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Here's the TOP 100 FHM Philippines' Sexiest Women in the World for 2012 Official Entry and Lists:

2012-07-14T18:41:00.002-07:00

1. Sam Pinto

2. Angel Locsin

3. Solenn Heussaff

4. Cristine Reyes

5. Marian Rivera

6. Ellen Adarna

7. Jackie Rice

8. Bela Padilla

9. Jennylyn Mercado

10. Lovi Poe

11. Bangs Garcia

12. Anne Curtis

13. KC Concepcion

14. Iwa Moto

15. Michelle Madrigal

16. Katrina Halili

17. Ehra Madrigal

18. Regine Angeles

19. Misa Campo

20. Angelica Panganiban

21. Junri Park

22. Bianca King

23. Bianca Manalo

24. Diana Meneses

25. Iza Calzado

26. Jef Gaitan

27. Stef Prescott

28. Carla Abellana

29. Toni Gonzaga

30. Kim Chiu

31. Ornusa Cadness

32. Aubrey Miles

33. Jessy Mendiola

34. Eula Valdez

35. Sarah Geronimo

36. Niña Jose

37. Diana Zubiri

38. Rachelle

39. Jacq Yu

40. Erich Gonzales

41. Georgina Wilson

42. Valerie Concepcion

43. Priscilla Meirelles

44. Melissa Ricks

45. Sarah Lahbati

46. Danielle Castaño

47. Jahziel Manabat

48. Carla Humphries

49. Bea Alonzo

50. Pauleen Luna

51. Iya Villania

52. Jade Lopez

53. Kaye Abad

54. Paulene Go

55. Rhian Ramos

56. Arianne Clemente

57. LJ Reyes

58. Maja Salvador

59. Shaina Magdayao

60. Alyssa Milano

61. Kris Bernal

62. Bianca Gonzales

63. Kristel Moreno

64. Heart Evangelista

65. Wendy Valdez

66. Mariel Rodriguez

67. Shamcey Supsup

68. Julia Montes

69. Abby Poblador

70. Kim Lee

71. Julia Clarete

72. Sanya Smith

73. Isabelle Daza

74. Saicy Aguila

75. Gwendolyn Ruais

76. Mercedez Cabral

77. Rich Asuncion

78. Linda Ferguson

79. Jean Garcia

80. Jasmine Curtis-Smith

81. Eda Nolan

82. Chariz Solomon

83. Kylie Padilla

84. Alessandra de Rossi

85. Aze Sasaki

86. Alodia Gosiengfiao

87. Paloma

88. Karylle

89. Gwen Zamora

90. Rufa Mae Quinto

91. Kit Barraquias

92. Jed Montero

93. Jill Yulo

94. Maxene Magalona

95. Kristine Santamena

96. Maricar Reyes

97. Aifha Medina

98. Alex Gonzaga

99. Jem Milton

100. Dorina Groh

FHM Philippines Sexiest Women Top 100 for 2012 Results - with the official list of FHM Philippines top 100 sexiest women 2011 as Sam Pinto(followed by Marian Rivera and Angel Locsin, respectively) hailed as the top winner of the 2011 FHM Philippines sexiest woman, we will be updating the partial list to official list of FHM Philippines top 10 to top 100 sexiest women in the country. Today we will let you share the partial list as of month of June 2012 of FHM Philippines Sexiest Women Top 100.

Top 10 job site in the Philippines

2012-04-26T16:07:00.003-07:00

10. Sulit.com.ph / Ayosdito.ph = TIE

Job search is not the main function of these websites but these two classified ad websites have available job posting options. Employers can post for free and get lots of exposure since these get tons of traffic. Sulit has a large social communinity while ayos dito is aggressive in advertsing. It’s easy for job post to get lost in the buy and sell sections so search carefully and diligently.

9. Trabaho.com

Back in the day, trabaho.com used to be the head honcho among job sites Philippines. I still remember way back seeing ads on the side of buses and billboards.Though not as mighty as before it is still holding its ground. The web design looks outdated and has too many blinking stuff all over.

8. Jobrapido.com

*In a strong mexican accent*, “RAPIDO, RAPIDO, yariba yaribaaa!” This is the quickest job search engine I’ve seen that churns out fantastic results. I was quite actually surprised how good the results were. Upon landing to the homepage the search bar is automatically set to Philipines after checking your IP. Quick job search engine that churns out fantastic results. Clean simple layout with a web 2.0 look and feel. Give it a try.

7. Workabroad.ph

If you want to look for a job abroad, start here. This is a well-balanced web design compared to other job sites Philippines. No wonder they are an award winning website. They specialize in catering to OFW’s and workers who are looking for greener pastures across the sea.

6. Bestjobs.ph

This one carries a standard directory layout of job sites Philippines. It offers a free web address for your resume online. Free listing for employers also. It might have the best jobs, but it doesn’t have the best logo, lol.

5. Freelancer.ph/Odesk.com/elance.com

Is blue the color of freelancing? The big three freelancing outsource websites. Typically most useful for IT job outsourcing, web developers, and virtual assistants.

4. Craigslist Manila

Don’t let the minimalist design fool you. Craigslist is a job website search BEAST. It started in SF California and totally designed around social trust and community. You can find quality job sites Philippines openings here.

3. Onlinejobs.ph

Most known for being the best job search website dedicated for online jobs and virtual assistants. It has a partnership with American, Australian, Singaporean, Canadian, UK and other English speaking offshore companies across the world. Business processing outsourcing and and IT outsourcing requires job sites Philippines for connecting with companies half-way across the globe. Get a job interview via Skype right in to your bedroom.

2. JobsDB.com

In my opinion this is the sleekest and most well-designed site among the top job sites Philippines. The system is very fast and easy to use. It has the best account profile setup and the control panel is user-friendly. You’ll find an incredible amount of QUALITY employers here.

1. JobStreet.com.ph

I love just jobstreet. I personally found two jobs in the past by posting my resume here. I’m still fond of seeing ‘Lina’ (job alerts automailer) in my inbox with a fresh list of jobs to submit to. They are very active in their marketing campaigns online and offline. They have a good support network that is very helpful.

Top 10 Highest Mountains in the World

2012-04-12T04:56:00.000-07:00

This post consists of highest mountains in the world. Mountains covers one-fifth of the world’s landscape. They are all located in the central and southern of Asia. Height of mountains is measured as height of sea level. The following lists are the top ten highest mountains ranging with 10th Annapurna to 1st Mount Everest. Below we discuss their name, range, height and location.

10. Annapurna Mountain

It is located in Nepal and in the range of Himalaya. It raises is 8, 091in meter and 26,545 in feet above sea level. The first climber who reaches on this mountain was M. Herzog, L.Lachenal (French) on 3 June 1950. Cho Oyu its parent mountain.

9. Nanga Parbat Mountain

The location of Nanga Parbat is in Asia in Pakistan. It is located in Himalaya range. Its height is 8, 125 in meter and 26, 660 in feet. Hermann Buhl was reached first on the mountain on 3 July 1953. Dhaulagiri its parent mountain.

8. Manaslu Mountain

It is located in the continent of Asia. They are located in Nepal and in Himalaya range. The height of this mountain is 8, 163 meter and 26,781 feet long. The four climbers reach this mountain their name are T, Immishi, K. Kato, M. Higeta, and G.Norbu on 9 May 1956. Its parent mountain is Cho Oye.

7. Dhaulagiri Mountain

This mountain is in Himalaya range and in Nepal. Its raises 8,167 in meter and 26,795 in feet above the sea level. On May 13, 1960 K. Diemberger, P. Diener, Nyima Dorji, Nawang Doriji were climbed on the Dhaulagiri. Parent mountain of Dhaulagiri is K2.

