This is something you probably did not know about the Earth. These giant holes in the earth’s crust, created by nature or by human hands.

Monticello Dam was constructed between 1953 and 1957. The dam is a medium concrete-arch dam with a structural height of 304 ft (93 m) and a crest length of 1023 ft (312 m). It contains 326,000 cubic yards (249,000 m?) of concrete. Napa County, California, United States.

Guatemala city – A 330-foot-deep sinkhole killed at least two teenagers as it swallowed about a dozen homes early Friday and forced the evacuation of nearly 1,000 people in a crowded Guatemala City neighborhood. Officials blamed the sinkhole on recent rains and an underground sewage flow from a ruptured main.

Mir Mine (kimberlite diamond pipe “Peace”) is an abandoned open pit diamond mine located in Mirny, Eastern Siberia. The mine is 525 m deep and has a diameter of 1200 m. It was the first and one of the largest diamond pipes of the USSR.

The Bingham Canyon Mine is an open-pit mine extracting a large porphyry copper deposit southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, in the Oquirrh Mountains. It is owned by Rio Tinto plc through Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation which operates the mine, a concentrator and a smelter. The mine has been in production since 1906, and has resulted in the creation of a pit over 0.75 miles (1.2 km) deep, 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, and covering 1,900 acres (7.7 km2). According to Kennecott, it is the world’s largest man-made excavation.
Over its life, Bingham Canyon has proven to be one of the world’s most productive mines. As of 2004, ore from the mine has yielded more than 17 million tons (15.4 Mt) of copper, 23 million ounces (652 t) of gold, 190 million ounces (5386 t) of silver, and 850 million pounds (386 kt) of molybdenum. The value of these resources is greater than the Comstock Lode, Klondike, and California gold rush mining regions combined. Cumulatively, Bingham Canyon has produced more copper than any other mine in the world, although mines in Chile, Arizona, and New Mexico now exceed Bingham Canyon’s annual production rate. High molybdenum prices in 2005 made the molybdenum produced at Bingham Canyon in that year worth even more than the copper. The value of the metal produced in 2006 at Bingham Canyon was US$1.8 billion dollars.
The mine is regarded as one of the most up-to-date integrated copper operations in the world, employing 1,400 people. The smelting and refining facilities are recognised as being among the world’s best for environmental protection practice and achievement.
The infrastructure required for an operation this size is impressive. 450,000 tons (408 kt) of material are removed from the mine daily. Electric shovels can carry up to 56 cubic yards (43 m3) or 98 tons (89 t) of ore in a single scoop. Ore is loaded into a fleet of 64 very large dump trucks which each carry 255 tons (231 t) of ore at a time, at a cost of approximately US$3 million per truck. There is a five mile (8 km) series of conveyors that take ore to the Copperton concentrator and flotation plant. The longest conveyor is 2.5 miles (4 km) long and passes through an existing railroad tunnel inside the mine.

Kimberley is famous for the Big Hole, which is often called the worlds deepest man made hole. Kimberley is the place where diamonds are found. And the Big Hole is a huge pit, almost circular and 215m deep, right in the middle of the town. Just for completeness sake: Kimberley Big Hole is not the biggest man made hole, that is Jagersfontein Mine.
The diamonds found at Kimberly were formed in vertical pipes. Huge layers of rocks eroded, and so it is cut through by todays surface. The circular pipe reaches the surface right on the farm, two Dutch settlers bought in 1871. The two brothers called Johannes Nicolaas and Diederik Arnoldus de Beer soon discovered the diamonds on their ground. This lead to a diamond rush, which made it impossible for them to keep the land. They were not able to protect it from the growing tide of intruders, so they sold it. And although they did not become the owners of the mines, one of the mines inherited their name and until today the diamond trade is connected with their names. De Beers is the company which today controlls virtually all diamonds on Earth.
Today the Big Hole is about 215m deep, but 40m of ground water leave only 175m visible. Originally the hole was 240m deep, but after it was abandoned it was used to throw debris in. The underground Kimberly Mine was mined to a depth of 1097m.

The Diavik Diamond Mine is a diamond mine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada, about 300 kilometres (186 miles) north of Yellowknife. It has become an important part of the regional economy, employing 700, grossing C$100 million in sales, and producing 8 million carats or about 1,600 kg (3,527 lb) of diamonds annually. The area was surveyed in 1992 and construction began in 2001, with production commencing in January 2003. It is connected by an ice road and Diavik Airport with a 5,235 feet (1,596 m) gravel runway regularly accommodating Boeing 737 jet aircraft.

