yaroavan

Top 10 Web Hosting

2011-02-25T06:21:00.001-08:00

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Rank

Provider

Price

Space/Transfer

Features

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Dynamics of Flight

2011-02-25T04:51:00.000-08:00

What is Air?

Air is a physical substance which has weight. It has molecules which are constantly moving. Air pressure is created by the molecules moving around. Moving air has a force that will lift kites and balloons up and down. Air is a mixture of different gases; oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. All things that fly need air. Air has power to push and pull on the birds, balloons, kites and planes.

In 1640, Evagelista Torricelli discovered that air has weight. When experimenting with measuring mercury, he discovered that air put pressure on the mercury.

Francesco Lana used this discovery to begin to plan for an airship in the late 1600s. He drew an airship on paper that used the idea that air has weight. The ship was a hollow sphere which would have the air taken out of it. Once the air was removed, the sphere would have less weight and would be able to float up into the air. Each of four spheres would be attached to a boat-like structure and then the whole machine would float. The actual design was never tried.

Hot air expands and spreads out and it becomes lighter than cool air. When a balloon is full of hot air it rises up because the hot air expands inside the balloon. When the hot air cools and is let out of the balloon the balloon comes back down.

How Wings Lift the Plane

Airplane wings are curved on the top which make air move faster over the top of the wing. The air moves faster over the top of a wing. It moves slower underneath the wing. The slow air pushes up from below while the faster air pushes down from the top. This forces the wing to lift up into the air.

Laws of Motion

Sir Isaac Newton proposed three laws of motion in 1665. These Laws of Motion help to explain how a planes flies.

1. If an object is not moving, it will not start moving by itself. If an object is moving, it will not stop or change direction unless something pushes it.

2. Objects will move farther and faster when they are pushed harder.

3. When an object is pushed in one direction, there is always a resistance of the same size in the opposite direction.

Forces of Flight

Four forces of flight

Lift - upward
Drag - down and backward
Weight - downward
Thrust - forward

Controlling the Flight of a Plane

How does a plane fly? Let's pretend that our arms are wings. If we place one wing down and one wing up we can use the roll to change the direction of the plane. We are helping to turn the plane by yawing toward one side. If we raise our nose, like a pilot can raise the nose of the plane, we are raising the pitch of the plane. All these dimensions together combine to control the flight of the plane. A pilot of a plane has special controls that can be used to fly the plane. There are levers and buttons that the pilot can push to change the yaw, pitch and roll of the plane.

To roll the plane to the right or left, the ailerons are raised on one wing and lowered on the other. The wing with the lowered aileron rises while the wing with the raised aileron drops.

Pitch is to make a plane descend or climb. The pilot adjusts the elevators on the tail to make a plane descend or climb. Lowering the elevators caused the airplane's nose to drop, sending the plane into a down. Raising the elevators causes the airplane to climb.

Yaw is the turning of a plane. When the rudder is turned to one side, the airplane moves left or right. The airplane's nose is pointed in the same direction as the direction of the rudder. The rudder and the ailerons are used together to make a turn

How does a Pilot Control the Plane?

Click on the Radar Display, the Direction Finder, the Altitude Indicator and the Throttle Console parts of the cockpit for a more detailed view.

To control a plane a pilot uses several instruments...

The pilot controls the engine power using the throttle. Pushing the throttle increases power, and pulling it decreases power.

The ailerons raise and lower the wings. The pilot controls the roll of the plane by raising one aileron or the other with a control wheel. Turning the control wheel clockwise raises the right aileron and lowers the left aileron, which rolls the aircraft to the right.

Picture of plane in roll

The rudder works to control the yaw of the plane. The pilot moves rudder left and right, with left and right pedals. Pressing the right rudder pedal moves the rudder to the right. This yaws the aircraft to the right. Used together, the rudder and the ailerons are used to turn the plane.

Picture of plane Yaw

The elevators which are on the tail section are used to control the pitch of the plane. A pilot uses a control wheel to raise and lower the elevators, by moving it forward to back ward. Lowering the elevators makes the plane nose go down and allows the plane to go down. By raising the elevators the pilot can make the plane go up.

Picture of Plane Pitch

The pilot of the plane pushes the top of the rudder pedals to use the brakes. The brakes are used when the plane is on the ground to slow down the plane and get ready for stopping it. The top of the left rudder controls the left brake and the top of the right pedal controls the right brake.

If you look at these motions together you can see that each type of motion helps control the direction and level of the plane when it is flying.

Sound Barrier

Sound is made up of molecules of air that move. They push together and gather together to form sound waves . Sound waves travel at the speed of about 750 mph at sea level. When a plane travels the speed of sound the air waves gather together and compress the air in front of the plane to keep it from moving forward. This compression causes a shock wave to form in front of the plane.

In order to travel faster than the speed of sound the plane needs to be able to break through the shock wave. When the airplane moves through the waves, it is makes the sound waves spread out and this creates a loud noise or sonic boom . The sonic boom is caused by a sudden change in the air pressure. When the plane travels faster than sound it is traveling at supersonic speed. A plane traveling at the speed of sound is traveling at Mach 1 or about 760 MPH. Mach 2 is twice the speed of sound.

Regimes of Flight

Sometimes called speeds of flight, each regime is a different level of flight speed.

Seaplane	General Aviation(100-350 MPH). Most of the early planes were only able to fly at this speed level. Early engines were not as powerful as they are today. However, this regime is still used today by smaller planes. Examples of this regime are the small crop dusters used by farmers for their fields, two and four seater passenger planes, and seaplanes that can land on water.
Boeing 747	Subsonic (350-750 MPH). This category contains most of the commercial jets that are used today to move passengers and cargo. The speed is just below the speed of sound. Engines today are lighter and more powerful and can travel quickly with large loads of people or goods.
Concorde	Supersonic (760-3500 MPH - Mach 1 - Mach 5). 760 MPH is the speed of sound. It is also called MACH 1. These planes can fly up to 5 times the speed of sound. Planes in this regime have specially designed high performance engines. They are also designed with lightweight materials to provide less drag. The Concorde is an example of this regime of flight.
Space Shuttle	Hypersonic (3500-7000 MPH - Mach 5 to Mach 10). Rockets travel at speeds 5 to 10 times the speed of sound as they go into orbit. An example of a hypersonic vehicle is the X-15, which is rocket powered. The space shuttle is also an example of this regime. New materials and very powerful engines were developed to handle this rate of speed.

Top Coaching Institutes, Centers

2011-02-25T04:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Top Coaching Institutes in India, Best Coaching Centres, Centers, Classes in India section. There are many coaching institutes, centres and classes in India but very difficult to find the right one. We help you locate the list of best and top coaching and test preparation institutes, centers, classes for CAT, MAT, XAT, IAS, IIT JEE, MBA, AIEEE, PMT, CLAT, NDA, CA, CS, NIFT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, LSAT, SAT, SET, NMAT, SNAP, Bank PO, Civil Services, etc. You will also find top colleges accepting, that accept, require CAT Score, MAT, XAT, ATMA, SNAP, CET, GATE, JMET, AIEEE scores for admission into MBA colleges in Delhi Ncr, Mumbai, Kota, Chandigarh, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata, Noida, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Bhopal, Indore, Dehradun, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Panipat, Lukhnow, Kanpur, Patna, Nagpur, Thane, Coimbatore, Kochi, Navi Mumbai, India providing coaching on different exams like best Coaching for CAT, MAT, XAT, IIT-JEE, AIEEE, CLAT, NIFT, NID, BANK PO, NDA, SSB, AIPMT, IAS, GMAT, GRE, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, LSAT, CA, CS, ICWA, SET, NMAT, SNAP, Acturial Science, Civil Services, MBA coaching institutes, centres, centers and classes in Delhi Ncr, Mumbai, Kota, Chandigarh, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata, Noida, Gurgaon, India. You will also find articles on these entrance exams and on how to prepare for these tests and online sample test papers. You can also register for free alerts for the coaching institutes and centres you have shortlisted.


	Coaching institutes in Delhi		Coaching institutes in Mumbai
	Coaching institutes in Kota		Coaching institutes in Chandigarh
	Coaching institutes in Bangalore		Coaching institutes in Hyderabad
	Coaching institutes in Kolkata		Coaching institutes in Chennai

	Colleges accepting CAT score		Colleges accepting MAT score
	Colleges accepting CET score		Colleges accepting GATE score
	Colleges accepting ATMA score		Colleges accepting JMET score
	Colleges accepting SNAP score		Colleges accepting XAT score

Keyword

City

Arts, Architecture & Design Exams

	NIFT Coaching
	NID Coaching
	Art & Architecture
	CEED Coaching
	Arts Coaching Centres
	NATA Exam

Banking, Commerce & Finance

	Commerce
	Bank PO Exam
	Actuarial Science
	CA Coaching
	ICWA Coaching
	CS Coaching
	CFA / CFP Coaching

Civil Services/ Govt. Sector Exams

	IAS
	IES
	CSIR-UGC
	NDA/CDS/SSB/PABT

Computers & IT Exams

	MCA Coaching Centers
	BCA Coaching Classes
	RMCAAT

Engineering Exams

	IIT-JEE
	AIEEE
	MHT-CET
	GATE Coaching
	Science Coaching Classes
	BITSAT
	ENAT Exam
	VITEEE
	EAMCET
	COMEDK Exam
	UPSEE
	CETK
	RPET
	KIITEE

Foreign Admission Exams

	GMAT
	GRE
	TOEFL
	IELTS
	SAT Coaching
	LSAT
	USMLE

Management/ MBA Exams

	CAT
	MAT
	I-CET (Andhra)
	MBA
	BMS-CCEE
	BBA/ BBS
	Hotel Management
	CET Coaching
	RMAT Coaching
	MPMET Coaching
	ATMA Exam
	JMET Coaching
	XAT Coaching
	SNAP Test
	NMAT Exam
	IBSAT
	FMS Exam
	UGAT Exam
	TANCET
	KMAT
	GCET MBA
	KIITEE Management

Medical Exams

	MBBS
	CBSE- AIPMT
	MD Coaching
	MS Coaching Centres
	MDS Coaching Institutes
	AIIMS Coaching Classes
	GPAT Coaching Institutes

Others

	HSC Coaching Classes
	CLAT Coaching Institutes
	Symbiosis Entrance Test (SET)
	NMAT (T), (C) & (E) Exam

Best Universities in India, 2010

2011-02-25T04:36:00.001-08:00

List of Top Universities in India, Best Ranking Indian Universities List, University List in India, UGC Recognised Government, Private, Deemed Universities in India.

	Distance Education Universities		Study Abroad Universities
	Universities in Andhra Pradesh		Universities in Himachal Pradesh
	Universities in Madhya Pradesh		Universities in Uttar Pradesh

Type

City

...

University Name Location

University of Delhi

Delhi/NCR , India

Delhi University is one of the Top Universities in India. University of Delhi (DU) was established in 1922 by Government of India. It has 14 faculties, 86 academic departments. It offers courses various undergraduate and p...

University of Mumbai

Mumbai , India

University of Mumbai was established in 1857. It is one of the oldest and best universities in India. The university is accredited by NAAC with Five star grade. It has two campuses, 36 Departments & 354 affiliate...

University of Pune

Pune , India

University of Pune was established in 1949 under Bombay Legislature act. In a short span of time it has emerged as one of the best universities in India. It has over 411 Acres campus. The university has 269 affiliated coll...

Bangalore University

Bangalore , India

Bangalore University was established in 1964in Bangalore. The university is spread over a vast land of 1111 acres. There are over 50 post graduate courses offered here which are recognised by the UGC of India.

University of Madras

Chennai , India

University of Madras was set up in 1857. It is one of the top universities in India and the oldest university in India. Ir recognized by the UGC & NAAC with with the highest rating. It has 4 Campuses & 68 Departmen...

Amity University

Noida - Delhi/NCR , India

Amity University is one of the leading Private Universities in India with over 60000 students studying across 710 acres of hi-tech campus. Amity University and the Degrees awarded by them are recognized by the UGC. At Amit...

Sikkim Manipal University

Manipal , India

The Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Sciences was established in 1995. It is the first government-private initiative in the region. SMU is recognized by the University Grants Commission ...

Anna University

Chennai , India

Anna University was established in 1978 as a unitary type of University. It is spread over 100 hectares in the city of Chennai. This university is recognised by the UGC of India.

Annamalai University

Annamalai Nagar , India

Annamalai University is a State university in Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu which was established in 1929. This is one of the top universities in India under distance learning / open category. This University is recognised b...

University of Lucknow

Lucknow , India

University of Lucknow was established in 1921. The university is recognized by UGC and is considered one of the top universities in north India. It offers various undergraduate. postgraduate & doctorate courses in diff...

Jamia Millia Islamia

Delhi/NCR , India

Jamia Millia Islamia (National Islamic University) was established in 1920 by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988. The University is located in New Delhi. It offers Various Bachelor , Master & Ph.D courses in diffe...

Panjab University, Chandigarh

Chandigarh , India

Panjab University was established in 1882. It is is one of the oldest universities in India. The university has more than 550 acres campus at Chandigarh. It recognised by UGC. It offers undergraduate & postgraduate cou...

University of Calcutta

Kolkata , India

University of Calcutta also known as Calcutta University was established in 1857. It ranks among the top universities in India. The university was recognized by UGC. It is one of the oldest university in India.

Banaras Hindu University

Varanasi , India

Banaras Hindu University ranks among the first few in the country for research and academics. This was establised in Varanasi in the year 1916. It is recognised by the UGC of India.There are around 35000 students from all ...

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

Delhi/NCR , India

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was started in 1970. JNU recognized by UGC. The University has more than 1000 -acre campus at New Delhi .

...

Most Expensive Cars In The World: Top 10 List 2009-2010

2010-12-10T22:45:00.000-08:00

World's Most Expensive Cars
What is the most expensive car in the world? The 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold for $8,700,000 in 1987. However, that car and many alike will not be included in this list because it is not available on the market today. It is hard to imagine someone would actually spend 8 million dollars on a car instead of using it for something more productive. However, if you have the money and the opportunity, you will definitely spend a small fraction of it to place a few of these supercars in your garage. Here are the 10 most expensive production cars on the market.
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.

Dominates global outsourcing list

2010-11-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Who Will Dominate Offshoring in 2020?

A McKinsey consultant from Mumbai says India will retain its offshoring crown but could lose share to Russia and China if education doesn't keep up

Noshir Kaka is a director in the Mumbai office of analyst house McKinsey & Company. In an exclusive interview, silicon.com reporter Nick Heath spoke to Kaka about his forthcoming report on how India's 50 per cent share of the global offshore technology and business services market could slip away by 2020.

To view the full article Strengthening India's offshoring industry, just published on McKinsey Quarterly, click here.

What will happen to India's share of global IT and BPO market by 2020?

Dropping market share is one of scenarios that we have projected by 2020 if India chooses not to release the capacity in its education system.

India produces about three million graduates a year. The entire offshoring industry across IT and BPO is 2.1 million people, so clearly there're enough graduates – the real issue is the suitability of candidates. Effectively we are using a tenth of our workforce that is suitable for this industry. If that trend continues you will have a shortage of suitable talent.

The primary cause is the quality of communications and language skills, the second is that some people are not educated well enough to be able to serve a multinational corporation.

The combined market share of 50 to 53 per cent, which is what India has today, you could see that combined market share decline because India does not have the supply side availability.

