Masti2Much Blog

TOP TEN Billionaires of 2008

2008-06-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

Billionaires and aMillionaire
Top Billionaire era of 13 years come to end ..

So the era of 13 years come to end ... Bill Gates dominated last 13 years at
the top position of Billionaire list ... in these 13 years many poor countries people come to know about the terms of BILLIONAIRES ... and when they do not understand the meaning of Billionaires they show the photos of Bill Gates and tell ... see this is called Billionaire ...No doubt he make the revolution in computer world ... and his product windows (and tailor made concept) makes him and reached him at this level ... earlier when people were wealthier they show off with quality clothes and with everything which proves them wealthier but he is really wont care about those things ... just like as his arch rival Steve Jobs ...

So Hats off to you Mr. Gates ... now we have to purchase new photo to make people understand what is the meaning of Billionaire ... Mr. Buffest can I have your close up photo ... please ...

Guys ... you are going to see Top 10 Billionaire of the world ... courtsey to Forbes.

#1 Warren Buffet

Age: 77

Fortune: self made

Source: Berkshire Hathaway

Net Worth: $62.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: United States

Residence: Omaha, Nebraska , United States, North America

Industry: Investments

Marital Status: widowed, remarried, 3 children

Education: University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / Science Columbia University, Master of Science

America's most beloved investor is now the world's richest man. Soared past friend and bridge partner Bill Gates as shares of Berkshire Hathaway climbed 25% since the middle of last July. Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy. Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding company invested in insurance (Geico, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim's), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See's Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo. Insurance operations flourished in 2007. "That party is over. It's a certainty that insurance-industry profit margins, including ours, will fall significantly in 2008." The Oracle of Omaha issued a challenge to members of The Forbes 400 in October; said he would donate $1 million to charity if the collective group of richest Americans would admit they pay less taxes, as a percentage of income, than their secretaries. Had long promised to give away his fortune posthumously. Irrevocably earmarked the majority of his Berkshire shares to charity in 2006, mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gift was valued at $31 billion on day of announcement; donation will far exceed that sum so long as Berkshire shares continue to rise.

#2 Carlos Slim Helu & family

Age: 68

Fortune: self made

Source: telecom

Net Worth: $60.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Mexico

Residence: Mexico City , Mexico, Latin America

Industry: Communications

Marital Status: widowed, 6 children

Education:

Second-richest man in the world this year; even richer than Microsoft's Bill Gates, at least for now, thanks to strong Mexican equities market and the performance of his wireless telephone company, America Movil. The son of a Lebanese immigrant, Slim made his first fortune in 1990 when he bought fixed line operator Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) in a privatization. In December, America Movil struck a deal with Yahoo to provide mobile Web services to 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. A widower and father of six, Slim is a baseball fan and art collector. He keeps his art collection in Mexico City's Museo Soumaya, which he named after his late wife. In recent years, he has donated close to $7 billion worth of cash and stock to fund education and health projects, and to the revitalization of Mexico City's downtown historical district.

#3 William Gates III

Age: 52

Fortune: self made

Source: Microsoft

Net Worth: $58.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: United States

Residence: Medina, Washington , United States, North America

Industry: Software

Marital Status: married, 3 children

Education: Harvard Drop Out

Harvard dropout and Microsoft visionary no longer the world's richest man. Blame Yahoo: Microsoft shares have fallen 15% since the company boldly attempted to merge with the search engine giant to better fight Google for Internet dominance. Gates is preparing to give up day-to-day involvement in the company he cofounded 33 years ago to spend more time focused on his philanthropic endeavors. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has $38.7 billion in assets, donates to causes aimed at bringing financial tools to the poor, speeding up the development of vaccines (for AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis), bettering America's lagging high schools. Sells 20 million Microsoft shares every quarter, proceeds going to private investment vehicle Cascade; more than half of net worth now outside of Microsoft. Company spent $6 billion to land Web ad firm Aquantive last May. Would-be rival to Apple's iPod, the Zune, not yet a hit. Believes Microsoft's far-flung bets, including 10-year affair with Internet-based television, may soon pay off; says next 10 years will be the "most interesting" in software history.

#4 Lakshmi Mittal

Age: 57

Fortune: inherited and growing

Source: steel

Net Worth: $45.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: London , United Kingdom, Europe & Russia

Industry: Manufacturing

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education: St Xavier's College Calcutta, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Heads world's largest steelmaker, $105 billion (sales) ArcelorMittal, which accounts for 10% of all crude steel production. Just delivered 580 tons to be used in construction of the World Trade Center memorial in New York. With 44% stake, is the company's largest shareholder. Longtime resident of London is Europe's richest resident.

#5 Mukesh Ambani

Age: 50

Fortune: inherited and growing

Source: petrochemicals

Net Worth: $43.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: Mumbai , India, Asia & Australia

Industry: Manufacturing

Marital Status: married, 3 children

Education: University of Bombay, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering Stanford University, Master of Business Administration

Asia's richest resident heads petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company by market cap. His fortune is up $22.9 billion since last year, making him the world's second biggest gainer in terms of dollars. The biggest gainer was his estranged brother Anil, who ranks 6th in the world just behind his older brother. The sons inherited their fortune from their late father, renowned industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani. But they couldn't get along and in 2005 their mother brokered a peace settlement breaking up the family's assets. Mukesh is using some of his money to build a 27-story home.

#6 Anil Ambani

Age: 48

Fortune: inherited

Source: diversified

Net Worth: $42.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: Mumbai , India, Asia & Australia

Industry: Diversified

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education: University of Bombay, Bachelor of Arts / Science University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Master of Business Administration

The year's biggest gainer, Anil Ambani, is up $23.8 billion in the past year, and is closing gap with estranged brother, Mukesh, who ranks one spot ahead of him in the world at number five. The sons inherited their fortune from their late father, renowned industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani. But they couldn't get along and in 2005 their mother brokered a peace settlement breaking up the family's assets. A marathon runner, his biggest asset is his 65% stake in telecom venture Reliance Communications. He recently raised $3 billion from the highly anticipated initial offering of his Reliance Power, the biggest in India's history. Despite the hype, the stock tumbled 17% immediately after its February listing. In a bid to appease investors, company's board recently approved the issue of bonus shares. Still feuding with brother Mukesh: battling him in court over a gas-supply.

