Most Awaited Films of Year 2012

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:15:53 +0000

It will be a mixed bag of action thrillers and romcoms next year. We have picked up some of the most anticipated films for the year 2012.
First of all 2012 awaits the comeback of Sridevi and Karisma Kapoor. Ex-Lovers Sallu-Kat and Shahid-PC will also be together on celluloid. Aamir Khan’s bid to continue his success streak while newbies like Arjun Kapoor begin their innings.

Players: 2012 kicks off with Abbas-Mustan’s version of The Italian Job. There’s Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Sonam Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Omi Vaidya. The men in white are known for their taut thrillers. This gold heist will set the pace for Bollywood in the new year.

Agneepath: This is a Republic Day offering with Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra. Karan Malhotra revisits the Big B’s 1990 starrer. There’s also Kat’s Chikni Chameli act.

Department: Ram Gopal Varma’s take on cops and the underworld has Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Rana Daggubati.

Jodi Breakers: Bips teams up with Madhavan in this Ashwini Chaudhary directed caper about being a single and remaining one.

Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu: Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor feature in this tragicomedy about a guy going through a breakdown in his personal as well as professional life till he meets a hairdresser. Bebo has teamed with Aamir Khan, it’s now her turn with the nephew.

Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya: Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza’s wedding and their film release in the same month February. Not exactly a coincidence though!

Kahaani: After Vidya Balan’s ooh la la act in 2011, she gets another chance to showcase her histrionics in Sujoy Ghosh’s flick. Vids essays a pregnant woman in search of her husband.

Agent Vinod: Saif Ali Khan teams up with ladylove Kareena in this action flick. The film has been in the making for long and buzz is that the couple will tie the knot only after its release.

Housefull 2: Sajid Khan’s sequel with Akshay Kumar, Asin, John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandes. The director hopes to raise the bar further in this laugh riot

Talaash: Aamir Khan is not only acting as a cop in the movie but is also co-producer of the flick, directed by Reema Kagti. He has Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji as co-stars in this supernatural thriller.

Ferrari Ki Sawaari: Sharman Joshi takes the big step as a lead actor in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s flick, which has been shot in real locations, on busy roads and amidst a live audience.

Ishaqzaade: Boney and Mona Kapoor’s son Arjun finally makes his debut in this romantic flick with Priyanka Chopra’s cousin Parineeti Chopra.

Rowdy Rathore: Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha team up for Prabhu Deva flick. There’s action and the Khiladi plays a cop.

Dangerous Ishq: Vikram Bhatt’s 3 D thriller has Karisma Kapoor, Jimmy Shergill, Rajneish Duggal. Lolo, who took a while to choose a project, considers this as her best bet for another tryst with Bollywood.

Terri Merri Kahani: Ex-flames Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra turn professional to act in Kunal Kohli’s flick.

Bol Bachchan: This action comedy has Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan and Asin. As it is Rohit Shetty’s flick, expect cars tumbling around if not zooming mid-air.

Barfi: Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra essay ‘special ‘people in Anurag Basu’s flick.

Heroine: After Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s exit thanks to her pregnancy, Madhur Bhandarkar’s flick about the life and times of a Bollywood actress went back on track with Bebo.

Ek Tha Tiger: Sallu teams with Kat in Kabir Khan’s romantic thriller. The star hopes that his success at the box-office continues with this project.

Joker: Shirish Kunder’s 3 D sci-fi flick has Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha.

Son of Sardar: Ashwini Dhir’s comic caper has Ajay Devgn, Sonakshi Sinha, Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Dutt.

Dabangg 2: Arbaaz Khan turns director with the sequel starring Salman and Sonakshi which is due to release by Christmas.

Top 10 Worlds Most Powerful Countries

reader — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:23:00 +0000

Over the years a number of political surveys have been conducted by various groups, who have declared he list of most powerful countries around the workld today. Lets have a look at the list

1. The United States of America

United States of America is a country with the largest economy today and has the strongest army as well as a very powerful democracy. USA is also said to be a superpower and its media is very influential as well. It has built itself and its power ever since it gained independence and is only getting more and more powerful every year. The country controls international relations and is a part of a number of influential bodies.

2. Russian Federation

The Russian Federation has the second most powerful army in the world and controls a number of states in the Central Asian area. It has a very large population and immense world area. These factors allow it to stay independent and prevent external forces from meddling in the political, economic and financial issues of the country. Because of its size, Russia has huge amount of resources required to become a superpower.

3. Germany

Germany has the third largest economy in the world and features in the list of the most powerful European Union members. However, it was greatly affected during the two World Wars which hampered its influence over the world.

4. China

China is said to be a country with the 4^th largest GNP in the world. It has gained supremacy only recently over Britain and France. It has a large army and immense potential to become the most powerful country in the world.

5. France

France is a part of the UN Security Council and is said to be the fifth most powerful country in the world. It is a great nuclear power and influences many African nations. The French have a large army which helps in maintaining law and order. It is a G7 economy and part of the European Union.

6. Britain (United Kingdom)

Britain (United Kingdom) is part of the UN Security Council as well. It has powerful nuclear weapons and the democrac is considered to be the most stable as well. As a G7 economy and as a leading country in areas like music, films and media, the country has immense influence when it comes to world politics. It is a part of the European Union as well.

7. Japan

Japan has an extremely large economy and is a leading democratic power. The population of the country is large but since the competition is intense, it features below USA, China, France and Britain.

8. India

India is very populous and has a well-known democracy which gains its power from the detailed Constitution of India. The economy is growing at a staggering rate and the nuclear weapons are becoming more and more powerful making India one of the strongest contenders to reach the top of the list.

9 Pakistan

Pakistan has a very large Muslim population and powerful nuclear weapons. It is a united country but since it spends a hefty sum on military dictatorship, it has not become truly powerful. In addition to that, even though it has good resources, the battles with India have made the country very weak in these terms as well. Therefore, if it can replenish these resources and find a way to balance its political standing, it will be able to become more powerful.

10. Brazil

Brazil is very large and is part of Latin America. It is said to hold the largest Portuguese speaking population in the world. In addition to that, the media of the country is quite stable and its relations with the rest of the world are quite secure.

