Not every girl has the right qualifications to be a stewardess. Many airlines are strict about height and weight requirements, like the bigger jets because shorter air hostesses cannot reach the overhead compartments. Weight too is always a concern.

Basic requirements for air hostesses are:

• Should be of age 18 years or 19 years
• For the senior, the maximum mage is 40 years
• Minimum height is 155cm
• Be good looking of course
• Be well educated
• Have good communication skills
• Should speak English fluently

Let us take a look at the most beautiful Air Hostess in the world and their airlines,

Virgin Atlantic Airlines Air Hostesses

Photo by Downing Street

Virgin Atlantic is one of the world’s most popular airlines and with the most beautiful air hostesses. The crew is smiling and the lovely hostesses dressed in red really warm up the flight. These air hostesses have been voted the most beautiful in the world. Everything about them is charming, their looks as well as their services.

Singapore Airlines Air Hostesses

With award winning reviews and top quality meal services, flyers with this airline not only get attentive staff service in all cabins, but also get to meet some of the most beautiful air hostesses. Dressed to perfection in their smart uniform, you will never be able to take eyes of them during the flight.

Etihad Airways Air Hostesses

Photo by LuisJouJR

With a modern fleet of aircraft and a multi-national airport and cabin staff, the Etihad Airways boasts of having the most exquisite faces as air hostesses. You will be really impressed by their elegance and soft graceful movements. They really look very sober in their grey uniform.

Emirates Air Hostesses

Photo by hig 37

With an award-winning In-flight Entertainment programs and systems, you will find fine catering standards across all cabins. The air hostesses are really beautiful and stylish. Dresses in soft brown and head covered, you will simply be floored by their services and impeccable mannerisms.

Aer Lingus Air Hostesses

Boasting of some of the most beautiful girls as air hostesses, the new planes of Aer Lingus offer good value for money. Dressed in green, let those pretty faces look after you and take care of you all through the flight. You will find them beautiful, professional and friendly.

Lufthansa Air Hostesses

Known for consistent and efficient cabin staff service, Lufthansa flies with some of the most beautiful air hostesses. You will enjoy a great comfortable flight with them every time. Offering you a very good in flight entertainment, you will miss those lovely faces once you are off the plane.

Cathay Pacific Air Hostesses

Photo by LuisJouJR

Cathay Pacific airhostesses are again very beautiful and one of the cutest faces. Looking after you well and with complete efficiency, you will find them very charming and elegant in their smart red uniforms.

KLM Air Hostesses

Photo by wovox

You can always make out KLM airhostesses in their fresh blue uniforms, looking pretty and elegant all the time. You will feel great served and looked after by them. Flying to several popular destinations world wide, KLM flight crew is simply great.

TAP Air Hostess

TAP Air Hostess

TAP air hostesses are polite, smart and graceful. Dressed in navy blue, they know their job well and are always ready to serve you and help you out. These girls are simply gorgeous.

The uniforms for flight attendants in different airlines are often designed by famous designers. Some famous names are Richard Tyler, who is a Los Angeles-based celebrity designer and Givenchy star Julien Macdonald. When flying, we can always try different airlines and meet beautiful stewardess from other countries. Besides meeting the most sophisticated, stylish and good looking air hostesses, we can try different food and drink as every airline tries to serve different cuisine related to their country.

These flight stewardess not only need an attractive physical appearance, like tall, slim and beautiful, they have important responsibilities too besides looking great all the time. They need to look after their passengers and their comfort. A major responsibility is to look after safety and comfort of passengers.

The air hostesses represent the face of the airline they represent. Therefore, with the fierce competition around, airline are giving special care and though to the selection of their flight attendants and airhostesses. They are the most important part of advertisement of any modern airline. Her features, height, smile, and her uniform present a complete picture of the airline she belongs to.

World’s Most Famous Buildings

1. Burj Khalifa Bin Zayed (U.A.E)

Photo by UggBoy♥UggGirl

Burj Khalifa’s won countless awards & happens to be amongst the tallest buildings in the world. The building stands tall at over 2715 feet. Burj Khalifa’s designed for a variety of purposes, & one can stumble on the highest pool and highest mosque here among other things.

2. Freedom Tower (United States of America)

This building will be ready by the year 2014 and is destined to be an icon for New York (obviously at #2 after NY’s statue of liberty. This building will stand at 1314 ft when complete.

3.Chicago Spire (United States of America)

Ever since the 2000 and the financial crisis it brought along, this skyscraper’s construction has been stalled. Nevertheless, Chicago spire’s a magnificent creation! The building stands at 2000 ft, plus it has over 3 million sq. meters of floor area.

4. Dubai Mall (U.A.E)

Photo by Danny McL

Dubai Mall’s been acknowledged as the globe’s largest center for shopping! Inside this building there are over 1200 stores…furthermore, the building has over 3.77 million sq. meters as the shopping area. This buildings not only the world’s most lavish shopping mall, it is also the world’s largest!

5. John Hancock Center (United States of America)

Photo by KCZooFan

This Center (John Hancock) was constructed in the years 1965 to 1970…the construction costs shot up to over $ 100 million. This building has 100 floors, it arranges over 2,799,973 sq. ft. as floor space. No doubt then that this building’s an icon and we often view it on news, TV & even printed on t-shirts!

6. Great Pyramid of Giza

Photo by radiowood2000

This happens to be a historical spot…it’s the oldest site amongst the famous Seven Wonders of the World. Also, it happens to be the tallest ever man-made formation that’s been around for over 3,800 years!

7. The Eiffel Tower

Photo by Hasselback

It stands 324 meters tall & has 3 floors that can be easily accessed by either the elevators or the stairs. This Tower was 1st opened to the public on the 31st of March in the year 1889.

8. The Colosseum

Photo by jimmyharris

This was built somewhere around the 70 to 80 AD and is known to be the Roman Empire’s greatest legacy. This place has been used in the past to watch Gladiator fights, for public announcements, executions and several public gathering ceremonies.

9. The Great Wall of China (China)

Photo by radiowood2000

This wonder runs a length of about 8,851.8 km and is amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. It is believed that close to a million people died while this magnificent wall was being built.

10. The Taj Mahal (India)

Photo by Victor Radziun

The Taj Mahal is amongst the world’s most remarkable buildings & features as one amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This magnificent creation was built as the symbol of everlasting love!

World’s Most Famous Structures

1. Aqua in USA

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

An innovative concept & enthralling design, the Aqua surely does manage to be a sure-shot show stealer! Aqua’s exterior fluid contours create a distinctive floor plan for each residence & so people have their own exclusive balcony design! No 2 Aqua balconies are built alike and the exterior of this building is breathtakingly stunning!

