24 hours ago

The world of Internet has given us the chance to have a glimpse of what's going on around the world. I just stumbled upon images that Reuters captured in the last 24 hours. Let me share a few of them.

We start with Indonesia. This one shows Punk community members dance during a punk music festival in Bandung, Indonesia West Java province.

And in the Philippines, a girl takes part in a local Lenten ritual called "Moriones" in Mogpog, Marinduque, Philippines.

A stuntman rides a motorcycle inside the "Well of Death" attraction during a fair in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Further afield in Europe, the Borussia Dortmund team bus is seen after an explosion near their hotel before their Champions League quarter-final first leg game against AS Monaco in Dortmund, Germany.

A crow flies towards a tree in a blooming rapeseed field on a spring morning in Vufflens-la-Ville near Lausanne, Switzerland.

And back to this part of the world, Reuters has this shot of the sun set in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Well, hope you've had a pleasant enough 24-hours-ago. Would you like to share it? Use the Comments below.

Oh boy Oh boy Oh boy! Brazil 1 - Germany 7 (World Cup semi-finals)

Woh! What a semi-final defeat for the Brazilian team in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals!

Brazil 1 - Germany 7

The goals..

Brazil's coach, Scolari: The Worst Day of My Life..

While Germany's Joachim Low says We need to remain humble.

Will we see another similar upset in today's match or rather tomorrow's match? Argentina vs Netherlands next.

Who are you rooting for?


You may also want to read these:
- FIFA World Cup 2014 - Opening Ceremony, Facts and Schedule
- Another fun day at the World Cup
- 2014 World Cup Results Update
- World Cup - Semi-finals

Image sources:
- fifa.com
- livescore.com

Italy beat Germany to advance to the final

Oh shoot! Germany vs Italy semifinal match - What an upset! I've lost on my prediction for Germany to be in the finals with Spain. The hunch in my comment in the previous post could come true now - that Balotelli could be the one with the broadest grin at the end of the day. This is in reference to Italy beating Spain in the finals on July 1. Incidentally, the two goals for Italy were put in by Balotelli at the 20' and 36' marks.

So, the UEFA Euro 2012 finals will be between Spain and Italy. After looking at how both teams played in the semifinals, I'm inclined to think that Italy may win the title. Well, left to be seen on July 1. What do you think and who are you rooting for?


Image source: uefa.com

Visit Berlin and Vienna

Germany is a place to discover fairytale castles, picturesque villages, crystal-clear lakes and snow-capped mountains, the mystical Black Forest, stunning Rhine River cruises, traditional Christmas markets and naturally, the world-famous Oktoberfest.


Berlin is a vibrant city. The fall of the Berlin wall (which once divided the city) has increased visitor numbers to the city. There is always something happening in this German city of art, culture and history. You can experience the majestic beauty of castles and palaces, explore fascinating museums or delve into the modern fantasy worlds of musicals and variety shows or enjoy the outstanding German cuisine of the many excellent restaurants. There are over 7,000 bars and restaurants in Berlin. Hotels in Berlin are never in short supply. Cheap rates are even available all-year round.

Museums are a great place to learn about a city. Permanent exhibitions in Berlin offer fascinating insights into Berlin's history, as far back as the Middle Ages. And the city is still changing today.

Now is probably one of the best times of the year to visit Berlin. The magic of the festive season is nowhere more evident than at the Christmas Markets held in the cities, towns and villages throughout Germany. Visiting the Christmas Markets would be an enchanting experience.

From one cultural city to another, a visit to Vienna is a must on a European tour. Hotels in Vienna are easily available and booking online could yield cheaper rates, even for last-minute bookings.



Vienna is Austria's capital and a province at the same time. It offers a unique blend of imperial traditions and stunning modern architecture and famous for its cultural events, imperial sights, coffee houses, cozy wine taverns, and the very special Viennese charm. Vienna is home to many international organizations.

Art lovers will love Vienna for her many museums and galleries of international reputation. Great works of art are being housed in these museums.

Vienna owes much of its international fame to the many celebrated composers who lived and worked here including Mozart, StrauB, Beethoven and Haydn. Vienna boasts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, one the world’s best, the Staatsoper one of the world’s leading opera houses, and the Vienna Boys’ Choir one of the world’s most famous choirs.



There is much to see in Vienna, from the Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the Imperial Palace to the Art Nouveau splendor of the Secession, to the magnificent baroque palace of Schönbrunn to the Museum of Fine Arts.

Whether you are visiting Berlin or Vienna, booking hotels in Berlin or hotels in Vienna is never easier. Online booking offers cheaper rates, cheaper in most cases and with lots of extras included.

Waterbridge

Rivers and waterways have long served us well. From time immemorial waterway travel has been part of life. Today, many rivers are still being used to transport people and goods. I saw a few documentaries of river travel. One was on the Yangtze River in China where in certain parts where the river flows upwards, boatmen had to get down from the boat and pulled the boats. And one showed boats plying the rivers in England which serve as an alternative mode of transportation.

And this one, a waterbridge in Germany. Quite an engineering feat, this one.



It took six years to complete at a cost of 500 million euros and is 918 meters in length. This is a channel-bridge over the River Elbe and joins the former East and West Germany, as part of the unification project. It is located in the city of Magdeburg, near Berlin. The photo was taken on the day of its inauguration.

For those who appreciate engineering projects, here's a puzzle for you, armchair engineers and physicists. Did the bridge have to be designed to withstand the additional weight of ship and barge traffic, or just the weight of the water?



Scroll down to check if your answer is correct.



Answer:
It only needs to be designed to withstand the weight of the water! Why? A ship always displaces an amount of water that weighs the same as the ship, regardless of how heavily a ship may be loaded.
Remember your high school physics, and the fly in an enclosed bottle project? Similarly, the super sensitive scale proved that it didn't make any difference whether the fly was sitting on the bottom, walking up the side, or flying around. The bottle, air, and fly were a single unit of mass and always weighed the same.

Picture source unknown