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Top 10 Most Funny Movies in 2011 – 2012
Well 2011 year is looking very much interesting in films. Movies released so far in 2011 have somehow won the people’s heart and audience are also looking forward for the further big film which are due to release this year. However Comedy genre films have always been a top priority for the audience to watch and make them laugh. So here are the top 10 funniest films of 2011 so far:-
See Also : Funny Movies in 2010
10: Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Rodrick Rules:
Another movie for young kids, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is a sequel to 2010 movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Zachary Gordon reprises his role of Greg Heffley along with Robert Capron, Devon Bostick and Rachel Harris.
9. No Strings Attached:
Ashton Kutcher paired with Natalie Portman in this romantic comedy film in which they both made agreement of having a casual sex without falling in love.
8. Your Highness:
Your Highness is fantasy comedy movie starring Academy Award winner Natalie Portman, Academy Award Nominee James Franco, Danny McBride and Rasmus Hardiker. The revolves around the two brother Thadeous( McBride) and Fabious(Franco) who are very lazy warriors.
7. The Dilemma:
The Dilemma is also one of the must watch funny movie of 2011 starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Conelly, Queen Latifah and Channing Tatum.
6. Hall Pass:
Owen Wilson teams up Jason Sudeikis in Hall Pass and are given week off from their marriage by their wives to do what ever they want in one week. Hall Pass is very good comedy movie for the adult audience and one the funniest in 2011.
5. Just Go With It:
Once again Adam Sandler delivered the comedy film that will make u laugh continuously for 2 hours. This film also stars Jennifer Aniston and Brooklyn Decker and it is must watch comedy film out oftop 10 best comedy films of 2011.
4. The Hangover 2:
Well they are back. After shaking Las Vegas upside down, they are kicking it at Bangkok for Stu’s wedding. This crazy and funny ride features all the actors from 1st part with Jamie Chung being the new entry.
3. Rio:
Another computer animated movie which is also one of the funniest movies of 2011. The movie follows a adventure of two last remaining species of macaw Blu voiced by Jesse Eisenberg and Jewel voiced by Anne Hathaway. It is a comedy film if you want to watch with the family.
2. Rango:
A computer animated film tells the story of a pet chameleon named Rango voiced by Johnny Depp who accidentally ends up in a Mojave Desert. This movie is full of fun and comic sequence that will make you engage for at least 2 hours.
1. Horrible Bosses
What a great movie, one of the best comedy films where everyone has played the role perfectly, Three horrible bosses who are being planned to be murdered by three employees, One of the must watch film
Top 10 Best Soccer Players in 2012
Aside from boxing, basketball, and table tennis that are known to be popular sport games in the world, nothing really beats the figures that goes with the followers and players of soccer across the globe. It is also known as football, but was originally known as association football. There are 11 players for each of the two teams that would play in the field but we will list the top 10 best soccer players from the World. Soccer is being played locally, internationally, domestically, in a women’s league, and of course, a men’s league. Everyone eyes the players who play at their excellent while on the game. For this year, who are the new best soccer players based on their performance accumulated, statistically speaking, and not just on how they have performed in some of the games and the top 10 best soccer players in 2012 are as following
10. Didier Drogba
He is a striker from the Ivory Coast who is born and raised in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and was exposed to football games when he turned 15 years old. He is the top scorer for the team and he is recognized for his strength, pacing, heading, and shooting. He even led the national team at the African Nationals Final Cup. According to history, he is the sixth highest scorer for Chelsea for all time.
9. Andres Iniesta
He is a Spanish pride in the football game who is a central midfielder for La Liga Club FC Barcelona although he started as a defensive midfielder until he progressed to develop the skills to play as central midfielder. He started playing when he was 12. His skills and agility was recognized by FC Barcelona’s when he was in his teens.
8. Carlos Tevez
He is an Argentinean player who currently plays for the English Club Manchester City. He became the captain of his team in 2010 wherein his manager, named Roberto Mancini, cited him as indispensable player for the team. His strength lies on his body where he is using as an offense and defense as part of his playing techniques.
7. Steven Gerrard
He holds an exceptional record for attaining 89 caps in the England National Team. He is a proud footballer from England and he is leading his team, the Premier League Club Liverpool. He plays as a centre midfielder but he could also be positioned as right-winger and second striker at the same time.
6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
He is a Swedish soccer player who played as a captain for the Swedish National Team and positions as a striker for the team Serie A Club Milan. In fact, he is known to be the top striker in the world because of his fantastic aerial ability and strength. He started playing at nearby Malmo FF.
