Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

For nature lovers, a visit to a national park is always at the top of their high priority agendas. To appease them, here is a list of the top ten most visited national parks:

1. Great Smoky Mountains
Situated between North Carolina and Tennessee in USA, this park was founded in 1940. It is famous for its adventure activities which include wildlife watching, hiking, scenic drives and hikes. The most ideal time to visit this park would be spring or early summer.

2. Grand Canyon
Often included in the list of Seven Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon is carved like a chasm over the Colorado Plateau. It is famous for its white water rafting experience which ranks at top in the world and the shifting of sun angles which leads to the changing of colors of the rocks.

3. Yosemite
Famous for its granite cliffs which make it a paradise for rock climbers, Yosemite National Park was founded in 1890. It is also renowned for its stunning waterfalls which are fed mostly by snowmelt. The best period to visit would be early May to late June.

4. Yellowstone
It was found in 1872 thus making it the first national park of USA. Its major tourist attracting features are the hot geysers and springs. It also provides shelter to elks, bison, wolves and grizzly bears. The weather can be termed as unpredictable so be prepared for thunderstorm in the summers.

5. Olympic National Park
This one is a complete package for a tourist as it offers rain forest valleys, snow capped peaks, beaches and a huge variety of flora and fauna. The best time to visit would be early summers but the weather is variable from place to place and season to season so one should be prepared in advance.

Movies have been a popular source of entertainment for a long time. Every person has his/her own taste when it comes to films, but some are always going to be better received than others. Many of the most expensive movies that came into existence did not fare well in spite of the sky-reaching costs. Here we shall see the top ten most expensive movies that have been made to date.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End
This film was released in 2007 and received good response from the audience, not so much because of a strong story line, but more because of the colourful settings and costumes. The final product cost was about $316.6 million.

2. Cleopatra
This movie was released in 1963 and had a final cost of about $314.6 million. Although it was the second most expensive movie ever made, it was commercially a flop of a film that served as proof of how things can still go wrong in spite of spending massive money.

3. Superman Returns
This film came out in 2006 and was potentially weak to replace its predecessors.  The total cost went up to $294.6 million, though, so it definitely came out with a bang.

4. Titanic
Released in 1997, the cost on this film went up to about $272.6 million. It performed very well in the box office, though, and broke some attendance records at the time. The major section of the cost was devoted to re-building the titanic with an exquisite appearance to make it identical to the original ill-fated sip.

5. Spider Man 3
It was released in the year 2007 and it didn’t manage to pull off as big of a response from the audience like the first two films in the series. In fact, this second sequel cost more than the first sequel. The main reason for this exorbitant $272.6 million cost is the numerous special effects that were a necessity to the third Spider Man, due to the presence of more super villains.

If you search world history, some incidents have obviously had a drastic and dramatic impact on the world in many ways. The modern lifestyle of our society has always been completely based on some events in the past, as everything we do is always influenced by the actions and events that have come before. The following is a list of the ten major events in the world’s history that people are still talking about today.

1. Signing of the U.S. Constitution

The U.S. Constitution came in to being on September 17, 1787. It was signed by 39 out of 55 delegates of the Philadelphia Convention. It replaced the Articles of Confederation and became the Supreme Law of the United States.

2. World Wars

The world witnessed two major wars that are called the World Wars. The First World War was from 1914 to 1918 and the second from 1939 to 1945.  The two World Wars left the world in such instable positions that recovering from them was not easy.

3. Assassination of Julius Caesar

The assassination of Julius Caesar by the so-called liberators had long lasting effect on the whole of the Roman Empire. The assassination led to a series of civil wars in Rome and ultimately the ascent of Caser Augustus, the grand nephew of Caesar.

4. Invention of the Printing Press

The invention of the printing press has revolutionized communication. The invention of the first printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the year 1440 has remained one of the biggest inventions of all times.

