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.

6. Rocky Mountains
One of the highest altitude mountain chains in USA, they give shelter to beautiful lakes and streams, impressive flora and fauna and breath taking alpine wildflower meadows. It also offers a divine camping experience and a stunning hiking experience to those who love to explore. Late spring, early fall would be the best time to visit this paradise of a nature lover.

7. Zion National Park
The major attraction of this place would be the red cliffs and a quarter mile long gash in the earth which reaches nearly half mile at its deepest. A “place of refuge” as known in Hebrew, this park offers shelter to more than two hundred species of birds making it a haven for bird lovers. Often wildflowers bloom in the spring giving the park a majestic outlook. The weather is variable from place to place.

8. Grand Teton
Glacial lakes, flat grasslands and the nine rugged peaks of Teton are the major tourist attracting features of this beautiful park which was found in 1929. It was named after the poetic thoughts of a French paratrooper. The best time to visit Teton would be from May till October as it is closed rest of the year.

9. Cuyahoga Valley
Situated a short distance from Akron, it is America’s youngest national park found in 1974. Scenic beauty and a pristine river flowing through the heart of the park make it a popular tourist destination. The weather is again unpredictable making it necessary to be well equipped at any time of year.

10. Acadia National Park
It comprises of a stunning stretch of rocky shoreline and a huge forest and it was found in 1913. It also boasts of the highest mountain of U.S Atlantic Coast. The weather can be unpredictable and one can encounter rain and fog at any time.

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Popularity: 1% [?]

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.

6. Waterworld
Released back in 1995, this film definitely came with a huge final product cost. The total cost turned out to be somewhere around $251.2 million. The reason for this sky-height cost is the fact that about 18 months of the film shoot took place in water, which is bound to cost more than the dry land shooting.

7. Terminator 3 – Rise of the Machines
This movie released in 2003 came to a total cost of $237.8 million. Out of the entire cost, a part of it was dedicated to the story and the rights while even more was spent on visual effects and also talent.

8. King Kong
This super movie was released all over the world in the year 2005. The latest King Kong was a classic movie remake. Peter Jackson’s courage has to be appreciated, as he chose to remake a movie that had flopped at the box office 30 years ago. The budget shot up to about $231.9 million, but the movie wasn’t a big hit.

9. Spider-Man 2
This movie was released in the year 2004. The sequel proved to be in no way lesser than the first part. In fact, both were said to be equally balanced and received good crowd appreciation. The cost of the movie was somewhere around $231.6 million. This enormous amount of money was mainly spent on the special effects that are the soul of this movie.

10. Quantum of Solace
Released in 2008, this is arguably the best sequel of all the James Bond movies. Quantum of Solace was a major hit at the box office and also fared well with the critics. The total cost involved in making this movie was estimated to be around $230 million. The total amount spent was clearly visible in the action-sets as well as the most exotic locations where the movie was shot.

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Popularity: 2% [?]

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.

6.  Declaration of Independence

With the declaration of independence, thirteen colonies announced their intention to free themselves from the British rule. The Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed by 56 delegates of the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The date is considered as the Independence Day of United States. This declaration was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson. It had many widespread effects on the world and this can truly be called the event that initiated the end of colonialism.

7. Invention of Gunpowder

Guns were the deadliest weapons before the invention of atomic bombs. They have become the base of every weapon used in the war front now. The increase in the number of casualties in modern wars is because of the tremendous impact of this invention.

8. Discovery of the Western Hemisphere

The term “Western Hemisphere” is referring to the part of the world that lies to the west of prime meridian.  The sailors of the olden centuries discovered the western hemisphere and this has changed the way people conceived many things including the shape of the world. This has tremendously improved the trade scenario and changed the world.

9. Death of Jesus

Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity. Crucifixion and the incidents that followed are of great importance in the Christian community. The death of Jesus Christ is one of the most influential events for all of humanity.

10. Death of Muhammad

Muhammad is considered as the last perfect prophet by the Muslim community. In fact, the people who accepted the teachings of Muhammadcame to be known as ‘Muslims’ and they constituted the religion of Islam. He was poisoned and killed following his conquest on a Jewish settlement, and this created quite an impact on the world.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

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.

6. Oliveira Bridge (Brazil): World’s First X-shaped Cable-Stayed Bridge with two crossed lanes
Opened in May of 2008, the Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge is constructed over the Pinheiros River in São Paulo, Brazil. Approximately 138 metres (450-ft) in height, the bridge links Marginal Pinheiros Freeway to Jornalista Roberto Marinho Avenue. Its design is unique in that it has an X-shaped supporting tower and 2 curved decks which cross each other as they pass through the tower.

