TOP 5

Top Five/5 Friendliest country in the world

2012-01-12T21:37:00.001-08:00

1. New Zealand

2. Australia

3. South Africa

4. Canada

5. United States

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Top 5/Five Best and amazing Catch in the cricket history - Any time

2010-11-23T18:43:00.000-08:00

Top 5/Five Media Players

2010-11-14T05:22:00.000-08:00

1. iTunes Media Player

iTunes is a proprietary digital media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The application is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's iPod and iPhone lines, as well as the iPad.

ou can download this media player on the internet or load it onto your computer with the CD that comes along with your iPod. You can play both media and video files with great ease. The library can accommodate thousands of songs and your computer will not freeze up.

You can download this media player on the internet or load it onto your computer with the CD that comes along with your iPod. You can play both media and video files with great ease. The library can accommodate thousands of songs and your computer will not freeze up.

2. VLC Media Player

VLC is a portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer supporting many audio and video codecs and file formats as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It is able to stream over networks and to transcode multimedia files and save them into various formats. VLC used to stand for VideoLAN Client, but since VLC is no longer simply a client, that initialism no longer applies

The VLC media player is very popular because sometimes movies cannot be played on players like Winamp or Windows Media Player. This is when the VLC media player becomes useful- it can play any movie in the world! People say that if you even put a photograph on it, it will start playing it!

3.Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player (abbreviated WMP) is a proprietary digital media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices. Editions of Windows Media Player were also released for Mac OS, Mac OS X and Solaris but development of these has since been discontinued.

4. Nero Media Player

Nero is a software that is used to burn CDs and as far as its media playing facilities are concerned, it is pretty decent. It will not tarnish the quality of the video or the song. You can also create libraries and listen to one song after the other- a feature that is not supported by VLC Media Player.

5. Winamp Media Player

Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features. Winamp was released by Justin Frankel in 1997, and its popularity grew quickly, along with the developing trend of MP3 file-sharing.

Winamp is as old as Windows Media Player and is pretty reliable because you can create folders of your favorite songs and add it onto the player. Users can also the change the skin as and when their moods change. However, if you want to watch videos, you are better off using VLC.

Top 5/Five Dangerous and Ddeadliest disease in the world

2010-11-14T04:52:00.001-08:00

1.AIDS

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the point at which your body can no longer fight off infections and illnesses. AIDS is not transmitted; it is the result of HIV destroying blood cells that fight infections.

2. Influenza

The flu is caused by viruses that infect the respiratory tract which are divided into three types, designated A, B, and C. Most people who get the flu recover completely in 1 to 2 weeks, but some people develop serious and potentially life-threatening medical complications, such as pneumonia. Much of the illness and death caused byinfluenza can be prevented by annual influenza vaccination.

3. Spanish flu

A pandemic of influenza A (H1N1) in 1918-19 that caused the highest number of known flu deaths. More than 500,000 people died in the United States, and 20 million to 50 million people may have died worldwide. Many people died within the first few days after infection and others died of complications soon after. Nearly half of those who died were young, healthy adults. Also known as Spanish influenza.

4.Bubonic plague

The most common form of the plague, named for the characteristicbuboes -- buboes are enlarged lymph nodes ("swollen glands") -- in the groin which are usually very tender and painful. Lymph nodes may be similarly affected elsewhere such as in the armpits and neck. Common but less specific features of the disease includeheadache, fever, chills, and weakness.

5.Malaria

An infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites from the Plasmodiumfamily that can be transmitted by the sting of the Anopheles mosquito or by a contaminated needle or transfusion. Falciparum malaria is the most deadly type.

Top five/5 Fastest bike in the World

2010-11-14T04:35:00.000-08:00

1. Suzuki Hayabusa

2. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14

3. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R

4. Suzuki GSX-R1000

5. Yamaha YZF-R1

Top 5/Five actress in Japan,

2010-06-27T00:54:00.000-07:00

Masami Nagasawa:
Born on June 3 1987, at Iwata in Shizuoka, Masami Nagasawa is a Japanese actress working for Toho Entertainment. Her father, Kazuaki Nagasawa is the former manager of the J. League team, Júbilo Iwata. Masami Nagasawa entered into the entertainment industry through winning a beauty contest at the age of 12. In 2000, Masami Nagasawa auditioned in the 5^th Toho “Cinderella Contest.” She became the youngest winner to win that contest out of total 35,153 individuals. That same year, Masami Nagasawa made her debut in a movie titled,Crossfire. Instead of pursuing a career in acting, she became a professional model for the popular Japanese teen magazine, “Peach Lemon.” As a model, she became very popular after appearing in the Nabisco CM in 2002. This earned her the title of “The Pretty Gril from the Nabisco CM.” In 2003, she landed with her first lead role in a movie titled Robokon. In this movie, she played the character of high school girl who reluctantly joins the National Robot Contest for High School Students. For her performance in Robokon, Masami Nagasawa received the Best New Comer Award in the 27^th Japanese Academy Awards. Her other major movies include:

Ashura no Gotoku
Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World
Shinkokyu no Hitsuyou
Godzilla: Final Wars
Touch
Rough

Kyoko Fukada:
Born on November 2 1982, Kyoko Fukada is an actress, model and singer. As an actress, she first appeared in 1997 in an NTV drama titled Five. The name of her character was Yodobashi Sanae/Kanae. That same year, she appeared in another television drama, Sore Ga Kotae Da! in Fuji TV. In Sore Ga Kotae Da!, the name of her character was Mizuno Kazune. For the next two years, Kyoko Fukada appeared in several television dramas and established herself as an actress. Between 1997 and 1999, she appeared in the following television dramas:Tengoku no Kiss, To Heart, Oni no Sumika, Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake, and News no Onna. In 1999, Kyoko Fukada made her debut in a movie titled Ring 2. Ring 2 was a horror movie. In Ring 2, Kyoko Fukada played the character of Kanae Sawaguchi. That same year, she also appeared in another movie titled Dolls which released in 2002. In Dolls, Kyoko Fukada played the character of Haruna, a famous pop-star, who became disfigured in a car accident. A talented JPop singer, Kyoko Fukada made her first single “The Last Fruit” in 1999. She also released her first album “Dear” in that same year. To Japanese people, Kyoko Fukada is also known as Fukakyon. Kyoko Fukada enjoys swimming and red and blue are her favorite colors.

Rinko Kikuchi:
This actress may not have too many hit movies to her credits but Rinko Kikuchi is among those fortunate actresses who got to work with some of Japan’s top movie directors at a very young age. Rinko Kikuchi made her debut in 1999 in a movie titled Ikitai. It was directed by famous Japanese director, Kaneto Shindo. In 2001, Rinko Kikuchi appeared in Kazuyoshi Komuri’s critically acclaimed movie, Sora no Ana which was screened in the famous Rotterdam Film Festival. In 2004, Rinko Kikuchi appeared in Cha no Aji, a film directed by famous director Katsuhito Ishii. The movie was also selected for the Cannes Film Festival. Her big break came in 2006 in Babel. Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, in the movie, Rinko Kikuchi played the character of a deaf-mute teenage girl named Chieko Wataya. For her performance in the movie, she received numerous awards and nominations including nomination for the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress. Rinko Kikuchi is one of eight Asian actors to receive a nomination for Academy Awards in acting category. She is also one of the five actresses to receive Academy Awards nomination for playing a speechless character. Born on January 6 1981, Rinko Kikuchi currently lives in central Tokyowith her boy-friend actor Federico Aletta. Rinko is a skilled sword-fighter, an accomplished motorcyclist and horseback rider.

Ryoko Hirosue:
Born on July 18 1980, in Kochi Prefecture, Ryoko Hirosue started her career at the age of fourteen by winning the “P&G” model competition. In the next year, Ryoko Hirosue made her first television appearance as a singer in a program named 18,TK Music Camp. In 1995, Ryoko Hirosue made her debut as an actress in Fuji Television’s drama titled, Heart ni S. Since then, Ryoko Hirosue worked in numerous television dramas and movies. In 1997, Hirsoue Ryoko debuted as a pop singer. That same year, she recorded a commercial for Asahi Soft Drinks and after one month, she took glasses. The actress appeared in Mitsuya commercial with her glasses. This talented actress, model and singer went to Waseda University in 1999 and studied for four years but did not graduate. In 2004, Ryoko Hirosue was married to Takahiro Okazawa, an accomplished model and designer. In the end of 2003, she announced her pregnancy. Because of child birth, Hirosue could not work for one and half-year. Rumor of their divorce spread out in 2006 when Okazawa and Ryoko Hirosue started to live separately. In March 2008, the couple got divorced. According to the latest news, Ryoko Hirosue got custody of her three year old son. Okazawa will not pay any alimony for the child.

Keiko Kitagawa:
This innocent looking girl is an established model, actress and a commercial science major at Meiji University inTokyo. Keiko Kitagawa had no intention of entering into the entertainment world. She wanted to become a doctor. By the time she reached high school, she was not sure about her future career. At that time, a talent agency approached her. Initially, her parents did not agree but then they gave her permission. In 2003, Keiko Kitagawa was chosen as Miss Seventeen 2003 and started her career as a model for the popular Japanese teen magazineSeventeen. She worked there from late 2003 to mid 2006 and stopped modeling upon leaving the magazine. That same year, she started her acting career in the live action television series, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Keiko Kitagawa played the character of Rei Hino in that series. After Sailor Moon, Keiko Kitagawa worked in bothHollywood and Japanese movies. Her major Hollywood movie includes, The Fast and The Furious sequel, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Born on August 22, 1986 in Hyogo Prefecture, Keiko Kitagawa is a fortunate survivor of the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. She lost many of her friends in that earthquake. When she was young she was hit by a car and had to stay in the hospital for a long time. A stay-at-home person, Keiko Kitagawa enjoys watching DVD, listening to music and reading books. She also likes swimming. She has a pet cat named Jill.

Top 5/five actress in japan,Japan actress,Japanese top 5 actress,best actress in japan

Top 5/Five Wonders of the World

2010-06-27T00:37:00.000-07:00

Rank	Wonders of World	Country
1	Pyramids of Egypt at Giza	Egypt
2	Great Wall of China	China
3	Taj Mahal	India
4	Serengeti Migration	Kenya & Tanzania
5	Galapagos Islands	Ecuador

Top five/5 Most Beautiful Mountains in china

2010-06-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

1. Namjagbarwa Peak in Nyingchi, Tibet (西藏林芝南迦巴瓦峰).

Namjagbarwa Peak, located in Nyingchi Region of Tibet Autonomous Region, is reputed to be Paradise in the Clouds. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Himalayas have been hailed as humankind's last land of mystery. The most mysterious thing is that at each end of the Himalayas two peaks stand on the mysterious tectonic knots: at the eastern end stands Namjagbarwa (7,782 meters), the world’s 15th highest peak, and at the western end Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters), the world's ninth highest peak. They not only attach the magnificent length of the Himalayan chain to the southern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, but also fix the Eurasian plate to the Indian plate.

In face of the Indian Ocean, it reflects an obvious vertical landform. In its valley is tropical rain forest and above the snow line, it is a snow world. Namjagbarwa has existed for over 700 million years, with a great abundance of mountain eco-systems, mountain vegetation forms and bio-communities compressed in one tight area. The first piece of land in the Himalayan region to emerge from the sea, it deserves its title of Number One among the Eastern Himalayan Mountains.
In Tibetan, Namjagbarwa means a "long lance piercing into the sky." The sky-scraping Namjagbarwa Peak, with its majestic appearance, precipitous shape and unpredictable climate, has been an ambitious aim of mountain-climbing organizations from various countries, and was only conquered recently by a Sino-Japanese climbing team in 1992.

