What Is The Most? Blog

It is widely believed that the most expensive house in the world is one that sold recently in France, a historic mansion that is much sought after in property circles.

Positioned in the village of Villefrance, a prime spot on the French Riviera, it is at the heart of a popular playground for playboys and the super rich. The house – ‘Villa Leopolda’ – is said to have sold for over $750 million, or in local terms 500 million euros.

Villa Leopolda

Villa Leopolda

Rumours at the time linked the purchase to Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire, but it is now believed that while the buyer was Russian it was someone other than Abramovich.

The mansion had been owned by a Lebanese banking magnate, one Edmond Safra, who famously perished in a mysterious fire, thought to be arson, at his apartment in Monaco in 2003.

His widow, Lily Safra, was the seller of the property, which was once rumoured to have been purchased by computer billionaire Bill Gates, of Microsoft fame. It is said that she held out form many months while the potential buyer raised the offered price, until it reached the alleged $750 million level.

Famous former owners

Villa Leopolda is so called as it belonged at one time to King Leopold II, the king of Belgium. It has also, at some time, been the property of Italian motoring tycoon, and FIAT boss, Gianni Agnelli.

A mansion in the ‘belle époque’ style, including turrets, two guest houses and 20- acres of land, the house is among the most prized examples of real estate in the world, and comes complete with countless olive, cypress and lemon trees that have been tended over the years by as many as fifty gardeners.

It’s a question often asked by those who love watching movies – which are the most expensive in the history of film? Here we look at the top ten most expensive films ever made, in terms of actual production cost.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

   This swashbuckling adventure, released in 2007, is the latest in the ‘Pirates’ franchise that stars – among others – Johnny Depp, and cost an astonishing $300,000,000 to make.

   

   Pirates of the caribbean: At world's end

2. Superman Returns

   The latest in a long line of Superman films, the 2006 instalment – with Brandon Routh and Kevin Spacey among the star-studded cast – came in at $270,000,000 as the second most expensive movie of all time.

   

   Superman returns

3. Spiderman 3

   The 2007 film, latest in the comic book hero’s film appearances, features Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst and cost $258,0000,000 to get to the big screen.

   

   Spiderman 3

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest

   Again with the bankable Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, this 2006 second instalment in the ‘Pirates’ series ranks as the fourth most expensive film ever, at $225,000,000.

   

   Pirates of the caribbean: Dead man's chest

5. X-Men: The Last Stand

   Another comic book big screen transfer, the popular X-Mane films have a proven allure, and this 2006 offering cost $210,000,000 to make.

   

   X-Men: The last stand

6. King Kong

   A 2005 remake of an all time classic, the giant ape that climbs the Empire State Building came in at a whopping $207,000,000 top produce.

   

   King-kong

7. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

   Fantasy on an epic scale, the 2008 addition to the ‘Narnia’ series is the latest film in the top ten, with production costs of $200,000,000.

   

   The chronicles of narnia: Prince Caspian

8. Spiderman 2, Terminator 3: Rise of the machines and Titanic.

   The final three in our list of most expensive moves also cost $200,000,000, with the 1997 epic ‘Titanic’ the most costly by far when it was first released.

   

   Spiderman 2

   

   Terminator 3

   

   Titanic

What does it cost for a decent education these days? Take a look at this list of the most expensive colleges in America.

1. George Washington University

   With tuition costs of almost $38,000, this Washington DC establishment ranks top in our list of most expensive colleges.

2. University of Richmond

   At $36,500 the Virginia university is not far short of the top spot, and has a long history to justify its apparent excellence.

3. Sarah Lawrence College

   This arts establishment is made up of three quarters female students, and at $36,088 ranks third in our most expensive list.

4. Kenyon College

   The Ohio college ranks just a few dollars below the above, at a mere $36,050 in tuition costs.

5. Vassar College

   Just a few dollars less again – at $36,030 – the Poughkeepsie, New York college comes in at number five.

6. Bucknell University

   In Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, this old and established seat of learning has a 150-year history, and costs just over $36,000 in tuition fees.

7. Bennington College

   At $35,200 this Vermont arts school is another with a predominantly female intake, and ranks seventh in our most expensive list.

8. Columbia University

   At just over $35,100 in tuition fees, Columbia University is the only Ivy League school in our most expensive list.

9. Wesleyan University

   President Woodrow Wilson once taught history at this Connecticut establishment, and it weighs in ninth, just a few dollars less than the above.

10. Trinity College

    Final entrant is this Hartford, Connecticut school, with tuition fees of just over $31,000.

