Top Ten Strange Phenomena of the Mind

The mind is a wonderful thing - there is so much about it which remains a mystery to this day. Science is able to describe strange phenomena, but can not account for their origins. While most of us are familiar with one or two on this list, many others are mostly unknown outside of the psychological realm. This is a list of the top ten strange mental phenomena.

We have all some experience of a feeling, that comes over us occasionally, of what we are saying and doing having been said and done before, in a remote time – of our having been surrounded, dim ages ago, by the same faces, objects, and circumstances – of our knowing perfectly what will be said next, as if we suddenly remember it! – Charles Dickens

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Déjà Vu

Déjà vu is the experience of being certain that you have experienced or seen a new situation previously - you feel as though the event has already happened or is repeating itself. The experience is usually accompanied by a strong sense of familiarity and a sense of eeriness, strangeness, or weirdness. The “previous” experience is usually attributed to a dream, but sometimes there is a firm sense that it has truly occurred in the past.

9

Déjà Vécu

Déjà vécu (pronounced vay-koo) is what most people are experiencing when they think they are experiencing deja vu. Déjà vu is the sense of having seen something before, whereas déjà vécu is the experience of having seen an event before, but in great detail - such as recognizing smells and sounds. This is also usually accompanied by a very strong feeling of knowing what is going to come next. In my own experience of this, I have not only known what was going to come next, but have been able to tell those around me what is going to come next - and I am right. This is a very eerie and unexplainable sensation.

8

Déjà Visité

Déjà visité is a less common experience and it involves an uncanny knowledge of a new place. For example, you may know your way around a a new town or a landscape despite having never been there, and knowing that it is impossible for you to have this knowledge. Déjà visité is about spatial and geographical relationships, while déjà vécu is about temporal occurrences. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote about an experience of this in his book “Our Old Home” in which he visited a ruined castle and had a full knowledge of its layout. He was later able to trace the experience to a poem he had read many years early by Alexander Pope in which the castle was accurately described.

7

Déjà Senti

Déjà senti is the phenomenon of having “already felt” something. This is exclusively a mental phenomenon and seldom remains in your memory afterwards. In the words of a person having experienced it: “What is occupying the attention is what has occupied it before, and indeed has been familiar, but has been forgotten for a time, and now is recovered with a slight sense of satisfaction as if it had been sought for. The recollection is always started by another person’s voice, or by my own verbalized thought, or by what I am reading and mentally verbalize; and I think that during the abnormal state I generally verbalize some such phrase of simple recognition as ‘Oh yes—I see’, ‘Of course—I remember’, etc., but a minute or two later I can recollect neither the words nor the verbalized thought which gave rise to the recollection. I only find strongly that they resemble what I have felt before under similar abnormal conditions.”

You could think of it as the feeling of having just spoken, but realizing that you, in fact, didn’t utter a word.

6

Jamais Vu

Jamais vu (never seen) describes a familiar situation which is not recognized. It is often considered to be the opposite of déjà vu and it involves a sense of eeriness. The observer does not recognize the situation despite knowing rationally that they have been there before. It is commonly explained as when a person momentarily doesn’t recognize a person, word, or place that they know. Chris Moulin, of Leeds University, asked 92 volunteers to write out “door” 30 times in 60 seconds. He reported that 68 per cent of his guinea pigs showed symptoms of jamais vu, such as beginning to doubt that “door” was a real word. This has lead him to believe that jamais vu may be a symptom of brain fatigue.

5

Presque Vu

Presque vu is very similar to the “tip of the tongue” sensation - it is the strong feeling that you are about to experience an epiphany - though the epiphany seldom comes. The term “presque vu” means “almost seen”. The sensation of presque vu can be very disorienting and distracting.

4

L’esprit de l’Escalier

L’esprit de l’escalier (stairway wit) is the sense of thinking of a clever comeback when it is too late. The phrase can be used to describe a riposte to an insult, or any witty, clever remark that comes to mind too late to be useful—when one is on the “staircase” leaving the scene. The German word treppenwitz is used to express the same idea. The closest phrase in English to describe this situation is “being wise after the event”. The phenomenon is usually accompanied by a feeling of regret at having not thought of the riposte when it was most needed or suitable.

3

Capgras Delusion

Capgras delusion is the phenomenon in which a person believes that a close friend or family member has been replaced by an identical looking impostor. This could be tied in to the old belief that babies were stolen and replaced by changelings in medieval folklore, as well as the modern idea of aliens taking over the bodies of people on earth to live amongst us for reasons unknown. This delusion is most common in people with schizophrenia but it can occur in other disorders.

2

Fregoli Delusion

Fregoli delusion is a rare brain phenomenon in which a person holds the belief that different people are, in fact, the same person in a variety of disguises. It is often associated with paranoia and the belief that the person in disguise is trying to persecute them. The condition is named after the Italian actor Leopoldo Fregoli who was renowned for his ability to make quick changes of appearance during his stage act. It was first reported in 1927 in the case study of a 27-year-old woman who believed she was being persecuted by two actors whom she often went to see at the theatre. She believed that these people “pursued her closely, taking the form of people she knows or meets”.

1

Prosopagnosia

Prosopagnosia is a phenomenon in which a person is unable to recognize faces of people or objects that they should know. People experiencing this disorder are usually able to use their other senses to recognize people - such as a person’s perfume, the shape or style of their hair, the sound of their voice, or even their gait. A classic case of this disorder was presented in the 1998 book (and later Opera by Michael Nyman) called “The man who mistook his wife for a hat”.

source: http://listverse.com

how to avoid online scams, swindles, rorts and rip-offs - Top 10

The world’s scammers and fraudsters have gravitated to the Internet, and it’s very easy to get caught. To help protect consumers, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released a very informative little black book of scams to help identify scams and suggest tips on avoiding them. Here are the top ten online swindles, rorts and rip-offs and how you can avoid them.

1. Lotteries, sweepstakes and competitions

The scam: People are lured by the excitement of a surprise win and find themselves sending huge amounts of money overseas to claim fake prizes.

How to avoid it: Keep this in mind - you cannot win money or a prize in a lottery unless you have entered it yourself, or someone else has entered it on your behalf. You cannot be chosen as a random winner if you don’t have an entry.

2. Chain letters and pyramid scams

The scam: Chain letters and pyramid schemes promise a large financial return for a relatively small cost. Pyramid schemes are illegal and very risky—and can cost you a lot of money.

How to avoid it: Ask yourself if I am not selling a genuine product or service, is participation in this activity legal?

3. Golden investment opportunities

The scam: Offers, usually via spam, to invest in high-risk money-making schemes promising ‘risk-free investment’?

How to avoid it: Be wary of investments promising a high return with little or no risk and avoid the ‘get rich quick’ pushers. Generally, the higher the promised return, the higher the risk of loss involved.

4. Betting and computer prediction software

The scam: Usually offered to individuals who love (delete the s in loves) gambling. Promises accurate prediction of results, but when the software does not function properly, you can’t get a refund.

How to avoid it: Gambling is a game of chance, and chance is hard to predict. Don’t be tempted to buy software that promises to predict accurate results of betting games, but why would these individuals sell this software and not just it themselves to earn money?

5. Money transfer request

The scam: Also known as "advance fee fraud", this usually takes the form of an email requesting for your assistance to transfer money on their behalf in exchange for commission. You will be asked to provide your bank account details and ask you to pay certain taxes.

How to avoid it: Don’t send money or give your credit card details to someone you don’t know and trust. Ask yourself the question, is it really safe to transfer money for someone you don’t know.

6. Banking, credit card and online account scams

The scam: Using new technology to steal bank account details and other personal information. Can either be phishing or the use of email to get bank account details and personal information, fake fraud alert, or the use of email or telephone to inform you that something has gone wrong with a particular account you own, and card skimming or the copying of credit card information from the magnetic strips.

How to avoid it: Don’t click on links attached to email or send your credit card and personal information through email or to an unknown website. Likewise, don’t give out your personal information over the phone.

6. Spam

The scam: Spammers send spam email to randomly selected email addresses attached with malicious software that attacks files stored in personal computers, without owner’s permission.

How to avoid it: Don’t reply to spam emails even to unsubscribe as this informs the spammer that your email address belongs to a real person. Ask yourself the question if you suspect a spam email, will I risk the security of my computer?

7. Mobile phone scams

The scam: Using phone calls or text messages to entice you to call a certain number which could charge you premium rates for call and text messages. Before you know it, you’ve consumed air time rates on your mobile phone service network.

