A Top List....

Top 10 Beaches for Shells

2007-03-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia

A shell is the hard, rigid outer covering, or integument, of certain animals. More specific scientific names include exoskeleton, carapace, and peltidium. A shell may be made of nacre (a combination of calcium and protein), chitin, bone and cartilage, or silica. While many sea animals produce exoskeletons, usually only those of molluscs are normally considered to be "sea shells".

Ok that is enough information about shells.

Let have a look at the top 10 beaches for shells as reported by CNN.

1. Sanibel Island, Florida
2. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
3. Bandon, Oregon
4. Galveston, Texas
5. Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
6. Flag Ponds Nature Park, Lusby, Maryland
7. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
8. Eleuthera Island, The Bahamas
9. Great Peconic Bay, Long Island, New York
10. Stinson Beach, California

You can the complete description...here

(Source: CNN, Wikipedia)

Top 10 Rock Movies

2007-03-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the top 10 Rock movies......

10. Purple Rain
A time capsule movie if there ever was one, this sumptuously shot Prince vehicle is better known now for its Grammy and Oscar-winning score than for its quality as a film. Nevertheless, the rather misogynistic Purple Rain captures the music of its era (the mid-'80s) and is noteworthy for being one of the first feature films to bring music video style to the big-screen. The flimsy story charts "The Kid's" (a pompous, surly Prince) rise to fame from the Minneapolis music scene, his stormy relationship with his dad (Clarence Williams III), his wooing of the sexy Apollonia, and his rivalry with snide scene-stealer Morris Day.

9. Hedwig and The Angry Inch
This cult classic, based on an Off-Broadway musical, was directed by and stars John Cameron Mitchell. It tells the story of an East German youth named Hansel who undergoes a botched sex change operation after falling for an American G.I. Renamed Hedwig, she goes to America to follow her glam rock star dreams only to have that dream shattered when her lover Tommy Gnossis (Michael Pitt) steals her songs, her name and becomes the rock icon she always wanted to be.

8. The Doors
Oliver Stone's trippy, muddled biopic of late rocker-poet Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer, who also does most of his own singing), lead singer for the titular band, is more concerned with Morrison's self-destructive quest for "the palace of wisdom" than analyzing his musical contributions. One of the most dynamic and controversial musical personalities of the 1960s, Morrison died at 27 after years of drug and alcohol abuse. While the film covers a lot of traditional musical biopic ground (starting the band, hitting it big, the inevitable downward spiral), The Doors effectively captures the self-destructive nature of this rock god and the turbulent times that spawned him.

7. Tommy
This 1975 rock opera features a who's who of 1970s rock and film stars, including The Who, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret (who was nominated for Best Actress), Oliver Reed, Tina Turner and Eric Clapton. Written and directed by Ken Russell, this cult classic follows troubled Tommy (Roger Daltrey) who seems like a hopeless case until he beats The Pinball Wizard (Elton John) and becomes a celebrity. His fame is so powerful that Tommy founds his own religious cult but he raises the ire of his fans when he protests their commercialization of himself. The Who later returned to rock opera territory with Quadrophenia.

6. Sid and Nancy
Director Alex Cox offers a gritty, powerful look at the doomed relationship between The Sex Pistols' wildy self-destructive guitarist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and his American groupie-girlfriend Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb). Although Sid and Nancy recreates the rise of the infamous British punk rock band, the film's primary focus is on the twisted love story between the drug-addled title characters whose relationship would end in tragedy and bloodshed.

5. The Buddy Holly Story
A then-skinny Gary Busey scored an Oscar nomination as Best Actor for his portrayal of the late rock pioneer Buddy Holly (he even does his own singing) in this thoughtful, well made biopic. The film follows Buddy's teen years in Lubbock, Texas where his love for "the devil's music" earned him the condemnation of the self-righteous sect but made him a star in the burgeoning realm of rock n' roll. Buddy – along with Ritchie Valens (immortalized in the film La Bamba) and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson - died in a plane crash at age 22 ("the day the music died"). Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith co-star as Holly's band, The Crickets.

4. Jailhouse Rock
While not The King's movie, this 1957 flick is certainly his coolest and it captures the rebellious and sexually charged persona that made Elvis Presley the most dangerous young man of his time. Hot-headed laborer Vince Everett (Elvis) is convicted of manslaughter after getting into a tragic bar brawl. Vince's cellmate, a washed-up country singer, sees his musical potential and encourages him to pursue it. After being released from prison and enduring a rough start in the music biz, Vince eventually finds fame and fortune thanks to potential love interest Peggy Van Alden. But success goes to Vince's head and his temper and arrogance lead to his comeuppance. Along with King Creole, Viva Las Vegas and Flaming Star, Jailhouse Rock is one of Elvis' few viewable movies. It also features a classic dance sequence for the title song choreographed by The King himself.

3. A Hard Day's Night
Richard Lester directed this 1964 classic that remains one of the most influential movies about rock bands, in this case documenting The Beatles at the start of international Beatlemania. Thanks to its "a day in the life" approach, A Hard Day's Night is essentially the grandfather of the rockumentary. The faux plot of the film, which is laden with gags and musical interludes, has the Fab Four trying to reach a big gig as Paul McCartney keeps an eye on his grandfather, John Lennon clashes with a TV director, Ringo Starr gets jailed, and George Harrison suffers a case of mistaken identity. Lester and The Beatles would reunite for Help! in 1965.

2. This Is Spinal Tap
Actor Rob Reiner, who also stars, made his feature filmmaking debut with this beloved 1984 mockumentary about the fictitious British band Spinal Tap, charting their rise from skiffle group to the psychedelic era to hard rock. The movie within the movie documents Spinal Tap's first stateside tour in years, which results in a horrendous series of indignities, squabbles and debacles. Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest play band members David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel, respectively.

1. Almost Famous
Writer-director Cameron Crowe's quasi-autobiographical film follows teen journalist William Miller's (Patrick Fugit) time with the (fictitious) rock band Stillwater (including guitarist Billy Crudup and singer Jason Lee) while covering them for Rolling Stone magazine. Along the way, he encounters mentor-rock critic Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and beautiful "band-aide" Penny Lane (Oscar nominee Kate Hudson). Miller's transformation from sheltered adolescent to professional journalist and young man makes for a funny and poignant coming-of-age tale. Almost Famous is arguably the most affectionate, honest and fun movie yet made about rock and roll and those who love and live for it.

(Source: IGN.com)

Top 10 Genealogy Mistakes to Avoid !!

2007-03-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia

Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. This involves the collection of the names of relatives, both living and deceased, and establishing the relationships among them based on primary, secondary and/or circumstantial evidence or documentation, thus building up a cohesive family tree. Genealogy is often also referred to as family history, although these terms may be used distinctly: the former being the basic study of who is related to whom; the latter involving more "fleshing out" of the lives and personal histories of the individuals involved.

With that out of the way, lets look at the Top 10 Genealogy mistakes to avoid.

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Tips to Surf the Web

2007-03-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

Despite the increasing availability of high-speed, broadband internet service, most people still access the Web with a dial-up account. Waiting for media-rich web pages to download can be frustrating, as is trying to find specific information in a sea of data. To make Web surfing a more satisfying and productive experience, check out the top 10 tips.

1. Get a faster connection.
2. Use the Stop button.
3. Increase your cache to load most visited sites faster.
4. Save keystrokes by using Bookmarks or Favorites
5. Use the Find feature of your web browser to look up things quickly.
6. Pick two search engines and learn how they work.
7. Choose your own home page for the page that you use the most.
8. Open a new window from the existing browser window.
9. Surf during off-peak hours to avoid the rush and get faster downloads.
10. View sites in a text-only mode if you have a slow connection.

You can find the details...here

(Source: learnthenet.com)

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

2007-03-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

Smoking injures blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. This applies even to filtered cigarettes. So even though it does not cause high blood pressure, smoking is bad for anyone, especially those with high blood pressure. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Once you quit, your risk of having a heart attack is reduced after the first year. So you have a lot to gain by quitting.

I will reduce my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
I will reduce my chances of getting lung cancer, emphysema, and other lung diseases.
I will have better smelling clothes, hair, breath, home, and car.
I will climb stairs and walk without getting out of breath.
I will have fewer wrinkles.
I will be free of my morning cough.
I will reduce the number of coughs, colds, and earaches my child will have.
I will have more energy to pursue physical activities I enjoy.
I will treat myself to new books or music with the money I save from not buying cigarettes.
I will have more control over my life.

(Source: NHLBI)

The 10 Riskiest Businesses To Start

2007-03-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

While some two-thirds of small firms make it past the two-year mark, just 44% can hack it for four years, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And by "hack it," we're just talking survival rates here: Plenty of those "survivors" are choking down ramen noodles to keep the lights on.

If those odds don't scare you off, consider too that some industries may be inherently tougher to crack than others. Your friends might think that you rival Mario Batali in the kitchen, or that you can go sole for sole with the likes of Kenneth Cole. But the sober truth is that it takes more than talent to run a restaurant, a clothing boutique and a host of other ventures. Sadly, some of the most enticing industries are also the riskiest.

Good data on business failures are hard to find. At first blush, BLS figures suggest that failure rates are consistent across industries. Yet those industry groupings are very broad, capturing the entire universe of small companies in just 10 general buckets. For example, restaurants are lumped into the larger "leisure and hospitality" bucket, including more stable outfits like hotels. Some economists chalk up failure rates to other factors, such as location, the experience level of management teams and whether companies are able to nab venture funding.

Lets have a quick look at the top 10 riskiest businesses to start.

Transportation
Apparel Stores
Restaurants & Bars
Communications
Travel Agency & Tour Operators
Food Stores
Personal Services
Auto Repair
Trucking
Money Service Businesses

You can find the complete list...here

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 energy saving measures

2007-03-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

They say you have to speculate to accumulate and, by following these top 10 energy saving measures below, you're guaranteed a great return on your investment, both financially and environmentally.

The energy saving measures below could help you shave up alot of money off your annual energy bill and enable you to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by two tonnes. Here's how you do it.

1. Don't leave appliances on standby
2. Install at least 3 Energy Saving Recommended bulbs.
3. Only boil as much water as you need
4. Insulate your loft
5. Install cavity wall insulation
6. Upgrade your boiler
7. Buy Energy Saving Recommended appliances
8. Turn your thermostat down by 1^oC
9. Wash your laundry at 30^oC
10. Don't use the car for short journeys

You can find complete list...here

(Source: est.org.uk)

Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation

2007-03-08T02:04:00.000-08:00

If you are worrying about innovation, take heart. Only successful companies do. By contrast, unsuccessful companies either aren't around to do any worrying or are consumed with more pressing concerns, like meeting payroll or paying their bills. At the other end of the spectrum, venture-backed start-ups have lots of worries, but innovating isn't one of them - they actually worry more about not innovating, as in let's not waste our scarce resources reinventing wheels that others have already developed.

But you are not a start-up. You have some success, some momentum, and therefore some inertia, and it is the inertia that has you worried. By design inertia resists change. This is a good thing, as long as you are headed in a direction you want to go. But when the market changes, inertia acts against your future interests. Now you are right to be worried.

So you raise the topic of innovation in hopes of getting some insight. With that in mind, let us go through the Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation:

10. We don't innovate around here any more.
9. Product life cycles are getting shorter and shorter.
8. We need a Chief Innovation Officer.
7. We need to be more like Google.
6. R&D investment is a good indicator of innovation commitment.
5. Great innovators are usually egotistical mavericks.
4. innovation is inherently disruptive.
3. It is good to innovate.
2. Innovation is hard.
1. When innovation dies, it's because the antibodies kill it.

You can find the complete article...here

(Source: Sandhill.com)

Top 10 US killer tornadoes

2007-03-08T02:01:00.000-08:00

The United States gets about 1000 recorded tornadoes every year. Today, only a few are killers, but that has not always been so. About 200 US tornadoes have killed 18 or more people. Of those, about 150 occurred in the 70 year period between 1879 and 1949. There have been about 45 tornadoes since 1950 that have killed 18 or more people. In the 1950s, there were 18 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. In the 1960s, there were 12 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. In the 1970s,there were 11 tornadoes that killed 18 or more people. And in the 1980s, there were only 2 tornadoes that killed more than 18 people. In spite of an ever-burgeoning population, death figures continue to go down as improved forecasting, detection, communications, and public awareness increase.

You can find the top 10 US killer tornadoes here...

Top 10 Bushisms

2007-02-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

10) "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." —LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

9) "I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family." —Greater Nashua, N.H., Jan. 27, 2000

8) "I hear there's rumors on the Internets that we're going to have a draft." —second presidential debate, St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 8, 2004

7) "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." —Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

6) "You work three jobs? … Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." —to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005

5) "Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." —Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004

4) "They misunderestimated me." —Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

3) "Rarely is the questioned asked: Is our children learning?" —Florence, S.C., Jan. 11, 2000

2) "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." —Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

1) "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." —Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers 2006 !!

2007-02-26T00:13:00.000-08:00

Every year Nike and the rest of the streetwear fashion industry tries to release limited edition shoes that people will swoon for. Once in a while, they’ll be able to make a hit, like when Nike paired up with toy culture artist Michael Lau and created the Michael Lau Nike Dunk Low Pro SB (photo above). More often than not though, the crazy sneaker designs are just nasty and ugly.

A reminder to everyone in the streetwear fashion industry - No more polka dots, fur or leopard prints please!

Here are the Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers of 2006 in no particular order.

BAPESTA Polka Dots Multi Color Bathing Ape

Crazy Air Max 95

Nike Air FootScape Woven Polka Dot

Nike X-Girl

Nike SB Dunks Three Bears Pack

Lacoste Colette Sneakers

Nike and Cole Hann Crocodile Skin ‘Icy’ Jordan’s

Microsoft Xbox Sneakers

Nike Frankenstein Pack

Nike Air Max 95 Burberry Edition

(Source: Kineda.com)

Top 10 Google Apps

2007-02-26T00:07:00.000-08:00

As Google expands its empire beyond stellar search, the goliath keeps piling onto its heap of free tools that enable you to communicate, manage multimedia, jam-pack your calendar, map trips, and even create virtual worlds. Some of these apps integrate seamlessly with each other, while others stand alone. Most of these services are rough drafts that remain in beta testing, so expect them to evolve. Here are the 10 Google apps that we find the most intriguing, whether for their sheer usefulness or for the controversy they attract. (Check out more members of the Google family here.)