2. Residence Antilia in India

Photo by CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK

This has been a SITE design and no other than the Indian tycoon by the name of Mukesh Ambani is developing this structure. The structure has 40 floors and rises to over 245 meters’.

3. China Central Television Headquarters

Photo by tom$

This structure is unique in every which way as it shaped in an amazing Zig-Zag manner, almost like the alphabet ‘Z’! It’s Main Building has a floor space (total) of approximately 380,000 square meters and has been divided in 5 sections: an administration section, a comprehensive section for business, news production as well as broadcasting section, a program production division.

4. Kansas City Public Library in Missouri (U.S.A)

The structure’s located in Kansas City’s heart and it represents a pioneer project behind the revival of downtown. Under this project, people in Kansas City had been asked to pick all the books that they considered highly influential and that represents Kansas City. The titles of these books were then used as ‘bookbindings’ made in innovative designs to inspire the people to make use of the Central Library in downtown.

For most people, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree kept alive as long as possible; is the centerpiece of the Christmas holidays, and it isn’t Christmas without it. While some haul in the box from the basement containing artificial Christmas trees; for others, it means following the century-old tradition of finding the perfect Pine, Fir, Spruce, Cedar, Juniper or other Christmas trees.

Photo by acappellanews.com

But who said a Christmas tree has to be Pine? Why not unusual Christmas trees made of Gold or Diamonds or bulbs or books or something else?  This is the new verdict of people from around the world. It is all about celebration – and going unique is the key to coming up with new Christmas tree ideas.

We’ve come across hundreds of innovative Christmas trees from around the world. While some are strikingly beautiful, others are plain weird; but many are highly creative and unique. These trees are sure to get you into the Christmas spirit. Have fun!

The Christian Dior Tree – Paris, France

Photo by huffingtonpost.co.uk

Famous designers like Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier among others reworked the traditional Christmas tree for a charity auction. We found the Dior Christmas tree to be one of the most creative and unusual with its silver hued metallic ruffles and gold light to accentuate them. This is one Christmas tree that is fit for the ramp. What do you think?

Floating Christmas Tree – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Photo by Leandro's World Tour

There is no way one can miss this spectacular Christmas tree on the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Listed as the world’s largest floating Christmas tree by Guinness Book of Records, this cone-shaped fir is 85-meters high (as tall as a 29-storey building), weighs 542 tons and lit with 3.3 million miniature light bulbs, 2,100 flashing lights and 105 kilometers of glowing tubes with 12 phases of lights and colors produced.

This innovative and unusual Christmas tree has been one of the major attractions of Brazil since 1996. This year, more than a million visitors are expected to visit.  Wonder how it manages to stay afloat with all that weight.

Glass Christmas Tree – Venice, Italy

Photo by pearlbear

Murano Island in Venice is known as a glassmaker’s paradise and the glassware produced here is considered to be a great contribution to the art world. In keeping with this, displays a record holding glass tree year after year. This 28 feet tall tree is said to be the tallest in the world and is sculpted most beautifully by Simone Cenedese, who is a master glass blower. With 1,000 Murano glass tubes and weighing 3 tons, it attracts appreciation from around the world and is a sight to behold.

Light Bulbs Christmas Tree – Dublin, Ireland

Photo by infomatique

Dublin’s tradition of switching on Christmas lights is a little unusual but magical. This year’s Christmas tree consists of different sized bulbs – 100,000 of them. It was set up on the O’Connell Street in 2008. This tree that weighs 5 tons and lights Dublin’s skyline, is designed by Blachere, a French firm that has the prestigious Eiffel Tower light installations to its credit. Tourists from far come over to the city to take part in the lighting ceremony which brings with it plenty of other festivities.

Greetings Christmas Tree – Beirut, Lebanon

Photo by Reuters

Beirut’s Christmas celebrations began with the lighting of this unique Christmas tree decorated with Christmas greetings in different languages.  This tree is placed in Beirut Souks and is attracting people in the hundreds. This can easily be done on a small scale, if you’re looking for great Christmas tree ideas.

Recycled Plastic Bottles Christmas Tree – Kaunas, Lithuania

Photo by designyoutrust.com

This year, a spectacular green Christmas tree greets people in the city of Kaunas in Lithuania. This eco-friendly tree is created from 40,000 recycled plastic bottles. The ingenuity of artist Jolanta Smitdtiene comes to fore in this creation placed near the city hall.  Green bottles are used with the nozzles facing out and they are fixed with zip ties.

Recycled material was chosen due to the low budget, but the resulting spectacle that stands 42 feet high is not just mesmerizing but also went on to win the Guinness world record for being the largest Christmas tree made of plastic bottles. People have access to the inside of this tree where there is a real Xmas tree.

Christmas Tree or Trees? – Dortmund, Germany

Photo by thejakartapost.com

This gigantic and awe-inspiring unusual Christmas tree shining under the brilliance of 40,000 lights, takes the pride of place right in the middle of Dortmund, Germany. It stands 45 meters high and weighs 30 tons. But what is unique about this tree is that it is made up of 1700 other Christmas trees. Germany is now said to be staking its claim for the largest Christmas tree on the planet, but this is being refuted on various grounds. Whether it is the largest or not, it certainly is one of the most unusual Christmas trees!

iPad Controlled Electric Christmas Tree – Gubbio, Italy

Photo pocket-lint.com

Said to be the largest in the world, this may not exactly be a Christmas tree in the traditional sense, but we felt it deserves a mention here for the uniqueness associated with it.  This is a Christmas tree shaped display of lights on Monte Ingino in Gubbio, Italy. While this in itself is a unique idea, what makes it more special is that the Christmas lights on this tree were brought to life by Pope Benedict XVI, who used a Sony tablet to remotely switch on the lights from his apartment in the Vatican.

Lego Bricks Christmas Tree – London, UK

Photo by radiowood2000

Making Christmas more epic this year, a most unusual Christmas tree has been unveiled in London: a 12-meter high tree that is made completely out of Lego bricks.

On display at St Pancras International rail station in London, this Lego Christmas tree took two months to create.  This tree with 172 branches, needed 600,000 bricks and 1200 baubles. The baubles made of Lego too, are said to have been made by local school kids and Scouts. The person behind this magnificent creation is Duncan Titmarsh, the only Lego professional in the UK.

Two Million Dollar Golden Christmas Tree – Tokyo, Japan

Photo by Sri Lanka Mirror

Now, that’s what I call a Christmas tree! It’s not just you and me, even Santa is investing in Gold. Crafted out of pure gold, it may not be tall and gigantic like the others displayed here, but it surely has to be the costliest. The brainchild of Ginza Tanaka, a Japanese jeweler in Tokyo, this 8.2 feet gold Christmas tree is displayed at her Tokyo store.

