This is the story of life.
The Journey All Along
@vincegolangco
LEAKED photos of Iron Man 3 villain – the colorful armor of Iron Patriot with actor James Badge Dale.
LEAKED photos of Iron Man 3 Villain: Iron Patriot
James Badge Dale (“The Departed,” TV’s “24”) is seen here as Iron Patriot or with his character’s name: Eric Savin, one of the villains of “Iron Man 3.” In the comics, Savin is a soldier who is gravely injured in a land mine explosion and reanimated as a cyborg called Coldblood-7. It looks like the movie merges his character from the books with the Iron Patriot armor (which was worn by Spider-Man’s nemesis Norman Osborn, aka the Green Goblin).
LEAKED photos of Iron Man 3 Villain: Iron Patriot
See part 1 Avengers Assemble: Funniest and Coolest Avenger Pics and Memes plus Avengers Post Credit Scene here – http://vincegolangco.com/funny-shit/avengers-assemble-funniest-and-coolest-avenger-pics-and-memes-2/
Avengers Memes Pics Funny Photos and more part 2
18 months & 3 simple, not-so-simple steps to $1 billion…
Recently, Instagram sold to Facebook for $1 billion. A week ago, when TIME asked Instagram founder, Kevin Systrom, if he would sell the company, he said “It’s not really on the top of our minds right now.”
Kevin is 27 years old and started Instagram 18 months ago with Mike Krieger, in October 2010. The company has grown with just 4 staff, and today has just 9 in the team. With the $1 billion deal that was announced today, was Kevin just plain lucky, or was there some simple steps that he (and others who have had the same luck) have in common?
Here’s three steps he followed. They may not guarantee you exactly the same success – but they will increase your own good fortune:
1. THINK BIG FROM DAY ONE – THEN LEARN FROM OTHERS:
It was while Kevin was studying at Stanford 7 years ago that he had the idea of a photo-sharing site, from his passion for photography. That was before iPhones, and before Facebook. Step one is to cultivate your idea by learning from others. He met Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 and talked about his idea. Mark then offered him a job at Facebook, which had just launched (in hindsight, a cheaper option that the $1 billion he’s just paid to work with Kevin). Kevin turned him down but they stayed in touch. He went to intern at Odeo with Evan Williams, who sold Blogger and Jack Dorsey, who launched Twitter. This is where Kevin got to understand the power of social sharing. Kevin later said “Comparing Instagram to photography is like comparing Twitter to Microsoft Word”.
He then went on to work at Google. All in all, it was a full six years after having the idea of a photo sharing site that he worked with others leading the field: Getting paid for his own education before he launched his own start-up. As Kevin says, “I was given the opportunity to be in the middle of a ton of innovation, and meet some of the smartest people doing the coolest stuff in the world. When I finally did it [myself], it just felt so right.”
Who could you (and should you) be working with today to lay your own foundation?
2. KEEP 100% FOCUSED ON WHAT PROBLEM YOU’RE SOLVING – AND FAIL FIRST:
When Kevin launched Instagram in October 2010, he explained in his first blog what problems Instagram intended to solve. He listed the top three problems users were having:
“My mobile photos look lame.”
“It’s a pain to share to all my friends.”
“Photos take forever to upload.”
How would he know these were the problems? Just by talking to people? No, by getting it wrong the first time. In early 2010 he launched his first attempt “Burbn” as a location-based photo app, using Foursquare. It was a one-man-band, but after a year of hard work it had failed to catch on. It was, however, a failure that allowed him to learn from his users what would work, and to attract interest from like-minded people, including his future co-founder of Instagram, Mike Krieger.
By focusing on these three problems, Instagram launched in October 2010. Kevin relates the first moments of launch: “It was 12:15am, October 6th and we had been working on the app non-stop, day and night for 8 weeks. With a bit of hesitation, I clicked the button that launched “Instagram” live to the Apple app store. We figured we’d have at least 6 hours before anyone discovered the app so we could grab some shut-eye. No problem, we figured. Within a few minutes, they started pouring in… The night of sleep we were hoping for turned into a few meager hours before we rushed into the office to add capacity to the service. Now, only a couple months later, we’re happy to announce that our community consists of more than a million registered users.”
What problem are you solving, and what are you learning by failing, that is setting you up for your own overnight success?
3. CUT OUT ALL THE NOISE:
Kevin explains the difference between Instagram and Burbn: “We actually got an entire version of Burbn done as an iPhone app, but it felt cluttered, and overrun with features. It was really difficult to decide to start from scratch, but we went out on a limb, and basically cut everything in the Burbn app except for its photo, comment, and like capabilities. What remained was Instagram.”
