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2018-07-22T09:15:00.002-07:00

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Top 10 Malaysian Food 2017

2017-10-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

Go Coconut Crazy for Nasi Lemak The name means “rice in cream,” and it’s derived from the cooking process, where rice is soaked in coconut cream and then steamed to give it a beautiful coconut aroma. The rice is wrapped in banana leaf or served on a plate with a spicy sauce (sambal), a hardboiled egg, cucumber slices, small dried anchovies and roasted peanuts. Oh, and if this isn’t enough to entice you, it’s the national dish of Malaysia, so nasi lemak a definite must-try!

Slow Down Because Good Things Take Time Rendang, a slow-cooked spicy meat dish is stewed in coconut-curry liquid and takes quite a bit of time to prepare, but the result is exceptional and definitely worth the wait. The meat is intensely flavorful and tender on the inside yet sticky and crispy on the outside. We guarantee that your taste buds will be dancing with joy once you try this dish.

Enjoy Laksa, the Breakfast of Gods This is a rich, delicious spicy broth normally served with rice noodles and finished with a variety of condiments. It is most popular in Penang and Sarawak, and each state has their own version. Laska is complex, consisting of a unique balance of flavors, which makes it a versatile dish that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Anthony Bourdain calls it the “breakfast of gods.”

Keep it Simple with Satay Pieces of meat (most commonly chicken) are marinated with a blend of spices, skewered and lightly grilled to perfection. You can eat it alone or dip it into a spicy nut sauce or sambal for that extra kick. However you decide to enjoy it — and how much of it — the flavorsome meat will always leave you craving more.

Eat these Sinfully Delicious Rice Cake Strips Char koay teow roughly translates to “fried rice noodle strips” and is another must-try food when in Malaysia. The noodles are cooked in pork fat in a steaming hot wok, resulting in little crunchy squares of pork lard. So, for obvious reasons, this is far from the world’s healthiest dish, but it tastes so good that you have to make an exception!

Fly To Food Heaven Roti chanai is a Malaysian-style roti. This crispy, buttery flatbread, also known as flying bread because of the flipping technique used to make it, might have originated in India, but it’s very popular in Malaysia — and it’s easy to see why. Simple, delicious, affordable and easy to make, this bread can be eaten alone, with sugar or dipped in curry sauce.

Warm Up with Bak-kut-teh This dish, roughly translated, means meat-bone tea; however, there is no tea in this popular soup dish. Instead, pork ribs with garlic, tofu, mushrooms and herbs are simmered for a couple of hours and then served with noodles or rice. This aromatic heart-warming soup is filling and perfect during rainy days or late nights.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Cendol If you’ve been to other Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand or Vietnam, you will surely have come across this incredibly popular, traditional dessert. It resembles little green worms, but don’t let its appearance put you off. Cendol is made from rice or sago flour and combined with coconut milk and sugar syrup to make a sweet dessert. Red beans, grass jelly, and sweet corn are normally added to provide more taste and texture.

Have a Crepe Affair with Kuih Dadar This is a much-loved sweet treat among Malaysians. These yummy little crepes are filled with a sweet coconut filling and usually eaten as a snack. The bright green color comes from the pandan flavoring that’s added to the batter. Trust me: One is never enough!

Bow Down to the King of Fruits Durian is a special and exotic fruit known as the king of fruits because of its long list of health benefits; however, it’s also a fruit that you will either love or hate due to its pungent and distinct smell. The flesh is creamy and custard-like, and only in Malaysia can you get different variations of the fruit from sweet to bitter.

The Best Drone Photos of 2017

2017-10-23T03:56:00.000-07:00

Dronestagram is the first social network dedicated to aerial photography, and it has just announced the winners of its 4th annual drone photography competition, the International Drone Photography Contest.

The competition is organised in partnership with National Geographic, and this year saw around 8,000 photos submitted from around the world. Both amateur and professional photographers were invited to compete over 3 categories: Nature, Urban, and People.

“I was blown away by the creativity of the photos,” says Jeff Heimsath, photo editor at National Geographic Traveler and one of the contest’s judges. “The contest has certainly surfaced the best drone images from around the world.”

Here are the winners this year representing the best drone photos of 2017:

Nature

1st Place. Photo by jcourtial.

2nd Place. Photo by Calin Stan.

3rd Place. Photo by Florian.

Urban

1st Place. Photo by bachirm.

2nd Place. Photo by alexeygo.

3rd Place. Photo by luckydron.

People

1st Place. Photo by Martin Sanchez.

2nd Place. Photo by helios1412.

3rd Place. Photo by feelingmovie.

Creativity

This year there was a special category called “Creativity” to honor creative photos captured in the industry.

Two Moo by LukeMaximoBell

Ugo le marin by rga

Next Level By macareuxprod

All of the awarded entries, and more information about the competition, can be found on the Dronestagram website.

10 gadgets that will prevent everyday problems and make your life easier

2017-10-20T03:53:00.000-07:00

1. An app-controlled smoke detector for the kitchen

Next time you sear tuna or burn popcorn, you’ll be glad you have a Halo+ smart smoke detector in your kitchen. If there is enough smoke to trigger the emergency alarm, you can quickly silence it from your smartphone—no chair climbing or towel waving required. This award-winning smart smoke detector can also alert you about severe weather, and it connects to Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings.

2. A two-zone, temperature-controlling mattress cover

To get a good night’s sleep, you have to be a comfortable temperature. If you’re always cold and your partner is hot, you need the Eight Sleep Tracker, a smart mattress cover that can regulate different temperatures on separate sides of the bed. Additionally, Eight will track your sleep patterns and provide suggestions on how you can catch more Zs.

3. A connected plug for your bathroom accessories

This one is for the women out there: How many times have you forgotten to turn off your hair straightener or curler? Not only does this use up electricity all day, but it’s also a fire hazard! The simple solution? Get an iDevices Switch (our top choice for smart plugs) and create a schedule so it turns off your bathroom accessories when you leave the house. You’ll save energy, and have peace of mind.

4. A remote-less entertainment hub for your living room

I have three remotes for my TV, and at any given time, at least one of them is missing. Sound familiar? If so, you need the Harmony Home Hub, which turns your smartphone into a universal remote for all your entertainment devices, including your TV, speakers, and more. Plus, you can even integrate the Hub with Amazon Alexa to turn on your TV via voice commands!

5. An app-controlled garage door opener

Ever rush off to work, only to get there and wonder if you remembered to close the garage door? Now you don’t have to worry. The NEXX Garage lets you remotely check if your garage door is closed, and if it’s not, you can remedy the situation with a simple tap—no need to rush back home or call your neighbor to help.

6. A smart parental control unit for the playroom

If your children are always sneaking onto the internet before they finish their homework, you can get serious about parental controls with Circle With Disney. This smart device recognizes every gadget in your home, from phones to laptops and gaming systems, and can filter out inappropriate content. You can also “pause” the internet during homework time, or set limits on how long kids can use a given device.

7. A smart robot vacuum to clean under the couch

Be honest: Do you really vacuum under the couch or bed when you’re cleaning the house? I know I don’t, and once every few months, I realize how much dirt has accumulated under my furniture. Keep your house cleaner than ever with the new Eufy RoboVac 11c. This smart robot vacuum will navigate under your furniture, sucking up dirt on all floor types. The best part is you don’t have to lift a finger, even to tell the vacuum to start cleaning, because it can connect to Amazon Alexa and your smartphone.

8. A motion-activated smart light for the bathroom

If you frequently visit the bathroom at night, you have to choose whether to turn on the bright lights, navigate around in the dark, or leave a nightlight on 24/7. Philips Hue solves this dilemma with its Smart Motion Sensor. When paired with a Philips Hue Smart Bulb, the Motion Sensor will automatically turn on the lights for a set amount of time, and you can even set it to use a gentle light that won’t blind you.

9. An internet security firewall for your office

You might not even realize this is a problem, but chances are your home computer’s security is pretty lax. Even if you have antivirus software, you still could be vulnerable to hacking and other internet attacks. CUJO is a smart internet security firewall that guards your entire network, keeping your sensitive financial and personal information safe.

10. An affordable, all-in-one security solution

If you just moved into a new house or apartment, you might want to install a security system, but they can be pretty pricey. Luckily, the Canary All-in-One Home Security Device can provide all that peace of mind with a much lower price tag. Canary lets you monitor your home 24/7 with live and recorded video, as well as motion detection alerts, a startling siren, and instant access to authorities.

