The Daily Top 10

Top 10 Devices that Could Save a Child’s Life

K.H. Raymund — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:40:04 +0000

Nobody ever said raising a child is going to be easy. Children are fragile and need constant care, as they are literally not yet ready for the many perils of the world, which has evolved into a place that can be dangerous even for adults. However, there are certain devices that can help parents avoid some really nasty situations that could harm a kid. If like the rest of us, you’re a parent who’s a little bit paranoid about her child’s safety, here’s a list of 10 devices that could save your child’s life:

10. Play Pens

Play Pens are a must have for every parent, as they allow parents to let kids play on their own (though it’s not advised to completely take your eyes off them.) Most play pens come with child-safe toys and activity centers that keep your child busy until they get tired and sleepy. Inside the play pen, you don’t have to worry about any accidents as you’ll always know where he is and what he’s playing with.

9. Curly Cords

Conventional cord that are long not only look awful when they start tangling into each other, they can also pose a risk if your kid becomes curious and starts tugging and pulling them out. Curly cords are much easier to organize and can be put out of a child’s notice or reach. Since they’re still essentially long cords, you don’t have to sacrifice length and you can still use the appliances or gadgets from long distances.

8. Child-Resistant Gate Latches

These latches work under the same principle as the child-resistant containers, in the sense that they prevent children from getting out of the gate even if they already know how to open gate latches. This will prevent unnecessary accidents resulting from kids finding their way onto open roads.

7. Door Slam Protectors

These are either fitted on the latch side or at the hinge side, but they are also available for sliding door types. What they do is put a little drag before it closes so that even if you throw the door, it won’t slam shut. This completely prevents kids fingers from accidentally getting trapped and pulped by doors.

6. Child-Resistant Containers

These nifty containers have locks that are very difficult for kids to open. They won’t stop a kid completely from opening stuff (nothing will, actually), but it will slow them down to the point that they may lose interest and move on to another activity or it will at least give you enough time to react. These containers serve as ideal for medicine, cleaning materials, pesticides, or any other item that can be harmful to kids and doesn’t need to be accessed on a moment’s notice.

Top 10 Sites for Seniors

K.H. Raymund — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:52:26 +0000

The Internet has been around for a long time, and it’s high past the time when it was exclusive to teenagers and tech-savvy urban professionals. Nowadays, there are a lot of websites and online services that are targeted towards senior citizens, here are ten of the most useful, enjoyable, and practical sites for seniors:

10. Evergreen Club

The thing about being a senior citizen is that you finally have the time to travel. Unfortunately, the recent economic downturn has affected everyone and senior citizens in particular, would much rather save their life savings for medicine and other more practical things instead of splurging on vacations – this is where Evergreen Club comes in. The unique club is open to anyone aged 50 and above, who want to meet new friends and visit new people without spending an arm and a leg. Members can stay in private homes for as little as $25 or less (which includes breakfast and tourist info).

9. Grandparents & Travel

When you’re in your senior years, chances are your limited physical abilities and mobility makes it very difficult to travel with young children, which is a conundrum because the senior years is also the point where you’re going to start to want spending more time with your grandchildren. Grandparents & Travel will help you via their sections on ideas, tips, and deals on how to travel with young children in tow.

http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/travel/index.html

8. Third Age

Women are usually hit very hard by the onset of their senior rich, since the effects of age not only heavily affect them mentally, but also physically. Third Age helps guide women through this difficult time by offering a rich treasure trove of information, articles, guides, and links. While the main target is women, it can also be useful for men as the information provided will allow them to become much better partners for their spouses during their twilight years.

http://www.thirdage.com/

7. Family Relationships

Family Relationships are usually the first ones to suffer when a person reaches the senior years. The relationship with offsprings, spouses, and even grandkids tend to get strained or the senior in question has to resort to sacrificing time that should be his or hers alone just to accommodate loved ones. The Family Relationships website teaches seniors how to nourish their family relationships without starving themselves. The site offers help from psychologist Rosemary Lichtman, PhD, and marriage/family therapist Pyllis Goldberg, PhD.