5. Ricardo “Kaka” Izecson
He is better known as Kaka and plays as an attacking midfielder for Brazilian football wherein he is currently a part of the team Spanish La Liga Club Real Madrid. He is one of the football players who begun playing at age eight, in a certain local club in his place. Despite of the fact that he has also a strong passion in tennis, he has excelled and stayed more in the soccer field. When he turned 15, he had signed his first professional contract while others on this list have not yet experienced.
4. Xavier Hernández
He is from Spain and he is known as Xavi and positions as a central midfielder for La Liga Club FC Barcelona where Andres Iniesta plays too. He has been playing for 14 years in this league and had capped 107 times when he played for the Spanish National team. He was awarded as Player of the Tournament in 2008. Just this December 2011, he has laid his first goal for Lionel Messi for the 2011-2012 seasons.
3. Wayne Rooney
He is a proud English soccer player who is positioned for the Premier League Club Manchester United as its striker. He is the youngest player who ever played for England in 2003 but Theo Walcott claimed that title. He began playing at 17. His last record before 2011 ended is his 130thpremier league with a 5-0 win.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
He is a proud Portuguese, his whole name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, and he plays as a striker and winger at Spanish La Liga Club Real Madrid. He also served as the captain of the National team for Portugal. After he left Manchester United, he became the most expensive football player when he moved to Real Madrid. He had received four main awards for FWA and PFA in 2007 then the following year became the best forward player.
1. Lionel Messi
Despite of the excellence and drive those others players found in this list have shown and performed, Messi is still on the top of them all. He is an Argentinean player who has captained the Argentina National Team and plays forward for FC Barcelona. He is the youngest who played in this field at the age of five for Grandoli, wherein his father personally coached him. He is a consistent top scorer and is one of the favorites in the football game.
Please let us know in the comments below that how do you like our list for best soccer players in 2012.
10 Most Funny iPhone Text Message Fails
This is one of the most hilarious post on this blog, many of you had used iPhone and familiar with the function “autocorrect” to automatically correct the spelling and grammar mistakes but it was very annoying sometimes that you had to turn it off in order to send text message, Following are some funny pictures of Autocorrect Fails and Weird SMS conversation, Look how one word can change the whole sentence..!
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10 Unknown Facts about Flag Days
June 14 is a special day for the American people because it marks the celebration of the Flag Day. It signifies unity and freedom for them wherein they recognize the Divine Creator as its head. Based on history, the 4th of July was set as its annual celebration that also served as America’s Independence Day, which has been celebrated annually since 1885. With the continuous efforts of various people who have influenced the final declaration of the Flag Day not just in specific cities, states, and localities in the United States, but the entirety of the country, on August 3, 1949, under the Leadership of President Truman, the National Flag Day has been declared and approved to be held every June 14, which was included on the Act of Congress. There are other details that we should know about this day, which have not been highlighted on the day of the celebration.
10. A School Teacher’s Efforts
The first observance of Flag Day was held at Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, through the active efforts of a school teacher named BJ Cigrand, who has initiated to celebrate Flag Day on June 14 since the Star and Stripes 108th Anniversary is being held on that same day. In fact, it was called as Flag Birthday.
9. Another Kindergarten Teacher
Another teacher from New York City who also shares the same advocacy with BJ Cigrand did plan to have a celebration with her kindergarten students on June 14, 1889. Her name was George Batch who has made an influence to the adaptation and observance of this date through the State Board of Education in the city.
8. First Observance in Philadelphia
The observance made in New York City has also influenced the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia that later followed the celebration of Flag Day on June 14, 1891.
7. June 14, 1892
The celebration continued to influence other states and cities wherein on June 14, 1892, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution also recognized the essence of this date wherein they also heralded this date as Flag Day.
6. The Resolution for the Flag Display
A flag day is being celebrated by kids and all other authorities and citizens while holding a small flag through the recommendation given by Colonel J. Granville Leach, who was also a historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution, which is better known as the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America. All these things took place in April 25, 1893, which became a resolution adopted to have an official display of the Flag on June 14.
5. Flag Day Exercises
The Flag Day exercises was officially held on June 14, 1893 after the resolution given by Colonel Leach was approved. It was the beginning of the Flag Day exercises wherein children hold a flag while they were singing a patriotic song.
4. Flag Displays in New York
On June 14, 1894, a Flag display begun in New York City, specifically in all public buildings which were a mandate given by the governor of that city. That same day, the American Flag Day Association was formed led by Leroy Van Horn and BJ Cigrand and the General Public School Flag Day Celebration was held wherein over 300,000 children attended the event.
3. Patriotic Programs
In 1914, patriotic programs were observed. In lieu with that celebration, the Secretary of Interior Government during that time, Franklin K. Lane, recited repeatedly these words “I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself.” on June 14, 1914 when he gave his talk before the public.
