Thursday, May 30, 2013

The World's Most Luxurious Hotel

The hotel is located on artificial island in Dubai, overlooking the Persian Gulf..


The hotel is located on artificial island in Dubai, overlooking the Persian Gulf.

It's the fourth-tallest hotel in the world, and it's known for its sail-like shape..


It's the fourth-tallest hotel in the world, and it's known for its sail-like shape.

Inside, the building feels grand and spacious. The colorful lobby area is influenced by Islamic design aesthetics..


Inside, the building feels grand and spacious. The colorful lobby area is influenced by Islamic design aesthetics.

As is the spacious atrium. .


As is the spacious atrium.

The suites here are enormous and appointed with elegant furnishings..


The suites here are enormous and appointed with elegant furnishings.

Most bedrooms have king-sized beds with luxurious linens. .


Most bedrooms have king-sized beds with luxurious linens.

And nearly all rooms have incredible views of the Gulf, desert, or city. .


And nearly all rooms have incredible views of the Gulf, desert, or city.

Even the bathrooms are luxurious, with marble Jacuzzi tubs and elegant tiles. .


Even the bathrooms are luxurious, with marble Jacuzzi tubs and elegant tiles.

Some suites, like this Diplomatic Suite, come with giant sitting rooms where you can entertain guests..


Some suites, like this Diplomatic Suite, come with giant sitting rooms where you can entertain guests.

You can play snooker with friends right in your room..


You can play snooker with friends right in your room.

Other suites have full dining rooms..


Other suites have full dining rooms.

But there's really no reason to eat in your room when you can dine in the hotel's fine-dining restaurants, like Al Mahara..


But there's really no reason to eat in your room when you can dine in the hotel's fine-dining restaurants, like Al Mahara.

There's a floor-to-ceiling aquarium inside the restaurant. Watch the fish swim by as you dine on delicacies like caviar, oysters, and lobster. Main dishes cost anywhere from $70 to $250. .


There's a floor-to-ceiling aquarium inside the restaurant. Watch the fish swim by as you dine on delicacies like caviar, oysters, and lobster. Main dishes cost anywhere from $70 to $250.

Or if you'd rather look at the city skyline, dine in Al Muntaha, a restaurant on the 27th floor with views of the Gulf. .


Or if you'd rather look at the city skyline, dine in Al Muntaha, a restaurant on the 27th floor with views of the Gulf.

After dinner, grab a drink in the sleek Skyview bar..


After dinner, grab a drink in the sleek Skyview bar.

Or sit outside at the bar overlooking the outdoor pool. .


Or sit outside at the bar overlooking the outdoor pool.

To relax, head to the tranquil indoor infinity pool which overlooks the Persian Gulf..


To relax, head to the tranquil indoor infinity pool which overlooks the Persian Gulf.


Saturday, May 18, 2013

Competition-Winning Pictures Of Life On Earth

A stick insect (Timema poppensis) almost completely blends into a coast redwood tree (Sequoia sempervirens). The eye behind the winning image is Moritz Muschick from the University of Sheffield. .


A stick insect (Timema poppensis) almost completely blends into a coast redwood tree (Sequoia sempervirens). The eye behind the winning image is Moritz Muschick from the University of Sheffield.

Laetitia Kernaleguen won the Behavioral and Physiological Ecology category for her photo of two male Southern elephant seals in bloody battle over a harem of females. .


Laetitia Kernaleguen won the Behavioral and Physiological Ecology category for her photo of two male Southern elephant seals in bloody battle over a harem of females.

First place in the Community, Population and Macroecology category went to Michael Siva-Jothy for his shot of a Scarce swallowtail and a Polistine wasp converging on a Scabius flower. .


First place in the Community, Population and Macroecology category went to Michael Siva-Jothy for his shot of a Scarce swallowtail and a Polistine wasp converging on a Scabius flower.

This Galapagos tortoise trudges along a man-made road on Santa Cruz island. Hara Woltz won the Conservation Ecology and Biodiversity Research category for her subtle reminder on how human development impacts animal habitat. .


 This Galapagos tortoise trudges along a man-made road on Santa Cruz island. Hara Woltz won the Conservation Ecology and Biodiversity Research category for her subtle reminder on how human development impacts animal habitat.

This photo of a subalpine flower meadow in Colorado made Benjamin Blonder of the University of Arizona the overall runner-up in the competition. The green of leaves and grasses comes from the chemicals that enable the plants to feed off sunlight and survive, while the brightly colored flowers are what attract insects who pollinate them and help them reproduce. .


This photo of a subalpine flower meadow in Colorado made Benjamin Blonder of the University of Arizona the overall runner-up in the competition. The green of leaves and grasses comes from the chemicals that enable the plants to feed off sunlight and survive, while the brightly colored flowers are what attract insects who pollinate them and help them reproduce.


Terracing is an ancient farming practice that has allowed people to farm steep slopes in mountainous or hilly areas. Yulin Jia's photo of a terraced rice paddy in Yuanyang, China won the Landscape Ecology and Ecosystems category..


Terracing is an ancient farming practice that has allowed people to farm steep slopes in mountainous or hilly areas. Yulin Jia's photo of a terraced rice paddy in Yuanyang, China won the Landscape Ecology and Ecosystems category.

Two frogs leap for their lives as a duck jumps onto a branch in a pond. This photo was taken by Thomas Jensen of the Medical Prognosis Institute in Denmark..


Two frogs leap for their lives as a duck jumps onto a branch in a pond. This photo was taken by Thomas Jensen of the Medical Prognosis Institute in Denmark.


