2000 FACTS

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948), better known as "the Mahatma", was a lawyer, thinker, and political activist. He became a central figure in the Indian independence movement characterized by the defense of active nonviolence. Imprisoned on several occasions, he was considered a national hero. His life and work gave rise to the film "Gandhi" (1982), which received eight Academy Awards.  Here are some of his best pieces of advice: 

Og Mandino (1923-1996) was an essayist and psychologist and is considered one of the world's leading specialists in writing personal development books. His main message is "do it now", with the aim of forming good habits through repeated behaviors. His works are strongly influenced by Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, and Emmett Fox. His best-known work is "The Greatest Salesman in the World," which has been translated into numerous languages and has sold over 50 million copies. His other books include "University of Success" and "Mission: Success!" Here are some of his most valuable pieces of advice: 

It sometimes happens that the popular name of a faunal species does not seem to have a logical explanation, but when the name refers to something as obvious as color and it turns out that the chromatic aspect of the species has nothing to do with the one applied to it, we reach an absurd situation. It has been said that the white rhinoceros received its name when the Europeans saw the first specimens covered in whitish slime and it has also been said that its name is actually a deformation of the terms used by the Dutch Boers: "weit" which means long or "wijt" which means wide and which in both cases are reminiscent of the English word "white". In any case, the white rhinoceros is the great faunal jewel of the Caramba National Park, created in 1938, no less, precisely to ensure its protection. 

If there is a national park in Africa that can be considered the paradigm of the irresistible attraction that these places exert on the western world, it is undoubtedly Kilimanjaro, and if there is an image that represents the perfect synthesis of the natural landscape that those who want to visit the black continent dream of, that image, without a doubt, is an immense plain full of animals in freedom, on which, in the background, the immense snow-capped mass of Kilimanjaro stands out. The Kilimanjaro

Warren Buffett (b. 1930) is an American investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Main shareholder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, he is one of the richest men in the world, ranked in the top ten of the world's fortunes, according to Forbes magazine. Despite this, Buffett stands out for his austerity in his personal life. In 2007, Time magazine included him among the 100 most influential people in the world. Several books have been written about his investment and management style, such as "The Tao of Warren Buffett" and "Warren Buffett and The Interpretation of Financial Statements", both by Mary Buffett and David Clark.  Here are 10 pieces of advice found in Buffett’s books, TV appearances, and other types of publication: 

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) was an American businessman, as well as a writer and lecturer on personal development. His most influential book, a "bible" of personal relationships, is "How to Win Friends and Influence People", as well as the interesting "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" and "The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking".  Here are some of his best tips, extracted from his different books and analyzed by 2000facts: 

From Khartoum (Sudan), the Nile rushes successively in six waterfalls, numbered from north to south; so that the sixth is close to this city and the first at Aswan, where the Nile enters Egypt. Before the gigantic dam of Aswan was built, the Nile overflowed every year because of the torrential rains that fall in Ethiopia and fertilized the lands near the river. The Egyptian civilization flourished along the 1200 km that separate the first waterfall from the Mediterranean Sea, in two distinct areas: the upper Nile, which reached Aswan, and the lower Nile, or Nile Delta. About 5000 years ago, King Menes unified upper and lower Egypt, founded the first dynasty, and made Memphis the capital of his empire. With the first pharaoh of the third dynasty, Djoser, the period that historians call the Ancient Empire began. To this monarch belongs the step pyramid of Sakkara built by the great architect Imhotep.

