World’s Top 10 Best Cities to Live in

Our planet is increasingly becoming crowded and polluted. Quality of life has been subdued over the years, and we are left with few choices. But thankfully, there are still a few cities in the world where life hasn’t quite lost its sheen.

Each year, Mercer releases the result of its survey on quality of life across the globe. European cities top the list of best places to live in 2011, according to the survey. The survey also finds safest cities to live in, though all good cities to live in are not necessarily safest.

Following is the list of top 10 best cities to live in the world.

1. Vienna (Austria)

2. Zurich (Switzerland)

3. Auckland (New Zealand)

4. Munich (Germany)

5. Vancouver (Canada)

5. Düsseldorf (Germany)

7. Frankfurt (Germany)

8. Geneva (Switzerland)

9. Bern (Switzerland)

9. Copenhagen (Denmark)

There was a tie between Vancouver, Düsseldorf and Bern, Copenhagen for 5th and 10th positions respectively.

Most Debt Ridden Countries in the World

Recent financial tsunami has taken a toll on almost all the major economies in the world. The aftershocks can be felt even today. People lost their jobs, businesses incurred losses, and governments struggled and in many countries, are still struggling to save themselves from people uprising against inflation, unemployment and financial instability. Governments are doing everything to keep the things under control, from giving stimulus packages to businesses and banks to increasing the public expenditure.

But increased spending is always bound to make a hole in the treasury of a government. In this case, governments need to borrow from foreign lenders. The money can be borrowed from other governments, foreign banks and other foreign financial institutions. The amount of borrowed money (capital), plus the interest on it is known as external debt. In simple words, external debt is debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. Total external debt is the sum of public, publicly guaranteed, and private non-guaranteed long-term debt, use of IMF credit, and short-term debt.

Countries with huge spending on public welfare schemes and providing large stimulus packages to businesses are more likely to be trapped in debt situation. So, how can we calculate, which countries are the most debt ridden and which are the least ones. One of the best ways to do this is to compare debt with the GDP of a country. It shows how much a country is affected with the debt and how likely it is to repay the loan.

According this formula, following is the list of top 20 most debt ridden countries in the world. The list has been derived from the latest report by World Bank on the debt situation in the world. The data are in US dollars.

1. United States of America

Debt: $14.590 trillion

Debt per capita: $46,929

Debt in percentage: 94% of the GDP

2. United Kingdom

Debt: $8.981 trillion

Debt per capita: $144,338

Debt in percentage: 400% of the GDP

3. Germany

Debt: $4.713 trillion

Debt per capita: $57,755

Debt in percentage: 142% of the GDP

4. France

Debt: $4.698 trillion

Debt per capita: $74,619

Debt in percentage: 182% of the GDP

5. The Netherlands

Debt: $3.733

Debt per capita: 225,814

Debt in percentage: 471% of the GDP

6. Japan

Debt: $2.441 trillion

Debt per capita: $19,148

Debt in percentage: 45% of the GDP

7. Ireland

Debt: $2.253 trillion

Debt per capita: $503,914

Debt in percentage: 103% of the GDP

8. Norway

Debt: $2.232 trillion

Debt per capita: $454,768

Debt in percentage: 538% of the GDP

9. Italy

Debt: $2.223 trillion

Debt per capita: $36,841

Debt in percentage: 108% of the GDP

10. Spain

Debt: $2.166 trillion

Debt per capita: $47,069

Debt in percentage: 154% of the GDP

11. Luxembourg

Debt: $1.892 trillion

Debt per capita: $3,759,174

Debt in percentage: 3,443% of the GDP

12. Belgium

Debt: 1.241 trillion

Debt per capita: $113,603

Debt in percentage: 266% of the GDP

13. Switzerland

Debt: $1.200 trillion

Debt per capita: $154,063

Debt in percentage: 229% of the GDP

14. Australia

Debt: $1.169 trillion

Debt per capita: $52,596

Debt in percentage: 95% of the GDP

15. Canada

Debt: $1.009 trillion

Debt per capita: $29,625

Debt in percentage: 64% of the GDP

16. Sweden

Debt: $853.30 billion

Debt per capita: $91,487

Debt in percentage: 187% of the GDP

17. Austria

Debt: $755 billion

Debt per capita: $90,128

Debt in percentage: 200% of the GDP

18. Denmark

Debt: $559.50 billion

Debt per capita: $101,084

Debt in percentage: 180% of the GDP

19. Greece

Debt: $532.90

Debt per capita: $47,636

Debt in percentage: 174% of the GDP

20. Portugal

Debt: $497.80

Debt per capita: $46,795

Debt in percentage: 217% of the GDP

Data Source: http://data.worldbank.org

Top 10 Love Songs

Love is in the air again. Valentine’s Day evokes a lot of mushy feelings in the hearts of couples who are in love. It acts like a trigger for their hearts skipping a beat. The credit for this phenomenon lies with our own movies and songs. Love songs play the biggest catalyst in evoking the love and passion alike.

We present you the some of the all time favorites love songs of all time. Following is the list of top 10 love songs in English. Enjoy your Valentine’s Day with these lovely songs.

1. Can’t help falling in love with you (Elvis)

2. My heart will go on (Titanic Soundtrack)

3. You’re still the one (Shania Twain)

4. I will be right here waiting (Richard Marx)

5. I am ready (Bryan Adams)

6. She’s all I ever had (Ricky Martin)

7. Take my breath away (Top Gun Soundtrack)

8. Crazy in love (Beyonce)

9. With or without you (U2)

10. Unchained melody (Ghost Soundtrack)

Most Popular Cuisines in the World

Foods are the most essential part of our lives and a cuisine is the integral part of every food. Now, as the world is increasingly turning into a global village, foods and recipes are also traveling with the people. Foods now are not restricted to a particular geographical area or society. You can almost find a popular cuisine in any part of the world, no matter where it comes from.

So, what are the most popular cuisines in the world? Well, there is no formula to judge. However, we have compiled the list of worlds some of the most popular cuisines.

Here is the list of top 10 most popular cuisines in the world.

1 | Chinese

Wherever you go, Chinese foods are ready to welcome you. Chinese noodles and fried rice are one of the most sought after food items in the world. Chinese foods are rich in taste and light on pocket.

2 | Italian

Not many people around the world who love Pizza and Pasta even know where they are originated from. Only these two items are enough to tell about the popularity of Italian cuisine. One of the most loved foods all around the world, Pizza is today served in hundreds of varieties.

3 | Thai

Most people confuse Thai Cuisine with the Chinese but it is different in essence. Thai food is balanced mix of sweet, sour and spice.

4 | Indian

Probably no other food in the world offers kind of variety as Indian food is known for. Most people identify Indian cuisine with typical north Indian foods, but it has much more to offer. South Indian food items are in fact almost as popular as north Indian are. But, the real treats of Indian cuisine are chicken and fish tikkas, naan and sweet dishes.

5 | American

American cuisine is capable of making into any list of popular cuisines just on the strength of a food item which is probably the most popular in the world along with Pizza. It is nothing other than Burger. American cuisine has become more popular due to its well chained restaurants of fast foods.