2. Anniversary of Flag Resolution of 1777
On May 30 1916, this day was officially approved and announced in localities and states for observance and celebration of the Flag Day, which was proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson. Moreover, the Flag Day celebration has been observed by other countries as well after its official declaration.
1. Official Declaration of Flag Day in the United States
Under the leadership of President Truman, he signed an Act of Congress on August 03, 1949, officially designating and declaring that June 14 would be the National Flag Daythat must be observed by the citizens of the United States.
10 Benefits of SInging
Singing is not just for those people who have a golden voice, but it is also recommended to everyone who wants to keep themselves healthy. In fact, even if you feel that the world might curse when they hear you singing, that’s okay if this is one of the ways that would keep your life longer. Everyone has a right to sing whether you are at home, while taking a shower which is by the way everyone does, and even when you are with your friends and has just grabbed you to join them with their gimmick, then be it. Here are the top 10 benefits of singing that would let you decide to do it occasionally even not professionally.
10. Stabilize Temperament
If you would observe when you are at a peak of your emotion that heart rate beats faster especially if you are angry. Hence, you would also observe that once you vent it out that you feel great, and all other negative emotions that you have decreased enormously. It’s the same effect of singing to everyone, whether you are a professional singer, just starting, and even if you are not a singer at all. Try to use this as a channel whenever you can’t control the sudden outburst of emotion.
9. Boosts Cuddle Hormone
This is good for couples who would want to improve their intimate time together. You don’t need anything just to boost it up. Another benefit of which is the release of Oxytocin which is an important hormone found in the brain which helps to release the tension that the body feels. It also strengthens or fortifies the body’s immune system. It helps anyone to become more optimistic since the negativity that the body absorbs from the environment, and experiences that it receives due to exposure.
8. Greater Intelligence
You might wonder why it would boost great intelligence quotient. It is indeed true, based on the scientific explanation, whenever individual sings; the serotonin which is found in the human brain is being strengthened since it’s a form of exercise to our brain. It aids everyone to think better, analyze things, and to be able to communicate to others the things that you are thinking of, and be able to explain things effectively. Instead of taking various foods that would boost IQ, singing is priceless, yet worthwhile.
7. Psychological Benefits
There is power in singing even if you were just listening to anyone who has a good voice better than you; it feels good if a song touches your heart. There is more power when you do it yourself even if you are not as good as others because it automatically decreases negative mood while it increases or enhances positive feeling. It heals hurt, and any pain that you gained from any situation.
6. Keeps You Fit
You might wonder how singing keeps anyone’s fit. As you sing, it would release pain relieving endorphins that would cause good feeling which has been discussed in the previous ranks in this list. Hence, the number one benefit of it can be seen on the posture of majority of those singers who have been singing for a long time. Good posture is one of the training that it gives especially if you are a member of any choir. Second, the facial muscles move when you sing that naturally tone the facial muscles. It will help you as well to avoid snoring at night especially if you make it a part of your habit.
5. Music Therapy for Injured
Based on the researches that have been done by the medical experts, they took note that music can control the body circuits especially the brain. It has a very good benefit to the brain that has suffered brain injury. In fact, as one sings it could be part of the daily rehabilitative exercises in the healing process. It works with the overall brain perception in a complex stage while reeducating and retraining the brain. In fact, majority of the physicians and therapists have accumulated various medical methods to support the mechanism of the brain especially while taking the brain functions back.
4. Regulates Breathing
You would notice that as you try to sing especially if you are reaching higher notes that you release the voice that coming from your diaphragm. In fact, music teachers suggest that you do vocalization before trying out singing to prepare the diaphragm. As you do this, it would help your lungs because singing serves as an exercising tool to one up the intercostals muscles as well as the diaphragm.
3. Reduce Stress
It balances everything. It relives anyone from the stresses in life. As stated in one of the top 10 benefits of singing that it is an antidote for anxiety and depression. It evokes emotion by bringing back self-esteem that gives contentment and positivity. This is all because of the healthy chemicals that brain produces that affect the feelings of individual.
2. It Lowers Heart Rate
When you sing the crescendo, intonation, and melody line becomes broader, and it affects or influences the kind of change that body can achieve. When one sings, it creates vibration from the very first breath moving in a circular motion that until it reaches the heart. The inhaling, and exhaling processes improve not just the vocal cords especially the heart rate. It aligns everything which means it act as neutralizer that affects the normal heart beating.
1. Decreased Blood Pressure
As you sing, it would improve blood circulation in the body since it performs an aerobatic therapy that would decrease muscle tension especially at the height of emotional outburst or any causes that would normally trigger increase blood pressure. However, when you sing, it does the opposite since it opens up the respiratory tube, and sinuses that would later affect the entire processes of the human body functions.
