Top 10 Most Important Historical Finds

10. Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army

A farmer in Xi’an named Yang was drilling for water when he found the Terracotta Army in 1947. The Army was carved by 700,000 forced workers and was buried underground in front of the tomb of Qin Shi Huang so they could protect him in the afterlife. Qin Shi Huang was the first Emperor to unify China and is as much reviled for his tyranny as he is admired as a visionary. Tens of thousands of human and animal statues were created in several pieces and then assembled, each of which is unique. Actual weapons and armor were used in the manufacturing of the warriors but they were stolen shortly after the creation of the tomb. Despite the impressive discoveries in Xi’an, the tomb of the emperor has yet to be found.

9. The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of ancient, mostly Hebrew manuscripts that were found at several sites on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. Between 825 and 870 different scrolls have been found in 11 caves from 1947 to 1956. Most of the texts are biblical and include fragments of every book of the Old Testament except the book of Esther as well as the earliest known Book of Isaiah and never before seen psalms attributed to King David and Joshua. Some non biblical texts were found as well, and are commentaries on the Old Testament, rule books of the community, war conduct, hymnic compositions and benedictions to name a few. The Scrolls are believed to be the library of a Jewish Sect, written by the Essenes and hidden in the caves around the First Jewish Revolt (66-70 AD).

 

8. The Royal Library of Ashurbanipal

A collection of around 25,000 clay tablet fragments, the Library of Ashurbanipal was discovered in the mid 19^th century by Austen Henry Layard at the Mesopatamian city of Nineveh (in what is now Iraq). Ashurbanipal was the king of Assyria during the height of Assyrian military and cultural achievements, but beyond this he was a passionate collector of texts who sent scribes throughout his Empire looking for additions to his library. The library itself was one of the largest in its time and contains approximately 1200 texts. These texts included royal inscriptions, chronicles, mythological and religious texts, contracts, royal grants and decrees, royal letters, omens, incantations, hymns to various gods and texts on medicine, astronomy, and literature. Some of the literary finds include the epic of Gilgamesh, the Enuma Elis creation story, the myth of Adapa and the Poor Man of Nippur. In 612 BC, Nineveh was destroyed by an alliance of Babylonians, Scythians and Medes and the palace was burned, thus preserving the clay tablets by partially baking them.

7. Tutankhamun’s Tomb (KV62)

In November of 1922, British Egyptologist Howard Carter found one of the most intact tombs ever found in the Valley of the Kings. Carter and his employer, the fifth Lord of Carnarvon, had been searching for Tut since Theodore M. Davis found several funerary artifacts with his name on them in 1907. The tomb is believed to have been originally intended for someone else and was turned into a royal tomb because Tutankhamun died so young, some even believe that it was to be tomb of either Ankhesenamun, Nefertiti or Smenkhare. Tut’s tomb consists of a burial chamber, a treasury, an annex and an antechamber, which is entered by a stairway and a sloped corridor. It contained a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian objects including statues, model boats, chariots, and even two mummified foetuses which are considered to be his stillborn children.

 

6. Pompeii

Pompeii was an ancient city that had been founded in the 6^th century BC by Oscan-speaking descendants of the Neolithic inhabitants of Campania, later coming under Greek, Etruscan, Samnite and finally Roman control. As a Roman colony it prospered as a port and as a resort destination, evidence of which can be found in the many villas, temples, theaters and baths built throughout the city. Pompeii also had an amphitheater, a forum, and a basilica and was home to around 20,000 citizens. In 63 AD an earthquake caused extensive damage to Pompeii and in the years that followed there were attempts to repair some of the damage. Then terror struck on August 24, 79 AD when the nearby volcano of Mount Vesuvius erupted and blanketed the city in cinders and ash. Pompeii was discovered in 1599 by Domenico Fontana while he was working on a hydraulics project, but remained unexcavated until it was rediscovered in 1748 by Spanish military engineer Rocque Joaquin de Alcubierre.

