Behind the Scenes with Universal Pictures

Like most people growing up, I loved going to the movies when I was younger. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy it now, too, but going to the movies when you were a kid was like a big event; everything was just so big and loud and awesome.

These days, there’s more to movies that I enjoy besides just watching the film itself. All of the elements that go into actually making the movie, the behind-the-scenes stuff, interest me a lot as well now. Depending on the movie, watching how it’s crafted and how it eventually comes together can sometimes be as entertaining as the finished product.

That’s why today’s infographic from Universal Pictures UK appealed to me so much. For its 100th anniversary, Universal Pictures released this infograpthic that has interesting facts about a ton of Universal movies from 1921 (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) to 2011 (Bridesmaids) with several in between. For instance I thought it was interesting that the budget for American Graffiti (1973) was exactly $777,777.77 and was made on time and on budget.

For fellow movie lovers interested in more facts about these movies refer to the infographic below and check out Universal Pictures UK’s Facebook page. [Via].

Synsepalum dulcificum, Eng. Miracle fruit ..

Growing up in West Africa, apparently unremarkable red berries, but with an interesting effect - they change the taste of food. All thanks to a protein called mirakulin (miraculin), which is affecting the taste buds of language, off the perception of sour and bitter flavors for about one to two hours. For example, lemon, eaten after the fruit seems sweet, with citrus flavor and aroma is fully preserved.

 

Wallpapers Beauty of Nature

titles

*OLD TITLES     - NEW TITLES   *Garden Boy :   Landscape Executive Officer (LEO)   *House Maid : House Upkeep Manager (HUM)   *Receptionist : Office Access Control Manager (OACM)   *Typist : Printed Document Handler (PDH)   *Messenger : Business Communications Conveyer (BCC)   *Window Cleaner : Transparent Wall Technician (TWT)   *Temporary Teacher : Associate Tutor (AT)   *Tea Boy : Refreshment Specialist (RS)   *Garbage Collector : Public Sanitation Engineer (PSE)   *Watchman : Theft Prevention and Surveillance Officer (TPSO)   *Prostitute : Practical  Relations Manager (PRM)   *Thief : Wealth Distribution Expert (WDE)   *Driver : Automobile Propulsion Specialist (APS)   *Maid : Domestic Operations Specialist (DOS)   *Employee without Portfolio : Administration Manager (AM)   *Cook : Food Preparation Officer (FPO)     Do Not Forget   *Unemployed : Town Surveyor (TS)   *Gossiper : Research Manager (RM)

Fritz Hoffmann’s Beautiful Photos of Glacial Erratic

A glacial erratic is a rock carried and transported by glaciers millions of years ago. When the glaciers melted and receded, it left behind the rocks sticking out like sore thumbs, and at the most oddest of places. Glacial erratics are often carried over from distances of hundreds of kilometers, because of which they are almost always different from the type of rocks native to the region. This makes them easy to spot, but not unless you are a geologist. For most observers, a glacial erratic looks like any other regular boulder.

Photographer Fritz Hoffmann isn’t a geologist but he is a keen observer. Once when scanning the New England landscape while driving along in the winter, Hoffman noticed a repetitive quality in the large rocks on the land. “With the leaves off, I could see them tucked into the woods. They were definitely boulders and not rock outcrops,” said Hoffman. “That piqued my curiosity and it was then that I began to learn what a glacial erratic is.”

The “aha” moment came as we were driving to Cape Cod one weekend and passed the exit to Plymouth, MA. I had already written my proposal but needed a strong hook to lead with. I made a u-turn and found the nearest tourist center. I raced in there with one question. Is Plymouth Rock a glacial erratic? The woman behind the counter replied, “A glacier moved it here if that is what you mean” … Once I made the connection of glacial erratics to rocks like Plymouth Rock, Glen Rock and the Rollstone Boulder, I knew I had my story and I became hooked on erratics.

Fritz Hoffmann’s photo-story about glacial erratic - Pet Rocks – came out in the March, 2012 National Geographic magazine. Here are some spectacular pictures of inconspicuous rocks with dramatic travel stories.