CNET rating

8.4

1. Gmail beta

Gmail is a star among the Web's top e-mail tools, especially for its inventive message-organizing methods. And Gmail plays well with other members of the Google family. Case in point: its natural-language abilities can detect when someone sends you an event invitation, then whisk you to Google Maps or Google Calendar so that you won't miss the party. Read review

CNET rating

7.0

2. Google Calendar beta

Dinner at 8? How about sword-swallowing classes at 8:30 instead? Google Calendar enables you to manage appointments and discover events from assorted sources that other users have made public. Read review

3. Google Talk beta

What's better than an instant-messaging tool loaded with expressive emoticons, as well as links to news stories and streaming music sites? If such bells and whistles strike the wrong note with you, then the answer is Google Talk. You can run this no-frills chatting client either within a floating window or embedded within Gmail. Add a headset and talk to buddies for free. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.7

4. Writely beta

Who says you need to pay through the nose for a word processor? Ever since we started using the free Writely to compose and edit basic text files, we've been hooked on its simplicity. The drawback? If you're offline, you're out of luck. Read review

5. Google Spreadsheets

Most people find crunching numbers dull. It's extraclunky when you must open a hard drive-hogging application just to sum up some quick figures. Google Labs' Spreadsheets lets you make calculations on the fly from anywhere, as long as you're online. It may not be an Excel killer, but it's a time-saver. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.0

6. Google Maps

Cartography seemed dry until Google Maps started serving up free satellite views to the public. Since then, enthusiasts have been shaping this dynamic mapping tool to pinpoint the locations of hot dog stands, celebrity sightings, and visits from outer space. Read review

7. Google Earth 4 beta

Remember the hype that the Internet would immerse us in virtual tourism that would be more fun than actually going places in the real world? Such predictions were premature, but sit down with Google Earth, and a momentary lookup can turn into hours of flying around the globe to explore its nooks and crannies. Read editor's take

CNET rating

8.0

8. Google SketchUp

Build your dream house in 3D detail without a lick of CAD or architectural expertise. While you're at it, why not sketch a whole city, drop it into Google Earth, and send it to your friends to move forward with your world domination plans. Read review

9. Picasa Web Albums beta

At long last, one of the finest freebie apps for tweaking your digital pictures now lets you upload albums to the Web. We hope that the bare-bones Picasa Web Albums, now in a testing phase, will eventually add more features for editing, tagging, and sharing photos online. Read editor's take

CNET rating

7.0

10. Google Desktop 4 beta

This download installs a top-notch search tool to find files on your computer, and it stacks fun Gadgets on your desktop. Hey, now that you're using so many Google tools, why not just hand over your hard drive to Mountain View? Seriously, though, Desktop's search is terrific, but we nevertheless urge that you either skip it altogether or disable Advanced Features if you feel uneasy about entrusting so much personal data to one company. Read review

(Source: CNET)

Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players

2007-02-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

MP3 Players come in all shapes and sizes, that’s why our editors decided to compile a list of the “Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players” for your enjoyment.

10. Teddy Bear MP3 Player

This makes our list because…well…it’s a teddy bear shaped MP3 player! The keys look almost too tiny to press and it only comes with 128MB built-in memory.

9. Clip Type MP3 Player

For the person who easily loses things, this clip type MP3 player is for you. Measuring 25.6 x 53.2 x 22.6mm and weighing just 20g, it can be clipped just about anywhere.

8. $5 Cereal Box MP3 Player

Coming soon to a vending machine near you. These $5 MP3 players are shaped like mini cereal boxes and play all your favorite MP3 and WMA tracks. At this price, don’t expect it to hold more than a few songs.

[TechDigest]

7. Magic Mirror MP3 Player

Shenzhen Xindaxin Technology Co. Ltd. claims that the “screen can be used as a mirror”. Other perks include, MP3 playback/recording, FM tuner, and synchronized lyrics.

[StrangeNewProducts]

6. Scented MP3 Players

Who wants a rose, lemon, chocolate, blueberry, strawberry, or rasberry scented MP3 player? Check out the iCool by Solid Alliance.

[AkihabaraNews]

5. Brain Wave MP3 Player

CURE-alpha is an MP3 player that supposedly emits alpha waves which calm and rejuvinate the brain. They are transmitted at very low frequencies while listening to MP3/WMA files.

[I4U]

4.Minty MP3

This is actually an MP3 player you can build yourself. Minty claims that half of the parts can be sampled for free, meaning you’ll only end up spending around $50 along with countless hours of brain wracking.

[Minty]

3. NES Controller MP3 Player

Martin Kersch of Germany made great use of a boring Saturday afternoon by transforming an ordinary USB Stick and NES Controller into a fully functional battery powered MP3 Player.

[FutureNews]

2. MP3 Toilet

Technically, it’s not a stand alone MP3 player, but rather one that works with your toilet. This SD memory based player attaches to the wall above your toilet and includes a special receiver that goes under the toilet seat, how sanitary.

[Akihabara]

1. PEZ MP3 Player

At first glance, it looks like any other PEZ dispenser, but upon furthur inspection, you’ll find a 3.5mm stereo mini jack and music keys. It packs an ample 512MB memory and weighs just 0.78 ounces.

[PezMP3]

(Source: TechEBlog)

Top 10 Phishing Scams

2007-02-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

(Source: Howstuffworks)

Listed below are top ten common Phish subject lines.

If you receive a similar message in your inbox you should delete it and not follow the links in the message. If you want to check your account, you should type the bank or company website directly into your web browser, or add a bookmark, rather than following links in an email. If you are unsure if an email you receive is legitimate, visit the companies website directly, phone the company, or contact their Customer Services or fraud department (usually fraud@companyname.com) to confirm that they sent the mail.

Services PayPal Notification : Your account is suspended
Notification from Billing Department
Fifth Third Bank: service message.
0fficial information for Fifth Third Bank client.
important security notice!
customer notice: details confirmation!
attention: all Fifth Third Bank clients.
Fifth Third Bank: confirm your online banking records.
Fifth Third Bank: alert!
Fifth Third Bank reminder: please update your details.

(Source: McAfee)

Top 10 Ways to Protect Privacy Online

2007-02-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

Here is the top 10 ways to protect privacy online

1. Look for privacy policies on Web Sites:

Web sites can collect a lot of information about your visit -- what computer you use, what type of hardware and software you have, what Web sites you have visited. Web sites that ask you to provide even a small amount of personal information can tie the data you provide to your browsing habits.

When you go to a Web site that has no privacy policy, write and tell the company that you are a user of their site, your privacy is important to you and you would like to see them post a policy. CDT has developed the Privacy Watchdog site to help you.

An increasing number of Web sites has begun to provide privacy policies that detail the sites' information practices. Look for these policies and read them carefully. While privacy statements are not the only answer to online privacy risks, the effort should be encouraged and commended.

CDT's Web Site Privacy Policies page.

2. Get a separate account for your personal e-mail:

Often, online users do not realize that e-mail sent from their work accounts is likely to be an open book to their employers. Even if you send an e-mail from your home, a copy is often stored on your employer's main computer server. Your boss has a legal right to read any and all correspondence in this account or on your work computer at any time.

Getting a separate account for home allows you to check your personal messages without using your workplace e-mail server. Some private accounts can be configured to enable you to check your personal mail from work without downloading it onto your company computer.

3. Teach your kids that giving out personal information online means giving it to strangers:

Teach your children that they need your permission before they can give out their name, address or other information about themselves or the family.

Several years ago, a number of Web sites encouraged children to give information about themselves or their family; some enticed kids with games and free gifts. In 1998, a law was passed requiring companies to gain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 years old. If you are concerned about a Web site collecting information from children without consent, you should communicate your concern to the Federal Trade Commission at kidsprivacy@ftc.gov.

4. Clear your memory cache after browsing:

After you browse the Web, copies of all accessed pages and images are saved on your computer's memory. While these copies make subsequent visits to the same sites faster, the browsing record has grave implications for personal privacy, particularly if you share a computer or browse at work. You can delete most of your online trail by simply going to the "Preferences" folder in your browser and clicking on the "Empty Cache" button. Sometimes this option is in the "Advanced" menu of the browser preferences. In Internet Explorer, go to "Internet Options" from the "Tools" menu and click on "Clear History".

5. Make sure that online forms are secure:

Online forms may be digitally transported in ways that leave them vulnerable to undesired access. Alternatively, online forms may be encrypted so that only the intended recipients can readily translate the information.

Ensuring that your information is stored and transferred in secure ways is one of the keys to protecting your privacy. Fortunately, browser companies have realized the importance of data security; newer browsers are designed to indicate whether the accessed page allows encrypted transfers. The commonly used graphics are a key, which is broken if the page is insecure, and a lock -- locked is secure and unlocked is not secure. The graphic appears in the corner of the browser screen; clicking on the lock or the key will inform you of additional security information about the page. You should not input sensitive personal information about yourself (such as financial or medical data) on Web pages that are not secure.

6. Reject unnecessary cookies:

Cookies enable Web sites to store information about your visit on your own hard drive. Cookies inform site operators if you have visited the site and, if you have obtained a username and password, cookies remember that information for you. Many of the "personalized" search engines use cookies to deliver news topics that users select; sites often use these same preferences to target advertisement. Furthermore, cookies can be used to track you online and enable a creation of a profile without you realizing it. You can search your hard drive for a file with the word "cookie" in it (i.e., cookies.txt or MagicCookie) to view the cookies that have been attached to your computer. Newer browsers allow you to recognize sites that send you cookies and reject them outright by accessing the "Advanced" screen of the "Preferences" menu. In Internet Explorer, delete cookies by clicking on the "Delete Files" button in the "General" icon of "Tools"' "Internet Options" menu.

7. Use anonymous remailers:

Anonymity is essential to privacy and free speech. It protects whistle blowers and writers of controversial material; most simply, it may enable one to publish without a forwarding address. The e-mail technology creates problems for the right to anonymous communication since the sender of a message can be traced back through digital paths.

Created to address privacy risks and concerns, "anonymous remailers" presently allow you to send anonymous e-mail messages. One very good remailer was created as a joint project of the George Mason Society and the Global Internet Liberty Campaign and is available on the Web at http://www.gilc.org/speech/anonymous/remailer.html

8. Keep your e-mail private, use encryption!:

E-mail is not as secure a medium as many believe.

E-mail can be easily rerouted and read by unintended third parties; messages are often saved for indefinite periods of time. Presently, there exist technologies that allow you to encrypt your messages in order to protect their privacy. Some e-mail programs (i.e., Internet Explorer Outlook and Netscape Messenger) have encryption. Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), a popular encryption software, is free for non-commercial use.

Read more on PGP and download the encryption software at http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html

9. Use anonymizers while browsing:

From the moment you type in a Web address, a log is kept with information about your visit.

Every day, most of us walk down the street without being recognized or tracked. While anonymity is often taken for granted in the physical world, such luxury is not available online. Tools that strip out user information, thus preserving anonymity, have been created; a few are readily available on the net. Visit http://www.freedom.net and http://www.anonymizer.com.

10. Opt-out of third party information sharing:

Many online companies provide you with the option to get off (or "opt-out") the lists that share your information. Some companies enable users to easily opt out -- users are often able to do so online. A number of companies go a step further and ask your permission (opt-in) before sharing personal information that they have collected. Often, however, companies make opting out difficult or virtually impossible: addresses are buried, one cannot opt-out online, etc. CDT has created Operation Opt-Out to help you control how your personal data is collected and distributed.

Extra Tip: use common sense

Reading our Top Ten list, as well as encountering multiple news stories that portray Web companies as charlatans or worse, can instill paranoia even in the most fearless Web user. You must realize, however, that people in cyberspace are the same people you encounter every day in the physical reality: your neighbors, your colleagues. Using many of the same behavior patterns that you use in the offline environment will take you a long way. Ask yourself a set of familiar questions when you are online: Would you give your credit card number to a street vendor? Would you transact with a well-established, trusted firm? How much information does the newspaper realistically need to process a subscription? Will you be subjected to a ton of unsolicited mail if you disclose your physical or e-mail address?

Use common sense, ask questions and seek out resources. The Internet is a new medium, as was the telephone more than a century ago. If used wisely, it can connect you to a world of people, ideas and information.

1. Look for privacy policies on the Web

2. Get a separate email account for personal email

3. Teach your kids that giving out personal information online means giving it to strangers

4. Clear your memory cache after browsing

5. Make sure that online forms are secure

6. Reject unnecessary cookies

7. Use anonymous remailers

8. Encrypt your email

9. Use anonymizers while browsing

10. Opt-out of third party information sharing

(Source: cdt.org)

Top 10 Influential Females in the IT World

2007-02-19T17:27:00.000-08:00

Check out the top 10 influential females in the IT corporate world:

Eva Chen, CEO of Trend Micro

Kristin Lovejoy, CTO of Consul

Joanne Maguire , EVP of Lockheed Martin

Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay

Patricia Russo, CEO of Lucent Technologies

Padmasree Warrior, CTO of Motorola

Catherine Brune, CTO of Allstate

Rosaleen Citron, CEO of Whitehat Inc.

Ginni Rometty, SVP at IBM

Ursula Burns, President of Business Group Operations at Xerox (note that the CEO of Xerox is also a woman)

Here is a list of top 10 influential females in Open Source

Dru Lavigne

Mitchell Baker

Danese Cooper

Allison Randal

Elizabeth Zwicky

Æleen Frisch

Lynne Jolitz

Machtelt Garrels

Erinn Clark

Máirín Duffy

(Source: ITtoolbox Blogs)

Top 10 Scams 2006 !!

2007-02-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

Here are the ConsumerAffairs.com Top Ten Scams of 2006.

1. Fake Lottery Scam

Topping our list for 2006, the fake lottery or sweepstakes scam only seems to get bigger and more dangerous. Promising victims they have won thousands of dollars in a Canadian or European lottery, they target the elderly, who seem to be particular susceptible to these schemes. ConsumerAffairs.com reported on one case in which an elderly Kansas man lost over $300,000.

More than 400 New Yorkers fell victim to sweepstakes and lottery scams in the first seven months of 2006, with losses ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $35,000, according to an analysis by the New York State Consumer Protection Board.