5.The Lascaux Cave

A vast cave complex in southwestern France, Lascaux is best known for its many Paleolithic cave paintings. The Lascaux Cave was discovered by four teenagers, Marcel Ravidat, Jacques Marsal, Georges Agnel and Simon Coencas on September 12, 1940. There are nearly 2000 figures of animals, humans and abstract signs inside the cave. The animals that were painted include stags, cattle, bisons, felines, a bird, a rhinoceros and a bear. Lascaux doesn’t seem to have been occupied but rather visited periodically just for the purposes of painting. In 1948 Lascaux was opened to the public but the amount of daily visitors to the cave were changing the atmosphere inside the cave so it was closed in 1963 and 20 years later an exact replica, Lascaux II was opened. Today the cave is under attack by a series of molds, fungi and bacteria threatening to erase this priceless work of Prehistoric art.

 

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4. Peking Man

Peking Man or Beijing Man was a previously unknown type of Prehistoric man discovered by Canadian anatomist Davidson Black in a cave at Zhoukoudian, China in 1927. Between then and 1937, 14 partial craniums, 11 lower jaws, many teeth, and skeletal bones were found at the site. It is believed that the cave was home to about 45 individuals. From extensive studies of the remains made by Black and his predecessor German anatomist Franz Weidenreich, we know that Peking Man stood erect, made stone tools, understood how to use fire, had a heavy brow ridge and large teeth. In 1941, while being shipped to the United States for safety during World War II, the original fossils disappeared and have yet to be found. However, casts and descriptions remain and since the end of the war, other Peking Man fossils have been found at the site and at other sites throughout China.

3. The Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone is a black basalt stela (an ancient upright stone slab bearing markings) that dates back to 196 BC. An Egyptian decree honoring King Ptolemy V is carved into the stone in Greek, Demotic Egyptian and Egyptian hieroglyphs. The stone would have originally been displayed in a temple and was later moved and used as building material in a fort at the village of Rashid (Rosetta). It was discovered there by Captain Pierre-Francois Bouchard on July 15, 1799, during Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt. Attempts to decipher it were first made by Thomas Young, who translated the Demotic text, and by French Egyptologist Jean Francois Champollion who is generally known as the translator of the Rosetta Stone. Champollion used the Coptic language to realize that hieroglyphs served as a spoken language and not just symbols.

2. The Behistun Rock

Discovered by Englishman Robert Sherley in 1598 while on a diplomatic mission to Persia, the Behistun Rock is a multilingual inscription authored by Darius the Great. The inscription begins with Darius’ autobiography and goes on to describe several events following the deaths of Cyrus the Great and Cambyses II. Much like the Rosetta Stone, the Behistun Rock includes the same passage in three cuneiform script languages: Old Persian, Elamite and Babylonian. The text was translated in stages by Georg Friedrich Grotefend (Old Persian), Sir Henry Rawlinson, Edward Hincks, Julius Oppert, William Henry Fox Talbot and Edwin Norris.

1. The Olduvai Gorge

An Ancient lake basin in northern Tanzania, the Olduvai Gorge has yielded the remains of more than 60 hominids as well as the two earliest stone tool traditions ever found (Oldowan and Acheulian). The gorge was discovered by German entomologist Wilhelm Kattwinkel in 1911 when he fell into it while chasing a butterfly. This inspired Hans Reck to lead an expedition there in 1913 but his work was ended by World War I. Excavations of Olduvai began in 1931 by Lois Leakey and his wife Mary. Three separate species of hominids have been found at Olduvai over the years, including Australopithecus boisei, Homo habilis and Homo erectus. Animal remains have also been found at the site including large antelopes, elephants, hares, guinea fowl, giraffes and hipparions (extinct three-toed horses).

Top 10 technology skills

 

In 10 Reasons to Develop Your Technical Skills, I explained why it’s important to develop your technical skills as an integral part of your personal development efforts.  Strong technical skills can save you time, increase your income, and enable you to extract the most bang-per-buck from your technology purchases.

 

• 1 Project Management

Project management skills often appear in top 10 skills lists, perhaps because some organizations got their fingers burned in the 1990s through the poor implementation of IT projects such as enterprise resource planning initiatives. But even though the profession is mature (in IT terms), project managers still have work to do to advance their status within organizations. According to an article on the Project Management Institute Web site, project managers still have to develop their people skills, organizational leadership, and individual professionalism.

