Jennifer's blog

What are the reasons that Limewire became so popular on the PC and on the Mac platform?

It is probably the most popular client for the Gnutella network. This file sharing network quickly replaced the famous old Napster after it has been shut down and is now more popular than ever..

The new cleaned up Java interface in version 4.1 of Limewire looks way better than earlier versions. You know it's made for the business of exchanging files and nothing distracts from that goal.

Because it is written in Java it can be used on any Operating System where java can be installed. That includes Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Unix and Solaris.

This has also disadvantages. It needs Java to run. That means you should take care that you always have the latest version of Java installed on your computer and it's quite "resource heavy".

Another reason for it's success might be, that it doesn't tackle you with ad-ware, nag-ware or hurting colors. It just convinces with a clear and transparent surface for searching, downloading, browsing and collecting files.

The various improvements regarding network performance and downloading from multiple sources, deliver considerably more search results and faster downloads.

Version 4.1 has some nice additions that help you getting the job done.

As Limewire is open source software, you can expect that it gets updated quite fast. The last version 4.1 is maybe not the fastest, but certainly a very stable and a good p2p file sharing program.


Plus:

* Clean interface
* No adware
* No spyware (at least it seems so)
* Downloads from multiple hosts (faster downloads)
* Good search and filtering functions
* You can customize most functions

Minus:

* Not enough protection against viruses because the Gnutella network is flooded with Junk. Especially watch out for files with the file size of 851,7, 69,4 or 0,00 Kb.
* Maybe a tick slower than Morpheus.
* May not run on Macs with the latest security updates.

PowerDVD 10 has just been released, and in this review, we look at what's new, what good and what's not so good.

That big thing for PowerDVD 9 was HD, and for PowerDVD 10, it is clearly 3D. PowerDVD 9's new TrueTheater HD can convert your SD content to HD, in realtime, and PowerDVD 10's TrueTheater 3D aims to the same for the realtime conversion of 2D content to 3D. But for those without 3D equipment, or simply don't care for it, is there anything for them? Read on to find out ...

You can read the archived review of PowerDVD 9 in the article titled: Power

DVD Review Archive. All PowerDVD reviews from PowerDVD 2.5 to PowerDVD 8 are located there.

Ahead Nero Express is developed by Ahead Software AG and is used by 124 users of Software Informer. The most popular version of this product among our users is 5.5. The names of program executable files are CoverDes.exe, Nero PhotoShow Express.exe, nero.exe, NeroExpress.exe and TaskLaunch.exe. Works with nrv, nrw, nrs, nrg, nhf, nr3, nra, nrb, nrc, nre, nrh, nri, nrm and nru file types. The product will soon be reviewed by our informers.

This week's music from Glee was quite the eclectic mix, but supplied the perfect soundtrack for the "Born This Way" episode.

Glee really brought it with the music this week. I truly enjoyed every track, but the absolute standout for me was the mash-up of West Side Story's "I'm Pretty" with TLC's "Unpretty," which was sung by Lea Michele (Rachel) and Dianna Agron (Quinn). GLEE: Lauren (Ashley Fink, L), Kurt

and Mike (Harry Shum, R) perform for Rachel (Leah Michele, third from L) in the super-sized 90 minute "Born This Way"

I usually am not a huge fan of Agron's vocals, but this mash-up really worked for her. "Unpretty" needs a soft and vulnerable vocal to make it work, and I thought she pulled it off well. I really enjoyed the contrast of her voice with Michele's and the interchanging "I feel pretty" lines. Both ladies sound fantastic, and it was nice to hear a duet from them.

Cory Monteith (Finn) took on Sammy Davis Jr.'s "I've Gotta Be Me." After listening to this track, I found this to be the best that Monteith has sounded vocally all season. It's a very clean vocal from him, and his personality is infused throughout the song. I was taken aback a little bit when I saw this song on the track listing this week, but after seeing the episode last night, I concluded that the song was a great choice for not only Monteith's voice, but the overall theme of the "Born This Way" episode.

One of my very favorite songs, "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, was sung by Darren Criss (Blaine) and the Dalton Academy Warblers. Seriously, what can't this dude sing? Criss has a way of emotionally connecting to every song that he sings. With "Somewhere Only We Know," the listening audience gets to hear a very vulnerable and sincere vocal performance from him. I definitely think Glee did this song justice. And of course, shout out to the Tufts University Beelzebubs for the great backing vocals.

Chris Colfer (Kurt) returns to the solo spotlight with "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Broadway's Sunset Boulevard. Colfer's vocals on this track are just stunning. The track is truly just absolute ear candy. I am hoping since Colfer's character has now returned to the New Directions that we will be treated to a couple more solos before the season's end.

When I found out that Glee was planning on using Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" for this episode, I thought the song was just too new to utilize for the show. But, what do I know anyway, since this song fit this week's episode like a glove. With Colfer, Amber Riley (Mercedes), and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina) on lead vocals, Gaga's "Born This Way" was hit with a dose of attitude and sass-Glee-style. I am all for uptempo group numbers, and "Born This Way" delivers in a big way.