http://nourishingrelationships.blogspot.com/

6. Suddenly Senior

One of the things that old age shouldn’t take from anyone is laughter. Suddenly Senior helps senior citizens retain their sense of fun and humor by providing various activites and jokes. It’s not all fun and games, though. The site also provides senior advocacy information and nostalgia amongst its 4.5 thousand pages. Of course, the main selling point is still the fun, and there’s lots to be had. Even non-senior citizens are likely to spend hours upon hours just browsing through the site’s contents.

http://www.suddenlysenior.com/

Top 10 Google Failures

K.H. Raymund — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:49:29 +0000

Everybody that’s on the Internet these days has a Gmail account, and is probably using Google as a search engine on a regular basis. In fact, it’s almost considered a joke to use any other search engine. Google’s social media network, Google+ and their browser, Google Chrome, are also widely used. With this much support, it’s not surprising if people think that the company can do no wrong as far as products are concerned. However, Google is not perfect. They have a few misses as well, such as:

10. Froogle

Froogle is an internet marketplace that Google launched in order to provide users with a service that can be used to search for products. It’s basically a price comparison service. When users type product queries, it returns a listing of vendors that sell the product in question, as well as pricing information. There are a number of things that made Froogle one of the worst Google products – first is that it’s only available at selected countries, and next – Google turned it into a completely monetized service where merchants can pay Google in order for their products to be displayed. In case you fail to see what’s wrong with that, imagine if Google’s search engine only shows website that have paid Google for the opportunity to be included in their index.

9. Google Wave

Google Wave was originally developed by Google as a means of merging key features of communications media, such as instant messaging, wikis, email, and social networking. While Google Wave originally received positive press coverage due to the scope of the project and its potential, it was plagued by problems as many users found out that they could not communicate with many of their contacts on their regular email accounts, primarily because the initial rollout was very restricted. On August 4, 2010, Google announced that they would stop developing it as a stand alone product due to lack of interest. Other user complaints that sentenced Google Wave to an early death include an overly complicated user interface, and the fact that it focused so much at doing everything but failed to be good at anything. Users found that the convenience of having everything in one place didn’t make up for the fact that other services were clearly better.

8. Audio Ads

Google Ads provides majority of Google’s bottomline, and its success relies mainly on the fact that Google has found the perfect medium for advertising – something that is context sensitive and isn’t intrusive, so that it shows up on people who will be interested, and won’t annoy people who aren’t. Studies even prove that Google Ads perform better than traditional TV and radio advertisements, so when Google announced Audio Ads, which is a radio advertising program for US businesses, it felt like a step backwards and unnecessary. The service was discontinued last February 12, 2009.

7. Dodgeball

Dodgeball is essentially a social networking service for mobile phones, wherein users can text their location to the service and receive notifications of friends, acquaintances, and interesting venues that are nearby. Dodgeball was flawed because it segments their Google+ userbase. Facebook already has said features built in, and people who want something more powerful can use Foursquare.

6. Jaiku

Jaiku (a wordplay on Haiku), is a microblogging service that serves as Google’s answer to Twitter. Jaiku’s demise is mainly the fault of Google, since instead of integrating it with the rest of their services (which could have given them a significant advantage over Twitter, plurk, and other microblogging services), they left it to languish. As users start to experience frequent downtimes and 504 gateway errors, Google soon saw their already small userbase migrating to Twitter.

