10 of 12 Geekiest Wedding Proposals

After months, maybe even years of courting and being with your significant other, it’s time you take your relationship to the next level. Yes, it’s time to get married: dress in your best, walk down the aisle, and promise to be together in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, ’till death do you part.

You want to make this moment special, but it seems that every wedding proposal idea has already been done. A lot of people have already found a ring inside a slice of cake, or have read a proposal note with the grocery list. Some couples have even gone to the extremes to profess their eternal love to their significant other: skydiving, scuba diving, and some have even proposed marriage in a live baseball game.

You want to make your wedding proposal just as special as your special someone. You want it to be romantic and memorable, but you don’t want to make it look or sound too much like the movies. Weird and wacky is the way to go especially if your partner has a good sense of fun, humor and excitement. Here are some ways to make your wedding proposal memorable, and make your partner give you the sweetest “Yes” he or she will ever give in your lives together.

Here are 10 of 12 Geekiest Wedding Proposals from Oddee.com:

1 - Borderlands Videogame Proposal

Gamer Ben is a huge fan of Borderlands, the popular FPS/RPG hybrid from Gearbox. So when he met girlfriend Tora, he had to sit her down and explain his guilty secret: he was A GAMER, and his Borderlands addiction may well take up hours of his time. Would Tora be okay with this? Well, err, yeah, because like Ben, Tora is a Borderlands nut. When Ben decided to pop The Question, he decided to take a chance and ask Gearbox for some help. And help they did.

The studio spent a week working on a special Borderlands-themed proposal video for Ben to show Tora, featuring some brilliant close-to-the-knuckle quips from the game's robotic mascot, Claptrap. You can watch this amazing clip below, and Tora's response below that. What an awesome bit of fan-service by Gearbox!


She said yes. Take a look at her reaction:

2 - Harry Potter Proposal

Here's how Reddit user Trehlo proposed to his girlfriend. Oh, and be sure to check out the title of the chapter where the rings sits on (The unbreakable vow). Need some pressure, future wife?

3 - Groupon's Proposal

In 2011 on Groupon, Greg H. from Cincinnati proposed to his girlfriend, Dana B, who apparently said yes (it says, the deal is on). Okay, it sounds gimicky, but I have to admit that it's actually pretty cute. The deal is titled “A Surprise for a Dana from a Greg,” and by clicking “buy,” Dana accepted Greg's proposal for $1 (she got $999,998 off the $999,999 value). What a deal!

Groupon had fun with it and threw in some quirkiness. The Fine Print reads: “Groupon entitled to no less than 15% of your marital bliss. Either party may develop a snoring problem. One or both participants will not always look like a 20-year-old. Good luck, you kids.” It also lists The Groupon Guide to: A Successful Marriage, which includes advice like having nacho Thursdays and watching The Negotiator to learn about compromise.

If you were also charmed by Greg and would like to purchase the deal, just click buy and you'll receive the message “Congratulations Dana or Stranger. You are now unofficially obliged to marry Greg!.” Good deal!

4 - Captain Jean-Luc Picard Proposal

We have no information about this young lady, but it is obvious that she is very fortunate to have found a man of such discerning taste and character. “Aye aye, sir” would be an appropriate response.

5 - Treasure Hunt iPhone App Proposal

LinkedIn employee Bryan Haggerty coded a custom iPhone application to send his girlfriend Jeannie Chou on a scavenger hunt throughout San Francisco. The web app included a map containing location points, each one accompanied with a video providing clues on where to go next. In the end, the map points connected to form a <3, and the final destination was the top of a hill in Dolores Park, where Haggerty busted out the big question.

6 - Pokemon Proposal

Is there any better way to propose than with a Pokeball ring box? That depends on who you ask. If you ask a Pokemon fan, probably not.

7 - Mario Proposal

This is a video of a guy proposing to his Mario-loving girlfriend. He decked out his living room to resemble the Mushroom Kingdom, and even had her knock the engagement ring "out" of a question block with her head.