2. Gongga Mountain in Sichuan (四川贡嘎山)

Mountain Gongga or Minya Konka is in Luding, Kangding and Jiulong County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. In Tibetan language, "Gong" means permanent snow cover, while "Ga" means white, so Gongga means white snow cover. It is located in the Miya Raogang area, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist administrative division. Local people also call it Miya Gongga.

The towering peak called Minya Konka rises to an awesome 7556 meters, making it the highest peak east of the Himalayas, and is the highest mountain in Sichuan Province. Minya Konka peak is high snowy peak with narrow ridges. While wildlife on the grasslands has been deeply affected by the changes in Tibet, remote mountain peaks and valleys often serve as refuges of isolation where wildlife remains abundant. In the high and steep Gongga Mountain, the snow does not melt perennially.

The climate of Minya Konka is moist, snowy and very changeful. Climbing is more difficult than QionmoLangma (Mt. Everest). Since 1932, only seven expeditions, with 22 people, have reached the summit of Minya Konka successfully.

A streak of blood-red light pierced the dark clouds, revealing over 50 steep snow-capped summits, shining, dazzling and thrusting into the clouds like golden swords. On the other side of the valley there were pinewoods, dark green in the sunshine, like green flower garlands above the mountain fields girdling the immeasurably high golden snow-capped summits. This ''Sunshine over the Golden Mountain'' is the most famous scenic view in the Gongga area.

3. Qomolangma Peak/Everest in Tibet (西藏珠穆朗玛峰)

Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mt. Everest, meaning Mother Goddess of the Universe, in Tingri County, Shigatse (Xigaze) Area of Tibet Autonomous Region, is the highest peak in the world. It straddles the border between China and Nepal. The main peak of the Himalayas, it is also the world's highest mountain. It has been called the most revered of all mountains and the world's third pole. The whole mountain looks like a huge pyramid, mighty and imposing. Its surrounding landforms are very steep and dangerous, making its ascent very difficult.

Qomolangma is 8,844.43 meters above sea level. Its northern slope is in Tingri County, Tibet, China and its southern slope lies within Nepal. It is a surrounded by towering mountains for a radius of 20 kilometers, more than 40 of them over 7,000 meters high. They include the famous Lhotse (the world's 4th highest peak) and Makalu (the world's 5th highest peak) to the southeast. There are other first-rate peaks beyond. Kangchenjunga (8,586 meters), the world's 3rd highest peak, is to the southwest, and to the west stand Gyachung Kang (7,986 meters), Cho Oyu (8,201 meters) and Gasherbrum (8,027 meters).

The North Col of Everest is located in Tinggri (Shegar). Massive glaciers and seracs feature a thrilling splendor. The peak has been a holy climbing attraction for world's mountaineers. In recent years, more and more mountaineers start from the Everest Base Camp trying to conquer the world's highest peak while tourists trek to the foot of the peak to enjoy its beauty.

Since the 18th and 19th centuries, explorers and mountaineers from other countries went to the Qomolangma Peak to explore its secrets. In the 1920s and 1930s, seven attempts were made by foreign mountaineering teams to climb Qimolangma via the north face, but all failed. A Chinese mountaineering team conquered the summit from the north face for the first time in 1960. Even today, it is still a cherished goal of countless mountaineers.

4. Meili Snow Mountains, Yunnan Province (云南梅里雪山)

The Meili Snow Mountain are located of the border between Deqing County in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan and Zayu County in Tibet, lying deep in the Hengduan Mountain where the three waters of the Jinsha, the Langcang and the Nujiang riverw converge. It is a holy place of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists, and the first of the eight great divine mountains in the Tibetan region.

At this place, 13 peaks average elevations over 6000 meters. Among of them, the Kawagebo (Tibetan call it) peak with 6740 meters high above the sea level is the highest one in Yunnan Province. Kawagebo in Tibetan is the God of Snow Mountain where is the sacred place for Buddhists. Nearby Kawagebo, 13 peaks line up, like a guard of honor for the God. During the period of the end of autumn and the beginning of the winter, a great number of devotees would come here to worship without thinking of how long the ways they have to go. It was admiring to see that they crawled to go up the high mountain gradually. In October 1989, the tenth Panchen Lama, Great Master of Tibetan Buddhism, held a grand religious meeting in front of Kagebo Peak, and now a stone tablet and a pagoda stand there welcoming tourists. In addition, at the foot of it, there are continuous glaciers and cirques known as the Modern Glaciers in the low latitude.

The complex geology of the Hengduan Mountain and the changeable climate in the low-latitude snow mountains mean that the Meili are fraught with fatal dangers. Violent glacier movements have aggravated fissures in the mountain body still further, giving rise to suspended glaciers, hidden ice crevices, ice avalanches and snow avalanches. Because of the precipitous massifs and perpetual snow, there are snow slides, dense fogs, heavy rain and fierce wind, and it is still a 'virgin peak" which none has conquered. However, it is most magnificent!

5. Huangshan Mountain, Anhui Province (安徽黄山)

Mt.Huangshan in east China's Anhui province is one of Chinas ten best-known scenic spots. It was listed as one of the World Natural and Cultural Heritages in 1990. Huangshan is characterized by the four wonders, namely, odd-shaped pines, grotesque rock formation, seas of clouds and crystal- clear hot springs. Greeting Pine, on the left side of Jade Screen Tower, is a symbol of Huangshan scenery. Because of its mists and clouds, natural scenery in the area changes beyond prediction.

Mt.Huangshan is a marvel: within an area of 154 square kilometers there is a crowd of peaks, 72 of which have names indicating the shapes they resemble. Mount Huangshan extends 40 kilometers from south to north and 30 kilometers from east to west, covering an area of 1200 square kilometers, the highlights of which occupy 154 square kilometers. Lotus, Brightness Top and Celestial Capital are the three major ones, all rising above 1,800 meters above sea level. When it is cloudy the pinnacles loom in mists as if they were illusionary, while the sun is shining they unfold in all their majesty and splendor. MT.Huangshan change its color and appearance with the alternation of seasons. Here in Huangshan, pines and rocks are intimately involved with each other, almost every rock has a pine tree growing out of the crevice, and every tree has tortuous and gnarled roots and branches.The still sea of snow-white cloud can suddenly begin to roll and toss, rise or fall, gather or disperse while the peaks emerge and disappear in the clouds like isles in the ocean. So from ancient times it has been frequented by tourists seeking their mystery and admiring their frequented by tourists seeking their mystery and admiring their scenery.

As clouds often shut out the sun, hot weather never stays long, and this makes Mt.Huangshans an ideal summer resort. Mt.Huangshan lies in subtropical zones, so it's not quiet cold in winter, at least, not so cold as some people expected. The temperature ranges from 25 °F to 40 °F, but it's enough to result in a fantastic snow scenery and a silver world with pines and precipitous peaks covered with snow and decorated with icicles.

Today Mt. Huangshan has become a world-famous tourist attraction. With its convenient facilities: three cable lines, four three-star hotels on the top, all the paths paved with flat stones, it lures millions of visitors both from home and abroad. Seeing is believing. Welcome to Mount Huangshan.

Top Five/5 best and luxurious hotels in china

2010-06-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

1.The St. Regis Shanghai (in Shanghai)

Opened in 2001,St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai provides easy access to major tunnels (Fuxing Road East Tunnel and Yan’an Tunnel) traveling between Pudong (east side) and Puxi (west side).The Bund, Xintiandi, Nanjing Road, People Square, and Yu Garden are all within 15 minutes of our hotel.

The hotel boast a total of 328 exquisitely decorated and well appointed guestrooms. All rooms and suites are comfortably furnished and well-equipped with modern guest amenities.The food and beverage outlets feature a range of Chinese, Western and Italian restaurants.Health & Fitness Center is including an indoor heated Swimming Pool, Sauna, Steam Room, Massage (at nominal fee) and Gym.

2.Radisson Shanghai New World (in Shanghai)

Opened in 2005, Radisson Hotel Shanghai New World is located in downtown Shanghai.With its unique 208 meter high tower that features a revolving restaurant and sky bar, the hotel is an icon in the Shanghai skyline.

The hotel boast a total of 520 exquisitely decorated and well appointed guestrooms.Most rooms face Peoples Park and the Shanghai City skyline.The exiting dining choice at Radisson Hotel Shanghai New World includes five restaurants and bars, featuring Western, Mediterranean, Chinese and Oriental cuisine created by talented chefs from across the globe.

Health & Fitness facilities is including Gymnasium, indoor pool, aerobics, sauna ,steam rooms,Full service spa with massage and beauty treatments,

Virtual golf, billiards, squash and mahjong.

3.Crowne Plaza Hotel Beijing (in Beijing)

Opened in 1991 and refurbished in 2005, the Crowne Plaza Beiing is located at Wangfujing Street, one of the most famous streets in China situating in the heart of Beijing, close to Dongdan Business Street, the Forbidden City, the Tian'anmen Square, the Beihai Park and the National Art Gallery.

The hotel boast a total of 382 exquisitely decorated and well appointed guestrooms. All rooms and suites are comfortably furnished and well-equipped with modern guest amenities, Fine dining and exciting nightlife are featured on the hotel menu with 3 restaurants including a Western grillroom, Chinese restaurant and an all day dining coffee shop specializing in international favorites. Health & Fitness Center is including 9th floor indoor heated Swimming Pool, Sauna, Steam Room, Solarium, Massage (at nominal fee) and Gym

4.Baiyun Hotel Guanzhou (in Guangzhou)

Opened in 1976 and refurbished in 2006, the Best Western Guangzhou Baiyun Hotel is located in the center of Guangzhou's thriving business district on Huanshi Dong Road, the hub of commercial, financial and development activities.The hotel has easy access to the train, bus terminals and Baiyun International Airport (CAN). Hotel guests will appreciate the proximity to the Chinese Export Commodities Fair Complex, International Cosmetic Fair, International Car Show and the Guangzhou Fair. A variety of premier dining and shopping options are also nearby. Guest can regist for Canton Fair at this hotel.

The hotel boast a total of 700 exquisitely decorated and well appointed guestrooms. All rooms and suites are comfortably furnished and well-equipped with modern guest amenities.The restaurant provides native Cantonese dishes and wonderful snack and meals. Within the hotel there are Billiards Room and Fitness Center.

During the Canton Fair(Apr.14 to May 6, Oct.14 to Nov.6), the hotel offers

1.Free internet access in room

2.Free shuttle bus between hotel and Pazhou Complex

3.Free fitness center

4.Free welcome fruit

5.Free newspaper

6.Canton Fair registration

7.There is airport-hotel shuttle bus from 10:00-22:00, RMB40 for one pax.Please book in advance and provide flight number

5.The Best Western Shenzhen Felicity Hotel (in Shenzhen)

Opened in 1990 and refurbished in 2003, the Best Western Shenzhen Felicity Hotel joined with single brand the largest hotel chain in the world—Best Western hotel group. With favorable geological situation, overlooking the border into Hong Kong, it is very close with the Luohu Land Port of Entry and Shenzhen train station.

The highest quality of hotel is formed with European construction style, elegant decoration, perfect facilities and professional services.The Best Western Shenzhen Felicity Hotel provided with elegantly designed 541 comfort guest suites in the hotel which is 28 floors high among which three executive floors is for special “Felicity Club” by business customers, three no smoking floors and 36 luxury suites with central auto-control air-condition, bathroom, safe, IDD telephone, mini-bar, broadband internet access and can be received American CNN, Japanese NHK, TV program from Hong Kong and South-east Asian countries and VOD order program system that is striving to provide comfort, complete and proper service for the clients.

The Best Western Shenzhen Felicity Hotel has four restaurants with unique feature: Atrium Café, Lok Moon Chinese restaurant, Sichuan Palace, Maizuru Japanese Restaurant where you can savor the great taste of various foods, even refined lobby bar is ideal for enjoying food with your friends and relatives and business discussion.