It required 15 craftsmen working on it for four and a half months to implement this great Christmas tree idea. This sparkly tree is made from 12 kilograms of the precious metal.  The orchids, hearts and ribbons are also made of gold. It’s not her first golden Christmas tree though; her previous one was worth abut $85,000.

For those of you rich enough to want to buy this 2 million dollar pure gold ecstasy, the owner is not selling.

Having seen the above unusual Christmas trees, it’s easy to feel renewed enthusiasm to do something different this season. But remember what Charles Barnard said – “The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect!”

While we appreciate the weird and whacky or the mesmerizing and beautiful Christmas trees, a simple traditional fir should do the trick of bringing in the Christmas cheer. The Christmas season is nothing but love in action!

Top Japanese Movies

Some of the best Japanese movies that rank high on the list of a connoisseur of world cinema include the following:

• Tokyo Story (1953 film directed by Yasujiro Ozu)
• Seven Samurai (1954 film directed by Akira Kurosawa)
• Ikiru (1952 film directed by Akira Kurosawa)
• Ugetsu (1953 film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi)
• Godzilla (1954 film directed by Ishiro Honda)

The different genres of Japanese cinema:

Japanese cinema has been divided into a number of identifiable genres, based on a number of parameters. Arguably the most famous genres include Samurai cinema, anime (animation) movies, literary adaptations, experimental cinema, Yakuza (mobster) movies, J-horror movies, and New Cinema.

Broadly, Japanese movies have been divided into the following genres: anime films (animated movies, a Japanese stronghold), Jidaigeki films (period pieces that roughly correspond to the Edo period), Samurai cinema (also referred as chambara, and is a subgenre of Jidaigeki), Ninja movies, Cult horror, J-horror, Kaiju movies (based on monsters), Pink films (soft porn movies with an artistic influence), Yakuza (about Yakuza mobsters) movies, Seishun eiga (films that mainly portray teenagers), Gendaigeki (films about the modern age, also referred to as  New Cinema) and last but by no means the least, Shomingeki (films about plebeians, in other words, films about common working class people).

The 1950s and the 2000s have been the most productive phase for Japanese cinema, producing some of the best and most critically appreciated top Japanese movies. The Academy Awards or the Oscars are perhaps the highest distinction that is given to movies in the United States of America. Brilliant works of world cinema are also acknowledged in the category of Best Foreign Language Film. This is one of the highest distinctions that a movie can receive. Japan has the highest distinction of receiving this prestigious award for a record 4 times in the history of Academy Awards, and Japanese films have also been nominated in this category 12 times. Apart from the Academy Awards, Japanese films have been showered with honors in a number of foreign film festivals. Good Japanese cinema that is screened in the top film festivals like the Berlin International Film Festival, Moondance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and others still continue to draw in the crowds. Japanese cinema has won many accolades, and has found acclaim among the toughest critics of world cinema. Akira Kurosawa is considered to be one of the greatest film makers of all time. A number of talented film makers in the present cite Akira Kurosawa and films made by Akira Kurosawa as their influence and inspiration to go into film making. The Japanese film industry also provides a good launch pad for young talents to make their foray in the film industry. A number of highly respected veterans of Japanese cinema are patronized by many film appreciation societies in the world.

The Japanese films that have received rave reviews, awards and critical acclaim in film festivals around the world include the following:

• Rashomon (1950 film directed by Akira Kurosawa, Academy Honorary Award at the 24th Academy Awards, Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Gate of Hell (1953 film directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, Palme d’Or at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival, 1955 Academy Honorary Award for Best Foreign Language Film)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Samurai, the legend of Musashi Miyamoto (1954 film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki, 1955 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film)

• The Burmese Harp (1956 film directed by Kon Ichikawa, nominated for 1957 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film)

• Kwaidan (1964 film directed by Masaki Kobayashi, Special Jury prize at 1965 Cannes Film Festival)

• Departures (2008 film directed by Yojiro Takita, Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 2009)

The latest Japanese films that have been critically acclaimed include the following:

Caterpillar (2010 film by Koji Wakamatsu, acclaimed at the 60th Berlin International film festival) and Outrage (2010 film by Takeshi Kitano, critically acclaimed at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival).

Top Japanese Movies- Top Ten Japanese Movies:

According to popular opinion, ratings and critical acclaim, the top Japanese movies include the following:

• Seven Samurai (1954 masterpiece, directed by Akira Kurosawa)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Tokyo Story (1953 film directed by Yasujiro Ozu)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Ikiru (1952 film directed by Akira Kurosawa)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Floating Clouds (1955 film directed by Mikio Naruse)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• A fugitive from the Past (1965 film directed by Tomu Uchida)
• Rashomon (1950 film directed by Akira Kurosawa)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Intentions of Murder (1964 film directed by Shohei Imamura)

• Twenty Four Eyes (1954 film directed by Keisuke Kinoshita)

Photoby Wikimedia Commons

• Tales of Ugetsu (1953 film directed by K. Mizoguchi)

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

• Red Beard (1965 film directed by Akira Kurosawa)

A mere glance at this list would reveal why Akira Kurosawa is considered by many to be one of the greatest film directors of all time. In any comprehensive list of world cinema or a list of top Japanese movies of all time, many masterpieces by Kurosawa would feature. Akira Kurosawa is also famous for directing an epic movie, Ran. It was released in the year and was made at a budget of 12 million dollars, and became the most expensive Japanese movies. Top Japanese movies are a hit among people all over the world. Japanese Samurai, fighting and animation movies are loved by millions of people, and these are probably the most commercially successful genre of movies.

The Madonna of the Pinks 1506 by Raphael

Coming up to Mother’s Day, My Mother …My Forever Friend, a tiny book gifted by my son last Mother’s Day, made me think just how important my own mother has been in shaping us, and setting us on our path in life. I started thinking about my son, and the thought of him as a baby in my arms, melts my heart. It was so worth it.

The sweetest affair in our lives is with our mothers. From the moment the precious bundle of joy enters her life till the very end, she stands by her children through everything. She is the one person we can count on.
We argue with our mothers, we fight with them, we pay no heed to what they have to say, but the whole world stands to their Matriarch’s defense even at the smallest suggestion of negativity from someone else. We love her!

But who was the person who came up with this beautiful idea of honoring this special person in our lives, by creating a special day only for her?

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

The History of Mother’s Day

Ancient Greece and Rome: Mother’s Day is said to have originated 100 years ago from ancient Greece, where Cybele, the Mother of all Greek gods was honored with a festival.  The ancient Romans are also known to have a similar celebration, Matronalia, a holiday dedicated to Juno, and on this day, mothers were given gifts.