20+ Post on People Sharing Shitty Life Tips, And They’re Just Too Funny

2017-10-19T03:37:00.000-07:00

#1 Use A Toilet Seat To Put Your Plate On While Watching TV

#2 Take A Selfie Through A Toilet Roll Tube And Pretend You're The Moon

#3 Spray Your Headphones With Some "Johnson's No More Tangles" When They Are Tangled

#4 Cut Your Tennis Balls In Half To Store Two More Balls In Each Can, Saving Space

#5 Sneak A Chocolate Into American Movie Theatres With This Trick

#6 Use This Vest Protect Your Personal Space On The Subway

#7 Use The Metal Part Of Your Seat Belt To Open Beers While Driving

#8 Magnify Your Phone's Screen By Putting It In A Glass Of Water

#9 Keep Cake Moist By Eating It All In One Sitting

#10 Don't Buy New Socks. Use A Permanent Marker Instead

#11 Put Your New Tv Box On Your Neighbor's Side So You Wouldn't Get Robbed

#12 Use Laptop Chargers To Heat Snacks Up

#13 Put A Bean Filled Glove On Your Baby's Back When You Want Your Kids To Feel Loved, But You're Too Tired

#14 Impress Your Guests And Reduce Clutter With This Simple Tip

#15 Tired Of Ironing Your Shirts? Get Fat And Watch Those Creases Vanish

#16 If You See Someone Crying, Ask If It Is Because Of Their Haircut

#17 Stop Tears In The Kitchen With This Life Hack

#18 Save Time By Adding Toothpaste To Your Food

#19 Use This Tip When You Want To Take A S**t Discretely

#20 Use Duct Tape And Fork When There's No Spoon In The Office

Top 20 Best Cool Gadgets for Men: The Ultimate List

2017-10-16T03:32:00.000-07:00

1. LightMate Emergency LED Flash Light

The Satechi LightMate Emergency LED Flash Light is much more than just a flash light. In fact, Satechi’s only mistake with this flash light is that they didn’t name it something like the Smart Light. This cool gadget has a ton of practical applications. First and foremost, of course, it has a super-bright LED light that’s safe (plastic), long lasting and highly visible. The light has 5 different modes, including bright, medium, dim, SOS and strobe. Secondly, it contains a 2200mAh portable power bank with a USB charging port and cable for emergency cell phone charging. It’s also waterproof and highly durable, with a nice weight to it. Finally, it also has a high-strength pointed alloy steel emergency glassbreaker in case you ever need it. The only situation I can imagine needing it is during a zombie apocalypse and you’re trying to break glass to grab an axe. At least, that’s the scenario I have worked out in my head. Still, the LightMate Emergency Flash Light makes a great gift for campers, travelers or anyone that frequently uses a flash light.

Price: $29.99

Buy the LightMate Emergency LED Flash Light here.

2. Rif6 Cube

The RIF6 Cube is an incredible little gadget that allows you to project your mobile phone with a 120″ display. Simply connect your smartphone to the cube, and you’re able to view Netflix, YouTube videos, games, pictures and more right on a nearby wall. Its size and weight make it perfect for travel, and it’s also great for presentations as well. It’s also great at home if you don’t want to tethered to the living room for your TV watching. And, it’s surprisingly bright for its size.

Price: $279.00 (7 percent off MSRP)

Buy the Rif6 Cube here.

3. AirDog Auto Follow Drone

If you’re into capturing drone photography, but you’re not interested in actually learning how to fly your own camera drones, the AirDog Auto-Follow Drone is the perfect quadcopter for you. If you simply want something to capture footage of you being awesome and doing awesome things — whether it be snowboarding, cycling, skateboarding, or anything outdoors — the AirDog is the best choice. It has built-in autonomous flight modes so that you can set it and forget it, and it has the ability to follow a certain target. It’s also foldable, so you don’t have to lug around a big suitcase. It’s innovative, and you can control it right from your wrist, which is why we included it in our list of the best drone kits for sale.

Price: $1,599.00

Buy the AirDog Auto-Follow Drone here.

4. Divoom Voombox

Hey, guess what? It’s summertime! It’s time to be outdoors! And one of the cool gadgets that are necessary for the outdoorsy type of man is the Divoom Voombox Portable Wireless Speaker. The speaker connects to your devices effortlessly through Bluetooth, and the quality is absolutely astonishing. The Voombox blows many of the other wireless speakers out of the water when it comes to audio quality, especially the Westinghouse Unplug speaker that I’ve been recommending to everyone. The Voombox has a lot of boom for your buck, is water resistant, and is an especially great summer gadget for impromptu jam sessions, beach days, while you’re working on the car in the garage, or deck parties.

Price: $79.90 (20 percent off MSRP)

Buy the Divoom Voombox Portable Speaker here.

5. Logitech Harmony Home Control

Do yourself a favor and throw your basic $4 universal remote in the garbage can — that’s not a man-approved remote control, sorry. And, let’s face it, you lose it all too often anyway. One cool gadget you need in your life is a Logitech Harmony Home Control, a universal smart remote and base that allows you to use your smartphone as a remote as well. The device not only works with the majority of your entertainment devices, but also your home automation devices like Philips Hue or Nest Learning Thermostat (so you can lower the lights or change the temperature without even leaving your seat). The Logitech Harmony Home control works with over 270,000 devices, including TVs, satellite and cable boxes, blu-ray players, Apple TV, Roku, Sonos, Xbox, Philips Hue and more. So if you want to control the world around you without having to get up, pick up the Logitech Harmony Home Control — you’ll feel like a wizard!

Price: $149.99

Buy the Logitech Harmony Home Control

6. Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker

Making an espresso using a standard, cheap espresso maker gives you an unlikely chance of actually getting a great cup of espresso. But Nespresso has fixed that problem with the Nespresso Pixie Espress Maker. It basically works like a Keurig does for coffee, but instead of coffee it takes espresso pods. The Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker will deliver an espresso to you using one of the capsules (think K-Cups) with a flawless espresso every time. So if you’re done trying to make your own espressos with some crappy espresso maker, pick up a Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker.

Price: $183.24 (20 percent off MSRP)

Buy a Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker here.

7. TrackR StickR

You likely lose your wallet, smartphone, keys and/or remote control frequently. Losing things is normal. But instead of dealing with the frustrations of losing these items, there’s a better way to cope: the TrackR StickR. Where are the keys? Where did you put your wallet? Where is your phone? Trackr solves that problem. It is a quarter-sized device that can be fastened to any item, and then users are able to use the companion app to find whatever the device is attached to. When you lose your wallet, you simply pull up the app on your smartphone and you can make the StickR beep. You can also set up the app to alert you when you venture too far from it, and can use the TrackR StickR to also find your phone, even if it is on silent. It works with both iOS and Android. I have one attached to my remote control so I never have to worry about losing it.

Price: $24.95

Buy a TrackR StickR here.

8. Notion

Notion is a home intelligence system that was recently funded on Kickstarter that uses a small, smart, multi-function sensor to detect quite a significant number of things in your home: a water leak, when a door/cabinet opens and closes, temperature and sound. When any of these things are detected, Notion will send a message to your smartphone (works with both iOS and Android). For example, if you place a Notion on your front door, it can tell you if someone knocks, if the door is opened, or if it doesn’t get shut. Its potential uses are incredible. If you put it on, say a liquor cabinet, it can tell you when that cabinet is opened. It also has a temperature sensor and can tel you if your house is getting too hot or too cold when you’re away from home. It isn’t yet available, but it is expected to ship in July.

Price: $99 for 1 Hub and 1 Sensor

Pre-order Notion here.

9. Koala Tablet Wall Mount Dock by Dockem

Ever lay in bed at night with your tablet binge-watching your backlog of shows and movies on Netflix and realize just how uncomfortable it is to have to hold the tablet while you watch? You need a tablet wall mount, and the easiest one to set up is the Koala Tablet Wall Mount Dock by Dockem. It works with virtually all tablets — both iOS and Android devices — and is easily set up in seconds. There are no screws or holes required, as it simply uses damage-free 3M Command adhesive strips for mounting, allowing you to mount it virtually anywhere in your home. Whether you need your tablet in the bedroom, garage, bathroom or kitchen, the Koala Tablet Wall Mount Dock can be placed anywhere. And, it’s cheap enough so that it makes a great gift for her on a budget.

Price: $15.49 (48 percent off MSRP)

Buy a Koala Tablet Wall Mount Dock here.

10. Sun Joe Electric Lawn Mower

The Sun Joe MJ401E Mow Joe 14-Inch Electric Lawn Mower is the perfect pick for those that want to save some money and have a small lawn. Even though it only has a 14″ blade, the Sun Joe electric lawn mower will still get the job done quickly thanks to its easy maneuverability and compact size. This is one lean, mean green mowing machine that doesn’t quit. The best part about it? You won’t have to frequently run to the gas station for gas or oil, since it runs solely on electricity. It may not be the best-looking lawn mower available — it almost looks like a toy in the pictures — but it definitely does the job, and it’s reliable. The fact that it comes in at just over $100 is a big selling point, too. If you use the Sun Joe MJ401E as it is intended to be used — frequently and on generally well-maintained lawns — it can be one of the best mowers available for those on a budget.

11. Zepp 3D Multi-Sport Motion Sensor

Perfecting your golf swing takes years and years of practice, dedication and hard work. But with the Zepp Golf 3D Swing Analyzer, you’ll be closer to perfecting your drives in no-time! If you’re an analytics-driven guy, this little device (and its app) is the perfect gadget for you. It simply attaches to the back of your glove, and it wirelessly sends data to your smartphone. It tracks your swing with various metrics such as club head speed, swing plane, hand path, tempo, backswing position, hip rotation and more. It even pops out a swing score each time so that you can work on your golf game. Then, you can even compare your swing directly to PGA Tour Pros via video. It also works to analyze your baseball swing and other similar motions.

Price: $99.99 (33 percent off MSRP)

Buy Zepp 3D Multi-Sport Motion Sensor here.