6 | French

French cuisine is as popular as their beauty products. Pastries are the most important parts of French cooking. But perhaps the most sought after are cheese and wine.

7 | Mexican

Mexican cuisine is known for its varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices and ingredients, many of which are native to the country.

8 | Japanese

Japanese cuisine typically consists of rice or noodles, with a soup. Foods are made from fish, meat, vegetable, tofu and the like. Food items are typically flavored with dashi, miso, and soy sauce and are generally low in fat and high in salt.

9 | Spanish

Spanish foods are usually light and contain a variety of vegetables, fish and meat. It, along with Indian is the most varied cuisine in the world.

10 | Lebanese

Usually, Lebanese foods are full of fresh vegetables and high on flavors. Not much meat is used and meals are generally accompanied by wine or arak (a powerful Lebanese liquor).

Best Pet Insurance Companies

So you have a pet that you cherish to be with and fear to lose. You are wondering if you can have your pet insured. The answer is, yes. There are many companies that provide insurance for pets. But finding the best pet insurance companies is not that easy. However, we have made this task easier. We have reviewed some of the best pet insurers to bring you the list of top 10 pet insurance companies.

Following is the list of top 10 best pet insurance companies:

1 | Petplan

Petplan is one of the world’s largest pet insurance providers. The company claims that today over 1 million pet owners across the globe already trust it to protect their pets. Petplan policies cover veterinary fees relating to any illness or injury including hospitalization, referrals and prescriptions. Depending on the type of policy that you select they can also pay for advertising and reward if your pet goes missing, boarding fees if you're hospitalized for more than four days and compensation if you lose your pet through straying, illness or injury.

Website: http://www.gopetplan.com

2 | ASPCA

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in 1866 as America's first animal welfare organization. Since the ASPCA's inception, they've been fighting to put an end to animal cruelty, and promoting a better life for people and animals alike. As part of their mission, they're also dedicated to helping pet parents protect their pets with affordable pet insurance.

To provide the best pet insurance possible, the ASPCA has partnered with the Hartville Group, Inc. Hartville is a caring company with over 10 years experience in the pet insurance industry. Like the ASPCA, Hartville is committed to pet health and safety.

Website: http://www.aspcapetinsurance.com

3 | Trupanion

Trupanion provides affordable pet insurance coverage for cats and dogs that enroll between the ages of eight weeks and 14 years of age, and will insure them for their entire life.

Website: http://www.trupanionpetinsurance.com

4 | Pet Assure

Pet Assure is the low-cost, better alternative to veterinary pet insurance. They give you the same low price regardless of your pet's age and accept any pet - you can even enroll pets with pre-existing conditions. Pet Assure has no exclusions, no deductibles and no claim forms to fill out and mail - the veterinary practice staff will give you your savings right at the time of service, even on routine pet care.

Website: http://www.petassure.com

5 | Embrace

Embrace Pet Insurance is a specialist insurance agency headquartered in Beachwood, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Embrace plans cover all the basics that you expect: accidents, illnesses, diagnostic tests, surgery, and more.

Website: http://www.embracepetinsurance.com

6 | PurinaCare

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, PurinaCare Insurance Services, Inc. has a unique advantage by being offered under a well-known pet care brand. PurinaCare offers simple pet insurance plans with a range of deductibles, so that you can choose the policy that fits your lifestyle and financial requirements.

Pet insurance plans cover eligible injuries and illnesses, including many injuries and illnesses caused by hereditary conditions, and the PurinaCare plus Preventive Care benefits also cover most annual exams and vaccinations.

Website: http://www.purinacare.com

7 | AKC Pet Healthcare

Since 2003, AKC Pet Healthcare has been the exclusive provider of pet health insurance protection to registrants of the American Kennel Club through the AKC Pet Healthcare plans. Their policies are available in all 50 states. The company offers variety of plans to fulfill the needs of your pets insurance.

Website: http://www.akcpethealthcare.com

8 | Vetinsurance

Vetinsurance was founded in 1999 to enhance the relationship between pet owners and their veterinarians by providing simple, fair and affordable pet health insurance. Vetinsurance was designed by a veterinarian and their mission is to ensure that pets receive the best possible care.If your insured pet becomes sick or is injured; Vetinsurance will pay for diagnostic tests, medications and surgeries recommended by your veterinarian. Vetinsurance pays for 90% of covered healthcare expenses for your puppy, with no limits per claim, per incident, or per year and no lifetime payout limit. They also cover preexisting conditions. Also they offer 30-days money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied.

Website: http://www.vetinsurance.com

9 | Banfield Pet Insurance

Banfield provide comprehensive veterinary care for Dogs, Cats, and Small Pets that includes:

• Vaccinations & Preventive Care

• Illness & Injury Care

• Surgery and Internal Medicine

• Dentistry, Radiology and Micro-chipping

Website: http://www.banfield.net

10 | VPI Pet Insurance

Founded in 1980, VPI today employs 11 veterinarians and more than 60 experienced veterinary technicians, each with vast knowledge of veterinary medicine and a deep adoration for animals. In 2008, the company further strengthened their industry presence and reputation by joining the Nationwide family of companies, one of the largest insurance and financial services corporations in the world. VPI provides insurance for pets - from puppies, senior dogs to cats and cover accidents, illnesses and more.

Website: http://www.petinsurance.com

Best and Worst Countries to Invest in

Which are the best and worst countries to invest in? Which countries provide the most investment friendly environment? Or which countries are the riskiest to invest in? All these questions have been answered in a report released recently. A report developed by world's leading credit default swap pricing service, CMA of London, ranked the world's nations in its report, 'Sovereign Risk Report for Q4 2010'.

Sovereign risk is determined as a risk that a nation or organization - backed by the credit of the government will default on its loan or does not succeed to honor other business commitments due to a change in national policy.

According to these criteria, this is the list of top 10 countries to invest in:

1. Norway

2. Finland

3. Sweden

4. Switzerland

5. The United States of America

6. Hong Kong

7. Denmark

8. Australia

9. Germany

10. Saudi Arabia

Worst Countries to invest in:

1. Greece

2. Venezuela

3. Ireland

4. Portugal

5. Argentina

6. Ukraine

7. Spain

8. Dubai

9. Hungary

10. Iraq

World’s Best Holiday Destinations

Holidays are approaching fast and many of you would be looking for the best destinations to travel; countries that have the best of travel facilities and services to offer. In a reader’s poll conducted by prestigious Conde Nast Traveller Website, people were asked to choose the best that the travel world has to offer - everything from hotels and spas to airlines and airports. They were then asked to rate their choices according to various criteria, such as service and value for money. From their responses, the website calculated average mark on each criterion, and used data to provide the list of world’s top 20 countries on overall satisfaction index.

Following is the list of world’s top 20 best holiday destinations with their overall scores ( out of 100 ) for year 2010.