The Great Blue Hole is a large underwater sinkhole off of the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 60 miles from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is almost perfectly circular, over 1,000 feet across and 400 feet deep. It was formed as a limestone cave system during the last ice age when sea levels were much lower. As the ocean began to rise again the caves flooded, and the roof collapsed.
This site was made famous by Jacques-Yves Cousteau who declared it one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world. In 1971 he brought his ship, the Calypso to the hole to chart its depths.

This Cognac is ultimate luxury! Henri IV Dudognon Heritage, valued in the decanter shown here at 1 million British pounds sterling ($1.9 million US).

The name Henri IV honors the French king (1553-1610) who is a direct ancestor of Claudine Dudognon–Buraud, heiress to Maison Dudognon, which is located in the center of the smallest area of France’s Cognac Grande Champagne region. It has been producing this cognac since 1776. The decanter is made of 24 K Yellow Gold & Sterling Platinum and decorated with 6,500 certified brilliant cut diamonds. It weighs about 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) and is filled with 33 ounces of Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne, aged in barrels for more than 100 years to produce an alcohol content of 41%. This a luxury masterpiece was created by jeweller Jose Davalos.

The most expensive Tequila – Tequila Ley .925

Mexican tequila distilling company called Tequila Ley .925 made the most expensive tequila bottle in the world – which currently holds the Guinness World Book of Records title for the most expensive tequila bottle ever made. Tequila Ley .925 an estimated value of 1 million Euros. Bottle made of platinum, adorned 6,000 brilliant-cut diamonds 1 to 30 points “D” quality. Bottle design by Fernando Altamirano.

The most expensive Vodka – DIVA Premium Vodka

Each bottle is decorated with precious stones. As a result, the cost of one bottle DIVA Premium Vodka is between £ 2000 to £ 540000 (from $ 3700 to $ 1000000). It is triple-distilled, ice-filtered, filtered through purifying Nordic birch charcoal, then finally passed through a fine sand of diamonds and gems.

Sun corporation:

Columbia cloth:

Even Windows:

Iranian necklace dated to as early as 1000 BC

Swastika hangs on all pagodas. For example, in Japan:

The use of swastikas for decoration of pottery and other wares was most frequent in Russia.  Go to a local history museum and get an insight into embroidery.

«Light flux» on the Russian ornament in XIX century. This fragment depicts two types of square swastikas.

In 1917 swastika was on old Russian money.

Then came Hitler, who took the swastika as a logo for Nazis. A page from the Nazi brand book:

On this photo is occupied Kharkiv.

All people all over the world promised to kill Hitler, so eventually he was killed. Then swastika was proclaimed as the biggest evil in the world. While all Nazi symbols were borrowed from another countries and cultures. Eagles were from Rome, runes – Iceland, swastika – India. It means that all these images are dated back more than thousand years ago.

Today the swastika can be found in any East Asian country, from Mongolia to Korea. Mongolians keep their native swastika even during the times of Soviet Communism.

US Navy Seabees Baracks. The Navy expects you to believe they had no idea their building was built in the shape of a Swastika, in 1960, only 15 years after America had cast the Swastika as the symbol of everything evil in this world and the next.

On this photo are portrayed walls of the Embassy of South Korea in Moscow.

Something more about swastika

The earliest consistent use of swastika motifs in the archaeological record date to the early years BC. But this symbol never loses his mysterious spiritual magnetism.
In fact there is no sphere of human life, where Swastika did not penetrate. But from many Swastika types we decided to choose only one – a classic rectangular swastika because it is very popular in our world. Since some types are so clear, so we divided them into separate fragments.

Russia/ Swastika on the robes of the Orthodox clergy.

Russia/ Vedenye city. The cross on the church.

Russia/ The sign on the cloth of  the Red Army Forces in 1919.

Israel /Swastika on the mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue.

?any synagogues decorated with different swastika types.

Maoz-Haim, Israel / The mosaic floor of the ancient synagogue in  IV-XI century BC decorated with swastika.

China. Harbin/ Buddhist temple. 15 meter high statue of Buddha.

China/ Swastika even on symbols

Hong Kong. A huge bronze statue of Buddha with a swastika on his chest.