I think this week's bundle of Glee music may just be the best of the season, or at least a close second after the music from the episode "Never Been Kissed." Hats off to Glee's music producers and music supervisors; the song choices and overall production were very much on point this week.

These days, the million-dollar question isn’t, "who is Bruno Mars?" it’s, what is Bruno Mars poised to do next? Yes, it’s great to be young Bruno Mars, the gifted, smooth, and soulful Hawaiian-born crooner/producer, who’s been enjoying a magical run in the pop world since listeners and critics fell for his honey-coated hooks on tracks by ascendant rapper B.O.B (“Nothin’ on You”) and bad-boy hip-hopper Travie McCoy (“Billionaire”).

But it appears that Mars’ shot at solo stardom, his real shining time, has finally arrived, what with the release of his keenly anticipated debut, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Elektra/Asylum), a refreshing and appealing 10-track concoction of radio-ready and catchy pop tunes, flavoured with everything from reggae and blues to soul and funk. Throughout the record, Mars (25, born Peter Gene Hernandez) projects emotions that reel you in, as well as a boyish innocence, and a sensitivity that serves to ratchet up the effervescent energy and the authenticity of his lyrics.

Lead single “Just The Way You Are,” a piercing ode to unconditional love, is already a major Billboard hit, fresh on the tongues of both puppy-love schoolgirls and grown men. Then there’s the pulsating groove “Grenade,” steeped in the pleasure, passion and pain that regularly characterize intimate relationships.

But the real standouts on the disc that must be highlighted include the luminous mid-tempo smash “Liquor Store Blues,” a melodious boom-box joint that wonderfully, if humorously, explores addiction (“I take one shot for my pain, one drag for my sorrow/Get messed up today, I’ll be okay tomorrow”). You simply can’t get lyrics more droll or brainer than that. The track is made all the more alluring thanks to a great cameo from reggae superstar Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley.

The guest appearances continue with smart contributions from Cee-Lo Green (for whom Mars penned the new hit “F-ck You”) and B.O.B on the anthemic album closer “The Other Side.” Another favourite, the beautifully written “Talking to the Moon,” finds Mars waxing poetic about love and longing – a forte that the singer employs with great results in his work.

n short, there’s hardly anything to complain about on Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Bruno Mars has a bonafide hit album on his hands that fans and investors in good music will lovingly appreciate. The multi-talented Mars makes ample use of his gifts as writer and vocalist with remarkable results, blending an appealing outside-the-box approach with modern relevance and James Blunt-esque sensitivity.

That said, the singer has a promising future that appears set to capitalize on not just his deft songwriting but also his amazing singing talent. Delivering a playful sense of humour and terrific vocals, while repping for the females (‘doo-wop’ grooves) and the fellas (‘hooligan’ joints), Mars’ debut release is nothing if not an impressive success for the rising star.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-bruno-mars-doo-wops/#ixzz1LAFaJNT0

The latest update of Firefox 4 Beta is now available for download and testing in more than 30 languages, adding 10 new languages. This update includes multi-touch support for Windows 7 and new JavaScript values to experience faster and smoother graphics. We also have vital feedback from our testers that we will incorporate into future updates.

More details on the cool new features for Web developers in this Firefox 4 Beta update:

Multi-touch
Firefox 4 Beta now has multi-touch support for Windows 7 to enable people to
interact with Web content with their hands naturally. Developers can use multi-touch capabilities to leverage touch-enabled devices and provide people with an intuitive and fun browsing experience. For more details, see the blog posts by Paul Rouget and Felipe Gomes.

New JavaScript Values
Changes to the C++ representation of JavaScript enable Firefox to execute heavy, numeric code more efficiently. This sort of code is used to produce smooth, streamlined graphics in modern Web applications. For more details, see Rob Sayre’s blog post.

Firefox 4 Beta includes a Feedback Add-on with Mozilla Labs Test Pilot, which will ask you to take part in anonymous studies. You can choose to opt-out of any or all studies and manage your settings in the Feedback button. The feedback is used to help us improve future Firefox Beta releases. See Mike Beltzner’s blog post for more details.

The Feedback tool has been a great success, and our half-million testers submit approximately 3,500 pieces of feedback every day. Test Pilot recently conducted a survey of Firefox 4 Beta testers to help us better understand the dedicated testers who have been giving us this fantastic feedback. We discovered that our beta users are primarily men who use the Web between two and six hours each day, mostly for entertainment and communication. This doesn’t come as a surprise to us, but it also isn’t a great representation of Internet users. We need your help! If you’re enjoying using the Firefox 4 Beta, tell your friends, get them set up and don’t forget to point out the Feedback button.

Chasing Harry Winston
by Lauren Weisberger
Chasing Harry Winston

The bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing returns with the story of three best friends who vow to change their entire lives...and change them fast.

