Written by GERRI

The End is Nigh, and we’re not just talking about Glenn Beck’s ratings. Some economists are saying that the US has passed the point of no return with its economy, which means economic collapse is as inevitable as Charlie Sheen’s future apologies. There’s lots you’ll need to do before hunkering down in your zombie-proof bunker to prepare for the end. Get a jump on this now before society breaks down and look on the bright side: at least you won’t have to go to work anymore.

Buy Guns

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You can’t fight zombies or your neighbors for those last Twinkies at the 7-11 without good weapons. Remember that handguns maybe easy to carry, but if you really want to put down a looter or that rotten neighbor of yours, a handgun should only be used for the trip upstairs to get your rifle or shotgun. And speaking of shotguns, bullets will be quite the commodity when the end comes, so make sure you also have a shotgun shell press. But remember, don’t start shooting people until after the apocalypse. If you get a bed holster, make sure your sheets don’t tangle or you could blow off your own foot.

Hoard Water

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Oh, sure water comes right out of your sink…now. But is it really paranoid to think that government might shut off the flow and try to control our brains with rap music? Whether the economic end comes due to natural disaster, the next World War or Goldman Sachs betting that it will happen, the human body can survive weeks without food, but only days without water. Do like Viggo in The Road, when you see the flash, turn on the faucet.

Hoard Food

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Until you figure out how to grow your own food or enslave the rest of the survivors, you’ll need a well-stocked pantry. Commodities, especially food, will skyrocket during the coming World Wide Depression, so extra food will also be handy to barter with. Remember that girl in high school who turned you down for the prom? You’ll be amazed what she’ll do for a can of peaches in the coming economic collapse.

Buy Land You Can Farm On

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Having a well-protected chunk of real estate that you can grow food on is going to be very important. Make sure it has a fence to keep out the riff-raff, C.H.U.D.S. and wasteland mutantsyou’ll probably have to fight. The good news is, after the government collapses, you won’t have to pay property taxes on it.

Convert Your Car to Vegetable Oil

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You think gas is high now? Wait until the seas dry up and the US strategic reserves are diverted to keep the limos running that shuttle Barack Obama and the Congress around. By converting your car to run on vegetable oil, not only will your car’s exhaust smell like French Fries, you’ll be guaranteed fuel. In America, we fatties never run out of greasy things to cook our food in!

Buy Gold

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Gold has been steadily rising as the dollar has continued to plummet. In the dark days ahead, a shiny gold bar could make you the only financially solvent warlord on your block. Gold always holds its value, unless it’s molded in the shape of tacky jewelry worn by the cast of the Jersey Shore. Sadly, anything that touches Snooki must be thrown away.

Learn to Hunt

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After the first few months of the collapse, store shelves are likely to be empty or choked with the shambling corpses of the living dead. Meat is going to be at a premium and you’re going to have to learn to shoot. The deer aren’t just going to stand there while you drizzle barbecue sauce on them. And remember, if your neighbor says you look “juicy”, be careful. He may be sizing you up for a casserole.

Keep a Low Profile

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Bragging to your neighbors about your secret stash of gold, guns, ammo and Survival Seedssends one clear message to your neighbor: Kill you and he’s set for the apocalypse. You’ll last a lot longer in the coming Hellscape if the locals think you’re just as screwed as them. Conserve your food, don’t put on any weight and don’t attend any town militia meetings reeking of chocolate and cheese. Orange Doritos hands are a dead giveaway too.

Make and Keep Lots of Friends

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You are going to need allies when the world goes back to bartering. If you’re known as the “town jerk”, change your attitude now before the meteor hits. Your neighbors will have skills that you can all use. The local stoner knows how to grow plants, even inside with hydroponics. Your friend the cop probably has plenty of extra ammo. And your overweight friend that ran the pizza shop? He’ll make an excellent zombie decoy while you run away.

Start Your Own Religion

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If you want Godlike power, make yourself one! There’s no easier way to motivate your minionsthan to promise them something after they’re dead. Who needs money? When you got this kind of power, you can decide what money is! And, when people use faith over logic, you can pretty much tell them to do anything.

Bonus:Will Hunting had it right 14 years ago

Written by Nicole Frehsee

View of the National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial.

It took us hours of heated debate, weeks of research, and years of experience to whittle down America’s monuments to a definitive list of 15 musts for anyone under 15. Not only are these attractions fun and (shhhh) educational, they’re especially magical through the eyes of a child.

Two years ago, Budget Travel picked 15 American landmarks every kid should see, from Ellis Island to Redwood National Park. The new and improved 2011 lineup takes that challenge even further, by highlighting how our country’s top sights cater to kids’ abbreviated attention spans. From roasting marshmallows around a campfire to playing dress-up at Monticello, these cool, interactive activities ensure that the younger set will enjoy these must-see spots as much as their parents do.

1. Grand Canyon – Arizona

One of the gorgeous sunset views of the Grand Canyon you can take in while on a horse-drawn wagon ride.

(Courtesy Tobias Alt/Wikimedia Commons)

During the day, stroll the 4-year-old Skywalk, a U-shaped, glass-bottom observation deck that juts 70 feet over the canyon’s West Rim and sits 4,000 feet above the Colorado River. Come sunset, hit Grand Canyon Apache Stables, where, for $25.50 per person, you can hitch a one-hour ride on a horse-drawn wagon that ends around a campfire. Tip: BYO marshmallows and hot dogs so you can cook up a nighttime snack. Skywalk Package including mandatory Legacy pass. Kids 3–11, $57.49; Adults, $73.grandcanyonskywalk.com Grand Canyon Apache Stables: $25.50, kids 8 and up, apachestables.com/

2. Redwood National Park – California

Hidden Beach in Redwood National Park, California, is accessible via trail from the Trees of Mystery in Klamath.

(Courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Ancient, sky-high sequoias aren’t the only attraction in this lush California locale — there’s cool aquatic life, too. Take a guided tide pool tour, where budding biologists can scramble between the coastal forest’s rocks while hunting for underwater creatures such as orange and purple ochre sea stars and sprawling, green anemones. Free tide pool tours are offered during the summer through Redwood National Park; check website for exact schedule.nps.gov

3. Monticello – Virginia

An autumn view of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate.

(Courtesy Monticello/Robert C. Lautman)

The dreaded “look but don’t touch” rule means nothing at the Griffin Discovery Room, which opened on the grounds of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate in 2009. Nothing is off-limits in the space, which features replicas of the third president’s possessions, from his alcove bed to his polygraph machine. Even his closet is fair game: Kids can try on clothes modeled after his 18th-century wardrobe. The Griffin Discovery Room is part of Monticello’s House and Grounds tour. Adults, $17 (low season), $22 (high season); Kids 6-11, $8 (year-round). monticello.org

4. The Freedom Trail – Massachusetts

With 125 shops and 21 restaurants, Faneuil Hall makes the Freedom Trail both lively and educational.

(Courtesy Greater Boston CVB)

Who needs a social studies book when you can learn about Colonial history from an 18th-century ship captain while parading around Boston’s waterfront? The 90-minute Pirates and Patriots tour, led by an actor in 1770s naval garb, focuses on maritime history and introduces the scrappy, ship-raiding characters that inhabited the city’s North End during the Revolutionary era.

Stops include the aptly named Long Wharf, once the longest in the world and the epicenter of Boston’s colonial shipping industry, and Griffin’s Wharf, site of the 1773 Boston Tea Party. Bonus: Some tour guides are known to hand out vintage goodies, so you might walk away with a fistful of colonial money or musket balls. The Freedom Trail’s Pirates & Patriots Tour runs from June to Nov. Adults, $12; kids 6–12, $7. thefreedomtrail.org

5. Niagara Falls – New York

View of Niagra Falls.

(Courtesy jcjlkrebs/myBudgetTravel)
Sure, your grandparents honeymooned there, but the majestic waterfalls straddling the U.S.-Canada border are worth a 21st-century trip. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a rubber ducky in a massive bathtub? Sign up for the Cave of the Winds tour, which begins after you change into a complimentary yellow poncho and sandals (trust us, you’ll need ’em).

After riding an elevator 175 feet down into the Niagara Gorge, you’ll stand on the Hurricane Deck, where you’ll be drenched by the tropical-storm-like spray from the 181-foot Bridal Veil Falls, where the water falls at a rate of up to 68 mph. Cave of the Winds operates May 1–Oct. 25. Adults, $11; kids 6–12, $8; 5 and under, free. niagarafallsstatepark.com

6. The National Mall – Washington, D.C.

The Capitol Building: Just one of the many sights to see on an amphibious tour of Washington, D.C.

(Courtesy jorgeq/myBudgetTravel)
Riding the streets of Washington, D.C., in a boat on wheels might sound cheesy, but cruising the Potomac River in one is pretty sweet. Set in a WWII-era amphibious vehicle, the 90-minute D.C. duck tour covers both land and sea.

The first leg hits the history-packed National Mall — look for the 19-foot-tall Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol building, and the Smithsonian museums — and then switches to a scenic river trip. Highlight: The boat pauses at Gravelly Point, a park located just a few hundred feet from the runway at D.C.’s Reagan National Airport, so you can watch roaring planes take off and land. D.C. duck tours cost $31.50 for adults, and $16.20 for kids 11 and under. trustedtours.com

7. Williamsburg – Virginia

The Governor’s Palace at Colonial Williamsburg.

(Courtesy The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation)
Everyone in this living-history site likes to play dress-up, and visitors are no exception. At the Great Hopes Plantation — a re-creation of the town’s original 1700s farm — a stash of old-timey accessories await, from tricorne (three-pointed) hats for boys and shifts and mop caps (bonnets) for girls.

The costumes come in handy in the field, where kids can perform 18th-century household chores, such as picking bugs off potato crops, fetching water from the well, or hoeing the soil, that are likely to make clearing the dinner dishes seem like a breeze by comparison. Great Hopes Plantation can be accessed through regular admission tickets. Spring prices: adults, $37.95; kids 6–17, $18.95; 5 and under, free. history.org

8. Walt Disney World Resort – Florida

The Walter E. Disney’s red coaches wait at Main Street USA Station.

(Courtesy Tom Arthur/Wikimedia Commons)
Taking a family vacation to the world’s largest, most popular theme park is a no-brainer, and just-opened exhibits give even more reasons to visit Mickey & Co. Our pick: the Wild Africa Trek, a private, three-hour safari featuring live Nile crocs, statuesque giraffes, and lazy hippos.

Strap into a harness and you can even dangle 10 feet above the crocodiles’ heads. (The attraction is open to kids 8 and up.) Mid-jungle trek, the safari car (imagine an open-air Jeep that allows for standing) will stop on the trail for a traditional African lunch. Wild Africa Treks begin at $189 per person, including lunch, but not including admission to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.disneyworld.disney.go.com

9. Independence Hall – Pennsylvania

Take Philidelphia’s Ghost Tour and get to know the spirits of America’s founding fathers during a candlelit tour through landmarks like Independence Hall, pictured here.

