The Best books of 2009

Every year books come and go and it gives a lasting impression on the people's mind as the story touches each and every sector of people which makes it realy a remarkable books to read. Some of the books of this year has been listed which will help all people who love reading.

1.Cheever: A Life by Blake Bailey
2.Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
3.Fordlandia by Greg Grandin
4. The City & The City by China Mieville
5. The Lost City of Z by David Grann
6. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
7. Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad
8. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
9. The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq
10. Sag Harbor: by Colson Whitehead

Schumacher begins F1 preparations

Michael Schumacher could test this year's Ferrari ahead of his return to Formula 1. Under F1 rules, drivers are not allowed to test current cars, but the F1 Teams' Association (Fota) members have agreed to let Schumacher test for one day. Schumacher began his preparations for his return to F1 by testing a 2007 Ferrari at the team's Mugello test track on Friday. On Thursday he spent a day at the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy, familiarising himself with the controls on the 2009 car's steering wheel in the team's simulator. The car was fitted with untreaded slick tyres, which were reintroduced for this season and Schumacher has not raced on since 1997.

Michael Jackson's secret love child

This is reportedly Michael Jackson's secret son a 25-year-old singer who's said to be getting a DNA test to confirm whether he is MJ's lovechild.Intriguingly, Norwegian Omer Bhatti circled in the pictures above and below was sat in the front row at Jackson's memorial service on July 7 with the star's siblings Rebbie, Janet, Randy, Tito, Marlon, Jackie and Jermaine.Many more famous faces and family members were made to sit in the rows behind at the Staples Centre.Until now, it had simply been thought that Omer had become a friend of Jackos through being a childhood superfan and an impersonator of the star.

Shopwiki's Play Station 3

All around the world people try to look upon new and better goods which will help in knowing things easier and better way. There are many ways but surely Shop Wiki must be at the top of every one's places to go as there you can get all the required things especially the teenage guys who are great fans of PlayStation 3. Here you can the best things which you want to get as the various information regarding Play Station 3 is available ranging from the various accessories and the guide to use the Play Station 3. With in depth knowledge this will enable any person to use it. It is really great as the gaming guide helps you in knowing the various functions of controller and the Play Station 3 deals, their specifications like CPU,sound,storage, system bandwidth and the external links which is very helpful. PlayStation 3 accessories includes the items such as PS3 Controller Charger base, PS3 system stacker and many more things which are required for the Play Station. It also has a great PlayStation 3 Games guide which will help any user to become skilled in the working of the system and will know about various new Play Station games which one must have with them and the various links by which games can be downloaded.

Horror at Iran plane crash site

The Caspian Airline Soviet-era designed Tupolev Tu-154 plane caught fire mid-air and crashed Wednesday morning into farmlands in the village of Janat Abad in Iran's northwestern province of Qazvin, just minutes after it took off from Tehran for the Armenian capital of Yerevan.All 168 people, including 153 passengers and 15 crew members, on board were killed in the worst plane crash in Iran in years.The impact of the crash caused a vast crater which was littered with debris, shoes and clothing.

Buchanan's new book "The Future of Cricket: The Rise of Twenty20"

Former Australian and Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders coach John Buchanan's relation with India may have ended but he still holds very strong views about Indian cricketers.In his new book The Future of Cricket: The Rise of Twenty20, Buchanan has taken potshots at not only at Sachin Tendulkar and former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, but at many other current and former players.Buchanan writes that Sachin Tendulkar is not a player who can dominate in a Twenty20 match. He believes Tendulkar is no longer good enough for the Twenty20 format and has come out with sensational remarks on the batting maestro and his usefulness in cricket’s shortest version.

Michael Jackson Memorial Service Televised on Every Network

The Michael Jackson memorial service will be televised, and it will be televised for millions who can't see the Michael Jackson memorial service in person. The Michael Jackson memorial service shall be televised on all the major networks and cable channels. Considering how the Michael Jackson memorial service has attracted millions, the televised version should get massive ratings and more. Truly, the Michael Jackson memorial service is a televised media event unlike any funeral before it.The Michael Jackson memorial service will be televised on at least seven different TV stations. Websites like Hulu will also cover the service on a live stream, as will major news sites. Even movie theaters are getting in on the act, as 88 theaters across the country will simulcast the event.However, the big show is still at Staples Center, as over a million fans will gather around the stadium and ignore the televised coverage. They will be crowded together for hours on end to pay their last respects, even if they can't get into the arena.Perhaps the last time a memorial service was televised to this extent was when Princess Diana died in 1997. The media coverage was jam-packed, even as many suspected that media attention and scrutiny played a part in her death.

