Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

The USA is a dream destination for holidays because there are so many excellent attractions to visit all over the country. The challenge for tourists is choosing which of them to see, so here is a list of 10 of the most iconic tourist traps for you to consider on your holiday in the USA.
 
1. The Statue of Liberty, New York
There cannot be many more iconic attractions in the USA than the Statue of Liberty. Ever since it was erected in 1886, the statue has been welcoming immigrants and travellers. Make sure you book a tour to get right up close to the statue to enjoy the best of this top New York attraction.

2. The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
One of the most famous bridges in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge is a spectacular work of architecture and an absolute must if you head to San Francisco.

3. Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando
If you are travelling to the USA with kids, Walt Disney World Resort is the ideal destination. A Mecca for children the world over, adults will also love the resort and you could even spend your whole holiday here.

4. The Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world. Learn about its formation at the visitor centre, and even go on a guided walk down the side if you are up for the challenge.

5. Yosemite National Park, California
The most famous of all the USA’s national parks, if you are looking for a holiday in a true natural wilderness you cannot do much better than a trip to Yosemite.

United States has attempted to elect Presidents to get the job done right. There are various Presidents throughout history who have not stood by their word and have gone against the will of the people. Their decisions and actions are insufficient and unruly. Many of them do not act fast and are also not right for the job. As such, here is the top 10  list of worst US Presidents.

1. Barack Obama:

The current President of the United States, Barack Obama is one of the worst presidents. Until this year, he has not been incisive in action. He stood by and did absolutely nothing as DP Horizon Oil Spill leaked all over the Guelph of Mexico for 3 months. 4.9 million barrels of oil spilled through the water, polluting it. When it came to rising Gas Prices, his actions were insufficient. Prices rose from $1.83/gallon in 2009 to $3.44/gallon in 2011. Lastly, Obama worsened unemployment rates since coming into power. Since coming into power, the rates have increased, and not decreased as his Presidential platform predicted. Obama’s aim to get the United States out of what he called another “Great Depression” has been deemed useless.

2. James Buchanan:

Buchanan rubbed salt on the wounds between Successional States and the Union States. He supported the Dred Scott decision, which refused to protect African Americans under the constitution, added Kansas as a slavery state and put slavery issues on a state level. In making such decisions he caused greater tensions between the North and the South. He was the first President to have left office 39 days before a Civil War ensued.

3. Bill Clinton:

Bill Clinton is an utter humiliation to the United States for two reasons. First, his foreign policies lacked decisiveness and were all over the place. He declared war on numerous countries, notably Yugoslavia, Iraq and Somalia. The intervention into Yugoslavian and Somalian civil wars lacked reason. Furthermore, the Iraqi War in December of 1998 had no clear results. Secondly, he was sleeping on the job and getting paid. When America expected him to be a leader, he was busy cheating on his wife with an intern in the Oval Office. When caught, he wagged his finger in front of the camera and stated “I want to say one thing to the American people, I’m going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie. Not a single time. Never. These allegations are false and I need to go back to work for the American people.” How can anyone respect a President who stood up and lied in front of the whole world and got caught?

4. Richard Nixon:

Although this President did a service to the United States by ending the 20 year Vietnam War, he still hit the books as one of the worst presidents. During the Watergate scandal, he tapped into the National Democratic Party Headquarters. 5 members from his fundraiser organization, the Committee to Re-elect the President, were arrested for trespassing and burglary. After extensive investigation 6 of Nixon’s top advisers were charged with fraud for their part in the scandal. A grand jury charged Nixon as co-conspirator. Nixon had no other choice but to resign in shame.

5. John F. Kennedy:

This President led the United States into a possible nuclear crisis right at its doorstep. The Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis were an embarrassment to the United States. As a superpower, the United States should have done much more to secure the nation against any nuclear catastrophes, before threats were made. Furthermore, John F. Kennedy should have had a better campaign set up to decrease tensions between his country and the Soviet Union. The Bay of Pigs invasion only infuriated the Soviet Union and the Cubans even more.

There are various presidents in US history who were not as famous as Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Within their short and sometimes long tenure as President they left one or two important historical marks which should be noted. Here are the top 10 forgotten but yet important US presidents.

1. John Hanson:

Many believe George Washington was the first President of the United States. They are wrong in this fact as Washington was the first president of the independent country. The title belongs to John Hanson, whom many US History books forget to mention. He was elected as the first Presiding Officer to the Continental Congress during the revolutionary wars in 1781. He was also the one to order all foreign flags to be banned from US property.