5. Invention of the Airplane

The invention of the first airplane by the Wright Brothers triggered the invention of the planes what we see today. Their 12 seconds in air is considered as the basis of all inventions related to flying.

The world has had to tackle several social issues, and it would be interesting to list the top ten social issues that have hit humanity. In this way, we can analyze where we are heading towards. With this brief introduction we shall now proceed to look into the top ten social issues that have made an impact on this entire world.

1. Obesity:
Strategic focus: Health
Obesity has been on the rise in these modern times. The number of overweight people as well as obese people seems to have increased from the survey that was conducted back in the year 2002. This issue is attributed to the nature of most jobs and the food pattern that is currently in action in our busy society. Unhealthy food habits along with less dedication to workouts have resulted in this obesity problem.

2. Smoking:
Strategic focus: Health
The percentage of smokers has fallen from about 26.5% in the year 1998 to about 20.8% as observed in a survey that was conducted in the year 2006. As the laws get tougher on smokers, it seems people seem to be quitting this deadly habit.

3. Youth Alcohol Usage:
Strategic focus: Health
Among the twelfth graders in one survey, about 49% were found to have consumed alcohol a month before the survey was taken. The worst part of this is that the many parents are unaware of it. In fact, most of the parents don’t seem to have clear and personal talks with their children. This is considered to be one of the big reasons why these youngsters have been pulled into alcohol and drugs.

4. Transportation:
Strategic focus: Self-sufficiency
Transportation has often been one of the needs that cannot be met for people who live in poverty. This can make the situation worse.

5. Poverty:
Strategic focus: Self-sufficiency
Midland has recorded the highest number of people who are subject to poverty. The number of deaths due to poverty has seen an exponential rise and the measures taken against the same seem to be moving at a snail pace while the poverty is galloping ahead. This is one social issue that requires immediate attention since the lives of many poverty-struck villages are at bay.

Sporting comebacks have always intrigued common men who often wonder what it takes to emulate the feats achieved by their heroes on the field. Here in this list are ten of the greatest comebacks in sporting history.

1. Lasse Viren in 1972 Olympics
Lasse Viren entered the 1972 Olympics as an unknown who was given little chance by the critiques to win any medal. Yet in the final of 10,000 mtrs he broke the record of former champion Mohammed Gammoudi and won the race setting up a world record of 27:38:40. Later he won the 5000mtrs as well to prove his detractors wrong.

2. Liverpool vs A.C Milan – Champions League Final 2005
Many would perhaps argue that this feat deserved the first place in this prestigious list. At half time it looked as if it was game over for Liverpool as they trailed AC Milan by three goals to zero. But in the second half Liverpool scored three goals in a span of eight minutes and later went on to win the trophy in a dramatic penalty shootout.

3. Goran Ivanisevic – Wimbledon Champion 2001
The Croat was on the verge of retiring when he got a wild card entry to Wimbledon in 2001 as he was seeded outside the top 100. Through his sheer will power and never say die attitude, he reached the finals where he encountered Patrick Rafter. In an exciting match, Ivanisevic proved his mettle and for the first time a wild card entry had won the championship.

4. Kelly Holmes – Olympics 2004
What Kelly Holmes achieved in the summer of 2004, many of us would fail to comprehend. Coming out of clinical depression and worst year of her career, Kelly won the 800m and 1500m gold at an age of 34 to show the strength of human spirit at the greatest stage possible, the Olympics.

5. Manchester United and the Munich air crash of 1958
Remembered as one of the greatest tragedies of sporting history, this saga has left many astounded. In 1958 the air plane carrying the Manchester United team crashed, instantly killing seven players and leaving two permanently disabled. Sir Matt Busby, the then manager went into coma. But within a few months a new Manchester United team took up the challenge and regained their status in the football world.

There are numerous comic characters, often either based on human beings or animals, in newspaper comic strips which have made us all laugh a lot over the years. Following are the top 10 newspaper comic strips listed in order of their popularity.