Kevin cut out all the noise. He then launched Instagram just on the Apple App Store (It just came to Android last week) and focused on sharing on Twitter and Facebook (Three platforms that didn’t even exist when he first had the idea). That’s it: Photo, comment, like. No other platforms. No other noise.
Simpler means sharper means easier to cut through the noise. Instagram went from one million users by Dec 2010 to 30 million users today. In 2011, Apple named Instagram the “App of the Year”. Why would Facebook buy it now for $1 billion? Because Mark already knows it will add more value than that to Facebook when it has its upcoming $100 billion IPO.
If you are already thinking big, connecting smart and focused at the problems you are solving – How could you solve them in the fewest number of steps?
A BILLION DOLLAR STORY
It obviously takes more than three simple, not-so-simple steps to get the pieces lined up and timed right for the kind of 18 month run that Kevin has had. But these three show up again and again in today’s stories of hyper-growth, and the ones I will continue to share here on Facebook and at my Fast Forward events.
As an end to this chapter of the Instagram story, here’s how Kevin relates the beginning of his photo-sharing idea. It is at the heart of his journey, as your story should be at the heart of yours:
“When I studied abroad my teacher set what I do now in motion by saying, “Give me that camera of yours.” He took my camera away and gave me a little, plastic camera. I was studying in Florence at the time and he told me that I wasn’t allowed to use my camera for the rest of the class. I had to use this plastic camera with a terrible lens. He said I was too focused on sharpness and “I feel like you’re more artsy than that.””
“He said, “I want you to use this Holga,” this plastic camera with a plastic lens that had this cult following in the ’80s and ’90. I was blown away by what it could do to photos. My photography teacher was totally right. I was too focused on being meticulous with these really beautiful, complex architectural shots. It helps to see the world through a different lens and that’s what we wanted to do with Instagram. We wanted to give everyone the same feeling of discovering the world around you through a different lens.”
It’s ironic that as Instagram hits a $1 billion value, mimicking the feel of these disposable cameras, the biggest producer of them, Kodak, has filed for bankruptcy.
Each wave that crashes is followed by another. The only question is who is already positioning themselves to surf it. Are you up for the ride?
A reply from CEO of J.P. Morgan to a pretty girl seeking a rich husband
A young and pretty lady posted this on a popular forum:
Title: What should I do to marry a rich guy?
I’m going to be honest of what I’m going to say here.
I’m 25 this year. I’m very pretty, have style and good taste. I wish to marry a guy with $500k annual salary or above.
You might say that I’m greedy, but an annual salary of $1M is considered only as middle class in New York.
My requirement is not high. Is there anyone in this forum who has an income of $500k annual salary? Are you all married?
I wanted to ask: what should I do to marry rich persons like you?
Among those I’ve dated, the richest is $250k annual income, and it seems that this is my upper limit.
If someone is going to move into high cost residential area on the west of New York City Garden(?), $250k annual income is not enough.
I’m here humbly to ask a few questions:
1) Where do most rich bachelors hang out? (Please list down the names and addresses of bars, restaurant, gym)
2) Which age group should I target?
3) Why most wives of the riches are only average-looking? I’ve met a few girls who don’t have looks and are not interesting, but they are able to marry rich guys.
4) How do you decide who can be your wife, and who can only be your girlfriend? (my target now is to get married)
Ms. Pretty
A philosophical reply from CEO of J.P. Morgan:
Dear Ms. Pretty,
I have read your post with great interest. Guess there are lots of girls out there who have similar questions like yours. Please allow me to analyse your situation as a professional investor.
My annual income is more than $500k, which meets your requirement, so I hope everyone believes that I’m not wasting time here.
From the standpoint of a business person, it is a bad decision to marry you. The answer is very simple, so let me explain.
Put the details aside, what you’re trying to do is an exchange of “beauty” and “money” : Person A provides beauty, and Person B pays for it, fair and square.
However, there’s a deadly problem here, your beauty will fade, but my money will not be gone without any good reason. The fact is, my income might increase from year to year, but you can’t be prettier year after year.
Hence from the viewpoint of economics, I am an appreciation asset, and you are a depreciation asset. It’s not just normal depreciation, but exponential depreciation. If that is your only asset, your value will be much worse 10 years later.
By the terms we use in Wall Street, every trading has a position, dating with you is also a “trading position”.
If the trade value dropped we will sell it and it is not a good idea to keep it for long term – same goes with the marriage that you wanted. It might be cruel to say this, but in order to make a wiser decision any assets with great depreciation value will be sold or “leased”.
Anyone with over $500k annual income is not a fool; we would only date you, but will not marry you. I would advice that you forget looking for any clues to marry a rich guy. And by the way, you could make yourself to become a rich person with $500k annual income.This has better chance than finding a rich fool.
