Thursday, May 24, 2012

Watch this miniature art in Hamburg, Germany

It's indeed an amazing experience to watch this.

Miniature Wonderland with its small-scale model trains and landscapes is one of Hamburg's biggest tourist attractions. This month, it unveiled its latest addition: the world's largest miniature airport goes into operation following 6 years of development and construction and an investment of $5 million, which is also home to the world’s largest model railway landscape.

The airport is a reproduction of Hamburg's international airport and includes 40 aircrafts that take off and land and 90 vehicles that autonomously move around the runways.
The model airport is based off of Hamburg's Fuhlsbüttel International Airport. It includes a whopping list of accessories, including 40 planes, 40,000 lights, 15,000 figurines, 500 cars, 10,000 trees, 50 trains, 1000 wagons, 100 signals, 200 switches and 300 buildings. The display took 7 years and roughly $4.8 million to build.

In what must be the world's most intricate and detailed gadget, the model includes realistically crafted and painted airplanes that appear to be landing and taking off, cars, trucks and buses parking and driving around, and lit-up runways that look almost real.

It's part of the Miniature Wonderland, an astonishing model and tourist attraction that replicates a variety of landscapes and landmarks around the world, and it’s the world's largest model of its kind.

Construction of the Lilliputian world began in 2000, and before this airport was added, the original model took up 16,146 square feet of space with more than 10,000 train cars running around its 6.8 miles of HO-scale track.

The original construction cost $10 million, and plans are in the works to double the size of the layout by 2014.


So, go on and enjoy these snaps...
 












THE PERFUME

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.

However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.



Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be
unpleasant.


It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.



At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.



Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... He is a joy to be around."



His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."



His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."



Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."



By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for
  Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that they got from a grocery bag.


Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."



After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.



Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of
the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."


A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.



Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.



Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed  in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.

He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.


Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and
favorite teacher he ever had But now his name was a little longer....The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.


The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago
and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.


They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me Thank you so much
for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a
difference."


Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Thursday, May 17, 2012

World Records II

WORLD'S   LARGEST CHURCH
Basilica of our Lady of Peace, Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire
Inside sitting capacity………..18,000   Outside overflow capacity….100, 000
 
  
WORLD'S   BIGGEST  INDOOR  SWIMMING-POOL
World Water Park…..Edmonton, Albert, Canada…………..SIZE….5 Acres
 
   
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   OFFICE   COMPLEX ………… CHICAGO
Chicago Merchandise Mart…..Illinois, USA
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   SHOPPING   MALL
South China Mall, Dongguan, China………892,000 meter-square
Shops on 6 floors
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BUSIEST  AIRPORT……………NEW YORK
J.F.K International Airport , New York………………..USA
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   WIDEST   BRIDGE………AUSTRALIA
Sydney harbor bridge, Australia……..16 lanes of car traffic…..8 lanes in the upper floor, 8 in the lower floor
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   LONGEST   BRIDGE……………CHINA
Donghai Bridge , China ……………………32.5 kilo  meters
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   PASSENGER-SHIP
MS Freedom of the Seas……4300 passenger Capacity Inside
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   PLANE……………AIRBUS
Airbus A380………..555 Passengers
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S BIGGEST BUS
Neoplan Jumbo-cruiser……..2 in 1 bus….double deck bus……170 passenger capacity
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S  HIGHEST STATUE…………….BRAZIL
CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE…..RIO.D.J………BRAZIL
 
 
WORLD'S   TALLEST BUILDING………DUBAI
 
Burj Dubai……….900 meters high.
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   LARGEST  PALACE………………….ROMANIA
Palace of the Parliament…..Bucharest, Romania ………. more than 500 bedrooms, 55 kitchens,120 sitting rooms
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   STADIUM……….BRAZIL
MARACANA STADIUM………… RIO D.J…………BRAZIL……………CAPACITY…199,000
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   COSTLIEST   STADIUM………ENGLAND
New WEMBLEY STADIUM, London….90,000 capacities…………….cost…..$1.6 billion
 
 
 
 
MOST   COMPLEX   INTER-CHANGE………TEXAS
Interstate 10 Highways Interchange……Houston, Texas.
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   EXCAVATOR
Giant digging machine
Built by KRUPP of Germany………….45,500 tons……95 meters high……215 meters long
 
 
 
WORLD'S   LARGEST   MOSQUE………………PAKISTAN

Shah Feisal mosque…..Islamabad……Pakistan
Inside hall capacity ….35,000       outside overflow capacity…… 150,000
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   HOTEL………LAS VEGAS
MGM Grand Hotel….Las Vegas….6,276 rooms
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   MOST   EXPENSIVE HOTEL …DUBAI…U.A.E
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai….only 7 Star Hotel in the World
Cheapest room…$1000 per night.…..Royal suit…$28,000 per night
 
 
 
 
WORLD'S   BIGGEST   CHURCH   BUILDING………NIGERIA
 
Winners` Chapel…….Canaanland ……….  Otta…..…Nigeria
Inside Sitting Capacity……50,000       Outside Overflow Capacity……250,000
 
 
 


 

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Albrecht Durer’s Praying Hands

Story behind the Picture of The Praying Hands.



Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen!
In order merely to keep food on the table for this big family, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.
 
Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
 
After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.
 
They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.
Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.
 
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honoured position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfil his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."
 
All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."
 
Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ... for me it is too late."
 
More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver point sketches, water-colours, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
 
One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."
 
The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one - no one - - ever makes it alone!