8 - Storm Trooper Proposal

Storm Trooper Proposes at DragonCon in Atlanta.

9 - Bejeweled Game Proposal

Knowing your girlfriend's favorite hobbies is a great start for planning a proposal. For Bernie Peng, that meant using the game 'Bejeweled' to ask Tammy Li to marry him. Peng, a financial software programmer, spent a month tweaking the game so when Li reached a certain score, a ring and the proposal popped up on the screen.

According to Li, he set a pretty low score; she is now sporting an identical pink sapphire engagement ring. The game manufacturer eventually heard about the story. Instead of being angry that Peng had hacked into their game, company officials were so impressed they offered to pay for part of the wedding.

10 - Google Maps Proposal

Michael Weiss-Malik, a Google employee, deserves a lot of credit for this one. What better way to show the world your love than displaying it on Google Maps? Weiss-Malik got his buddies on the Street View team to give him a heads-up on the next time the Street View car was coming out to take pictures. And when that day came, he was well-prepared, holding a banner that read "Proposal 2.0: Marry me Leslie!!" (see above) After that, all he had to was lure Leslie into loading Google Maps and zooming in on the precise coordinates of his romantic stunt.

• Reference/Source: Oddee.com by Gracie Murano [6/7/2011]

Read More

10 of 15 Celebrities with their Signature Poses

Ever notice how some celebrities always look the same in their pictures? There's a reason for that -- they've been coached on how to stand so that they look as tall, thin, and beautiful as possible.

As a star, it's important to look your best -- and show off a little personality in the process. From the peace sign to bum shot, these red carpet staples always revert back to their tried and true signature red carpet poses.

Although you may not be aware of it, each celebrity poses the same way each time. While all the celebrities pose differently, it would appear that each celebrity has figured out which pose makes them look the best and they stick with that particular pose.

Below are ten(10) celebrities who seldom deviate from their signature poses. Maybe we should all be taking notes!

1 - Taylor Swift

2 - Victoria Beckham

3 - Beyonce

4 - George Clooney

5 - Lindsay Lohan

6 - Blake Lively

7 - Kim Kardashian

8 - Lady Gaga

9 - Megan Fox

10 - Miley Cyrus

That's all for now folks! Ciao!

• Reference/Source: Oddee.com by Beverly Jenkins [6/9/2011]

Read More

10 of Yahoo's Failed Answers (Hilarious)

We know it's a free service, but before asking a question on Yahoo Answers, please be sure to use some common sense. Meet ten(10) funny Yahoo Answers that'll leave you wondering about the fate of humanity. It’s a scary thought that these people have internet access, but even more terrifying is that they are breeding.

Yahoo Answers can be an incredible source of information and quality advice if you’re asking or looking for the right questions but… since it has many, many millions of users, you just know that there will be a bunch of pretty dumb people who turned it into one of the greatest sources of laughs on the Internet too.
We’ve all heard many stupid questions in our lives until now but some of the questions asked on these Answers sites will knock you off your chair and you’re really going to roll over your floor laughing when you’re gonna see what these users are asking.
So, there you have it, we’ve gathered here some of the funniest (and dumbest) Yahoo Answers fails, questions that probably none of us would ever think of.

• Reference/Source: hqvia.com

Read More

10 of Google Earth Finds (Believe it or not)

With its detailed satellite photos, Google's interactive map lets everyone be a virtual globetrotter. And some of the things we've found in our travels are downright bizarre. Columbus and Magellan had it rough. Exploration these days is quite literally an armchair activity, as high-resolution satellite images and tools like Google Earth make it possible for anyone with an Internet connection to pore over the globe with a fine-toothed comb.

There are entire online communities devoted to finding and cataloging the most unusual locales worldwide, creating 21st century atlases of minutiae. It isn't just for hobbyists, either — Google Earth has helped scientists find previously unknown ruins and police locate clandestine marijuana fields. Here are Top10 of the most unusual discoveries.