Top 10 Largest Armies in the World
An army is a significantly sizeable structured assembly of people. They are trained and armed in defense of the country they are serving. Armies, in times of war, fight on land. It is their expertise to defend the nation on land. As the increase of turmoil between countries and nations arise all over the world, increase in protection and defense becomes a priority to all governments. Territories and interests are some of the things that armies need to protect in a nation whether the disturbance may come internally or externally. The size of an army is one of the criteria in determining the power of a nation. Its size directly refers to the number of its personnel in service. Other decisive factors of one’s army may also include technology, capabilities of members, training, composition, and organization.
10. Israel
In 1948, Israel Defence Force was organized. Service from both sexes is of persistent requirement. In fact, they are the only nation worldwide that oblige this requirement. Very few were given an exemption to serve in military. They are maintaining more than 100,000 service force. United States remains to be one of their greatest allies. Such a support is needed for they constantly encounter conflicts with Palestine and Lebanon. The Six-Day War and the Arab-Israel War are also part of their military history.
9. Germany
Who will ever forget the rise of Hitler? He is the popular German in the histories of the world who was responsible for starting the World War II when they attacked Poland. Germany had undergone a division of state after the war. That was the birth of the West Germany Army. In 1990s, there came a reunification of the state and the Germany Army was combined once more. Today, more than 200,000 soldiers are in active duty.
8. Russia
One of the most significant changes in the military history of Russia is the foundation of the Russian Ground Force in 1992. The number of their servicemen has always been in major size. Service in their army is obligatory. With a very stable size, they were known for their power to conquer. In 1991, they even outnumbered United States before the tragic drop of the Soviet Union.
7. Turkey
For over 2,000 years now, the Turkish Army has been around. They are one of the few armies during World War II that remained neutral. In 1990s, they were involved in the Turkish Independence which was the biggest dispute then. Wars were fought along its boundaries as with Greece, Russia, France, Italy, and Britain. In Turkey, military service is a must.
6. United Kingdom
The British Army was founded in 1661. Ever since then, they have become part of battles like Revolutionary War, Napoleonic War, World War I, and World War II. They have fought in the Gulf War also. On September 11,2001, the threat of terrorism flared up as the Global War and the British Army and the US Army worked together to fight outside attacks. Presently, they are strong with 200,000 soldiers.
5. Pakistan
Pakistan’s Army was organized in 1947. With a force of more than half a million members, it became one of the largest armies in the world nowadays. United States is an ally to the Pakistan Army. Together they fight terrorism mostly brought by the Al-Qaeda and Taliban of Afghanistan. They have fought well during The Gulf War in 1990s. Afghanistan and India have been a constant threat to their peace.
4. United States
In 1775, the United States Army was established. Primarily, it was organized to wrestle in the Revolutionary War. Being an ally to several countries worldwide, the U.S. Army was involved in almost every war that had happened in the history of the world. Its force is a combination of more than half a million soldiers in active duty, and over half a million also of National Guard and Reserve soldiers.
3. India
The Indian Army primitively started way back Stone Ages. Today, they are identified as the country with the largest number of volunteers worldwide, making them acquire over 1 million of active duty soldiers. Their way to their very own independence was fought in war. Historically speaking, they have set Pakistan as their target to war for several times.
2. North Korea
In 1939, the North Korean People’s Army was founded. It has a vast fighting force of over one million members. Not to mention the great power from their reserve unit. Adding them together will produce over seven million soldiers. All are ready and prepared when called to active duty. According to their history, Vietnam War and Korean War are two of their major fights. And as of this day, contention is still present between South and North Korea.
1. China
The People’s Liberation Army of China has the most prevalent number of soldiers in the world. They have more than two million soldiers. Their force was organized in 1927 and had been through wars like the Sino-Japanese turmoil, Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II. All Chinese men over 18 years old are required to join their army.
Top 10 Little-Known Operating Systems
Operating System of a computer has a great significance, as you would surely not be able to interact with your computer if you don’t have an operating system in your computer plus you will be unable to run different utility programs that you require your system to perform. As it is type of the System software on which a lot of application software and utility software run. Operating System is the backbone of a computer, the major thing which makes you interact with your hardware as well as software.
All of you guys might be just aware of a few operating systems like the WINDOWS, well thanks to Bill Gates about it :p , so other than that we have Linux, Mac OS and so many others which you don’t know. So let me tell you about the top ten operating systems that you might not know about.