But today the new Indian education minister has proposed a public-private partnership in India's education system, where 2,500 model schools would be created, which is something we have been shouting from the rooftops for a long time.

When will the decline begin to happen?

We have seen an increase in India's market share in 2008.

The global financial crisis has given India a bit of breathing room, it's dropped the growth rates. In 2009/10 we will see low growth, so a supply side constraint will not come through in the next two years.

Beyond that, if gets back to original growth rate and we don't see any change in the education system, we could see those supply shortfalls happening very quickly thereafter.

Which countries look most likely to take that market share?

You have got to separate out those countries that are the volume hubs and those that offer more niche services.

When you look at the volume hubs, it's very hard to get away from China and Russia, which are two of the largest by population locations. China tends to be a lot more engineering, design and infrastructure services led, more catering to North Asia. Russia tends to be outstanding for software product development.

In Latin America, Brazil is one of the few nations that offers an emerging working population of that size. [Much of Latin America] is Spanish speaking, southern-US focused.

In Eastern Europe the talent pools are not as deep as in India and China and more fragmented by language.

Vietnam and Egypt has a reasonable talent pool and a lot of government support to promote this industry, support by real initiatives on the ground making changes to the education system and infrastructure to support this industry.

Which location will be the first offshoring destination choice for the UK and Europe in 2020?

For the Anglo Saxon world, the US and UK predominantly, India will continue to be the country of choice. Even with its talent constraints that I talked about, India continues to introduce about a third of the suitable talent in the world. I don't think that India's dominant position is by any means threatened in the near future.

Which of the global outsourcing companies will dominate by 2020?

You will see global systems integrators that will be very successful, some of them already have very large global footprints and have embraced a global delivery model and are moving to scale very rapidly.

You will also find a few of the Indian top tier companies, in the BPO and on IT services space, among the world's top ten – if you project their growth rates out.

Asia dominates global outsourcing list

Asian cities have bagged the first three spots in a study of top emerging destinations for global outsourcing.

Cebu City in the Philippines was ranked No. 1 on the Top 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing Cities list, followed by the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing at second and third places, respectively.

Of the top 50 destinations polled, 19 cities were from Asia. Next, were Central and Eastern Europe with 13 cities.

According to the survey released Monday by IT outsourcing and business process outsourcing (BPO) media company Global Services and investment advisory firm Tholons, choosing the right city has become "more important" than choosing the country when setting up an outsourcing center.

Considerations such as the availability of resources, in terms of the quality and type of workforce, cost and the availability of infrastructure, as well as the city’s "long-term potential in fulfilling demand for specific services determine its attractiveness as an outsourcing center".

"The concept of an individual location being a 'one-stop-shop' has given way to 'smart, multi, selective sourcing' models, wherein selected processes are outsourced only to the most appropriate destination," said Ed Nair, editor of Global Services.

The report noted that "increasing competition in the global outsourcing will make the cities more focused in identifying appropriate service lines and in developing their service-delivery capabilities".

China's rising stars
In addition to Shanghai and Beijing, the list featured four other Chinese cities (Shenzhen at 10th, Dalian at 16th, Guangzhou at 23rd and Chengdu at 37th), with three of the six cities making it to the top 10.

"Shanghai is already known as a mature destination for providing offerings such as F&A (finance and accounting), product development, R&D (research and development) and testing, and Guangzhou is known for engineering-services," the Global Services study noted. "Outsourcing services such as application development and maintenance and business analytics are now being offered from Shenzhen and Shanghai respectively."

According to the survey, Tianjin, a second tier city, has the "potential" of moving into the top 50 list.

China is "home to numerous IT and BPO services providers", including global companies such as Accenture, Infosys, IBM and Satyam, as well as globally-known local providers Augmentum, Bleum, Dextrys and Neusoft, the report noted.

The Top Ten Software Companies in India

Today the software industry has become the backbone of companies around the world. With technology advancing in leaps and bounds, there is no stopping IT professionals from around the world to bridge the gap between huge untapped markets and its customers, as well as creating an opportunity for innovation.

The companies that dominate the software industry are those which look out for these opportunities and provide instant solutions. The Indian software industry has arrived, and the companies that are dominating this industry, based on their turnovers, are:

Rank	Names	Sales (in Rs mill)
1	TCS LIMITED	97,272
2	WIPRO LIMITED	82,330
3	INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED	71,297
4	SATYAM COMPUTER SERVICES LIMITED	35,209
5	I-FLEX SOLUTIONS LIMITED	11,386
6	TATA INFOTECH LIMITED	9,743
7	CMC LIMITED	8,074
8	MPHASIS BFL LIMITED	7,657
9	MASTEK LIMITED	5,670
10	NIIT LIMITED	3,984

These companies have one thing in common; they offer a variety of services. These services range from consultancy services to Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) units to customized solutions in the IT domain.

With TCS Ltd featuring in lots of major deals during the year 2005, it will probably continue with its favored status and dominance over the software industry in India. Though when it comes to the most respected company of India, among the pool of all industries, it is no real surprise that Infosys Technologies Limited is number one, with its reputed work ethic and social responsibility factor.

TCS is the largest software services company in Asia, ahead of other Indian software service providers like Infosys and Wipro. Earlier, it became the first Indian software company to cross the coveted US$ 1 billion revenue mark. The company has a wide range of offerings and caters to industries like banking, insurance and financial services (41% of revenues), manufacturing (17%), telecom, (15%) and retail (7%). TCS was one of the pioneers of the much-acclaimed global delivery model and the same has helped it to post good results in the past and will help with future achievements as well.

The software industry has become a part of everyday life, be it providing solutions for business or entertainment. Ample opportunity does not ensure that the companies listed in the top ten will remain there as tough competition from the ever-increasing number of software companies can completely alter the list. There are organizations like Visualsoft Techonologies Limited, Tata Elxis Limited and Geometric Software Solutions Co. Ltd waiting in the wings. The key to survival in this industry is providing solutions a click away and creating and inventing products before someone else does.

Top 20 Indian IT Employers

2010-11-03T07:54:00.000-07:00

Filed under: IT Companies, India, Indian Hot News, Indian IT Companies, International News, Job Oppurtunities, Online Happenings, Technology by Yaroavan — Leave a comment

Nov 03, 2010

Well … India is getting back in its IT field in a good way. There are lot of IT companies who are going to increase intake of engineers in the forth coming years…
The recruitment front is once again buzzing in Indian IT. After months of budget cutting and so-called rightsizing, hiring seems to be back with vengeance at IT companies. Almost all IT companies have revised their hiring targets.
As the companies announce their first quarterly results, we take stock of their hiring in the fiscal year 2009-10. IT industry body Nasscom has released its annual list of Top 20 IT-BPO Employers in India during the year.
Here’s over to the biggest Indian IT/BPO employers during fiscal 2009-10.
—————————————————————————————————————

TCS:
Little surprising that topping the list of biggest IT employers in India is the country’s numero uno IT services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
Backed by a robust financial performance in the first quarter (April-May-June), TCS has raised its hiring target. The company now plans to hire 40,000 this year, higher than the around 30,000 it had projected earlier this year.
The company in the Q1 added a net 3,271 employees, raising its total strength to 163,700.
—————————————————————————————————————

INFOSYS Technologies:
Next on the list is the country’s second biggest software exporter Infosys Technologies. At the end of June 2010, the company and its subsidiaries had 114,822 employees as against 103,905 a year ago and 113,796 at the end of fourth quarter (Jan-March).
During the first quarter 7,833 employees quit Infosys for various reasons, including involuntary attrition. The gross addition during the first quarter was 8,859 people, while the net addition was 1,026 only. The attrition rate in Infosys shot up to a whopping 16 per cent during the quarter (April-June).
—————————————————————————————————————

Wipro:
At no. 3 is the India’s third-largest software services exporter Wipro Technologies. During the June quarter, the company added 4,854 employees taking the total headcount to 1.12 lakhs.
The company also announced that it plans to add as many as 20,000 employees in the next three years. In the month of Feb, the company gave a pay hike in the 8%-12% range with some even getting a 15% increase.
However, like its peers, Wipro too suffered high attrition rate during the quarter. The attrition rate at Wipro jumped to 15.8 per cent during the first quarter (April-June) of this fiscal (2010-11) from 9.8 per cent in like period year ago (2009-10) and 12.1 per cent quarter ago.

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CTS:
Nasdaq-listed Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and BPO services, ranks at no. 4 on the list of India’s biggest IT employers. With over 50 global delivery centers, the company has approximately 80,300 employees as on May 4, 2010.
At the recent annual Nasscom HR Summit 2010, R Chandrasekaran, President and Managing Director, Cognizant, said that during 2009, nearly $1.4 million was spent on training activities. The average training period for an existing employee was two weeks.
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HCL:
Next on the list of biggest IT employers is India’s fifth largest software services exporter HCL Technologies Ltd.
The Noida-based company, which follows a July-June financial year, said that it added 6,428 employees in the June quarter taking its total headcount to 64,557.
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Genpact:
Sixth biggest IT employer on Nasscom’s list is Genpact. As of June 30, 2010, total headcount at Genpact stood at approximately 42,500 employees worldwide, an increase from 37,400 as of June 30, 2009.
The attrition rate for the six months ended June 30, 2010, was 26%, up from 22% for the same period in 2009.
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Mphasis – An HP Company:
MphasiS Ltd is at the seventh spot on the country’s biggest IT employers’ list. For the quarter ended 30 April, 2010, the company added net headcount of 1,429 during. The total headcount stood at 37,119 as of 30 April, 2010.
In December 2009, MphasiS gave a recompense bonus of 10% to all its employees. The company replaced its annual salary increment for its staff with a one-time bonus in order to ensure more variability in its employee wage bill.
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Intelenet Global Services:
Eight biggest IT employer in the country according to the list is Mumbai-based Intelenet Global Services Ltd, a third-party BPO company. One of the largest BPO employers in India, the company has approximately 32,000 employees as of June 2010.
The company recently figured in ‘The Economic Times – Great Place to Work Survey 2010′ at the 20th spot. The survey revealed that the company has made efforts to ensure that along with adequate facilities, work-life balance is also maintained via fun at work concept.
From having a two-week Employee Appreciation Programme where the employees’ families are invited to take part in the activities to having facilities like a gym, diet and nutrition sessions and counsellor onsite, the company places employee happiness on its high list.
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Tech Mahindra:
The 9th biggest IT employer in India is Tech Mahindra. Tech Mahindra is a joint venture between Indian auto major Mahindra & Mahindra and the BT group.
During the first quarter (April-June) of the current fiscal, the company hired 1,743 employees taking its total headcount to 35,267. The company plans to offer salary hikes in the current quarter. However, it said that hikes will hurt its margins.
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Aegis:
At No. 10 is Essar Group’s back office Aegis BPO. With presence in over 42 global locations, the company boasts of strong employee strength of over 39,000. The company is headquartered in Mumbai.
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Capgemini Consulting India PVT Limited:
Next on the Nasscom’s list is Capgemini Consulting India Pvt Ltd. In India, Capgemini has over 20,000 employees working across seven locations in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and Delhi. It has over 90,000 people in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region.
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WNS Global Services:
At No. 12 is the Nasdaq-listed second biggest BPO firm in India, WNS Global Services.
For the first quarter, the company reported revenues of $150.0 million, up 12.7% from the corresponding quarter last year and down 4.8% sequentially. The company’s global headcount stood at 21,406 as of June 30, 2010.
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Firstsource Solutions:
The 13th largest IT employer in India is Firstsource Solutions Ltd, country’s leading pure-play BPO company.
       As of June 30, 2010, the company had an employee strength of 24,697. For the first quarter, the annualised attrition for offshore (India/ Philippines) was 55.4% compared to 43.5% in Q4 FY2010.

          The company has reported a consolidated net profit at Rs 32.1 crore as against Rs 35.6 crore (QoQ). Consolidated net sales declined to Rs 475.9 crore
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CSC India PVT Limited:
NYSE-listed Computer Sciences Corp is the 14th largest IT employer in India. India is CSC’s largest world sourcing location outside the US.
The company reportedly has more than 16,000 employees in India. The US technology services provider has about 92,000 employees globally. For the fourth quarter ended April 2, the company’s net profit declined 32% to $259 million, or $1.66 a share, while revenue rose modestly to $4.24 billion.
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3i Infotech:
At No. 15 on the Nasscom’s employers list is IT major 3i Infotech. The company has two main lines of businesses — IT solutions (services and products) and transactions services.
The company clocked a 6.8% growth in its Q1 FY11 revenue at Rs 643.37 crore. Currently the company has more than 15,000 employees on its rolls.
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Hinduja Global Solutions:
BPO services provider Hinduja Global Solutions is the 16th largest IT employer in India.
For the quarter and year ended March 31, 2010, the company’s headcount was 15,615 as against 13,913 associates at the start of the quarter and 13,787 as of March 31, 2009. During the fourth quarter, the company started operating through its new centres in Manila in the Philippines and Nagercoil in India. As on March 31, 2010 the company had Rs 6,481.2 million cash & cash equivalents.
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L&T Infotech:
At No. 17 is the wholly-owned IT subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro, Larsen & Toubro Infotech.
The company offers software solutions and services to companies in banking & financial services, insurance, energy & petrochemicals, manufacturing and telecom sectors.
The company reportedly has employee strength of over 11,500.
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Patni Computer System:
Mumbai-based Patni Computer Systems is the 18th largest IT employer in India. Patni derives major revenues from the US, followed by Europe, West Asia & Africa and Asia-Pacific.
Patni Computer Systems which has posted a 7.9% rise in net profit added 934 employees in the second quarter, taking its staff count to 14,893 at the end of June.
The company’s attrition rate, excluding business process outsourcing workers, surged to 21.5% in the second quarter from 17.7% in January-March and 13.2% a year earlier.
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Exl Service.com India PVT Limited:
Exl Service, leading provider of outsourcing and transformation services, is 19th biggest IT employer in India. As on March 31, 2010 the company’s India employee strength was over 11,500.
For the year 2010, the company has given a revenue guidance of between $225 million to $230 million.
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Aditya Birla Minacs:
The BPO venture of Aditya Birla group, Aditya Birla Minacs, is at the 20th spot on the biggest employers list.
Last year the company announced its plans to add 3,000 employees in the coming six months. Currently, its employee strength stands at approximately 13,000 based out of various locations in North America, Europe and Asia.
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Top 10 Lost Cities

2010-10-25T07:57:00.002-07:00

A city becomes “lost” when it is abandoned by its inhabitants and left to decay. This can be the result of war, migration, or natural disaster, but in each case these cities can act as a sort of time capsule, leaving a civilization frozen in history and waiting to be discovered. While many of these cities have indeed been rediscovered, others have never been found and have taken on the status of legend. Whether real or mythical, the following are the ten lost cities that have most captured the imaginations of historians, archeologists, and adventurers.

10. The City Of The Caesars

Also known as the Wandering City and the City of Patagonia, The City of the Caesars is a mythical city that is believed to have been located on the southernmost tip of South America in the region known as Patagonia. The city has never been found, and at this point it is considered more legend than anything, but in its time it was quite sought after by colonial explorers. It was said to have been founded by survivors of a Spanish shipwreck, and was believed to possess huge amounts of gold and jewels. Over time, a number of legends have formed around the City of the Caesars, with some saying that it was populated by 10-foot tall giants, and others claiming that it was a city of ghosts that could appear and disappear at will.