Top 10 YouTube Musicians

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:13:13 +0000

Now that the Internet has leveled the playing field for artists and entertainers, we’re starting to see the rise of a new breed of musicians who no longer rely on commercial and mass-market friendly formulae nor do they have to depend on the usual channels of distribution just to reach out to audiences. One of the more popular venues for expression for these musicians is Youtube, where artists can be exposed to millions of people without paying a single cent. Here are 10 of the best musicians on Youtube:

10. David MeShow

David MeShow first joined Youtube in October of 2006, which makes him kind of a pioneer, since back then, Youtube has not yet positioned itself as a creator-owned venue, with the service mostly carrying clips of copyrighted work and Vlogs. The French MeShow is primarily a guitarist, but his videos contain improvisation that has him performing all the instruments – from piano to vocals – and editing them together in order to create a virtual one-man band performance. What’s even better is that many of his songs are licensed under Creative Commons, which means you can copy, distribute, and transmit his songs without cops busting down your door.

9. Mr. Sam Ali

Mr. Sam Ali is a band fronted by Syed Asim Ali Zaidi, who is an underground musician hailing from Pakistan Lahore. While he writers and performs many original songs, Mr. Sam Ali gained popularity because of his covers of many Hollywood songs. Nowadays, Mr. Sam Ali’s Youtube channel focuses primarily on their original compositions. Mr. Sam Ali’s original compositions have been likened to The Pixies.

8. Chester See

Chester See had the advantage of being quasi-famous even before he started gaining lots of fans in Youtube, as he was the face of Disney Channel’s “Disney 365″, and hosted the show from 2006 to 2009. He’s also appeared in several national commercials, ad campaigns, and was a recurring guest star on Nickelodeon’s “The Fresh Beat Band.”

Chester See had a Bachelors Degree in Theater Arts, which is why the music videos he uploads in Youtube had a certain degree of polish with regard to acting, with some of them being popular because of the humorous content (including one where See personally visited a Youtube troll and beat him up in his own house.) As for his musical work, his most popular ones are covers of other artists’ works, including female ones such as Adele.

7. The Piano Guys

The Piano Guys is a quintet, consisting of Jon Schmidt, Tel Stewart, Steven Sharp Nelson, Paul Anderson, and Al van der Beek, with Schmidt and Nelson being the musicians who primarily use pianos (as their name implies) and cellos. The main selling point of their act, and the reason for their popularity, is that they perform renditions and mashups of popular songs using pianos as main instruments, and the songs are portrayed by professional-looking music videos shot and edited by Anderson and Stewart.

6. Bo Burnham

Bo Burnham is certainly one of the more multi-talented entries in this list, as he is an accomplished comedian, singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. His main offerings are usually comedic and satirical songs with a politically incorrect slant, which seems to be very popular with Youtube viewers as his channel has received more than 70 million views by October 2010. He has since been signed by Comedy Central Records and has achieved fame in more mainstream venues.

Top 10 Free Solo Climbers

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:36:57 +0000

A real badass don’t need to carry guns and knives and curse at the end of every sentence. A real badass are those who dare to do crazy things that put their lives, and no one else’s, just for the heck of it. A great example are these ten insane guys who rock climbs carrying nothing and I mean nothing. They have their shoes, their pants and gloves and that’s about it.

10. Chris Sharma

Chris Omprakash Sharma was once described by NPR as “the world’s best rock climber,” with over 15 different awards to his name, including the Gold Medal for Bouldering in the 1999 X Games and the 2010 Psicobloc in Bilbao, Spain. Chris started rock climbing at an early, having been reported as already a very good climber at 12 years of age, spending most of his days at the Pacific Edge climbing gym. He won his first award at age 14, winning the Bouldering Nationals. A year after that, he completed what was considered the highest-rated climb in North America at the time – 5.14c at age 15.

