Tuesday, November 3, 2009

urbatastic articles of 2009

10) Banksy: 7 Sides of the Infamous Street Artist

Banksy is a world-class enigma, a puzzle at times and a punchline at others – some love his work while others regard it as the epitome of vandalism. His identity is unknown but his art and graffiti are everywhere. His work is subversive yet it sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars to rich celebrities at auction. Another WebUrbanist series explores the work, art and history of Banksy and aWebUrbanist gallery shows over 100 of Banksy’s best works organized by approach, type and location. For other subversive work be sure to see the ultimate guerrilla marketing guide and our introduction to guerrilla action and culture jamming.

9) 10 Towering Tree Houses Around the World

Who did not want a tree house as a small child? Many real-life adults have built bigger, better and more bizarre treehouses than most of usever dreamed of as kids. The examples in this collection (and in the follow-up collection of 15 more amazing tree houses) range from eco-friendly, low-footprint sustainable tree house designs to high-flying, lavish and luxurious treehouses. Interested in all things offbeat and green? Check out our other articles on green art, design and technology as well as WebEcoist galleries on thermal & biomass,hydroelectric & water, solar and wind power designs.

8) 16 of the Most Sexy & Strange Art Hotel Rooms

Why stay in a drab and dull room when you want to have a remarkable and fun vacation? Almost anywhere in the world you can find accommodations that are as adventurous as your destinations. These amazing art hotels and hotel rooms are one kind of incredible visual experience but are far from the only type of alternative hotel experience. There are also castle, jail, art and theme hotels for virtually any kind of urban traveler on land – and for sea-farers there are always extreme houseboats, floating utopias, luxurious private islandsor even adaptively reused sea forts for those that can afford them.

7) 5 Incredible Works of Insane Architectural Genius

Most buildings take teams of skilled workers, well-crafted designs and a long history in a construction tradition to produce. These amazing offbeat structures not only defy structural and aesthetic norms – itself a challenge – but are each primarily the labor of a single passionate (and often eccentric) individual. Interested in morearchitects and artists who break the mold and make amazing houses of all types and kinds or turn ordinary objects into the extraordinary art?

6) 20 Brilliant Bookcases and Bookshelf Designs

There is no reason to settle for a simple shoddy book storage system when you can go all-out and get dual-purpose or otherwise inventive shelving to stand out from the crowd. One of these designs doubles as a set of stairs while another shelf set invisibly hides behind the bottom book. And the furniture does not stop here: also see articles on other incredible furniture and funky fixtures including a series offurniture designs organized by every room inside your house and out.

5) 10 Pieces of Terrific Transforming Furniture

Not interested in your standard sleek and stylish furniture? Want something that transforms or converts or is made from the most unusual of recycled materials? These clever transforming furniture designs range from innovative and space-saving to exotic and spectacular in terms of their origins and designs. Also, you guessed it, there are even more articles on offbea deisngs from prefab and flat-pack to recycled furniture as well as a multi-page category of the site dedicated exclusively to stylish alternative urban furniture.

4) 10 Crazy Cargo Container Homes and Offices

Containers are one of the most ubiquitous built objects on the planet. Solid, sturdy and relatively spacious it is no wonder that many designers have come up with ingenious ways to convert them into usable architectural spaces in a number of creative configurations. You can view even more cargo container buildings and even find out how to design, buy and/or build your own cargo container home but there are many other kinds of recycled architecture, art and design also well worth looking into as well as prefab, contemporary, recycled andfuture sustainable architectural designs.

3) 10 Most Awesome 3D Graffiti Artists in the World

3D chalk artists are a common find on the web – but images of their works are rarely accompanied by explanations, credits and links to further information. This definitive guide to the most talented 3D street artists collects amazing works of 3D chalk drawings and paintings from around the world – even more of which are featured in this 3D street artist gallery. Still other articles explore geek artworksand geek artists in general while other galleries cover geek art and light graffiti specifically.

2) 24 Gripping Ghost Towns and Abandoned Cities

One of the areas of content on WebUrbanist that readers are most drawn to is the deserted places found in the abandonments section. From urban exploration and building infiltration information and resources to amazing abandoned building, vehicle and HDR galleries there is simply something about these locations that brings out the explorer in virtually everyone. This abandoned city and ghost town gallery will take you on an eerie tour of the most hauntingabandonments around the world.

1) 7 Abandoned Wonders of the Former Soviet Union

thanks...............

Top 10 Richest People in 2009

The world’s richest people are now getting “poorer.”

According to the 2009 Forbes list of The World’s Billionaires, there are now only 793 billionaires around the world — down from 1,132 in the 2008 Richest People list. Their collective net worth is “just” $2.4 trillion, down $2 trillion from last year.

Who are the wealthiest people in the world? Read on.

Top 10 Richest People in 2009

#1. William Gates III

Richest People in the World

Age: 53
Fortune: self made
Source: Microsoft
Net Worth: $40.0 bil
Country of Citizenship: United States
Industry: Software
Marital Status: married, 3 children

Bill Gates regains title as the world’s richest man after placing 3rd in last year’s list. Stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft last summer to devote his talents and riches to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates decided to increase donations in 2009 to $3.8 billion, up 15% from 2008. Organization’s assets were $30 billion in January. Stock down 45% in past 12 months.