12. Fluance Fi70 Hi-Fi Music System

Truly high quality sound in an aesthetically pleasing shell is hard to find, but Fluance nailed it with the Fi70. It’s a three-way wireless high fidelity music system with a powerful integrated amplifier and six speaker configuration. It has two 8″ subwoofers that bring full, rich audio to your living room. The cabinet, itself, looks like some sort of futuristic art, and it has a commanding presence that will have people in awe. With the Fluance Fi-70, you’re able to wirelessly stream your music from any Bluetooth enabled device, and it has its own adjustable EQ, touch controls, and an LED display. What’s more, it has a USB port onboard to charge your devices. It’s the perfect mash-up of sound quality and design, which is why we’ve included it on our list of cool gadgets for men.

Typically, you’d expect to pay upwards of $1500 for such big sound, but somehow, Fluance has the price down to $500 without sacrificing sound, which is why we consider it to be one of the best gadgets for men who love big sound.

Price: $499.99 (29 percent off MSRP)

Buy the Fluance Fi70 here.

13. Montar Air Qi Wireless Charging Car Mount

If you have a smartphone with Qi capabilities, you’ll need a qi charger for your car, too. The best that we’ve come across is the Montar Air Qi Wireless Charging Car Mount. It’s incredibly easy to setup, and it’s easily mounted. It has a holder that rotates a full 360 degrees, so you can set your phone up however you prefer and then keep it how you like it, thanks to a tightening mechanism on the back. And unlike some of the other qi chargers I’ve tested, the Montar Air Qi just simply works. Put your phone on the base, and it begins charging; no fuss, no tinkering, or none of the “is it charging now…how about now?” And now that it’s roughly half of the price it was at launch (now it’s $59.99), it’s well worth the pick-up.

Price: $59.99 (40 percent off MSRP)

Buy the Montar Air Qi Qireless Charging Car Mount here.

14. Izon Wi-Fi Video Monitor

The Izon Stem White Wi-Fi Video Monitor Surveillance Cam is one of those cool gadgets for home security. If you’re frequently away from your home, and you want to check in to see what’s going on, the Izon will allow you to do just that right from your smartphone. You can place the camera anywhere near any outlet in your house, and once it’s connected to your home’s wireless internet, you can view what the camera is seeing and hear what’s going on in the room right from your smartphone. If you’re wondering how it compares to the Oco, the Izon has a bit higher quality, and is slimmer.

Price: $99.95

Buy the Izon Wi-Fi Video Monitor here.

15. Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Wireless Gaming Mouse

The Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Wireless Gaming Mouse is the best mouse on the market, and I don’t mean just PC gaming mouse. Not only does it have a great weight to it, a cool-looking design, and an LED light that can be set to whatever color you’d like (or cycled through all of the colors), but it is ergonomically pleasing to boot. It runs on a charge (that lasts for 30 hours on a single charge), and it can be used while charging. Best of all, it’s incredibly responsive, with up to a 12,000 DPI (that you can adjust with just the click of a button ON THE FLY). This is especially great if you’re playing a shooter or something else that would benefit from changing the mouse sensitivity on the go. I’ve never been so impressed with a computer mouse in my entire life, and I’ve gone through quite a few of them in my day. If you’re looking to upgrade your workstation, I enthusiastically recommend the G900.

Price: $149.99

Buy the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum here.

16. PlayStation VR

Sticking with the theme of gaming, VR is the hot topic of 2016. In fact, CES and GDC were both dominated by VR talk, with PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and Vive leading the way. But our VR of choice is the PlayStation VR, at least for now, simply because of its price point. What you’re getting for the price outshines the other two leading VR headsets, and although it’s slightly less advanced than Oculus or Vive, it’s still an incredibly great experience. Plus, there’s 100 Foot Robot Golf coming after it launches. Sure, you have to buy the PlayStation Camera (if you don’t have one already), but it’s a gaming VR headset made for gamers. If you’re looking to go VR but don’t want to break the bank, the PS VR is a solid choice. You can also check out our list of the best PS4 games of 2016 so far.

Price: $399.99

Pre-order PlayStation VR here.

17. iClever Portable Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard

If you’re a frequent tablet user or you wish you could get some work done using just your smartphone, you might want to consider picking up a bluetooth keyboard. And, the best bluetooth keyboard on the market is the iClever Portable Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard. It is uniquely broken up into three sections, allowing it to be folded up and stored away into one smaller section. This makes it perfect for the traveling businessman. Instead of having to lug around your laptop and your tablet (which you would likely be doing anytime you go out of time), you can just take your tablet and this small keyboard. I’ll also note that, as far as bluetooth keyboards are concerned, it’s one of the sturdiest and strongest builds I’ve come across; it’s not flimsy nor does it feel cheap. It has a 10m operating range, too, so you can hook your tablet up to your TV if you’d like and sit back on the couch.

Price: $35.99 (64 percent off MSRP)

Buy the iClever Portable Bluetooth Keyboard here.

18. Awair: Smart Air Quality Monitor

Even in our own homes, it’s amazing how many toxins and chemicals (and dust, of course) can be found in the air around us. It’s actually terrifying, so I recommend you don’t Google any of the statistics. With that being said, one of the cool gadgets for men (and women) that we love is this Awair Smart Air Quality Monitor. It analyzes the air quality around you, monitoring things like carbon dioxide, toxic chemicals, and dust, as well as temperature and humidity (although, admittedly, you don’t really need the two latter since those are things you can typically just feel). Still, it hooks up to an app on your smartphone, and will send you alerts when the quality of air changes. It’s like a high-tech carbon dioxide monitor that also does a ton of other monitoring for you. And, it has an LED on the front for a quick snapshot of the air quality around you. Want to impress your friends with a futuristic-looking gadget? The Awair monitor is a great choice.

Price: $199

Buy the Awair Smart Air Quality Monitor here.

19. Amazon Echo

Amazon Echo is now eons ahead of what it was when it launched last year. Now, it works with so many more apps, including Dominos, Uber, Amazon Radio, Pandora, Spotify, Accuweather, Audible, and so much more. It’s one step closer to a Her sort of home automation solution. The Echo is there to give you a hand when your hands are full, or when you don’t want to get up off of the couch. It has the ability to control lights, switches, Nest, Wink, Insteon and other smart home products that you probably already have. It has a loud, uniquely designed set of speakers that surrounds the device to fill your room with audio, and its microphones can easily pick up your voice from across the room. What’s more, Amazon is continually adding new features and apps to perfect the device.

Price: $179.99

Buy the Amazon Echo here.

20. Nyrius Aries Home+ Wireless HDMI Transmitter

The Nyrius Aries Home+ is one of the coolest gadgets I own. It’s especially great if you’re a gamer and have kids. What the Aries Home does is allow you to wirelessly stream any HDMI-capable device — like your Xbox One, PS4, Wii U, BluRay, etc — to a second device, so that if your kids or someone else is occupying the living room TV, you can still use your gaming consoles or media players on another TV without having to go through the painful process of unplugging them from one TV and bringing them to another. The Nyrius Aries streams your content, flawlessly, laglessly and in full 1080p HD to another TV. I have my Xbox One and PS4 both plugged into it in case one of my kids is occupying the TV so that I can always game when I want to. Don’t let the higher price tag fool you — it’s much cheaper than buying a second gaming console. So if you’re wondering how to wirelessly transmit your gaming console or PC to another TV, check out the Aries Home+.

Price: $249.99

Buy the Nyrius Aries Home+ Wireless HDMI Transmitter here.

Top 10 Gadgets That Will Dominate 2017

2017-10-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

1. iPhone 8

The 10th anniversary iPhone from Apple is expected to reveal a new design. Reportedly, Apple is swapping its Liquid Crystal Display with one made of OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). This will make the screen wrap around the device’s edges, just like we have seen on Samsung Galaxy Edge phones.

The iPhone 8 will include Touch ID fingerprint sensor, no home button, wireless charging, and iOS 11 software. Apple is also working on a never before seen 3D front-facing camera for selfie enthusiasts.

There is so much excitement for the launch of iPhone 8. We can’t wait to get our hands on one of these handsets.

2. Google Smartwatch

Internet technology giant Google will launch its new circular smartwatch in early 2017. The company is focusing extensively on making its hardware perfect while providing users with a seamless experience through Google Assistant.

Google Smartwatch will come with many standalone applications and the support to message directly from the watch. These wearable computers from Google mark the company’s leap into a category dominated by the Apple Watch so far.

3. Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch is a solid piece of gaming console that can be used at home and carried on the go. The portable gaming device is versatile, substantial, and refined. It delivers an impressive gameplay experience across all screen types and gives gamers the freedom to have fun, whenever, wherever.

Packing a good collection of exciting games like Zelda and Breath of the Wild, Nintendo Switch is ‘the’ gaming console to watch out for in 2017.

4. Snapchat Spectacles

Take your social media experience to another level with Spectacles, the Snapchat-connected eyeglasses. Make memories from your perspective with these cool and stylish sunglasses.

Snapchat Spectacles records 10-second videos which can be wirelessly added to your memories on the Snapchat app. The technology is path breaking and you’d love to hang out with sunglasses a lot more than you used to.

5. Fitbit Alta HR

From the stables of Fitbit comes Alta HR, the world’s slimmest 24/7 heart rate tracking device. The health and fitness band comes with features like workout recording, guided breathing, VO2 Max Tracking, and Connected GPS for running.

