Tiger in Water

Some facinating pictures of a ferocious tiger in the water. The tiger in the fourth picture looks very much like the tiger emblem of the LTTE Tigers socalled Tamil Eelam flag.

Putting together jigsaw puzzles is a hobby enjoyed by both the young and old. It’s challenging, exciting, educational, and requires a little bit experience and a lot of patience. The more pieces and variety a puzzle has, the more challenging and exciting it becomes. So the jigsaw puzzle manufacturers are constantly trying to produce puzzles that are larger and more exciting with lots of variety and beautiful artwork.

Taking these things into consideration, a leading puzzle manufacturer called Educa has surprised even the most demanding puzzle fans with the launch of the world's largest puzzle. Up to now, the brand's largest puzzle had consisted of only 18,000 puzzle pieces.

This puzzle consists of exactly 24,000 pieces and has rightly been called Vida (Life) - The Great Challenge. Whether it’s by the number of pieces or by the width and height, this puzzle is the World's largest Jigsaw Puzzle. Once completed, the enormous puzzle measures an impressive 428 x 157 cm (or 14.04 feet by 5.15 feet!), enough to decorate a wall of room.

Due to its size the puzzle has been separated into four packets of 6000 pieces, breaking the artwork up into four vertical sections that join together to make the world's largest jigsaw puzzle.

The artwork for the puzzle has been especially designed by a veteran puzzle artist, Royce B. McClure, who has had over a hundred jigsaw puzzles previously published. All the art that makes up 'LIFE: The Great Challenge' has come from paintings he had completed over many years, which had then been scanned and recomposed to best fit this enormous sized puzzle, making each section different enough from the other sections so that the puzzler won't feel they are doing the same puzzle over and over. The end result like life itself, the puzzle is full of variety, color, activity, beauty, drama and above all Life. The puzzle has been priced at $299.99

Annick Oriol from Belgium was the first to complete the puzzle. It had taken her 28 days and 20 hours. Lucky Annick is sitting on the puzzle she completed in this photograph.

Al Burj Dubai Tower - Dubai Building 1Km World's Tallest Landmark

The Burj Dubai tower in Dubai, UAE, became the world’s tallest building on 21 July, at 512 metres. That tower will be around 800 metres tall when completed in 2009, thereby beating 554 metre Toronto CN tower, making it the world's tallest landmark.

But not satisfied with it Dubai is now planing to surpass it's own world records with Al Burj tower which will have more than 200 floors and a dizzying height 1 km!

Al Burj (The Tall Tower) project being planned by Nakheel will be 1,050 metres tall, comfortably exceeding the height of the rival Burj Dubai and making it the world’s tallest building. Source: Fahad Inc.

Nakheel has kept the tower’s height a closely guarded secret as it waits for its more advanced rival, being developed by Emaar Properties, to reach its final height later this year. However, meed.com has confirmed that design plans show the tower to be more than 1 kilometre tall, at 1,050 metres.

The building will actually consist of three separate towers built around a hollow interior and joined together by several sky bridges that function as sky lobbies. One of the towers is shorter than the other two and has a large outdoor pool on the roof while the other two are topped with large spires.

Designs for the Tall Tower show 228 floors, a four-level basement and one service sub-level – a total built-up area of 1.49 million square metres with 492,000 square metres of useable space. It will house offices, apartments and hotels. The top habitable floor will be at 850 metres, topped by a 200-metre central spire with a three-level function area and three service floors.

The two images below show a comparison of the proposed Al Burj Tower against the Burj Dubai tower and how the Al Burj will look like at night when completed.

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By the way, Al Burj will be the sixth tower in dubai to exceed 100 floors. Only Chicago in the world boasts of more than 1 super tower. According to DesiNotes, the six super towers in Dubai are:

1. “Burj Dubai” which has reached 130 floors and will be the tallest in the world by early 2009. It is already the tallest having beaten Taipei 101 of Taiwan. When complete it will be more than 800 meters in height.
2. “Burj Al Alam” will rise to 108 floors
3. “Marina 101” will rise to 101 storeys.
4. “Princess Tower” will have 107 floors
5. “Pentominium” will be of 120 floors.
6. “Al Burj” which ultimately will be the tallest tower surpassing even Burj Dubai is expected to be between 180 and 200 floors.

PS. Despite all these facinating records and statistics the fact remains that Al Burj tower is nothing but an extravagant Arab monument of oil wealth, conceit, ego and a white elephant, just like the Dubai Palm islands and UAE's other giant projects. Anyone with a common sense will see this building for what it is - ‘another imprudent petrodollar extravaganza’. Unfortunately these Arabs don't seem to realize it.