99 Interesting Facts About Tattoos

reader — Wed, 04 May 2011 08:28:07 +0000

An Ohio restaurant specializing in cheeseburgers offers a lifetime 25% discount for anyone who has a tattoo of a cheeseburger and at an unrelated tattoo studio in a nearby town, they’re offering a 25% discount on cheeseburger tattoos- Sounds suspicious.
Tattoos are rarely done in ink, what is commonly called inks, are actually suspended solid color particles, mostly metal salts and plastics, but not vegetable dyes as commonly believed.
There are no reported cases of HIV infection from a tattoo in the U.S., but there are three from dentist’s offices.
More women than men are getting tattooed today.
Tattoos are considered a minor medical procedure.
Until 2006 it was illegal to get a tattoo in Oklahoma.
Lucky Diamond Rich of New Zealand is the most tattooed person in the world, and after running out of space, has started putting lighter tattoos on top of the darker ones, and vice versa.
Robbie “the coon” Koch recently broke the world’s record by inking 577 tattoos in 24 hrs. The old record was held by Kat Von D of the television show, “LA Ink.” Update- Hollis Cantrell actually owns the record as of 2009 (801 tattoos) but Robbie the coon sounded better. Hollis’s final tattoo was on his thigh
The first recorded tattoo is believed to have been found on a mummified iceman in 3300 BC. He had 58 tattoos, mostly dots and lines.
In 1876 Thomas Edison invented a machine that ultimately became the tattoo machine, but it took modifications by Samuel O’Reilly in 1891 to adapt the device for tattooing.
The record for the longest tattoo session is 43 hours and 50 minutes and was completed by the very observant and talented artist Melanie Grieveson, of Australia. The tattooed was Stephen Grady.
In 2005 Kimberly Smith was paid $10,000 to have Golden Palace.Com tattooed on her forehead by the casino, to help pay for her daughter’s education. The casino is noted for its outlandish promotions.
Thomas Edison had five dots tattooed on his left forearm, similar to the dots on dice.
Lip tattoos only last 1 to 5 years and need to be frequently retouched, the most common a cosmetic lip liner.
The second most common reason for tattoo removal is mistranslation.
In 2010 Channel will unveil its new line of fashionable temporary tattoos. The set of 55 tattoos sells for $75.
Most Tattoo machines hold between 1 and 10 needles and some ancient methods using rakes hold up to 27.
Anil Gupta is considered NYC’s most expensive tattoo artist at over $350 per hour.
In the majority of cases, the outline of a tattoo shouldn’t bleed at all, and the shading for only a few minutes.
As of 2006, 1 in 4 women aged 18 to 50 have at least one tattoo.
U.S. President James Polk is said to be the first white man to have a Chinese character as a tattoo.
A brothel in Cologne, Germany is offering any patron who gets a tattoo of the businesses logo, by their in house artist, free entrance for life ($6.25 US) and discounts on lap dances ($25.00 US. ea)
The word “tattoo” has been in the top ten searched terms since Lycos started tracking search engines.
Democrats are more likely to have a tattoo then republicans, 18% to 14%.
January 23, 2010. A new US Marine Corp directive prohibits anyone with a full sleeve tattoo from becoming an officer. It also prohibits tattoos on the hands, wrists, fingers, and the inside of the mouth.
July 17th, 2009. 18 year old Kimberly Vlaminck sues a Romanian tattoo artist over the 56 stars that she awoke to, scattered across her face, 53 more than see asked for. She later admitted that she lied in the lawsuit and had asked for all fifty six.
Blues singer Janis Joplin had a wristlet tattoo and a small heart on her left breast.
In Oregon, it is a felony to practice tattooing without a license or in an unlicensed shop.
Heiress and socialite Paris Hilton had one tattoo to her credit, the name of then boyfriend Nick Carter on her right butt cheek. It has since been removed by laser.
The traditional Samoan tattoo, pe’a, covering the body from mid torso to the knees, takes 3 months to complete and up to 1 year to fully heal. A typical session lasts from dawn till dusk, or until the pain becomes too great, and resumes the next day unless the skin needs a few days to heal.
In a 2002 survey, 8 of the top 10 voted, “most beautiful people in the world” had tattoos.
Tattoos done today don’t turn blue when they age, unless they were originally blue, the inks are much more stable.
The first occurrence of the word tattoo in the Oxford English Dictionary came in 1769 and is credited to Captain John Cook.
A rooster tattooed on one leg and a pig on the other is said to protect a sailor from drowning. Neither animal can swim.
Queen Kamamalu of Hawaii (1808-1824) was the first woman to have her tongue tattooed.
Most tattoo artists will not tattoo a pregnant woman.
Some tattoo artists claim that if you shield a new tattoo from sunlight for the first two years it will remain brighter and clearer for decades.
Over 40 million people in the U.S. have tattoos.
26% of Americans with a tattoo say they make them feel more attractive, with women
voting that way almost 2 to 1 over men.
Tommy Lee of Motley Crue holds the record for highest altitude tattoo, having been inked in 2008 at 45,000 feet. The tattoo was said to cost $150,000 dollars.
73 year old Isobel Valley, the world’s most tattooed women, has every square inch of her body tattooed, except her face, and also has fifty piercings, 15 of which are visible. The majority of the piercings are below the belt because she wants to jingle when she walks, she says.
An increasing number of people are having medical alerts tattooed to aid doctors in case of an emergency.
43 year old former soldier Shawn Clark has the names of all 232 British soldiers killed in Afghanistan tattooed on his back.
At one time red ink was known to fade; not so with today’ inks.
The title of The “Hardy Boys” #47 is “The Mystery of the Whale Tattoo.”
When Cortez landed on the Mexican coast in 1519 he was horrified to find the natives practicing devil worshiping and had somehow permanently marked images of their idols on their skin. He called it the work of the devil.
A tattoo of an anchor on a sailor indicates they have sailed across the Atlantic.
One third of Americans with tattoos say they make them feel sexier.
Tattoo ink is injected into the second layer of the skin, the dermis, and become encapsulate by the body as a defense mechanism, leaving the image stable and intact.
Gabrial Carbona, an American teenage hit man for a Mexican cartel, has his eyelids tattooed so they never look closed. His idea is not working as well for him in prison.
Jimmy Buffet sings about tattoos in this song of the same name, “It’s a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling.”
In the 1920′s, American circuses employed more than 300 people with full body tattoos and paid them up to $200 a week, a lot of money during those times.
The percentage of males and females with tattoos is now statistically equal.
Tattoo equipment is sterilized in an autoclave, a high pressure steam machine, similar to a pressure cooker and how hospitals do theirs.
57% of people without a tattoo feel that those with them are more rebellious and threatening.
35 0f the first 43 U.S. Presidents reportedly have tattoos.
Tattoo inks are not regulated by the by any government agencies so there is no way of knowing exactly what’s in them.
Winston Churchill’s mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, had a tattoo of a snake on her wrist. They were popular for rich aristocrats during that period. She chose a snake because it could be easily covered by a bracelet.
U.S. President Andrew Jackson had a giant tattoo of a tomahawk that ran down the length of the inside of his thigh. No one knows exactly why.
Almost all U.S. corporations have some form of restrictions or policy regarding tattoos on the job.
As of Sept. 29th 2009, the 19 year old ban on tattooing was lifted in DeKalb, Illinois.
Actress Halle Berry has a tattoo of a sunflower on her rear end covering up the name of her ex, baseball player David Justice.
The popularity of tattooing during the latter part of the nineteenth century and first part of the twentieth century owed much to the circus sideshow.
People with antisocial personality disorder are more likely to have a higher number of tattoos in more visible locations, and covering a larger percentage of their bodies.
Ancient Egyptians used tattoos to differentiate between slaves and peasants.
During the late 18th century in Europe, collecting the tattooed heads of Maori people became so popular that many were murdered to meet the demand. The heads were commonly paid for in guns.
In the 1870s the Japanese government outlawed tattoos forcing the practice underground where it flourished.
3% of Americans say having a tattoo makes them feel more athletic.
The world’s most tattooed women, Isobel Varley got her first tattoo, a flower, at age 49.
4% of consumers spend over $1000 on a tattoo.
When you see someone’s tattoo you are viewing it through the first layer of the skin, the epidermis.
50% of all tattoos are not covered up by clothing and are openly visible.
Tattoo machines can make upwards of 200 hits per second, that’s up to 12,000 times a minute and 720,000 an hour.
In ancient Greece and Rome, tattoos were considered barbaric and were only used to mark slaves and criminals.
52% of those in prison are tattooed.
In recent studies, memorial tattoos have been shown to overwhelmingly turn grief into joy and morning into celebration by creating a lasting memory.
A 2009 study conducted at Liverpool Hope University found that people with three or more tattoos had significantly lower levels of self esteem.
4% of Americans say that their tattoos make them feel healthier.
It is untrue that white or lighter colored inks are more painful to use.
A tattoo is art, only, if the person doing the tattoo is an artist and a skilled technician.
President James Buchanon had a tattoo of a scantily clad woman on his chest with the initials BFL (bachelor for life).
In 2002, 18 year old hair dresser Lee Becks was shocked to find out the tattoo he thought said, “Love, honor, and obey” actually translated to, “at the end of the day, this is an ugly boy.”
New York City outlawed tattoos from 1961 to 1997 because of a tattoo related outbreak of hepatitis “C”.
In a 2002 study a group of male high school and college students viewed pictures of models with and without tattoos, and graded them in 13 categories. The models with tattoos scored much lower in 9 of the 13 ratings.
Some people experience pain or a burning during sensation during an MRI because of the metallic particles in some inks.
The US Navy prohibited tattoos of naked women during World War II, so many future sailors had to get their tattoos reworked to include cloths.
The first recorded instance of death following tattooing was reported in 1837 in France. The young woman, a prostitute, was covering up another unwanted tattoo and died from the infection that followed.
Apr. 30, 2009. To celebrate Barbie’s 50th birthday Mattel comes out with the new “Totally Stlylin’ Barbie, complete with a set of place able tattoos, one a lower back tattoo featuring the name Ken.
35% of all NBA players have tattoos. Michael Jordan has none and teammate Dennis Rodman has at least 22.
Lorette Fulkerson was the last woman to work the circus sideshows, retiring in 1995 at the age of 80.
Eyeball tattoos are not done with a machine, but rather, the ink is directly injected into the eye with a syringe.
Urine was sometimes used in early ink mixtures.
5% of Americans with a tattoo say they make them feel smarter.
The first case of a syphilis being transmitted by a tattoo came in 1853. The artists ink was drying up so he spit in it, transferring the disease.
Never go back to the person who gave you a bad tattoo to have it fixed, it will not get better.
The time to ask questions is before you get a tattoo.
Good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good.
Women are more than twice as likely to have a tattoo removed as men.
Over 50% of the tattoos created today will be removed by laser at great expense, intense pain and permanent minor scaring. Think before you ink.