Top Five /5 Best and luxurious Hotels in Dubai - Middle east

2010-06-21T12:31:00.001-07:00

Dubai is one the best country to visit and enjoy.. and the hotels are really great and happy to see.
the top 5 hotels in dubai is given below.

1. Madinat Jumeirah

Assuming you're not rich or important enough to stay in Burj Al Arab, this 867-room resort is arguably the best place to stay in Dubai right now, targetting everyone from recharging executives to holidaying families. Corporates can cocoon themselves in the luxury beachfront Dar Al Masyaf Villas, while Mina A Salam and Al Qasr hotels combine luxury and Arabian touches – enough to make you feel you're away from home. There are more than 20 restaurants to cater for every taste, a meandering souk for shopping and on site theatre, and it's close to the emerging "new Dubai" district.
Overall rating: 9/10
Madinat Jumeirah, double room Dhs 2900 (£444) plus 20 per cent tax, www.madinatjumeirah.com, tel. 971 4 3668888

2. Park Hyatt Dubai

Less than a year old, the Hyatt's first premium branded property in the Middle East doesn't disappoint. Although it's only five minutes from the airport in the heart of the city, you can hear a pin drop. The panoramic Arabian-meets-African design is a refreshing change in skyscraper-ridden Dubai and it overlooks the Creek on one side and 18-hole Creek Golf Club on the other. The rooms are spacious and there are eight "spa rooms" – if it's too much effort to walk to the spa. A smattering of quality eateries cement the upmarket feel.
Overall rating: 9/10
Park Hyatt Dubai, single room Dhs 1250 (£191) plus 20 per cent tax, doubles Dhs 1400 (£214) plus 20 per cent, www.hyatt.com, tel. 971 4 6021234

3. Emirates Towers Hotel

This hotel still manages to retain its classy feel even though it's no longer the new kid on the tower block. The Sheikh Zayed Road icon is perennially popular with business travellers who warm to its consistently good service, restaurants and design. Despite the city's increasing traffic problems, you're only a short drive from the airport and a half-hour from Jumeirah, making journeys east and west bearable.
Overall rating: 8/10
Emirates Towers Hotel Dubai, Deluxe double Dhs 1800 (£276) plus 20 per cent, www.jumeirah.com, tel. 971 4 3300000

4. The Ritz-Carlton Dubai

The Ritz would probably be at the top of the hotel tree in Dubai were it not for the encroaching Jumeirah Beach Residence development which has played havoc with its access and changed its previously idyllic character. Once inside though, you're a world away from the cranes – this is tranquil European stylish dining and reclining at its best. The Sheraton and Marriott are currently investing millions in their beds, but they still have a way to go before they beat the Ritz. If you find it hard to leave the kingsize bed behind, you can take one with you for Dhs6,775 (£1,026).
Overall rating: 8/10
The Ritz Carlton Dubai, AED 3,300 (incl taxes) (£505), www.ritzcarlton.com, tel. 971 4 3994000

5. Grosvenor House Dubai

This 45-storey upscale newcomer in Dubai Marina is chic even by the city's extravagant standards. Nip to the top (Bar 44) for a cocktail and check out the grandiose Buddha Bar on the ground floor, which isn't so much a bar as a glassy cathedral to consumerism. You won't see any shellsuits checking in here; perfect for discerning singles or couples.
Overall rating: 8/10
Grosvenor House, Deluxe standard from Dhs 1150 (£176) plus 20 per cent, www.lemeredien.com, tel. 971 4 3998888

Top 5 hot and sexy actress in hollywood

2010-03-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

Top 5/five Longest River in the world

2010-02-19T21:56:00.000-08:00

Number	River	Length in Miles	Where Found
1.	Nile	4,135 miles	North/East Africa
2.	Amazon	3,980 miles	South America
3.	Chang Jiang (Yangtze)	3,917 miles	China
4.	Mississippi-Missouri	3,870 miles	USA
5.	Yenisey	3,434 miles	Russia

Top 5/Five Slimmest Laptop in the world

2010-02-18T03:27:00.000-08:00

As technology gets more and more advanced, devices are getting smaller in size and design. This is the list of the top 5 slimmest laptops currently available across the world.

1. Dell Latitude E4200

The Dell Latitude E4200 is 0.8 inches thick and allows the user to travel in style. The finish of these laptops is long-lasting and the material used is of the best quality. While this may not be the slimmest laptop ever launched, it is definitely among the best. It is durable and reliable- what else does one need?

2. Lenovo Thinkpad X301

This thinkpad is 0.83 inches thick and consists of such features that leave no room for complaints. It has been designed in such a way that it uses the least possible amount of electricity- making it both effective and efficient. It costs about 2600 dollars.

3. Lenovo IdeaPad U110

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 weighs about 1.05 kilograms and is 0.72 inches thick. While most compact notebooks are definitely reliable, they are not visually appealing. However, this ultra-thin laptop is both easy on the eyes and extremely durable. The price of this slim notebook has been estimated at 1,899 dollars.

4. Dell Latitude E4300

The Dell Latitude is 0.7 inches thick, making it the slimmest model in the Latitude series. While it may not be the slimmest in the world, it is of the highest quality and is extremely attractive. The build is solid and there is no doubt that if you decide to go for this laptop, it will assist you for years to come.

5. Samsung X360

The Samsung X360 is about 0.66 inches thick and is extremely lightweight. Samsung marketed this laptop with the help of a catchphrase that described the laptop to be lighter than air. It weighs about 1.27 kilograms and is extremely durable due to the nano technology which keeps bacteria at bay.

Top 5/Five Fastest Train in the world

2010-02-18T03:19:00.000-08:00

There are trains which are the fastest. Some of them are noted because they are the largest. Some trains do not fall into any of these categories but are known to carry the largest number of passengers. Newer versions of such super fast trains have started making their appearance around the length and breadth of several countries. They have made travel faster and easier for human beings. The following is the list of the fastest trains in the world!

5. Ave – Spain

AVE is an abbreviation for Alta Velocidad Española meaning High Speed. It can also imply bird in Spanish. Ave is a network of high speed trains that operate at speeds of up to 300 km/h and connects all important towns and cities in Spain.

4. Shinkanzen – Japan

A network of super fast trains connects Honshu in Japan with other major cities. It also connects Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu and Tokyo. The super fast trains of Japan are known as shinkansen. These trains of bullet types are run by Japan Railways.

3. KTX – Korea

South Korea’s high-speed rail system, the Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is operated by Korail. It has a high speed of 350km/hr and its technology is based on the French TGV system. Its speed can be limited to 300 km/h for safety during normal service. This super fast train reached a great speed of 352.4 kms per hour on December 16, 2004.

2. THSR – Taiwan

The Taiwan High Speed Rail is roughly 335.50 kms and runs along the west coast of Taiwan. It runs to Kaohsiung city from Taipei City and is said to have started its operation on January 5, 2007.

1. CRH2 of China

The CRH2 is a modified E 2-1000 series Shinkansen design and is one among the fastest train models in China. It is also the second Shinkansen model of train that was exported. The other one was the 700T series.

Top 5 Music Directors of all the time in the world

2010-02-18T03:08:00.000-08:00

1	D.A. Pennebaker	2.5569	26	1950s - 2 1960s - 4 1970s - 5 1980s - 6 1990s - 4 2000s - 5	1. Dont Look Back (1967) 2. Monterey Pop (1968) 3. Down from the Mountain (2000) 4. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1973)
2	Billy Wilder	2.4913	25	1940s - 7 1950s - 8 1960s - 5 1970s - 4 1980s - 1	1. Some Like It Hot (1959)
3	Michael Powell	2.4088	52	1920s - 1 1930s - 27 1940s - 11 1950s - 8 1960s - 3 1970s - 2	1. Red Shoes, The (1948) 2. Tales of Hoffmann, The (1951) 3. Luna de miel (1959)
4	Emeric Pressburger	2.3591	16	1940s - 8 1950s - 8	1. Red Shoes, The (1948) 2. Tales of Hoffmann, The (1951)
5	Robert Altman	2.2912	47	1950s - 12 1960s - 4 1970s - 12 1980s - 8 1990s - 6 2000s - 5	1. Prairie Home Companion, A (2006) 2. Company, The (2003) 3. Nashville (1975)

Top 5 universities in Canada

2010-02-18T03:04:00.000-08:00

Rank	University
1	University of Toronto
2	University of Alberta
3	The University of British Columbia
4	Université de Montréal
5	McGill University

Top 5 Universities in United states of America

2010-02-18T03:03:00.000-08:00

Rank	University
1	Harvard University
1	Princeton University
3	Yale University
4	California Institute of Technology
4	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4	Stanford University
4	University of Pennsylvania

Top 5/Five Universities in the world

2010-02-18T03:02:00.000-08:00

Rank	University
1	Harvard University, USA
2	University of Cambridge, UK
3	Yale University, USA
4	University College London, UK
5	Imperial College London, UK
5	University of Oxford, UK

Top 5/Five Most visited websited

2010-02-18T02:52:00.000-08:00

Here are the top 5most visited website in the world

1.)facebook
2.)google.com
3.)Hi5.com
4.)live.com
5.)msn.com

Top 5 USA box Office movies

2010-02-18T02:34:00.001-08:00

Rank	Weekend Total	Weeks	Screens	Weekend screen avg.	Cumulative box office
1.	Valentine's Day (2010)
1.	$63,135,312(%)	1	3,665	$17,226	$63,135,312
2.	Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)
2.	$38,661,634(%)	1	3,356	$11,520	$38,661,634
3.	The Wolfman (2010)
3.	$35,555,065(%)	1	3,222	$11,035	$35,555,065
4.	Avatar (2009)
4.	$28,782,849(3%)	9	2,685	$10,719	$666,388,502
5.	Dear John (2010/I)
5.	$18,200,188(-47%)	2	2,975	$6,117	$56,077,760

Top 5/five hollywood Horror movies

2010-02-18T02:31:00.000-08:00

Rank	Rating	Title	Votes
1.	8.7	Psycho (1960)	133,365
2.	8.5	Alien (1979)	168,181
3.	8.5	The Shining (1980)	164,609
4.	8.5	Aliens (1986)	159,578
5.	8.3	Les diaboliques (1955)	13,154

For More movies Click

Top 5 Tallest building/skyscrapers in the world

2010-02-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

1.Burj Khalifa

City -Dubai DU

Country - United Arab Emirates

Floors - 162

Height - 830 m

2.Taipei 101

city - Taipei TpCi

Country -Taiwan

Floor - 101

Height - 510 m

3.Shanghai World Financial Center

City - Shanghai SH

Country - china

Floor - 101

Height - 490 m

4.Petronas Towers

city -Kuala Lumpur KL

Country - Malaysia

Floors - 88

Height - 450 m

5.Willis Tower

City -Chicago IL

Country - USA

floor - 108

height - 530 m

Top 5 Most expensive hollywood movies/films - big budjet movies

2010-02-17T22:17:00.000-08:00

Blockbuster movies budgets are growing bigger and movies are getting more expensive. The most expensive movies are not always the biggest hits. Many of the most expensive movies on this list are sequels. Hollywood is more willing to spend money on a sequel, to a successful film. These movies, per Forbes Magazine, have been calculated in 2006 dollars, adjusting for inflation. Even so. the majority of these films are fairly recent. Although the 2005 average film cost was $60 million to make. Megafilms routinely cost over $200 million. These Hollywood's Most Expensive films averaged $197.1 million in production cost

Following are the Top 25 Most Expensive HollywoodFilms, along with their release dates, budget cost and U.S. and Foreign Box Office Figures.

1. Cleopatra: Starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Fox Studio, Released June 12,, 1963. budget $290.2 Million. U.S. Box Office $381 Million.

