Top 10 List | Top Ten Lists

For thousands of years ships have been destroyed by war, natural disasters and in some occurrences even human error. Here is a Top 10 list of what I feel are the greatest and the most famous shipwrecks/disasters that have ever happened.

1.      Titanic

The most famous ship in the world. Possibly the most remembered maritime disaster of the 20th century.  The British cruise liner was the biggest passenger ship ever built in that period. It sank on April 15h 1912 carrying 2,224 passengers, 1,502 people died.  Many people don’t know that the ship had 2 sister ships, the Olympic and Britannic, the Britannic also sunk due to hitting a mine. The ship was sailing from Southampton to New York where it hit an iceberg and sunk in 2 hours and 40 minutes. The remains lie on the seabed, split into two pieces, 12,415 feet below the surface.

2.      Sultana

The least remembered disaster, but one of the deadliest, killing over 1800 people.  It was the greatest maritime disaster in the whole of American history. Four of the boilers exploded making a huge fireball engulf the whole ship killing 80% of all the people on board. The disaster was overshadowed in the press due to president Lincolns assassination was the day before.  The ship was only intended for 85 people, but was carrying an estimated 2,400 people. The wreckage lies near Memphis, Tennessee.

3.      Uss Oriskany

This ship, nicknamed the mighty o, was one of the 24 huge Essex class ships that was commissioned for the us navy. The ship has seen many battles in many locations from its first commission to Guantanamo bay, Cuba to the Vietnamese war. In 2004 the ship was transferred into an artificial reef and has been hugely successful at becoming a home for millions of fish.  It is widely considered one of the best diving sites of the world.

4.      L.R. Doty

This ship was launched in 1894 in Michigan, west Bay City, U.S. it went through a terrible storm which caused it to sink, killing all 17 crew members on-board.  The wreck was found 111 years after the sinking, it is 300ft below the surface of Lake Michigan; the cargo of corn is still intact, it is considered one of the eeriest dive sites due to its murky waters.

5.      Whydah Galley

This is one of my favourite ships, due to the history behind it. It served firstly as a slave trade ship, but then in late February 1717, a pirate named “black sam” bellamy captured the vessel and claimed it his own.  For a year of owning the ship, he used the Whydah galley to take control of over 50 ships stealing the loot. The ship came under huge gale force winds causing the main mast to fall and caused the ship to capsize claiming all pirates on board. The ship was discovered over 250 years after its disappearance along with the loot in just 14 feet of water, this was the first authenticated pirate ship to ever be discovered.

There is a certain joy in watching people make mistakes, especially in the word of sport. Seeing professionals on salaries so large its always good to see them make a mistake or two.

1. Bill Buckner -”The Nutmeg”

First to Baseball and the Boston Red Sox, leading the 1986 World Series 3-2, they were on course for their first title since 1918. However, in game six and the New York Mets having tied the game, a ground ball to Buckner at first base changed the match. The ball ran through Buckner’s legs, allowing the Mets to score the winning run, tie the series and lead to winning the series in game 7.

2. Jean van de Velde – “Sacre Bleu”

Ahhh, the french, the world would be a lot more boring if it didn’t have the passion and the va va voom of the French way of life. It would also mean we couldn’t laugh at their athletes making complete fools of themselves. Our next sporting mistake is no exception – Going to the 18th hole on the final Sunday of the 1999 Open Championship, Jean van de Velde needed only double bogey six to claim the Claret Jug. Seven shots later, including one to the water, he entered a playoff and eventually lost what had been an unassailable lead…… “merde”

3. Niclas Wallin – “Puck it”

The sport of Ice hockey is one where simple communication is vital amongst team mates. It allows your team to function fluently and also allows you to know where your colleague is when you want to give them an earful. Wallin’s team mates would’ve wanted to do the latter when the Swede, unaware his own goalie had been swapped for the extra attacker, controls the puck and lays it back to his empty net and watches in horror.

4. Leon Lett – “Showboating”

When you’ve done all the hard work, make sure you don’t mess up the simplest of scoring opportunities. You wouldn’t think professional athletes would need telling but in the case of Leon Lett in Super Bowl XXVII it was needed to be imprinted on the Jumbotron. When Buffalo fumbled the ball on their own 45-yard line, Lett picked up the pieces and ran for the end zone to celebrate, albeit a little prematurely, and lost possession before a touchdown could be awarded.