No related posts were found, so here's a consolation prize: 99 Interesting Facts About Tattoos

Worlds 20 Most Powerful Athletes for 2011

admin — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:51:03 +0000

01. Peyton Manning

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback is more than simply the one of the best players in America’s sport. He’s also a model of class, sportsmanship
and overall likability that fans (and sponsors) can’t get enough of.

02. Shaun White

White, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, combines dominance on the slopes with a friendly face and personality. All this adds up to instant marketability.

03. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods may have fallen from grace, but he hasn’t fallen far. Last year he still made $70 million in endorsements to remain America’s highest paid athlete. But guess who’s not far behind.

04. 04 Phil Mickelson

More than just a moneymaker and an ace golfer, Mickelson provided the feel good sports story of the year when his wife, recovering from breast cancer surgery, met him at the 18th hole of his third Masters victory.

05. Tom Brady

Although he couldn’t make it past Rex Ryan’s Jets, the three-time Super Bowl champ still led his New England Patriots to a staggering 14 regular season wins.

06. Shaquille O’Neal

At 38, the four-time NBA champ has a legitimate chance to earn his fifth ring as the back-up center for the Boston Celtics. Even if the big man falls short, it’s doubtful that his extreme marketability will suffer much.

07. Drew Brees

Want to know how to win the support of fans and sponsors the world over? Try bringing a championship to an American city that’s seen more hard-luck and shown more resiliency than any other. That’s exactly what Drew Brees did for New Orleans.

08. Lance Armstrong

Although Armstrong has seen his share of controversy over the past few years, no number of doping allegations can take away from his cycling accomplishments (winning seven Tour de Frances after beating cancer) and his charity work.

09. Albert Pujols

The perfect antidote to the backlash against baseball over Performance Enhancing Drugs, Pujols is proof that you don’t have to play dirty to dominate the game.

10. Apolo Anton Ohno

Ohno? Oh yes. The Olympic speed skater has won loads of gold medals, but he really captured America’s heart as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars.

11. LeBron James

To some, LeBron is a backstabber who betrayed his hometown team on national TV. To others, he’s a phenomenal player who, like many other athletes, simply wants the best chance to win. For the time being at least, it would appear the public has embraced the first perspective; LeBron slipped a whopping nine spots
this year.

12. Michael Phelps

Although it’s been over two years since winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, that stellar achievement is enough for him to continue
raking in the advertising bucks for years to come.

13. Lindsey Vonn

The darling of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vonn is a sexy, hardworking downhill phenom whose star should only continue to burn bright into the future.

14. Kobe Bryant

In 2009, Bryant won his first NBA title without the big man Shaq down low. But that clearly wasn’t enough for him. Last year he won another title and now has a solid shot of a 2nd three-repeat, a feat that would only be rivaled by the great Michael Jordan.

15. Roger Federer

The Swiss Maestro has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other male tennis player in history. He held the ATP number one spot for 237 straight weeks until earlier this month, when the following athlete overtook him…

16. Rafael Nadal

Winner of last year’s French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon, the dashing Spaniard’s advertising strategy is wildly varied: he’s been in a claymation viral video, but he’s also gearing up to be the new face (and body of course) of Armani underwear.

17. Eli Manning

While no match for big brother Peyton in the endorsement category, his heroics in Super Bowl XLII have made him a fan favorite pretty much everywhere outside of Foxboro.

18. Serena Williams

The accolades speak for themselves: 27 Grand Slam titles, 2 Olympic golds, and Williams shows no sign of slowing down. And with her fashion line and high-dollar endorsements, Williams’ influence is as potent as her crushing serves.

19. David Beckham

Plagued by injuries, Beckham didn’t exactly have a banner year on the field. But he’s the most recognizable face in international soccer which certainly counts for something ($40.5 million to be exact).

20. Dwayne Wade

Unlike LeBron, Wade didn’t have to betray anyone to get his own personal dream team in Miami. Nevertheless, it looks like he’s suffered from “guilt by association,” falling to number 20 after being ranked sixth in last year’s list.