10. Darwin
Ok it is not that Darwin who proposed the theory of man being an ape :p but it is an open source operating system which belongs to the family of Unix OS and is programmed in c/c++. If you see the composition of Darwin OS you will find that it is the combination of Mac OS and neXTSTEP, BSD and other different free software projects. OSX, iOS and AppleTV were build on Darwin and it was also used to create a 32-bit ARM processor used in iPhone and iPad
9. FreeBSD
FreeBSD is again an operating system belonging to the family of Unix like OS as it cannot be called as Unix OS. FreeBSD code constitutes of many other operating system codes like OS X which is a very important part of it and yes a Unix branded. It is one of the most widely used BSD-derived OS. As the operating system is open source so its distribution and running is very much in process among many users.
8. ReactOS
ReactOS is another open source operating system programmed in c/c++ and belongs to Microsoft Windows- like OS family. The best part about the ReactOS is the drivers and application software compatibility which is so much easy and fast. As you might feel like it is a clone of Windows 95 too, it is programmed in c but some components are programmed in c++.
7. Solaris
Solaris is another open source operating system belonging to the UNIX family and programmed in C. Solaris is a creation of Sun Microsystems and owned by Oracle Corporation. This OS is very much scalable and has innovative features like DTrace, ZFS and Time Slider.
6. OpenBSD
OpenBSD is also a Unix like operating system descended from Berkeley Software distribution. With the help of the open source code it has become amazing with quality documentation. OpenBSD has many different features like security and has very strict policies regarding them.
5. AmigaOS
You might have heard about the Amiga personal computers so let us tell you that AmigaOS is a product of Amiga Personal Computers. It has a game console and came into market in 1985 with Amiga 1000. Due to the open source the code is available and different things are released.
4. NEXTSTEP
As I mentioned above about the NEXTSTEP OS being used in other Operating systems well the best part about Nextstep OS is that it is an Object Oriented and multitasking operating system. This operating system is very much amazing because of the owner of Apple inc. that is one other than Steve Jobs ho started it in 1986 as he left Apple and started next.
3. ATheOS
AtheOS is again an amazing operating system which was developed with an open source. It is a widely used operating system that can run on almost most of the machines like Intel, AMD and other processors. ATheOS has the capability of multitasking and is very much efficient.
2. SkyOS
Robert Szeleney has made one of the very fine OS after 10 years of constant struggle and hence came up with SkyOS which was a prototype commercial and has a very graphical desktop interface. This OS resembles very much like Windows OS but lacks a few features.
1. Slax
Slax also belong to the family of Linux OS and is creation of Tomas Matejicek. It is also referred as “Pocket Operating System” as it has packages available on different websites where you can build a Slack ISO image and customize it according to your needs.
Top 10 Philanthropists
It’s easy to criticize the rich for extravagant lifestyles, especially at a time when so many are facing financial hardships in a suffering economy. However, what often is overlooked or outright ignored are the philanthropic activities that the richest of the rich are involved with. Supporting causes ranging from higher education to the eradication of terminal diseases, the uber-rich pump billions of dollars into charitable causes around the world. Lear jets and lavish mansions aside, wealthy philanthropist provide a sizable portion of the necessary funds that many worthwhile organizations need to operate. The key for big spenders on this list is the immediate impact of their giving endeavors. Here is a top 10 list that is worth its weight in gold, representing some of the worlds leading philanthropists.
10. Richard Branson
Mr. Branson is a businessman who is familiar with challenges. This is the man who started his own airline. His next step has him taking on one of the direst concerns facing the planet – preserving the environment. To fund his ‘green’ endeavors, such as developing reliable green energy, Richard Branson is donating the profits from some of his business holdings (transportation, which generates an estimated $3 billion). His foundation, Virgin Unite, has even offered a $25 million bounty for any practical solution to cleansing the atmosphere. Seeking to produce results, Mr. Branson continually compensates organizations and individuals who develop solutions to fight global warming.
9. Eli and Edythe Broad
Eli Broad made his fortune in the business area. A well respected businessman, Mr. Broad has focused his acumen on philanthropic activities. He and his wife Edythe manage the Broad Foundations (which features several smaller organizations that focus on specific causes). Interestingly, the Broads endeavor to fund worthwhile causes that no one else does – in fact, this is generally a criteria for their interest in a project. This keen approach has resulted in their foundation assisting in areas where an impact at foundational levels is needed – from doctors performing medical research that’s not quite prepared for government grants to funding training for education administrators. The Broads are also a leader in funding genome research.