Nepal/ Here in the form of the Swastika flower beds.

India

Swastika crowns mandir

India/ Ganesha Temple. (The swastika is situated in the top part of the Temple).

India /On bazaar.

Taiwan/ Buddhist center.

Singapore/ A statuette of Buddha.

Singapore/The swastika in circles on the gate of the court.

Throughout Indochina supermarkets swastika can be found  as a symbol signifying a vegetarian meal.

In ancient Greece, on Crete and in Troy, swastika was widely used as a decorative element in the temples, on clothing and shields of warriors, household utensils.

Vase with geometric pattern. 8 centuryBC

Sweaters of players are adorned with swastika in a circle.

Canada/ Women’s Hockey Team in Edmonton. 1916

Swastika as a sign of gratitude was used in  American scouts community.

“The Swastika 9″ Girls Softball Team, Hanford or White Bluffs, Washington, 1925

The Altar of Peace in Rome

United States, United Kingdom.

Swastika can often be found on the tissues. Jacqueline Kennedy – wife of President John F. Kennedy,  had in her wardrobe the clothing with swastikas.

In 1933  Rudyard Kipling  used Swastika as a personal emblem. It embodies strength, beauty, originality and inspiration for him. With the participation of Paul Klee swastika became the emblem of the avant-garde artistic and Bauhaus architectural associations.

Settlement of the miners, five miles from Kirkland Lake (Ontario, USA) is called Swastika.

Swastika, Ontario, Canada. Incorporated in 1908

The swastika was often printed by E. Phillips and other manufacturers of postcards in the U.S. and Britain in 1900-1910’s.
They called it only as “a cross of happiness”, consisting of “four L”: Love, Light, Life and Luck. Before the confrontation with Nazi Germany, American housewives often embroidered swastika ornaments.

Prohibiting the ideology of National Socialism, the court at Nuremberg was not slow to associate everything with swastika.
If the idiotic ban on Nazi symbols would be canceled (how many years have passed), all symbols of neo-Nazis would have been fully washed away with billions of logos on the basis of the swastika.

Prohibit on swastika is like to prohibit the circle, square or triangle. Swastika is good with its symmetrical and rhythmic repetition, which underlies the half of the visual compositions.

I’m for the canceling of all restrictions on the use of the swastika. If the reader wants to conclude that I support Nazis, than he is wrong. I’m for the freedom of graphics expression.

Collection of the best Las Vegas Weddings photos.

A wedding party poses before a vintage Las Vegas neon sign moments after the marriage ceremony at a nearby chapel.

Florida residents Larry and Nicole Ford marry in Las Vegas and make a stop on Fremont Street to view the legendary Vegas signs as part of their wedding photo tour of the Strip.

A couple finalizes their Las Vegas wedding after a quick ceremony at the Little White Wedding Chapel, which features drive-through service.

Newlyweds pedal down Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas on a classic cruiser-style bicycle.

Newlyweds share a kiss as the sun sets behind palm trees in a Las Vegas display featuring a rotund statue of Elvis.

Newlyweds pose before a mural along Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas.

Newlyweds cavort along downtown Las Vegas’s Fremont Street.

A couple from the Netherlands pose shortly after their wedding at the Chapel of Flowers.

The wedding reception for these newlyweds includes refreshments from the In-N-Out Burger joint.

Elvis impersonator Greg Miller entertains guests at a Las Vegas wedding reception.

Source: National Geographic. Photos: Jared & Trish McMillen/StudioATG.com

See also http://lumq.com/03/wedding-in-jerusalem/

2 women and a man are standing by a fast river when the grim reaper comes says to them that either they cross the river or he kills them, the first women dives in an d drowns immedietly. the second women jumps in and makes it half way across but drowns. the grim reaper says to the man, now what will you do, and the man says, i’ll go across the bridge.

“”What’s the fastest way to a man’s heart?
Through his chest with a sharp knife”" -
a knife she got from the kitchen.

What’s the first thing a woman does when she gets back from the battered women’s clinic?
The god damned dishes if she knows what’s good for her.

i ****** everyones mum who reads this and sucked her ***** like a ice creem
Why did God make woman last?
He didn’t want someone telling him what to do.

Why do women get married in white?
So they match the kitchen appliances!

Whats the difference between your wife and your dog?
Walking the dog is relaxing.