 

• 2 Information Security

It’s a never-ending game of cat and mouse for security professionals, and 2009 proved to be another fun-filled year. According to Symantec’s Security and Storage Trends to Watch report, the number of spam messages containing malware increased ninefold, to represent more than 2% of emails. Other criminals manipulated people’s love of social networking sites to launch attacks. Twitter, for example, spent much of 2009 battling DDoS and other attacks. Meanwhile, top headlines, such as the H1N1 flu and the death of Michael Jackson were used by criminals to lure people to download malware.

• 3 Network administration

Networking administration skills never lose their luster. It’s the second most sought-after skill in the Global Knowledge survey and it will be the top skill sought by CIOs in the first quarter of 2010, according to a survey of IT chiefs by Robert Half Technology. In 2010, organizations are expected to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Windows 7 client and perhaps install Exchange Server 2010 and SharePoint 2010. Enterprises are going to need network administrators to ensure network traffic continues to move without a hitch.

• 4 Virtualization
• The projected cost savings and efficiencies are no-brainers for organizations seeking to implement virtualization and cloud computing. With the cloud computing space now taking shape, it’s difficult for enterprises to find pros with substantial relevant experience. Instead, companies are drawing expertise from a range of IT skill sets, including storage, networks, and desktop, according to a Network World article. Initially, companies will set up cross-functional teams to buy and implement virtualization. But eventually, cloud computing will be an expected skill set of system administrators. In a few years, it could even be a standard skill set of all IT pros because it touches different aspects of IT.
• 5 Business analyst

Business analysis roles were commonplace in many organizations in the 1990s when big projects, such as enterprise resource planning initiatives, required the critical thinking that business analysts could provide. But as businesses began moving at a faster pace, business analysis fell by the wayside. Factors such as the economic downturn and regulatory compliance have forced companies to take a step back and to think through business problems and their solutions. As a result, business analysis is making a comeback.

• 6 Business Process improvement

With project management and business analysis skills appearing in this list, it’s no surprise that business process improvement is also here. Business process improvement and business analysis go hand in hand. Business analysts identify areas for improvements to business processes, while business process improvement or management pros use BPM techniques and technologies to help companies optimize their business processes.

• 7 Web Development

If you are — or you have friends who are — addicted to the FarmVille game on Facebook, you know the power of Web development. In just a few short months, FarmVille’s popularity has spread across the globe, as Facebook fans tend to their farms and purchase virtual goods. The game, including others by FarmVille developer Zynga, has netted the startup more than 200 million monthly unique users for its online apps. One financial analyst reckons Zynga could be valued at $1 billion if it were to go IPO in mid-2010.

• 8 Database management

Databases are the hearts of key business systems that drive payroll, manufacturing, sales, transaction processing, and more. Programmers must be able to build programs that quickly and efficiently interface with the database management system (DBMS), while database administrators “must be able to bring the full power of database features to bear on business problems,” writes Oracle- and IBM-certified DBA Howard Fosdick in his whitepaper Database Skills Availability: Critical to Your Selection of Database. “DBA expertise can be the Achilles’ heel of database projects — many IT projects have failed due to the inability to secure DBA talent or successfully address DBA issues,” he adds.

• 9 Windows Administration

As mentioned earlier, Microsoft shops are expected to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Windows 7 client and perhaps install Exchange Server 2010 and SharePoint 2010 as well. Windows administration skills are going to be key for many enterprises implementing and maintaining existing and upgraded systems.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 certifications at the MCTS level cover configurations for Active Directory, networking, and applications. Certifications available for the MCITP level are Server 2008 Server Administration, Enterprise Administration.

• 10 Desktop Administration

In Global Knowledge’s 2010 salary survey, desktop support was the 10th most sought-after skill this year. According to Robert Half Technology Executive Director Dave Willmer, businesses will need desktop support personnel to support new workers as organizations begin hiring once the economy improves. The introduction of Microsoft Windows 7 is also expected to generate additional interest.