Hope this reply helps.
signed,
J.P. Morgan CEO
*There has been no concrete proof on whether or not this indeed took place…. but it’s a nice story nevertheless.
Pretty Girl Seeking Rich Husband Gets a Response from J.P. Morgan CEO
When In Manila imagine being in the middle of an important article that you need to post right away, but right as you add your finishing touches and are about to click that “POST” button… POOF! BLACKOUT! (or as the locals call it: BROWNOUT!) – True story.
If you’re a blogger, social media geek, or just a simple online junkie who loves updating your Facebook or Twitter accounts, then you need to get consistent, fast and reliable internet connection wherever you go!
It’s a different kind of world today where every second could have devastating drawbacks and life changing results. These could be in the form of personal things or business related news from the new world wide web! For WhenInManila.com, we need to know the big stories in and around the metro when they happen, as they happen! So we need to be connected as we go on our daily routines.
Thankfully, we carry around our backup internet stick wherever we are! From our own experience, the Sun Broadband Internet has been the most reliable internet broadband stick in the Metro Manila area. We’ve used it a few times wile out of town, and it just depends where you go and if they have coverage there. Fortunately, Sun Broadband is already available in major cities nationwide! So again, we highly recommend it.
Sun Broadband Put to a Test
When in Manila, we tested Sun broadband at home. Clearly the coverage Sun has in Manila is amazingly vast and fast.
We didn’t expect to get more than 1Mbps speed but hey, it went more than that!
We were able to work on emails, watch youtube videos, and of course, we were able to stalk our favorite Facebook friends and Twitter celebs…. even if the electricity was out!
Loading and using it is pretty easy too even for a noob like me!
I also did a speed test via speedtest.net and here’s the video to show the result:
So there you go, you can Get Consistent, Fast, Reliable Internet Connection with Sun Broadband!
When In Manila, stay connected and find your fun wherever you go!
I’m not sure about you, but in today’s fast paced world, it seems more and more obvious that to stay in-the-know, you need to be connected 24/7!
I swear that just being away from the internet for just a few hours and I’m already feeling out of the loop. From world news, trends, funny memes to just updates between friends, you need to be able to connect with them even when on the fly.
This is especially true for both your personal and professional lives as well. There are many jobs out there that need you to know exactly what’s going in this ever so changing world.
Now, it’s more affordable than ever to stay in touch with the rest of the world!
Enter the Sun BlackBerry Package Plan 999!
With this, you’ll get unlimited BlackBerry Services, unlimited mobile internet and unlimited call and text to the Sun network.
Emails, Facebook, Twitter, BBM and Instant Messaging (Yahoo Messenger, Gtalk, etc) and so much more of your favorite sites all available at your fingertips for just 999!
You also get faster internet browsing care of the advance data compression technology that comes with your Data Plan, meaning you can surf the web faster than on most other devices.
For a quick minute, let’s just imagine how your world would be if you aren’t connected 24/7.
You may have never heard of Chris Lao:
You may have never know all the coolest trending memes:
You may not have heard the newest and coolest songs:
You may not get the funniest Tweets:
And you may be too late before you get to fix the mess your mom made on Facebook:
In short, When In Manila, get connected! Check out the Sun Blackberry 999 Plan today!
More info on http://www.suncellular.com.ph/postpaid_blackberry_plans.php
Most Affordable Way to Stay Connected 24/7: Sun BlackBerry plan 999 w/ FREE BlackBerry Phones
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what they don’t say is what should be part of this ever so important first meal.
I myself need to be quick on my wits and ready for whatever the day throws me. Being a radio dj / writer / host / blogger… I tend to have all sorts of important meetings and events I need to be at all day long. Bouncing around from one venue to another while trying to stay sharp and focused can be a very tricky thing to do!
I’m looking for vitamins that will help me survive my long hectic days, to be in the fast lane and out of the rat race.
Finally, a friend introduced me to Berocca! It’s like instant fuel. Furthermore, I found out that most Berocca users are CEOs, so if you want to outwit them and place yourself within their ranks, you have to have their secret – Berocca!
Berocca is like instant fuel for the mind! In today’s world, it’s those sharp minds who have the big paying positions and sit at the CEO desk!
And I did my own research, Berocca is a clinically proven combination of B vitamins and essential nutrients with a unique synergy of B vitamins (helps release the energy from the food we eat), vitamin C (colds buster) and essential minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc (which are definitely needed by the body).
Anyway, Berocca comes in a very unique format: All I had to do was drop the tablets into a glass of water and I was ready to go on with the rest of my day with an extra boost of healthy stuff!
I liked taking mine early in the morning right before work to get my head in the game. Try it out for yourself!
