Dork Diaries.

Dork Diaries are written by Rachel Renee Russell. The series are written as Nikki Maxwell's personal diaries and divided into journal entries, not chapters. Rachel Renee Russell was inspired by her own experiences in the middle school.


The first book, Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life was released on June 2, 2009. This book has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 26 weeks and the USA Today Best Sellers list for 5 weeks. This book was awarded the 2010 Children’s Choice Book of the Year Award for the 5th/6th grade division.


The second book, Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl was released on June 8, 2010. This book has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 16 weeks and the USA Today Best Sellers list for 7 weeks. The first and the second books were both on the New York Times Bestsellers list for 7 weeks


The third book, Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star will be released in June 11, 2011.

The Princess Diaries Series.

The Princess Diaries is series of novel by Meg Cabot. The novels are divided into journal entries. The first volume is published in 2000. Meg Cabot was inspired by the death of her father, and her mother began dating one of her teachers, just like the character in the book.


Main Characters:

• Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo (Mia Thermopolis), the lead role
• Dowager Princess Clarisse Grimaldi Renaldi, Mia's Grandmother
• Lilly Moscovitz, Mia's best friend, Michael's younger sister
• Michael Moscovitz, Mia's true love, Lilly's older brother

Awards and Nominations:

• 2001 American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
• 2001 American Library Association Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• 2001 New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
• 2002 International Reading Association/Children's Book Council Young Adults' Choice
• 2002-2003 Volunteer State Book Award (Tennessee)
• 2003 Evergreen Young Adult Book Award (Washington)

These books are very nice and very interesting. Recommended :)

history of pencils.

                                              

Everyone knows about the good old number 2 pencil. But who knows what that number 2 actually means? Have no fear, I've taken the time to research this pointless topic for your pleasure. First, a little history.

Today pencils are numbered and/or lettered to tell us how hard the lead is. The higher the number, the harder the lead, and the lighter the markings. However, it wasn't always this way.

The earliest pencils were made simply from filling a wood shaft with raw graphite. The hardness of the graphite would differ depending on the quality of the graphite, thus it was different depending on where the pencil was made.

The current style of making pencils was developed in 1794 by Nicolas-Jacques Conté (1755-1805). Conté, a painter, chemist, physicist, balloonist, and inventor, put into practice a new method of making pencils so that they would be much more functional.

                                                       

The Conté Process, as it became known, mixes powdered graphite with finely ground clay. This mixture is then shaped into a long cylinder and then baked in an oven. The more clay that is added versus graphite the harder the pencil lead. In January 1795, Conté patented his method as patent number 32. (Pretty high up there!)

Conté's first pencils were numbered for varing degrees of hardness. As the Conté process made its way into the world, other pencil makers decided to use the same technique. Of course, like any product, each company came up with their own standards for how their product should be labeled.

To further complicate things, English pencil decided to use letters instead of numbers. Soft leads were labeled 'B' for black, and harder leads with 'H' for hard. For varying grades they would just add more letters, thus very soft was 'BB', very hard was 'HH', and extra hard was 'HHH'. Simple right?

Later they switched again to a combination of numbers and letters! Where you would see 2B, 9H, etc. Although more complicated, this system allowed for a much wider variety of grades to be made with no more than a two character description. This was the last major change in the English grading system, the same they use today.

                                             

Why an F and an HB? Who knows. They're crazy! Many of the United States companies use a number only system for writing pencils (1, 2, 2½, 3, 4), but the number letter combination for graphic and artist pencils. I guess they couldn't make up their mind.

The No. 2 / HB grade pencil is the middle grade and is the most commonly used pencil for generic use. Harder grades are used for drafting and engineering, while softer grades are used usually by artists.

Source: http://www.knowledgediary.com/article-109.html

top 10 language spoken in the world.

10. French -- Number of speakers: 129 million

Often called the most romantic language in the world, French is spoken in tons of countries, including Belgium, Canada, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Haiti. Oh, and France too. We're actually very lucky that French is so popular, because without it, we might have been stuck with Dutch Toast, Dutch Fries, and Dutch kissing (ew!).
To say "hello" in French, say "Bonjour" (bone-JOOR).

9. Malay—Indonesian Number of speakers: 159 million
Malay-Indonesian is spoken - surprise - in Malaysia and Indonesia. Actually, we kinda fudged the numbers on this one because there are many dialects of Malay, the most popular of which is Indonesian. But they're all pretty much based on the same root language, which makes it the ninth most-spoken in the world.Indonesia is a fascinating place; a nation made up of over 13,000 islands it is the sixth most populated country in the world. Malaysia borders on two of the larger parts of Indonesia (including the island of Borneo), and is mostly known for its capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
To say "hello" in Indonesian, say "Selamat pagi" (se-LA-maht PA-gee).

8. Portuguese -- Number of speakers: 191 million
Think of Portuguese as the little language that could. In the 12th Century, Portugal won its independence from Spain and expanded all over the world with the help of its famous explorers like Vasco da Gama and Prince Henry the Navigator. (Good thing Henry became a navigator . . . could you imagine if a guy named "Prince Henry the Navigator" became a florist?) Because Portugal got in so early on the exploring game, the language established itself all over the world, especially in Brazil (where it's the national language), Macau, Angola, Venezuela, and Mozambique.
To say "hello" in Portuguese, say "Bom dia" (bohn DEE-ah).

7. Bengali -- Number of speakers: 211 million
In Bangladesh, a country of 120+ million people, just about everybody speaks Bengali. And because Bangladesh is virtually surrounded by India (where the population is growing so fast, just breathing the air can get you pregnant), the number of Bengali speakers in the world is much higher than most people would expect.
To say "hello" in Bengali, say "Ei Je" (EYE-jay).