(Courtesy Dan Smith/Wikimedia Commons)
Acquaint yourself with the spirits of America’s founding fathers on Philadelphia’s Ghost Tour, a 90-minute, candle-lit stroll that winds past landmarks like Independence Hall, where the Constitution was adopted; the Powel House, which hosted George and Martha Washington’s 20th wedding anniversary celebration; and the 238-year-old City Tavern, John Adams’s former watering hole.

A cape-wearing, lantern-carrying guide points out “haunted” graveyards (St. Peter’s Cemetery) and reports sightings of Benjamin Franklin, who’s said to roam the city’s streets. The best part: All the ghost stories are based on documented accounts, which makes them all the more spooky. Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, adults, $17; kids 4 and up, $8. ghosttour.com

10. Alcatraz Island – California

A view of the famously (almost) inescapable Alcatraz Prison in the San Francisco Bay.

(John A. Martini/Courtesy Alcatraz Cruises)
Shiv collections and cramped jail cells don’t exactly sound kid-friendly, but they offer a glimpse into America’s most notorious island prison — and the National Park Service is all for bringing younger ones for a visit. Hop a ferry from San Francisco’s Pier 33 and stroll the damp, gray halls of the maximum-security pen, which housed criminals like Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly from 1934 to 1963. (You can even get behind bars in one of the cells, if you dare.)

Don’t miss the audio tour, which was updated in 2007 when former inmates and guards recorded their memories of doing time at “the Rock.” If you’re feeling brave, take the night tour, which lets you roam the prison after dark. Alcatraz Cruises is the official carrier for tours to Alcatraz Island. Adults 12–61, $26; kids 5–11, $16, 4 and under, free. alcatrazcruises.com

11. Ellis Island – New York

The Ellis Island Ferry shuttles visitors from Battery Park in Manhattan across the Hudson River to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

(Courtesy Dekoker/Wikimedia Commons)
Between 1892 and 1924, more than 17 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island; today, their descendants account for 40% of Americans. Go on a hunt for your ancestors at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, where for $5 you can search through millions of records to find the exact date your relatives sailed into the Port of New York, as well as which ship they were on and whether they traveled with other family members. (Bonus: copies of the documents are yours to keep.)

And don’t miss the construction of the Peopling of America Center, which cost $20 million to build and is slated to open in 2012. The new space focuses on U.S. immigration from 1955 (when Ellis Island closed) to the present, and houses interactive multimedia exhibits, like a touch screen that reflects demographic changes in American cities over time. Ellis Island admission prices as of March 18: adults, $37.95; children, $18.95; children under 5, free. ellisisland.org

12. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana and Idaho

One of the breathtaking sunrise views you can catch at Yellowstone National Park.

(Courtesymmiwig/myBudgetTravel.com)

Snag a Young Scientist Toolkit stocked with magnifying glasses, rock samples, and stopwatches to time geyser eruptions at the Old Faithful Visitor Center and hit the great outdoors for some investigating. The coolest toy: an infrared-thermometer gun that takes readings of thermal pools when pointed at the water. And there’s lots of H20: The 3,472-square-mile park is home to more geothermal features (geysers, hot springs, mud spots) than any place on earth. The Young Scientist activity booklet and toolkit costs $5 (toolkit must be returned after use). Park entrance fee starts at $12. nps.gov

13. Fenway Park – Massachusetts

Not exactly the cheap seats, this is the view from the Legend’s Box at Fenway Park in Boston.

(CourtesyJared Vincent/Wikimedia Commons)

Even die-hard Yankees fans have to admit that visiting Major League Baseball’s oldest stadium is an exercise in Americanism: Babe Ruth pitched there! Ted Williams hit a 502-foot home run! Boston’s Fenway turns 100 next year, but its features are still intact. Check them out for yourself on a guided 50-minute tour, where hands-on exploration is encouraged: You can touch the Green Monster (the park’s 37-foot-tall left-field wall), peek into the dugout, poke around inside the press box, and even walk across the baseball diamond, depending on how friendly the grounds crew is feeling that day. Fenway Park tours, adults, $12; kids 3–15, $10; seniors, $11. mlb.mlb.com

14. Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve – Idaho

A 618-foot lava field, formed by volcanic eruptions 15,000 years ago, is the ultimate moon-surface simulation.

(Courtesy Idaho Tourism)
The National Park Service calls this Idaho preserve “the only officially weird park” in the country. And for good reason: The jagged, black landscape — formed by volcanic eruptions up to 15,000 years ago — boasts a 618-square-mile lava field, the biggest in the U.S. (The rocky surface is so moonlike that Apollo 14 astronauts trained at the site in 1969.) The park’s most awe-inspiring feature is its lava tubes, underground passageways created by hardened molten rock.

Grab a flashlight and head to Indian Tunnel, which, at 30 feet high and 50 feet wide, allows for comfortable exploring. Craving an even more intense experience? Exit the cave at the far end, a feat that requires mounting a big rock pile and squeezing through a small opening. Park entrance fee is $8 per vehicle; bike or foot entrance starts at $4; age 14 below is free. nps.gov

15. San Diego Zoo – California

A topiary elephant greets visitors at the entrance to the San Diego Zoo.

(Courtesy Cburnett/Wikimedia Commons)

With more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals representing 800-plus species and subspecies, the San Diego Zoo is one of the most diverse in America. But its coolest attraction — literally — is the Polar Bear Plunge, which reopened last March after a $1 million makeover.

Aside from permanent polar residents Kalluk, Chinook, and Tatqiq, new features include a snow den you can burrow into (the snug space mimics where female bears birth their cubs); a helicopter used on actual Arctic explorations that invites climbers into the cockpit; and the Experience Wall, where zookeepers open the glass panels surrounding the bears’ habitat, letting them sniff at visitors through wire mesh. Ages 12 and up, $40; 3–11, $30.sandiegozoo.org

Bonus: Lava.