Best of all, you can get the complete info on how exactly Berocca helps you perform better and why it gives you a boost by checking out their website here – http://www.berocca.com
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
MORAL :
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hate – Forgive
2. Free your mind from worries – Most never happen
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have
4. Give more
5. Expect less from people but more from yourself
You have two choices… smile and close this page, or pass this along to someone else to share the lesson .
Shake it off and Step Up: Motivational Story from a Donkey
Ok, so if you’re one of the early adaptors or if you’re just cool like that… then you may have heard of the possible new Facebook look!
If you weren’t too busy bitching about the new Facebook look, widgets, gadgets and features, then you may have found that there is an even newer one coming our way! One that will unite the entire web under one glorious Facebook!
Welcome to the new Facebook Timeline with the new Facebook Two 2 Column Homepage look!
Want to get this new Facebook Timeline homepage for yourself? Then follow these 10 easy breezy steps!
1. Log in to your Facebook account then go to this link – https://developers.facebook.com/apps – it may ask for your password so go ahead and enter that.
2. You’ll see this page below: Click on Allow
3. On the next page, click on “Create new app”
4. Name it. You can go ahead and name this whatever you want, along with matching whatever namespace you’d like. It really doesn’t matter. Then click on the checkbox “I agree to the platform privacy policy.” And then click Continue, pass the security check by filling in the Captcha.
5. Confirm that you are not a robot and you’l get to this page. Click on “Open Graph”
6. On the next screen, entitled “Get Started with Open Graph” — fill it up with anything you want (it doesn’t matter again) in those spaces under the heading “start by defining one action than one object for your app.” Click Get Started.
7. For the next two screens, do nothing except click on “Save Changes and Next.”
8. You’ll see the screen below. Wait for about 5 minutes…. go watch a video on YouTube or something to give it some time to fix up your profile. Then come back and head over to your regular Facebook homepage (in layman’s terms you can just type in http://Facebook.com and go to your own profile page)
9. You’ll see this new box on top of your original Facebook profile page. This means you aren’t as big of a disappointment that your father may have though you to be…. (kidding). SUCCESS! Click on “Get It Now” – which is also something I recommend you try to do in real life (kidding again)
10. And VOILA! You’re now a Facebook early adapter! You’ll see the page below with your new timeline. It’s not fully functional yet but it should soon be able to take you back all the way to the day you started Facebook! Adding that very emotional attachment you so need to never leave Facebook again!
11. Now work on this page and add your new “Facebook Cover Picture” by clocking on that “Add a Cover” button. This new “Cover Picture” which will be the first thing people see when they come to your page and should look something like this below:
Hope that helped!
Enjoy your new Facebook two column cover picture home page!
How to Get the New Facebook Timeline and Two Column Homepage Walk Through Instructions
Five 5 New Rules to Remember in Life:
1. Money cannot buy happiness but it’s more comfortable to cry in a BMW than on a bicycle.
2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard’s name.
3. Help someone when they are in trouble and they will remember you when they’re in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.
5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.
Drug abuse, chemical dependency and addictive behavior spare no one and are spread throughout society. They don’t respect age, profession, race, religion, or physical attributes. Rehab-Programs.org has put together this informational graphic as a stereotypical example of the extremes. Addicts come in all shapes and sizes and shouldn’t be limited to the views expressed in this document”
Drug Addict Profiles: Common Stereotypes on How to Spot a Drug User
Counterfeiting is a major industry, with a network of about 600 billion dollars worth of fake stuff getting churned out every year. What’s more, it grows about 30% annually. Two thirds of all counterfeit goods come from China, and in 2008 there were over 4 million possibly counterfeit listings on eBay alone! Squeezing real goods out of the marketplace and adjusting (lowering) what people are willing to pay for them is another detrimental effect of counterfeit goods. They also cost the people making the genuine articles jobs. It’s estimated that US workers lost 750,000 jobs in one year due to counterfeiting. 100,000 of those jobs were in LA county alone, and 25,000 in Detroit. The false goods from one facility can fill up 16 miles of train cars.
Counterfeit Industry: The High Cost of Counterfeiting
It used to be that the world was run by the guys with big personalities, great looks, and a good golf swing. That said, the Internet has changed all that, thanks to a little (OK big) thing called ecommerce. The world of ecommerce has become a wonderland of success for the geeks and nerds of our time. Now it matters far less whether or not you can stay under par, and matters more if you can create a great online shopping solution, master the language of web code, and keep your site running once all the traffic starts pouring in. So, geek or nerd, how do you identify? If you don’t view yourself as one or the other, you might be missing out on the Holy Grail of financial opportunity!
