Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

This was a difficult list to compile and you may not agree with the order or the inclusion of some of these people, but they had an undeniable influence on the 20^th century in many diverse areas of life. Some are indisputably deserving of being on the list while others Crick and Watson who discovered the double helix of DNA have been ignored. You may also think that Presidents and Prime Ministers should have been included and one has been, but there are few who were icons in their time.

1. Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela born in 1918 has to be one of the most influential and charismatic figures of the 20^th century. He was the son of a tribal chieftain who was extremely weel educated and who turned his considerable talents to righting the wrongs of the Apartheid system in South Africa. Imprisoned for his politics in 1962 after the Sharpeville massacre, he languished on the notorious Robbins’s Island prison until he was finally released in 1990. He went on to become South Africa’s first black President and instead of seeking revenge, preached reconciliation.

2. Moham Das Karam Chand Gandhi

Moham Das Karam Chand Gandhi better known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in 1869, and until his assassination practised non-violent resistance to the British rule in the Indian subcontinent. He was a gentle, humble man who helped to shape the subcontinent as it is today. He was the inspiration for those who believed in peaceful protest.

3. Ernesto Che Guevara (1928-1967)

Ernesto Che Guevara was the antithesis of Gandhi, although he had trained as a doctor and had worked with lepers, he believed that armed struggle was the only way to right the wrongs the poor endured. He was a communist and fighter who joined in what he saw as the struggles of the poor against the wealthy oppressors in South America and Cuba. He was born in Argentina, is best remembered for his fight in Cuba with Fidel Castro and his wild hair and beret can still be seen on posters, mugs and other paraphernalia. He was executed in Bolivia.

4. Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Albania in 1910, and died in Calcutta in 1997. She is best known for her work in the slums of Calcutta. One of her mast famous sayings was “Yesterday has gone, tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” She won the Nobel Prize for peace in 1979 and was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church after her death. This was so that people in Calcutta where she had worked so tirelessly to improve the lives of the poor could worship her if they chose without incurring the wrath of the Church.

5. Princess Diana of Wales (1961- 1997)

Hers was a fairy tale marriage according to the media, although she was lady Diana Spencer, so not a commoner. Her marriage ended and she died tragically, but she won the hearts of many in Britain and around the world. She was the member of the British royal family who showed compassion for those suffering from HIV/AIDS and she worked to stop mines being used in areas of war. Her face still adorns mugs and other items and she lives on in the hearts of many.

Women have been at the helm of the affairs of their countries for many generations, but in the 20th Century the number of well known women leaders increased manifold. The 10 women listed below led their countries through times of turbulence and peace.

1. Indira Gandhi  – Prime Minister of India
Born into India’s politically influential  Nehru family, she was India’s first woman Prime Minister. A hard nosed pragmatic, she ruled the country with firmness and determination, taking hard and tough decisions when needed. She was assassinated by two of her own guards in 1984.

2. Margaret Thatcher – Prime Minister of United Kingdom
Nicknamed “Iron Lady” due to her tough stance against the erstwhile Soviet Union, she led her country through recession and high unemployment into a period of relative prosperity, and a rise in its stature among fellow nations. She was the first woman to lead a major political party in the United Kingdom.

3. Benazir Bhutto  – Prime Minister of Pakistan
The daughter Pakistan’s Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, she ruled her country from 1988-1990, and 1993-1996. She was assassinated in 2007, during election campaigning. It was widely expected that she would go on to become Prime Minister for a record third term.

4. Corazon Aquino – President of Phillipines
Asia’s first female President, she was a novice when she was elected President sometime after her husband’s assassination. She was a strong advocate of women’s rights and of democracy as opposed to Ferdinand Marcos’s dictatorial rule.

5. Sonia Gandhi  -  Leader of India’s Congress Party
Believed by many to be the power behind the throne, she holds no political office, yet rules the country. An Italian by birth, she adopted India as her country after marrying Rajiv Gandhi. She has been nominated as the third most powerful woman in the world.

Most people put mysteries and thrillers into the same category or genre of films.  A mystery has a suspense aspect to it – who killed whom, who is planning to kill whom and who are the usual suspects. The mystery films are just a small section of the thriller genre – and here are ten of the best whodunit films.

1. Laura  – 1944
The classic whodunit of all times, the film, directed by Otto Preminger , has more twists and turns than any spiral staircase. Gene Tierney acts as the beautiful Laura, who everyone loves, including the detective Dana Andrews. A slick murder mystery, it is one of the best.