Most Expensive Car In The World - Bugatti Veyron Or Bugatti Royale?

There is speculation Bugatti Automobiles is developing a second model of the Bugatti Veyron supercar that is estimated to cost a whopping 3 million US Dollars! I even saw some referring this new Bugatti Veyron as the most expensive car in the world. But is it really the most expensive car in the world? If not which car is the world's most expensive car?

The US$ 1.5 million Bugatti Veyron

I remember when it came out some sites and papers were saying the current Bugatti Veyron which is US$1.5 million was the world's most expensive car. At that price Bugatti Veyron is certainly one of the most expensive cars (its the fastest accelerating and most powerful street going car in the world) but it is another Bugatti that seems to be most expensive car ever.

Bugati Veyron Fastest accelerating and most powerful street going car in the world

According to what I could find from a little searching the real most expensive car in the world is this 1930 Bugatti Type 41 Royale!

1930 Bugatti Type 41 Royale

The Interior of the Bugatti Type 41 Royale

The Type 41 Royale was Bugatti's most outrageous car. It was also his most exclusive, as only six were ever manufactured. Each had considerable presence due their massive length, 12 litre engine and huge wheels.

One of the most expensive cars in the world is the Type 41 Coupe de Ville Napoleon. It was the first Royale made, and was Ettore Bugatti's personal transportation. It eventually ended up with the Schlumpf brothers, and still resides in their Mulhouse Museum.

The Kellener-bodied Royale still holds the world record for fetching $8 700 000 USD at Christie's Auction in 1983. When adjusted for inflation, this price would be over 16 million, a price which only other Royales, or the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, could eclipse - Source: supercars.net

New Airbus A380 Aircraft Becomes A Billionaire's Private Jet

The France based Airbus company has said it'll fill orders from 14 foreign customers for nearly 200 of the world's largest double-decker commercial jets so far. But number 157 will be reserved for an "undisclosed billionaire", who according to wired.com is going to pay nearly half a billion dollars for this world's largest passenger aircraft.

This undisclosed billionaire will be paying $475 million for the plane - $325 million price tag, plus $150 million in custom upgrades - thereby making it one of the most expensive mobile homes in the world.

Here is an illustration of the $475 million, custom Airbus A380 flying house. For mysterious reasons of his or her own, the Billionaire has christened the aircraft as "Project Trinity!"



New York based industrial designer Ed se Doret has outfitted the personalized aircraft, with everything from a massive formal dining room to a whirlpool tub. So the A380 flying house is ready to takeoff with the mysterious him or her when Airbus gives the clear signal.

Tata Cars: 1000 US$ Indian Tata Nano Car Possibly Cheapest Car In The World

The giant Indian bus and lorry manufacturer, the Tata motor company has made a low cost economic mini car which Tata claim to be the cheapest car in the World (Priced at just 1000US$ or 100,000 Indian Rupees it is at least world's cheapest brand new car.) Named as Tata Nano this new Tata cars looks more like a three-wheeler taxi you see a lot in India and South Asia but with doors, more glass and a aerodynamic look added.

Already called as Tata People's car it is priced at 1 lakh Indian Rupees (about 2,500 US$). In other words you can buy 1200 Nano Tata cars for the price of one Bugati Veyron or 7,500 Nano Tata cars instead of the most expensive car in the world.


The Tata Nano car is 3 metres long and seats four people comfortably and does 65mph. It has a aluminium shell and a rear-mounted 33bhp two-cylinder petrol engine. The Nano Tata cars weight is about half a tonne. Tata Nano has a Fuel consumption 50 miles per gallon.


According claims, the Tata Nano car, at its standard version, is roughly half the price of the cheapest car available in the world today. China’s QQ3Y Chery and another Indian car the Maruti 800 are both about US $5000.


The standard version Tata Nano car comes with the vital features: brakes, a four-gear manual transmission, seat belts, locking, wind-down windows and a steering wheel. The small boot could store a duffel bag. It doesn't have a passenger-side mirror and has one windscreen wiper.

This deluxe version Nano Tata car has air-conditioning and extra features such as a radio and an airbag could be added.

Tata Motors has created Tata Nano car after five years of research and input from across the world, including the masters of car designs Italy and Germany. But the car was designed and made in India, defying expectations that Tata motors company best known for its huge buses and lorries could manufacture a cutting-edge passenger car. A team of 500 engineers had worked on the Tata Nano car, and it was made in a plant in West Bengal.

