THE WORLD TALLEST AND BIGGEST!!!

The World's Tallest and Biggest
By Paul Stasi
Dubai's Palm Islands
Photo: Corbis
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The World's Largest Man-Made Islands
Perhaps no structure on this list more embodies the original impulse behind the tall building — pure human hubris — than Dubai’s Palm Islands. Composed of three separate islands, Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, the entire construction will add nearly 330 miles of beach front to the city of Dubai. Parts of Palm Jumeirah are currently open for development, with the remaining islands to be completed in the next 10-15 years. When finished, the three islands will contain over 100 luxury hotels while Palm Deira itself will be almost as large as Paris.
In Pictures: World’s 20 Tallest & Biggest
The World's Tallest Dam
Construction began on the Nurek Dam (984 feet) in 1961 while the central Asian nation of Tajikistan was still a republic within the Soviet Union, and was completed an efficient 19 years later. The dam provides 98 percent of Tajikistan’s electrical needs and was one of the first to be constructed with an asphalt central core of cement forming an impermeable barrier along the Vakhsh River.
The World's Tallest Hotel Not in Dubai
Though eclipsed both by Dubai’s Rose Tower and Jumeirah Emirates Tower, the Baiyoke Tower II in Bangkok, Thailand, nevertheless boasts 88 floors and 673 guest rooms. The 997-foot Tower is located in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district known for its shopping and its 1.5 mile long artificial lake.
The World's Tallest Monument
Commonly known as the “Gateway to the West” the St. Louis Arch, designed by renowned architect Eero Saarinen, marks the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The arch is surrounded by a 91-acre national park along the Mississippi River and stands 630-feet-tall. Visitors can take a four-minute tram ride up one of the “legs” of the arch to the observation deck at its center for spectacular views of St. Louis.
The World's Tallest Hotel Never Actually Completed
Destined for greatness, the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea, stands at 1,083 feet, was supposed to boast 105 floors and 3.9 million-square-feet of floor space, and was meant to have seven revolving restaurants. Not surprisingly this towering pyramid’s construction was put on hold in 1992 when North Korea confronted more pressing matters. What remains is the pyramid itself, but it lacks windows and fixtures and has been deemed unsafe for human occupancy.
The World's Tallest Casino (sort of)
Unsurprisingly located in Las Vegas, the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino boasts a 1,149-foot-tall observation tower and restaurant, making it the tallest free-standing tower in the United States. While you can be shot straight up 160 feet in the air, or ride a mechanical arm over the Tower’s edge, there are no actual games in the tower itself.
The World's Tallest Bar
On the 87th floor of Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower–literally “Golden Prosperity Building”–is the appropriately titled Cloud Nine. In February 2001, cocktail-sipping patrons observed Han Qizhi, a 31-year-old shoe salesman, climb the 1,214 foot tower barehanded.
The World's Largest House
Indisputably, the Sultan of Brunei’s Istana Nurul Iman is the world’s largest residence. Really more of a palace, this structure boasts an impressive 2,152,782-square-feet of space, comprised of 1,788 rooms (including 257 bathrooms), and is home to the Sultan's car collection, including 165 Rolls Royces. (It easily dwarfs Buckingham Palace's 828,818 square feet). Unfortunately for non-royals, the Sultan’s palace is only open three days a year for the Islamic festival of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, marking the end of Ramadan. However, in 2009, Indian multi-billionaire Mukesh Ambani is scheduled to complete construction on the world's largest house.
The World's Largest Ancient City
Built in the mid-15th century, Machu Picchu is located 7,875 feet above sea level in the Urubamba Valley in Peru. A gorgeous collection of 150 structures, including temples and residences, the city was abandoned approximately 100 years after its founding and not re-discovered until the early 1900s. Machu Picchu was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
The World's Tallest Memorial
Erected in 1940 by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, the Benedictine Abbey of the Valley of the Fallen boasts the largest Memorial Cross in the world. Located 28 miles northwest of Madrid, the 492-foot structure towers above a basilica and crypt carved out of a granite ridge, and boasts spectacular views of both the surrounding valley and the outskirts of Madrid.
See more of the World’s 20 Tallest & Biggest