What is the difference between a battery and a woman?
A battery has a positive side.

What have you done wrong when you wife comes out of the kitchen and starts nagging you? made the chain too long.

A man is driving along in his car when he suddenly gets pulled over by the police, the man pokes his head out of the window and says “what seems to be the problem officer?” the cop looks bluntly at him and says “are you aware that a woman fell out of your car about 2 minutes ago?” the man let out a sigh “thank **** for that i thought i had gone deaf!”

Why did the woman cross the road?
Wait, better question, why is she out of the kitchen!?

Why don’t women wear watches?
There’s a clock on the stove.

Why do women have short feet?
So they can stand closer to the stove.

Why dont women have a penis?
So they can stand closer to the kitchen sink.

Why don’t women need drivers licenses?
There is no road between the bedroom and the kitchen.

Why couldn’t Hellen Keller drive?
Because she was a woman.

How many men does it take to open a beer?
-None, it should be opened when she brings it to you.

A man is walking down the beach and comes across an old bottle. He picks it up, pulls out the cork and out pops a genie. The genie says “Thank you for freeing me from the bottle. In return I will grant you three wishes.” The man says “Great. I always dreamed of this and I know exactly what I want. First, I want 1 Billion dollars in a Swiss bank account.” Phoof! There is a flash of light and a piece of paper with account numbers appears in his hand. He continues, “Next, I want a brand new red Ferrari right here.” Phoof! There is a flash of light and a bright red brand-new Ferrari appears right next to him. He continues, “Finally, I want to be irresistible to women.” Phoof! There is a flash of light and he turns into a box of chocolates.

What if God’s a woman? Not only am I going to hell, I’ll never know why.
(Adam Ferrara)

What do you call a woman with two brain cells?
Pregnant.

If your dog is barking at the back door and Danielle Cardella is yelling at the front door, who do you let in first?
The Dog of course…at least he’ll shut up after you let him in!

Why haven’t any women ever gone to the moon?
It doesn’t need cleaning yet

How is a woman like a laxative?
They both irritate the crap out of you.

Woman inspires us to great things…and prevents us from achieving them. (Dumas)

What do you do when your dishwasher breaks?
You hit her.

Wanna hear a funny joke?
women’s rights.

What do you tell a woman with two black eyes?
Nothing, shes already been told twice.

How many men does it take to screw in a light bulb?
None, let the ***** cook in the dark!

women are cute and cuddly – every man should own one.

How are women and high school phone policies similar?
Because they can be seen but not heard
Jack and jill went up the hill so jack can lick jills fanny,he got a shock and a mouthful ****. because jills a pre-op tranny (by b.scales)
Why do women live longer than men?
Because God adds them the time that they wasted on parking.

How do you get a woman dizzy?

Put her in a circular room and tell her to go to a corner.

A man runs over his wife. Whose fault is it?
The man, he shouldn’t be driving in the kitchen.

“Q:Why did God create man before woman?
A:Because your always supposed to have a rough draft before creating your masterpiece.”
Yeah right, a masterpiece who doesn’t know the difference between you’re and your.

how many women does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
none she can cook in the dark

© Reuters, DPA, Getty Images

Alhambra (12th century) Granada, Spain
Mohammed I, the first king of the Nasriden – a Moorish dynasty in Granada – converted a 9th-century castle into his private royal residence, and it is this which we now know as the Alhambra. The structure, which covers an area of 13 hectares, is renowned for its stunning frescoes and interior detail. The building is one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture in the world and is among Europe’s most-visited tourist attractions.

Angkor (12th century) Cambodia
Angkor is the most important monument of the south-east Asian Khmer Empire and the world’s largest sacred temple. Built during the reign of King Suryavaman, at the beginning of the 12th century, Angkor is noted for its intricate ornamentation and striking beauty. With its water moats, concentric walls and magnificent temple mountain in the center, Angkor Wat symbolizes the Hindu cosmos, with its oceans at the periphery and the Meru mountain at the center of its universe.

Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.

The Hagia Sophia (532 – 537 A.D.) Istanbul, Turkey
The Hagia Sophia was erected during the reign of Emperor Justinian (532 – 537 A.D.), when the Byzantine Empire was at the height of its power and influence. The massive dome, which is the prominent architectural feature, has since often been used as a model for the design of Islamic mosques. Indeed, after the fall of Byzantium, the Hagia Sophia was converted into an Ottoman mosque. Today, the monument is a museum serving both Christians and Muslims.