 

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Top Ten Longest Rivers In The World

Top Ten Longest Rivers In The World

#1 – Nile (4,180 miles)

The longest river in the world, the river Nile, starts at the Tributaries of Lake Victoria, Africa and runs into the Mediterranean Sea.

 

 

#2 – Amazon (3,912 miles)

The Amazon river starts in Glacier-fed lakes, Peru and ends in the Atlantic Ocean

 

3 Yangtze River

The Chang Jiang or Yangtze river begins at the Tibetan plateau, China and leads to the China Sea.

 

4 Huang He River

The Huang He or Yellow river, on of the longest rivers in the world, begins its journey in the Eastern part of the Kunlan Mountains, West China and ends in the Gulf of Chihli.

5 Ob-Irtysh River

The river Ob starts at the Altai Mountains, Russia and ends at the Gulf of Ob

6 Amur River

The Amur River or Heilong river is the worlds sixth longest river in the world,the border betwen the Russian Far East and Northeastern China.

7 Lena River

The Lena river is the easternmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic ocean.

8 Congo River

The Congo River it the largest river in Western Central Africa and second longest river  in Africa.

9 Mackenzie River

The Mackenzie River originates in Great Slave Lake, in the Northwest Territories, and flows north into the Arctic Ocean.it is longest river in Canada and 9th longest river in the world.

 

10 Mekong River

The Mekong River is one of the world’s major rivers.it is the 10th longest river in the world and seventh longest river in Asia.

 

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Top 10 Greatest Inventors in History

 

 

10. Leonardo Da Vinci

Perhaps the most visionary man of all time, Leonardo foresaw everything from the helicopter to the tank to the submarine. Modern engineers have proven that many of his designs, including bridges, hang-gliders, transmissions, parachutes, and more would have worked had they been built.

9. Edwin Land

Connecticut physicist and inventor Edwin Land didn’t invent photography, of course, but he invented or perfected almost everything else having to do with it.  While a freshman at Harvard University in 1926, he developed a new kind of polarizer by aligning and embedding crystals in a plastic sheet, which he called Polaroid.

8. Benjamin Franklin

Among his many creations were the lightning rod—a device which saved countless homes and lives from lightning induced fires, the glass armonica (a glass instrument, not to be confused with the metal harmonica), the Franklin stove, bifocal glasses, a carriage odometer and even the flexible urinary catheter (ouch). Franklin never patented any of his inventions, however, believing that innovations should be shared freely with others, which is why he is often overlooked for his creative talents.

7. Hero of Alexandria

This man could have started the Industrial Revolution in 50 AD with the invention of the Aeolipile, a form of steam or jet engine where jets of steam spin a ball. However, he failed to realize what the device could do, and thought of it as nothing but a toy.

 

 

6. Jerome “Jerry” Hal Lemelson

Lemelson also filed patents in the fields of medical instrumentation, cancer detection and treatment, diamond coating technologies, and consumer electronics and television. He was probably best known, however, as a tireless advocate for the rights of independent inventors, which made him a controversial and even much loathed figure by patent attorneys and some of the larger companies whose noses he tweaked, but a champion of the independent inventor’s community.

 

5. George Westinghouse

Though it was Edison that got most of the credit, it’s hard to argue that in many ways Westinghouse’s contributions were almost as great as Edison’s. Certainly it was his electrical system, which used alternating current based (a result of the work of Nikola Tesla, by the way), that ultimately prevailed over Edison’s insistence on direct current and paved the way for the modern power grid.

4. Alexander Graham Bell

You don’t often see the inventor of the telephone finish this high on such a list, but when one looks at the accomplishments the man was responsible for during his seventy five years on earth, it seems impossible not to include him in the top five.

3. Thomas Edison

Edison is the most prolific inventor in history, holding a record 1,097 patents. He developed the phonograph, incandescent light bulb, stock ticker, motion picture camera and projector, and hundreds more. He also created the first electrical plant and distribution infrastructure. Without these inventions, modern life is almost inconceivable.