8. Warren Buffet
One could easily argue that Mr. Buffet could be much higher on this list when one considers the sheer amount of money that he has provided to charitable causes. A highly successful investor, Mr. Buffet has earned billions. Not taking his success for granted, Mr. Buffet has equally invested billions to various philanthropic causes. Most recently, he has pledged almost $38 billion to assist the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (whose work we have listed further down). Additionally, Mr. Buffet awarded each of his 3 children about $1 billion a piece to fund their own, individual philanthropic projects.
7. Thomas Siebel
For this list, impact is the name of the game and Thomas Siebel certainly meets this criteria. When Mr. Siebel became aware of the disastrous effects of methamphetamines on individuals and communities in Montana, he leapt into action. Founding The Meth Project, Mr. Siebel invested a sizable portion of his wealth into a public blitz about the dangers of meth addiction. The Meth Project bought thousands (literally) of ad spots – from billboards to television to get the word out. The results speak for themselves. Montana, once listed as one of the highest states with meth abuse, is now one of the lowest. With such resounding success, Mr. Siebel and The Meth Project are carrying their efforts to other states.
6. William Barron Hilton
The Hilton’s, among the richest of the rich, are certainly known for living a very lavish lifestyle. This image (or perhaps because of it) hasn’t prevented William Hilton from doing his part to help others. To this end, William Hilton has pledged an eye-opening 97% of his personal wealth to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. This infusion of cash (estimated to be around $2 billion) will allow the foundation to continue to provide shelter for the homeless, offer vocational training to the disadvantaged, and assist disabled children with obtaining needed educational opportunities. The efforts of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation are international in scope.
5. George Soros
With as much as $6 billion in total donations to date, George Soros has made an impact in a number areas. Our second hedge fund manager, Mr. Soros knows his way around money. Using this talent for more than just realizing profits for his clients, Mr. Soros has channeled his philanthropic efforts towards many of the social issues in eastern and central Europe. His Open Society Institute has invested funds in such diverse areas ranging from college scholarships to economic relief. With a belief that poverty is often the result of poor government, Mr. Soros also assists heavily in pro-democratic endeavors in many former Soviet bloc nations.
4. Chris and Jamie Cooper-Hohn
This husband and wife duo supports the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. Mr. Cooper-Hohn is best known for his activities as a hedge fund manager. His shrewd business dealings have earned him a somewhat notorious reputation in the business world. Nevertheless, with the assistance of his wife Jamie; Chris has invested a good deal of his earnings into his charitable foundation. So much so, that the Children’s Foundation boasts of $2.5 billion in assets. Targeting some of the poorest areas of the world (i.e. Africa and the India sub-continent) the Cooper-Hahn’s seek to improve the lives of children. The Children’s Foundation endeavors to have an immediate impact in its endeavors and therefore focuses on areas such as the alleviation of hunger, reproductive health services and the like.
3. Bill and Hillary Clinton
It’s not unusual for former American presidents to be socially active. Such is the case of the next member on our list, former president Bill Clinton. Through his (and wife, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton) William J. Clinton Foundation, the president has been able to channel his own wealth and visibility into a number of worthwhile initiatives. The Clinton Foundation has worked around the world to provide educational opportunities to children (over 10 million), clean drinking water to some of the poorest regions (impacting over 12 million), and working for a cleaner environment (aiding in the reduction of millions of tons of CO2 emissions.
2. Donna and Philip Berber
In terms of impact, there are few that have had as a direct impact as the next entry on our list of Donna and Philip Berber. Philip Berber made millions with his online trading company, CyberCorp and even more once he sold it to Charles Schwab. Apparently, this provided Mr. Berber more time to focus on his charitable activities through his foundation ‘A Glimmer of Hope’. A Glimmer of Hope Foundation focuses on one of the poorest nations of the world: Ethiopia. And the work they have done has had an immediate and needed impact on the lives of millions of people. To date, the work of the Berber’s foundation has resulted in thousands of wells for water being dug, several hundred schools constructed, and much needed microloans granted.
1. Bill and Melinda Gates
The name Microsoft invokes all kinds of emotions in people, and not all of the feelings are good. Nevertheless, whatever one may think about the business practices of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, few can fault his philanthropic activities. Teaming with his wife Melinda Gates, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has proved to be a charitable giant. With over $34 billion in assets, the foundation funds initiatives around the world. Ranging from educational grants to medical research – the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation seeks to assist the people of the world lead improved lives. Mr. and Mrs. Gates donated their entire 2009 dividends from Microsoft stock to their foundation (a whopping $3 billion)!
Top 10 Issues Facing Our Youth Today
Now that we are well into the new Millennium society has begun to recognize serious concerns with issues that kids have to deal with today. Some issues have always been there but are now coming to the eyes of the public to find solutions. Other issues are new trends as society begins to adapt to a faster pace of life. Below are the top 10 issues facing our youth today.
