Where will you be on the 4^th of July or otherwise known as Independence Day?  The official steps of independence were taken around the 4^th of July by the founding fathers of the United States of America.  Many will travel to Washington, DC to see the fireworks at the nation’s capital.  Here are a few facts to amaze your friends this coming 4^th of July:

      The Second Continental Congress actually voted to approve a resolution of independence on July 2, 1776.  John Adams wrote that he thought this would be the national holiday

      The Declaration of Independence has the date of July 4^th even though many signed it over the next month

      John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died 50 years later on July 4^th, 1826

      Independence Day became an unpaid federal holiday in 1870 and then a paid holiday in 1938

      Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held annually on July 4^th since 1916

So grab your stars and stripes and celebrate Independence Day on this July 4^th.  

Tags: 4th, july, indendence, day, fireworks, washington, best, top, list, rank

Top 5 Beaches on the East Coast

Are you packing up the family and heading to the beach? What makes a good beach vacation? We look for reasonable prices for lodging, great restaurants and easy access to clean and sandy beaches. Here are 5 of the best beaches for you to consider when planning that vacation:

ü  Duck, North Carolina – Located on the Outer Banks just north of Nags Head, and part of a bed & breakfast community.  

ü  Hilton Head, South Carolina- Located near the Georgia border with shade trees covered with Spanish Moss that opens up to outstanding beaches.

ü  Moshup Beach, Martha’s Vinyard - Tucked beneath the infamous Gay Head Cliffs, Moshup Beach is an unspoiled paradise of soft, white sand framed by red, brown and tan striated cliffs looming from above.

ü  Kiawah Island, South Carolina - Kiawah Island is a hidden gem, loaded with 10 miles of pristine beaches and approximately 10,000 acres of natural woodlands.

ü  Sunset Beach, Cape May, New Jersey - Cape May, the southernmost point in New Jersey and believed to be the oldest beachfront resort in the country, is also a National Historic Landmark.

What is your favorite beach on the East Coast?

Tags: beach, vacation, family, best, top, list, rank rated

Will you be lined up to see the M. Night Shyamalan’s version of The Last Airbender when it hits the theaters?  The movie is based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon – Avatar: The Last Airbender.  The show follows the plight of a young man that was born to maintain the balance of peace in the world. Will The Last Airbender be the Best Movie of 2010? Here are a few things to know before you see the movie:

Ø  The Avatar is the only person in his generation capable of manipulating all four elements to his will and the one tasked with maintaining peace between the Four Nations of the world

Ø  Ang, the main character and Avatar, is a 12 year old that has been frozen for 100 years to wake up to find the Fire Nation

Ø  The Four Nations: the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Fire Nation

Ø  Despite the many Asian influences, the original Avatar cartoon is not considered Anime since it was created in the USA

Ø  The movie was originally titled Avatar: The Last Airbender but was changed due to possible confusion with James Cameron’s Avatar

Will this be the triumphant return of M. Night Shyamalan?  Let’s hope so.

Tags: avatar, last airbender, nickelodeon, best, top, list, rank, facts, blockbuster

What do you know about the A-Team?  Take a stroll through the 80’s and refresh your memory of Hannibal, Faceman, Murdock and B.A. Baracus of the A-Team.  The A-Team is considered to be one of the hottest movies of the summer.  Let’s hope it does not make the list of the worst movies that you have to see.  So check out this list of A-Team factoids:

ü  The “crime they did not commit” was robbing a Hanoi Bank under government orders

ü  First episode was watched by 26% of the US after Super Bowl XVII in 1983

ü  Pop culture icons like Hulk Hogan, Rick James and Boy George appeared in the show

ü  Over four seasons, there were only 2 on-screen deaths

ü  Ice Cube was considered for B.A. Baracus in the original movie discussions

We Pity the Fool that does not go see the A-Team this summer. 

Tags: a-team, movie, trivia, fact, best, top, list, rank

Which soccer player will make the biggest impact in the 2010 FIFA World Cup?  The level of soccer talent concentrated in South Africa is astounding as the best battle it out for national pride.  Many of the players are from the best European Soccer teams.  Will any of this year’s players end up on the list of the best soccer players of all time?  Let’s take a look at the top players to watch at the 2010 FIFA World Cup:

ü  Wayne Rooney – England - Striker

ü  Fernando Torres – Spain - Striker

ü  Lionel Messi – Argentina – Striker / Winger

ü  Kaká – Brazil – Attacking Midfielder

ü  Bastian Schweinsteiger – Germany – Winger, Midfielder

So grab your horn and drive your neighbor crazy while cheering on your favorite team and players in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Tags: fifa, soccer, world, cup, league, futbol, football, best, top, list, rank

Do you really want to know a few random stats about the average vacation?  Some of these facts may surprise you.  Some will be taking the family to Disney's Magic Kingdom and some of the party people will be headed to Las Vegas.  So check out this list of random things you may want to know about women and their vacations:

ü  2 in 7 will lose their luggage or have it stolen

ü  At least one out of every six will pack a few bedroom toys (Rock On!)