Bandra-Worli sea link

Mumbai witnessed the opening of the Bandra-Worli sea link which had been in construction for more than a decade with lot of impending problems related to land acquisition and several environmental issues which halted the project. This is really a modern engineering marvel as this is been constructed with lot of effort which makes it the tourist attraction spot too with its long cables and the scenery surrounding it. The sea link is going to be opened only in four lanes and the rest four lanes will be opened after completing the work which will completely ease out the traffic problem of the city.

Michael Jackson mom gets limited rights

A judge granted Katherine Jackson limited control over some of her son's property on Monday after the singer's mother expressed concerns about who controls his business ventures and bank accounts.Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff allowed Katherine Jackson the authority to take control of some of Michael Jackson's items currently in the hands of an unnamed third party. It does not detail the nature of those items.The wording in Beckloff's order is similar to language included in Katherine Jackson's petition to get control of thousands of her son's items removed from his Neverland Ranch.Those items, which included some of the singer's wardrobe, awards and other items described "priceless and irreplaceable," were slated for auction earlier this year until Michael Jackson sued to block it. A settlement resulted in the goods being put on public display in Beverly Hills, but not put up for sale.
Auctioneer Darren Julien, who said he spent $2 million organizing the sale before it was canceled, said Monday that he would not do anything with the items without permission from the Jackson family or the singer's production company.

Honda Jazz

Honda's Jazz/ Fit has been a great success for the company. The car known as the Fit in the U.S. had been on the market in the rest of the world before it made it here in spring 2006. Currently the car is one of the fastest selling cars in the Honda lineup and is hampered by the fact that Honda can not build enough of them. How often do you see a Fit at a Honda dealership.The new Jazz/Fit is already taking shape. Spy photographers have caught a few mules testing in Europe. Now Auto Express has two artist renderings of what they believe the new car will look like when it is revealed this fall at the Tokyo Auto Show.The car in these pictures does not stray far from the current design. The front end has a lower grille and the headlights maintain the similar shape of the current model. The width of the car has increased by 20mm and the length has increased by 50mm. The current model has been successful because of its class leading interior room and its ingenious seat configurations. The new larger dimensions should make the interior even more spacious.An upgraded interior trim and restyled dashboard should also refresh the car.There is no word on the exact engine lineup. A diesel engine is rumored, although the U.S. will probably not get it.

Shiney Ahuja's story

Shiney Ahuja was charged with raping his 19-year-old domestic help, threatening to kill her and wrongful restraint and is likely to be in police custody for 4 days. He was arrested on rape charges after preliminary tests conducted on his domestic help confirmed sexual assault. Shiney's domestic maid had lodged an FIR against him alleging that he had raped her while they were alone at the actor's flat.Shiney has four films on hand — Jahnu Barua’s Har Pal with Preity Zinta, Anurag Chaudhary’s Accident with Soha Ali Khan, Vinod Pande’s Chalu Movies Inc. and an international project Silver Cord with Val Kilmer.

Top 5 Switzerland Tourist Attractions

Switzerland is known as The Land of the Alps, and rightfully so. Bordered by France, Germany, Italy and Austria, Switzerland offers the most breathtaking views of the panoramic Alps. Though small, it is also one of the richest countries in the world, which is why there is no wonder many tourists dream of a Swiss vacation.

1. The Chillon Castle - Located on the shore of Lake Geneva, the Chillon Castle is one of the most famous castles in Switzerland.

2. Zermatt - Although there are many beautiful ski resorts in Switzerland, Zermatt stands out as one of the top Switzerland tourist attractions because it is located at the foot of the Matterhorn, the most famous peak of the Swiss Alps.

3. Geneva Jet D'eau - This fountain in the heart of one of Switzerland's major cities is one of the tallest fountains in the world, projecting water up to 140 meters high.

4. Swiss National Park - Although you cannot pitch a tent and spend the night at Swiss National Park, you can certainly appreciate the different views of the Alps as you go hiking, which is why it is one of the Switzerland tourist attractions worth seeing.

5. Swiss Transport Museum - Located in Lucerne, the Swiss Transport Museum is home to an exhibit of locomotives, ships, aircraft, automobile and other modes of transport and communication. It also houses an extensive collection of the works of Hans Erni, a Swiss painter and sculptor. You're sure to enjoy the Planetarium and the IMAX theatre, too.