To prove our point, we created this infographic that profiles some of the top geeks and nerds in the world of ecommerce. From Jeff Bezos to Natalie Massenet, these intelligent gurus are making bank – with billions in net worth and a minimum of millions in yearly revenues to their online stores. Check out this rundown of uber-geek power!
Infographic: The Age of the Ecommerce Geek
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Geeks: The Richest Geeks in the World
The Geeks
Jeff Bezos – CEO of Amazon.com (duh). His net worth almost twenty billion dollars. One notable thing about this eccentric billionaire is that when he was younger he rigged up an electric alarm to keep his brothers and sisters out of his room. Then, a la Dexter, he turned his parents’ garage into a laboratory. His love of experimentation hasn’t waned. In 2004 he “launched” a new company called “Blue Origin.” The goal: human space flight from a private company. Take that, Sir Richard.
Jack Ma – Founder of Alibaba. Alibaba, for those of you who don’t know, is one of the biggest internet groups in China (which has, you know, a few people). The company’s crazy internet success may be fueled in part by Ma’s combative upbringing. For starters, he suffered from stunted growth as a child. To make matters worse, his family was ostracized for siding with counter-revolutionary forces during China’s cultural revolution. This meant he got into a lot of fights. This probably turned him into the scrappy ecommerce geek that he is today with a net worth of close to 2 billion dollars.
Pierre Morad Omidyar – Founder and chairman of eBay. So yeah, there’s this little auction site (you’ve probably never heard of it) but it’s called eBay. So, more than 15 years ago, Pierre had a long weekend off and was feeling bored. Like most power ecommerce geeks, he hates having time on his hands, so he said: “I know, I’ll write the original code for an auction house that will eventually revolutionize online buying and selling.” So a case of diet Dr Pepper later (not confirmed) he emerged from his basement and launched the site “Auction Web.” Fast forward to today: almost 7 billion dollar net worth. Boom. Just like that.
Kevin Ryan – Fashion ecommerce geek and founder of Gilt Groupe. Got a taste for the finer things in life? Then you want to know all about Kevin Ryan, founder of Gilt Groupe (you can tell it’s fancy because it’s got an extra “e” on the end!). He scored a BA from Yale in ’85, then got an MBA from INSEAD (which is totally in France!) five years later. Gilt Groupe was founded in 2007 and has raised nearly 80 million dollars in financing at time of writing. Kevin’s geek power is so awesome that by the time you finish reading this, he’ll probably have raised even more money.
Reed Hastings – Co-Founder and CEO of Netflix. Many geeks love math. Reed loved math so much that he majored at math at Bowdoin college where he won the department’s Smyth Prize and Hammond Prize. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1983 and has spent the intervening years trying to improve the educational system. In 2010 he earned 5.5 million dollars in compensation.
Patrick M. Byrne – CEO of Overstock.com. Mr. Byrne (“Byrne-ing Man” to his friends – also NOT confirmed) might just be the most educated individual on our list. Despite being way more than normal, he somehow earned a certificate from “Beijing Normal University” alongside his BA in Chinese studies, which he got from a little school called Dartmouth. He decided that they looked lonely on his wall, so he scooped up a masters from Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar. Then to finish off his (current) accomplishments, he got a PhD in Philosophy from Stanford (which I think was his fallback school). Byrne has founded 19 schools internationally, most of which he built by hand with bricks he bakes himself (fictional!). So how much does all that learning get you per year? Byrne takes home only $171,300, probably because he’s worked out that it’s the exact amount that he needs to be happy and provide for all his needs (PhD in Philosophy, remember?).
Tony Hsieh – CEO of Zappos. Geeks know all about treating people with kindness and respect, usually because most of us didn’t get a lot of that from our peers growing up. Rather than being mean to people when we are in control, many geeks decide to try to make the world a better place. Tony’s contribution to the happiness of the world was to create an ecommerce business where every customer service decision was geared DIRECTLY towards making every customer as happy as possible (when buying shoes, anyway). Fellow ecommerce geek Jeff Bezos loved this so much that in 2009 he called up Tony and was like: “I’d like to place an order.” and Tony said: “Okay, what would you like to order?” and Jeff said: “Your whole company.” and Tony, wanting to deliver an awesome customer service experience, quoted Jeff a number. Amazon acquired Zappos for 1.2 billion dollars. Tony then went on to write a book calledDelivering Happiness, all about his entrepreneurial experiences. It spent almost 7 months on the best seller list.