1. Turkey 94.81

2. Egypt 94.22

3. Australia 93.25

4. Italy 92.36

5. New Zealand 91.37

6. Spain 90.39

7. India 89.65

8. USA 88.94

9. South Africa 88.58

10. France 87.00

11. Mexico 86.29

12. Canada 84.90

13. Brazil 84.20

14. Chile 83.53

15. Sri Lanka 82.51

16. China 81.33

17. Greece 80.70

18. Portugal 79.87

19. Thailand 78.92

20. Morocco 77.49

Top 10 PC Games for 2011

2011 is few months away and we all are anticipating new things it has to offer. Development in PC games industry is one thing that everyone has an eye on. Games lovers are looking for the best games that are expected to unveil in the New Year.

We have compiled the list of top 10 PC games for 2011. Read below to find out.

1. Portal 2

Portal 2 is scheduled for release on February 9, 2011 for both retail and Steam-enabled versions for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, and retail versions for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms. Its first version has already won the hearts of games lovers and critics alike.

2. Dead Space 2

Dead Space 1 was rated as the best game last year by many editors; hence it should not be surprising to see its sequel among the most anticipated games of 2011. Dead Space 2 will incorporate new weapons, will occur in a city and will have more bloodstained death animations.

3. Killzone 3

Killzone 2 was one of the best games of 2009. It is now coming in new avatar with added 3D support, move, and new online features.

4. Homefront

Homefront has been completely reworked from its origins in Frontlines: Fuel of War, with new game modes planned a new suite of weapons and a totally new single player game.

5. Twisted Metal

Twisted metal will be back with multiplayer games having 16 players at a time.

6. Project Dark

Developed by Demon’s Souls is one of the most anticipated PC games of 2011.

7. Rage

Developed by ID Software, Rage has been one of the most popular games. This time it is coming with exciting multi-player set up.

8. Infamous 2

Infamous 2’s trailer is already in the air and you can notice the streets being more alive with activity and Cole sporting a new look. The environment is colorful and the ability to lift and throw vehicles, plus an interesting horse-like boss to deal with makes it more interesting.

9. Star Wars: The Old Republic

An upcoming multiplayer online role-playing game based in the Star Wars universe, is currently in development by BioWare Austin and a supplemental team. It will be released as a Windows title. The game is currently scheduled to release in quarter one or two next year.

10. Mortal Combat 9

Mortal Combat 9 is slated for an early 2011 release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems. A PC version has also been posed as a possibility.

Richest People in the World

Forbes annual list of billionaires springs few surprises. Mexican businessman Carlos Slim Helu now tops the list of world’s richest people in 2010. He beat out Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to become the wealthiest person in the world.

Slim's fortune has welled up to an estimated $53.5 billion, $18.5 billion more than 12 months ago. The shares of America Movil, the company in which he has stakes of $23 billion were up 35% in a year.

So, who are the others who made to the list? Read below to unfold the top 10 richest people in the world.

1. Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $53.5 billion

Source: Telecom

Country: Mexico

2. Bill Gates

Net Worth: $53 billion

Source: Microsoft

Country: U.S.

3. Warren Buffett

Net Worth: $47 billion

Source: Investment

Country: U.S.

4. Mukesh Ambani

Net Worth: $29 billion

Source: Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals

Country: India

5. Lakshmi Mittal

Net Worth: $28.7 billion

Source: Steel

Country: India

Residence: London

6. Lawrence Ellison

Net Worth: $28 billion

Source: Oracle

Country: U.S.

7. Bernard Arnault

Net Worth: $27.5 billion

Source: Luxury Goods

Country: France

8. Eike Batista

Net Worth: $27 billion

Source: Mining, Oil

Country: Brazil

9. Amancio Ortego

Net Worth: $25 billion

Source: Fashion retail

Country: Spain

10. Karl Albrecht

Net Worth: $23.5 billion

Source: Supermarkets

Country: Germany

Most Powerful Countries

Power doesn’t only mean having a large army or being super rich, it is much more than this. It means political as well as economical clout combined with impressive show on the front of GDP, defense, spending, population and technology. So which countries are the most powerful and whose clout is supposed to increase or decrease in the future?

A report (Global Governance 2025) issued jointly by the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) and the European Union's Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) showcased the list of most powerful countries/blocks. The report also illustrated what the global scenario would be by year 2025.

Following is the list of most powerful countries, according to the report.

1. United States of America

United States remains the world’s most powerful country in 2010 with nearly 22 percent global power or clout. By 2025, the United States' share of global power would decline from 22 per cent to 18 per cent, the report says.

2. China

China, though distant number two, is fast catching up with USA. At present it has 12 percent of global power, but it would rise up to 16 percent by 2025. It means in 2025, though US would still be number one with 18 percent, China would not be far behind with 16 percent global power.

3. European Union

With 14 percent power, European Union is third most powerful block in the world.

4. India

India with 8 percent of global power is number fourth. According to report, India will remain in third or fourth positions (depending on whether EU bloc is counted in or not) with its share of global power going up to ten per cent.

5. Japan, Russia and Brazil

India is followed by Japan, Russia and Brazil with less than five percent global power each.

World’s Richest Women

Men no more have a monopoly on wealth. Women are increasingly getting their dues. They have increasingly been featuring in the various lists of millionaires. Though most of them are still not self made, yet they have a great influence on company’s policies and employees.

Following is the list of top 10 richest women in the world in year 2010.

1. Christy Walton

USA

$20 billion

With a whopping $20 billion, Christy Walton is the world’s richest women. She is the widow of Wal-Mart scion John Walton, who died in a plane crash in 2005.

2. Alice Walton

USA

$19.5 billion

Alice Walton is the heir apparent of Wal-Mart. She is the daughter of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and Helen Walton, sister of John Walton and sister in law of Christy Walton.

3. Liliane Bettencourt

France

$15 billion

Liliane Bettencourt, 86, is the daughter of L'Oreal founder Eugene Schueller and is one of the principal shareholders of the company. She is also the wealthiest woman in Europe.

4. Susanne Klatten

Germany

$12 billion

Susanne Klatten is BMW heiress, who inherited her stake in BMW from her late father, Herbert Quandt. She lives in Germany.

5. Birgit Rausing

Switzerland

$11 billion

Birgit Rausing inherited packaging business, Tetra Laval from her husband, Gad Rausing after his death in 2000 after. The business was founded by her father-in-law in 1944.

6. Jacqueline Mars

USA

$9.5 billion

Jacqueline Badger Mars is the daughter of Forrest Edward Mars, Sr., and granddaughter of Frank C. Mars, founders of the giant American candy company Mars, Inc. With her share in the company, she is worth US$9 billion.

7. Anne Cox Chambers

USA

$9 billion

Anne Cox Chambers is a media proprietor, who is primary owner of Cox Enterprises, a privately held media empire that includes newspapers, television, radio, cable television, and other businesses. She is the daughter of James M. Cox, a newspaper publisher and 1920 Democratic party presidential nominee.

8. Abigail Johnson

USA

$8.5 billion

Abigail Pierrepont Johnson is an American businesswoman. She is President of Fidelity Investments Personal and Workplace Investing. Fidelity is led by her father, Edward Johnson.