Alta HR’s biggest development from the previous Alta tracker is its sleep monitoring feature. The health band gives detailed sleep metrics with extensive data on REM, light sleep, and deep sleep cycles.

You’d love one of these gadgets around your wrist if you’re committed to health and wellbeing.

6. VR Headsets Working with Windows 10

VR headsets were a huge rage last year with many amazing launches from leading manufacturers. This year too these wearable headsets are expected to be a craze, especially among PC and laptop users.

After Microsoft announced that Windows 10 will have an update that will make it support VR headsets, companies like Dell, Asus, and Lenovo are delving into the process of bringing out their own low-cost VR headsets. These cheap headsets will be available at prices fraction of what you’ll pay for VR boxes like Oculus Rift.

7. Google Pixel 2

The out-of-the-blue release of Google Pixel phone took everyone by surprise in 2016. Google took a shot at the smartphone market and it didn’t make its mark. But, at least it tried.

The camera on Google Pixel is still the highest rated on any smartphone. Google Pixel 2 will be the second edition of the Internet Company’s ambitious dream of capturing a share of the smartphone market. The Pixel 2 smartphone will be a direct competitor to the iPhone 8 and is rumored to come with great specs including the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset and a better low light camera.

8. Bonjour Smart Alarm Clock

This artificial intelligence powered smart alarm clock is yet another breakthrough in technology bridging out lives. Bonjour is a personal assistant clock that enables you to begin your day effortlessly.

You can have friendly conversations with Bonjour which sources weather and traffic information to let you know what you should do and when.

You can ask it to wake you up when it is sunny outside and let you sleep on gloomy days. Bonjour gets smarter every day through continuous learning and monitoring of your instructions.

9. Samsung Galaxy S8

After the Note 7 debacle, Samsung is pulling out all stops to make the Galaxy S8 a grand success. The new Samsung phone will pack in an extremely high-resolution 4K display, two rear cameras, and an iris scanner for an extra layer of security.

Samsung has announced that the new flagship phone will have Viv, a new digital assistant developed the artificial intelligence startup it bought this year. And we’ll have to note that it is the same guys at Viv who built Siri.

Expect the beast of a phone launching in the second half of 2017.

10. Minipresso Coffee Maker

We are a coffee consuming generation who’d love to have a refreshing cup of the hot coffee whenever we feel like. Now, this will be as easy as 123 with the Minipresso Coffee Maker. The compact bullet-like gadget weighing 360 grams is convenient and efficient to prepare your morning drink in minutes.

No compressed air and no electricity are needed for its operation. You’re free to prepare your coffee anytime anywhere.

Sip your morning blues away wherever you are!

The 10 Best Gadgets of CES 2017

2017-10-11T03:30:00.000-07:00

10. Lenovo 500 Multimedia Controller

The idea behind the Lenovo 500 Multimedia Controller is to solve the problem of using a PC in your living room and not having a good way to get around on it. Lenovo has sold the miniature keyboard and mouse combo separately before, but now they’ve combined them into a single controller that does both.

It’s a bit small for a keyboard, but the fact that you can click, swipe, and even two-finger gesture on it, makes it a pretty neat little gadget for your living room.

9. Polaroid Pop

You might think Polaroid is a dead brand, but it’s been making attempt after attempt to bring its vintage love into the digital age. Its newest iteration is one of the most promising—the Polaroid Pop. It can print right there like a traditional Polaroid, as well as save the image digitally.

The important thing is that the Pop has some impressive specs, most notably the 20-megapixel camera and a 3.97-inch LCD touchscreen for navigation.

8. Motiv Fitness Ring

Smart rings have been around for a while, but the Motiv Fitness Ring seems like one of the most interesting to come out so far. Unlike having a device in your pocket or around your wrist dedicated purely to fitness tracking, a ring seems fairly nonintrusive.

The Motiv Ring has a 3-axis accelerometer can do all sorts of different tracking: activity type, active minutes, activity intensity, sleep duration, heart rate, calories, distances, and steps. On top of that, the ring is waterproof as well.

7. Seven Hugs Smart Remote

Remember when universal remotes were a problem everyone was trying to solve? The Seven Hugs Smart Remote takes that idea and puts it in the context of your entire home. The image above is the best way to understand what this little remote can do, but essentially it knows what smart device you are pointing at.

From there, you can turn things on or off or adjust contextual settings of those smart home devices. Who knows how useful this would actual be in your home, but the “magic” factor of this one makes it stand out.

6. Fove Eye-Tracking VR Headset

Virtual reality has been a big deal at CES for the past few years, but none quite like this year. One of the most impressive conceptual ideas at the show was the Fove Eye-Tracking VR Headset, which does exactly what it claims to do.

By tracking your eye movement, this VR headset can help prevent motion sickness and present the virtual worlds in a way that’s more realistic to how we see the real world. It can also help users perform some more practical functions in VR such as navigating through menus and gaming.

5. NVIDIA Shield TV (2nd Generation)

It takes a lot for a set top box to stand out for the crowd these days, but the 2nd generation Shield TV does exactly that. The original product was great when it came out a couple of years ago, but NVIDIA has really upped the ante here. First off, the actual device is much smaller than its predecessor—and even comes with the game controller packaged in at no additional cost.

Just some of the features NVIDIA has packed into this include support for Google Assistant, HDR capabilities, GameStream in HDR, a new interface, support for the PC/Mac GeForce Now update, and bunch more. There’s a lot to unpack about what NVIDIA is doing with its game-streaming services, but the Shield TV looks to be one of the most exciting television/gaming devices of the year.

4. Misfit Vapor

We’ve always loved the Misfit Shine, a simple little wearable for fitness tracking. Now, Misfit is finally fully diving into the smartwatch game with the Misfit Vapor. Like its previous products, the Misfit Shine focuses on minimalism with its 1.39-inch AMOLED display and simple design.

It’s got its own unique interface that is a riff on what Samsung has done with the Gear Ssmartwatches. On top of that, Misfit is promising two days of battery life on a single charge, as well as being waterproof. With Pebble phasing itself out, the Misfit Vapor is looking like it could be the next big independent smartwatch manufacturer heading into 2017.

3. HTC Vive Tracker

The HTC Vive has been the virtual reality headset to beat in the last couple of years. Most excitedly, HTC keeps pushing its experimentation and desire to create a more fully immersive VR experience.

HTC has now introduced the Vive Tracker, which is a little device that can hypothetically turn anything into a virtual item. What that means is that you can turn a baseball bat or a toy gun or pretty much anything into a useable item in a game or VR experience. The idea of a blindfolded person swinging a bat around comes with some legitimate concerns, but one can’t help but marvel at the way HTC has continued to push virtual reality tech further.

2. Xiaomi Mi Mix

The design of the Xiaomi Mi Mix is one of the most exciting things in smartphones right now. You may have never heard of this bezel-less phone, most notably because it still hasn’t come to North America. The phone has a footprint around the same size as a traditional 5.5-inch smartphone, but the actual display is 6.4 inches.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix might not ever truly make a splash over here in the States, but the splash it makes in the smartphone design community is what will really count. Based on some of the leaks we’ve seen about the iPhone 8, it may already put its fingerprint on the market.

1. Dell Ultrasharp 8K Display

A monitor as our best gadget of CES 2017? Well—this isn’t like any monitor you’ve seen before. Dell has been doing a lot of things right in the past few years and this monitor falls right in line with their great design and forward-thinking tech.

This is a 32-inch monitor with a resolution of 7680 × 4320, which alone should make your mind spin. The numbers might not matter to you, but this 8K display really is an accomplishment that is sure to catch the attention of the industry. It might cost $4,999, but it’s a true peak into the future.

10+ Baby Chinchillas That Will Melt Your Heart

2017-10-09T03:24:00.000-07:00

#1 Baby Chinchilla

#2 Baby Chinchilla

#3 Baby Chinchilla

#4 Baby Chinchilla

#5 Baby Chinchilla

#6 Baby Chinchilla

#7 Baby Chinchilla

#8 Baby Chinchilla

#9 Baby Chinchillas

#10 Baby Chinchilla

10+ Trash Panda Pics That Prove They’re The Cutest Animal In The World

2017-10-08T03:23:00.000-07:00

#1

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30+ Baby Animals That Will Make Your Heart Melt

2017-10-06T03:20:00.000-07:00

1. Baby Giraffe

Image credits: shizzi

2. Baby Chameleon

Image credits: ckminihane

3. Baby Elephant

Image credits: africanoverlandtours.com

4. Baby Crocodile

Image credits: reddit.com

5. Duckling

Image credits: unknown

6. Baby Deer

Image credits: Jeff Moore

7. Baby Hippo

Image credits: boston.com

8. Baby Hedgehog

Image credits: Blue Lunar Rose

9. Kitten

Image credits: Ben Torode

10. Baby Dolphin

Image credits: dailymail.com

11. Baby Ant Eater

Image credits: unknown

12. Baby Panda

Image credits: unknown

13. Baby Octopus

Image credits: unknown

14. Lamb

Image credits: Geir Magne Sætre

15. Baby Owl

Image credits: owlyoureyes.tumblr.com

16. Baby Sloth

Image credits: superbwallpapers.com

17. Baby Seal

Image credits: imgur

18. Baby Puffer Fish

Image credits: NikazDesignz

19. Bunny

Image credits: NagisaXTomoya<3 a="">

20. Piglet

Image credits: Brittney Williford

21. Baby Foxes

Image credits: Wenda Atkin

22. Baby Hamster

Image credits: unknown

23. Baby Walrus

Image credits: nytimes.com

24. Baby Fox

Image credits: Igor Shpilenok

25. Foal

Image credits: dailymail.com

26. Baby Skunk

Image credits: Travis Peltz

27. Baby Chinchilla

Image credits: desibucket.com

28. Baby Hippo

Image credits: dailymail.com

29. Baby Dik Dik

Image credits: zooborns.com

30. Baby Penguins

Image credits: Andreas Butz

10+ Of The Cutest Kittens Ever - which is your favourite?