10. Single Parent Households
The problems begin at home. Since the 1950s, the number of single parent homes has consistently increased to the point of catastrophe. Today, 14 million single parents are responsible for 28 million children. Raising a child is difficult enough in a two parent home, especially in tough economic conditions. The situation is even direr when there is only one parent. Economically, a single parent is likely to bring less income home. This equates to fewer opportunities for such vital necessities as education. Trying to make ends meet also takes time – time that is spent away from children who need a parent’s guiding/influence. Absent a parent’s diligent guidance, children become subject to higher dropout rates, higher risk of dangerous sexual behaviors and pregnancies, higher chances of drug and alcohol abuse –etc. It truly takes a village to raise a child.
9. Drug/Alcohol Abuse
There was a time in cinematic history where virtually every actor/actress was portrayed on screen with a cigarette in hand. Smoking, it was implied, was cool. As a result everyone was doing it, including kids. Well, as awareness to the danger of smoking increased, “cool” images of smoking disappeared. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about drugs and alcohol. These vices are staples in everyday media. Simply, drinking and using drugs is shown as being cool. The numbers bear the tale. 21% of high school seniors say they get high and 41% of the same group report drinking alcohol. Our kids are literally moving around in an intoxicated daze. Immature behavior is then amplified due to being under the influence. Drunk driving, poor grades and attendance, anti-social and violent behavior and the list goes on.
8. Growing up too Fast
There was a time when kids enjoyed being kids. Today, even at the earliest of ages, children are partaking in adult activities with serious consequences. Similar to what we see with alcohol and drugs, sex is a very popular and portrayed subject matter. The movies, TV, the internet, essentially everywhere a kid turns he or she is bombarded with sexual suggestions. In fact, there are entire TV series marketed directly to kids dealing with sex – the egregious being The Secret Lives of an American Teenager and Teen Mom, to name two. Music is a culprit as well. Songs have always had sexual innuendos, but at least “back in the day” you had to be old enough to understand them. Today, it’s all about “How low can you go” and “baby let me sex you up.” Kids are having sex as early as 10 and 11, with teen pregnancies increasingly on the rise. The concept of childhood is literally being wiped out.
7. Violence in Schools
A child’s education is the foundation from which he or she will be able to go forth out into the world and build a life. Schools play a major role in this endeavor, and therefore it is reasonable to expect that these places of learning would be safe havens for the children while they are preparing for adulthood. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In many instances, especially in low income, urban settings, schools can be a war zone. We are not talking about minor bullying, but rather serious violence. Consider that in the last decade 284 kids were murdered due to school violence – these were shootings, stabbings, fighting and suicides. Growing up is tough enough without having to be worried about being killed while going to math class.
6. Materialism
We live in a society that promotes materialism and so we perpetuate this particular malady by instilling bad habits into our children. We teach our children that the measure of success and happiness in life is how much stuff you have. Kids naturally want things –especially if their friends have something similar. Unfortunately, there seems to be little restraint on accompanying guidance as we go about this. Essentially, we provide our kids with whatever they want that is within our financial ability to do so. The concept of “earning” what you get or the idea that something “you don’t need” seem to have been lost and discarded. Is there really any wonder why the average adult is $15,000 in debt at any given time? We have a mentality of getting what we want and when we want it that has been ingrained in us since childhood. The unfortunate result is that there are devastating consequences for such continued behavior later in life.
5. Obesity
Our kids are fat and getting fatter. Recent numbers show that 20% of American children are obese. Not chubby –OBESE! Video games, TV, the internet and fast food are partly to blame. Kids are spending more time sitting in front of a TV/computer screen than running around outside. This sedentary lifestyle has consequences. Socially, it’s no secret that overweight kids are going to be subject to ridicule from their peers – it’s sad, but nevertheless true. This can result in such issues as low self-esteem, depression, etc. Then there are the health concerns. High blood pressure, diabetes and other maladies that is associated with obesity. Psychologically and physically, obesity is an issue that can be resolved with a simple increase in activity and awareness.
4. Education Disparity
Education is important. Few people would dispute this well regarded fact. A good education (in comparison with a bad one) will provide a child with an increased chance of taking advantage of opportunities to be successful in life. Unfortunately, some people have it better than other. This is not an issue of just one school being better than another school. Rather we are talking about whole classes of American children being denied a proper education that will prepare them to compete in a job market with their peers and have the same access to the American Dream. Disparity in educational quality is delineated by race and financial status. If you live in a poor neighborhood or are a minority, there is a good chance that the schools you attend are lacking many necessities. While Asians and Whites enjoy high graduating rates, African American and Latinos continue to lag behind. Not surprisingly, because job opportunities are lessen for dropouts, these two groups have the highest incarceration rates.