Kiyomizu Temple (749 – 1855) Kyoto, Japan
Laid out in 794 A.D., the palaces and temples of Kyoto were the residences of Japan’s emperors and shoguns for more than 1,000 years. The Japanese Emperor is enthroned at the Imperial Palace of Gosho. Among other significant works are the Higashi Nonganji and Nishi Hoganji temple complexes, the Kinkakuji Temple with its ‘Golden Pavilion‘ and the Kiyomizu Temple, the temp
le of “clear waters.” The Kyoto sites have been destroyed and rebuilt many times throughout history and are today among Asia’s greatest cultural heritage sites.

The Kremlin and Red Square (1156 – 1850) Moscow, Russia
Built as a residence for Ivan I, the Kremlin was the official residence of the Czars until the 1917 Russian Revolution. Today, it still houses the President’s office. In front of the Kremlin is Red Square – an impressive and exuberant plaza which, for many people, is associated with the infamous May Day demonstrations. Rising from the square is St Basil’s Cathedral, built in the 1550s to commemorate Ivan the Terrible’s capture of the Mongol stronghold of Kazan.

Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru
In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu (“old mountain”). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained ‘lost’ for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Neuschwanstein Castle (1869 -1884) Schwangau, Germany
Neuschwanstein Castle was built in a time when castles and fortresses were no longer strategically necessary. Instead, it was born of pure fantasy – a beautiful, romantic composition of towers and walls in the perfect setting of mountains and lakes. The combination of various architectural styles and intrinsic craftwork has inspired generations of adults and children alike.

Petra (9 B.C. – 40 A.D.), Jordan
On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.

The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures – the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.

Statues of Easter Island (10th – 16th Century) Easter Island, Chile
Discovered on Easter Sunday, 1722 by Dutch explorer Jakob Roggeveen, this collection of 25 meter-high stone sculptures still puzzles historians and archaeologists as to its origins. It is believed that a society of Polynesian origin settled here in the 4th century and established a unique tradition of monumental sculpture. Between the 10th and 16th centuries, they erected the enormous stone figures, known as the Moai, which have long fascinated the entire world and endowed this island with a mythical atmosphere.

Stonehenge (3000 B.C. – 1600 B.C.) Amesbury, United Kingdom
Construction of Stonehenge took place between ca. 3000 and 1600 B.C. With each stone weighing around 50 tons, it is regarded as a truly amazing feat of engineering. Although it is not clear who built the monument, nor for what purpose, it has been speculated that it was either a temple dedicated to the worship of ancient earth deities, an astronomical observatory or a sacred burial site.

Sydney Opera House (1954 – 73) Sydney, Australia
When the Sydney Opera House was finished in 1973, this landmark building – in the true sense of the expression, – put the whole continent of Australia on the world map. This building does not imitate or reflect what we generally imagine an opera house might look like, indeed, it is a completely abstract interpretation. The ability to create abstract art only developed after the invention of photography in the late 19th century, when painters first began to experiment with an abstract, cubist interpretation of reality.

The Acropolis of Athens (450 – 330 B.C.) Athens, Greece
Built atop what is known as the “Sacred Rock” of Athens, the Acropolis was to radiate power and protection for its citizens. The temples of the Acropolis have become the some of most famous architectural landmarks of ancient and modern history. Today, the Parthenon in particular is an international symbol of Greek civilization. A graphic illustration of the temple also appears in the UNESCO logo, representing culture and education.

The Eiffel Tower (1887 – 89) Paris, France
The creation of Gustave Eiffel, this magnificent steel tower has come to serve as a symbol of Paris, as well as of France itself. The structure is not only a landmark that is recognized all over the world, but is perhaps the most popular architectural achievement in the Western world. It was the tallest man-made structure in the world until the Empire State Building was constructed. The tower is visited by six million people every year.

Timbuktu (12th century) Mali
In the 12th century, Timbuktu was at the crossroads of the four most important caravan paths supplying the Arab world, which then spanned from the Middle East all the way to Spain. The accumulation of wealth made it one of the wealthiest places on earth at the time. This allowed one of the first universities in the history of humankind to be established– the celebrated Islamic university called the Koranic Sankore, where 20,000 students studied law, medicine, rhetoric, etc. Today, it remains with us as a powerful myth and, in this way, resembles another Ancient Wonder, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 – 1644 A.D.) China
The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.