1 - Atlantis Found?

Might these be the ruins of the lost continent of Atlantis? Eager explorers certainly thought so, trumpeting this grid off the coast of Africa as streets in the mythical sunken city. Observers noted the area appeared to be the size of Wales, making such a large grid an impressive feat of ancient urban planning. The real explanation is far less fun: Google Earth engineers soon announced that the grid pattern was merely a digital artifact created by the sonar boats collecting mapping data. Whispers still linger, but it doesn't look like anyone will be dredging up a forgotten civilization anytime soon.

2 - Firefox Crop Circles

Maybe alien technology isn't so foreign after all. This Firefox crop circle sprouted up in a cornfield in Oregon, but its origins are no mystery. In 2006, the Oregon State University Linux Users group created the giant logo — spanning more than 45,000 sq. ft. — to celebrate the Web browser's 50 millionth download.

3 - UFO Landing Pads, Maybe?

Here's a true Google Earth mystery. These odd formations can be found on air bases in the U.S. and Britain — this one comes from a base outside Norwich, England. The U.K. Ministry of Defense called it a motorcycle range, but other speculate it may be some sort of calibration tool for satellites. No one really knows — and the military isn't saying anything more.

4 - Oprah Maze

She's got a massive syndicated show and a magazine called O, and she was dubbed the most powerful celebrity in the world by Forbes. Why shouldn't Oprah get her own corn maze? An Arizona farmer created this 2004 tribute to the TV talk-show host.

5 - Secret Swastika

When builders of the Coronado Naval Amphibious Base in San Diego planned this complex in 1967, satellite imagery was probably the furthest thing from their minds. But in 2007, Google Earth sleuths found that four unconnected buildings on the base formed an unfortunate shape when viewed from above: a swastika. The Navy says it's spending more than $600,000 to mask the shape. "We don't want to be associated with something as symbolic and hateful as a swastika," a spokesman said.

6 - Lost (and Found) at Sea

The S.S. Jassim, a Bolivian cargo ferry, ran aground and sunk on the Wingate Reef off the coast of Sudan in 2003. Now it's one of the largest shipwrecks visible on Google Earth.

7 - A Face in the Clay

It looks disconcertingly like a face from above, but this formation in Alberta, Canada, is entirely natural. Dubbed the Badlands Guardian, the "face" is actually a valley eroded into the clay. Some say the person appears to be wearing earphones; that's merely a road and an oil well. Even the Badlands Guardian, it seems, isn't immune to exploratory drilling.

8 - Iraq's Bloody Lake

This blood-red lake outside Iraq's Sadr City garnered a fair share of macabre speculation when it was noticed in 2007. One tipster told the tech blog Boing Boing that he was "told by a friend" that slaughterhouses in Iraq sometimes dump blood into canals. No one has offered an official explanation, but it's more likely that the color comes from sewage, pollution or a water-treatment process.

9 - Airplane Graveyard

The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base outside Tuscon, Ariz., is where old planes go to die. More than 4,000 military aircraft are parked on the base, from B-52s to stealth bombers, where they are salvaged for parts and broken down for scrap. It's one of the most popular satellite pictures online, making guided tours of the area a hot ticket.

10 - Missile Test?

Google Earth has plenty of examples of planes, helicopters — even hot air balloons — caught in flight, but this cruise missile, thought to have been fired during military training exercises in the Utah mountains, might be the most unlikely capture yet. If it is, in fact, a cruise missile. Many dispute the image and say it's merely an airplane. You be the judge, but if you look closely, the "missile" appears to have wings.

Want to Confirm? Please visit Time.com for more info.

• Reference/Source: Google Earth
• Reference/Source: Time.com by Dan Fletcher

Read More

10 of World's Most Dangerous Mountains

For some of us, mountains are the best places for a vacation, but for others is a way of living. I’m talking about climbers that take their chances to make it “on top of the world”, conquering some of the highest mountains out there. But some are not only after heights, they’re after the most dangerous mountains. They need adrenaline, even if they have to pay with their lives and that’s why we decided to make up a list with the deadliest mountains in the world.