6. Cho Oyu Mountain

The location is in Nepal and in Himalaya range. The height of Cho Oyu is 8, 201 meter and 26, 906 feet. H. Tichy, S.Jochler, Pasang Dawa Lama was men who reached on Cho Oyu on October 1954. Its parent mountain is Mount Everest.

5. Makalu Mountain

It is located in Himalaya range and in Nepal. Its height is
8, 463 meter and 27, 766 feet long. On May 15, 1955 J. Couzy, L. Terry, J.Fraco, G, Magnone-Gialtsen, J. Bouier, S. Coupe, P. Leroux, A. Vialatte were reached on Makalu. Mount Everest is the parent mountain.

4: Lhotse

The location of Lhotse is in Nepal. It is located in Himalaya range. It is 8, 516 meter and 27, 940 feet long. On 18 may 1956 the two climbers F. Luchsinger and E. Rejss was summit on Lhotse Mountain. Its parent mountain is Mount Everest.

3. Kangchenjunga Mountain

It is located in Himalaya range and between the Nepal and India. Its raises 8, 586 meter and 28, 169 feet above the sea level. G.Band, J.Brown, N.Hardie, S.Streather was summit on May 25, 1955. Mount Everest its parent mountain.

2. K2 Mountain

It is second highest mountain in the world. It is located in between the Pakistan and China and in Karakoram Range It 8, 611 meter and 28, 250 feet long in height. On 31 July 1954 A. Compagnoni, L.Lacedelli was reached to K2. Its parent mountain is Mount Everest.

1. Mount Everest

This is the highest mountain in the world. The location of Mount Everest is in between Nepal and Tibet. It raises 8, 850 meter and 29, 035 feet long above the sea level. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were summit on Mount Everest on May 29, 1953.

Top 10 Electronic Gadgets of 2012

2012-04-09T17:51:00.003-07:00

1. LG 55-INCH OLED TV

Due: October

At just 4mm thin, this television almost disappears from side-on. The first 55-inch organic light-emitting diode television revealed at CES offers more than just a skinny form, however, with benefits including brighter colors, better contrast and more energy efficiency. It also has a tiny bezel around the screen and weighs just 7.5kg, making it much easier to mount on a wall. Early customers will have to pay more for this OLED screen than an LCD model, though it will cost less than $10,000 when it launches in Australia late this year.

2. SAMSUNG 55-INCH SUPER OLED TV

Due: Second half of 2012

Just hours after LG’s TV announcement, Samsung released its own OLED television with a slightly different form. The slender screen is thicker than its rival, at 7.6mm, but Samsung claims it is superior as it eliminates the need for a color filter. The 55-inch television will feature an internet connection for Smart TV, a built-in camera to enable gesture controls and 3D functionality when it arrives in Australia later this year.

3. PROJECT FIONA

Due: 2012

Gaming brand Razer has created a working prototype of a tablet that takes gaming to the next level. Rather than using the tablet’s 10.1-inch touchscreen, players are asked to grab hold of two game controllers on either side, which feature buttons and joysticks. The tablet computer uses Windows 8 and the yet-to-be-released Intel Ivy Bridge chip and delivers games such as Crysis that you would ordinarily only see on PCs or game consoles. Razer promises a price tag of less than $1000.

4. CHAOTIC MOONS BOARD OF AWESOMENESS

Not for release

It’s not quite the hoverboard Back to the Future promised, but it’s closer than ever. Software development firm Chaotic Moons has added gesture and speech controls to an electric skateboard to create the Board of Awesomeness so riders can gesticulate their way around streets at up to 51km/h. The board uses a prototype Samsung tablet running Windows 8 and makes use of Microsoft’s Kinect controls. Chaotic Moons appears unlikely to release this Board for sale, however.

5. FUJIfILM X-PRO1

Due: February

Fujifilm’s upcoming professional class camera looks retro but packs in cutting-edge technology. Its built-in optical viewfinder is actually a hybrid electronic model that can display settings over the scene in front of you and automatically adjusts the magnification to suit whichever of the three fixed X-mount lenses are attached: 18mm, 35mm or 60mm. The 16-megapixel camera features a surplus of dials and buttons for quick setting changes, although it doesn’t focus as fast as competing compact system cameras.

6. NOKIA LUMIA 900

Due: 2012

Nokia’s new flagship Windows smartphone offers an expansive screen and speedy 4G mobile downloads. The Lumia 900, celebrated by Microsoft in the company’s final CES keynote, looks similar to other recent Nokia releases, except for a 4.3-inch AMOLED screen. It also packs in an 8-megapixel camera, a 1.4GHz processor and 16GB of storage.

7. LENOVO IDEAPAD YOGA 13

Due: Second half of 2012

Named Yoga for its ability to flip its screen over, this computer is a laptop-tablet hybrid. It features a dual hinge that lets users fold the screen over entirely or just enough to prop it up on a desk, and a 13.3-inch touch-sensitive screen. The new IdeaPad model will be one of a handful of tablets using Windows 8 when it is released and will do so using a chip as powerful as the Intel Core i7, while storing up to 256GB. The Yoga 13 will be just 1.69cm thick and weigh 1.47kg.

8. SONY TABLET P

Due: This year

Revealed with Sony’s first tablet, this dual-screen tablet folds over into a much smaller device that can be carried inside a jacket pocket (like Sony president Sir Howard Stringer carries it). Working models at CES showed Google Android apps that could be used over both of the tablets 5.5-inch touchscreens or, in the case of games and others, in split-screen format. The tablet weighs less than 400g, runs a 1GHz dual-core processor and is due out sometime this year.

9. ACER ASPIRE A5

Due: Second quarter of 2012

Ultrabooks were thin to start with – 2cm at most – but this model from Acer beats that standard by a significant margin. The Aspire A5 is just 1.5cm thick at its biggest and weighs 1.3kg. It offers full-sized computing, however, with a new Intel processor, solid-state storage and a flip-down panel that reveals HDMI, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connections for speedy file transfers. The 13.3-inch laptop, available in a black finish, will arrive in autumn.

10. MOTOROLA MOTOACTV

Available in US now

Awarded the best Bluetooth gadget of CES, Motorola’s fitness gadget does its work wirelessly. The MotoActv is a 4.6cm square device loaded with sensors that can be worn on a wristband or armband to track your exercise. Speed, pace, heart rate and your path can be tracked, though this gadget will also act as an MP3 player and can note to which songs you perform best.

Top 10 Highest Paid Athletes

2012-04-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

Professional sports have become an incredibly profitable profession over the past century of modern professional athletics. With popularity proving to increase dynamically year after year it makes one wonder “Who is the world’s highest paid athlete?” The companions on the list are from a wide range of sports. These athletes’ earnings totals are derived from salaries, bonuses, prize money, appearance fees, licensing and endorsement income. We do not deduct for taxes or agents’ fees. Here are the 10 highest paid athletes in 2012.

1. Tiger Woods

Net Worth: With $100 million Woods is at top in highest paid athlete 2012 list.

2. Kobe Bryant

Net Worth: $53 million made him the best paid athlete in 2012.

3. LeBron James

Net Worth: $48 million he at 3rd in list of highest paid athlete in 2012.

4. Roger Federer

Net Worth: $47 million he is also a highest paid athlete in 2012.

5. Phil Mickelson

Net Worth: He has $46.5 million that include himself in highest paid athlete in world.

6. David Beckham

Net Worth: $40 million earning is a best paid athlete in 2012 world.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo

Net Worth: $38 million income of the year 2011 included him in the highest paid athlete in 2012 world.

