Popular Top 10

Best 10 Boxers of All Time

2012-03-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

1. Sugar Ray Robinson; 179 W, 19 L, 6 D, 2 NC, 109 KO
Born Walker Smith Jr., May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989 made his professional debut on October 4, 1940. Sugar Ray Robinson is admittedly the hands down choice of top boxer of all time and to this date, no one comes close of surpassing or even equaling his achievement as a boxer.

2. Muhhamed Ali; 56 W, 5 L, 37 KO
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He had an unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer relying on foot speed and quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low. Muhammad will come down in boxing history as one of the greatest human being that has fought in the square canvas.

3. Henry Armstrong; 150 W, 21 L, 101 KO
Henry Jackson Jr., born December 12, 1912 was the only boxer to hold three world championships at the same time. These titles included the Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight crowns. He also defended the Welterweight championship more times than any other fighter.

4. Julio Cesar Chavez; 104 W, 5 L, 2 D, 80 KO
Julio Cesar Chavez was born on July 12, 1962 in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. He is the ultimate Mexican champion of all time. He began boxing as an amateur at the age of sixteen and had demolished practically all the top fighters during his time. He went on to fight for 13 years with a unblemished record.

5. Joe Louis; 68 W, 3 L, 54 KO
Joseph Louis Barrow born May 13, 1914–April 12, 1981 nicknamed the Brown Bomber, he is considered to be one of the greatest in boxing history. Among his numerous victories Louis coined two of boxing’s most famous quotes: “He can run, but he can’t hide” and “Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit.”

6. Roy Jones; 49 W, 3 L, 38 KO
Born January 16, 1969. His selection may raise not a few eyebrows as there are a lot of skeptics on the circumstances of his being propelled to championship status. Jones started his rap music career in 2001 with his successful album, titled Round One: The Album and the debut single, “You all Must’ve Forgot”.

7. Archie Moore; 181 W, 24 L, 9 D, 1 NC, 145 KO
December 13, 1913 – December 9, 1998. If only for his impressive and superhuman career record, the Old mongoose could well have been the greatest. His fighting career spanned all four decades and has knocked out more fighters than any of the other great fighters in this top 10 list.

8. Marvin Hagler; 62 W, 3 L, 2 D, 52 KO
Born in Newark, New Jersey, May 23, 1954. Because he felt that he did not receive enough credit for his accomplishments, Hagler legally changed his name to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest middleweights of all time. Later in life he moved to Italy, where he made low budget movies.

9. Sugar Ray Leonard; 36 W, 3 L, 1 D, 25 KO
Born May 17, 1956. He is an epitome of a scientific fighter and a genius on top of the ring. He can get into the minds of his opponent to inflict the most serious jabs to bring them to submission. One of the most memorable of all is the infamous “no mas” episode with Roberto Duran.

10. George Foreman; 76 W, 5 L, 68 KO
Born January 05, 1949. This fighter has always been haunted by his own ghost. After his triumphal rise to fame, his crashing defeat in the hands of Ali has left him devastated more on the spirit than on his physical side. He has named all five of his sons George because: “In this career, you have to prepare for long term brain damage.”

10 Most Expensive Currency In The World

2012-03-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

This list is ranked as per their value against Dollar. Most valuable currency doesn’t necessarily mean that the currency is better investment option or that it represents a better economic health of a nation.

1. Kuwaiti Dinar
1 KWD= 3.65 USD
In an area slightly smaller than New Jersey, lies the home of the world’s most valuable currency. Kuwait has been involved in talks this year with five other Gulf Arab monarchies to form a single currency. The Kuwait currency is currently pegged to the dollar.

2. Maltese Lira
1 MTL=3.50 USD
The small island country, which is approximately twice the size of Washington DC, is home to the second most valuable currency, but not for much longer.

3. Bahraini Dinar
1 BHD= 2.66 USD
A small island nation, approximately 3.5 times the size of Washington DC, Bahrain is geographically central in relation to its Persian Gulf neighbors. Its industry relies on petroleum production and refining, as well as financial services and construction. With an exchange rate to the US dollar at around $2.66 for one Bahraini Dinar, it’s the third most valuable currency in the world. It’s also expected to be relatively steady, as it was officially pegged to the dollar in 2001.

4. Omani Rial
1 OMR = 2.60 USD
Oman, a country on the east coast of Africa, has had its currency exchange rate pegged to the dollar at a rate of 1 OMR = $2.60 US since 1986. With that pegged relationship holding firm, seems as though the Rial’s fate remains tied to the fate of the dollar.

5. Cyproit Pound
1 CYP= 2.53 USD
With the small island nation relying heavily on tourism, one wonders whether people would more willingly loosen their wallets if it wasn’t the home of the world’s fifth most valuable currency

6. Latvian Lats
1 LVL= 2.135 USD
One Lats is currently worth $2.135 US. The country, about the size of West Virginia, has entered the process to phase out the Lat in favor of the Euro, which is expected to be the official currency around 2012.

7. UK Pound Sterling
1 GBP=2.068 USD
This holiday season, it seems now more than ever, citizens of the UK are taking advantage of their favorable exchange rate and coming to the US, where for them everything is half-off.

8. Euro
1 Euro= 1.482 USD
Officially introduced in 1999, the multinational Euro didn’t begin changing hands until January 2001. After a rocky start, the Euro has gained on the dollar for years.

9. Jordanian Dinar
1 JOD=1.4118 USD
Jordan may lack water and crude oil but the Mideast kingdom has one thing going for it – a strong currency.

10. Cayman Islands Dollar
1KYD= 1.21 USD
With no direct taxation, the islands thrive as an offshore financial center, with hundreds of banks, insurers and mutual funds. One Cayman Islands Dollar equals $1.21 US.

Funny Programming Languages Name

2012-03-08T12:01:00.002-08:00

1 Brainfuck

As the name , so is the craziness

It was the invention of Urban Müller, designed to realize its implementation in the smallest possible compiler, and his master-plan came into existence in 1993. Known for its extreme minimalism, and controversial name, Bf comprises of only 8 commands +-. <>, [] and is practically useless, however recently few decoders have been designed to render it useful enough.

2 BeFunge

Originally created by Chris Pressey in 1993 extremely weird because basically the language models programs to be metric spaces attached with a co-ordinate system. One could never imagine that the instruction pointer could be even used in such an unorganized manner. What’s more it has even further developed into Befunge, and there have been several standards defined such as uni-funge for uni-dimensional and so on.

In Befunge, there is no comment syntax to embed documentation in the code, the programmer simply routes the control flow around the “comment” area, so that the text in that area is never executed.

3 Chef

Designed by David Morgan-Mar in 2002 . This language is more of a cooking recipe rather than a programming language. The variables tend to be named after basic foodstuffs, the stacks are called “mixing bowls” or “baking dishes” and the instructions for manipulating them “mix”, “stir”, etc. The ingredients in a mixing bowl or baking dish are ordered “like a stack of pancakes”.

Recipes will be metric, but may use traditional cooking measures such as cups and tablespoons.

4 Piet

Programs are bitmap graphics that look like abstract art designed by David Morgan-Mar, who also created Chef. Named after geometric abstract art pioneer, Piet Mondrian; the originally intended name, Mondrian, was already taken.

There are 20 colors for which behavior is specified: 18 “colorful” colors, which are ordered by a 6-step hue cycle and a 3-step brightness cycle; and black and white, which are not ordered. When exiting a “colorful” color and entering another one, the performed procedure is determined by the number of steps of change in hue and brightness.

5 LOLCODE

This is the height ! Actually , more than being crazy it’s very funny programming language, basically designed to amuse the users with resemblance of the speech of lolcats.

6 OMGROFL

Created in 2006 by Juraj Borza. The name comes from combining the slang “words” omg and rofl. Rofl is actually one of Omgrofl’s commands. Omgrofl is not case-sensitive, thus lol is the same as LoL. You may use this to produce “nicer” code.

Variables in Omgrofl must be a form of the slang word lol, like lol, lool, loool, looool, etc.

7 Velato

This one is for the music lovers, as Velato makes use of MIDI files as the input, with each command being determined by the interval between successive notes. Intended to allow for flexibility in composition, so functional programs will not necessarily sound like random notes.

Of course, like all MIDI files, Velato programs can also be represented as sheet music. Pictured above is sheet music – which you can listen to here.

8 Shakespeare

As it sounds, the language has been deliberately tweaked to frame programs resemble the plays of Shakespeare .

It was designed by Jon Åslund and Karl Hasselström. Like Chef , it is designed to make programs appear to be something other than programs; in this case, Shakespearean plays.

The first line in a Shakespeare program is called the “title” and acts as a comment.

The “Dramatis Personae” is the section where variables are declared.

Each variable name must be the name of a character from a Shakespeare play.

A piece of code in Shakespeare is broken into “Acts”, which contain “Scenes”, in which characters (variables) interact.

Each Act and Scene is numbered with a roman numeral and serves as a GOTO label.

Hello World in Shakespeare

9 Whitespace

Designed in 2002, by Edwin Brady and Chris Morris, is an esoteric programming language that uses only whitespace characters as syntax. When it was released on April 1st, 2003, most people took it as an April Fools’ joke, which it wasn’t.

One of the most idiotic ones, which comprises of just the letter A, accompanied by commas, spaces and exclamations! It takes just the whitespaces into account, ignoring the non-whitespaces

10 Intercal

Compiler Language With No Pronounceable Acronym, INTERCAL was the end result of exceptional work by James M. Lyon and Donald R. Woods, who came up with a programming language in 1972, which was totally different from all other programming languages.

The full name of the compiler is ‘Compiler Language With No Pronounceable Acronym,’ which is, for obvious reasons, abbreviated ‘INTERCAL’. Common operations in other languages have cryptic and redundant syntax in INTERCAL.

You can’t make head or tail out of it, except the binary numbers .

Most Known Fiction Detectives

2012-03-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

1. Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes, a creation by Arthur Conan Doyle, remains the archetypal detective who solves mysteries by logical reasoning. He appears in only four novels, of which “A Study in Scarlet” (1887) was the first, and “The Hound of the Baskervilles” (1902) the most famous. At least as important are the fifty-six short stories. Two of my personal favorites are “The Red-Headed League” and “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”. Holmes believes in the science of deduction: the principle that any problem can be solved if the necessary information is given. He is surrounded by people who are less bright than him. Dr Watson is a good observer, and can relate the cases in detail as first person narrator, but he never comes to the correct conclusion by himself. Inspector Lestrade is the not too clever police investigator with a lot of tenacity once he’s on the right track. His archenemy Professor Moriarty only appears in two stories. As a private person Holmes is quite eccentric. He uses cocaine, and never gets romantically involved, although he does have feelings for Irene Adler from “A Scandal in Bohemia”. Of the many actors who have played Sherlock Holmes I’ll just mention Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett (photo).

2. Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot appears for the first time in Agatha Christie’s “The Mysterious Affair at Styles”, published in 1920. He is a retired Belgian police officer who came to England during World War I as a refugee. Poirot solves mysteries with his “little grey cells”, occasionally without even leaving his room. With his strong preference for symmetry, order and method, he has something of a comic book character. Captain Arthur Hastings is his best friend, who relies too much on his intuition to solve a mystery by himself, but often helps Poirot with his observations and accidental remarks. Poirot’s secretary, Miss Lemon, is very efficient, but in contrast to Hastings she doesn’t have any imagination. Chief Inspector Japp from Scotland Yard isn’t too bright, but Poirot often sends him in the right direction. Detective writer Ariadne Oliver, who is partly based on Agatha Christie herself, believes in female intuition. Poirot is surely one of the greatest fictional detectives, because he was involved in so many unforgettable crime novels, including “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”, “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile”. Poirot was brought to life in movies by actors Albert Finney and Peter Ustinov, and by David Suchet (photo) in the ITV series.

3. Miss Marple

Agatha Christie’s Miss Jane Marple appeared first in a series of short stories in a magazine, later collected as “The Thirteen Problems”. This elderly spinster with a remarkable talent for amateur sleuthing can be followed in twelve crime novels, including “The Murder at the Vicarage” (1930) and “The Body in the Library” (1943). She lives in the small village of St Mary Mead, where she finds the opportunity to study human nature. She sees analogies with people and events she knows from village life, which helps her to solve many mysteries. Intuition and psychology are quite important to her. She can annoy the police investigators, who initially see her as an old busybody, until they have to admit she was right. I have to admit I used to be prejudiced against “the old bat” myself, but after reading her stories I became gradually convinced that she belongs to The Big Three of fictional detectives. She was played in movies by Margaret Rutherford and Angela Lansbury, and on TV by Helen Hayes, Joan Hickson (photo) and Geraldine McEwan.

4. Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Wimsey was created by British author Dorothy L. Sayers. He’s the archetypal gentleman detective. Solving crimes is a hobby for him. In the second novel “Clouds of Witness” (1926), he has to take action because his brother is suspected of murder. He’s a round character with a past. After getting injured during World War I he was rescued by his later manservant Bunter, who also helps him with his investigations. Wimsey falls in love with Harriet Vine, and marries her. He likes to cooperate with Chief Inspector Charles Parker from Scotland Yard. These novels are still worth reading, because they are simply good literature with a broad perspective on British society in that era. Wimsey himself may be a gentleman, but he meets people from the lower classes, like the farmer in “Clouds of Witness” who suspects Wimsey of having an affair with his wife. Several actors have played Lord Peter Wimsey, including Ian Carmichael (photo) in a BBC series.

5. Jules Maigret

Commissaire Jules Maigret is the only one in this top ten whose stories were not written in English, but in French. Although his author, Georges Simenon, was Belgian, Maigret himself is French and works in Paris. He holds a quantity record by appearing in seventy-five novels and twenty-nine short stories. Maigret usually smokes a pipe, drinks a lot and wears a heavy overcoat. He’s a more realistic character than most of his colleagues in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. His method of investigation comes close to the way a real policeman would work. His successes are based on team work, routine research and tenacity, rather than individual brilliancy. Maigret has been played by several TV actors, of which Jean Gabin was the first, and Bruno Cremer (photo) the most famous.

6. Inspector Roderick Alleyn
Detective Chief-Inspector Roderick Alleyn (pronounced “Allen”) is a British detective who appears in thirty-two novels by New Zealand writer Ngaio Marsh. It started with “A Man Lay Dead” in 1934, when a murder game ends with a real murder. Other examples are “Vintage Murder”, “Artists in Crime”, and “Overture to Death” – where the murder method is especially interesting. As the younger brother of a baronet Alleyn is another example of a gentleman detective. He works for Scotland Yard, where he eventually reaches the rank of Chief Superintendent. Society journalist Nigel Bathgate often helps him during his investigations. Initially a bachelor, Alleyn later marries painter Agatha Troy. Of the three actors who have played him in TV adaptions the best known is Patrick Malahide (photo).

7. Sam Spade

Private detective Sam Spade was invented by Dashiell Hammett. He only appears in one novel and three short stories, but remains important as the first example of a detective in the hard-boiled genre. Chandler’s Philip Marlowe, among others, was inspired by Sam Spade. Spade is the main character in “The Maltese Falcon” (1930). He runs a detective agency in San Francisco with his partner Miles Archer, who gets killed early in the novel. He’s not afraid of a fist fight or firearms. He appears to be cynical, but still has a sense of duty. The story also involves a typical femme fatale. He was played by several actors, of which the most famous remains Humphrey Bogart (photo) in the movie adaption of 1941.

8. Philip Marlowe

Philip Marlowe is a private investigator created by American author Raymond Chandler. He appeared for the first time in “The Big Sleep”, in 1939. Other well-known titles are “The Lady in the Lake” and “The Long Goodbye”. Marlowe belongs to the hardboiled direction, influenced by Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade. He smokes and drinks a lot. He lives in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The stories are set in the more dangerous neighbourhoods in and around this city. Violence, drugs and tough language occur frequently. Marlowe has been played by a lot of actors, including Humphrey Bogart in “The Big Sleep” and Powers Boothe (photo) in the ITV series “Philip Marlowe, Private Eye”.

9. Kinsey Millhone
Private detective Kinsey Millhone was created by American author Sue Grafton. She appears in the alphabet series: “A Is for Alibi”, “B Is for Burglar” etc. She lives in an apartment in Santa Teresa, California. This fictional town based on Santa Barbara was invented by another writer, Ross MacDonald. Kinsey is a bachelorette who runs a lot to stay in shape, and has an affair from time to time. I like these novels because they are entertaining and have a fast pace and strong plot. There’s always a certain amount of action involved too. There hasn’t been a film or TV adaption of these stories yet – maybe an idea for the future.

10. Detective Inspector Thomas Linley
Inspector Linley is a British detective created by the American author Elizabeth George. He’s the eighth Earl of Asherton. He solves crimes with his Scotland Yard colleague Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, who has a working class background. In the third Linley novel, “Well-Schooled in Murder”, Linley and Havers solve a homicide case in an elite British public school, which is remarkably well depicted for a non-British author. George always prepares her novels by studying real locations in England, which makes her stories more realistic than those of many other crime writers. Linley himself is a round character with weaknesses. His relationship with Lady Helen Clyde evolves through the novels. Linley and Havers are portrayed by Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small (photo) in the BBC series “The Inspector Linley Mysteries”.

Tips For Travellers

2012-03-04T21:42:00.002-08:00

1. A good backpack

Sure, you might have some fancy luggage in your closet but if you’re going to be traveling independently on trains, buses, or by foot, you’ll soon be sick and tired of dragging that rolling suitcase behind you.
That’s why I bought the Kelty Redwing 3100 (read my review) for as my main pack when traveling. I’ve gone through three packs before I found this one. It holds about 50 liters of gear, has great padding, and can be adjusted to fit snug and comfortably.
And as a final testimonial, I had shoulder surgery a year before using this for the first time and I never once got sore wearing this bag.
Of course, everybody’s tastes will differ. It might be a good idea to try on a few at your local outdoors store, but with this model being such a bargain, it might be worth the risk to just give it a shot and return it if it doesn’t work out. Note: good backpacks can run upwards of $300. They might have more space or pockets, but unless you’re packing snow clothes, you shouldn’t need more than 40-50 liters of space.
Best part about this pack, you can carry it on the airplane!

2. A good day pack
Not everybody will need a second bag, but it can be useful of you will have a base location and be venturing out on hikes or day trips. It’s much easier to leave your large bag behind and load up your day pack with the things you’ll need to get you through the day.
Almost any backpack will do but I particularly like the North Face Recon pack. It holds plenty of gear and is extremely comfortable. As with the Kelty bag, this is one of the first bags I’ve had that doesn’t hurt my shoulders despite loading it up daily with a gallon of water and other junk.
You’ll probably want to have a pack that can hold a water bladder, or at the very least, pockets for water bottles. You can never have enough water with you!

3. Lonely Planet guide books
Depending on where you’re going, you’ll likely have a choice of several guidebooks. Over the years I have found Lonely Planet to be the most accurate and helpful for the independent traveler. They tend to cover all types of restaurants and accommodations from the bottom of the barrel budget hostels to five star luxury resorts. Several times I have brought two different guidebooks with me and every time, I end up relying solely on the Lonely Planet.

4. Rough Guide books
Ok, I wasn’t entirely truthful before. When in Morocco I found myself relying a bit more on the Rough Guide. Since Morocco is a bit difficult to navigate, I often utilized information from both books to determine the best route or activity.
On the other hand though, I’ve browsed other Rough Guides at the book store and some have not been very good. When in doubt, check the reviews on Amazon.

5. Digital Camera

This probably goes without saying as many people don’t leave home without their camera these days. My trusty pocket camera is a Nikon S600 which has recently been replaced by the Nikon S610.
You can’t go wrong with just about any modern digital camera and the choices are endless.
I also use a professional Nikon D200 body, but often I find myself leaving it behind and relying on my smaller camera. It’s easier to carry and takes great photos. Don’t forget, most of these small cameras also record movies now. The quality may not be as good as an expensive camcorder, but they work surprisingly well.

6. iPod touch
Can you tell that I’m a bit of a gadget freak yet? I’ve always brought an iPod along with me ever since I began traveling. You won’t find me walking around the street with headphones in my ears (I prefer the sound of the world around me), but they are great on airplanes and long train rides.
Earlier this year I learned how great my new iPod touch really was. Not only could I use it to listen to music and watch videos on, but its built in WiFi allowed me to hop on to the Internet at every hostel I’ve been at this year and keep in touch with my friends and family. Check your email, surf the web, even post to your blog. Not to mention you can use it to find the latest information on happenings wherever you may be. I’ve since upgraded to an iPhone, but it is so powerful that I don’t even bother carrying a laptop with me anymore. Not even for business trips!