9. John Bachar

Bachar first shot to fame for his climbs in Yosemite, as well as his unroped ascents of New Dimensions(5.11a) and The Nabisco Wall, which is a 3 pitch affair that consists of the Waverly Wafer (5.10c), Wheat Thin (5.10c) and Butterfingers (5.11a). Bachar was also known for posting a note in 1981 challenging anyone to follow him for one full day, with $10,000 as a reward. No one took the challenge. At his prime, he is reportedly able to perform a two-finger pull up with 12.5 lbs of weight in his other hand, and a two arm pull up with 100+ lbs of weight attached to his waist. He is also known for inventing a climbing training device known as the Bachar Ladder. Bachar continued climbing well into his 50s, and he was 52 when he met died in a free solo accident in a Dike Wall near Mammoth Lakes, California. The exact reason for his accident are not known, but many speculate that he was hit by a loose rock that fell from above.

8. Dean Potter

Dean Potter is a noted American alpinist, free climber, BASE jumper, BASEliner, and highliner. He grew up in New Hampshire and is noted for free solo ascents, speed ascents, hard first ascents, and even enchainments within Yosemite and Patagonia. His main routes and solo ascents are in the latter. Unfortunately, Dean is probably most famous for the various controversies surrounding his climbs, particularly his 2006 climbing of the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, which actually cost him his sponsorship from the Patagonia clothing company. The controversy stemmed from the fact that there is a well-established tradition that forbids climbing named features in the park.

7. Alain Roberts

Alain Robert is a French rock and urban climber from Bourgogne, France, who is dubbed by many as “the French Spider-Man” (after Marvel’s wall-climbing superhero, Spider-Man) and “the Human Spider.” Roberts was given those nicknames because he became famous for climbing skyscrapers with no climbing equipment outside of a pair of climbing shoes and a small bag of chalk. One disadvantage of his refusal to use climbing gear is that he has to appear at the site of skyscrapers that he wants to climb at dawn, as authorities will not normally give him permission due to the risks involved.

6. Alex Hannold

Alex Honnold is an American big wall free solo climber who gained fame for breaking several speed records, particularly the only known solo climb of the Yosemite Triple crown, an 18 hour 50 minute link up of Mt. Watkins, The Nose (El Capitan), and The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome. He is one of the two current holders of the record for the Nose, boasting of a 2:23:51 time. Hannold started climbing at 11 years old, and loved the sport so much that he dropped out of UC Berkeley, where he was an engineering student, so that he can devote all his time to climbing. Hannold’s lifestyle has him living out of his van and spending less than a thousand dollars per month, which allows him to follow the weather and climb all year round.

Top 10 Best Art Blogs

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:39:37 +0000

It’s sad to be an artist, really. When you create great art, you are most likely going to be ignored in favor of those with pretty faces and flashy clothes. When you do decide to package yourself to get some attention, you will be accused of selling out even when nothing changes with your art. People tend to be judgmental. They judge you bad for being ugly and worse for being good looking. They see that and they forget that it should never be about the artist, it’s all about the art.

It’s about time that art gets the attention it deserves and here are 10 blogs that get that.

10. Modern Art

Modern Art

MAO stands for Modern Art Obsession, though the site does get mileage out of the clever acronym, going so far as to employ a censored picture of Chairman Mao as the site’s avatar. It is this same irreverence that you can expect from the site. They don’t pull punches, and are very frank to the point that they will admit if their list of best books is colored by personal bias. Additionally, they are upfront that some of the entries, while still tackling modern art, are basically long winded rants. This is the blog to check out if you want some perspective on art without getting mired in pretension.

9. Art Ravels

Art Ravels

Art Ravels is a personal blog by writer and blogger Linnea West, and it reflects her passion for the visual arts. Art Ravels is possibly a play on the words art and travels, as West enjoys traveling as well, having spent most of her life in the South, only to move to New York, and then to Budapest. Currently, she is on Hungary on a year-long Fullbright grant researching contemporary art. You’ll get to see a lot of her work on the blog.

8. Teen Art

Teen Art

Teen Art is actually a subsite of the Bassendean Arts Community (BAC), which is run by a group of dedicated artists and community members under the goal of promoting local art events. The Teen Art subsite focuses on, of course, art made by teens. The website features various works from both established and emerging artists, and they also hold artist workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, and other events. The BAC also aims to gather together different types of artists and art groups, so if you’re interested, you can join through the site’s online application form.