Top 10 Sexiest Women Tennis Players

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:42:27 +0000

Tennis, is a very interesting sport where you can see a lot of sexy women players. I have no idea what deuce or a tie-breaker is, but I still would watch a match when even one of the following Top 10 sexiest women Tennis Players plays. All of them are sexy, smart and good in what they do – tennis!

Let’s check them out in more details. if You don’t agree with me on this list, and if I missed out any other sexy women tennis players, you let me know …

1. Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis is a former world number one Swiss tennis player. Known as the “Swiss Miss” and some regarded her as the Princess of WTA. She has won a lot of Grand Slam titles… don’t ask me which titles because I have no idea myself. Her effusive personality and cut physique have earned her the attention of a lot of fashion photographers.

Do you know how old was Martina Hingis when she won the junior French Open?

2. Daniela Hantuchova

She is a Slovak professional tennis player. As of March 19, 2007, Hantuchova ranks at No. 12 in singles.

HantuchovÃ¡ has won two WTA singles tournaments in her career, the first in 2002 at the Tier I Pacific Life Open, defeating Martina Hingis, and in 2007 at the same tournament, defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final, ending a 5-year title drought.

3. Maria Sharapova

Six feet tall, muscular and blonde, Sharapova turned pro in 2001 at the young age of 14. In 2004 Sharapova stunned the tennis world by defeating defending champion Serena Williams in the singles finals at Wimbledon to win the tournament at age 17. Occasionally she took modelling jobs, earning sweet comparisons to Anna Kournikova! Sharapova is known to produce high decibel on tennis court.

4. Elena Dementieva

Dementieva is a beautiful babe from Russia, played and won her first international tournament, Les Petit As, in France at the age of 13. In 1997, she turned professional and is currently ranked World number 8.

5. Maria Kirilenko

She is a Russian professional tennis player who won her first WTA Tour title in 2005, beating Anna-Lena Groenefeld in the China Open. She is a good friend of Maria Sharapova and is affectionately called Makiri.

6. Anastasia Myskina

Myskina is from Russia, and is one of the better baseline players in the game today, as shown in her French Open title in 2004. Despite this she prefers faster court surfaces, although having all the hallmarks of a genuine clay court champion.

7. Nicole Vaidisova

Vaidisova is an emerging star in women’s tennis who has been playing since she was six-years-old. She is said to consider her serve as her biggest weapon. Vaidisova is currently ranked number 9 in the WTA rankings.

8. Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza is an Indian tennis player. Coached by her father Imran Mirza, she began playing tennis at the age of six, and turned professional in 2003. She is now ranked 48th in singles.

9. Tatiana Golovin

Tatiana Golovin is a French professional tennis player. Her nickname on tour is Tati. She maybe one of the lesser know players but her win in the 2004 Roland Garros mixed doubles event with countryman Richard Gasquet was remarkable. She also reached the singles quarterfinal at the 2006 US Open, losing to eventual champion Maria Sharapova.

10. Ana Ivanovic

She is a Serbian professional tennis player who started tennis at the age of five after seeing the sport on TV. That turns out to be not a bad decision as she has more than US$1.3 million in her bank account now, thanks to tennis!

Now that you have seen the list. Don’t you just love watching tennis?

Top 10 Poisons Used To Save Lives

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:13:05 +0000

Warfarin

Warfarin is an anticoagulant. It was initially marketed as a pesticide against rats and mice and is still popular for this purpose, although more potent poisons such as brodifacoum have since been developed. A few years after its introduction, warfarin was found to be effective and relatively safe for preventing thrombosis and embolism (abnormal formation and migration of blood clots) in many disorders. It was approved for use as a medication in the early 1950s and has remained popular ever since; warfarin is the most widely prescribed anticoagulant drug in North America. Despite its effectiveness, treatment with warfarin has several shortcomings. Many commonly used medications interact with warfarin, as do some foods, and its activity has to be monitored by frequent blood testing.

Cone Snail Venom

Cone snails are medium-sized to large, sophisticated predatory sea snails. These snails hunt and immobilize prey using a modified radular tooth along with a poison gland containing neurotoxins; this is launched out of its mouth in a harpoon-like action. Live cone snails should be handled with care or not handled at all, as they are capable of “stinging” humans with unpleasant results. The sting of small cones is no worse than a bee sting, but the sting of a few of the larger species of tropical cone snails can be serious or even fatal to human beings. The venom of some cone snails, such as the Magician cone, Conus magus, shows much promise for providing a non-addictive pain reliever 1000 times as powerful as, and possibly a replacement for, morphine. The first painkiller Ziconotide derived from cone snail toxins was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2004 under the name “Prialt”. Other drugs are in clinical and preclinical trials, such as compounds of the toxin that may be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.

Wolfsbane

The roots of Aconitum ferox (Wolfsbane) supply the Nepalese poison called bikh, bish, or nabee. It contains large quantities of the alkaloid pseudaconitine, which is a deadly poison. Aconitum palmatum yields another of the bikh poisons. The root of Aconitum luridum, of the Himalaya, is said to be as virulent as that of A. ferox or A. napellus. In Western medicine preparations of aconite were used until just after the middle of the 20th century, but it is no longer employed as it has been replaced by safer and more effective drugs and treatments. Internal uses were also pursued, to slow the pulse, as a sedative in pericarditis and heart palpitations, and well diluted as a mild diaphoretic, or to reduce feverishness in treatment of colds, pneumonia, quinsy, laryngitis, croup, and asthma due to exposure. Taken internally, aconite acts very notably on the circulation, the respiration, and the nervous system. The pulse is slowed, the number of beats per minute being actually reduced, under considerable doses, to forty, or even thirty, per minute. Interestingly, the wolfsbane flower was used to identify supposed werewolves. If the flower cast a yellow shadow on the suspected shape-shifter’s chin, the werewolf test was positive.

Digitalis

Depending on the species, the digitalis plant may contain several deadly physiological and chemically related cardiac and steroidal glycosides. Thus, the digitalis has earned several more sinister monikers: Dead Man’s Bells, and Witches’ Gloves. The entire plant is toxic (including the roots and seeds), although the leaves of the upper stem are particularly potent, with just a nibble being enough to potentially cause death. Medicines from foxgloves are called “Digitalin”. It is used to increase cardiac contractility (it is a positive inotrope) and as an antiarrhythmic agent to control the heart rate, particularly in the irregular (and often fast) atrial fibrillation. It is therefore often prescribed for patients in atrial fibrillation, especially if they have been diagnosed with heart failure.

Copperhead Venom

The copperhead is an ambush predator: it takes up a promising position and waits for suitable prey to arrive. Like most North American viperids, these snakes prefer to avoid humans and, given the opportunity, will leave the area without biting. However, unlike other viperids they will often “freeze” instead of slithering away, and as a result many bites occur from people unknowingly stepping on or near them. Copperhead venom has an estimated lethal dose of around 100 mg, and tests on mice show its potency is among the lowest of all pit vipers, and slightly weaker than that of its close relative, the cottonmouth. Copperheads often employ a “warning bite” when stepped on or agitated and inject a relatively small amount of venom, if any at all. The venom of the Southern copperhead has been found to hold a protein called “Contortrostatin” that halts the growth of cancer cells and also stops the migration of the tumors to other sites. It will probably be ten or more years before contortrostatin is used in practical treatment but it has shown to be a novel anti-cancer drug in the lab.