7. Bpa free water bottle
Ok, enough with the gadgets. No matter where you are, you’ll need to drink water. Depending on where you are, bottled water can often be much more expensive than you’re used to. Solution? Carry your own bottle and refill it with tap water. Just be sure the water is safe to drink where you are visiting!
These CamelBak BPA free water bottles are great. Safe to use, strong as heck, and spill proof. I carry a 1 liter bottle with me every day.

8. Hiking shoes
You might not need shoes specific to hiking but if you’ll be doing any treading on uneven ground you’ll surely appreciate them.
They’ve evolved over the years to fit and look more like regular old sneakers and less like the mountaineer boots of yesteryear so you won’t feel dorky wearing them around the city as well.

9. Sport sandals
These are something I wish I had in Costa Rica (and now I do). I tried to make due with my sneakers but every stream, lake, or waterfall we came to I had to sit down and take off my socks and shoes. Then try to keep them dry as I crossed the river only to put them right back on. I’ve learned my lesson.
They’ll do for mild to medium hikes and you don’t have to take them off when you want to get wet.

10. Quick drying towel
Last but not least is a quick drying, lightweight towel. They’re thin, light, extremely absorbent, and dry quickly. Much easier to carry than a regular cotton towel, they dry so quickly that they won’t get mildew easily. Perfect for camping or showering at hostels where you generally need your own towel. Some hostels will let you use a towel, but there is often a charge. I won’t travel without one anymore.
That’s it! Throw in a few t-shirts and a couple pairs of shorts and you have my backpack, loaded and ready to see the world.
Do you have any suggestions or special items that you can’t travel without? Please share them in the comments below.
I hope you found this list useful. If so, and you plan to purchase any of these items or anything else from amazon, I will earn a small percentage of any sales made through the above links.

Best 10 Albert Einstein Quotes

2012-03-01T12:01:00.000-08:00

1. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.

2. The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reason for existing.

3. Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

4. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.

5. Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do — but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it.

6. The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.

7. Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

8. Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.

9. Nature shows us only the tail of the lion. But I do not doubt that the lion belongs to it even though he cannot at once reveal himself because of his enormous size.

10. Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.

Best 10 Actors Turn Singers

2012-02-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

1. Kylie Minogue
Australian born pop princess Kylie started her career in showbiz as a child actor, alongside her sister Dannii. She starred as Charlene on Neighbours in 1986. She recorded her first single ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ in 1987. The song was so catchy and sweet that it went to No 1 in the UK. Since then Ms. Minogue is more into singing than acting, actually. But anyway, Kylie’s by far the hottest actor-turned-singer of the decade.

2. Ewan McGregor
Nicole Kidman had a wonderful partner, Ewan McGregor who turned out to have a good musical ear and a pretty good voice. He’s great, don’t you think?

3 Nicole Kidman
As for this Hollywood mommy, she must be good in everything she does. Remember her singing in Moulin Rouge? I must confess I was impressed, really. Though she’s too busy for singing nowadays her prior experience is worth praising. Check her song ‘Something Stupid’ featuring Robbie Williams.

4. Lindsay Lohan
Oh, Lindsay… no day without Lindsay news. She recorded her debut album Speak in 2004. It went platinum. She released her second album, A Little More Personal, the following year but it wasn’t as successful due to Lohan’s inability to promote it properly because of acting commitments.

5. Russell Crowe
In the ‘80s he recorded a track called ‘I Want To Be Like Marlon Brando’ under the name Rus LeRoq. In the ‘90s he fronted the Australian band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, the only thing I know for sure about the band is that the name sucks. In 2006 he formed a new band called The Ordinary Fear Of God. Like his music?

6. Bruce Willis
I love this guy! He’s so cute and he manages to safe his charm through years. Bet, most women came to his concerts not as much because of his music, but because of his personality. Anyways, Bruce started his musical career back in the ’80s and managed to go all the way up till now, though these days he focuses more on politics than music.

7. Minnie Driver
Mommy-to-be, 40, had her debut album Everything I’ve Got In My Pocket in 2004. Though receiving more negative than positive reviews for her musical career.

8.Keanu Reeves
I don’t know if many people know that besides being a good actor and a pretty handsome man, Keanu is also a bass guitarist and once even had his band Dogstar. The last Dogstar performance was in October 2002 , and they have since folded. Reeves later performed in band Becky but left due to his working schedule, but he reportedly still plays with the band sometimes.

9. Gwyneth Paltrow
How this mother of two manages to combine two careers is still a mystery to me. Paltrow’s song collection comes mostly form her film Duets (2000). Her voice is described as “pretty good,” well tastes differ.

10. Scarlett Johansson
The Hollywood star, 23, released her debut album Anywhere I Lay My Head in May, 2008 and didn’t receive positive reviews from critics. Seems like Scarlett is better in acting…

10 Strange Places In The World

2012-02-26T12:01:00.002-08:00

1. Fucking, Austria
* Fucking is a small settlement (population c. 150) in Austria.
* The village is known to have existed as "Fucking" since at least 1070.
* The settlement's most famous feature is a traffic sign with its name on it beside which English-speaking tourists often stop to have their photograph taken.
* The sign is the most commonly stolen street sign in Austria.
* Significant amounts of public funds are spent on replacing the stolen signs.

2. Sealand, a micronation on the waters of the North Sea
* Sealand is a micronation located six miles (10 km) off the coast of Suffolk, England.
* Sealand is occupied by the family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates.
* The population of the facility rarely exceeds five, and its inhabitable area is 550 m2.
* Although Sealand's claims to sovereignty and legitimacy are not recognized by any country, it is probably the world's best-known micronation, and is sometimes cited in debates as an interesting case study of how various principles of international law can be applied to a territorial dispute.

3. A museum devoted to the Penis , Iceland
* The Icelandic Phallological Museum in Husavík, Iceland, is a museum devoted to phallology.
* The museum currently has 154 specimens displayed like hunting trophies, embalmed in formaldehyde, or dried in display cases.
* The museum attempts to collect penis specimens from every mammal extant in Iceland, including several species that are endangered or currently extinct in Icelandic waters

4. Erving's Location. Population: 1 , New Hampshire
* Erving's Location is situated in Coos County, New Hampshire.
* In New Hampshire, locations, grants, townships (which are different from towns), and purchases are unincorporated portions of a county which are not part of any town and have limited self-government (if any, as many are uninhabited).
* According to the 2000 census, one person lived in Erving's Location.
* Some have speculated that the census statistics for Erving's Location could have been a computer glitch.

5. The Mojave Lonely Phone Booth
* The Mojave Phone Booth was a lone telephone booth in the Mojave National Preserve which attracted an online following in 1997, due to its unusual location.
* The booth was 15 miles from the nearest interstate highway, and miles from any buildings.
* Fans called the booth attempting to get a reply, and a few took trips to the booth to answer, often camping out at the site. The story inspired the creation of a motion picture, Mojave Phone Booth, due for release in 2006.

6. The smallest park in the world: 452 in2 , Oregon
* Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon is the smallest park in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
* The "park" is a 2 foot (610 mm) wide circle which in 1948 was intended to be the site for a light pole.
* The small circle has featured many unusual items through the decades, including a swimming pool for butterflies (complete with diving board) and a miniature ferris wheel (which was delivered by a regular-sized crane).

7. A Christian Chapel decorated by the bones of 40,000 people
* The Sedlec Ossuary is a small Christian chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in the Czech Republic.
* The ossuary contains approximately 40,000 human skeletons which have been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel.

8. Climb the World's steepest street , New Zealand
* The quiet suburban street of Baldwin Street, in New Zealand's southern city of Dunedin, is reputed to be the world's steepest street.
* At its maximum, the slope of Baldwin Street is approximately 1:2.86 (20° or 38%) - that is, for every 2.86 metres travelled horizontally, the altitude rises by 1 metre.

9. Welcome to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch , Wales
* Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is a village on the island of Anglesey in Wales.
* It is best known for having the longest officially recognised place name in the United Kingdom, and one of the longest in the world.
* The village's long name was contrived in the 1860s for the prestige of having the longest name of a railway station in Great Britain, and could not be considered an authentic word in the Welsh language.

10. Climb the Rabbit's Hill , Italy
* Colletto Fava is a 5,000 foot (1,500 m) high hill in the northern Piedmont region of Italy.
* In 2005, a massive pink stuffed bunny was finished being erected on the side of the mountain.

Most Expensive Cars

2012-02-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

1. Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000.
This is by far the most expensive street legal car available on the market today. It is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.6 seconds. It claims to be the fastest car with a top speed of 253 mph+. However, the title for the fastest car goes to the SSC Ultimate Aero which exceed 253 mph pushing this car to 2nd place for the fastest car.

2. Lamborghini Reventon $1,600,000.
The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built is the second on the list. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own.

3. McLaren F1 $970,000.
In 1994, the McLaren F1 was the fastest and most expensive car. Even though it was built 15 years ago, it has an unbelievable top speed of 240 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Even as of today, the McLaren F1 is still top on the list and it outperformed many other supercars.

4. Ferrari Enzo $670,000.
The most known supercar ever built. The Enzo has a top speed of 217 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only 400 units were produced and it is currently being sold for over $1,000,000 at auctions.

5. Pagani Zonda C12 F $667,321.
Produced by a small independent company in Italy, the Pagani Zonda C12 F is the 5th fastest car in the world. It promises to delivery a top speed of 215 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

6. SSC Ultimate Aero $654,400. Don't let the price tag fool you, the 6th most expensive car is actually the fastest street legal car in the world with a top speed of 257 mph+ and reaching 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. This baby cost nearly half as much as the Bugatti Veyron, yet has enough power to top the most expensive car in a speed race. It is estimated that only 25 of this exact model will ever be produced.

7. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo $555,000. The first true American production certified supercar, this cowboy is also rank 3rd for the fastest car in the world. It has a top speed of 248 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. If you are a true American patriot, you can be proud to show off this car.

8. Koenigsegg CCX $545,568. Swedish made, the Koenigsegg is fighting hard to become the fastest car in the world. Currently, it is the 4th fastest car in the world with a top speed of 245 mph+, the car manufacture Koenigsegg is not giving up and will continue to try and produce the fastest car. Good luck with that!

9. Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster $495,000.
A GT supercar, the SLR McLaren is the fastest automatic transmission car in the world with a top speed of 206 mph+ and reaching 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. It is a luxurious convertible with a really powerful engine, which results in outstanding performances and style.

