US Culture of the 1950s

The '50s were an eventful decade in American cultural history.

Arts
African American artists like Romare Bearden and Henry Clay Anderson presented a different view of American life. Abstract expressionism was the first American art movement to gain worldwide influence. Its proponents included Barnett Newman, Franz Kline and Clyfford Still. Figurative art returned.

Literature
Published works included ‘The Wall’ by John Hershey, ‘East of Eden’ by John Steinbeck, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D.Salinger and ‘The Naked Lunch’ by Williams Burroughs. Beatniks and the beat generation reached their peak in the '50s.

Television
Sales of television sets increased dramatically in the '50s. Watching television became a national pastime. It became more popular than radio. Advertising increased manifold. Broadcasts that were earlier in black and white, later moved on to color. TV influenced people on a massive scale. The popular television shows for kids were ‘Mickey Mouse Club’, ‘Walt Disney’, ‘Lassie and ‘Howdy Doody Time’. The popular comedy shows were ‘The Families of the Fifties’, ‘I Love Lucy’ and ‘The Honeymooners’. The popular drama shows were ‘Private Everywhere’, ‘Superman’, ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Dragnet’. ‘American Bandstand’ hosted by Dick Clark was one of the popular shows for teenagers. Sitcoms were introduced in the '50s. News broadcasting changed from newsreaders simply reading the news to videos of news events. Live broadcasting became more common. There were Quiz shows like ‘What’s My Line’ and ‘The Price is Right’. There were prominent newscasters like CBS’s Walter Cronkite and NBC’s David Brinkley and Chet Huntley. For the first time the Miss America Pageant was televised.

Films
The first 3-D movie 'Bwana Devil' was released starring Robert Stack. The famous movie stars of the '50s were Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne and Bing Crosby. The movie ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ was extremely popular and well received. The Walt Disney Studios had a widespread success with animated films like ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Lady and the Tramp’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Cinderella. ‘All About Eve’ was released. James Dean, movie star of ‘Rebel without a Cause’ was killed while driving his car at high speed. Classics like ‘Ben-Hur’, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Hercules’ and ‘The Ten Commandments’ were released. Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ was released. Many movies were released with the Cold war as a backdrop or were based on science fiction.

Music
Rock ‘n' Roll was introduced. It was regarded as a threat to the character of America’s youth. Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed coined the term ‘Rock ‘n' Roll’. Western and Country music were also popular. Popular artists and groups were Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and the Comets, Doris Day and Dean Martin. Some of the popular songs of the '50s were ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘I Saw Mommy Kissin’ Santa Claus’, ‘Mr Sandman’, ‘Its All in the Game’, ‘Kisses Sweeter Than Wine’, ‘Doggie in the Window’ and ‘My Happiness’. Elvis Presley was the musical superstar of the 50’s. It is claimed that Elvis bought the races together with his popularizing of ‘black’ music. With the introduction of new gadgets such as portable tape recorders, music could be heard in any location. Three rock and roll stars ‘Big Bopper’ Richardson, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash. Crooners like Perry Como and Dinah shore were popular. The music of the '50s is still played today.

Drama and Theatre
Popular plays were ‘Come Back Little Sheeba’, ‘The King and I’, ‘Waiting for Godot’, ‘The Crucible’ and ‘the Bad Seed’. The ‘Cat on a hot Tin Roof’ won the Pulitzer Prize.
‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ was one of the most emotionally charged plays of the '50s. Alvin Ailey created the American Dance Theatre.

Fashion
The fashion was conservative in the fifties. Ponytails were popular among girls and crew cuts for guys. Bermuda shorts became popular. The Marlon Brando movie ‘The Wild One’ made T-shirts and black leather motorcycle jackets popular. Women’s skirts and hair became shorter. Marilyn Monroe made tight, v-neck sweaters popular. Pantyhose were introduced in the American market.

The '50s saw an emergence of several new trends. It was indeed a novel and exciting time for American culture. Some of its facets still exist in modern society.

Most Popular Sport in America

Disclaimer: The mention of the most popular sport in America is not based on the personal choice of the writer.

What's the most popular sport in America? Is it baseball, ice hockey, basketball, or American football? Although they are the some of the most popular sports in America, only one can claim the throne. Don't you agree? I mean when you say 'the most', it's a given that you are searching for the top choice.

Various Popular Sports Played in America

Ice hockey, basketball, and football (including American football) are all team sports which are greatly admired and watched all over the country. They gain massive media coverage and generate huge amounts of revenue. However, there is one sport (I am sure you know which one I'm talking about) that literally takes the cake: American Football.

Although most of you may wish to consider baseball to be the leading sport, it however, is considered as America's national pastime. It definitely holds a huge part in the American culture, but is certainly not the most popular sport. And to add in the argument about ice hockey and basketball, both well-renowned and widespread, again, counting them as one of the most popular sports in America, doubtful.

Now that we have pretty much eliminated the other contenders, it is but obvious that the crown goes to American football; also included in the top 10 sports in the world. But don't get me wrong here. Every sport has its own set of fans who are always ready to defend its 'honor' and pledge their lives to that sport. But it will be safe for me to say that American football is the leading contender.

Most Popular Sport in America - American Football

American football is definitely not the same as soccer. If you are a diehard fan of sports and keep a thorough knowledge about sports played in the United States and around the world, then you know what the differences between the two sports are. Growing up, my father was (actually he still is) a huge fan of sports. Be it cricket, baseball, basketball, soccer, or tennis, he has to watch and keep himself updated about the latest matches, games, and news. And that is why, when he used to watch all the games, I sort of found out the first differentiation between soccer and American football: the shape of the ball. If you want to read more about these two sports, then go to the article football vs soccer for further information.

Moving on, we did find out which is the most popular sport in America, but still haven't discussed on the why part. Well, here they are:

    * The biggest reason of them all, according to Nielsen Co., was the '2010 Super Bowl XLIV between New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts that had about 106.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched program in U.S. television history.'
    * People like to gamble, place their bets on the games.
    * 32 NFL teams and 16 regular games in a 17-week span is quite entertaining. Plus the fact that your Sundays afternoons are covered; now who can beat that.
    * Another awesome reason - Monday Night Football; need I say more?
    * You get the traditional Thanksgiving Day Classic game between Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions that is a must watch.
    * Generates a lot of revenue (advertisements during Super Bowl and regular seasons).
    * The sport can be watched in person and on television. Whereas, in baseball, it's much more enjoyed if watched in person.
    * A lot of physical contact in the game; athletes getting jumped on is great to witness any day.

Now that you know what is one of the most popular sports in America, you might also be interested in reading about the most popular sports in the world. If you look at the sporting enterprise as a whole, the National Football League ranks as the most popular in the country as it attains a huge attention from everyone. If you feel that claiming American football to be the most popular sport in America could be debatable, then do leave us a comment below and bring attention to your viewpoint.

Safest Cities in America

America is the most powerful nation in the world. It's not only renowned for wealth, power and vanity, but is also touted as the best educational hub. People who have migrated to the U.S. or are permanent residents of the U.S. are exposed to best form of education. The economy has created huge job opportunities and it's the perfect place to earn money and settle down. Nevertheless, being the most powerful nation, United States of America is not free from crimes. In fact, no country, state or city is devoid of crimes. Therefore, knowing the safest cities in America is important for your knowledge when you have planned to settle down in America.

Safest Cities in America 2010

Big cities are mostly related to high crime rates in America. The examples of such cities are Los Angeles, Boston and New York. On the contrary, cities with high crime rates could also be the safest place to live in (in this context you might also read about America's most dangerous cities). Thus, we cannot generalize anything. The safest neighborhood in the U.S situated in the biggest cities are mentioned below.

    * New York, N.Y.
      Safest Territory - 5th Avenue, New York U Institute of Fine Arts
    * Los Angeles, California
      Safest Territory - Tampa Avenue and Sesnon Boulevard
    * Houston, Texan
      Safest Territory - Westheimer Road, Route 6
    * Phoenix, Arizona
      Safest Territory - Parkview Estates
    * Detroit, Michigian
      Safest Territory - Casino Way, The Strand
    * San Jose, California
      Safest Territory - Raymond Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard
    * Jacksonville, Florida
      Safest Territory - Ortega Forest
    * Indianapolis, Ind
      Safest Territory - William Creek and Meridian Hills

List of America's Safest Cities

America's spectacular tourist destinations attract millions of people all round the year. But what about the safety concern? Which cities are safe to spend hassle free vacations? Well, crime is a part of every city but still there are certain locations that are absolutely safe to reside or visit. Sorting out the safest places from the huge number of cities is indeed a difficult task. Still, I make an effort. Check out the list of safest cities in the USA from the list mentioned below. Some of these places are the best cities to live in the US.