9. Savitri Jindal

India

$6 billion

Savitri Jindal serves as the non-executive chairperson of steel and power conglomerate O.P. Jindal group. Her husband died in a helicopter crash in 2005.

10. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

USA

$5.5 billion

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is the owner of a controlling interest in the world's third-largest brewer; Heineken International. She is the daughter of Freddy Heineken, the Dutch industrialist, and Lucille Cummins, an American from a Kentucky family of bourbon whiskey distillers.

World’s Top 10 Global Cities

A global city (also called world city or sometimes alpha city or world center) is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a hierarchy of importance to the operation of the global system of finance and trade (Wilkepedia).

This year, Foreign Policy magazine joined hands with management consulting firm A.T. Kearney and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs to produce their second consecutive world ranking of global cities. This year’s Global Cities Index analyzes 65 metropolises worldwide to measure the influence a city has beyond its borders – how it integrates with global markets, culture, and innovation.

So, how do the world’s cities rank? What are the world’s most global cities? Follow the list below to unfold.

1. New York

2. London

3. Tokyo

4. Paris

5. Hong Kong

6. Chicago

7. Los Angles

8. Singapore

9. Sydney

10. Seoul

Top 5 Music Icons of All Time

Michael Jackson is voted the greatest music icon ever in an online poll carried by CNN’s new art and culture show in conjunction with music magazine Songlines. People were asked to vote for their top five most iconic musicians of all time. Almost 100,000 people participated in the poll.

No female artists made the list, although U.S. pop queen, Madonna came in at number six, narrowly missing a place. Here’s the list of top 5 global music icons of all times.

1. Michael Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Michael Jackson rose to fame with Thriller in 1982 that went to become the best selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and History (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling.

Major Awards and Recognition

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – twice

Guinness World Records – multiple

Grammy Awards – 13 times

Grammy Legend Award

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Estimated sale of 800 million records worldwide

2. The Beatles (1957 – 1969)

An English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 has been one of the most popular commercially successful and critically acclaimed musical group in the history.

The band consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals).

Started with rock and roll in 1960, the group later worked in many genres, such as pop ballads, psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other forms.

3. Leslie Cheung (12 September 1956 – 1 April 2003)

Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing nicknamed "Elder Brother" was a film actor and musician from Hong Kong. Cheung was considered as "one of the founding fathers of Cantopop", and has had a hugely successful film and music career.

In 2000, Cheung was named Asian Biggest Superstar by China Central Television, and voted/ranked the 1st as The Most Favorite Actor

in 100 Years of Chinese Cinema in 2005.

4. Elvis Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977)

Elvis Aaron Presleya was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. He is popularily known by his single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

5. Bob Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981)

Robert Nesta aka "Bob" Marley was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers (1964–1974) and Bob Marley & The Wailers (1974–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music.

Marley's best known hits include "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love" and, together with The Wailers, "Three Little Birds",[2] as well as the posthumous releases "Buffalo Soldier" and "Iron Lion Zion". The compilation album, Legend (1984), released three years after his death, is regarded his best-selling album.

Top 10 Largest Economies in the World

Recently China surpassed Japan to become the second largest economy in the world. Chinese economy has witnessed a spectacular growth since it initiated economic reforms in 1978. So who are the other top economies in the world and how the calculation is made? Continue reading below to unfold.

The economic volume of a country is measured by GDP. There are two methods of GDP calculation:

i. Nominal GDP Method – this method compares countries using current exchange rates to analyze their clout within the global market.

ii. Purchasing Power Parity or PPP GDP Method – PPP GDP method judges economies on the basis of their purchasing power, i.e. how much a country can buy in one dollar compared to others.

PPP GDP method is more and often found better to estimate the internal size of each market. The list bellow shows the world’s 10 largest economies with their approximate GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).

1. United States of America

$13,860,000,000,000

2. China

$7,043,000,000,000

3. Japan

$4,305,000,000,000

4. India

$2,965,000,000,000

5. Germany

$2,833,000,000,000

6. United Kingdom

$2,147,000,000,000

7. Russia

$2,076,000,000,000

8. France

$2,067,000,000,000

9. Brazil

$1,838,000,000,000

10. Italy

$1,800,000,000,000

Most Dangerous Celebrities to Search Online

If you are a huge fan of Cameron Diaz or Julia Roberts and always look out for them online, beware! The stars top the list of most dangerous celebrities to search for online, according to one of the most popular computer security firm McAfee.

These celebrities are highly sought after on the Internet and bad elements can use the search keywords related to them to lure people to visit the malicious websites. Many people visit these sites and their computers get infected. Once a computer gets infected, bad elements can steal victim’s vital information, such as their online banking password, email credentials and other data.

The most dangerous celebrities to search online, according to a study by McAfee for this year are:

1. Cameron Diaz

2. Julia Roberts

3. Jessica Biel

4. Gisele Bündchen

5. Brad Pitt

6. Adriana Lima

7. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Nicole Kidman

8. Tom Cruise

9. Heidi Klum, Penelope Cruz

10. Anna Paquin

Best Android Apps

It is easy to pick up an Android phone but difficult to choose good apps for it. It’s even harder when you have to choose a few among the thousands. There are so many questions in your mind. You go through the Android market and get confused. You get into the dilemma of free and paid apps.

But now no dilemma anymore, as we have chosen ten best Android Apps to make your task easier. Following is the list of top ten best Android apps (free and paid) available.

10. Google Shopper

Version: 1.1

Size: N.A.

Price: Free

Google Shopper is for Android offers a variety of different ways to search for products. Beside the basic search functionality, you can search by voice, take a picture of cover art, or scan a bar code to get detailed product information and price comparison.

Features

Scan the covers of books and media

Search by voice

Shop at your favorite web site or find the best price online

Saves your history and lets you star your favorites for later

Displays prices, reviews, specs, and more. Shopper is powered by Google Product Search

Helps you find nearby stores, then call them, get directions, and more

Provides "Share" link to post to Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instant Messaging, etc.

9. Astrid

Version: 2.14.3

Size: N.A.

Price: Free

Astrid is a to-do list tool that allows you to manage your tasks. It comes with tagging, timers, reminders, smart task sorting, hiding tasks & partial progress – all in all, everything you need to get stuff done. It’s simple but effective features makes this app highly useful.

Features

Very effective

You can add, edit, tag and set reminders

Makes your life easy

Users friendly interface with easy to navigate and optimized to thumb/finger operation

8. Twidroid

Version: 3.4.5

Size: N.A.

Price: Free, € 3.39

Android has arguably been the best Twitter app so far. It offers basic services as well as website and image previews, photo and video posting, re-tweeting, background notifications and geotagging support. The Professional version adds multi-account support, desktop widgets and bit.ly integration.

Features

Supports almost all Twitter functions

One can search Tweets and can set background notifications too

Easy interface

Every function is optimized for thumb/finger navigation except the Direct and @Replies on the main Tweet screen

7. Facebook for Android

Version: 2.2

Size: 2.0 MB

Price: Free

Facebook for Android is an Android app that enables you to stay connected and share information with friends on Facebok. You can share status updates from your wall, check out your News Feed, review your upcoming Events, look at your friends’ walls and user info, upload photos, share links, check your Inbox, and view posted videos.