2. Rear Window – 1954
An Alfred Hitchcock classic, James Stewart plays a journalist, stuck at home due to a broken bone, spending his time spying on his neighbours. Anyone else but Hitchcock would have spoilt this film, but he manages to raise it to a flawless mystery level.

3. The Third Man – 1949
A genuine classic, this British film stars Orson Welles in one of his finest roles, as the seductive villain. Very fine acting, an extraordinary story and excellent direction made this into a timeless movie.

4. Maltese Falcon – 1941
An outstanding mystery, Humphrey Bogart is the irascible Sam Spade, a hard drinking private eye. Considered by many to be the best private eye film ever made, it is based on Dasheill Hammett’s 1930 book.

5. North by Northwest – 1959
Cary Grant in one of his finest roles, as an advertising executive mistaken for a spy, this film was one of Hitchcock’s most entertaining films. A fabulous plot it is a roller coaster ride through most of the film as we follow him and Eva Marie Saint through their travails. And of course the unforgettable scene of Cary Grant on an empty road being chased a small plane.

The last decade has seen an amazing number of corporate frauds, which have had a spiraling effect on the incomes and savings of common people. Most of these led to losses totaling billions of dollars, and have led to a clamor for more stringent rules against corporate and accounting practices.

1. Enron

Enron’s collapse in 2001 from a company worth $63.4 billion, to one seeking bankruptcy reorganization, came as a shock to the general public. Considered to be a major accounting failure, it led to the dissolution of Arthur Anderson, one of the world’s largest accounting farms also. Over 15,000 employees of the corporate had most of their savings in stock, which fell from $83.01 in early 2001 to $0.01 in October 2001.

2. Bernie Madoff

On June 29, 2009, Bernie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison, the maximum sentence that could be given to anyone convicted of corporate fraud. He ran an amazing ‘Ponzi” scheme for his clients, showing falsified profits, and gains with the money that they had given him for investment. SEC authorities believe the actual net fraud will be between $ 14 & $17 billion.

3. Subprime Mortgage Crisis

This was not the crisis of a single corporate but it led to the demise of many other corporate. The  repercussions can still be felt throughout the US and even Europe. It has had an adverse effect on most of the banks and financial institutions, and has led to large scale reform in the financial sector rules and regulations.

4. Satyam Computers

India’s biggest corporate scam was disclosed when Ramalinga Raju, the CEO of Satyam Computers declared that the company’s profits had been overstated for many years. Inflated bank figures, understated liabilities and over 10,000 non-existent employees were among the many fraudulent practices being indulged in to cross 7000 crone rupees.

5. Worldcom

On July 21, 2002, when Worldcom filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, it was USA’s largest corporate failure. The accounting scandal covered $ 11 billion and it seems the workings of the company were masked by painting a false picture of growing profits and margins. In 2004, it emerged from the bankruptcy proceedings with $5.7 billion in debt and $ 6 billion in cash.

Here are ten people who in 20th century changed the course of history, due to their actions or due to their beliefs and their ability to lead the masses. History may judge them as villains or as heroes, but their role as change makers is undeniable.

1. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

A frail man, with a simple philosophy of non-violence, and the ability to lead an entire nation with just his words sounded the death knell of colonialism in the 20th Century. Dalai Lama, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela have all followed his footsteps in their quests.

2. Adolf Hitler

A highly reviled man, nevertheless we tend to forget that he raised a defeated Germany into one of the world’s strongest fighting machines. His political ambitions, his quest for power and his belief in the supremacy of the Aryan race were his undoing, but due to his actions he changed the course of history in the 20th century.

3. Winston Churchill

A master statesman and strategist, he lead his tiny nation to victory in one of the most turbulent times in history. Considered to be Britain’s greatest war-time leader, his oratorical skills, and his bonding with Roosevelt helped the Allies to triumph over Hitler’s army.

4. Mikhail Gorbachev

Pushing open the doors of reform, he spelt the end of communism as an all pervasive system of governance. His effective summits with Ronald Reagan closed the doors on the Cold War, and he presided over the dissolution of the Soviet Union. History will remember him as a man who shaped the destinies of many nations.