10. Porsche Carrera GT $440,000.
A supercar with dynamic stability control and a top speed of 205 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. The Porsche Carrera GT applies the absolute calibers of a true racing car to offer an unprecedented driving feeling on the road.
Read more...

Tips To Take Great Photos

2012-02-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

1) Make sure horizon lines are straight

2) Use your flash when there is back lighting

3) Offer to take photos of other travelers

4) Look for unusual perspectives

5) Find a way to stabilize your camera at night

6) Get high

7) Don’t use your camera’s digital zoom

8) Keep an eye out for candid moments

9) Keep an eye out for something unusual

10) Take a lot of photos and don’t delete them

Best 10 Pankes

2012-02-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

1. Ina Pinkney

is breakfast royalty in Chicago’s West Loop. But while her restaurant Ina’s has the comfortable, worn-in feel of a old-time diner, the food is taken much more seriously. Ina’s signature pancakes are the Heavenly Hots—coaster-sized little cakes based on a recipe from Marion Cunnigham of The Fanny Farmer Cookbooks. (Ina called Marion herself to ask permission to use the recipe.) Made with eggs, sour cream, the smallest bit of flour, and potato starch to keep them from falling apart in the pan, they’re creamy and custardy and cloudlike in their lightness; and though they need no adornment, they’re served with an alluringly spiced fruit compote of peach, raspberry, and blueberry.

2. Stanley

Right on Jackson Square, Stanley is a bright upscale diner from chef Scott Boswell, chef-owner of the highly regarded Stella! next door. You won't go wrong with a stack of banana pancakes, topped with a melty scoop of vanilla ice cream—syrup, warm banana, and ice cream all start to fuse together, giving the crisp-edged pancakes a custardlike interior.

3. Pamelas Hotcakes

Hotcakes from Pamela's, a cash-only breakfast and lunch joint with six locations in the Pittsburgh area, are somewhere between crepes and pancakes, with all the good qualities of each. Thin, slightly spongy, and plenty buttery, they get that brown lace-like design on the surface. But the best part, hands down, are the crispy edges. They're like the crusts of perfectly well-done latkes, all crackly, and you immediately fork-cut them off. The hotcakes come rolled up two to a plate; they’re best stuffed with fresh strawberry slices, brown sugar, and tangy sour cream.
Pamela's is one of those must-visit institutions in Pittsburgh (there's a framed photo of President Obama near the door from his visit during the 2008 campaign), but the hype is deserved. It’s all about the crazy crispy edges.

4. Coffee Cup Cafe: Sully, IA

Even if you’re quite a ways from the teeny farm town of Sully, Iowa, the drive to this modest dining room is worth every minute—because the light, fluffy pancakes with a crispy exterior are enough to make you moan with pleasure with each bite. They don’t use 100% maple syrup. They actually make their own “pancake syrup” with two kinds of sugar, two kinds of corn syrup, vanilla, and maple flavoring. It’s tastier than you’d think, smooth and sweet and perfect for pancakes. Time may have aged the Coffee Cup (it’s been around 1917, and looks every bit its age) but the food hasn’t suffered in the slightest.

5. Market Lunch: Eastern Market, D.C.

Look for Market Lunch's communal table at the end of Eastern Market's long corridor. Though its name may reference another meal, it serves a formidable breakfast. The blueberry-buckwheat pancakes ("blue-bucks") are light, buttery, juicy-berry-studded, and only sold on weekends, when the line starts forming before 8:00 am. If you're there on a non blue-buck day (that is, a weekday), the "regular" pancakes are a fine substitute.

6. Al's Breakfast: Minneapolis, MN

Served at the justifiably famous Al's near the University of Minnesota, these pancakes have just the right amount of tangy tartness from the buttermilk that goes into them. You'll stand and wait a while to get served, squished with strangers behind the row of stools, but it's worth it. We’d recommend an order of pancakes with blueberries and corn. Yes, that’s right: corn kernels in a pancake.

7. Maialino: New York, NY

One word: ricotta. That's why the pancakes at revered restaurateur Danny Meyer's Roman trattoria in the Gramercy Park Hotel are so ridiculously creamy-tasting and porous—great for syrup fiends, though they’re so tasty on their own, they’re easy to eat naked. And just in case you didn't get enough ricotta in the pancakes, they throw a mountainous dollop on top.

8. Matt's Big Breakfast: Phoenix, AZ

The griddlecakes at Matt's are light, impossibly airy, a little flaky, a little sweet, and, best of all, just slightly crisp on the surface. Served with a dollop of sweet cream butter and real maple syrup, these things are heaven. Even for someone who's more a savory bacon-and-eggs than a sweet waffles-or-pancakes type.

9. Magnolia Cafe: Austin, TX

"Sorry, We're Open," apologizes the sign. But owners Kent Cole and Diana Prechter aren't really sorry—and you won't be, either after trying the gingerbread pancakes that have attracted a cult following in the city, especially for latenight snackers. Both locations of the Magnolia Café are open 24 hours (so interpret late however you wish). The gingerbread pancakes will make you feel like it's Christmas, even in the middle of sweaty June. They have all the spicy goodness of a gingerbread cookie in cake-like, fluffy form.

10. Polly's Pancake Parlor: Sugar Hill, NH

The gingerbread pancakes will make you feel like it's Christmas, even in the middle of sweaty June. They have all the spicy goodness of a gingerbread cookie in cake-like, fluffy form.

Best Tips To Avoid Bad Skin

2012-02-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

1. Use cleansers at night to remove make up and dirt before using a face wash.

2. Use sunscreen everyday even if you are indoors - the sun's UVA rays come through windows too and contribute to aging, pigmenting and tanning. Ideally, sunscreen should be applied every three hours.

3. Skin tends to tan and pigment easily and patchily. There is a very thin line between tanning and pigmentation. If your tan hasn't gone in 4-6 weeks, see a dermatologist.

4. It is advisable to use mild skin lightening creams as prevention. Look for botanical ingredients like Arbutin, Bearberry, Licorice, Mulberry, Ginseng, Gingko, Emblica, Turmeric - curcuma, Grapeseed and vitamins like C and A, and Niacinamide.

5. At night, use a moisturiser with an age-protecting agent.

6. For younger skin, look for ingredients with antioxidants like vitamins C, E or a whole range of botanicals like green tea, grapeseed or pomegranate extract, curcumin, etc. You might also like to look out for the following: Genistein, ECGC, Resveratrol, Idebenone and Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10.

7. For older skin, look for the following ingredients: peptides, vitamin A and derivatives like retinol and other retinoids, Alpha, beta and polyhydroxy acids.

8. Use an appropriate face wash meant for your skin type and wash twice a day.

9. - It is advisable to visit a dermatologist at least once a year. There are a lot of nuances in skin colour, texture, smoothness, etc. that we can't see for ourselves. These can be detected by the dermatologist and mild creams/treatments can be recommended.

10. - Kitchen ingredients like fruits do not work.

Best 10 Man Made Wonders Of World

2012-02-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

1 Pyramids of Egypt

2 Taj Mahal ( Agra , India)

3 Great Wall of China

4 Machu Picchu , Peru

5 Bali , Indonesia

6 Angkor Wat , Cambodia

7 Forbidden City , China

8 Bagan Temples & Pagodas , Burma

9 Karnak Temple , Egypt

10 Teotihuacan, Mexico

Best 10 Ways To Spend Valentine Day

2012-02-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

1. Pop the question
If you’ve been thinking about asking her to marry you, there’s no time like Valentine’s Day for a romantic proposal. The day is meant for lovers, after all, and getting down on one knee with a ring is one of the best ways you can profess your love for her.

2. Dress up
Pull out all the stops and dress up in your finest. No matter what your plans are -- whether you’ve got reservations at a posh restaurant or you’re eating a meal together at home -- dressing up and good grooming will make the occasion feel extra special. Most women love having the chance to get all dolled up, and you can both enjoy looking your best while spending time together.

3. Get away
If you’ve got the time, money and freedom, stretch your Valentine’s Day into a Valentine’s weekend away at a romantic resort or bed-and-breakfast. This way you can combine the relaxation of a mini-vacation with time spent alone together getting amorous.

4. Have love in public
It’ll be a Valentine’s Day to remember if the two of you get naughty in a public place.

5. Be homebodies
Sometimes the best Valentine’s Day gift you can give is the gift of uninterrupted time together. You don’t need to leave the house to make Valentine’s Day special. Think of how great it could be to spend the entire day in bed together. Turn off your phones, don’t answer the door and enjoy each other.

6. Drive
Go For a Romantic drive.

7. Make a path of rose petals
Anticipation is half the fun of a romantic surprise. Start the excitement when she walks in the door by leaving a trail of rose petals leading to the bedroom, where she’ll find Valentine’s Day gifts. Feel free to go all out with the heart-shaped box of chocolates, red-and-white teddy bears and candy hearts. She’ll love the corny romance of it all.

8. Go for a massage
Massage is a must-do activity for Valentine’s Day. You can either treat her to a full-body, sensual massage with scented (and even edible) oils or lotions, or give yourself a little pampering and book a couple’s massage at a spa. A relaxing massage is just the thing to get both of you in the mood for Valentine’s Day.

9. Go For A Trip
<3 this one

10. Reenact your first date
There’s a good chance that the beginning of your relationship was the time when you made the most effort to show her your romantic side, so why not turn back the clock and remind her how charming you were when you were wooing her?
Women love it when men remember details from when they were still getting to know each other. Think back to your first date, and take her to the same place, eat the same food and do the same things that first sparked your romance.