    * Norwood, Pennsylvania
    * Southport, New York
    * Rockport, Massachusetts
    * Pell City, Alabama
    * Harvard, Massachusetts
    * Bedford, Massachusetts
    * Plattekill, New York
    * Eliot, Maine
    * Chester, New York
    * Holliston, Massachusetts
    * Highlands, New York
    * Easton, Connecticut
    * Elmira, New York
    * Medway, Massachusetts
    * Duxbury, Massachusetts
    * Dunmore, Pennsylvania
    * Cumberland, Maine
    * Old Tappan, New Jersey
    * North Reading, Massachusetts
    * Frankfort, New York
    * Franklin, Massachusetts
    * Southborough, Massachusetts
    * Ridgefield, Connecticut
    * Stow, Massachusetts
    * Northville, Michigan
    * Medfield, Massachusetts
    * Hopkinton, New Hampshire
    * Lincoln, Massachusetts
    * Westford, Massachusetts
    * Batesville, Indiana
    * Corcoran, Minnesota
    * New Canaan, Connecticut
    * Lenox, Massachusetts
    * Laguna Woods, California
    * Whitehall, Pennsylvania
    * Louisville, Ohio
    * Wrentham, Massachusetts
    * Rowley, Massachusetts
    * Salem, Ohio
    * Winfield, Illinois
    * Norfolk, Massachusetts
    * Reading, Massachusetts
    * Topsfield, Massachusetts
    * Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
    * Bellbrook, Ohio
    * Holly, Michigan
    * North Caldwell, New Jersey
    * Weston, Connecticut
    * Glen Rock, New Jersey
    * Bethel, Connecticut
    * Powell, Ohio
    * Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
    * Georgetown, Massachusetts
    * Huntington Woods, Michigan
    * Hillsdale, New Jersey
    * Clay, New York
    * Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey
    * Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio
    * Ocean Pines, Maryland
    * Houghton, Michigan
    * Allendale, New Jersey
    * North Andover, Massachusetts
    * Foxborough, Massachusetts
    * Kinnelon, New Jersey
    * Lake Bluff, Illinois
    * Sharon, Massachusetts
    * Madison, Connecticut
    * Midland Park, New Jersey
    * Maywood, New Jersey
    * Glendale, Missouri
    * Bernardsville, New Jersey
    * Avon, Connecticut
    * Kermit, Texas
    * Belmont, Massachusetts
    * East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
    * Inverness, Illinois
    * Lindenhurst, Illinois
    * East Hampton, Connecticut
    * Glocester, Rhode Island
    * Crestwood, Illinois
    * North Branford, Connecticut
    * Boxford, Massachusetts
    * Salem, Indiana
    * Elkhorn, Nebraska
    * Bridgewater, Virginia
    * Maynard, Massachusetts
    * Waunakee, Wisconsin
    * Chardon, Ohio
    * Syracuse, Utah
    * Spotswood, New Jersey
    * Western Springs, Illinois
    * Peachtree City, Georgia
    * Franklin Park, Pennsylvania
    * Seven Hills, Ohio
    * Westwood, Massachusetts
    * Brier, Washington
    * Scituate, Massachusetts
    * Brecksville, Ohio

I hope the aforementioned content has helped you to find out the safest cities in America. Locate them and select a particular area to establish yourself. Also, you might be interested to know about the cheapest place to live in America. Once you have settled in the U.S., wealth and prosperity will automatically roll on.

Tallest Building in US

It's highly unlikely that you will comes across someone who wouldn't be fascinated about the idea of knowing which is the tallest building in the world, where it is located or how tall it actually is. While that would be a global reaction, an American would be more keen on knowing which is the tallest building in America. In the United States of America, Chicago and New York City seem to have become the favorites among construction companies when it comes tor construction of skyscrapers. As many as 8 of the 10 tallest buildings in the United States are located in these two cities. The city of Chicago though, has an edge over New York City - with three of its buildings featuring in the top 5 tallest buildings of America list. What is even more interesting is the fact that Chicago is home to the tallest building in the USA - measuring 442 meters or 1451 ft tall, as of today.

Tallest Building in US: Willis Tower

The distinction of being the current tallest building in the US goes to 'Willis Tower' - more popular as the Sears Tower, located in Chicago city of Illinois. The 108 floor skyscraper measures a whopping 442 m (1451 ft) tall. If the antenna or spire of this skyscraper is taken into consideration, its height shoots up to 527 m (or 1,730 ft.) The Willis Tower has been in limelight since it was constructed back in 1974. What is known as the tallest building in Chicago and the United States today once boasted of being the tallest building in the entire world. The building was constructed over a period of three years from 1970-1973. On its completion in 1974, the Willis Tower became the tallest building in the world - surpassing the World Trade Center (New York City) which was the world's tallest building back then by a decent margin. It continued to be the world's tallest building till 1998, when the Petronas Twin Towers (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) dislodged it for the numero uno position. Even though it is the 7th tallest building in the world as of today, Willis Tower has ruled the top spot for a record 25 years. Initially named the Sears Tower, this skyscraper was renamed the Willis Tower on 16th July, 2009.

List of Tallest Buildings in USA

At 442 m, the Willis Tower is undoubtedly the tallest building in the USA today. At the 100th position in this list of America's tallest buildings we have 4 contenders - the 777 Tower (Los Angeles,) Fullbright Tower (Houston,) One Mellon Center (Pittsburgh) and the Olympia Center (Chicago), each of which is a staggering 221 m tall. This, in turn, means that there are a 100 buildings in the United States as of today which are more than 220 m tall. Given below is a list of top 10 skyscrapers standing tall in various parts of the United States of America today.

Rank	Name of the Building	Location	Height (M)	Height (ft)	Total Floors
1	Willis Tower	Chicago	442	1,451	108
2	Trump International Hotel and Tower	Chicago	423	1,389	98
3	Empire State Building	New York City	381	1,250	102
4	Bank of America Tower	New York City	366	1,200	54
5	Aon Center	Chicago	346	1,136	83
6	John Hancock Center	Chicago	344	1,127	100
7	Chrysler Building	New York City	319	1,046	77
8	New York Times Building	New York City	319	1,046	52
9	Bank of America Plaza	Atlanta	312	1,023	55
10	U.S. Bank Tower	Log Angeles	310	1,018	73

In Comparison With the Tallest Building in the World

Even though United States' tallest, the Willis Tower features at the 7th position in the list of top 10 tallest buildings of the world. At the top of this list is the Burj Khalifa - a recently completed sky scraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which is a staggering 828 m tall. Interestingly, Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world at 828 m (or 2,717 ft) is almost twice as tall as the Willis Tower - the tallest building in the United States. The Taipei 101 (508 m), Shanghai World Financial Center (492 m), International Commerce Center (484 m), Petronas Twin Towers (452 m), and the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center (450 m) are the other five marvels of architecture which are enlisted in the top 10 tallest skyscrapers of the world above the Willis Tower.

That was significant bit of information on the tallest building in the US - Willis Tower, along with a list of the ten tallest buildings in the United States of America. Lastly, there are quite a few skyscrapers lined up for completion in the next few years to come, each of which is expected to measure a whopping 2000 ft on completion. As of today, however, the distinction of being the tallest American building goes to the Willis Tower and that's a fact which you can't afford to ignore.

Most Dangerous Cities in America 2010

Who knew, the land of opportunities would turn into a loam of malfeasances. That's the United States of America for you - where the benighted perils dwarf the glitterati of Hollywood. Where the pitfalls of metropolis jostle away the most lucrative of businesses. Where the sources of thousands of job offerings now stand as hollow shells. Where the most perilous cities rear their ugly heads, winkling crime and immorality. Chances are, you might be dwelling in one of them. Some might just laugh it away, for they believe their city is a heavenly haven. But you know, truth, they say, is a tad difficult to combat. The land of opportunities that embraces the world with arms wide open, is fraught with a gamut of imperfections. Nothing is perfect, or so the saying goes.

All things considered, here I present to you a list of the top ten most dangerous cities in America, 2010. In accordance with the statistics obtained from the year gone by, the most dangerous cities in the United States are ranked on the basis of the number of brutal murders, heart-wrenching rapes and robberies, extortions, and criminal offenses. Take a look, and stop blaspheming the Almighty for doing no good to you. You're still safe and sound, and that's the end of the line.

Most Dangerous Cities in the United States, 2010

Tomorrow's America appears to smother its citizens with political incorrectness, clashing cultures, restrained immigration, conflicting dialects, and barbaric rituals, and nothing but the most dangerous cities in the US outline this fact better. A number of cities have emerged as harbingers for all possible dreadful acts. Considering the same, the following list has been made, and I believe, nothing would be as good a source as Forbes. In order to minimize controversy, enlisted below are those cities that Forbes thinks are America's most perilous cities for people to reside in. Take account of how many states in USA are ranked amongst the top-10 dangerous cities.