5. Zinedine Zidane – “The Head of a Frog”

Yes another Frenchman to add to the list of these great sporting mistakes, regarded as the greatest player of his generation, Zidane bowed out (literally) of the game on the greatest stage in disgraceful circumstances. Coming out of retirement to lead France to the 2006 World Cup, Zizou was at his best and had earlier given Les Bleus the lead in the final only to ruin it when the Italian defender said something about the midfielders mother,

In the world of film there have been some breath-taking leading ladies, some of which have been trail blazers for their gender in their profession, as genuinely amazing actors and kick-ass characters. Here is a rundown of ten of the most amazing silver screen seductresses to date:
1. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) – Alien (1979)

Ridley Scott’s Alien was released slap bang in the middle of the female empowerment movement of the late 20th Century and Weaver’s portrayal of the alien fighting space exploring protagonist Ripley, has long been described as symbolic of the social gender power shift within the culture of the time. The infamous image of Weaver surrounded by giant eggs is unapologetically representative and boldly celebratory of the growing power of females at the time.

2. Chihiro – Spirited Away (2001)

Miyazaki’s animated masterpiece sees a young girl being stripped of her parental guidance and protection and thrown into a world completely unlike her own, one which is inhabited by spirits and strange creatures and ruled by an evil bath house keeper/witch; Yubaba. What is most striking about the Chihiro character is the journey she goes through and how much she genuinely grows as a person throughout the movie, Miyazaki’s narrative has been woven with such skill and masterful craft the viewer is oblivious to the personal growth of the character right until the flash back scene at the end where it dawns on you like the warmth of the Japanese sun.

3. Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) – Erin Brockovich (2000)

The true story of an unemployed single mother bringing down a Californian power company is beautifully portrayed by Roberts in this unforgettable underdog tale. Brockovich is so instantly relatable for anyone who has felt trapped or helpless in their lives. A truly uplifting feel good story, one for which Roberts received a female’s record breaking $20 million fee for.

4. Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) – Secretary (2002)
Maggie Gyllenhaal gives her most impressive and extraordinary performance to date in the critically acclaimed 2002 smash hit, Secretary. Gyllenhaul carefully and faithfully explores the lines of mental health through her character Lee Holloway as she embarks on a sadomasochistic relationship with her boss Mr. Grey.

5. Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) – The Exorcist (1973)

William Friedkin was celebrated as an absolute pioneer of the horror genre when his 1973 adaptation of the 1971 book of the same name hit the silver screens. The reason Linda Blair has to be added to this list is the fact that her rendition of the demon infested child, that performance that had people running out of movie theatres and passing out in fear, that performance that has had the film named scariest movie of all time, was executed by an actor of only 14, carving her place in horror history forever.

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The human body is capable of achieving amazing things. This, of course, is why societies have long been fascinated by sporting events and drawn to competitions of athletic ability. For hundreds of years, we have carefully preserved and celebrated records of sporting achievement and there are now countless thousands of them on the books.

Image credit; deo-runner

But which of these are the most impressive? Out of all the world records, which ones represent the absolute pinnacle of sporting achievement? Clearly, this is an issue of much controversy, but we think we’ve nonetheless narrowed it down to the ten best. So, in no particular order, here they are:

1. Fastest Mile

The one-mile race is arguably the purest and most distilled measure of athleticism, combining both explosive speed and endurance. In 1999 Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco set the current world record in an astounding 3:43.13.

2. Most 60+ Point Games in Basketball

Most professional players never score 60 points in one game. Wilt Chamberlain set this amazing record with an unprecedented 32 games over the course of his legendary career. The next closest is Kobe Bryant, with 5.

3. Highest Career Batting Average

You know an athletic task is difficult when the best in the game only succeed at it three times in every ten. Ty Cobb was the most successful batter in baseball history with a lifetime average of .366, a record that is likely to never be broken.

4. 50 Goals in 39 Games

Hockey is a notoriously low scoring game, with each team usually scoring fewer than 4 goals in a game. In 1981, Wayne Gretzsky set the most impressive record in hockey history by scoring 50 goals in just 39 games! The closest anyone has come since has been 50 goals in 46 games.