Emmy is newly single, and not by choice. She was this close to the ring and the baby she's wanted her whole life when her boyfriend left her for his twenty-three-year-old personal trainer — who
...more

The bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing returns with the story of three best friends who vow to change their entire lives...and change them fast.

Emmy is newly single, and not by choice. She was this close to the ring and the baby she's wanted her whole life when her boyfriend left her for his twenty-three-year-old personal trainer — whose fees are paid by Emmy. With her plans for the perfect white wedding in the trash, Emmy is now ordering takeout for one. Her friends insist an around-the-world sex-fueled adventure will solve all her problems — could they be right?

Leigh, a young star in the publishing business, is within striking distance of landing her dream job as senior editor and marrying her dream guy. And to top it all off, she has just purchased her dream apartment. Only when Leigh begins to edit the enfant terrible of the literary world, the brilliant and brooding Jesse Chapman, does she start to notice some cracks in her perfect life...

Adriana is the drop-dead-gorgeous daughter of a famous supermodel. She possesses the kind of feminine wiles made only in Brazil, and she never hesitates to use them. But she's about to turn thirty and — as her mother keeps reminding her — she won't have her pick of the men forever. Everyone knows beauty is ephemeral and there's always someone younger and prettier right around the corner. Suddenly she's wondering...does Mother know best?

These three very different girls have been best friends for a decade in the greatest city on earth. As they near thirty, they're looking toward their future...but despite all they've earned — first-class travel, career promotions, invites to all the right parties, and luxuries small and large — they're not quite sure they like what they see...

One Saturday night at the Waverly Inn, Adriana and Emmy make a pact: within a single year, each will drastically change her life. Leigh watches from the sidelines, not making any promises, but she'll soon discover she has the most to lose. Their friendship is forever, but everything else is on the table. Three best friends. Two resolutions. One year to pull it off.

Flawless, a Pretty Little Liars Novel, by Sara Shepard
Melanie Dee

Flawless, by Sara Shepard, is the second novel in the Pretty Little Liars series. I first fell in love with her writings when I got hold of the first book Pretty Little Liars. (Read Review Here).

I fell in love with the group of teen girls in the first book. In the second book, Flawless, all 4 of my favorite bad girls are back. Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer. Each with their own dirty set of
secrets.

As we learned in the last book Pretty Little Liars, Allison's body had been found. Yep, Allison is dead, long dead. The girls had been receiving text messages and emails from someone named 'A'. A seemed to know all of their dirty secrets, and she was going to tell! With Allison not being alive to be the mystery 'A', the girls are sent into a shock-wave, as they know someone else besides Allison knows their secrets...but who?

We also learned the big secret that wasn't discussed in Pretty Little Liars. It turned out that the big secret was that Allison was responsible for Jenna's (a dorky girl in the neighborhood) going blind. Turns out though, that Toby Jenna's step brother, also knew that it was Allison, who lit the firecracker which caused Jenna to go blind. He saw her do it!

Allison though has dirt on Toby, and if Toby wants Allison to keep her mouth shut, he better take the blame for Jenna's accident. Toby goes along with it, and you are left clueless as to what Toby's secret is.

Anyhow, it turns out Spencer was there when Allison was caught by Toby. So now she knows that Toby knows that they are responsible for Jenna's accident.

Bushnell, Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte, drag show, gay men, Gossip Girl, Manhattan, Mary Elizabeth Williams, Miranda, Salon.com, Samantha, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City, Shane Watson, The Carie Diaries, the London Times, the New York Observer, West Virgnia
by Chauncey Mabe

Carrie Bradshaw at 17 --er, I mean Candace Bushnell.

Today I come not to bury Carrie Bradshaw, but to praise her. I’m talking, of course, about the real Carrie Bradshaw, found only in Candace Bushnell’s book, Sex and the City. Being a heterosexual man, I could never watch the TV show for more than a few minutes without itching all over and running out of the room.

Some people may view Bushnell’s new novel, The Carrie Diaries, as a cynical bid to find readers in the Gossip Girl demographic. But it looks to me like a smart attempt on the part of a writer to regain proprietorship of a character that’s been co-opted by television.

Bushnell’s extensive book tour brings her to the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Books & Books, this is a ticketed event. For more information, visit the bookstore’s website.

Just how completely Bushnell has lost control of Carrie and her story is, among other things, a testament to the power of television. If you want proof, graze through a few readers’ comments at amazon.com or bn.com. A representative sample: “The Carrie Bradshaw that was depicted in the book is not like the Carrie Bradshaw from the series at all, at least not as far as I can tell.”

Aw — you say that like it’s a bad thing.

It’s forgivable for civilian fans of the show to fall into this type of confusion, less so when expressed by a professional critic. At the usually reliable Salon.com, Mary Elizabeth Williams complains that Bushnell, in telling the story of Carrie’s high school years, doesn’t stay true to “to the clues of Carrie’s previous life glimpsed during the run of the series.”