8. Alex Rodriguez

Net Worth: $35 million income made him among the best paid athlete and highest paid athlete in 2012.

9. Michael Schumacher

Net Worth: By collecting $34 million Michael is also a highest paid athlete in 2012.

10. Lionel Messi

Net Worth: $32.3 million amount of earning made him the highest paid athlete in 2012.

Top 10 beaches in the world

2012-04-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

The ones who are passionate about travelling and rejuvenating their body and soul, beaches are the perfect location for a cool holiday retreat. Beautiful beaches are plentiful all over the planet, with most adorable ones being located particularly in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Pacific and the Australian coastline also feature some of the exotic beaches in the world.

A general public poll would reveal that either the high hill stations with cool atmosphere and abundant natural beauty or the blue beaches with golden sand and the sun are the most popular holiday destinations of people across the globe.

A good beach is normally the result of good weather, a beach that is freezing cold to point zero is not welcoming, neither is the beach that reflects the sweltering heat of the region. A plunge into the various beaches around the world would be a great holiday recap.

1. Seychelles

Seychelles is the most popular name among the list of top beaches. Located off the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles sports the Anse Source d’Argent, which is the third largest island in the Seychelles as the most sought after holiday destination in the world. The white sandy beach with numerous granite cliffs and coconut palms is a delight for all tourists from all around the world. Warm, weather with cool atmosphere and turquoise waters is a scene to reckon with.

2. Lanikai Beach, Hawaii

Lanikai Beach, Hawaii is the second name in the list of world famous beaches. The clean blue waters in this relatively small beach are an ideal place for a relaxing holiday. The view from the beach of the two islands called Mokuluas in distance is a treat for the eyes.

3. Fernando De Noronha, Brazil

Fernando De Noronha, Brazil is a World Heritage site acclaimed by the UNESCO. It is appropriately named as the most beautiful marine park in the world. This island is an archipelago of altogether 21 islands located off the Atlantic Ocean. This is not a very well known beach and very few people know about it, thus the credit for its calm beauty and serenity.

4. Maldives

Maldives is another beautiful beach that is the hot favorite destination of most people around the world. The uniqueness of this beach is its calm waters and silence despite of the fact that it is mostly visited all throughout the world. It is for sure the best quiet beach in the world.

5. Anguilla

Anguilla is the next on the charts of popular and modern beaches in the world. Anguilla is the best possible tourist destinations in the world which was ranked as the number one beach of the world in the year 2005. Located off the Caribbean sea, this island is a great place to relax and get close.

6. Boracay, Philippines

Boracay, Philippines also has to its credit the best beach award in the year 1996. The silver waves and the cool breeze around the island is what attract a lot of people from all around the world. This exotic beach is located 200 miles s south of Manila in Philippines.

7. Bondi Beach, Sydney Australia

Bondi Beach, Sydney Australia, is yet another world famous beach which is a must see for all tourists to Australia. The surf culture that is thriving at fast pace and the sleepless night life of this destination is what adds sparkles to its credit. The turquoise water and the relaxed atmosphere make this place a symbol of Australia’s lifestyle.

8. Lotu Beach, California

Lotu Beach, California is the perfect postcard beach situated amidst the clear waters of Mediterranean Sea. The water in this beach is so clear that it seems like plunging into a vast swimming pool. The hidden paradise has intoxicating beauty that mesmerizes the visitors. This beach is perfect for a run away from home holiday,that secludes the tourists with its pristine beauty.

9. Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda

Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda, is one of the most exorbitant beaches in the world, which despite the expense involved does not stop the numerous tourists that visit the place. The weather here is friendly and the crystal clear waters and the lovely pink sand make the horseshoe bay an unparalleled island in the world.

10. Kondoi Coral Beach, Okinawa, Japan

Kondoi Coral Beach, Okinawa, Japan is yet another favorite located off the Japanese countryside. This beach is well known for its safety with people here sleeping with open doors throughout. The only drawback is that this beach is dead expensive, but that does not withstand the fact that it is at this place live some of the oldest people in the world.

A walk through the world’s most famous beaches has definitely been a refreshing pleasure and would definitely help readers to plan the next beach holiday with a bang!

Top 10 most corrupt country

2012-03-26T05:50:00.002-07:00

The world responded to corruption like never before in 2011 as regimes throughout the Mid-East fell and citizens demanded greater rights.

But the response did little to change the number of corrupt countries occupying the map.

This year's gold-standard of corruption studies, the Corrupt Perceptions Index, has been released and it pegs corruption in the countries of the world on a scale of 1 to 10 — from most corrupt — to the least.

The following slides show the 10 most corrupt countries and what allows them the dark distinction.

#10 Venezuela's corruption began with the discovery of oil

wikipedia commonsVenezuela ranks 172 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.9 out of 10.

The discovery of mass amounts of oil in Venezuela hastened its slide into corruption and by the 1970s the petroleum sucked from the ground was called "the Devil's excrement" by Venezuelans.

Hugo Chavez's election to president in 1999 did nothing to slow the corruption. His Fifth Republic Movement is accused of cronyism, political patronage, and corruption just like the movement his party promised to replace.

Even the Venezuelan police force is recognized for its drastic levels of corruption.

#9 Haiti is plagued by impenetrable bureaucracy

wikipedia commonsHaiti ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10.

The immobilizing amount of "red tape" in the Haitian legal system enables local politicians and bureaucrats to gain influence and and direct public outcomes for financial gain.

The result has debilitated Haitian society and placed the country consistently at the top of the corruption list.

The $2 billion that came into the country following the 2010 earthquake did little to alleviate corruption and meandering bureaucracy.

#8 Iraq goes out of its way to silence whistleblowers

wikipedia commonsIraq ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10.

The Iraq government is so entrenched in its rampant pattern of corruption since the fall of Saddam Hussein that it removes officials who try to prosecute racketeers.

Members of the government also intimidate politicians and journalists who support whistleblowers.

As recently as September 2011 a renown Iraqi journalist was murdered in his home for leading anti-government protests.

#7 Money for Sudan's development ends in private hands and in foreign banks

wikipedia commonsSudan ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10.

Sudan's new president Salva Kir is being pushed to stop the mass pilfering of development money that comes into the Sudan meant to help rebuild the war ravaged country.

Since gaining self-rule in 2005 not one official has been prosecuted for corruption, despite there being a commission assigned specifically to the task.

#6 The 69 years Turkmenistan spent in the Soviet Union has led to totalitarian control

wikipedia commonsTurkmenistan ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10.

Though Turkmenistan declared its independence in 1991, the country just made moves to open up the country in 2006.

The country also labors under immense human rights abuses and residents face severe restrictions anytime they try leaving the country.

Turkmenistan has the 3rd worse freedom of the press, and is the 10th most censored country in the world.

#5 Uzbekistan's top officials reap all the benefits from rich resources

olerusing / FlickrUzbekistan ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10.

The government is rich in resources, but doesn't allow for independent private sector growth, keeping control of everything.

A WikiLeak letter condemns former Prince Michael for "rampant corruption" and "organized crime." The authoritarian government is often cited as the root of the corruption problems.

Part of its anti-corruption drive shut down 100 supermarkets and manufacturing businesses. But according a local businessman, there's been "no progress in the battle against corruption. The country and its society are corrupted through and through."

#4 Afghanistan's citizens consider government kickbacks normal

The U.S. Army / FlickrAfghanistan ranks 180 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.9 out of 10.

In 2010, people from Afghanistan paid $2.5 billion in bribes, and nearly half the population has paid the government kickbacks.