9. Troy

Made famous in the epic poems of Homer, Troy was a once-legendary city located in modern day Turkey. Best known for being the site of the Trojan War, ancient Troy was a strongly fortified city that stood on a hill near the river Scamander. Its coastal location allowed it to be a naval power, and nearby plains provided excellent land for farming. Troy was long considered by many to be the stuff of myth until it was first excavated in the 1870s by Heinrich Schliemann, who discovered that there were actually numerous cities on the site, which over the years had been built on top of one another. Although it was once a towering seat of power, the modern-day Troy excavation site is said to be relatively unimpressive, the result of years of digging and frequent looting by tourists.

8. The Lost City Of Z

Supposedly located deep in the jungles of Brazil, the lost city of Z was said to be an advanced civilization with a sophisticated network of bridges, roads, and temples. Speculation about Z began after a document was found in which a Portuguese explorer insisted he had visited the city in 1753, but otherwise no evidence of its existence has ever been uncovered. The city of Z is most famous for attracting the interest of explorer Percy Fawcett, who in 1925 vanished without a trace while in search of it, and over the years a number of other adventurers have died or disappeared while on its trail. In recent years, a city known as Kuhikugu was discovered in the Amazon Rainforest that showed evidence of sophisticated fortifications and engineering, leading many to speculate that it may be the source of the Z legend.

7. Petra

Arguably the most beautiful of all the cities on this list, Petra is located in Jordan near the Dead Sea and is believed to have once been the center of the Nabataean caravan trade. Its most striking feature is its exquisite stone architecture, which is carved out of the rocks of the surrounding mountains. This helped make Petra a naturally fortified city when it was established as a capital in 100 B.C., and evidence suggests that it featured many other technological advancements like dams and cisterns, which helped the inhabitants channel the region’s flash floods and store water for use in times of drought. After hundreds of years of prosperity, the city went into decline after the Romans conquered the region, and in A.D. 363 an earthquake destroyed several of its buildings and crippled its infrastructure. Petra was eventually abandoned, and it stood for years in the desert as something of a curiosity before being revealed to the world at large in 1812 by a Swiss explorer.

6. El Dorado

The Zipa used to cover his body in gold dust and, from his raft, he offered treasures to the Guatavita goddess in the middle of the sacred lake. This old Muisca tradition became the origin of El Dorado legend.

One of the most famous of all the legendary cities, El Dorado was a mythical empire supposedly found in the jungles of South America. Literally meaning “The Golden One” in Spanish, the city was said to be led by a powerful king and hold untold riches of gold and jewels. In the time of the conquistadors, the city was a subject of constant fascination, and several disastrous expeditions were launched in search of it. The most famous of these was headed by Gonzalo Pizarro, who in 1541 led a group of 300 soldiers and several thousand Indians into the jungle in search of El Dorado. They uncovered no evidence of the city or its treasures, and after the group was decimated by disease, famine, and attacks by natives, the expedition was abandoned. This model is on display in the Gold Museum, Bogotá, Colombia

5. Memphis

Founded in 3,100 B.C., Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt, and served as the civilization’s administrative center for hundreds of years before being abandoned with the rise of Thebes and Alexandria. At its height, Memphis is estimated to have had a population of more than 30,000, which would have made it the biggest city of antiquity. Over the years, the location of Memphis became lost, and it was a subject of much debate among archeologists before it was rediscovered by a Napoleonic expedition in the late 1700s, and it was then that the city’s sphinx, statues and temples were first seriously studied. Unfortunately, stones from the ruins had been appropriated to build nearby settlements, and many important parts of the site remain lost to historians.

4. Angkor

The Angkor region of Cambodia served as the center of power for the Khmer Empire from 800 AD well into the 1400s. The region was abandoned after a slow decline that ended with an invasion by a Thai army in 1431, leaving the massive city and its thousands of Buddhist temples to be reclaimed by the jungle. The city lay relatively untouched until the 1800s, when a group of French archeologists began to study and restore it. Angkor and its surroundings– which rival Los Angeles in size– have since been recognized as the biggest pre-industrial city in the world, and its famed temple of Angkor Wat is commonly considered to be the largest religious monument in existence.

3. Pompeii

The Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed in AD 79 after the nearby volcano Vesuvius erupted and buried the entire community under 60 feet of ash and rock. The city was estimated to have had around 20,000 inhabitants at the time, and it was considered one of the premier vacation spots for the upper class of Roman society. After the eruption, the ruins stood for 1,700 years before being accidentally rediscovered in 1748 by workmen building a palace for the King of Naples, and since then Pompeii has been the source of constant excavations by archeologists. Ironically, the devastation caused by Vesuvius also helped preserve the city’s architecture, which along with countless frescoes and sculptures, have helped make Pompeii a key part of modern historians’ understanding of life in ancient Rome.

2. Atlantis

At this point it is fairly easy to write Atlantis off as nothing more than a myth, but this legendary city has been a source of speculation ever since the philosopher Plato first wrote about it in 360 B.C. Described by Plato as an advanced civilization and formidable naval power, Atlantis is said to have conquered much of Europe before sinking into the sea as the result of some kind of environmental disaster. While Plato’s story is seen by most as a work of fiction, his description of a massive civilization years ahead of its time technologically has captured the imaginations of countless writers and would-be adventurers, and there have been numerous expeditions launched in search of the city. Perhaps the most infamous occurred at the beginning of WWII, when the Nazis supposedly organized a journey to Tibet with the hope of finding remnants of Atlantaen culture.

1. Machu Picchu

Of all the lost cities that have been found and studied, perhaps none is more mysterious than Machu Picchu. Isolated near the Urubamba Valley in Peru, the city was never found and plundered by conquistadors, and it was not until historian Hiram Bingham visited it in 1911 that it became known outside of the region. The city is divided into districts, and features over 140 different structures bordered by polished stone walls. It is said to have been built in the 1400s by the Incas and abandoned less than 100 years later, most likely when its population was wiped out by smallpox brought over from Europe. There has been much speculation as to what Machu Picchu was used for, as well as why the Incas chose such to build it in such a strange location. Some have said it was a holy temple of sorts, while others have maintained that it was used as a prison, but recent research suggests that it was probably a personal estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, and its location was chosen because nearby mountains figured prominently in Inca astrological mythology.

Top 10 Players of the 2010 World Cup

2010-10-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

The lights have gone out in South Africa and the trophy has gone back to Spain for the next four years. So while we all relive all the excitement that the world’s largest sporting event has to offer, we reflect on the players who made the World Cup the dramatic clash of nations it always is.

10. Arjen Robben – The Netherlands

Arjen Robben is arguably one of the greatest Dutch players of all time. Despite missing the first two games of the World Cup due to a hamstring injury, he came back and helped his team surpass teams like Brazil and Uruguay to get into the final against Spain. Robben is a reliable presence on the pitch who’s pace and dribbling has made him one of the best wingers in the world. But he is not without controversy, he is often criticized for going to ground too easily and too often. During the World Cup he scored two goals and had one assist and because he was a real difference maker for the Netherlands, Robben was nominated for the Golden Ball award.

Where else does he play?

Arjen Robben began his football career at his home club, Groningen. But it wasn’t long before he caught the eye of some of the top clubs in the world. He has played for PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid and currently plays for Bayern Munich.

9. Maicon – Brazil

After Cafu’s retirement, Brazil fans were skeptical if anyone could fill his shoes, but that is exactly what Maicon has been able to do, and today he is considered one of the best right backs in the world. Maicon encompasses speed, great touches, accurate crosses and on top of all that he scores the occasional goal. During the match against Korea DPR in the group stage he showed off his shooting ability, scoring from an almost impossible angle for what was one of the best goals of the tournament. The goal has been debated by football fans around the world as no one really knows if it was supposed to be a cross or if he actually meant to score.

Where else does he play?

Maicon made his debut to professional for Cruzeiro in 2001 and during his two seasons with the club they won the championship. In 2004 he was lured across the Atlantic to play for Monaco. Two years later he made a move to Internazionale where he and his teammates have won the last four Serie A titles as well as the 2010 UEFA Champions League.

8. Mesut Ozil – Germany

Over the course of the World Cup, Mesut Ozil has risen from relative obscurity to someone who is being called the German Iniesta. He’s the kind of player that comes along once in a blue moon, a play maker whose vision, passing and inventiveness makes a huge impact on any game he plays in. At only 21, Ozil has become the one to watch and has even been called “a gift for German football” by Joachim Low. Usually wreaking havoc as a midfielder, he can also play as a left winger or even as a striker if the need arises. Ozil marked his first World cup with one goal, but his play making ability really stood out as he made three assists.

Where else does he play?

Ozil’s youth career was spent at several different clubs including Westfalia 04 Gelsenkirchen, Teutonia Shalke-Nord, Falke Gelsenkirchen and Rot-Weiss Essen before he made a move to Shalke 04. It was for Shalke that he made his senior league debut in 2006. He currently plays for Werder Bremen after moving there in 2008.

7. Andres Iniesta – Spain

A creative player that is capable of playing anywhere in the midfield, Iniesta has been called the best player in the world by the likes of Wayne Rooney. He is most effective when he plays right in behind the strikers where his handling of the ball and his ability to race into threatening positions causes serious problems for opposing defenders. During the World Cup final, Iniesta became a Spanish hero when in the 116^th minute he scored the winning goal against the Netherlands. He was named the Man of the Match for the final, as well as being included in the FIFA World Cup All Star Team.

Where else does he play?

A talented graduate of the Barcelona youth school, Iniesta made his senior level debut on October 29, 2002 and he’s been with the club ever since. He has helped Barcelona to four Spanish League trophies, one Spanish Cup, three Spanish Supercups, two Champions League crowns a UEFA Supercup and a FIFA Club World Cup.

6. Xavi – Spain

One of the greatest playmates in the world, Xavi is the center of which the rest of the Spanish team rotates. He is an incredibly hard working central midfielder who is just as comfortable defending as he is making breaks forward and setting up and scoring goals. But probably his most impressive attribute as a footballer is his creative genius. Because of this he is one of the few players in football history who has won every major tournament open to him. During this World Cup, Xavi covered more ground and made more passes than any other player, making him an irreplaceable force in the Spanish machine.

Where else does he play?

A product of the Barcelona youth system, Xavi moved up to the senior team in 1998 and has been there ever since. During his time there Barcelona has won five La Liga titles, one Spanish Cup, three Spanish Supercups, two Champions Leagues and the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup. Xavi himself has won a plethora of awards including being included in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Al Star Team.

5. Wesley Sneijder – The Netherlands

At only 25, Wesley Sneijder has established himself as a powerful presence in the Dutch side. He is known the world over as a play maker who’s passing ability is among the best and who is comfortable playing both a fast and slow game as needed. But he can also score goals as he has shown at this year’s World Cup, tying as one of the top goal scorers with five. Even while those around him were not living up to their potential, Sneijder remained as brilliant as ever and carried the Netherlands all the way to the final. In the end the Spanish defence was just too much for the Dutchman to handle. Part of his greatness comes from his family, his father was a player and both his brothers play at a professional level, one at Stormvogels Telstar and the other at the Ajax youth academy.

Where else does he play?

A product of AFC Ajax’s famous youth academy, he moved up to the senior team when he was only seventeen, following in his older brother’s footsteps. In 2007 he caught the eye of Real Madrid who signed him to a €27 million contract making him the most expensive Dutch player in the world. From there he made a move to Internazionale in 2009 and earlier this year he helped his team win the 2010 Champions League Final.

4. David Villa – Spain

Comfortable with either foot, David Villa has unleashed his goal scoring prowess at this World Cup, much like he usually does in Spanish colors. He has proved himself in international competition as an important member of a strong Spanish side at not only the 2006 World Cup but also at Euro 2008 (where he won the Golden Boot) and the 2009 Confederations Cup. And this World Cup was no different as he was tied as the top goal scorer of the tournament with five goals in all. Villa is type of player most coaches dream of, a hard-working forward that is capable of opening up the opposing defence and scoring goals. It is because of this that he is one of the top scorers in the history of Spanish football, second only to Raul.

Where else does he play?

David Villa began his football career at Sporting de Gijon in 2001 and then moved up to the top flight Spanish football with Real Zaragoza in 2003. From there he was transferred to Valencia, where he has played for the last five seasons. In May of this year Villa signed a four-year contract with Barcelona.

3. Iker Casillas – Spain

One of the best goalkeepers in the world, Iker Casillas captained La Roja to their first ever World Cup title. His reflexes, speed, agility and the ability to shut down one on one threats has earned him the nickname Saint Iker by both club and national fans. But he is not without his critics, many of whom believed that after the defeat against Switzerland, he should not be Spain’s first choice. With his legendary composure he silenced them, winning the next six games (including the final), five of which were clean sheets. A crucial member of the Spanish side, he no doubt made the decision of who should get the Golden Glove very easy.

Where else does he play?

Iker Casillas has been with Real Madrid since the beginnings of his youth career, but when you play for ne of the best teams in the world there’s not much of an incentive to leave. With the club he has won four La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, a UEFA Supercup and an Intercontinental Cup.

2. Thomas Mueller – Germany

At only 20 years old, Thomas Mueller has used this World Cup to make the football world stand up and take notice. His versatility to play both as an attacking midfielder as well as a winger adds to his speed, vision and technical ability to make him an all-around stand out player. During the World Cup he was a surprise addition to Joachim Low’s side but he quickly made his mark by scoring Germany’s first goal of the tournament. But he didn’t stop there, he scored another four goals and made three assists, earning him the Golden Boot ahead of superstars like Villa, Sneijder and Forlan as well as the Best young Player award/

Where else does he play?

Mueller began as a youth at TSV Pahl an 1993. From there he moved into the Bayern Munich youth team in 2000 and has effectively moved up the Bayern ranks, making his senior team debut in August 2008.

1. Diego Forlan – Uruguay

While is not the captain, Diego Forlan has led Uruguay not only to the World Cup but all the way to the semi finals. A powerful presence up front, Forlan has the ability to both score and feed the ball to his teammates, predominantly his striking partner, Luis Suarez. “Cachavacha” as he has been nicknamed (because of a striking similarity to a comic book character of the same name), marked his second World Cup tournament with five goals, one of which was a penalty in the shootout against Ghana to get Uruguay into the semifinal. In the end he was given the recognition he deserved when FIFA awarded him with the Golden Ball. However, Diego isn’t the only Forlan to represent Uruguay at the World Cup, his father, Pablo, played in both the 1966 and 1974 World Cups. Despite this Diego grew up playing tennis and it was only after a family tragedy that he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Where else does he play?

Forlan currently plays for Athletico Madrid after being transferred there in June 2007. He has also played at Independiente, Manchester United and Villarreal, and has won two European Golden Boot awards, once for Villarreal in 2004-05 and also for Athletico Madrid in 2008-09.

Top 10 Colorful Animals

2010-10-25T07:51:00.001-07:00

Life is the stories of all its heroes. The tiny ones, the unexpected ones, the scary ones and the big and ugly ones.
Life is made of many stories. There’s the one that makes you giggle and the one that makes you well up.
There’s also the red one, the blue one, the wow one, the people one and the animal one.
Life is colorful at TopTenz today, thanks to the BBC.
The BBC is celebrating 50 years of the BBC’s Natural History Unit at their Life Is website, which pulls together the best videos, images and stories from BBC animal and nature programs from over the years.
Dive in at BBC Earth’s Life Is for more amazing stories, videos and photos and visit them on Facebook for exclusive content!
This list is not copied from any other site. It was submitted to Toptenz by the BBC directly through email. We published this list as did other sites, without knowing it had been submitted elsewhere.