The depth of stupidity in this comment is beyond reckoning. After all, Bushnell had little or nothing to do with creating the TV show. But she did start the whole Sex and the City empire with a column she wrote for the New York Observer in the mid-1990s. She has the right to tell Carrie’s story, with or without regard to what happens on the show.

Bushnell based the Observer column on her own experiences as a single woman in Manhattan. “Carrie Bradshaw” is an alter-ego, invented to give the author some fig leaf of privacy. The book Sex and the City, published in 1996, is a collection of essays — readers coming from the tv show are invariably disappointed it doesn’t have a stronger narrative arc. They seem to have no clue it’s not that kind of book.

When producer Darren Star bought rights to adapt Sex and the City into a television comedy, he approached Bushnell’s book the way a coal mining company approaches a mountain in West Virgina. He dumbed Carrie down with what Shane Watson, in a long Bushnell profile at the London Times, calls “little girly tics and self-conscious kookiness.”

Candace Bushnell today, at 51.

Watson finds Bushnell “altogether smarter and funnier, and her story is way more interesting, because it has been ugly and sordid at times.” That’s a perfect description of how I’ve always viewed Carrie in the book vs. Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie as a vapid, materialistic shoe fetishist.

By the time I read Sex and the City the TV phenomenon was already in full swing. Any criticism I offer here of the HBO series, I’ll admit, is like someone reporting on a party while banging on the ceiling of the apartment downstairs with a broom handle.

The number of episodes I’ve seen can be counted on one hand–not enough for a valid assessment. Still, I must note that it always seemed like a drag show to me, one in which the women talked and behaved, in their attitude toward romance, more like gay men than any women I’ve ever known. Many of which, I’ll concede, love the show.

Yet none of what made me itch about the show is present in Bushnell’s book. Yes, Carrie chases sex and romance, but she’s more focused on her career. She goes to a lot of glamorous parties and reports how empty and pointless they are. She struggles to make ends meet.

Most of all, the four-sided friendship that is the heart of the television show is completely absent from the book. Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda are minor characters, with personalities dramatically different from the TV versions. Far from a celebration of female bonding, Sex and the City, literary version, carries a strong note of alienation, isolation and female competition.

I’m not going to make a case for Bushnell as a great stylist, but she is competent. Sex and the City, the book, has far more depth and texture and honest observation than I’d expected. If readers can set aside the cotton-candy expectations enflamed by the sugar rush of the TV show, they might want to give The Carrie Diaries a chance.

Okay, now you can tell me how wrong I am, how the show is a brave and honest depiction of the way women really are.

TOP 11 WORST SONG IN 2010



Willow Smith - I Whip My Hair

Okay, it was bad enough that 2010 brought us the Karate Kid remake with Jaden Smith, but now Will Smith's other spawn is getting into the celebrity act. And let's just say that she sings about as well as her brother acts. "I Whip My Hair" is a nightmare of a brain-drill that's no better than what you'd hear in a junior high talent contest in Oklahoma. But her dad's famous, so Jay-Z signed her to Roc Nation.


BrokenCYDE - Teach Me How To Scream

Emo: bad. Screamo: worse. Whatever the living hell BrokenCYDE is: the absolute worst ever. The "crunkcore" trio from Albuquerque, New Mexico have been universally reviled by just about every living human being in the world, but there are still enough pre-teens who hate their parents out there to make their album debut at #86 on the Billboard Top 100.


Countess Luann - Money Can't Buy You Class

People who shouldn't have music careers: reality show "personalities." Special negation goes to Countess Luann duLesseps, star of Bravo's atrocity The Real Housewives Of New York City. Some genius decided to put her on wax with a horrendous auto-tuned monstrosity called "Money Can't Buy You Class," which is rich coming from a nightmare of this caliber.


Lil Wayne - Paradice

It's fair to say that Rebirth was one of the worst albums of 2010. Lil Wayne's pre-jail attempt to venture into rock music was a desperately bad idea, with Wayne proving that his trademark languid rhyming style really doesn't translate to dramatic rock singing. Like, at all. We could have picked just about any track off of this one, but "Paradice" might well be the worst.


Ke$ha - Blah Blah Blah

Where to even start with Ke$ha? "Tik Tok" dropped at the very end of 2009, introducing the world to the horrible trashbag songstress, and 2010 just brought song after song of her atrocious auto-tuned garbage to the airwaves. Every song was bad, but "Blah Blah Blah" was probably the worst - there's barely even a melody, let alone lyrics.


Soulja Boy - Pretty Boy Swag

Okay, I have to admit I felt a little affection for Soulja Boy earlier this year when "Bitch I Look Like Goku" dropped - the ridiculous rapper comparing himself to Dragonball Z was hilarious in the best way. Unfortunately, his year-ending single "Pretty Boy Swag" is hilarious in the worst way. Tell'Em hasn't gotten any better behind the mic since his debut with "Crank That," and he may have actually gotten worse.