10 Richest Football Club In The World

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

10 Richest Football Club In The World of 2010-2011

1. Real Madrid
Revenues: 479 million Euros
Stadium: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (Seating Capacity:80,400)
Country: Spain
League : Liga BBVA
Owner/Majority Shareholder: club members

2. Barcelona
Revenues: 451 million Euros
Country: Spain
League: Liga BBVA
Owner/Majority Shareholder: club members
Stadium: Camp Nou (Seating Capacity:98,800)

3. Manchester United

Revenues: 367 million euros
Country: England
League: Barclays Premier League
Owner/Majority Shareholder: Glazer family
Stadium: Old Trafford (Seating Capacity: 76,000)

4. Bayern Munich
Revenues: 323 million Euros
Country: Germany
League: German Bundesliga
Owner/Majority Shareholder: club members
Stadium: Allianz Arena (Seating Capacity:69,000)

5. Arsenal
Revenues: 274 million Euros
Country: England

League: Barclays Premier League
Owner/Majority Shareholder: E. Stanley Kroenke
Stadium: Emirates Stadium (Seating Capacity:60,400)

6. Chelsea
Revenues: 250 million Euros
Country: England
League: Barclays Premier League
Owner/Majority Shareholder: Roman Abramovich
Stadium: Stamford Bridge (Seating Capacity:42,500)

7. A.C. Milan
Revenues: 240 million Euros
Country: Italy
League: Serie A TIM
Owner/Majority Shareholder: Silvio Berlusconi
Stadium: San Siro (Seating Capacity:80,100)

8. Juventus
Revenues: 220 million Euros
Country: Italy
League: Serie A TIM
Owner/Majority Shareholder: Agnelli family
Stadium: Stadio Olimpico di Torino (Seating Capacity:27,500)

9. Liverpool
Revenues: 205 million Euros
Country: England
League: Barclays Premier League
Owner/Majority Shareholder: John Henry, Tom Werner
Stadium: Anfield (Seating Capacity:45,300)

10. Inter Milan
Revenues: 200 million Euros
Country: Italy
League: Serie A TIM
Owner/Majority Shareholder: Massimo Moratti
Stadium: San Siro (Seating Capacity:80,100)

Why Use Linux

2012-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Reasons Why Use Linux

1 Free
Almost all the things in this OS are free, including the OS itself. Why spend hundreds of dollars when you can spend NOTHING and receive an excellent operating system. This is ideal for those of us who want to avoid any and everything Microsoft, and ideal for those who want to build a PC from scratch on the cheap. You can download straight away from Torrents or order a free CD home with no shipping charges

2 Graphics
It has all 3D and other super pleasing effects. Some of these effects surpass those of Windows 7 ( like desktop cube visually )

3 Stability
It is very stable and crashes very very rarely . Also, it is the fastest ! You can check running any app or surfing Internet from Linux on your currently installed OS

4 Security
Linux is built with strong foundation of Debian linux and it has loads of safety features, many of which you won’t find in other systems. As you guessed, you won’t require to install any anti-virus softwares as no viruses can attack Linux ! Thats why it is used fearlessly

5 User Friendly
It is the most user friendly Operating system . Everything is just like apple and windows with lil bit change in algorithms and controls . Linux can be installed inside the windows /Apple partition .

6 Driver availability
Drivers for most of the devices are available for linux, and when you connect to the Internet, it detects and downloads them automatically. Even i didn’t need to install drivers for my hp printer in linux whereas on my windows i installed drivers and software without which it wouldn’t print

7 Automatic updates
Linux provides automatic updates through software sources for all packages installed through built-in package managers. Also, you can upgrade to a new OS ‘s as soon as it is available . Update for each of the software is available at-least 2 times a week .

8 Apps
Linux provides users with heaps of softwares through software sources. There are more than lakhs of softwares . Games , multimedia , educational etc . To install any of them, you just select from Synaptic Package Manager and down them all .

9 Run windows
In case you want to use Windows or windows programs [ .exe files ] in Linux , then you can do it easily with the help of Wine. Wine is a software with which we can run any windows software on Linux . Though not very stable, you can install and run many softwares on it. I have also seen guys installing Microsoft Office , Media Player , Gtalk in linux this way.

10 Compatibility with Old systems
Linux Works well even on older systems without compromising on features, and is not as memory hungry as Windows Vista or Windows 7 beta. Time to drag out your old computers stashed in your basement. And you thought that they were just collecting dust. Install Linux on these older machines and you will have an up and running antique operating in no time [Pentium 3 case + 128 mb Ram case considered

10 largest football stadiums in the world

2012-02-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Football stadiums are theatres of entertainment, passion and celebration where thousands of supporters stand witness to the most beautiful game in the world. We look at the largest football stadiums in the world (by capacity) and admire these engineering and architectural marvels.

1 Salt Lake Stadium (Kolkata, India)
(Capacity: 120,000)

Also known as the Yuva Bharati Krirangan and built in 1984, it is a multi-sports arena with football being the major sport. It is home to various Indian football clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan and often hosts the national team’s fixtures. Recently, Argentina and Venezuela played a historical friendly match at this venue, which also boasts of being the stadium where the farewell match of German legend Oliver Kahn was played.

2 Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, Mexico)
Capacity: 105,000

The Estadio Azteca has witnessed some golden moments in football since it was opened in 1966. It has been the center of world football for 3 major tournaments including the 1968 Summer Olympics and the FIFA World Cups in 1970 and 1986. In 1970, the ‘Game of the Century’ took place here, when Italy defeated West Germany in the semi-final. Maradona set the stage on fire in 1986 when he scored the historical ‘Hand of God’ and the ‘Goal of the Century’ in a quarterfinal match against England. Club America also plays its home games at this stadium.

3 Azadi Stadium (Tehran, Iran)
Capacity: 100,000

One of the most intimidating and inspiring stadiums to play in, the Azadi Stadium is home to the Iranian national football team and local clubs Persepolis FC and Esteghlal FC also call it their home. It hosted the 1974 Asian Games and is the largest stadium in the Middle East.

4 Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain)
Capacity: 99,354

Perhaps one of the most famous sporting venues in the world, the Nou Camp is home to one of the greatest and most successful football clubs in the world, FC Barcelona. When packed with a capacity crowd, the atmosphere in the stadium is electric and spectators have watched world superstars like Johan Cruyff, Luis Figo, Lionel Messi in action here. The historic and glorious Manchester United side lifted the Champions League here in 1998-99 after a stunning turnaround in the dying moments.

5 Soccer City (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Capacity: 94,700

The main venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Soccer City hosted the opening ceremony and the final, besides other group and knockout encounters. It underwent a major upgrade for the World Cup, and the new design resembles the African pot, hence it was nicknamed ‘The Cabalash’. It is regularly used by the national team for its international fixtures while it also plays host to the Kaizer Chiefs playing in national football league.

6 Wembley Stadium (London, England)
Capacity: 90,000

It has been christened as the Mecca of football for its association with history and location in the most popular football country in the world. Owned by the FA, it hosts England’s international fixtures and is also the venue for major domestic matches. The New Wembley was opened in 2007 after bringing down the old Wembley 4 yeurs earlier. Famous musicians and bands have performed at this stadium, which is also set to host the football finals of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

7 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Capacity: 88,306

One of the most unexpected names on the list, this stadium was built in 1962 and regularly hosts the matches of the Indonesian national team as well as other major domestic league and cup fixtures. It is also the home ground of Persija Jakarta, one of the most successful Indonesian football clubs. Its usage is similar to the Wembley and, hence, the inclusion.

8 Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid, Spain)
Capacity: 85,454

Another highly prestigious and famous football venue, it is the home ground of Real Madrid. It was named in honour of the former club chairman Santiago Bernabéu Yeste. It was inaugurated in 1947 has played host to 3 European Cup finals, one Champions League final and the 1964 European Nations Cup as well as the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

9 Estádio do Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Capacity: 82,238

The biggest stadium in South America, the Maracana Stadium was constructed in 1950 for the FIFA World Cup. It still holds the attendance record for a football match, 199,854 set during the 1950 World Cup. It is slated to host the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

10 Signal Iduna Park (Dortmund, Germany)
Capacity: 80,552

Originally known as Westfalenstadion, this stadium is the home ground of German Budesliga side Borussia Dortmund. It is the largest stadium in the German top-flight and was opened in 1974, but has since undergone renovations from time to time, the largest of them being undertaken in 2006 at a cost of 200m Deutsche Mark. It hosted several matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany.

10 Most Popular Once In Life Time Experience

2012-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

1. Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany

Oktoberfest is possibly the most famous beer festival in the world. The festival is the world’s largest fair, with over 6 million visitors attracted to the beer tents every year. But it is more than just large quantities of Bavarian Beer, lederhosen and beer halls.

Whilst Munich offers the famous steins (the drinking tankards) and German sausages, the true enjoyment factor comes from the generous German hospitality. Sitting amongst the locals you can chat and sing along to traditional German songs, all performed by Oompha Bands who perform to a crowd of thousands of happy drinkers, who in return cheer them on.

2. Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland

The Fringe Festival has had a history of finding the comedians of the future. Many of the current British stars have emerged through the festival which has a knack for discovering and promoting fresh talent.

Edinburgh is a city with a great atmosphere which is further enhanced during the festival. During this time the city is rife with street acts and performers. It is an energetic place that is guaranteed to excite.

As for the Scottish people, they are friendly and hearty, and have an affinity for good humor and alcohol, two of the main themes of the festival. Whilst in Edinburgh embrace the culture and try their national dish of Haggis, Neeps and Tatties (Sheep’s offal, parsnips and potatoes).

3. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Rio Carnival has become synonymous with Brazil. Our perception of Brazilians seem to stem from this energetic, free-spirited parade. The colorful event is celebrated all over the country but Rio’s remains the biggest and most spectacular.

With the famous parades displaying a spectacular array of shapes and colors, the beat and energy of this event naturally encourages anyone who attends to throw themselves full-heartedly into the spirit of the Carnival. Recently voted the happiest city, it is easy to see why the people of Rio de Janeiro hold the most vibrant and famous of carnivals.

4. New Year Celebrations in Sydney Harbor, Australia

Possibly the best place to see in the New Year, the world famous fireworks display from the Sydney Harbour Bridge is now an iconic view just as much as the opera house that sits opposite.

The energetic personalities of the Australians, coupled with a great setting and climate, ensure you have the best New Year party possible. The crowds on the shore give the evening a electrifying atmosphere, however if you want to get a different perspective consider spending the evening on the water, with boats to hire or cruises to indulge in you can have a truly memorable occasion and get away from the crowded shoreline.

5. Boryeong’s Mud Festival on Daecheon Beach, South Korea

The Mud Festival in Boryeong, on Daecheon Beach, is an event which allows the most mature person to embrace their inner child. Rebelling against the famous maternal saying, “don’t get your clothes dirty”, this festival encourages smearing mud all over yourself.

You can equally justify your submersion into this culture of mud through the participants claim that the mud contains important minerals which reduce wrinkles and remove excess oils. Also, as any of you spa regulars will know, mud baths enhance blood circulation and encourage fresh skin growth.

Needless to say the modern day festival doesn’t revolve so much around well-being. There are competitive events including mud body painting, mud beauty contests and mud sculptures, though I imagine that all entrants into the sculpture event would resemble something from ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’.