The UK: Mothering Sunday in England was celebrated as early as the 17th century, on the fourth Sunday of Lent, to honor Virgin Mary and one’s own mother.  This day came about as a mark of respect and honor to all those common women who spent all their time working for the upper class in England.  All these servants were given the day off to spend time with their mothers.  The mothers were given a fruit cake or pastry, as a mark of celebration this day.  Children even picked wild flowers along the way to give to their mothers as gifts.

In recent years, Mothering Sunday has taken on the name of Mother’s Day. But the date keeps changing each year, as it is celebrated on the Middle Sunday of Lent.  In 2011, it fell on April 3.

United States: With the Civil War, the United Stated joined in the Mother’s Day celebrations. This credit is given to Julia Ward Howe, a woman who instilled the idea of Mother’s Day, in an attempt to promote peace after all the bloodshed she witnessed during the Civil War.  In 1870, during the International Peace Conference in London and Paris, Julia presented her “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” which was her reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and was tied to her belief that women are responsible for shaping the societies. By the year 1872, Mother’s Day came to be known as a special day to celebrate peace, motherhood and the ideals of being a woman.  However, this idea was only celebrated for a few years before giving in to the worsening of the Civil War.

A woman named Anna Marie Jarvis took this up all over again with a motive to celebrate her own mother who died, and she managed to convince her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia, to create a special day as a mark of honor for all mothers.  Thus Mother’s Day came to be celebrated on the second Sunday of May, the anniversary of the death of Jarvis’ mother. Soon several supporters took this up with the law-makers and achieved the feat of getting Mother’s Day named as a national holiday. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, and by then it was already being celebrated everywhere in the United States.

In the US and many other countries, the second Sunday in May is celebrated as the Mother’s Day, a day when mothers are honored and made to feel extra special.  In 2011, Mother’s Day is on May 8th.

Commercialization of Mother’s Day

One of the most interesting Mother’s Day history facts tells us that Anna Marie Jarvis, who was responsible for Mother’s Day gaining the status it has today, was not happy after it was all accomplished.  She was said to be shocked at the way the day was being commercialized, with all the cards and other goodies that were sold for this special day.  She had fought hard for six years to make it a special day for her mother and had imagined it as a day of reflection where you remembered and honored your mother and her life.  But when it didn’t turn out that way, she spoke against it and filed a lawsuit but lost her fight. Unfortunately, by the end of her life, this woman had spent several more years and the majority of her finances in trying to get rid of the holiday she helped create in the first place.  By then people were totally into it and nothing was in her hands. Many people are of the opinion that if Mother’s Day was not commercialized, it would have been long forgotten like so many other such days.

Did You Know……

Motherhood is so beautiful that some mothers just need so much more. You will be surprised to know that a Russian peasant woman, whose name is not known, gave birth to 69 children with twins, triplets as well as quadruplets. Just imagine the number of gifts she would have gotten if she were alive today.

The record holder for being the oldest woman to give birth was a woman in her seventies.  Although, we don’t have the exact age as she doesn’t have a birth certificate, this woman named, Omkari Panwar, gave birth through a C-section.

Expressions That Make A Difference

You can express your love to your mother in many ways, but a few written words can bring a beautiful smile on her glowing face.  For her, it’s the thought that matters.

Photo by fotopedia.com

William Shakespeare was well-known for his wonderful Sonetts and had written 154 in total.  This one is part of Sonnet 3 and is my all-time favorites.  If you wish to check out all his sonnets, they are here.

Thou art thy mother’s glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime.
~William Shakespeare

Meaning: “You are the mirror of your mother, and she is the mirror of you
And in you she recalls the lovely April of her youth”

The following describe a mother to perfection:

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~ Tenneva Jordan

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Finally, read this heart-rending poem by Rudyard Kipling:

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o’ mine, O mother o’ mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o’ mine, 0 mother o’ mine!

Today, an estimated 82.8 million mothers in the United States and millions more around the world are honored on this special day by their children. Make this day special for your mother too. She deserves it!

Most Expensive Sunglasses

The Brands

Now if you are on the hunt for super expensive designer sunglasses and have enough cash to spare then there is nothing better than splurging on a pair of sunglasses that claim to be the most expensive sunglass in the world. There are plenty of designer brands that have offered some of the most expensive sunglasses but the one which really makes the difference is Dolce and Gabbana. Dolce and Gabbana is one of the most coveted fashion houses in the world and has wowed the world for decades. But by creating the most expensive sunglasses in the World they have really gone a step ahead. The new sunglasses, that they have released has got everyone talking and is sure making people wish that they owned one. When you are about to buy something elite there are two things to consider. The brand name and the consumer review. So far Dolce and Gabbana’s most expensive sunglasses have scored high on both.

Wear Your Style

Fashion and accessories are inseparable. A good bag or shoe or sunglasses can make all the difference. Working the dress that just like Jennifer Lopez did last night at American idol becomes easier for you with those fabulous accessories. Sunglasses are certainly a great addition to you outfit. It not only protects your eyes from harmful rays of the sun but also gives you an edge. Wearing the most expensive sunglasses in the world can make one feel quite different. Style along with the feeling of uniqueness can do wonders. While it is true that your pair is the only one which can claim to be the worlds most expensive sunglasses but in reality there are very few that can afford to buy those things and manage to show them off with style.

Everything aside, the most important question to address in this case is that how much money you can really spend on sunglasses. We are talking about the most expensive sunglasses in the world and the only thing that you can be sure of is that theses things don’t come cheap. You are probably thinking about $1000, $2000, or maybe at the most $5000. But here is the thing; the most expensive sunglasses in the world come at a neat sum of $383,609. It seriously is quite high and thus very few can actually afford to spend so much on a pair of sunglasses.

The Best of the Rest

You couldn’t have expected any other fashion houses to deliver something so uniquely expensive other than Dolce and Gabbana. After all they are famous for their fashionable clothes and accessories around the world. The most expensive sunglasses are made of polarized lenses that are of a soft brown color. They have a gold rim, which is quite sexy and are engraved with the company logo. The world’s most expensive sunglasses come wrapped in cases made of black leather with satin cloth to help prevent scratches. The model number is DG2027B. Buy these sunglasses and you will walk out of the store feeling fabulous.