#7 Ingvar Kamprad & family

Age: 81

Fortune: self made

Source: Ikea

Net Worth: $31.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Sweden

Residence: Lausanne , Switzerland, Europe & Russia

Industry: Retailing

Marital Status: married, 4 children

Education:

Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947. Now his company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost conscious, is one of the most beloved retailers in the world, with an almost cultlike following. Ikea now has stores in 40 countries, from Sunrise, Florida, to Guangzhou in China. As egalitarian as his brand, Kamprad avoids wearing suits, flies economy class and frequents cheap restaurants. Has been quoted as saying that his luxuries are the occasional nice cravat and Swedish fish roe. Says his home is furnished mostly with his own Ikea products. Last May was awarded the Global Economy Prize by the University of Kiel for his contributions to society.

#8 KP Singh

Age: 76

Fortune: inherited and growing

Source: real estate

Net Worth: $30.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: Delhi , India, Asia & Australia

Industry: Real EstateMarital Status: married, 3 children

Education:

Singh is now the world's richest real estate baron after listing his real estate development company DLF in 2007. The offering helped triple his fortune to $30 billion this year, up from $10 billion. A former army officer, known as K.P., he joined his father-in-law's Delhi Land & Finance in 1961. Singh later built DLF City in Gurgaon, his showpiece township on the outskirts of Delhi, by acquiring land from farmers. Over time, he transformed it into one of India's biggest real estate developers. Group plans to raise another $1.5 billion by listing a subsidiary in Singapore. A keen golfer, he now leaves son Rajiv, daughter Pia to run operations.

#9 Oleg Deripaska

Age: 40

Fortune: self made

Source: Russian Aluminum

Net Worth: $28.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Russia

Residence: Moscow , Russia, Europe & Russia

Industry: Diversified

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education:

Former metals trader survived the gangster wars in the post-Soviet aluminum industry. His holding company, Basic Element, now owns Russian Aluminum (UC Rusal), automobile manufacturer GAZ, aircraft manufacturer Aviacor and insurance company Ingosstrakh. In 2006 Rusal, SUAL and Glencore International, of Switzerland, merged their aluminum assets into the United Company Rusal, the world's largest aluminum producer. Married to a relative of Yeltsin, Deripaska has been busy expanding UC Rusal's activities in Russia and abroad, moving it into aluminum production in Nigeria and China. To integrate vertically, has signed agreements to produce coal in Kazakhstan and invest in a nuclear power plant in eastern Russia. Attempting to get a stake in Norilsk Nickel, which co-owner (and fellow billionaire) Vladimir Potanin is fighting.

#10 Karl Albrecht

Age: 88

Fortune: self made

Source: Aldi

Net Worth: $27.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Germany

Residence: Mulheim an der Ruhr , Germany, Europe & Russia

Industry: Retailing

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education:

Germany's richest man. After World War II Karl and his younger brother, Theo, developed their mother's corner grocery store into discount supermarket giant Aldi, which now has more than 8,000 stores and $67 billion in sales. They eventually split ownership and management of the chain into North and South regions. Now retired, Karl used to manage more profitable southern half of Aldi's business in Germany. Fiercely private: Little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.

Top 10 most expensive cars in the world

2008-06-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

We are bringing you the list of 10 most expensive cars in the world.

At the top of the list is of course the legendary Bugatti Veyron,

most expensive, most powerful, and fastest production car in the world.

Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 is the most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world, with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407 km/h or 253 mph). It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and is sold under the legendary Bugatti marque. It is named after racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm. The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders.

According to Volkswagen, the final production Veyron engine produces between 1020 and 1040 metric hp (1006 to 1026 SAE net hp), so the car will be advertised as producing "1001 horsepower" in both the US and European markets. This easily makes it the most powerful production road-car engine in history.

Ferrari Enzo $1,000,000

The Enzo Ferrari, sometimes referred to as the the Ferrari Enzo and also F60 is a 12-cylinder Ferrari supercar named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2003 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fiber body, F1-style sequential shift transmission, and carbon-ceramic brake discs. Also used are technologies not allowed in F1 such as active aerodynamics. After a maximum downforce of 1709 pounds (775 kg) is reached at 186 mph (301 km/h) the rear spoiler is actuated by computer to maintain that downforce.

Pagani Zonda C12 F $741,000

The Zonda C12 F debuted at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is the most extensive reengineering of the Pagani car yet, though it shares much with its predecessors including the 7.3 L V12. Power is increased to 602 PS (443 kW/594 hp) with a special clubsport model producing 650 PS (478 kW/641 hp). The company promises a 3.2 second sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h, a top speed over 374 km/h (225 mph) and it will be the queen in braking from 300 km/h to 0 (186 mph to 0). The Zonda F clubsport has a power to weight ratio of 521 bhp/ton (384 W/kg) . Compare, for example, the Enzo Ferrari which has a power to weight ratio of 483 bhp/ton (356 W/kg).

Koenigsegg CCX $600,910

The Koenigsegg CCX is the latest supercar from Koenigsegg. CCX is an abbreviation for Competition Coupe X. The X commemorates the 10th anniversary of the completion and test drive of the first CC vehicle in 1996. The CCX is intended to be more suitable for the U.S. market and thus engineered to comply with US regulations. The CCX is powered by a Koenigsegg designed and assembled, all aluminium, 4700 cm³ DOHC 32-valve V8 based on the Ford Modular engine architecture enhanced with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers with response system, 1.2 bar boost pressure and an 8.2:1 compression ratio. The engine produces 806 hp (601 kW) and 678 lbf.ft (920 Nm) on 91 octane (U.S. rating) gasoline, 850 hp (634 kW) on 96 octane (Euro rating) gasoline and 900 hp (671 kW) on biofuel.

Porsche Carrera GT $484,000

The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany. The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph).

Mercedes SLR McLaren $455,500

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is a sports car and supercar automobile co-developed by DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars. It is assembled at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. Most people presume "SLR" to stand for "Sportlich, Leicht, Rennsport" (German for "Sport; Light; Racing"). The car's base price is £300,000 or $455,500. The SLR has a supercharged 5.5 (5439cc) litre dry sumped 90 degree V8. It produces 466.8 kW at 6500rpm (626 hp) and 780 N·m (575 ft·lbf) torque at 3250 - 5000 rpm.