Do you think she’ll take him back?

Written by Reid Hoffman

Last week I gave a talk at South by Southwest, and in it I shared my top ten rules for entrepreneurship. They are borne from my experiences starting companies and partnering with great entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley as an angel and a venture capitalist. I hope they prove to be useful to you. If you are an entrepreneur and have other rules you live by and want to share with others, please post your thoughts in the comments field.

Rule #1: Look for disruptive change.

If you’re about to start on a new venture, ask yourself: What is becoming possible or necessary that wasn’t possible before? Is a new product or service able to take over an existing market or create a new market? When I co-founded LinkedIn the tech industry was in a deep depression. I looked at all the opportunities created by the Internet and had the idea that eventually everyone would need a professional profile online. The disruption was that people were able to directly reach the best candidates rather than hoping for responses from a listing in the paper or an ad on a Web site.

Rule #2: Aim big.

Regardless of whether a start-up is targeting a big idea or a small one, it will still require the same amount of blood, sweat and tears—so aim big! What is “big?” It is a new product or service that creates or dominates a significant market.

Rule #3: Build a network to magnify your company.

People tend to think that behind every great start-up is a single entrepreneur with a whiz-bang idea. The reality is great companies are built by a number of people with talent who are surrounded by amplifying networks. The most successful entrepreneurs bring in advisors, investors, collaborators and early customer relationships.

Rule #4: Plan for good luck and bad luck.

You should always assume you will have both good luck and bad luck with your new company. Good luck is not as simple as “it worked out.” Rather, this is when you discover a great opportunity and can quickly shift to go after it. Bad luck is what happens when your first idea doesn’t work. It doesn’t mean failure; it means you need to pursue plan B.

Rule #5: Maintain flexible persistence.

Very often entrepreneurs are given conflicting advice: “Be persistent! Stay committed to your vision!” or “Pivot on key data! Know when to change!” The challenge is to follow them both, but know which advice is most appropriate for which situation. You must know how to maintain flexible persistence.

Rule #6: Launch early enough that you are embarrassed by your first product release.

With my first startup, Socialnet.com, it took us nine months to launch the first product. That was a disastrous mistake. We wanted to have all the detailed functionality right away, including social controls to people could decide to connect or not with the people in their networks. We wanted everyone to “Ooh” and “Aaah” about how terrific the product was. We wasted a bunch of time and it put us months behind on more important problems that needed to be solved, such as how to get our product in the hands of millions of people. From that I learned, if you are not embarrassed by your first release, you’ve launched too late!

Rule #7: Aspire, but don’t drink your own Kool-Aid.

Target excellence, but be very careful about blind trust or belief in your theories. It is important to launch as early as you can in order to learn how your customers use your product or service. It is equally important to identify metrics that tell you if your aspirations and vision are on target. You should also get feedback from your network in order to iterate or pivot on the target, the product and/or the service. In other words, maintain your aspiration but always look for good perspective on how you are doing. It is very easy for creative innovators to get caught up in their own story rather than learning where they should be headed.

Rule #8: Having a great product is important but having great product distribution is more important.

I meet a lot of entrepreneurs who think the best product is the most important thing and that the best product should always win. What a lot of people fail to realize is that without great distribution, the product dies. How will you get your product in the hands of millions or hundreds of millions of people?

Rule #9: Pay close attention to culture and hires from the very beginning.

Your first hires set your culture, so make them good ones. These first people hire the next people and so on. The old wisdom was that you needed people with a decade more of experience in your start-up. The things a smart person learned a decade ago won’t help you now – you’re doing things that have never been done before, and the world and the competitive landscape are changing at hyper speeds. What you really need are people who can learn fast.

Rule #10: Rules of entrepreneurship are guidelines, not laws of nature.

Do not pay too much attention to rules set by other people. Entrepreneurs are inventors. They are successful when they make something work for the very first time. Sometimes in order to make something work, you will drive over the guardrail of one of these rules. Entrepreneurs sometimes just make new rules.

Bonus: Musicians@Google Presents: Google Goes Gaga

I’d like to say happy birthday to an old friend – although when I say “old” we’ve only known each other for four years. During that time, the way I run my working life and communicate with friends, contacts, family and the wider world has been transformed. I’m talking about Twitter, which was born five years ago today.

2006: Jack Dorsey sends the world’s first (non-automated) tweet:

The message was cryptic. Two words. No context, no punctuation, just: "inviting coworkers"

But that short statement proved to be enough to launch a global phenomenon that has launched careers, reunited long-lost relatives, and even, some would argue, topple dictators.

It was the first tweet.

The name Twitter was inspired by Flickr, a photo-sharing service. Other names considered: FriendStalker and Dodgeball.

The dictionary definition of twitter is “a short burst of inconsequential information.”

A perfect name, said @Jack because “that’s exactly what the product was.”

Since March 21, 2006, Twitter users now send more than 140 million Tweets a day which adds up to a billion Tweets every 8 days—by comparison, it took 3 years, 2 months, and 1 day to reach the first billion Tweets. While it took about 18 months to sign up the first 500,000 accounts, we now see close to 500,000 accounts created every day.

Now twitter has become an endlessly flowing river of news, opinion, information, expertise, contacts, data, links, connections. You can not only find out what is happening, but connect to the people you’re trying to reach more directly.