While elderly people lost the most money, lottery scams also tricked younger people into believing they had won a large cash prize from a foreign lottery or sweepstakes. In each case, the victims sent money, usually to Canada, thinking they had to pay insurance or taxes before they could collect these bogus prizes.

"No legitimate contest makes you pay a fee to collect a prize," said CPB Chairperson and Executive Director Teresa A. Santiago. "For many of the elderly victims, the scam artists made multiple demands for cash, falsely claiming that more money was needed in order to pay for 'taxes' or insurance."

Sons and daughters have filed complaints after failing to convince their elderly parent that there was no prize.

"You can't win a contest that you didn't enter. But it's hard to convince someone that they are the victim of a scam, especially when the con artists have made numerous phone calls and formed a bond with the victim," Santiago said.

2. Phishing-Vishing Scams

This scam, in which identity thieves "phish" for a consumer's personal information, are getting more prevalent, due in large part to technological advances. The use of email now makes to increasingly easy for criminals to trick people into revealing account numbers, passwords and social security numbers.

Cleverly designed emails appear to be from a bank, credit union, or online payment service like PayPal, requesting account verification. If the consumer clicks on a link in the email, they are taken to a site designed to look like the bank's actual site, where they are instructed to enter the sensitive information, which is captured and used for identity theft purposes.

In 2006, "vishing" arrived on the scene. Instead of asking the spam recipient to click on a link, they are instructed to call a toll-free customer service number, which seems more the way a financial institution might do business. When they call, an automated system instructs the caller to enter account numbers or passwords, which are then recorded by the scammer.

Secure Computing, which specializes in secure connections over networks, sent up the red flag over this new method in 2005, though the first recorded incident didn't take place until May 2006, involving a Santa Barbara, California, bank. Secure Computing engineers have been tracking news group sites and open disclosure discussion groups discussing vishing.

"This is just a natural evolution of phishing itself," said Paul Henry, vice president of strategic accounts for Secure Computing.

"Simply put, people are becoming more aware of the fact that an e-mail containing a URL could be malicious in nature. So hackers are moving away from the URL and using something victims are more familiar with like calling a number."

This "advancement" has forced some financial institutions to consider additional changes to the way in which they communicate with customers.

3. Phony Job Scam

Scammers are increasingly responding to job seekers posting their resumes at online employment sites, such as Careerbuilder.com. The job offer usually has nothing to do with the job seeker's experience or qualification. Even so, they are offered a job on the spot, serving as a "courier."

They are instructed to receive large checks and deposit them in their personal accounts. They are then instructed to wire the money to an account out of the country. The checks, of course, are counterfeit, but they aren't exposed until after they have been deposited and after the victim has wired the money -- their own money, it turns out -- to the scammer.

"Any employment offered online without a formal interview, no matter where it originates, should be treated with skepticism," said Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe, who investigated one of these scams in 2006. "Terms that seem too good to be true will prove to be just that and may cost you in stolen personal information or money lost."

4. Negative Option Scams

Unlike most scams, which are perpetrated by out-and-out criminals, negative option schemes are run by otherwise legitimate businesses. Using pop-up ads on the Internet and extremely fine print on the back of sales tickets, consumers completing a transaction with their credit card are offered some free gift or enticement, not realizing their acceptance enrolls them in a travel discount club or affinity group of some kind, or commits them to a year's subscription of a magazine they most likely don't want.

The consumer may think there is no harm in accepting the "free offer," because they don't realize there strings are attached. While laws generally require consumers to make an "informed consent" to purchase, negative option turns the transaction around. It assumes the consumer has made the purchase, unless the consumer "opts out" or takes the "negative option." The volume of complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com on this subject suggests consumers are completely unaware of the transaction.

5. Nigerian 419 Scams

These scams continue to make our list, year after year, because they continue to ensnare thousands of victims. This is the scam in which the victim receives an email, allegedly from a wealthy, dying person in another country who is desperately trying to get their fortune out of the country. They promise the victim a sizable percentage if they will help.

The victim either has to send money to cover fees or provide their bank account information, or both. The scams are mostly run from Nigeria and get their name because they are covered in section 419 in the Nigerian penal code.

Most people find these emails a big joke, but seemingly sophisticated people have fallen hard for them, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. While the crime mostly goes unpunished, ConsumerAffairs.com reported on British prankster Michael Berry's humorous war on these scams, which actually show as much promise as any countervailing measure. Called "scambaiting," Berry actively engages these scammers, pretending to be a gullible victim, wasting their time and forcing them to perform all types of ridiculous and time consuming tasks.

6. Pump & Dump Scam

As the stock market finally rebounded in 2006 after years of near dormancy, scammers stepped up their stock-touting schemes. Sending out millions of spam emails, they would offer a "hot tip" about an obscure company whose stock was selling for a few cents a share. Before sending the email they would buy up millions of shares.

For example, Texhoma Energy was touted in an October spam email, resulting in a significant increase in the stock's value. According to the Chicago Tribune, 53,000 shares of Texhoma stock were traded on October 16. The next day the volume jumped to more than one million. Two days later it jumped to more than five million, as the spam emails began to hit inboxes and prompt victims to place orders.

The scammers, of course, sell at the stock's high point and other investors soon join them as the price begins to fall. Pretty soon the stock is back to selling at a nickel a share and those who jumped on the bandwagon have lost significant amounts of money.

At year's end the National Association of Securities Dealers issued an alert to investors to avoid taking any unsolicited investment advice. A survey of the huge increase in spam email revealed most of it to be touting these near-worthless stocks.

7. Bogus Fuel Saving Devices

When gasoline prices surged this year, scammers were quick to try and cash in. One company claimed its "special pellets," dropped into the fuel tank, would improve efficiency. The Federal Trade Commission went after one company that claimed its "magnetic device" would increase gas mileage.

"Consumers are looking for ways to increase fuel efficiency and save money at the pump," said Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "There are some practical ways to do that, like following the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual, combining errands, and avoiding jack-rabbit starts. The fact is that many products that claim to save fuel don't work, and worse yet, may damage your car and end up costing you more."

8. Grandparents Scam

This is a particularly vile scam aimed at senior citizens, perhaps the most vulnerable scam victims. An elderly person is targeted by the scammer who calls and says something like, "It's me, grandpa." The elderly person will respond, thinking it's one of their grandchildren.

The scammer then tells a tale of woe, saying they are in trouble and need some money, "and please don't tell mom." The grandparent obligingly sends a few hundred dollars, thinking they're helping a grandchild. Investigators say it works more than you might think.

9. Oprah Ticket Scam

This scam makes our list this year because of its potential to become much more widespread and to victimize vulnerable people. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan recently warned consumers about this scam, alerting them to emails or letters that told them they had won tickets to a taping of the talk diva's show in Chicago, or had been offered a tour package that included a taping of the show. The communication asked for sensitive personal information, which, if provided, could allow their identities to be stolen.

In this case, e-mail recipients are asked to submit personal information and told they will receive tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show after verification of certain financial information and/or the wiring of money to an unknown third party. However, according to Harpo Productions, Inc., The Oprah Winfrey Show does not sell tickets or ticket travel packages to fans.

10. craigslist Scam

Though not terribly widespread at the end of 2006, the craigslist scam makes our top ten list because of its potential to wreak harm in the years ahead. Starting this year scammers began taking advantage of the growing popularity of craigslist to victimize people trying to rent their homes or apartments.

The scheme is basically the fake check scam, with a twist. Darryl, of San Diego, told ConsumerAffairs.com that he received almost identical replies when he listed a room for rent on both craigslist and Roommate.com. The replies claimed to be from "Marie," who called herself "a young humanitarian officer."

"Marie" said her employer would be sending Darryl her expense check, which would be for several thousand dollars. Darryl was to deposit it in his account, deduct the rent and deposit, and send the balance back to her.

Fortunately, Darryl saw through the scam. If he had cashed the phony check, it would not have been discovered for a few days. By then he would have sent the scammer a very real check for a $3,000 or more.

"Most people who use craigslist have great stories to tell about their experiences with buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords and such, but we also receive occasional reports of scams and fraud," craigslist warned on its Web site. "We've found that one of the best ways to avoid this problem is to keep all transactions local -- whenever possible, don't do business with anyone who is not in your local area."

(Source: ConsumerAffairs.com)

Top 10 African American Inventors

2007-02-15T22:16:00.000-08:00

Throughout history, African Americans have invented some important and fun devices. Read about ten examples of men and women and see what they invented.Think about what kind of obstacles they may have faced, personally and professionally.

Here is the list of top 10 african american inventors.

Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

2007-02-15T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here are ten simple tips to get you on your way to taking better pictures. Each tip has pictures illustrating the tip in action and instructions detailing the tip.

Top 10 Tech Towns in US

2007-02-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

The top 10 tech towns in U.S. according to Wired.com are

LEGEND:

Wired assessed the geek cred of more than 30 major US cities by crunching the following numbers:

Proximity to top-ranked engineering schools

Tech jobs, per capita, on Dice

Personal ads, per capita, on Geek 2 Geek

Craigslist postings per capita

Number of attendees at local meetings of dorkbot, a group for "people doing strange things with electricity"

Availability of free Wi-Fi

Comic book stores per capita

Circuit City stores per capita

SEATTLE

The charms of the Emerald City go way beyond late-night cafés, plentiful microbreweries, and the world's premier science fiction museum. Catch the local Weird Science Salon, where monthly meetings promise "cryogenic marshmallow liquid nitrogen shenanigans" and "blowing stuff up."

= 9

= 7

= 6

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Attend a dinner party in the Bay Area and be prepared to discuss Verizon's Bluetooth support, the inner workings of Ajax, or network neutrality. Nerds are in their element here, and the tech-celebrity sightings are legendary.

= 10

= 9

= 8

LOS ANGELES
Southern California is home to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and Caltech. Plus, MySpace was born here, and Electronic Arts and Yahoo have offices. Then there's the porn industry, which can turn you into Scorsese for the cost of a camera, two girls, and a broadband link. Take that, Hollywood.

= 7

= 6

= 5

AUSTIN
Inspiration for Slacker, epicenter of the first EFF battle, home to Dell, Whole Foods, and South by Southwest. Not to mention host to the most dorkbot attendees in the country. Only downside: It's surrounded by Texas.

= 10

= 9

= 8

ORLANDO
All that Battlestar Galactica will come in handy: Walt Disney World and Epcot actually pay you to make the unreal seem real. When you're ready to engage with planet Earth again, check out the city's craigslist site, one of the most happening in the country.

= 10

= 9

= 8

RALEIGH-DURHAM
The jocks here may get worked up about college hoops, but the tech set is passionate about Linux distros and Mac-PC holy wars. North Carolina's Triangle is ground zero for Red Hat, SAS Institute, and an IBM center. Bonus: The area hosts two World Beer Festivals a year.

= 7

= 6

PITTSBURGH
Come for the country's top-ranked computer science school; stay for the robotics startups that Carnegie Mellon alums are founding. If androids aren't your style, try for a gig at Google's new engineering office.

= 10

= 7

= 6

NEW YORK CITY
Tech startups are back, and Wi-Fi is everywhere. And Asperger's sufferers can rejoice: Being antisocial isn't rude – it's your civic duty. New York is also perfect for marathon coding sessions, since anything – food, drugs, hookers – can be delivered.

= 8

= 6

= 5

BOSTON
Obsessive open source hacking, multitasking operating systems, involuntary celibacy … it's like geekiness was invented here. Winters may be frigid, but at least there are lots of single nerds to hibernate with.

= 9

= 8

WASHINGTON, DC
DC isn't just a policy-wonk utopia, it's also the ultimate place to be a coder looking for love. There are more postings from the nation's capital on Geek 2 Geek, an online dating service for nerds, than from any other city we surveyed.

= 10

= 9

(Source: Wired.com)

Top 10 weirdest USB drives

2007-02-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard to interface devices, in other words an outlet you stick wires into. It was originally designed for computers, but its popularity has prompted it to also become commonplace on video game consoles, PDAs, portable DVD and media players, cellphones; and even devices such as televisions, home stereo equipment (e.g., digital audio players), car stereos and portable memory devices.

Here is the list of top 10 weirdest USB drives according to Fosfor Gadgets

10. The USB Puppet Bags

Ok, I admit - this isn’t a complete USB drive - it’s only a masquerade costume for your boring typical, standard USB drive. Quite weird design, ey?

The USB Puppet Bags [everythingusb.com]

9. The Altoids USB mod

How about a nice little metal Altoids box sticking out of your computer? This nice little USB drive is designed by Phillip Mates.

The Altoids USB mod [flickr.com]

8. The USB mince pie

Check out this incredible detailed and accurate mince pie reproduction. I wonder why they placed that little LED on top, as I think it would be even cooler without it.

The USB mince pie [flickr.com]

7. Wooden memory sticks

I really like these wooden USB drives from the dutch company oooms. They are quite expensive (about $90 for the 1GB version) but they are all made out of real wooden pieces by hand.

Wooden memory sticks< [oooms.nl]

6. The Holy bible drive

This USB drive comes with the bible on it. The connector is hidden inside the bible so you have to use a little sliding switch before you can use it. I wonder if you’ll go to hell if you store prOn on the holy bible?

The holy bible drive [davidsteele.com]

5. Crazy rabbit usb drive

This freaky little rabbit USB drive is designed by Micah Laaker, the design manager for Yahoo!’s personalization, RSS and membership teams. Cool one, right?

Rabbit usb drive [Flickr.com]

4. The Bowling ball USB drive

Ok, now things are really getting weird. How would you like to drag around on a full weigh (16 pounds / 7 kg) ten-pin bowling ball? This one is actually a fully functional USB drive that is capable of breaking your little laptop into pieces. It’s designed by Chris Spurgeon.

The Bowling ball USB drive [spurgeonworld.com]

3. Chewbacca drive

Jeremy Harrington is the man behind this really nice Star Wars Chewbacca USB drive. It’s not a geeky little Chewiw mimobot - this is the real thing! Yeah! Hear me roar!

Chewie USB drive [flickr.com]

2. The Humping dog USB memory

Yes! We’re finally getting closer to the number one position, only one mor to go. Here’s a really weird little USB drive that has one thing that is really unique - it features moving parts. As soon as you plug the humping dog into your computer it starts humping it. Check out this video clip to see it in action! Who! Who! Who let the dogs out!