Features

Connect to your Facebook account without a computer

No permission issues

It is fast

6. Advanced Task Killer

Version: 1.9.3

Size: 362.3 KB

Price: Free, $4.99

Task Killer is a very useful app and popular too. Because Android apps have no "close" button, they might keep running when you return to the home page or move on to another app. You calendar, notepad, and programs in which you turn on event notifications might periodically run in the background, eating your battery. Advanced Task Killer is an app to kill the applications running. The free version serves up ads and lacks a few advanced features, but efficient enough to serve your needs, clear up space and make your phone faster.

Features

Useful, handy

Keeps your phone’s memory free

Simple and intuitive

Makes your phone faster

5. Astro File Manager

Version: 2.5.2

Size: 3.34 MB

Price: Free

As the name suggests Astro File Manager is a file manager for Android Operating System. It allows you to manage files on your phone without needing a computer. You can perform all the basic operations such as, copy, paste, move, delete, open with other apps, create and folders, etc. Perhaps the most striking feature of Astro File Manager is the ability to let you select multiple files to perform actions. Another great thing is the ability to search a file. The app also provides details on other Android apps including, package name, version, file size, and even app activities.

Features

Very handy

Frequently used

Great interface to let you view files as Details, Icons, Thumbnail List and Thumbnail Icon

Ability to search for files

4. Slide Screen

Version: 1.21

Size: N.A.

Price: Free, $6.99

SlideScreen app is a home screen that creates a meaningful hierarchy out of your information. It shows summary information for SMS, GMail, phone calls, Calendar, Google Reader, Stocks, Twitter and Facebook. In the middle of the app, there is a slider (itself displaying date, time, weather, battery, and signal strength) that can be moved up and down to reveal and highlight each of the other sections in full. Pressing the menu button takes you to a traditional list of apps, with space for eight favorites at the top.

Features

Home screen replacement app that loads your information right on the home screen in an innovative fashion

You can check latest emails (Gmail), Tweets, time, date, weather, stocks, and phone calls all from one screen

It has slick user interface

You get everything at one place

3. AnyCut

Version: 1.0

Size: 3.34 MB

Price: Free

Any Cut allows you to create shortcuts to any function your phone offers. Popular shortcuts like directly calling a phone number or sending an SMS are supported. To use, you need load up the app and select what you want it to make a shortcut for. After that, Any Cut instantly places the shortcut directly on your home screen.

Features

Provides you with for options: Direct Call, Direct Text Message, Activity and Make your Own

Direct call and direct text message allow you to select from your contacts and create an instant call or text shortcut

Activity option allows you to select from anything your phone can do. This includes launching any application and some of the features that applications offer as well

Make Your Own is also like Activity tab and can be used to make a shortcut for anything that your phone has, but it requires some coding knowledge

2. PdaNet

Version: 2.42

Size: 3.47 MB

Price: Free

PdaNet has been one of the most popular Android apps so far. This app works as a connector between your phone and Windows computer/laptop, either via Bluetooth or USB. The best thing about this app is that you can use your computer from anywhere and turn your phone into internet connection. It allows you to access your email and instant messaging services without changing the settings.

Features

Easy to use, useful and time saving

Saves your money that you would otherwise have spent to buy a separate internet connection device

Gives you internet access with a decent upload/download speed

1. WaveSecure

Version: 3.1.0.12

Size: N.A.

Price: Free, $19.90/year

WaveSecure is a security app that protects your phone, data and privacy in case it’s lost. This app is a must-have for all Android phone users because of its usefulness. It covers all security needs single handedly.

Features

Remotely lock down your device, wipe out important data stored on your mobile to protect your privacy

Back up your data from your phone or remotely on the web

Access your data online from anywhere

Restore your data to a new phone

Locates your lost phone and plot the locations on a map

World's Most Expensive Houses

All of us have a dream to own a dream house. But how expensive this dream could be? Well, there is no limit. People may spend millions to live that luxury. We have compiled a list of world’s most expensive houses.

So, what do these luxurious houses posses? From lush garden to swimming pool, designer rooms, golden showers...they have everything one can crave for. If you are you ready for the extravaganza, follow the list below. here's is the list of top five most expensive houses in the world.

1. Antilla, Mumbai - $1 billion

It is official – the most expensive house is in India. It is Antilla, owned by Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai. It is a 27 story building with 40,000 sq/ft area. The house has a car parking with the capacity of 150 cars. The height is 570 feet and the residence actually starts from 9th floor.

2. Villa Leopolda, French Riviera – $500 million

Villa La Leopolda was built in 1902 by King Leopold II of Belgium. This beautiful piece of architecture has been home to many renowned people. The house covers 80,000+ sq/ft of land and boasts 19 bedrooms, sports courts, a bowling alley, multiple kitchens and dining rooms and movie theater, all in the main villa.

3. The Penthouse, London – $200 million

World’s third most expensive house is located at the beautiful One Hyde Park in London. The house features bullet proof windows, purified air systems, "panic rooms" and everyone on site will have access to an underground passage leading to the nearby Mandarin Oriental hotel.

4. William Randolph Hearst’s Mansion – $165 million

The house that was initially owned by William Randolph Hearst is built on 6 acres of land in Beverly Hills, CA, USA. It has 29 bedrooms, a state of the art movie theater and discotheque.

5. Elena Franchuk’s Victorian Villa – 161 million

This house is located in London. It is a 5-storey -10 bedroom villa with an indoor swimming pool, a panic room, movie theater and a sauna plus gym.

Top 10 Online Colleges

Online colleges are in great demand and their popularity has increased leap and bound in recent times. They are equipped with technology and fit in the busy chedule of today’s students. You just need a computer and Internet connection to get enrolled, learn and write your exams. But choosing an online college that is best for you is not that easy.

In fact, there are hundreds of online colleges to choose from. So which are the best ones and what are the factors to take note while choosing an online college? Always choose an online college that is accredited and has proper system for lectures, tests, and assignments.

Below is the list of top 10 online colleges.

1. Kaplan University

2. University of Phoenix

3. Ashford University

4. California Coast University

5. Baker University

6. Florida Tech University Online

7. American Intercontinental University

8. Capella University

9. Stain Leo University

10. Everest University Online

World’s Most Innovative Companies

Is innovation key to economic growth? The answer is yes if most of the executives in the world are to be believed. Innovation helps organizations surviving, marching ahead, beating competition and writing new rules. Innovation is not a tool itself but creates tools to explore new realities. It also teaches adapting. As the world changes on the blink of an eye, innovation is perhaps the best tool to carry on.

According to a survey conducted by the Bloomberg/Business Week/Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 72% of companies see innovation as a "top three" strategic priority, and 61% of respondents are planning to increase the amount they spend on innovation. The annual survey report has also come up with the list of 50 most innovative companies in the world.

So how the companies fare on innovation list? Who are the most innovative companies in the world? Find the answer below.

1. Apple

The hardware major Apple from USA which also deals in consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers is the most innovative companies in the world. The company is best known for its iPhone and recently launched iPad.