What’s far more eminent however is not everything Twitter’s attained to date, its promise and legacy lies in all that it has yet to fulfill. Not only will it continue to change how we discover and interact, Twitter will continue to shape culture, the nature of relationships, and also further democratize business and media to revolve around the EGOsystem. The global real-time water cooler is changing the dynamics of media and “we the people” are now becoming part of the story. Perhaps where we will see Twitter’s greatest impact is in the cooperation between societies and governments. Any network that can bring an audience to an impassioned voice on demand will overpower any organization’s attempt to suppress it. Twitter’s inherent ability to unite voices, engender empathy and trigger action is nothing short of #revolutionary.

Top 10 Tweets ofthe Past 5 Years

Over the past five years, single tweets have led to marriage and divorce, fame and notoriety, revolution and rebuilding — here are 10 of our favorites.

1. @Jack: inviting coworkers

It was the tweet that launched a social media revolution. According to Twitter, this is the first official tweet sent out by the company’s co-founder Jack Dorsey on March 21, 2006.

2. @barack obama: We just made history. All of this happened because you gave your time, talent and passion. All of this happened because of you. Thanks

Posted by President Barack Obama (or the individual who manages his Twitter account), immediately after his 2008 victory,this tweet speaks to the role of social media in that presidential election. Through Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Youtube and other new media, Obama and his party rallied young people across the country. Since the election, Obama’s White House has continued to use social media to reach citizens directly.

3. @jkrums: http://twitpic.com/135xa – There’s a plane in the Hudson. I’m on the ferry going to pick up the people. Crazy.

When Janis Krums of Sarasota, Fla., posted this tweet and picture, in January 2009, of the U.S. Airways jet landing in New York’s Hudson River, he didn’t just capture the so-called "Miracle on the Hudson," he caught the attention of the media. The iconic image was among the very first pictures of the event seen by the public and reinforced the role of citizen journalism and Twitter’s growing influence.

4. @aplusk: "Victory is ours!!!!!!!!"

Maybe it took Charlie Sheen only 24 hours to attract 1 million followers on Twitter, but back in 2009, Twitter followers weren’t so easy to come by. It took actor Ashton Kutcher more than three months to reach 1 million follwers and he was the first Twitter user to reach that milestone. In the lead-up to his first million followers, the media and Twitterati buzzed about the "race" between Kutcher and CNN (his closest rival). This is the tweet Kutcher posted when he crossed the million-follower mark.

5. #iranelection

It was the revolution that wasn’t just televised, but tweeted, too. In June 2009, the violence in Iranfollowing the election was tweeted, blogged, streamed and posted on countless websites despite government censorship attempts. According to Twitter, #iranelection was the top trending news topic in 2009.

6. @Astro_TJ: Hello Twitterverse! We r now LIVE tweeting from the International Space Station — the 1st live tweet from Space! 🙂 More soon, send your ?s

In January 2010, Twitter officially went extraterrestrial. This tweet, made by NASA flight engineer T.J. Creamer from the International Space Station, was the real-time tweet sent from space.

7. @conanobrieng: Today I interviewed a squirrel in my backyard and then threw to commercial. Somebody help me.

After comedian Conan O’Brien lost the so-called late night wars and his position as the host of NBC’s "The Tonight Show," in February 2010, he took to Twitter to reach his fans. This was his very first tweet. O’Brien’s account quickly exploded with followers, but his wasn’t the only online profile Twitter helped boost. O’Brien famously follows just one person on Twitter, Sarah Slowik (@lovelybutton), who now has more than 42,000 followers herself.

8. @BPGlobalPR: Catastrophe is a strong word, let’s all agree to call it a whoopsie daisy.

In the aftermath of last year’s devastating oil spill in the gulf, thisfake Twitter account mocking BP’s public relations team took the Internet by storm. The parody account swiftly gained a following on Twitter with its satirical take on clean-up efforts in the gulf. This tweet was considered one of the year’s most powerful tweets by Twitter, in its 2010 "Year in Review" report. It was this account, not the official BP Twitter account, "that defined the discussion–spoofing the company’s attempts to improve its public image," Twitter said.

9. @sh*tmydadsays: Don’t focus on the one guy who hates you. You don’t go to the park and set your picnic down next to the only pile of dog sh*t.

By tweeting just one of his father’s crass comments a day, Justin Halperin, a one-time struggling L.A. writer, has attracted more than 2 million followers, published a best-selling book and launched a television series. This tweet was the most re-tweeted comment of 2010, according to Twitter.

10. @nadiralamrad: @speak2tweet http://bit.ly/f6AGsC "Phone lines are being cut in the city centre…I can’t reach friends there." #Cairo #Egypt #Jan25 #Tahrir

As with Iran, Twitter helped Egyptian opposition members reach one another and the world. As uprisings spread across the Mideast this year, Twitter and social media played a crucial role in helping people communicate despite attempts at government censorship. When people lost access to the Internet, engineers from Twitter, Google and Say Now worked together to launch Speak2Tweet — a way for people to send recorded messages via tweets. This was one of the very first messages in which a Twitter user translated a Speak2Tweet message to English and shared it with the world.

Why I love Twitter?

Twitter is a fantastic platform for open yet meaningful communication. It’s a great place to speak and an even better place to listen to what others have to say. Surely, it’s not as glamorous as Facebook, but then that doesn’t undermine its value in anyway.

Whether it’s news, marketing, communication or supporting the human cause, Twitter does justice to one and all.

Ottawa Citizen mentions “At five years old, Twitter is still a child full of promise and dreams of changing the world for the better.” and I couldn’t agree more on that. There’s no denying the last five years have been fun. At the same time, I firmly believe the best of Twitter is yet to come.

Please join me in wishing Twitter a Happy 5^th Birthday! Do you love Twitter? If so, why? Please share your opinion by leaving a comment below this post.