2017-10-04T03:19:00.000-07:00

#1 Here We See A Baby Wigglefloof Cleaning Its Tiny Squishbeans

#2 Gimo, The Cat With The Biggest Eyes Ever

#3 Those Baby-tiger Paws

#4 Purrrfect

#5 Commence Butt Wiggle

#6 Little Evil Kitty

#7 Sweet Dreams

#8 We Found Him Crying All Alone In The Grass. He Was Only Two Weeks Old And Malnourished. This Was Taken After We Removed All The Ticks And Fleas And Gave Him A Bath

#9 Whatcha Doin, Human?

#10 Ball Of Kitten

Boss want to have sex with secretary

2017-10-03T09:23:00.002-07:00

A boss said to his secretary "I want to have sex with you. I will make it very fast. I'll throw $1000 on the floor; by the time you bend down to pick it, I'll be done." She thought for a moment, then called her boyfriend and told him the story.

Her boyfriend then said "Ask him for $2000, pick up the money very fast; he won't even have enough time to undress himself."

So she agrees. Half an hour goes by, and the boyfriend decides to call his girlfriend. He asks, "What happened?"

She responds, "The bastard used COINS! I'm still picking and he is still fucking!"

Cute cat

2017-10-03T08:50:00.001-07:00

Tiny Trump Photos

2017-10-03T03:16:00.000-07:00

#1 Look, He's A Big Boy

#2 Stay In The Lines, Mr. President

#3 Tiny Trumps Meeting With Obama, After Being Elected

#4 Trump Needs Help With His Tie

#5 Trump With Putin

#6 Pence Is So Proud That Tiny Trump Is Behaving Himself For Once. He Might Even Take Him For Ice Cream As A Reward

#7 Tiny Trump Meeting Trudeau

#8 Are They Being Mean To You, Baby? I Know

#9 Tiny Trump Welcoming Mr. Canada

#10 Tiny Trump Next To The Secret Service

Safety first

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Sleepy Cat

2017-10-01T14:41:00.002-07:00

Release the Kraken

2017-10-01T14:40:00.001-07:00

Boss wants to have sex with his secretary

2017-10-01T14:39:00.001-07:00

Her boyfriend then said "Ask him for $2000, pick up the money very fast; he won't even have enough time to undress himself."

So she agrees. Half an hour goes by, and the boyfriend decides to call his girlfriend. He asks, "What happened?"

She responds, "The bastard used COINS! I'm still picking and he is still fucking!"

Cool Dog

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Bubble bee

2017-10-01T14:30:00.001-07:00

This what i use to shoot Wildlife

2017-10-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

Top 50 Delicious Food 2017 - Asam Laksa, Tom Yum, Rendang !!!!!

2017-10-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

50. Buttered popcorn, United States

Taking a love of popcorn to a new level.

Corn -- the workhorse of the industrial world -- is best when its sweet variety is fried up with lashings of butter till it bursts and then snarfed in greasy fistfuls while watching Netflix late at night.

49. Masala dosa, India

The world's best pancake?

A crispy, rice-batter crepe encases a spicy mix of mashed potato, which is then dipped in coconut chutney, pickles, tomato-and-lentil-based sauces and other condiments. It's a fantastic breakfast food that'll keep you going till lunch, when you'll probably come back for another.

48. Potato chips, United Kingdom

Potato chips -- you can never have just one!

It's unclear when and where the potato chip was born -- US legend has it that they were invented in New York in 1853, but the earliest known recipe for "Potatoes Fried in Slices or Shavings" appears in a bestselling 1817 cookbook by Englishman William Kitchiner.

Whatever the case, they're now one of the world's most child-friendly and best foods. But think of them this way -- if a single chip cost, say, $5, it'd be a far greater (and more popular) delicacy than caviar, a prize worth fighting wars over.

47. Seafood paella, Spain

The embodiment of Spanish cuisine.

The sea is lapping just by your feet, a warm breeze whips the tablecloth around your legs and a steamy pan of paella sits in front of you. Shrimp, lobster, mussels and cuttlefish combine with white rice and various herbs, oil and salt in this Valencian dish to send you immediately into holiday mode. Though if you have it in Spain, you're probably there already.

46. Som tam, Thailand

A traditional Thai dish you can't resist.

To prepare Thailand's most famous salad, pound garlic and chilies with a mortar and pestle. Toss in tamarind juice, fish sauce, peanuts, dried shrimp, tomatoes, lime juice, sugar cane paste, string beans and a handful of grated green papaya. Grab a side of sticky rice. Variations include those made with crab (som tam boo) and fermented fish sauce (som tam plah lah), but none matches the flavor and simple beauty of the original.

45. Chicken rice, Singapore

Singapore taking "moreish" to the next level.

Often called the "national dish" of Singapore, this steamed or boiled chicken is served atop fragrant oily rice, with sliced cucumber as the token vegetable. Variants include roasted chicken or soy sauce chicken. However it's prepared, it's one of Singapore's best foods. The dipping sauces -- premium dark soy sauce, chili with garlic and pounded ginger -- give it that little extra oomph to ensure whenever you're not actually in Singapore eating chicken rice, you're thinking of it.

44. Poutine, Canada

It sounds bad, it doesn't look great, but it tastes delicious!

French fries smothered in cheese curds and brown gravy. Sounds kind of disgusting, looks even worse, but engulfs the mouth in a saucy, cheesy, fried-potato mix that'll have you fighting over the last dollop. Our Canadian friends insist it's best enjoyed at 3 a.m. after "several" beers.

43. Tacos, Mexico

Tacos -- you can't just have one.

A fresh, handmade tortilla stuffed with small chunks of grilled beef rubbed in oil and sea salt then covered with guacamole, salsa, onions, cilantro or anything else you want -- perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is the reason no visitor leaves Mexico weighing less than when they arrived.

42. Buttered toast with Marmite, UK

Divisive but irresistible (for most of us).

OK, anything buttered is probably going to taste great, but there's something about this tangy, salty, sour, love-it-or-hate-it yeast extract that turns a piece of grilled bread into a reason to go on living. For extra yum (or yuck) factor, add a layer of marmalade.

41. Stinky tofu, Southeast Asia

When it smells horrendous but tastes delicious ...

Nothing really prepares you for the stench of one of the strangest dishes on earth. Like durian, smelly tofu is one of Southeast Asia's most iconic foods. The odor of fermenting tofu is so overpowering many aren't able to shake off the memory for months. So is the legendarily divine taste really worth the effort? Sure it is.

40. Marzipan, Germany

Germany's best sweet treat.

Don't be fooled by cheap imitations, which use soy paste or almond essence. The real stuff, which uses nothing but ground almonds with sugar, is so good, you'll eat a whole bar of it, feel sick, and still find yourself toying with the wrapper on bar number two.

A trusted sauce: Ketchup.

39. Ketchup, United States

If Malcolm Gladwell says it's a perfect food, then it's a perfect food. Let's face it, anything that can convince two-year-olds to eat their carrots rather than spitting them onto the floor is worthy of not just a "delicious" title, but a "miracle of persuasion" title, too.

38. French toast, Hong Kong

A measly 500 calories is all this bad boy will cost you.

Unlike its more restrained Sunday brunch counterpart, Hong Kong-style French toast is like a deep-fried hug. Two pieces of toast are slathered with peanut butter or kaya jam, soaked in egg batter, fried in butter and served with still more butter and lots of syrup. A Hong Kong best food, best enjoyed before cholesterol checks.

37. Chicken parm, Australia

Australians have put their own stamp on chicken parmigiana.

Melted Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, and a peppery, garlicky tomato sauce drizzled over the top of a chicken fillet -- Aussie pub-goers claim this ostensibly Italian dish as their own. Since they make it so well, there's no point in arguing.

36. Hummus, Middle East

The whole world loves this chickpea spread.

This humble Middle Eastern spread, made with chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and tahini has become a fridge staple all around the world. This tangy treat tastes good as a dip, with breads, with meats, with vegetables, beans or -- hear us out -- on a Marmite rice cake.

35. Chili crab, Singapore

Singaporeans drench crab in a spicy tomato gravy.

You can't visit Singapore without trying its spicy, sloppy, meaty specialty. While there are dozens of ways to prepare crab (with black pepper, salted egg yolk, cheese-baked, et cetera) chili crab remains the local bestseller. Spicy chili-tomato gravy tends to splatter, which is why you need to mop everything up with mini mantou buns.

