolphins. 
Daily flights, charters and full packages to Fernando de Noronha are available from major Brazilian cities.

48. Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

Hot water beach, new zealand
Looks strange, feels great.

No, those aren’t pathetic sand castles, beachgoers are digging up their own man-made hot tubs.
Volcanoes near this beach on the eastern edge of New Zealand's North Island develop large underground reservoirs of extremely hot water.
Over time, this water escapes to the surface, cooling along the way, though still emerging at temperatures as hot as 64 C. The hot springs are accessible only at low tide, so grab a shovel and dig your own spa.
Take State Highway 25 to Whenuakite, where the only notable junction is the road to Hot Water Beach, Cook's Beach and Hahei/Cathedral Cove. Stay on the main road until you see the (right) turn to Hot Water Beach (roughly eight kilometers).

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Time Lapse Tour of Yosemite National Park

Time Lapse Tour of Yosemite National Park from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

Timelapse tour of Yosemite National Park. See one of my favorite places in the world. I was there mid to late May of 2010.

Tunnel view, Valley View, Cook's Meadow, Bridalveil Falls, Nevada Falls, Mist Trail, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and much more.

Enjoy!

Website: evosia.com
Facebook:facebook.com/​evosiastudios
Twitter: twitter.com/​evosia

A Timelapse Journey with Nature - Jane Goodall Version

A Timelapse Journey with Nature - Jane Goodall Version from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

A different version of A Timelapse Journey with Nature made for the Jane Goodall Live Event (janegoodalllive.com) on September 27, 2011.

Website: www.evosia.com
Facebook:facebook.com/​evosiastudios (for updates and behind the scenes)
Twitter: twitter.com/​evosia

Film by Henry Jun Wah Lee, Evosia Studios

Music by Justin R. Durban, www.justindurban.com

Motion / Timelapse gear from Kessler Crane. Henry is a Kessler sponsored shooter. www.kesslercrane.com

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Tactics Of The Beach Volley


Female Bodyguards

China’s female bodyguards in a boot camp.

The Richest People on the Planet


Who cares how much somebody is worth? How much influence they have? How much power they wield? We all do.
These are the people that offer a critical barometer of how well the nation — and, to a degree, the world — is doing. They help shape financial trends as well as shifts in leadership and policy. They provide the spark for innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship, for philanthropic giving and more. And their stories may serve as powerful examples offering lessons and inspiration to others to achieve success themselves. That’s why Forbes has been tracking the wealthy, the powerful, and the influential chronicling their ups and downs as a central part of our mission all these years.
This Article Content:
  • Part 1. Top 10 Billionaires (2011)
  • Part 2. The Richest People of All (modern) Time
  • Part 3. The 13 Richest Americans of All Time

Part 1. Top 10 Billionaires (2011)


This year’s (2011) list broke records in size (1,210 billionaires) and total net worth ($4.5 trillion). China doubled its number of 10-figure fortunes, and Moscow now has more billionaires than any other city. Mexico’s Carlos Slim widened his lead at No. 1.

1. Carlos Slim Helu & family

Net Worth    $63.3 B As of November 2011
Title: Chairman, Telmex
Age: 71
Source: telecom, self-made
Residence: Mexico City, Mexico
Country of Citizenship: Mexico
Education: Bachelor of Arts / Science, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Marital Status: Widow
Children: 6
Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim listens at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. The seven-year-old Global Initiative founded by former U.S. President Bill Clinton matches businesses and philanthropists with nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations to solve problems. Photographer: Ramin Talie/Bloomberg via Getty Images

2. Bill Gates

Net Worth    $59 B As of November 2011
Title: Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Age: 56
Source: Microsoft, self-made
Residence: Medina, WA
Country of Citizenship: United States
Education: Drop Out, Harvard University
Marital Status: Married
Children: 3

 The founder of the Microsoft Company, Bill Gates, smiles after he and German Development Minister Dirk Niebel met in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, April 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

3. Warren Buffett

Net Worth    $39 B As of November 2011
Title: CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 81
Source: Berkshire Hathaway, self-made
Residence: Omaha, NE
Country of Citizenship: United States
Education: Master of Science, Columbia University; Bachelor of Arts / Science, University of Nebraska Lincoln
Marital Status: Widowed, Remarried
Children: 3
NEW DELHI, INDIA – MARCH 24: Warren Buffet, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc during a press conference in New Delhi, Thursday, March 24, 2011. Billionaire philanthropists Bill Gates and Warren Buffett urged India’s business tycoons on Thursday to give up some of their newfound wealth to help the country’s hundreds of millions of impoverished people. (Photo by Subir Halder/India Today Group/Getty Images)

Unseen Images of Tower Bridge Under Construction






Extraordinary colour photographs emerge of Nazi leader


The rare images were captured by German photographer Hugo Jaeger.