The period of separatism continues: The Tibetans want their country back; the Uighurs don’t want to have anything to do with China; Arunachal Pradesh that is claimed by both India and China, claims itself; tiny Belgium is going to get tinier; Sudan is on the verge of division; the USSR is already fractured multiple times; and with two Koreas, two Samoas and three Guianas, it would be surprising if people stop fighting for a small bit of the countryside they can convert into yet another – “tiny” country.  No sooner is this tiny country formed; tinier parts within this tiny country start fighting and want to be their own whole …..and so on.

While the last two decades has seen no changes in the International maps of North and South America; Europe has given birth to many new nations; new countries have been added to Asian, African and Australian continents. Over 30 countries came into existence since 1990.  More than half of them are due to the disintegration of the USSR.

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

Here is a list of the world’s newest countries:

Southern Sudan

(Not yet formed – Expected Date of Independence July 9, 2011)

Sudan is getting ready for what could be the continent’s biggest divorce. January 2011 – saw an overwhelming response from Sudanese, casting their vote in favor of creating an independent state in the southern region.  A referendum (a direct vote in which an entire electorate participates) held in January 2011 was devastating in its consequences, indicating that a whooping 98% majority of people voted for a separate country. South Sudan could very well become the world’s newest country on July 9, 2011.

Photo by rightsmonitoring.org

President Barack Obama calls this division a “historic step.”

There are many that wonder, how Obama calls this historic, when he is such an ardent admirer of Abraham Lincoln, who took his nation to war to prevent his country from splitting.

Kosovo

(Part of former Yugoslavia – Independence 2008)

A part of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo became a part of Serbia as an autonomous province, after Yugoslavia fell. The country fought a long struggle for independence and was also under transitional UN administration (UNMIK) from 1999. It was finally declared independent on Feb 17, 2008, and listed as one of the newest countries of the world.

But not all countries recognize Kosovo as independent

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

Although majority of the countries of the world accepted Kosovo as an independent country; there are still many countries, including Serbia, which doesn’t recognize the move.  Russia and India also insist it is not independent. The reason being, the declaration of independence was done by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo and not by the Assembly itself.  Serbia asked international support in finding this declaration of independence “illegal.”  Taking into consideration Serbia’s request, United Nations General Assembly requested an opinion from the International Court of Justice. The Court decided that the declaration was not illegal, but also not an official act!

Timor-Leste or East Timor

(Formerly annexed by Indonesia – Independence 2002)

Although, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste declared independence from Portuguese rule in 1975; soon after that, it was annexed by Indonesia. After over two decades of Indonesian occupation, Timor-Leste regained its independence on May 20, 2002, gaining the distinction of being the first-born of the 21st century World.

Photo by commons.wikimedia.org

In Asia, there are two Roman Catholic dominated countries; one is Philippines and the other is Timor-Leste, which occupies the eastern half of the Timor Island. The country is currently experiencing a climate of post-conflict nation building.

Serbia and Montenegro

(Part of former Yugoslavia – Independence 2006

When Yugoslavia collapsed and four of its six republics became independent in the early 1990s, only Serbia and Montenegro remained within from 1992 to 2006.  But in 2006, there was an independence referendum, where the Montenegrins voted on behalf of a separate country.  This separation led to the formation of two independent countries: Serbia and Montenegro. Serbia finally became independent after 88 years in different federations.  It is located at the crossroads of Southeastern and Central Europe.  Montenegro is located in Southeastern Europe.

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

Palau

(Formerly under US administration – Independence 1994)

With the end of US Sovereignty over Pacific Islands, the tiny island group’s status as the last United Nations trust territory came to an end on October 1, 1994.  After having been sold by Spain to Germany, control passed to Japan in 1914, to the United States in 1944.  In 1947, United Nations passed on the power officially to the United States, as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

Photo by commons.wikimedia.org

Palau asked for independence in 1978 and became the Republic of Palau in 1981. It signed a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. in 1982.  After eight referendums, the Compact was accepted in 1993, leading to its independence.  According to the agreement, the U.S. military is granted access to the islands for 50 years. This island in the Pacific Ocean is one of world’s smallest states.

Eritrea

(Formerly a part of Ethiopia – Independence 1993)

This nation in Northeastern Africa underwent a struggle that resulted in its independence on May 24, 1993.  Before World War II, since the 1880s, Eritrea was an Italian colony, and then it was under British control when the Italians were clobbered by the Brits in 1941. In 1952, the UN passed a ruling that Ethiopia should take the “trusteeship” of Eritrea.

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

But after ten years, Ethiopia got greedy and forcibly annexed (incorporate a territory into an existing state or country) Eritrea, which forced Eritreans to begin their struggle for independence that ended in 1991 when they defeated the governmental forces. Independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum.

* However, a border war that started in 1998 with Ethiopia is still going on.

The Czech Republic and Slovakia

(Formerly in Czechoslovakia – Independence 1993)

Ending the decades of communist rule, Czechoslovakia became a democracy in the year 1989.  It was a federal republic with two components; Czech Republic with the capital in Prague and the Slovak Republic with the capital in Bratislava.

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

A strong secessionist movement that started in Slovakia led to the formal declaration of independence on Aug 26, 1992, for both the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.  The declaration stated that the two would separate into independent states on Jan 1, 1993.  Thus the 74-year-old federation came to an end.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Formerly a part of Yugoslavia – Independence 1992)

Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on March 3, 1992, following a referendum. At the end of World War II, both Bosnia and Herzegovina became part of the six republics of the Communist Yugoslavia, headed by Marshall Tito. When Tito died in 1980, the iron curtain that was in place fell and Yugoslavia began to disintegrate.

In 1991, both the republics declared independence and asked for recognition by the European Union (EU). The referendum for independence led to Bosnian voters choosing independence.

Bosnia and Herzegovina are part of the triangular-shaped republic, on the Balkan Peninsula.  The Bosnian area is to the north and has mountains and thick forests.  Herzegovina is in the south and consists of flat and rugged farmland.

Croatia and Macedonia

(Formerly in Yugoslavia – Independence 1991)

There are other countries that became independent when Yugoslavia dissolved, such as Croatia and Macedonia that dissolved in 1991.  Croatia declared independence in June 25, 1991 and Macedonia in Sep 8, 1991.

However, Macedonia wasn’t recognized by the United Nations until 1993.  United States and Russia recognized it as an independent entity only in 1994.

15 Independent Countries

(Formerly the Soviet Union – Independence for 15 countries 1991)

As mentioned earlier in this article, there are many more countries that became independent since 1990.  In 1991, 15 new countries declared independence – after the USSR dissolved.  Most of them declared independence within a few months of the fall of the Soviet Union in late 1991.