10. Monarch Butterfly

Everyone loves butterflies, especially these pretty ones. But their beautiful colors actually serve as a warning to predators not to eat them because they’re poisonous.

9. Sailfish

The Sailfish’s blue stripes certainly make a statement but it has nothing to do with fashion. They light up when the Sailfish hunts, confusing their prey and letting their fellow hunters know what they’re doing. Now that’s a useful use of color!

8. Lesser Flamingo

Did you know the famous pink Flamingo’s lovely color comes from pigment in the algae it eats? They do say you are what you eat…

7. Clownfish

The Clownfish may look pretty with its bright orange and white stripes, but it’s covered in slime. It is essential to the fish forming one of nature’s great teams with the sea anemone – they are dependent on each other to survive and the slime protects the Clownfish from the anemone’s sting.

6. Blue-Footed Booby

Females are attracted to the male Booby’s brilliant blue boots, so it’s lucky for them that they get even brighter if they miss a mating season.

5. Weedy Sea Dragon

The Weedy Sea Dragon is a weird, wonderful and colorful underwater creature. The female produce 250 eggs at a time and the male looks after them. And he shouldn’t lose them either – they’re bright pink!

4. Temminick’s Tragopan

With an orange and brown quiff and a chest that looks like a whale shark lying on top of a heart, the Temminick’s Tragopan is certainly striking. It’s no surprise it’s considered to be the world’s most handsome pheasant.

3. Bird of Paradise

Not only does the male Bird of Paradise have fantastic colorful plumage, he dances, poses and completely changes his shape to woo the less exotic-looking females. Still, lucky girls!

2. Sockeye Salmon

We might tan in the heat, or go red if we get embarrassed, but imagine if the color of your skin completely changed with your environment? That’s exactly what the Sockeye Salmon does – normally blue and silver they turn red and green before spawning.

1. Panther Chameleon

Red, white, green and blue – and that’s just some of the time. The Panther Chameleon has an amazing ability to change color to hide itself. But unlike us, it can’t pick what color coat it wears – that’s affected by temperature, light and even its mood!

Top 10 UK Locations You May Have Overlooked

2010-10-25T07:42:00.001-07:00

The UK is a popular tourist destination because of its terrific scenery, history, and culture. It’s got great cities, countryside, and a coastline. Here are some places to spark your interest, away from the usual tourist spots. Beware, there are a lot of large photos so this page may take a little longer to load.

10. CHESHIRE

Little Morton Hall, Chesire

This is a county of pretty villages, market towns, and scenic countryside. Chester, an old Roman town, has well preserved, medieval city walls and historic buildings from different periods, including the 14th Century red sandstone Chester Cathedral. Pleasure boats go for rides on the River Dee. The Tatton Park country estate, near the town of Knutsford, has a medieval manor house, gardens, deer park, and a farm with rare breeds. Photos by orangejon & Beth M527

9. NORFOLK BROADS (Norfolk and Suffolk)

The Broads are a series of navigable rivers and lakes, which are lock free. There are yachts and motor launches for hire or canoes with a guide. It’s a haven for bird watchers and the area is home to the Grey Heron, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, and other waterfowl. The waterways are lined with quaint villages, thatched roof houses, country pubs, and windmills. Messing about on the river brings its rewards. Photos by gerry balding & seeks2dream

8. BRADFORD (West Yorkshire)

National Media Museum

Thackley Tunnel

Built on the woolen trade in the Industrial Revolution, the tourist industry has become increasingly important, as traditional industry has declined. The major attraction is the National Media Museum, which tells the history of photography, television and movies, and presents screenings in its IMAX cinema. The city is also known for its curry houses. It’s close to Howarth where the Bronte sisters are celebrated and Saltaire, a preserved 19th Century town where David Hockney’s paintings are on permanent display. Steam trains run on the nearby Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Photo by phill.d

7. BRIGHTON (East Sussex)

Brighton Palace

It takes less than an hour to travel by train from London to the coastal resort of Brighton. It’s always party time in this city, with lots of bars, nightclubs, and amusement arcades on the seafront. It’s known as ‘The Gay Capital of Britain’ and the Gay Pride Carnival takes place every August. There’s a shingle beach and a nudist area. Brighton is also known for its interesting architecture, especially the Royal Pavilion, built in the early 19th Century. The exterior is inspired by India and the décor by China. Photos by Dominic’s pics & Steve9091

6. DERBYSHIRE

View from Cable Car

Chatsworth House

A large area of the Peak District National Park lies within this county. There’s lovely scenery and the area attracts hill walkers, cave explorers, and rock climbers. The folk art of Well Dressing (arranging thousands of flower petals into clay) takes place from the end of May until early September. Chatsworth House is a country house with parkland and gardens, noted for its paintings and furniture. Matlock Bath village contains the Heights of Abraham, where a cable car runs and a former mine is open to the public. Gulliver’s Kingdom amusement park is close by. Photos by Dave Pearson & Natman

5. LAUGHARNE, Carmarthenshire, Wales

Laugharne Castle

Dylan Thomas' Boat House

This town on the estuary of the River Taf is a focal point for fans of the poet, Dylan Thomas, who lived here with his wife and children from 1943 until his death in 1953. His former home, known as the Boathouse, is open to the public. It contains the original furnishings and memorabilia. The poet wrote much of his most popular work here including Under Milk Wood, his play depicting the life of a fictional village called Llareggub. Laugharne is reputed to be the inspiration for the village. Laugharne Castle is another point of interest and dates from before the Norman Conquest. Photos by willposh & Eifion

4. NEWCASTLE upon TYNE and GATESHEAD (Tyne and Wear)

Newcastle/Gateshead Quayside

Angel of the North

Newcastle (on the north bank of the River Tyne) and Gateshead (on the south bank of the River Tyne) have fought back against economic depression and emerged as a combined center for culture. Famous for the bridges over the Tyne, the most recently built is the tilting Millennium Bridge. The regenerated Quayside has a lively bar and club scene. It’s also the location for the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and the Sage concert venue. The most famous piece of public art in Britain is a short drive away. The Angel of the North, the brainchild of Antony Gormley, stands 66 feet high (20m). Photos by Gail Johnson & Patrick Mayon

3. NORTHUMBERLAND

Alnwick Gardens Treehouse

Bamburgh Castle

This is a county of unspoilt beauty and fascinating history. Alnwick is a bustling market town with a medieval castle, which has been used as a location for Hogwarts School in Harry Potter movies. Bamburgh is one of the most scenic spots, with a Norman built castle and a wide beach. A boat trip to the Farne Islands, off the coast, is popular with bird watchers, who are likely to see Puffins and Arctic Terns at the right time of year, as well as Grey Seals. A causeway links Holy Island (Lindisfarne) to Northumberland. The major attraction is the 16th Century castle. The island is famous as the place where a monk created the Lindisfarne Gospels, the beautifully illuminated Latin manuscript. Photos by fatcontroller & left-hand

2. NORTHERN IRELAND

Giant's Causeway

St Anne's Cathedral

Northern Ireland’s troubled past is well documented but the tourism industry is growing. Parts of Belfast have been re-developed and the city boasts a fine 1906-built City Hall, the Ulster Museum, Botanical Gardens, and St. Anne’s Cathedral. Anglers and golfers have always known the virtues of the country. Rugged scenery and castles reward the visitor. The most famous landmark is Giant’s Causeway (County Antrim), interlocking basalt columns resulting from volcanic activity. In County Tyrone, the life of immigrants sailing from Ulster to America is told at the Ulster-American Folk Park near Omagh. Photos by Andras Jancsik & antwerpenR

1. GLASGOW

Main Hall at Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

Aquarium Corner, Glasgow

This is another city that has survived its industrial decline and re-invented itself. The re-development got its just reward when the city was named as European City of Culture in 1990. It has more parkland than any other city in the UK and it’s praised for its examples of fine architecture. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has one of the most important collections in Europe and includes French Impressionists and Old Masters. Glasgow was home to the Art Nouveau designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and his work can be seen at the Willow Tea Rooms and throughout the city. Photos by innoxiuss & hodge

Top 10 Brands

2010-10-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

If you canvass the Internet for lists of top brands, you’ll most likely see the following breakdown: Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE, Intel, Nokia, Disney, McDonalds, Marlboro and Mercedes. Now these are amazing companies, but we see top brands offering more than longevity, tradition and clever creativity. Today’s standouts are turning categories on their ear. Affecting cultural shifts. And making us gasp at their innovative aspirations. Who might these brands be? Here are our Top 10 Brands:

10. Coca-Cola®

Unless you grew up on Mars, you know what Coca-Cola is. This carbonated, caramel-colored beverage has consistently been an American favorite, despite the intense competition that arrives annually on supermarket shelves. How does it seem to hold onto its crown in the face of so much liquid brand competition? This is not just an American brand. It’s a global phenomenon. It even spawned the song, “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing.” Coca-Cola, the world continues to sing your praises.

9. Disney

This is one company that does not rest on its laurels. Disney has their fingers in practically every proverbial pie from theme parks and movie making to hotels, cruise ships and more. Just the merchandising aspects alone are mind-boggling. Disney is one of those classic American brands we all grew up with and hold near and dear to our collective heart. It would take something fairly cataclysmic to knock Disney off its rarified perch.

8. Whole Foods Market ®

Walk into any Whole Foods Market and your eyes are dazzled by the perfection of fruits and vegetables tumbling from bins and barrels, aisles of interesting foods with brand names you’ve never heard of and a bakery and deli that makes you think you just walked into Mom’s kitchen. This unique shopping experience takes going to the market from chore status to fun adventure. Fueled by the growing natural and organic food industry movement, Whole Foods’ business methodology of “Conscious Capitalism” is most definitely resonating with a population yearning for something more in tune with our planet… and ourselves.

7. Nintendo®

“Wii™ would like to play.” This tiny little statement has caused a large-scale revolution in the competitive world of video gaming. Nintendo, having performed sluggishly over the last decade, found the right formula for success. By providing a social gaming experience, family and friends are now playing games together (yes, even Mom and Dad). As a result, Wii has outperformed both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, giving consumers considerable angst because Wii flies off shelves faster than you can say “Nunchuk.” Nintendo’s vision has the gaming industry turning another corner, yet again.

6. BMW

It goes without saying that the “ultimate driving machine” is a BMW. Performance coupled with aggressive styling has been BMW’s unique selling proposition for decades, and the brand has consistently and relentlessly delivered on this platform. The A-type attitude exhibited in product design and in advertising campaigns resonates with buyers who see themselves not just as BMW owners, but BMW enthusiasts. Talk about brand advocates. This is one mean branding machine.

5. Starbucks®

Ah… the aroma of a brand that started a coffeehouse revolution. Of course, we’re talking about that Seattle powerhouse, Starbucks. Whimsical and quirky with a corporate culture that practices environmental sustainability, this brand upgraded coffee from beverage status to fashion statement – Blackberry® in one hand, Grande Latte in the other. When you actually find yourself saying things like “barista,” “frappuccino,” and “double shot with soy hold the whip,” you know you’re not just buying coffee – you’ve bought into a cultural movemen

4. Target®

Every brand needs a dog with a bulls-eye. This company decided it no longer wanted to be lumped with the KMarts and Wal-Marts® of the world. There was a whole audience out there clamoring for cheap chic and Target delivered with red and white panache. Right on target.

3. Nike

Can anyone forget the 1984 Orwellian runner or the Lemmings campaign? It wasn’t just jaw-dropping genius. It literally broke the advertising mold. Ever since, Nike has attempted to one-up themselves with bold products and campaigns that offer enough attitude to spare, and they’ve done a pretty smart job of it. You know your brand’s doing just fine when you can remove the name from the logo and consumers can still identify the company. Swoosh!

2. Apple

Apple subscribes to the “less is more” theory and uses it to powerful effect, both in product design and advertising. Anything not absolutely necessary is stripped away to reveal purity and a sense of magic. From their iconic logo to iPod’s campaign of gyrating silhouettes against a kaleidoscope of color, Apple is more than a brand—it’s a culture.

1. Google™

When an actual brand name becomes part of our daily vernacular, it has achieved the epitome of brand recognition. Google, once dubbed the search engine for business, has leapt past Yahoo® into the communal pool where everyone swims for information. Tools like Google ADWords, Ad Sense and Analytics have become so widely proliferated and used, that the term “Just Google It” no longer sounds silly. In fact, it’s quite sensible.

10 Athletes That Died While Playing

2010-10-25T07:37:00.001-07:00

Death is something that most people fear, simply because we don’t know what happens after we die. Others aren’t afraid to die, but I think it’s safe to say that a lot of us get a bad feeling when we think about what comes next. While we may not know when or what is next, we do know that it is sure to come.
Most people want to die a peaceful death; usually while asleep. However, let’s look at a few athletes from the last few decades that have been active and awake before the time of their death. All of these men died doing what they loved. Maybe this is the way to go…who knows!

10. J.V. Cain

J.V. Cain was a tight end for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1970s. He had been the tight end for six years and was racking up great statistics for the team. On July 22, 1979, Cain was taking part in the teams training camp in order to get ready for the new season. This day was also his 28th birthday. During camp, he was running a normal pass route and suddenly took a few steps backward, huddled over, and collapsed. Cain died from congenital heart failure. Though he didn’t die during the NFL Season, he still died doing something he loved.

9. Howard Glenn

Howard Glenn was an American football player for the AFL. He joined the AFL’s New York Titans in 1960 are a starting offensive guard. Glenn stands as the only player to die from injuries that were sustained during a normal season football game. While Glenn’s future as an offensive guard looked promising, he suffered a broken neck on October 9 in a game against the Houston Oilers in the first half. A few hours later, he died because of his injuries to his spinal cord. His #66 jersey was retired.

8. Bill Masterton

Bill Masterton was from Winnipeg, Manitoba and was signed by the Montreal Canadiens right out of college in 1961. He was an All-American player and was a great addition to the team. He spent most of his years playing in minor league and then quit for some time to work for a corporation. In 1967 the North Stars added him to the team and he became the first player to score a goal for the team. On January 13, 1968, the North Stars were playing the Oakland Seals. Masterton had the puck and was close to scoring, but passed the puck. Masterton was checked by two players of the Seals’ team and immediately feel backwards on the ice, his head slamming against it. He died shortly after due to a massive brain hemorrhage. It was so bad that even doctors couldn’t operate.

7. Chuck Hughes

Chuck Hughes was another promising player for the NFL. While in college, he set seven different all-time football records. A notable record is Hughes’ 17 interceptions in a single game against Arizona State in 1965. After graduating from college, he was a fourth round draft pick for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played for the Eagles for three years until joining the Detroit Lions in 1970. Hughes was listed as a wide receiver on the roster, but many of his plays were made on special teams. During the final minutes of a game against the Chicago Bears, Hughes suddenly fell forward without any type of contact. Players and fans thought he was faking an injury to stop the clock; however, Hughes had suffered a fatal heart attack. The game was concluded, but in silence.

6. Ray Chapman

Ray Chapman was a Major League Baseball player. He stands as the second player to have died as a result of injuries received during a baseball game. In 1912 he joined the Major Leagues and played for the Cleveland Naps. He was the leader in the American League in runs scored as well as walks. He was known for bunting and was a great shortstop. He was hitting .303 with 97 runs scored when he died. On August 17, 1920, the Naps were playing the Yankees. The Yankees’ pitcher, Carl Mays, threw the ball and it head Chapman on the head. Fans thought that the sound of the ball hitting his skull was the sound of it hitting his bat. Chapman was taken to the hospital and died 12 hours later. His death emphasized why players need to wear batting helmets and why the spitball has been banned.