Its medieval streets form, as if falling into the Douro river, a dense irregular pattern, while in the most modern part of the city Porto opens up into wide avenues and squares. After playing a decisive role in the early years of independence, which was reflected in its Gothic architecture, thanks to the prosperity generated by the wine trade in the 18th century, Porto developed a Baroque architecture of great beauty. Inhabited since the 8th century B.C., it began to have some relevance as a Roman camp. Today it has become the second most important city in the country and a great commercial and economic center with a great wealth of monuments. A view of the city

In the southern foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama, within sight of the Spanish capital but prudently removed from it, stands the mystical dream of a solitary man. Monastery and Site of The Escurial, one of many architectural relics in Spain

Name : Old Town of Segovia and Its Aqueduct (Spain) Declared International Heritage Site in: 1985 Location: It is found in the center of Spain, 85 kilometers north of Madrid The Alcázar of Segovia, one of the most splendid castles in Europe An immense Roman aqueduct from the 1st century serves as an emblem of pride, a tourist attraction, and even a heraldic shield for a city, however, deeply medieval whose rich monumental heritage reminds us that it was an important stronghold when the border between Christians and Muslims passed through the peaks of the Sierra de Guadarrama and later played an important role in the internal wars of the Castile of Isabella the Catholic and Charles I. 

William Carroll Smith Jr. (1968- ) is an American actor who became famous in the 1980s thanks to his participation as the main character in the TV sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." He has subsequently starred in several films, some of them blockbusters such as "The Pursuit of Happiness," "I Am Legend," and "Seven Pounds." He is the only actor in history to have starred in 8 consecutive films that grossed over $100 million at the box office, and the only actor to have starred in 8 consecutive films that reached number one in their release. He is a person very interested in everything related to spirituality. Here are several pieces of advice from Will Smith, each of which I will try to analyze and explain in my own words for an easier understanding:  

Name: Aachen Cathedral Location: in the center of the city of Aachen, in the German state of Nordrhein-Westfalen Charles Martel died in his favorite city, Carisiacum  (nowadays, Querzy-Sur-Oise, in the north of Paris), where his son Pepin the Short (year 751 A.D) and his grandchildren Charles (future Charlemagne) and Carloman would be later crowned. Carloman died at a young age, just before his enmity with his younger brother Charles caused a catastrophic situation for the kingdom. The death of Carloman in 771 allowed Charles (742-814) to be crowned as a lone king in 768. A fast and victorious war against the Saxons made Charles take hold of the vast majority of lands of the ancient Roman Empire in Western Europe, except for the British Islands and the Iberic Peninsula. Charles added to his own name the adjective of Magno  (in English 'Magne') and utilized Christianity as a binding agent for his empire. The Saxon nobility admitted his participation in the newborn European p...

Robert Kiyosaki (1947) is an entrepreneur, investor, writer, and public speaker on financial and business topics. Founder of Cash Flow Technologies, he started to be recognized after the release of his successful book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". He's the author of multiple books about financial issues, among which we can highlight, besides the one already mentioned, "Cashflow Quadrant," "Why We Want You To Be Rich," or "The Business of the 21st Century". Now, let's review some of his most famous quotes, collected from Kiyosaki's work:

Jim Rohn (1930-2009), entrepreneur, writer, and public speaker, has been one of the most influential figures in personal development and it has been recognized by many as the "business philosopher". His speeches and seminars have been listened to by more than 300 million people from all over the world. Author of more than 30 books, his work has made a massive impact on other current experts like Anthony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy or Jack Canfield, among others. His most popular book is "7 strategies for wealth and happiness". Jim Rohn (1930-2009)

Name: Durham Castle and Cathedral. Location: in northeastern England, in Durham county, near the border with Scotland. Castle and cathedral: the two great symbols of medieval Europe form in Durham a harmonious complex, accentuated by its splendid placement on a rocky spur that dominates the water of River Wear. For centuries, these buildings incarnated the spiritual and temporary power of the prince bishops who governed in the border with Scotland on behalf of the English Crown; nowadays, they represent the most notable sample of the Anglo-Norman style that England used to challenge the Romanesque one. Durham Castle and Cathedral

Name: Historic Center of Prague (Czech Republic). Location: in the center of the country, in Central Bohemia. The remains of prehistoric settlements in Prague, which have been preserved up to these days, barely provide us any information. The first people about whom we have enough data is the Boii, a Celtic people that made this region be known as Bohiobaemun , term from which comes the word  Bohemia , the name of this European region. In the 9th century, the Slavic tribe of the Czech settled near the banks of river Moldava (currently Vltava), and they fortified a hill, at the same place where it stands the spectacular Prague Castle nowadays; soon they dominated Bohemia  and converted this into their new capital. Old Town Square, Prague