7. Wind and Rain Bridge (China): Dong people’s bridge
The Wind and Rain Bridge is the standing architectural form of the minority people known as Dongs. This bridge is the largest of its kind in Diping and also the largest in Guizhou Province, where China’s largest Dong community lives. It spans about 50 meters in length and is a purely wooden structure.

8. Tower Bridge (UK): The Famous and Beautiful Victorian Bridge
Designed by Horace Jones and Wolfe Barry in 1894, Tower Bridge is the most beautiful bridge and also one of the most prominent landmarks in London. This bridge has a length of 800-ft but raises in the centre to a maximum clearance of 140-ft, allowing ships to pass down the Thames.

9. Magdeburg Water Bridge (Germany): Europe’s Largest Water Bridge
This bridge links the formerly separated East and West Germany over the Elbe River, and was built as a part of the unification project. The bridge has a length of 1 km and enables river barges to avoid a cumbersome passage along the Elbe.

10. Ponte Vecchio (Italy): Oldest and Most Famous of its Kind
The Ponte Vecchio in Florence is one of the most ancient, fully stone-built segmental arch-bridge in Italy and has duly become one of Italy’s most noted tourist spots. It was originally built of wood though was later rebuilt using stone.

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Popularity: 11% [?]

Thousands of people were affected by Katrina, the most recent hurricane that struck New Orleans. Katrina is sure to leave her own devastating legacy. The following are some of the hurricanes that preceded the occurrence of hurricane Katrina. All these have also wrecked greater damage in the past. Given below are the top 10 most intense hurricanes excluding Katrina:

1. The Labor Day Hurricane
This is the most severe hurricane to have been recorded in history. It made landfall as category 5 hurricane on September 2, 1935. The pressure was at 892 mb and over 408 lives were lost due to this hurricane. Damages were estimated at $6 million. The Labor Day hurricane made landfall in the Florida Keys.

2. Hurricane Camille
This hurricane is said to have made landfall in Louisiana Coast and Mississippi on August 17, 1969 as a category 5. Its pressure was at 909 mb and the speed of winds was 200 mph with storm surge to the extent of 20 feet in height. Damages were to the tune of $1,420,700,000 and this hurricane claimed 5, 256 lives.

3. Hurricane Andrew
Making landfall on August 24, 1992 as a category 5, the pressure accompanying this hurricane was at 922 mb. Over 250,000 people were left homeless and several businesses were destroyed. Damages were to the tune of over $25 billion. After the hurricane affected south Florida it continued its journey to the northwest to the Gulf of Mexico and struck the Louisiana coastline.

4. The Indianola, Texas Hurricane
This hurricane occurred in 1886 as a category 4. When it made landfall, the pressure was at 925 mb. The hurricane is said to have claimed 43 lives. The entire town was wiped out as a result of this hurricane.

5. Hurricane Florida Keys
The Florida Keys hurricane was accompanied by a pressure of 927 mb when it made landfall in September of 1919 as a category 4. It claimed an estimated 1,000 lives. Damages were to the extent of $22 million.

6. Hurricane Lake Okeechobee, FL
On Sept 16, 1928, Lake Okeechobee, FL hurricane made landfall as a category 4. The pressure accompanying the hurricane was to the tune of 929 mb. This hurricane claimed an estimated 3,700 lives in all and wreaked damage to the tune of 100 million dollars.

7. Hurricane Donna
On Sept 10, 1960, hurricane Donna made landfall in Southern Florida as a category 4. The pressure accompanying this hurricane was 930 mb. Donna’s sustained winds were 135 mph. The hurricane later crossed the Florida Peninsula and affected every state from South Carolina to New York with strong winds. The hurricane is said to have roamed the Atlantic coast for about 17 days. Over 50 people lost their lives and damages were estimated to be around 300 million dollars.

8. New Orleans, (Unnamed Hurricane)
This hurricane occurred in 1915 as a category 4. When the New Orleans hurricane made landfall the pressure was at 931 mb. While the hurricane claimed 275 lives, the damage cost remains unknown.

9. Hurricane Carla
On September 11, 1961, Hurricane Carla made landfall in Central and North Texas as a category 4. When this hurricane made landfall, the pressure was at 931 mb. This is the most powerful storm to have hit Texas in 40 years. Damage was to the extent of over $300 million and the hurricane claimed over 43 lives.

10. Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo is a category 4 hurricane which occurred in South Carolina on September 22, 1989. When this hurricane made its landfall, the pressure was at 934 mb and the damage was to the extent of over $7 billion. Hugo is the most severe hurricane to have struck Georgia and the Carolinas in the last hundreds years. The total death toll from this storm was 35 and about 26,000 people were left homeless as a result of this storm.

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Popularity: 1% [?]

Have you ever been scared by the idea of death? If the answer is negative then you may like to think again. Here is a list of top ten most hazardous diseases of the developing world which can affect any one if one doesn’t take enough precautions attached with them. These diseases have been ranked by their annual death toll which is updated annually. The list is as follows:

1. Respiratory Infections
Mostly these lower respiratory infections include pneumonia and  diseases of the lungs, tracheal tube etc. These diseases often spread by coughing, sneezing, laughing or exhaling. These diseases have an annual death toll of more than four million people.

2. HIV/AIDS
“Human immunodeficiency virus” also known as HIV, destroys the immune system of human body. It can spread by unprotected sex, unsafe blood transfusions or contaminated needles and from even mother to child during child birth. The death toll of this deadly disease stands at more than 3 million deaths annually

3. Malaria
Malaria is spread by mosquito bites and usually turns fatal if proper treatment is not meted out to the patient. The death toll for this disease stands between one million and five million annually and the number of people affected by it in the world stands around 300 million. The best prevention to this disease is the use insecticide-treated mosquito nets and spraying of indoor insecticide.

4. Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is caused by cholera or dysentery and is a result of infection from bacteria and microscopic worms. Dehydration is the most common cause of death in deaths related with diarrhoea. The death toll for this disease stands at around two million deaths annually. Contaminated food or water usually leads to being infected by diarrhoea.

5. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis or “TB” as it is commonly known is spread by coughing or sneezing and its common symptoms are weight loss, weakness and common chills. The annual death toll stands at two million. It’s most common treatment is DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy Short Course).

6. Measles
Measles is usually caused by coughing and sneezing as it is highly contagious and can cause damage to brain or blindness and can lead to death if proper medical treatment is not administered. The death toll stands at half million cases per year. Successful vaccination has been developed to fight this scourge and can be treated with drugs.

7. Whooping Cough
It is caused by coughing, sneezing or talking. It’s a highly communicable disease caused by bacterial infection in respiratory tract and the annual death toll stands between two to three million cases per year. It can be treated by antibiotics and vaccines.

8. Tetanus
Its also known as lockjaw. Tetanus is a disease caused in our central nervous system due to an untreated wound getting infected by bacteria. Annual death toll stands at around two million cases per year. This disease can be prevented by vaccines.

9. Meningitis
It is a highly fatal infectious disease that affects the brain and is caused by close contact or sharing of utensils. The annual death toll stands at around two million. It can be prevented by vaccines and antibiotics including penicillin but often five to ten percent patients die even after treatment.

10. Syphilis
It is caused by unprotected sexual intimacy and can even be passed by a mother to her child during birth. Many common antibiotics do not work against this disease and the annual death toll stands at one and a half million.

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Popularity: 22% [?]

The following are some of the songs which are controversial for a number of different reasons. They are featured in the controversial songs category because of targeting police, ex-wives and Queens, or simply having references to drugs and other taboo subjects.

1. ‘Louie Louie’ by The Kingsmen

Considered to be a very dirty song during the 50’s, the song had to go through a FBI investigation. The un-intelligible lyrics in the song were considered to be obscene by the FBI which however did not file charges. The song is still listed as one among the top 10 biggest and most controversial hits.

2. ‘Used to Love Her’ by Guns N’ Roses

This song was about killing a woman whom a man used to love and this sentiment was expressed through the song by Guns N’ Roses. This was portrayed as just a joke, but many females did not think of it that way.

3. ‘Kim’ by Eminem

At the end of the 90’s Eminem appeared on this music scene and the songs sung by this white rapper had explicit and hateful messages. It basically talks about Eminem’s hatred for his ex-wife. Though the song in itself was an evidence of free speech, it was also disliked by many and featured in the controversial song list.

4. ‘Cop Killer’ by Blood Count

A song about killing cops is sure to get mired in controversy. This song basically was created to protest against police brutality. However the hero in the song is a person who eventually takes the law into his own hands and starts killing police officials who were disobedient to the law themselves. The song became extremely controversial that Ice T had to re-release the album without the song.

5. ‘F*** the Police’ by N.W.A.