1. Calvin and Hobbes
Written and illustrated by Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes is a syndicated comic strip that follows the humorous adventures of Calvin, an imaginative six-year old boy, and Hobbes, his cynical and energetic stuffed tiger and imaginary best friend.

2. Garfield
Garfield, a comic strip created by Jim Davis, has been in publication since June 19th, 1978. It is about the life of a fat, lazy and cynical cat named Garfield, his owner, Jon Arbuckle and Arbuckle’s dog, Odie. This comic strip currently holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip.

3. The Far Side
This is a one-panel, extremely popular comic created by Gary Larsons. The surrealistic humor is often based on improbable events and uncomfortable social situations, impending bizarre disasters, logical fallacies or the search for meaning in life. The use of nature and animals in the comic is attributed to the creator’s background in biology.

4. Peanuts
Peanuts is a Sunday comic-strip mainstay which was written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, and has continued its re-runs even after the death of its creator. The strip is considered to be one of the most influential and popular ever in the comic-strip medium.

5. Pearls before Swine
Written and illustrated by Stephan Pastis, this is an American comic strip about the daily lives of four anthropomorphic animals, Zebra, Pig, Rat and Goat. Although created in 1997, its popularity rose after Dilbert creator Scott Adams, a fan of the strip, made it famous worldwide among his own fans.

Following are some of the most famous bridges around the world. They are also often referred to as architectural marvels due to their novel construction and superb design.

1. Banpo Bridge (South Korea): The Fountain Bridge
The Banpo Bridge in Seoul got a face lift on September 9th, 2008. A 10,000-nozzle fountain was installed which runs all the way down both sides. Soon after the installation, the bridge became an enormous tourist attraction. The bridge has the capacity to pump over 190 tons of water per minute from the river below.

2. Millau Bridge (France): World’s Tallest Vehicular Bridge
This bridge towers apporximately 1,125-ft above the Tarn Valley, in southern France. To many, it is like a dream come true to drive along the Millau Bridge. The Millau Bridge is about 8,071-ft long, with the longest single span at 1,122-ft and a maximum clearance below of 886-ft. This bridge is truly an impressive sight to behold.

3. Henderson Waves (Singapore): Most Beautiful Pedestrian Bridge
This pedestrian bridge is 36 meters tall, rising 12 stories above the road. It is popular for being the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. This 300-metre bridge connects two parks, Telok Blangah Hill and Mount Faber.

4. Hangzhou Bay Bridge (China): World’s Longest Trans-Oceanic Bridge
The longest trans-oceanic bridge in the world extends across the Hangzhou Bay and extends to over 35.673 kilometers (22 miles) in length. It hosts six expressway lanes in two directions. The bridge was constructed with a view to minimize traffic congestion and shorten the driving time between Shanghai and Ningbo.

5. Rolling Bridge (UK): The Bridge that Curls Up on Itself
This award winning rolling bridge is situated in Paddington Basin, London and was designed by Heatherwick Studio. The unique feature of the Rolling Bridge is that it curls up until its two ends touch. In its horizontal position, it is a normal timber and steel footbridge. The bridge is about 12 metres long and is constructed in such a way that it has eight steel and timber sections with a handrail between each section.

There are hundreds and thousands of multinational companies all over the world that are thriving today. It is very interesting to see which of these companies are topping the list, even at the most critical economic time that the world has ever faced. There are certain companies that have kept their reputation for a decade or more, while other newly emerging companies are just now reaching the top due to their hard work and perseverance. Many of these newcomers are IT companies.
Here is the list of top 10 IT companies all over the world:

1. Microsoft:
Microsoft is a company that has reached the doorsteps of houses all over the world. These days it is not difficult to find a computer even in a remote village. To run that computer it is necessary to have an operating system, and the operating system that is most often installed is Microsoft’s Windows OS. This company has software revenues of $49453.