5. Frank Hayes

Frank Hayes was a horse jockey. He was 35 years old and had been training horses for most of his life. He was chosen to ride a horse named Sweet Kiss by the owner. Hayes would participate in the Belmont Park racetrack in New York. Though the odds were against winning, Hayes was still ready to run the race and give it a try. In February of 1923, to everyone’s surprise, Sweet Kiss won the race. Once the race was over and the horse finally stopped, the horse’s owner ran out to the field to congratulate Hayes, but he was slumped in the saddle and not moving. Doctors confirmed that Hayes had a heart attack during the race. As weird as it may be, Frank Hayes stands as the only jockey that has won a race after his death.

4. Scott Brayton

Brayton was a race car driver from Coldwater, Michigan. He was able to take part in 14 Indianapolis 500s from 1981 until his death. During the 1980s, Brayton is well known for introducing a Buick stock-block V-6 to the racing world. He was able to score his best finish at the Speedway in 1989, finishing in 6th but still seven laps down. In 1993 he matched the same stats. When the Indy Racing League was announced in 1996, Brayton was considered a contender of the IRL title. Though the season started off rough, he was able to qualify and won his second Indy pole. On May 17, 1996, Brayton was practicing in his backup car when a tire blew. His car went into turn two, spun around, hit the outside of the wall, and eventually stopped. Brayton hit the wall at speeds higher than 230mph. He died because of the severe impact with the wall.

3. Ed Sanders

Ed Sanders was a boxer that competed on the minor level, the professional level, and even in the Olympics. His first Olympic boxing championship was in the 1952 summer games. He easily knocked out his opponent, Hans Jost, and went on to beat Giacomo DiSegni in his second fight. At this time, the only person keeping Sanders from the gold was Ingemar Johansson. After the Olympics Sanders went professional and fought eight fights in nine months, losing two of them. On December 12, 1954, Sanders was boxing Willie James. This would be his last fight. During the first ten rounds, the two traded heavy blows. By the 11th round, Sanders appeared to be tired. James hit Sanders with a punch combination and he fell and lost consciousness. He never regained consciousness and died after doctors tried to relieve bleeding in his brain.

2. Reggie Lewis

Reggie Lewis was a basketball player for the Boston Celtics from 1987 to 1993. He had an average of 20.8 points a game and finished with a career average of 17.6 per contest. In 1992, Lewis was chosen to play his first and only NBA All-Star Game which was held in Orlando Florida. He was able top play 15 minutes of the game and scored seven points. He also grabbed four rebounds. During a Celtics practice game on July 27, 1993, Lewis died suddenly. He suffered sudden cardiac death and was only 27 years old.

1. Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt was an American race care driver that is known for driving stock cars in NASCAR’s top division. He is greatly known for his success in the Winston Cup Series. He won 76 races during his career and was able to take home seven championships. He stands with Richard Petty as the men with the most championships held during a career. In 1998, Earnhardt was able to pull off his first and only Daytona 500 win. During his career, he took on many different epithets: “The Intimidator,” “Ironhead,” and “The Man In Black.” During his race in the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt died in the last-lap of the race. His car slid off of the track and went on the flat apron, and then turned sharply back towards the outside retaining wall. His car was then hit by the #36 car, and both cars hit nose-first into the wall. Earnhardt hit the wall at a critical angle going about 150mph. His car was in ruins but many thought the crash was minor. Earnhardt died from his injuries sustained from crashing into the wall.

10 Dangerous Exotic Pets

2010-10-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Most countries have laws against them. In most places around the globe it is illegal to capture, breed, or sell them. Yet world wide there is a fascination with owning wild, bizarre, exotic, and most of the time dangerous pets. What are this fascination with being different and the need to own something illegal and dangerous? Who owns these animals? And, what are these animals that are owned, sold, and traded worldwide regardless of the consequences?
The United With Animal Protection Institute issued a report of incidents involving captive held animals, which provided an interesting background report to base the list upon. There are also stories like this in papers around the world concerning the practice of keeping dangerous and exotic pets.

10. Turtles

A turtle may seem harmless enough, but did you know that they actually carry salmonella? It seems that the main concern is the baby turtles. It is not that the little guys have more cases of salmonella, it’s that the smaller they are the more attracted little kids are to them. And we all know how little kids can be; they will stick just about anything in their mouth – including their fingers after touching the turtles and the turtles themselves.

9. Constrictors

This is pretty much an obvious one. Sure that red tailed boa at the pet store seems harmless and kind of cute. But they grow quite rapidly; can get up to several feet in length, and speaking from a neighborhood experience, they have been known to escape. Lets just say if you feed them rabbits, they would have no problem with getting themselves around a dog or a cat even. One of the main concerns with owning constrictors is that once they start to get large, some people actually just let them go and return them to the wild. Watch out for Fido!

8. Scorpions

Did you know that there is a guy that as a performance and a world record chaser, he actually puts live Scorpions in his mouth? If you ask me, that’s not one of the best ideas I have heard of. Seeing the little ones when I lived in the southern US was enough for me. These little guys can pack quite a punch with their venomous sting!

7. Camels

Camels are known to be pretty temperamental guys. According to a report on Fox News when a local TV news crew was out filming exotic animal farms, an 1800 lb camel named Polo must have decided that they were not shooting his best side. When Polo became agitated he attacked his owner, kicking her and sitting on her. Ouch. Oh, and if you didn’t know, camels like to spit too. And it’s pretty gross.

6. Ostriches

Sure they seem cute and awkward looking. They hide their heads in the ground right. But apparently these guys will also chase you and they run pretty darn fast. Getting in the middle of an ostrich stampede just doesn’t sound like my idea of a really good time.

5. Chimps and Monkeys

They are adorable. The human resemblance is amazing. They are also known to bite and attack humans and animals alike. I once saw the damage that a monkey caused when it attacked a dog in India and let’s just say those puncture wounds weren’t pretty. The dog also lost an ear and an eye in the process. Sometimes cute is pretty deceptive.

4. Venomous Snakes

Again I go back to my comments about the scorpions. They are snakes. They are poisonous. They bite. None of this is a good combination. In Cincinnati a man was bitten by his rhinoceros viper snake, which is one of the world’s deadliest snakes. He did receive anti-venom and survived. But who really wants to take that risk?

3. Crocodiles and Alligators

Often people get crocs and alligators when they are little and cute and look like happy little lizards. Have you seen the jaws on those things? They didn’t make an entire TV show around hunting them out if there wasn’t some sort of risk and danger there. So keeping one in a kiddie pool in the back yard may not be the best idea. Just ask anyone who has lived in Florida and found one under their car.

2. Big Cats

Again it’s these cute ones that you have to worry about. When these guys are babies, who could resist? But no matter how young they are or how well trained they are, they can turn on you in a second. They feed them raw steak for goodness sake, shouldn’t that be a sign?

1.Lion

European car names top 10 sleepers

2010-10-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

european car's May issue, hit the mailboxes yesterday and today. I flipped through it briefly and caught an interesting article, or at least a semblance of an article, buried 60 some pages back in the 106 page issue (man it seems like these magazines have shrunk).

They had a list of top 10 sleepers. For those of you living under a rock, a sleeper is something you would never expect to kick a flashy sports car's ass. It's a car that the 5-0 would never give a second glance. And the car that doesn't leave people questioning your manhood.

I have the full list after the jump, some I agree with, others are meh, and some are not really sleepers.

In no particular order:

1997 BMW 540i-still pretty quick, unassuming, however, I think the M5 should have qualified, I really don't think it is much "flashier" then the 540i

1992-98 Jetta VR6-lol, they must have had to get a VW on the list, 174hp and a 0-60 of 7.5 seconds don't a sleeper make. Fail.

1975-81 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 - 6.9 liter V8 with a whopping 286hp, lets just say efficiency really wasn't the name of the game back in the late 70's. But yeah, these kick ass. Especially, since you usually picture your liberal Philosophy professor driving one. With a pipe.

1999-2002 Saab 9-3 Viggen - It pretty much looks like a standard 9-3. This fits the sleeper category well, but I do wonder if the 2004 9-5 Aero Wagon would be a better fit.

1994-96 Audi RS2 Avant - ummm yeah, sleeper incarnate. This wagon hauled (litterally) with a 0-60 of 4.8 seconds.

2004-05 Volvo V70 R - Yes. That is all I have to say.

2006 Cayenne Turbo S - oh really? It's hard for me to justify any Porsche as a "sleeper." That being said, having ridden in one it goes from luxury cruiser, to ohmygodhowarewegoingthisfast! in no time flat.

2007 Audi S8 - big, fast, not too flashy

1991-94 Mercedes-Benz 500E - Great car for drug runners to get away from the police in. Or wannabe gangsters.

Top 10 Cute, But Deadly Animals

2010-10-25T07:25:00.003-07:00

There is reason animals are called animals, and that is because they are wild. They are hard wired for survival, and if the heavens made them one of the most adorable, docile looking creatures on earth, that has absolutely nothing to do with this drive. Most animals will do whatever is necessary to remain free, procreate, protect their young, keep their territory, and eat a belly full of something scrumptious. Let’s look at a few of the least commonly recognized deadly animals on the planet, which also just happen to be among the most cute, beautiful, and graceful.

10. Stingray

The poolside to pet the stingrays at the aquarium is always crowded. There is just something about the gentle nature of these seemingly docile creatures that makes them much more adorable than your typical sea creature. When Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin died a few years back as a result of a stingray wound to the chest, the crowds grew a little sparse around the stingray pool. Today, their popularity remains intact, but that does not take away from the fact that a stingray can be very dangerous. One misplaced step within the sand can send its barbed stinger in a fury of reflexive, venomous slashing, which if hooked into a leg, arm, abdomen, or chest, will release toxins promoting swelling and excruciating pain. The toxin localizes at the sting point, but can travel through the rest of the body causing various other problems. While these stings are not often fatal, they can be.

9. Swan

Swans are such beautiful and graceful creatures. They are not only relatively gentle creatures in nature, but they are also terrific parents and would protect their young to the bitter end. And here lies the problem. Many birds have an instinct to protect their young when approached by a predator, but they will eventually give up if the predator is too strong or dangerous to deter. The swan however, does not give up. They will keep going until either they are dead, or the pursuant is, whichever comes first. These creatures, which can grow up to 30 pounds in weight, are very aggressive when provoked, and will bite and hit you without hesitation. The real danger however stands for those who are unable to swim, as swans have been known to fly over a perceived enemy, pushing them under the water until they drown. Image from WildAnimalsOnline.com.

8. Siberian Chipmunks

Now here is a cute and cuddly creature. The chipmunk stands about six inches from nose to tail, and has been known to burst suddenly into a harmonious melody if they hear the tickled ivories of a well tuned piano (Alvin and the Chipmunks reference). While the most aggression you will probably see from these creatures, is trying to take your sandwich during a picnic, they can be considered dangerous in other ways. I’m talking about the possibility of harboring disease. Siberian Chipmunks have been reported as spreading throughout many areas of the world, bringing with them, ticks (Lyme disease) and rabies. While both are treatable, if the disease is undetected and left untreated, heart and neurological problems can ensue, followed by coma and death in really extreme cases.

7. Elephant

The elephant is truly a wondrous creature. They are peaceful, kind, loving, and have even been documented to tear whenever a mate or child dies. With this said, no animal or creature is perfect, and there are times when an elephant can be extremely dangerous. The biggest problem lies in their pure size and strength. Every animal can get a little grumpy, such as when a chihuahua bites an ankle for stepping too close to its bone, or a cat claws a hand for scratching its belly. If an elephant gets grumpy however, one sweep of its foot, or joust of its tusk, and it’s all over for whoever happens to be in its way. A number of zoo trainers have died at the hands of a seemingly “friendly” elephant. They do not often take too well in captivity, and it has been said that the increased levels of testosterone in males during mating season, can lead to overly aggressive and uncontrolled attacks for seemingly no reason.

6. Hippopotamus

The lovable hippo is a well known animal character for countless of children’s movies, stories, and cartoons. The secret lies in their cute little ears, cute round buttocks, beady little eyes, and what appears to be a rather gentle distemper. If you thought that a Chihuahua was territorial over its bones, however, you haven’t seen how testy a hippo can get over its mud pond. Hippos kill people every year who approach their territory, either knowing or unknowing. Despite weighing in at 8,000 pounds, they can chase a person down at speeds of up to 20 mph. With a jaw structure that enables them to clamp down at 6,000 pounds of pressure, and canine teeth as large as 10 inches, they are not exactly an animal you want to irritate. Hippos are herbivores, so they don’t exactly eat people, but they will not hesitate to chomp one in two, if provoked.

5. Bottlenose Dolphin

Dolphins have been compared to humans on a number of fronts. They are intelligent, communicate with each other, have the ability to learn, do tricks, play jokes, and can almost use their fins as hands. What’s not to love? Dolphins however, are also known for their insatiable sexual yearning, and deep respect from others within the ocean. Deep respect? Yes, it has been shown on countless occasions (including the show, Myth Busters) that even the great white shark is more than just a little intimidated by a dolphin. Why? they must know something that we don’t. Dolphins can be violent. Not only have they been known to kill and maim their own young, they also kill porpoises and play with their dead carcass for no apparent reason other than its fun. Male dolphins particularly show aggression towards human males when there’s a female involved. Why? Sexual competition.

4. Chimpanzee

The chimpanzee has long been thought of as somewhat of an ancestor to man. They are the only mammals on the earth, with such obvious similarities as hands (with opposable thumbs), brain function, and facial expressions. With all these similarities, however, it shouldn’t be too surprising that they also have the similar traits towards violence. Chimpanzees have been documented as having bloody feuds with each other, resulting over territorial or other differences. Countless “trained” chimpanzee pets have also been known to turn on their owner or friends, causing severe damage, such as mangled hands (torn off in some cases), shredded faces, broken bones, etc. One important difference between a chimpanzee and human, is their skeletal muscle structure. The chimp has as much as 5-times the strength of a human, leaving little hope of defending ourselves should one decide to attack. Image from EarthShots.org.

3. Duck-Billed Platypus

The platypus is truly one of the strangest mammals on the face of the earth, with its thick fuzzy body, flat beaver-like tail, otter-like feet, duck-like bill, and cute beady little eyes that say, I could never hurt anyone. There are two very unique attributes of the platypus, the first, being its duckbill. Besides having the most obvious use of scooping food, it has built-in electro-receptivity, similar to that of the Hammerhead shark, allowing it to find food buried within the silt. The other unique attribute, is a pair 15 mm long hollow spurs placed along the inside of their rear legs. Inside these spurs resides a moderate toxin, which can be quickly delivered to an enemy (or their own kind) with a fleeing kick. The venom is deadly for small animals, and while not typically fatal for humans, causes excruciating pain that can last for weeks, if not months.

2. Polar Bear

The beautiful polar bear has appeared in everything from cartoons, movies and television ads, playing soft, fuzzy, gentle creatures, who are as noble in their allegiance with the human race, as they are adamant in their preference to the taste of Coca-Cola beverages. While a Polar bear sleeping on an ice berg with its paws clutched around it like a toddler holding their teddy bear is truly cute, that same creature slapping the head clean off an unwary arctic explorer, is a whole other rush of fear inducing adrenaline. The polar bear is the largest carnivore in North America, weighing up to 1500 pounds, and standing up to 10 feet on its hind legs. Somewhere between 20 to 90 people are attacked each year by the polar bear. With no natural enemy, a male polar bear has been said to have the strength to rip a 12-inch thick seal clean out of a 4-inch hole, as if it were peeling a banana for breakfast.