2. Superman Returns: Starring Brandon Routh. Warner Brothers Studio. Released June 28, 2006. Budget $268.5 Million. U.S. Box Office $199 Million. Foreign Box Office $190.

3. Titanic: Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Paramount Studios. Released December 19, 1997. Budget $250.2 Million. U.S. Box Office $751.6 million. Foreign Box Office $1.6 billion.

4. Waterworld: Starring Kevin Costner. Universal Studio. Released July 28, 1995. Budget $231.6 million. U.S. Box Office $116.8 Million. Foreign Box Office $232.9 Million.

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Starring Johnny Depp. Buena Vista Studio. Released June 7, 2006. Budget $223.1 million. U.S. Box Office $419.8 million. Foreign Box Office $635.million.

Source -----> click

The World's top 5/five Most Expensive Perfumes...

2010-02-17T04:42:00.001-08:00

1. Clive Christian Imperial Majesty

Stuck for a valentines gift, present for Mummy, or a stocking filling for aunt Jessie? If money is no object to you, $215,000 a bottle of British designer Clive Christian's "Imperial Majesty" has recently been voted in the guiness book of records the most expensive perfume in the world! However, you do of course get your moneys worth. Not only 16.9 ounces of the juice poured into a fit for the queen herself bottle, but also stuck into the 18-carat gold collar is a five-carat diamond! With only five bottles made, you would be unique, different... and broke! However, you get your beautiful niche perfume, and you won't smell like aybody else! Also the price includes delivery in a Bentley... Run to Harrods now!

Not wanting to miss out the extrovert Sir Elton John, upscaled for a customised bottle of the perfume in the shape of a piano! For just a teeny-weeny amount of $250,000! Well if I were Elton, why not?

"For me, perfume is the absolute ultimate luxury," Christian said...hm, obviously!

2. Clive Christian No. 1
Not as spectacular as its big sister, and priced at $2,150 (1 oz). It is handmade with a 33carat diamond in the neck! Well diamonds are a girls best friend

3.Caro's Poivre
The peppery unisex fragrance is a snip at $2,000 (2 oz) so you could, at least share the price?

4. Chanel No.5
The worlds most famous perfume hits the headlines again with this somewhat life size bottle at $1,850 (15.2 oz). One doesn't have to keep running back buy refills!

5. Baccarats Les Larmes Sacrees de Thebe

If you want to evoke ancient Egyptian Spirits, you buy this bottle for $1,700 (.25oz) and with the droplets of frankincense and Myrrh your wish will be fullfilled! The pyramid shaped bottle is made of Baccarat crystal!

Top 5/Five Expensive Mobile Phones In The World

2010-02-17T04:35:00.000-08:00

In this post you can see the top ten expensive mobile phone in the world.However, Vertu’s monopoly of the luxury phone market is coming to an end with the launch of several new luxury mobile makers, including Gresso, Mobiado and GoldVish. Other mobile phone manufacturers are also partnering with luxury brands to produce a range of premium mobile phones, such as LG and Prada, D&G and Motorola, and now Tag Heuer and Modelabs.
1. Goldvish “Le million” = $1,000,000 (£540,540)

This is the most most expensive Cell Phone in the history of mankind. It was exhibited at the three-day Millionaire’s Fair in Cannes, France to certify the sale of the Most Expensive Cell Phone in the world. Also nicknamed ‘Le Million’ Piece Unique which was bought by a Russian businessman for his wife for 1 million Euros ($1.2 million)!
Created by GoldVish SA, a Geneva based luxury communication goods company, the cell phone is made of 18-carat white gold, mounted with 1800 (totaling 120-carats) VVS-1 graded diamonds and equipped with the latest in mobile technology.

2. Vertu Signature Cobra = $310,000 (£167,567)

Vertu’s Signature Cobra Cellphone can be yours for only $310,000.Vertu is now taking orders for the Signature Cobra, designed by French jeweler Boucheron, but you had better be quick as only 8 are being made! The Cobra will feature one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies. Vertu will also be offering a “cheaper” version, ruby free, at $115,000 (£62,162).
3. Sony Ericsson Black Diamond = $300,000 (£162,162)

The Black Diamond will be available in 2007, not from Sony Ericsson but by a company called VIPN. Initially only 5 unique numered pieces will be available for the unbelievable price of, wait for it… $300,000.

Black Diamond will have Quad-band with Wi-Fi, an Intel 400Mhz processor running windows mobile 5, and a touch sensitive 2″ screen. It will also include internal memory of 128mb and will come with a 2Gb SD card for external storage, plus a respectable 4 Megapixel camera.
4. Vertu Diamond = $88,000 (£47,567)

Vertu’s another $90,000 handset will feature tiny diamonds dotted all over, and a keypad that carries eight carat’s worth of diamonds. The phone’s body in constructed from the finest platinum, underpinned with ruby bearings and equipped with a similar ceramic composition originally intended for the space shuttle. For that price, it doesn’t even come with a camera! Only 200 such phones will be sold in jewelry and department stores.

5. Motorola V220 Special Edition = £28,000 ($51,800)

Austrian designer Peter Aloisson, has taken a standard Motorola, studded it with 1,200 diamonds and added a keyboard inlaid with 18 carat gold.This phone i think is dedicated for women

5/five Most Expensive Bicycles On Earth

2010-02-17T04:32:00.000-08:00

If you have a spare $100,000 then maybe you might want one of these bicycles for Christmas.

1. Aurumania’s Gold Bike Crystal edition – Most Expensive

The Aurumania Gold Bike Crystal edition is plated almost entirely plated with 24 karat gold… right down to the spokes. The Brooks saddle seat is made with the finest leather; and the hand sewn handlebar grips are made from, chocolate brown leather. The numbered badge is even made of high grade leather. This top of the line bike is called the “Crystal edition” because it is decorated with more than 600 Swarovski crystals… right down to the crystal encrusted Aurmania brand name emblazoned along the crossbar in Braille.

The Crystal edition is undoubtedly the world’s most expensive bicycle, and to add to its value is the fact that it is a limited edition item. Only ten will be made, making the Aurmania Gold Crystal Edition an extremely valuable rarity, indeed. This unique bicycle can be purchased for a mere €80,000 (US $114,464), and delivered anywhere in the world.

2. Madone 5.9 SL – covered in gold and man-made diamonds

7-Diamond, a one-of-a-kind bicycle studded with seven man made diamonds and 300 white diamonds, was sold in 2005 at the Lance Armstrong Foundation Gala to an anonymous buyer. The Bejeweled bicycle was designed and built as a commemoration of Lance Armstrong’s seventh Tour de France victory. The expensive bike, represents a joint effort between Trek Bikes, Nike, jeweler Alan Friedman and artist Lenny Futura, and was valued at $60,000 USD at the time of the sale. The selling price at the charity auction was $75,000.

3. Litespeed Blade – Kit Bike

When you add all of the options, the Litespeed Blade can cost up to £25,317*. The list of options includes such things as custom wheels and handlebars and an assortment of other accessories. Click here for the complete listing of accessories and attachments. It may not be dipped in gold or encrusted with crystals, but the Litespeed Blade is sure to make your riding experience one that you will cherish for many years to come

* not dipped in gold and encrcusted with Svarowski elements or whatever.

Source

4. Celebrity Gold Bike – Needs security guard

This bike as been created for celebrity cyclists and it will hopefully be bought by the cyclist "cyclist who has everything.”

The bike, the most expensive in Britain, is too expensive to be insured – so it comes with its own personal body guard.

The bicycle, which has a 24ct gold-framed machine and is custom-made, has been commissioned by the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), an insurance provider.

Bicycles over £4,000 cannot be insured, so it comes with optional extra of its own bodyguard, which will stand by the bike whenever it is left in public.

Source

5. Channel Bike – Limited edition

The Limited Edition Chanel Bike is the ultimate two-wheeled novelty. With only fifty of these bikes available worldwide and less than twenty in the US, this unique invention was purchased wholesale for $17,000, with retailer mark-ups sometimes going as high as $28,000.

The Chanel Bike aims to please with superior quality details, like the quilted leather handlebarss, seat made by the legendary Brooks Brothers, pant guard, and a bike pump covered in Chanel’s signature quilted leather. The Channel Bike also features a jewelry roll behind the seat and two quilted saddle bags, which are all detachable and capable of doubling as individual shoulder bags.

Top 5 Expensive/costliest watches inthe world

2010-02-17T04:27:00.000-08:00

5 – $1.3 million – Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon

Patek Philippe. Get used to that name, you’ll be seeing it again. This rare timepiece has two faces and a reputation as being the watchmaker’s most complicated model. It has a perpetual calendar, retrograde date and lists the lunar phase. A flip of the watch reveals a celestial view detailing the sidereal time and a skychart that traces the stars and phase and orbit of the moon. [pic via]

4 – $1.5 million – Vacheron Constantin Tour de l’Ile

There are 834 parts inside the Vacheron Constain’s Tour de l’lle, a watch considered “the most complicated watch ever made” by some. The watch lists two time zones, gives the sunset time, has a perpetual calendar and an astronomical indicator of the night sky. [pic via]

3 – $4 million – Patek Philippe’s Platinum World Time

A $4 million auction bid made Patek Philippe’s Platinum World Time the most expensive watch in 2002. The self-winding watch displays each of the 24 time zones and is known for its readability, user friendliness and having separate and switchable night and day tones. [pic via]

2 – $11 million – Patek Phillipe’s Supercomplication

Patek Philippe’s supercomplicated creation is also super expensive. The famed watchmaker finished the timepiece in 1932, a four year-long commission to create a watch for Henry Graves Jr., who had waged watch-war with James Ward Packard. The yellow-gold watch has two faces and 24 complications and was bought at a Sotheby’s auction for a little over $11 million. [pic via]

1 – $25 million – 201-carat Chopard

The watch face is somewhere there in the middle, surrounded by 201 carats. This watch-bracelet comes with a trio of heart-shaped diamonds: A 15-carat pink diamond, 12-carat blue diamond and an 11-carat white diamond, all of which open when a spring-loaded mechanism. More than 600 yellow diamonds are sprinkled alongside 91 or so colorless diamonds.

5/five FREE ways to DOUBLE your blog traffic in less than a week

2010-02-16T22:42:00.000-08:00

Everyone want's traffic.You set up a blog with great content but,no one is visiting your blog,so what's the use of it.So, you need atleast a decent amount of traffic and what's great than getting that traffic for FREE?
So,here is the good list of 6 Free ways to get traffic to your blog.

1.SEARCH ENGINE:Yea! it brings lots of traffic to your blog.There are millions of people search in the search engines like Google,Yahoo,msn everyday.So,if your blog has so many good posts and is well indexed by google,etc..you will get a good amount of traffic via search engines.There are a few steps to look at if you want a decent amount of traffic from the search engines like "submitting your blog sitemap to google",yahoo to index you blog pages very quickly.And the other important one is adding meta tags to your blog.If you follow these two simple steps,then you will get a decent traffic(massive traffic if your content is good).

2.Submitting your blog to Blog Directories:You may know this before,submitting your blog to blog directories will bring you a good traffic.
Here is a good list of blog directories(there are so many directories,but the below one's will bring you a good traffic).Most of these blog directories ask you to register before you submit your blog.My suggestion is,create a new email address solely for this purpose so,your personal emails are not flooded with the emails sent by the blog administrators,etc.
You can find the Blog directories list here.

3.Participate in forums,groups,etc:Just go to google and enter your [major keyword + fourm] or [keyword+groups] and search.Suppose,your blog is about blogging,then search 'Blogging forum'.You will find some forums,groups related to your site.Register in the forums and post articles,etc with a link back to your blog(as a signature).Answer questions,clarify doubts and provide a link to your blog.But,Dont' SPAM.