Bing Bungle Won't Faze Google

BING, which is the third iteration of Microsoft Search, includes a number of helpful search features. However, we do not believe that the launch of Bing will result in a sustainable material shift in search market share for a number of reasons: None of Bing's features are highly differentiated, Google has a meaningful library of proprietary data, particularly in Maps, which would likely take Microsoft several years to replicate; Google has an estimated 8 times more search traffic than Bing, which gives the company an advantage in improving the relevancy of results; Google has a larger advertiser base, allowing it to deliver better targeted ads; Google is outspending Microsoft's online business in research and development; and the previous marketing initiatives of Microsoft Search fizzled after an initial bump in traffic. Google's last 12 months R&D is $2.6 billion, compared to $1.4 billion for Microsoft's Online Services Business. Google invests 70% of resources on its core business, which includes search, AdWords (Google's search-advertising platform), and related products. Microsoft's total fiscal-2009 R&D budget is estimated at $9.3 billion and the company could choose to invest additional resources in search. However, we think it would be hard to justify transferring R&D dollars from its core business into the online division, given that Microsoft OSB is generating a run-rate operating loss of $2 billion.

Ronaldo moves to Madrid

Manchester United have confirmed they have accepted a bid from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo's future at United has been the subject of constant speculation with Real trailing his signature for the last three summers.Real president Florentino Perez has made no secret of the fact that he would like to lure Ronaldo to El Santiago Bernabeu.Real have now agreed £80million offer for the Portuguese ace and United have given the World Player of the Year permission to talk to the Spanish titans.Ronaldo will now head to the Spanish capital to hold discussions with Real and undergo a medical.Real have already snapped up Brazilian superstar Kaka in a world-record deal, but a move for Ronaldo would eclipse that deal."Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid," read a club statement."At Cristiano's request - who has again expressed his desire to leave and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.

Suicide attack on Pakistani hotel

A suicide bomb attack on a luxury hotel in the north-west Pakistani city of Peshawar, has killed 15 people and injured at least 60. Gunmen stormed the outer security barrier at the Pearl Continental Hotel before blowing up a vehicle containing, police say, 500kg of explosives. Two foreign citizens both UN workers were killed and several were injured. Peshawar, the main city in the country's north-west, is not far from the Swat valley, where the government offensive has been concentrated.

Kaka joins Real Madrid from AC Milan

Kaka joins Real Madrid from AC Milan in world-record £56million move.The biggest transfer deal in the history of football was completed on Monday night with Kaka moving from AC Milan to Real Madrid for £56million. Meanwhile, a statement on the Milan website read: "From next season, Kaka will play at Real Madrid. AC Milan thanked the man and the great champion Kaka for his decisive contribution to the many victories achieved in the six years of his commitment. Kaka will be paid more than £8 million a year, consolidating his position as the world's best-remunerated footballer

Rajeev Motwani expires

Professor Rajeev Motwani, the computer scientist who has died aged 47, advised the founders of Google, the world's biggest search engine, and became one of their earliest backers. Motwani was best known for mentoring Sergey Brin and Larry Page in their student days at Stanford University in California, where he was professor of computer science. As their search engine took shape, Motwani became their technical adviser and guided several other computer-based companies including PayPal, in which he was an early investor. A shrewd businessman as well as an acclaimed computer scientist, he also owned an undisclosed amount of stock in Google.

Landslide in China

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered the local authorities to spare no efforts to save those people buried in a fatal landslide in the southwest city of Chongqing.A geological investigation led by Chongqing land resources authorities found that about 1.5 million cubic meters of Jiwei Mountain massif slumped 600 meters down, filling a 200-meter wide valley, where Wujiang, a tributary of the Yangtze River, runs through.Seven people were pulled out from the debris as of Friday evening, and three of them have not escaped life danger as of Saturday morning, said Qu Qian, director of the Chongqing Municipal Health Bureau.

The Best songs of 2009

As we see this year there has been lot of albums releasing and it is quite a tough job to nominate or select the top songs of the year till as it is just half way through and still a lot of albums are yet to release from major singers which is surely going to rock the music. The selected few songs are being listed here.

Animal Collective - My Girls
N.A.S.A. - Gifted (ft. Kanye West, Santigold, Lykke Li)
Wavves - So Bored
Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader
Bat For Lashes - Daniel
Peter Bjorn and John - Nothing To Worry About
Royksopp - The Girl and The Robot (ft. Robyn)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
Phoenix - Lisztomania
St. Vincent - The Strangers

Atlantic searched for lost plane

The search, involving ships and planes from many nations, was part-suspended overnight, but aircraft with monitoring equipment continued to scour the sea.The Air France Airbus was heading from Brazil to Paris when it disappeared.France believes there is little hope of finding survivors from among the 228 passengers and crew aboard the flight.Rescuers are searching waters deep in the Atlantic for a French airliner which disappeared in a storm early on Monday.If no survivors are found, it will be the worst loss of life involving an Air France plane in the firm's 75-year history.