1. Slow Loris

The Slow Loris is one of the absolute most cute, sweet, and shy mammals on earth. With its narrow set, bulbous eyes, they are the kind of animal that people dream of taking home and cuddling it like a teddy bear. However, besides being one of the cutest mammals, it is also the most poisonous and venomous. By poisonous, the Slow Loris produces a toxin on the inside of its elbows through a gland, which if eaten, would give you quite an extreme case of stomach pain. They smear this excretion on their young, to help keep them from being eaten in the wild. They are also considered venomous because if provoked, they can suck this same poison from their elbows into their mouths, injecting it into an enemy via a bite. If the presumed predator shows an allergic reaction to the toxin, they could be dead within hours if not properly treated.

Top 10 Body Bugs

2010-10-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Life finds a way to survive virtually everywhere on our planet – including on itself. Almost every bird and mammal on the planet has its own unique species of louse: reptiles are home to scale-chewing mites, tiny crustaceans cling to the fins of fish, and even many bugs can have bugs of their own. Some of these bodily inhabitants are what biologists call “commensal,” meaning that they live on another animal but cause no harm nor benefit either way; the host never really even notices them. Others are of course “parasitic,” meaning they they cause some irritation or damage to the host as they feed on tissues or body fluids. Still other body bugs are “mutualistic,” meaning that both the body and bug are of some help to one another. Whether good, bad or just along for the ride, you can always expect these little critters to be weird.

10. Elephant Lice

Haematomyzus elephantis is a true louse, a parasite like the head lice that attack us humans, but can be found only on the bodies of elephants. Unusual among most lice, the jaws of these insects are on the end of long, thin snouts – almost like the trunks of their hosts. It’s far from coincidence, as the long snoot is used to penetrate an elephant’s thick, wrinkled hide.

9. Llama Lice

If it’s interesting that an elephant louse would have a long nose, certain lice that attack llamas and alpacas even happen to have long, thick necks. In this case, the neck allows them to reach through their host’s very thick and tangled hair to bite at the skin and suck blood.

8. Fish Lice

Insects are virtually absent from the sea, but fish aren’t safe from lice of their own. Argulus or “fish lice” are crustaceans, like crabs or lobsters, but adapted to a fully parasitic lifestyle. Their flat, saucer-shaped bodies act as powerful suction cups, clinging to their host’s slick, slimy scales even against a raging current. Just like the parasites of us air-breathers, these “fish lice” can transmit viral infections as they spread from one host to another.

7. Lobster Louse-Worms

Though shaped very much like lice, the Histriobdellidae are actually tiny annelids (like leeches or earthworms) who live a louse-like existence on the outer shells of crayfish, isopods and other crustaceans. While our lice have specially hooked claws for gripping hair, these louse worms have suckers for clinging to a smooth exoskeleton, and a powerful set of drilling jaws for getting at that tasty sea-bug blood.

6. Cockroach Mites

While lice are a kind of six-legged insect, mites are a kind of eight-legged arachnid, and can be found living on an even wider variety of other animals. Mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and even fellow invertebrates can all harbor parasitic, mutualistic or commensal mites. For our example, I’ve chosen Gromphadorholaelaps schaeferi. This mite is found living exclusively on the bodies of giant Madagascan hissing cockroaches – a popular exotic pet and reptile feeder – where they devour microscopic fungi growing on the host exoskeleton. Without these mites, the roaches can even develop fungi that irritate human asthma, though it isn’t known if the roaches themselves benefit much from the arrangement. (Image of mites not available, video of Madagascar Hissing Cockroach – mites not visible.)

5. Bee Lice

No bigger than the head of a pin, insects of the “Braula” genus live clinging to the fuzzy body of a honeybee and feed on nectar straight from the host’s mouth, even tickling the bee’s face until it regurgitates. Interestingly, these “lice” are actually flies, like the common housefly, but completely devoid of wings. Why bother with them, when you live on another winged insect? Think of it like a tiny kiwi living on an eagle…and drinking its puke.

4. Naked Bat Earwigs

You’ve probably never heard of the Malaysian hairless bulldog bat, one of the world’s rarest bat species. Even more unusual, this oddball mammal is home to an equally oddball bug: a tiny, louse-sized earwig living in the folds of the bat’s naked, wrinkly body- where it is thought to feed on collected skin oils or other secretions. We aren’t really sure, because we barely know much about these bizarre bats themselves.

3. Beaver Beetles

Though they look like a cross between a flea and a louse, Platypsyllus are actually just highly unusual beetles (as are fireflies, ladybugs and weevils). They are found living solely in the nests and fur of beavers, but cause no harm at all. Feeding on dirt, dead skin flakes and even other bugs, these insects are generally considered commensal or may even be beneficial.

2. Snail Flies

If you thought the bee lice were weird, Wandolleckia is another genus of flightless fly, though in this case it’s only the female that lacks wings. They spend their entire lives swimming in – and eating – the slimy coating of the giant land snail, Achatina achatina, while the winged males fly from snail to snail mating with the lovely mucus-dwelling ladies.

1. Whale Lice

Reaching up to a full inch in length, these crustaceans might be the largest body bugs on Earth, which is hardly surprising considering that they live exclusively on whales, where they feed harmlessly off algae and flaking skin. Once overlooked by biologists, we now know that their genetics closely parallel the genetics of their hosts, differing between whale lineages and even between individuals as a part of every animal’s unique identity. This is particularly true for the three species of “Right” Whale, whose characteristic white “lumps” are actually thousands of lice clinging to special patches of rough skin. These patches serve no other known purpose, but the patterns of white lice make every whale immediately recognizable to observers and perhaps even to their own kind. Hey, at least it’s prettier than your driver’s license photo.

By YARO Avan

Top 10 Unusual Cemeteries

2010-10-25T07:20:00.001-07:00

10. World’s First Public Pet Cemetery

Cimetiere Des Chiens

Cimetiere des Chiens, a cemetery for dogs and other domestic animals, is said to be the world’s oldest public pet cemetery. It is located in Asnières-sur-Seine, a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. Opened in 1899, Cimetiere des Chiens was a response to a French law stating that pet owners are not allowed to dump the dead bodies of their animals in the garbage or the Seine River. The most famous gravestone belongs to Rin Tin Tin, the legendary American dog that starred in various Hollywood movies.

9. Highway to Hell?

Stull Cemetery

Located in Kansas, this cemetery has gained the reputation as one of the world’s most haunted cemeteries. Some people even consider it to be one of the seven gateways to Hell. There are so many legends, stories of witchcraft, ghosts and supernatural happenings surrounding it that even Pope John Paul II allegedly ordered his private jet not to fly over Stull while he was on the way to a public appearance in Colorado in 1995. The Pope considered Stull “unholy ground”.
But just how terrifying is this place? There aren’t many places as controversial as Stull Cemetery. My favorite tale is that the devil’s only half-human son is buried there with his mother. Perhaps that’s why the devil himself has been visiting the Stull Cemetery at least once (some legends report twice) a year since 1850. However, Tracy Morris, author of the Tranquility series of paranormal humor mysteries, asks a legitimate question: “Presumably, Mrs. Lucifer and little Luci Jr. would go to hell upon death, where the Prince of Darkness reigns supreme. So if they’re in hell with him, why visit their graves at all? Maybe he just wants a vacation.”

8. Take a Gander at the Winchester Geese

Cross Bones Graveyard

Cross Bones Graveyard, traditionally called the Single Women’s Graveyard, dates back to medieval times. It was the final resting place for prostitutes (locally known as the Winchester Geese) working in London’s legalized brothels. Multicolor ribbons, charms, flowers, feathers, poems, pictures, and silk stockings decorate the iron fence of the graveyard.
Tudor historian John Stow wrote in his 1603 Survey Of London: “These single women were forbidden the rites of the church, so long as they continued that sinful life, and were excluded from Christian burial, if they were not reconciled before their death. And therefore there was a plot of ground called the Single Woman’s churchyard, appointed for them far from the parish church.”

7. Natural Mummies from Mother Nature

Le Mummie di Urbania

La Chiesa dei Morti, The Church of the Dead, is located in Urbania in Italy. Inside lies the Cemetery of the Mummies, which was built in 1833. This cemetery is famous for its strange phenomenon of natural mummification. According to specialists, the process is caused by a particular mold that has absorbed moisture from the corpses leading to the complete desiccation of the bodies.

6. The Mafia Cemetery

Shirokorechenskoe Cemetery

In the 1990s, Yekaterinburg was known as ‘The crime capital of Russia.’ Many of the leaders of the Russian Mafia lived there and Shirokorechenskoe Cemetery was the final resting place for many of them. Very expensive tombs, black marble, precious stones, laser-engraved images and life-size granite gravestones are common here. The nicknames of the deceased mobsters are engraved along with some of the things they were known for: He was an expert in using knifes.

5. The World’s First Underwater Cemetery

Neptune Memorial Reef

The Neptune Memorial Reef (also known as the Atlantis Memorial Reef or the Atlantis Reef) is the world’s first underwater mausoleum for cremated remains and the world’s largest man-made reef. Opened in 2007, off the coast of Miami Beach, the Neptune Memorial Reef is the perfect final resting place for those who loved the sea.

4. The Merry Cemetery

S?pân?a

Cemeteries are often sad places, but they can also be amusing and entertaining. S?pân?a, in Northern Romania, is worldwide famous for its Merry Cemetery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. What is so unusual about this cemetery? Well, to begin with, the atypical design of the tombstones, which are painted by hand in vivid colors, such as red, blue, green, and yellow. The tombstones are big crosses sculpted from oak wood, engraved with funny epitaphs briefly describing the life or the circumstances in which these persons passed away:
Under this heavy cross
Lies my poor mother in law.
If she had lived three more days,
I would be lying here and she would be reading.
Burn in hell, you damn taxi
That came from Sibiu!
As large as Romania is,
You couldn’t find another place to stop,
But in front of my house to kill me?
S?pân?a is a unique cemetery and a major touristic attraction. The man behind this concept is Romanian craftsman Ioan Stan Patras, who started sculpting the crosses in 1935. The ancient culture of the Dacians, the Romanian’s ancestors, viewed death as liberation and the soul as immortal. S?pân?a preserves this positive attitude towards death and welcomes it with a smile.

3. How Do I Bury Thee, Let Me Count the Ways…

The Bridge to Paradise – Xcaret’s one-of-a-kind cemetery

The Bridge to Paradise, in the Xcaret Nature and Cultural Park, is quite an intriguing Mexican cemetery. Its structure is based on the Gregorian calendar: the cemetery simulates a hill with seven levels representing the days of the week and 365 colorful tombs on the outside depicting the days of the year. The main entrance is a stairway with 52 steps that represent the weeks of the year.
Each grave is different from the others in design and building materials. One might look like a replica of a famous cathedral, while the next one looks like a sofa or a bed with headboard and pillows.

2. Mysterious Hanging Coffins of China

Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province

Hanging coffins is an ancient funeral custom found only in Asia: there are hanging coffins in China, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Some coffins are cantilevered out on wooden stakes, while some lay on rock projections. Other coffins are simply placed in caves.
The hanging coffins of the Bo people in Gongxian, Sichuan Province, the Guyue people of Dragon Tiger Mountain and the Guyue people of Wuyi Mountain are the most famous. The Wuyi Mountain coffins are the oldest; some are more than 3,750 years old.
As bizarre as it may seem, it makes sense. Why bury a coffin three meters under the ground, if you want to go to heaven?

1. Ancient Egyptian Burial Grounds

The Cemeteries of Giza and the Valley of the Kings

The Giza Plateau, the site of the mysterious Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and thousands of tombs, has attracted more tourists, archeologists, historians, scientists and mathematicians than any other. The Great Pyramid (Pyramid of Khufu or Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and biggest. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it houses the body of Pharaoh Khufu and was built with more than 2 million stones over a period of 20 years. The complex and elaborate funeral customs of ancient Egyptians were believed to ensure immortality in the afterlife.
The Valley of the Kings, a World Heritage Site, is known to contain more than 60 tombs and 120 chambers. It was the main burial place of the major royal figures of the Egyptian New Kingdom. The fascinating tombs of Egyptian pharaohs are still being discovered to this day.

2010 Top 10 Billionaires in World

2010-10-23T08:08:00.001-07:00

Here is a list of Latest Top 10 Billionaires of the World according to Forbes Magazine.

1. Carlos Slim Helu (£35.7billion)

Telecom, Mexico

Carlos Slim Helu, known simply as Carlos Slim was born on January 28, 1940. Carlos Slim is a Mexican business magnate and the chairman and CEO of Telmex, Telcel and America Movil. As of April 2010, Helu is the wealthiest person in the world with a net worth of around US$60.6 billion. His sons Carlos, Marco Antonio and Patrick Slim Domit run the day-to-day operations of Telmex, Telcel, and America Movil.

2. Bill Gates (£35.4billion)

Microsoft, U.S.

William Henry “Bill” Gates III, known as Bill Gates was born on October 28, 1955. Bill Gates is an American business magnate, philanthropist, author and chairman of Microsoft. Bill Gates founded the software company with Paul Allen. Bill Gates is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people and was the wealthiest overall from 1995 to 2009, excluding 2008, when he was ranked third. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of CEO and chief software architect, and remains the largest individual shareholder with more than 8 percent of the common stock. He has also authored or co-authored several books. Bill Gates is currently the second wealthiest person in the world as of 2010.

3. Warren Buffett (£31.3billion)

Investments, U.S.

Warren Edward Buffett, Ppopularly known as Buffett, was born on August 30, 1930. Warren Buffett is an American investor & industrialist. Buffett is one of the most successful investors in the world. Often called the “legendary investor Warren Buffett”, he is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett is consistently ranked among the world’s wealthiest people, he was ranked as the world’s second wealthiest person in 2009 and is currently the third wealthiest person in the world as of 2010.

Buffett is called the “Oracle of Omaha” or the “Sage of Omaha” and is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. Buffett is also a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily via the Gates Foundation. He also serves as a member of the board of trustees at Grinnell College.

4. Mukesh Ambani (£19.3billion)

Petrochemicals, oil and gas. India

Mukesh Ambani was born on 19 April 1957. Mukesh Ambani is an Indian business magnate and the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, the largest private sector enterprise in India, a Fortune 500 company, and one of the largest private sector conglomerate in world. Mukesh Ambani is the eldest son of Dhirubhai Ambani, the late founder of Reliance Industries. His personal stake in Reliance Industries is 48%.
As of July 2010, Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in Asia and the fourth richest man in the world with a personal wealth of US$29.0 billion.

5. Lakshmi Mittal (£19.1billion)

Steel, India

Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, known as Lakshmi Mittal, was born on 2 September 1950. Mittal is an Indian steel tycoon and the chairman and chief executive officer of Arcelor Mittal.

Lakshmi Mittal serves as a non-executive director of Goldman Sachs, EADS and ICICI Bank and is presently the vice chairman of the World Steel Association. Mittal is a member of the Foreign Investment Council in Kazakhstan, the International Investment Council in South Africa, the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council and the International Iron and Steel Institute’s Executive Committee. Mittal is a member in the Advisory Board of the Kellogg School of Management and is part of St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta Alumni Association, London Chapter.