How to avoid it: Never reply to a call or text messages from a suspicious number registering on your mobile phone call log. Don’t call back phone numbers starting with 19, chances are you will be charged with international call rates.

8. Health and medical scams

The scam: Offers various health and medical procedures or products that promise to help you cure an illness or lose weight, or offers cheap drugs and medicine.

How to avoid it: Don’t trust unsubstantiated claim about a certain "cure-all" wonder drug and always ask for published medical and research papers support the medical claims.

9. Psychic and clairvoyant scams

The scam: Offers secrets to success and wealth and claims to have the sure path to good fortune and money and yet charges money for services done.

How to avoid it: Don’t fall into the psychic powers because of curiosity or peer pressure, the psychic is a complete stranger and doesn’t know you at all. Ask yourself, am I putting myself, my family and friends at risk by acting on the random advice of stranger?

10. Dating and romance scams

The scam: Takes advantage of your romantic and compassionate side by befriending and enamoring you until such time that you’re besotted by them, , before asking you for money. Normally happens on dating sites and online social networks.

How to avoid it: Don’t trust anybody you meet on the web unless you’ve met them personally and have spent quite some time knowing them. Participate in legitimate and secure online dating websites only.

Top Ten Places to Visit Before You Die

On your deathbed and want to know what you need to see on this mortal plane before you kick the bucket? These are the top ten places you have to visit before you travel to that cloud in the sky (or pit in the ground). The Pyramids and the Sphinx, EgyptYou have to visit this amazing place, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza.The Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops)The Pyramid of Kafhre The smaller Pyramid of Menkaura. There are three main pyramids in Giza: Each Pyramid is a tomb to a different King of Egypt. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx (or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of Terror"). Carved out of a single block of stone, this enormous cat-like sculpture has mesmerized millions of visitors.Santorini, GreeceSantorini is one of the Cycladic islands, created by the eruption of the volcano. (Thought by some to be the famous island of Atlantis). Due The Island has a versatile landscape with steep rock formations, lush beaches and small white villages. It also boasts remnants from the old Roman including baths, theatres and markets. Santorini is a group of islands in a circle about 10 KM across - the rim of a large volcano that is still producing small islands in the centre. Settlements are scattered around the islands as a series of small villages. The famous white buildings are huddled close to one another on and over the cliff of the central caldera. Hiking paths and trails lead all over the island, but an interesting time can be had walking the paths that connect the settlements, talking to the friendly locals and exploring the shops.Stonehenge, England

Stonehenge is a well-known stone monument located on a world heritage site in Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England. The site as is quite large and contains many other structures from the Neolithic period and the Bronze Age. Stonehenge is considered one of the most archaeologically rich sites in Europe, with many Neolithic and Bronze Age finds. It is also the site of one of the biggest Chalk grassland reversion projects in the world. Stonehenge has been occupied since around 8000BC with early work at Stonehenge beginning in 3000BC when an outer ditch and embankment was constructed, and standing timbers erected. From about 2500BC, Neolithic and Bronze age man started to bring Bluestones and Sarsen stones from Wales and the Marlborough Downs, it was completed in 1600BC. A nearby hill fort was built during the Iron Age, and there is evidence to suggest that the area was extensively settled by the Romans. The reason behind the structure still remains a mystery with many theories developed to explain the phenomenon.ItalyItaly has a lot to offer its visitors. Italy is a modern country with deep Roman Catholic roots, full of interesting stuff for the casual tourist and even more for the educated visitor. In the north, next to the Alps and the flatlands of the Po river, both cultural jewels and highly developed industrial cities attract. In Lombardia's capital Milan, city of haute couture and business, you can easily spend weeks without being bored. Bergamo is only an hour away and has an upper Old Town. The most famous tourist attractions in the north-east are Venice and Verona, that both let you think of romantic love affairs. To discover the beautiful landscapes around, for example, the Verona province may be even more fascinating. For wine lovers, Piemonte is directly connected with Barolo and Barbaresco, the most famous wines made out of the Nebbiolo grape. Piemonte's capital, Turin offers more than just a starting point to visit these wine regions. Lots of museums, modern art, book and music fairs make Turin one of the leading Italian cities concerning cultural life. The coastal region of Liguria is another highlight.The Riviera delle Palme has no reason to envy its French counterpart. Beaches, countryside, the right climate and old towns like Genoa make this region a must to visit. The Lunigiana region, Albenga and Ceriale are worth a visit and an even longer stay. Gourmets should not miss the Emilia Romagna, Italy's culinary centre. Bologna, "La Grassa" like the Italians say, is a must see as well as Ravenna with its impressive mosaic works and the Byzantine architecture and last but not least Rimini, on the Adriatic Sea. For Tuscany words fail to describe its beauty: You have to go there to see, smell and experience the beauty of the old towns and lovely valleys yourself. Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Prato and Siena, offer more cultural highlights than some countries as a whole. The way of living does the rest to attract every year millions of visitors. Elba, the island of Napoleans first exile, is only one of seven Tuscan Archipelago islands.Rome, The Eternal City, with its monumental palaces, churches, squares, and fountains still fed by aqueducts with ancient water sources, has to be visited by every Italy traveler. To discover Rome, "A lifetime is not enough". Campania has attracted visitors over the centuries: Capri, Ischia, Sorrento and Amalfi became the chosen destinations of visitors from many countries. Sicily the largest island in the Mediterranean has been influenced by the culture of the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs the Normans and many others. For those who enjoy walking and climbing, go to the Dolomites, this is the Mountain range in Northern Italy that sperates it from Austria and extends westwards to join the Alps. Major centres include Cortina, further South and West is Arco and a few kilometers from the Northern tip of Lake Garda.Loch Ness, Scotland Loch Ness is the largest of three lochs located in the Great Glen which divides the North of Scotland along a line from Fort William to Inverness. The loch is large by British standards, being 23 miles long and a mile in width, and averaging 600ft in depth. Its catchment is hilly and wet, and is drained by 6 major rivers which flow into the loch. It contains over 2 cubic miles of fresh water, and the River Ness outlet, although only 5 miles long, is one of the greatest in Britain for average flow and of course is the home of the famous monster of lore Pyramid of the Sun and Moon, Teotihuacán
Towering and mysterious, the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon rise above silent Teotihuacán, an empty city that once bustled with as many as 200,000 people and stood at the center of Mexico's pre-Hispanic empire. Erected by a virtually unknown culture in the first century B.C., the city sprawled over an area larger than imperial Rome. But by A.D. 750 it had been abruptly abandoned, perhaps because of disaster or drought. Five hundred years later the Aztecs came upon Teotihuacán -- with its pyramids, temples, apartments, and ball courts -- and adopted it as a center of pilgrimage. At roughly 210 feet high, the Pyramid of the Sun ranks as one of the largest pyramids in the world. (It is about half as tall as the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.) The builders raised the Pyramid of the Sun around A.D. 100, somehow transporting and erecting three million tons of stone, brick, and rubble without benefit of the wheel, beasts of burden, or metal tools. In 1971, archaeologists found a previously unknown entryway some 320 feet long that leads to a cave directly beneath the apex of the pyramid. At one time the cave held a natural spring, and there are still piles of charcoal in the chamber -- perhaps indicating ceremonies involving water and fire. No one knows, although scientists enjoy speculating.Incan Ruin - Machu Picchu, PeruMachu Picchu, The lost city floating in a kingdom of clouds, high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, a mysterious settlement that the Incas built, occupied, and deserted, all in less than a century. For hundreds of years the city was hidden in the jungle. Then, in 1911, Hiram Bingham led a university expedition to the Peruvian Andes. On a valley floor along the Urubamba River, he met a farmer who guided him up to the ruins of the hidden city, the only Incan site that hadn't been looted or destroyed during the previous four centuries. Machu Picchu spans a mountain saddle between green jungle peaks. The settlement has only 200 residences, suggesting a population of about 1,000 people. The city contains a large number of religious buildings that were constructed with great care. One of them, the Temple of the Sun functioned as an observatory focused on the heavens. A mark cut on a rock at the center of the tower lines up, through a window, with the exact spot where the sun rises on the June solstice. In the temple's recesses the Incas placed religious statues or offerings. Another small cave at Machu Picchu served as an observatory for tracing the December solstice. Ritual religious bathing may have been done at the Fountains, a series of 16 small waterfall baths where the sacred focus may have been water. But the principal shrine at Machu Picchu was probably the intihuatana, the "hitching post of the sun", a stone that the Incas may have used to observe the heavens and mark the seasons. No one knows for certain how the stone was used. Near the settlement lie other intriguing sites. The Intipunku, or Sun Gate, is a notch cut in a mountain ridge that frames the rising sun during fixed periods on the calendar. The famous Inca Bridge is located along an ever-narrowing mountain trail that, at some places, is cut into a sheer cliff. The builders cleverly left a gap in a buttressed section of the trail that they could bridge with two logs. As needed, the logs could be removed to make the road impassable to outsiders. Perhaps it is no wonder that this nearly inaccessible mountain city remained hidden and unknown to outsiders for centuries after the Incas abandoned Machu Picchu. The Golden Pavilion, JapanThe pavilion is probably the most recognizable temple in Japan as it is entirely covered in gold. Shining in the light, the Golden Pavilion, or Kinkakuji, looks like beautiful jewel box. In 1950, a disturbed Buddhist temple novice burned the 14th-century pavilion to its foundations. Within five years, however, the Golden Pavilion rose again. On the new roof, appropriately, perches a phoenix. The pavilion was originally built as a retirement villa for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, who, after withdrawing from public life, exercised power in the background by installing his ten-year-old son as shogun.When he died, his retirement villa was converted into a temple, in accordance with his wishes. The much-admired pavilion rises in three stories, each having a different architectural style and reflecting a different aspect of the shogun who built it. The first floor is a residential palace, complete with a covered dock for the shogun's pleasure boat; the second is a Buddhist prayer hall or samurai house; and the third is a small Zen temple with sliding doors and bell-shaped windows. Set on pillars, the Golden Pavilion extends over the pond, a popular design of the Shinden style during the Heian period of Japanese history. A person approaching sees two pavilions, as the water reflects the image. On the exterior of the graceful building, a layer of shimmering gold leaf creates an unforgettable picture.Bimini: The Road to AtlantisFamed American psychic Edgar Cayce predicted that evidence of the lost continent of Atlantis would appear in the Bahamas in 1968 or 1969. In 1968 pilots photographed structures that looked like buildings, walls and roads under the waters off of Bimini Island. Others have claimed to have seen pyramids and stone circles on the sea bed, but the only thing that has been confirmed for sure is what has become to be known as the Bimini Road. Skeptics claim that the Bimini road is merely a unique natural formation. There is no denying, the "roads" are straight and look man made.IcelandIceland was settled in the 9th century by Norse Vikings. The first settlement and major city is Reykjavik. Reykjavik has a bustling nightlife, an exciting arts scene, and offers visitors the opportunity to explore the countryside in short trips to areas such as Thingvellir, Gullfoss and Geysir. If you are interested in nature, Iceland is a great place to visit. The terrain in Iceland is so rugged due to centuries of volcanic activity; this is where the US tested their lunar landing module that eventually drove on the moon. Because of Norse woodcutting and volcanic activity, there are virtually no trees on the island. There is one small "forest" that is a national landmark. Iceland, Greenland's neighbor, benefits from the gulf and jet streams with huge 100mph winds constantly blowing, being sustained for more than a day. Most travelers go to Iceland in the summer, however, Iceland in the winter is equally as beautiful, and there is the added bonus of less tourists and tones of snow. The interior of Iceland is not assessable in the winter months but the ring road is always passable, but careful driving and a 4WD is needed in the ice and snow. Over the Christmas period there is hardly any traffic on the roads in the South and the drive from Reykjavik to Vik is stunning. Glaciers, mountains, volcanoes and countless waterfalls keep the six hour drive interesting. Hofn is a good place to stop to explore Iceland's biggest glacier. Better still, Hoffell is a remote town close by, which, is very close to the foot of the glacier. In Hoffell you can also find naturally heated hot tubs, perfect for sitting in to watch the northern lights away from any artificial light, if the conditions are right.