The humping dog USB memory [digitalworldtokyo.com]

1. The Teddy USB memory

Drumroll please! Tada, here’s the final winner. It’s a bit different than the last winner (the USB Barbie drive) but it’s still a really cool and weird USB drive. You just rip the head off and plug it in! It’s designed by Sergio de Ana and as it doesn’t look like a typical USB drive, it’s probably quite safe to store data in it as long as you keep it’s head on! I bet you have to be careful with this one to not scare the kids, hehe.

The Teddy USB [flickr.com]

(Source: gadgets.fosfor.se)

Top 10 Free Email Services

2007-02-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a free email service, you can be picky. You'll be rewarded with plenty of storage, effective spam filtering, a fast interface, desktop email program access and more.

Find the top 10 free email services to choose from.

1) Gmail - Free Email Service

Gmail is the Google approach to email and chat. Practically unlimited free online storage allows you to collect all your messages, and Gmail's simple but very smart interface lets you find them precisely and see them in context without effort. Unfortunately, Gmail does not offer IMAP, only POP access. Gmail also puts contextual advertising next to the emails you read.
Gmail Review | Gmail Resources | Gmail Tips

2) Inbox.com - Free Email Service

Inbox.com not only gives you 5 GB to store your mail online but also a highly polished, fast and functional way to access it via either the web (including speedy search, free-form labels and reading mail by conversation) or through POP in your email program.
Inbox.com Review | Inbox.com Tips

3) FastMail Guest Account - Free Email Service

FastMail is a great free email service with IMAP access, useful features, one of the best web-based email interfaces and few ads.
FastMail Review | FastMail Resources | FastMail Tips

4) Yahoo! Mail - Free Email Service

Yahoo! Mail is a comfortable, reliable and secure email service with a reasonable amount of storage. A pretty good spam filter keeps the junk out, and you can send rich emails using Yahoo! Mail's HTML editor.
Yahoo! Mail Review | Yahoo! Mail Resources | Yahoo! Mail Tips

5) AIM Mail - Free Email Service

AIM Mail, AOL's free web-based email service, shines with 2 GB of online storage, very good spam protection and a rich, easy to use interface. Unfortunately, AIM Mail lacks a bit in productivity (no labels, smart folders and message threading), but makes up for some of that with very functional IMAP access.
AIM Mail Review | AIM Mail Tips

6) goowy mail - Free Email Service

goowy mail is your rich Desktop email program on the web with a fast interface that lets you drag and drop, use context menus and enjoy lots of pleasant eye candy. In addition to email, goowy offers a calendar, an RSS feed reader and games done in a similar fashion. More features and online storage would do goowy mail good, though.
goowy mail Review

7) MSN Hotmail - Free Email Service

MSN Hotmail comes with solid security features and a straight forward, easy to use yet quite powerful interface. Unfortunately, Hotmail lacks POP or IMAP access, secure messaging is not supported, and email management tools as well as the spam filter could use some improvement.
Hotmail Review | Hotmail Resources | Hotmail Tips

8) BigString.com - Free Email Service

BigString.com is a free 1 GB email service that includes rich certified mail services and lets you expire or edit sent messages, for example. Unfortunately, BigString.com is not equally well equipped for handling incoming mail and lacks organizing tools.
BigString.com Review

9) My Way Mail - Free Email Service

My Way Mail is a clean, fast and fun (though not particularly advanced) free email service.
My Way Mail Review | My Way Mail Tips

10) Care2 E-mail - Free Email Service

Get a solid Web-based email account and donate to environmental organizations, both for free with Care2 E-mail.
Care2 E-mail Review

(Source: About.com)

Top 10 Products by CNET

2007-02-15T02:12:00.000-08:00

Gadgets of every description have flowed through the doors of CNET for 10 years. Picking a list of the 10 best is an exercise in healthy but vocal arguments. Everyone has a different idea of what is meant by best. You can make great arguments for the Diamond Multimedia Rio 300, Mac OS X, the Sony PSP, and many more gadgets that aren't on our list.

But the top 10 included here had the most wide-ranging acceptance.

1. iPod (2001)
No other product has had the incredible, loyal devotion that the iPod inspires. It's also one of only a handful of products to get a 9 rating from CNET. It revolutionized and popularized music players with its stylish design and is still considered the industry leader. Even if you devoutly believe other music players have better features now, you have to acknowledge that iPod is still the king.

2. TiVo (1999)
It took a long time for people to even get the concept of what TiVo was. It has finally moved beyond "pausing live TV" to an entertainment-center essential that inspired a myriad of competitors, none of which even come close to having as good an interface. Plus, it has Linux inside, which gives it extraspecial geek points.

3. Google (1996)
This was a late addition to the list because we almost overlooked it. Google has become so synonymous with search, you almost forget it has competitors. Google ended the need to use several search engines to get good results. The competition has slowly caught up, but Google is still the definitive search engine.

4. Napster (1999)
Here's a product that wouldn't make the list in its current form, but the original version came close to deserving the phrase "changed the world." Everyone who used it in 1999 and 2000 loved it and became addicted. The Internet was filled with the sound of wailing and gnashing of teeth when the courts finally shut it down. There's no doubt it changed the music industry forever and jump-started a series of events that has yet to come to a conclusion six years later.

5. Firefox (2004)
Sure, Mozilla has been around for many years, but Firefox 1.0 brought the open-source browser into the mainstream. Some never thought Mozilla could make it as anything more than a geek badge of pride. The light, secure, and efficient Firefox is legitimately challenging Internet Explorer's stranglehold on Web browsing.

6. PalmPilot (1996)
Some say PDAs are dying. The reason for that accusation is that you can now find PDA functionality in almost every mobile device, such as phones and music players. When PalmPilots first came out in 1996, they changed the way everyone thought about personal organization. It seems natural to have an electronic calendar in the palm of your hand now, but that wasn't really true before 1996. No, we haven't forgotten the Newton, but that didn't really succeed, did it?

7. Motorola Startac (1996)
Motorola's cool flip phone helped cell phones finish the transition from big bricks to style statements. The Startac wasn't the first flip phone, but it was the first one everybody was willing to die for, it looked so small and cool. In its time, the Startac set mobile phone fans talking the way the Razr did this past year.

8. Apple iMac (1998)
The thought of an Apple computer being meaningful was laughable before the iMac. Apple had fallen on hard times, and some predicted its death. Now some of those same pundits say the iMac saved it. Whatever you think, the iMac set Apple on the road to dominating through style and functionality rather than sheer features and power.

9. Sony Digital Mavica MVC-HD5 (1997)
Think back to 1996, and you probably won't remember anyone who had a digital camera. Only true geeks, professionals, or the rich used anything without film. These days, it's hard to find a person with a film camera. The Sony Mavica helped usher in the digital camera era by making the devices affordable and easy to use.

10. The Sims (2000)
This may be the most controversial of the picks; so many games have changed the gaming world in the past 10 years. Doom, Ultima, Grand Theft Auto, and others deserve mention. But the Sims captured everyone's imagination--gamer or nongamer. It crossed boundaries that few other games have, and it's still one of the top-selling games of all time.

(Source: CNET)

Top 10 Naked People on Google Earth

2007-02-15T01:58:00.000-08:00

You’ve all seen the original Google Sightseeing Topless Sunbather already, but did you know that the Hague is in fact completely overrun with naked and semi-naked Dutch men and women? Yes people, it’s time to get your magnifying glasses out, because here comes the Top 10 Naked People on Google Earth!

Here is the list of top 10 naked people on Google Earth.

Virtual Laser Keyboard [virtual-laser-keyboard.com]

5. The frogpad

The frogpad is a tiny, tiny keyboard - or it would be more suitable to call it a keypad actually. The manufacturer say that you can get up to 40 words per minute if you practice between 6 to 10 hours with it. Any idea why they are calling it a frogpad?

Frogpad [frogpad.com]

4. The Twiddler 2

What do you say about the Twiddler 2? It looks to be quite painful to use, or what do you think? According to the testimonials at their site, it will take you ‘a weekend’ to learn typing 30 words per minute, so the frogpad wins that round. The Twiddler actually reminds me of those guitar classes I took when I was a young boy…

The Twiddler 2 [handykey.com]

3. The Orbitouch

This one could be a leftover from Area 51, or a prop from the set of any science fiction movie. Wonder how it works? Here’s what the manufacturer say: “The orbiTouch creates a keystroke when you slide the two domes into one of their eight respective positions. You type the different characters by sliding the domes to create letters and numbers. The orbiTouch also has an integrated mouse, so moving the domes gives you full mouse and keyboard capability!”

The target group for this keyboard is of course people who have limited or no motion in their fingers or hands, and that’s a very good thing - but anyway, it’s a weird keyboard.

Orbitouch Keyless keyboard [Keybowl.com]

2. The Datahand

This product is aimed for people who get pain in their hands from typing with a traditional keyboard - and that’s a good thing. It’s still looks like a very strange keyboard. Everytime I see this one I think of the movie Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger, don’t know why. I love this one - the keyboard, not the movie.

The datahand [Datahand.com]

1. The Tidy Tippist

Isn’t this one lovely? The keyboard is hidden inside a decorative, washable tablecloth. The electronic is woven into a fabric, which finds itself between layers of water resistant felt as sandwich material. The soft felt surface makes it a pleasure for fingers to tip - a cosy keyboard. Awesome, hehe.

The Tidy Tippist [ToniaWelter.com]

(Source: Fosfor Gadgets)

Top 10 Downloads of the Past 10 years

2007-02-15T01:36:00.000-08:00

When CNET Download.com opened its doors in 1996, it was home to 3,000 small shareware and freeware applications. Online software distribution was still in its infancy. What a difference a near-decade makes! Since 1996, we've watched the rise of instant messaging, digital audio and the MP3 format, file sharing, spyware and antispyware, and the open-source movement, just to name a few. And we've watched as online software distribution has gone from pipe dream to reality. These 10 applications best represent the top trends in downloading over the past decade. (Source: CNET)

Here is the list of top 10 downloads of the past 1o years.

1. ICQ
Today instant messengers are ubiquitous, but when ICQ ("I Seek You") was first released in 1997, it was truly the first of its kind. Though competitors such as Yahoo Instant Messenger and AIM have since encroached on ICQ's territory, this chat client remains enormously popular with international users, and it has remained one of Download.com's most popular applications since its launch.

2. Winamp
Arriving fast on the heels of the emerging MP3 digital format, Nullsoft's Winamp was one of the darlings of the burgeoning digital audio scene in the late '90s. This free audio player quickly gained popularity, becoming one of the most popular files on Download.com, and Nullsoft was eventually acquired by AOL in 1999.

3. Napster
Who doesn't remember this controversial file-sharing kingpin? Developed by Northeastern University student Shawn Fanning, Napster was a groundbreaking application that enabled users to share MP3s painlessly for the first time through a peer-to-peer network. Napster has since been sued, shuttered, and reborn as a subscription music service, but its legacy remains.

4. Firefox
Developed by the open-source Mozilla project in 2003, Firefox was the first browser to show the promise of breaking Microsoft's stranglehold on the browser market. Lightweight, secure, and packed with useful features, Firefox exemplifies the promise of the strengthening open-source movement.

5. WinZip
When CNET Download.com launched in 1996, WinZip was among the first programs in our library, and in the past nine years, it has remained near the top of our Most Popular list. The reason is simple: For many years, WinZip was an essential utility. You couldn't download or send large files without it. Even the fact that Windows XP now has built-in ZIP support hasn't diminished its popularity. The keys to WinZip's success are its simplicity and its singularity of purpose: it does one thing--compressing and decompressing files--and it does it very well.

6. iTunes
Apple's music player and organizer makes our top 10 list for the sheer beauty of its product design. iTunes is not only a full-featured media player and library in its own right, it's also the gateway for Apple's iPod and popular music store, creating an elegant and simple interface for buying and organizing music. If only all software were this easy to use.

7. Ad-aware
Almost as soon as there was software to download, there was adware coming along for the ride. Lavasoft did its part to hold the line with Ad-aware, a spyware scanner and remover. Its simple interface and excellent results have gained the program acclaim over the past five years, including a recent monopoly on the No. 1 slot in Download.com's Most Popular list. We wouldn't download files without it, and apparently, neither would most of you.

8. Skype
If Internet signals can travel over a phone line, then voice calls can travel over the Internet, right? With a Voice-over-IP (VOIP) program such as Skype, they certainly can. The prospect of making free calls to folks all over the globe has persuaded millions of people to install the software; the ease of use and surprising voice quality have earned Skype a loyal user base and accolades that include a CNET Editors' Choice and a Webby.

9. RealPlayer
Ten years ago, the Web was full of static content. The 1995 debut of RealPlayer changed all that. Streaming audio and video in a free media player was a bold step forward into making the Internet a viable entertainment platform, and RealNetworks was there. Today the software plays almost every media format, and the online music store sells tunes compatible with most MP3 players--even the iPod. RealPlayer hasn't always been at the head of the class, but it was there first, and it keeps adapting to the developing world of online media.

10. Adobe Acrobat Reader
Bridging the gap between print and Internet publishing, Adobe's portable document format (PDF) lets publishers distribute their articles, newsletters, and documentation online without worrying about formatting problems or unauthorized alterations. By giving away the Acrobat Reader early on, Adobe helped create a nearly unassailable market position. If you want to read magazine archives or software manuals online, you need Acrobat Reader--as its nearly seven-year occupation of the Most Popular list can attest.

Top 10 Strangest Lego Creations

2007-02-15T01:24:00.000-08:00

Lego is a line of toys manufactured by Lego Group, a privately held company based in Denmark. Its flagship product, also commonly referred to as Lego, consists of colourful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures (also called minifigs by Lego Fans), and other pieces which can be assembled and connected in myriad combinations, including cars, planes, trains, buildings, castles, sculptures, ships, spaceships, and even working robots. (Source: Wikipedia)

Here is the list of top 10 strangest lego creations.

10. Lego iPod Case

This interesting BrixPod Classic iPod Shuffle case gives your Shuffle the appearance of a full-sized iPod made of Lego bricks.

[MacBlog]

9. Han Solo Frozen in Carbonite

Nathan Sawaya used over 10,000 Lego pieces and spent 3 months making this “Han Solo in Carbonite” masterpiece.