Maybach 62 $385,250

The Maybach 57 and 62 were the first automobile models of the Maybach brand since the brand's revival by DaimlerChrysler. They are derived from the Mercedes-Benz Maybach concept car presented at the 1997 Tokyo Motorshow (which was based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan). DaimlerChrysler attempted to buy the Rolls-Royce/Bentley marque when Vickers offered the company up for sale. When this attempt failed (they were outbid by BMW and Volkswagen respectively) they introduced the Maybach as a direct challenger in 2002. Both models are variants of the same ultra-luxurious automobile. The model numbers reflect the respective lengths of the automobiles in decimetres; the 57 is more likely to be owner-driven while the longer 62 is designed with a chauffeur in mind. The engine is a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12, generating 550 hp.

Rolls-Royce Phantom $320,000

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a luxury saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, a BMW subsidiary. It was launched in 2003 and is the first Rolls-Royce model made under the ownership of BMW. It has a 6.8 L, 48-valve, V12 engine that produces 453 hp (338 kW) and 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m) of torque. The engine is derived from BMW's existing V12 powerplant. It is 1.63 m (63 in) tall, 1.99 m (74.8 in) wide, 5.83 m (228 in) long, and weighs 2485 kg (5478 lb). The body of the car is built on an aluminium spaceframe and the Phantom can accelerate to 60 mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 s.

Lamborghini Murcielago $279,900

The Lamborghini Murciélago is a GT and supercar automobile made by Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. and designed by Luc Donckerwolke. It was introduced in 2002 as the successor to the Diablo. The body style is a two door, two seat coupé. The LP640 version was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 2006. It features a 6.5 L engine, now producing 640 bhp, improving performance substantially. There were also a few minor external changes, primarily to the low air intakes.

Aston Martin Vanquish $255,000

The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish is a supercar manufactured by Aston Martin since 2001. It rose to fame after being featured as the official James Bond car in Die Another Day, the twentieth James Bond film. In the film, the Vanquish has the usual Bond film embellishments, including active camouflage which rendered the vehicle virtually invisible. The Vanquish is powered by a 5.9 L (5935 cc) 48-valve 60° V12 engine, which produces 343 kW (460 hp) and 542 N·m (400 ft·lbf) of torque. It is controlled by a fly-by-wire throttle and a 6 speed 'paddle shift' or semi-automatic transmission. A special V12 Vanquish S debuted at the 2004 Paris Auto Show with the power upped to 388 kW (520 hp) and 577 N·m (426 ft·lbf).

Buying Your Dream Car - Get the Best Car Loan

2008-06-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

These days the dealers of car are providing the customers with various finance packages. So if you are going to make your most spending on getting your dream car, you can surely get various options to finance your car this time.

Yes you can borrow the required to purchase the car of your choice in the form of loan in affordable rates.

Although you will be offered to take car financing facilities from your dealer from whom you are buying your car yet you are bound to take so rather you are free to take loans from individual lender, banks, lending institutes, online lenders etc. It is generally of about two to five years.

To get the right finance or the best finance firstly you need to have the loan of best rates that you can afford very easily. For that purpose you have to shop around the whole market very closely so that you don’t make any wrong decision over that purchase.

While taking car loans don’t depend fully on whatever you watch as the commercials of car loan facilities. Try to get the right concept regarding that and clear out your every confusion about car loan so that you can be a bit confident and don’t make any mistakes in selecting the source of your car finance.

The next step should be to have an exact idea of the charges you are being charged in taking car loan. It is better to calculate the annual percentage rate of the loan you are supposed to take. APR is very important as it helps to calculate the cost of loan and it also help to know your monthly payment.

Attractive APR does not always seem to be affordable for you and sometimes if you get interested in getting discount on loans, remember that in that case you will have to pay extra charge for getting that facility.

So don’t make any quick decision and if you find the rates of any lender are not much affordable for you, go to another lender as the rates always vary from lender to lender.

Before taking the loan facility you should also make your close vision towards the down payments and closing payments. Look into whether you’re are also paying extra or any additional payments, the main thing is that you need to get the perfect knowledge of the whole payment term of the loans.

Another important step before obtaining any best car loan facility is to have knowledge of your own credit history. Whenever you are taking a car loan you have to show a copy of your credit history to your lender so that they can make a glance on your debt ratios and that will help you to get right response of your lender to you.

The whole process is not much difficult, you just to need to know the whole matter, have discussions with various lenders, before going for any option calculate by your own and then compare that with lenders opinion. In this way it will be no more difficult deal for you to perform and thus you will probably have the best car financing.

Travelling China

2008-06-24T20:12:00.001-07:00

The Forbidden City, located at the center of Beijing municipality, was the seat of power for 24 emperors from 1406 to 1911. It took thousands of artisans and 14 years to complete the colossal complex spread over 720.000 square meters with 9.000 bays of halls and rooms which become a symbol of China’s monarchial grandeur built on the blood and sweat of its toiling peasantry.

Significantly, however, the main entrance to the imperial city, Tiananmen or the Gate of Heavenly Peace, connects the past with the present in a curiously fatalistic manner.

Indeed, the wealth gap in Chinese society has increased phenomenally with the difference between the wealthiest and the poorest having risen from as much as four times in 1978 to almost 13 times today.

So, what we have in China today is tremendous economic freedom without political empowerment of the citizenry. Corruption and nepotism are logical outcomes of this situation.

And the middle class is too tiny to influence the system. According to one estimate, middle-class groups with income ranging from 2,500 dollars to 10,000 dollars per year constitute less than five percent of the population.

By contrast, lower income groups even in wealthier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou do not earn more than 900 dollars a year. About 60 percent of China’s population still lives in the countryside, with per capita income less than 300 dollars per year.

Having said that, one cannot ignore China’s huge population base of 1.3 billion people. Even at five percent, the country’s middle-income segment numbers at 65 million people. These people are the architects of the future China which, many observers predict, will be the major economic powerhouse of the world by the end of the decade.

A glimpse of this can be had in Beijing’s scores of multi-storey shopping malls where customers literally trip over each other to move ahead. Its huge and fashionable hotels are crawling with guests, as are its eating houses, bars and discotheques.

