Cars at a car dealership are seen in the flooded village of Fischerdorf, near Deggendorf June 7, 2013. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

A model poses backstage during the International Flamenco Fashion Show in Seville, Spain, on February 2, 2013. (Photo by Associated Press/Miguel Angel Morenatti)

Anime fans visited the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee on the weekend of February 15-17 for Anime Milwaukee 2013. (Photo by Pat A. Robinson)

A devotee participates in Holi celebrations at the Nandagram temple, on March 22, 2013. (Photo by Manish Swarup/Associated Press)

William Gibson is not one of the authors that spits out novels like a machine – in his long and fruitful career he has only published 11 novels andof short stories and articles in the tens each. Still his impact on modern literature was huge – the “noir prophet” of the cyberpunk subgenre (that he was one of the pioneers of) has predicted the rise of reality television, virtual reality, video games and the internet. He is a Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction writer, with a special eye for what the future might bring.

Modern architecture is nothing short of a miracle. For example, the mind-boggling skyscrapers of Dubai would dumbfound anyone who is lucky enough to witness them in real life. Nevertheless, there are some modern buildings that are not as grand as the Burj Khalifa or Princess Tower, but are still wondrous to look at. Emporia Shopping Centre, located in Malmo, Sweden, is one of those places. The architect who designed this building is named Gert Wingardh. Emporia Shopping Centre was built to look as if its center was melted through by an inferno, leaving behind a giant molten block of gold.

Everyone wants to get something for nothing - whether it's a lucky upgrade that means you can turn left when you get on a plane instead or heading off into the economy seats, or even getting a few extra features thrown in for free when you buy a new car.

As some of the sharpest businesses around, no-one understands this quite as well as casinos and that's why they all have a system that they call comps. It's short for "complimentary offers" and these are special treats specially designed to reward you for your loyalty to the casino in question. They're basically bonuses.