Rank	Most Dangerous City in USA	Population	Crime Rate (Per 100,000)
1	Detroit, Michigan	951,272	1220
2	Memphis, Tennessee	650,100	1218
3	Miami, Florida	2,500,625	988
4	Las Vegas, Nevada	1,902,834	887
5	Stockton, California	290,141	885
6	Orlando, Florida	2,082,628	845
7	Little Rock, Arkansas	183,133	831
8	Charleston, South Carolina	124,593	824
9	Nashville, Tennessee	635,710	817
10	Baltimore, Maryland	637,418	791

Note: The above are in accordance with FBI's uniform crime report.

But, the America's most dangerous cities 2010 list doesn't end here. A few cities, even though they don't fetch a place amongst the top 10, deserve a special mention. What follows below is a compiled list of those cities which don't disappoint with their statistics, and stand pat amongst the most dangerous cities in America, 2010. Take a look.

    * Camden, New Jersey
    * St. Louis, Missouri
    * Oakland, California
    * Flint, Michigan
    * New Orleans, Louisiana
    * Birmingham, Alabama
    * Cleveland, Ohio
    * Jackson, Mississippi

An individual eenie-meenie-miney-moes to one city in the United States of America, and lands up there in hope to obtain quick bucks, with dreams unlimited and desires outright. It shouldn't come as a surprise to you if, after a span of five years, you see him having resorted to the most violent of measures, contributing high to the increasing crime rates. What needs to be blasphemed is the effects that the most dangerous cities in America (2010) have on people. Yes, these cities turn extremities into new opportunities. However, one that steals away the innocence of the clean-handed is, in no way, a way to live. And so I conclude.

Worst Cities in America

Factors like unemployment, poverty, and crime are inevitable in American cities with large populations. However, there are some cities which do have a substantial crime rate and unemployment levels, making them America's most dangerous cities. The worst cities in America to live are generally sorted out according to factors such as the crime rate, unemployment, population, traffic, and poverty level. In the following, you will go through a list of few worst cities in America.

List of Worst Cities in America

Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is a city in Michigan, believed to be an automotive center of the country. However, owing to the crime rates, it is considered one of the worst crime cities in America. Adding to the crime rates, unemployment in Detroit is reported to be about 14.3%, and even worse comes the poverty rate at around 26%. Other aspects to consider are freezing temperatures and toxic waste dumps.

Cleveland, Ohio
Though Cleveland is well known for sports and tourism, it is a city with a significant amount of poverty rate. Its poverty rate is considered to be approximately 26.3%, which is about 113% more than the national median poverty rate. Besides, the average per annum earning of a household is only $30,076. This city is also infamous for air pollution levels which are much higher than the national average.

Stockton, California
This is one of the cities in the US which was hard hit by the recently faced economic recession. Its real estate rates have declined sharply and the unemployment rates are also believed to be near 16%. Surprising, the earning per capita is only about $19,500 per year. More to this, the crime rates are also thought of being very high. One reason is because the police officers to resident rates is only 2.2 law enforcement officers for every 1000 residents.

Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is one of the worst cities in America due to a bad weather and also a very high cost of living. The worst part of living in Anchorage is the overall climate which is extremely cold and that too for a really long time. In addition to this bad weather, even the most basic necessities like groceries and food are quite high in cost. This is probably due to the city's remote location and the lack of food storage facilities in extreme winters.

Buffalo, New York
This is one of the poorest cities in the USA, with around 29% of residents living under the poverty line. The average earnings of a household in the city is reported to be about $28,000 per annum. This city is also facing the problem of vacant and abandoned properties per capita. The city is not preferred to live in during winters due to a snowy climate. Due to the rising crime considering poverty, this is one most dangerous city in the United States.

Newark, New Jersey
Newark is also considered one of the worst cities in America. Firstly, the literacy rate in the city is very low; with only about 58% of people completed high school, and just 9% holding a bachelor's degree. Around 28.5% of residents live below the poverty line, with the median income per capita being only about $16,000 and for a household only around $33,500. It also has a bad reputation for an increasing crime rate.

These are some of the worst cities in America; considering primarily the crime rate, employment and median income. Baltimore, Maryland is also one of the most dangerous cities in America due to the drug abuse and crime rate being very high. If you are thinking of the worst traffic cities in America, Riverside in California is one with a high traffic congestion. There are many other cities which are not chosen by people to live in such as Santa Ana and Oakland in California, and Toledo in Ohio.

Most Dangerous Cities in the United States 2010

Every year people look forward to lists of the richest people in the world, the happiest countries in the world, the must visit places. But if you have a love for the slightly morbid, then you would want to take a look at the list of the most dangerous cities in the United States 2010. Well, even if your taste is not so inclined, the fact remains that it always helps to know which are the most dangerous cities in America and which are the cities that are considered largely safe and free from crime. While most of us are familiar with those cities that are safe in our own states, it may be helpful to know which cities are dangerous when you visit another city.

Top Ten Most Dangerous Cities in the United States 2010

Every year, the CQ Press releases a list of the most dangerous cities in the United States. In its seventeenth year, it ranked four hundred different American cities according to how dangerous they were. These cities were ranked in six varied categories, which were murder, assault (aggravated), burglary, rape, robbery, and vehicle theft. One category that was left out was larceny theft, which according to both, criminologists and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is no longer a true indication of crime. According to the rankings in these six different categories, the cities were then ranked as the most dangerous cities in the United States 2010. The list also used the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2009 report on Crime in the United States. Given below is a list of those cities that emerged in the top ten ranks on the list of United States most dangerous cities 2010. The table gives you the rankings of the city in each of the six categories and also the overall ranking for the most dangerous cities.

Most Dangerous Cities in the United States 2010
Name of City	Aggravated Assault	Murder	Rape	Vehicle Theft	Robbery	Burglary	Overall Ranking
St. Louis, Missouri	4	5	32	3	3	16	1
Camden, New Jersey	2	4	1	23	1	78	2
Detroit, Michigan	3	6	151	2	8	9	3
Flint, Michigan	1	10	14	78	18	2	4
Oakland, California	15	14	15	1	5	102	5
Richmond, California	61	3	116	4	45	55	6
Cleveland, Ohio	97	25	9	13	2	7	7
Compton, California	9	7	141	12	17	190	8
Gary, Indiana	196	2	90	16	87	41	9
Birmingham, Alabama	50	12	8	46	21	6	10

The table above gives you a list of the top ten most dangerous cities in America 2010. The other cities that feature in top twenty five most dangerous cities in the United States 2010 are given in the list below.

    * Baltimore, Maryland
    * Memphis, Tennessee
    * New Orleans, Louisiana
    * Jackson, Mississippi
    * Little Rock, Arkansas
    * Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    * Buffalo, New York
    * New Haven, Connecticut
    * Hartford, Connecticut
    * Dayton, Ohio
    * Kansas City, Missouri
    * Washington, District of Columbia
    * Newark, New Jersey
    * Cincinnati, Ohio
    * Atlanta, Georgia

If you compare this year's list of most dangerous cities in the United States 2010 with previous years, you will notice that there have been many significant changes which includes the ranking of St. Louis as the most dangerous city in the United States of America. There has also been a significant increase in the crime rate in Delaware, which has gone from being the seventeenth most dangerous state in the country to the seventh most dangerous state. Included in a list of America's most dangerous cities is not a distinction that any city would be very proud of. In fact, it affects revenue generation in a major way by having a huge impact on tourism. While such lists may often seem like a dig at the problems in the society, the fact remains that without such lists, it can be quite difficult to understand which area is in a major need for improvement.

Highest Crime Rate Cities in US

When we think about the United States of America, there are many things that cross our minds, a few of them being clean and beautiful cities, disciplined infrastructure, glamor, and a world full of opportunities. But just like two sides of a coin, there is evil hiding on every corner of these busy streets as well, in the form of crime. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there is an annual statistics which is conducted to measure the rate of crime in the country. This rate every year shows up to 50% of criminal cases in the United States of America alone and it is believed that this rate is growing day by day. There are many crimes which comprise this record, serious ones such as homicides, assaults, robbery and rapes, as well as minuscule cases like thefts, burglary, arsons, etc. In a country of 50 states, there are criminal cases recorded in each, but there are a few states and cities where the rates are extraordinarily high. A list of these highest crime cities in US are mentioned in the paragraphs below. Take a look.

Most Dangerous Cities in the United States

Among the various states and cities in the US, there are a few cities which are known to be the safest cities to live in. But there are a few others which are known to be the most dangerous cities in America, thus making them very risky to live in. As mentioned above, there is an annual survey that is carried out to record the crime rate in the country. And according to this, there are a few shortlisted cities known to be the highest crime cities in US. In this article, we will read more about the cities which take the first 5 places in this case, so read on and find out where does America's crime come from, mostly!

