AndyO Blog

I'm on a few e-mail lists, and sometimes I receive some real gems. Here's the body from one such mail that shows pictures of some of the world's biggest, largest, and longest buildings, machines, vehicles, etc. If you haven't seen this before, it's pretty interesting. And you'll have some great facts to dish out at the next party or event you attend.
WORLD'S LARGEST CHURCH

Basilica of our Lady of Peace, Yamoussoukro
Inside sitting capacity.....18,000. Outside overflow capacity..100,000

WORLD'S BIGGEST  INDOOR  SWIMMING POOL

World Water Park ... Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...SIZE..5 Acres

WORLD'S BIGGEST OFFICE COMPLEX ... CHICAGO

Chicago Merchandise Mart... Illinois , USA
WORLD'S BIGGEST SHOPPING   MALL


South China Mall, Dongguan, China ...892,000 meter-square
Shops on 6 floors
WORLD'S BUSIEST  AIRPORT..... NEW YORK


J.F.K International Airport, New York........USA

WORLD'S WIDEST BRIDGE... British Columbia

From Wikipedia: "The Port Mann Bridge is a 10-lane cable-stayed bridge that opened to traffic in 2012. It is currently the second longest cable-stayed bridge in North America and was the widest bridge in the world until the opening of the new Bay Bridge in California."

WORLD'S LONGEST   BRIDGE..... CHINA

Donghai Bridge, China ........32.5 kilometers
WORLD'S BIGGEST PASSENGER SHIP

MS Freedom of the Seas...4300 passenger capacity inside

WORLD'S BIGGEST PLANE

Airbus A380.....555 Passengers

WORLD'S BIGGEST BUS

Neoplan Jumbo cruiser....2 in 1 bus..double deck bus...170 passenger capacity

WORLD'S HIGHEST STATUE...... BRAZIL

CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE...RIO.D.J... BRAZIL

WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING... DUBAI


Burj Dubai....900 meters high. To be finally completed 2008
WORLD'S BIGGEST STADIUM... . BRAZIL


MARACANA STADIUM.... RIO D.J.... BRAZIL .....CAPACITY.199,000 -- only at 1950 FIFA World Cup. The stadium's current capacity is listed as 95,000.

WORLD'S COSTLIEST STADIUM... ENGLAND

New WEMBLEY STADIUM, London ..90,000 capacity......cost...$1.57 billion

WORLD'S BIGGEST EXCAVATOR

Built by KRUPP of Germany .....45,500 tons..95 meters high..215 meters long

WORLD'S LARGEST MOSQUE...... PAKISTAN


Shah Feisal mosque... Islamabad .. Pakistan
Inside hall capacity ..35,000 outside overflow capacity.. 150,000

WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL... LAS VEGAS

MGM Grand Hotel... Las Vegas ..5,044 rooms

WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HOTEL...DUBAI. U.A.E

Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai ..only 7 Star Hotel in the World
Cheapest room.$1000 per night....Royal suit.$28,000 per night
Check out these pictures of Tiger Woods at the Burj Al Arab Hotel.
WORLD'S BIGGEST   CHURCH   BUILDING... NIGERIA


Winners` Chapel...Canaanland ....  Otta.... Nigeria
Inside Sitting Capacity..50,000 Outside Overflow Capacity..250,000

Here are some additional Wikipedia links I found:
Largest buildings
Tallest buildings and structures

Labels: Fun, or interesting, random

I saw this once in the theater, but now it's online. Can't wait to see this one!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Trailer

Labels: Film

This year, I told my wife that I wasn't going to watch the Academy Awards. I said that I didn't have time, that I didn't really care who won, etc.

Around 7:00 p.m., Brenda turned on the show. I was working on the computer in the same room, and after a while I left the computer and sat down on the couch to watch. And then I pretty much watched the rest of the show.

Watching the show in high-definition for the first time, I found myself studying the audience and picking out, say, Harrison Ford or Jack Nicholson. It was almost as if I was standing there onstage with Jon Stewart. I was hypnotized.

Many people say that this was a banner year for movies. Some say that we haven't seen this level of creativity and quality since the 1970s. While I haven't seen all the films that topped the critics' list, I did see Juno and There Will Be Blood, and liked them both. I guess it tells you something that Hollywood outsiders, the Coen Brothers, won multiple Oscars this year for their movie No Country for Old Men.  

The morning after the Oscars, I read an e-mail story that my dad sent me about how many of the movies that have withstood the test of time didn't get the Oscar in their day. For example, Citizen Kane, recognized by most to be the best film ever made, only got one Oscar (for screenwriting). I wrote back:

Yes, I've heard that many of the greatest films were snubbed. I remember the first time I was aware of this was when Star Wars lost to Annie Hall for Best Picture. I think Annie Hall is a brilliant film (now, anyway), but Star Wars has had a much greater impact on film -- and is considered one of the greatest films now (like Citizen Kane).

So, it goes to show you that the Academy's taste doesn't always stand the test of time -- that the awards don't really matter as far as art is concerned. But for those of us who love movies -- the Academy Awards are a yearly party that we can attend to honor the craft of filmmaking (at least virtually). Which is why even when I say I'm not going to attend that party anymore, I somehow always find myself sitting in front of the TV.  

Labels: Film