4.Social Bookmarking:Social Bookmarking is another way to build good traffic to your website/blog.If you don't know what Social Bookmarking is
"Social Bookmarking is a practise of saving Bookmarks,tagging the posts with keywords in a website".Bookmarking means saving a specific website url(address) in your browser that you wish to visit later.There are so many Social Bookmarking sites likedel.icio.us,digg,furl,technorati.
One good thing about these Social bookmarking sites is,you will get instant traffic.Just register with them,store your bookmarks,tags,.. and you are done,See your site meter blasting with traffic.

5.Submit Articles to Article Directories:Submitting articles to article directories is another effective way to build more traffic.By submitting to them,your articles get massive exposure and gain you more traffic.
Some of the popular article directories are goarticles.com,ezinearticles.com,articlecity.com,etc.
There are hundreds of article directories,just google it.

Top 5/five football team in the world

2010-02-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

Ranking	Team	Pts Feb 10
1	Spain	1627
2	Brazil	1568
3	Netherlands	1288
4	Italy	1209
5	Portugal	1176

Top 5/five and best antivirus Software

2010-02-16T02:44:00.000-08:00

Shield Deluxe - Antivirus Protection
Trend Micro Antivirus Internet Security 2010
Norton Antivirus 2010
Panda Antivirus Pro 2010
ZoneAlarm Anti-virus 2010

Top 5/five Touch-Screen Technologies in 2009

2010-02-16T02:38:00.001-08:00

Windows 7

The next version of Windows, Windows 7, will boast support for touch-screen interfaces. While touch screens may not be useful for heavy-duty office chores--cranking out memos or blasting through spreadsheets--they could make Windows a better platform for kiosks, tablet computers and home entertainment systems

iPhone

Apple's iPhone kicked off the latest touch-screen fad. The iPhone's innovation, however, isn't so such its touch screen as the way the phone can be controlled by gestures, such as pinching and swiping, which could become the building blocks for a whole vocabulary of gestures.

Palm Pre

The struggling smart phone vendor is betting the Pre will help lead it back to glory. Like the iPhone, Pre's interface can be controlled through gestures made on the gizmo's touch-sensitive screen.

Microsoft Surface

Microsoft Surface was the star of the Consumer Electronics Show in 2008. While it's gotten lots of attention, Apple has gone further and faster with its dinky touch-screen devices.

Sony DSC-G3

The headline feature on this camera is wi-fi, not its touch screen. In a connected world, this only makes sense: a photo is no longer really useful unless it can be sent to friends and relatives, posted to Web pages, or sent to a computer for editing. It also makes sense that such a device would have a touch screen, giving the user the ability to navigate wireless networks, and the camera's features, when they need to

Top 5/five most searched Celebrity on internet

2010-02-16T02:30:00.000-08:00

1.leighton meester

2 .morgan freeman

3 ryan reynolds

4 bradley cooper

5 danny devito

Top 5/five Most paid / Top-Earning Hollywood Actresses

2010-02-16T02:27:00.000-08:00

1.Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie at the age of 34 she earned $27 million. Last year's Wanted is a most successful movie earned a $341 million at the worldwide box office. She's getting a big upfront paycheck for her next film, Salt, about a disgraced CIA agent.

2.Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston at the age of 40 she earned $25 million. Last year's Marley & Me, which earned $244 million at the worldwide box office. The actress also earns by pitching Glaceau's Smart Water. Current Project:The Baster

3.Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep at the age of 60 she earned $24 million. Last summer, Box Office hit Mamma Mia draw audiences as well as awards with $603 million at the worldwide box office. Up next, she plays chef Julia Child in Julie & Julia.

4.Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker at the age of 44 she earned $23 million. Parker earned with the HBO series Sex and the City. that will kept her hot and it brought in $415 million at the box office worldwide. Now a second movie is in the works; it should hit theaters next year. Current Project:Did You Hear About the Morgans?

5.Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz at the age of 36 she earned $20 million. Diaz is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood.She also earns big bucks from the Shrek series playing Shrek's love interest, Princess Fiona. The fourth Shrek movie should hit theaters next year.Current Project:Shrek Forever After

Top 5/five Japanese Models 2008

2010-02-16T02:25:00.000-08:00

Number 1: Reon Kadena

Reon Kadena is currently the most sought-after gravure idol, due to her amazing body and goddess-like features. She’s one of the few gravure idols to have done any nude modeling, which perhaps also accounts for her popularity. Reon’s also an actress, spokesmodel and can be seen regularly on Japanese television.

Number 2: Yoko Matsugane

Yoko Matsugane has achieved fame in Japan by releasing more than 30 titillating DVDs and almost as many photo books. Without a doubt, it’s her gigantic G-cup breasts and sultry look that continue to please her adoring fans -- not only in Japan, but all over the world.

Number 3: Aki Hoshino

Nicknamed the “Angel of Japan,” Aki Hoshino has been delighting Japanese men for years with her DVDs and late-night talk show appearances. Typical of many Japanese women, she has aged remarkably well and still looks as good as she did at 19 -- if not better.

Number 4: Megumi Yamano

Megumi Yamano has also released a slew of DVDs and photo books, but more recently she has appeared on several Japanese television shows. She hasn’t officially retired from the gravure idol scene, but her product output has dwindled significantly over the past couple of years.

Number 5: Harumi Nemoto

One of the most prolific gravure idols around, Harumi Nemoto has been steadily pumping out DVDs and photo books since 2001. Blessed with some of the largest naturals around and an exotic look, she has a devout following in her native Japan.

Top 5/five Richest Person in Europe

2010-02-16T02:24:00.000-08:00

5. Roman Abramovich

Net worth: $23.5 billion

Citizenship: Russia

Orphaned as a child, Abramovich dropped out of college and then made a fortune in a series of controversial oil export deals in early 1990s. His fortune took off in 1995 when he teamed up with Boris Berezovsky (now also a billionaire) to take over oil giant Sibneft at a fraction of its market value. (When Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 to escape fraud charges, he sold out to Abramovich.) In 2003 to 2004 he sold his stake in Russian Aluminum to fellow billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who is now ranked 9th in the world. In 2005, he liquidated his biggest asset, selling 72.6% stake in Sibneft to gas titan Gazprom for $13 billion. In 2006 he bought stake in country's largest steelmaker, Evraz Group, and early in 2008, a piece of Highland Gold, a U.K. mining company with operations in Russia. He bought U.K. soccer club Chelsea. Abramovich recently finalized a divorce from the mother of his five children but largely stays out of public eye, except for occasional spottings with rumored girlfriend Daria Zhukova.

4. Bernard Arnault

Net worth: $25.5 billion

Citizenship: France

Arnault put up $15 million from his family's mid-size construction company to buy Christian Dior in 1985. Since then he has built the world's largest luxury goods empire, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, whose brands also include Dom Perignon, Fendi and Tag Heuer. LVMH, which he still heads, acquired premier French financial daily Les Echos from the Pearson group last December. Son Antoine, 28, and daughter, Delphine, 32, sit on LVMH's board. Arnault has also set up an investment fund with his good friend and fellow billionaire, Albert Frere, in 2006; the pair own two wineries together. Via his investment arm, Groupe Arnault, he owns French tour operator Go Voyages and a stake in French retail chain Carrefour. He often spends New Year's Eve in his four-star hotel, Le Cheval Blanc, in ski resort Courchevel, France, and is said to be a skilled pianist.

3. Karl Albrecht

Net worth: $27 billion

Citizenship: Germany

Germany's richest man. After World War II, Karl and his younger brother, Theo, developed their mother's corner grocery store into discount supermarket giant Aldi, which now has more than 8,000 stores and $67 billion in sales. They eventually split ownership and management of the chain into North and South regions. Now retired, Karl used to manage the more profitable southern half of Aldi's business in Germany. Fiercely private: Little is known about him other than he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.

2. Oleg Deripaska

Net worth: $28 billion

Citizenship: Russia

The former metals trader survived the gangster wars in the post-Soviet aluminum industry. His holding company, Basic Element, now owns Russian Aluminum (United Company Rusal), automobile manufacturer GAZ, aircraft manufacturer Aviacor and insurance company Ingosstrakh. In 2006 Rusal, SUAL and Glencore International, of Switzerland, merged their aluminum assets into the United Company Rusal, the world's largest aluminum producer. Married to a relative of Yeltsin, Deripaska has been busy expanding UC Rusal's activities in Russia and abroad, moving it into aluminum production in Nigeria and China. To integrate vertically, he has signed agreements to produce coal in Kazakhstan and invest in a nuclear power plant in eastern Russia. He is attempting to get a stake in Norilsk Nickel, which co-owner (and fellow billionaire) Vladimir Potanin is fighting.

1. Ingvar Kamprad and family

Net worth: $31 billion

Citizenship: Sweden

Kamprad peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. He started selling furniture in 1947. His company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost-conscious, is now one of the most beloved retailers in the world, with an almost cult-like following. Ikea now has stores in 40 countries, from Sunrise, Fla., in the U.S. to Guangzhou in China. As egalitarian as his brand, Kamprad avoids wearing suits, flies economy class and frequents cheap restaurants, but he has been quoted as saying his luxuries are the occasional nice cravat and Swedish fish roe. He says his home is furnished mostly with his own Ikea products. Last May, he was awarded the Global Economy Prize by the University of Kiel for his contributions to society.

Gandhi’s Top 5 Fundamentals for Changing the World

2010-02-16T02:23:00.000-08:00

Here are the most important and valuable fundamentals of Mahathma Gandhiji Father of India. (source: positivityblog)

1. Change yourself:
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world - that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves.”
If you change yourself you will change your world. If you change how you think then you will change how you feel and what actions you take. And so the world around you will change. Not only because you are now viewing your environment through new lenses of thoughts and emotions but also because the change within can allow you to take action in ways you wouldn’t have – or maybe even have thought about – while stuck in your old thought patterns.
And the problem with changing your outer world without changing yourself is that you will still be you when you reach that change you have strived for. You will still have your flaws, anger, negativity, self-sabotaging tendencies etc. intact.
And so in this new situation you will still not find what you hoped for since your mind is still seeping with that negative stuff. And if you get more without having some insight into and distance from your ego it may grow more powerful. Since your ego loves to divide things, to find enemies and to create separation it may start to try to create even more problems and conflicts in your life and world.

2. You are in control:

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”
What you feel and how you react to something is always up to you. There may be a “normal” or a common way to react to different things. But that’s mostly just all it is.
You can choose your own thoughts, reactions and emotions to pretty much everything. You don’t have to freak out, overreact of even react in a negative way. Perhaps not every time or instantly. Sometimes a knee-jerk reaction just goes off. Or an old thought habit kicks in.
And as you realize that no-one outside of yourself can actually control how you feel you can start to incorporate this thinking into your daily life and develop it as a thought habit. A habit that you can grow stronger and stronger over time. Doing this makes life a whole lot easier and more pleasurable.

3. Forgive and let it go:

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
“An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”
Fighting evil with evil won’t help anyone. And as said in the previous tip, you always choose how to react to something. When you can incorporate such a thought habit more and more into your life then you can react in a way that is more useful to you and others.
You realize that forgiving and letting go of the past will do you and the people in your world a great service. And spending your time in some negative memory won’t help you after you have learned the lessons you can learn from that experience. You’ll probably just cause yourself more suffering and paralyze yourself from taking action in this present moment.
If you don’t forgive then you let the past and another person to control how you feel. By forgiving you release yourself from those bonds. And then you can focus totally on, for instance, the next point.

4. Without action you aren’t going anywhere:

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”
Without taking action very little will be done. However, taking action can be hard and difficult. There can be much inner resistance.
And so you may resort to preaching, as Gandhi says. Or reading and studying endlessly. And feeling like you are moving forward. But getting little or no practical results in real life.
So, to really get where you want to go and to really understand yourself and your world you need to practice. Books can mostly just bring you knowledge. You have to take action and translate that knowledge into results and understanding.
You can check out a few effective tips to overcome this problem in How to Take More Action: 9 Powerful Tips. Or you can move on to the next point for more on the best tip for taking more action that I have found so far.