These countries include:

1. Armenia
2. Azerbaijan
3. Belarus
4. Estonia
5. Georgia
6. Kazakhstan
7. Kyrgyzstan
8. Latvia
9. Lithuania
10. Moldova
11. Russia
12. Tajikistan
13. Turkmenistan
14. Ukraine
15. Uzbekistan

Apart from this, other countries that fall into the category of “newest countries,” which became independent for various reasons, include Namibia which gained independence from South Africa; unified Yemen from North and South Yemen; unified Germany from  East and West Germany; The Marshall Islands from the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands; Micronesia from the United States.

Pay attention and you will find that most of the countries in the world today are relatively new and in the development stage. Not many are over 100 years old. Separatist movements are happening all over the globe. Where are we today? Where are we heading?

Most Expensive Hotels

While many are struggling in the bad economy, the appeal of luxury travel has not subsided.  The rich and famous with extravagant tastes seem to be enjoying more than ever before. In an interesting poll, luxury travelers said that if needed, they would reduce expenses by changing their itinerary or destinations, but would not downgrade their airline or hotel accommodation.

There is no dearth of the well-heeled royalty, diplomats, film stars, rock stars and other celebrities dressed in tuxedos and sequin-studded dresses that seek the luxury and solace the world’s most expensive hotels offer. But this luxury comes at a price – a very steep one.

Would you like to see what you get for four or five figures?

Note: These figures may vary from the actual, as hotels keep changing their rates frequently!

President Wilson Hotel, Geneva, Switzerland – $65,000 for the Royal Penthouse Suite

There cannot be a better excuse to blow all that cash. This lavish 180-room hotel with 48 suites, is located on the lakeshore, and offers a spectacular view of Lake Geneva.  It has been renovated, and all the rooms and suites are equipped with bespoke AV technology by Bang & Olufsen.

Photo by genevashotels.com

The Royal Penthouse Suite that occupies the entire top floor of the hotel is the most prestigious and the most expensive. Wondering what this budget-breaker has to offer?  For starters, this big price tag includes bullet proof windows and doors, closed-circuit TV that allows guests to watch suspicious people in the hotel, a private safe for treasures and a private elevator.  This 18,083 square feet suite has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a Jacuzzi with views of Mont Blanc, a Steinway grand piano, a cocktail lounge with dramatic views over Lake Geneva. There is no end to luxury here. The marble bathroom with the hot tub offers Acqua di Parma bath products.  But this royal floor is not for everyone. The hotel’s elite suite, the Royal Penthouse Suite, is reserved for Heads of states who visit the United Nations headquarters and other celebrities. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and former President Bill Clinton are among the regular guests.

Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas – $40,000 for the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa

This is heralded as one of the hippest resorts in Las Vegas. Located just one-mile off the Las Vegas strip, guests love the indulgence and excitement they find here. Kanye West is said to have partied here after the MTV awards. Everything is sexy at the Sky Villa. Featuring a rotating bed in the master bedroom under a mirrored ceiling and a 12-person whirlpool, the 10,000 square feet Hugh Hefner Sky Villa in Palms Casino Resort, is the fantasy suite designed by the founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner.

Photo by flickr.com

This three-bedroom suite on two levels is accessed with a glass elevator; and comes with a media room, a full bar, fully equipped gym with sauna, spa rooms, massage, extra large show tub, pop-up plasma televisions, sunbathing areas with bars, an exotic glass wall Jacuzzi offering breathtaking views of the Vegas strip, outdoor terrace with views of the Las Vegas strip, and of course a poker table.  This lets you live like a playboy for a night or more, based on how many $40,000s you have to spare.  Even if you don’t have that kind of cash, you can still enjoy this ultimate luxury – by being a high roller. This suite is given free to high rollers when it is not occupied.  But these high rollers are eligible to the Hefner room free only when their credit line hits half a million dollars.

They have many other expensive suites, such as the NBA suites with extra-large furniture, Playpens with a dancer pole, and the Real World Suite.

Hotel Martinez – $37,000 for the Penthouse Prestige Apartment

Situated on the famous boulevard de La Croisette in Cannes, the Hotel Martinez overlooks Cannes Bay.  It is one of the top European luxury hotels, known for stylish living among the elite. The hotel has 409 rooms and suites.  While all are on the expensive side, the most expensive is the Penthouse Prestige Apartment.

Photo by hotel-martinez.com

This suite comes with a first-class butler service.  Apart from all the other trappings of sheer luxury, ultra-grand décor and furnishings, it also has a Turkish steam bath (Hamman). It offers 2,000 sq. ft. of area with a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean.  The likes of Jodie Foster have stayed here.

Four Seasons Hotel, New York – $35,000 for the Ty Warner Penthouse

This 368-room hotel never gives a discount on its most prized suite. Instead, rate keeps increasing often. This seems to offer the most when compared to the other most expensive hotels. Apart from this, the hotel also has two other suites at $18,000 and $14,000 a night.  The least expensive room is about $1000.

Photo by fourseasons.com

The 4,300 square-foot, 9-room Ty Warner Penthouse is the most expensive hotel room in the country outside of Las Vegas.  With beautiful views of Manhattan, this suite comes with a Rolls-Royce or Mercedes Maybach.  A personal chauffeur is available for unlimited travel during the stay; a personal butler on-call 24 hours a day; a personal therapist/trainer; and one run by Joel Robuschon, the celebrity chef.  The personal butler also acts as an intermediary between the guests and the hotel staff.

Everything in the suite is custom made and reeks of opulence. There is a private spa, an indoor-outdoor Zen garden with a waterfall, an infinity-edge bathtub with chromatherapy, Venetian silk bedspread, and 22-carat gold threads on the fabric surrounding the bed, sand much more.

Photo by fourseasons.com

Book this suite and the hotel’s intelligence gathering goes into overdrive. “Does the guest like tea sandwiches only on request or throughout the day?” “Should the caviar be preordered?” The champagne is pre-stocked in the room, unless the guest prefers something else. Return guests’ interests are recorded and followed up on their stay: their favorite drink, food, as well as the toilet paper they use is kept ready.

You may be wondering why it’s called Ty Warner Penthouse. While Four Seasons runs the hotel, Mr. Warner owns the property and this sort of an arrangement is typical in the hotel industry.

Hotel Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast), Sardinia, Italy – $34,000 – $45,000 for the Presidential Suite

Hotel Cala di Volpe meaning “Bay of the Fox,” in Costa Smeralda, redefines exclusivity. It does not come better than this exquisite world-renowned luxury hotel that came into existence, supposedly when Aga Khan bought it and convinced his jet-set friends to construct these hotels, to cater to individuals of substantial means and elevated taste. Designed to replicate a fishing village, with irregular roofs and color towers, this place is one of the loveliest retreats in the world – where the cares of the world could be forgotten.