Kickbacks are so common that 38 percent of citizens think its normal. Even meeting with a politician implies giving a kickback 40 percent of the time.

#3 Myanmar's corruption stems from its logs, gold, and drugs

Wikimedia CommonsMyanmar ranks 180 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.5 out of 10.

Its rich natural resources and drug rings have led widespread corruption in all of Southeast Asia. It is often seen as the root of problems in the Golden Triangle.

The country is full of internal ethnic violence and has been isolated most of the developed world because of human rights issues. But it still engages in illegal resource deals with nearby nations like China.

Clinton's visit there this week is the first one in over 50 years.

#2 North Korea's officials drink imported Coke while its citizens die from starvation

Eric LafforgueNorth Korea ranks 182 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1 out of 10.

North Korea is little transparency, but just getting there usually requires large bribes. Most of the testimonies come from refugees from the country, most of whom paid bribes to escape.

A Chinese national who snuck in and out of the country told RFA, "In some places in North Korea people are starving to death, but railway security agents wear Seiko watches and smoke [Craven A] cigarettes."

#1 Somalia has been a proxy battleground for nations for years

IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation/TURKEY / FlickrSomalia ranks 182 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1 out of 10.

Foreign countries such as the US and USSR who used the country as a battleground for political ideologies helped drive corruption by backing particular clans or groups.

U.S. funding really helped the Siad Barre regime, which really took government corruption to the next level. After the regime fled in 1991, the country is essentially lawless and ruled by clans, warlords, and militia groups.

Even some NGOs giving Somalia millions are actually splitting the money between the NGOs and the the signing government officials.

Top 10 expensive cars

2012-03-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

1. Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407 km/h or 253 mph). It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and is sold under the legendary Bugatti marque. It is named after racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders.

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According to Volkswagen, the final production Veyron engine produces between 1020 and 1040 metric hp (1006 to 1026 SAE net hp), so the car will be advertised as producing "1001 horsepower" in both the US and European markets. This easily makes it the most powerful production road-car engine in history.

2. Ferrari Enzo $1,000,000

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The Enzo Ferrari, sometimes referred to as the the Ferrari Enzo and also F60 is a 12-cylinder Ferrari supercar named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2003 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fiber body, F1-style sequential shift transmission, and carbon-ceramic brake discs. Also used are technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics. After a maximum downforce of 1709 pounds (775 kg) is reached at 186 mph (301 km/h) the rear spoiler is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce.

3. Pagani Zonda C12 F $741,000

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The Zonda C12 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet, though it shares much with its predecessors including the 7.3 L V12. Power is increased to 602 PS (443 kW/594 hp) with a special clubsport model producing 650 PS (478 kW/641 hp). The company promises a 3.2 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h, a top speed over 374 km/h (225 mph) and it will be the queen in braking from 300 km/h to 0 (186 mph to 0). The Zonda F clubsport has a power to weight ratio of 521 bhp/ton (384 W/kg) . Compare, for example, the Enzo Ferrari which has a power to weight ratio of 483 bhp/ton (356 W/kg).

4. Koenigsegg CCX $600,910

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The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations. The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cm³ DOHC 32-valve V8 based on the Ford Modular engine architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 850 hp (634 kW) on 96 octane (Euro rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel.

5. Porsche Carrera GT $484,000

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The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany. The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph).

6. Mercedes SLR McLaren $455,500

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The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a sports car and supercar automobile co-developed by DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars. It is assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. Most people presume "SLR" to stand for "Sportlich, Leicht, Rennsport" (German for "Sport; Light; Racing"). The car's base price is £300,000 or $455,500. The SLR has a supercharged 5.5 (5439cc) litre dry sumped 90 degree V8. It produces 466.8 kW at 6500rpm (626 hp) and 780 N·m (575 ft·lbf) torque at 3250 - 5000 rpm.

7. Maybach 62 $385,250

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The Maybach 57 and 62 were the first automobile models of the Maybach brand since the brand's revival by DaimlerChrysler. They are derived from the Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept car presented at the 1997 Tokyo Motorshow (which was based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan). DaimlerChrysler attempted to buy the Rolls-Royce/Bentley marque when Vickers offered the company up for sale. When this attempt failed (they were outbid by BMW and Volkswagen respectively) they introduced the Maybach as a direct challenger in 2002. Both models are variants of the same ultra-luxurious automobile. The model numbers reflect the respective lengths of the automobiles in decimetres; the 57 is more likely to be owner-driven while the longer 62 is designed with a chauffeur in mind. The engine is a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12, generating 550 hp.

8. Rolls-Royce Phantom $320,000

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The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a luxury saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, a BMW subsidiary. It was launched in 2003 and is the first Rolls-Royce model made under the ownership of BMW. It has a 6.8 L, 48-valve, V12 engine that produces 453 hp (338 kW) and 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m) of torque. The engine is derived from BMW's existing V12 powerplant. It is 1.63 m (63 in) tall, 1.99 m (74.8 in) wide, 5.83 m (228 in) long, and weighs 2485 kg (5478 lb). The body of the car is built on an aluminium spaceframe and the Phantom can accelerate to 60 mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 s.

9. Lamborghini Murcielago $279,900

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The Lamborghini Murciélago is a GT and supercar automobile made by Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was introduced in 2002 as the successor to the Diablo. The body style is a two door, two seat coupé. The LP640 version was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 2006. It features a 6.5 L engine, now producing 640 bhp, improving performance substantially. There were also a few minor external changes, primarily to the low air intakes.

10. Aston Martin Vanquish $255,000

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The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is a supercar manufactured by Aston Martin since 2001. It rose to fame after being featured as the official James Bond car in Die Another Day, the twentieth James Bond film. In the film, the Vanquish has the usual Bond film embellishments, including active camouflage which rendered the vehicle virtually invisible. The Vanquish is powered by a 5.9 L (5935 cc) 48-valve 60° V12 engine, which produces 343 kW (460 hp) and 542 N·m (400 ft·lbf) of torque. It is controlled by a fly-by-wire throttle and a 6 speed 'paddle shift' or semi-automatic transmission. A special V12 Vanquish S debuted at the 2004 Paris Auto Show with the power upped to 388 kW (520 hp) and 577 N·m (426 ft·lbf).

Top 10 poorest countries in the world

2012-03-22T03:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of the top 10 poorest countries in the world according to data gathered by the International Monetary Fund and the CIA World Fact book. As you might have guessed 9 out of 10 poorest countries in the world are situated in Africa. The wealth of a country is measured by GDP per capita and it stands for the average value of goods and services a person produced living his country

This post is written thanks to a lot of people reading my article Top 10 richest countries in the world and also wanting to know about the world’s poorest countries. Your support and comments are valuable to me. Thank you!

10. Afghanistan – $800 (GDP per capita)

Afghanistan villagers moving their camp

Afghanistan is probably the only poorest county in the world that doesn’t need any introduction. Thanks to the plane crashes of 9/11 and the subsequent American quest for revenge almost everyone knows of this poor landlocked South Asian country. What many people don’t realize however is that the country that gave birth to the world’s foremost terrorist Osama Bin Laden is actually called the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. It is a public secret however that history has never seen Afghanistan lose a war. They might be one of the poorest but they know how to fight. Instead of a traditional army they simply resist with small counter attacks that eventually tire out the enemy.

Over 70% of Afghanis live with less than 2$ a day. To make money a lot of people have gone into drug trafficking. Afghanistan is the world’s largest exporter of heroin. The drug problem in this poor country is so large that a drug test in the Afghanistan police force showed that 17% of the countries police officers had lately used drugs. Even worse – only 30% of the police can read! No wonder Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world.