Detroit, Michigan
The city of Detroit located in the state of Michigan of the United States of America was known to be the sixth highest in violent crimes, according to the 2007 statistics. However, from the most recent surveys conducted by the FBIs uniform crime report, it has managed to bag the first place among the highest crime cities in US. The city's total population is around 950,000 with the highest crime rate of 1220. It is thus known to be the first in the most dangerous cities in the United States.

Memphis, Tennessee
The second to be known as one of America's most dangerous cities, is the city of Memphis, Tennessee. It is said that the crime rate in this city too had reached a low record in 2004, it was seen to be the fourth most dangerous in 2005. Following this, the crime rate in 2010 has observed to reach the second place, with 1218 among the population of 650,100.

Miami, Florida
This is a very popular and crowded city, situated on the Atlantic coast, and harbors a population of about 2,500,000 people. The crime rate recoded in Miami is said to be 988, which puts this city on the third place of the most dangerous cities in America 2010. Well, there sure is a huge party in Miami, but watch out for those muggers!

Las Vegas, Nevada
Well, many take Vegas to be the "sin city", and in reality it sure proves to be one. With a population of around 1,90,000, the crime rate in Las Vegas is found to be 887, which is why it is known to be the fourth one of the highest crime cities in US.

Stockton, California
Even though geographically it is known to be the 13th largest city in the United States, it bags the 5th position in criminal records. Stockton bears a population of around 290,000 and a crime rate of 885, which is quite close to the Vegas statistics.

There are many other cities considered to be the most dangerous cities in the United States 2010, which follow this list, and they are mentioned below in the descending order of their crime rates. Take a look.

    * Orlando, Florida
    * Little Rock, Arkansas
    * Charleston, South Carolina
    * Nashville, Tennessee
    * Baltimore, Maryland
    * Camden, New Jersey
    * St. Louis, Missouri
    * Oakland, California
    * Flint, Michigan
    * New Orleans, Louisiana
    * Birmingham, Alabama
    * Cleveland, Ohio
    * Jackson, Mississippi

With this information about the highest crime cities in US, I am sure you benefited from it. Well, crime is something that can't be uprooted completely from any civil area, but we can fight it with better law systems, and not let these criminals get away unpunished.

Most Livable Cities in US

When a person shifts to a new city either alone or with his or her family, there are certain things that they expect from the city. If you are a family man (or even you are not), will you be able to live in a city where there are no department stores, or proper schools for your kids, no proper working places, no police department or a place where people commit crime even during daytime? I am sure you will think twice before stepping into a city like that. Agreed that there are some cities like that in United States, where people do not feel comfortable staying specially with their families, but on the other hand, there are also some cities which have been voted as the most livable cities in USA. Want to know which are those cities so that you can shift there with your family if you have been planning on shifting? Then just scroll down and you will get your answer.

Most Livable Cities in America

Good schools, good working places, departmental stores for your daily requirements, a police station, a hospital and a fire department, places for children to play, places safe for the old and handicapped, good roads, no crime, places to visit, like the museum or the zoo and so on, are some of the important things that people expect when they shift into a new city. Cities which are successful in providing these provisions are usually termed as the most livable cities. Here is the list of the most livable cities in US. Know more on the best places to live in 2011.

Pittsburgh
The city of Pittsburgh has been voted to be the best place to live in United States. It is the second largest urban area in US and it is the cradle for most of the cultural activities. It has some of the best music halls here like the Heinz Hall and also the Benedum Center. It also has the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the list goes on. Children can enjoy themselves at the Pittsburgh Zoo or the PPG Aquarium or maybe at the National Aviary. This is also the hot spot for several theaters such as the City Theater and also the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theater. Besides being the hotbed for cultural activities, this city is also known for its various Universities and as far as safety is concerned, this city has been voted as the 7th safest city. The cost of living here is quite low compared to the other Northeastern cities in United States. Worried about the natural disasters hitting this place? Well, if it’s of any help, this city has a very low risk of being hit by any kind of natural disasters.

Seattle
Seattle is the next best place to live in United States. It is considered to be the largest city in Pacific Northwest and also Washington. People say that Seattle is the "best place in the world to have a heart attack", what with its famous University of Washington, which is said to be among the top 10 medical research institutes in the country. People staying here, also face no problems regarding the daily requirements such as water and electricity. There are also a large number of schools and Universities in this city.

Philadelphia
The third most livable city in US is Philadelphia. This city is the 5th most populous city in United States. In this city, you will find no problem with transportation and it is also considered a safe city, although criminal activities do take place here (but at a low rate). This is a place where you will find people from all over the world living in peace and harmony. This is also a place rich in cultural activities and coming to health and security facilities, it is pretty impressive.

Washington
Washington, the District or Washington D.C. was founded in the year 1790. It is the capital of the United States and it is also one of the most livable cities in America. Although once this city was referred to as the 'murder capital of USA', the crime rate has gone down drastically making it a safe place for you and your family. This city also has a growing economy where the number of professional and business jobs and opportunities are growing day by day. It has the National Mall and various other cultural architecture which is what makes the city attractive for families wishing to settle down in here. This is also the home for American University, George Washington University and several other famous Universities.

San Francisco
The next in the list of most livable cities in USA is San Francisco. The first image that comes into everyone's mind when you hear San Francisco is of course the Golden Gate and Chinatown. This city is one of the most populous state in the United States and it is also a safe place to stay with your family. With wealth from the IT sector, this city has become the place for higher standard of living. The main disadvantage of this city is that it has a high cost of living, due to which only people from influential background can afford to stay here. But, due to the low crime rate, proper educational facilities and cultural environment, this city has been voted to be safe and livable. Know more on the best cities to live in 2011.

These were some of the most livable cities in US, where you can shift with your family. Of course, being termed as the most safest cities in America does not mean that there are no criminal activities; there are, but at a very low rate. In these cities, you will face no water or power shortage and educational as well as work facilities are good in these cities.

Most Violent Cities in America

When you buy a place for your family in a new city, there are certain things that you should check out for; water facility, proper power supply, proper roads, good educational institutions for your kids, good work places and prospect of future development. Besides these you also need to check out for the crime rate of the city, specially if you are moving in with your family. That is more important than any of the other things mentioned above.

Imagine walking on the streets at night only to be pushed against the wall by some ruffians or held at gun point and then robbed off all your valuables and then being shot and left behind to suffer, or probably a murder or rape taking place in the city nearly every single day. Will you be able to stay in a city where you fear to walk on the streets or where you have to stay cooped up in your own house every night for the fear of being nabbed or threatened or worse..murdered? I guess not. Hence, it's important that you find out and carry out some research specially about the crime rate of any city before you shift in. The list of most violent cities in America will help you find out which cities you have to be aware of while shifting in with your family.

Top Ten Most Violent Cities in America

Violence is common is all the cities of the world; hence finding a place where there is zero violence is something quite impossible. The only thing that makes one city safe and the other violent is the rate of violence. Here are some of the most dangerous cities in America which will help you to learn whether the city you are shifting to or the city you are staying in, is safe or not.

Birmingham, Alabama
The city of Birmingham in Alabama occupies the 10th position in America's most dangerous cities. It is one of the highest crime cities in US. The city ranks 7th when it comes to the highest murder rate and 18th in violent crimes. According to several studies, it has a crime rate of 94 per one thousand residents. It is a city with one of the highest murder rates, when compared to the other cities in America. A beautiful city, but dangerous. The violent crimes often includes rapes, robbery and manslaughter.

Gary, Indiana
Although the city of Gary in Indiana is slowly making progress in reducing crime rates, it still remains to be one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. This city is known for it's dangerous murders compared to other criminal activities. Increase in the use of illegal drugs is one of the main reason for the rise in criminal activities.

Compton, California
Talking about the top 10 most violent cities in America, the next name that comes into our mind is Compton in America. This city is famous for it's gang violence, some of the famous gangs being the Bloods, the Latin Kings and some other famous drug dealers. Introduction of illegal drugs in this city is again the main reason for the increase in crime rate.

Oakland, California
Another city in United States of America to be listed as the most dangerous city is Oakland. This city is known for it's auto theft besides the usual criminal activities like murder and theft. This city has one of the highest crime rates in United States.

New Orleans, Louisiana
The city of New Orleans is another name that comes to our mind while talking about the worst cities in America when it comes to crime and violence. This city takes the first place when it comes to murder and it is not far behind in activities like robbery or theft or rape or car theft.