Light fantastic

Light fantastic: The 'supermoon' arrives tonight as our cosmic sidekick appears in its biggest and brightest form

The biggest and brightest full moon of the year is lighting up the sky tonight as our celestial neighbour passes closer to Earth than usual.

Tides are likely to be higher as a result of the supermoon but fears of a spike in crime or an increase in crazy behaviour have been dismissed as pure folklore.

Experts say the Moon will appear up to 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter as it passes 221,802 miles from earth, around 15,300 miles closer than average. Its distance from Earth varies because it follows an elliptical orbit rather than a circular one.

The phenomenon is known as a perigee full moon but astronomers warn the 'relatively uncommon' celestial event may not amount to much.

Glowing guide: A runner makes his way along a trail in front of the once-a-year 'super Moon' at Papago Park in Phoenix, Arizona Northern Florida: The moon peaks out behind Century Tower at the University of Florida in Gainesville

Mighty Giants- Highest Dams Of Them All

01. The Nurek Dam

The Nurek Dam is an earth fill embankment dam on the Vakhsh river in the central Asian nation of Tajikistan. Construction of the dam began in 1961 and was completed in 1980, when Tajikistan was still a republic within the Soviet Union. At 300 m (984 ft) it is currently the tallest dam in the world. The Rogun Dam, also along the Vakhsh also in Tajikistan, may exceed it if completed.

Heavy Lift Ships and their Impossibly Massive Cargoes

When you need to transport large cargo, goods, and materials from one place to another, ship is the ideal choice even though they are extremely slow. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year, and they handle the bulk of international trade. Then there are heavy lift ships that are designed to carry excessively large loads that even cargo ships cannot bear, such as other ships, drilling rigs or anything else too large or heavy to be easily transported on a conventional ship.

Heavy lift ships are of two types: semi-submerging capable of lifting another ship out of the water and transporting it; and vessels that augment unloading facilities at inadequately equipped ports. Semi-submerging are more commonly known as a "flo/flo" for float-on/float-off. These vessels have a long and low well deck that can go down under water allowing oil platforms, other vessels, or other floating cargo to be moved into position for loading. The tanks are then pumped out, and the well deck rises higher in the water, lifting its cargo, and is ready to sail wherever in the world the cargo needs to be transported.

Top 5 Strongest Alcoholic Drinks in the World

An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption. The production and consumption of alcohol occurs in most cultures of the world, from hunter-gatherer peoples to nation-states.

Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that has a depressant effect. A high blood alcohol content is usually considered to be legal drunkenness because it reduces attention and slows reaction speed. Alcohol can be addictive. Depending on the type and concentration of alcohol in the drinks the strength of these alcoholic beverage various. Here is a list of top 5 strongest alcoholic beverage in the world.

Top 5 Interesting Floating Markets in the World

A floating market is a market where merchandise is sold from boats. Originating in times and places where water transport played an important role in daily life, most floating markets operating today mainly serve as tourist attractions. Now, lets check out the top 5 famous floating market in the world.

1 ) Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Thailand

Wooden Arts

El Caminito del Rey – The World’s Most Dangerous Walkway

El Caminito del Rey or The King’s Little Path, often regarded as the most dangerous walkway in the world, is located along the walls of El Chorro, a gorge in southern Spain near the village of Álora. Construction of the walkway was started in 1901 when it became apparent that workers at the hydroelectric power plants at Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls needed a mean to cross between the falls, to provide for transport of materials, and for the inspection and maintenance of the channel. The walkway was completed in 1905, but the inauguration did not take place until 1921 when Spanish King Alfonso XIII crossed it and the walkway’s been called The King’s Pathway since.

The walkway is one meter (3 feet and 3 inches) in width, and rises over 100 meters (350 feet) above the river below. Constructed of concrete resting on steel rails supported by stanchions at around 45 degrees into the rock face, it is currently in a highly deteriorated state and there are numerous sections where part or all of the concrete top has collapsed. The result is large open air gaps that are bridged only by narrow steel beams or other support fixtures. Very few of the original handrails exist but a safety-wire runs the length of the path. This has however turned El Caminito del Rey into an extreme vacations attraction and crossing the whole is an adventure sport for tourists. The walkway is over 3 kilometers long.

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