7. Handsome Things

Handsome Things

Handsome Things is an art-centric blog by the lovely Hanneke Schutte, which aims to focus mostly on handsomely designed projects from around South Africa, as well as the designers, artists, or artisans behind them. The side defines “handsome” as anything that is well-made or skillfully executed, so don’t expect any pictures of Tom Selleck at the site, unless there’s a South African artist who decides to make a bust of the actor, and the final result was actually skillfully executed or well made. You get the point.

6. Phil Hansen

Phil Hansen

As made obvious by the site name, the site is from artist Phil Hansen, who is most famous for a time lapse video project called Influences, which is basically thirty pictures painted directly on his torso, each one representing a different influence on his life. The site layout is crude, like it was made in the 90s on a Geocities host, whether it’s intentional or not doesn’t matter, because it fits the style of Phil Hansen’s art to a T – which includes anything from a tattoo on a banana to a Mona Lisa sugar cookie.

Top 10 Most Prominent Assassinations

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:46:35 +0000

Did you know that Israel, perhaps the only country who has never lost a war, has an open policy on assassination? Click here for Top 10 Stories of Political Lies, Scandals and Betrayals. That’s why I admire the country. They have the balls to stand up for the badassery they do.

The following prominent assassinations don’t have as big of a balls as Israel does because after pulling the trigger, they hide their asses so far away, even their own dog can’t trace them.

10. Julius Caesar

The assassination of Julius Caesar resulted from a conspiracy by the Liberators, which is a group made up of 60 Roman senators, with Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus serving as the leaders. The motive for Ceasar’s assassination, like many assassinations at that time, was political. The Liberators were afraid of Caesar’s king-like behavior, and feared that he was preparing to overthrow the senate. The assassination was done in a location adjacent to the Theatre of Pompey, with Brutus, Longinus, and the senators stabbing Julius Caesar to death. It is said by the physician who autopsied the body that Caesar was stabbed 23 times, but only the second one to his chest had been fatal.

Date of Assassination: the Ides of March (March 15), 44 BC.

Perpetrators: Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus, and 60 other senators.

9. US Senator Robert F. Kennedy

Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination occured during the campaign season for the United States Presidential Election. Kennedy has just won the California and South Dakota primary elections for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States and was walking through the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel when he was shot by a 24 year old Palestinian/Jordanian immigrant named Sirhan Sirhan. Like his brother John, Robert Kennedy’s death is he subject of many conspiracy theories.

Date of Assassination: June 5, 1968

Perpetrator: Sirhan Sirhan

8. Lee Harvey Oswald

Lee Harvey Oswald, who was a former US Marine accused of assassinating John F. Kennedy, was himself assassinated by a Dallas nightclub operator named Jack Ruby. It happened when Oswald was being transferred to the county jail, with Ruby stepping out from the crowd and shooting Oswald in his left lower chest, in point blank range. It was the first live murder to be seen on television. Ruby admitted that he did it in order to “save Mrs. Kennedy the discomfiture of coming back to trial.” Many considered the assassination poetic justice, but there are those who believe that it is a cover-up.

Date of Assassination: November 24, 1963

Perpetrator: Jack Ruby

7. Vladimir Lenin

Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin survived two assassination attempts in his life. The first one happened in January 14, 1918, when assassins ambushed him in his automobile after a speech. Lenin was saved by Fritz Platten, with the latter grabbing the former’s head, pushed him down, and shielded him. The second occured in August 30 of the same year, as Socialist revolutionary Fanya Kaplan approached Lenin in his automobile after a speech and shot him three times. Lenin was hit in the arm, in the jaw and neck, with the third bullet completely missing. Lenin fell and lost consciousness but he survived.