This song is also a police protest song which was released a few years before ‘Cop Killer’. The song contains some lines about executing police officers and further accuses police officers of leaving their own races. Expressing their dislike for the song, the FBI and Secret Service banned it in many places.

6. ‘God Save the Queen’ by The Sex Pistols

Though the song has the same name as the British National Anthem, it accuses the Queen of being fascist and goes to the extent of claiming that England has no future. Though the song was banned from the BBC, it became a controversial hit.

7. ‘Darling Nikki’ by Prince

This song got national attention even though it is not one of the most well known or reputed songs by Prince. This is the song which caused parental advisory stickers to be stuck on CDs. Like many of other Prince’s songs, this song has lyrics with ample sexual overtones.

8. ‘If U Seek Amy’ by Britney Spears

Britney Spears was disliked by parents mostly because of her dancing, sexual attire and suggestive song lyrics. This song is mostly a silly kind of song which brings some meaning only if you make sense of the sounds of the words by putting it together. Many listeners did not appreciate the obscene messages conveyed through the song.

9. ‘Dear God’ by XTC

The message conveyed by this song could not be accepted by many people in the 80’s. The atheist lyrics of the sung which was rendered by a child made it a very controversial one.

10. ‘Suicide Solution’ by Ozzy Osbourne

Though Ozzy was responsible for creating many controversial songs, this was the thought to be the most inferior of all of them. This song also became famous because of the bizarre incident where a teenager shot himself while listening to the song. The song’s lyrics are hotly debated and has been said to contain subliminal messages.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Forget emerging economies and fattening bank balances and open your eyes to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Think it is difficult? Then read on. Following the list of the greenest cities, here is a list of the ten most polluted metropolitan cities in the world:

1. Beijing, China

Beijing’s smog is a constant reminder of the fact that this city has a serious pollution problem. There are almost 17 million people who live in and around Beijing. Water is a scarce and contaminated commodity, the air pollution levels are five times higher than the WHO standards, and frequent dust storms just add to the problem.

2. Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires 13 million inhabitants have to deal with a problem that occurs with alarming regularity. Even slightly heavy rains cause immense flooding in the city and the drainage system comes to a grinding halt. This contaminates the water and leads to serious health and pollution hazards. It is this water pollution and lack of a disaster management strategy which gives this city such a high ranking.

3. Cairo, Egypt

Cairo has air pollution levels which are anything between 10 to 100 times higher than the WHO standards. High vehicle fuel emissions, polluting urban industries and a hot and dry desert climate are causing havoc to the inhabitants of this city and their beautiful ancient monuments. For the 17 million inhabitants of this city, it is equivalent to smoking one packet of cigarette a day.

4. Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Tanzania’s cultural and commercial hub suffers from a total lack of a waste management system.  Sanitation systems are also in a mess, and lack of a good public transportation system, adds to the fuel emission problems. Hazardous and industrial is being dumped in the open, leading to health problems amongst its inhabitants.

5. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Despite being fed by three rivers, and being situated in the Ganges Delta, Dhaka is one of the most unliveable cities in the world. The waters of the rivers are the storehouse of all the human waste and the effluents of the industries. There is no really efficient water treatment system, and when you add the high levels of air pollution this makes it a very toxic city.

6. Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City’s air is believed to be safe to breathe only 31 days in the years! Around 1,00,000 children die due to pollution complications every years. The renowned traffic snarls of this city are the major cause of fuel intoxicants. There are also over 50,000 small factories in and around the city. All this adds to make a deadly cocktail.

7. Moscow, Russia

This city seems to have more radioactive waste sites than anywhere in the world.  These have been generated by the over 2000 research institutes which used to exist in this city. Even today the government is collecting radioactive waste and trying to bury it in special tombs. But the city’s inhabitants have already been exposed for years to high radiation levels.

8. New Delhi, India

As with most other metropolises, Delhi has a major water problem. Its main source of water, the river Yamuna is highly polluted with high levels of chemicals and pollutants. The high number of cars only adds to the present levels of pollution, and the dense population of the city has to cope with smog, impure water and health problems.

9. Linfen, China

A city of about 3 million inhabitants, it is situated in the heart of the coal mining industry. The air is believed to be the worst in China, most homes are totally soot-blackened.

10. Dzerzhinsk, Russia

Not really a metropolis, but this town is believed to be the most polluted town in the world. It lives with a residue of 3,00,000 tonnes of chemical waste, which were dumped here many years ago.

Popularity: 6% [?]