2. Google

The king of Internet is no. 2 in the list of most innovative companies. Apart from the search, Google also owns many other popular products such as, Blogger, YouTube and AdSense.

3. Microsoft

Microsoft is best known for simplifying the usage of computer. Its windows operating systems and Office are still the most widely used software in the world.

4. IBM

IBM is the world's biggest technology company and the second most valuable by global brand. This computer, technology and IT consulting corporation has its head-quarter in Armonk, North Castle, New York.

5. Toyota Motor

Toyota Motor is one of the most admired auto companies in the world. Its cars are the best selling in America and Europe.

6. Amazon.com

Amazon has an amazing success story. Amazon started as an online bookstore, but soon broadened its spectrum to product lines of VHS, DVD, music CDs and MP3s, computer software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, food, toys, and so on.

7. LG Electronics

LG Electronics with headquarter in Seoul; South Korea is one of the largest manufacturer and seller of electronic products. It is the world's second-largest manufacturer of televisions and third largest producer of mobile phones.

8. BYD

BYD Auto is a Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province and is the first time entry in the prestigious list.

9. General Electric (GE)

GE is one of the largest companies in the world and operates in various fields, such as include GE Capital (including GE Commercial Finance and GE Money and GE Consumer Finance), GE Technology Infrastructure (including GE Aviation, the former Smiths Aerospace and GE Healthcare), GE Energy Infrastructure (including GE Energy Financial Services), GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms and NBC Universal, an entertainment company.

10. Sony

Japanese company Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game consoles, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.

Most Popular Twitter Users

Twitter is spreading like a viral. From Hollywood stars to sports persons and politicians – everyone seems to be smitten by Twitter mania. Twitter has also become most popular tool along with Facebook to promote websites, products, organizations and blogs. Having twitter account is increasingly becoming a norm.

So, who are the most popular twitters? Here’s the list of top 10 Twitter users, based on the no. of followers.

1. ApluskFollowers: 4,602,611

2. britneyspearsFollowers: 4,497,601

3. TheEllenShow Followers: 4,323,488

4. BarackObama Followers: 3,329,258

5. OprahFollowers: 3,228,536

6. KimKardashian Followers: 3,111,117

7. johncmayer Followers: 3,107,858

8. twitterFollowers: 3,005,979

9. RyanSeacrest Followers: 2,988,375

10. ladygaga

Followers: 2,960,473

Most Popular Outsourcing Destinations

Recent economic tsunami could not dent the growth in outsourcing industry. Countries like US and UK continues to outsource despite the political outrage against sending the work outside. So which are the most popular destinations for outsourcing? Gartner has identified top 10 most popular countries for offshore services in 2010.

The countries were rated according to 10 criteria that helped determining which locations were right for individual organizations. The 10 criteria were: language, government support, labor pool, infrastructure, educational system, cost, political and economic environment,

cultural compatibility, globalization and legal maturity, data and intellectual property, security and privacy.

"Countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have continued to strengthen their position against leading alternatives, while Indonesia has entered the top 10 for the first time," said Jim Longwood, research vice president at Gartner. "Some of these countries have invested considerably and leveraged increased demand for lower-cost services. The global financial crisis forced many organizations to place a greater emphasis on cost optimization."

Here’s the list of top 10 most popular outsourcing destinations:

1. India

2. China

3. Australia

4. New Zealand

5. Singapore

6. Malaysia

7. Indonesia

8. Philippines

9. Thailand

10. Vietnam

World’s Most Livable Cities in 2010

As many as three Canadian cities featured in the list of top ten livable places in the world, according to the latest livability report by The Economist. Once again Vancouver, Canada topped the list, repeating its performance in 2008, with an impressive score of 98%. Two other Canadian cities, Toronto and Calgary secured their names in the list. Other country that dominated the list is Australia, featuring no less than 4 countries.

Below is the list of top 10 most livable cities:

1. Vancouver, Canada

Score: 98.0

2. Vienna, Austria

Score: 97.9

3. Melbourne, Australia

Score: 97.5

4. Toronto, Canada

Score: 97.2

5. Calgary, Canada

Score: 96.6

6. Helsinki, Finland

Score: 96.2

7. Sydney, Australia

Score: 96.1

8. Perth, Australia

Score: 95.9

9. Adelaide, Australia

Score: 95.9

10. Auckland, New Zealand

Score: 95.7

World’s Freest Economies of 2010

The term ‘free economy’ refers to a market system where buyers and sellers have the power to determine the price of goods and services. The prices are fixed by the forces of supply and demand of the respective commodities. When the demand of a commodity falls, the price of respective commodity also falls. But when the demand of a commodity increases and supply is inadequate to meet the demand, the prices also rise. Free economy is also synonym to free trade where government has lesser control over the market.

However, free markets are hallmark of relatively wealthier nations where people can afford high prices of commodities. Governments in relatively poor nations are forced to impose regulations over pricing and trade to feed it’s not so resourceful population.

For last one and half decade The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation have been studying the economic freedom around the world. The combo each year releases the index of economic freedom. The list is prepared on the basis of 10 benchmarks of free trade and economic freedom.

According to the index of economic freedom for year 2010, released by The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation, following is the list of world’s top 10 freest economies.

1. Hong Kong, Score 89.7

2. Singapore, Score 86.1

3. Australia, Score 82.6

4. New Zealand, Score 82.1

5. Ireland, Score 81.3

6. Switzerland, Score 81.1

7. Canada, Score 80.4

8. United States, Score 78

9. Denmark, Score 77.9

10. Chile, Score 77.2

World’s Best Universities

Which are the best universities in the world? Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings found these to be world's top universities at the end of 2009.

1. Harvard University

United States

Overall Score: 100.0

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 100

Student to Faculty Score: 98

International Faculty Score: 85

International Students Score: 78

Citations per Faculty Score: 100

2. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom

Overall Score: 99.6

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 100

Student to Faculty Score: 100

International Faculty Score: 98

International Students Score: 96

Citations per Faculty Score: 89

3. Yale University

United States

Overall Score: 99.1

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 99

Student to Faculty Score: 100

International Faculty Score: 85

International Students Score: 77

Citations per Faculty Score: 94

4. UCL (University College London)

United Kingdom

Overall Score: 99.0

Academic Peer Review Score: 98

Employer Review Score: 99

Student to Faculty Score: 100

International Faculty Score: 96

International Students Score: 99

Citations per Faculty Score: 90

5. Imperial College London

United Kingdom

Overall Score: 97.8

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 100

Student to Faculty Score: 100

International Faculty Score: 98

International Students Score: 100

Citations per Faculty Score: 80

6. University of Oxford

United Kingdom

Overall Score: 97.8

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 100

Student to Faculty Score: 100

International Faculty Score: 96

International Students Score: 97

Citations per Faculty Score: 80

7. University of Chicago

United States

Overall Score: 96.8

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 99

Student to Faculty Score: 97

International Faculty Score: 77

International Students Score: 83

Citations per Faculty Score: 88

8. Princeton University

United States

Overall Score: 96.6

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 96

Student to Faculty Score: 82

International Faculty Score: 89

International Students Score: 81

Citations per Faculty Score: 100

9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

United States

Overall Score: 96.1

Academic Peer Review Score: 100

Employer Review Score: 100

Student to Faculty Score: 89

International Faculty Score: 31

International Students Score: 95

Citations per Faculty Score: 100

10. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

United States

Overall Score: 95.9

Academic Peer Review Score: 99

Employer Review Score: 72

Student to Faculty Score: 87

International Faculty Score: 100

International Students Score: 89

Citations per Faculty Score: 100

Top 10 Best Companies for Leadership

1. General Electric

2. Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines, the American airline is one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of number of passengers carried per year. Company’s leadership qualities reflect in its mission statement, which reads:

“We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.”