Jackyl - Just Like A Negro

Yes, that Jackyl, the horrible 90s metal band where the singer used a chainsaw on stage. I guess that gimmick doesn't work in the 2K10 because they've moved over to horrendous versions of racially inappropriate songs. "Just Like A Negro" was originally recorded by Atlanta funk band Mother's Finest in the 70s. Let's just say that this cover isn't an improvement, despite the presence of DMC vainly trying to capture the Aerosmith spark in a bottle again.


Travie McCoy - Billionaire

What kind of spectacular pussy do you have to be to go by "Travie?" Like, seriously, you might as well be a Cabbage Patch Kid. But the lead singer of the Gym Class Heroes (a band that sucks) proved that his music is just as pussified with this solo outing, featuring the overexposed Bruno Mars and the most sub-Beach Boys reggae riff. Seriously, lyrics this stupid have rarely been released into the atmosphere without bursting into flame.


Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be

The Black Eyed Peas are Not A Good Band. I'm sorry, they're just not. Ever since "Let's Get Retarded," they've specialized in extruding the most nondescript, odious, radio-friendly Soylent Green the music industry has to offer. 2010's entry in their hall of shame was "Imma Be," which is exactly the kind of content-free crap that made them so famous, but this time with future cars and robots. I used to like future cars and robots.


Jedward - Under Pressure

Okay, America doesn't have a monopoly on horrible music. Britain's The X Factor unleashed this horror on the Earth last year. Jedward are a pair of identical twins who captivated that bad-toothed island nation with... well, I don't know. Who knows? So they got a record contract and proceeded to put Vanilla Ice on their first single, a nightmare mashup of Queen's "Under Pressure" and Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." It's as bad as it sounds.


YG - Toot It And Boot It

So hip-hop is basically dead, right? I know that us old people have been saying it for a million years but 2010 was the last shovel of dirt on the coffin. How else can you explain the existence of "Toot It And Boot It" by YG, a 19 year old MC from Compton with a massive Myspace following? I get it. You have sex with girls and you make them go home. That's cool. Could you just, I dunno, get some flow or something? You rap like Stephen Hawking skateboards.

1. "Baby" featuring Ludacris - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
"Baby" was the first single from Justin Bieber's second album My World 2.0. It has a soaring chorus that gives a nod to classic doo-wop while the guest rap from Ludacris keeps "Baby" firmly anchored in the present. The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2010 and was ultimately certified double platinum for sales.

2. "One Time" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
"One Time" was Justin Bieber's first single. It is a confident performance that many compared with Chris Brown's debut on "Run It!" "One Time" peaked at #17 in the US and sold over a million digital copies.

3. "Somebody To Love" - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
"Somebody To Love" moved Justin Bieber into club dance territory. A remix and accompanying video that featured his mentor Usher is now considered by many to be the definitive version of "Somebody To Love." The song peaked at #15 on the charts.

4. "One Less Lonely Girl" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber demonstrated that he knows his way around a pop ballad with the release of "One Less Lonely Girl." The romantic video shows him tracking down a girl for a date. Ultimately Justin Bieber is successful. "One Less Lonely Girl" hit a chart peak of #16 and was certified gold.

5. "Eenie Meenie" with Sean Kingston - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
This collaboration melding the pop-R&B sound of Justin Bieber with the island reggae pop of Sean Kingston buoyantly led the way into the summer of 2010. There is clear, fun chemistry between the pair in the accompanying music video. "Eenie Meenie" peaked at #15 on the charts and was certified platinum for digital sales.

6. "U Smile" - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber the blue-eyed soul crooner shows himself on "U Smile." He dedicates this song specifically to his fans. "U Smile" would likely charm older music fans as well as his teen base. The single peaked at #27 on the charts in late summer 2010.

7. "Love Me" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber heads in a playful electro direction here. "Love Me" borrows from the Cardigans' classic "Lovefool." It was released as a digital only single and peaked at #37.

8. "Never Say Never" featuring Jaden Smith - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber invades the world of movie soundtracks with this inspirational track from the soundtrack to the 2010 version of The Karate Kid. The movie's star Jaden Smith adds in a rap. "Never Say Never" hit a chart peak of #33, and the title was used for Justin Bieber's biographical film due in theaters in early 2011.

9. "Never Let You Go" - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
"Never Let You Go" was released as a digital only single by Justin Bieber. It has been compared to Chris Brown's hit single "Forever." "Never Let You Go" peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

10. "Favorite Girl" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
"Favorite Girl" was released as a digital only single from Justin Bieber's first album My World. The song is firmly in an R&B groove. "Favorite Girl" hit #26 on the pop chart.

1. E.T by Katy Perry Featuring Kanye West
Teenage Dream

2.Rolling In The Deep
Adele
21

3.Just Can't Get Enough
The Black Eyed Peas
The Beginning/The Best of the E.N.D.

4.S&M
Rihanna
Loud

5.Down On Me
Jeremih Featuring 50 Cent
All About You

6.The Lazy Song
Bruno Mars
Doo-Wops & Hooligans

7.On The Floor
Jennifer Lopez Featuring Pitbull
Love?