Top ten Gadgets for Germaphobes

We are all so petrified of germs, we turn to the highest tech to get rid of them, every last one. But that's not going to be easy. In sheer numbers, there are 20 times more creepy crawlies in your body than cells. Heck, there are 500 species of bacteria, weighing 3.3 pounds, living in your gut alone! But those 90 trillion microbes living in and on your body right now aren't what should be worrying us. Many of them are vital to our survival, and we want to keep them around. However, sometimes malevolent invaders try to blend in with that helpful crowd of flora and fauna. Those villains are the ones we want to kill, so click Continue to discover the top 10 gadgets that'll help us do just that.

10. VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer

Rearrange the DNA of those puny microscopic pests camping out on your toothbrush with the ultraviolet light inside this $49 VIOlight in either travel or home versions. Once you've illuminated those germs for ten minutes with various wavelengths of UV light, you'll have the cleanest toothbrush in town. Well, until you put it back into that potty mouth of yours.

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9. Just Plane Clean

When you're wedged into a flying tin can full of hacking, microbe-spewing meat puppets, you're going to need some heavy air filtering. Snap the Plane Clean Filter onto that ventilation nozzle above your head, and its stale breeze will still smell rank, but at least there will be a few less funky pathogens in the air. We have our doubts about this one; it'll cost ya $20 to be the guinea pig.

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8. Hands-Free Soap Dispenser

Your bathroom can be touch-free, starting with this $40 SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump. Let's hope it doesn't require some fancy macarena-style hand motions to get the flow started. Fill it up with Purell for more antibacterial goodness; rinse, repeat.

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7. Nanotech Dresses

These two cotton dresses, created by fiber scientists and a student designer at Cornell University, have metallic nanofabers sewn in, giving them remarkable germ-fighting capabilities. Not a single microbe can survive on these garments, and they never need washing, either. Yeah, make me some socks out of this stuff — we'll see if they never need washing or not. Too bad the material costs $10,000 per square yard.

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6. Zapper Kills Bugs Dead

You don't actually want to put your hands anywhere near those grimy houseflies, do you? This $13 Electric Bug Zapper is like a lethal Taser for any insect, testament to the cruel fact that if you're a bug, trespassing in someone's house warrants the death penalty.

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5. Germ-Killing Surface

You do realize that your hands are even more germ-infested than a toilet seat, right? Keeping that in mind, the loo will be many times cleaner than you when it's someday equipped with a nano particle surface made of titanium dioxide. Aussie innovators in the Particles and Catalysts Research Group at the University of New South Wales created the substance that not only cleans itself, it repels water, too. Still in the developmental stage, expect the sparkling surface to be coming soon to a water closet near you.

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4. Philips Sonicare FlexCare Toothbrush

Not only does this $100 Philips electric toothbrush sonically vibrate that plaque into oblivion, now the company has picked up on the ultraviolet bug-killing kick, too. Just pop those brush heads into the mini-tanning booth attached to the toothbrush's base, and all those nasty squirmy worms are cooked up like a lobster in a boiling pot.

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3. Lotus Sanitizing System

This $150 magic bowl turns ordinary H2O into superoxygenated water that can clean everything in your house, neutralize odors, kill microbes and even rid foods of pesticides. Cure all known diseases? Well, they're not going that far. Either dip whatever you want super-cleaned into the bowlful of cleansing water, or put that special water in a spray bottle to spread its goodness hither and yon. Sounds like snake oil. Does it work? Time magazine thought so.

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2. Halo UVX Vacuum

The $400 Halo UVX's ultraviolet bug-killing light not only smites mites and the ever-present dust bunnies to which they cling, its makers say it can even kill viruses. If it can do that, those common household bacteria and common rug funk should be no match for this snarling, wheezing, purple-illuminated beast.

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1. Samsung SilverCare Washer

Using nanotech to release molecules of silver into your wash water, Samsung says this washer kills 99.9% of "tested bacteria" (whatever that is), even when using cold water and no bleach. Consumer Reports says the $1400 washer's SilverCare setting actually made some stinky t-shirts smell a whole lot better than those washed the normal way, but it took an extra 6 to 24 minutes per load to release those magical bug-killing silver nanoparticles.

Top ten BitTorrent Tools and Tricks

BitTorrent is the go-to resource for downloading everything from music and movies to software and operating systems, but as its popularity continues to grow, so do the number of tools available for making the most of it. Some are must-haves, while others are a waste of time. Climb aboard for a look at 10 of the best BitTorrent utilities, tools, and resources for finding and managing your BitTorrent downloads quickly and efficiently.

10. Use BitTorrent to Send Files

Of course BitTorrent is a great place to go looking for files, but you can actually take advantage of BitTorrent’s distributed download protocol to share your own files. This guide details how to create your own torrent to distribute a file on your computer. The guide covers creating the torrent with the popular, Windows-only uTorrent, but the feature is available in almost any BitTorrent client.