Here's our Top10 List of World's Most Dangerous Mountains:

1 - ANNAPURNA, Central Nepal (26,545 ft.)

On this mountain, the 10th highest in the world, about 130 climbers have summited the avalanche-prone peak, but 53 have died trying — making Annapurna’s fatality rate of 41% the highest in the world.

2 - NANGA PARBAT, Kashmir (26,657 ft.)

Known affectionately as the Man Eater, this craggy monster in Kashmir is an enormous ridge of rock and ice. The peak is the ninth highest in the world and its southern side features the tallest mountain face on the planet. Nanga Parbat claimed 31 lives before it was conquered by Austrian Herman Buhl in 1953.

3 - SIULA GRANDE, Peruvian Andes (20,814 ft.)

In 1985, the duo of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, whose journey was chronicled in the book and film Touching the Void, attempted the western face of Siula Grande: a sheer, vertical ascent that had never been completed. They made it to the summit but Simpson fell during the descent, breaking his leg. Then Yates, lowering the injured Simpson down by rope, lost sight of him over a cliff. After an hour passed, with his position slipping away, and Simpson unable to secure himself, Yates cut the rope. Incredibly, Simpson survived the 100 ft. fall into a crevasse. Over the next three days he subsisted on melted snow and hopped the five miles back to camp, arriving shortly before Yates, assuming Simpson had perished, was due to depart for home.

4 - K2, border of Pakistan and China (28,251 ft.)

The second highest mountain in the world, this peak has a nasty reputation, especially when it comes to female climbers. The first woman to reach the summit was the legendary Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz, who got to the top in June 1986. Over the next 18 years all five female climbers who summited this peak were killed. Three died during the descent down K2, two others on nearby mountains. Rutkiewicz also perished close by, on Kangchenjunga in 1992. The curse was finally broken in 2004 by Edurne Pasaban, a 31-year-old Spanish mountaineer, who remains alive to this day.

5 - KANGCHENJUNGA, border between India and Nepal (28,169 ft.)

In 1999, a new James Bond novel found the uber-agent trekking up its dramatic ridges. James may have stopped to admire the gorgeous view, but, as our hero knows well, looks can be deceiving. Avalanches and bitter colds have made this one of the deadliest mountains in the world.

6 - THE MATTERHORN, border between Switzerland and Italy (14,691 ft.)

These days the principle danger on the Matterhorn is its popularity, with overeager tourists sending loose rocks onto the heads of fellow climbers below.

7 - EVEREST (29,029 ft.), border between Nepal and China

With its marquee status, it would be easy to assume that this is the deadliest mountain of them all. But pound for pound, Everest claims a fairly small percentage of climbers (9%), considering the number that attempt it every year.

8 - MT. WASHINGTON (6,288 ft), New Hampshire

To experience a killer mountain a little closer to home, look no further than this New Hampshire peak. The rapidly shifting weather, hurricane force winds, and summer ice pellets scouring this slope have claimed more than 100 lives. Temperatures at the peak can descend to -50 degrees Farenheit. In fact, the strongest wind gust ever measured on Earth was recorded on this peak, a gale of 231 mph.

9 - DENALI, Alaska (20,320 ft.)

The mountain is prone to earthquakes. And the combination of high altitude and extreme latitude also means altitude sickness kicks in much faster. (At the equator, a peak this size would have about half as much oxygen at the summit than at sea level; because of the latitude, the percentage on Denali is far lower.)

10 - Mt. Fuji, Japan (12,388 ft.)