5. Fastest Pitch Ever Thrown In Baseball

105 mph fastball by Aroldis Chapman in 2010. Fewer sporting achievements are more impressive than hurling a 5-ounce ball faster than anyone else in history ever has.

Soap Operas and their legends are fading. With the cancellation of 4 soap operas in the last 3 years, many of the following stars are without a job. However, many of the daytime television stars are still as memorable and are still actively loved by fans on and off screen.

1. Katherine Chancellor:

This woman is a fighter. She’s revolutionized daytime television, bringing reality close with fiction. In the 1980s, she was the first actress to have a plastic surgery done on screen. Her feud with alcoholism and Jill Abbot has made the Young and the Restless popular since its conception in 1973. No one grows tired of her advice in Genoa City. Kudos to Jeanne Cooper, the portrayer.

2. Victor Newman:

A family man who puts family first before anything else! Victor Newman has defined daytime television for the last 30+ years on the hit the Young and the Restless. His feud with his arch nemeses, Jack Abbot never gets too old. His children sued him for millions of dollars because they felt they were being overburdened. Oops…I forgot to mention…he’s been married more times than the average person.

3. Erica Kane:

Susan Lucci is definitely a diva in my eyes. She portrayed Erica Kane from beginning to end, 1970-2011. The character was created as part of the story bible. She was initially designed as an evil and menacing person. She was rebellious throughout the 41 years, especially since she married more men than we can ever imagine. What we enjoyed most to watch was her extreme self-centered point of view.

4. Blair Cramer:

Kassie DePavia is truly my favourite actress. I enjoyed watching her on One Life to Life for several reasons, most notably her tumultuous life. There was never one dull moment in Blair’s life. I particularly enjoyed the episode where Blair has memories about her life with Asa Buchannan. Despite Asa being dead, Blair never got over the trauma he had caused her.

5. Luke Spencer:

No one can forget his fairy-tale wedding to Laura Spencer in 1980s. He is one wild character that we all love to watch on the General Hospital. Tony Geary has put his heart and soul into the character but has faded away in the past few years into the back-burner. His rekindling love for Laura during the 25th anniversary special was amazingly done. The man never seems to disappoint us.

Rap is a genre of music that has gotten the most popular in the last 5 or 10 years. It involves the fast singing of verses and a chorus. There are numerous rap greats that have produced memorable songs which pull out strong emotional responses. Eminem is one of these artists that often pulls out angry vibes in his extremely fast rapping songs; often about his life. We learn from his songs that he has had a rough life, and many other rappers can often tell us these stories, We will list for you the top 10 greatest rap songs, with the artist included, and a brief description of each.

1. Lose Yourself by Eminem

This is probably Eminem’s greatest song of all time. It was featured in the movie “8 Mile,” which he also acted in. It has a strong message and a fantastic chorus. This song will be remembered for a long time, and be known as possibly the best of Eminem’s many masterpieces.

2. Gangsta Paradise  by Coolio

This song was No. 69 on Billboard’s Greatest Songs of all Time and No. 38 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.  Coolio was awarded a Grammy award for song/album.  The song is not new; it is a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise”.

3. Not Afraid by Eminem

Another incredible rap song by Eminem. This song delivers a beautifully crafted image of Eminem’s life. The chorus is great, and in Eminem’s last verse he talks about getting clean. This song often will leave you in awe of how deep the message in the lyrics is, and it is truly an incredible song.

4. Dead and Gone by T.I. Feat. Justin Timberlake

This single was featured on Billboard Hot 100 as No. 76 before it was released officially.  It was nominated for “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” and “Best Rap Song” at the Grammy Awards.

5. Fight for Your Right (to Party) by Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys are a very funny rap band that delivers both funny lyrics and funny music videos. This song is a party anthem and has one of the best music videos of all time.

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.

Michael Jackson will always be a bigger star in death and he is expected to reach unparalleled greatness with his songs that will remain as treasures to his millions of followers for generations to come. The music videos of Michael Jackson will always be a cut above the rest of the pack. What follows is our list of the Top 10 Greatest Michael Jackson Videos which have defined the course of the MTV scene and the musical entertainment scene as a whole.