6. Full Moon Party on Haad Rin Beach in Koh Phangan, Thailand

Haad Rin Beach is located in Koh Phangan, and has earned its reputation as the hot spot for hedonistic nightlife in Thailand, due to the fact that a party is held every time there’s a full moon. It is rumored that the Full Moon Party tradition started with a local throwing a farewell party for his Australian friend.

It proved to be such a popular concept that it now attracts anything from 8,000 to 30,000 party-goers every month. This is hardly surprising due to the white sandy beach setting, alcohol by the bucket and an amicable, bohemian attitude shared by all.

7. Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, China

The Chinese New Year is a lively affair where millions fill the streets to celebrate peace and happiness. It generally starts with a banquet which includes significant dishes, for instance prawns represents liveliness and happiness, whilst traditionally red clothing is also worn as this is intended to warn off any evil spirits.

In Hong Kong a spectacular fireworks display lights up the evening sky, and for New Years Day there are floats and traditional performers complimented by music and dragon dancers. Victoria Harbor, with its world-famous skyline, lends itself to the ideal backdrop for experiencing this oriental event which is steeped in heritage and a must-see!

8. The Festival of Light in Amritsar, Punjab, India

The Festival of Light, Diwali to the indigenous people, marks the commencement of the New Year for Hindus. This five day festival celebrates good over evil, light over dark. Each day of the festival brings its own meaning. The third day is where the ‘Festival of Light’ title has emerged as lamps and candles are lit, and fireworks are set off. Traditionally gifts are exchanged between the nearest and dearest.

Diwali is a celebratory event which demonstrates the warm and considerate nature of an entire culture. Amritsar, where the Golden Temple is located, is a great place to witness the third day of Diwali. The Temple is a site to behold on its own, although is enhanced to a phenomenal spectacle during the Festival of Light where you can experience a foreign culture at its best.

9. The Burning Man Festival in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
The Burning Man is an annual event which places emphasis on community, creativity and self-reliance. The community turn up and create ‘Black Rock City’ which lasts for one week, after that the ‘citizens’ are proud to depart without a trace.

The community welcome all newcomers with open arms. Their ethos believes that the more active the participant is the more they will gain from the event.

This is a surreal phenomenon which sees the birth of a city and community, in a peculiar location, only to be returned to its original form just seven days later. This festival is all about the experience and to truly benefit from it you must throw yourself wholeheartedly into it.

10. The Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain

Known to the locals as The Festival of San Fermin, due to the location. This internationally recognized event has grown massively since its believed origins back in the 13th century, and now attracts tens of thousands who wish to run with the bulls.

The running of the bulls allegedly originated from men using fear and excitement to hurry the process of taking cattle to market, although this quickly turned into a competition amongst them. Nowadays though the event is a lot more organised and isn’t just limited to farmers, in fact thousands now run through a barricaded course being chased by a thundering herd of bulls!

Why To Have Party On Groundhog Day

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

1 Spring: No, it's not here yet. But we're making progress, aren't we?

2 Self-respect: When Atlanta — yes, Atlanta, Ga. — is paralyzed by snow, it's time to take a stand. Even a totally pointless one.

3 Chocolate: Cupcakes with candy-bar groundhogs are mandatory in some circles. Check out the Disney version (familyfun.go.com) of the Groundhog Day cupcake.

4 Cocktails: Options include the West Virginia Groundhog (barmeister.com), a green apple martini and, for die-hard fans of the movie, sweet vermouth on the rocks with a twist.

5 Party supplies: You can make half the party room "winter" with white streamers and paper snowflakes, the other half "spring" with green streamers, flowers and hula hoops or outdoor toys, Kejriwal says.

6 Party games: Chris Kejriwal, whose Web site PurpleTrail.com has a great section on Groundhog Day party ideas, suggests having little kids make groundhog masks out of paper plates. Or there's always Toss the (Stuffed!) Groundhog.

7 You don't have to make your guests wear brown. If you like them, and they like dressing up, you can even ask them to dress up as either "winter" (fun for pessimists) or "spring" (fun for exhibitionists).

8 You can make your guests wear brown.

9 The ground rules are simple: You're celebrating that magic moment when an oversize ground squirrel decides whether or not you'll be forced to endure six more weeks of winter. (If he doesn't see his shadow, you're off the hook.) That's all you need to know.

10 There's no easier theme party: Just show the 1993 Bill Murray movie "Groundhog Day" (on mute if you want to actually talk to your guests), and you're there.

Best Alternatives To Stumble Upon

2012-01-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

1. reddit.com: what's new online
Submit and read popular links to what's new and interesting online.
http://www.reddit.com/

2.Slashdot: News for nerds, stuff that matters
Threaded discussions related to news for nerds.
http://slashdot.org/

3.Techmeme
Blog that auto-generates a news summary every five minutes, focusing on technology, particularly tech business news and innovations in computing and the Internet.
http://www.techmeme.com/

4.Newsvine - Get Smarter Here
News service which, as well as reporting the latest news, allows users to comment and chat about every article, write their own columns, and point readers to other stories.
http://www.newsvine.com/

5.TechCrunch
Dedicated to obsessively profiling and reviewing new Web 2.0 products and companies.

http://www.techcrunch.com/

6. The Register: Sci/Tech News for the World
Biting the hand that feeds IT.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/

7. Techdirt.
http://techdirt.com/index.php

8. Ars Technica
The PC enthusiast's resource. Power users and the tools they love, without computing religion.
http://arstechnica.com/

9. Boing Boing: A Directory of Wonderful Things
Blogging about what's new in science, technology, industrial design, toys, and art.
http://boingboing.net/

10.kuro5hin.org || technology and culture, from the trenches
Threaded discussions on technology and culture.
http://www.kuro5hin.org/

Best Entertainers of 2011

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Best Bollywood Entertainers of 2011

2011, was a year of many highs and several lows for the Indian film industry. There was drama, catfights, box office clashes, chartbusting songs, 100 crore+ blockbusters, scandal, women centric films actually doing well, hook ups and break ups amongst other things.

To break away from the clichéd countdowns that appear at the end of each year, we at Bollyspice decided to compile a list of the Top 10 entertainers of 2011. The list isn’t just a countdown of movies, it’s a list of people, rumours, music, wannabe stars and starlets that made news and made us chuckle – both intentionally and unintentionally! Read on…

1. Vidya Balan made us all go Ooh La La with her turn in The Dirty Picture (Film)

Without a doubt, the top entertainer this year was Vidya ‘Boombat’ Balan who raised oomph levels to the stratosphere with her uninhibited, free spirited portrayal of Silk – a lower class belle who makes it big in the film industry in Madras in the 80s. Her one liners, cracks and innuendos made an otherwise average film an outstanding one. Balan’s performance combined with the oh so catchy, straight out of the 80s Ooh La La get both her and the campy, kitsch song a place in the top spot as entertainment of the year.

2. Nargis Fakhri and her laughable debut in Rockstar (Film)

Ranbir Kapoor proved his acting chops yet again in this beautifully crafted, subtle Imtiaz Ali film which had lilting music by maestro A.R. Rahman. What Ali got horribly wrong though was casting 32-year-old debutante Nargis Fakhri as the female lead in this otherwise near perfect film. Fakhri was so bad she makes Katrina Kaif look like Madhubala in comparison. While Ranbir was flawless, he was let down by Nargis who had little to offer in terms of performance, ruining key portions of the film with her inexperience, blandness and unintentionally comical dramatics. I hate to admit, but even Sonam, Deepika or Katrina would have been marginally better choices – and that’s saying a lot.

3. Salman’s hat-trick of blockbusters (Film)

Love him or hate him, this rebel with a cause proved his clout at the box office and completed a hat-trick of blockbusters which began with Dabangg in 2010. In 2011, both Ready and Bodyguard proved to be huge money-spinners entertaining masses across the globe, even if they had little in terms of plot or coherence and were slammed critically. The amount of money that was generated by all three films goes to show that Salman is by far one of the most reliable draws at the box office. His acting range may be limited but the success of these films proves that he is, beyond a doubt, the darling of the masses.

4. Akon’s chart-busting ‘Chammak Challo’ (Film/Music)

Forget the film, Akon’s chart-busting anthem ‘Chammak Challo’ very nearly made Ra.One worth the price of its ticket. Catchy with a capital C, Ra.One will probably be remembered for this song alone, which no doubt will be played at clubs and weddings for years to come. Full marks to Akon, for his Hindi pronunciation – maybe Kangana can take some tips. And lastly, but by no means the least, a special mention to a piping hot Kareena Kapoor gyrating to the number in her red ghaghra and nose ring, which became a style statement in itself.

5. Shah Rukh Khan hamming beyond repair as the techy geek in Ra.One (Film)

The film itself was not half as bad as people made it out to be – it was a first of sorts for all its technical wizardry and a brave attempt to deviate from the norm, with many fans including many on our staff voting this film as the Biggest Entertainer of the Year. Ra.One was, without a doubt, one of the most talked about films of 2011 what with all the cash pumped into its publicity. While the film was tolerable, what was not was Shah Rukh Khan in a laughable role as a geek in the first half. Khan was so ridiculously over the top and hammy that when his character dies in the first half you almost breath a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the movie improved from there on but SRK’s unintentionally funny, spectacled afro act was, put simply, atrocious. Thankfully, he redeemed himself somewhat in his suave act in Don 2 which released at the fag end of 2011.

6. The Veena Malik-FHM Circus (Print/Media/TV)

Starlets, these days will go to any lengths for publicity and Pakistani actress Veena Malik is one such prime example of this.

A massive controversy erupted in both Pakistan and India when Malik posed nude with the initials of Pakistan’s controversial Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency plastered across her arm – a shot which she claimed was doctored, whilst others claimed it was a cheap PR stunt for an upcoming reality show that she would be hosting. The shot resulted in, amongst other things, a ‘fatwa’ being issued by an Indian-Muslim body with even drama queen Rakhi Sawant joining the moral brigade and issuing venomous statements against her to be contemporary.

The story is still making headlines at the time of writing – and one thing’s for sure, Veena has certainly made people sit up and take notice…but whether all the drama results in unimaginable success or a fizzled career (Mamta Kulkarni – anybody remember her?), remains to be seen.