Benjamin Blonder snapped this magnetic glimpse of an iridescent hoverfly in Puerto Rico. .


Benjamin Blonder snapped this magnetic glimpse of an iridescent hoverfly in Puerto Rico.

The University of Lausanne's Sylvain Dubey earned some praise for this photo of two bulldog ants squaring off..


The University of Lausanne's Sylvain Dubey earned some praise for this photo of two bulldog ants squaring off.


When wind blows over tiny dinoflagellates (a form of plankton), it triggers a chemical reaction that makes the water glow a luminous blue. The University of Stellenbosch's Bruce Anderson caught this ethereal display at twilight..


When wind blows over tiny dinoflagellates (a form of plankton), it triggers a chemical reaction that makes the water glow a luminous blue.  The University of Stellenbosch's Bruce Anderson caught this ethereal display at twilight.


Friday, May 17, 2013

Pictures From The National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Osprey taking off from his perch..


Osprey taking off from his perch.

An alligator and turtles together in a pond..


An alligator and turtles together in a pond.

A wild parrot perched near a cafe outside of Aquas Calientes in the Cuzco region of Peru..


A wild parrot perched near a cafe outside of Aquas Calientes in the Cuzco region of Peru.

The hummingbird and the flower.


The hummingbird and the flower

Leopard looking out in South Africa..


Leopard looking out in South Africa.

Sea Lion on Pacific Coast of Oregon..


Sea Lion on Pacific Coast of Oregon.

Two newly hatched Gentoo Penguin chicks get their first glimpse at the Antarctic wilderness..


Two newly hatched Gentoo Penguin chicks get their first glimpse at the Antarctic wilderness.

A family of snow monkeys cuddling up together for security and warmth. .


A family of snow monkeys cuddling up together for security and warmth.

Two zebras in Eastern Cape, South Africa..


Two zebras in Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Alligator hanging out in a pond in South Carolina..


Alligator hanging out in a pond in South Carolina.

A surprise companion, the Pacific Tree Frog, lurking in the lichen..


A surprise companion, the Pacific Tree Frog, lurking in the lichen.

Whaleshark encounter in the Bohol Sea, Philippines..


Whaleshark encounter in the Bohol Sea, Philippines.

Monday, May 13, 2013

15 Corporate Logos That Contain Subliminal Messaging

FedEx — The FedEx logo hides an arrow in its negative space. 


FedEx — The FedEx logo hides an arrow in its negative space. Even a glance subliminally inspires thoughts of efficiency and forward motion.

Vaio —  The 'VA' is designed as an analog waveform, the 'IO' is binary code..


Vaio — This cool logo for Sony's computers represents the brand's integration of analog and digital technology. The 'VA' is designed as an analog waveform, the 'IO' is binary code.

Baskin Robbins — This logo advertises its number of ice cream flavors (31)..


Baskin Robbins — This logo, introduced in 2005, cleverly uses the company's initials to advertise its number of ice cream flavors (31).

Tour de France — the Tour de France logo contains a well-integrated biker..


Tour de France — Slightly more abstract than the other examples, the Tour de France logo contains a well-integrated biker.

Toblerone — See the dancing bear in the mountain? 


Toblerone — See the dancing bear in the mountain? The design is a tribute to the Swiss town where the chocolate was developed.

Milwaukee Brewers — See the ball and the glove how about the the "M" and "b"..


Milwaukee Brewers — It's easy to miss the second meaning of this throwback logo from the baseball team.

Amazon — The arrow points from a to z, referring to all that is available on Amazon.com, and it doubles as a satisfied smile (with dimple). .


Amazon — The cleverness of this logo is twofold. The arrow points from a to z, referring to all that is available on Amazon.com, and it doubles as a satisfied smile (with dimple).

Tostitos — feelings of togetherness and friendship over chips and salsa..


Tostitos — The not-so-hidden design within this logo conjures up feelings of togetherness and friendship over chips and salsa.

Eighty20 — This market data research company incorporated the binary code spelling of their name. Using blue squares as ones and grey squares as zeros, 1010000 (80) is the top line, while 0010100 (20) is the bottom..


Eighty20 — This market data research company incorporated the binary code spelling of their name. Using blue squares as ones and grey squares as zeros, 1010000 (80) is the top line, while 0010100 (20) is the bottom. 


Sun Microsystems —  the graphic to the left does not spell "Sun" it is an ambigram of "u" & "n"


Sun Microsystems — Before it was bought by Oracle, Sun was a major computer manufacturer. Its logo is a perfect ambigram; it can be read from any direction. (Note also that the graphic doesn't actually include an S, merely artfully arranged u's and n's.)

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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

picturesque Skylines around The World

Macao, China.


#25 Macao, China 

 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.


#23 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

#22 Jakarta, Indonesia.


#22 Jakarta, Indonesia

Beijing, China.


#21 Beijing, China

 Mumbai, India.


#20 Mumbai, India

 Panama City, Panama.


#19 Panama City, Panama

 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.


#17 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Chongqing, China.


#16 Chongqing, China

 Shenzhen, China.


#15 Shenzhen, China

 Busan, South Korea.


#14 Busan, South Korea

 Toronto, Canada.


#13 Toronto, Canada

Guangzhou, China.


#12 Guangzhou, China

 Moscow, Russia.


#11 Moscow, Russia

 Shanghai, China.


#8 Shanghai, China

 São Paulo, Brazil.


#7 São Paulo, Brazil

#6 Seoul, South Korea.


#6 Seoul, South Korea

 

New York, USA.


#2 New York, USA

 Hong Kong, China.


#1 Hong Kong, China