The company spent $3 million on leadership development.

3. 3M Company

3M is a diversified technology company serving customers and communities with innovative products and services. The Company is a primary manufacturer of products for many of the markets it serves. 3M operates in six business segments: Industrial and Transportation; Health Care; Consumer and Office; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Display and Graphics; and Electro and Communications. 3M has operations in more than 60 countries – 29 international companies with manufacturing operations, and 35 with laboratories.

4. Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble has strong presence around the world. Their market capitalization is greater than the GDP of many countries, and they serve consumers in more than 180 countries. P&G scores high on leadership front too. The executive team of company is led by Bob McDonald, who has 30 years of brand-building, market development, global business unit and global operations leadership experience across P&G and throughout the world.

5. Accenture

Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. Accenture has offices and operations in 52 countries.

The budget for leadership development is embedded within the training budget, which was approximately $800 million in fiscal year 2009.

6. Wal-Mart Store

Walmart serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,416 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide.

A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2009 Most Admired Companies survey.

Their leadership mantra is, “Saving people money to help them live better was the goal that Sam Walton envisioned when he opened the doors to the first Walmart more than 40 years ago. Today, this mission is more important than ever to our customers and members around the world. We work hard every day in all our markets to deliver on this promise. We operate with the same level of integrity and respect that Mr. Sam put in place. It is because of these values and culture that Walmart continues to make a difference in the lives of our customers, members and associates.”

Amount Spent Annually on Leadership Development: $44 million-$55 million

7. Nestle

Nestlé is the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company. Since Henri Nestlé developed the first milk food for infants in 1867, and saved the life of a neighbor’s child, the Nestlé Company has aimed to build a business as the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company based on sound human values and principles.

Nestlé's business objective is to manufacture and market the Company's products in such a way as to create value that can be sustained over the long term for shareholders, employees, consumers, and business partners.

8. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is the world’s leading brand in beverage industry. The company offers hundreds of brands, including soft drinks, fruit juice, sports drinks and other. The company has more than 90, 000 employees and spends $14 million (includes salary and benefits of select people/positions dedicated to leadership development, the costs associated with major LD programs and initiatives, and executive coaching) on leadership development.

9. McDonald’s Corp.

McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 32,000 local restaurants serving more than 60 million people in 117 countries each day. More than 75% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women.

The mission statement of McDonald’s says all about the company.

"McDonald's vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile."

The company spends approximately $480 million on leadership development.

10. Infosys Technologies

Infosys was founded by 7 people in India with a budget US $250 in 1981. Today, it is a global leader in the "next generation" of IT and consulting services with revenues of over US$ 4 billion. Their mission statement says a lot about their policy, which is, “to achieve our objectives in an environment of fairness, honesty, and courtesy towards our clients, employees, vendors and society at large."

Most Useful Websites

We all know about Google, Facebook and Wilkipedia. But life on web is more than these Internet majors. There are several other useful websites and tools that can be used for our day-to-day tasks. These websites can increase our productivity, save time and make life easier.

But, it is never always easy to find them among the millions of websites. Here is the Popular Something’s list of top 10 most useful websites.

10. Mint

Mint helps you managing your money with ease. With its free software you can connect with your bank, credit cards, and mutual funds to effortlessly gain control over your finances.

9. Tripit

Tripit is a travel organizer that compiles all your travel arrangements and creates an itinerary for you. You can get your itinerary on your mobile device, too.

8. Twitter

Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging service utilizing instant messaging is one of the fastest growing sites on the web. Whether it’s breaking news, a local traffic jam, a deal at your favorite shop or a funny pick-me-up from a friend, Twitter keeps you informed with what matters most to you today and helps you discover what might matter to you most tomorrow.

7. Online Conversion

How many yards are there in a kilometer? If you are driving at 10 mile/hour, what will be its equivalent in km/hour? If you are looking for such conversions, onlineconversion.com is the ultimate destination for you. Title of the website says everything about it – Convert just about anything to anything else.

6. Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Merriam-Webster is your guide to find meanings of most difficult words and thesauruses synonyms. It also offers toolbars to improve your writing.

5. Epinions

Epinions is an open platform shared by real people to rate and review products. It provides you valuable insight, unbiased advice, in-depth product evaluations and personalized recommendations. It helps you doing your homework before buying a product.

4. Remember the Milk

If you find it hard to manage your tasks, rememberthemilk.com may be the answer to your problems. With it you can manage and share your tasks. The most striking feature of this website is that it gets you reminded anywhere via email, SMS, and instant messenger (AIM, Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, Skype and Yahoo! are all supported).

3. How Stuff Works

It is almost impossible to ignore HowStuffWorks while making any list of useful websites. It is highly useful website for those who want to know how things work. Bookmark this website if you want to know how evolution works, or do vaccines cause autism, or how curiosity works and many more things like this. You will be amazed by the in depth elaboration of topics.

2. Life Hacker

Lifehacker is arguable the best website to find tips for getting things done. Updated several times daily, Lifehacker points out software downloads, web sites, do-it-yourself projects, howto's, tutorials, shortcuts and tips for going beyond the default settings and getting things done in the most clever, unexpected and efficient ways.

1. Google

Keep aside Google’s search and it still rules with its highly useful tools and services. Who will refrain from using these tools?

Google SMS

From local business listings to stock quotes, you can get the information you're looking for with Google SMS. Text your search query to 466453 and Google will text message back your results.

Google Translate

Google's free online language translation service instantly translates text and web pages.

Google maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions with Google Maps.

Google Docs

Create and edit web-based documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Store documents online and access them from any computer.

Google News

Aggregated headlines and a search engine of many of the world's news sources.

Most Popular Goals in the World

Goals are dreams with deadlines

We all love to set some kind of goals in our life regardless of their outcome. Setting goals is in a way extension to dreaming. When we take a resolution to fulfill our dreams, they become goals. And when we achieve our goals, they become reality.

However not all people try that hard to achieve their goals. But achieving or not, people seem to be in love with setting goals. So, what goals are most popular among the people? Here’s the list of top 10 most popular goals, according to 43things.com – a website that motivates people to set goals and achieving them.