#2. Warren Buffett

Richest Man in the World - Warren Buffett

Age: 78
Fortune: self made
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Net Worth: $37.0 bil
Country Of Citizenship: United States
Industry: Investments
Marital Status: widowed, remarried, 3 children

Last year’s world’s richest man has to settle for second place this year after losing $25 billion in 12 months. Shares of Berkshire Hathaway down 45% since last March. Injected billions of dollars into Goldman Sachs, General Electric in exchange for preferred stock last fall; propped up insurance firm Swiss Re in February with $2.6 billion infusion. Admits he made some “dumb” investment mistakes in 2008. Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding company invested in insurance (GEICO, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim’s), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See’s Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo.

#3. Carlos Slim Helu

Richest Man in the World - Carlos Slim Helu

Age: 69
Fortune: self made
Source: telecom
Net Worth: $35.0 bil
Country of Citizenship: Mexico
Industry: Communications
Marital Status: widowed, 6 children

Economic downturn and plunging peso shaved $25 billion from the fortune of Latin America’s richest man. Son of a Lebanese immigrant bought fixed-line operator Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) in 1990; now controls 90% of Mexico’s telephone landlines. Would be a billionaire based on his dividends alone. Biggest holding: $16 billion stake in America Movil, Latin America’s largest mobile phone company, with 173 million customers. America Movil and Telmex reportedly planning to jointly invest $4 billion to bolster telecom infrastructure in Latin America. Last year took stakes in New York Times Co., former billionaire Anthony O’Reilly’s Independent News & Media and Bronco Drilling; also increased position in Saks.

#4. Lawrence Ellison

Richest People in the World

Age: 64
Source: Oracle
Net Worth: $22.5 bil
Country of Citizenship: United States
Marital Status: Thrice divorced, remarried; two children

Larry Ellison is co-founder and CEO of software firm Oracle. Company has racked up 49 acquisitions in the past four years. Bought BEA Systems for $8.5 billion last year. Company still sitting on $7 billion in cash. Revenues up 11% to $10.9 billion in the six months ended Nov. 30, 2007; profits also up 11% to $2.4 billion. Stock down 25% in past 12 months.

#5. Ingvar Kamprad

Richest Man in the World - Ingvar Kamprad

Age: 83
Source: Ikea
Net Worth: $22.0 bil
Country of Citizenship: Sweden
Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; four children



Furniture retail chain IKEA’s founder peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Opened first Ikea store 50 years ago; store’s name is a combination of initials of his first and last name, his family farm and the nearest village. Retired in 1986; company’s “senior adviser” still reportedly works tirelessly on his brand. Revenues up 7% to $27.4 billion in fiscal-year 2008. Opened 10th store in China this February; planning to open first in Dominican Republic later this year. Thrifty entrepreneur flies economy class, frequents cheap restaurants and furnishes his home mostly with Ikea products.

#6. Karl Albrecht

Richest Man in the World - Karl Albrecht

Age: 89
Source: Aldi / Supermarkets
Net Worth: $21.5 bil
Country of Citizenship: Germany
Marital Status: Married, two children

Germany’s richest person owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud. Sales in the U.S. up estimated 20% last year to $7 billion. Plans to open 75 U.S. stores in 2009, including first in New York City.

#7. Mukesh Ambani

Richest Man in the World - Mukesh Ambani

Age: 51
Source: Petrochemicals
Net Worth: $19.5 bil
Country of Citizenship: India
Marital Status: Married, three children

Oversees Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company by market cap, despite stock falling 40% in past year. Merging his Reliance Petroleum with flagship Reliance Industries. Late father Dhirubhai founded Reliance and built it into a massive conglomerate. After he died, Mukesh and his brother, Anil, ran the family business together for a brief time. But siblings feuded over control; mother eventually brokered split of assets.

#8. Lakshmi Mittal

Richest Man in the World - Lakshmi Mittal

Age: 58
Source: Steel
Net Worth: $19.3 bil
Country of Citizenship: India
Marital Status: Married, two children

Indian immigrant heads world’s largest steel company; ArcelorMittal was formed via hostile takeover three years ago. Stock in company makes up bulk of his fortune; shares at a four-year low, with steel prices down 75% since last summer. Arcelor posted $2.6 billion loss in most recent quarter; announced plans to slow acquisitions, cut capital expenditures, pay down debt. Started in family steel business in the 1970s, branched out on his own in 1994. Also owns pieces of Mumbai’s Indiabulls Group, London’s RAB Capital; owns stake in, sits on board of Goldman Sachs.

#9. Theo Albrecht

Richest People in the World

Age: 87
Source: Aldi / Supermarkets
Net Worth: $18.8 bil
Country of Citizenship: Germany
Marital Status: Married, two children

Runs discount supermarket group Aldi Nord. Sales expected to hit $31 billion in 2008. After World War II he and older brother Karl transformed their mother’s corner grocery into Aldi. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got the northern Germany stores and the rest of Europe. Unable to operate Aldi stores in U.S., Theo developed discount food store Trader Joe’s; now has more than 320 U.S. stores. Also owns stake in Supervalu.

#10. Amancio Ortega

Richest Man in the World 2009

Age: 73
Source: Fashion
Net Worth: $18.3 bil
Country of Citizenship: Spain
Marital Status: Divorced, remarried; three children

Spain’s richest man is founder and chairman of the Inditex Group which owns the Zara fashion store chain. Today Inditex has more than 4,000 stores in 71 countries. Sales: $12.3 billion. Railway worker’s son started as a gofer in a shirt store. With then wife Rosalia Mera, also now a billionaire, started making dressing gowns and lingerie in their living room.