34. Maple syrup, Canada

Maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees.

Ever tried eating a pancake without maple syrup? It's like eating a slice of cardboard. Poorly prepared cardboard. In fact, Canada's gift to parents everywhere -- throw some maple syrup on the kid's broccoli and see what happens -- makes just about anything worth trying. Pass the cardboard, please.

33. Fish 'n' chips, UK

Fish and chips -- not just for Fridays.

Anything that's been around since the 1860s can't be doing much wrong. The staple of the Victorian British working class is a crunchy-outside, soft-inside dish of simple, un-adorned fundamentals.

32. Ankimo, Japan

So, who's up for a chunk of monkfish liver with a little grated daikon on the side? Thought not -- still, you're missing out on one of sushi's last great secrets, the prized ankimo. The monkfish/anglerfish that unknowingly bestows its liver upon upscale sushi fans is threatened by commercial fishing nets damaging its sea-floor habitat, so it's possible ankimo won't be around for much longer. If you do stumble across the creamy, yet oddly light delicacy anytime soon, consider a taste -- you won't regret trying one of the best foods in Japan.

31. Parma ham, Italy

Parma ham -- a staple of Italian cooking.

You see it folded around melon, wrapped around grissini, placed over pizza, heaped over salad. There's good reason for that: these salty, paper-thin slices of air-dried ham lift the taste of everything they accompany to a higher level.

30. Goi cuon (summer roll), Vietnam

Summer rolls: Light, refreshing and wholesome.

This snack made from pork, shrimp, herbs, rice vermicelli and other ingredients wrapped in rice paper is served at room temperature. It's "meat light," with the flavors of refreshing herbs erupting in your mouth. Dipped in a slightly sweet Vietnamese sauce laced with ground peanuts, it's wholesome, easy and the very definition of "moreish."

29. Ohmi-gyu beef steak, Japan

This premium Japanese Wagyu beef from famed Takara Ranch has been recognized by the Imperial Palace of Japan as one of the greatest beef stocks to be raised in the past 400 years. Called the "Rolls-Royce" of beef, it's best eaten sashimi style, anointed with a drizzle of kaffir lime and green tea sea salt. Marbled fat gives each mouthful texture as the beef melts away, leaving a subtle but distinctly classic beef flavor.

28. Pho, Vietnam

Pho is a noodle soup and a pillar of Vietnamese cooking.

This oft-mispronounced national dish ("fuh" is correct) is just broth, fresh rice noodles, a few herbs and usually chicken or beef. But it's greater than the sum of its parts -- fragrant, tasty and balanced.

27. Lechón, Philippines

Lechón is Spanish for suckling pig.

A Filipino national dish, lechón is a whole young pig slow-roasted over charcoal for several hours. The process makes for tender meat and crispy skin. It's prepared on special occasions throughout the year.

26. Fajitas, Mexico

A staple of Tex-Mex cuisine.

This assembly kit of a dining experience is a thrill to DIY enthusiasts everywhere. Step 1: Behold the meat sizzling on a fiery griddle. Step 2: Along with the meat, throw side servings of capsicum, onion, guacamole, sour cream and salsa into a warm, flour tortilla. Step 3: Promise all within hearing range that you'll have "just one more." Step 4: Repeat.

25. Butter garlic crab, India

As hot and as tasty as it looks.

This one claims no roots in Chinese, Continental or Indian cuisines. It comes from Butter Land, an imaginary best foods paradise balanced on the premise that anything tastes great with melted butter. This delicious, simple dish is made by drowning a large crab in a gallon of butter-garlic sauce, which seeps into every nook and cranny and coats every inch of flesh. The sea gods of Butter Land are benevolent carnivores and this, their gift to the world, is their signature dish.

24. Champ, Ireland

Irish national dish champ goes down faster than the first pint of Guinness on a Friday night. Mashed potato with spring onions, butter, salt and pepper, champ is the perfect side with any meat or fish. For the textbook plate of creamy goodness, we suggest the busiest pub in any Irish seaside town. Around noon somehow feels right.

23. Lasagna, Italy

So good, they gave it many levels.

Second only to pizza in the list of famed Italian foods, there's a reason this pasta-layered, tomato-sauce-infused, minced-meaty gift to kids and adults alike is so popular -- it just works.

22. Poke, US

Poke has its origins on the streets of Hawaii - now it's has gone global.

This iconic Hawaiian appetizer is a raw fish salad -- it originated when local fishermen were looking for use for the cut-offs from their catches.

The fish is seasoned in different ways -- so it's a delicious but also healthy dish. The meal has now spread to the mainland -- and across the globe.

21. Croissant, France

The French croissant: Le petit dejeuner of champions.

Flaky pastry smothered in butter, a pile of raspberry jam smeared over the top and a soft, giving bite as you sink in your teeth; there's nothing not to love about this fatty, sweet breakfast food that must be married to a cup of strong coffee.

20. Arepas, Venezuela

Corn-dough patties topped with tastiness.

A corn-dough patty that provides a savory canvas onto which you can paint any number of delicious toppings: cheese, shredded chicken, crisped pork skin, perico, beef, tomato, avocado.

19. Bunny chow, South Africa

It's said the best bunny chow is found in Durban.

Despite the name, no rabbits are harmed in the making of one of South Africa's best-loved street foods. Bunny chow is hollowed-out half- or quarter-loaves of white bread filled with super-spicy curry. The dish originated in Durban's Indian community.

18. Shish kebab

It's as if sunny Sunday afternoons were created just for sizzlers.

Pick your meat, shove a stick through it, grill. These cubes of deliciousness -- most often lamb, but also beef, swordfish and chicken -- are enjoyed with rice and vegetables and are the perfect addition to your summer barbecue.

17. Lobster, global

If you were on this many menus worldwide, you'd have big claws too.

Forget all your fancy, contrived lobster dishes deployed by showoff chefs eager for Michelin endorsement. When you have a best food as naturally delicious as these little fellas, keep it simple. The best way to enjoy lobster is simply to boil it and serve with a side of melted butter and slice of lemon.

16. Pastel de nata, Portugal

Rich flaky pastry and soft trembling custard.

Pastel de natas are perhaps the world's tastiest laundry by-product. Legend has it that Portuguese nuns and monks, having used egg whites to starch their religious clothing, used the leftover yolks to make pastries, including these sinfully delicious custard tarts.

15. Pierogi, Poland

Pierogi: The perfect Polish comfort food.

There are dumplings, and then there are Polish dumplings. Pierogi are parcels of deliciousness that can be filled with everything from potato to sauerkraut to meat to cheese and to fruit, and often topped with melted butter, sour cream or fried onions. They're traditionally boiled, although fried pierogi are becoming more common.

14. Donuts, United States

Donuts -- delicious across the world.

These all-American fried wheels of dough need no introduction, but we will say one thing: the delicious guilt of snacking on these addictive calorie bombs makes them taste even better. If that's possible.

13. Corn on the cob, global

Corn's a vegetable -- so it's healthy, right?

God probably created corn just to have an excuse to invent melted butter. There's something about biting down on a cob of corn -- it's a delicate enough operation to require concentration but primal enough to make you feel like the caveman you always wanted to be. Great food is caveman food.

12. Piri-piri chicken, Mozambique

The South African restaurant chain Nando's has made Mozambican-Portuguese piri-piri chicken loved around the world. But for the original dish, head to Maputo, capital of Mozambique. Galinha à Zambeziana is a finger-lickin' feast of chicken cooked with lime, pepper, garlic, coconut milk and piri piri sauce.

11. Rendang, Indonesia

Rendang tastes even better the next day -- if it lasts that long.

Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for a few hours to create this dish of tender, flavorful bovine goodness. Tasting it fresh out of the kitchen will send your stomach into overdrive, but many people think it gets even better when left overnight.

10. Chicken muamba, Gabon

A bastardized Western version of this delectable Gabonese dish swamps everything in peanut butter. Oh, the insanity. The proper recipe calls for chicken, hot chili, garlic, tomato, pepper, salt, okra and palm butter, an artery-clogging African butter that will force you into a second helping and a promise to start using your gym membership.

9. Ice cream, global

Ice cream -- not just break-up food.

You may have just gorged yourself to eruption point, but somehow there's always room for a tooth-rotting pile of ice cream with nuts, marshmallows and chocolate sauce. Thank God for extra long spoons that allow you get at the real weight-gain stuff all mixed up and melted at the bottom of the glass.

8. Tom yum goong, Thailand

A must-eat Thai dish.

This best food Thai masterpiece teems with shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. Usually loaded with coconut milk and cream, the hearty soup unifies a host of favorite Thai tastes: sour, salty, spicy and sweet. Best of all is the price: cheap.

7. Penang assam laksa, Malaysia

One of Malaysia's most popular dishes.

Poached, flaked mackerel, tamarind, chili, mint, lemongrass, onion, pineapple ... one of Malaysia's most popular dishes is an addictive spicy-sour fish broth with noodles (especially great when fused with ginger), that'll have your nose running before the spoon even hits your lips.

6. Hamburger, Germany

Who can resist a juicy handburger?