5. Take care of this moment:

“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.”
The best way that I have found to overcome the inner resistance that often stops us from taking action is to stay in the present as much as possible and to be accepting.
Why? Well, when you are in the present moment you don’t worry about the next moment that you can’t control anyway. And the resistance to action that comes from you imagining negative future consequences - or reflecting on past failures - of your actions loses its power. And so it becomes easier to both take action and to keep your focus on this moment and perform better.
Have a look at 8 Ways to Return to the Present Moment for tips on how quickly step into the now. And remember that reconnecting with and staying in the now is a mental habit - a sort of muscle - that you grow. Over time it becomes more powerful and makes it easier to slip into the present moment.

Top 5/Five Cities in US to Live, Work, and Play

2010-02-16T02:22:00.000-08:00

Personal finance web site Kiplinger rounds up 10 of the best cities in the United States to live, work, and play.

Our approach this year to picking the ten best cities was simple: Look for places with strong economies and abundant jobs, then demand reasonable living costs and plenty of fun things to do.

1. Houston
2. Raleigh
3. Omaha
4. Boise
5. Colorado Springs

5/Five Ways to Reduce Food Waste

2010-02-16T00:41:00.000-08:00

Many people think of food waste as a benign substance. It rots down in the landfill anyway, so no problem, right?

Wrong! For food to compost properly, it needs light and air. In the landfill, it has neither. Instead, food devoid of light and air produces methane gas, which contributes to global warming. It is estimated that we throw away a third of the food we buy each week!

So here are 10 easy ways to reduce food waste suggested by thedailygreen.com

1. Write a list!
Menu plan your meals for a week. Check the ingredients in your fridge and cupboards, then write a shopping list for just the extras you need.

2. Stick to the list!
Take your list with you and stick to it when you're in the store. Don't be tempted by offers and don't shop when you're hungry — you'll come back with more than you need.

3. Keep a healthy fridge.
Check that the seals on your fridge are good and check the fridge temperature too. Food needs to be stored between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius for maximum freshness and longevity.

4. Don't throw it away!
Fruit that is just going soft can be made into smoothies or fruit pies. Vegetables that are starting to wilt can be made into soup.

5. Use up your leftovers.
Instead of scraping leftovers into the bin, why not use them for tomorrow's ingredients? A bit of tuna could be added to pasta and made into a pasta bake. A tablespoon of cooked vegetables can be the base for a crock pot meal.

Top 5 /five twenty20 cricket teams 2010

2010-02-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

ICC Cricket Ratings - Twenty20 Teams
Sno	ICC Cricket Teams	ICC Matches	ICC Points	ICC Cricket Rating
1	ICC Cricket Pakistan Team	23	5378	239
2	ICC Cricket South Africa Team	23	4904	232
3	ICC Cricket Sri Lanka Team	22	4637	207
4	ICC Cricket Australia Team	22	4780	206
5	ICC Cricket India Team	17	2614	202

top 5 /five cricket ODI teams- 2010

2010-02-16T00:29:00.001-08:00

ICC Cricket Rankings - ODI Teams
Sno	ICC Cricket Teams	ICC Matches	ICC Points	ICC Cricket Rating
1	ICC Cricket Australia Team	47	6290	134
2	ICC Cricket India Team	46	5581	121
3	ICC Cricket South Africa Team	26	3085	119
4	ICC Cricket New Zealand Team	28	3155	113
5	ICC Cricket England Team	33	3606	109

Top 5 cricket test teams in the year 2010

2010-02-16T00:24:00.000-08:00

ICC Cricket Rankings - Test Teams
Sno	ICC Cricket Teams	ICC Matches	ICC Points	ICC Cricket Rating
1	ICC Cricket India Team	35	4359	125
2	ICC Cricket South Africa Team	35	4197	120
3	ICC Cricket Australia Team	39	4586	118
4	ICC Cricket Sri Lanka Team	31	3574	115
5	ICC Cricket England Team	44	4712	107

5 Best Directors Who Are Working Now

2010-02-16T00:19:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone love talking about films so much and that the reason I chose to write this post for you. Right now, you can find below the list of 10 director who are leading the film industry with the director tag. I by no means claim to be any kind of definitive authority on cinema, and so my thoughts are not intended as the final word. If anyone else wants to give me feedback on my choices, or post up their own top ten lists, then they are very much welcome to do so.

To make things a bit different for my list, and to perhaps give some credit to deserving directors who don’t always get recognition, I am not doing a “Best Directors of All-Time” list. Instead, I’m going to look at who I believe are the ten best directors working now. Who is consistently delivering the most consistent, compelling cinema, right now? For this week, my top ten is in no particular order, as I don’t think it would be fair to rank a group of directors who are different, but all great in their own way. I hope you enjoy reading, and watching, and replying.

1) STEVEN SPIELBERG

Now, I know I said this is not an all-time best director’s list. But if it was, this man would surely be number one on my list. Yet, despite being the most successful, famous director working today, I actually believe he is underrated! The perception was that his films are too commercial, and they lack any sense of his identity, his authorial stamp. I don’t see the so-called commerciality of Spielberg’s films as a flaw, so much as an indicator of Spielberg’s great skill in tapping into the public imagination, though it should be mentioned that he’s made plenty of non-commercial films too.

Arguably Spielberg’s greatest strength as a director is his versatility, his ability to try his hand at just about anything – drama or comedy, period piece or sci-fi, blockbuster or small, personal film – and in most cases, pull it off absolutely convincingly. What other director could have made both “E.T.” and “Schindler’s List”? “Duel” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”? “Jurassic Park” and “Saving Private Ryan”? “Jaws” and “Empire of the Sun”? “Munich” and “War of the Worlds” in the same year?

I admire the fact that Steven Spielberg is selfless as a director, as he will be truly serving the story, and creating cinematic worlds that truly draw you in. His films are accessible, and many cases seem to be simple, but the best ones are filled with enough hidden depths and nuances – or just dazzling iconic moments – to keep them fresh and exciting for viewing, after viewing, after viewing. For me, nobody truly captures the magic of the movies better than Spielberg.

MUST-SEE MOVIE: JAWS
There are so many wonderful, classic films can be chosen from his collection. But for me, his finest hour remains the film that propelled his career into the stratosphere in the first place. “Jaws”. Excellently acted, and hugely influential in the shaping of the summer blockbuster market, “Jaws” still stands best as a masterclass in directing. The exhilarating scenes with Brody, Hooper and Quint chasing the shark on the Orca are about as close to pure cinema as you can get.

2) MARTIN SCORSESE

Often hailed as the greatest director alive today, Scorsese finally got his long-overdue Oscar this year. As embarrassingly late as that Best Director Oscar was, I don’t think it’s fair that some have called it an apology award for past efforts, for a high standard of work long gone. Oh, without a doubt, his work in the 1970s, running into the 1980s, is fantastic. That highly influential “great period” has inspired many of today’s most revered directors, and actors too. But Scorsese has never been one to rest on his laurels. The 1990s saw Scorsese become more and more ambitious with the visual sty lings of his work, injecting a vibrant kinetic energy into the camera work of films as varied as “Goodfellas” and “The Age of Innocence”

Scorsese is a master of the character study. Or should I say character dissection? Because whether it’s the low-budget grime of “Mean Streets”, or the Oscar-baiting gloss of “The Aviator”, Scorsese’s films feel positively filthy. He has a real knack for taking us out of our comfort zone, and placing us in positions where we feel too intimate with a character.

Robert DeNiro, Ray LaMotta, Travis Bickle, and my personal favourite, the criminally underrated Rupert Pupkin are the characters who have insured Scorsese’s status among the all-time directing greats. But what gets him his place in this list of the best current directors is his newer monsters. Bill The Butcher in “Gangs of New York”. Howard Hughes in “The Aviator”, less monster than plagued with an illness that is slowly turning him into one. And in “The Departed”, there’s of course Jack Nicholson’s great performance as Frank Costello, but the real dark heart of the film is Matt Damon’s Colin Sullivan. “The Departed” is a film full of character studies, character dissections. It’s the best film Scorsese’s made in years.

MUST-SEE MOVIE: GOODFELLAS
It’s better than “The Godfather”. Don’t tell anyone I told you that, though, keep it between us. The scene below is the textbook example of Scorsese’s aforementioned skill in making us extremely uncomfortable in the presence of an explosive character. Say hello to Tommy DeVito.

3) PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON

A real cinematic director, with his second film – “Boogie Nights” – Anderson (aged just 26 at the time) created a film hailed by critics at the time as the best Martin Scorsese film Scorsese never made. Indeed, the influence of other directors on Anderson’s work is often brought up. “Boogie Nights” is cited as his love letter to Scorsese. “Magnolia” is his love letter to Altman. “There Will Be Blood” is his love letter to Kubrick. But it would be doing Anderson a great injustice to characterize him solely as a director tributing the work of others, as with each of his films he brings a unique, vibrant energy that can truly be called his own.

More than any director out there today, Paul Thomas Anderson stirs up in me an excitement for the visual possibilities of film, the artistry and technique of constructing a scene. From the audacious opening whirly-tracking shot of “Boogie Nights”, to the fast-cutting assault on the senses of “Magnolia”, to the intense isolation of Barry Egan in “Punch Drunk Love”, to the ominous, unearthly opening fade-in of “There Will Be Blood”, Anderson can craft an image to instantly set the tone for the entire film ahead, and perfectly embody the heart of the film in its opening seconds.

But this technical skill would mean nothing if Anderson had no touch with the humanity of his dramas. And thankfully, his camera always seems to find its way back into the heart of a deeply personal conflict. Anderson’s films are filled with wretched fathers and angry sons, with people on downward spirals and quests for redemption. Anderson can take characters who are flawed, or even vile – Dirk Diggler, Frank T.J. Mackey, Daniel Plainview – and makes them not only captivating, but appealing too. He is just a master of drawing you into the drama. It’s no secret he makes long movies – “Boogie Nights” and “There Will Be Blood” both clock in at around 2 and a half hours, “Magnolia” lasts for over 3, but his films never feel long. They whiz by in no time, so lost in his worlds and characters we become.

Some have labelled Anderson as pretentious. I disagree. Like I say, Paul Thomas Anderson is not for everyone, but if you’re willing to go along for the ride, you’ll be treated to universally-excellent work from the man I believe to be the most exciting director working today.

MUST-SEE MOVIE: MAGNOLIA
This was a really tough decision to make. See, I just saw “There Will Be Blood” earlier this week, and it blew me away. I was astounded. It could very well be Paul Thomas Anderson’s finest work. But here’s the issue. “Magnolia” is my favorite film. If I concede that “There Will Be Blood” is superior, do I then have to accept “There Will Be Blood” as my favorite film? I wouldn’t necessarily have a problem with that. It’s excellent. It certainly could be. But it’s too soon to decide. I don’t like to rank movies too highly until I’ve at least had a chance to put them under the repeat-viewing test. But for now, I’m still going to go with “Magnolia” as Anderson’s finest hour. Filled to the brim with excellent performances (probably the best ensemble of any film), the film starts off at a breakneck sprinting pace, and never lets up throughout.

4) PETER JACKSON

Of course, everybody knows Peter Jackson for his groundbreaking work on the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. And he deserves all the praise he gets for that, it was a monumental achievement. But don’t be fooled into thinking Jackson is a one-trick pony. Since “Lord of the Rings”, he’s achieved the impossible: he’s directed a remake of “King Kong” which is worthy of standing alongside the classic original.