9. Central African Republic – $754

Women in Central African Republic fixing dinner with their children

As the unoriginal name suggest this former French colony is right in the middle of Africa. Being among 1 of the poorest countries in the world means that the governmental control of the country is extremely weak. The well-being of the population is entirely dependent on foreign aid and numerous nonprofit organizations. The very present of aid workers in the country is the largest source of revenue for Central Africans. An estimated 40% of import revenue comes from selling diamonds mined from the countries rich land.

Like other poor African countries in this list the Central African Republic is actually self-sufficient in food but still a lot of people suffer from malnutrition and famine. This is because farm owners rather sell their crops to foreign countries with money than to give it all away cheaply to the fellow countrymen. In 2006 rebel forces not satisfied with the way things were going attacked government forces, leaving another 50 000 people to die of starvation.

8. Sierra Leone – $747

Children carrying water near Freetown, Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a poor west African country that has English as its official language. Over the years however the locals have used English to derive their own language called Krio. It uses English vocabulary but the grammar comes from 12 different African languages. As is the case with a lot of the top 10 poorest countries, Sierra Leone is also one of the largest diamond manufacturers of the world. If you have seen the movie Blood Diamond you should know that it is based on Sierra Leone.

Between 1991-2001 about 50 000 people were killed in the country’s civil war, leaving the people even poorer than they were before. At least 500 000 people fled to neighboring Guinea and Liberia. While everyone is required to go to school, the shortage of schools means that the law requiring to get an education cannot be followed. About 66% of adults are illiterate. The health care system also leaves a lot to complain about. Sierra Leone has one of the highest infant mortality rates and lowest life expectancy in the world. No wonder Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries of the world.

7. Eritrea – $739

A typical wedding ceremony dance in Eritrea

The location of Eritrea gives it an advantage of controlling the sea route through the Suez Canal. This is why Italy made it its colony just a year after the opening of the canal in 1869 and why the British conquered it in 1941. In the present Eritrea has been accused by the USA of having relations with terrorists. In 2009 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton accused Eritrea in supplying weapons to Somali an militant group al-Shabab which is believed to have relations with Al Qaeda.

In history it is known that the Egyptian pharaohs used Eritrea as a source of war elephants. Lately however the elephants are almost wiped out from the country. During 1955 and 2001 no elephants were sighted. It is believed that they have fallen victims to the ongoing wars in Eritrea. The whole country only has 824 schools and 2 universities – unnecessary to say illiteracy is a huge problem. No wonder Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in the world.

6. Niger – $736

People fleeing the poor Niger

Niger is one of the poorest countries in Africa – over 80% of its land is covered by the giant desert of Sahara. While it might seem like a hostile place to live it is actually even worse – ongoing droughts are leading to more desertification. One day the whole Republic of Niger might be swallowed by the mighty desert. Currently most of its terrain is made up of desert plains and sand dunes with some savanna around the Niger River. Over 5000 years ago the same land was actually covered with fertile grasslands – the desertification has took place in the last 2000 years.

While the country is over twice the size France, it only has less than 10 000 km of roads of which less than 800 km is paved. All the paved roads are inside the cities. There are no paved roads connecting the cities to each other. Niger is the world’s largest exporter of uranium. Just like other countries in the top 10 poorest countries of the world list, only about 1 in 4 persons have ever attended school. Niger also boasts a small army – it has about 12000 troops and 4 aircrafts .

5. Somalia – $600

Traditional house in poor Somali an village

Unlike many African countries Somalia has never been officially colonized by any country. The efforts of the British Empire were successfully driven back at least 4 times. While Somalia is situated in Eastern Africa it has close ties to the Arab world. As a Muslim country it also belongs to the Arab League. Probably because of its Islamic background Somalia has one of the lowest HIV and Aids infection rates. Somalia’s friendship with the Soviet Union enabled it to build the largest military in Africa – unfortunately it proved ineffective to withhold the civil war that broke out in 1991.

In recent years the poor people of Somalia have found a new way to make money – hijacking international boats and taking the crew and the cargo as hostage. Piracy in Somalia has become so common that when young boys grow up they wish to become pirates because that’s where the money is. International companies are known to pay pirates from 1 to 20 million dollars just to get the ships back. An oil tanker filled with oil can be worth a few hundred million dollars.

4. Burundi – $401

People dancing in Burundi Village

In addition to being one of the poorest countries in the world this small landlocked African country is known for its wars between the inhabiting competing tribes. The reason Burundi is so poor is because they have never really had any peaceful time between the everlasting civil wars. Corruption, poor access to education, and a high percentage of HIV and AIDS are all the things that Burundi is known for. Approximately 80% of Burundians live in poverty and according to the World Food Programmed 57% of children less than 5 years suffer from chronic malnutrition. 93% of Burundi’s exports revenues come from selling coffee.

According to a study done in 178 countries the people of Burundi have the lowest life satisfaction in the world. As a result of poverty it is almost entirely dependent on foreign aid. No wonder Burundi is the 4th poorest country in the world.

3. Liberia – $379

A rebel in Monrovia, Liberia, keeping watch in front of a house and car full of bullet holes

Liberia is one of the few countries in Africa that have not been colonized by Europe. Instead, Liberia was founded and colonized by the slaves who escaped from America. These slaves made up the elite of the country and they established a government that closely resembled that of the United States of America. In 1980 the president of Liberia was overthrown and a period of instability and civil war followed. After the killings of hundreds of thousands Liberia is in a deep economic crisis. Statistics indicate that about 90% of the population lives below $1.25 a day.

As the 3rd poorest country in the world, Liberia has an unemployment rate of 85%. Just as its neighbor Sierra Leone, Liberia was known for its blood diamonds during the civil war. As a results the United Nations banned diamond exports from the country. Compared to the 7 children each women gives birth to on average – the life expectancy of 44 years seems incredibly short. No wonder Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world!

2. Democratic Republic of the Congo – $334

A child in Congo riding a self made wooden bike

Not to be mixed with the neighboring Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was known as Zaire until 1997. Congo is the largest country in the world that has French as an official language – the population of Congo is about 1 million larger than the population of France (66 million people in Congo vs 65 million in France). The Second Congo War beginning in 1998 has devastated the country. The war that involves at least 7 foreign armies is the deadliest conflict in the world since World War II – it has already killed 5.4 million people. In Africa the war is called African World War. It is estimated that in 2010 at least 45 000 people in Congo are killed monthly.

Congo is also one of the last places on earth with tribes of cannibals. An Mbuti pygmy testified before the UN that their people were hunted down and eaten like animals by neighboring tribes. Eating other people is a way to survive the famines that is affecting about 67% of the population. Congo is also believed to be the worst place in the world for women – it has the most rapes per women in a year. Locals believe that sleeping with a virgin girl will cure AIDS.

1. Zimbabwe – $0.1

A traditional house in a village in Zimbabwe

Thanks to hyperinflation Zimbabwe has become the poorest country in the world. It used to one of the 10 poorest countries but the 87.9 sextillion percent inflation has left the countries economy into ruins. The inflation worrying the country since 2007 saw the government printing 100 billion dollar bills that were only good enough to buy a few eggs. In August 2008 there was even a time where the government simply decided to take 10 zeroes off of every bank not – simply because they didn’t fit very well. Just 6 months later they removed an additional 12 zeroes. The 87 sextillion percent inflation meant that throughout the year prices kept doubling every 1.1 days. In other words – when an apple would cost 1 dollars on Monday it would already cost 64 dollars on Sunday. In a month the same apple would cost just over 1 billion dollars.