2. IBM:
Founded in the year 1896, this company has worked its way to the top-ten list entirely because of its hard work. It has reserved its position in the international top 10 companies for several years. It has software revenues of $22089.

3. Oracle:
This particular company came into existence in the year 1977. Since then it has expanded its share in the market and has reached the third position just within a few decades. It has software revenues of $17560.

4. SAP:
This company was launched in 1970. From then on, it has reached new heights every year and has made it to the top 10 of multinational companies, while grabbing the 4th position in the list of top 10 IT companies. It also has software revenues of $11604.

5. Nintendo:
This company was a cards company that was founded in the year 1886. Later, it grew to become a multinational company that developed gaming consoles. It has software revenues of $7245.

A good leader inspires a person to achieve something extraordinary. Good leaders don’t boast of their leadership, but are humble and motivate the people they lead. There are several such influential people all over the world. It would be interesting to look closer and choose ten of them who make a difference to our humanity.

1. Barack Obama:
Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America. A highly intelligent person, he has acquired several notable achievements. A visionary with the ability to bring change, he is definitely one of the best individuals who can lead millions of people with confidence and courage.

2. Hu Jintao:
Hu Jintao is the President of the People’s Republic of China. Some of his achievements in the field of economy are greatly appreciated by people all over the world. He is a man who advocates “China’s peaceful rise,” thus ensuring soft relationships with the rest of the world.

3. Nicolas Sarkozy:
He is the 23rd President of the French Republic. He is famous for his ultimate stance on certain important issues pertaining to law and order. He has also promised to cooperate with the United States of America and the United Kingdom in foreign affairs.

4. Ben Bernanke:
Ben Bernanke is an American economist and also the existing Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States. His contributions to the economy are manifold. In fact, he was elected as the chairman for the second term by President Barack Obama.

5. Jean-Claude Trichet:
Jean-Claude Trichet is the President of the European Central Bank. He has the credit of winning the “Vision for Europe” award that was given to him recently, identifying his amazing contributions to the integration of Europe.

These swords are considered to be Legendary Swords because they have achieved lasting fame due to their association with historical figures such as Julius Caesar and Attila the Hun or historical/mythical events. The majority of them had some part in ancient wars of conquest.

1. Sword of Attila

This is the sword used by Attila the Hun, Leader of the Huns from 434 to 453 AD. He ruled the Hun Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea. According to reports from the Roman historian, Priscus, the sword came to Attila by miraculous means.

2. Caladbolg

Caladbolg was the sword of Fergus mac Róich, from ‘Ulster Cycle’ of Irish Mythology. It is the sword associated with Ulster hero ‘Fergus mac Leda’. It is said that this sword was a two-handed sword which, when it was swung made an arc like a rainbow and had the power to slice the tops off of hills.

3. Crocea Mors

Meaning ‘Yellow Death’, it was the name given to the sword used by Julius Caesar. In the Middle Welsh version of the legend, this sword was called ‘Agheu Glas’, meaning ‘Grey Death’, or ‘Angau Coch’, meaning ‘Red Death’. Prince Nennius acquired it from Caesar in single combat and it was said that the sword killed everyone that Nennius struck. The sword was buried with Nennius upon his death during a subsequent fight with Caesar.

4. Curtana

Often referred to as ‘Edward the Confessor’s Sword’ or ‘Sword of Mercy’, it is a symbolically-broken sword which is now part of the traditional English regalia included in the “Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom”. According to legend, it bore an inscription reading “My name is Cortana, of temper and steel of Durendal and Joyeuse”.

5. Durendal

The sword of Paladin Roland of Charlemagne, according to Ludovico Ariosto’s “Orlando Furios”, the sword once belonged to Hector of Troy. It was given to Paladin Roland by Malagigi, or Maugris. According to the legend of Roland, it is said that the sword contained a tooth of Saint Peter, hair of Saint Denis, blood of Saint Basil and a piece of the raiment of the Blessed Virgin Mary in its golden hilt.