Source: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Found this amazing picture of my grandfather.

I surrender

Written by Joshua Knode

Star trek is one of the biggest cultural phenomenons in the history of mass media. There are a lot of people who know a lot about Star Trek, but they often know less than they think. In a series spanning ten movies, a half dozen television series, not to mention comic books, video games and novels, a lot of perfectly fascinating bits of trivia get overlooked, and many intriguing mysteries crop up.

10.
Set Phasers to Rock

There are a number of bands that dedicate themselves to a certain theme or fiction. Metallica wrote a number of songs using H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos, Blind Guardian is well known for writing within the fiction of the Lord of the Rings, and California Punk band “No Kill I” is well known for writing songs exclusively about Star Trek. Drawing their name from a line in the original Series episode “The Devil in the Dark”, the band has been playing local venues in and around Sacramento California for years, though the band describes their own performances as “On-stage drinking contests” That “Ultimately descend into chaos”. Surprisingly, No Kill I is not the only star trek themed band. There is also No Kill I: the Next Generation, Warp 11, William Shatner’s Pants, The Romulans and Klingon-speaking death metal band: Stovokor.

9.
The Slaver Weapon

One Particular episode of the Star Trek animated series “The Slaver Weapon” had a lot of Star Trek fans scratching their heads. The episode, dealing with Spock, Sulu and Uhura trying to keep a powerful ancient weapon from a cat-like race called the “Kzinti” it was entertaining enough, but it just didn’t feel like Star Trek. The Story was surprisingly sophisticated for a kid’s show, and included many elements that typically were not explored in Star Trek (Billion year old lost Technology, strange non-humanoid aliens, an adventure on a moon without an atmosphere) and several things that seemed somewhat out of character for the Star Trek Gang, such as Spock (a Pacifist) drop-kicking the bad guy and breaking several of his ribs. The reason the show was so different is simple: When asked to write an episode for the Animated Star Trek, popular Sci-fi author Larry Niven decided to adapt his classic short story “The Soft Weapon” into an episode, instead of writing something from scratch. Explaining why Niven’s favorite villains, the Kzinti, were now a race in Star Trek. Despite it being a bit strange for a Star Trek episode, “The Slaver Weapon” is a fan favorite.

8.
Khan’s Plastic Chest

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is considered by many fans one of the best star trek films ever made. Since it is the most popular Star Trek film it is perhaps the most abound with rumors. After it’s release the main way to watch the movie was on grainy VHS, where villainous lead Khan’s muscular chest looked a bit too shiny to be real. This spawned the rumor that actor Ricardo Montalban used a plastic chest appliance under his shirt. For years, this myth was a popular myth among fans, even being referenced in the Animaniacs “Star Truck” parody. However, when the movie was remastered many began to doubt the rumor, the clearer picture showed a more natural looking chest. Now it’s known that there was no “Plastic chest” just 100% Khan. Montalban is a “Very large and muscular man” according to a statement by “Wrath of Khan” director, Nicholas Meyer. When asked on the Johnny Carson show how he got such a physique at age 63, Montalban replied “Push-ups, lots of Push-ups”

7.
Star Trek In Japan

Japan is a country that loves science fiction and fantasy programing, their television staple includes few shows without some fantasy element. Star trek: the Next Generation aired there soon after it’s release in America, and was quite popular. However, the original series (Re-broadcast in Japan around the 1970s) had fairly poor ratings, and it lasted only a few weeks on the air. With the Popularity of “The Next Generation” in Japan mounting, Paramount encouraged Nippon TV to try the original series again, but it was still wildly unpopular. The reason? An article in Geek Magazine revealed that many young Japanese Trekkies, unfamiliar with the original series, dismissed it as a poorly done copy of The Next Generation! An old rumor in the Trek fandom states that, in Japan, the original series was called “The Adventures of Captain Sulu” This is, of course, false.

6.
Season Four

As most Trek fans are aware, the original series didn’t get past season three, but there were plans for a fourth season. A couple of these ideas were revealed in an interview with Gene Roddenberry in “The making of Star Trek” A book originally published during the show’s first run. Roddenberry admitted he planned on including Leonard McCoy’s Daughter as a new crew member, and that there would be tension between him and Kirk who would be very attracted to McCoy’s daughter. He also stated that Spock would begin wearing a “Medallion of Vulcan origin” that would put him at odds with sticklers of regulation, since the Medallion would not be proper uniform. This latter idea was recycled for Lt. Worf on The Next Generation, who had special permission from Starfleet to wear a Klingon sash with his uniform. McCoy’s daughter was only mentioned once, on an episode of the animated series.

5.
Star Trek: Phase two

There’s no doubt that Star Trek fans are some of the most dedicated in the world, and sometimes this fan dedication reaches amazing levels. None is more evident than a group of fans who got together in southern California to produce new Episodes of the original series. The Cast and crew of “Star Trek: Phase two” pay for props, film and costumes our of their own pockets, knowing that they can’t make a dime on their hard work due to copyright issues. The quality of the production has attracted actual star Trek alumni like Walter Konig, George Tekai, Grace Lee Whitney and Denise Crosby not just to cameo in the series, but play large roles. One episode is even written by famous Star trek Writer D.C. Fontana! Work on the sets were so accurate, the television show “Star Trek: Enterprise” used a few set pieces for their own show. Oddly enough the director of the show, James Cawley, who also plays Kirk, is an Elvis impersonator by trade.