Coffee

I know I drink several cups a day, but could I afford any of this lot?

1. Kopi Luwak

   From Indonesia, this $160 a pound coffee has a special feature – it’s made from beans that have already been eaten by a civet. That’s a type of cat.

2. Hacienda la Esmeralda

   This rich coffee from Panama, grown in the shade of old Guava trees, is a handy $104 a pound and revered the world over by coffee lovers.

3. Island of St Helena Coffee Company

   Much beloved of Napoleon Bonaparte but I’ll bet he didn’t have to pay $79 a pound!

4. El Injerto

   From Guatemala, this coffee has won the premier prizes for coffee and ranks number four in the world’s most expensive list, expected to sell at over $50 a pound.

5. Fazenda Santa Ines

   The highest scoring coffee ever in the ‘Cup of Excellence’ competition, this Brazilian offering weighs in at $50 a pound.

6. Blue Mountain

   The famous Jamaican coffee retails at around $49 per pound, but beware of imitations for the real thing is often copied.

7. Los Planes

   A high scoring coffee from El Salvador, Los Planes will shortly be available at an expected retail price of $40 per pound.

8. Kona

   This coffee from Hawaii has an excellent reputation, but is another that has suffered from counterfeiting problems. At $34 a pound, it pays to be sure.

9. Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon

   The quality mark from the high street brand, ranking at number nine in our worlds most expensive list is this African beauty at $24 a pound.

10. Yauco Selecto AA

    A Puerto Rican coffee with a mild flavour, this is our final contender at just $22 per pound.

You may be thinking London, or even New York; perhaps Hong Kong or possibly Tokyo? Well, read on for the top ten most expensive cities in the world.

1. Moscow

   The Russian economy goes from strength to strength as the rest of the world flounders, and Moscow – the magnificent St Basils cathedral is a must - take stop spot as the most expensive city in the world today.

   

   Moscow

2. London

   It will come as no surprise to those who work there, as London – capital of the UK – ranks second in the list of most expensive cities. Try buying a beer or a sandwich and you’ll find out why.

   

   London

3. Seoul

   With an economy that is developing at a simply alarming rate, Korean metropolis Seoul is perhaps a surprise third in the worlds most expensive cities list.

   

   Seoul

4. Tokyo

   It had to feature somewhere, and the continually amazing capital of Japan features at number four in our world’s most expensive list.

   

   Tokyo

5. Hong Kong

   A regular in lists such as this, the sprawling majesty of Hong Kong has not receded even when back under Chinese rule.

   

   Hong-Kong

6. Copenhagen

   Another somewhat surprising, entry, the Danish capital features thanks to a naturally high standard of living.

   

   Copenhagen

7. Geneva

   No real surprise here for the tax exiles favourite, Swiss beauty Geneva is worth a moment of anybody’s time.

   

   Geneva

8. Osaka

   Not quite challenging big sister Tokyo, but Osaka gives Japan a second runner in the world’s most expensive list.

   

   Osaka

9. Zurich

   Switzerland also has two offerings, with bankers’ paradise Zurich featuring at a healthy number nine.

   

   Geneva

10. Oslo

    Not a massive city by any means, but Norway is famed for high prices on everything from clothing to beer!

    

    Oslo

A name is something which is an inherent part of the personality of a person. Today, as the world tackles a high population growth rate, we have some names jostling it out for the top most position in the Names Dictionary or, let’s say, as the most common name in the World.

As per Wikipedia, the name which is currently leading the charts as the most common name in the World is Chang. Similar is announced by the resources of About.com, which tell us that Chang is indeed the most common last name in the World. Furthermore, some reports at Abcnews.com suggest that Lee is the second most common last name in the world, with Chang surpassing it. Interestingly, the surname Chang draws its roots from the mainland China and is nearly 4,700 years old. Yahoo.com has stated clearly that there are nearly 100 million Changs, or Zhang in traditional Chinese, who exist in the World today. Times Online, a division of the Times News Group has also echoed the same message about Chang and pitched in with some additional information about Mohammed being the most common first name of the World.

Another interesting tidbit from the United States Census Bureau informs us that Zhang is ranked as 2292nd in the most common American Surnames list. Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones and Brown are the most common surnames of the American culture, with Smith holding the top spot since last 13 years and forming nearly 3 million of the entire population.

Sleek, stylish, and powerful, the cars that attract the most eyeballs start from a range of US$ 367,000 in the United States, gradually scaling up to US$ 1,192,060.

Featuring 10th on the list of most expensive cars is the trendy Maybach 57 S fitted with a V12 Bi-Turbo engine that powers a speed of 275 kmph/170 mph.