BITE YOUR TONGUE

Bite Your Tongue!
by Joy Fisher-Sykes
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Have you ever spoken to someone and then felt the need to say, “Did you hear what I just said?” Why did you feel the need to ask? Probably because the listener didn’t provide you with the feedback you needed to know you were heard.
Listening is the most important, yet often most neglected, communication skill. In fact, the ability to listen is often rated one of the top five abilities employers seek in their staff. It’s also certainly highly sought after in the people nearest and dearest to our hearts.
Here are 10 ways to be an effective listener:
Recognize the difference between hearing and listening
There is a very distinct difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is to merely perceive sound.
Listening is the mindful, conscious act and desire to hear, comprehend, and response to others.
Be willing to listen
Begin with a commitment to listen - be open minded and consider other points of view.
Listen regardless of whether you agree or disagree with what’s said. Resist the urge jump to conclusions; be defensive or argumentative with the speaker.
Be attentive
Stop what you’re doing and give the speaker your undivided attention. If it’s not a good time for you, defer the conversation.
Ignore the desire to multi-task and selectively listen (only listening to bits and pieces of information).
Remain in the moment for the duration of the conversation
don’t tune in and out or pretend to be listening when you’re really thinking about where to go on your next vacation.
Show respect
Acknowledge others with your body language - face the speaker, look interested, and make eye contact.
Avoid ending the conversation abruptly.
Empathize
Be sensitive, compassionate, and understanding – realize it may be difficult for the speaker to talk about this matter.
Empathy doesn’t mean you have to agree with the speaker.
Avoid thinking about how to “one up” the speaker with your own tale of woe.
Be patient
We often interrupt because we are afraid we will forget our point(s). Don’t interrupt - allow the speaker to finish what she/he has to say.
Don’t’ finish the speaker’s sentences because you think they’re taking too long to get to the point.
Focus on what is being said instead of what you think is going to be said.
Eliminate interruptions and distractions
When possible, speak in a neutral location to avoid interruptions and distractions.
Be aware of and avoid interruptions – phones or pagers (use voice mail), visitors (close the door) and distractions (voice mail light, overflowing in box, incoming mail).
Seek Understanding
Focus on main points.
Paraphrase and seek clarification of points that are unclear or that you don’t understand.
Show you’re actively listening
Listen with more than just your ears. Acknowledge and respond to the speaker with facial expressions (smile, nod/shake your head, eye contact) and verbal comments (“I see,” “I understand,” “okay,” “yes”) to aid the conversation.
Simply Listen
Sometimes our idea of listening is to jump in and give unwanted advice. Listening is not an open invitation to resolve a dilemma. Just listen because often the speaker simply seeks a sympathetic ear.
Whether you are a manager or employee, husband or wife, parent or child, pastor or parishioner, friend or foe, listening is critical to the success of your relationships. Take the time to truly listen to others and discover you’ll not only improve your relationships, you will achieve a new level of overall success in your life. Apply these techniques today so you can enjoy a better tomorrow!
By Joy Fisher-Sykes © 2005 All Rights Reserved

About The Author

Joy Fisher-Sykes is a professional speaker, author, and leading expert in the areas of leadership, communication skills, stress management, customer service, and team building. Go to her web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for her newsletter, OnPoint, and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and receive the free ebook, "Empowerment and Stress Secrets for the Busy Professional."
Print and Internet publication rights are granted, free of charge, for this article, provided the credit paragraph and copyright remain intact.

ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Abusive Relationships!
by Kenia Morales
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When ever people are involved in an abusive relationship, they have a tendency to blame the aggressor. However, both parties are responsible for their overall interaction. I know, it sounds weird but let me further explain myself. In order for a person to continuously mistreat or abuse another one, the victim must be permitting it.
If you observe this situation closely when a person truly loves, respects and has total self confidence, they will not tolerate any kind of disrespect from others. They may deal with it once or twice but will move on if they see a pattern.
Why do confident people move on?
• They understand that true love helps you grow and prosper. Rather than, hold you back.
• Real love gives you all their support while, controlling people will give you a cold shoulder.
• A person that loves you will listen to your needs and try to work things out. Instead of disregarding you’re every single need.
• They will understand that you are your own person, not an extension of them selves.
• They will not only love you but they will also give you all the respect that you deserve.
• They will never intentionally belittle or ridicule you. Instead they will always find a way to uplift you.
So, if you currently in a relationship where your partner is either emotionally of physically abusive get out now. Seek out professional help and the help of your love ones. Their support will help you boost your confidence level but, most importantly regain control of your life.
About The Author
Kenia Morales is the publisher of online magazine kpatra.com "For Every Aspect of Today's Woman. Visit her site to find a variety of women related issues and topics" click here kpatra articles to read more inspirational articles written by her.

WATCHING YOUR EMOTIONS

Are You Watching Your Emotions?
by Dr. Sheri Rosenthal
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You’ll often hear don Miguel Ruiz, author of “The Four Agreements,” saying that our emotions are the key to our personal freedom. Wise words! You might be asking why our emotions are so important to our freedom. I’ve observed in my many years of teaching, how often folks don’t acknowledge what they’re feeling emotionally. When I ask them how they’re feeling they say, “Things are fine,” or “The usual.” Yet, when you ask them if they got upset or frustrated today, they’ll say, “Well yes, this morning with my husband,” or “When the dishwasher repair man came to the house,” or “When something was not typed correctly my secretary.” So what’s going on here? Why are we ignoring the most important tool that we have for our personal growth?
Multiple opportunities present themselves to us daily to grow and learn, yet we’re too asleep to see our emotional reactions for what they are. If you’re not aware of when you’re having a fear-based emotional reaction, you’re allowing your personal power and happiness to drain away from you without even realizing it!
A warrior lives by challenge; meaning he perceives everything as an opportunity to learn. Whether he’s observing the way he talks to himself when he’s waiting on line in the grocery store or sitting on the toilet with constipation – it doesn’t matter where the opportunity comes from, a challenge is a challenge! We can learn as much from the way we victimize ourselves on the toilet when we’re constipated as we can during an argument with our partner.
We can only shift and change within the context of our challenges, not just by reading personal development books and attending workshops. Yes, we can have “ah-ha’s,” learn tools and techniques, meet new friends, and adopt a belief system that is kinder to us than the one we currently have. But what really makes the difference is what action we take to make those insights become practical applications.
I encourage you to take advantage of all that life is gifting you in every moment. Stop throwing away these opportunities simply because you choose non-awareness over personal freedom. If you chose to see your emotional reactions to frustrating events as opportunities for transformation, rather than believing that “s-t happens,” your life will change.
Take a moment right now to think about how you perceive the events of your life. Do you see challenges as inconveniences? If you do, this could be a great time to shift your point of view. (Remember - the way we perceive our lives is a choice and everything is just a point of view!)
There’s one thing I know for sure about this reality. “S-t” never happens to us, we’re not victims; let’s break that belief right now! Life works on the basis of action-reaction. So take action right now based on clarity, rather than your programmed reactions and you’ll be on your way to a blissful life, experiencing joyful emotions rather than fear-based ones.
About The Author
Dr. Sheri Rosenthal is a master Toltec teacher and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Toltec Wisdom. Having trained with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, she currently takes students on spiritual journeys, works with personal apprentices and enjoys being extremely happy. You can reach her at http://www.sherirosenthal.com.