7. Sunny Leone shows em who’s boss (Television)

Where there’s Big Brother, there has to be controversy even if the show takes place in a somewhat conservative place like India. Porn star Sunny Leone’s entry into India’s equivalent of Big Brother, reality series Bigg Boss caused an outcry from the Lok Sabha and the BJP’s youth wing, but as they say rightly, you’re nobody until you’re talked about. As a result of her appearance on the show, her Twitter feed gained 8000 followers in just two days and she was one of the most searched celebrities on Google. Filmmakers jumped on the bandwagon too, with Mahesh Bhatt offering her the female lead in Jism 2 – a sequel to the 2003 smash hit Jism which starred Bipasha Basu and John Abraham, and made them Bollywood royalty over night.

8. Kangana’s attempts at English and her various surgical enhancements (Rumour/Fact)

Kangana Ranaut had a major hit this year in Tanu Weds Manu, but what caught everyone’s eye were those eye-popping assets she flaunted in David Dhawan’s abysmal Rascals. She flatly denied all of the allegations of course… but the results were visible in her two-piece which eventually made no difference to the box office performance of the aforementioned film. The alleged enhancement combined with her outrageously weird fashion sense and incomprehensible attempts at English get Kangana ninth place in our list – albeit unintentionally.

9. The Abhi-Ash baby drama and Ash’s subsequent replacement with Kareena in Madhur Bhadarkar’s Heroine (Rumour/Fact)

2011 was also the year when Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan announced that they were going to be parents. Obviously, the press had a field day with this story – right from predicting the birth date (bets were on 11.11.11), to the gender of the baby – some even went so far as to say that the Bachchans were due to have twins, while several columnists insisted that the Bachchans had ensured that the baby would most definitely be a boy. Most of these bizarre, concocted stories all proved to be false though, when Ash and Abhi became proud parents of a baby girl at Mumbai’s Seven Hills Hospital on November 16, 2011.

Another controversy to stem from this story was Ash’s ouster from Madhur Bhandarkar’s Heroine. Ash announced her pregnancy midway through the shooting, leaving both Bhandarkar and UTV high and dry leading to a war of words between Amitabh Bachchan and Madhur Bhandarkar on Twitter, followed by the latters apology on a public platform. All ended well though, when Kareena Kapoor, the director’s original choice came on board at an astronomical price making Bebo one of the highest earning female artistes in the country.

10. The SRK-Priyanka-Shahid merry go round (Rumour)

The ‘are-they-aren’t-they together’ status of their relationship left gossip mongers in a tizzy and provided much fodder for daily glossies. Naturally, both Sasha and PC denied it till they went blue, but when income tax officials raided Priyanka’s house in January, rumour has it that they were greeted at the door by a shocked Shahid (in just his shorts!). Tales of their break ups, fights and make ups continued to do the rounds until they finally called it quits halfway through the year.

If PC wasn’t breaking up/getting back together with Shahid, she was seen with Shah Rukh Khan, resulting in rumours of Gauri Khan being upset with their growing proximity.

Slander it may be – but it surely kept us entertained throughout the year.

Natural Disaster Pictures In 2011

2012-01-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

Disaster Pictures In 2011

1. A whirpool forms off the Japanese coast after the tsunami on March 11.

2. This sightseeing boat, Hama Yuri, was pulled 1300 feet from the coast and somehow balanced itself on a two story house during the tsunami in Japan. Reuters

3. A massive tornado that tore a 6-mile (10-kilometer) path across southwestern Missouri killed at least 89 people as it slammed into the city of Joplin. Here, residents of Joplin walk down the street after the May 22 tornado. AP Photo

4. A monstrous dust storm (Haboob) roars through Phoenix, Arizona in July. AP Photo

5. An aerial shot of the damage immediately following the Japanese tsunami. Reuters

6. A man sits in front of a destroyed apartment building following the Joplin, Missouri tornado. Reuters

7. A mother comforts her son in Concord, Alabama, near his house which was completely destroyed by a tornado in April. AP Photo

8. Chile's Puyehue volcano erupts, causing air traffic cancellations across South America, New Zealand, Australia and forcing over 3,000 people to evacuate. Reuters

9. A woman cries while sitting on a road amid the destroyed city of Natori, Miyagi Prefecture in northern Japan after the massive earthquake and tsunami. Reuters

10. A woman hangs onto a street sign in chest deep water along the flooded streets in Rangsit on the outskirts of Bangkok on October 24. AP Photo

Not Released Movies (Banned)

2012-01-22T12:01:00.000-08:00

1. The Exorcist

The Exorcist was released theatrically in 1973. The film has since had an overwhelming effect on popular culture and has been described by some as the scariest horror movie of all time. It is also one of the highest grossing movies of all time, earning $441million worldwide. The Exorcist was banned in many individual towns and countries for being horrifyingly scary, and in some cases for religious reasons. The film affected many audiences so strongly that, at many theaters, paramedics were called to treat people who fainted and others who went into hysterics. In the UK, The Exorcist wasn’t available until 1990, when it passed the British Board of Film Censorship (BBFC) with an 18 rating.
The Exorcist tells the story of a young girl who becomes possessed by a demon. The events surrounding the girl’s behavior and subsequent exorcism make up the main plot line. Unlike other items on this list, excessive violence is not a contributing factor to its banned status. The Exorcist is a psychological thriller and uses a clever plot and even subliminal messaging to terrify audiences.

2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was banned outright in many countries, and numerous cinemas stopped showing the film after receiving complaints about the nature of extreme violence. The film was marketed as a true story to attract a wider audience, though the plot is entirely fictional. In reality the film was inspired by the crimes of notorious serial killer, Ed Gein, who famously collected tokens from his victims, such as nipples, skin masks and heads, and kept them in his house.

The film revolves around five friends visiting their Grandpa’s old house, who are systematically chased down and murdered by a masked chainsaw-wielding killer and his family of cannibals. Despite the film’s initial poor critical reception at the time of its release, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre became the highest grossing independent film of all time, for a short time. It is widely considered as one of the most influential horror movies in cinema history, and a pioneer in the “slasher” genre. The movie established power tools as a popular murder weapon in horror flicks, and also a killer depicted as large, burly, and faceless.

3. Cannibal Holocaust

Cannibal Holocaust is an Italian horror film that is banned to this day in over fifty countries. Upon it’s release, director Ruggero Deodata was arrested and charged with murder, after rumors suggested Cannibal Holocaust was a snuff film, though he was later cleared of all charges. The movie was filmed in the Amazon rainforest and features real members of indigenous tribes.

The plot consists of the search for a documentary film crew who had gone to film indigenous tribes and been missing for two months. A second team sent on a rescue mission recovers their lost cans of film and learns their fate. Seven animals were killed in the making of the film. An example includes a scene where a squirrel monkey was decapitated, and tribe members proceed to devour its brain. Cannibal Holocaust also involved scenes of graphic murder, including impalement of several characters. It is regarded as one of the most sickening and graphic films in existence.

4. The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead narrates the horrifying story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in a wooded area. Their vacation becomes gruesome when they find an audiotape that releases evil spirits. The low-budget slasher movie was very well-received by critics and successful at the box office, and a cult following has emerged in recent years.

Because of its graphic violence and terror, The Evil Dead is banned in several countries, including Finland, Germany, Iceland and Ireland. Perhaps the most disturbing scene is when a young woman is raped by a tree possessed by an evil spirit. This scene in particular has been heavily criticized for being perverse and misogynistic, despite the film’s overall critical success. Graphic scenes of dismemberment are also shown, as well as various torture scenes.

5. Natural Born Killer
Natural Born Killers was released in 1994, directed by Oliver Stone. The film was a spec-screenplay written by Quentin Tarantino, who based the movie on the lives of Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate; two lovers who embarked on a vicious murder spree. The movie was banned completely in Ireland, and denied distribution in the USA. Stone later cut approximately four minutes of footage, resulting in the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) allowing its distribution.

The film is extremely controversial as it glorifies acts of murder, with the notorious killers appearing on magazine covers and T-shirts in various scenes, almost like regular celebrities with fans. There are also some confirmed copycat murders. The most famous of which is the Columbine High School massacre. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered twelve people during a rampage, whilst reportedly shouting quotes from the movie. They also wore clothes during the massacre similar to Mickey Knox in the opening scene of the movie.

6. A Serbian Film
Banned in Spain, Norway and Brazil, A Serbian Film is arguably one of the most controversial films of all time. Contributing factors of the ban were scenes of child rape, incest and murder, among others. A Serbian Film received mixed reviews from critics; some of which condemned the film for it’s extreme sexual violence. The plot revolves around an aging porn star, who agrees to participate in one last film in order to make a clean break from the business, only to discover that he has been drafted into making a pedophilia themed snuff film, from which there is no escape.

7. Scum

Scum is the hard and shocking story of life in a British Borstal for young offenders during the 1970s. The film was originally banned completely from television because of its graphic depictions of racism, gang rape, suicide and violence. It was, however, remade entirely in 1979, with the newer version starring a young Ray Winstone in his breakthrough role, as Carlin. The remade version was also banned, though eventually a court case concluded that Scum should remain distributable in the UK. The newer version of Scum received good reviews from critics, and was praised for its accurate depiction of a brutal borstal regime.

The actual regime in borstals at the time involved little or no rehabilitation, with many boys being savagely beaten by wardens much older than themselves. The inmates survived by adopting a dog-eat-dog mentality, and the film brilliantly portrays this through Winstone’s character, as he rises to the top of the pecking order and becomes the “Daddy”. The scene above shows Carlin as he asserts his authority and takes over leadership of the borstal.

8. The Human Centipede 2
If you have ever seen or heard of the first human centipede movie, you shouldn’t be surprised that it barely avoided being banned in many countries. The central plot line involves a mad Dutch scientist who kidnaps a trio of American tourists and surgically stitches them together, mouth to anus. The movie has been heavily criticized for showing no attempt to portray any of the victims in the film as anything other than objects to be brutalized, degraded and mutilated for the amusement and arousal of the central character, as well as for the pleasure of the audience.

The sequel is due to be released in October, 2011, but has been denied a classification for distribution in the United Kingdom. Director Tom Six has stated that “the sequel contains much more blood and faces than the original”, and also that “[the movie] makes the first film look like My Little Pony in comparison”. The new film also contains a larger centipede involving twelve people and involves graphic rape and masturbation scenes. The trailer above is for the original Human Centipede.