Natalie Massenet – Executive Chairman (Chair-WOMAN!) of Net-a-Porter.com. Let’s face it: geeks and girls don’t always get along. But what about girls who are themselves geeks? Well Natalie is an ecommerce geek who is also a woman and who is also shrewd when it comes to business. Starting off as a fashion editor at Women’s Wear Daily in 1993, the left that job to start her own business: Net-a-Porter. Seventeen years later she sold her shares for fifty million British Pounds (which is like, a lot in American money!). Even without her shares, she stayed on as Executive Chair and will probably put all that money she raised back into her own company to make it even more awesome – because that’s how she rolls. Her site, by the way, gets about 2 million logins every weekend and each person’s average spend is 500 British Pounds (translation: a LOT).
When we talk about the victims of 9/11, we remember those in the Twin Towers, airplane passengers, and lost heroes. What we rarely discuss are the victims surrounding and working at Ground Zero, who have risked breathing toxic air and contracted long-term illnesses from endless coughs to cancer. Learn what environmental and health risks are now the common aftermath of 9/11.
Post 9/11 Health Risks and Environmental Truths
Here’s a cool infographic about the most dangerous cars in the world!
The deadliest cars in the world are out there and no, they aren’t Decepticons! Check this out and see if you’re driving a killer car!
The Deadliest Cars in the World: Most Dangerous Vehicles EVERDeadly Cars
However, there are many cars, which, for whatever reason, remain unsafe. This is generally due to compromises made on behalf of the manufacturer. For example, certain types of steel reinforcement may be omitted to improve the aerodynamic performance or fuel efficiency of the vehicle. Additionally, the inherent design of many types and classes of vehicle makes it difficult to incorporate certain safety features. For example, some small models would have to sacrifice cost and styling in order to incorporate crumple zones.
This presents a problem if you want to purchase a small, affordable commuter vehicle but don’t want to compromise in terms of safety. The Kia Rio, for instance, was the fourth most dangerous car in America from 2000-2003, with only SUVs and sports cars leading to more fatalities in accidents. So how can you tell the difference between a safe commuter vehicle and a dangerous one?
Choosing Safer Cars
A simple way to determine if a small commuter vehicle is safe is to examine the weight and sturdiness of the car. The more plastic and thin aluminum sheeting the vehicle has, the more likely it is to disintegrate in the event of a crash, hurting passengers with pieces of sharp plastic, glass, and metal. Safe small cars, such as the Volkswagen Golf, Honda Accord, and Honda Fit, have roll cages and metal bars built directly into the frames to direct crash energy away from the passengers toward other parts of the car, ensuring the passenger compartment remains intact and undamaged.
Smaller vehicles, such as the New Mini and Smart, will supplement with “crumple zones,” parts of the car intended to absorb and redirect impact towards “sacrificial bodywork,” which is destroyed instead. The Ford Fiesta is an example of a small car, which makes extensive use of integrated crumple zones and a caged passenger area. The Fiesta is equally at home in urban areas and off-road rally courses.
SUVs
SUV safety, however, is based on center of mass and builds quality. The most deadly car from the 2000-2003 period was the Chevy Blazer, a massive SUV built on the frame of a pickup truck. The reason this model was so dangerous and underwent extensive redesign in 2004 is that it had a poor center of mass. The great amount of added weight in the conversion from truck to SUV is a problem plaguing many older-model SUVs. They, like the earlier Blazer, were constructed on an existing truck chassis rather than on a chassis designed specifically for them.
Rollover Dangers
SUVs inherently have more weight and ground clearance than other cars, a legacy of their history as off-road and utility vehicles. While this may be excellent for rolling through deep mud or high grass, it is very dangerous on paved city streets. Placing the center of gravity far off the ground makes a car very likely to roll when it tries to change direction, as demonstrated routinely in monster truck shows. While SUVs certainly aren’t as heavily jacked-up or custom-modified as monster trucks, their high centers of gravity and comparatively narrow wheelbases make them drive as though they were on stilts, increasing the likelihood of a rollover.
A Generation of Compromised Quality
Additionally, many SUVs produced in the late 90s and early 2000s were “quick conversion” models intended to satisfy market demand for big, powerful vehicles capable of carrying lots of passengers and traveling long distances. This resulted in lower build quality and a lack of careful adaptation and re-engineering of the parts. Many older SUVs were unable to redirect force in the event of a crash, or their crumple-zones were overwhelmed by the amount of weight put on them.
Additionally, the use of increased tire sizes led to a number of infamous rollover incidents because of the amount of drop that occurs when a tire fails suddenly and the vehicle rides on the rim. Many SUVs, because they are on “stilts,” will fall onto two wheels and the rim when a tire blows, causing a rollover.