Hemlock

Hemlock is one of the most widely known poisons. The most important and toxic alkaloid in hemlock is coniine, which has a chemical structure similar to nicotine. Coniine is a neurotoxin, which disrupts the workings of the central nervous system and is toxic to humans and all classes of livestock. Coniine causes death by blocking the neuromuscular junction in a manner similar to curare; this results in an ascending muscular paralysis with eventual paralysis of the respiratory muscles which results in death due to lack of oxygen to the heart and brain. Death can easily be prevented by artificial ventilation until the effects have worn off 48–72 hours later. Ingestion of Poison Hemlock in any quantity can result in respiratory collapse and death. For an adult the ingestion of more than 100 mg of coniine (approximately 6 to 8 fresh leaves, or a smaller dose of the seeds or root) may result in fatality. Despite its deadly reputation, poison hemlock has been used as a sedative and for its antispasmodic properties. It was also used by Greek and Persian physicians for a variety of problems, such as arthritis.

Deadly Nightshade

Atropine is a tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade, jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), mandrake and other plants of the family Solanaceae. Injections of atropine are used in the treatment of bradycardia (an extremely low heart rate), asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA) in cardiac arrest. Atropine’s actions on the parasympathetic nervous system inhibits salivary, sweat, and mucus glands. This can be useful in treating hyperhidrosis, and can prevent the death rattle of dying patients. Because of its extremely important use in medicine, this poison is a core medicine in the World Health Organization’s “Essential Drugs List”, which is a list of minimum medical needs for a basic health care system.

Yellow Scorpion Venom

The venom from another menacing arachnid is being used to help treat cancer. Researchers at the Transmolecular Corporation in Cambridge, Mass., have isolated a protein that occurs in the venom of the Israeli yellow scorpion. This protein has been shown to seek out and bind itself to the types of cancerous cells found in gliomas, a type of brain cancer that’s particularly difficult to treat. The researchers created a synthetic version of the protein and attached radioactive iodine solution to it. When introduced into the bloodstream, the protein seeks out glioma cells and binds to them, carrying the radioactive solution along for the ride. The solution then destroys the cells — and with enough treatments, the cancer.

Chilean Rose Tarantula Venom

Biophysicists from the University at Buffalo are using a protein from the venom of the Chilean Rose tarantula to combat death from heart attacks. The walls of your cells have tiny channels that open when the cell stretches. Among other body functions, these channels are responsible for the contraction of heart muscles. When these channels open too wide (which can happen from stretching the heart muscles over time), they allow a flood of positive ions into the cell. These extra ions disrupt the electrical signals in the heart, causing the organ to fibrillate (beat wildly and irregularly). The protein from the Chilean tarantula venom binds to these channels, which can block the positive ions from passing through. This could ostensibly prevent fibrillation — and hopefully death — if delivered during a heart attack.

Ergot

Man has a long history with ergot – a fungus which infects rye (which is then transferred to humans who eat the grain). Ergotism causes hallucinations and attendant irrational behavior, convulsions, and even death. Other symptoms include strong uterine contractions, nausea, seizures, and unconsciousness. Consumption can lead to amputation of limbs which are damaged by the fungus. Since the middle ages, controlled doses of ergot were used to induce abortions and to stop maternal bleeding after childbirth. Ergot alkaloids are used in products such as Cafergot (containing caffeine and ergotamine or ergoline) to treat migraine headaches. It is also used in a variety of treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Ergotism has even been blamed (though it is not likely the true cause) for the extremely bizarre dancing plague which struck Europe in the 1500s.

Top 7 Tips To Increase The Longevity Of Your Split Air Conditioner

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:36:08 +0000

Top 7 Tips To Increase The Longevity Of Your Split Air Conditioner

So you have bought a split air conditioner to beat the heat of this scorching summer? Now remember some tips to ensure that it performs superlatively throughout its life.

The global warming has wrecked havoc on the earth as the temperature is rising and touching a new high every year. The people across the globe are suffering from the ill effects of global warming. Coupled with the scorching heat, the humidity has made life tougher than ever before. To save themselves from this unusual climatic condition, many people have fallen back on air conditioners a lot.

Whether you buy a split AC (air conditioner) or a window AC, the most important thing is to know whether they will perform smartly under tough circumstances. Since, we tend to overuse the air conditioners during the summer, we need to be prepared for their maintenance just incase they fail to perform up to the desired level. Take a look at some of the maintenance tips for split ACs that should be applied to boost the efficiency of your split air conditioner.

The smooth functioning of a product depends on its proper maintenance. So, if you have a product, then you need to take god care of it. In case of an AC whether domestic or commercial, the following points should be noted for better performance and durability of the product. The various components of it include:

Air conditioning filter is an important part of an AC. It should be changed every month or every two months regularly depending on its use. If not the air would be dirty and filled with pollutants. The dirty air conditioning filters also increases the air conditioning repair and maintenance cost.
Another important part is the compressor. It compresses low pressure, low volume gas making them the high pressure, high temperature and the gas needed for the AC. It also removes vapor from the evaporator to maintain a low boiling point. Make sure to clean the compressor regularly to get cool and refreshing air. Oil specially designed for the ACs can be used for its longevity.
When air passes through the system, the evaporator coil absorbs the heat to provide cold air through out the space. Replacing the old evaporator coil improves the air flow and air circulation inside the home.
Air conditioning maintenance also includes cleaning of air ducts or ducts. In the air conditioning system, air ducts are spread through out the entire house keeping the area cool and pleasant. Hence, the ductwork ought to be cleaned regularly to remove the dust collected on air ducts.
All air conditioning system use refrigerant to absorb the excess heat and supply cool air inside the house. Sometimes there might be a refrigerant leak. So, a reliable air conditioning company or contractor should be called to check and repair that part.
Sometimes there might be problem with the heating and split air conditioning of your air conditioner. You need to clean your air filters. If, still the problem continues, then it`s time to call an expert.
In some of the cases ice blocks the tube and no cold air comes from the air conditioning filter instead of the filters recently cleaned. It indicates that the air conditioning refrigerant is low and needs to be adjusted or replaced.

Although the running cost of both window and split AC is almost the same, the power consumption of a split AC could be little higher because of the additional motor it requires. Moreover, the capital expenditure of it is a bit higher than the window AC as well. A split air conditioner scores higher than a window air conditioner because of its `silence` feature. The compressor of a split air conditioner is kept away from the indoor unit and thus, ensures complete silence inside your room.

Top 5 Pixar films

admin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:48:59 +0000

Ratatouille (dir. Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava, 2007)

A love song to Paris – its food, its characters, its romance – this giddy tale of a rodent who dreams of being a chef contains more magic moments per frame than any of Pixar film.