8.Look At Me Now
Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
Look At Me Now

9.Blow
Ke$ha
Cannibal

10.F**k You (Forget You)
Cee Lo Green
F**k You

Even though 80 years have elapsed since he wrote it, Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf is still legally banned in Germany. And we fear the ghost of Hitler so greatly that few wish to mark, or even acknowledge, the anniversary of Mein Kampf's publication.

You may hate the book and its author, but it would have to be included on any list of books that changed the world.

The first part of Mein Kampf was published under the title Eine Abrechnung (A Reckoning) on July 18, 1925. The second part came out in 1926.

Hitler's preferred title was Four-and-a-Half Years Of Struggle Against Lies, Stupidity And Cowardice; his German publisher sensibly condensed this to My Struggle.

Mein Kampf had few readers -- the style was as rambling, hectoring and unwieldy as Hitler's original title indicated. A bare 9,000 copies sold in 1925, though by 1930, sales had reached a respectable 54,000.

In 1933, after Hitler won the election, the book sold an estimated 1.5 million copies.

As Mein Kampf sold briskly, other books burned. On May 10, the Nazis held mass bonfires of books that expressed an 'un-German' spirit.

Works by Marx, Freud, Proust, John Dos Passos, Brecht, Helen Keller, Hemingway, Einstein, Thomas Mann and Jack London were consigned to the flames.

Photographs from that time show huge bonfires surrounded by exulting students. A quote from Heinrich Heine was passed around at the time; no one knew how grimly apposite it would be: 'Where one burns books, one will soon burn people.'

In Hitler's Germany, Mein Kampf was a bestseller: a copy was given to every German couple who got married, every Nazi was expected to own the book. By 1945, eight million copies of the book had sold.

Today, Mein Kampf is still widely available everywhere, bar Germany. It is many things: an artifact of fear and loathing, a symbol of unspeakable evil, an index of how far we really believe in free speech.

When sales of the book spiked in Turkey this summer, some saw it as an indication of a growing tendency towards fundamentalism.

It's hard to read Mein Kampf as just a book; the terrible history its author imposed on Europe and the ghosts of the Holocaust haunt every line of it.

But this depressing document, blending paranoia with appalling hostility and badly constructed arguments, must be read so that we don't forget the banality of evil.

Hitler wrote in vitriol: 'Was there any form of filth or profligacy without at least one Jew involved in it? If you cut even cautiously into such an abscess, you found, like a maggot in a rotting body, often dazzled by the sudden light -- a kike!'

These statements, like Hitler's championing of an abhorrent nationalism, his obsession with the 'master race' and his advocating of mass propaganda, have been analysed all too often.

Re-reading Mein Kampf, what struck me was a passage where Hitler explained his philosophy of reading: 'For reading is no end in itself, but a means to an end... a man who possesses the art of correct reading will… instinctively and immediately perceive everything which in his opinion is worth permanently remembering, either because it is suited to his purpose or generally worth knowing. Once the knowledge he has achieved in this fashion is correctly coordinated within the somehow existing picture of this or that subject created by the imaginations it will function either as a corrective or a complement…"

For years, I've seen Mein Kampf as the work of a bad writer; now I see it as the work of a terrifyingly bad reader. Hitler looked for nothing in literature but confirmation of his own narrow, inhuman views, and because he blinkered his vision so well, he found only confirmation, not illumination, certainly not compassion.

Over the years, Mein Kampf has lost its readership -- only the bigoted, those with closed hearts and minds, find any kind of enlightenment in its pages.

For the rest of us, what those pages reveal is a thin, peevish voice, one that blends self-pity with hatred in repulsive fashion.

But the books Hitler's armies burned that day in May, those books are still read, still discussed, still enjoyed, still alive. The Fuehrer is dead; it's time to lay the ghost of his bad writing to rest as well.

Thickest Book
On Wednesday, 20 May 2009, Agatha Christie, the “Queen of Crime”, breaks a new world record for the thickest book. For the first time, all the Miss Marple stories – 12 novels and 20 short stories – are collected and published in one volume, for fans and collectors alike.

The Complete Miss Marple runs to a staggering 4,032 pages. Its spine, a work of inspired engineering by master craftsmen, is 322 mm (12.6 in) thick. Agatha Christie already holds two other world records – for the longest running play, The Mousetrap – and as the best-selling fiction author of all time.

In all, 43 murders are solved: 12 poisonings; six strangulations; two drownings; two stabbings; a burning; one blow to the head; one death by an arrow and two people pushed.

There are 68 crimes committed; 11 philandering lovers; 68 secrets and lies; 22 false accusations; 59 red-herrings and 21 romances. A total of 143 cups of tea are drunk in the massive volume, there are 66 maids and 47 garments are knitted.



It is a visually stunning book bound in dark-red leather with gold lettering and red-edged pages. Weighing 8.02 kg (17 lb 10 oz), it is presented in a suede-lined wooden box with brass fittings and a leather handle.