Sometimes you don’t have to be a tall mountain to be a lethal one. Take Mt. Fuji, for example. At its base sits the Sea of Trees, a large expanse of cedar, pine, and boxwood trees that was the only area not overrun by lava and ash during a massive eruption in 1707. This forest, know as Aokigahara, has attained cult status among Japanese as the perfect place to die. Rumors about the woods abound: locals speak of magnetic fields that disorient search and rescue operations; the forest’s population is said to consist of snakes, wild dogs, and the occasional demon.

• Reference/Source: gearjunkie.com [Originally reposted date: January 22, 2008]

Read More

10 of Preferred Ultimate Urban Cars 2011

In 2009, one in every 6.4 Americans — from New York to Honolulu — lived in the top 50 major incorporated cities, according to U.S. census data. And if you're among them, chances are you know all too well what it's like to shoehorn yourself into a tight parallel-parking spot, squeeze between dumpsters and delivery trucks, or witness your bumpers accrue a patchwork of dimples.

It's no wonder that State Farm Insurance reports that a driver living in central Illinois would pay 30 percent lower premiums than if the driver lived in downtown Chicago. Compare upstate New York and Manhattan, and the premium difference climbs to 70 percent.

Some cars ease the urban burden better than others. Our editors set out to find just those few. We surveyed vehicle lengths, turning circles, driving visibility and parking aids. We considered our own driving impressions, looked at EPA city mileage ratings and called out cars that don't have folding side mirrors. From an initial list of 58 models — all 2011s — here are our top 10:

1 - 2011 Mini Cooper

The Mini Cooper refuses to release its grip on the title of Ultimate Urban Car. Yes, it's short — just over 12 feet long — and it turns a fairly tight circle and offers rear parking sensors. But being the ultimate urban car isn't just about parking. The Cooper's wee size and nimble handling make it good for scooting around delivery vehicles or slowpokes, especially if you opt for the turbocharged S trim level. All Coopers have excellent brakes, too, so you're well-protected against the indiscretions of others, such as cellphone-obsessed pedestrians who don't know street from sidewalk. Consider the convertible if you live in a warm climate, but if you're in a wintry city, think twice about the S trim level, which rides too firmly for pothole-ridden streets.

Length: 146.8 inches
Turning circle: 35.1 feet
Seats: 4
City MPG: 28-29 (premium gas)

2 - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

It's not flashy — OK, it's really not flashy — but the Cruze satisfies the basic transportation needs of any driver extremely well. Chevy also delivers one of its highest-quality interiors along with good fuel economy and, most importantly in the city, a suspension that eats up potholes. Unlike many other small cars, the Cruze also has a sizable backseat for taking friends out to dinner, and the trunk is as big as those you find in some midsize sedans. Plus, if it gets a ding, you're really not going to be too heartbroken.

Length: 181.0 inches
Turning circle: 35.8-36.4 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 22-28

3 - 2011 Ford Fiesta

Ford's cosmopolitan-looking Fiesta is all the rage in city-flocked Europe, and it should suit urban America equally well. The manual transmission's light clutch and smooth throws suit the city better than the optional automatic, whose twin-clutch setup has the Fiesta lurching around a bit at low speeds. Either way, the car's near-30 mpg city mileage should minimize trips to the pump. The suspension ticks off manhole covers and alley ruts without lingering aftershocks, and the car's nimble steering will have you maneuvering around stopped taxicabs without breaking a sweat. Ford's available Sync system should appeal to tech enthusiasts, with app integration for a number of smartphones.

Length: 160.1 inches
Turning circle: 34.4 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 28-29

4 - 2011 Honda Fit

Like an efficiency apartment, the Honda Fit is a packaging marvel, and it can hold a lot more stuff than its small exterior size would suggest. A tall roofline and low load floor help the hatchback achieve a cavernous 57.3 cubic feet of cargo room with the backseat down. The backseat also flips up, giving it versatility not normally seen in its class. When you take into account gas mileage as high as 28/35 mpg city/highway with an automatic transmission and the Fit's light-on-its-feet nature, this is one hatchback that's made for tackling — and moving things in — cities.