The next five cities that have been marked as the most violent cities in America are

    * Detroit, Michigan
    * St. Louis, Missouri
    * Richmond, California
    * Flint, Michigan
    * Camden, New Jersey

These were some of the most violent cities in America, cities where people are afraid to step out of their house at night, cities where people have to lock their doors all the time for fear of being robbed. If you are planning to shift to a city whose name has been mentioned in this list, then think again specially if you are shifting with your family. And if you are already staying in one of these cities, then you have to be careful.

Causes of Poverty in America

America is always projected as a world superpower, a developed nation with rich people. Something as downtrodden and unfortunate such as poverty is never associated with America. However, the truth is a far cry from this assumptions and indications. According to a report published by U.S. Census Bureau, there are a whopping 39 million poor people in America. Out of these, 13 million are children. Poverty rate in America often fluctuates between 13 to 17%, and has never seen an improvement in the past 20 years. Causes of poverty in America greatly vary from those in underdeveloped countries. This article focuses on some of the main causes of poverty in America.

What are the Causes of Poverty in America

While the term 'poverty' may conjure images of destitute people living in deplorable conditions, this very term assumes a new dimension when we speak of poverty in the United States. Indeed, there are many impoverished people who have to live in a deprived state, but majority of these 39 million people could have passed as 'well off' about 30 years ago. However, the definition of 'poor' primarily revolves around the purchasing power of an individual. It may not be always related to fulfillment of basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. In that context, one has to consider the purchasing power of an individual with respect to that of average population. In that case, these 39 million people are deprived of many material, social and welfare needs which majority of the population enjoys.

Just as the definition of poverty changes as per the context, the causes of poverty also differ in that sense. While population explosion, lack of infrastructure, corruption, natural disasters, political instability, war are some causes of poverty in the third world countries, poverty in America is influenced by far different causes. Given below are some factors which contribute to poverty in America.

Shift in Business Economy
Earlier, American economy was greatly dependent upon manufacturing industries such as steel, textile, automobile etc. These industries presented number of opportunities to uneducated but capable labor. Most of the workforce constituted of African Americans. However, this scenario has undergone a sea change with the emergence of new economical sectors such as Health Care and Information Technology. As a result of this, the reliance of American economy on traditional manufacturing sector reduced. These sectors demanded highly educated and trained professionals. This eventually, led to loss of business opportunities for the minimally educated workforce.

Unemployment
Although, unemployment is one of the cause of poverty, it is an altogether different social issue. Unemployment stems from various social, economical conditions. As mentioned above, shift in business economy is one cause of unemployment for a particular section of society. However, apart from that, there are several other factors which lead to unemployment. It is hard to ignore that majority of impoverished people are either unemployed or only part time employed. Only 2.5% of poor people come from a full time workforce. These figures indicate how a person's financial state is influenced by his employment status.

Lack of Education, Skill
The incidence of high school dropouts is in congruence with the rate of poverty. Lack of education flatly translates to lack of employment opportunities, which eventually leads to poverty. As the demand for laborious jobs diminished, uneducated people were left to welter in poverty. As these people neither had education nor did they acquire any skills required to sustain in changed economical scenario, they were driven into the vicious circle of poverty. This again constituted a large number of black people.

Rise of Suburbs
Most American cities have sprawled to outskirts, leading to creation of suburbs. Suburbs offered better living condition to people. Naturally, many businesses shifted their bases to the newly developed suburb areas. Those who stayed back in the core cities faced a steep shortage of employment opportunities. This eventually forced them to live in impoverished conditions.

Breakdown of Family System
Increased divorce rate means more number of families headed by women alone. Often, these women are unable to take care of their families single handedly. Lack of education, unplanned or out of wedlock pregnancies compound the problems of single women. As a result, they cannot find suitable employment to run their homes. Obviously, the entire family then gets dragged into poverty.

Lack of Willpower
The constant rate of poverty over decades indicates that there is no enough willpower to address this issue, either at personal level or at bureaucratic level. Some sections of poor people make no attempts to improve their condition whatsoever. They not only force their progeny to live in deplorable conditions, but they also pass this unfortunate attitude to them. The end result is, generations of poor people living in destitute conditions. These people are reluctant to interact on a social level, thereby thwarting all attempts to improve their condition.

Crime, drug abuse, mental illnesses are often falsely considered as causes of poverty. However, these are not the causes but effects of poverty. In America, discrimination at various levels such as social, racial, economic, is a major factor responsible for poverty. Most of the above causes of poverty in America stem from inequality. Hence, steps must be taken to bring various societal elements on an equal footing, so as to reduce poverty.

Best Places to Live in the US in 2011

Most people know America as the land of dreams and opportunities and why not, the US is still known as the most powerful economy in the world. Sure the economy was faced with some trouble regarding the economic recession but America still didn't fall. It came up and stabilized itself. Now if you are on the lookout for a better tomorrow and want to migrate or change location, I suggest you give the US a thought. It's a great place with hospitable people, good education, affordable health care and a much more easy and balanced life. Here are some of the best places to live in the US in 2011.

Best Places to Live in the US

What will be your ideal city to live in? It should have good transportation, good education, good job opportunities, good vacation spots for your family and of course safety on the streets. Well the US, is a safe country and the living proof is that no terrorist attack has happened after 9/11. So here are the best places which you can relocate.

New York
One of the most famous places in the world and in America, New York is home to many world famous personalities. The state of New York is home to Wall Street, Statue of Liberty and the UN. The city also offers you great educational facilities and the offices of many multinational corporations are situated here. Until 2001 it was home to the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The city also has 28,000 acres of parks overall, Central Park being the most famous.

Washington D.C.
Everyone of us know Washington DC as the capital of the United States. The city is also home to the most powerful man in the world, the President of the United States. It has the White House, the Smithsonian museums and many more ancient buildings which are filled with rich history and heritage. Washington DC is filled with employment opportunities, entertainment stations and great neighborhoods. It's also home to 11 richest counties of the US.

Minneapolis
It's a booming city with lots of employment opportunities and one of he best places to live in the US for young adults. The city has experienced superb job growth, great transportation and a rise in natural resources. The city has been ranked as one of the best places to live in America by many magazines and traveling shows.

Portland
One of the best places to live in the US in 2011 is Portland, a city in the state of Oregon. It's also known as the city of roses and it's famous all over the nation for its parks and gardens, the most famous being Forest Park which gives you 5000 acres of green covers. Due to many water bodies, the cost of electricity is very low in Portland and the city also fares well in agriculture. The city is also home to many Hollywood personalities. This city is excellent for employment opportunities as it's home to many sports apparel, aluminum and steel producing companies.

San Fransisco
One of the best places to live in 2011 is the city of San Fransisco in California. It's one of most colorful cities in the world. San Fransisco is described as a country with a rich and varied culture which features strong art, amazing restaurants, splendid views and beautiful architecture. This city is known for the quality transportation service that it offers, all thanks to the string of cable cars and buses.

Other Good Places to Live in America

In this great nation of 50 states, there are many more places where you can dwell peacefully and start a new life. US is filled with amazing opportunities, you just have to be at the right place at the right time. Here are those places.

    * Phoenix, Arizona
    * Austin, Texas
    * Boulder, Colorado
    * Charlottesville, Virginia
    * Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania
    * Fargo, North Dakota
    * Burlington, Vermont
    * Indianapolis, Indiana
    * Columbia, Missouri
    * Hartford, Connecticut

These are some of the best places to live in the US in 2011. By now you must have chosen your favorite destination where you can live your life peacefully and have a new beginning.

Irish Last Names

Last names, also known as family names, always come with a little bit of interesting history attached to them. A last name tells the other person little more about your origins and ancestral roots. All over the world, every culture uses a last name to distinguish it from others. Also, there are different rules and preferences regarding usage of last names in different cultures. The same goes with Irish last names. Read more on Irish culture.

In earlier times, the Irish population was extremely small and people did not leave the country in large groups as well. Because of this every person was known by his own first name and there was no concept of a last name. Since there were no two people with the same name in a locality, there was no problem either. Also, the Gaelic clan system ensured that people of a common tribe or area got a common identity. During the eleventh century, Irish population began to grow and this led to the breakdown of the single name system, as better means of identification were required. This was when prefixes like "Mac" and "'O" were invented. 'O means 'grand son of', while 'Mac' means 'son of'.

When the English invaded and colonized Ireland in the seventeenth century, they made all Gaelic sounding surnames illegal. This created a lot of confusion as Irish last names were changed during this time and has resulted in Irish last manes being a little messed up till date. Prefixes like 'O and Mac were dropped and last names like MacMahon became Vaughan.

However, these rules started easing up from nineteenth century onwards, after which people started retaining their traditional Gaelic names and even prefixes were added back. Not everybody did this and hence you will find Gaelic as well as the 'Anglicized' forms of the same Irish last names still prevalent in today's times.

Popular Irish Last Names and Meanings

To compile an Irish last names list is a tough task as there are more than 3000 last names. The list below states the more popular Irish last names along with their meaning.