The Incredibles (dir. Brad Bird, 2004)

John Lasseter may be more famous and his films may have raked in more merchandising dollars, but Bird seems to be the real genius at Pixar, here delivering a satiric thriller so exciting it blows the Mission: Impossible series out of the water.

Up (dir. Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, 2009)

Pixar’s films get more challenging, emotionally as much as technically, as the years go by: Albert Laromisse (The Red Balloon) and Hiyao Miyazaki (Lapouta: Castle In The Sky) wouldn’t be ashamed of this profound story of a widower’s grief transformed.

Finding Nemo (dir. Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, 2003)

Pixar films have always been attuned to the drama and pathos to be derived from stories of eco-disaster; this tale of an Australian clown fish who sets out from the Great Barrier Reef on a hazardous journey to rescue his son trumps even WALL-E.

Monsters, Inc (di. Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich and David Silverman, 2001)

Toy Story and A Bug’s Life had already redefined modern animation and proved box-office winners, but this extravagantly inventive feature – huge giants working for a utility company generate power from the screams of children – proved beyond all doubt that the studio was capable of storytelling of the highest order.

Top 10 Greatest Books Adapted Into Movies

admin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:54:50 +0000

Which is better? The movie or the book…..?

Since nobody has the time or inclination to read books anymore, movies provide us with the visual cliff notes we need to experience some of the greatest novels ever written. Now let’s just hope they never take L. Ron Hubbard’s science fiction novel Battlefield Earth and turn it into… oh right, it’s too late.

10 Jurassic Park - The master of adapting books into movies, Speilberg turned Michael Crichton’s New York Times #1 best seller into one of the highest grossing films of all time. The film for some strange reason also meant the extinction of Laura Dern’s acting career.

9 Forrest Gump – While the film differs substantially from Winston Groom’s novel, Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks proved that if you “don’t go full retard” you can created one of the most successful book adaptations in movie history.

8 Breakfast At Tiffany’s – Truman Capote’s novel turned out to be the “Perfect 10″ of Blake Edwards directing career and made Audrey Hepburn one of the most iconic actresses in Hollywood history. And I think Truman Capote and the rest of the civilized world can all pretend that Jennifer Love Hewitt’s CBS movie of the week remake never happened
7 One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest - Milos Forman and Jack Nicholson turned Ken Kesey’s book into the first film in movie history to win all five major academy awards(Best Picture, Actor In A Lead Role, Actress In A Lead Role, Director and Screenplay) and made everyone realize that a getting a labatomy is an extremely unpleasant experience.

6 Schindler’s List (Based On The Novel Schindler’s Ark) - Spielberg adapted Thomas Keneally’s book about Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand Polish Jewish refugees during the Holocaust into a masterpiece and the one movie you don’t want to get caught making out during.

5 Apocalypse Now (Based On The Novle Heart Of Darkness) - Francis Ford Coppola took Joseph Conrad’s book Heart Of Darkness and turned it into what is widely-considered the greatest war movie of all time even though Dennis Hopper doesn’t remember filming it.

4 Goodfellas – Martin Scorsese took crime reporter Nicolas Pileggi’s book Wisguy based on the real life story of mobster turned informant Henry Hill and created his gangster movie opus. It also made every man in America want to be a gangter from now to enternity.

3 Jaws - Steven Speilberg took Peter Benchley’s novel and turned it into the “father of summer blockbuster movies” in 1975

2 The Godfather - Francis Ford Copolla adapted Mario Puzo’s novel into one of the greatest movies in the history of cinema giving the men of the world enough quotables to last a lifetime.

1 Gone With The Wind - Scarlet O’Hara may not have give a damn, but Margaret Mitchell’s book win the Pulitzer in 1937 and Gone With The Wind also took home the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1939.

Top 10 Amazing Sports Ads

admin — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:43:08 +0000

1. Tennis Trampoline

This non traditional advertising was used in China to promote the Tennis Masters Cup in 2006. The racket was actually a trampoline
with a man, dressed in neon yellow, bouncing up and down.

Can you see it?

The “tennis racket ” trampoline is “serving” the bouncing up and down man. The “Tennis trampoline” reads “The fastest server generates over 560 Newtons. Enough force to propel a human skywards. Experience the best tennis at the Tennis Masters Cup 2006. “

2. Running -You are faster than you think

This Nike ad, part of the You’re Faster Than You Think campaign, displays a large cut out of Canadian hurdler Perdita Felicien hurdling over the actual billboard.

3. Running – You are faster than you think

Also in Canada
, making his way through this bus stop is distance runner Bernard Lagat in this Nike ad. For this series of ads, Nike used simple window stickers to make it appear as though Lagat was literally hauling through the bus stops.

Same campaign, same runner, overall same idea, but thru buildings.

A sport loved globally, soccer (or football in some parts of the world) also uses alternative advertising mediums to promote the sport.

4. Soccer – Nike Stadium Shoe Box

Nike wrapped actual soccer cleat boxes to look like a soccer stadium.

5. Urinal Soccer

Never under estimate the power of advertising in the urinal. This ad for ESPN gave those oh so talented men a chance to “play” while promoting ESPN Brazil in the bathroom at local bars and restaurants

Even nontraditional sports have made their way into advertising.

Moving on from the advertising of tennis, running and soccer and switching to very nontraditional sports (but none the less, still athletic hobby) jump roping, dancing and weightlifting.

6. Jump roping…never out of style

What do you think of this bag advertising? Over the last few years we have seen much use of bag advertising, but very few that use the string handles as part of the ad, let alone the main focus.

7. Weight lifting…the strongest of all

This 3D Chinese billboard shows a man hanging from what appears to be a very heavy weight lifting challenge.

8. Dance – Who said dancing wasn’t a sport?

People around the world take dance classes to lose weight, get in shape and even compete. This following advertising was used in parking garages throughout Germany to promote upcoming dance classes.

9. Cycling – Love your bike.

This outdoor campaign was seen around the United Kingdom in order to promote cycling as exercise and hobby and directed you to loveyourbike.com for more info.

Besides the main purposes, mentioned above, there were other purposes for the ads as the Fast Lane/Fat Lane campaign copy reads:Burn calories, save cash, get there on time.

Even those with nothing to do with sports use sports to promote their product/organization/idea. This advertising “referee,” for example, is advertising Monster.com job site and the idea of looking for a new job.

10. Monster.com

The “Tired of Your Job?” campaign from Monster.com placed people dressed as those who don’t always have desirable jobs on street corners to pass out advertising for Monster.com.

Celebrity wax statues at Madame Tussaud’s museum

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:25:54 +0000

Famous for its wax talent of sculptures, Madame Tussaud’s museum fascinates and enchants visitors by its real-life representations of celebrities. Some of the celebs who have made their way to the museum are Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Here’s a look at some incredible real-than-life wax figurines

Madame Tussaud’s did it again by unveiling the life-size wax figure of pop princess, Britney Spears.