Date of Assassination: January 14, 1918 and August 30, 1918

Perpetrator: Unknown (first attempt), Fanya Kaplan (second attempt)

6. Spencer Perceval

Spencer Perceval was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 4 to May 11, 19812. He was assassinated while on the way to attend the inquiry into the Orders in Council. A merchant named John Billingham, who believes he was entitled to government compensation for being unjustly imprisoned in Russia, stepped forward with a drawn pistol and shot Perceval in the chest. Perceval was still carried into an adjoining room with a faint pulse, but expired a few minutes later, before the arrival of a surgeon. He was the first and only UK Prime Minister to be assassinated to this date.

Date of Assassination: May 11, 1812

Perpetrator: John Bellingham

Top 10 Most Prominent Short Celebrities

Top 10 Writer’s Association Part 1

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:17:24 +0000

Writing, like any skill, requires you to expose yourself to peers in order to avoid stagnation – whether it’s to get feedback or to learn or simply just to compare works and that’s why you may want to join a writer’s association. Click here for some Online Writing Contests

Here are a list of the 10 best writers’ association on the web:

10. Academy of American Poets

About This Writer’s Association

Founded in 1934 to support American poets at all stages of their careers and to foster the appreciation of contemporary poetry. The largest writers association in the country dedicated to the art of poetry, the Academy sponsors programs nationally.
http://www.poets.org/index.php

Why Join It

If poetry is your main passion, the Academy of American poets may be the association for you. The site (which is cleanly designed and free of ads, by the way) contains thousands of poems, as well as hundreds of poet biographies, interviews, essays, and even recordings. Additionally, the site lets members create their own anthologies of content via the Notebook feature, making it one of the best references on the web when it comes to poetry.

9. American Christian Fiction Writers

About This Writer’s Association

“To encourage writers of Christian fiction, develop their skills, educate them in the market and be a fellowship for writers of like interests.” Benefits include critique groups, writing courses, free advertising of upcoming books, awards, and many other resources.
http://www.acfw.com/

Why Join It

You have to admit that in this day and age, Christian Fiction has turned into a very niche genre, and it’s hard for aspiring authors to break through commercially, as many agents and publishing houses tend to favor un-Christian stories, thanks in part to the success of edgy and controversial success of stories like Twilight. With the American Christian Fiction Writers, aspiring writers who prefer less earthly topics for their novels will be given a chance to join writing courses and critique groups, as well as interact with other like-minded authors and prayer partners. The association not only provides training and mentoring, but will also help their members get their feet on the door. The ACFW is open to published, pre-published, and aspiring writers, as well as editors, agents, and publicists.

8. American Crime Writers League

About This Writer’s Association

Formed in the late 1980s by a group of writers who wanted a private forum to exchange ideas and interact with other writers.
http://www.acwl.org/

Why Join It

The American Crime Writers’ League, which was formed in the late 80s by the duo of Ed Gorman and Robert Randisi, is meant to serve as a private forum for fans of the genre, as well as authors who are looking for references and guides on the industry. It also serves as a focal point for socialization with like-minded individuals, and the site also features crime fiction and true crime anthologies from its members.

7. American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA)

About This Writer’s Association

Founded in 1948, the American Society of Journalists and Authors is the nation’s leading writers association of independent nonfiction writers.
http://www.asja.org/about.php

Why Join It

The American Society of Journalists and Authors focuses on an under-represented and often isolated segment of the media world – independent non-fiction writers. Members of the association can share opportunities, ideas, expertise, and inside information, all of which are crucial to success in their industry. The ASJA provides services such as member-to-member rights and fees database, contracts and grievance guidance, as well as educational programs.

The ASJA and its members are also ideal for aspiring journalists and authors, as it provides the opportunity to learn non-writing related but still crucial skills such as negotiating a contract, charging the right fees, and pitching proposals.