And the Forbidden City is not so forbidden anymore. It is one of China’s major tourists’ attractions where hundreds of hawkers accost visitors and shove tourist books in their faces, quoting prices with huge margins for bargain. Finally, China is waking up from decades of slumber.

Taj Mahal

2008-06-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is just a three hours journey from New Delhi, the capital of India. It has been one of the most attractive tourist spots in India for foreigners for years

Taj Mahal, the “best-ever symbol of eternal love” stands on the bank of river Jamuna at Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Taj Mahal, one of India's best architectural wonders was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in the memory of his second wife, Arjumand Banu who was later known as Mumtaz Mahal, (The meaning of the word Mumtaz Mahal is the Distinguished of the Palace).

Taj, the famous dome rests on a huge white marble terrace rising from a high red sandstone base (186x186 feet ) is flanked by four tapering minarets. Shahjahan consulted experts from the Middle East and Europe as he planned his legacy, which took Twenty Thousand people over Twenty-Two years to build. Cheap Travel modes are available to reach Taj Mahal, which used to serve as a wide moat defense of the Great Red Fort of Agra, the capital of the Mughal empire in those days.

Three names pop up as the designer of Taj Mahal, Geronimo Veroneo an Italian, Silversmith Austin de Bordeaux – French and Ustad Ahmad - the Persian Engineer cum Astrologer. It is heard that materials were collected from various corners of the world, like hills of Markana, Chinese Turkestan, Tibet, Burma, Afghanistan, Egypt and the Himalayas.

Cheap Travel Packages are available to intrude into the thrilling interior of this magnificent Mughal architecture, which comprises a domed ceiling, lofty central chamber, four octagonal corner rooms, the cenotaphs of Sha Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal in the center, an ever-glowing Cairene lamp.

Despite the controversy, whether it’s a tomb or a Shiva Temple, known as Tejo Mahalaya (acquired by Shah Jahan from the then Maharaja of Jaipur), Taj sparkles when the white marble basks in the moonlight. One may stay at cheap travel hotels to witness this mesmerizing beauty especially on a full moon night.

Plan your journey through cheap travel to visit one of the world's most famous monuments, Taj Mahal, which has just celebrated its 350th birthday.

Taj Mahal is said to express the different moods of a woman. It looks pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. So, the travel freaks and romantic couples planning their trip to India through cheap travel should not give the Taj a miss!

How To Compose Music - Creative Ideas

2008-06-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Starting a composition is a difficult task. Getting your inspirations, thinking creatively, applying your creative thoughts to your music and supplementing your ideas with additional composition are all difficult tasks to accomplish.

For starters, your current state of mind will greatly affect the music you write – whether you feel angry, joyful or sad chances are your musical composition will in some way reflect this mood.

Different times of day and different seasons affect your composing as well as current affairs and any stress’s you might have.

The variety of factors that can influence your composition periods are immense and hopefully these few pointers will demonstrate some methods of breaking out of the psychological restraints placed on you.

• Colours – If you are looking to compose a piece of music based around a certain mood find a relevant colour that matches for instance orange gives the impression of energy and drive. Eventually you will learn to bias your mood to suit the composition you are aiming for.
• Character – it is well known for actors to really get inside the character they are portraying through their acting. Understanding key emotions and various behaviours help the actors ‘ live ‘ as their proposed character. If you are creating a theme for a character (think darth vaders theme tune) you need to be demonstrating and describing that character through sound. If you follow the same process as an actor would you will eventually unravel hidden details that will help refine your composition, make it more realist and detailed and allow for it to be much more creative and expressive.
• Nature – a lot of creativity and inspiration can be got by observing nature. From birds communicating through a song like speech to the rustle of leaves in a summer breeze. Trying to emulate nature is an excellent way to begin a sound-scope – or incorporating nature into a character theme for example to express an angelic quality, singing like the birds (fast trills on piccolo or glissandos on the violin)
• Memories – another great source to tap into is your memories. A lot of emotion will go into compositions that are personal in some way to yourself. Spend a few minutes reflecting on your past – try to imagine the memory in great detail – sounds, smells, colours the weather – anything that will give you a good image and story to compose about.

These are just a few sources for inspiration – use your imagination – it has never ending possibilities!

With so many possibilities to compose about and now that your creativity is running, the next area to discuss is music theory.
The last thing that you want to happen is to have all these wonderfully creative ideas for your composition but being held back by the lack of musical knowledge.

A rugby player could develop his passing techniques and his scrum techniques but if he doesn’t know the rules of the game he won’t be able to perform during a game.

Although music composition and as a whole is not bound by any rules you still need the knowledge of writing music – in the same way as a poet needs a knowledge of his language to write a poem.

Some of the key areas you should know about and be constantly revising are:

• The Staff, Bar Lines, Clefs, Time Signatures.
• Note Values, Rests, Phrasing, Rhythm
• Articulation, Instrument Specific Techniques (pizz, con sord)
• Key Signatures, Circle of Fifths, Accidentals, Cadences
• Major, Minor, Diminished, Pentatonic, Diatonic Scales
• Modes
• Chords, Extensions, Inversions, Sequences, Arpeggios
• Instrument Ranges, Timbres of Each Instrument, Difficult Areas of an Instrument (The break on clarinet for instance or seventh position for trombones)

Of course it is not absolutely essential you know about all of this but it will mean that your creativity is weakened due to lack of a means to fully communicate.

Use music theory books – go through them and notate comments on the pages, take notes on to blank flash cards to memorize scales and extended chords, use past music theory exam papers to test and analyze your knowledge and then act on your weak areas, purchase a aural perception CD to recognize different cadences and the general sounds achieved from different combinations of notes and chords – there are many ways to learn all of this but find the way that you are comfortable with and stick to it.

Finally the last piece of advice in this article is to keep your composing active.

Aim to compose a short piece of music each day, maybe before you go to bed you can reflect on your day through a composition. Mix it up – compose for different orchestrations and different abilities.

Composing is challenging but by keeping active like this will greatly benefit you and your compositions – and you never know – you may accidentally stumble upon your masterpiece!

Philips Handsets Made For Mainstream Internet Calls

2008-02-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

Philips Handsets Made For
Mainstream Internet Calls

by: Jill Carron

Most gadget launches are fairly the
same. They usher you into a showing room where many writers who cover the latest
blend of technology are packed and waiting. Technology reviewees they may be,
they are still ordinary citizens who write for the ordinary folk. So it is very
improper to also show them gadgets that are overpriced, very complicated, and
simply not practical.