Steve Jobs (1955-2011) was the founder of Apple Inc. and one of the most popular entrepreneurs of all time. Creator of numerous technological products consumed nowadays by people from all over the world like McIntosh, iPhone, iPod, iPad, or iTunes, among others. He was included in the list of the world's richest people by Forbes magazine. He published the book "I, Steve: Steve Jobs in His Own Words" and they have also been written several biographies about him and the company that bears his name. Some examples of these works are: "In 1984", by George Orwell; "Only the Paranoid Survive", by Andrew S. Grove; and the most famous biography of Steve Jobs, "Steve Jobs", by Walter Isaacson. Steve Jobs in his own House (Photo taken in 1982)

Under Frederick William II, Prussia established a reputation as a country where the arts flourished. The king acquired the services of three major architects - Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff, Carl Gotthard Langhans, and Carl von Gontard - and appointed the young Johann Gottfried Schadow his court sculptor. He revived the Academy of Arts ( Akademie der Künste ), which had been in existence since 1696, and in the Minister of State whom he appointed its curator, Friedrich Anton, Baron von Heinitz, he found a skillful reformer who in addition bridged the gulf between the arts and industry, since he was President of the Royal Porcelain Manufacturing Commission. In 1790, new regulations made it possible to build up a collection of models and found a school of draftsmanship for craftsmen. The royal collections were open to members of the Academy and their pupils, and methods of architectural training were updated. From 1786, the Academy held its regular exhibitions in Berlin, providing a...

Robin S. Sharma (1965) is an author and public speaker on topics related to personal development (motivational speaker.) After studying law at the university, he worked for a few years as a professor and later he acted as a lawyer, before dedicating his time to coaching and giving advice to others. He is the author of multiple books. Among them, we have to highlight: "The Monk who sold his Ferrari", "The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate your Life" and "The Leader Who Had No Title." It's very likely that most of you had not ever heard about this author, so I think this article could bring more value than the ones about more famous people, such as Donald Trump or Bill Gates. Ok, so let's jump into the quotes followed by a brief explanation of each one. Robin S. Sharma

When in the 12th century, Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy founded a primitive city "made of wood" called Moscow, destroyed several times by multiple fires and rapidly rebuilt, a small stronghold had just been created. It occupied a twentieth part of the current Kremlin and in its surroundings were found the courtesan residences, as well as the artisans and merchant's ones. Some small religious buildings were also erected. In 1263, it was established the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In the middle of the 14th century, Prince Ivan Kalita walled the stronghold with solid and robust oak walls and in 1328 the capital of the Duchy was translated from Vladimir. Because of the continuous threat of invasions, in 1367 Prince Dimitri decided to raise the first stone walls. The Kremlin and the Red Square

Jeff Bezos (1964) is the founder and CEO of Amazon.com. He studied electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Princeton, New Jersey. He started working for an optical fiber company, and later on, he made his debut in Wall Street. In 1994, he left his work and moved to Seattle, where he founded in 1995 "Cadabra.com," an online bookshop. It contained more than 200,000 titles which could be also ordered via email. A bit later, the company changed its name to "Amazon," because of the Amazon River. In 1996, Amazon was receiving about 2,000 visitors per day. A year later, that number multiplied by 25. In 1997, the company jumped into the stock market. In December 1999, Jeff Bezos became Time Magazine's person of the year. Today, Amazon.com is the owner of companies such as The Washington Post or Whole Foods Market, is the biggest retailer in the world by profits, surpassing Walmart, and Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world according to Forb...