    * Murphy – Sea-battler
    * Walsh – Welshman
    * Kelly – Bright-headed
    * O'Connor – Patron of Warriors
    * Smith – Son of the Smith
    * Ryan – King
    * O'Sullivan – Dark-eyed
    * Byrne – A raven
    * O'Neill – From Niall of the nine hostages
    * O' Brien – Noble
    * Kennedy – Helmet headed
    * Doyle – Dark foreigner
    * Moore – Majestic
    * O' Doherty – Hurtful
    * McCarthy – Loving person
    * Murray – Master, Lord
    * Gallagher – Love of foreigners
    * Lynch – Exile, seafarer
    * Quinn – Chief, wisdom
    * Wilson – Son of William
    * Collins – Young Warrior
    * McLoughlin – Viking
    * O'Connell – Strong like a wolf
    * Burke – From Richard de Burgh
    * O'Carroll – Valorous in battle
    * Dunne – Brown
    * Daly – Assembles frequently
    * Brennan – Sorrow
    * Connolly – Fierce like a hound
    * Campbell – Crooked mouth
    * Nolan – Famous
    * O'Farrell – Man of valor
    * Clarke – Clergyman
    * Maguire – Dun-colored
    * Fitzgerald – Spear rule
    * Johnston – Son of John
    * Brown – Son of the judge
    * Hughes – Fire
    * Martin – Devotee of Saint Martin
    * Flynn – Bright red
    * Duffy – Black, dark
    * White – Of fair complexion
    * O'Donnell – World-mighty
    * O'Shea – Stately, fine
    * Thompson – Son of Thom
    * O'Mahony – Bear-calf
    * Healy – Scientific, artistic
    * O'Callaghan – Bright-headed
    * Boyle – Vain pledge
    * Sweeney – Pleasant
    * McGrath – Son of grace
    * Foley – A plunderer
    * Hayes – Fire
    * Power – The poor man
    * Casey – Vigilant in war, watchful
    * Moran – Great
    * Foley – A plunderer
    * Kavanagh – Mild, comely
    * Stewart – One who superintends
    * Fitzpatrick – Devotee of Saint Patrick
    * Donnelly – Brown valour
    * Mullan – Bald
    * Regan – Little king
    * O'Leary – Calf-herd
    * Flangan – Ruddy, red
    * MacMahon – Bear-calf
    * Donovan – Black, brown
    * McDonnell – World-mighty
    * Burns – From Scottish business
    * Barry – Cambro-Norman name
    * Cunningham – Scottish name
    * Lyons – Grey
    * Robinson – Son of Robert
    * Kenny – Fire sprung
    * Ward – Son of the Bard
    * Kane – Battler
    * Whelan – Wolf
    * Sheehan – Peaceful
    * Reid – Red haired
    * Scott – A Scottish Gael
    * Cullen – Holy
    * Maher – Majestic, fine
    * Hogan – Young
    * MacKenna – Fire-sprung
    * O' Dwyer – Black
    * O'Keeffe – Gentle
    * Buckley – Cow herd
    * Magee – Fire
    * Molony – Servant of the Church
    * MacNamara – Hound of the sea
    * MacDermott – Free from envy

Common Irish Last Names in the United States

    * Walsh
    * White
    * Thompson
    * Smith
    * Sullivan
    * Sweeney
    * Reilly
    * Ryan
    * Quinn
    * O'Brien
    * O'Donnell
    * O'Neil
    * Nolan
    * Martin
    * McCarthy
    * McDonald
    * McGuire
    * Moore
    * Murphy
    * Murray
    * Lynch
    * Kelly
    * Kennedy
    * Hayes
    * Hughes
    * Gallagher
    * Farrell
    * Ferguson
    * Fitzgerald
    * Flynn
    * Daugherty
    * Duffy
    * Dunn
    * Calhoun
    * Callahan
    * Campbell
    * Carroll
    * Clark
    * Collins
    * Conley
    * Conner
    * Boyle
    * Brennan
    * Brown
    * Burke
    * Burns

If you are Irish, you probably would be interested in your family crest. Sadly, there are no family crests according to Irish last names. A family crest is presented on an individual basis, which can be passed on from father to son, but is not awarded to any particular family name.

Most Common Last Names in America

Surnames or last names form an integral part of a person's identity. Earlier, surnames were an indicator of a person's occupation or place of origin. Although, this tradition has been long forgotten, the newer generations still carry their family's last name. These modern successors might have moved miles away from their place of origin and may have nothing to do with the traditional occupation, but they still flaunt their lineage by carrying a century old surname. Surnames are also indicative of an immigration pattern of a country. Some immigrants anglicize their last names to sound like native surnames. There are thousands of different surnames in the United States. Yet, everyday you might find at least one person with same last name as yours. Why? Your surname may be amongst the most common last names in America! Want to find out? Go through this list of top 100 common surnames in the US.

Top 10 Most Common Last Names in the United States

The following data is derived from the findings of U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, Population Analysis & Evaluation Staff, based on the 1990 census.

1. Smith
A whopping 2,501,922 people are registered under this last name. England, Australia, Scotland, Canada are some other countries where Smiths top the list of common names. So, if you are a Smith, be prepared to meet several other Smiths every day.

2. Johnson
Johnson is another common last name which surpasses the two million mark. Some of the Swedish immigrants by the name of Johansson have anglicized their last name to Johnson, making it the second most common last name in US.

3. Williams
Williams is a more common last name in African Americans. Currently, there are 1,738,413 people registered under this name.

4 & 5. Jones/ Brown
Number 4 and 5 slots are occupied by these two last names. Although, the population for each of the surnames is the same, number 4 slot officially goes to Jones, followed by Brown at number 5.

6. Davis
This is yet another popular common name shared by 1,193,760 people in the United States.

7. Miller
The rise of this surname as a common last name can also be attributed to the fact that many Germans by the name Muller chose to anglicize their last name to Miller. There are around 1,193,760 Millers in America.

8. Wilson
It would be a surprise if this last name didn't make it to top 10, considering the number of times you come across people with this surname. There are 843,093 people registered under this surname.

9. Moore
This yet another popular name which has also made it to the list of 10 most common surnames. There are 775,944 people with Moore as their last name.

10. Taylor
Last but not the least, Taylor rounds up the list of popular surnames with a population of 773,547, just below that of Moore's.

List of Most Common Surnames in America

Rank Last Name Population 11 Anderson 857,000 12 Thomas 857,000 13 Jackson 854,200 14 White 768,800 15 Harris 757,800 16 Martin 752,300 17 Thompson 741,300 18 Garcia 699,900 19 Martinez 644,800 20 Robinson 642,100 21 Clark 636,500 22 Rodriguez 631,000 23 Lewis 622,800 24 Lee 606,200 25 Walker 603,500 26 Hall 551,100 27 Allen 548,400 28 Young 531,800 29 Hernandez 529,100 30 King 523,600 31 Wright 520,800 32 Lopez 515,300 33 Hill 515,300 34 Scott 509,800 35 Green 504,300 36 Adams 479,500 37 Baker 471,200 38 Gonzalez 457,400 39 Nelson 446,400 40 Carter 446,400 41 Mitchell 440,900 42 Perez 427,100 43 Roberts 421,600 44 Turner 418,900 45 Phillips 410,600 46 Campbell 410,600 47 Parker 402,300 48 Evans 388,500 49 Edwards 377,500 50 Collins 369,300 51 Stewart 366,500 52 Sanchez 358,200 53 Morris 344,500 54 Rogers 338,900 55 Reed 336,200

Rank Last Name Population 56 Cook 330,700 57 Morgan 325,200 58 Bell 322,400 59 Murphy 322,400 60 Bailey 316,900 61 Rivera 311,400 62 Cooper 311,400 63 Richardson 308,600 64 Cox 303,100 65 Howard 303,100 66 Ward 297,600 67 Torres 297,600 68 Peterson 294,900 69 Gray 292,100 70 Ramirez 289,300 71 James 289,300 72 Watson 283,800 73 Brooks 283,800 74 Kelly 281,100 75 Sanders 275,600 76 Price 272,800 77 Bennett 272,800 78 Wood 270,100 79 Barnes 267,300 80 Ross 264,500 81 Henderson 261,800 82 Coleman 261,800 83 Jenkins 261,800 84 Perry 259,000 85 Powell 256,300 86 Long 253,500 87 Patterson 253,500 88 Hughes 253,500 89 Flores 253,500 90 Washington 253,500 91 Butler 250,800 92 Simmons 250,800 93 Foster 250,800 94 Gonzales 239,700 95 Bryant 239,700 96 Alexander 234,200 97 Russell 234,200 98 Griffin 231,500 99 Diaz 231,500 100 Hayes 228,700

Most common last names in America are bound to change as some families expand at a higher rate than others. Remarkably, Smith has held its number one position since 1990. Hope you found this article interesting.