9. Start BitTorrent Downloads Over IM

Using IM applications like Pidgin or the Mac-only Adium, you can set up your IM client to automatically accept downloads from specific users (namely, you) and then save the file to a folder that your BitTorrent client watches for new torrent files (in Pidgin you'll need to go to Tools -> Plugins and enable the Autoaccept plugin). Most clients like uTorrent (Windows) and Transmission (*nix) support folder monitoring, so if your BitTorrent client is running it'll detect the file you've sent yourself and automatically start downloading the torrent. This method doesn't allow for very advanced remote management (like #5 below), but if all you want is a quick method for starting a new download, it's quick and easy.

8. Download BitTorrent in Your Browser

I’d always recommend using a dedicated BitTorrent client whenever you can, but sometimes installing or running another app just isn’t an option. In those cases, web application BitLet is a perfect solution. It runs BitTorrent downloads through an applet directly in your web browser; all you have to do is point it to the torrent file. (Read more)

You can even stream music directly from a torrent in your browser with WeStream, BitLet’s other in-browser BitTorrent tool. (Read more)

7. Manage Your Video Downloads with Miro

Cross platform, open source application Miro is designed as a one-stop shop for handling video—whether that's video podcasts or BitTorrent. It doesn't have all the tools available to less specialized clients like uTorrent or Transmission, but it does work well to automatically download a season’s worth of television while it’s happening. (Read more)

6. Speed Up Your Downloads and Outwit Your Traffic-Shaping ISP

Whether you’re new to BitTorrent or you’re just not getting the download speeds you were hoping for, you can take steps to speed up your downloads by capping your upload speeds, adjust your connection allowances, or switch the default port. (Read more)

Sometimes a slow connection is the result of intentional BitTorrent throttling by your internet service provider. In addition to switching the default port your BitTorrent client is using, there are tons of other methods—like turning on encryption or adjusting the way your client behaves—that can help fool your ISP and speed up your downloads. (Read more)

5. Remote Control Your BitTorrent Downloads with uTorrent’s WebUI or Transmission’s Clutch

You're gaga for BitTorrent, and these two tools let you control and manage all of your BitTorrent downloads from the comfort of your web browser—no matter where you are. Both applications can handle almost any feature of the desktop version (and both look very similar, as well). Just find the one that fits the operating system you're using and get started with your remote access. uTorrent even has a special web interface for the iPhone.

4. Set Up a TV Season Pass with Ted or TVShows

Whether you opt for Ted (all platforms) or TVShows (Mac OS X only), these apps ensure you’ll no longer need to dig for the latest and greatest episodes of your favorite TV shows week after week. You just point them to what you like, and they automatically download new episode torrents as they become available.

3. Search the Best of the Best with YouTorrent

Rather than get into an argument over the best torrent tracker/search engine, might I instead submit YouTorrent, a meta search engine that scours some of the best BitTorrent trackers for downloads and sorts the results by number of seeds. I know it's new, and who knows if it'll last (it doesn't even have ads yet), but—god willing—YouTorrent is currently the easiest place to look for a new, healthy torrent (barring some really good private tracker that most of us are not members of). (Read more)

2. Transmission

(Mac/Linux)

The go-to BitTorrent client for Mac users, Transmission has that Mac feel that makes you want to go out and pirate download some Creative Commons-licensed content. It’s popped up already a lot in this list, from its torrent folder monitoring to it’s snazzy remote control features, so if you’re looking for a great client for your Mac, Transmission is the best on the market. (Read more)

1. uTorrent

(Windows)

It’s unfortunately Windows-only for now (that may change sometime this year), but uTorrent is bar-none the best BitTorrent client you’ll find. It’s fast, lightweight, and full-featured (as you’ve seen above). If there’s one Windows application I miss when I’m working away from Windows, uTorrent is that client.

Top Ten Awesomely bad movies from the 80's

From a time long forgotten. A time when big hair and ripped jeans ruled the streets. When Michael Jackson was someone to look up to. A time when break dancing was rampant. This time was known as "The 80's". And from the 80's came some of the worst movies of all time.


I have compiled a list of the most awesomely bad movies of the 80's. These films were some of my favorites as a child growing up. I like to relate them to driving past a car pile-up, you don't want to see what you are seeing but you always slow down to look. This was going to be a Top Ten List but # 11 was to dear too my heart to let go.

so without further delay lets look at the top eleven awesomely bad movies of the 1980's. And remember, except for #2 I like these movies.

WARNING: SPOILERS ARE INCLUDED IN SOME OF THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FILMS. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THESE MASTERPIECES AND ARE INTERESTED IN VIEWING THEM DON'T READ ANY FURTHER!!!

#11 THE STUFF (1985)

Directed by Larry Cohen
A weird yummy goop erupts from the earth and is discovered by a couple of miners. They taste it and decide to market it because it tastes so good, and makes you feel good as well. The American public literally eats up the new dessert known as The Stuff but, unfortunately, it takes over the brains of those who eat it, turning them into zombie-like creatures. Also another side affect is that it can kill you! Yogurt! Either by eating you alive from the inside-out or by simply covering you(suffocating) you to death.

It is up to ex-FBI agent David Rutherford and a kid named Jason(of course) to stop the spread of the mind-devouring dessert. It seems to me that if a national trend is causing people to die that more than just one kid and an FBI agent would respond to this. I guess they didn't want to make it a dull movie (Mission not accomplished).
The rest of the movie consists of face meltings and some very poor acting. I will admit that the face meltings are pretty cool. I just have a hard time believing the FDA would allow a yogurt like substance that can control your body onto the market, at least not without testing it first.


#10 THE TOXIC AVENGER (1985)

God do I love this horrible film!!! I own three versions of this it. That doesn't save it from this list though. It's the first film from Troma(King of bad movies) on my list, and it is The Toxic Avenger. Young janitor Melvin, a 98 lb weakling, is tricked into wearing a tutu and falls into a open barrel of toxic waste that's in the back of a truck that was passing by(don't ask, just accept it). The waste turned Melvin into "The Toxic Avenger" the first super Hero from New Jersey. With his new super size and strength he brings to justice those that caused his mutation, falls in love with a blind babe, and kills the mayor of Tromaville. The first movie that I know of to feature a death by a mop(and boy are they numerous). Dan Snow should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of "Cigar Face",a name that makes me laugh even today, who also plays the most insane cop I've ever seen in Toxic Avenger 4: Citizen Toxie. This movie is terribly gruesome and completely lacking of good taste. That’s why I love it so much. This movie is a must own for those who either: Love 80's flicks or awesomely bad movies(or both).


#9 RAWHEAD REX (1986)


WOW, is this a strange one. Rawhead Rex would actually be a good movie , if the special effects of the monster were not so incredibly horrible looking. I mean these were just awful. There is one scene in the trailer park at night when Rawhead is killing a lot of people that his eyes are glowing red and chasing people….to their doom! Besides this scene the monster looks like a remote controlled mask on a weight lifters body. With the death of the main hero’s(David Dukes) young son at the hands of Rawhead, the movie shows it is a no-boundaries slasher 80’s flick. It seems that old Rawhead can't harm a woman for some reason but males are open game. The ending is a joke, Some stone held by a woman shoots out cheesy special effects that kill Rawhead. I might sound like a broken record on this one but holy crap are the special effects bad. I am embarrassed to say that this movie scared the crap out of me when I was eight years old. Definitely a prime example of “The book is better than the movie”.(Clive Barker wrote the novel).


#8 976-EVIL (1989)


Directed by Robert Englund
Basically put, if you call 976-evil on your phone, ext. 666, you gain supernatural powers that somehow cause your death. Let me say that again, you call a 976 number and you get demonic powers!!! More specifically a boy finds card containing a Satanic phone number, boy meets girl, boy’s cousin finds number and uses it to kill girl and lots of other folks, boy’s cousin then turns into a hell spawn, and boy must save the day. No, it isn’t particularly scary or even very startling and it certainly doesn't make any sense, but it is rather gross in spots. Calling a 976 number for demonic powers, who thinks this crap up anyway? Oh that’s right…Freddy Krueger.


#7 BASKET CASE (1982)

Now this movie is a treat. Duane and his mutant Siamese brother Bilyle kill a lot of people in this cheese fest For it's time though the special effects were pretty good. For it's time mind you.
the seemingly innocent Duane Bradley arrives in New York City's Times Square accompanied by a wicker basket within which is something both disgusting and destructive. You guessed it! he's carrying his mutant, telepathic twin brother in a big basket. actually they were Siamese twins, separated against their will and seeking no prisoners taking revenge on the doctors who surgically parted them!