1. Thriller

This title track is the hands down choice as the top Michael Jackson MTV. The video concept, overall execution and crafty song make it as the standard of music videos even up to the present times. It is unarguably the best ever MTV of the times.

2. Beat It

Hugging at the coat tails of Thriller is this music video of Michael Jackson where the Pop legend gets to showcase his dancing prowess and amazing charisma.  It easily one of the best videos of Michael Jackson and has been the inspiration of a lot of other subsequent MTVs even up to today.

3. Scream

Even with the slew of topnotch music videos, Scream comes out on top of the rest as it is one of those times that the King of Pop gets to collaborate with her sister Janet in delivering a truly grand performance on video. This is the most expensive music video that was ever produced.

4. Bad

This music video is easily the quintessential Michael Jackson in his best form ever. This video will always be remembered by the very strong image of Jackson as he is surrounded by a band of bad guys. This is one of those instances that we cannot fault Michael for being ‘bad.’

5. Remember the Time

After a series of so-so performances, Jackson again delivers with one creation that has the distinctive trademark of the Pop sensation. This is where we will get to see a young Eddie Murphy joining the Pop icon in a music video with ancient Egypt theme. He plays the pharaoh in this video.

Every so often we try to compile some sort of list for people to check out new bands. This article focuses on the long list) of about 10 “must hear” bands for everyone to check out. The list below is opinion based, so don’t get butthurt if your favorite band is not included. You can try wreiting an article yourself and we’ll think about posting it.

1. Aerosmith

With Steven Tyler as lead singer and Joe Perry as lead guitarist, no wonder this band is considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time. Formed in early 1970s, Aerosmith is sometimes referred to as “The Bad Boys from Boston”, as well as “America’s Greatest Rock N Roll Band”. Aerosmith found a great success in the 70s with several Top 100 singles, but the 80s looked to be a little deeming when drugs came into the picture. This forced Perry to leave the band in 1979, as well as band mate, Brad Whitford, in 1981. Though their album, “Rock in a Hard Place” went gold, it failed to match the band’s previous success. Perry and Whitford returned in 1984. But Aerosmith did not gain the success the once had until 1987, when they released “Permanent Vacation”.

As of 2012, after 42 years together, Aerosmith are still together, despite the ups and downs they once had. They have sold over 150 million albums worldwide, including 66.5 million albums in the United States alone. They also hold the record for the most gold and multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and were included among both Rolling Stone’s and VH1′s lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

2. Queen

Queen was formed in 1971, with the legendary Freddie Mercury as lead singer, Brian May as guitarist, John Deacon as guitarist, who was also considered to be the quiet one in the group, and Roger Taylor, as the drummer. Before Queen was formed, Brian May and Roger Taylor were in a group called Smile. Freddie Mercury was a fan of the band, and encouraged the two to collaborate together, when band member, Tim Staffell departed. The two agreed, and changed the name from “Smile” to “Queen”. Before recording their debut album, the trio recruited John Deacon to be a foursome.

Queen found great success in the 1970s and 1980s, with hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “We Will Rock You”, and “We Are The Champions”. But as the 80s came to a close, rumors began swirling that Freddie Mercury had AIDS. Mercury kept denying that fact, until November 23, 1991. He died the next day. On April 20, 1992, the remaining members of Queen prepared a tribute concert for Mercury, whih included performances by artists like Elton John, Def Leppard, and George Michael. Everyone performed hits by Queen. In 1997, the band released a tribute to Mercury, releasing the single, “Only The Good Die Young”. That was the last time John Deacon was part of the band.

Since then, Brian May and Roger Taylor collaborated with Paul Rodgers. The trio was named Queen + Paul Rodgers. Their collaboration lasted 5 years, from 2004 to 2009. But Brian May and Roger Taylor still continue to perform together. The band has released a total of 18 number one albums, 18 number one singles, and 10 number one DVDs, and have sold over 150 million albums, with some estimates in excess of 300 million albums, making them one of the world’s best-selling music artists. They have been honored with seven Ivor Novello awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

3. The Beatles

Formed in England in 1960, the Beatles included talents by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison. The band was both a commercial success and critically acclaimed in the history of popular music. The band started out as a five piece, with Stuart Sutcliff, though he left in 1961. Before Ringo Starr was a band member, Pete Best was part of the five piece, until Starr replaced him. Before gaining their initial success, it took The Beatles 3 years to initiate popularity by playing in clubs in Liverpool. Their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”.