In his preface, Agatha Christie’s grandson, Mathew Prichard, writes: “The character continues to speak to readers some eighty years and more after her debut precisely because, in those quiet moments at the end of the day or when a difficult decision needs to be made, each of us wishes for our own Miss Marple to give clear and unequivocal advice.”




The book was unveiled at Foyles bookshop on Charing Cross Road in London, UK, on 20 May 2009, where Guinness World Records™ Adjudicator John Pilley measured the book and officially announced the record. Agatha Christie’s grandson Mathew Prichard was also present at the unveiling of the record-breaking book.

MOST EXPENSIVE HOTEL IN THE WORLD: Most of us have simple demands when it comes to travel lodging– a bed, a bathroom, a TV and wi-fi. There are others, however, whose demands far eclipse the simple convenience of your basic hotel room. When the world’s most wealthy travelers take a vacation for their own, they are treated to suites that cover entire floors of a hotel building, rooms that include a personal butler, hell– some even come with their own private helicopter, which is why we are here to talk about the most expensive hotel in the world! Take a peek into the experience of the world’s most wealthy travelers. Here are 10 of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world.

10. $15,500 a night – Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt-Vendôme
Paris, France


Situated on the second floor of the Park Hyatt-Vendôme’s Haussmanian building is the hotel’s 750 square-foot Imperial Suite. This pricey suite has high ceilings, a dining room, kitchenette and bar. When visitors tire of toiling, they relax with an “In Suite Spa” that comes outfitted with a steam room, Whirlpool and built-in massage table.



9. $16,000 a night – Royal Suite, Four Seasons George V
Paris, France


The George V in Paris boasts a pair of “sumptuous” Royal Suites that each come with private terraces and rooms filled with antique furniture. Each suite has a marble entrance, a full kitchen, a sauna and a separate bathroom for guests. The expensive 2,600 square-foot suites are split into separate spaces for sleeping and entertaining, both of which also have a private office. And yet this is a cheap version of the most expensive.



8. $17,500 a night – Royal Armleder Suite, Le Richemond
Geneva, Switzerland


Le Richemond’s Royal Armleder Suite reopened in 2007 after an extensive restoration of the hotel’s seventh floor, which the luxury suite occupies the entirety of. The suite is bedecked in gold, mosaics and parquet floors and has a 300 square-foot terrace with stunning views of Geneva and the nearby Alps.



7. $18,000 a night – Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab
Dubai, United Arab Emirates


A two-story suite that centers around an epic staircase, Burj Al Arab’s Royal Suite has Carrara marble floors, mahogany furniture and a master bedroom with a rotating four-post canopy bed. Guests enjoy Hermes bathroom products, Faubourg fragrances, their own private elevator and cinema and for a bit extra– a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce or helicopter.



6. $18,200 – Ritz-Carlton Suite, The Ritz-Carlton
Moscow, Russia


Floor-to-ceiling windows outline the Ritz-Carlton Suite at the hotel chain’s Moscow location making it one of the most extravagantof the expensive. Imperial furniture fills the 2,500 square-foot suite, which comes with a heated floor, a grand piano and a library. The suite has views of the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral and visitors get to enjoy five meals a day and their very own KGB-approved autonomous energy supply system and secure telecommunications array.





5. $25,000 a night – Bridge Suite at The Atlantis
Paradise Island, Bahamas


The 10-room Bridge Suite at Bahamian resort The Atlantis fills the entire space linking the hotel complex’s two flagship towers. Forbes reports the suite has hosted guests including Oprah and Michael Jackson. [pic via flickr]



4. $33,000 a night – Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel
Geneva, Switzerland


President Woodrow Wilson reportedly suffered from high blood pressure, so it’s safe to assume he would have appreciated a stress-free stay at President Wilson Hotel’s Royal Penthouse Suite. Consuming the entire top floor of the hotel, the four-bedroom suite can hold up to 40 guests in its cocktail lounge and is said to be the best digs for heads of state wanting to make an impression when they’re in town on United Nations business. [pic via guardian uk]



3. $34,000 a night – Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons
New York


The Ty Warner Penthouse practically floats in Manhattan. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround all sides of the massive suite, surrounding guests in 360-degree views of the city skyline from atop Manhattan’s tallest hotel. The nine-room suite has walls inlayed with mother of pearl, gold and platinum-woven fabrics, and the room itself includes a private butler, unlimited global calling and TVs programmed to receive every channel in the entire world.





2. $40,000 a night – Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas


Hugh Hefner’s Playboy-themed suite at the Palms Casino resort has a $700,000 jacuzzi that cantilevers out above the Las Vegas strip. The 10,000 square-foot, two-story suite comes with around-the-clock butler service and (of course) a rotating bed set beneath a mirrored ceiling. [pic via guardian uk]



1. $50,000 a night – Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi
Athens, Greece


Get ready for the most expensive hotel money can buy. The Grand Resort’s Royal Villa gives the world’s most exclusive guests a private version of every

thing imaginable. The only other people lucky guests have to see while secluded in their heated pool, steam room or private beach is the suite’s dedicated butler, chef and pianist.