Of course, it falls upon Duane to keep his brother well-fed, and the basket-dweller's appetite ranges from hotdogs to hookers, with plenty of lowlife, skid-row snacks to be found in the seedy motel they wash up in. Naturally enough an assortment of new yorkers find themselves sliced and diced and the mysterious resident of the wicker home is later revealed to have been rescued from the rubbish bin before their father was sent on his way to greet his maker...seriously he was thrown in the trash.

With the two horrible sequels that followed it this one EARNED it’s spot on this list. The other two are just running off the fumes of this OG of awful “Twin brother is a mutated head with arms that used to be attached to my side until some doctors separated us and now mutant brother is crazy” movies.


#6 DEATHSTALKER (1983)


Now why would I (in 1983) go see a good action movie like The Return of The Jedi, when I could see this agonizing barbarian movie that looks like it took place in northern California? The warrior Deathstalker is tasked by an old witch lady to obtain and unite the three powers of creation - a chalice, an amulet, and a sword - lest the evil magician Munkar get them and use them for nefarious purposes.


After obtaining the sword, Deathstalker joins with other travelers going to the Big Tournament to determine the strongest warrior. The false king takes hold of a kingdom and holds the true princess in captivity, and then plots to have Deathstalker killed, and Deathstalker must fight to free the princess, blah blah blah. But what the movie(and all of it’s sequels, I’m thinking 9 of them) is really about is women in little to no clothes. This actually is a movie that will make you laugh in parts, but definitely a rental not a purchase.

sorry honey but shielding your eyes will not help you

#5 APRIL FOOLS DAY (1986)
“Why don’t you tell us something about yourself?”
“Okay…I want to work with handicapped children. And my parents are my best friends. Oh, and I start convent school next semester. And I f—k on the first date.”
-actual quote from the film

a group of college students getting together for a spring break weekend. Muffy (Foreman, and no, I didn’t make that name up) invited them all to her luxurious island summer home for her birthday (which happens to fall on April 1st), for a couple of days of fun, friendship, and practical jokes.
Then in the ferry ride to the getaway one of the kids gets crushed between the boat and the dock. That’s not going to stop the partying though. And as the weekend goes on more and more kids die in typical horror movie style, until just one remains. Then to her surprise all of her friends were not dead, but in fact playing a April fools joke on her!!! Totally lame because some of the deaths in the movie could not be faked in real life. And to add to the confusion the last scene shows our Muffy getting what looks like her throat slashed by a stranger. Biff from Back to the Future plays a character in this flick but he is the only noticeable person in the cast.

#4 CLASS OF NUKEM’ HIGH (1986)


Another Classic from the good people at Troma. Tromaville high school is our setting here, and the story centers around several of its attendees. Tromaville high is complete with ridiculous stereotypes and students who appear to have a median age of 25 in real life. In other words, it's more or less your typical all-American high school of the 80's, except for the fact that it's right next to a nuclear power plant. I'm talking about across the street from a nuclear power plant. The plant's head honcho, Mr. Finley assures the citizens of Tromaville that the plant is completely safe, but some students of Tromaville high are starting to mutate. The school's honor society have transformed into a horde of gutter punks who call themselves "The Cretins" and unassuming scrawny little nerds are vomiting up green stuff and hurling themselves headfirst out of closed windows (A common accurance in Troma films.)
The Cretins start to sell "atomic pot" grown right on the plant's grounds and a student named Warren(I guess you could call him the hero) finds out the story behind the super powered weed, and tries to destroy the Cretins. The problem is that Warren is a dorky little nobody and the Cretins are some evil bastards. But due to nuclear radiation, Warren starts taking on a vindictive alter ego. Warren now has disposed of a couple of the Cretins' baddest dudes. But Chrissy, Warrens girlfriend is also experiencing some odd aftereffects from the pot as well, as she gets pregnant and then spits up a creepy little monster into the toilet. Of course, someone flushes it down the toilet. The Cretins get pissed at Warren for killing some of their boys, so they plan to lure him into certain doom using Chrissy as bait.

However, there are more intimidating things in the school at this point, including Chrissy's own mutant-spawn, which has reached full size and is now a gigantic radioactive killer monster living in the school's bowels. You can pretty much guess the rest of the plot from here. This is a horrible film, but funny in the fact that it doesn’t take it self seriously. In fact it makes fun of itself a lot.


#3 GARBAGE PAIL KIDS: THE MOVIE (1987)
I have an idea, lets take a series of disgusting trading cards and make them into a horrible movie. Good Idea!!


I loved garbage pail kids as a child so I liked this movie. I watched it a lot when I was young….until it disappeared. The story of the frighteningly bad movie is as follows: Dodger, a skinny dork, works for the "magical" Cap'n Mancini, an antique storeowner with a suspicious garbage pail in his basement. When Dodger accidentally overturns the pail, a greenish ooze oozes out which formulates itself into seven Garbage Pail Kids (actually little people in trashy costumes): Valerie Vomit, Ali Gator, Greaser Greg, Nat Nerd, Windy Winston, Messy Tessie and Foul Phil, all named after their various afflictions.


It seems that Dodger has a thing for Tangerine, a frizzy-haired hottie who makes and sells clothes for a living, but has NO interest in him; her boyfriend is a psycho who wears too much eye makeup and spends his days beating Dodger up. But when the Garbage Pail Kids design a Napoleon suit for Dodger to wear that's supposed to make him look cool (it doesn't), Tangerine suddenly sees Dodger in a different light. And in an typical eighties-style, she puts him into service making clothes for her by coming onto him, and he cracks the whip on his "friends" the Garbage Pail Kids to produce clothing. Basically a Garbage Pail Kids sweatshop.


It all comes down to a fashion show. In the meantime the Garbage Pail Kids escape from the confines of the Cap'n's basement, terrorize a bar and movie theater, and eventually get themselves locked in a cage at a zoo for ugly people, with the label "TOO GROSS" plastered across the bars. Not to worry, though, because Dodger has solicited the help of a gang of bikers who break them out, allowing the Garbage Pail Kids to crash the fashion show and deal with its corrupt patrons in various gross ways: Windy Winston farts into the crowd, Valerie Vomit pukes on one of them, etc. In the end you wonder why you just spent the last 90 min or so watching midgets and a kid doing weird and gross stuff.
Mackenzie Austin (then a regular on THE FACTS OF LIFE), was the star appeal of this movie

kinda looks like Gene Simmons. God these things freak me out

#2 BREAKIN AND BREAKIN 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO (1984)



Both released in 1984 and counted as a single film according to this list. Kinda like Kill Bill, only these are terrible. To explain the plots of these movies is like describing the plot of a porn film. I mean that the movie is just scenes leading up to another dance scene(just like porn is just scenes leading up to more love scenes). I think part 2 is about a community center that is getting torn down and the only way to save it is to dance up the walls to the ceiling and having a dancing drive for money.


Granted the dancing is cool but these movies are just plain awful. I mean just look at this guy. Shame on you if you Like either of these films. Try Krush Groove, now there is a good flick. These two are just the "you got served" of 1984. terrible. I do laugh every time it's on TV. so I guess it's not that bad. And who can forget the oversized boom box craze? Do people still do that? Or have iPod's totally taken over?


#1 SURF NAZIS MUST DIE (1987)

Here it is folks, the worst of the worst. Again another film from our friends at Troma, God bless them. This movie does NOT take itself seriously, please remember that when viewing this film. SURF NAZIS MUST DIE takes place in a post-earthquake near future, where the beaches have been overrun with gangs of surf punks.
Run by a guy named Adolf, the Surf Nazis recruit at a young age, and paint swastikas (often backward, but whatever) all over everything. They also don't like minorities (or for that matter, anyone.) And that’s the big draw back to the movie-the extreme racism but then again they are Nazis.
The Pipeliners ,a rival gang , try to eliminate them, but fail at this task. The Nazis just seem superior: they have better equipment (surfboards with switchblades built in!) and dirtier fighting techniques (they even beat trained samurai.)

For the most part, the Nazis have free reign. They drive around in their shark-mouthed van, steal purses from old ladies, and bash the heads of people they don't like(Another common accurance in Troma films). A man by the name of Leroy Washington tries to thwart the actions of the Nazis one day, and meets a gruesome fate as a result. But while Leroy may have just seemed like just another victim to the Surf Nazis, he winds up being the worst mistake they ever made.