UN CEASEFIRE CALL GOES UNHEEDED

UN ceasefire call goes unheeded
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Air strikes continue after ceasefire call
Israel is to keep up its offensive in the Gaza Strip despite a UN call for an immediate end to nearly two weeks of conflict involving Hamas militants.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the latest firing of rockets into Israel showed the resolution was "unworkable". Hamas has also dismissed the UN's call.
The Security Council resolution demanded a truce, access for aid workers and an end to arms smuggling.
Israel continued its bombardment during the night and on Friday morning.
Israeli military operations were again paused for three hours in the afternoon to allow supplies to be brought in for Gaza's residents.
However, Israeli army spokesman Capt Eli Isaacson told the BBC that during that period, two rockets had been fired from Gaza towards Israel and that Israeli forces had returned fire.
Witnesses told the AFP news agency that targets in Jabaliya and Beit Lahiya in the north and in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City had been shelled.
We were not consulted about this resolution and they have not taken into account the interests of our people
Ayman Taha Hamas spokesman
Gaza survivors' accounts
In pictures: Conflict continues
According to Israeli media reports, Hamas militants fired at least 20 rockets at southern Israel on Friday morning.
Hamas said it had rejected the UN's call for an immediate ceasefire because it was not to the advantage of the Palestinian people.
Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said: "Even though we are the main actors on the ground in Gaza, we were not consulted about this resolution and they have not taken into account our vision and the interests of our people."
Since the current conflict began on 27 December, it is estimated that 770 Palestinians and 14 Israelis have been killed.
In the West Bank town of Ramallah, thousands of people poured out of mosques after Friday prayers to join demonstrations showing their solidarity with the people of Gaza.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah says there have been other demonstrations like this in the West Bank and elsewhere, but many people feel their calls for an end to the violence in Gaza are not being heard by the outside world.
Other rallies took place in the region after Friday prayers, with the largest, in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, attracting some 50,000 people, officials said.
Thousands of demonstrators also rallied in Kuwait, Jordan and Syria. Smaller protests were staged in Asia and a number of European cities.
'Murderous organisations'
Israel's security cabinet met on Friday morning, hours after the Security Council vote.
"The firing of rockets this morning only goes to show that the UN decision is unworkable and will not be adhered to by the murderous Palestinian organisations," Ehud Olmert said in a statement.
GAZA CRISIS BACKGROUND

Profile: Gaza Strip
Q&A: Gaza conflict
Who are Hamas?
Middle East conflict: History in mapsOfficials in Mr Ehud's office were quoted as saying "the Israeli military will continue to protect Israeli civilians and carry out its missions".
Israeli planes launched fresh strikes on targets in Gaza overnight, and at least five members of one family were killed in one attack, witnesses said.
In a report which could not be verified independently, Hamas said a bomb had flattened a five-storey apartment block in northern Gaza.
Meanwhile, witnesses told a UN agency that about 30 Palestinians had died earlier this week as Israeli forces shelled a house in Gaza City's Zeitoun district into which Israeli soldiers had previously moved more than 100 people, half of them children.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor denied the reports, saying no Israeli soldiers had been in the area on the day the incident was supposed to have happened.
Separately, the UN human rights body has demanded that human rights monitors be deployed in Gaza, Israel and the West Bank so that any violations of international law can be documented independently.
Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said some reported breaches of international law could constitute war crimes "for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked".
'Durable ceasefire'
Fourteen out of 15 Security Council members backed a resolution on the Gaza crisis, with the US abstaining.

Gaza offensive - in mapsThe motion called for an "immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire" leading to the "full withdrawal" of Israeli forces from Gaza.
It also demanded "the unimpeded provision and distribution throughout Gaza of humanitarian assistance", measures to prevent arms smuggling to Palestinian militants and the opening of border crossings into Gaza.
Israeli officials visited Cairo on Thursday to hear details of a plan put forward by Egypt and France.
A Hamas delegation was also expected in the Egyptian capital at some stage for parallel "technical" talks, Egyptian diplomats said.
Israel wants to stop rocket attacks on southern Israel and to stop Hamas smuggling weapons into Gaza via Egypt, while Hamas says any ceasefire deal must include an end to Israel's blockade of Gaza.