But Philips did make a good impression
on the technology writers who attended its gadget launch. This Dutch electronics
and gadgets creator showed off gadgets that were easy to use and allowed users
to save on money by allowing them to do Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
calls for much less. And it would not be surprising if these Philips phones
became a big hit in the mainstream market for many people do communicate with
friends and family who are based in the various corners of the world.

There are already VoIP phones in
the market. However, this Philips phone is very simple that anybody can figure
out how to use it and make VoIP calls. It is a cordless handset which allows
you to communicate with friends and familly in far away places without you being
stuck in one part of your house with the wires that connect the phone to your
PC.

One variation of this Philips VoIP
phone is that it has been specially deisgned so as to be ready for use with
Windows Live Messenger service. On the other hand, there is also a Philips VoIP
phone made for Skype. Aside from the fact that these two phones have been designed
to be ready for various VoIP services, there are also other differences between
the two. The one for Windows has been made to be modern – sharp and colored
black. The Skype-ready phone is plainer and looks just like any other DECT cordless
phone in the market.

Choosing The mp3 Player That Suits You

2008-02-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

Choosing The mp3 Player That
Suits You

By: Fabio Marcell

If you’ve been looking around for an mp3 player, chances are you’re
very confused with all the different specifications and the vast array of models
out there. You’ve read that you can get your entire music collection on
to one mp3 player and that’s true - but not every mp3 player. You have also
been told that you can throw them around, go jogging with them, climb a mountain
with one and all this is true - but again, not every mp3 player will withstand
this treatment.

Basically, if you want to get physical
with your mp3 player then you need one with no moving parts. In this case, the
iPod is not what you want. You would be looking for a machine which saves it’s
music to memory. Some of the most popular mp3 players which fall into this category
are in the Creative MuVo range.

There are basically three types of
mp3 player. Hard drive based, memory based and mp3 CD player based. The hard
drive mp3 players allow you to store thousands of tunes whilst the memory based
version sacrifices music volume for freedom of movement. You can even get waterproof
mp3 players! The mp3 CD players read the mp3 music from a CD which you have
pre-burned.

So now you have enough information
to know what type of mp3 player you should be looking for. Now what about capacity?
How much music can you get on the various players out there? Let’s take
a look ….

If you want your music to sound good
you want to be using at least CD quality mp3s. One minute of CD quality mp3
takes up around 1Mb. The memory based mp3 players have a top limit of around
500Mb meaning you can get roughly 120 average length tunes on there. But the
top end hard drive versions go up to as much as 60Gb which is a whole lot of
music - an anorak’s dream

Another consideration is battery
life. The hard drive mp3 players plough through the batteries at a rate of knots
since the disk has to physically turn. The memory based option uses a lot less
battery power. Many of the memory based mp3 players use the AAA size battery
which is very convenient since you don’t need a re-charger and you don’t
need to search for hard to find battery types. You’ll find that most hard
drive versions use lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and if you use your mp3
player a lot, your re-charger will be in regular use. Many people simply leave
the power lead plugged in when they are at home.

An important factor in your decision
should be the size of the unit. If you want to use your player at the gym or
while you’re out jogging then you’ll want the smallest player possible.
There are some really tiny models on the market these days. You will usually
have to sacrifice some storage with a very small mp3 players but you can usually
get enough music on there to have a good long workout.

If you want to use your mp3 player
more at home then size will not be such a great consideration. The iPod is still
a very compact unit and most people will be able to fit their entire collection
on there. Of course the iPod is not your only option and there are many excellent
manufacturers out there. Just be careful of some of the cheap imports you see
on ebay, often there is no support for these players.

As a replacement for the home hi
fi system, the mp3 player is becoming more and more popular. High fidelity purists
obviously will never be swayed but to most of us the quality of the mp3 is perfectly
adequate for our everyday listening purposes.

In fact many modern players coming
on to the market have been designed with both portability and versatility in
mind. What better way to entertain your dinner party guests than to have your
mp3 player randomly selecting music from over ten thousand of your favourite
tracks? No more fumbling around in your CD rack trying to find the disk that
lost its cover

Now you know what to look for, go
get yourself a player and join the digital music revolution.

CREATING POSSIBILITY FOR TRANSFORMATION

2008-02-13T13:49:00.001-08:00

CREATING POSSIBILITY FOR TRANSFORMATION

By: Dr Harry Henshaw , Posted On: 2005-12-16

Transformational Counseling is about
assisting another to transform his life. Transforming ones life is not about
changing it. While life is much about doing differently, the genesis of the
transformation is about a person altering or transforming his belief or thought
of who he thinks he is.

We tend to believe that our life
is determined or influenced by people, places, things, situations and circumstance
and that who we are is the mere accumulation of our past experiences but this
is not so. Rather, it is our thoughts and beliefs that determine our experiences
and life and also that we are completely and solely responsible for their creation.
What we think and believe, especially about ourselves, determines our emotions
and behavior in the world and it is our behavior that merely validates what
we think and believe about ourselves. Furthermore, we believe or think that
we know who we are in life but the reality is that we truly do not. Much of
who we are really being we are simply not present to. Much of our life is spent
in pretense and who we are really being is hidden from us.

Given that much of our life is lived
in pretense, from the construct of ego, becoming present to that which is hidden,
to who we are being in life, is absolutely necessary for transformation. It
is in that which is primarily hidden from us that one will discover what is
determining ones life, referred to here as ones self-limiting belief. The first
component of the transformational process is for one to become present to the
hidden thoughts and beliefs that have been limiting him in life and in particular
to his self-limiting belief. It is in the being of the self-limiting belief
that one will discover the primary constraint or barrier to his life, to him
living a life that he loves and living it powerfully. We live life from who
we think we are. Who we think we are forms the context for our life. Having
the awareness or distinction of the self-limiting belief allows one the ability
to not be it, to not have his life be merely the probable almost certain future
from the past. Without the distinction of the self-limiting belief one will
continue to create his life from the backdrop of this ideational barrier and
as a result life will appear much as it did in the past.