You see, the Nazis weren't counting on Leroy to have a vindictive, bloodthirsty grandma(a middle-aged, obese black woman named Eleanor Washington), who breaks free from her nursing home to build up an arsenal to get revenge for the loss of her grandson. Before you know it, she's not only hauling around a HUGE gun, but a collection of explosives as well.

Hilarity ensues. And I mean that. Mama is worth watching this by her self. The climax comes in a scene in which we quickly learn what happens when you get run over by a speedboat. Ouch.
SURF NAZIS MUST DIE is a bad movie. But it's that special type of bad movie that should be witnessed by everyone.




Well that’s it folks! Hope you enjoyed my list and any other movies you think should be on the list let me know. Here are some Honorable Mentions that almost made the list:

Saturday the 14th (1981)- a spoof film sure but wow is it bad
Saturday the 14th II (1988)- it’s better than the first one but still worse than Gigli
Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)- need I say more?
Motel Hell (1980)- u check in but…well you know….get turned into chili????
Dead Poets Society (1989)- I hate whiney, the world sucks kind of people and this movie is their anthem
Dirty Dancing (1987)- wouldn’t hate it if I had to watch it only once, I like a good love story every now and again, but after the 534th time I want to punch Patrick Swayze in the face and throw Baby off of a cliff. Any boyfriend to a GIRL in America has to agree with me on this one.
Howard the Duck (1986)- I think Lea Thompson’s song “Howard the Duck” at the end put this one over the top
Yentl (1983)- did anyone actually think Barbara Streisand looked anything like a boy in this film, me either. Worse sexual conversion movie ever, including White Chicks
Hairspray (1988)- No words can express how bad this movie is
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)- part II was awesome so why does this one suck so bad
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)- whales can save the planet, what kind of hippy crap is this? Time travel by warping close to the sun?
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)- the rest were ok until insurrection
The Terror Within (1989)- Andrew Stevens at his finest, he fights a guy in a monster suit…. I mean a mutated monster. No I don’t mean George Kennedy either
Gymkata (1985)- some strange stuff here. A town of crazed Europeans attack the contestants of this race(?) to marry the king's daughter(?) or something. Reminds me of Resident Evil 4, maybe Capcom stole the idea for Resident Evil 4 from Gymkata( just kidding)
The Gate (1987)-only because a heavy metal record played backwards opened the gate to hell.
Night of the Demons (1988)- worst Halloween slasher ever made
CHUD II: Bud the CHUD (1989)- not that the first one with Daniel Stern and John Heard was any better.
The Re-Animator (1985) an immortal classic were Jeffery Combs acts up a storm as the Re-Animator. A Must see!!!
Bronx Warriors (1982)- post apocalyptic new York complete with desert biker gangs and shirtless savages
Cannibal Apocalypse (1980)- The Title explains it all.
Goulies (1985)- Little demons killing people, apparently no one knows how to "kick", cause I would punt one of those things 30 yards.

To purchase any of these films go to Amazon.com or IMDB.com
to rent try Netflix.com
Try Netflix anyway though, it is awesome and it has good movies from the 80's too!!!!

All dates referenced by Leonard Maltin’s 2004 Movie and Video guide. I trust him more than any web site or movie critic.

By Dr Science

Top ten web designs inspired by nature

As we observe the trend in web design we will notice that the website designs are moving from those heavy graphics to light, vibrant colour designs. Many of such designs are inspired by Mother Nature. Nature inspired designs are extremely calm and install freshness to the website. In this blog post I will try to point to few of such beautiful designs spread across the web. These designs also remind us of the need to connect to nature. We humans have already destroyed a great deal of nature. Each passing day we are realizing just that. Designs based on nature are very inspirational have a look yourself.

1. 4DESIGN :

This is one of the best design out there. No wonder it is on the top of the list. Just look at the design it is so refreshing and inspiring. When was the last time we something as beautiful and fresh as this. In this design you will notice wild flowers, a king fisher near it’s nest and a hot air balloon. The navigation is on a wooden like strip. Great Design!

2. N-DESIGN STUDIO :

NDesign-Studio has one of the best looking theme for wordpress. This custom made theme has a peacock, mountains, rainbow and roses. This design is drawn using Adobe Illustrator. NDesign has won many awards and recognition for it’s design. The point to note here is even the best designers are inspired by nature.

3. VOS RESSOURCES :

This design focuses on the wild side of the nature. The design consists of a beautiful leaf and the header sports a waterfall. This design also has bamboo’s at the right top. Even the favicon used in the site has the leave which also acts as the logo for the site, background colour is a pale olive leave colour. This layout is calm but not as vibrant as 4DESIGN.

4. ARBUSTS PHOTOGRAPHY :

This web design is for a website that does photography on wedding occasion. In this design the designer has show bride and groom enjoying lonely time with nature. Design shows a large lake, ice capped mountain and a tree which is showering leaves over the bride. All these are spread on a grassy plain. Designer has tried to merge the love between two person along side nature. A job well done.

5. BELFLORA :

This website is completely dedicated to nature. The complete first fold of browser ( The view area of browser which we can see without scrolling ) is covered by nature. Lots of grass, flowers and a cute butterly make this web design as close to nature as possible. The website is in russian.

6. HYPJO :

This design shows the nature at night. Be it day or night nature looks beautiful anytime. This layout shows a tree with birds returning to there nest after days work, half moon and stars. This design has a very unique navigation , instead of the usual buttons the navigation are person at work, roll over the icons to see the effect. Impressive! The layout is one of the most simplest layout of all we saw till now.

7. STUDIO 7 DESIGN :

This is another vibrant colour design. This design sports a country side scenery with some fresh vegetables. For information arbust photography website is done by Studio7Design. The logo shows a mountain and sun setting at background. This design is as fresh as it can get.

8. OPEN SOURCE TEMPLATES :

This website offers free templates, again this website template is done by Studio7Design. The header shows sunrising from mountains some clouds and birds flying around. Layout scales 100% to the browser and is mostly gray. Pretty simple layout.

9. CSS ZEN GARDEN :

The most simple of all design, a very light coloured layout which shows violet colour lotus. This layout also has a tree with lots of flower. Pretty calm layout and very easy on eyes.

10. KULTURBANAUSE :

This is the layout where nature is shown in it’s mystical form. It shows dried tree and the landscape is spread with fog. Looks a bit scary, if we scroll down we find the layout has a waterfall which falls down. Layout is mostly violet coloured with mountain in the background. A more of fantasy land layout.

In this compilation we saw nature under various moods. This also shows some of the best looking layouts are inspired by nature. The main reason why nature based layouts look so connecting is because we all can associate ourself with nature. Just a tip, if you are planning to enter any contest for making templates or design try do it on nature as your chances of winning is much higher than others.

source: http://www.cooljeba.com

Top ten Most Common SEO Mistakes

source: http://www.web-hosting-newsletter.com

1. Using Wacky codes – When designing and coding your website it is important that you do not use spider-illegible JavaScript or other coding where legible code could do the same thing.

2. Keywords That Make Sense - Keywords are extremely important. You should figure out what keyword phrases mean the most to your website or offering, and to the people who are searching for your site. Try to focus on a small group of the most important keywords that customers may actually be searching for, and not every keyword combination under the sun.

3. No Smart or Solid Navigation Structure - Most optimal url’s contain relevant keywords with minimal slashes and dynamic characters. Keep the pages and names true to the content, and the engines will appreciate it

4. Title Tags Matter - Thinking that one title tag will work throughout your site won’t work. Each page should have a unique title tag to explain what the page is about. These titles show up in the Search Engine Results and help persuade visitors from clicking your site over the next person’s.

5. Splash Pages - Splash pages can sometimes leave your home page empty without much focus. If you insist on keeping a splash page, be sure to add relevant content and some form of navigation to keep search engines spidering through your site.

6. Thinking all search engines are the same - All search engines are on their own plan so that is why you may rank better with some than with others. Know that the top search engines bring the most traffic, so concentrate on them (ie Google, MSN and Yahoo).

7. I heard that links can now hurt you - Getting links from related (key point) sites is always helpful in the SEO world. You should always be on the look out for good quality links. Trading a ton of links a day with other webmasters is not necessarily helping you. It is NOT good to trade links with sites that are completely unrelated. Many webmasters trade too many links with sites that end up watering down your link credibility and turn into wasted efforts. Choose who you link with wisely.