Nostradamus Predictions About the World War 3

Nostradamus was born in 1503 in St Remi, France. He was a renowned physician and an astrologer of his time. He started his practice as a physician in 1525 AD after completing his studies in Montpellier. Nostradamus was ahead of his times and used innovative methods to treat the victims of bubonic plague. He was successful in curing even the extremely ill and this earned him a reputation as a gifted healer.

He showed interest in pagan methods of divination and astronomy. Once he gave up his profession of practicing medicine, he settled down in Salon, France. He studied the art of magic by reading ancient texts of Egyptian and Alexandrian magic. He became a famous soothsayer and could predict the future. It was during his stay in Salon, France he compiled and published his book Centuries. He wrote his prophecies in the form of short poems. Each poem consisted of four lines called quatrain. He has written 942 quatrains. Nostradamus grouped 100 quatrains into one century. Hence there are ten centuries; one of the centuries has only 42 quatrains.

Nostradamus Predictions About the World War III

The interpreters of his book Centuries opine that Nostradamus had accurately predicted the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the rise of Hitler in Germany, the French Revolution and many important events. Scholars of Nostradamus believe he has foreseen and predicted the third World War.

    * Mabus then will soon die, there will come
      Of people and beasts a horrible rout:
      Then suddenly one will see vengeance,
      Hundred, hand, thirst, hunger when the comet will run.

These quatrains are from the Century 2. The scholars have interpreted these quatrains with the incidents and events relating to the present century.

"Mabus then will soon die, there will come" - The scholars of Nostradamus have interpreted "Mabus" to be President Bush of America. As per the interpretation it is believed that Mr. Bush would be assassinated.

"Hundred, hand, thirst, hunger when the comet will run" - the comet in this quatrain is one of the several comets that is likely to cross the skies in next few years. His predictions may or may not come true. However, the one of the comet named Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann3 was close to the earth on May 13 2006 and close to the sun on June 6, 2006. This comet was discovered when Hitler came to power in 1930.

There are many such quatrains, where Nostradamus has mentioned about the disasters that are bound to occur in the late 20th and during the 21st century. The scholars of Nostradamus have put together the various incidents that have taken place in the past decade to describe the progress of World War 3.

One of the quatrains describes the attack on the World Trade Center in New York. It has also mentioned about the holy war that would be waged by the antichrist. In Century 2, Quatrain 30, Nostradamus has mentioned the rise of the Kings of Mongols. The last Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan’s empire included the modern-day Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Central Asia. The interpreters opine it could be the Iraq war and the possibility of the American attack on Iran. Scholars say, Nostradamus had predicted the usage of nuclear weapon in the World War 3.

Finally, it all depends on how the quatrains are interpreted by the scholars. According to them, Nostradamus have mentioned about the nuclear plants and the nuclear missiles that will destroy the world and the mankind. After the World War III, the peace would be restored. He has mentioned about the restoration of peace in Century 10, quatrain 74.

    * The year the great seventh number is accomplished,
      Appearing at the time of the great games of slaughter:
      Not far from the age of the great millennium,
      When the dead will come out of their graves

"The year the great seventh number is accomplished"- this quatrain implies that the world will begin new after the World War 3 and the peace will the restored when the great seventh number is accomplished. Seventh number is the year that ends with seven. But which is that year? The numerologists and the scholars are racking their brains trying to divine the true mean of the number 7. Since 2007 is behind us, it could be 2070 according to some scholars.

The happiness is how we see things and what we make of it. The current world is ruled by hatred, jealousness and greediness. Unless and until people change their ways, the world would be drowned in grief and suffering.

Fortune Telling

Man craves to reveal everything that is concealed. He has a quenchless thirst for solving mysteries. He yearns to know the unknowns and hunts for the hidden truths of life. Fortune is one such thing that a human mind longs for but it is interestingly the thing that can never be known in advance. What’s written in one’s destiny is always hidden. One can get to know your future only in future! But with the tendency to unfold mysteries of life, man sets out to know his fortune. He wants his fortune told! Fortune telling is a practice of predicting one’s future.

Fortune telling is practiced with the help of mystical powers and at times with the purpose of commercial gain. It is often combined with divination, the religious practice of foretelling the future by interpreting omens.

In America and Europe, methods like 'astromancy', 'horary astrology' and spirit board reading are employed for fortune telling. Astromancy is derived from astrology. In horary astrology, the astrologer designs the horoscope for the time at which he received the question and bases his predictions on it. A spirit board or an Ouija board is a board printed with letters, names or symbols. An indicator pointing to it is supposed to answer questions put by people. Cartomancy and tarot reading take the help of cards to predict the future while crystallomancy is based on reading from a crystal sphere. Palmistry, also known as cheiromancy, is another common method of fortune telling in Europe and America. In the African-American society, fortune telling without the help of any devices is popular. The fortuneteller is believed to get indications from some super natural powers.

In Asian countries, fortune telling is practiced through a variety of methods. Palm reading associates the lines of the palm with different aspects of life. The shape and size of the palm and the fingers also determine a person’s fortune. Face reading bases fortune telling on the facial features. According to a certain theory, the upper portion of the face symbolizes the youth, the middle portion, the middle age and the lower portion, the old age. In Kau Cim of China, a bamboo cylinder is shaken resulting in an incense stick leaving the cylinder. The characters that are inscribed on this stick signify fortune. In Western countries, this method is called ‘Chi-Chi sticks’.

Some techniques of fortune telling base their predictions on numerology. In numerology, the numbers that constitute the birth date of a person are believed to impact his/her fortune. Other forms of fortune telling rely on the behavior of animals. In some cultures, cats are held in high esteem. Their actions are interpreted as indications about the future. For example, if a cat sneezes, it is said to rain or a black cat crossing someone’s path is an indication of bad luck. Some cultures consider snakes as messengers of God. Graphology is another technique of predicting one’s future. It is the method of interpreting one’s fortune from his/her handwriting. It is primarily used to determine character traits but can also be utilized in predicting one’s future.

The Chinese society respects fortunetellers, who advise people about the major decisions of life. In Africa, the practice of fortune telling is not prohibited. People often consult fortunetellers. In the Western countries, women commonly seek fortunetellers for guidance about their futures. Fortune telling is thus an activity that has different forms in different parts of the world.

To sum it up I can say, fortune telling is not an exact science. It bases itself on pseudosciences such as Astrology. It is rather a system of beliefs. It is up to you whether to base your decisions on the inputs from fortunetellers or to base them entirely on your decision-making capabilities!

Art of Reading Tea Leaves: How to Read Tea Leaves?

Have you imagined reading of tea leaves to be an art? But yes, it is. The art of reading tea leaves is a method of fortune-telling wherein the interpretations are based on patterns in tea leaves. The art of reading tea leaves originated in Asia, Ancient Greece and in the Middle East independently. It is believed to have developed thousands of years ago in China. The reading of tea leaves consists of three different phases. The first one is creating the reading; the second step is to recognize the symbols and determining their significance. The last step is to combine the readings into a single interpretation that pertains to the inquirer.

How to read Tea Leaves
For reading tea leaves, a cup of tea is poured without using a strainer. The tea is then poured away or consumed. The cup is then shaken to drain off any liquid that remains. The diviner looks at the pattern of tea leaves in the cup. The shape the diviner sees may be of a letter, a heart or a ring. There could be a variety in the shapes that a diviner sees in the pattern made by the tea leaves. If the shape of a snake is seen, it is interpreted to be a symbol of enmity. A spade is interpreted as good fortune, a mountain as hindrance and the shape of a house as a symbol of success.

There are different types of teacups that are used for divination. The zodiac cups contain planetary symbols and the saucers depict the astrological signs. This type of cups allows the diviner to combine the principles of astrology and tea leaf reading. The symbol cups feature some of the common symbols that are found on tea leaves. These symbols are numbered and explained in booklets. The playing card cups bear small images of the cards and saucers bear the card interpretations. This form combines cartomancy with the reading of tea leaves.

For the exercise of tea leaf reading, both the diviner and the inquirer should be in a relaxed state of mind. The apparatus required for the reading of tea leaves consists of tea leaves or granules, steaming water, spoons, a cup and a saucer. As a part of the process of reading tea leaves, the inquirer brews the tea and drinks it. While the tea boils, the inquirer stirs the tea leaves. On drinking the inquirer is supposed to leave some water in the cup. The cup is passed on to the diviner who swirls the liquid inside the cup letting the leaves stick to the insides of the cup. A napkin is placed on the saucer and the cup is inverted over the saucer. The diviner then observes the interior of the cup for symbols and interprets the patterns that appear.