6. Asian American Journalists Association

About This Writer’s Association

The mission of AAJA is to encourage Asian Pacific Americans to enter the ranks of journalism , work for fair and accurate coverage of Asian Pacific Americans and to increase the number of Asian Pacific American journalists and news managers in the industry.
http://www.aaja.org/

Why Join It

The Asian American Journalists’ Association aims to encourage Asian Pacific American writers to enter the ranks of journalisms, and work towards fair and accurate coverage of Asian Pacific Americans in order to increase their numbers amongst journalists and news managers in the industry.

Top 10 Best Big Guard Dogs

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:34:42 +0000

Dogs really know their masters more than the masters know themselves. They simply see the world and see people in a different way. And that has been proven time and time again. There was a dog who saved a baby after the baby stopped breathing in the middle of the night. The dog pulled the mother out of bed. Another dog bumped her master’s breast. The breast hurt so bad that the master didn’t have a choice but have it checked. She found she had a tumor.

So, here are dogs for you. Get one and I promise, they’ll save you someday.

10. Staffordshire Terrier

Physical Description & General Maintenance:

The Staffordshire Terrier is short-coated and medium sized, and is frequently referred to as Amstaff (short for American Staffordshire Terrier), which is meant to differentiate it from England’s Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Amstaffs are characterized by a stocky head and broad skull, with a muscular appearance. They also have low set eyes that are set apart and round-shaped.

Guarding Behavior:

Staffordshire Terriers are people-oriented and will thrive on human companionship, however, they can be very territorial when it comes to other animals, so they are not recommended in houses with other pets unless they have been properly socialized and introduced to each other. They will be aggressive towards other dogs and smaller animals. They are also very active, even when indoors, so they are well suited to apartments that have no yards.

9. Rhodesian Ridgeback

Physical Description & General Maintenance:

The Rhodesian Ridgeback earned its name from the ridge of hair along its back, which runs in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are very muscular and have a very symmetrical frame, and can grow to around 25 to 27 inches in height, and will weigh around 80 to 90 pounds in their prime. Females that are healthy are generally lighter, averaging at 65 to 75 pounds.

This breed needs to be fed moderately and according to their dietary requirements in order to avoid obesity, which will open it up to all sorts of health problems.

Guarding Behavior:

Despite their large size, the Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs are actually very gentle and calm, and will be easy to housebreak. They are highly responsive to obedience training, and tolerant of children and other house pets. However, they should not be left alone with small children, as their enormous size makes them likely to knock the kids down accidentally.

8. Dogo Argentino

Physical Description & General Maintenance:
Dogo Argentinos are large, white, and muscular. They were originally bred in Argentina (which is why they are also referred to as “Argentine Mastiff”) for the purpose of big-game hunting, which includes wild boar and puma.

Like most big dogs, hip dysplasia is a common health concern for dogo argentinos. Additionally, they are at risk of pigment-related deafness. In order to reduce the incidence of deafness, it is advised that the breeding stock be limited to those with bilaterally normal hearing.

Guarding Behavior:

Dogo Argentinos are very good with people, and even children if properly socialized at an early age, primarily because the aggressive traits were purposely bred out. Additionally, one of their purposes was to accompany other catch dogs, so they can cooperate well with other breeds. However, a Dogo Argentino is very loyal to its human companions and will protect them even at the risk of its own life, which people should be careful not to give it the impression that they are a threat.

7. Caucasian Shepherd

Physical Description & General Maintenance:

The Caucasian Shepherd is thick-boned and muscular. The plain ones have a shorter coat and appear taller due to the fact that they are lightly built, but mountain dog types have heavy set coats and are more muscular. They are very large, and while there’s no recorded maximum height or weight, but adult males are known to grow to 68 centimeters at the very least, and will weight 50 kg at that height.

Caucasian Shepherds are generally bred to be healthy and long lived, but like most large dog breeds, they are susceptible to hip dysplasia, obesity, and heart problems. They need to be fed properly, and must be exercised regularly. It is not advised to keep them in apartment situations, where the lack of yards limit their means of mobility.