8. Balancing Code and Graphics - Your site should consist of a healthy balance between code (HTML) and graphics. This is key both to search engine visibility and conversions.

9. The Customer has arrived, now what? - Make sure that your site is set up to provide whatever you are trying to rank for. You need to give the visitor what they are hoping to find to make it worth bringing the visitors to your site.

10. Thinking that SEO is everything - SEO is important but should be one part of a healthy online marketing plan.

Additional Points:

Having a website is not enough, you need a marketing plan - you need to know your customers and what they want. It is useless to bring traffic to a site that is not going to relate to your offering or convert customers.

Top 10 Reasons Why Iraq Should Be US 51st State

1. US spend over $5.6 billion dollars a month in Iraq, which is more Federal aid than any current state is receiving.

2. At $5.6 billion dollars, US could pay each and every Iraqi $215 a month, ten times what their average income is now. How could they complain?

3. With an estimated 250,000 American citizens currently residing in Iraq it is already nearly half the population size of Wyoming.

4. Fighting would have to stop because the U.S. cannot declare war on itself.

5. US saves time and money not having to draft up a separate Iraqi constitution since we already have one.

6. Baghdad is only 1400 miles further from Washington than Honolulu is.

7. Historically, US have added new states about every 50 years.
   

8. US reduces unemployment by creating jobs for English teachers.

9. Forget the oil. US needs a state with a “Q” in it!

10. US made Alaska and Hawaii states.

Top Ten Kosher Wines for 2007

Gamliel Kronemer, the New York Jewish Week’s wine writer, has just released his Top 10 kosher wines for 2007. While missing out on many of the great non-certified Israeli wines (Flam, Margalit, Pelter, Clos de Gat, Odem Mountain [going certified starting with the 2007 vintages] and many more), about half the list is Israeli wines. Also, with rare exception, most of those wines are available in the US so he leaves out (intentionally) some of the excellent wines not imported or barely available in America (Teperberg 1870, the many smaller boutiques, etc.).

But the list of top Israeli wines according to the NY Jewish Week:

Carmel, Limited Edition, 2003: This rich, dark-garnet colored, Bordelaise-style blend of 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Petit Verdot, 17 percent Merlot and 1 percent Cabernet Franc has a delightfully perfumed nose of cassis, blackberries, cedar and oak, with floral overtones. Look for flavors of cassis, blackberries, cherries, tobacco, cedar and toasty oak, with hints of allspice and nutmeg. Finely balanced with supple well-integrated tannins, this wine is ready to drink now, but could cellar for another four to five years. Score A (non-blind tasting). $74.99. Available at Union Square Wine and Spirits, 140 Fourth Ave. (Manhattan).

Domaine du Castel, Judean Hills, Grand Vin, 2005: This dark and inky garnet-colored cuvée has a complex nose of cassis, cherries, blackberries, oak, cedar, and brown spices. Look for flavors of bing cherries, cassis and toasty oak, with a hint of bergamot, and a nice level of minerals and spices. This wine is still tight and overly tannic, and needs at least another year to fully integrate. Best 2010-2014. Score A (non-blind tasting). This wine has not yet been released in the United States.

Recanati, Special Reserve, 2004: This full-bodied, dark-garnet colored blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot has a rich nose of cranberries, blackberries, cherries and smoky oak, with a hint of eucalyptus. Look for flavors of blackberries, cherries and mocha, with hints of Mediterranean herbs. Best now-2010. Score A. $35.99. Available at Gotham Wine and Liquors, 2517 Broadway (Manhattan)

Yatir, Negev Desert, Forest, 2004: Made from grapes grown in the manmade Yatir Forest in the northern Negev, this dark and inky, full-bodied, Australian-style red has a fascinating nose of cassis, cherries, plums and toasted oak, with a hint of tobacco smoke. Look for flavors of blackberries, boysenberries, plums, cassis, and toasted oak, with hints of vanilla and allspice, and pleasant earthy undertones. Best now-2011. Score A. $64.99 Available at Gotham Wine and Liquors, 2517 Broadway (Manhattan),

Carmel, Galilee, Sha’al Single Vineyard, Late Harvest Gewürztraminer, 2005: Made from grapes grown in the Sha’al Vineyard in the northern Galilee, this light-gold-colored, medium-to-full-bodied, dessert wine has a bouquet of apricots, lichees, tropical fruits, heather and spices. Look for flavors of apricots, oranges, pineapples and heather, with hints of botrytis and rose petals, and a nice underlying layer of cloves and black pepper. The wine is well structured, with a bracing acidity to match its intense sweetness. Although ready to drink now it should be able to cellar until 2011. Score A/A-. $20.99. Available at Skyview Wine and Liquors, 5681 Riverdale Ave. (Riverdale).

source: http://israelwine.wordpress.com

Top 10 Giant Monster Attacks Movies

source: http://www.scene-stealers.com

Whether its guys in big rubber suits, stop-motion camera trickery, or computer generated effects, there is something exciting, terrifying, and sometimes unintentionally hilarious about movies that feature a giant monster let loose in a major urban city. With the much-anticipated release of this weekend’s “Cloverfield,” I take a look back at ten of the best in the very specific “giant monster attacks” genre. For variety’s sake, I haven’t concentrated solely on the Japanese kaiju films, which are certainly the dominant type of movie in this limited field. Also, for variety’s sake, I have removed all “Jurassic Park” movies and decided that the monsters need not attack only modern cities. Enjoy!

10. Gammera the Invincible aka Daikaiju Gamera (1965)

What in the world could be more frightening (or stupefying) than a giant fire-breathing turtle with tusk-like incisors that can hide inside its body and shoot sparks out its side, spinning like a flying saucer? Cold war tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union cause an American bomber to hastily shoot down a Russian bomber carrying hydrogen bombs. The impact awakens Gamera (as his name was spelled in all but the U.S. version of this first movie), a gigantic turtle that had been frozen in ice since prehistoric times. Guess where he’s headed? If you said Tokyo, you’re right on. The catch is—and this always made me like Gamera the best as a kid—he’s got a soft spot for children. As he destroys everything else in his path, he takes time to spare the little ones. This film was Daiei Studios’ challenge to Toho’s, which had a virtual monopoly on kaiju giant-monster movies, and was very successful, spawning scores of sequels. In one scene, as an inside joke, Gamera even destroys the New Toho Theater. In America, Brian Donlevy and Albert Dekker were added a year later, along with some of the requisite bad dubbing. (Watch the U.S. trailer here.)

9. Clash of the Titans (1981)

Stop-motion animation legend Ray Harryhausen was called in as the head of special effects for this Greek mythology-inspired headscratcher, and it would prove to be his last film in that role. Unfortunately for him, his throwback creations, like the evil, snake-haired, glowing-eyed Medusa, were onscreen way too little to make room for Perseus—the most bland and unconvincing hero ever—played by Harry Hamlin (“L.A. Law”). Laurence Olivier is also on board as Zeus. As awesome and creatively animated as the gorgon Medusa and the winged horse Pegasus were, the only thing that qualifies this movie as a giant-monster film is the finale. The Kraken, a giant sea monster, rises from the sea demanding a virgin sacrifice. Andromeda is just moments away from a violent death at the beast when—well, you can guess, I suppose. As lame as Hamlin was in the role, it’s still an exciting climax to an overly-long movie that was smart enough to utilize Harryhausen and thus is fondly remembered by many. A remake is scheduled for 2010, with Stephen Norrington (“The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”) directing. Ugh. (Watch the Kraken.)

Calibos: Release the Kraken!

8. Them! (1954)

Atomic paranoia was alive and well in America, what with all the testing in the Nevada desert, so is it any wonder that the radiation would cause a group of ants to grow to gigantic proportions and terrorize the citizens of the rural West? The ants keep getting bigger and bigger until they eventually overrun an ocean freighter and set up a nest in the Los Angeles sewer system. Despite its ridiculous premise (aren’t they all?), “Them!” actually has some fairly tense moments, as it gradually develops its unreal situation. Not to mention the fact that for its time, the special effects were pretty damned impressive. This movie used to be a Saturday or Sunday afternoon staple when I was growing up and it wasn’t yet old enough to be looked back on nostalgically. Even now, the efficient black-and-white giant-monster pic stubbornly refuses to not be taken seriously as science fiction, and credible turns by James Arness (“The Thing From Another World”) and James Whitmore (“The Shawshank Redemption”) help to keep audiences focused on the thrills. (The entire film is here, but it looks terrible.)

Dr. Harold Medford: When Man entered the atomic age, he opened a door into a new world. What he eventually finds in that new world, nobody can predict.