9. Mikey

Upon release in 1992, Mikey was banned in many countries and is still banned today in the UK. Many graphic scenes of torture and murder contributed to the ban, as well as the James Bulger murder of 1993, when two young children tortured and murdered a toddler. The film narrates the life of Mikey Holt; a sociopathic nine year old who horrifically murders his foster parents and friends. Many of his carers seem to die in “accidents”, causing Mikey to move from family to family. The plot of the film mostly covers Mikey’s attempts to avoid suspicion, by killing people who he suspects to know about his murderous tendencies.

10. Grotesque
Grotesque is a 2009 Japanese splatter horror. The story follows the lives of a young couple who are snatched off the streets whilst on their first date, and are subjected to horrific torture by their insane kidnapper. Because of extremely disturbing footage, including eye gouging and amputation scenes, Grotesque is banned in many countries, including the UK. The film has been criticized for involving little narrative or character development, unlike successful splatter horrors such as Hostel or Saw. As a result the film received generally poor reviews from most critics, and was a commercial failure.

Girlfriends of Salman Khan

2012-01-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

Salman Khan is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood. He has a huge fan following. He had also his fair share of romance and break-ups with the top actresses of Bollywood. In this post, I am going to talk about the women that came into Salman Khan’s life. With some of them, he had serious relationships and some were just rumors.

Sangeeta Bijlani:
The first lady Salman Khan dated early in his carrier was Sangeeta Bijlani. Winner of Miss India beauty pageant 1980, Sangeeta Bijlani was a popular model and actress. Sangeeta Bijlani came to Bollywood in the late 80s. It was believed that Salman Khan had a serious relationship with Sangeeta Bijlani but for some reasons, the couple broke up. After their break-up, Sangeeta Bijlani married former Indian Cricket team captain, Azharuddin. Even after breaking up with Salman Khan, Sangeeta Bijlani had good relationship with Salman Khan’s family members. Last year, Sangeeta ended his fourteen year old marriage with Azharuddin. She went to Salman Khan for help.

Somy Ali:
After Sangeeta Bijlani, the girl who came to Salman Khan’s life was Somy Ali. Born to an Iraqi mother and Pakistani father, Somy used to live in the U.S. She then came to Mumbai to build up an acting career. In 1993, at the age of 19, she starred in Anth with Sunil Shetty which became a big hit. Somy Ali and Salman Khan had a long time relationship but the two eventually broke up. Rumor spread out that due to Salman Khan’s excessive drinking and abusive behavior, Somy Ali had to live him. After leaving India, she obtained bachelor’s degree in Pyschology from Nova Southeastern University of Florida. Then in 2010, when Salman Khan launched a charity foundation named Being Human, he ran into trouble again with Somy Ali for she also launched another charity foundation “Human Being” back in 2007.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan:
After Somy Ali, the women who came in Salman Khan’s life was none other than Aishwarya Rai, winner of Miss World 1994. The two came together while doing 1999 blockbuster Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachcha’s on-screen chemistry looked great. Unfortunately, their love life was a very turbulent one. Aishwarya Rai became another victim of Salman Khan’s abusive behavior. He used to call her on the phone late at night and shouted and pounded on the door. He even abused Aishwarya Rai. In March 2002, Aishwarya Rai finally broke up with Salman Khan. Even after breaking up, he stalked Aishwarya Rai for a long time. It was said that one night being drunk, he stormed into Aishwarya Rai’s house and broke furniture and threatened his family. Her family filed complaint with police.

Katrina Kaif:
The next lady to enter in Salman Khan’s life is Katrina Kaif. This British-Indian actress and model met Salman Khan during her struggling days in Bollywood. She debuted in a movie called Boom directed by Kaizad Gustad. The movie bombed at the box office. Katrina Kaif was busy with small time modeling assignments and during this time she met Salman Khan. Salman Khan introduced her to big time producers but no one was interested to caste her for poor Hindi accent. Then in 2005, she was paired up with Salman Khan in Maine Pyaar Kiyun Kya. The movie was a hit. She was also the female lead in Salman Khan and Govinda starrer, Partner in 2006. In 2007, she also got her first big hit with Akshay Kumar in Namastey London. With each success relationship between Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan went sour and eventually they broke up.

Bruna Abdallah:
After Katrina Kaif it was Bruna Abdullah. Bruna Abdullah is an Indian model of Brazilian and Arabian origin. She caught Indian audience’s attention with her sizzling item song performance “Rehem Kare” in Anubhav Sinha’s action movie, Cash. She also appeared in I Hate Love Storys with Imran Khan. She was first noticed on Channel V’s show India’s Hottest. It was said that after Katrina Kaif, Bruna Abdullah became Salman Khan’s love interest but there was no such evidence. Later, she clarified that there was no such relationship between her and Salman Khan. She had only two meetings with Khan, one was related to work while the second one was a social meeting.

Claudia Ciesla:
Rumor about romantic relationship between Salman Khan and Claudia Ciesla started to spread when news came out that Salman Khan introduced her to his family. He said,
“Claudia is a very nice girl and I have introduced her to my family.” Claudia also spoke highly of Salman Khan. Salman Khan also said Claudia Ciesla is his “special friend.” Later, Claudia, in an interview, said, 'Salman and I are just good friends. He is not my boyfriend, as has been reported here. Everyone knows that it's Katrina Kaif who is his girlfriend and not me. I haven't even been that long in India to start controversies.'

Asin:
After Claudia, the girl with whom Salman Khan was romantically linked was Asin Thottumkal of Ghajini fame. Asin and Salman Khan did two movies- London Dreams and Ready. A picture of London Dreams, showing Salman Khan on his knees before Asin, started a new rumor. Even South Indian media claimed that Asin and Salman Khan got married but later it was revealed that the two shot a wedding sequence for Aniz Bazmee’s upcoming movie, Ready.

Hazel Keech:
The latest rumor that is spreading about Salman Khan is about his relationship with British model’ Hazel Keech. Hazel came to India to work with Salman Khan in his upcoming movie, Bodyguard. The movie was shot in Pune and it was reported that the two had a great time in Pune. It was reported that the two were having a good time and they enjoy each other’s company. Hazel and Salman went on biking in Pune. Who knows if this is just another rumor or not?

Worst 10 Serial Killing

2012-01-17T08:42:00.000-08:00

1. The Whitechapel Murders in London (1888)
These murders are noteworthy because of their shocking ferociousness, and because they were committed by the legendary Jack the Ripper. He, no doubt, is the most well-known of all serial killers worldwide. His blood-lust and unsolved kills are the stuff of many mystery novels, but he was by no means a fictional character. In 1888, he violently murdered prostitutes in Whitechapel, London, typically by slitting their throats and removing their internal organs. This fierce savagery caught the attention of the media and terrified everyone. Though the police vigorously sought him out, Jack the Ripper always managed to elude them. Whenever he killed, he seemed to appear out of nowhere, encased in fogs, and then vanished without a trace. He was never found, and nobody knows up to this day why he suddenly stopped killing and disappeared. Nobody even knows his real name. Jack the Ripper is a moniker given to him based on a letter that he allegedly wrote to the media.

2. The Boogeyman Murders
Hamilton Howard Fish, better known as Albert Fish, was a child killer, rapist and cannibal who committed many heinous acts in the 1920s in the United States. Because of his savage ways, he has been called many things: a vampire, a werewolf, the Gray Man, and the Boogeyman. But he had a deceptively benign, grandfatherly appearance, and this was how he lured many children towards him. He allegedly victimized about a hundred children in different places in the U.S., raping, killing and/or eating those children, using special recipes he cooked them with. In 1936, at age 65, he was executed on the electric chair after being convicted.

3. The Ted Bundy Murders

Theodore Robert Bundy was a psychopathic serial killer who murdered many women in the 1970s, including college women who broke up with him or had offended him in some way. A law student himself, he was attractive, well-mannered, intelligent—and very adept in deceiving people and luring them to their deaths. He murdered about 35 victims, but some experts say he may have killed more than a hundred. He bludgeoned and strangled his victims, at times also raping them or having sexual intercourse with their dead bodies. Ted Bundy died on the electric chair in 1989.

4. The Charles Manson Murders
Charles Manson was the charismatic leader of “The Family,” a cult-like group in California in the 1960s. Members of the group, under Manson’s direct orders, went on killing sprees, the most famous of which were the Tate and LaBianca murders. Prior to this, Manson was a convicted criminal who committed various offenses. He was also a singer and songwriter. He still lives, serving his sentence.

5. The Pickton Murders
Robert Pickton was a Canadian pig farmer turned serial killer. He is thought to have murdered about sixty women; most of them sex trade workers and drug users in the Vancouver area. Given the large number of victims, about a hundred million dollars was spent on the investigation of his crimes. The trial that led to his conviction was the longest in Canadian history, and perhaps the most controversial.

6. The Zodiac Murders
Still unsolved, these murders were committed by a mysterious serial killer nicknamed “The Zodiac Killer.” He operated in Northern California, especially in the San Francisco area, circa 1960-1970. He sent cryptic letters and mysterious phone calls to the media concerning the murders. To date, some of the ciphers in the letters have yet to be solved. He has claimed to have murdered 37 victims, but only seven (five murders and two injuries) are officially recognized. More than two thousand potential suspects have been rounded up, but no arrest has been made.

7. The Anthony Sowell Murders

Convicted of dozens of crimes including murder, rape and kidnapping, Anthony Sowell was a serial killer in Cleveland. What led to his arrest was the gruesome discovery of eleven bodies in his house. Some of the bodies were in the living room, others were found in shallow graves in the basement, the backyard, and other parts of the house. Their discovery was accidental; it took place when the police came to arrest him for alleged rape.

8. The John Wayne Gacy Murders

Also known as the “killer clown,” John Wayne Gacy was a psychopathic serial killer who victimized mostly young men and teenage boys. He is thought to have raped and murdered 33 people in the 1970s. Many of his victims were discovered buried on his properties or thrown in rivers. The victims were mostly young employees in Gacy’s contracting firm. By day, Gacy was a respectable businessman in Chicago who gave generously to charity. He contributed to fundraising events and children’s parties, which he often attended wearing a clown costume.

9. The Green River Murders

Gary Leon Ridgway committed dozens of murders in the Seattle area in the 1980s and 1990s. The first five victims were strangled and then dumped in the Green River. Subsequent victims also died by strangulation; their bodies were found mostly in forested areas. Authorities had been investigating the murders for many years, until DNA evidence led them to Ridgway.

10. The Cotton Murders
This list would not be complete with a female serial murderer – Mary Ann Cotton. This Englishwoman’s 21 victims included her own children. She poisoned them with arsenic and then took their insurance money. She was tried and then hanged in March 1873.