Photo by starwoodhotels.com

The rate for this 2,500 sq. ft. split-level Presidential Suite keeps changing depending on the season, and peaks during summer.  It has two sitting rooms, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a steam room, a private gym and a wine cellar. You can pamper yourself in the private rooftop open-air saltwater swimming pool.  The suite also has a gazebo and solarium, a DVD library as well as Bang & Olufsen stereos. It has a rustic style with wooden accents, exposed beams and thick down cushions; creating the perfect ambience of peace.

Grand Resort Lagonissi, Athens – $32,000 for The Royal Villa

Hidden in the 72-acres peninsula in south Athens, this hotel is mesmerizing and offers the warmth of the sun, the peacefulness of the sea and pleasure. It is frequented by both business and pleasure travelers and what people like most about this place is the nature that surrounds them.

Photo by lagonissiresort.gr

The Royal Villa is expensive but it offers everything that the rich and famous look for; designer sofas and branded furniture; dim lighting and candles everywhere to create a perfect ambience; high-levels of personalized service, butler’s quarters, fully equipped kitchen and a private chef, barbeque facility, a piano and a pianist, an indoor pool with a gym, a heated pool with hydro massage, and a steam bath with a massage room. If you think these offerings are exotic, the most wonderful facility is that of a private marina and a private beach. How can any guest not relish this?  The huge price tag almost seems worth it.

The Westin Excelsior, Rome – $31,000 for the Villa La Capula Suite

Having hosted celebrities, statesmen and artists visiting the Eternal City, The Westin Excelsior is touted as one of the world’s most expensive hotels, and is known for its outstanding service.  This hotel has, for almost a century, been synonymous with luxury.  The hotel’s two-leveled 6,099 sq. ft. Villa Cupola suite embodies all things Roman: Pompeii-style Jacuzzi, a cupola under which the suite is built, frescoes and stained glass windows. The suite has a private cinema with Dolby sound system which adds to the mesmerizing Roman effect.  But to enjoy all this for a night, you will have to shell out $31,000.

Photo by excelsior.hotelinroma.com

The Setai, South Beach, Miami – $30,000 for The Penthouse

This is an oceanfront resort situated in the heart of South Beach. It is conveniently close to the city center and is a favorite haunt for luxury-seeking business travelers. The Penthouse is said to be spectacular in its sumptuousness. A butler is available at any moment, and the accommodation consists of 10,000 sq. ft. with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two large Jacuzzi tubs and a steam shower. Even the butler’s room has a queen sized bed. Many reviews about the Penthouse talked about the lovely music room with a Steinway piano. You can go up on the terrace for a swim in the eternity pool or to use a Jacuzzi.  Wow! $30,000 for this?

Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo – The Ritz-Carlton Suite for $25,000

Ritz-Carlton’s “Diamonds Are Forever” Martini is extreme self-indulgence – poured over a flawless one-carat diamond; it is a perfectly smooth blend of the most expensive vodka with a lime twist.  And the beauty of the whole experience is that you get to keep the diamond.  Imagine what an excellent idea it is to propose? But the jaw-dropping price tag for this drink is around $18,000 (¥1,800,000 yen.)

Photo by ritzcarlton.com

Is it any wonder that Ritz-Carlton is one of the most expensive hotels in the world? There is no end to the superlatives that can be used to describe the most expensive Presidential Suite, on the top floor of the hotel. This 3,300 sq. ft. of haven is on the 53rd floor and offers a most spectacular view of Mount Fuji, the Roppongi Hills and the beautiful cityscape of Tokyo. The featherbeds, Frette lines, plush terry robes and towels encompass guests in luxury, right from the word go. A personal concierge service combined with a private pool and gym, along with several other luxurious amenities, make it one of the much-talked about hotel suites.

The Ritz-Carlton Suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow is a little cheaper, at $16,000.This is a 2,550 sq. ft. suite with great views of the Kremlin and Red Square. This room with a private sauna, is specifically designed for the highly security conscious Russian billionaires, complete with a panic room.

The Atlantis, Bahamas – $25,000 for the Bridge Suite

A 22-karat gold chandelier illuminates the 10-roomed iconic Bridge suite in the world’s best travel destination, Atlantis. This Bridge suite is at the very top of a bridge that connects the two Royal Towers buildings.  It affords an incredible view of the marina.

Photo by atlantis.com

The exquisite interiors were designed by Versace, the famous fashion designer. Grandeur dominates all parts of the suite with marble flooring and out-of-this world furnishings that include highly expensive carpets, mirrors everywhere and gold touches here and there. With two huge living rooms and a guest bath, two entertainment centers, a bar lounge, a baby-grand piano, along with a private butler service, everything is of high standards.  The 800 square feet balcony offers an amazing view of the lagoons and pools of the beautiful island. The king and queen bedrooms come with beautiful custom furniture, carpets and draperies.  This suite is almost like a palace and gives you a real taste of what living like royalty is.

Park Hyatt Vendome, Paris – $20,000 for The Imperial Suite

How can anything match the breathtaking art of the Louvre, the cuisine of Paris and the birthplace of Cartier? Many American high-flyers swear by the romantic Park Hyatt Vendome in Paris.  The celebrities head to Paris and to this hotel when they are looking for some red-hot Parisian passion.

Photo by paris.vendome.hyatt.com

The Imperial Penthouse Suite with its 2,500 sq. ft. of high ceilings and an In Suite Spa with a whirlpool bath, a massage table, and a steam shower room offers the extreme in individual comfort. It also has multiple rooms for eating, sleeping and entertaining.  While this is reserved for visiting dignitaries and celebrities, but mere mortals can stay in one of the lux rooms!

Burj Al Arab – $19,000 for the Royal Suite

Dubai is known for its extreme levels of extravagance and this hotel stands testimony to this.  It is considered as the world’s most spectacular and outstandingly luxurious hotel. Burj Al Arab Hotel is built in the shape of an Arabian dhow sail and is a prominent structure on the Dubai coastline. The 8,400 sq. ft. Royal suite on the 25th floor, built on two levels, mesmerizes guests at first glance with its marble and gold staircase and the leopard print tufted carpets.

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

Everything is grandeur personified and this suite is served by a Chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, BMW and hold your breath – a helicopter too. But if you want to enjoy the helicopter facility, then you have to be richer than $19,000. Two bedrooms with walk-in showers, spa baths, exquisite porcelain fittings, and Hermes 24 Farbourg body products and fragrances to fill your senses, await you in the Royal suite.   That’s not all – a private cinema completes the romantic feel of this hideout.  Even celebrity guests have said that this hotel offers so much more at “reasonable” rates than many other “most expensive hotels” do.