Safer Family Cars
Anyone planning to transport multiple passengers should choose a minivan instead of an SUV. The minivan is considered a “family car.” Therefore, great emphasis has been placed on keeping the center of balance low and reinforcing the sides and roof. If the SUV is your dream vehicle, check out purpose-built vehicles, such as the Volkswagen Touareg and the Toyota Rav 4, both of which have a wide wheelbase, low center of gravity, and a frame custom-built to accommodate the extra weight inherent in an SUV. The Touareg, in particular, has a very powerful frame and extensive crumple zones. It’s designed to compete in rallying, a sport which necessitates driver protection and exceptional frame construction.
While these tips serve as good guidelines, always research the vehicle you intend to buy. Check crash ratings and automobile website forums to see what owners have to say about safety.
It feels kinda weird starting over. I mean, that feeling of insecurity, of change, of uncertainty and of something completely new. Of course, after the unfamiliar start, most of the time you’ll find out that all those strange new feelings were nothing to really be afraid of.
On the other hand, to just move forward and drop that past decades of stories, insights, chemistry and to just act like it never even happened, that might be a whole different ballgame.
Either way, whether you’re all for this big change or totally against it, it’s happening and it is happening now!
DC comics has started to roll out their brand new issues. They are reinventing the DC wheel! DC Comics is coming out with 52 new #1 issues for their comic books. Familiar and age old stories like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and so many more are getting a brand new slate.
There will also be new characters, new villains, new origins and more, but many will also be very familiar in a nostalgic way.
DC Comics decided to try and invite new readers by starting over. It’s a reasonable idea as many of the young ones out there, and even the oldies who still want to get into it, may be overwhelmed at the sight or knowledge of a 500 book backlog they would have to read to understand why exactly Superman and the Black Lantern Corps were in their little pillow fight.
On the other hand, while trying to get new readers, the fear is that DC comics may anger and alienate the loyal fans and lifelong readers who know these characters like the back of their hands.
Either way, the bottom line is that the comic book industry, like the publishing industry, needs a boost. Sales have been dwindling for comic books especially since the digital ebooks have been released on the same day as the hardcopy comic book now.
This DC Universe reboot may just be the breath of fresh air that the comic book world needs. Besides, it’ll give a more modern and current look at many of our favorite heroes who might still be hanging on to character flaws and personalities from the 60’s.
One bright spot is that the Justice League #1 issue already has a preorder booking of over 200,000 issues!
Anyway, here’s the unofficial comic book and character I’m especially excited about! The New and improved Superman Reboot!
Ok, just kidding about that one. But seriously, I’m pretty excited for this one. Honestly, I haven’t bought a comic book in over 10 years…. but I actually have the urge to go out and get some of these titles. If not for the reading pleasure, but also for the collector in me. I mean, come 2034, they’ll be asking you: “Where were you when DC rebooted?” When you tell the youngsters then that you were too lazy to go out and get the collectors item #1 issue of Specialman… I mean Superman, they are going to give you a death stare like no other!
Here’s to a new chapter in DC’s and our lives. It’s time to move forward. Change is good. Let’s start over and make today the fresh start to the rest of our lives!
Throughout my short time in this world, I’ve come to find out a few things that has always gotten me through the tough times. Whenever I get too nervous, or too overwhelmed with the task at hand, I tend to look back at my past and try to figure out how I’ve overcome those other trials and hardships. I’ve come to a conclusion that there are five main things I do to help give me the strength and the confidence needed, let me share them with you.
1. SUCCESS IS PREPARATION MEETING OPPORTUNITY
One random day, in a random city, at a random building, you’ll get into an elevator with a big shot whom you really look up to but have only seen in the magazines, watched on TV or heard on radio. But now, for whatever strange coincidence, you’ll be alone in an elevator with him/her. What do you do now? Are you ready to give your elevator spiel on why you matter? Many times in life, the biggest and best opportunities come out of nowhere. You will not have any time to stop and prepare and you may miss out on these once in a lifetime occasions. Instead, you should always be preparing yourself. Figure out what you want to do in life and start preparing. You may want to be a big TV star, so start preparing your acting skills even before the audition. You may want to be a big banker, so start preparing your financial knowledge by knowing what’s going on with the economy and with the banks. You never know who you might need to impress out of the blue. Successful people are always ready whenever the time comes. Success is preparation meeting opportunity!
2. DO YOUR RESEARCH
In many events, challenges, matches or big moments in your life, you will probably have some time to properly prepare for the situation. This is where the big players gets separated from the little boys. The real winners do their research! They research everything from the venue, the audience, the background of the event, all the way to the names of the guards at the door. Someone well prepared will be much more comfortable and confident when that said event finally takes place. Little things like showing up to the event early and checking your PowerPoint presentations on the projector or knowing where the podium is or even just meeting the organizers of the event play a big role when you finally have to give that big presentation! Do your research!
3. FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT
It’s an old saying that is so much more useful when you actually implement it! Usually, before a big speech, people would pace around the backstage telling everyone in sight that they are nervous. This actually hinders your confidence and ability to do well because you are setting your mind and yourself to think that you are nervous. Instead, pretend that you aren’t. Tell yourself that you are not nervous and tell everyone else that too. If you start pretending that you’re comfortable, you might start pretending to act like a confident person and next thing you know, you actually become confident. The universe has a strange way of giving you what you ask for, make sure you’re asking it to make you confident rather than telling it to make you more nervous. Fake it til’ you make it!
4. MIND THE DETAILS
It’s all about the little details. I remember my college professor telling me that the little things matter! They matter because the little things are a reflection of how you will handle the bigger things. If you can’t be trusted with the little things, how can we trust you with the big ones. If you forget to email that document your boss told you to email, or if you misplace the copies of the lunch menu your colleagues asked you for, then when it comes down to assigning you bigger tasks, they might be a bit hesitant to ask for your service or to give you that promotion. So make sure you check all the small things. Mind the details!
5. TOTAL CARE
I use this as a metaphor for everything else like combing your hair, shining your shoes and making sure your tie is sharp! Part of having the full confidence you need is having the basic tools necessary. Always dress to impress! It’s better to dress up than to be dressed down. So keep that breath fresh! It starts not just at the moment of your big event, but from months ago. Get that suit ironed out, but that nice tie you need and start using that mouthwash for that total care you need to succeed. Confidence comes from within, it comes from what you do day in and day out. So be sure you are prepared for that big day of yours but getting ready now! Total care starts NOW!
Five 5 Total Care Ways to Prepare for Life: Relationships, Dates, Careers and your Future
Most call it one of the biggest financial crises in living memory. Others call it one great big Ponzi scheme. Whatever you want to call it, a bunch of people lost a bunch of money and the world of high finance may never be the same. But don’t worry – that doesn’t mean that we’ve fixed all these problems or punished the people responsible. It just means that next time you can’t get a loan or a higher credit limit, the banks will have an excuse.
Inside Amarica’s Economic Downfall: The 2008 Financial Crisis was a Ponzi Scheme
Our “most unwanted” list includes guys like Martin Feldstein. He was an economics professor at a little school called Harvard (maybe you’ve heard of it) and served as Ronald Reagan’s Chief Economic Advisor. He was a major architect in Reagan’s deregulation scheme (which is either the best thing ever in the world to some political views, or the worst thing in the world to others).
Alan Greenspan is also responsible, some believe. He was paid $40,000 to testify on behalf of extreme bank looter Charles Keating. Greenspan spoke of his “sound business plans” and “expertise.” Of course, these kind words didn’t come for free.
Robert Rubin was the Treasury Secretary and also a former CEO of Goldman Sachs. He teamed with Larry Summers to get Congress to pass the “Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.” Whatever that did, he went and used it to make $126 million as Vice Chairman of CitiGroup.
Last up is Larry Summers, who also served as Treasury Secretary. Another Harvard economics professor (not looking good for that place). He was another key player in deregulation and also helped create derivatives, the trading of which was a major contributing factor to the financial collapse.
Companies and Their (Illegal) Activities
With all the time giant financial corporations spend doing shady and downright illegal things, it’s a wonder that they have any time left to do…whatever it is that they are actually supposed to do. Let’s take a look at some notable post-deregulation antics of those wacky corporations:
JP Morgan: Bribed government officials
Riggs: Laundered money for Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet (a military leader – for those who don’t know – who led a coup in Chile and was said to have brutally crushed, killed, and interred all who opposed his illegal regime)
Credit Suisse: Laundered money for Iran in violation of US sanctions
Freddie Mac: Accounting fraud
Fannie Mae: Accounting fraud (which, in this case, means overstating their earnings by 10 billion over ten years, which is NOT the same as slightly exaggerating your salary to impress someone at the bar)
UBS: Fraud
ENRON: Fraud – Citibank, JP Morgan, and Merrill Lynch tried to help conceal the fraud
Of course, this is just the beginning. Review the infographic to see how, exactly, the economic crisis of 2008 occurred and you be the judge: who’s to blame? Are we out of the dark yet? And are we making the right choices now?
America’s Economic Crisis Revealed Infographic: The 2008 Financial Crisis was a Ponzi Scheme
Here’s a really cool infographic I found about the growing freelance industry. So cheers to all the freelancers out there!
The popularity of mobile devices combined with the explosive growth of apps and cloud-based computing are making it easier than ever before for people to take their expertise out of the office and set off on their own. Whether they do it for the flexibility or the independence, freelancers are fast becoming the new face of the global workforce. Today’s #E2sday takes a glance at what it means to be a freelancer.