1. Losing weight

2. Stopping procrastinating

3. Writing a book

4. Falling in love

5. Staying happy

6. Getting a tattoo

7. Drinking more water

8. Getting married

9. Traveling the world

10. Going on road trip with no predetermined destination

Google Buzz Features

On Tuesday, Google launched Buzz, a social networking and media sharing product that has almost all the features a product of its should have. Google Buzz is integrated with Gmail and allows you to share updates, photos, events and videos. You can also start conversations and share your ideas with the whole world or just your closest friends. Existing Twitter, Picasa, Flicker and Google Reader’s users can import updates directly to Buzz stream.

Let’s have a close look at the features:

Buzz @Gmail

Automatic Setup: You need not to setup your account. It automatically follows people you email and chat most with Gmail.

Inbox Integration: Comments get sent right to your inbox so it's easy to keep the conversation going.

Media Sharing: It focuses on sharing media with utmost ease. To make users’ experience rich, it uses user interface of Gmail and shortcut keys.

Connect Sites: Import your stuff from Twitter, Picasa, Flickr, and Google Reader.

Public and Private Sharing: You can dictate your privacy by choosing whom you want to share media with. Public things are shared with Google profiles and friends of friends.

Real Time Updates: Comments and updates flood in your inbox in real time. No need to refresh.

Filters: Buzz recommends interesting posts and keeps out ones you're likely to skip.

Buzz @Mobile

Uses Google maps to see buzz near you or anywhere on the map.

You will see the buzz icon in the top right corner of the google.com homepage. Just tap on the icon to trigger the posting box.

The voice shortcut, which is available in the quick search widget on Android and in Google Mobile App on iPhone, allows you to post buzz without typing anything.

World's Greenest Countries 2009

With planet is getting hotter and issues related to environment are increasingly securing the news headlines, being green has become a big fashion statement. Being green is not only being Eco-friendly but also being just. Last month’s summit on climate change in Copenhagen, Denmark is a testimony of changing times. It was perhaps the first time in the history of mankind that political leaders from around the world (170 countries) gathered to discuss a non-political issue. It is another thing that the issue indeed turned into political one as the days unfolded.

With so much on the stake, governments worldwide are trying or at least pretending to come clean on the issue. Cutting on greenhouse emission, reducing the temperature of earth and adopting green technologies is new menu on the serve.

When there is so much buzz around being green, it is curious to know which countries are doing better than others. Following is the list of top 10 greenest countries according to a study conducted by Yale University on the basis of environmental performance index (EPI)--a weighting of carbon and sulfur emissions, water purity and conservation practices.

#1 Switzerland (Score 95.5)

Switzerland comprises a great diversity of landscapes and climates on a limited area of land. With a large number of lakes and mountains and a great degree of sincerity for sustainability and eco-friendliness, it is not a surprise to see it topping the table.

#2 Sweden (Score 93.1)

Cascading northern lights, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, glaciers, alpine meadows, forests, lakes, rolling countryside; Sweden has everything that needs to be called a paradise. It is the first country to introduce eco-tourism in the world.

#3 Norway (Score 93.1)

Living in Norway is like sleeping in the mother’s lap and visiting it is like visiting nature’s home. It is not without a reason that the slogan of Norway’s tourist board is ‘Powered by nature’. Steep cliffs plunge into deep blue fjords whilst waterfalls cascade down the mountainsides creating a landscape of sheer beauty.

#4 Finland (Score 91.4)

Finland is the country of thousands of lakes and islands. Finland is actively working towards mitigating climate change also on the national level. Under the government platform, the National Climate and Energy Strategy were compiled in November 2008. The strategy documents the central objectives and definitions of Finland's climate and energy policies until the year 2020. Also, visions until the year 2050 are included in the strategy.

#5 Costa Rica (Score 90.5)

Costa Rica which is also no. 1 on Happy Planet Index 2009 is at the 5th position in the list. It was also at the 3rd position in Global Peace (2008) and Quality of life (2005) indexes. A study on the climate of Costa Rica concluded that climate change could have a major impact on the environment of Costa Rica, upsetting delicate mountain cloud forests, and causing a decrease in plant and animal species in a region famous for its biodiversity. But Costa Rica has managed to save its Eco-system with a fair degree of success.

#6 Austria (Score 89.4)

#7 New Zealand (Score 88.9)

#8 Lativa (Score 88.8)

#9 Columbia (Score 88.3)

#10 France (Score 87.8)

How other major countries ranked in the Environmental Performance Index

Germany: 13th (joint with Slovenia)

UK: 15th

Spain: 30th

USA: 39th

Poland: 42nd

Top 5 Social Networks

Social networking sites are in a huge demand today. In fact, if there would be a competition for "Internet Buzzword of the Decade", the winner would certainly have been social networking. These sites are used almost religiously by millions of users worldwide. These sites have the potential to fill the gap created by time and space between individuals. People are making full use of these sites for personal and professional use. Be it connecting old friends, finding new acquaintances or business contacts, dating or meeting offline, each activity is facilitated by this new breed of websites.

Social networking sites have been going through constant changes in recent times. All social networks are coming with innovative ways to attract new users and retain their user base. With so many social networking sites are jumping to the fray daily, it is interesting to know which one is winning the race.

Following is the list of top social networking sites globally based on their popularity among users:

#1 Facebook

Facebook was launched in February 2004 by Harvard undergraduate students as an alternative to the traditional student directory. Its popularity quickly spread to other colleges as well in the United States resulting in millions of users and billions of page views per month today. In a short span of time it became the most visited social networking site in US and still growing. It is also one of the most visited sites on the Web and ranks in top five in overall ranking. Facebook is already generating significant revenue and besides all the valuation and web traffic metric, it has also established a very real business today.

#2 MySpace

MySpace is arguably one of the most fascinating web success stories we have heard in the past few years. From personal home pages to social networking; the journey has been amazing so far. MySpace was founded by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe in 2003 and was later sold to News Corporation for $580 million in 2005. Since then, it has become one of the top five most visited sites in the US and still continues to draw millions of new visitors each month. In the most volatile world of Web where each new venture is prone to failure at any point of time, the continuing success of MySpace is really commendable.

#3 Twitter

All social networking sites have common features such as creating and searching profile, uploading pictures and videos, keeping a blog, event listing and integrating useful and eccentric stuff on the home page. Yet one social network that is similar to others yet strikingly different is Twitter. With its simplicity, Twitter is rapidly becoming one of the most talked about and used social networking sites. Officially launched in March 2006, the growth rate that the company has witnessed in recent times is phenomenal. It had 1,382% growth rate in February 2009 only. Sending messages on twitter or as they call it 'tweeting' has become one of the most sought after things on the web today.

#4 Hi5

Founded in 2003, the site is most popular in Mexico and Thailand. Though the site has continuously been losing popularity, it is still number three in the popularity list. Hi5 lets its users expressing with custom profiles, avatars music and more.

#5 Orkut

Orkut is not so popular in USA and Europe. And if despite the lack of popularity among the users in USA and Europe, it is still able to make to the five of social networking sites, the credit goes to its strong fan following in Brazil and India. Orkut was quietly launched in January 2004 by Google. Orkut Buyukkokten, a Turkish software engineer, developed it as an independent project .