A boy in Zimbabwe going shopping with the equivalant of 3 US dollars

The largest bank note that the government of Zimbabwe released was the 100 trillion dollar bill issued on January 2009. In addition to the economic problems the life expectancy of Zimbabwe is the lowest in the world – 37 years for men and just 34 for women. One of the problems for the early deaths are the 20.1% of the population with HIV and AIDS. The health issues aren’t seeing any improvement – in 2009 3 of the 4 largest hospitals and the countries only medical school was shut down.

top 10 most expensive cell phones

2012-03-14T05:44:00.002-07:00

Portable, handy, functional and efficient device for communication, that was all Dr. Martin Cooper might have wanted when he invented the mobile phone. Years have passed briskly and, cell phones have now become an icon for identification and pride than just communication means. Moreover, regarded as smart and efficient these small devices have gone through roller coaster changes. With added features and style, cell phones come with a wide range of price tags suiting all classes. Here is a list of top 10 expensive cell phones which we could get our hands on.

1. Goldstriker iPhone 3GS Supreme – $3.2 million

This luxury gadget from designer Stuart Hughes is the world’s most expensive cell phone. Unveiled in 2009, the Goldstriker iPhone is encrusted with 271 grams of 22 carat pure solid gold. More the 200 diamonds adore the cell phone. Apple logo on the back features 53 gems and the home button is covered with a single 7.1-carat diamond. The iPhone 3GS Supreme comes in a chest carved from granite and Kashmir gold along with a lining made from top Nubuck grain leather.

2. GoldVish Le Million- $1.3 million

Designed by Emmanuel Gueit, GoldVish LeMillion holds the 2nd position in our countdown for the most expensive cell phones. Certifierd, unique by the Guinness World Records in 2008, the cell phone sports 20 carats of VVS1 (only microscopically flawed) diamonds, and 18k white gold. 2 GB storage, FM radio, digital camera, MP3 playback and bluetooth are the internal features of the cell phone. Available by individual order, GoldVish LeMillion is the Geneva-based communications company ace in its Illusion Collection.

3. Diamond Crypto Smartphone – $1.3 million

This Moscow based JSC Ancort product is explicitly designed by luxury accessory designer Peter Aloisson. This expensive smart phone is encased in a platinum base and has 50 diamonds including eight rare blue diamonds. The navigation key and the Ancort logo are of 18k rose gold. SMS, MMS, Internet and E-mail capability, media player, WAP and JAVA support is the features of this device. The cell phone comes with a 256 bit cryptographic algorithm built on Windows CE and a high resolution TFT display.

4. Vertu Signature Cobra- $310,000

French jeweler Boucheron is the producer of this luxuary gadget. Vertu cobra phones are part of a limited edition series, and so far only eight cobra phones are made. One carat round diamond, two carat pear cut diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies all totaling to 21 carats are used to give the phone a cobra look. Vertu phones also provide service and information about travel, restaurants, entertainment and events. A cheaper version of the same cell phone which is reuby free is available at $115,000.

5. VIPN Black Diamond Smartphone- $300,000

VIPN Black Diamond smartphone holds the 5th position in our geek list of the world’s most expensive cell phones. This product designed by Jaren Goh has a body made from titan and polycarbonate combination and spots a cutting edge mirror finish cladding, adorned with diamonds. This trendy cell phone has an Intel 400Mhz processor, 4 mega pixel camera, touch sensitive 2? 256K TFT screen, 128 MB internal memory, 2GB external memory storage card and Wi-fi/Bluetooth adaptability.

6. iPhone Princess Plus- $176,400

Designed by Peter Aloisson, the iPhone Princess Plus makes the 6th spot on our list. This cell phone is so named because of the princess shaped diamond cut it features all over the casing. 138 diamonds out of 318 diamonds are shaped in this style, whereas, the others has a brilliant-cut pattern. The diamond collection totals 17.75 carats and white gold totals 18k. All brilliant-cut version of the iPhone Princess Plus is available at a lower price tag of $66,150.

7. Vertu Diamond- $88,000

This Vertu phone holds the 7th spot in our countdown of the 10 most expensive cell phones. The phone features a body constructed by refined platinum and is underpinned with precious ruby bearings. The phone has ceramic composition body mixture components originally intended for space shuttle program. The main drawback of the phone is the absence of a camera. 200 such phones have only been sold worldwide.

8. Motorola V220 Special Edition- $51,800

Motorolla has made a foothold in the luxury cell phones segment through its most eligible candidate- the Motorola Special V220 edition. Priced at $51,800 the phone designed by the Austrian designer Peter Aloisson looks pretty much feminine in aesthetics. This flip phone comes with all the standard features and is studded with 1200 diamonds on the front panel. The keyboard is laid with 18 carat gold.

9. Gold Edition Nokia 8800- $2,700

Nokia 8800 gold edition is the exclusive Nokia candidate in our top 10. The phone has pretty much the same standard features of the Nokia 8800; however, the outlook casing of the cell phone is quite different. The phone is encased with 24k covering and owning one of these beauties will undoubtedly capture attention all around you. The phone has a 2, 62,000 color TFT (208 x 208) display screen along with a SVGA .5 MP camera. MMS, SMS, USB, Java, WAP, Infrared, Bluetooth and Edge connectivity are present in this smart phone. All standard features like FM Radio, Mp3 Player, 64 polyphonic and Video Recording are also present.

10. Nokia Lamborghini 8800 Sirocco- $Yet to be announced

This Nokia product is a part of the Lamborghini 500-piece limited edition and is yet to be given a price tag. Tri-band GSM coverage is the main feature of this phone. The display panel is coated with a scratch resistant sapphire coated glass. Color TFT display, digital MP3 player, 128 MB of internal memory is the other integrated feature. In addition, Instant Messaging, xHTML browsing and video streaming services are available. Data transfer via Bluetooth, GPRS, TCP/IP or EDGE is also possible with this device.

Top 10 Spoken Languages Today!

2012-03-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what the top spoken languages around the world are? Or wanted to choose a second language to learn based on geographical popularity?

10. German spoken by 90,30,000

9. Japanese spoken by 122,100,000

8. Russian spoken by 143,600, 000

7. Portuguese spoken by 178,000,000

6. Bengali spoken by 181,300,000

5. Hindi spoken by 181,700, 000

4. Arabic spoken by 340,000, 000

3. English spoken by 390,000,000

2. Spanish spoken by 450,000,000

1. Chinese (Cantonese) 1,300,000,000

Top 10 Search Engines Today

2012-03-11T09:50:00.001-07:00

10.

top 10 richest country in the world

2012-03-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

1. United States of America

GDP - $14,660,000,000,000

2. China

GDP - $10,090,000,000,000

3. Japan

GDP - $4,310,000,000,000

4. India

GDP - $4,060,000,000,000

5. Germany

GDP - $2,940,000,000,000

6. Russia

GDP - $2,223,000,000,000

7. United Kingdom

GDP - $2,173,000,000,000

8. Brazil

GDP - $2,172,000,000,000

9. France

GDP - $2,145,000,000,000

10. Italy

GDP - $1,774,000,000,000

top 10 fhm sexiest women philippines 2011

2012-03-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

If you have wondered who the sexiest Pinays are, check out the following list. These Pinays let their natural sensuality shine, making them the sexiest of them all.

The best TOP 10 Movie theaters

2012-02-15T06:12:00.000-08:00

The best movie theaters always make the movie better.

You could be watching the third re-run of your own birth, but if you're snuggled into a soft seat with buttery popcorn in your lap and a sound system that feels like its channeled directly into your temporal lobe, somehow you'll come out feeling like you had a good time.