Length: 161.6 inches
Turning circle: 34.4 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 27-28

5 - 2011 Hyundai Elantra

We've been impressed with the new cars coming from Hyundai lately, like the Sonata family sedan, and the redesigned Elantra compact car impresses, too. The 2011 model's all-new design brings a heavy dose of style to the small-car segment, but Hyundai delivered on the practical front, too, as all versions of the Elantra get an EPA-estimated 29/40 mpg. The emphasis on design carries over to the cabin, which is distinctive and functional. All in all, the Elantra drives, looks and feels like a more expensive car than it actually is, and it's hard to put a price on that.

Length: 178.3 inches
Turning circle: 34.8 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 29

6 - 2011 Kia Forte

Kia's Forte debuted as a compact sedan, with a coupe and four-door hatchback following in quick succession. While the two-door is fun and the four-door is sensible, the hatchback may be the best option for city dwellers. You get the same well-designed interior and a capable engine, along with the numerous standard features and the low price of the sedan. And don't forget the extra cargo room. It may not drive as sportingly as the Mazda3 or even the Toyota Matrix, but the Forte costs significantly less and delivers better gas mileage. Those are two convincing reasons to go with the Kia.

Length: 170.9 inches
Turning circle: 33.8 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 22-25

7 - 2011 Kia Soul

The Soul's boxy lines liken a sort of Mini-Me version of the delivery trucks crawling any city street. Get one in brown, and the UPS driver might give you a friendly honk. (Not that you'd be able to distinguish it from the other honks.) The Soul's four-cylinder engine — most trims have a 2.0-liter — gets the job done, if unremarkably, and the highly assisted steering comes in handy at urban speeds. The trendy interior will appeal to a certain type of city dweller, with available features that include speakers that illuminate in sync with your music. Not surprisingly, they tend to work better with Lady Gaga than Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Length: 161.6 inches
Turning circle: 34.4 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 24-26

8 - 2011 Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is perfect for the city, and vice versa. With a range as high as 100 miles, the battery-electric Leaf is great for the average commute. It's more efficient at moderate speeds than on the highway, so trips around downtown areas are where it's most capable. Unlike gas-powered cars, which waste fuel in traffic jams, the Leaf's battery isn't depleted as it crawls along, barring excessive use of the heat or air conditioner. City centers are where public charging is proliferating, which should diminish range anxiety. An optional backup camera is a coup for parking purposes.

Length: 175.0 inches
Turning circle: 34.2 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 106 MPGe

9 - 2011 Volkswagen Golf TDI

With the diesel-powered Golf TDI, fuel economy and driving fun happily coexist. The Golf TDI is rated at 30/42 mpg in all its forms, and the diesel four-cylinder's robust torque — combined with a nimble chassis — will have you slicing through urban traffic in no time. This is an entertaining driver's car. Inside, the Golf TDI features a level of quality that not many competitors can match, and whether you get the two- or four-door hatchback model, the cabin is versatile, capable of swallowing loads of cargo for that crosstown move. It's a car that will turn diesel skeptics into believers.

Length: 165.4 inches
Turning circle: 35.8 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 30 (diesel)

10 - 2011 Toyota Yaris

Not many cars can turn a full circle in under 35 feet. The fact that the Yaris does it in under 31 feet is extraordinary — and handy in tight corners and parallel parking. The car's basic exterior leaves no fog lights or chrome trim at risk for curb encounters, and in hatchback form, its stubby dimensions should make it easy to wedge into tight spaces. Inside, the cabin's three glove compartments allows space to stash valuables away from prying eyes, and the car's four-cylinder is peppier than its 106 horsepower might suggest. The car also starts under $13,000 — which gives at least one cheap aspect to city living.

Length: 150.6 inches
Turning circle: 30.8 feet
Seats: 5
City MPG: 29

• Reference/Source: yahoo.com by Kelsey Mays of Cars.com [Tue, May 31, 2011]

Read More