A new waxwork of US singer Britney Spears, holding an MTV Award, was launched at Madame Tussauds in London in February, 2009. Spears joins Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse and Justin Timberlake in the attraction’s music zone.

A life-sized wax statue of Nicole Kidman is displayed at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong July 21, 2009. The replica of the Oscar Award-winning actress, which mimics a gala red carpet event, is so much like the screen diva

Probably the most well-known porn star was honored by the popular museum, Madame Tussauds with a perfect wax model. Jenna Jameson, a Las Vegas native, unveiled her interactive lookalike. At the museum she is dressed in her trademark undies with the ‘Jenna’ belt and exposing all her tattoos and if they tickle the one on her right ankle, she whispers a ‘personal’ messages to them.

Wax works of England soccer captain David Beckham (L) and his wife Victoria appear as Joseph and Mary in a new celebrity Nativity scene at Madame Tussauds in London.

Actress Paris Hilton (L) poses next to her wax figure at Madame Tussauds in New York.

Posh Spice, Victoria Beckham of the ‘Spice Girls’ takes a close-up look at her wax work at Madame Tussaud’s Rock Circus in London

Singer Celine Dion (L) stands next to her figure at the Grevin wax museum during the presentation of her waxwork in Paris

Wax figures of actors Angelina Jolie (L) and Brad Pitt (R) sit on display with a figure of their infant daughter Shiloh Nouvel at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum in New York. The infant figure is the first baby ever produced by the museum

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan (L) stands next to his waxwork model at Madame Tussauds in London

Twin look: Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan unveils his wax figure

Amitabh Bachchan meets his wax likeness at Madame Tussaud’s in London making him the first Indian film star added to the collection. Bachchan was chosen following a poll to find the most famous and popular Bollywood actor.

Brandon Routh, star of Superman Returns, poses with a wax figure of himself as the character at Madame Tussauds in New York.

British TV presenter Davina McCall (R) poses with her wax model at Madame Tussauds in central London

American pop star Michael Jackson (R) poses next to his wax double at the Grevin Museum. Jackson inaugurated the model produced from four pictures.

A wax figure of entertainer Jennifer Lopez is displayed at Madame Tussaud’s museum in New York

Members of the music group ‘Twins‘, Charlene Choi (R) and Gillian Chung, pose with their wax figures at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong.

Top 10 Things Global Warming Could Change Forever

admin — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 05:46:18 +0000

Great Barrier Reef may be gone in 20 years

The Great Barrier Reef will be so degraded by warming waters that it will be unrecognizable within 20 years. Charlie Veron, former chief scientist of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, told The Times: “There is no way out, no loopholes. The Great Barrier Reef will be over within 20 years or so.” Once carbon dioxide had hit the levels predicted for between 2030 and 2060, all coral reefs were doomed to extinction, he said. “They would be the world’s first global ecosystem to collapse. I have the backing of every coral reef scientist, every research organization. I’ve spoken to them all. This is critical. This is reality.”

Amazon Rain Forest may turn into a desert

Teeming with millions of species and one-fifth of the world’s fresh water, the Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. However, global warming and deforestation are reversing the forest’s role as a carbon sink, converting 30-60% of the rainforest into dry savannah. Projections show the forest could disappear completely by 2050.

Sahara Desert may become green

Scientists are seeing signals that the Sahara desert and surrounding regions are greening due to increasing rainfall. If sustained, these rains could revitalize drought-ravaged regions, reclaiming them for farming communities. This desert-shrinking trend is supported by climate models, which predict a return to conditions that turned the Sahara into a lush savanna some 12,000 years ago.

Hurricanes may became more devastating than Katrina

It has not been determined whether Katrina was linked to global warming. But there are indications that global warming will produce more Category 5 hurricanes –and Katrina was only Category 4 when it hit Louisiana. Hurricanes derive their power in part from warm water, and so forecasting models show future hurricanes becoming more severe as sea surface temperatures rise. Global warming also makes hurricanes more destructive by raising the sea level, which leads to more serious coastal flooding. (According to the EPA, a two-foot rise would swallow a chunk of the U.S. bigger than Massachusetts.)

London may disappear underwater by 2100

It isn’t only reefs and low-lying islands that are under threat from global warming. In fact, a major threat is for those large urban areas which are at risk of eventually being submerged underwater. This is caused by a change in sea levels that occurs when global warming takes place, resulting in coastal cities being destroyed by flooding. Dozens of the world’s cities, including London and New York, could be flooded by the end of the century, according to research which suggests that global warming will increase sea levels more rapidly than was previously thought. London is one of the major world capitals at high risk of this type of flooding, as depicted in this shot from the 2007 movie Flood. Scientists say that the city could be under water as early as within the next one hundred years.

Animals may shrink

Warming climate may favor small species over large ones. The research, based on analysis of body mass of fish, plankton, and bacteria in European ecosystems, comes just weeks after scientists reported that sheep on a Scottish island are shrinking due to warmer conditions.

The new study reveals that individual species lost an average of 50 percent of their body mass over the past 30 years. The reduced body size is the third universal ecological response to global warming. An earlier sheep study suggested that shorter and milder winters mean lambs do not need to put on as much as weight as they once did in order to survive their first year of life, a factor that could also impact fish populations. Nonetheless the researchers say the shift could alter food chains, with apex predators being particularly affected by shrinking prey.

2,000 Indonesian islands may disappear

At least 2,000 small islands across archipelagic Indonesia may disappear by 2030 as a consequence of excessive mining and other environment-damaging activities. Indonesia has already lost 24 of its more than 17,500 islands.

Global warming may increase terrorism

Global warming could destabilize “struggling and poor” countries around the world, prompting mass migrations and creating breeding grounds for terrorists. People are likely to flee destabilized countries, and some may turn to terrorism. The conditions exacerbated by the effects of climate change could increase the pool of potential recruits into terrorist activity. According to the chairman of the National Intelligence Council in the US, economy refugees will perceive additional reasons to flee their homes because of harsher climates. That will put pressure on countries receiving refugees, many of which will have neither the resources nor interest to host these climate migrants.

The Alps may melt completely

Glaciers are retreating in warm, dry winters and hotter summers caused by global warming, and although snowfall in the 2008-2009 ski seasons was substantial, overall recent years have seen less snow at low altitudes, and receding glaciers and melting permafrost higher up – with a significant impact on winter tourism activities. It is predicted that the glaciers will be gone between 2030 and 2050. Italy and Switzerland have decided to redraw their border after global warming dissolved Alpine glaciers that marked out the frontier between the two countries.

The Maldives may be submerged

The lowest and flattest country in the world is suffering coastal erosion, and could find itself submerged if sea levels carry on rising, with the islands growing smaller and smaller. This extreme prediction is a devastating prospect for residents and bad news for the tourists who descend on its soft white beaches and warm waters each year. Scientists give it only about one hundred years before it completely disappears into the ocean surrounding it.