5. Martin Luther King

Many believe that it was his struggles for racial equality which spelt the doom of segregation in the United States. He was at the helm of the movement, where blacks and whites alike stood up to fight centuries of discrimination, and to him goes the credit for the victory that they achieved.


 

Top 10 List has no position about whether or not these are really greatest or most influential religious leaders of the 20th/21st Century List. If you have an alternative list of religious leaders which you would like included here, please feel free to comment below.

1. Dalai Lama

He is the spiritual head of over 80,000 Tibetans living in exile, but he has influenced many more people all over the world. He spreads a message of non-violence, peaceful co-existence and humility based on his religion. His renowned charisma and oratorical skills have made him one of the world’s best known religious heads.

2. Mother Teresa

Though she cannot really be termed as a religious leader but her iconic image of a nun working for the poorest of the poor, has done more for the Catholic Church than anyone else. Her simplicity and hard work and firm belief in her role as a missionary of Jesus made her into a reluctant world-wide religious figure.

3. Pope John Paul II

His was the second-longest pontificate, and one of the most influential. He strengthened ties with Judaism, Anglican Communion, and with the Eastern Orthodox Church. He also beatified 1340 people from all over the world and was the most traveled Pope of all times.

4. Billy Graham

America’s greatest revivalist, Billy Graham has preached to over 2.2 billion people. Anointed as “America’s Pastor”, he has influenced Presidents and common citizens alike. His sincerity and integrity are unquestionable and he is one of the most admired men of America.

5. Mary Baker Eddy

Best known as the founder of the Christian Science Movement, her legacy continue 100 years after her death in the writings and in the magazine “Christian Science Monitor”. A spiritual teacher and a healer, she is believed to have influenced the social and religious movements of the early 20th century.

Ever since we have been able to keep records and take accurate measurements we have been fascinated by the heights of the unusually tall people of this world. Here are some short snippets about 9 men and 1 woman, who can easily be categorized as being the Top-10 in height, in the 20th/21st century.
Most of them achieved this height due to some abnormality in their growth hormones, and for many of them it was a drawback rather than a boon.

1. Robert Pershing Wadlow

He has been confirmed as the tallest person in this world, ever since correct records have been maintained. He was 8.11”in height and 490m pounds in weight, when he passed away in 1940.Born a healthy 8 pound 6 ounces, in Alton Illinois, he grew at a rapid pace and at the age of eight he was a whopping 6.2’and 195 pounds. His extraordinary height was attributed to an overactive pituitary gland, which produced an excess of the growth hormone. Known as the “Gentle Giant”, he endeared himself to all those around him due to his peaceful manner and his endearing nature. He spent the few years of his youth traveling all over the country, representing the International Shoe company. When he passed away in July 1940, due to complications from a foot infection, it needed 12 pallbearers, assisted by 8 other men to carry his casket. 40,000 people from his hometown signed the visitor’s book, and in 1985 a statue was erected in his memory.

2. John Rogan

One of the dozen people in recorded history to go beyond the 8 feet mark, John Rogan was 8.9”tall, but he weighed only 175 pounds. Due to his angular structure and a bone disease, he was unable to stand and could be measured only after he passed away in 1905 at the age of 37.Till date he has been the tallest African-American in history. Not much is known about his life, except for the fact that he lived in Tennessee.

3. Leonid Stadnyk

He is the tallest living human being according to most records. There is some uncertainty regarding his exact measurements, since he has not let the official Guinness Book adjudicators measure him, but all records seem to state that he is 8.5”, though a lot of people feel that he appears to be 7’.6”. He weighs about 440 lbs. and is a practising veterinarian in Podolyantsi in Ukraine. Born in 1970, his extraordinary height is believed to be the result of a brain surgery when he was 12 years old, after which he developed an overactive pituitary gland, similar to that of Robert Wadlow.

4. Don Koehler

From 1968 till his death in 1981, Don was recognized as the world’s tallest living man, a resplendent 8’.2”. He had a twin sister who was 5’.10”in height, his own amazing height being a result of an ailment known as acromegalic gigantism. He spent most of his later life unable to stand up straight due to a severe curvature of his spine.

5. Zen Jinlian

The tallest woman who has lived in the 20th century – she grew to the height of 8’.1.5” before she died at the very young age of 17 in 1982. She lived in Hunan in China, and like most extraordinarily tall human beings, suffered from severe spinal problems. Like most other 8 footers, she was born to average height parents, but grew at a rapid pace from infancy.