 

 

2. Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla is perhaps the greatest electrical engineer of all time. His inventions include fluorescent lighting, the Tesla coil, the induction motor, and 3-phase electricity. He developed the AC-current generation system comprised of a motor and a transformer. Some have said that he “invented the 20th century.” Unfortunately, he became something of a mad scientist in his later years, and died in obscurity, but his invaluable contributions are remembered today.

1. Archimedes of Syracuse

With Archimedes it’s difficult to separate the legend from the man. The engineering feats he is rumored to have accomplished include a mirror death-ray and a crane capable of lifting and smashing Roman ships, although they probably never existed. He did improve the catapult, develop levers and pulleys, and invent the Archimedean Screw, a device used to raise water for irrigation or mining. He also calculated pi and developed many mathematical insights without which modern engineering would be impossible.

 

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Top 10 Historical Travel Destinations

This is a list of the world’s most historical places. These places are living history museums, a new piece of cultural wonder lurks around every corner.

10. European Castles

Dotted all throughout Europe there are thousands of Medieval and Baroque castles that conjure up images of fairytale princesses and chivalrous knights. They were not only built as protective fortresses but also as the homes of feudal lords and kings that showed their wealth and status.

 

.9. Stonehenge

Located near Salisbury, England this megalithic structure is over 3,000 years old, and its stones come all the way from Wales. Scholars still are not sure how they got the stones from Wales and have tried to replicate the feat with dismal results. The attraction is now fenced off, and you can no longer go into the circle. Visitors can only walk around the attraction. It’s worth visiting for the mystery behind it and the really good audio tour.

 

 

8. Angkor Wat

This ancient city in Cambodia was the center of the Khmer empire that once ruled most of Southeast Asia. This empire went extinct, but not before building amazing temples and buildings that were reclaimed by the jungle for hundreds of years. Though Angkor Watis packed with tourists, it’s still breathtaking to see.

7. The Great Wall of China

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall is an impressive feat of engineering. The Wall is the product of 21 centuries of building and rebuilding that began in the 5th century BC, and was used to protect the Empire of China from Xiongnu attacks.

 

6. Machu

PicchuLocated in southern Peru, this fascinating city lies on top of a mountain that’s only accessible by train or 4 day trek. It was an important center for the Inca civilization, but was abandoned when the Spanish came.

 

5. The Parthenon

Though currently getting a face lift, the Parthenon is still amazing. The ancient temple to Athena stands as a symbol of the power ofAthens and a testament to Greek Civilization. Moreover, it provides a great view of Athens and nearby ruins.

4. The Taj Mahal

Built in the 1600s, this building is a testament to undying love. Located in Agra, India, this white marble tomb built for a Emperor Shah Jahan’s deceased wife is a must see for everyone. In 1983, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

3. Petra

Carved into a canyon in Arabah, Jordan, Petra was made famous by Indiana Jones’ third movie. It was “discovered” in 1812 by a Swiss explorer. Prior to that, it was unknown to the western world. Though its founding is not known, it appears this place had settlers as early as the 6th century B.C. Under Roman rule, the site declined rapidly and was abandoned by the late 4th century.

 

2. Rome

The Rome and the Forum are right next to each other, so I included them together. Remnants of a civilization that once controlled the “known” world, these sites are breathtaking not only for their beauty but for of their history and age.

 

 

1. Egypt

Egypt it one of the most culturally rich countries in the world and one of the most ancient tourist spots in the world having played host to many visitors from ancient Greece and Rome.

 

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Top 10 Pictures That Shocked The World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Top 10 Largest Dams in the World

10. Oahe Dam, South Dakota, US: 70,339 cubic meters

The Oahe Dam is a large dam along the Missouri River, just north of Pierre, South Dakota in the United States. It creates Lake Oahe, the fourth largest artificial reservoir  in the United States, which stretches 231 miles (372 km) up the course of the Missouri to Bismarck, North Dakota.List of world’s Largest Dams.

9. Guri (Raúl Leoni), Venezuela: 78,000 cubic meters

The Guri Dam is a large dam in Bolívar State, Venezuela  on the Caroni River. It is 1300 meters long and 162 m high. Construction began in 1963; the first part concluded in 1978 and the second in 1986.