Becoming present to that which has
been hidden, to that which has been truly determining his being in life, allows
one the opportunity to transform his life. Once one gets who he has been being
in life, the second component of transformative process is for the individual
to begin to create his life as a possibility. Once the distinction of the self-limiting
belief is gotten, the individual is now able to truly create a new possibility
for himself and his life. Getting the self-limiting belief creates the space
or an opening for a possibility or possibilities to be invented not as a result
or product of the barrier or constraint but from or out of nothing. It is only
from nothing that possibility can truly be created. As with the self-limiting
belief, possibility exists in language. Once one gets the language that he has
been being, that has defined and limited him through being his self-limiting
belief, it is at this point that he can begin to recreate himself through the
power of his word. Who we are is our word. In is in ones language or word created
out of nothing that one has access to possibility and transformation.

The technique described below is
designed to assist an individual in becoming present to his self-limiting belief
and in the process to create the space or opening for him to invent a possibility
or possibilities for recreating his life.

1. Find a relaxing and comfortable
space to sit in for approximately one hour. Arrange for this space to be free
of any distractions. Just allow yourself to begin to relax. Become present to
where and who you are. The use of therapeutic relaxation music can promote the
development of a very profound sense of relaxation to enhance this experience.

2. Take a notebook and begin to write
down everything that you believe describes or defines who you are. Let your
mind wander and do not try to filter or block out anything. Just let whatever
comes up about yourself, how you feel and what you think about yourself, to
be written down. Who you think you are or that which bests describes you may
appear in single words or short phrases. If in a group, share your description
of yourself with others. Furthermore, make two lists as there will appear to
be both positives and negatives aspects about who you think you are.

3. Sit your notebook down, close
your eyes and begin to relax deeply again. Again, the use of therapeutic relaxation
music will assist you in the process of creating a very deep state of relaxation.
As you begin to move into a deep state of relaxation allow yourself to begin
to drift back through time, back through your life, back through your adulthood,
adolescence and into your childhood. Allow yourself to become present to how
you were being, experiences, thoughts and feelings, through the various phases
or stages of your life. Just become present to or notice what appears for you.

4. Open your eyes and return to work
on your notebook. Take a look at what you have written and add anything that
you became present to about yourself during the above mentioned relaxation exercise.
Again, do not filter out anything but merely allow whatever there is to come
to the surface, both the positive and negative words that best describes who
you think and feel you are or were.

5. Once you have come to a completion
of creating the lists, both positive and negative, consider that the positives
of who you think yourself to be form the pretense of your life and that their
design or function is to fix the negatives of who you think you are.

6. Allow yourself to become present
to the negatives you have written down. Notice which one of the negatives best
describes who you are, what you commonly believe and feel about yourself, what
you have experienced in your mind in the past and even now. Declare the negative
aspect that is familiar to you to be your self-limiting belief.

7. Place your notebook in your lap.
Allow yourself to become fully present to the fact that what you have written
is you, is who you believe yourself to be. Become present to an inauthentic
way of being, the positive as pretense and the negatives as that which we hide
from ourselves and the world.

8. Place the notebook into your past.
If you are right handed place your notebook to your left. If you are left handed
place your notebook to your right. Place the notebook approximately three feet
from you.

9. Once you place your notebook into
your past allow yourself to become present to where your notebook is in relation
to your body, to your right or left. Allow yourself to again become present
to that which you have written in your notebook is who you believe you are and
that it exists to either your right or left.

10. Once you become present to who
you believe yourself to be, to the description of yourself as you have written,
allow yourself to become present to what now lies in front of you. Given that
who you think you are is either to your left or right, become present to what
exists in front of you is nothing, an opening from which everything and anything
is possible and can be created.

11. Inside the nothing that appears
in front of you, invent a possibility or possibilities for yourself and your
life. Declare your possibility in language or word, of who you will take on
being in life, for yourself. Furthermore, this declaration becomes your personal
affirmation of who you will be in and for the world.

12. Repeat this exercise everyday.
Repeating this exercise daily will allow one to continue to stay present to
his self limiting belief so as to not be it and also to the possibility or possibilities
that he has created and invented for himself and his life. Continuing this exercise
will also allow the further possible unveiling of the self-limiting belief.
The self-limiting belief that one initially becomes present to may reveal even
deeper meaning for who one is or has been being.

The exercise outlined above is about
the work of the first two components of Transformational Counseling and one
beginning the process of transformation. Once one gets the distinction of his
self-limiting belief and creates a possibility or possibilities for himself
and his life, the third component of transformation involves learning the process
of enrollment. Enrollment is a powerful technique for allowing one to stay living
into his possibility and out of his self-limiting belief. The fourth component
of transformation is about creating a daily plan. The daily plan allows one
the opportunity to continue to live into or generate his possibility in his
life on a daily basis. The fifth component of transformation involves a commitment
to stay in the conversation of transformation. It is in staying in the conversation
that one experiences the nonlinear nature of transformation thereby keeping
the process alive in his life.

Wedding Flowers

2008-02-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

The selection process of your
wedding flowers will usually begin with a discussion of the Bride’s bouquet.
You will have a choice of several basic styles. These are cascade, crescent, contemporary,
nosegay, hand tied bouquet and arm or presentation style. You can better prepare
for your first meeting with your florist if you bring the following;

? A list of those in your wedding party that will need flowers.

? A list of what flowers you will
want at the ceremony.

? A list of what flowers will be
needed at the reception, including table count, size and shape.

? Color/fabric swatches and pictures
of your dress and bridesmaids dresses, if you have them.

? Feel free to also bring pictures
of flowers that you like.

Your florist will also have pictures
of flowers, bouquets and arrangements to help determine exactly what will create
the wedding of your dreams. If your wedding has a “theme”, let your
florist know before the consultation, as they can prepare suggestions to fit
the style of your wedding. After style, the next thing to consider is if there
are any specific flowers you want.

Keep in mind that some flowers are
not in season year round. The flowers that will give the best presentation are
those in their season prime. Make sure you let your florist know if your ceremony
and/or reception will be held outdoors. Certain flowers do not hold up in hot/humid
conditions. Consider color, shape, and fragrance when selecting your bouquet
flowers. A note of advice on color choice, avoid all white flowers, they do
not photograph well.