Because of Nano Tata Car's size, it uses less sheet metal, has a smaller and lighter engine than other cars, smaller tube-less tyres and a no-frills interior. Tata motor company has cut costs of the Nano car by minimising components, specially steel, and taking advantage of India’s low production costs. Tata motor company has applied for 34 patents to cover its innovations in Tata Nano.

Tata hopes to produce 250,000 Tata Nano cars for the Indian market annually. Then they expect to make it available in Latin America, SouthEast Asia and Africa though its not likely to be in Europe or the US. There are fears that a car so cheap could not be safe. Tata company says it has passed a full-frontal car crash test in India and is designed to sustain further impact testing under European standards. So the Tata Nano could need many enhancements to meet higher standards of Developed world and that would raise the price considerably.

But for India and other poorer markets where the public mode of traveling is limited to over crowded buses, dangerous trains, flimsy tree-wheeler taxis and even motorcycles with 4 or 5 pillion riders, the Tata Nano car is a vast improvement in safety and traveling.

A news report plagiarised wholesale from a British newspaper and posted with no mention of the newspaper in a forum I frequent had this to say about the Tata Nano and the Nano Tata cars unveiling event. (why don't forum Admin's educate members about how to properly quote a story?)

The “People’s Car” as the Tata Nano car is called, is also the cheapest in the world at 100,000 rupees ($2,500) – the same price as the DVD player in a Lexus.

The Tata Nano, from Tata motor company, the Indian conglomerate bidding for Jaguar and Land Rover, was unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo yesterday to music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Ratan Tata, the Tata company chairman, harked back to the first flight by the Wright Brothers and the Moon landing as he revealed the cute, snub-nosed hatchback that will allow millions in India’s emerging middle classes to buy a car for the first time.

“I hope this changes the way people travel in rural India. We are a country of a billion and most are denied connectivity,” Ratan Tata said. “This is a car that is affordable and provides all-weather transport for the family.”

But not all are happy with cheap Tata cars becoming available for the general Indian public. The idea of millions of Nano Tata cars on Indian roads has alarmed Indian environmentalists. Indian Rajendra Pachauri, the chief UN climate scientist has claimed he's “having nightmares” with millions of tiny Nano Tata cars.

Image credit to Tata Nano cars and info to that British newspaper I don't know the name.

By the way check out these great truck information resource Old Ford Trucks and Mack Dump Trucks for the best truck brands in the world.

Also retaled posts
TGV Fatest Train World Record,
Nailed Mercades Benz Car

Note: Whether you like it or not Made in India and Made in China is going to dominate the 21st century business world. These two countries are manufacturing all kinds of products from toy cars to aircraft's and war ships and making them available to the world at amazingly cheap prices, uncompetable by the rest of the world. Amongst the latest of this products is this World's Cheapest Car Made in India.

Mercades Benz Car Nailed To Moscow Airport Ceiling

If you now go to Moscow airport in Russia you will be able to see a Mercedes Benz car as you have never seen before. This full size Mercedes Benz car be seen nailed to the ceiling in one of Moscow airports now. EnglishRussia.com reports that it attracts a lot of attention from travelers and questions like whether it is safe to walk beneath it or whether it might occasionally fall on your head?

Sign next to car says in Russian, "This isn't a private plane. But the feel is the same."
It's not sure whether or not it is a real Mercedes Benz. However EnglishRussia.com says the car is very accurate down to the smallest details including the brake discs etc. being perfectly visible.

I also hear Mercades Benz had this advertisement at Hamburg airport in Germany and other places too. Anyway, this is a sure sign of Russia's growing prosperity. Maybe we will be hearing this in China or India next!

Pics are from English Russia and don't forget to checkout the archives of English Russia. It's a very interesting blog about Russia with many posts like this Strange Soviet Buildings.

Gigantic 150-inch Panasonic Plasma Flat Screen Television

(Update on Jan 9 2008 with pics of the TV below)

Panasonic corporation is developing a 150-inch Plasma Flat Screen Television that is set to become the world's largest TV.

According a report in Japanese Daily Yomiuri paper this plasma flat screen television set will measure 150 inches diagonally, handsomely beating JVC's 110-inch rear projector for the title of the largest home television regardless of class and Sharp corporation's 108-inches current word's largest plasma flat screen television. The height of the television screen alone will be large enough to stand taller than an adult man and length wise as long as a car!

Not much about the televisions technical details are known though Electronista reports that it should reach a minimum 1080p resolution and may represent the grafting together of four smaller sets to reach its anticipated dimensions.

Panasonic is making this primarily to show the world who has the biggest flat screen manufacturing capability. However production models of this giant flat screen plasma television may reach buyers in 2009.