The Pyramids of Giza (2600 – 2500 B.C), Egypt
The Pyramids of Giza, the oldest and only Ancient Wonder still standing, are testimony to perfection in art and design, never subsequently achieved. They were built by planners and engineers purely to serve their earthy rulers – who were also their gods. Philosophy did not exist at this time, and creation was not subject to any questioning. The pyramids are the purest of constructions, built for eternity.

The Roman Colosseum (70 – 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy
This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum’s original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.

The Statue of Liberty (1886) New York City, U.S.A.
The Statue of Liberty was a gift of the French government to the United States to honor the ideals of freedom and independence. It was a very early gesture of national generosity. This huge statue became a symbol of hope and freedom for many hundreds of millions of people who immigrated to the United States during the 20th century to find a new life of peace and prosperity.

One of the most unusual tribes of the world — Mursi lives in Ethiopia. They are considered the most aggressive ethnic group. All men of this tribe have Kalashnikov’s automatons which are illegally transferred for them through the border. Besides they start to drink since the early morning, and become uncontrollable till the evening.

Those soldiers of the tribe who has not automatons or who has simply left them in the dwelling carry sticks with themselves. With the help of these sticks they prove their leadership. A man who pretends it should hammer the competitors to semi death.

This tribe, probably, belongs to mutants of the Negroid race, because it differs considerably from the usual standards of beauty by its appearance. Both men and women are cobby, big-boned and bandy-leg. Low foreheads, flat noses, short necks. Bodies are flabby with the flubbed bellies and the humped backs. There is almost no hair on their heads. That is why all women-mursi generally wear the intricate headdresses of a difficult design made of branches, rough skin, marsh mollusks, dried up fruits, dead insects, someone’s tails and some smelly carrion. Their wrinkled masticated faces with small eyes have extremely malignant and wary appearance.

One more interesting fact is their very specific smell. It is possible to think that they simply wash themselves seldom, but then you find out that they rub themselves especially as the protection against all parasites.

The unique “ornament” of the face which they use, is absolutely unusual, even for wild people. The matter is that the lower lip of this tribe’s girls is cut in an early age. They begin to put into the lip the billets of wood, every time with the bigger and bigger diameter.

The hole in a lip gradually increases during years. The “plate” of the burnt clay is put into the hole on the women’s wedding-day. This plate is named daby. The functions of this daby we’ll explain later. The diameter of such daby in a lip can reach 30 centimeters, exceeding diameter of the head! However, the tradition to wear plates has appeared not because of beauty, rather vice-versa.

When Ethiopians were captured and taken into bondage, they violently had crippled themselves, and nobody wanted to take them after that. Now the size of a plate is a beauty criterion. The more is plate, the more cattle will be given for the bride. Girls-mursi always have a choice to do the hole in a lip or not. But for the girl without the stretched lip a very small repayment is given.

If such a plate is pulled out, the external edge of a lip under the hole will be 10-15 centimeters flabbied in the form of peculiar round plait. Many mursis do not have frontal teeth for the plate doesn’t knock the teeth. And all the time bleeding chapped tip of tongue sticks out like a rotten sting.

Besides women-mursi have the other ornaments hanging on their short necks. These ornaments are not less strange and terrible than daby. It is neck-lace made of bones and human nail phalanxes. It’s named a nak. Normally the usual man has about 28 such a stones. Nom less than four or six hands were used for making such a nak. Besides, some “ladies” have several such terrifying necklaces hanging on the neck. They fatly shine and exude a luscious fetid smell — every day they rub each bone of neck-lace with the melted human fat.

Their blown up bellies look exotically. The original ritual tattoos in the form of the symmetric lines consisting of separate hems are written on their skin. These «hillock» have various sizes and forms: round, oval, linear. They are “laid on” in rather peculiar and terrible way. The larvas of various land and water African insects-parasites are pushed under the skin through the notches on it.

They start to develop there. But starting struggle against the newcomers an organism encysts “strangers” by means of its connective tissue. Eventually these larvas die leaving their various tombs under the skin. Knowing it, mursi alternate the places of their introduction specially, depending on definitive “pattern” on the skin which they wish to receive. Practically for any offence a priestess of a tribe cuts off hands of a man who has broken laws (here naks are recollected at once).