For the global jet-setting movie junkie, these are some movie theaters that take a good experience and make it great.

1. Cine Thisio, Athens, Greece

Movie magic as close to Mount Olympus as possible.

Athens is home to multiple outdoor movie theaters that crop up during the summer but none provide as majestic a view as Cine Thisio.

From your seat at Cine Thisio you not only get to view the latest blockbuster but also the Acropolis, and the Parthenon that sits on top. The best view is at night.

Cine Thisio is the oldest outdoor movie theater in Athens, built in 1935, and is usually open from April to October. Cine Thisio shows both first-run studio releases and classic movies.

2. Alamo Drafthouse, Texas, United States

Don't worry, you don't have to dress like a hipster wrestler for all Alamo events.

It shouldn’t make sense that a movie theater chain has such street cred, but Alamo Drafthouse does. Think of it as the cool kid brother movie theater.

Alamo Drafthouse started out in Austin, Texas, and hosts a whole series of events including Heckle Vision, Quote Alongs and nights where experts rip apart Michael Bay popcorn blockbusters.

But what makes the Alamo theaters really cool are its policies: no children under the age of six, no talking, an extremely strict no-cellphone policy (as this curse-laden voicemail left by an unhappy customer demonstrates) and no ads before the movie.

This is a movie theater experience as it should be: the movie you pay for, zero annoyances and great food and beers being served to your seat.

3. Raj Mandir Theatre, Jaipur, India

Housing 1,200 seats, the show place for the nation.

Come here for the ultimate Bollywood experience: the national anthem at the start, a choice of expensive and cheaper seats, the three-hour Hindi flick bisected with an interlude and applaud along with the locals whenever the hero shows up on screen.

With its pink Art Deco-inspired exterior made up of waves and asymmetrical shapes, the Raj Mandir is a symbol of Jaipur, a city laid out beautifully from its founding in the 18th century.

It opened in 1976, seats around 1,200 and usually fills up. With ticket prices around Rs100 (US$1.90), this won't be your most luxurious movie outing, but it will definitely rank among the most memorable.

4. Kino International, Berlin, Germany

There's beauty in the straight lines and right angles.

A remnant of the Cold War, Kino International dates back to Germany's socialist period. Today Kino International boasts a well-rounded art-house program and hosts a strong list of premieres, festivals and parties.

The movie theater is situated along Karl Marx Allee, where entire blocks of buildings carry heritage status and are protected by the Denkmalschutz in Berlin.

This heritage status means that the outside façade of Kino International, along with its interior furnishings, cannot be altered.

5. 4DX, Seoul, South Korea

All of the latest in movie technology housed in one theater.

4DX bills itself as the first 4-D movie theater in the world that screens studio releases, taking 3-D movies to the next level by introducing movement and scent, as well as wind and water effects.

Sitting through amusement park-type effects for such a long time may not be suitable for everyone, and people with heart disease, back pains, pregnant women and children under one meter are discouraged from entering.

4DX aims to “free” the moviegoer by connecting with the characters on screen, placing them into the shoes of the protagonist by feeling what he feels.

6. Uplink X, Tokyo, Japan

Only in Japan can space constraints be sold as a plus.

Uplink X calls itself the smallest movie theater in Japan, with 40 seats. It's housed in a multipurpose building managed by Uplink Co. alongside Uplink Factory, a multipurpose theater space and Uplink’s café Tabela.

Its standout feature is its "social seating" plan -- the 10 various types of seats are not screwed into the ground, but can be moved around within the space, making the movie-watching experience more interactive and social.

7. Prasads, Hyderabad, India

A multiplex can be interesting if it offers something new for moviegoers.

You might mistake Prasads as just another entertainment complex in Hyderabad -- but take a look at its cinema screen; it's the largest IMAX 3-D screen in the world.

Measuring 72 x 92 feet, and running since 2003, it receives more than 1,500 calls a day to the telephone booking line.

Sydney may have the largest IMAX in the world at 97 x 117 feet, but throw in the 3-D technology and you get yourself on this list.

The biggest grossing films in IMAX 3-D for Prasads so far have been "Avatar," "The Polar Express" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

8. Cine de Chef, Seoul, South Korea

Nothing dissonant about pairing French-made seats with the latest Matt Damon thriller.

Korean movie theater company CGV claims another spot on this list with its Cine de Chef theater, which gives a luxury spin to the “dinner and a movie” concept.

Many other movie theaters also provide food and beverage options to moviegoers, but Cine de Chef stands out with its upscale French-Italian cuisine, courtesy of a former Park Hyatt chef.

After dinner, patrons can relax for the duration of the movie in the Quinette Gallay seats, specially designed for Cine de Chef. The seats are by the same people who make private movie theater seats for United Arab Emirates royalty.

This meal and a movie doesn’t come cheap, however; prices start at ₩38,000 (US$34) for a lunch and a movie ticket. The dinner prices start at ₩60,000 (US$53).

9. Secret Cinema, Worldwide

Even the term "movie theater" is now a malleable term.

This may be stretching the concept of the movie theater since Secret Cinema does not host events in a single physical space -- the location is determined by the movie screened.

Secret Cinema is a London-based group that organizes monthly movie events shrouded in mystery. Patrons are told not to reveal the location or even the movie screened.

Once you register, you are told the day of the screening to gather at a predetermined location. From there hired actors put on a live-action version of scenes from the movie before the finale, a theatrical showing of the movie itself.

10. The Castro Theatre, San Francisco, United States

Sometimes old school is still cool.

The term “movie palace” was coined to describe the elaborately designed theaters that sprung up in the first half of the 20th century in the United States.

Opened in 1922, the Castro Theatre is one of the last vestiges of that bygone era still in operation. Its Mexican cathedral-inspired façade continues to captivate tourists and moviegoers.

With the decadence of its lobby and auditorium, and the attention to detail in the wet plaster motifs on either side of the screen, the Castro presents simply what new technologies are attempting to mimic -- the pleasure of the movie-watching experience.

Source: CNNGO

Top 10 Best Valentine’s Day Gifts

2012-02-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

That time of the year comes once again when men and women, including lovers and couples, share their feelings of love and show every inch of devotion and affection in that day of Valentines. One way of showing such emotion is through giving gifts that does not just measure one’s purchasing power, but thoughtfulness, love, and sheer enjoyment. See this top 10 list for the best Valentine’s Day gifts for 2012 and find out some ideas that can make you lady or man happy.

1. Long Stemmed Bouquet of 12 Red Roses

When you think that just one stem of white rose means “One True Love”, you can convey your message more if you have purchase a bouquet of 12 red roses. They may be more expensive in this time of the year, but the number 12 means the full cycle of a clock, the 12 zodiac sings, or the 12 months in a year. Giving such a gift expresses that you think of your lover and your affection is consistent all year long, Red roses are always the best Valentine’s Day gift.

2. Big Plush Teddy Bear

This gift is considered a classic because stuff toys are weaknesses of girls, especially those that are huge and great companies in bed. Teddy Bears are specifically favorites because they are cuddly and cute. However, if you think this is just for the girls, wait until you gift your lover a huge teddy bear that Mr. Bean likes. It may be simple, but it makes a clear statement that boys love toys too.

3. Personalized Jewelries

Whether you may think of pendants and necklaces for girls or rings and embellished necktie pins for the boys, what makes a jewelry gift customized for Valentine’s Day is the inclusion and engraving of names of the couple, and not just the name of the person to be given the gift to. Make sure that you give this in a place and time that is considered to be the most romantic, and this gift will work like a charm.