If we have to go on, there are many more hotels that fall in the category of the world’s most expensive hotels. There are other ultra-sophisticated spots that have earned the reputation of being the best.

Most Expensive Dog

The number of lively and intelligent dog breeds around us is truly amazing. There is the Boston Terrier, a very intelligent and well-balanced dog; the German Great Dane, one of the most elegant and distinguished dogs; the Poodle, easy to train and intelligent; the Golden Retriever, a personification of everything we love about dogs; the Doberman Pinscher, the most loyal and fearless, and several others of different racial origins. They come in all price ranges.

However, the awesome breed that could very well be the most expensive dog is, “The German Shepherd.”

The Most Expensive Dog In The World: The German Shepherd or The Alsatian ($3,000 – $24,000)

Also known as the “Alsatian” with its introduction into England in 1920, the German Shepherd is nothing short of highly gifted and intelligent that it must surely be the envy of the dog world.  No task is too difficult for this one; including being a guide dog, watchdog, police dog, sniffer dog for drugs and bombs, avalanche rescue, tracking and even sheep herding in its homeland Germany, where it has been around from the late 1800’s as a shepherding dog.

One of the main traits of the German Shepherd is the high level of intelligence, for which it is much sought after.  Known for its protectiveness, easy trainability, obedience, fierce loyalty, and most of all courage, this dog breed can easily adapt to almost any climate and has a keen sense of smell and hearing, which is just one of the reasons they are chosen as army and police dogs.

Photo by flickr.com

The rates for this breed of dogs has been on the rise ever since the first World War, when the craze for the German shepherd was compounded by stories of their heroic deeds – damsels in distress saved at the lat moment and babies rescued from burning buildings.  Such stories added to the growing obsession for this breed and this craze continues to this day, keeping their price tag higher than ever.

There have been many military working dogs – heroes that have died in combat. An army Sgt. says, “These dogs are our partners, not our pets. While they can be their handler’s best friend, they can be a foe’s worst enemy. They can be as intimidating and formidable as an armed Soldier.”

Photo by commons.wikimedia.org

Dog lovers understand that more is not always better and a dog’s value lies not in the price tag associated with it, but in the priceless love that it has for us humans. The German Shepherd takes the cake in this aspect too, and its loyalty stands the test of time.

Although, our research points us towards the German Shepherd as being the most expensive dog in the world, there is an ancient working breed of the Himalayan nomad herders and the traditional guardian of the monasteries in Tibet, the “Tibetan Mastiff,” that has grabbed the title of the “most expensive dog every sold.”

The Most Expensive Dog Ever Sold

Interesting myths have surrounded this breed ever since it was discovered, and the dog’s mental and physical strength has been praised in historical reports.  Some even considered the breed to be the forefather of all the large mountain and mastiff breeds.

Photo by flickr.com/

In March 2011, a Tibetan Mastiff called “Big Splash” (“Hong Dong” in Chinese,) has been sold to a Chinese multi-millionaire coal baron.  The amount paid to the breeder Lu Liang is said to be a whooping US$ 1.5 million dollars for the 180lbs, 11 month-old 3 ft. high beauty in red.  This is not the first Tibetan Mastiff that commanded a phenomenal rate.  In 2009, a Chinese woman spent $609,000 on one of these exotic creatures, and set a record.

Photo by flickr.com

Although, there have been a few Tibetan Mastiffs sold at unbelievable prices in China, it still doesn’t make it generally as the most expensive dog breed in the world.

Most Expensive Movie

This Canadian-born director enthralled filmgoers across the world with his $500 million years-in-the-making sci-fi epic, “Avatar.” You don’t agree with this figure?

Determining the final cost of the film is a trick in itself.  As you would have seen, there have been wildly different reports published, ranging from $230 million to nearly $500 million. But recent estimates put the final costs at about $310 million – only that of production, excluding marketing and other costs.

Was Avatar worth it?

Critics say that hundreds of millions of dollars is too much to spend on a film with a bunch of blue aliens.  They find it over-priced and feel that money could have been spent much better elsewhere. But then Hollywood is not known for it’s economizing, it’s known for its excess. Wonder how the production cost of a film affects your enjoyment of it?  It is to James Cameron’s credit, that viewers were completely taken in by the movie and all thoughts of the price tag vanished after the credits rolled.

Cameron’s 3-D science fiction film, “Avatar,” was distributed by 20th Century Fox.  James Gianopulos, CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment said, “It is the most expensive film we’ve made, but now, having the luxury of hindsight, it is money well spent, so I’m not concerned about it.”

Photo by flickr.com

Fox is happy, as “Avatar” grossed $601.1 million in just 47 days, and it took 252 days for Titanic to cross the $600 million mark. The total estimated worldwide gross for Avatar is over $2.782 billion.

If the projected numbers are right, “Avatar’s” budget exceeded that of the most expensive movie ever made, and that crown was held by “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” with an estimated budget of $300 million.  But this is nothing new for Fox, as it has been here with Cameron with “Titanic” (1997), his previous feature, with an estimated $200 million.  That investment paid off big time when the film bagged nearly $2 billion worldwide, along with a clutch of awards including the Oscar for the best director going to Cameron himself.

Generally, whenever there is talk about a movie budget, the talk usually involves the production costs, which includes the cost of building the sets, special effects, hiring actors, and this includes their diet needs too. The marketing costs are not taken into consideration.

Photo by flickr.com

So, if you read about the Pirates of the Caribbean movie costing $300 million, they are not talking about the cost of advertising Johnny Depp’s face on all the billboards in town.  Where Avatar is concerned, it is a known fact that the production costs have been shared with other investors: Ingenious Film Partners and Dune Capital Management.  The News Corporation has also carried a smaller share of the production cost. This is done to hedge the risk.  The filmmakers were also at an advantage due to the tax credit they received in New Zealand, where they shot about a third of the film.  So, they got to save $30 million here.

The marketing budget is again taken care of by Fox, and this tally’s up to about $150 million.  We’re not including this in the cost of the film. How does one account for the 3D cameras and the motion capture tools used by the director to create the amazing world of Avatar?  Most of these expenses are also not included in the $310 million. The price tag would certainly be higher if Cameron’s financial contribution and others were included. Along with the global marketing expenses, “Avatar” may have very well have costed the $500 million, as many reports stated.

But from the movie industry’s perspective, “Avatar” is the most expensive movie ever made in more ways than one. They say that the film’s ability to motivate cinema owners to change to 3D screens and ushering in a new era of mass 3D-movie watching; is of exceptional value.  Rumors go that Cameron has already sketched out the storylines for two more Avatar films.  Well, going by his track record, it’s hard not to think BIG!