ü  4% have joined the Mile High Club

ü  25% must have a gym at their hotel

ü  The number one destination for vacation is the beach

Pack your bags and take a few days off and see if you end up as one of these statistics.

Tags: vacation, trip, beach, deal, fun, fact, trivia, best, top, list, rank

Are you looking for that perfect gift for your dad on Father's Day?  Take a minute and check out this list of interesting facts about Father’s Day and some of things we do with our fathers.  After 20 years the most admired TV father is still Cliff Huxtable played by Bill Cosby.  Even though neckties are one of the least popular Father's Day gifts, over 10% of ties sold are due to the holiday.  Here are a few more things to know:

ü  President Nixon made Father’s Day an official national celebration in 1972

ü  An average of $91 is spent on Dad on Father’s Day

ü  Father’s Day is the fifth most popular day to eat out

ü  38% of Dad’s would take a pay cut to spend more time with their children

ü  2010 is recognized as the 100^th anniversary of the day started in Spokane, Washington in 1910

So grab your dad and spend the day doing whatever he wants to do on the third Sunday of June.  Happy Father’s Day!

Tags: fathers, day, fact, holiday, best, top, list, rank, gift

Most consider John Wooden the greatest coach of all time in any sport.  His ability to stay focused on what mattered allowed his UCLA teams to achieve ten NCAA Men’s Basketball championships.  Just as a comparison, the next 3 most successful coaches in NCAA history only total 11 championships together.  Here is a list of few things you need to know about John Wooden and why he is considered the greatest coach of all time:

ü  First person to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach.

ü  Coached UCLA to ten NCAA national championships in a 12 year period.

ü  Every February 29^th is John Wooden Day at UCLA

ü  Despite his success in basketball, he confided with many people that baseball was possibly his favorite sport

ü  Coach Wooden published a children's book Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success

Coach John Wooden was an example to all on what you can accomplish by staying focused on the things that matter most.  Just ask some of the best college players of all time that were fortunate enough to play for him.  Thanks for being a great role model Coach Wooden.

Tags: coach, john, wooden, best, top, list, rank, all time, basketball, ucla

Are you headed to a theme park this summer to ride the biggest and fastest new roller coasters ever made? So whether you are planning a trip to Disney or Universal Studios here is a list of a few things to know about a few of the best roller coasters of all time. Check out this list:

ü  Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio has 17 roller coasters and introduced many of the first coasters to break heights of 200, 300 and 400 feet

ü  The newest steel roller coasters cost over $20 million to build

ü  The Stratosphere in Las Vegas has a coaster at the top of the building over 1,081 feet above the Las Vegas strip.

ü  The Ring Racer in Nurburg, Germany is projected to approach 135mph when it opens in 2010.

ü  Unfortunately Roller Coasters are responsible for an average of 4.4 deaths per year (Is the roller coaster or the rider?)

So throw your hands in the air and let go for a few minutes and head to the most death defying roller coaster in your area. 

What is your favorite roller coaster?

Tags: roller, coaster, theme, park, best, top, list, rank, fact, top 10, top 5

Will the summer of 2010 define the future of the NBA for the next 10 years?  All signs point to yes.  Many teams have been freeing up their salary cap in hopes to lure LeBron James or Chris Bosh.  Only time will tell if any of these players will end up as the Best NBA Player of All Time.  Many say that no one will replace Michael Jordan but who was the best before Michael Jordan? 

Which of these Top 5 NBA Free Agents do you want on your team in 2010?

ü  LeBron James – Age: 25 with 7 years in the NBA. Averages just under a triple double.

ü  Dwayne Wade – Age: 28 with 7 years in the NBA. Considered the most explosive point guard.

ü  Chris Bosh – Age: 25 with 7 years in the NBA. Averages a double double. He has spent years lost in Toronto.

ü  Dirk Nowitki – Age: 31 with 12 years in the NBA.  Prolific scorer with one more good run at bringing home a title. 

ü  Joe Johnson – Age: 29 with 9 years in the NBA.  Starring on a promising Atlanta team that will always be a second tier team without a big addition.

Which of these players along with Amar’e Stoudmire, Carlos Boozer and Rudy Gay to mention a few will set the tone of the NBA years to come.  The contracts signed this summer will affect the next decade of the NBA.

Tags: nba, free agent, 2010, best, top, list, rank, lebron, dwayne, bosh, wade, james, basketball