[NathanBrickArtist]

8. Lego Volvo XC90

Built by Lego Master Model Builders, this Volvo XC90 is the official car of Legoland California.

[car.kak.net]

7. Lego NES Case

If Nintendo came out with a Lego NES case, this would be it. Everything is 100% Lego - power/reset buttons, controller ports, LED light cover, and even the vents up top. One more picture here.

[RetroNintendo]

6. Lego Harpsichord

This Harpsichord was constructed entirely from Lego parts (over 100,000!), including keyboard, jacks, jack rack, jack rail, plectra, soundboard, bridge, hitch pins, tuning pins, wrestplank, nut, case, legs, lid, lid stick, and music stand. It has a range of 61 notes and weighs 150 lb.

[OddMusic]

5. Lego Pinhole Camera

This person took a Polaroid 95a, stripped it down, and than reassembled the camera with all Lego parts. Like a real mechanical 35mm camera, it includes a manual crank which takes 23 clicks to advance one frame.

[FoundPhotography]

4. Lego Knitting Machine

Rarely do we come accross something so interesting yet odd, take a look at this fully functional knitting machine made entirely out of Lego pieces.

[TRFJ]

3. Lego Difference Engine

One of the most imaginative Lego creations ever. Made by Andy Carroll, this difference engine is able to solve mathematical problems (2nd/3rd-order polynomials) and calculate the answers to 3 or 4 digits.

[Gizmodo]

2. Lego Air Conditioner

Behold, a functional Lego replica of Carrier’s latest air conditioner, complete with valves, compressor, and working fan.

[Make]

1. Lego Pinball Machine

Created by Lego fanatics Gerrit Bronsveld and Martijn Boogaarts of the Netherlands, this fully functional pinball machine was made using over 20,000 of these colorful blocks. The Lego Pinball Machine features an operational coin slot, rotation bumpers, auto kickback, 5-digit mechanical display (for points), 13 RCX Mindstorms computers, and even a ramp.

[PinballNews]

(Source: TechEBlog)

Top 10 Colleges for Financial Aid

2007-02-15T01:12:00.000-08:00

With the average cost of tuition at public and private colleges skyrocketing, today's students are less concerned about getting into their top-choice college than they are about figuring out how to pay for it. The prospect of having to pay back thousands of dollars in loans is daunting for students thinking about college and can be the overriding factor in their decision about what school to attend. Fortunately, there are schools out there that go the extra mile to help ease the financial burden of getting a quality education. According to The Princeton Review's annual survey of 115,000 students at the nation's Best 361 Colleges, these ten schools are doing some creative things to make sure their students are happy with their financial aid.

Here is the list of top 10 colleges for financial aid.

1. Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey)
Princeton's generous financial aid policy makes it possible for many students to afford to attend this "amazing" university. Students can look forward to receiving aid packages that meet 100 percent of their demonstrated need. To top it off, their need-based aid award will not include any student loans. With an administration "that runs like butter" and "ample" funding available for students to pursue various interests, it's no wonder that Princeton has landed at the top of this list.

Students who considered Princeton also looked at Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Yale University.

2. Pomona College (Claremont, California)
The personal attention students receive at Pomona extends beyond the classroom. At Pomona, "you get free music lessons if you are on any type of financial aid." Students receive "great financial aid awards" that meet all of their demonstrated need. For these happy undergrads, Pomona is the total package, offering "spectacular academics, a fair financial aid package, and the chance to do research as an undergraduate."

Students who considered Pomona also looked at Yale University, University of California-Berkeley, Claremont McKenna College, and Wesleyan University.

3. New College of Florida (Sarasota, Florida)
NCF's low tuition and "unparalleled" academic program make it a great deal for students seeking a great education at a low cost. The "least expensive school in the Florida system," New College still manages to offer "very generous" financial aid packages. All admitted first-year students at New College are guaranteed scholarship funding, and the school meets 90 percent of each student's financial need. Students who chose NCF say "there simply was no other choice that could compare."

Students who considered New College also looked at University of Florida, University of Miami, Eckerd College, and Brown University.

4. Stanford University (Stanford, California)
Stanford has so many things going for it that it's tough to list them all. In addition to "great professors, very friendly people, [and a] great location," Stanford offers students "great financial aid" packages. Families whose total annual income is less than $45K will not have to pay anything towards their children's educational costs at Stanford, and those whose income falls in the $45–60K range can expect a pro-rated reduction. No wonder the "exceptional" students on Stanford's campus are always so "relaxed and playful."

Students who considered Stanford also looked at Columbia University, Harvard College, University of California-Los Angeles, and Yale University.

5. Truman State University (Kirksville, Missouri)
Students who attend Truman State University are convinced that "Truman is one of the best public schools in Missouri." Moreover, "it is a great deal financially." With low tuition and plentiful need-based financial aid, Truman is an affordable option for many students. Merit-based aid also abounds at Truman and there is even a special loan program to help students with the cost of buying a computer. For the "many" students here who "receive financial aid," Truman made the "most financial sense."

Students who considered Truman also looked at Saint Louis University, University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri State University, and Illinois Wesleyan University.

6. Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, Illinois)
At Lake Forest College, "the administration bends over backward to ensure students are satisfied with their financial aid." Lake Forest's "generous" financial aid programs awards up to $10,500 in grants before resorting to loans. Furthermore, it maintains its grant aid for all four years. Many academic, talent, and departmental scholarships are also available. As one student explains, "Practically anyone can get something. We say that the school pays us to go there."

Students who considered Lake Forest also looked at Connecticut College, Kenyon College, University of Denver, and Lewis & Clark College.

7. Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, California)
CMC offers students "amazing financial aid packages" and is committed to meeting 100 percent of students' demonstrated financial need. Financial aid officers are on a first-name basis with students and will "work with you to make sure it is possible for you to attend." Students appreciate that administrators are "very easy to get access to" and are "sensitive to students' needs." They also enjoy "financial support for summer opportunities."

Students who considered Claremont McKenna also looked at Amherst College, Georgetown University, Pitzer College, and Scripps College.

8. Beloit College (Beloit, Wisconsin)
Beloit College offers its students a "friendly atmosphere, gorgeous campus, [and] really good financial aid." With admissions decisions based entirely on a student's qualifications and not their ability to pay, Beloit has "plenty of money" available for the students who need it. At Beloit, the "emphasis is on the importance of hands-on experience such as internships and study abroad" and the college is committed to helping students "find [and finance] these opportunities."

Students who considered Beloit also looked at Carleton College, Colorado College, Grinnell College, and Ripon College.

9. Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts)
"Talented professors, diverse and talented students, [and] great financial aid" are some of the benefits of attending Williams College. And it's no wonder: With an endowment of over $1.5 billion, or well over $700,000 per student, Williams is able to fully subsidize costs for its entire student body. Scholarships are abundant, including several Tyng Scholarships, which provide money for Williams plus three additional years of graduate or professional school.

Students who considered Williams also looked at Amherst College, Dartmouth College, Hamilton College, and Colgate University.

10. Wabash College (Crawfordsville, Indiana)
At Wabash College, "scholarships and financial aid are downright incredible." With an impressive endowment-per-student ratio, Wabash can afford to distribute aid generously. In addition to meeting 100 percent of students' demonstrated need, the school also offers $3 million in competitive scholarships each year on its Honor Scholarship Weekend, during which students travel to the school to take competitive exams. Talent and leadership awards are also available.

Students who considered Wabash also looked at Purdue University-West Lafayette, Butler University, Hanover College, and Miami University.

(Source: MSN Encarta)

Top 10 F/X Scenes in Movie History

2007-02-15T00:56:00.000-08:00

Today, many digital effects are so subtle that movie audiences often don't notice them — but it wasn't always so. We asked industry insiders to pinpoint the biggest breakthroughs in digital F/X history.

Here is the list of top 10 f/x scenes in movie history.

Top 10 Places To Visit in India

2007-02-15T00:32:00.000-08:00

The poetry and the romance that shroud what Rabindranath Tagore calls "a teardrop on the cheek of time". Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace" and is in fact the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb in the world. It is best described by the English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold, as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor's love wrought in living stones." It is a celebration of woman built in marble. It was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their 14th child. The death so crushed the emperor that all his hair and beard were said to have grown snow white in a few months. In 1648, on the exact anniversary of Mumtaz's death, this wonderful monument was completed. This is the eighth wonder of the world. (Source: TopWorld)

Here is the list of top 10 places to visit in India.

Top 10 Tallest Mountains in the World !!

2007-02-13T23:38:00.000-08:00

A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill, but there is considerable overlap, and usage often depends on local custom. Mountains cover 54% of Asia, 36% of North America, 25% of Europe, 22% of South America, 17% of Australia, and 3% of Africa. As a whole, 24% of the Earth's land mass is mountainous. Also, 1 in 10 people live in mountainous regions. All the world's major rivers are fed from mountain sources,and more than half of humanity depends on mountains for water. (Source: Wikipedia)

Here is the list of top 10 tallest mountains in the world.

Mountain		Height		Location
1	Mount Everest	8,850m	29,035 ft	Nepal
2	Qogir (K2)	8,611m	28,250 ft	Pakistan
3	Kangchenjunga	8,586m	28,169 ft	Nepal
4	Lhotse	8,501m	27,920 ft	Nepal
5	Makalu I	8,462m	27,765 ft	Nepal
6	Cho Oyu	8,201m	26,906 ft	Nepal
7	Dhaulagiri	8,167m	26,794 ft	Nepal
8	Manaslu I	8,156m	26,758 ft	Nepal
9	Nanga Parbat	8,125m	26,658 ft	Pakistan
10	Annapurna I	8,091m	26,545 ft	Nepal

(Source: MIStupid.com)

Top 10 Mountain Biking Trails in US !!

2007-02-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

Choose your own adventure with these rugged paths to pedal. These trails—acclaimed by the International Mountain Biking Association—are in the backyard of major cities, and they’re for riders of any skill level.

Here is the top 10 list

1. Bootleg Canyon Trails
Boulder City, Nevada (20 minutes outside Las Vegas)
Miles of trails: 36
Admission: free, but donations appreciated
What you’ll find: A network of interconnecting trails—with clever names such as “Girl Scout” and “Kevorkian” (you can guess which is tougher)—gives riders a choice of difficulty or length. A shuttle takes you to the top if downhill riding is more your speed.
Contact: (702) 293-3472

2. South Mountain Park Trails
Phoenix, Arizona
Miles of trails: 60
Admission: free
What you’ll find: Without gaining too much elevation, you’ll ride a rollercoaster on best-known trails Desert Classic (moderate) and National (advanced). Take in the scenic saguaro cacti, but beware the rattlesnakes.
Contact: (602) 495-0222

3. Bull Mountain Trail Network
Dahlonega, Georgia (one hour from Atlanta)
Miles of trails: 50
Admission: $2 parking fee
What you’ll find: The Bull Mountain Trail itself is an 11-mile loop that connects to other trails at the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. You’ll cross streams, ride over red clay, and roll over long hills.
Contact: (800) 231-5543

4. The Womble Trail, Ouachita National Forest
Hot Springs, Arkansas (2 hours from Little Rock)
Miles of trails: 39
Admission: free
What you’ll find: The challenging Womble Trail follows the Ouachita River through forests with steep hills and sharp turns. Pastoral views show off the river, its valleys, and miles of farmland. Novice riders might want to train on the Charlton Trail.
Contact: (870) 867-2101

5. Levis/Trow Mound Trail Network
Neillsville, Wisconsin (2 1/2 hours northwest of Madison)
Miles of trails: 30
Admission: $3 for adults, $2 for students and children
What you’ll find: Remnants of glacier formations make these winding, forested trails up to 300-foot sandstone bluffs unique. You’re likely to spot a deer or turkey on your ride, whether you choose an easy or an advanced trail.
Contact: (715) 743-5140

6. Ridge to Rivers Trail System
Boise, Idaho
Miles of trails: 85
Admission: free
What you’ll find: From the city, climb the grassy slopes of the Boise Foothills along single- and double-track trails. Trails for all skill levels are embedded in the forests, but Ridge to Rivers offers the best views of the city and beyond.
Contact: (208) 384-4240

7. Ringwood State Park Trails
Ringwood, New Jersey (40 miles from New York City)
Miles of trails: 30
Admission: Memorial Day to Labor Day, weekdays $5 and weekends $10 per car, $50 for a year pass
What you’ll find: This park offers so many trails that you can pedal all day and not run out of tracks. Rest up at the 96-acre botanical garden when you’re tired of pedaling.
Contact: (973) 962-7031

8. North Umpqua Trail—Tioga Segment
Roseburg, Oregon (3 hours from Portland)
Miles of trails: 16
Admission: free
What you’ll find: See if you can keep up with the jumping steelhead and salmon as you ride parallel to streams flowing from the Cascade Mountains. Don’t miss the Douglas fir, cedar, and hemlock trees—some more than six feet in diameter.
Contact: (541) 440-4930

9. Alafia River Trails, Alafia River State Park
Brandon, Florida (one hour from Tampa)
Miles of Trails: 14
Admission: parking fee $3 (1 person) or $4 (2-8 people)
What you’ll find: This park sits on an old phosphate mine and has some of the most radical elevation changes in Florida. Even experienced riders may walk up some of the steep inclines. Watch for deer, herons, and even gators (from a safe distance) along the way.
Contact: (813) 672-5320

10. The Southern Traverse, Shenandoah Mountain Trail
Harrisonburg, Virginia (2 hours from Washington, D.C.)
Miles of trails: 30-mile loop or 17 miles one way
Admission: free
What you’ll find: The trail is contoured, eliminating steep drops and climbs, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s an easy ride. Sharp curves challenge you as you wind through the hardwood forest on a mossy track bordered by wildflowers and ferns.
Contact: (540) 434-2087

(Source: Health.com)

Top 10 Powerful Families in US

2007-02-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

Power families are made, not born, and they rely on multiple generations to carry on their legacy. Because these families tend to be larger than most and far better documented, they’re certain to feature more than a few black sheep. Nonetheless, a true power family can overcome the occasional sore spot to maintain a hold on power through the generations and into the future. Despite its many critics, the Bush family is thriving in America today; in fact, no power family is without its detractors.

The following top 10 explores various families throughout history, and while not all of them have managed to sustain their stature, their contributions to the country cannot be overlooked.