There is a set of beliefs that revolve around the process of stirring tea. It is a good omen if the tea leaves spill out while stirring. The floating of stalks or leaves while the tea leaves are being stirred indicates the arrival of guests. Bubbles in the tea symbolize prosperity while a pair of spoons kept in the saucer, indicates the arrival of twins in the family. A strong tea signifies a strong bond of friendship while a weak tea is interpreted as the end of a relationship.

During the reading of tea leaves, the seer holds the cup in a way that the handle of the cup points towards the seeker. The handle of the cup symbolizes the home and family of the seeker. Usually, the patterns appearing in the tea leaves are interpreted spirally, wherein the patterns towards the rim indicate near future and those at the bottom of the cup indicate distant future.

The art of reading tea leaves is one of the simplest forms of fortune telling. But being an art, it involves imagination and experience for being able to interpret symbols in tea leaves. The interpretations often depend on the thought process of the diviner and are based on the questions put forth by the inquirer. Like any other art, mastery over the art of reading tea leaves requires focused efforts and a zeal to learn.

Tea Leaf Reading

The art of tea-leaf reading probably originated in ancient China. The terms tasseomancy, tasseography or teomancy are used to refer tea-leaf reading. This art of fortune-telling using tea leaves is approximately five thousand years old. It was popular in ancient Europe and the Middle East. Today, tea-leaf reading is practiced as a hobby at social gatherings.

Reading Tea Leaves

A tea-leaf fortune reader uses the symbols and the patterns formed by the residue of tea in a fine light-colored china cup to predict one’s fortune or future. The art of tea-leaf reading is an intuitive and creative form of divination. Like any other forms of divination, tea-leaf reading also requires the seer to concentrate and he should be relaxed both mentally and physically. Good concentration and relaxed atmosphere will enhance the ability of the seer to see beyond the symbols and patterns. The seer uses his intuitive knowledge and clairvoyance to interpret the symbols.

How to Read Tea Leaves

Always remember the seer and the seeker should be in the relaxed state of mind prior to tea-leaf reading. Each reader has his or her style of reading. The materials that you require for tea-leaf reading include tea leaves or granules (not tea bags), steaming water, couple of spoons, a wide-brimmed white cup and a saucer. The seeker brews the tea and also drinks it as the part of the ritual of tea-leaf reading.

A good seer would be able to interpret the signs right from the stage of brewing. The seeker is asked to stir the tea leaves with a spoon while the tea is boiling. A few of the signs that are interpreted by the fortune-teller while making tea are given below

    * While stirring if the tea leaves spill, it is considered a good sign.
    * The floating of bubbles means the seeker would get money or fortune in near future.
    * If the stalks or leaves of the tea float on the surface, the visitors are likely to come.
    * The number of leaves or stalks floating tells you in how many days the visitors will arrive.
    * Accidentally, if two spoons are placed on the saucer, it means the arrival of twins in your family.
    * However, placing the spoon upside down would bring bad news regarding the health of the seeker’s near one.
    * If the tea is strong it is interpreted as beginning of new friendship in the near future. On the other hand, a weak tea indicates end of friendship.

A point worth mentioning is it is the seeker who has to stir his tea and not the seer. The reason is stirring another person’s tea could cause unwanted arguments. Once the tea is made, the seeker either drinks his tea or strains the tea, leaving behind a small amount of liquid and tea leaves as a residue.

The seer whirls the cup around for sometime and the patterns are formed. A few small clumps of tea leaves are formed in the cup. The seer then holds the cup using both his hands and concentrates before predicting the future.

Tea Leaf Reading - Symbols

The seer holds the cup in such a manner that the handle of the cup points towards the seeker. The handle of the cup represents the seeker and his home and family. The symbols are interpreted keeping mind the distance between the handle and the tea leaves. The rim of the cup represents the events that have occurred in the recent past. The tea leaves lying closer to the bottom of the cup indicate the events that are bound to occur in distant future. The clumps of tea leaves on the right side of the handle tells the future and the ones on the left tells the past.

The patterns formed when the cup is swirled are helpful in telling the future. If there is a distinct pattern on the cup despite swirling and emptying the contents, it is interpreted as sorrow and grief.

There is an indication of trouble if there is a single large clump of tea leaves. If the clump lies near the handle, it means you are the cause for the trouble and if it is opposite to the handle, it means someone else is causing the trouble. People are indicated by the tea-stalk - men are indicated by the long stalks and the short stalk indicates the women. The dark and light stalk indicates coloring. Slanted stalks represent the untrustworthy people.

There are tea-leaf readers who interpret the images that are formed in the cup. A few of the symbols and images that are interpreted include acorn, bell, baby, anchor, bag, birds, boat, candles, cat and many more. These symbols indicate various events that have either occurred or are likely to occur in the future.

Astrology Houses Explained

Time and again mankind has sought to predict the future and destiny through various means, one of them being the art and science of astrology. The reason that astrology is termed to be a science is that there are concrete theories and principles based upon the 12 Zodiac signs and 12 astrology houses that may affect people's lives in a particular manner. At the same time, every person has a unique personality that is coupled with a combination of Zodiac sign and astrology houses. The derivation of effect of movement of planets into the 12 houses is an art, as it is unique to every Zodiac sign. Many of us are well acquainted with the 12 Zodiac signs, however, it is also equally important to give a thought to the 12 houses of astrology and the effect that they have on every zodiac sign. Hence in the following paragraphs, I have described every possible astrological house and the logic behind them…

Houses in Astrology: Houses Explained

The night sky, which is full of stars and planets of the Milky Way, is broadly classified by astrologers into various houses. Houses in astrology are basically notional 'lines' that divide the night sky into 12 sections, which are known as 'houses'. The 12 houses stretch across the sky from an eastern horizon to western horizon. The first house being just above the western horizon and the last one being just below the western horizon. The remaining houses are spread across the sky and are numbered in an anticlockwise manner. For example, after sunrise, the sun first enters the 12th house. It must be noted that there are also some astrologers, who use a 10 house system. Vedic astrology houses are one of the earliest established houses in astrology and operated with a simple logic that the presence of a particular planet, star or constellation in a particular house affected the people of a particular Zodiac sign, in a particular manner. In order to understand the, particular effects in particular houses, let us take a look at the 12 houses and their meanings.

The 12 Astrological Houses

In 12 house astrology system every house has some significance, meaning and also a dominant zodiac sign. The following list is a small compilation of astrology houses and their meanings. It also includes the astrology house rulers and a small elaboration of the said houses.

Houses in Astrology #1
Astrology houses and planets, as mentioned above appear across the night sky in the counter clock manner. Thus, the first house is above the western horizon. The dominating sign of this house is Aries and it is also known as the House of self. The first house is also known as Ascendant, and implies emergence and birth.

Houses in Astrology #2
The second house is the house of value and is dominated by Taurus, signifies establishment. This house is often observed as a positive aggression.

Houses in Astrology #3
The third house is for the development of mind and is dominated by Gemini. It is sometimes also known as house of communications and signifies childhood and basic eduction.

Houses in Astrology #4
The house of family and home is dominated by Cancer and ancestry, heritage and family are the priority of this house. This house also emphasizes on the establishment of human feelings.

Houses in Astrology #5
The fifth house of astrology is that of pleasure, recreational and leisure. It also signifies creativity, self expression and entertainment. In this house a person depicts his talents and passions. This house is dominated by Leo.

Houses in Astrology #6
The sixth house is that of health and monotonous schedules. Becoming aware of routine tasks and duties is a peculiar characteristic of this house. It is often characterized by care taking, and is the first house that is not self centered. The sixth house is dominated by Virgo.

Houses in Astrology #7
The house of partner is dominated by Libra and depicts relations. This house deals with all domestic matters and also any partnerships, right from domestic to business.

Houses in Astrology #8
The house of reincarnation is the eighth house and is dominated by Scorpio. It deal with cycles of rebirth and death. As the name suggests it also emphasizes on reincarnation and transformation.

Houses in Astrology #9
Foreign travel, law and ethics, culture, knowledge and experience are all embedded in the ninth house. This house is also known as house of philosophy and is dominated by Sagittarius.

Houses in Astrology #10
The house of social status is the tenth house and it depicts ambitions and career. This house is dominated by Capricorn sign.

Houses in Astrology #11
The 11th house is that of friendships and is dominated by Aquarius. This house indicates like minded aptitudes and fortune. It also emphasizes upon career.

Houses in Astrology #12
The twelfths house is that of pisces and is also known as self-undoing. It implies, Mysticism and of course self undoing. Some common characteristics are self sacrifice, subconscious etc.

On the whole, astrology house descriptions, and their significance in a person's life won't matter much as existence of particular Zodiac signs and planets in each house tend to affect your life. I hope, Astrology houses explained is an enjoyable article.