It is important that you are upfront
with your florist about your budget. Not just for your bouquet but for all of
your flowers. Be realistic. You may want a $200 bridal bouquet, but if you only
have $400 for a flower budget, you will not have enough left for 3 bridesmaids
bouquets, 2 corsages, 3 boutonnieres and 15 centerpieces for your reception.
Choose similar flowers to be used throughout your wedding. Using 20 different
kinds of flowers will quickly increase the cost. Your florist can balance your
needs with your budget. They can offer alternatives. Exotic flowers such as
Orchids are very pretty, but they are more expensive. Consider more affordable
flowers if you are on a budget. Don’t plan your wedding near big flower
holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, Easter and Mother’s Day. If you
do, expect to pay more for your flowers. Not because the florist’s want
to charge you more, but due to the fact that the wholesalers charge more during
these busy holidays based on growing and demand.

Once you have chosen your Bouquet
you have selected the “center” of your wedding flowers. The other
pieces can be used to incorporate your bouquet flowers throughout your entire
wedding. The following is an example list of the flowers you may need for your
“Special Day”…

? Bride’s Bouquet

? Toss Bouquet for Bride to Throw

? Maid of Honor Bouquet

? Bridesmaids Bouquets

? Grooms Boutonniere

? Boutonnieres for Best Man and other male attendants in the wedding

? Boutonnieres for Father of Bride and Groom

? Corsages for Mothers/Grandmothers and/or Guests of Honor

? Boutonniere for Ring Bearer

? Flower Basket (with petals?) or small bouquet for flower girl*

? Ceremony Arrangements (can serve double duty at your reception perhaps at
your buffet)

? Vase at Guest Book Table

? Centerpieces for Reception Tables (make sure you get an accurate count)

? Centerpiece for Head Table (usually larger than other centerpieces)

? Flowers or Petals for Cake Table (Flowers for Cake if necessary)

*If you are considering petals for
the aisle at your ceremony, make sure your accomodations allow them. Also remember
that roses with color petals will stain the carpet if stepped on. White petals
are recommended for carpeted areas.

A very important detail is to make
sure your florist knows exactly when and where your flowers will need to be
delivered. They will also need to know ahead of time if you will need them to
set up the flowers. If you have someone else handling set up, make sure your
florist knows who they are and how to reach them. You will probably want your
flowers to arrive at least an hour before you need them. Make sure you have
somewhere safe and cool to keep them until you use them. Always leave your florist
a phone number of someone you trust (preferrably with a cel phone) that can
handle any last minute decisions regarding your flowers.

Finally, when it comes to your wedding
flowers, don’t skimp! I have heard many sad stories about bride’s
trying “do-it-yourself” flowers or having a friend design them,
only to end up with bouquets falling apart minutes before the wedding! Don’t
risk it! Experienced florists process and design your wedding flowers for optimum
presentation and performance. Your flowers are one of the most important elements
of your wedding! You want them to be beautiful. They compliment you, your wedding
party, your wedding photos and provide an elegant atmosphere for you and your
guests on your special day!

Facts You Should Know About Spyware

2008-02-13T13:06:00.001-08:00

Facts You Should Know About
Spyware

by: Arvind Singh

Every PC user must control and arrest
spyware through antispyware and adware removal tools. Spyware comes in various
forms and the most commonly found is the illegally installed spyware. It is
used to secretly get information in unethical ways, which is why good antispyware
software needs to be used against it.

Spyware Avatars

As software that picks up information
from your computer without your consent, Spyware assumes many forms. It can
be Trojans, web bugs, adware and commercial software that are used to keep an
eye over someone’s computer to track what they are doing or to illegally
get their secret information like passwords to bank accounts etc. Trojan software
gets into your system by duping you into thinking it is something else, just
like viruses. Web bugs come as ActiveX controls and cookies that just follow
you around as you browse the web. Once they know your habits, they show you
popups with advertisements they think you might be interested in. This sort
of software or remote administration software can be stopped by firewalls.

The commercial computer monitoring
spyware software includes URL recorders, key loggers, chat and screen recorders,
program loggers etc. and antispyware can guard you from this. The key loggers
just track all your keystrokes, which means just about everything you do on
your computer. Then you have those screen loggers that can just take a picture
of your screen, in spite of you having firewalls installed.

Can Cleaning Your Registry Or Deleting
Your Startup Items Help?

The problem with spyware and adware
is that they run as hidden files so they don’t show up on the task list,
the registry, or the startup items. They lodge themselves where startup cleaners
cannot find them and they run invisibly. But good antispyware software or adware
cleaner can find them and eliminate them.

The seriousness of running antispyware
cannot be emphasized enough

THE ART OF MAKE UP!!

2008-02-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

THE ART OF MAKE UP!!

By Garima Jain

Like fashion, make-up trends keep
changing. But, the basic human desire to apply colors to decorate the face has
remained constant. Trends in makeup are actually indicative of the beauty ideals
of the times.

The ‘Natural Look’ of
today, for instance, reflects the universal swing towards nature and all things
natural. For the real art of make-up refer http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/make-up.htm
.

Applying Make-up

Knowing what is just right for you
is the key to applying make-up. You have to take so many aspects into consideration…
your age, your skin tone, type and texture, your facial features, the clothes
you will be wearing, your plus and minus points. The best thing about today
is that you can play around with colors, and cosmetics to achieve the look that
suits you best.

Step by Step Make-Up

Foundation: Choose your foundation
according to your skin type. Learn how to apply perfect foundation here at http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/foundation.htm

Eye-Brows: Rightly shaped eyebrows
are a must! Eyebrows shape the whole makeup.If you wish to define the eyebrows,
use light feathery strokes of your eyebrow pencil. At http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/eyebrow-threading.htm
, find how to get a perfect eyebrows!

Eyeshadow: This is the most important
part of your eye-makeup, because it can help to recontour the eyes and emphasis
to them. Learn tips on applying eyeshadows at http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/applying-eyeshadow.htm
.

Eyeliner: After applying eyeshadow
your next step is to apply a eyeliner. For learning how to apply eyeliner, refer
http://www.cosmeticsdiary.com/applying-eyeliner.htm . For wide set eyes, emphasize
the inner corners of the eyes. For close set eyes, emphasize the outer corners,
keeping the inner corners highlighted.

The History Behind Valentines Day!