 

 

8. Yacyretá-Apipe, Paraguay/Argentina: 81,000 cubic meter

The dam was built over the waterfalls of Jasyretâ-Apipé in the Paraná River, between the Argentine Province of Corrientes and the Paraguayan  department of Misiones. The dam is named for Yacyretâ Island just upstream, much of which the dam submerged. The dam is 808 meters long, and its installed equipment has a maximum power output of 4,050 MW, with an annual maximum power output of 19,080 GWh, and a maximum water flow rate of 55,000 cubic meters per second. However, because its reservoir is seven meters below its planned water level, the dam currently operates at only 60% capacity.

 

7. Atatürk Dam, Turkey: 84,500 cubic meters

The Atatürk Dam is a zoned rock-fill dam with a central core on the Euphrates River on the border of Ad?yaman Province and Province in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Built both to generate electricity and to irrigate the plains in the region. The construction began in 1983 and was completed in 1990. The dam embankment is 169 m (554 ft) high and 1,820 m (5,970 ft) long. The hydroelectric power plant (HEPP) has a total installed power capacity of 2,400 MW generating 8,900 GWh  electricity annually.

 

 

6. Tucurui Dam, Brazil: 85,200 cubic meters

The Tucuruí Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tocantins River located on the Tucuruí County in Brazil. The name “Tucuruí” was taken from a little city that existed near the construction site; there is now a city of the same name just downstream of the dam. The installed generation capacity of the plant is 8,370 MW, with 24 generating units. The Tucuruí spillway was the largest in the world with 120,000m3/s of capacity of discharge, until it was edged out in 2008 by the 120,600m3/s maximum discharge of the Three Gorges complex in China.

 

5. Lower Usuma, Nigeria: 93,000  cubic meters

Lower Usuma is the name of a dam on the Usuma river in Nigeria. It was built in 1990 near Abuja, the new capital of Nigeria, and supplied the city with drinking water. The dam holds 93 million cubic meters of raw water, the water flow to five water plants, where the water is treated before it is passed to Abuja. The total capacity of the water is 10,000 cubic meters per hour.

 

4. Fort Peck, Montana: 96,049 cubic meters

The dam presently has a nameplate capacity of 185,250 kilowatts, divided among 5 generating units. Three units in powerhouse number one, completed in 1951, generate a total of 105,000 kilowatts. Completed in 1961, the two remaining generating units in powerhouse number 2, have a nameplate capacity of 80,000 kilowatts.

3. Tarbela, Pakistan: 121,720 cubic meters

Tarbela Dam is a large dam on the Indus River in Pakistan. It is located in Haripur District, Hazara  Division, Khyber pakhtunkhwa, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northwest of Islamabad. The dam is 485 feet (148 m) high above the riverbed. The dam forms the Tarbela Reservoir, with a surface area of approximately 250-square-kilometre (97 sq mi). The dam was completed in 1974 and was designed to store water from the Indus River for irrigation, flood control, and the generation of hydroelectric power.

2. Samara / Zhiguli Dam,Russia: 169,000,000 cubic meters

Samara Dam is a large dam and hydroelectric station on the Volga River, located near Zhigulyovsk  and Tolyatti  in Samara Oblast of Russia. It is the sixth stage of the Volga-Kama Cascade of dams, and the second of them by installed power.

 

1. Three Gorges, China: 39,300,000 cubic meters

The dam body was completed in 2006. Except for a ship lift, all of the originally planned components of the project were completed on October 30, 2008 when the 26th generator was brought into commercial operation. Currently, it contains 26 completed generators in the shore power plant, each with a capacity of 700 MW. Six additional generators in the underground power plant are being installed and are not expected to become fully operational until around 2011.

 

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Top Ten Banks In The World

BNP Paribas (BNP) – This French bank comes in at No. 1 with $3.21 trillion in assets.  BNP is one of the largest global banking networks in the world with operations in 84 countries.  BNP has four domestic retail banking markets located in France, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg.  In April 2009, as a result of BNP’s 75% purchase of Fortis Bank, the Belgian bank is now the largest Eurozone deposit holder.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Group – RBS Group ranks as the number two bank in terms of assets held. Currently, the British government is the largest owner of the bank.  As a result of severe losses and the conditions of a government backed bailout, RBS Group has halted dividend payments. RBS Group is the largest banking group in Scotland and operates a wide variety of banking brands including personal and business banking, private banking, insurance and corporate finance throughout its operations located in Europe, North America and Asia.  As of May 2010, RBS Group had $2.99 trillion in assets.