Guarding Behavior:

The Caucasian Shepherd is very intelligent, but they can be very insolent and will refuse to listen at times, which is why they need proper training. Additionally, they are very vicious and powerful due to the fact that they were originally used to hunt bears, making obedience training a must, especially if you have kids in the house.

6. Giant Schnauzer

Physical Description & General Maintenance:

Giant Schnauzers are known for their compact, yet powerful overall appearance. They have deep set oval eyes, and a wise expression. They are usually medium-sized and dark in color, with naturally v-shaped ears. The tails are set high on their back.

Giant Schnauzers require intensive grooming and care due to their double coat consisting of hard, wiry outer coat and a soft dense undercoat. Their eyes and ears should be cleaned and the hair that grows around them should be trimmed on a regular basis, as well as their distinctive beard, especially after meals. They don’t require frequent bathing as they are mostly free of doggy odor. They require A LOT of physical exercise to stay healthy.

Guarding Behavior:

Giant Schnauzers are highly protective and very energetic, and they tend to be strong willed so it’s important that they get trained or socialized as early as possible. They can get along with other pets in the house, but they will be aggressive with other dogs of the same sex. They make excellent guard and watch dogs, but people around them should be careful and must understand the merits and demerits of being around a massive dog.

Top 10 Best Fashion Blogs

K.H. Raymund — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:02:52 +0000

Because we are all not good looking enough to be happy with our own style and everything that we have to leave it as is… thus, we need to follow fashion blogs.

Also, don’t you ever think that whatever they wear won’t fit you… you are as gorgeous as they are.

'10.

Purse Blog
As its name implies, the Purse Blog is a fashion-oriented blog that focuses mainly on purses. It’s not just a simple review of different brands, though they have those as well, but anything and everything under the sun as long as it has something to do with purses and fashion – including articles about celebrities and their favorite brands of purses, industry news, and guides. They even include links to stores where you can purchase the products they have covered. It’s basically a one stop destination if you’re into purses.

9. Le Blog Betty

Le Blog Betty
Le Blog Betty is the personal weblog of Betty Autier, who lives in Paris, France. The site is in French by default, but an English version is also provided. The blog is essentially a travelogue for Betty, as she regularly posts about fashion trends, her travels, and personal musings. As much as she wants to consider the blog a personal space, the quality of the photos and the subjects she tackles make the entire site look like a high quality lifestyle mag. It also helps that Betty herself is one of the most beautiful women you’ll ever see, so her personal photos are also a great way of showing off clothing and accessories.

8. Cupcakes and Cashmere

Cupcakes and Cashmere
Cupcakes and Cashmere was originally a personal blog started in 2008 by Emily Schuman, who lives in LA with her husband and two cats, Luna and Rocco. Her entries consisted mainly of things that inspire her, such as recipes, how to tutorials, decor, and clothing. The posts about in clothing, in particular make Cupcakes and Cashmere one of the best fashion blogs out there – with Emily herself serving as the model for the outfits and accessories that she chooses to feature. Cupcakes and Cashmere has since been turned into a best selling book, which is a testament to the quality of the site.

7. Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom
Cherry Blossom Girl was started as far back as February 2007 by a fashion school graduate named Alix, who lives in Paris and previously worked at Alexander McQueen and Chloe. Alix is a fashion designer, but before that, she had aspirations to make illustrations for children’s books, which shows in the layout of the site. As for her fashion-related projects, she is most famous for the lingerie collection she did for Etam.

6. What the Frock

What the Frock
The cheekily-named What the Frock is a fashion blog that originally started in March 2007 under the name Fashion Under $100, and was rebranded into the current name around July of 2011. As the original name implies, the blog’s main focus is fashion for people who want to dress like celebrities, but don’t have the kind of body nor the budget needed for the endeavor. The site is a great resource for regular people with regular bodies and even more regular budgets.