The above picture from Gizmodo shows a 103-inch plasma flat screen television set that Panasonic recently launched and then discontinued.

Update: Here is a better image of the 103-inch television. Just imagine how the giant 150-inch one will be!

(image credit:softpedia)

Update: (9 Jan 2008)
Ok, finally we've got the 150-inch TV pictures. In these two photos you see the Panasonic 150-Inch Plasma next to that 103-Inch from last year.


Look at this picture of the gigantic Panasonic television screen. You can see the life size image of a Elephant on the screen. Imagine it is the life size elephant inside a TV screen! And see the size of the screen compared to the adult mother and father and kids. They look so miniature.


Image credit: Gizmodo.com

This 150-inch flat screen plasma tv that's dubbed "Life Screen," is now officially the largest in the world. It boasts 2,000-by-4,000 pixel resolution and is 11 feet wide, or the size of nine 50-inch plasma TVs! Panasonic President Toshihiro Sakamoto had said at the launch, "It's capable of an amazing picture that is four times the resolution of our current full HD plasma displays,"

Rare Blue Sun Phenomenon Photographed near Giza Pyramids

Here is a very rare photograph of a phenomenon known as a 'blue sun,' It is one of only a few ever documented occurrences of a blue sun. This one had occurred near the giant pyramids in Giza, Egypt on December 14th 2006.






According to CoastToCoastam.com, the other most recent widely accepted documentation of a blue sun had occurred way back in September 1950 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Tom Hartlove, a friend of PyramidCam.com, a website that captures a live image of the pyramids every 30 seconds, had luckily saved this one. However, Tom had run across it again in his photo archives only last month and then sent it to an expert in atmospheric physics to examination. The experts reply had been:

"A very rare phenomenon known as a 'blue sun.' These have been observed from time to time around the world. The most recent widely accepted documentation of a blue sun occurred in September 1950 in Edinburgh, Scotland. A discussion of that event appears in Craig Bohren's book, 'Clouds in a Glass of Beer,' on page 91."

But the cause of it turns out to be a rather simple explanation. Smoke in the atmosphere! Smoke from farmers burning brush between the camera location and the pyramids rises to camera level and is captured in the webcam of PyramidCam website, particularly in winter when farmers burn something called stubble in the fields in the Delta and around Cairo.

The Blue Moon Phenomenon
By the way, here is a photograph I found in Nasa website. This time it's a blue moon. Blue moons are also rare, but not as rare as a blue sun. They occur exactly once in a Blue Moon.


According to what I have heard a blue moon phenomenon is also caused by smoke, fumes and dust particles in the atmosphere. Because it happens very rarely it has probably given berth to the English expression 'Once in a Blue Moon.'

Pictures: Dubai Palm Islands - World's Biggest Artificial Island of Dubai Islands

Here are some great pictures and details about the 3 gigantic palm tree shaped islands known as theDubai Palm islands which are being built on the coast of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I did a little Google search and found these awesome Dubai Palm Islands pictures and would like to share them with you at Planet Apex.

Aerial view of the 3 Dubai Palm Islands

Map of the Dubai Palm islands and the World islands in Dubai coastline

Each of the Dubai islands (Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, and Palm Deira) are being built in the shape of a date palm tree and consist of a trunk, a crown with fronds, and are surrounded by a crescent island that acts as a breakwater. The biggest island of it, the Palm Deira island, when completed will be the world's largest artificial island. They've also been named one of 'The Eighth Wonder of the World'.

Deira Palm Island Dubai -World's biggest artificial Island

"The Palm Deira island will cover 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) in length and 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) in width and have an area of 80 square kilometers (861 million square feet). It will consist of residential property, marinas, shopping malls, sports facilities, and clubs. The residential area will be located on the fronds and will contain 8,000 two-storey town houses in three distinct styles - Premier Villas, Grand Villas and Vista Town Homes." - TEN Dubai Palm Islands

Current status of the Palm Jumeirah Island

View of Jumeirah Palm Island when completed

Models Dubai Palm island homes that will be constructed in Dubai islands

From a architectural and engineering perspective these Dubai islands are wonders. I love these Palm Dubai Islands for there amazing engineering and architecture feats. Maybe also as real estates and property development the Dubai islands can be successful and recover the billions of dollars spent on them and become a assert to Dubai. That aside, I am a skeptic when it comes to these Arab sheiks sand castle paradises. Even with a little bit of smart thinking the money they spend on vain mega projects like these can put to better use. But that's altogether another story.

Got these images from (Dubai Palm Islands)