2. William Henry Harrison:

He was the 9th President of the United States and the first President to die in office 32 days after his inauguration. Wearing no overcoat and no hat on a wet and cold day, Harrison spoke the longest speech in US history which was timed at 2 hours. This caused Harrison to catch pneumonia and septicaemia, which began to affect Harrison 3 weeks after. He made history with his precedent to elect the Vice-President as President when the current elected President cannot do his job. The 25th commandment was finally enacted after the Kennedy Assassination.

3. John Tyler:

Not many would know a John Tyler or would ever think he was President of the United States once. His term was short and brief as he replaced President Harrison after the latter’s death. He took office during a constitutional crisis which discussed the succession to Presidency by the Vice-President. He also was the President who annexed Texas into the United States. He however caused and stimulated the Mexican American war.

4. William Taft:

This 300lb President was the 27th to be elected. He was the fattest and tallest President to take office. He is most famous for his 16th Amendment which allowed the Congress to Levy Taxes. He was also famous for being the only handpicked President of the United States. Theodore Roosevelt appointed him Secretary of States in the hopes of making him a President one day.

5. Warren G. Harding:

This president did everything in his power to undo the dreams and peacekeeping and making work his predecessor Woodrow Wilson achieved. With disdain, he rejected the idea of League of Nations which held peace around the world for 21 years. Although quoted as being sensitive to minorities and women by Carl S. Anthony, 1998 polls rate him as the worst president. The unemployment rate staggered during his presidency.

Folk music is characteristic of each country and normally consists of music which has been brought down through the ages and is connected to the culture and traditions of each country. For the purposes of this list we shall take into consideration artists who are specialists in all types of American Folk Music. You will be surprised as to how many of them achieved a great deal of fame in the popularity charts of music of all types

1. Woody Guthrie:

“This Land is My Land” is considered to be his hallmark song. He wrote for the masses, with simple words and thoughts which seemed to encompass all that the common man was thinking and feeling. He travelled all over the country with migrant workers and encapsulated their experiences and the country’s traditional ballads and lyrics within his songs. He was undoubtedly the most influential folk musician of all times.

2. Bob Dylan:

For over fifty Bob Dylan has been the patriarch of the folk music industry. Songs such as “The times they are a-changing” and “Blowing in the Wind “are all part of his repertoire and even in 2009 he produced a brand new fabulous album “Together through life “. He has performed many types of American folk music including blues, gospel and rock and roll. In 2008, the Pulitzer Prize awarded him a special citation for his “profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power.”

3. Pete Seeger:

“Where all the flowers have gone” and “If I had a hammer” are songs which every folk music aficionado will be familiar with. Pete Seeger, who wrote these songs, has been responsible for the revival of interest in folk music. He has also been a major activist in various fields such as disarmament, environmental issues and civil rights. Many of his songs reflect this activism and have become staples with folk singers worldwide.

4. Joan Baez:

An unusual voice and vocal style which is unique to her, Joan Baez has been very influential in the field of folk music for many years. She has released over 30 albums and even though her music covers all genres of music such as rock and roll and blues, her forte lies in her ability to interpret songs of various songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Paul Simon among others.

Baez has performed publicly for over 50 years and has released over 30 albums. Fluent in Spanish as well as in English, she has also recorded songs in at least six other languages. She is regarded as a folk singer, although her music has diversified since she first came into fame, encompassing everything from folk rock and pop to country and gospel music.

5. Peter, Paul & Mary:

America’s most popular folk music group, Peter Paul & Mary began singing together in 1961, broke up to pursue individual careers in 1970 and rejoined in 1978. They have sung songs by all the top folk music lyricists and managed to have most of them on top of the box office lists. Their simple vocal styles and their harmony together have been responsible for their immense success.

Here is our unique list of the largest cinema halls across the US. Because these cinema halls are large, they are also very comfortable. The auditoriums are largest, the concession stands are large- even their restrooms are large!

1. AMC Empire 25

This cinema hall is among the largest in Manhattan. The exterior of the theater is flashy and merges with the bright and glamorous surroundings. AMC Empire 25 has about 25 screens and showcases all the popular movies as and when they release. The seating is extremely comfortable, even for those who sit in the front row.

2. AMC Loews Kips Bay 15

AMC Loews Kips Bay 15 is not only among the largest but also one of the most beautiful movie theaters. The lobby of the cinema hall resembles that of a palace and the murals on the wall are movie-themed and absolutely stunning. It showcases a wide variety of movies and is extremely spacious. However, it has been noticed that it tends to get very quiet, which is why people tend to avoid it.

3. AMC Lincoln Square 13

This cinema hall has murals of those New York cinemas that existed in the past and therefore, makes the entire experience very nostalgic. Unlike other movie halls which assign numbers to each auditorium, this cinema hall allots cinema namesakes and the main lobby has been designed with a retro theme. This cinema hall is among the most comfortable and modern cinema halls.