Guess which banks offer the best CD rates.

Barclays PLC (Barclay’s) – Barclays, with $2.54 trillion in assets, is a British financial services firm operating worldwide. It is a holding company listed on the London and New York Stock exchanges, is a component of the FTSE 100 Index and until 2008 was also listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Barclays operates through branches, offices and subsidiaries in the United Kingdom and overseas and provides retail banking, credit card, corporate and investment banking and wealth management services. Its two major business groups are: Global Retailing and Commercial Banking, and Investment Banking and Investment Management.

Deutsche Bank – Deutsche Bank, the largest German bank with $2.43 trillion in assets, has a strong presence throughout Germany and Europe and continues to grow in North America and Asia. As of March 31, 2010, Deutsche Bank had approximately 2,000 branches in 72 countries.

HSBC Bank – HSBC Bank has more than 460 bank branches throughout the United States, with the majority (380) in New York State. Coming in at number 5 on our list of the biggest banks with $2.42 trillion in assets, HSBC offers its 4 million customers access to global markets through its personal financial services, private banking, retail banking, commercial banking and global banking and market segments.

Credit Agricole – The second and final French bank on the top 10 list with $2.3 trillion in assets, Credit Agricole is a retail banking leader in France and throughout Europe. It is part of the CAC 40, a benchmark French stock market index. It has 11,500 branches throughout the world, more than 160,000 employees and 59 million customers in 70 countries.

Bank of America (BAC) – BAC is the largest bank holding company in the United States, by assets, with $2.25 trillion. The company serves clients all over the world and has a relationship with 99% of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies. In 2008, BAC acquired Merrill Lynch making it the world’s largest wealth manager.  It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and is part of the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (Mitsubishi) – With $2.07 trillion in assets, Mitsubishi is Japan’s largest bank holding/financial services group. Part of the Mitsubishi Corporation, the company provides a wide variety of financial and investment services including commercial banking, trust banking, international finance, and assets management services.

J.P. Morgan Chase – One of the two so-called “too big to fail” banks, along with Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase is the 10^th largest bank in the world with $2.02 trillion in assets. The company provides products and services to its clients in 100 countries including asset management, investment banking, private banking, treasury and securities services, and commercial banking. J.P. Morgan Chase is traded on the NYSE under ticker symbol JPM.

UBS AG – Rounding out the top ten banks in the world by asset type is UBS AG with $1.8 trillion in assets. Headquartered in Zurich and Basel, UBS provides financial services to private, corporate and institutional clients. UBS has a foothold in major financial centers all over the world and has offices in more than 50 countries.

So there are 10 largest banks in the world. But of course, bigger is not always better. So if you are looking for banks with the best interest rates, check out these options:

Top 10 Richest Person in the World

• List of Richest People in the World.

 

 

 

1.Carlos Slim Helu  (Telecom, Mexico)

Telecom tycoon who pounced on privatization of Mexico’s national telephone company in the 1990s becomes world’s richest person for first time after coming in third place last year. Net worth up $18.5 billion in a year. Recently received regulatory approval to merge his fixed-line assets into American Movil, Latin America’s biggest mobile phone company.

 

2.Bill Gates (Microsoft, U.S )

Software visionary is now the world’s second-richest man. Net worth still up $13 billion in a year as Microsoft shares rose 50% in 12 months, value of investment vehicle Cascade swelled.

3.Warren Buffett (Investments, U.S.)

America’s favorite investor up $10 billion in past 12 months on surging Berkshire Hathaway shares; says U.S. has survived economic "Pearl Harbor," but warns recovery will be slow. Shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs and $3 billion in General Electric amid 2008 market collapse. Recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion.