4. Box of Chocolates or Chocolate Gift Baskets

“Sweets for the sweet, sugar for your honey” is a line that expresses the love you feel for your other half. Even though your box of chocolates may consist of expensive brands and names, or just a chockfull of the chocolates your lover likes, price is not the name of the game in this gift. What matters is your thought and effort in coming up with such a gift.

5. Bath and Spa Gift Sets

Valentine’s Day is not just all about love, but it is also that time of the year where making your other half feel pampered, comfortable, and relaxed. With this said, bath and spa packages are perfect for spending some special time in a truly intimate setting. Imagine the candles, the soothing scent of aromatherapy that eases the senses, and even the warmth of each other’s presence. You can even include gifts such as scented candles, aromatherapy kits, and even soft towels.

6. Luxury Cruise

It can be costly, but this is a gift that combines many packages into one. Aside from the dinner taken on the middle of the ocean, it also gets romantic with dance and song, musicians playing while enjoying meals together, or sleeping in a suite inside an expensive cruise ship. There are even packages where you can enjoy sports, spas, and saunas while in the cruise.

7. Expensive Perfume

Aside from having it used for Valentine’s, this kind of gift can be used in any occasion at any given time of the year. This kind of gift is not just for the ladies but for the guys also as there are scents created for both genders.

8. A Ticket for Two in a Valentine’s Concert

Every year, there are certain famous bands, groups, and even singers that render concerts, which is intended to spice up the night for couples and lovers through a night of sweet sentimental music and serenade of songs that tickle one’s love bone. After the concert, you can couple it with a dinner that ends a perfect night of love.

9. A Bungee Jump Together

It may take some time to get into the place where you can make the jump, but doing this together can make you feel closer through thick and thin, and even close in danger and disaster. Yes, it can make your heart jump with fear, but taking this one extreme event means a lot for Valentines.

10. Cookbook for Unique Recipes

This kind of gift may be preferable for the ladies as they really love spending some time in the kitchen, experimenting something new for their man in encountering a gastronomical experience. However, you can make this gift more special if you could cook different unique recipes together. Just imagine that you can both explore your preferences in food, snacks, favorite treats, and even hated meals, while cooking dinner that you can both enjoy with each other.

Source: Direct Rooms

Top 5 Valentine Romantic Destinations

2012-02-09T05:12:00.000-08:00

1. Valentines City Breaks to Paris

Paris earned the reputation as the perfect Valentines city break. Short Valentines breaks to France are easy to take, the food outstanding and the atmosphere truly romantic, creating the perfect Valentine's Day gift idea.

2. Romantic Valentines Breaks on Lake Como

If you are looking for something really special as a Valentines gift, look no further than a Valentines break to Lake Como - quite simply, the most beautiful, peaceful and romantic spot in the whole of Italy.

3. Valentines Holidays to Prague

A break in Prague is a delightful Valentine's Day gift. There is no end of entertainment in Prague, with bars and restaurants filling the romantic streets with folk music and the scent of local delicacies late into the night.

4. Valentines Breaks to Sardinia

What could be more romantic than a Valentines weekend of breathtaking scenery, stunning beaches and magnificent food? Taking a private villa in Sardinia for your Valentines break is an unforgettable Valentine's Day gift idea.

5. Romantic Valentines Holidays in the Caribbean

Taking a private villa in the Caribbean is the ultimate Valentines idea. Lying together on fine white sand with a chilled cocktail in hand, soothed by the sound of the sea gently lapping the shore is an unrivalled experience.

Source: Direct Rooms

World's top new landmarks

2012-02-03T03:39:00.000-08:00

The new best landmarks in the world are ...

Arizona's Grand Canyon Skywalk is the best new bridge, New York by Gehry the top new skyscraper and the Statue of Liberty the most visited landmark, according to Travel + Leisure magazine.

The New York-based travel magazine conducted an online survey last year to discover the world's top new landmarks.

Some 60 landmarks were rated in different categories -- skyscrapers; parks and public spaces; museums; bridges; sports and performance venues as well as classic landmarks.

New landmarks are defined as landmarks opened after 1996, while classic landmarks are those opened in or before 1996.

Respondents were also asked if they had actually been to the sites to identify which are the "most seen" landmarks.

Although the results are heavily skewed to the United States, Beijing's National Stadium, the "Bird's Nest," and Mexico City's shiny silver Museo Soumaya managed to take the top spots for their respective categories.

What are your favorite new landmarks? Let us know in the comments.

Top New Bridges

1. Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona

2. Henderson Waves Pedestrian Bridge, Singapore

3. Millau Viaduct, Millau, France

4. Ponte della Costituzione, Venice, Italy

5. Langkawi Sky Bridge, Langkawi, Malaysia

Grand Canyon Skywalk: best bridge ...

to have an adrenaline rush.

Top New Museums

1. Museo Soumaya, Mexico City

2. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas

3. Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston

4. Modern Wing, Art Institute of Chicago

5. De Young Museum, San Francisco

Museo Soumaya: Carlos Slim's treasure box.

Top New Parks and Public Spaces

1. National September 11 Memorial, New York City

2. Millennium Park, Chicago

3. Sands SkyPark at Marina Bay, Singapore

4. High Line, New York City

5. Metropol Parasol, Seville, Spain

National September 11 Memorial: a place

to remember.

Top New Skyscrapers

1. New York by Gehry, New York City

2. Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

3. Turning Torso, Malmö, Sweden

4. Swiss Re Building, London, England

5. CCTV Building, Beijing, China

New York by Gehry: skyscraping as art.

Top Arenas and Performance Venues

1. National Stadium, Beijing, China

2. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles

3. National Aquatic Center, Beijing, China

4. Wembley Stadium, London, England

5. Winspear Opera House, Dallas

National Stadium: Bird's Nest, top new

stadium.

Top Classic Landmarks

1. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

2. Statue of Liberty, New York/New Jersey

3. Machu Picchu, Peru

4. Colosseum, Rome, Italy

5. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Eiffel Tower: stays classy for many decades.

Most-Visited Landmarks

1. Statue of Liberty, New York/New Jersey

2. Empire State Building, New York City

3. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

4. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

5. Big Ben, London, England

Statue of Liberty: the most-seen landmark.

Source: CNNGO

Philippines sets tree-planting record

2012-01-24T03:13:00.000-08:00

The event, which saw 64,096 trees planted in just 15 minutes, is part of a government drive to reforest parts of the country

Residents planting tree seedlings in the town of Pili in Camarines Sur province on February 23.

Conservationists planted a total of 64,096 trees in the eastern Philippine province of Camrines Sur within 15 minutes recently, breaking the Guinness World Record for the most trees planted simultaneously.

The Independent reported that close to 7,000 people from Siruma and Tinambac participated in the tree planting activity, which was organized under the El Verde ("The Green") program.

The provincial government plans to plant 12 million trees in the denuded forests of Camrines Sur by 2012. The idea is to make Camrines Sur "the greenest and most environmentally friendly province in Asia."

Camrines Sur is already one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines.

El Verde's feat smashed the record that was set last year by volunteers in the Himalayan district of Leh, where a total of 50,300 Ladakhi willows were planted in under an hour.

Global green group Conservation International recently ranked the Philippines as one of the top 10 endangered forest hotspots in the world, with only 7 percent of its original habitat remaining.

Source: CNNGO

Top 15 Social Networking Sites

2012-01-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

1 | Facebook

2 - eBizMBA Rank | 750,000,000 - Estimated Unique Monthly Visitors | 2 - Compete Rank | 2 - Quantcast Rank | 2 - Alexa Rank.