Top Hottest Celebrity Belly Button Piercings

pawan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:35:14 +0000

Celebrities have just founded the edginess out of belly button piercings,
but the sexiness stays remains intact

World’s top 10 brands

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:28:51 +0000

The business of building brands is a tough one. And it takes years of hard work, great service, great product, sustained socially responsible work and a lot more to create a brand that people hold store by. In today’s ever-changing economy, entrepreneurs seek specialists’ help to launch their products and create brands.

Often big corporate houses cough up millions to help bolster their brands so that consumers remember who they are. Once a brand succeeds in striking a chord with the consumers, half the marketing battle is won.

Here are the world’s top 10 corporate brands.

1. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognised brands and logos in the world. Its brand value is worth $66,667 million. Its parent company is Coca-Cola.

It was created in Atlanta, Georgia by Dr John S Pemberton. The bottle is among the most recognisable icons in the world, its design standing for the youthful exuberance of United States of America.

Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water.

The Coca-Cola script was designed by an amateur, Frank Robinson. Coca-Cola was registered as a trademark in 1887 and by 1895 Coca-Cola was being sold in every state and territory in the US. In 1899, the company began franchised bottling operations in the US

2. IBM

The company’s brand value is worth $59,031 million. Its parent company is International Business Machines.

In 1972, the company logo, designed by Paul Rand had horizontal stripes replacing the solid letters to suggest ‘speed and dynamism.’

A resurgent tech-services business together with highly profitable software edges Big Blue ahead of rival Microsoft.

3. Microsoft

Its brand value is worth $59,007 million. Its parent company is Microsoft.

Microsoft Corporation is an US multinational computer technology corporation with over 79,000 employees in 102 countries. It develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its best selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.

Windows Vista bugs and Apple’s withering ‘I’m a Mac’ ads challenge the software giant despite its monopoly. It is now rolling out a new ad campaign.

4. GE

GE is the fourth most recognised brand in the world, worth $53,086 million. Its parent company is General Electric.

The group CEO Jeffrey Immelt introduced a set of changes in the presentation of the brand commissioned in 2004, after he took the reins as chairman.

The modifications included a new corporate colour palette, small modifications to the GE logo, a new customised font (GE Inspira), and a new slogan, ‘imagination at work’ replacing the longtime slogan ‘we bring good things to life’, composed by David Lucas.

The changes were designed by Wolff Olins.

5. Nokia

Its brand value is $35,942 million. Its parent company is Nokia.

Though iPhone has the buzz, Nokia phones sell eight times more.

Nokia Corporation has been in the telecommunications business since the 1960s and has become a global leader of the industry.

The original Nokia logo was designed in Tampere in 1865. It went through many modifications since then.

Therefore, when it came to designing their logo, Nokia Co. made every effort to make its logo represent the company’s mission. And thus, ‘Nokia Connecting People’ logo came into being.

6. Toyota

Its brand value is $34,050 million. Its parent company is Toyota Motor.

The current Toyota mark consists of three ovals: the two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota.

These ovals combine to symbolise the letter ‘T’ for Toyota.The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota’s technology and unlimited potential for the future.

Back in 1936, to coincide with the launch of its eagerly awaited first passenger car, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd. held a public competition to establish a new symbol mark to promote its vehicles.

The company indicated that the new design should convey the feeling of speed. Twenty-seven thousand entrants answered the call and submitted their ideas to Toyoda.

The winning design led to a change in the name of the automobiles and plants from ‘Toyoda’ to ‘Toyota.’ The changed name was chosen because the number of strokes to write Toyota in Japanese (eight) was thought to bring luck and prosperity.

The Model AA, Toyota’s first passenger car, became the first automobile to use the new name.

7. Intel

Its brand value is worth $31,261 million. Its parent company is Intel.

The original Intel logo with a ‘dropped-e’ in it was created by Silicon Valley pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, 39 years ago as they were forming their new ‘integrated electronics’ company.

In 1991, the company introduced the ‘Intel Inside’ slogan with the Intel logo.

The company’s sales are strong and Intel still pays to place its logo in the ads of customers like Apple and Dell, but the Federal Trade Commission is investigating the practice.

8. McDonald’s

Its brand value is worth $31,049 million. Its parent company is McDonald’s.McDonald’s Corporation is one of the largest chains of fast food in the world.

It mostly sells burgers and fries but has recently introduced fancy coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and wraps.

The McDonald’s Golden Arches logo was introduced in 1962. It was created by Jim Schindler to resemble new arch shaped signs on the sides of the restaurants. He merged the two golden arches together to form the famous ‘M’ now recognised throughout the world.

The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.

While the physical arches were dropped out from all the restaurants’ building design, the Golden Arches have remained in the McDonald’s logo.

9. Disney

Its brand value is worth 29,251 million. Its parent company is Walt Disney.

Co-founded by Walter Elias Disney, the Walt Disney Company today has branched out to various entertainment studios, theme parks, products and other media productions with an annual revenue of approximately $30 billion.

The Walt Disney logo is a ‘stylised version of the founder’s signature’ that signifies the brand name and promises secure, cheerful and quality American mainstream entertainment.

Other than the regular logo, the company uses different logos on its different products. A castle on a blue background version of the Walt Disney logo is used for the movie releases and as the curtain-raiser to its films.

10. Google

Its brand value is worth $25,590 million. Its parent company is Google.Google Inc, a technology company, maintains index of web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, Google network members, and other content providers.

Its automated search technology helps users to obtain instant access to relevant information from its online index.

The company provides targeted advertising and Internet search solutions, as well as intranet solutions via an enterprise search appliance.

Must Read Stuff » Top Stuff

Most Awaited Films of Year 2012

Related Posts

Top 10 Worlds Most Powerful Countries

1. The United States of America

2. Russian Federation

3. Germany

4. China

5. France

6. Britain (United Kingdom)

7. Japan

8. India

9 Pakistan

10. Brazil

Related Posts

99 Interesting Facts About Tattoos

Related Posts

Worlds 20 Most Powerful Athletes for 2011

01. Peyton Manning

02. Shaun White

03. Tiger Woods

04. 04 Phil Mickelson

05. Tom Brady

06. Shaquille O’Neal

07. Drew Brees

08. Lance Armstrong

09. Albert Pujols

10. Apolo Anton Ohno

11. LeBron James

12. Michael Phelps

13. Lindsey Vonn

14. Kobe Bryant

15. Roger Federer

16. Rafael Nadal

17. Eli Manning

18. Serena Williams

19. David Beckham

20. Dwayne Wade

Related Posts

Top 10 Sexiest Women Tennis Players

Related Posts

Top 10 Poisons Used To Save Lives

Related Posts

Top 7 Tips To Increase The Longevity Of Your Split Air Conditioner

Top 7 Tips To Increase The Longevity Of Your Split Air Conditioner

Related Posts

Top 5 Pixar films

Related Posts

Top 10 Greatest Books Adapted Into Movies

Related Posts

Top 10 Amazing Sports Ads

Related Posts

Celebrity wax statues at Madame Tussaud’s museum

Related Posts

Top 10 Things Global Warming Could Change Forever

Related Posts

Top Hottest Celebrity Belly Button Piercings

Related Posts

World’s top 10 brands

Related Posts