4.Mukesh Ambani (Petrochemicals, oil and gas, India)

His Reliance Industries, already India’s most valuable company, recently bid $2 billion for 65% stake in troubled Canadian oil sands outfit Value Creations. Firm’s $14.5 billion offer to buy bankrupt petrochemicals maker LyondellBasell was rejected. Since September company has sold Treasury shares worth $2 billion to be used for acquisitions. Late father, Dhirubhai, founded Reliance and built it into a massive conglomerate.

 

5.Lakshmi Mittal (Steel, India)

London’s richest resident oversees ArcelorMittal, world’s largest steel maker. Net profits fell 75% in 2009. Mittal took 12% pay cut but improved outlook pushed stock up one-third in past year. Looking to expand in his native India; wants to build steel mills in Jharkhad and Orissa but has not received government approval. Earned $1.1 billion for selling his interest in a Kazakh refinery in December.

6.Lawrence Ellison (Oracle, U.S. )

 

Oracle founder’s fortune continues to soar; shares up 70% in past 12 months. Database giant has bought 57 companies in the past five years. Completed $7.4 billion buyout of Sun Microsystems in January; acquired BEA Systems for $8.5 billion in 2008. Studied physics at U. of Chicago; didn’t graduate. Started Oracle 1977; took public a day before Microsoft in 1986.

 

7.Bernard Arnault (Luxury goods, France)

Bling is back, helping fashion icon grab title of richest European as shares of his luxury goods outfit LVMH–maker of Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon–surge 57%. LVMH is developing upscale Shanghai commercial property, L’Avenue Shanghai, with Macau billionaire Stanley Ho.

 

8.Eike Batista (Mining, oil. Brazil)

Vowing to become world’s richest man–and he may be on his way. This year’s biggest gainer added $19.5 billion to his personal balance sheet. Son of Brazil’s revered former mining minister who presided over mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce got his start in gold trading and mining.

9.Amancio Ortega (Fashion retail, Spain)

Style maven lords over Inditex; fashion firm, which operates under several brand names including Zara, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, has 4,500 stores in 73 countries including new spots in Mexico and Syria. Set up joint venture with Tata Group subsidiary to enter India in 2010. Betting on Florida real estate: bought Coral Gables office tower that is currently home to Bacardi USA.

10.Karl Albrecht (Supermarkets, Germany)

Owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud, one of Germany’s (and Europe’s) dominant grocers. Has 1,000 stores in U.S. across 29 states. Estimated sales: $37 billion. Plans to open New York City store this year. With younger brother, Theo, transformed mother’s corner grocery store into Aldi after World War II. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe.

 

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Top 10 Wireless Mouses

10. Steelseries World Of Warcraft

Apart from the blatant marketing in the link to the game, the WoW mouse is pretty good. It has a 3200dpi laser sensor and clever lighting but its biggest selling point is the huge number of programmable buttons – fifteen in total.

 

9. Razer Lachesis

The Razer Lachesis still boasts one of the highest dpi ratings available today, with a high-tech 4000dpi laser sensor.

8. Logitech G5

The G5 is an old design now, but until recently would have been considered the best gaming mouse by many gamers.

 

7. Logitech G7

A wireless gaming mouse with 2000dpi that upon release was an instant hit. The Logitech G7 was the first mouse to prove that wireless technology really was suitable for lag-free gaming.

 

6. Microsoft SidewinderT

he first of the new Microsoft Sidewinder range is still the best (excluding the wireless X8). It packs in plenty of features, including adjustable weight, dpi buttons with LCD display and macro recording on-the-fly.

5. Roccat Kone

A stylish mouse with trick LED lighting that gives Razer a run for their money.

4. Cyber Snipa Stinger

The Cyber Snipa Stinger is a great choice if you want 3200dpi for a low price.

3. Logitech MX518

An old design but a good one that still remains popular.

2. Razer Deathadder

I’ve placed the Deathadder so high up the list because, like the MX518, it makes a great all-round gaming mouse

1. Logitech G9/G9x

The Logitech G9 can be all things to all gamers. You can get an original G9 with 3200dpi or a G9x with 5000dpi.

 

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