"Fall of Giants" by Ken Follett

Fall of Giants is a magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in the Century trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families – American, German, Russian, English and Welsh – as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women’s suffrage.

These families find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty.

As always with Ken, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.

Brazilian Baby dancing Samba

Stop Human Trafficking - Denounce it!!

Know It

Human trafficking -- also known as "trafficking in persons" -- is believed to be one of the fastest-growing criminal industries in the world. Human trafficking involves the recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining of people for the purpose of various forms of exploitation. Victims are often controlled through force, fraud, or coercion. While it is commonly thought that human trafficking is the smuggling or movement of people, in fact, the crime involves exploitation and control. Victims of human trafficking can be men or women, adults or children, and U.S. citizens or foreign-born immigrants.

Human trafficking can be difficult to recognize. Human trafficking victims may be forced to work as prostitutes, domestic workers, landscapers, in restaurants and bars, as forced panhandlers, in cleaning and janitorial jobs, in nail salons, or in other roles.

See It
Victims are often kept out of sight and are afraid to reach out for help. The following may be signs that someone may be a victim of trafficking: 

• Workers who have had their ID, passport, or documents taken away
• Workers who show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture
• Workers who show signs of emotional abuse
• Workers who are being threatened by or are in debt to their boss
• Workers who are under 18 and are involved in the commercial sex industry
• Workers who are not free to leave or come and go from their place of work as they wish
• Workers who don't seem to be receiving payment

If you think you see a human trafficking situation, you should ask the potential victim the following questions. These questions were compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Can you leave your job or situation if you want?
• Can you come and go as you please?
• Have you been threatened if you try to leave?
• Have you been physically harmed in any way?
• What are your working or living conditions like?
• Where do you sleep and eat?
• Do you sleep in a bed, on a cot, or on the floor?
• Have you ever been deprived of food, water, sleep, or medical care?
• Do you have to ask permission to eat, sleep, or go to the bathroom?
• Are there locks on your doors and windows so you cannot get out?
• Has anyone threatened your family?
• Has your identification or documentation been taken from you?
• Is anyone forcing you to do anything that you do not want to do?

Report It
If you are a victim of human trafficking or would like to report a tip regarding suspected human trafficking, contact police in your country.

Venus de Milo

 

Aphrodite of Milos, better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created at some time between 130 and 100 BC, it is believed to depict Aphrodite (Venus to the Romans) the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It is a marble sculpture, slightly larger than life size at 203 cm (6 ft 8 in) high. Its arms and original plinth have been lost. From an inscription that was on its plinth, it is thought to be the work of Alexandros of Antioch; it was earlier mistakenly attributed to the master sculptor Praxiteles. It is at present on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

(in Wikipedia)

Simply... Miloš

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miloš really fascinates me! It delights, enchaints and makes me dream for sure! I'm in love since the first moment  I saw it. Its calm atmosphere as well as its warm, clear and transparent waters are so perfect for a restful and wonderful stay. Sometimes the world can be a real paradise!

Milos is the most western island of the Cyclades, Greece. It has 5.500 inhabitants scattered over 7 small towns. Milos total surface is 151 sq. km. The island is ample, due to the very large and beautiful gulf is in the very middle of it, which gives the island a horseshoe shape.      There are more than 70 beaches, each one with its own characteristic.   Milos is also known  to most people as the place where the statue of Venus, now in the Louvre Museum in Paris, was discovered.

Welcome Saudi Arabia!!

Hello my dear Saudi friend:

It's almost three years you have been visiting my blog, as indicated in my stat counters, and  you never left  me a message! I want to thank you for your visits. Make contact!   It will be great ! You are very welcome in my blog!!