After the band broke up in 1970, each of the four members found success as solo artists, though McCartney and Lennon became to be the more successful ones. Sadly, John Lennon died in 1980 after being murdered by a fan, as well as George Harrison in 2001, due to cancer. McCartney and Starr still continue to contribute their musical talents to this day.

4. INXS

An Australian rock band first formed as “The Farriss Brothers” in 1977. Band members included Andrew Farriss, Jon Farriss, and Tim Farriss, as well as the lead singer, who made the band what it has been for many years, Michael Hutchence. Their singles include “Need You Tonight”, “Never Tear Us Apart”, and “Suicidal Blonde”. INXS found their biggest success in the 1980s and 1990s, but 1997, Hutchence committed suicide after a long battle with depression.

After Hutchence’s death, INXS did not perform for a year. They then performed with guest lead singers such as Jimmy Barnes, Terence Trent D’Arby, and Jon Stevens. Stevens formally joined the band in 2002 for a tour and recording session. In 2005, INXS decided to participate in a reality show to search for their new permanent lead singer. They chose J.D Fortune as the winner, and together, they recorded hits like “Pretty Vegas” and “After Glow”. They ended up recording a whole album together called “Switch”. INCS decided to let go of Fortune in 2010.

In 2010, INXS recorded an album, “Original Sin” as a tribute to Michael Hutchence. The tracks included guest lead vocals by well known Australian singers, and the tracks included previous INXS hits such as “Beautiful Girl”. In 2011, INXS found a new permanent lead singer, Ciaran Gribbin, and announced plans to go on tour in November and December 2011.

INXS has won six Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards including three for ‘Best Group’ in 1987, 1989 and 1992, and was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2001. To date INXS have sold more than 30 million records.

5. Nirvana

Nirvana is an American rock band founded by Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic, lead singer and bassist respectively, in 1987. Drummer, Dave Grohl, joined the band in 1990. The band was known for their grunge sound, and found great, surprising success with their biggest hit, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. It all ended in a tragedy when Kurt Cobain died in April 1994. The band never released new material since Cobain’s death, though they released some posthumous materials were released. Since Nirvana’s debut, the band has sold over 27 million albums in the United States alone, and over 50 million worldwide.

These top 10 greatest boxers of all time are chosen not only because of their household names but also because of their solid affirmation of their supremacy during the time of their reign as champions.

1. Sugar Ray Robinson; 179 W, 19 L, 6 D, 2 NC, 109 KO

Born Walker Smith Jr., May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989 made his professional debut on October 4, 1940. Sugar Ray Robinson is admittedly the hands down choice of of greatest boxer of all time and to this date, no one comes close of surpassing or even equaling his achievement as a boxer.

2. Muhhamed Ali; 56 W, 5 L, 37 KO

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He had an unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer relying on foot speed and quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low.  Muhammad will come down in boxing history as one of the greatest human being that has fought in the square canvas.

3. Henry Armstrong; 150 W, 21 L, 101 KO

Henry Jackson Jr., born December 12, 1912 was the only boxer to hold three world championships at the same time. These titles included the Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight crowns. He also defended the Welterweight championship more times than any other fighter.

4. Julio Cesar Chavez; 104 W, 5 L, 2 D, 80 KO

Julio Cesar Chavez was born on July 12, 1962 in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. He is the ultimate Mexican champion of all time. He began boxing as an amateur at the age of sixteen and had demolished practically all the top fighters during his time. He went on to fight for 13 years with a unblemished record.

5. Joe Louis; 68 W, 3 L, 54 KO

Joseph Louis Barrow  born May 13, 1914–April 12, 1981 nicknamed the Brown Bomber, he is considered to be one of the greatest in boxing history. Among his numerous victories Louis coined two of boxing’s most famous quotes: “He can run, but he can’t hide” and “Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit.”