When something tastes so good that people spend $20 billion each year in a single restaurant chain devoted to it, you know it has to fit into this list. McDonald's may not offer the best burgers, but that's the point -- it doesn't have to. The bread-meat-salad combination is so good that entire countries have ravaged their eco-systems just to produce more cows.

5. Peking duck, China

The best way to taste duck -- Peking style.

The maltose-syrup glaze coating the skin is the secret. Slow roasted in an oven, the crispy, syrup-coated skin is so good that authentic eateries will serve more skin than meat, and bring it with pancakes, onions and hoisin or sweet bean sauce. Other than flying or floating, this is the only way you want your duck.

4. Sushi, Japan

Sushi: aesthetically perfect food.

When Japan wants to build something right, it builds it really right. Brand giants such as Toyota, Nintendo, Sony, Nikon and Yamaha may have been created by people fueled by nothing more complicated than raw fish and rice, but it's how the fish and rice is put together that makes this a global first-date favorite. The Japanese don't live practically forever for no reason -- they want to keep eating this stuff.

3. Chocolate, Mexico

Chocolate is the ultimate tasty treat.

The Mayans drank it, Lasse Hallström made a film about it and the rest of us get over the guilt of eating too much of it by eating more of it. The story of the humble cacao bean is a bona fide out-of-the-jungle, into-civilization tale of culinary wonder. Without this creamy, bitter-sweet confection, Valentine's Day would be all cards and flowers, Easter would turn back into another dull religious event.

2. Neapolitan pizza, Italy

Neapolitan pizza: always delicious no matter the size.

Spare us the lumpy chain monstrosities and "everything-on-it" wheels of greed. The best pizza was and still is the simple Neapolitan, an invention now protected by its own trade association that insists on sea salt, high-grade wheat flour, the use of only three types of fresh tomatoes, hand-rolled dough and the strict use of a wood-fired oven, among other quality stipulations. With just a few ingredients -- dough, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and basil (the marinara pizza does not even contain cheese) -- the Neapolitans created a food that few make properly, but everyone enjoys thoroughly.

1. Massaman curry, Thailand

One more reason to visit Thailand.

Top 20 Most Interesting Plants of the World

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1. Corpse Flower, Titan Arum

Amorphophallus titanum

The Corpse Flower smells strongly like a rotting corpse, and it looks like it belongs in the movie Avatar. I would imagine that the smell helps prevent it from being eaten, but despite this the plant is still very rare; according to the IUCN it’s officially “threatened." It comes from the forests of Sumatra. It's not actually one big flower; it’s thousands upon thousands of little male and female flowers. These exude oils, while the center collects heat. The heat plus the oils create the smell that attracts the beetles that pollinate the flower. In case you were wondering, a mature plant can weigh 200 pounds.

I did not make this up!

2. Elephant-Foot Yam

Amorphophallus (Elephant-Foot Yam) with flies | Source

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

Guess who this cute little guy is related to? Yep, the Corpse Flower. Not only are they related, they also share many characteristics. For example this guy also smells like a corpse. These elephant-foot yams vary in color, as well. Some are pure white.

The Elephant-Foot Yam might have the edge on the Corpse Flower in wackiness because it is edible. In one Southeast Asian culture they are grown as a delicacy, while in another they are a last-resort food source.

3. Rafflesia: Another "Corpse Flower"

Rafflesia arnoldii, the world's biggest flower | Source

Rafflesia arnoldii

Rafflesia is another "corpse flower" because of its stench (I promise this is the last plant here that smells like a corpse). It's unique in that it is the world’s largest single flower. It is also wacky because it has no stems, leaves, or roots, though it does seem to be a plant of some kind. Some think it’s related to fungi. The Kew Botanical Gardens website puts it in Class Equisetopsia, related to horsetails, but Wikipedia puts in Malphigiales (a large category including willows and flaxes).

Want to find one so you can plant it in your backyard? Me too. However these are extremely hard to find. They live most of their lives as inconspicuous strands of tissue, parasitic on Tetrastigma vines in tropical rainforests, until the strands develop a little inconspicuous bud, which for a few brief days explosively transforms into the thing above.

4. Venus Flytrap

Flies, will you ever learn? Do NOT go near the plant with jaws! | Source

Dionaea muscipula

It's carnivorous. Not many plants eat things other than sunlight (though you'll see a few in the list below). And even fewer (about four species) are capable of rapid movement. This makes the Venus Flytrap seem like, I don't know, it might be from another planet or something. Actually it’s from boggy areas of North and South Carolina, where the soil is poor in nutrients. It craves a high-nitrogen snack once in a while.

You might wonder how the trap is triggered. Well, with trigger hairs. When two hairs are touched within 20 seconds of each other, or if a single hair is touched twice, the trap snaps shut. Healthier Venus Flytraps close quicker. Scientists are unsure about the mechanism; it has to do with neighboring cells sending chemical messages to each other.

The jaw-looking things act like interlocking fingers, or to the insect inside, prison bars. They do their best to restrain the insect from escaping. Then the rest is done with digestive juices. Read even more about Venus Flytraps from the Botanical Society of America.

5. Tropical Pitcher Plants

Nepenthese edwardsiana | Source

Nepenthes species

What is it? Monkeys have been spotted drinking from it. Rats have been spotted partially digested in it, and some other stuff too (no, it doesn't smell like a corpse). About 150 species are known, mostly from the forests of Sumatra, Borneo, and the Philippines.

The diet of a tropical pitcher plant includes just about anything that can fit into its pouch of sticky sap, including lizards, termites, spiders, and worms, though it seems to prefer smaller insects. The individual species have complex relationships with their ecosystems. One has evolved to host colonies of carpenter ants to clean up the leftovers from the larger carcasses, which if left lying around in the plant would lead to putrid conditions (we wouldn't want that). Some Nepenthes have evolved into toilet bowls for tree shrews, providing a shrew-sized perch and sweet exudate to attract shrews while they do their business. These plants get the bulk of their nitrogen from the tree-shrew dung they collect. Sound like I'm making this all up? I'm not.

6. Cape Sundew

Another carnivore | Source

Drosera capensis

There are more carnivorous plants out there than you probably realized (more than I realized, anyway). The Cape Sundew, native to South Africa, traps insects not with rapid movements or weird pitcher-shaped appendages, but instead by slowly wrapping its “arms” (its sticky, sap-covered leaves) around its prey. This is slow, on the average about 30 minutes, and probably fairly cruel.

This is also the first plant on the list that is very good at reproducing. It reseeds easily and can survive a wide range of temperatures. It is on New Zealand’s list of invasive plant pests.

7. Strangler Fig

Strangler Fig, probably the biggest asshole plant on Earth | Source

Ficus (several tropical and subtropical species)

The Strangler Fig is the biggest mooch of the plant kingdom. Not only does it mooch, it kills. There are many different species of Strangler Fig, but they all are basically the same thing: that roommate who steals all of your food. Or that guy at a party who steals all of your beer. Or that guy in class who copied your homework and got a better grade. Only he kills you (could be a her, I'm not sure). Anyway, they are dispersed usually by hitch-hiking on birds and being dropped on the canopy of trees of a dense forest. They are wacky because they will grow up and down. Down so their roots can rob the living tree of all its nutrients, and up for sunlight. They often outlive the host tree by years, sometimes forming hollow cores that house the spirit of the old tree.

8. Bear's-Head Tooth Mushroom

The creativity of Mother Nature... | Source

Hericium americanum

Well just look at it. That's a mushroom. If you're not convinced that it should be on this list ... it also fights cancer, stimulates nerve growth, and helps kill roundworms. How do we know? Well some really brave soul found out it was edible. Cydro still wouldn't put it on his sandwiches no matter what it does.

Oh yeah, it can grow branches too. I'm not sure how they came up with the name Bear's-Head Tooth Mushroom though. Looks more like a brand new mop to me.

9: Witches' Butter

It must have been a triple dog dare to make the first person eat that. | Source

Tremella mesenterica

Sticking with edible fungi that look inedible, here is Witches' Butter. It has been given other pleasant names such as yellow brain and golden jelly fungus.

Well, I thought it looked funny. It also reproduces by both sexual and asexual production. If you do happen to try to eat it, you'll find that it has no flavor. Witches' butter is currently being studied because of unique biological processes that it undergoes. Some believe that they will prove to have health benefits. It grows on recently fallen and dead trees. It’s parasitic on other fungi, a nice niche.

10: Hammer Orchid

Basically a wasp sex toy | Source

Drakaea glyptodon

This endangered orchid from western Australia gets pollinated in a unique way. Does that red thing on the side look like it belongs there? And what's that black thing on top of the red thing? Well, you'll find this appendage on all of the Drakaea glyptodonthat you come across.

Female thynnid wasps happen to be flightless. They also happen to climb on top of plants to signal to the male wasps, who can fly. The male picks them up and does his thing to reproduce with them during flight. The Drakaea glyptodon mimicks the female thynnid wasp's body. The male wasp, being a dumb horny guy, tries to pick up the fake female wasp and instead gets pitched into a mass of pollen. To actually finish pollinating a plant and keep this orchid species going, he has to come in contact with yet another Drakea glyptodon and try to mate with it. So he has to be fooled twice. Now you know how they came up with which was the male and which was the female.

Also, the plant smells like "raw meat." It kind of looks like it, too.