Name: Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd. Location: in northern Wales, on the coast. The vast plan of fortifications traced by Edward I of England to consolidate the conquest of Wales in the 13th century, the complex made up of the castles of Beaumaris and Harlech, next to the fortified villages of Caernarfon and Conwy, stands out as the best example of the military architecture of the time and one of the best works designed by his genuine servant, the Savoyard Master James of Saint George, architect of the works of Edward I in Wales. Caernarfon Castle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd in North-West Wales

Name: Hanseatic City of Lübeck (Germany). Location: in northern Germany, in the land of Schleswig-Holstein. Lübeck, the old city of the Hanseatic League, preserves very well until this day its vast and splendid medieval zone. Among 14th-16th century residential districts, there are still boroughs full of artisans and merchants who reflect the original profile of the city which dominated the trade in Northern Europe for centuries. Holstentor (Holsten Gate) in Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein (Germany)

Bill Gates (1955), American businessman and philanthropist, he is the founder of the technology firm Microsoft and he also founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, committed to promoting health and education in the neediest regions of the world, this is why he and his spouse won the Príncipe de Asturias  Award for their labor in international cooperation, in 2006. According to Forbes magazine, he is right now (November 2019) the second wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $96.5 billion, behind Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com Inc. William Henry Gates III (Bill Gates)

Could it be that by using a machine, a mechanical device created by humans, we were able to create art? In Aristotle's age, the word techné  referred to mastery, art, ability, creativity; in other words, to the group of necessary skills to carry out activities such as navigation, war or writing a poem. The etymology of the word ars (art) drives us to the Greek word techné (technique), which, as one can observe, provides a vague meaning. Over the centuries, the use of the term "art" was limited to those activities aimed to provide an aesthetic look and to those acts through which the human being was seeking emotions, expressing fears, anguish, and spiritual aspirations. Illustration of the camera obscura  or pinhole camera

Michael Porter (1947) is a professor at Harvard Business School, specialized in topics about business strategy, economic development of nations and regions, and about the implementation of business competitiveness in the resolution of social, environmental and health issues. He is the chairman of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness (in the same school) and also manages, once again at Harvard University, the program directed to new deputy counselors and presidents of large corporations. He has been awarded on different occasions due to his trajectory and he is the author of numerous books, among which stand out "Competitive Advantage" and "Competitive Strategy". Professor Michael Porter

Matter doesn't enjoy great prestige in our scale of values. We are so persuaded by platonic reminiscences and we consider the matter as the last tier of reality, an abstract to look at with contempt. If we change the word into an adjective, it gets even worse. To call someone a "materialist" is an insult in almost the entire world. The adjective "materialist" always involves the reproach of the selfishness, of the lack of altruism, of the kingdom of the interest above any other consideration. All of this, despite always carrying with us a precious load of matter that we call "body". Although it is true that in this case, we talk about living matter. There is even an inferior tier, the inert matter, for example, the minerals, those bodies that have never been alive. Tabela VIII from De Sphaera estense - Cristoforo de Predis (1460 circa)

John C. Maxwell (1947) is a public speaker, educator, and author of several books about leadership and personal development. He has written, in fact, more than 50 books, having sold millions of copies all over the world, some of them have even appeared in the bestseller lists of the New York Times. Among others, stands out: "The Power of Influence", "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership", "Developing the Leader within You" and "25 Ways to Win with People". John C. Maxwell - Leadership Mentor

The most obvious dimension of the objects that surround us is the length. To measure it, taking a pattern length as a unit is enough. The election is arbitrary and every extension could be used. For example, the foot size. If we walk from one edge of a room to the other, making sure that the heel of the right foot always touches the end of the left one and always walking on a straight line, we should know how many feet are from one wall to the other. But if a friend does the same thing, we shall obviously find some differences: he likely has larger or smaller feet than yours and, therefore, the result of the measurement won't be the same. The room would have more or less feet of theirs than ours. Imagine that this example is repeated by many different people, so each measurement would be different. So, due to these discrepancies, it is required to have a "foot" of reference, a patterned foot. "Use of the New Measures"

Brian Tracy (1944) is a public speaker, coach, and writer on topics related to personal development. He has worked with more than a thousand companies from different economic sectors and he has carried out hundreds of seminars. He is the author of multiple books, like "Eat That Frog!", "Kiss That Frog!", "Psychology of Selling" and "No excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline". Some of his most popular quotes, which we will proceed to analyze are the following: Brian Tracy, Motivational Speaker