4. BAM Rose Cinemas

The BAM Rose cinema hall was founded in 1998 and its structure and architecture is similar to that of an opera hall. The entryway is vast and the ceilings are extremely high. What’s more, even the wooden banisters are massive! This movie theater is extremely popular amongst actors, screenwriters and directors.

5. City Cinemas Angelika Film Center

The Angelika Film Center showcases some of the best and most popular independent films in the United States. The main lobby is large and holds the Angelika Café which is beautiful and trendy.

Both Rugby and American football are interesting and exciting games. In the case of Football, it is a game that consists of 11 players and played between 2 teams, with unlimited substitutions. American football involves complex strategy and intense physical play wherein points have to be scored by advancing the ball to the end zone of the opponent’s team. In the case of Rugby, the game is a blend of American football’s contact, soccer’s running and the transition of basketball. It is a game consisting of 15 players each and played between two teams on a rectangular field, with the aim of running across the opponent’s goal line with an oval ball or kicking it through the top portion of the goal posts. The following are the top differences between the 2 games.

1. Number of Players

In the case of American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time, with unlimited substitutions. Three time-outs per half is given for each team. Play begins with a kickoff. The main object is to advance the pointed oval-shaped ball into the opponent’s end zone and score points in the process. On the other hand, a Rugby team consists of 15 players, divided into backs and forwards. Forwards are stronger players of the team who have to gain possession of the ball.

2. Origin of Rugby and Football

American football is said to have developed from Rugby. Rugby was introduced to the Americans by the British colonists from Canada. In 1871, The Rugby Football Union had been formed by representatives of 21 clubs, most of which were situated in southern England. The working class people were particularly attracted by Rugby over soccer. Most of the sports historians say that the game of American Football originated from Rugby.

3. Football Field vs Rugby Field

American football is a game played on a rectangular field measuring 120 yards in length and 49 meters wide. A goal line can be seen near each end of the field which is 100 yards apart. The size is almost similar to a rugby league field which is 120 meters long and about half that in width. Every ten meters there is a line across the field.

4. Contact Sport

Another notable difference between the two games is that in Rugby all players are allowed to handle the ball. Any type of forward passing, blocking and time-outs are not allowed. Obstruction to players and screening is not allowed in the case of Rugby which is possible in American Football. Hence Rugby is said to be a much safer game than American football.

5. Protective Equipment in Rugby and Football

Helmet, padding and other hard protective equipments is missing in Rugby. Hence players have to keep in mind their personal safety while playing the game. There is a lot of protective equipment that comes with American football.

Let us take a close look at the top 10 record setting American TV programs that have remained strong and stayed on air the longest in the program category.

1. Meet The Press, NBC

Meet The Press is an extremely popular morning program with a talk show format that formally started airing in November of 1947. It is considered as the longest running talk show in modern broadcast history worldwide.

2. CBS Evening News, CBS

The CBS Evening News initially aired in August of 1948 with Douglas Edward as anchorman. It is now considered as the flagship program of CBS which has had uninterrupted airing for 61 years.

3. Guiding Light, CBS

This soap opera initially started with NBC and later transferred to CBS in June of 1952. It is considered as the longest running daytime soap drama. Guiding Light is currently in its final season and will be on television for 57 years.

4. Pro-Bowler Tour, ESPN, Fox, ABC and CBS

This sports event was originally telecast in 1962 and it became the single reason for the continued popularity of Pro bowling in the US especially during the 60s up until the 70s. The event has lost its popularity since then, but it has still been on air for 47 years.

5. General Hospital, ABC

General Hospital is considered as the longest running TV program that is filmed in Hollywood. This daytime soap was started in April of 1963 and has been a banner program of ABC for 46 years.

Let us take a close look at the list top 10 American icons that are not American yet have become symbols closest to home.

1. Budweiser, Belgium

It is one of the most admired beer in the United States. It is generally classified as the American style of lager and is made from the perfect blend of rice and barley malt. It was recently bought the Belgian company giant InBev for $52 billion.

2. 7-Eleven, Japan

It a chain of convenience stores that is present in many countries around the globe and is bigger than McDonald’s exceeding the latter with 1,000 more stores combined. It is owned by the Japanese company Seven & I Holdings Co., Ltd.

3. Trader Joe’s, Germany

Trader Joe’s started in 1958 as a “pronto market.” The store chain is owned in trust by the family of German tycoon Theo Albrecht.

4. The Chrysler Building, United Arab Emirates

This eminent American symbol and the most recognizable structure of the New York skyline is actually owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.

5. Holiday Inn, United Kingdom

The original hotel chain started in Memphis, Tennessee in 1952 by developer Kemmons Wilson. The present Holiday Inn hotel chain is owned by InterContinental Hotel Group PLC.