Of course, Jackson ain’t all about CGI epics. He originally cut his teeth on low-budget gorefests such as “Braindead” and “Bad Taste”. The films were trashy, yes, but they were also great fun, filled with quirky characters and quite simply a love for film. And I think what makes his Hollywood films so special, is that he’s brought that low-budget oddness and enthusiasm into big-budget fare. Take “The Frighteners”, his first big-budget Hollywood CGI film. A straightforward monster movie for the most part, until you consider the inclusion of FBI Agent Milton Dammers. Totally peripheral to the plot, this bizarre oddball ends up being the most memorable element of the whole movie. And when considering “The Lord of the Rings” and “King Kong”, these indy sensibilities give the films a darkness and an edge that sets them apart from standard blockbuster fare. No matter how big Jackson’s films get, they never feel soulless. That enthusiasm for film is as clear as it ever was.

MUST-SEE MOVIE: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
I can’t choose just one part of the trilogy, as I view it all as one big film. It was all filmed as one big film, and it is best viewed as one (bring a bucket to pee in, though). And, as a testament to how Jackson has such a great skill for zoning in on the personal and the human no matter how large the scale of the film is, in a trilogy full of epic battles and iconic scenes, the best moment of all remains one character’s conversation with…himself. Gollum is a marvel in technology, acting (by the hugely talented Andy Serkis) and, of course, directing, as it makes a CGI character more human than a lot of humans!

5) GUILLERMO DEL TORO

I struggled to decide whether to include Guillermo Del Toro in the list, or Tim Burton. I’m a huge fan of both. Both have a dark, vivid imagination, ideal for taking us on journeys into fantasy worlds. But while Tim Burton has more great films under his belt than Del Toro, in recent years, I fear Burton has fallen back too much on his reputation, and on giving “the Burton spin” on a number of remakes or adaptations, some with more success than others. Del Toro, meanwhile, has been venturing more into new territory, or at least visiting old territory in exciting new ways.

Guillermo Del Toro seems to have a fascination with childhood. Going right back to his first film, “Cronos”, we see children – and in particular children in peril – pop up again and again in his work. And this is because Del Toro astutely realizes that there are few things more captivating – or indeed, terrifying – than the world from the eyes of a child. In particular, his Spanish language films – “Cronos”, “The Devil’s Backbone”, “Pan’s Labyrinth” – unfold like dark fairy-tales, presenting to us world that are both familiar and strange, magical and sinister in equal measure. Del Toro’s imagination when it comes to bringing a variety of monsters to life seems nearly boundless, but in most cases, the most terrifying monsters of all have a human face.

Perhaps Del Toro’s Hollywood output is less consistent. “Mimic” and “Blade 2” are both good-not-great films, but even these both have their moments of brilliance. Take, for example, Del Toro’s glaring middle finger to the unwritten “kiddies can’t die in horror films” rule in “Mimic”. But Del Toro’s best Hollywood work so far comes in the shape of “Hellboy”. A sorely underrated film, this came out in the UK at the same time as “Spider-Man 2”, and while it was of course dwarfed in terms of cinematic success, I actually feel “Hellboy” has fared better under the DVD repeat-viewing test. Its success is what makes Del Toro a great director throughout all his best work. Beneath the monsters and the make-up, the story is a very human one. And no matter how into fantasy Del Toro ventures, he always insures his stories have a human core to relate to.

MUST-SEE MOVIE: PAN’S LABYRINTH
Del Toro’s masterpiece. All the good work in his previous films, and all the themes he explored in them, seemed to be leading up to this. It’s a credit to Del Toro’s skill that the real world remains every bit as compelling (if not moreso) than the fantasy world. Having said that, though, the terrifying scene highlighted here takes place as part of Ofelia’s twisted fairy-tale. Just keep telling yourself: it isn’t real, it isn’t real, it isn’t real…

Top 5/five Famous Musicians in the world

2010-02-16T00:17:00.000-08:00

1. Justin Timberlake The New King of Pop:

Back in 1991, the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson released an album entitled Dangerous, which launched 6 Top20 hits. Flash forward 15 years and Justin Timberlake releases his second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, which goes on to launch 6 Top 20 hits. The only difference here is that when Michael Jackson accomplished said feat, he was nearing the end of his musical career - Justin Timberlake is only just beginning. Girls love him, guys want to be him, and parents think he's the perfect boy to have over for Christmas dinner. He inducts Madonna into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he dates respectable women, and he loves getting Punk'd. He sings, he dances, he plays piano and guitar, he beatboxes, and now he acts. It seems the man can do no wrong, and thus he ends up at number 1. The New King of Pop, indeed.

2. Jay-Z The Franchise:

It takes a lot of guts to retire from the music industry, only to come back a few years later, bigger than ever - but that's exactly what Jay-Z did. And it takes a lot of guts to head up a successful record company, only to eventually leave it for an even better deal - but (again) that's exactly what Jay-Z did. In 2004, he was appointed as president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, where he signed such major newcomers as Ne-Yo and Rihanna, but when Live Nation came a'callin' with a $150 million deal, Jay-Z was quick to take it. With 25 Grammy nominations and 7 wins, he is allowed to take risks - but for Jay-Z, it has all just been a walk in the park.

3. Madonna The Living Legend:

There is a reason Madonna "Madge" Ciccone has been nicknamed Her Madgesty; she truly is the Queen of Pop, ranked by the Recording Industry Association of America as the "Best Selling Female Rock Artist of the Twentieth Century." She has an estimated net worth of over $400 million, her last 4 albums have debuted at number one, her new buddy Justin Timberlake just inducted her into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, and she recently signed a 10-year contract with concert promoters Live Nation for $120 million! Showing no signs of fatigue, 49-year-old Madonna is as fit, healthy and savvy as ever, proving that she'll be around for more than just 4 Minutes.

4. Diddy The Unstoppable Entrepreneur:

P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Combs, call him whatever you want - the man has proven that he is more than just a name. In a career speckled with controversy (such as being held partly responsible for trampled audience members at a charity concert, charges of assault, and an arrest for weapons violations), there is no denying that the man is a marketing juggernaut. Along with his successful rap career, he has his own extremely lucrative clothing line Sean John, re-invented the Making The Band TV show, and has even appeared on Broadway - but perhaps his biggest contribution to the music industry has been his founding of Bad Boy Records which houses the likes of Yung Joc, Keyshia Cole and Danity Kane. Oh yeah - his butler, Farnsworth Bentley, has even become famous simply for being Diddy's butler. You know when that happens that you're dealing with Hollywood royalty.

5. Hilary Duff The Mini Mogul:

Once upon a time, Hilary Duff was the star of a little Disney TV show called Lizzie McGuire. What followed was a career explosion which included a successful solo career (selling over 13 million albums worldwide), an affordable personal clothing line (Stuff by Hilary Duff), lucrative endorsements (namely with Elizabeth Arden), and now a blossoming film career (War, Inc.), all while avoiding the controversies of sex-tapes and DUIs. This 20-year-old "good girl" reigns supreme; however she better watch out - Miley Cyrus is taking notes and is set on dethroning Queen Duff. Let the war of the Disney Darlings begin...

Top 5 Peaceful Countries in Global Peace Index

2010-02-16T00:14:00.001-08:00

The Global Peace Index is produced on the basis of 24 indicators analyzed by the think-tank Economist Intelligence Unit. Its data covers 98 per cent of the world's population

According to the latest rankings of the Global Peace Index (GPI), from the list of 140 countries in the world, the below listed countries were chosen as the top 10 most peaceful countries in the world.

1. Iceland - 1.176
2. Denmark - 1.333
3. Norway - 1.343
4. New Zealand - 1.350
5. Japan - 1.358

five/5 Tips to Improve your Self-esteem

2010-02-16T00:13:00.001-08:00

When people talk about improving self-esteem, they usually mean self-confidence. While the two are related, they are not exactly the same. Self-esteem is all about self-worth and self-value. It's how we see ourselves in relation to other people and our environment. It has nothing to do with vanity or conceit.
The lack of self-esteem is a major problem and has a leveling quality. Rich and poor alike are afflicted by it and people decide between happiness and unhappiness because of it. If self-esteem is an area in your life where you need improvement, here are some tips you can use to build your self-value and improve the way you see yourself

1. Know what you want.

You can't assess where you are in your journey if you have no idea what you want to have in life. You also will not be able to judge whether you've been doing a good job or just so-so.
Set goals that are clear and doable. Make sure that these are things you want to do and attain, and not things your parents, family, friends and colleagues insist you 'should' have. Is it just the latest trends that dictate your aspirations? If so, you will never catch up and be satisfied. You can only claim your goals as your own if you recognize them as things you truly, genuinely want in your life.

2. Assess your good points.

List the things that you do well and the things that make you a good person. It could be anything intelligence, a good sense of humor, good analytical ability, compassion, creativity, ability to spot trends, people skills, things that you have and recognize as an integral part of your personality and talents. No matter how low you feel in your life, these are qualities that you never lose.

3. Recognize your liabilities.

Improving your self-esteem does not mean ignoring the things that make you human. To be human is to make mistakes, just do not let them keep you stuck. List your negative traits and label them as areas in your life you need to work on, areas for improvement. Treating them as downright liabilities will make them seem an unalterable feature of your life and create a feeling that you are helpless against them.

4. Build slowly but surely.

Take little steps to improve your self-esteem. Big successes build upon small successes. You can't decide to change your outlook drastically today and expect extreme results in the morning. By taking it slowly and performing well during each turn, you gradually build a solid base of achievements that will boost your self-esteem more effectively.

5. Make it a point to improve yourself daily.

Whatever you do, say or think should be geared towards improving your self-esteem. Improve the way you dress, walk or talk. Take further studies to hone your knowledge and skills, learn a new language, take up cooking classes, start a new hobby.Being able to immerse yourself in worthwhile activity creates a feeling of capability and opens new opportunities for growth.

Top 5 Longest Road Tunnels in the world

2010-02-16T00:08:00.000-08:00

St Gotthard Tunnel

Location: Switzerland
Date Completed: 1882 (rail) and 1980 (road)
Length: rail 9.25 miles and road 10.5 miles

Facts:
The world's longest road tunnel when completed in 1980.

Laerdal Norway

1995.03.15: Start of work
1999.09.03: Break through 10.6 km from Nyheim.
2000.11.27: Opening ceremony at Laerdal portal

From the north portal (Laerdal)of the Laerdal tunnel in November 2000. The first foreigners to cross Laerdal tunnel. The "Laerdal Tour", from Milano (Italy) to Laerdal through Austria, Germany, Denmark and Sweden, by a Renault Espace, was organized by the Italian magazine "Automobilismo". For statistic curiosity, Eugenio A.Merzagora (first on the left) was the first foreign driver through the World's longest road tunnel.

Zhongnanshan Tunnel, or Qinling Zhongnanshan Tunnel

is the longest two-tube road tunnel in the world. It is also the second longest road tunnel in the world. (Following Lærdalstunnelen in Norway) The 18,040 metres long tunnel, crosses under the Zhongnanshan (Zhongnan Mountain) in Shaanxi Province, China. It opened on January 20, 2007, becoming part of the Xi'an-Ankang Highway between the Changan and Zhashui counties. The cost to build this tunnel was 3.2 billion Yuan (US$410 million). The maximum embedded depth of the tunnel is 1640 m.

Arlberg Austria

The Arlberg Road Tunnel with a length of 13,976 metres is Austria's longest road tunnel. It carries the S16 Arlbergschnellstraße (German for "Arlberg Highway") under the Arlberg massif from Tyrol to Vorarlberg.

It was built between July 1974 and December 1978 and its costs amounted to 4 billion Austrian schillings (~300 million €). The tunnel is designed for 1800 vehicles per hour and equipped with 4 ventilation centres (one shaft with a height of 736 metres is the deepest in Europe), 12 vents, 43 cameras for traffic monitoring and 16 niches. In 1998 the tunnel was used by 2.6 million vehicles, where 18 % are accounting for freight transport.