A group of Austrian schoolgirls crowd around to chat to Hitler
Hitler and his henchmen of the Legion Condor and aircraft division, the Luftwaffe, at a rally in Germany held in their honour in front of thousands of citizens under swastika banners
Solemn Nazi soldiers gather to celebrate the fascist leader's birthday at the West wall in Germany


3 Year Old Fries McDonalds v's KFC Showdown!




10 REASONS YOU SHOULD BE BANNED FROM THE INTERNET


1. PUT THE INTERNET DOWN AND WALK AWAY FROM IT SLOWLY.

Put the Internet down and walk away from it slowly.
Getty Images
The web is the most important technological achievement of our time. This vast network of computers and handheld devices allows human beings to connect and communicate like never before, all while putting unprecedented amounts of information at our fingertips. You can find out the best bratwurst in Germany, listen to Led Zeppelin tunes and look up photos of unicorns all in a matter of seconds. Never in the history of mankind have so many tens of millions of individuals had so much access to so many facts, opinions... and other people.

But then there's you. You have a problem. Instead of taking advantage of the glorious wonders of the World Wide Web, you do asinine things like check your MySpace page and blog about cats. You, my friend, don't deserve the Internet. Here are 10 reasons why you should be banned. (Note that nerd 'net games like Bejeweled and Scrabble are not on this list. Those things are cool.) –Tina Smithers

2. YOU CHECK YOUR MYSPACE ACCOUNT.

You check your MySpace account.
OK, seriously?? Why? So you can rearrange your Top 8? Because Justin Timberlake owns it now? That doesn't make it cool. You don't have any new friend requests. If you do, they're probably from people trying to peddle porn. Or they're budding musicians who don't have an established fan base, so they look for recruits on MySpace. Your friends sure as hell aren't contacting you there. That's why you have Facebook and email. Or (dare I say it), the phone!

3. YOU STALK YOUR EX.

You stalk your ex.
What does this accomplish? Either you find out that said ex is unemployed, single and miserable (thus, making you feel superior for six minutes) or you see that your ex is happily screwing someone else on a regular basis, while you sit at home with your Ben & Jerry's and Netflix subscription. It's not a good idea. Go play on Chatroulette or something, instead.



Friday, January 13, 2012

Apple and the Development of Future Leaders






The recent passing of the extraordinarily visionary Steve Jobs has left many of us recognizing the importance of developing the next generation of leaders. Some have speculated that this unfortunate loss may leave Apple struggling, especially if leaders who can carry on the innovative thinking of their predecessor don’t emerge. It will be interesting to watch things unfold over the next few years at Apple. But given recent economic instability, and for many organizations the need to get lean and tactical, I think it is likely that for many organizations, development of the next generation of leaders has not been a top priority. While Apple’s situation is on our minds and in the news, I think it is a good time to revisit some of the things current leaders can do to prepare the next generation of leaders.
The decisions and actions you are making regarding talent identification and development will have lasting impact on your organization. A leader today needs to be a pro-active people builder and actively work on identifying and nurturing high-potential team members. By raising the leadership bar, leadership will become a competitive advantage for your organization. Here are a few key things you can do to get the process started in your part of the organization:
  • Make seeking out and fostering the development of existing talent a priority. Find time in your schedule to do it.
  • Use a development process that can serve as a guide and help sustain your efforts.
  • Conduct regular development planning discussions with team members and future leadership talent.
  • Use communication tools and regular coaching conversations to follow-up and fuel development efforts.
  • Support employee development plans and efforts by providing resources for and removing barriers to their success.
  • Demonstrate your personal commitment to their development by engaging in development initiatives and building your own development plan.
  • Create a development culture where people strive to maximize individual performance.
If you are able to contribute to developing the next generation of leaders in some of these ways, it may just become the greatest leadership legacy you can leave to your organization.