7. Ghostbusters (1984)

Okay, I know this is technically not a giant monster movie, but the huge Stay Puft Marshmallow Man that rumbles through the New York City skyline is so iconic that one of the Web’s most popular mash-ups of late features that same timeless personage inserted onto the “Cloverfield” trailer. When the ancient Sumerian God Gozer the Gozerian asks what form the Ghostbusters would like their destructor to take, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) immediately thinks of the one thing that could never hurt anyone— the fictitious Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Our fearless heroes eventually must break the rules and cross streams (”huh uh huh hu huh…you said streams”) to defeat the smiling maniacal sugar-fiend, causing a total protonic reversal and saving the day. The unfortunate side effect? His destruction rains down a mass of white, sticky goo all over the city. When I was a kid, I thought the Stay Puft marshmallow man was real and immediately wanted to find and eat some of his gooey treats. McDonald’s eventually featured him on some of their Happy Meals, and Kenner released some toys, but it was still a letdown to find out that he was entirely a creation of the “Ghostbusters” script.

Gozer: The Choice is made! The Traveller has come!
Peter Venkman: Nobody choosed anything! Did you choose anything?
Egon Spengler: No.
Peter Venkman: [to Winston] Did YOU?
Winston Zeddemore: My mind is totally blank.
Peter Venkman: I didn’t choose anything…
Ray Stantz: I couldn’t help it. It just popped in there.

6. Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster aka Gojira tai Hedorâ (1971)

Out of all the Godzilla sequels and spawns, I’ve chosen this insane little oddity because it shows how far off the rails the series had gotten 17 years later. By now, of course, Godzilla was no longer the villain, but the hero of Tokyo. This film is an awful monster movie in the generally accepted sense, but wow, what a steaming pile of crap it is! Literally. Hedorâ, the smog monster, is a brown, corny steaming pile of pollution that grows larger every second until it splits into smaller crap-monsters, secretes a bunch of toxic acid, and hits the skies for a full-on attack on Mt. Fuji. If there ever was a psychedelic Godzilla movie, this is it (about four years after the craze hit America, of course). There are all kinds of colorful kaleidoscopic camera effects and a bunch of hip Japanese youngsters (who turn into drugged-out, lizard mask-wearing youngsters for a brief acid-tinged moment) signing an unintentionally hilarious eco-awareness song titled “Save the Earth” (watch video here) (”Animals, God’s animals/Don’t go away, don’t go/The sea has cobalt, it’s full of mercury/Too many fumes in our oxygen/All the smog now is choking you and me/Good Lord, where is it gonna end?/We’re movin’, we’re movin’, movin’ to the Moon now “). Somewhere across the ocean, an American Indian chief cried a solitary tear for the tainted legacy of poor Godzilla.

Yukio Keuchi: There’s no place else to go and pretty soon we’ll all be dead, so forget it! Enjoy yourself! Let’s sing and dance while we can! Come on, blow your mind!

Dr. Yano: It probably came from a sticky, dark planet far, far away. Now go to sleep.

5. Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

The Aztec god Quetzalcoatl takes flight in New York City as a giant flying dragon in this freakish low-budget monster movie from writer/director/B-movie impresario Larry Cohen (”God Told Me To”). Instead of a typical heroic figure, Cohen gives us a shifty, neurotic crook named Quinn (played by Michael Moriarty from “Law and Order”) for a protagonist. What starts out as a police procedural featuring some ritualistic cult murders (people being skinned alive; pretty standard by today’s “CSI” standards) turns into to something even more bizarre—a noirish character study about a low-rung criminal who yearns to be a jazz pianist (Moriarty himself composed two of the film’s piano pieces). Quinn, being the upstanding citizen that he is, tries to extort money and a pardon from the city’s representatives for information on where the creature has laid his egg. Meanwhile, the giant stop-motion animated lizard bites the heads off of unfortunate New Yorkers for lunch. Eventually, everything leads to an all-out military attack on the Chrysler Building. David Carradine (”Kill Bill”), Richard Roundtree (”Shaft”), and Candy Clark (”American Graffiti”) round out an impressive B-movie cast. (Watch Q go fishing.) or (Turn down the sound and watch all the best attacks from the movie here.)

Jimmy Quinn: Stick it in your brain. Your tiny little brain!

Jimmy Quinn: Eat ‘em! Eat ‘em! Crunch crunch!

4. The Host aka Gwoemul (2007)

Taking a page from the social commentary of “Godzilla,” this South Korean creature feature from last year (released in 2006 in its home country) uses a ferocious mutated tadpole as a stand-in for the constant presence of U.S. military forces. Writer/director Bong Joon-ho mixes the quirky family road trip picture with the giant monster picture and comes up with a potent movie with unusual laughs, real emotion, and a biting attitude. An ugly American officer pours toxic formaldehyde into a river because they are “too dusty,” and after U.S. officials take control of the contaminated area, it turns out everything our scientists say about the virus is wrong. What’s worse, an American chemical weapon called Agent Yellow (again, not very subtle) is eventually used. “The Host” saves some venom for the South Korean government as well, however. Like the family portrayed in the film, they are a pretty inept and idiotic bunch altogether. The only thing worth counting on, it turns out, is family. Modern CGI is integrated seamlessly into the movie, and the monster’s first rampage down the riverbanks is impressively staged. A lull somewhere near the middle of the movie can’t stop “The Host” from being the best (and most intentionally funny) original giant monster movie in ages. (Watch the U.S. trailer here.)

3. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)

More terrific Greek mythology stop-motion creations from Ray Harryhausen populate this fantasy/action/adventure film that’s sparsely populated by interminable to tolerable acting. An heir to the throne of Thessaly named Jason (a bearded and overdubbed Todd Armstrong) searches for the Golden Fleece to the amusement of the Gods at Mount Olympus. Along the way, he encounters some of master animator Harryhausen’s greatest creations. Jason is memorably plagued by winged female spirits known as harpies and a huge army of skeletons, but it’s Talos, the giant statue-come-to-life, and the impressively-animated seven-headed hydra that make this a kick ass giant-monster movie. “Jason and the Argonauts” took nearly two years to complete and, at a cost of $3 million dollars, it was the most expensive production for the Harryhausen up to that point. (Watch Talos come to life here.)

Zeus: For the moment, let them enjoy a calm sea, a fresh breeze and each other. The girl is pretty and I am always sentimental. But for Jason, there are other adventures. I have not finished with Jason. Let us continue the game another day.

2. King Kong (1933) (2005)

Yes, it is a cheat to include both the groundbreaking original and Peter Jackson’s epic remake together on this list, but I wanted to save room for other films. From Max Steiner’s score to Willis O’Briens’ amazing stop motion animation to detailed miniature sets to lifelike rear projection to its scenes of brutal, shocking violence, the 1933 “King Kong” is a true classic. Some scenes were so controversial that, upon its reissue in 1938, the Hays production code cut them out. The double-disc DVD from two years back features a beautifully-restored version of the original, and Jackson’s special effects team meticulously restoring a famous lost spider pit scene with old SFX techniques. There may be a lot of clunky dialogue (lovingly lampooned by Jackson in his remake), but the primeval primate still reigns supreme. In 2005, (we don’t talk about the 1976 version) Jackson amped up everything from running time to production value to super-extended action scenes, and somehow even managed to make the “love story” more convincing. In both pictures, the final scenes are desperate, tragic affairs that give the whole story its resonance. (Watch a modern remix of the 1933 trailer.)

Police Lieutenant: Well, Denham, the airplanes got him.
Carl Denham: Oh no, it wasn’t the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast.

1. Godzilla aka Gojira (1954)

Toho Studios brought the most famous giant monster in the world (The King of the Monsters) to the big screen with this infamous movie, directed by Ishiro Honda. The original black-and-white film, recently restored on DVD, is a powerful allegory for the post-atomic devastation that Japan suffered at the end of World War II. All of the original film’s anti-American sentiment was removed and the entire movie was badly dubbed (and Raymond Burr inexplicably added) for the release of “Godzilla” in America. But all of that nonsense was still not enough to kill the immense worldwide popularity of Godzilla. The spectacle of a 400-ft. tall, pissed-off mutant dinosaur (?) with radioactive breath tearing its way towards Tokyo was enough to secure a seemingly never-ending series of sequels. Unfortunately, like the American release of the movie, the sequels would further trivialize what started as a legitimate, if uncomplicated, statement about the immense human toll of nuclear warfare from the country that suffered through it.