11. Silver Torch Cactus

Uhem. What are those things? | Source

Cleistocactus strausii

The Silver Torch Cactus is wooly, but that isn't unusual; it grows flowers, but that isn't too unusual. Although the way the flowers are shaped is is unusual (yes those are flowers), other cacti bloom kind of like this, just not as horizontally.

But it does have a cool name, and it is a very unusual cactus in that it prefers cold temperatures. It lives in the high mountains of Bolivia and Argentina and can stand frosts of up to minus 10 degrees Celsius.

12. Dragon's-Blood Tree

Looks like it should be in a dinosaur movie | Source

Dracaena cinnabari

Man, I wish I had a name like that. “The Dragon's-Blood Guy.” I can see it now. The Dragon's-Blood Tree is one of the coolest-looking trees ever. Its sap resembles dragons' blood; it’s a deep red, even when dried into resin. It was prized among the ancients. It can be used for stimulants, and for toothpaste, of all things. Luckily it survived thousands of years of everyone trying to collect it, which is saying a lot since it is only found on the island of Socotra. The species is a remnant of a subtropical forest ecosystem that used to stretch across North Africa until the desert took over there.

The canopy looks like an umbrella and acts like one; it shades the roots and reduces evaporation. The trees tend to bunch together, because the shade collects what slight dampness there is on Socotra (which gets 10 inches of rain a year) and helps seedlings grow.

13: Welwitschia

You wouldn't look much better if you were that old and spent your entire life in the desert. | Source

Welwitschia mirabilis

Also called “tumbo”and “tweeblaarkanniedood,” Welwitschia is a living fossil found in the deserts of Namibia and Angola. Its close relatives have gone extinct and its distant relatives include pines, spruces, larches, and firs. It has one very short trunk and two leaves—only two. It grows only two leaves no matter how mature it is.

Oh yeah, and carbon dating tells us they live from 400 to 1500 or even 2000 years! So the one above will probably be alive when your great-great-great grand kids are alive. That is assuming no apocalypses happen, although I'd bet these guys could get through an apocalypse much better than we could.

14. Hydnora

Kind of pretty, maybe? | Source

Hydnora africana

This plant looks like it might belong on a fictional planet in a sci-fi movie, except that no viewer would find it believable for a moment. The Hydnora grows completely underground except for the flower (“flower!”) which is shaped to maximize the efficiency of its bristles in directing beetles to its unpleasant center.

And why would beetles want to go near that? Well, because it smells like feces. Many an entranced dung beetle has been lured into its depths. I know what you’re thinking: Cydro, will you lay off with the carnivorous plants? Don't worry, it doesn't eat the beetles. It just keeps them. It traps them until the flower is completely mature, and then releases all the beetles to go forth into the world and pollinate and reproduce. The male and female Hydnoras have different receptors for this pollination, so the beetles have to come across another Hydnora for the scheme to work.

Does this lovely thing, once pollinated, bear fruit? Why, yes; the fruit takes two years to mature underground, is said to be similar in taste and texture to a potato, yet useful for tanning leather and preserving fishnets.

Wolffia arrhiza. Eeny weeny, aren't they? | Source

Wolffia species

Wow, they're small! In fact, they're the world's smallest flowering plant! How small are they? Well...

1. FInd an "o" on this page

2. Imagine two specks inside that "o." Two adult Wolffias could fit inside of that "o"! Also, if you looked back in 30-36 hours, there might be four of them! They reproduce really fast. One more thing: they don't have leaves, stems, or roots, though they sometimes sport a tiny flower with one stamen and one pistil.

If you've been to a pond or a river on any continent there's a decent chance you've encountered them, perhaps under the name "duckweed." Several Asian species are skimmed off the water and eaten, or fed to animals; they are 40% protein.

16. Lithops

That's a plant? | Source

Lithops species

Some plants use toxins to avoid being eaten. Some use thorns. A Lithops survives by pretending to be a rock. If you're into picking up rocks in southern Africa, chances are you'll pick up one of these two-leafed plants. There are dozens of species, each generally preferring a certain type of rock to hide among. In a drought they may shrink down below the ground surface, using their translucent top coating to collect any light that filters through the gravel.

They are fun plants to grow, and if carefully tended, may reward you with a yellow or white daisy-like flower.

Awww ... Cute!

17. Victoria Amazonica

Who put that baby there!?!? | Source

Victoria amazonica

Kew Gardens, the Victorian plant museum, has a proud collection of these water lilies. The leaves grow up to three meters across! The edges bend up to avoid overlapping with their neighbors, and the undersides are thorny to protect against being eaten. A mature lily pad can support an evenly distributed load of 45 kilograms, or, apparently, a baby.

Their flowers are huge and beautiful, and can only be seen at night. On the first night, the flowers are white, female. and fragrant, and trap beetles inside themselves; on the second night they are pink, unscented, and male, and let the beetles loose, dusted with pollen, to seek a fragrant white female flower open for its own first night. If you see the flowers at daybreak, you can watch them close up rather quickly.

18. Dragon Arum

Source

Dracunculus vulgaris

I know I promised not to mention any more plants that smell like a corpse. But this yard-long flower-thingie only smells for a day, and it’s just a “a nauseous dungy rotten meaty odor,” so does that count? As you might guess, it smells in order to attract flies to pollinate it. This stinker is different because it is found in southern Europe, not Southeast Asia.

It is poisonous as well. So look, don't touch!

19. African Acacia

Looking innocent is the only thing it does better than killing herbivores.

Acacia (now Vachellia) species

An acacia on a plain looks so innocent, the classic image of the African savannah. I think I saw it on The Lion King. Well, the tree is a mass murderer. If an African Acacia tree is under attack by a grazing animal, say a kudu, it releases a cloud of ethylene gas, thus warning trees up to 50 yards downwind to produce extra tannin in their leaves, making them toxic.

Zoologist Wouter Van Hoven figured this out when he was asked to investigate the sudden death of some 3000 kudu antelope on game ranches in the Transvaal. Observing the grazing activity of animals in the area, he noticed that the giraffes, who were free to roam and pick the trees they ate, ate only certain acacia trees, about one out of ten, and avoided acacia trees that were downwind of others. The kudu, on the other hand, who were fenced in on game ranches, had little to eat in the winter but acacia leaves, and thus ate toxic leaves until they died. The trees killed the kudu by communicating with each other.

Besides using gas, toxins, and thorns to defend themselves, acacias often hire an army of ant bodyguards. The trees provide housing and nectar for the ant, and the biting ants attack whatever comes near the tree. The plant does need herbivores to help propagate it, however, so the ants can’t be too efficient in chasing away all grazers and pollinators. Thus acacias have some complicated three-way relationships.

20. Bladderwort

Source

Utricularia species

Bladderworts are found in tropical and temperate ponds all over the world. What makes them at all interesting? Well, they are submersible floating carnivores. They use little air sacs to float when they are blooming, and then when it's not blooming time they drift underwater like seasonal submarines.

They eat tiny little invertebrates that they suck into their bladders with a vacuum. Beat that, Venus Flytrap. Tiny fish have also been known to trigger the trap.

They are good at surviving just about anywhere (unlike most carnivorous plants). In some places in the United States they have become a pest and humans are trying to get rid of them.

What happens when one floats into the bank of a pond? Well, it will attach itself to the side by extending little needle-like stems. Who knew a plant could resemble a Swiss Army knife so much?

Bonus for Reading This Far! World's Largest and Oldest Trees

Check out a few record-breakers below.

World's Largest Single-Stem Tree: "General Sherman" Giant Sequoia

"General Sherman" tree | Source

Sequoiadendron giganteum

Not the tallest nor the broadest tree in the world, but the biggest living single tree in volume, the General Sherman tree is a giant sequoia 275 feet tall (almost the length of a football field). It weighs about 1,800 tons (3,600,000 pounds), and is wide enough that a school bus could be driven through its trunk. But it is much smaller than the largest tree ever recorded, a Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that fell over in 1905 and weighed 3,300 tons. Wow! These trees, of course, have no natural predators.

World's Largest Tree By Area and Volume: Pando, the Quaking Aspen

Fish Lake in Southern Utah. The Pando quaking aspen colony is within a mile of Fish Lake; these trunks may be part of Pando. | Source

Populus tremuloides

The Pando tree, an aspen in southern Utah with over 40,000 genetically identical trunks and a shared root system, covers an area of 106 acres, weighs almost 6000 tons, and is thought to be 80,000 years old, having survived multiple ice ages and fires.

King's Holly: An Ancient Sterile Clone

A cutting of King's Holly, growing in the Hobart Botanical Gardens | Source

Lomatia tasmanica

Not really a holly, but related to proteas and macadamia nuts, and named for a botanist named King. A single colony survives in the wild, 500 individuals in the southwest corner of Tasmania.

How old is the King's Holly plant? Take a deep breath and guess. 400 years? 4,000 years? 40,000 years?

At least 43,600 years, actually. It doesn't have a male or female part, or pollinate; it can't reproduce sexually because it has three sets of chromosomes. It survives by dropping its cloned branches on the ground until they grow. They carbon-dated a nearby fossil of the same plant, which they knew was a clone because of the rare triploid chromosome pattern, and found it to be 43,600 years old.

The Winners Of The Greatest Photoshop Battles Ever

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