A  ccording to traditions of this mystical tribe, all its women are Priestesses of Death. First in the evening they prepare some rather easy narcotic potion in their huts by pounding the dried fruits of a special marsh nut in a powder. Then the woman put the prepared potion on the plateau-debi and approaches the narcotic mix to the lips of her husband. Both of them start to pinch it simultaneously (thus the wife puts out tongue through the hole between teeth). This part of a ritual ceremony is called «the kiss of death». By the way, the way of usual for us kiss is unknown for them.

Then the bunch of some stupefying grass which starts to let out the streams of yellowish smoke is rushed to the smoulder. The man rises by the pole of “mezzanines” and lays down over the hearth so that the sweet streams go directly to his face. He doesn’t just lay down, but he places his head on deepening of a

special small stand-pillow. This small thingummy reminds the form of the coil. It is called brkuta and it is made of wood of a secret plant which wasn’t shown us. There are bout two tens of such surprising adaptations for dream in the hut of the Supreme Priestess of a tribe called — Srek.

Srek rubs each of them with one of the numerous potions and slanders a special individual spell. As a result, every brkuta becomes the carrier of some absolutely concrete dream! It can be “film” about successful hunting, or night of love, about a tasty gluttony, or victorious fight with enemies, etc. Every evening at the instance of husband the wife brings him a wooden headrest with that vision which he wishes to see before possible death. This part of a ceremony is called «the death dream». And this name is not so casual. While the man is dreaming sweet in a dope smoke, the wife is going to give him a poison.

The Supreme Priestess of tribe prepares this deadly powder of those bottom teeth which have been pulled out from women’s mouth, drawing them on the difficult potion made of nine herbs which grow on hummocks of dead Lotagipi marshes. After a while, the woman-mursi rises to the sleeping husband and blows the deadly powder into his mouth. This part of a mystical ceremony is called «the death sting». But the passions are not finished here. Having poisoned the husbands all Priestesses of death gather in a hut of Srek and carry out the mysterious ceremony there.

The ominous ritual finishes with the action which we have named «the death roulette. Mursi called it «the death gift». The Supreme Priestess passed by all the huts of village rising to the poisoned men and putting into their mouths the saving antidote. This mix is in her necklace which decorates her difficult “hairdress”. And no one except her and God of Death, Jamda, knows: who of men of the tribe is permitted to continue life and who is not. It happened that Srek did not give someone the antidote. In such case she left the hut and drawn white cross on the plate of his wife. Such woman remained the widow during the rest of life and had the respect in a tribe as the priestess who has done her duty for all-powerful Jamda.

The bodies of such widows are located in stumps of a hollow trunk and are suspended on branches of the special trees after their natural death. Bodies of all other fellow tribesmen, both men and women, boil down. Soft tissues and broth become the meals, potions and amulets. Skeletons of fellow tribesmen serve like stones for secret ways in dangerous bogs for not to fail.

However, something that seems wild for us, it is something blessing for this tribe. Mursi — is the servant of God of Death. Their belief says that bodies of men-mursi are some kind of ritual “prison” of God Jamda in which he concludes Souls of his assistants — Death Demons in case of their disobedience. And white strips on the bodies symbolize the fetters of a flesh temporarily constraining rebellious Spirit.

The woman-priestess destroyed these physical terrestrial fetters by methodically killing flesh of men with the narcotic poison. In this way they approached an hour of clearing for higher spiritual entity pining in them. These women are the simple Spirits of Darkness who was sent here for performance of mystical ritual ceremonies and who has the right to return to their Lord — only after natural death of the received body. Kindness doesn’t excide without harm, light — without darkness, and life — without death. And each person serves one of opposite forces, executing the mission which was given him by the Creator. And we have not to judge whose way and belief is more correct. The ancient tribe mursi simply executes the duty.

The Cuban photographer Alberto Corda took some photos of an argentine doctor and Cuban revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara in March of 1960.

This photo was assumed as a basis of the romantic revolutionist’s iconic image.

The nose image on the left and the palms one on the right didn’t go down in history.