Everyone Can Be an Everyday Strategist


On the way to work this morning, I watched a young man maneuver his truck in and out of three lanes of traffic, trying to position himself to be first in line at the next stop light. Actually, he was trying to make it through the intersection before the light turned red, but he didn’t quite make it. I happened to be stopped next to him or just a couple of cars behind him at the next several intersections. I could visibly see his frustration by the way his jaw tighten and his hands clenched his steering wheel. At the next red light, he was holding his head with one hand and pounded his steering wheel a couple of times with the other. Obviously he was late for something or trying to get somewhere fast.
The point of this story is quite simple; when people don’t practice “everyday strategy”, stress levels rise and they often take erroneous risks. Chances are that when frustration takes over, an argumentative attitude is the result. In the work environment, the recipients of this destructive attitude are most often family members or coworkers, worse yet clients and employers.
What is Everyday Strategy?
“Everyday Strategy” is the habit of thinking and acting more strategically about daily and operational tasks. It means paying attention to the environment and adjusting to obstacles or trends so you might better accomplish your tasks or work towards goals. For example, if the young man I saw driving this morning would have checked traffic reports, or remembered that the road he planned to take this morning was under construction, he might have left earlier, got to his destination on time, and not experienced the frustration that he did.
This concept sounds simple and many people use this approach to their work and life without even realizing they are doing it. The problem is that for many people it has yet to become a conscious effort in the workplace. Senior leaders and managers are thought to be the ones that do all the strategic thinking. Yet, a huge difference could be made for businesses if everyone from the top down approached their work with a strategic mindset. For example, two American Airlines mechanics thought it was strange that they were told to throw away the drill bits they used once they became dull. So, they rigged up some old parts and they built “Thumping Ralph,” which was a machine that sharpened the dull drill bits and saved the company an estimated $300,000.00 annually.
Quick Tip
Don’t make “everyday strategy” into something complex or difficult, because it shouldn’t be that way. Simply look around your work area and ask yourself, “What can be improved, discarded, or added to make processes more efficient, less costly, or improve value?” The person who best knows the answers to these types of questions is you, the one who actually does the task every day.

Most common student mistakes


Uncommon battery charger


125 Year Old Woman's Secret Smoking Marijuana Everyday



A 125-year-old woman, said to be one of the oldest women in India, died at her home in Orissa, her family said.Fulla Nayak claimed that smoking cannabis every day was her secret to long life.

Fulla Nayak, a resident of Kanarpur village in the coastal district of Kendrapada, died of old age complications.

According to her 72-year-old grandson, Fulla was 125. But as per a voter photo identity card issued by the government in 1995 she was 120 years.

The grand old woman lived in a small mud-walled thatched house in Kanarpur, about 25 km from the district headquarters. She is survived by two of her four daughters and around two dozen relatives.

Her eldest daughter, Jamuna, 92, lives in the same village. Her husband died at the age of 50.

Fulla was known for her love of smoking ganja and cigars and palm juice. She also loved steaming hot tea.

She had never suffered any debilitating ailment throughout her life. Except for her weak eyesight, Fulla maintained good health and used to walk without support.


Source

Look at the page facing the sun light. And see how you can benefit from it


This Print Ad was done by BBR Saatchi & Saatchi advertising agency for Shikun & Binui Solaria in ISRAEL. Business sector is Home electronics & audio-visual. It is an advertise for saving energy using solar energy. 


Source

The Page Turner

Negative Effects of Facebook

David Attenborough - Wonderful World - BBC

Cat Massage


8 Settlements With a Population of Just One Person


1. Buford, Wyoming, USA
photo source
Census: 2010
The only resident: Don Sammons
Buford is an unincorporated community in Albany County, Wyoming, United States. It is located between Laramie and Cheyenne on Interstate 80. Buford is at 8000 feet (2500 m) of elevation, making it the highest community on Interstate 80. It has a population of 1 person. Don Sammons, who is the only resident, is also the operator of the Buford Trading Post. His son moved out around 2008.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

To Give love

Untitled by 'Lulu'
Untitled, a photo by 'Lulu' on Flickr.

Sun island beach

Delfinaki n Asterias

Triton searching

Ελάτη

Ελάτη by Konstantinos Chaikalis
Ελάτη, a photo by Konstantinos Chaikalis on Flickr.

Last ray of light

Black Swan

Black Swan by Konstantinos Chaikalis
Black Swan, a photo by Konstantinos Chaikalis on Flickr.

Ring-Tailed Lemur Athens Zoo

EN GUARDIA. ATENAS. GRECIA.

How to Increase Your Wi-Fi Signal





Source
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