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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

For most of us, travel lodging would just include a bathroom, a bed and a TV. However, the rich and famous want lodging that encompasses entire floors of a hotel building. They would also prefer to have butlers and secretaries at their disposal. You can peek into the travel experience of the world’s most wealthy personalities through these hotels.

Find out which luxury hotels Top 10 List recommends you stay at – at least once! Click Here.  Any other recommendations?

1. The Atlantis, Bahamas

Costing  over $25,000 per night, this suite is the costliest one in the world. It is situated over a bridge in Paradise Island, Bahamas. The suite has ten rooms all of which are richly decorated in black, red and gold. Visitors can have access to the games and the bar lounge apart from other a lot of other facilities.

2. President Wilson Hotel, Geneva

This luxurious Hotel in Geneva gives as much importance to security as luxury. The hotel’s Imperial Suite is really worth a visit for those who can afford the price. For a one night stay, the cost comes to over $23,300. This suite is widely chosen by leaders and state heads traveling from other countries as it is in close proximity to the headquarters of the U.N.

3. Burj Al Arab, Dubai

Costing 18,000 for a night’s stay, the Burj Al Arab’s Royal Suite in Dubai, UAE has marble floorings, rotating beds and mahogany furniture. Visitors have endless possibilities for enjoyment at the many entertainment centers here. They can also have their own private elevators apart from a helicopter or a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce car.

4. The Plaza Hotel, New York

The Presidential Suite in the Plaza Hotel in New York occupies a large area and overlooks the beautiful Central Park. It would cost you $15,000 for a one night stay at the suite. Unique aspects of this suite include the silk draperies and the paintings on the walls that showcase the French countryside.

5. Westin Excelsior, Rome

This hotel in Rome is famous for its Jacuzzi pool and eye catching frescoes. For a one night stay in the suite, you will have to pay $14,950/-. The suite has an extra terrace and balcony space and the hall has allegories of mythological figures which add beauty to the overall interior decoration of the suite.