As of July 2010, Lakshmi Mittal is the richest man in Europe and the fifth richest man in the world with a personal wealth of US$28.7 billion or £19.3 billion. The Financial Times named Mittal Person of the Year in 2006. In May 2007, he was named one of the “100 Most Influential People” by Time magazine.

6. Lawrence Ellison (£18.7billion)

Oracle, U.S.

Lawrence Joseph “Larry” Ellison was born on August 17, 1944. Lawrence Ellison is an American business magnate, co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, a major enterprise software company. As of 2010 he is the sixth richest person in the world, with a personal wealth of US$28 billion.

In August 2010 it was reported that Ellison is one of the 40 billionaires who has signed “The Giving Pledge”.

Ellison wrote: “Many years ago, I put virtually all of my assets into a trust with the intent of giving away at least 95 percent of my wealth to charitable causes. I have already given hundreds of millions of dollars to medical research and education, and I will give billions more over time. Until now, I have done this giving quietly–because I have long believed that charitable giving is a personal and private matter.”

7. Bernard Arnault (£18.3billion)

Luxury goods, France

Bernard Arnault was born on 5 March 1949. Bernard Arnault is a French businessman tycoon. Bernard Arnault is the founder, chairman, and CEO of LVMH, a large luxury goods conglomerate consisting of over fifty luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Fendi. According to Forbes Magazine, Arnault is the world’s 7th richest person, with a 2010 net worth of $US27.5 billion.

8. Eike Batista (£18.2billion)

Mining, oil. Brazil

Eike Fuhrken Batista, more commonly Eike Batista or simply Eike, was born on November 3, 1957. Eika is a Brazilian billionaire entrepreneur. Eika has founded companies in different business sectors, mainly in mining. He is the son of Eliezer Batista da Silva, a longtime head of mining company Vale. As of 2010, he is the eighth richest person in the world.

Major companies founded by Eike Batista:

EBX
MMX
OGX
MPX
LLX
Mr Lam (Chinese restaurant)
Porto de Peruíbe
OSX

9. Amancio Ortega (£16.6billion)

Fashion retail, Spain

Amancio Ortega Gaona, was born on March 28, 1936. Gaona is a Spanish fashion entrepreneur. Gaona was ranked by Forbes as Spain’s richest man and the 9th richest man in the World in 2010. Amancio Ortega Gaona is the founder, with his then-wife Rosalia Mera, and chairman of the Inditex Group. Gaona currently lives with his second wife in a discreet apartment building in the centre of A Corunna

10. Karl Albrecht (£15.7billion)

Supermarkets, Germany

Karl Hans Albrecht, was born on 20 February 1920. Karl Albrecht is a German entrepreneur who founded the discount supermarket chain Aldi with his brother Theo. Karl is among the richest men in the world, with an estimated net worth in 2010 of $23.5 billion according to Forbes, which ranks him 10th in its 2010 world rich list. Albrecht is the wealthiest man in Germany.

The top 10 weirdest USB drives

2010-10-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

USB drives comes in thousands of designs and colors, but these 10 are extraordinary weird. Or what do you think? Go ahead, check them out. They are weird! Promise. Hehe.
10. The iduck
We start off with the least weird USB drive, and it’s the iduck from the Japanese company Solid Alliance. They are available in six different colors and the version on the picture even lights up when it’s plugged in. It’s cute so it’s not that hard to understand why it’s popular, right?
iduck [Dynamism.com]
9. Sake bottle
Now it’s starting to get weird. A USB drive shaped like a Sake bottle? Does that sound like the next big thing? Hehe, I wonder how many of these actually was produced! It’s so weird that it’s cool.
USB Sake [Akihabara news]

8. Sushi
If you already have bought the USB Sake, you definitely got to have a set of Sushi drives. They come in lots of different models and look really authentic. Don’t eat! Weird, eh?
USB Sushi [Dynamism.com]
7. Mikan Seijin USB memory
Ok, now it’s starting to get really weird, don’t you agree? This drive is called Mikan Seijin and if you translate that it means ‘Mandarin Alien’ – a popular Japanese TV show from 1994. It’s a relly horrible product. Hehe.
Mikan Seijin USB memory [Engadget]
6. Big Tiki Drive
Standing almost 4″ tall, the Big Tiki Drive is a really weird product. What’s the connection between Hawaii and storage? Once again, a product that is so weird that it becomes cool.
Big Tiki Drive [Thinkgeek]

5. USB ~~Sushi~~ Dimsum This is just another dimsum ~~Sushi~~ USB drive, but they look so authentic that they deserve a better position in this Top 10 list. They even looks sticky! Only 5 weird USB drives to go, hang on!
Sushidisk.co.uk

4. idisk
The product description of this really strange product says it all: ‘It’s so small you can have it in your ear‘. Hehe, ok! How on earth should can you avoid not misplacing this really tiny (and very weird) product?
iDisk Diamond, even in your ear [Akihabara news]
3. USB ~~Fish~~ Shrimp
Once again: why? Why on earth would you want to have a little ~~fish~~ shrimp sticking out of your USB port? If you want to make it REALLY weird, combine this one with the USB Spaghetti plate port and you have a truly wild combination.
Wild USB combo [Engadget]
2. USB Thumb
The USB thumb is our runner up in the Top 10 weirdest USB drives ever. Having a thumb sticking out of your computer is really, really weird, and it also gives a completely new meaning to the expression ‘thumbdrive’.It looks very realistic, so you can probably use it in some pranks to your friends and colleagues.
USB Thumb [Dynamism.com]

1. Barbie
Yes, at last – the most weird USB drive ever – the USB Barbie. Rip the head off the cute Barbie doll, and plug it into your PC. This is as weird as it gets this time! Enjoy!
The Barbie USB drive [Gizmodo]

Read more: http://gadgets.fosfor.se/the-top-10-weirdest-usb-drives-ever/#ixzz13C6adGXO

Top 10 Weirdest Pendrives

Forget Cd’s. These days pendrives are in. At Schools, Students and teachers, Doctors all use this. So what happens when pendrive go trendy? Check out these pendrives!
Check them out.

An lizard pen drive

Syringe Pendrive

Delicious Pendrive!

Star Pendrive

Made of Wood

Chici Pendrive

I am going to eat this!

Slipper Pendrive

Lego Pendrive

Doctors Pendrive

Sept’10 Sponsors & Partners

2010-10-23T04:46:00.001-07:00

Social Media Week is remodeling the conference format and in-turn creating new opportunities for brands to engage with an incredibly broad and diverse audience consisting of hyper-social influencers.
For sponsorship information and to learn how you can engage with Social Media Week’s audience, please email Toby Daniels.

Global Gold Sponsor

Global Media Partners

Global Technology Partners

Global Event Partners

Titan Fastrack Watches

2010-10-23T04:38:00.000-07:00

Titan Fastrack Watches-the Ideal Choice for One and All

September 23, 2010 By Yaroavan

With Titan Fastrack watches collection, Titan watches, the major Indian watchmaker forayed into the fashion watches category in the year 1998. In an instant, the stylish and trendy Titan Fastrack Watches collection became a rage especially with the youths.

Among the popular Titan Fastrack Watches collection available across in India are Titan Fastrack Campus watches, Titan Fastrack Digital Watches, Titan Fastrack watches for women, Titan Fastrack XY watches and Titan Fastrack Neon disc watches.

Titan Fastrack Campus Watches:
The Titan Fastrack Campus watches have interesting features and styles like washable Velcro straps with inbuilt analogue compass. The collection consists of a carabineer-watch designed to change the definition of a watch as a wrist accessory.

The Titan Fastrack Campus watches have been inspired from mountaineering and rock climbing gear. This watch hangs from the belt loop with carabineer clasp. The crystal guard on the men’s watches protects the glass and the case. The dials have patterned luminescent ink fill on the dials allowing you to see the time even in the dark.

This collection has 7 cases (14 variants) in vibrant colors, asymmetrical shapes and bold features. Price ranges from Rs.1095 to Rs.1750.

Titan Fastrack Digital Watches:
The Titan Fastrack Digital watches come with 22 designs in four series. The collection has a wide range of style, from the simple classic to the latest space age looking digitals and the futuristic looking ana-digi model. The range of fashion digitals come in contemporary wrist hugging cases with oversized displays and features that include countdown timers, chronographs, lap timers, hourly chime, alarm and Hi-light glow.

The watches are priced between Rs. 600 to Rs. 1500.

Titan Fastrack Watches for Women:
The Titan Fastrack Watches for women has been targeted for women aged 18-30. It is a fashion brand to match the aspirations of women who would want an Espirit but at an affordable price.

The trendy collection of women’s watches in 20 styles showcases the latest in international design and materials, using the steel look, in interesting geometric shapes, colors and finishes. Priced between Rs 995-1,950, the woman’s collection presents the all new international ‘Frosted’ look, which is trendy and chic.

Titan Fastrack XY Watches:
The Titan Fastrack XY watches collection, as the name suggests has been designed for the youths interested to sport a funky look.

Priced between Rs 500 and Rs 1995 the watches are available at World of Titan showrooms and multi-brand outlets across the country.

Titan Fastrack Neon Disc Watches:
The Titan Fastrack Neon disc range of watches has been inspired by night clubbing and discotheques. It gives existing technology of Electro-Luminescence (EL), an interesting twist; making it the first analog watches collection sans HANDS!!

The collection is unique in that it uses NO HANDS to show the time! Instead, two concentric aluminum discs, representing the hour and the minute, show the time with the help of markers cut out on the discs.

This design innovation is the first of its kind in India both guys and girls, has over 20 styles. Prices range from Rs. 1195 to 2195.

So what are you waiting for? Go for a Fastrack and be a trendsetter!

Highest Income Tax Rate Countries – Top 10 List

2010-10-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

In this world, nothing can be said to be certain – except death and taxes. —> Benjamin Franklin
This sardonic proverb is well known and appreciated all over the world, especially by those who are paying taxes on their income. That the tax man (or woman – why not!) is compared to the grim reaper is a tribute enough to the fear and resignation that income taxes have inspired in the minds of one and all. Most of the otherwise honest tax payers have great difficulty in understanding the rationale of parting with their hard earned money for whatever purpose income taxes purport to fulfill.
Most of the countries impose some form or other of taxes on the income of their denizens – be they citizens or residents, or ordinarily residents, non-ordinarily resident or non-residents (or how ever the tax authorities chose to describe heir hapless victims!). However, there are some countries where the income tax rate are zero. Yes, you heard that right – ZERO!! I will publish a list of zero income tax countries too – very soon. Just remember to come back here!

Another class of countries exists, which are called tax havens or tax haven countries. They are almost heaven for those who are earning a great deal of money, and are, therefore, liable to pay a great deal of taxes. In a tax haven country, the rate of income tax is very low, sometimes zero. This means that if you are based in a tax haven, you can take home most of what you have earned in whatever way – that tax man won’t bother you at all – or not much, at any ‘rate’!
This article is not about those tax havens, or about zero income tax countries. This article is about those countries which impose the MAXIMUM amount of taxes on the income of their denizens. Wherever you live, you will certainly hear people complaining about how the income taxes are killing them, how the income taxes are usurious, how the income taxes are taking away most of their hard earned income and so on. Even you, yourself, might be one of those doing the complaining – I do so frequently! In that case, you can take consolation from reading this list. And, if you you are LIVING in one of the countries that figure in this list, then well, what can I say!
Before I give you the list of countries with highest income tax rates, I will like to clarify the following points -
>> These are the highest marginal tax rates – most of the countries have progressive taxes, i.e., lower tax rates at low income level, and increasing gradually with increasing income.
>> The rates mentioned here are the individual tax rates – there are other types of taxes on income also – such as corporate income taxes and VAT etc. To get a complete picture about the taxation level in a country, you should know all the different types of taxes in force there.
>> The income tax rates mentioned in the article are as of 2009. They may change from year to year.
>> High income taxes do not always imply BAD, and conversely, low income tax rates do not always imply GOOD.
Highest Income Tax Countries List
So, ladies and gentlemen, now that I have rid myself of the caveats, here is the list. The list is arranged in the reverse chronological order, going from lowest to highest.

10. Australia, Cape Verde, China, Croatia —–> 45%

9. Israel ——> 46%

8. Canada ——> 48.25%

7. Austria, Belgium, Cuba, Senegal ——> 50%

6. Finland ——> 51.5%

5. Netherlands —–> 52%

4. Aruba —–> 58.95%

3. Denmark —-> 59%

2. Sweden —-> 59.17%

1. Chad —-> 60%

Top 10 television ads in India 2010

2010-10-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

Competitive Advertising – Creating controversy to get Maximum Eyeballs!!

by Yaroavan 3 comments

Coke and Pepsi Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Go Air Audi, BMW and Subaru HUL and P&G What do you think is common between them other than them being companies from the same industry? All of them have at some point or the other engaged in what we call today as …

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Mcdonalds – First OOH campaign in 8 yrs!

by Yaroavan 1 comment

Mcdonalds – one of the biggest food chains of the world and well loved in India too is back with a bang painting the cities of Bangalore and Mumbai ‘RED’! Yes you read it right! They have embarked on a massive outdoor campaign after a gap of 7 yrs and it looks to have snatched [...]

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Horlicks comes out with ‘Foodles’ – In the Noodles Bowl!

by Yaroavan 3 comments

Yesterday, I came across a new Ad on TV with a new fancy brand ‘Foodles’ being promoted under the umbrella brand of Horlicks products. Again, this morning I saw the print media Ad for Foodles. Thus, thought of writing about a little different subject today, especially because an able competitor seems to have arrived …

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Top Indian TV commercials with Social Message !

by Yaroavan 4 comments

During the first year & half of this blog, when I was in U.S, I did miss something – Indian TV Advertisements (Ads on U.S Television are outright bland..except for a rare one..). Indian TV features all kinds of ads, many of them are really bad, however some of them are so good you can [...]

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Best & Top ZooZoo Advertisements during IPL

by Yaroavan 0 comments

TV Commercials during NFL Season are major talking point in the U.S. However, I see that no one talks about Indian TV advertisements during major events. Last year ZOOZOO Ads were craze during IPL, every one was talking about it. Even this time around we have zoozoo ads, and some are really quite …

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An Ad Mad World Out Here, HUL & P&G Lock Horns

by Yaroavan 3 comments

Even in this era of all-things-internet, there is no denying the fact thatÂ Television advertisements have a defining impact on the brand positioning. With TV ads, brandsÂ put their best face forward and reach out to a mass target audience. TV Advertisements like any other forms of advertisements have one primary objective – Conversion. A [...]

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Hari Sadu – Naukri’s new TV commercial is simple and to the point !

by Yaroavan 2 comments

Naukri is back on TV with its very popular Hari Sadu line of commercials. I think Hari Sadu was a break through commercial, purely for the reason of the impact it created. The First version was excellent and Hari Sadu became a household name. No other online brand has been so well advertised. On …

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This is how Advertisers fleece poor customers !

by Yaroavan 29 comments

I was reading Times of India today morning, and the Front Quarter page Advertisement caught my eye. It was an advertisement for Flair pens. Boldly they advertised – “World’s Longest writing Pen” with a small *star* in the end. I was curious to know how they found out about the “longest” part and expected …

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Telecom Tuesday: 3G Auctions, Advertisments,Mobile Banking

by Ankit Agarwal 3 comments

3G Auction Delayed,Yet Again The Indian Government seems to have lost it way with the much awaited 3G auctions.If the Department of Telecom(DoT) is to beleived , the official 3g auctions might get delayed by a more than a month and start around the first week of March.DoT is yet to finalise the Notice Inviting [...]