The list can be found here

Top 10 Financial Crises in the World

2007-02-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

Whether or not Karl Marx, the archenemy of wealth, ever compared money to evil, I do not know. He did, however, write about what he felt was money’s most intriguing quality: its ability to turn everything into its contrary. For example, if you’re ugly but rich, you can buy the most beautiful women; thus, money negates or flip-flops the very quality that should repel those women. On whom or what precisely this point reflects most poorly -- cash or chicks -- is for someone else to figure out. In the meantime, what follows is a century’s worth of financial crises, starring that most slippery of trickster characters, money.

The list can be found here

Top 10 Gay Animals

2007-02-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

The top 10 Gay animals according to LiveScience.com

10. Bonobo Chimpanzees

Average Rating: 2.8

View

9. Japanese macaques

Average Rating: 2.9

View

8. Gray Whale

Average Rating: 3.0

View

7. Kob antelope

Average Rating: 3.1

View

6. American Bison

Average Rating: 3.1

View

5. Walrus

Average Rating: 3.1

View

4. Guianan-Cock-of-the-Rock

Average Rating: 3.2

View

3. Giraffes

Average Rating: 3.3

View

2. Bottlenose Dolphins

Average Rating: 3.3

View

1. Black swan

Average Rating: 3.4

View

(Source: LiveScience.com)

Top 10 Most Valuable NHL Teams

2007-02-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

The top 10 Most Valuable NHL Teams in the U.S. according to Forbes.com.

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 Famous Last Words

2007-02-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

The top 10 famous last words according to AskMen.com

Deathbed conversions be damned; they are the quintessential sell-out, as they betray all the ideals that a person stood for in a single, panic-ridden moment. Besides, nobody remembers them except some lousy church official with motive enough -- your soul -- to lie about what he heard. Wouldn’t it be better to die having uttered a line or two that you could count on to represent you well into posterity?

While it is exceedingly rare for a person to die precisely as they lived, it is also rare that his last words in some way -- either through coincidence, irony or beautiful fate -- illustrate the life he once led. Such an accomplishment merits a top 10 celebration.

Number 10

Del Close - 1934-1999

“Thank God. I'm tired of being the funniest person in the room.“

The list of comedians directly taught and inspired by actor, improv teacher and comedian Del Close is an impressive who’s-who that includes John Belushi, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Mike Myers. His tremendous influence on so many notable comedians, from 1960s New York City through today’s cast of Saturday Night Live renders his last words deliberately humble and impossibly untrue.

Number 9

Voltaire - 1694-1778

“Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.” - when asked to renounce Satan

Writer and philosopher, Voltaire is best known for something he may never have uttered: “I disapprove of what you say, but would defend with my life your right to say it.” Whether he said it or not, the quote is apt for a man who used lucid arguments and a sharp wit to fight for such novel concepts as freedom of religion and the right to a fair trial. It is therefore especially fitting that, in death, he would not even deny the devil the God-given right to plead his case.

Number 8

Davy Crockett - 1786-1836

“I'm warning you boys, I'm a screamer.” - prior to his execution

The tombstone of this American folk hero lists him in many roles, including pioneer, soldier, trapper, and politician, but his martyrdom in defense of the Alamo during the Texas revolution is what turned Crockett into a legend. The details of his death have been in dispute ever since; some claim that he died in battle and others claim that he was executed on the orders of General Santa Anna.

Whether his last words are historically accurate or pure invention is almost immaterial; they expressed a sense of humor in the face of death. Humor at such a final moment is precisely what posterity needs from its heroes to assure us that the end isn’t nearly as scary as imagined.

Number 7

Henry David Thoreau - 1817-1862

“I did not know that we had ever quarreled.” - when urged to make peace
with God

The New England author of such free-thinking tracts as Walden and Civil Disobedience lived an uncommon life because he operated purely according to conscience. He was ridiculed by his neighbors and viewed as a freak and a loner, but his ideas changed the world when they influenced the likes of Ghandi, JFK and Martin Luther King. When considered, any other answer to his aunt’s urging that he make peace with God would have served to compromise the whole of his singularly independent life.

Number 6

Pancho Villa - 1878-1923

“Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something.”

Pancho Villa emerged from the life of an uneducated Mexican sharecropper to become an idealist revolutionary and the governor of Chihuahua. He led the 20th century’s first truly triumphant revolution and set the standard for revolutionaries to come, such as Che Guevara. Numerous legends surrounded him, and he was viewed as a modern-day Robin Hood in Mexico and the U.S.

The famous last words of this one-time peasant accurately portray the man rather than the legend. Even at the end he remained conscious of how important it was to maintain and promote the myths about him that inspired so many people, but by coming up short on anything profound, he hinted at his own humanity.

Number 5

Carl Panzram - 1891-1930

“Hurry up, you Hoosier bastard; I could kill 10 men while you're fooling around!” - prior to his execution

America loves baseball, apple pie and serial killers, so it’s a bit baffling why Carl Panzram hasn’t had more press. He called himself “rage personified” and claimed 21 murders and more than 1,000 rapes, and upon beginning a 25-year stretch at Leavenworth, he vowed, “I’ll kill the first man that bothers me.” He kept his word and earned a death sentence. He also threatened to kill human rights groups if they tried to appeal his sentence.

Despite it all, Panzram believed he was not born evil, but that he was the necessary product of the unspeakable violence he endured as a child. When he left school, he devoted his life to murder and mayhem, yet in his autobiography he said, “My only regret is that I wasn’t born dead or not at all.” This comment, coupled with the “gallows” humor of his last words, suggests a strange but undeniable cognizance of both who he was and who he became.

Number 4

Joan Crawford - 1905-1977

“Damn it… Don't you dare ask God to help me.” - to her maid as she began to pray

Despite her Catholic upbringing and later conversion to Christian Science, Crawford rejected divine assistance with the same fearless indifference to authority that got her through four decades in Hollywood, six adopted children and four husbands. Crawford seemed entirely unafraid of damnation in her last moments, perhaps because she was already familiar with it; the last paragraph in her will disinherited her two eldest children “for reasons which are well-known to them.” One disinherited daughter, Christine, had her revenge by forever associating her mother with a tiny pet peeve about inappropriate closet accessories in the book and film Mommie Dearest.

Number 3

Isadora Duncan - 1877-1927

“Adieu, mes amis, je vais à la gloire!” (Farewell my friends, I go to glory!)

Isadora Duncan left an incredibly influential mark on the world of dance with her highly dramatic interpretations. Her last words, however, go down in infamy not for the mark they left on that world, but for the heights they reached in the sheer, tragic irony that exceeds the woman’s own acute flair for the dramatic.

Duncan often wore long scarves that tarried behind her. On one autumn day in France, she climbed into a car with open-spoked wheels and shouted, “Adieu, mes amis, je vais à la gloire!” She was unaware that her scarf had been caught in the spokes and before anyone could say a word of warning, the famous dancer was yanked clear out of the car. She died instantly from a broken neck.

Number 2

Oscar Wilde - 1854-1900

“These curtains are killing me; one of us has got to go.”

At the time of his death, the great Irish writer and master wit Oscar Wilde was no longer among London’s most famous men or even so much the celebrated author of The Picture of Dorian Gray or The Importance of Being Earnest. Rather, as he lay dying in a Parisian hotel room, the destitute Wilde was a convicted criminal who had spent two years in prison for “gross indecency” -- 19th century parlance for engaging in homosexual behavior. Nonetheless, as one of the greatest writers of his or any time, his last words -- the exact wording is a matter of some debate -- show that he died as he lived, with the sharpest tongue in the English language.

Number 1

Humphrey Bogart - 1899-1957

“I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.”

While the roles that made Bogart famous typify the deliberate and unapologetic guy’s guy and consummate ladies’ man, the greater testament to his stature is that off-screen, Bogie was legit and his personality didn’t vary much from his on-screen roles. In fact, the quotes attributed to him are often better than any that were written for him. When a judge asked Bogart if he had been drunk when he committed an alleged assault, Bogie answered, "Isn't everybody at three in the morning?" Yet, the man who also once said, “The whole world is three drinks behind,” was a skilled chess player and a voracious reader of authors such as Shakespeare, Pope and Plato.

Ironically, while filming The African Queen on location in Africa, most everyone got sick from dysentery except Bogart. “I built a solid wall of scotch between me and the bugs,” he said. “If a mosquito bit me, he'd fall over dead drunk."

No wonder he died lamenting Martinis.

(Source: Ask.com)

Top 10 Hot Chicks You Haven't Heard Of

2007-02-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

The top 10 Hot chicks you have not heard of according to AskMen.com can be found....here

10. Tila Nguyen

Internet glamour model and aspiring singer, Tila “Tequila” Nguyen is the host of the successful Fuse TV reality series Pants-Off Dance-Off, and is consistently ranked among the most popular artists on the internet social community MySpace.com.

To survive in an industry that is dominated by tall Caucasian females, a petite model of Asian descent must be able to stand out from the crowd. Tila Nguyen does just that: She is a woman who, from head to toe, exudes beauty, purity and, most importantly, naughtiness. The brash bombshell from the South Pacific will make her feature-film debut in 2007, starring alongside Adam Sandler and Jessica Biel in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.

9. Sarah Shahi

With her unblemished dark skin and soulful eyes, it's easy to see why Sarah can turn the heads of men and women alike. Blessed with fulsome lips and long, raven hair, her exotic beauty sets her apart in an industry full of carbon copy blondes.

Best known for her role as the sexy Carmen de la Pica Morales in the hit Showtime television series The L Word, the red-hot Persian appeared in an impressive two films and three TV series in 2006, and she shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

8. Mary Elizabeth Winstead

American actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead proves that sometimes beauty is more than skin deep. It’s pleasing to note that her achingly attractive looks are mirrored by a gentle and easygoing soul.

Winstead must have a penchant for the teen-slasher genre, as she starred in The Ring Two (2005) with Naomi Watts, Final Destination 3 (2006) Black Christmas (2006) with Katie Cassidy, and she punched the clock with Rose McGowan for the Quentin Tarantino-Robert Rodriguez zombie-flick Grind House (2007).

7. Kimberly Stewart

The daughter of rock-legend Rod Stewart, Kimberly is an established model and aspiring singer and actress.

Tall, skinny, long-legged, and platinum blonde, Rod’s baby girl has the perfect physique for the runway. In 2006, the angelic Kimberly Stewart was the face of the popular Australian underwear line Antz Pantz, and in that same year, she finished shooting a pilot for her very own MTV reality series, Win Your Life Back.

6. Jennifer Nicole Lee

Jennifer Nicole Lee is the new beauty icon for women of the future. She is a strong woman with a career and children, she’s sexy and fun, and she’s happy and fit. Crowned Ms. Bikini America 2004, Jennifer brings a completely different dimension to the term hot mama.

With provocative calendars, workout DVDs, magazine covers, a swimsuit line, endorsement deals, and her own book, Jennifer Nicole Lee has clearly transformed herself from an overweight mom into a bodacious, international superstar.

5. Naureen Zaim

Part-time actress, part-time model, full-time babe, Naureen "The Dream" Zaim is a knockout in every sense of the word. From actress to bodacious boxing champ, she's a self-proclaimed Renaissance woman.

Naureen left us awestruck with her brief, yet memorable appearances in Spider-Man 2 (2004) with Kirsten Dunst and Wedding Crashers (2005) with Rachel McAdams and Vince Vaughn. With the brains and brawn to match her exotic beauty, Naureen Zaim can add university graduate and accomplished stuntwoman to her impressive list of credentials. Is there anything this Pakistani-Irish stunner can’t do?

4. Evan Rachel Wood

Evan Rachel Wood first achieved recognition in 2003 for her role in Thirteen, an edgy film about a young girl’s discovery of sex, drugs and petty crime. She has since starred in big-budget productions such as The Missing (2003) with Cate Blanchett and The Upside of Anger (2005).

Evan continued her big-screen career in 2006 with an appearance in the film Running with Scissors, a semi-autobiographical dark comedy based on the popular memoirs of Augusten Burroughs. With her flair for the dramatic and her selection of edgy, off-kilter roles, the delightful Evan Rachel Wood is destined for a long and distinguished career in Hollywood.

3. Gong Li

Gong Li is one of China’s most famous and celebrated actresses. Her films include Farewell My Concubine (1993), Chinese Box (1997) and The Emperor and the Assassin (1999), which happened to be the most expensive movie in Chinese film history at the time.

In 2006, this Asian beauty starred beside Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in the film adaptation of the hit television series Miami Vice. Gong Li’s subdued elegance and temperament prove that it isn’t necessary to succumb to a Sunset-Strip wardrobe, a la Pamela Anderson, in order to exude sex appeal.

2. Elsa Pataky

Elsa Pataky may be new to the Hollywood scene, but this sizzling Spaniard has been delighting fans with reoccurring roles on television and well-received performances on the silver screen for more than a decade in her native Madrid.

Elsa had her big Hollywood break in 2006 when she was cast to star alongside Samuel L. Jackson in the summer’s skin-crawling cult-thriller Snakes on a Plane. The film grossed close to $60 million worldwide, thanks in part to her stunning appearance.

1. Cassie

Born and raised in New London, Connecticut, Cassie Ventura made excellent use of her exotic features as a local model throughout most of her teens. But Cassie had other passions; she took dance and vocal lessons with the dream of becoming a singer.

Cassie struck it big in 2006 with her catchy club anthem "Me & U" off her self-titled debut album. With her big brown eyes, full lips, and sparkling smile, Cassie has a fresh, exotic look, and it’s a good bet that she’ll have that cute quality for some time to come.

(Source: AskMen.com)

Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars 2007 !!

2007-02-08T15:26:00.000-08:00

The top 10 most fuel-efficient cars in 2007 according to edmunds.com

Toyota Prius — 60/51*
Affordably priced at $22K and up, the Prius is a bargain on many fronts. Real-world fuel economy doesn't match EPA estimates, but this hybrid car is still the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the market.

Honda Civic Hybrid — 49/51*
What's even more practical than the eminently practical Civic? The Civic Hybrid, which melds hybrid frugality with the poise and refinement of Honda's perennial best seller.

Toyota Camry Hybrid — 40/38*
The popular Camry offers a roomy cabin and acceleration that's more brisk than is typical for a four-cylinder family sedan. The newly introduced Camry Hybrid offers all this, plus a fuel-sipping hybrid engine.