1. Sentosa

Ok, place number one is Sentosa. In case you’ve not seen it in brochures or tour packages, I can tell you that Sentosa is certainly (without a doubt) one of the must-see places in Singapore. The lovely island off the southern coast of the Singapore mainland is one of the most visited resorts for tourists. Come 2010, there will be a Sentosa based integrated resort which will definitely see visitors flocking to the island even more.

2. Singapore Zoo

Place number tow you ask? It’s got to be the Singapore Zoo. The Singapore Zoo is renowned both in Southeast Asia and world-wide for its variety of animals and excellent pedigree. You’ll see everything from Chinese pandas to orang utans to white tigers. Certainly worth a visit and if you have the time, go for the Night Safari which is an interesting night tour of the zoo.

3. Chinatown

The next place one has to visit has to be Chinatown. If you’re interested in the culture and sights of the largest ethnic group in Singapore, then Chinatown is a must visit for its interesting little curio shops and cultural fare. Make sure you pop in to try the local food and also shop for traditional Chinese stuff like herbs and mahjong sets or jade.

4. Little India

Having talked about Chinatown, we got to talk also about Little India. Little India certainly has a charm all its own. If you’re in the mood for some Indian cultural experience, Little India has everything to offer you – from the traditional temples to the culinary delights of Indian curry or textiles. A must-visit for any tourist.

5. Boat Quay

The last place I have to mention has got to be Boat Quay. This place, especially on a Friday night, is full of working professionals and will lend you some insight into what the young working crowd here in Singapore gets into on weekends. Mostly a place for pubbing, clubbing and partying the night away.

Conclusion

Ok, I hope the above has shed some light into what are the must-see places in Singapore. Given limited time in Singapore, it is critical for any tourist to prioritize and decide what is the best place to visit. The above 5 places are great suggestions, so be sure to check them out! Happy travels!

Colosseum

The Colosseum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world and no trip to Europe is complete without a stop to see this impressive structure. It has been featured in movies, literature and artwork and seeing it is something that everyone should do at least once. Of all the places to visit in Rome, the Colosseum is definitely one of the best.



Roman Forum

Many of the most captivating and inspiring Roman attractions can be found in the Roman Forum. It is the sight of countless historical sights including Arch of Constantine, Arch of Titus, Temple of Saturn, Basilica Aemilia, and Mamertine Prison just to name a few. With so many incredible structures in such a concentrated area, the Roman Forum makes for an excellent place to explore.

Trevi Fountain

Considered by many to be one of the most impressive fountains in Rome, Trevi Fountain features an impeccable design and beautiful sculptures. One of the most popular activities for people visiting the fountain is to throw a coin over their left shoulder to guarantee a return visit to Rome.

Sistine Chapel

Located in the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel is world famous for its architecture which is said to be modeled after Solomon’s Temple. The Chapel is home to several incredible frescoes including two which are considered to be Michelangelo’s most amazing works of the art; the Last Judgement and the Creation of Adam.

Pantheon

One of ancient Rome’s best preserved structures, the Pantheon features a striking interior and an amazing dome which is yet another great feat of Roman engineering. It was constructed nearly 2000 years ago on the remains of an even older temple which was destroyed by fire. There is no doubt about it, the Pantheon is one of the best places to visit in Rome.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Dating back to the 15th century, St. Peter’s Basilica is regarded as one of the most holy Catholic sites on Earth and is considered by many to be the greatest church in all of Christendom. It is also the burial site of Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. For those with a taste for both history and architecture it doesn’t get much better than this.

Piazza Navona

Built on top of the Stadium of Domitian, the Piazza Navona is lined with restaurants and cafes serving traditional Italian food. Along with delicious cuisine, you will find several fountains which in themselves are incredible works of art. It is a popular place to visit for both tourists and citizens of Rome.





Trajan’s Column

Standing almost 100 feet high, Trajan’s Column’s is a beautiful piece of Roman architecture and sculptural art. Winding around the column is a frieze illustrating the battles between Rome and Dacia in early 100 AD. It is a captivating sight and one which the Romans are truly very proud of.



These are just 8 of many amazing places to visit in Rome. Each of them will provide you with a lasting memory and an exceptional travel experience. Rome is definitely one of the most beautiful places to visit in Italy and no matter what your tastes, this city has something for you.

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!

I asked for Strength.........
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom.........
And God gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity.........
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage.........
And God gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love.........
And God gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors.........
And God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted ........
I received everything I needed!

Trust in God. Always !

Touching life story.....

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's
showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told
him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited
signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the
morning of his graduation his father called him into his private
study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine
son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son
a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man
opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily,
he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you
give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy
book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in
business.
He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his
father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He
had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make
arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had
passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He
needed to come home immediately and take care things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and
regret filled his heart.

He began to search his father's important papers and
saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With
tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he
read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope
taped behind the Bible.
It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,
and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not
packaged as we expected?