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Adding real-time trending ads to the web: OneRiot at a time

by Yaroavan 1 comment

OneRiot, a search engine for the real-time web and developer of the PulseRank algorithm to discover trending content on the web, has recently announced its plans to monetize the real-time web by making available contextual ads that are related to trending topics. They have partnered with a few partners including Digsby, …

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Crowdsourcing done perfectly !

by Yaroavan 6 comments

I have been wanting to write about this since I first saw the Lays Ad campaign featuring Saif Ali Khan. Do you remember the artist tattooing kareepatta on Saif’s hands ? That lays Ad has impressed me a lot – It is actually much more than just an advertisement. This is probably the first …

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Foursquare checks-in to Mumbai: dawn of a new business paradigm built around location?

by Yaroavan 1 comment

Foursquare is a new social network service that has now become available in India (Mumbai) too, and it allows its users to check-in to various parks, bars, museums, restaurants, whatever using their iPhone or Android Smartphone applications or by manually checking in using the mobile browser on other mobile phones. Another social network …

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Top 10 television ads in India

Posted by Yaroavan| 08:19 PM | India's top ten television ads | 1 comments » No. 1
Brand: Airtel
Client: Bharti Airtel Limited
Agency: Rediffusion DY&R, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Red Ice / Shoojit Sarkar

On a drizzly Mumbai afternoon, overcast skies let in a little more than conventional wisdom to the boys in Rediffusion DY&R. They decided to celebrate the rains over tea and biscuits with a brief from Airtel staring them in the face.
Airtel had a new director in Gopal Vittal, who joined the telecom

behemoth in January, with a clear-cut mandate of taking the brand forward inclusively. "We wanted to show unmatched coverage and link it with unbreakable bond to convey the functional benefit of the network with emotional connects," says Mr Vittal.

Source: Economictimes
That's when K S Chakraborty, with a WG Grace-like visage, used rain as a metaphor to effect. The ad in question evocatively depicts the father and son relationship with rain in the backdrop. The son captures the sight and sound of a downpour and calls up the father trapped in a board meeting. Simple joys, human connect and seamless network form the sum and substance of this ad and propels it to the number one slot in our rankings. "A brand with 40 million subscribers needs a very large space to open up hearts," says Mr Chakraborty.

No. 2
Brand & Client: Nokia
Agency: Bates David Enterprise, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Chrome Pictures / Amit Sharma

It's lonely at the top. But mobile handset giant Nokia is not alone. Two ads from Nokia's stable qualify in the rankings, and propels the brand to number two in the ad effectiveness meter. There's an international ad about the N-Series done by a host of agencies and then, the homegrown ad churned out by Bates that focuses on mass-market camera phones for the youth. For all practical purposes, that's the ad in focus. It's an inclusive ad, says Devinder Kishore, director of marketing at Nokia India.

"It has strong linkage with the audience," feels Rajeev Raja, creative director of Bates India.

No. 3
Brand: Surf Excel
Client: Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)
Agency: Lowe, Mumbai
Production House/Director: RDP Productions / Abhinay Deo

‘Daag Acche Hain' was the tagline that made dirt look good is a universal theme that the FMCG behemoth HUL adopted for its detergent power brand, Surf Excel. Having tasted success in the past with the brother-sister commercial, Lowe was under pressure to deliver another cracker of an ad with the same theme but a different situation. "The wink at the end came across so well that it just stole the show," says Priti Nair, who with the help of Brijesh Jacob, created the traffic fight situation which went on to become equally popular as the last ad.

No. 4
Brand: Hutch
Client: Hutchison Essar (Now Vodafone)
Agency: O&M, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Good Morning Films / Shashank Chaturvedi

A frail-framed Irfan Khan dominates the screen with dialogue complementing the virtues of middle-class existence. The brief really was to make mobility more affordable than what the subscriber thought. "The examples used in the ad connects with the people we're talking to - chai-paani wala et al," claims Rajeev Rao, creative director of O&M.

No. 5
Brand: UTI/AXIS Bank
Client: UTI/AXIS Bank
Agency: Meridian Advertising, Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Working I / Sameer Tiwari

Finding identical twins was the most challenging task before the admen here. The name change of the bank needed to be communicated in BOLD. "Since UTI was announcing the change that except the name, nothing else is changing, we thought of working with identical twins," says Sumanto Chattopadhyay, executive creative director, Ogilvy & Mather

No. 6
Brand: Lux
Client: Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)
Agency: JWT, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Chrome Productions (Amit ) / Firoz -Film Head, JWT

When the age-old beauty soap from the HUL stable, Lux, decided to introduce a new theme for the brand, it was a huge challenge to Indianise its global tagline 'Play with Beauty', says Sumira Roy, ECD, JWT. "We wanted the same spirit to be communicated (yet customised) for the Indian women," says Ashok Venkatramani, VP Skincare, HUL. Hum with the brand, Surat Bhi Hai Khoobsurat Bhi Hai.

Mo. 7
Brand: Pepsi MyCan
Client: PepsiCo India
Agency: JWT, New Delhi
Production House/Director: Corcoise Films / Prasoon Pandey

It’s all about style' for the new Pepsi MyCan commercial. A teeny-bopper with spiked hair frazzles SRK. Phew! Now that's some attitude. The creative team at JWT, led by creative director Surjo Dutt scripted and shot the ad in a day, with the objective of showing today's youth as being full of individuality. That is what the brief was like from the client as well -- to establish a new style statement. Along with it was to propogate a new ritual of holding the MyCan in a unique way, which has caught on among the youth in a big way, says the team at JWT.

No. 8
Brand: Jeevan Tarang Policy
Client: LIC
Agency: JWT, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Dungarpur Films / Sharan M

How many times do kids put coins in slot machines and get a shower of chocolates? At least the LIC ad featuring a cherubic new face ensures that every time. The coin was an expression of the premium "and once that gets inserted into the machine, the boy gets chocolates (money) manifold...when you pay for our term policy, you enjoy installments throughout your life," according to an LIC spokesperson The thematic treatment was rendered by JWT's Sumira Roy, who was determined "to break the fuddy-duddy image of LIC".

No. 9
Brand: Tata Sky Active Whiz Kids
Client: Tata Sky
Agency: Rediffusion DY&R
Production House/Director: Equinox / Manoj Shroff

The commercial had to be designed to convey the message that interactive application in Tata Sky can make kids 'little geniuses' from an early age. "To attract kids, the visual hook plays a pivotal role. An identity, a catching jingle and a surprise element in the face of Einstein were other factors which made kids reckon and relate with the advertisement," says Ashish Khazanchi, creative director, Rediffusion DY&R.

No. 10
Brand: Cadbury Dairy Milk
Client: Cadbury India
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai
Production House/Director: Red Ice Films / Shoojit Sarkar

How does one change a mere dessert for celebration into a craving? "With the help of consumer insights, we decided that it's time that we associate chocolate with something that goes beyond celebration," says Abhijit Avasthi, creative director of O&M. The surprise element of hooking up AB's spirit in a girl's body also helped to communicate this strategic change in the chocolate's positioning.

Top 10 Most Admired Entrepreneurs in India

2010-10-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

India's most admired entrepreneurs:

The leadership, diligence, foresight and wisdom that a great entrepreneur demonstrates can help shape a company's -- even a nation's -- destiny. Indian corporate history is replete with business icons who have changed the way the world looks at India, and helped shape a new future for the nation.
But before we move on further, here is a caveat: This list of India's corporate giants is by no means complete. Nor have these Indian business icons been ranked. Their pictures have been arranged in random order. Also, stalwarts like JRD Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani, G D Birla and others who are not amongst us today have not been mentioned in the slide show.
Here's a list of some of India's most admired entrepreneurs. Do share your thoughts with us on the message board below.

Ratan Tata

Ratan Naval Tata has been in the news for the past few days due to the unseemly controversy over the Nano car plant in Singur, West Bengal.
The 70-year-old is the chairman of the Tata Group, which is one of India's largest conglomerates.
A bachelor, Tata is one of the most admired businessmen not just in India but the world over. He has been at the helm of the Tata empire since 1991.
Image: Ratan Tata, chairman of one of India's largest conglomerates, the Tata Group.

N R Narayana Murthy Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy is the co-founder, non-executive chairman and chief mentor of India's best known software firm, Infosys Technologies Ltd.
Murthy is a globally known and highly regarded entrepreneur.
Image: N R Narayana Murthy, chief mentor and non-executive chairman of Infosys Technologies.

Azim Premji Azim Premji is the chairman Wipro, India's second largest software firm after Tata Consultancy Services.
Premji is credited with transforming Wipro, his family's vegetable oil business, into one of the world's foremost software company.
Although one of the richest Indians, he flies economy class and is happiest when hiking, reading or discussing the foundation he has set up to promote primary education.
Image: Wipro chairman Azim Premji.

Mukesh Ambani Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani is, according to
Forbes the world's fifth richest man and his net worth is estimated at $43 billion.
The Indian billionaire and his younger brother parted ways after the death of their father, Dhirubhai, the patriarch of the Reliance empire.
Mukesh is currently building a $2-billion home on Mumbai's Altamount Road.
Image: Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani.

Anil AmbaniAnil Ambani is Mukesh's younger brother. With a net worth estimated at $42 billion, he is also the world's 6th richest man.
The chairman of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Anil has a vast range of companies under his umbrella: Reliance Communications, Reliance Capital, Reliance Mutual Funds, Reliance Energy, etc.
He is married to former Bollywood actress Tina Munim.
Image: Anil Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

Sunil Bharti Mittal Bharti Group chairman & managing director Sunil Bharti Mittal is one of India's greatest success stories. In just a period of 10 years, he has built India's largest cellular services company.
His net worth is estimated at close to $12 billion.
Image: Bharti Telecommunications chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal.

Rahul BajajPadma Bhushan awardee and Rajya Sabha member Rahul Bajaj is the chairman of Bajaj Auto.
An alumnus of Harvard Business School, Bajaj is an outspoken and fearless entrepreneur. His two sons, Rajiv Bajaj and Sanjiv, are now handling the Bajaj businesses, under his guidance.
Image: Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj.

Anand Mahindra; A Harvard alumnus,Anand Mahindra is the vice chairman and managing director of Mahindra & Mahindra.
The 53-year-old businessman has taken his company to unprecedented heights. He is married to Anuradha Mahindra, who edits three niche magazines.
Image: Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of India's leading farm equipment and automobile maker Mahindra and Mahindra.

S 'Kris' GopalakrishnanS 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Infosys Technologies Ltd.
An IIT-Madras alumnus, Gopalakrishnan is a very soft-spoken and shy person. His net worth is estimated to be around $1.4 billion. ]Image: Infosys Technologies CEO S 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan.

Adi GodrejAdi Godrej chairman of the renowned Godrej Group, is one of India's great businessmen.
Even when India was still a closed economy, he managed to take his group to great heights. When India embraced economic reforms, he changed the way his group did business to face the challenges of changing times and needs. Godrej is also involved in philanthropy.
Image: Godrej Group chairman Adi Godrej.

Lakshmi N MittalLakshmi Niwas Mittal is the chief executive officer of the world's largest steel company, Arcelor Mittal. He is also said to be the richest Indian in the world with a net worth of $45 billion.
Although he resides in London, UK, Mittal still holds an Indian passport. He is also making big ticket investments in India.
Image: Arcelor Mittal CEO Lakshmi Mittal.

Kumar Mangalam Birla Forty one-year-old Kumar Mangalam Birla is among the world's youngest billionaires with a net worth of $10 billion. He is the chairman of the Aditya Birla Group.
The group has giant companies like Grasim, Hindalco, Aditya Birla Nuvo, Idea Cellular and UltraTech Cement in its fold.
Image: Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla.

Sabeer Bhatia Sabeer Bhatia co-founded Hotmail, one of the first e-mail services on the Internet, along with Jack Smith.
Later he sold it to software giant Microsoft for $400 million.
Image: Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia.

Uday Kota Uday Kotak is managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank.
His wealth is estimated to be at around $2.3 billion.
Image: Kotak Mahindra chairman Uday Kotak.

Tulsi TantiTulsi Tanti is the chairman of Suzlon Energy, a wind power major.
Years ago when as a textile businessman, Tanti was facing huge and ever-rising power costs, he chanced upon a solution in the 'wind.' He commissioned a wind energy solution for his company a decade back. Convinced about the economics of the deal, he later decided to venture full-steam into the business.
A commerce graduate and a diploma holder in mechanical engineering, Tanti, has built an empire in the wind energy business.
Suzlon Energy is the sixth largest wind energy company in the world and the largest in Asia.
Image: Tulsi Tanti, chairman, Suzlon.

Malvinder SinghMalvinder Mohan Singh is the elder son of the iconic Parvinder Singh who turned Ranbaxy from a middling Indian company into a growing multinational giant.
He is the grandson of the founder of Ranbaxy Laboratories.
In June, 2008, Malvinder stunned the nation by marking the largest ever deal in Indian pharmaceuticals industry. Japanese drug firm Daiichi Sankyo acquired a majority stake of more than 50 per cent in domestic major Ranbaxy. Under the deal structure that would create the 15th biggest drugmaker globally, the Japanese firm would acquire the entire 34.82 per cent stake in the Gurgaon-based firm from its current promoters Malvinder Singh and family.

Image: Ranbaxy Laboratories CEO Malvinder Singh.

Rajiv Bajaj Rajiv Bajaj is the managing director of Bajaj Auto.
The Pune-based Bajaj Auto is one of India's largest two- and three-wheeler manufacturer.
Image: Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj.

Jeh WadiaJeh Wadiais the managing director of Go Air. The 34-year-old is the youngest son of entrepreneur Nusli Wadia. Jeh's brother Ness is the managing director of Bombay Dyeing.
Image: Wadia Group chairman Jeh Wadia.

Gautam SinghaniaGautam Singhania is the managing director of the Raymond Group.
Raymond is one of India's largest clothing firm.
Image: Raymond Limited chairman Gautam.

Yash Birla Yash Birla is the chairman of the Yash Birla Group.
The group is a part of the Birla legacy, one of India's oldest, largest and most reputed business groups. The Yash Birla Group is acting as a catalyst to India's economic growth. A conglomerate of 14 companies, the group has interest in auto-components & engineering; power solutions; textiles; lifestyle; and infrastructure & real estate
Image: Industrialist Yash Birla.

Kishore Biyani Kishore Biyani is the chief executive officer of Future Group. He is the pioneer of the retail boom in India.
His Big Bazaar chain of departmental stores is the fastest growing in India.
Image: Future Group CEO Kishore Biyani.

Jignesh Shah Jignesh Shah is the vice chairman Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX).
He is also the chairman and group CEO of Financial Technologies India Ltd. Image: MCX CEO Jignesh Shah

Naveen Jindal Thirty eight-year-old Naveen Jindal is a Member of Parliament and an entrepreneur with interests in the steel and power sectors. He handles the Jindal Group.
The group's operations are spread over Haryana, Mahatashtra, Madhya Pradesha and Chhattisgarh.
Image: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presents the FICCI annual award to Navin Jindal of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd.

Brijmohan Lal Munjal The Munjals-led Hero Honda Motors Ltd is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles. Brijmohan Lal Munjal is the chairman of the company, while his son, Pawan, is managing director and CEO of the auto major.
Image: Hero Honda Motors Ltd chairman Brijmohan Lall (R) and managing director and chief executive officer of HHML, Pawan Munjal