Toyota Yaris — 34/40
With a starting price of $11K, the brand-new Yaris is the most affordable car in Toyota's lineup. Available as a three-door hatchback or a sedan, the Yaris offers a versatile interior — thanks to available sliding and reclining rear seats — and pleasant handling.

Honda Fit — 33/38
Coming in at about 20 inches shorter than the Civic, the Fit is a pint-sized new entry from Honda. For a price that starts at around $13K, you get agile handling and ample standard features.

Toyota Corolla — 32/41
You probably know that the Toyota Corolla is one of the most reliable cars on the market. What you might not know is that this roomy hauler is also one of the most fuel-efficient.

Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio — 32/35
The 2007 Accent and its twin, the Kia Rio, nabbed the "Editors' Most Wanted Sedan Under $15,000" prize on account of agreeable handling and a generous standard features list. Both cars seem determined to upgrade our expectations of what economy cars should be.

Honda Civic — 30/40*
The Civic is a class leader in the small-car category, and with good reason. Available in coupe and sedan configurations, this Honda offers a roomy interior, composed handling and excellent safety ratings.

Nissan Versa — 30/36*
Fuel economy concerns have sparked the growth of the subcompact segment, with new entries like the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris coming to market. The brand-new Nissan Versa is one of the best in this category, with a spacious interior and stellar materials quality.

Nissan Sentra — 29/36*
Nissan's Sentra is a standout in the competitive economy car segment. It offers a pleasant-looking cabin, ample interior room and a relatively noise-free ride.

(Source: Edmunds.com)

Top 10 Haunted Hotels in the World !!

2007-02-07T21:46:00.000-08:00

The top 10 Haunted hotels in the world according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 States For Business in U.S !!

2007-02-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

The top 10 Best States For Business according to Forbes.com

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 Richest Soccer Teams in the World !!

2007-02-05T16:31:00.000-08:00

Arsenal rose the most in value during the past year because prior to the 2006-07 season the team will move into a $700 million stadium that could increase its annual revenue by as much as $60 million. More than $1.5 billion in stadium improvement subsidies by the German government to prepare for hosting the 2006 World Cup markedly improved values for Bayern Munich, Schalke 04 and Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Juventus and Internazionale Milan saw their values plummet due to weak attendance and FC Porto, which won the Champions League Cup in 2004, saw its revenues tumble when it could not repeat its championship run.

The top 10 Richest Soccer Teams in the World according to Forbes.com

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 Most Valuable NFL Teams

2007-02-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

This year the average NFL team is worth $898 million, 211% more than when Forbes began calculating team values eight years ago. Look at it this way: Football team values have increased 11 times more than the S&P 500 since 1998. Profitability? This year the average NFL team posted $30.8 million in operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), versus $5.3 million in 1997.

The top 10 Most Valuable NFL Teams in the U.S. according to Forbes.com

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 Expensive Zip Codes in U.S. !!

2007-02-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

What's the difference between 11962 and 28741? When it comes to house prices, the answer is $2,125,000.

The top 10 expensive zip codes in the U.S. to Forbes.com

(Source: Forbes.com)

Top 10 shocking crimes in the World !!

2007-02-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

Top 10 shocking crimes in the World according to Time.com can be found....here

Top 10 Most Popular Castles !!

2007-02-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Most Popular Castles according to archibase.net can be found....here

Top 10 buzzwords in U.S 2006 !!

2007-02-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

Top 10 buzzwords in U.S. for 2006 according to Time.com can be found....here

Top 10 Business Deals in the World 2006 !!

2007-02-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

Top 10 2006 business deals in U.S. according to Time.com can be found....here

Top 10 cartoon in U.S. 2006 !!

2007-02-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Top 10 cartoon in 2006 in U.S. according to Time.com can be found....here

Top 10 scandals in U.S 2006 !!

2007-02-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

Top 10 2006 scandals in U.S. according to Time.com can be found....here

Top 10 Gentlemen's Club in the World !!

2007-02-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

Top 10 gentlemen's club in the world according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 Non-African Safaris in the World !!

2007-02-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Top 10 non-african safaris in the world according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 ecotourist hotspots in the World !!

2007-02-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

The top 10 cities ecotourist hotspots in the world according to MSNBC.com can be found....here

Top 10 cities for art lovers in the World !!

2007-02-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

The top 10 cities for art lovers in the world according to MSNBC.com can be found....here

Top 10 Whale-watching Destinations !!

2007-01-31T22:44:00.000-08:00

The top 10 whale-watching destinations in the world according to MSNBC

Azores
An isolated island chain in the midst of the Atlantic Ocean, the Portuguese-owned Azores find pods of sperm and short-finned pilot whales in their midst between June and September.

Cape Cod
There are such frequent whale sightings in the Atlantic waters surrounding Cape Cod, that the World Wildlife Fund named Massachusetts one of the top ten whale-watching spots in the world.

Dominica
Scuba divers already know this remote Caribbean island thanks to its brilliant coral reefs, magnificent sea life, and bubbling underwater hot springs. But the island recently earned a new title, as “Whale Watching Capital of the Caribbean,” which launched this eco-friendly destination to a whole new level.

Hawaii
Each winter, droves of visitors migrate to the tropical paradise of Hawaii at the same time as the state's animal, the humpback whale, also makes its way to the Aloha State from the northern Pacific.

Kaikoura, New Zealand
Located on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island, the small seaside town of Kaikoura enjoys international acclaim as an eco-tourism center.
While the town is widely celebrated for its offshore whale population, it is the giant sperm whales that are sighted all year long here that give the town its claim to fame as one of the world’s most likely places to spot the mighty sea mammal.

Hermanus, South Africa
There’s no need to stretch your sea legs to glimpse a fluke or spout in Hermanus. Located inWalker Bay, at the southernmost tip of Africa, and often referred to as the Riviera of the South, Hermanus offers, hands-down, the best shore-based whale-watching opportunities in the world.

Los Cabos
As if the brilliant beaches, luxury resorts, and near-perfect year-round climate weren’t enough incentive to visit Los Cabos, there’s the added spectacle of spouting whales between January and March.

Orcas Island
No list of whale-watching destinations would be complete without a nod to Orcas Island, the largest of the islands off the coast of Washington state. Often touted as the “gem of the San Juan islands,” this nature-lovers' paradise also bears a name reminiscent of the killer whales that gather off its 125 miles of coastline.

Quebec
Quebec is home to two types of whales you're unlikely to see anywhere else. Not only might you spot a nearly-extinct North Atlantic right whale here – only about 250 remain, making for an especially exciting sighting if you do see one – but you're very likely to see beluga whales cruising down the St. Lawrence River.

San Diego
Sure, you could visit Shamu and entourage at SeaWorld, like everyone else, or you could opt to encounter gargantuan gray whales, in their natural element, out in the great blue yonder.

(Source: MSNBC)

Top 10 Scenic Road Trips in U.S. !!

2007-01-31T22:31:00.000-08:00

The top 10 scenic road trips in U.S. according to MSNBC.com

Blue Ridge Parkway

Stretching some 469 miles along the Southern Appalachian Mountains and linking two eastern national parks – Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and North Carolina/Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains – the Blue Ridge Parkway has often been referred to as "America’s Favorite Drive." It’s certainly the country’s first rural route – parts of it date back to 1930s (when construction began as a make-work project during the Depression) – and one of its longest, with breathtaking scenery and dozens of recreational opportunities to distract you when you need to stretch your legs.

Hana Highway
It’s no wonder the spirit of aloha 'aina (love of the land) is the bedrock of Hawaiian tradition. A drive on Maui’s beloved Hana Highway (also called "the road to Hana") offers such an awe-inspiring display of natural beauty that you’ll soon revel in the same sentiment. This serpentine 55-mile trek starts off in Paia, famous for its surfer-swept shores, and zigzags east along the coast, all the while embracing 600 hairpin curves, 56 one-lane bridges, and some of the island’s most spectacular sights. Indeed, Keanae Arboretum (an exotic botanical garden), Waikane Falls (a trio of crashing chutes), Ka Ekeku Caverns (an ancient cavern system created from a lava flow thousands of years ago), and Waianapanapa State Park (home to a famous black-sand beach and fresh-water caves) are all in close proximity. Keep your windows down as you go and breathe in the sweet air infused with eucalyptus and ginger.

Highway 1
California’s State Route 1 (aka Highway 1) skirts the Golden State’s glorious Pacific coastline from “So Cal,” near San Luis Obispo, northwest to the forests of Monterey. The magnificent vistas of ocean waves breaking on rocky sea-sculpted shores, windswept beaches dotted by frolicking otters or sea lions, and magnificent forests presiding above it all can rouse even the wariest of drivers behind the wheel. Forays into charming little coastal towns, like Carmel-by-the-Sea and Laguna Beach, as well as into the trilogy of Californian cultural centers at Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, are met by attractions ranging from historic missions to magnificent mansions. There are also endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, particularly around the Big Sur area, where you can hike through redwood forests, comb the beaches for shells and jade, and camp under the stars.

Highway 12
Windswept red-rock canyons, towering sandstone formations, pristine lakes, and pine-studded mountain ranges combine for an altogether over-the-top sensory experience in Southern Utah. The setting for several stunning national parks, Utah Highway 12, also known as Highway 12 Scenic Byway, is one of only 27 nationally designated All-American Roads – the highest honor a road can get for attractive scenery. This remarkable road connects Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, and travels through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and over the forested Boulder Mountain in the Dixie National Forest, before winding down near the entrance to Capitol Reef. Unique beauty and seemingly limitless recreational opportunities abound on the stretch of land between the two parks’ boundaries.

Going-to-the-Sun Road
This spectacular 52-mile drive is the best way to see the dramatic remnants and rugged path left by gargantuan glaciers in Montana’s striking Glacier National Park. Only open from early-June to mid-October (or, until first snowfall), the Going-to-the-Sun Road, aptly named for its ever-escalating sky-high stretch with switchbacks up and over the magnificent Continental Divide, traverses Glacier National Park from West Glacier to St. Mary and covers untapped wilderness, rugged mountains, glistening lakes, deep river gorges, glacial canyons, and the long Garden Wall. The road offers multiple lookout points, among them the 6680-foot-high Logan Pass, which ranks as one of the Divide's most impressive vantage points, and Jackson Glacier Overlook, where remnants of the mammoth ice formations that carved the park's harsh terrain and contoured its valleys can still be seen.

Million Dollar Highway
Despite varying explanations as to the origin of its name (one claims it cost $1 million a mile to build in 1924; another says it contains $1 million in gold ore), there’s no disputing the fact that the 75-mile stretch of scenic highway known as Million Dollar Highway is a breathtaking journey through the majestic mountain passes of western Colorado. Crossing part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, and following route US 550 between the old mining towns of Silverton and Ouray, the route’s twists and turns wend high above the Red Mountain Pass – an 11,008-foot-high collapsed volcano whose lava flow was found to contain gold in 1860 – and past the deep Uncompahgre Gorge into which flow several waterfalls. As you continue to slice through the mountainside, winding along hairpin switchbacks and following old stagecoach paths, this route bears witness to the area’s now-defunct mining operations; you can even stop in Silverton to admire the town’s historic Victorian style buildings, some of which date back to 1874.

Red Rock Scenic Byway
If you're looking for a sublime experience and are a lover of the great outdoors, Mother Nature has blessed you with Sedona. Known for its massive, monolithic, red-rock formations that seemingly change shape and color with every passing ray of sunlight, Sedona's almost otherworldly scenery has long beckoned visitors to stand in awe of its grandeur. State Route 179, a 7.5-mile sliver of road designated Red Rock Scenic Road, serves as an excellent introduction to some of the area’s most superb natural splendors and amazing vistas. Plan on devoting at least a full morning to driving along it and ogling at the striking red rocks, many of which have been named for their resemblance to man-made objects (such as Bell, Courthouse, Cathedral, or Castle Rocks). Should a particular rock formation strike your fancy, it’s easy enough to hop out of the car to hike or bike to its base.

Seward Highway
The Seward Highway serves as the asphalt thread linking metropolitan Anchorage to Alaska’s agreeable little portside town of Seward on magnificent Resurrection Bay. Fittingly, for a road that connects such contrasting locales, the 127-mile stretch cuts through diverse landscapes – from glistening glaciers to alpine meadows, and jagged peaks to majestic fjords. Many miles of the route hug the base of the rugged Chugach Mountains and the shore of Turnagain Arm, winding past waterfalls, wildflowers, and wildlife; keep your eyes peeled for grazing sheep and mountain goats in the cliff tops, and beluga whales racing through the frigid waters below. Designated an All-American Road by the US Department of Transportation, this journey through the dramatic wilds of Alaska also provides access to terrific fishing spots and campgrounds, and simply great outdoor adventures.

Sonoma/Napa Valleys
Although we don’t condone drinking and driving, there’s no better way to get a taste of Northern California’s pastoral wine country than by driving through the Sonoma and Napa valleys. A 132-mile-long drive starts in Santa Rosa, just north of San Francisco, and follows three highways (Sonoma Hwy, St. Helena Hwy, and Redwood Hwy) through breathtaking acres of sprawling vineyards, forested hills, oak woodlands, several state parks – including beautiful Clear Lake State Park – as well as a handful of historic sites. Our preferred itinerary heads down and around Sonoma and Napa, then loops up to St. Helena, Calistoga, Middleton, and Cobb, before culminating in Hopland. Some of the highlights include the ghost-town of Silverado (made famous by writer Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote about his honeymoon there); the expansive ranch belonging to author Jack London; the charming colonial town of Sonoma; and the famed Hopland Brewery, a microbrewery serving up frosty local beer (a nice change from all that wine.