4.
Gargoyles

In 1994, comic book writer Greg Weisman got his big break, creating the show “Gargoyles” for the Disney afternoon lineup. The show went on to the highest rated animated show Disney ever produced. Due to circumstances only known to the entertainment world, the show features a bizarre number of actors and actresses that were veterans of Star Trek. Jonathan Frakes, Marina Cirtis, Colm Meaney, Michael Dorn, Kate Mulgrew, Bret Spiner, Nichelle Nichols, David Warner and Avery Brooks all appeared. There are many rumors as to why this is true, some say Greg Weisman is a Trek fan, other say Jonathan Frakes (who was cast first as the shows main protagonist, David Xanatos) loved voice acting so much he encouraged other Trek alumni to give it a try. Some say it was an experiment/running gag by the producers to see how many Trek actors could be crammed into the show before anyone noticing the trend, but none of these have been substantiated. Greg Weisman always feigns ignorance when asked why so many Star Trek alumni are on the show, and Jonathan Frakes simply commented “It just kinda turned out that way,” There are a number of other trek-related jokes on the show, including one episode where a suspected alien is taunted by a character saying “Oh yeah? You and what Starfleet?”

3. Deep Space Nine’s business district

The set for Deep Space Nine’s promenade (the Space station’s commercial district) is one of the largest television sets ever built, and has perhaps one of the largest collection of geeky in-jokes of any set in history. The promenade’s directory has a large list of the stations businesses and operations centers In English, Klingonese, Vulcan, Ferengi, Cardassian and Bajoran. In English, some businesses reference other science fiction series, such as The Forbin Project (Colossus: The Forbin Project) Jupiter Mining Corp (Red Dwarf) Spacely Sprockets (The Jetsons) Millyways (Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy) and the much more obscure Banzai Institute (From cult sci-fi classic “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai”) and Tom Servo’s used robots (From late night cable show Mystery Science Theater 3000) There’s also references to real life establishments, “Pancho’s Happy bottom riding club”, a California bar Air Force test pilots frequented, and “Vince’s Gym” a gym on Ventura boulevard in Studio City, California, known for it’s famous clientele. Set Dresser Michael Ochuda is notorious for his screen readouts including geeky background jokes.

2.
Star Trek’s greatest Mystery

A good 40 years since the original broadcast of Star Trek, and there still is no clear answer to the big question: Is Shatner’s quaff of hair real or store bought? Accounts notoriously conflict, some co-stars say he had hair and went bald after the series was filmed, other say Shatner wore a hair weave due to having naturally thin hair that looks bad under stage lights. Star Trek Co-star George Tekei claimed in a radio interview that Shatner was balding since the beginning, but Make-up artist Fred Phillips describes using a bald cap on Shatner in an episode where Captain Kirk had to age rapidly. There have been many hoaxes dealing with this mystery, including boatloads of photoshopped images popping up on the internet, and an e-bay auction that claimed to be selling Shatner’s old toupee. There’s even a blog dedicated to solving this mystery here. Is he really bald, and if so, how bald and how long has he been bald? William Shatner, himself, is possibly the only man alive who knows the answer to all these questions, and he’s not talking.

1. Uhura and Martin Luther King Jr

These days television and movies go to great lengths to show how perse and racially sensitive they are, with casts becoming cultural rainbows of every race, religion, sexual orientation and political persuasion. However, in the 1960?s the world was just getting over crude racial stereotypes like Charlie Chan and the Frito Bandito. When African American actress Nichelle Nichols was cast in Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry said he did it because he wanted the Enterprise to include people from every nationality, not realizing how radical it was to depict a black woman as an equal on 60?s television. Nichols said she enjoyed the job, but thought television was a little tedious and was thinking of leaving the show. Nichols recollects that during a promotional trip to Memphis, an assistant told her that a fan wanted to meet her. Expecting to meet another doting young man, she was surprised to meet Martin Luther King Jr. She confided in the Revered that she was thinking of leaving the show, and was taken aback when he abruptly told her she could not. He told her “Don’t you understand? When you are there they see you as you should be seen, as an equal,”. Needless to say, she didn’t leave the show, and Star Trek took a bold step forward for persity.

Bonus: I made this video of movie titles said in movies. I hope you like it. It took forevvvver

Collected by Aquil Akhter

We’ve all become aware of how important advertisements can be to help put any company’s message across. Many ads contain a lot of content as well as colour even though this is nota must. In fact, a simple ad can also do wonders — given that it carries a particular strong message. Take a look at these ads and share with us your opinions on minimalist designs!

Feel free to pass by our recent collection on more effective ads to boost your inspiration.

Minimalist Print Ads

CNN: Net – This minimalist ad illustrates CNN’s strong network saying that there is no story that can escape from the CNN network:

Dig2go Glasses – This uniquely designed ad for Dig2go audiobooks suggests that Dig2go audiobooks allow listeners to read with their ears:

Black Ribbon R.I.P. Michael Jackson – A wonderful example of a minimalist ad by MTV that represents the legendary singer Michael Jackson’s legs through a ribbon:

Olay: The ‘Undo’ Effect – This ad brings to mind that Olay skin products can ‘undo’ the effects of aging. Creative use of Ctrl + Z:

LA Bicycle: Folding bike – A folded sheet of white paper is a symbol of the simplicity of collapsing and constructing the cycling machine. A great example of minimal simplicity:

Stairs : Parents Say / Children Do – A simple and creative use of colors and composition that embodies a health care plan for children:

Columbia: Shades – The Prolam Y&R Santiago advertising agency has creatively illustrated this minimalist ad of titled shades for Columbia’s clothing and footwear:

ATM: Connecting the City – This creative ad clearly represents the concept of ATMs being capable of ‘connecting the city’ with the help of a puzzle:

Lego: Tank – This minimalist ad shows that real objects can be created by LEGO toys by showing a shadow of a tank:

CNN Turk: Lightning – This creative piece of advertisement shows that 99% of the weather reports by CNN are accurate:

Micro 16 GB USB Flash Drive – This visually alluring minimalist ad suggests that a relatively large amount of data can be stored in a SanDisk Flash Drive:

Subaru Impreza STI: Scars – A truly unique concept for a car ad that does not feature the vehicle itself, rather just shows the stitched-up road that has been apparently damaged by the ‘unkind’ wheels of the Subaru Impreza:

Assault in Israel: Two Seconds to Spot – The excellent use of negative spacing demonstrates the hand of a criminal holding the neck of a girl:

Canon: There’s More Under Water – Simple and effective use of color palettes and the shape of a whale represent that there is more to see under water:

FedEx: Statue of Sugarloaf – Another great concept portrayed with the help of minimum elements. This ad features two statues colored with the FedEx purple and orange colors:

Nestlé Kit Kat: Vuvuzela – The controversial horn used in the FIFA World Cup 2010 has been featured in this ad — communicating the concept ‘Break a vuvuzela, have a Kit Kat’:

CNN International – A simple and easy way to relate CNN’s concept to get a story behind a story:

Garden Cafe: Opening – Opening of Garden Cafe is being represented in this ad with a handle of a mug:

MasterCard Canada: Darkness – This darkness ad was served up to the hungover masses in morning papers on New Year’s Day:

McDonald’s: Medium – The menu in McDonalds in Israel has changed to less calories and fat and so the M represents a healthy diet:

Levis Slim Jeans – This minimalist ad signifies that Levis Jeans simply cannot get any slimmer:

BMW – This BMW ad is quite clever in having swapped the ‘M’ and ‘W’ to convey the message efficiently:

Tzomet Sfarim Bookstore: Faceabook – This ad signifies the importance of reading a book and encourages people to disconnect from Facebook and the internet overall:

Volkswagen Snow Tires: Crystal – This minimalist ad represents that Volkswagen’s snow tires have significantly improved their grip in winter:

Orbits: Small – A straightforward ad for a device that shows you can start your car from a distance:

95% Advertising Academy: D&AD – A cool iceberg aesthetic is used in this visually pleasing design:

Smoke it Outside – This ad highlights the restriction of smoking inside pubs, clubs and restaurants from the 1st of July 2007:

Listerine: Ashtray – With the minimal usage of elements this ad successfully portrays the message of the product:

Zoo Bucuresti – This ad promotes love for the Bucharest Zoo by portraying a lipstick kiss with a bear’s muzzle:

Bosch Electric Screwdriver: The Fly – This ad represents that Bosch cordless drills are pretty much faster than you think:

Listerine: Fish – Listerine’s breath-freshening effects are being reflected by this speech bubble design:

Jeep: Bushman & Eskimo – This minimal ad represents that the 4×4 is appropriate for adventures at all ends of the Earth:

WWF: Shark – This WWF ad illustrates a game of fish and food to represent how important it is to consider the dying out of certain species:

Coca-Cola Light Lemon: Lemon Peel – Another simple yet creative minimalist ad that only uses a twisted lemon peel forming the characteristic shape of Coca-Cola’s standard typeface against the plain background:

3M Scotch Brite – Although the message of this ad is a bit ambiguous, the design is simply minimal and fun to look at:

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Bonus: This is the first known photograph ever taken of a surfer. Hawaii, 1890.

Written by JULIE MILLER

Nearly fifty years after the tragic murder of Sam Cooke — the “King of Soul,” whose musical contributions and Civil Rights successes continue to inspire todat — it looks like Hollywood is just one step closer to adapting his story into a biopic. This hesitant pace — when it comes to one of the greatest soul singers of all time — begs the question: “What the hell does it take to get a biopic made these days?” 25 answers to this all-important question lie ahead.

1. Kick your crack cocaine addiction and coach your half-brother to a welter-weight title.

2. Try life as a brilliant Austrian composer who is rich in fame but poor in finances. (Alternative: Become an Austrian composer who is bitterly jealous of former famous composer.)

3. Become the Queen of England.

4. Adopt a speech impediment and become the King of England.

5. Try being an eternally optimistic, cross-dressing film director who surrounds himself with strange characters.

6. Become a sadomasochistic middleweight boxer with mafia connections, rage issues and a habit of quoting Brando.

7. Research and write the tale of two lowlife criminals who savagely killed an entire family in Kansas.

8. Lead the tribes of Arabia against the Turks in World War II.

9. Time travel back to the ’70s and become an openly gay politician in San Francisco.

10. Find a job as a chemical technician and attempt to expose your employing nuclear plant’s many safety violations.

11. Invest in a push-up bra and win a $333 million class action settlement.

12. Adopt a morphine addiction and become the most popular French singer of the 20th century.

13. Succumb to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and transform into a reclusive aviation pioneer/film producer.

14. Go undercover as a New York City cop who tries to take on his own police department.

15. Lead India’s independence movement.

16. Find work as a brave 13th century Scottish knight during the First War of Scottish Independence.

17. Get a gig as a minimum-wage cotton mill worker who fights for unionization.

18. Degrade women (who want to be degraded) on your radio show and give yourself the title of “King of All Media.”

19. Resign from your U.S. presidency after Watergate.

20. Become a nun and help a difficult death row prisoner find inner peace.

21. Experiment with postmodernist/neo-expressionist art and become friends with Andy Warhol.

22. Try life as an eccentric-but-successful U.S. general in World War II.

23. Infiltrate a mafia family as an FBI agent.

24. Establish yourself as the most influential personality of the silent-film era.

25. Sing country music.

Bonus: World’s Greatest Extra