Che Guevara couldn’t keep still on Cuba and was eager to do something, for instance revolution. He couldn’t also do anything in Congo, as this country was inhabited by sluggish people (How fascinating are Che’s Congolese diaries!) After all, Che Guevara moved to Bolivia and also failed to stir up Vallengrad peasantry to revolt. The Bolivian army soldiers (and of course, where to go without CIA) shot Che Guevara on 9th of October 1967. They didn’t shoot him in the face, so that it could be seen that the killed person was Che Guevara.

Everyone wanted to be photographed with a well-known dead body.

Che Guevara’s hands were cut off and sent to Cuba, so that the Argentine police could compare them with the file samples. The body was buried next to the landing strip in a common grave.

The Bolivians first cut off the hands, and after that decided to do the same thing with Che’s fingers.

Only in 1997 the Cuban delegation reported that the body was found. They transported the remains to Cuba, and then buried them in a Santa-Clara town mausoleum.

In the same year old man who took part in burying Che Guevara in Bolivia decided to put some documents, photos and the lock of Che’s hair up for auction. This lot was sold for 119 000 dollars. Willoldo insists that only he knows where Che Guevara is buried, and there are another person’s remains on Cuba.

Three days ago, on 19th of January, the stamp with the name “50 years of Cuban Revolution victory” (joint Russia and Cuba edition) was issued. And the star, unlike on the old Cuban stamp, was displayed, of course. It’s worthy to mention that the US can’t venture on such a stamp issue.

But now USA uses this type of Che image!

Years later I learned a lot about various methods to move practically anything regardless of the size. Nonetheless I’m still captivated by big mechanisms that can easily lift and move objects that are also humongous. All these mechanisms are nothing but extension of our own arms, a logical sequel of a digging stick, stone hammer, lever, etc. It started so simply, and has gone so far.

This picture shows a floating crane “Titan” lifting a passenger ferry Karrabbee in Sidney, Australia. During the traditional ferry competition one of ferries happened to… sink. Luckily it happened after all passengers had gotten off the board. So the organizers simply pulled the “Titan” to the site and picked up the ferry from the bottom. By the way, this thing actually floats itself too! Who knows, perhaps, if their catholic highnesses of middle ages knew of such machines in their time, there would have been fewer her majesty ships at the bottom of the see. “Titan” lifted Karrabbee in 1984. And in late 80s “Titan” sank itself when it was being towed from Australia to Asia during a storm or something. Don’t you just love this picture: “Titan” floating from Australia to Asia…

And this cutie is called “Yoshida”.

Doesn’t it look like one of those lovely monsters from Japanese movies? Say, Godzilla, Motra and such? Floating crane Yoshida was built by Mitsubishi heavy Industries Division. Its lifting capacity is 3700 tons with 925 tonns per each hook.


Here is a submarine hanging on its ropes as a fish on a fishing rod.

Here is a floating crane «Asian Hercules» puting down the famous Gateshead Millennium Bridge in New Castle.

«Asian Hercules» participated in dismantling of the world’s largest (as of 2002) gantry cranes “Kockums” and replacing it with the new one called “Hyundai”.

Here is “Kockums”, 128m high and capable of lifting 1,500 tons with rail track 175 meters wide and 710 meters long.


It was assembled in 1973-74. It stood in the shipyard in Malmo, in Sweden, and up till its dismantling it had participated in the construction of 75 boats and ships. For the very last time it was used in 1997 when it loaded the Oresund Bridge’s fundamental high pillars (see the picture below) onto a cargo ship.

By then the Kockums crane had significantly worn out. In the 1990s it was sold to Burmeister & Wain, a Danish company which soon became bankrupt even before the dismantling began. Thus the Kockums remained integral until 2002 when it was again sold to Hyundai Heavy Industries (a Korean company) for… (guess how much). One dollar! It was shipped thereafter to Korea as a historical object of interest. By the way, Koreans named it “Malmo tears”. The Swedes cried when saying goodbye to the Malmo landmark that served as a background to their lives.
Dismantling.

The Koreans put a bright Korean thingamajig in the place of the previous crane loved by so many Swedes.





Some retro: 1951, floating crane “London Mammoth” is towing a steamer.

7500t Full Revolving Floating Crane. This name speaks for itself. It lifts 7500 tonns and spins like an ice skater. It is set on a floating platform which also has another crane of a smaller size and plenty of various hoists – just in case. This wonder is assembled in Shanghai by the Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Co.

Seven and a half thousand tons – this is really a lot. I don’t think there are crane with bigger capacity. But we’ll keep looking.