US Route 1
Traversing some of the oldest roads in the country, US Route 1 takes you on a historic journey through New England, covering five states and encompassing a bevy of sights, coastal villages, state parks, and notable cities. We recommend starting in Connecticut and driving all the way up to the coast of Maine, following the highway up to Providence, where the city’s colonial history is displayed in numerous museums and historical sites. Route 1 then goes straight through the heart of Boston, with its extension 1A winding through charming Cape Anne, past seaside towns, historic Salem, and along the beaches of New Hampshire; in Portsmouth (a short drive off the highway, on US Route 4), check out the stately homes and mansions, some of which date from the late 1600s. Along Route 1 in Maine, you can stop at the outlets in Kittery, the beach towns of York, Ogunquit, and Old Orchard Beach, and the historic maritime city of Portland. Of course, this jaunt is best in fall when a carpet of russet and gold foliage blankets the rolling hillsides.Traversing some of the oldest roads in the country, US Route 1 takes you on a historic journey through New England, covering five states and encompassing a bevy of sights, coastal villages, state parks, and notable cities. We recommend starting in Connecticut and driving all the way up to the coast of Maine, following the highway up to Providence, where the city’s colonial history is displayed in numerous museums and historical sites. Route 1 then goes straight through the heart of Boston, winding through charming Cape Anne, past seaside towns, historic Salem, and along the beaches of New Hampshire; in Portsmouth, check out the stately homes and mansions, some of which date from the late 1600s. Along the highway in Maine, you can stop at the outlets in Kittery, the beach towns of York, Ogunquit, and Old Orchard Beach, and the historic maritime city of Portland. Of course, this jaunt is best in fall when a carpet of russet and gold foliage blankets the rolling hillsides.

(Source: MSNBC)

World's Tallest Waterfalls !!

2007-01-31T22:24:00.000-08:00

The world's tallest waterfalls according to World-waterfalls.com can be found....here

Top 10 Largest Lakes of the World !!

2007-01-31T22:18:00.000-08:00

The top 10 largest lakes in the world according to Infoplease.com

Name, Location	Area (sq. miles)	Length (miles)
Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan-Russia-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran (salt water)	152,239	745
Superior, U.S.-Canada	31,820	383
Victoria, Tanzania-Uganda	26,828	200
Huron, U.S.-Canada	23,010	247
Michigan, U.S.	22,400	321
Aral, Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan	13,000	266
Tanganyika, Tanzania-Congo	12,700	420
Baikal, Russia	12,162	395
Great Bear, Canada	12,000	232
Nyasa, Malawi-Mozambique-Tanzania	11,600	360

(Source: Infoplease.com)

The Fastest American Cars !!

2007-01-31T22:12:00.000-08:00

The fastest american cars according to Forbes.com can be found....here

Top 10 Fireworks Show in U.S. !!

2007-01-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

Top 10 fireworks show in U.S. according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 Grossest Candies !!

2007-01-31T22:06:00.000-08:00

Top 10 grossest candies according to Candyaddict.com

Grossest Candy #10 - White Chocolate Maggots.
Why are these so gross? I think it’s because they are white and therefore actually look like maggots - and maggots are gross. Really gross. I get the willies just thinking about maggots and the rotting flesh/garbage/food they go along with. Plus, these are made of white chocolate, which is gross too.

Grossest Candy #9 - Hose Nose
This is a candy dispenser that looks like a nose that you strap to your face. It oozes candy slime and they encourage you to stick out your tongue and catch the drips from the nose. Some of the slogans: “It’snot what you think”, “candy slime filled”, “drippy”, and “catch it on your tongue”.Yes, snot is gross and this candy encourages you to eat candy snot.

Grossest Candy #8 - Sour Flush Candy
The candy in this is nothing special - it’s powdered candy (like Pixy Stix) and a lollipop. It’s all about the presentation though. The powdered candy comes in a realistic plastic toilet and the lollipop is flat on the end so it looks like a toilet plunger. Lick the plunger then dip it into the toilet to get some candy on it. Yum! (If you don’t want to order this online, check your local K-Mart - I saw this there last week).

Grossest Candy #7 - Harry Potter Cockroach Clusters
Here at #7 we have cockroaches (and this isn’t the last bug we’ll see on the countdown). These are Harry Potter Cockroach Clusters. Each Cockroach has a juicy gummy underbelly and is covered with a crunchy candy shell that has candy cockroach wings! Each cockroach is about 2 inches in length and 1 inch wide, so they’re also a great candy to use to scare your friends.

Grossest Candy #6 - Fear Factor
Candy I used to watch Fear factor all the time and the best (worst?) part was watching them try and eat those gross things. Now, you can have all the fun of the Fear Factor eating contests at home with Fear Factor Candy. There are a ton of them too. Some of the grossest:

Fear Factor Lollipops (seen above): Chicken Foot (lemon flavored), Pig’s Snout (bubblegum flavored), Sheep’s Eye (black cherry flavored), and Cow’s Heart (spicy cinnamon flavored)
Fear Factor Gummy Frog Legs: Gummy sour apple frog legs that come with crunchy candy bones and gooey red dipping sauce
Fear Factor Slimy Gummy Octopus: This super sweet slimy gummy octopus is swimming in sour ooze. The head of the octopus is lemon and the tentacles are blueberry
Fear Factor Gooey Globs: Liquid-filled gummy balls in 2 incredibly creepy designs: Sheep Eyeballs (Mango) and Coagulated Blood Balls (Cherry)
Fear Factor Cockroach Bites: Cola-flavored gummy roaches with crunchy icing shells - packed in sets of two

Grossest Candy #5 - Poop Candy
Poop is gross. Just ask anyone who has had to change a baby’s diaper. Once you’ve done that, you’ll never look at poop in the same way. Above, you see a prime example of poop candy - the Chocka-Ca-Ca diaper. The diaper comes in blue, pink, or yellow, but each one comes with a luscious chocolate “turdle” inside. Yum!

Other examples of poop candy include the pooping candy dispensers that are so popular around holidays. Moose, chickens, deer, cows, pigs, kitties, snowmen, penguins, easter bunnies, and even Santa himself can be had in pooping candy dispenser form. None of those tops the Chocka-Ca-Ca though.

Grossest Candy #4 - Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans
Anyone who wonders how these Harry Potter jellybeans could make our Top 10 Grossest Candy list has not tried these. They are disgusting. I reviewed them a while back and it still brings back bad memories for me. The flavors: Bacon, Black Pepper, Booger, Dirt, Earthworm, Ear Wax, Grass, Rotten Egg, Soap, and Vomit. Some of them aren’t too bad, like Black Pepper. Some of them are horrible: Earthworm, Rotten Egg, Earwax, and Vomit.

David and I actually both voted these to be #1 on the list but Victoria listed these much lower - if she had ever tried them I bet these would have taken the top spot. Try them and you’ll see that they deserve a spot on anyone’s Top 10 Grossest Candy list.

Grossest Candy #3 - Ear Wax Candy
Yes, ear wax candy. It’s a plastic ear filled with a fruity jelly-like candy that resembles ear wax. It even comes with a plastic “swab” to use to dig out the candy. I don’t know why they chose to make the ears pink though - if you’re going gross, you should go all out - they definitely should have made the ears flesh-colored.

Grossest Candy #2 - Candy With Real Bugs
I remember getting a lollipop once as a promo item at a (non-candy) convention and it had a worm inside (it was supposed to). I never tried it. I let it sit for ages until I finally just threw it away. I couldn’t bring myself to try it. You know a candy has to be gross for me not to even try it. There is an amazing amount of candy with real bugs in it. Hotlix is probably the most well-known maker of candied bugs but you can find them made by lots of companies. You can get tequila lollipops with a worm inside, Cricket Lick-Its lollipops with a real cricket inside, lollipops with a real scorpion inside (yeah, I know a scorpion isn’t a bug), Ant Candy which has real ants and looks like a miniature ant farm, and of course, you can get all manner of bugs covered in chocolate. No matter what kind of candy and no matter what kind of bugs, candy with real bugs in it is gross. (Look for a full review of Hotlix candies coming soon).

Grossest Candy #1 - Lick Your Wounds Candy Scabs

I first found the Candy Scabs a few weeks ago and knew I had stumbled onto a candy that is really and truly gross. They come on an adhesive bandage replica that sticks to skin and encloses a candy ‘scab’ for licking so you can keep some candy on you (hidden) for licking any time. These don’t actually hit the market until September of 2006, but when they do finally come out, I predict they will be a huge hit with kids across the country (and parents and adults will despise their very existence). I know I will be picking up a box, even if they are gross.

(Source: Candy Addict)

The 10 Worst Spam Origin Countries !!

2007-01-31T22:04:00.000-08:00

Top 10 worst spam origin countries according to Spamhaus.org can be found....here

Top 10 TV Shows in U.S. !!

2007-01-31T21:58:00.000-08:00

Top 10 TV shows in U.S. according to Time.com can be found....here

Top 10 Fascinating Urinals in the World !!

2007-01-31T21:41:00.000-08:00

Top 10 fascinating urinals in the world according to urinal.net can be found....here

Top 10 Unique Nightclubs in the World !!

2007-01-31T21:40:00.000-08:00

Top 10 unique nightclubs in the world according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 Dangerous Vacations in the World !!

2007-01-31T21:36:00.000-08:00

Top 10 dangerous vacations in the world according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 Private Clubs in the World !!

2007-01-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

Top 10 private clubs according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 10 Ski Resorts in the World !!

2007-01-31T00:02:00.000-08:00

Top 10 ski resorts according to AskMen.com can be found....here

Top 8 designer Phones in U.S. !!

2007-01-30T23:59:00.000-08:00

According to CNN Money, top 8 bling bling phones in U.S are

1. Prada KE850

LG; $800
LG has teamed up with fashion mega-brand Prada and added its own designer cell phone to the ranks of the mobile elite. Conveniently released amidst iPhone buzz and legal troubles, the LG KE850 will now be the first touch screen interface cell phone on the market, available in Europe in February 2007.

2. Signature Cobra

Vertu; $310,000
Vertu is now taking orders (but only 8 of them) for the Signature Cobra, designed by French jeweler Boucheron. The Cobra features one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies. A somewhat cheaper version - the $115,000 Signature Python - is ruby-free. But you better buy now: Vertu says only 26 Pythons will be made.

3. Crystal Icing Sidekick

T-Mobile; $260-$600
T-Mobile partnered with designer Crystal Icing to help boost sales of the new Sidekick III. Celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kimberly Stewart have gushed over these customized handsets adorned with Swarovski crystals - and helped make the flagship Sidekick cool.

4. Constellation

Vertu; $4,350
This stainless-steel, leather-encased phone boasts a sapphire crystal display, a laser-etched keypad and basic features like Bluetooth, messaging, and an audio/video player. It's also the cheapest phone Vertu sells.

5. Serene

Samsung; $1,275
Check out Bang & Olufsen's foray into the cell phone market. The luxury consumer-electronics company hooked up with Samsung to design the sleek, unconventional Serene. Released in November, critics praise its elegance - and even liken it to the king-of-cool iPod.

6. Mister Cartoon & Juicy Couture Sidekicks

T-Mobile; $400
The 2005 holiday season marked the first time a U.S. carrier collaborated with a fashion house or artist to co-brand a wireless phone. Consumers loved it. The Sidekick II LEs by Mister Cartoon sold out within weeks of their release, while bids for the Juicy Couture Sidekick hit $1,000 on eBay.

7. Diane Von Furstenberg Sidekick,
Lifted Research Group Sidekick

T-Mobile; $350
Last year the country's fourth-largest carrier released limited editions of its Sidekick 3 from fashion maven Diane von Furstenberg and urban clothing designer Lifted Research Group. The von Furstenberg model features her signature hot-pink lips while LRG used its own trademark look.

8. Miami Ink Razr

Motorola; $70
Designer Ami James, the tattoo artist who stars on the hit cable show, "Miami Ink," created two exclusive versions of the Motorola Razr. The Dragon Tattoo and Cherry Blossom feature laser-etched designs on brushed aluminum cases.

(Source: CNN Money)

World's Most Expensive Restaurants 2005 !!

2007-01-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

World's most expensive restaurants according to Forbes can be found....here

A Top List....

Top 10 Beaches for Shells

Top 10 Rock Movies

Top 10 Genealogy Mistakes to Avoid !!

Top 10 Tips to Surf the Web

Top 10 Reasons to Quit Smoking

The 10 Riskiest Businesses To Start

Top 10 energy saving measures

Top 10 Myths about Business Innovation

Top 10 US killer tornadoes

Top 10 Bushisms

Top 10 Ugliest Sneakers 2006 !!

Top 10 Google Apps

CNET rating

1. Gmail beta

CNET rating

2. Google Calendar beta

3. Google Talk beta

CNET rating

4. Writely beta

5. Google Spreadsheets

CNET rating

6. Google Maps

7. Google Earth 4 beta

CNET rating

8. Google SketchUp

9. Picasa Web Albums beta

CNET rating

10. Google Desktop 4 beta

Top 10 Strangest MP3 Players

10. Teddy Bear MP3 Player

9. Clip Type MP3 Player

8. $5 Cereal Box MP3 Player

7. Magic Mirror MP3 Player

6. Scented MP3 Players

5. Brain Wave MP3 Player

4.Minty MP3

3. NES Controller MP3 Player

2. MP3 Toilet

1. PEZ MP3 Player

Top 10 Windows RSS Feed Readers

1) NewzCrawler

2) FeedDemon

3) Omea Reader

4) Bloglines

5) Google Reader

6) NewsGator Online Services

7) NewsGator Inbox for Outlook

8) Awasu Personal Edition

9) Blog Navigator

10) SharpReader

Top 10 Phishing Scams

Top 10 Digital Video Tips

Tip 2: Shade Your Lens

Tip 3: Battle Backlighting

Tip 4: Black Your Tape

Tip 5: Limit Your Dependency on the Built-in Mic

Tip 6: Use a Monopod

Tip 7: Take Advantage of Low-cost Illumination

Tip 8: Soften Those Backgrounds by Fooling Your Camcorder

Tip 9: Get to Know Your Hardware Store

Tip 10: Go to the Movies and Watch Television

Top 10 Ways to Protect Privacy Online

Top 10 Influential Females in the IT World

Top 10 Stories You Missed in 2006

Top 10 Scams 2006 !!

Top 10 African American Inventors

Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

Top 10 Tech Towns in US

Top 10 weirdest USB drives

Top 10 Free Email Services

1) Gmail - Free Email Service

2) Inbox.com - Free Email Service

3) FastMail Guest Account - Free Email Service

4) Yahoo! Mail - Free Email Service

5) AIM Mail - Free Email Service

6) goowy mail - Free Email Service

7) MSN Hotmail - Free Email Service

8) BigString.com - Free Email Service

9) My Way Mail - Free Email Service