2008-02-13T09:18:00.001-08:00

On 14 February we celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day, usually by the way of exchanging cards, sweets, lingerie, flowers or jewelry.

But, what exactly are we celebrating, is it just a holiday the retail stores invented to get our money? One could think so, but no, we are actually celebrating a Christian Holiday, Saint Valentine’s.

We are following a Christian and ancient Roman tradition. By now the Catholic Church recognizes three Saints by the name of Valentine, or Valentinus.

The first legend to the background of the celebration of Valentine’s Day is this:

During the 3rd century a priest by the name of Valentine, under Claudius II in Rome, secretly disobeyed the law.

Claudius had come to believe that a single soldier was a better soldier than a married young man and so decided to outlaw marriage in order to have plenty young strong men with no wives at his disposal.

Valentine, the priest, did not obey this law and continued to celebrate the holy bond of marriage for young couples in secrecy.

Of course, the way it always works with secret clauses, he was caught and sent to his death.

The second legend believes that Valentine was a prisoner who fell in love with a young woman, who came to see him often. It is believed that she was his jailors daughter. Before his untimely death he wrote her a love letter, signed with ‘Your Valentine’. There fore the phrase ‘Be my Valentine’.

Some believe he was beheaded, others thought that he died of sickness.

No one is even sure if 14 February was the day of his birth or his death or if it had indeed anything to do with Saint Valentine at all. The only thing that is for sure, is that the Romans had a tradition in the middle of February, which would mark the 14th, called the Love Lottery. It was believed that spring and with it the renewal of life came along in the middle of February, therefore the love lottery was held, coupling young men and women for one year, often leading to marriage.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the USA, Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the United Kingdom.

The oldest known Valentine’s card can be viewed in the British museum.

Valentine’s day became an official Catholic Holiday in the year 496 or 498 AD. Pope Gelasius declared the 14 February to be Saint Valentine’s Day.

The oldest known and remembered Valentine’s poem is from Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife, in 1415, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. It is part of a manuscript collection of the British Library in London.

Years later King Henry V is supposed to have hired the writer John Lydgate to compose a Valentine’s letter to Catherine of Kalois.

In Great Britain it was around the 17th century that Valentine’s Day became a celebrated Holiday. By the middle of the 18th century it was common for all social classes to exchange small gifts or handwritten notes with lovers, loved ones and friends.

By the end of the 18th century printed Valentine’s cards were available.

In the United States people started celebrating Valentine’s Day in the early 1700’s by exchanging Valentine’s notes.

The Greeting Card Association announced that Valentine’s Day is the second best selling card-sending day with one billion cards sold per year. The leader in the card industry is with 2.6 billion, Christmas.

In the year 1835 Pope Gregory XVI was so impressed by the Irish Priest Father John Spratt that he gave him the black and golden casket, which is believed to house the remains of Saint Valentine. This gift from Rome, the black and golden casket, can actually be viewed on Valentine’s Day every year at Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, Ireland.

We hope that you did enjoy this little background on Valentine’s Day and we wish you a very happy Valentine’s Day, with lots of lasting love and Friendship!

Top 10 Gifts for Men (valentine Day Special)

2008-02-13T05:52:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for birthday gift, Valentine's Day gift, or anniversary gift for your husband, dad, or boyfriend? Here are some suggested gifts for men.
Shopping for your husband, boyfriend, or father? Are you scratching your head, wondering what to get him for his birthday, your anniversary, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, or some other special occasion. Here are some gift ideas for men:

1. Best Buy Gift Card

Men love electronics. And men love movies. And computer or video games. Men love Best Buy. So, get your man a Best Buy gift card. Of course, make it more than $10. That won't get much at Best Buy. You want to set aside at least $25 or $50 for a Best Buy gift card. Maybe even a $100 gift card if you can afford it.

2. Borders or Barnes & Noble Gift Card

Is the man you're buying for a reader? If so, get him a gift card to his favorite bookstore. Since the average, new hardcover book prices between $25 and $40, be sure to get at least a $25 gift card. The most popular bookstores are Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Books-a-Million.

3. Lowe's or Home Depot Gift Card

Does your husband or father enjoy working in the yard or around the house? If so, consider getting him a gift card to the local Home Depot or Lowe's. How much? Well, that might depend on what you want him to work on. Yes, this is a gift that could be a little self-serving.

If you're not into getting gift cards, then....

4. The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren

The wildly popular, mega-bestseller The Purpose-Driven Life is the perfect gift -- really for anyone, man or woman. It is designed to encourage you to focus your life around your relationship with God and bring some peace and purpose to your daily living. The book has touched the lives of millions of people.

5. 1776 by David McCullough

If your husband, father, or boyfriend is at all into history, then 1776 by David McCullough is a must-have. McCullough is one of the most popular historians right now in America, and is a superb storyteller. This book profiles the most important year in American history - the year in which our nation started.

6. Reader's Digest New Fix-it-Yourself Manual

The New Fix-it-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean, and Maintain Anything and Everything In and Around Your Home, brought to you by Reader's Digest, is a sure bet for any husband, boyfriend, or father who doesn't want to be beaten by a home repair challenge.

7. Personal Organizer or PDA Cell Phone

Help your man get organized! Get him a personal organizer or PDA Smart Phone. If you want to go the cell phone, contact your local AT&T cell phone or Verizon cellular phone dealer. This author has found the Samsung Blackjack to be very helpful. If your man is not into cell phones, an old-fashioned Day Runner type organizer may fit the bill just fine.

8. DVD Set of Favorite TV show

Get your father, husband, or boyfriend a DVD set of his favorite TV show! Whether it be 24, Jericho, Heroes, Home Improvement, or whatever, you can find pretty good deals on these DVD sets at Amazon or at Best Buy.

9. XBOX 360, Playstation 3, or Nintendo Wii

If you're really into spending some money and don't mind your husband taking some time away from you (because he will), get him a XBOX 360, PS 3, or Nintendo Wii. Let the games begin!

10. Candy and a Love Letter from Your Heart

Last but definitely not least, you may just want to get him a box of candy and a sincere, written love letter - one that YOU write from your heart. If it's your husband or boyfriend, express to him how much you love him and appreciate him. If it's your dad, convey your respect and gratitude - and, yes, your love.

Whatever you get the man (or men) in your life, make sure the gifts are from your heart - and given cheerfully.