Palm Island Resort, Dubai Here at The Spark, we love Dubai. What's not to love? Despite a potentially limiting desert locale in the United Arab Emirates, the opulent city has indoor skiing, the world's richest horse race, the world's biggest mall, and the world's largest aquarium. And we all eagerly await the world's tallest building. So it's not strange that Dubai's citizens will soon be able to live on the world's most wondrous man-made islands, including ones shaped like palm trees and over 300 islands that, together, form a map of the world. Nakheel, the Dubai development company behind these projects tapped Dubai's vast resources of sand and got funky with land reclamation, taking it to capitalistic extremes never before seen. The Palm Jumeirah, the first of three Palm Islands, is done, and The World opens in 2008. Of course, things only get grander from there. The Dubai Waterfront will be -- you guessed it -- the world's largest waterfront development. Suggested Sites... The Palm Jumeirah - the self-proclaimed eighth wonder of the world The World - if you have a world of money, you can own a bit of The World. Private Islands: The World - fun facts about The World. Palm Facts - some interesting factoids about the Palm Jumeirah. Van Oord - this Dutch construction firm behind the Palm Jumeirah and The World sure knows how to dredge.

Directory categories: Dubai Guides, Dubai Real Estate, Land Art

Archived under: Architecture, Dubai, Travel

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(Photo by Thomas) While you're waiting in line to buy a PlayStation 3, take some spare moments to ponder the humble roots of video games. The first commercial video arcade game was called Computer Space. Because of its steep learning curve it didn't really catch on. The two creators, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, went on to found Atari and unleashed PONG on November 29, 1972. This bare-bones virtual tennis game consisted of bars for paddles, a bouncing ball, and instructions so simple "...any drunk in any bar could play." A demo machine at a California bar tempted two patrons to give up a quarter and take on the challenge. By the next morning, a line of future gamers had formed outside the bar waiting for their shot at monochromatic mayhem. PONG was a hit. Within just a few years, arcade games headed to the home with the Magnavox Odyssey console, the Coleco Telstar, Atari's venerable 2600, Mattel Intellivision, and other classics. Over three decades later, video games have become a lot more sophisticated and a little more complicated to play than the "avoid missing ball for high score" rule of PONG. Yet the legacy of Bushnell and other gaming pioneers is as indisputable as a high score. Suggested Sites... PONG-Story - loaded with facts and pictures of inventor, Ralph H. Baer and the early games, emulators, and schematics. Spore Pong - here's one to try online. VIDEOTOPIA - online archive of the exhibit that explores the art, science, and history of video games. The Killer List of Videogames - browse or search the database of over 4,300 game machines. GameSpot - check out reviews, previews, and new releases.

Directory categories: Pong, Classic Arcade Games, Classic Video Games, Video Games

Archived under: Entertainment, Technology, Video Games

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The Breakfast Club poster Dear Mr. Hughes, We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice our time in the 1980s acting in cheesy teen movies for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you what we've been doing since our Brat Pack days. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions... and in weekend movie marathons on AMC. But what we found out during our two-decade detention is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club Suggested Sites... The Brat Pack Site - devoted to Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. Anthony Michael Hall - still acting in movies and TV shows. Emilio Estevez - these days he's known more for his work behind the camera, directing the critically-acclaimed "Bobby." Molly Ringwald - bringing in paychecks from made-for-TV movies and a theatrical gig in "Sweet Charity." Judd Nelson - keeping busy on TV and in movies we've never heard of -- but we'll cut him some slack since it's his birthday today.

Directory categories: The Breakfast Club, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, John Hughes

Archived under: Actors, Directors, Entertainment, In Character, Movies, The `80s

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Bronze statue of Bruce Lee in the Avenue of the Stars, Hong Kong (Photo by Dave Learn) "Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water." -  Bruce Lee (1940-1973) Today marks the birth of legendary Chinese-American icon Bruce Lee. Known as a lean, mean fighting machine who single-handedly popularized the martial arts movie genre, Lee also revolutionized fight choreography in film with his lightning-fast kicks and mastery of the nunchucks. But he was more than a movie star. Lee was also a philosophical and innovative martial artist with an original approach to traditional martial art styles. He fought against Chinese tradition by teaching Kung Fu to Westerners, and trained with champions from a variety of fighting systems. This cultural mix led to the invention of his own martial art, Jeet Kune Do, in which Lee embraced the philosophical idea of "being like water." By mimicking the flexibility of water, he avoided set forms and fluidly adapted the most effective elements of as many fighting techniques as possible -- an inspiration to modern mixed martial arts. This, in combination with his extraordinary physical feats and killer physique, inspired many fans to label Bruce Lee as "the greatest martial artist of all time." Suggested Sites... Bruce Lee Central: Important People - folks involved in his life from influential figures to students. Wikiquote: Bruce Lee - quotes from him and quotes about him. YouTube: Bruce Lee - 1964 Screen Test - the charismatic 24-year-old introduces himself and his skills. Bruce Lee Foundation - authentic info about Bruce Lee and his teachings. TIME 100: Bruce Lee - glean some rare facts about his life and legacy.

Directory categories: Bruce Lee, Jeet Kune Do, Martial Artists, Kung Fu, Martial Arts Movies

Archived under: Actors, Birthdays, Bruce Lee, Entertainment, History, Martial Arts

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Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kotooshu Katsunori (Photo by Dave Learn) Before 1964, sumo was solely reserved for jumbo Japanese wrestlers until Jesse Kuhaulua, a native Hawaiian, became the first foreign-born rikishi, or professional sumo competitor. When he retired, he ran a sumo stable in Tokyo and recruited fellow Americans, including the 1993 grand champion, Akebono. But Americans weren't the only ones to take the ancient ritualistic sport by storm, as other foreigners -- including Eastern Europeans and other Asians -- now fill the ranks, or banzuke. In fact, the top title of yokozuna has been exclusively held for three years by Asashoryu -- a 326-pound Mongolian who won all six honbasho tournaments in 2005. This weekend, at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center, the rikishi step into the ring for the last time this year to showcase their techniques and traditional ceremonies in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. Will the Bulgarian Kotooshu, a.k.a. "the David Beckham of Sumo," prevail, or will the body-slamming Asashoryu claim victory again? Suggested Sites... Nihon Sumo Kyokai: Beginner's Guide of Sumo - everything you need to know about sumo. The First Post: Sumo Falls to a Mongol Invasion - how do conservative Japanese fans feel about the influx of successful foreign sumo wrestlers? Hawaii's Department of Labor: Professional Sumo Wrestlers - sick of your job? Find out if a sumo wrestling career is ideal for you. Independent Lens: Sumo East and West - see sumo's transformation through the influence of Americans.

Directory categories: Sumo, Wrestling, Sumo Wrestlers

Archived under: Events, Japan, Martial Arts, Regional, Sports

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