3. Shifting Economy
America used to sustain itself with making its own products through manufacturing and then turning around and selling those products. The economy is shifting to more of a service industry versus a manufacturing industry. In order to cut costs and keep product prices down companies are forced to outsource manufacturing to other countries. Other countries can produce products at much lower labor costs. Some companies have even begun to outsource call center jobs to keep labor costs down. Not only is America now having lower paying service jobs than the average blue-collar job with a sustainable income but our economy is now a global economy. For example, what happens in Japan or Iraq can drastically alter prices for our stock exchanges, gas/oil, and many other products. What exactly does this mean for our youth? The youth cannot graduate or even dropout of school without going through the pains of a low-income job. The jobs offered with no experience pay very little with very little room for pay increases. In fact, the competition to get a promotion can be fierce. In the past, your high school senior could graduate and go work at the local factory for the rest of his or her life and make a good living. They would not necessarily need to have a college education to survive. In fact, youth today will graduate from college with multiple degrees and still cannot find work that pays enough to sustain a decent lifestyle.
2. Poverty
The federal poverty level is $22,050 for a family of four. This equates to 21% of all children (15 million children) are considered in poverty. Just to cover basic expenses for a family of four you would need to have a salary of $45,000. This means that nearly 50% of our children are living in poverty. Half of those kids receive no government assistance because their parents earned more than $22,050 that year. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), that poverty is the single greatest threat to children’s well-being. Poverty impedes learning and contributes to social and behavioral problems. And guess what? There is no income to counteract these problems. Mommy cannot afford a tutor or Daddy cannot afford a counselor. There is a huge opportunity for society to stop being so materialistic and in turn poverty wouldn’t be such an issue because most children will all have the same things –things they need instead of what they want. This would decrease violence in schools because fewer kids would be teased.
1. Erosion of National Pride/Identity
If every year the Olympics were held, this probably wouldn’t be a problem. This list is indicative of the fact that America (like any nation) has problems. The issue at hand is collective though amongst the people affected about how to deal with them. Unfortunately most folks tend to focus on their self and not the whole. We see these problems as affecting “them” and not “me/us” When we hear that America’s children are the fattest among Western nations, this doesn’t sting. When we learn that America’s children lay educationally behind other industrialized nations, we don’t cringe. There is very little sense of collective identity of people, as Americans. This is a result of our children not being properly educated and guided. There was a time when every child would begin the school day by standing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Children were taught the significance of the 4th of July (besides fireworks). These practices are long gone and so is our sense of common destiny. With so many diverse nationalities, races, and ethnic groups that comprise America, the one common bond we all have with one another is that we are Americans.
Read more: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-issues-facing-our-youth-today.php#ixzz1eaf2tfLR
10 Unique Baby Shower Gifts
Baby Shower is one of the most fantastic occasions in a mom’s life or should I say “MOM TO BE’s LIFE”. It is a time when the lady gets to see all of her family and friends, she relaxes, does fun and she gets a lot of presents for the child in her tummy. And all the ladies who will be having their first child this specific event is no doubt the most memorable event of her life.
If you have nieces and nephews then obviously you know what a baby shower is all about, and if you don’t know what to gift to the “mom to be” then here we have the list of top 10 unique baby shower gifts.
01. Gift certificate for a new moms group is a good idea for the new mom, because this new mom group provides a supportive environment to get yourself known the highs and lows of motherhood, so you can buy a new moms certificate for the lady.
02. Diaper cakes are also a better option because diaper is the only thing that baby requires the most, as in the first year it is like 3 to 9 diapers a day. So, it is going to be a thoughtful and helping gift for the mother.
03. Baby sets like hat, blanket, socks, rattle and many more things which can be helpful for the baby are no doubt a perfect choice.
04. Baby Sling or front carrier is a good option for the new mother because it is the handiest way to carry your baby, so the baby can be snuggled to the parents so close!
05. Activity Gym is also a good option, colorful mirrors, noise makers, carpet and toys with things of different shapes always fascinates babies.
06. Bath kit is fun, grabs a bath tub and fills it with necessary stuff that mothers use to keep their child clean and gift it to the mom; they will love it for sure.
07. The first baby is always the memorable time and when you gift the becoming mom a photo album or frame that ill be a perfect gift for her to make memories.
08. Baby bouncers are also a perfect option, to keep your baby feel the softness of the bouncer will always be a mother’s choice.
09. Baby books can be purchased for the baby, to develop a reading habit for the kid is going to be helpful for the kid in the future.
10. Baby bedding for the new born include the crib and the bedding theme is great gift.
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