The Hsuehshan Tunnel

"Snow Mountain" tunnel, is the longest tunnel in Taiwan, located on the Taipei-Yilan Freeway (Taiwan National Highway No. 5). It is through the Hsuehshan Mountain Range. The road connects the city of Taipei to the northeastern county of Yilan (Ilan), cutting down the journey time from two hours to just half an hour. One of the key aims of constructing the tunnel was to connect the western coast of Taiwan, where 95% of the population live, to the eastern coast of the island and in doing so tackle the unbalanced development on the island. It is constructed with one pilot tunnel and two main tunnels for eastbound and westbound traffic. The total length is 12.942 km (8.042 mi), making the Hsuehshan Tunnel the second longest road tunnel in East Asia and the fifth longest road tunnel in the world.
The Hsuehshan Tunnel broadcasts a dedicated radio station on two FM channels inside the tunnel. Drivers can tune to either of the two FM stations to hear announcements regarding the Hsuehshan Tunnel, rules for driving inside the tunnel, and music.
As of May 1, 2008, the speed limit has been raised to 80 km/h with a 10 km/h tolerance. At this speed a trip through the 12.9 km tunnel takes 8.6 minutes.

Top five/5 best and Beautiful Bridges in the World

2010-02-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

We’ve come a long way in bridge building since crossing a river on a fallen log. The first bridges were built with wooden planks, ropes and stones. Soon, stronger material were required. Wood and stone bridges gave way to iron, then to steel ones. Bridge building techniques also evolved: beam, cantilevered, cable-stayed, and suspension bridges - each with advantages that made it the right choice for a particular location.

Political fortunes and wars have been made or lost by bridges. Throughout history, bridges had been built by engineers and burned by warriors, and crossed by kings and commoners alike. Millions of people owe their livelihood to bridges, as most require them to commute; and yet thousands of people choose to end their lives by jumping off them every year.

Bridges are stylish: from classical to modern, they are as much a work of art as they are marvels of engineering. To celebrate the wonders of "classic" bridges, here areNeatorama’s picks for the

5. Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval bridge over the Arno River. Actually, it’s much more than a bridge - it’s a street, a marketplace, and a landmark of Florence, Italy.

The Ponte Vecchio that we know today was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi after an older span was destroyed in a flood. To finance the bridge, lots along the roadway were rented out to merchants, especially butchers and tanners, to hawk their wares.

In 1565, Duke Cosimo I de Medici ordered an architect named Giorgio Vasari to construct a roofed passageway. Soon after, jewelers, goldsmiths, and merchants of luxury goods pushed out the butchers out of Ponte Vecchio. Centuries of haphazard additions gave the bridge’s distinctive, irregular appearance today.

During World War II, after having survived many floods, the bridge faced its gravest threat: German bombers were blowing up bridges in Florence. It was a direct order from Hitler that spared Ponte Vecchio from certain destruction.

It is said that the word "bankruptcy" came from Ponte Vecchio. When a merchant failed to pay his debt, the table ("banco") he used to sell his wares was broken ("rotto") by soldiers. Not having a table anymore ("bancorotto"), meant the seller was bankrupt.

4. The Wind and Rain Bridge

The wind and rain bridges were a type of bridge built by the Dong people (a minority ethnic group) in China. Because they live in the lowlands and the valleys with many rivers, the Dong people are excellent bridge builders. They are called "wind and rain" bridges because the covered bridges not only let people cross the river, but also protect them from the elements.

Chengyang Bridge

The Dong people don’t use nails or rivets to build these bridges - instead, they dovetail all of the wood. The largest and most magnificent is the Chenyang Bridge, spanning the Linxi River near the Dong village of Maan. The bridge is about 100 years old, and like all wind and rain bridges, it was built without a single nail.

3. Brooklyn Bridge

In 1855, engineer John Roebling started to design a bridge that at the time would be the longest suspension bridge in the world, with towers being the tallest structures in the Western Hemisphere: the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

Today, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the main crossings of the East River and one of the most heavily trafficked bridges in the world. But in the late 19th century, it took Roebling more than 14 years to convince the city to build the bridge.

After he got approval, Roebling was surveying a site when his foot was crushed by a ferry. Three weeks before the scheduled groundbreaking, he died of tetanus. His son, an engineer named Washington Roebling took over the project.

In 1872, while working on caissons to set the foundation for the towers, Washington fell ill with caisson disease (a decompression sickness commonly known as "the bends") that left him barely able to see, talk, or write. His wife, Emily Warren Roebling, rose to the occasion - she learned engineering on the fly and for nine years went to the job site to deliver her husband’s directions. Washington himself was said to watch the construction from his room through a binocular.

Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise

When the Brooklyn Bridge was opened, Emily was honored with the first ride over the bridge. She held a rooster, a symbol of victory, in her lap. Washington himself rarely visited the bridge till his death in 1926.

One interesting note about the Brooklyn Bridge: it stood fast while other bridges built around the same time had crumbled. Engineers credit Roebling for designing a bridge and truss system six times as strong as he thought it needed to be!

2. Tower Bridge

It’s funny to think about ancient traffic jams, but that was why the Tower Bridge in London, England was built. By the end of the 19th century, the development of the eastern part of London caused such a load on the London Bridge that the city decided to build a new bridge.

Tower Bridge at twilight.

Construction of the Tower Bridge started in 1886, led by architect Sir Horace Jones and engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry. The design was a bascule (draw) bridge with two towers built on piers, so the bridge wouldn’t interfere with the port facilities nearby.

A year after construction was started, Jones died and his replacement, George D. Stevenson along with Barry decided to modify the design a little bit. Instead of the original brick facade design, the Tower Bridge had a more ornate Victorian Gothic style meant to harmonize it with the nearby Tower of London.

When the bridge opened in 1894, the public was aghast. H.Heathcote Statham, Fellow of the Royal Insitute of British Architect, wrote the familiar sentiment as thus: "The Tower Bridge … represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure."

Tower Bridge at night

But over time, people warmed up to the bridge. Indeed, the Tower Bridge grew to be one of London’s most recognizable landmarks. Even one of its loudest critics, architectural critic Eric de Maré conceded: the British people "have grown fond of the old fraud … and we must admit that it has carried on its task with admirable regularity and efficiency.

1. Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is such an iconic symbol of San Francisco (and of suspension bridge in general) that it’s hard to imagine a time when it didn’t exist. But before it was built, most people thought it was an impossible task.

Golden Gate Bridge in HDR as the first big storm of the season hits San Francisco.

In 1916, the idea of a bridge to cross the Golden Gate, a narrow strait that separated San Francisco Peninsula and the Marin Headlands, was conceived. Though it was almost immediately dismissed as the cost was estimated to be $100 million (astronomical for the time), a veteran bridge builder named Joseph Strauss lobbied for more than two decades to have it built.

The Golden Gate Bridge faced tough opposition: the Department of War thought it would interfere with ship traffic and the Southern Pacific Railroad opposed it as competition to its ferry service. At first, even the public didn’t like the bridge … because Strauss’ original design was deemed too ugly! But Strauss finally won, and after 22-years of drumming up support, the bridge was built.

Strauss insisted that the project take worker’s safety seriously. It was the first major bridge project that used hard hats and a safety net. During the course of construction, 19 people were saved by the net to become members of the Halfway to Hell Club.

Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

The color of the Golden Gate Bridge is actually not red - it’s an orange vermilion called International Orange. The color was chosen specifically because it complements the bridge’s natural surrounding yet enhances its visibility in the fog.

Construction took more than four years, at a cost of $27 million. The Golden Gate Bridge actually came in $1.3 million under budget (though 5 months late). For his work, Strauss got $1 million … and a lifetime bridge pass!

Finally, there are thousands of bridges in the world and hundreds of major bridges that are sources for local prides. If your town’s favorite span isn’t included here, please don’t get mad. Instead, let us know in the comment so interested readers can find them.

Top 5/five worst countries in the world - For Woman

2010-02-16T00:04:00.000-08:00

The image of the 21st century woman is confident, prosperous, glowing with health and beauty.

International Women's Day is celebrated today (March 08, 2008), Even then they continue to feel the age-old lash of violence, repression, isolation, enforced ignorance and discrimination in the world.(source: thestar)

In spite of real progress in women's rights around the globe – better laws, political participation, education and income – the bedrock problems that have dogged women for centuries remain. Even in wealthy countries, there are pockets of private pain where women are unprotected and under attack.

Some countries, often the poorest and most conflict-ridden, have a level of violence that makes life unbearable for women. Richer ones may burden them with repressive laws, or sweep the problems of the least advantaged under the carpet. In any country, refugee women are among the most vulnerable.

So widespread are the disadvantages that it's hard to pinpoint the worst places in the world for women. Some surveys rate their problems by quality of life, others by health indicators. Human rights groups point to countries where violations are so severe that even murder is routine.

Literacy is one of the best indicators of women's status in their countries. But Amnesty International Canada's women's rights campaigner Cheryl Hotchkiss says building schools alone doesn't solve the problem of equal education.

"There's a huge range of barriers women face to getting an education," she says. "It may be free and available, but parents won't send their daughters out to school if they can be kidnapped and raped."

Health is another key indicator, including the care of pregnant women, who are sometimes forced into disastrous early marriage and childbearing, as well as infection with HIV/AIDS. But again, statistics fail to show the whole, complex story.

"On a rural lake in Zambia, I met a woman who had not told her husband she was HIV-positive," says David Morley, CEO of Save the Children Canada. "She was already living on the edge because she had no children. If she told him, she would be kicked off the island and sent alone to the mainland. She felt she had no choice, because she had no power at all."

Putting power in women's hands is the biggest challenge for improving their lives in every country, advocates agree. Whether in the poorest countries of Africa, or the most repressive of the Middle East or Asia, lack of control over their own destinies blights women's lives from early childhood.

Here are 10 of the worst countries in the world to be a woman today:

• Afghanistan: The average Afghan girl will live to only 45 – one year less than an Afghan male. After three decades of war and religion-based repression, an overwhelming number of women are illiterate. More than half of all brides are under 16, and one woman dies in childbirth every half hour. Domestic violence is so common that 87 per cent of women admit to experiencing it. But more than one million widows are on the streets, often forced into prostitution. Afghanistan is the only country in which the female suicide rate is higher than that of males.

• Democratic Republic of Congo: In the eastern DRC, a war that claimed more than 3 million lives has ignited again, with women on the front line. Rapes are so brutal and systematic that UN investigators have called them unprecedented. Many victims die; others are infected with HIV and left to look after children alone. Foraging for food and water exposes women to yet more violence. Without money, transport or connections, they have no way of escape.

• Iraq: The U.S.-led invasion to "liberate" Iraq from Saddam Hussein has imprisoned women in an inferno of sectarian violence that targets women and girls. The literacy rate, once the highest in the Arab world, is now among the lowest as families fear risking kidnapping and rape by sending girls to school. Women who once went out to work stay home. Meanwhile, more than 1 million women have been displaced from their homes, and millions more are unable to earn enough to eat.

• Nepal: Early marriage and childbirth exhaust the country's malnourished women, and one in 24 will die in pregnancy or childbirth. Daughters who aren't married off may be sold to traffickers before they reach their teens. Widows face extreme abuse and discrimination if they're labelled bokshi, meaning witches. A low-level civil war between government and Maoist rebels has forced rural women into guerrilla groups.

• Sudan: While Sudanese women have made strides under reformed laws, the plight of those in Darfur, in western Sudan, has worsened. Abduction, rape or forced displacement have destroyed more than 1 million women's lives since 2003. The janjaweed militias have used systematic rape as a demographic weapon, but access to justice is almost impossible for the female victims of violence.