Maybach 57S

9th on the list is another model from the Maybach stable, the 12 cylinder 62 ultra-luxury sedan that’s manufactured by Mercedes–Benz, and just US $18,000 pricier than the 57S.

Maybach 62

Carrera GT, the classy convertible from Porsche of Germany packed with 600 HP and a V-10 engine, comes at US $ 440,000 and features 8th.

Porsche Carrera GT

Supreme technological prowess from Germany’s Mercedes-Benz and Britain’s McLaren brings the world’s 7th most expensive car, the SLR Mc Laren. With a price tag of US $ 452,750, it also combines comfort and elegance.

Mercedes SLR McLaren

The 6th most expensive car, the Koenigsegg CCR, is a sporty offering from Sweden with a price tag of US $ 545,000.

Koenigsegg CCR

Close on its heels is the American Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, a remarkable model with a 7 liter 750 HP V-8 engine that accelerates up to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds!

Saleen S7 Turbo

Racing up to the 4th rank with speeds of 230 mph / 370 km/h and 700 HP is the Leblanc Mirabeau from Switzerland. Its looks and power befit the race track, and comes at a price of US $ 645,000.

Leblanc Mirabeau

The SSC Ultimate Aero at No.3 pulls a power-packed performance with 1,046 HP and the capability of hitting 273 mph on the tracks. At US $ 654,500, it is the most expensive American car in the US market.

SSC Ultimate Aero

Occupying the 2nd slot as a boutique car is the Pagani Zonda Roadster F C 125 7.3, Clubsport at US $667,320. This Italian car is an improvement on its earlier model the Pagani Zonda C 12 S.

Pagani Zonda

And finally, with features like a 16 cylinder, 1001 HP engine, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 from France reigns as the undisputed No. 1. It scores over its counterparts in terms of power, speed, luxury and of course, price at a wooping US$ 1,192,060!

Bugatti Veyron

Blood donation

Blood is a floating mass of various types of cells held by a fluid called plasma. Between four to six litres of blood circulates within a human body, carrying out the vital function of transporting oxygen and other essential nutrients.

Constituting 45% of whole blood by volume, the red blood cells contain the protein hemoglobin, necessary to bind the oxygen. The red blood cells are instrumental in carrying oxygen to various body parts, and drawing out the carbon dioxide and other wastes from them.

The white blood cells, constituting a negligible volume of whole blood are fighters of infection, while the platelets get into the act of preventing loss of blood in case of injury by clotting. The plasma, accounting for 55% of the blood volume also holds vital proteins and salts.

The variance of protein molecules within the red blood cells and the plasma creates a number of blood types. The antigens, present on the surface of the red blood cells and the antibodies within the plasma are present in different combinations, giving rise to different blood groups. This landmark discovery of various blood groups by Karl Landsteiner of Austria in 1901 enabled successful blood transfusions within compatible blood groups at minimum risk.

Medical science has discovered more than 20 blood group systems, but the ABO and Rh systems discovered by Landsteiner remain the most important. The ABO blood grouping system lists four blood types: A, B, AB and O.

The A blood group carries ‘A’ antigens on the surface of the red blood cells, and ‘B’ antibodies within the plasma. In the case of blood group B, the red blood cells carry ‘B’ antigens on the surface, while the plasma contains A antibodies.

Blood group AB, on the other hand, has both A and B antigens on the surface of the red blood cells, and no antibodies of either type in the blood plasma. The reverse is the case for blood group O, where both A and B antibodies are present in the blood plasma, and completely absent in the red blood cells.

The presence or absence of another antigen, the Rh factor, on the surface of the red blood cell further classifies blood groups. Those who have the Rh antigen in their blood are Rh+, and those who do not have it are Rh-.

As per the ABO and Rh blood grouping systems therefore, there are 8 blood groups: A Rh+, A Rh-, B Rh+, B Rh-, AB Rh+, AB Rh-, O Rh+ and O Rh-.

Mixing of blood between two incompatible blood groups causes blood clumping or agglutination, and can lead to toxic reactions.

Among the U.S. population, the most common blood type is O Rh+ with 38% of the population. The approximate distribution of blood types among the U.S. population is as follows:

1. O Rh+ with 38% of the population
2. A Rh+ with 34% of the population
3. B Rh+ with 9% of the population
4. O Rh- with 7% of the population
5. A Rh- with 6% of the population
6. AB Rh+ with 3% of the population
7. B Rh- with 2% of the population
8. AB Rh- with 1% of the population