6. Arabic -- Number of speakers: 246 million
Arabic, one of the world's oldest languages, is spoken in the Middle East, with speakers found in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. Furthermore, because Arabic is the language of the Koran, millions of Moslems in other countries speak Arabic as well. So many people have a working knowledge of Arabic, in fact, that in 1974 it was made the sixth official language of the United Nations. 
To say "hello" in Arabic, say "Al salaam a'alaykum" (Ahl sah-LAHM ah ah-LAY-koom) .



5. Russian -- Number of speakers: 277 million
Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Yakov Smirnoff are among the millions of Russian speakers out there. Sure, we used to think of them as our Commie enemies. Now we think of them as our Commie friends. One of the six languages in the UN, Russian is spoken not only in the Mother Country, but also in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the U.S. (to name just a few places). 
To say "hello" in Russian, say "Zdravstvuite" (ZDRAST-vet- yah).


4. Spanish -- Number of speakers: 392 million
Aside from all of those kids who take it in high school, Spanish is spoken in just about every South American and Central American country, not to mention Spain, Cuba, and the U.S. There is a particular interest in Spanish in the U.S., as many English words are borrowed from the language, including: tornado, bonanza, patio, quesadilla, enchilada, and taco grande supreme. 
To say "hello" in Spanish, say "Hola" (OH-la).


3. Hindustani -- Number of speakers: 497 million
Hindustani is the primary language of India's crowded population, and it encompasses a huge number of dialects (of which the most commonly spoken is Hindi). While many predict that the population of India will soon surpass that of China, the prominence of English in India prevents Hindustani from surpassing the most popular language in the world. If you're interested in learning a little Hindi, there's a very easy way: rent an Indian movie. The film industry in India is the most prolific in the world, making thousands of action/romance/ musicals every year. 
To say "hello" in Hindustani, say "Namaste" (Nah-MAH-stay) .


2. English -- Number of speakers: 508 million
While English doesn't have the most speakers, it is the official language of more countries than any other language. Its speakers hail from all around the world, including the U.S., Australia, England, Zimbabwe, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Canada. We'd tell you more about English, but you probably feel pretty comfortable with the language already. Let's just move on to the most popular language in the world. 
To say "hello" in English, say "What's up, freak?" (watz-UP-freek) .


1. Mandarin -- Number of speakers: 1 billion+

Surprise, surprise, the most widely spoken language on the planet is based in the most populated country on the planet, China. Beating second-place English by a 2 to 1 ratio, but don't let that lull you into thinking that Mandarin is easy to learn. Speaking Mandarin can be really tough, because each word can be pronounced in four ways (or "tones"), and a beginner will invariably have trouble distinguishing one tone from another. But if over a billion people could do it, so could you. Try saying hello! 
To say "hello" in Mandarin, say "Ni hao" (Nee HaOW). ("Hao" is pronounced as one syllable, but the tone requires that you let your voice drop midway, and then raise it again at the end.)

Source: http://www.knowledgediary.com/article-92.html

plastic recycling code.

Codes	Descriptions	Properties	Packaging Applications	Recycled Products
	Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE). PET is clear, tough, and has good gas and moisture barrier properties. Commonly used in soft drink bottles and many injection molded consumer product containers. Other applications include strapping and both food and non-food containers. Cleaned, recycled PET flakes and pellets are in great demand for spinning fiber for carpet yarns, producing fiberfill and geo-textiles. Nickname: Polyester.	Clarity, strength, toughness, barrier to gas and moisture, resistance to heat.	Plastic soft drink, water, sports drink, beer, mouthwash, catsup and salad dressing bottles. Peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars. Ovenable film and ovenable prepared food trays.	Fiber, tote bags, clothing, film and sheet, food and beverage containers, carpet, strapping, fleece wear, luggage and bottles.
	High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is used to make bottles for milk, juice, water and laundry products. Unpigmented bottles are translucent, have good barrier properties and stiffness, and are well suited to packaging products with a short shelf life such as milk. Because HDPE has good chemical resistance, it is used for packaging many household and industrial chemicals such as detergents and bleach. Pigmented HDPE bottles have better stress crack resistance than unpigmented HDPE bottles.	Stiffness, strength, toughness, resistance to chemicals and moisture, permeability to gas, ease of processing, and ease of forming.	Milk, water, juice, cosmetic, shampoo, dish and laundry detergent bottles; yogurt and margarine tubs; cereal box liners; grocery, trash and retail bags.	Liquid laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner and motor oil bottles; pipe, buckets, crates, flower pots, garden edging, film and sheet, recycling bins, benches, dog houses, plastic lumber, floor tiles, picnic tables, fencing.
	Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC). In addition to its stable physical properties, PVC has excellent chemical resistance, good weatherability, flow characteristics and stable electrical properties. The diverse slate of vinyl products can be broadly divided into rigid and flexible materials. Bottles and packaging sheet are major rigid markets, but it is also widely used in the construction market for such applications as pipes and fittings, siding, carpet backing and windows. Flexible vinyl is used in wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, floor coverings synthetic leather products, coatings, blood bags, medical tubing and many other applications.	Versatility, clarity, ease of blending, strength, toughness, resistance to grease, oil and chemicals.	Clear food and non-food packaging, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation, film and sheet, construction products such as pipes, fittings, siding, floor tiles, carpet backing and window frames.	Packaging, loose-leaf binders, decking, paneling, gutters, mud flaps, film and sheet, floor tiles and mats, resilient flooring, cassette trays, electrical boxes, cables, traffic cones, garden hose, mobile home skirting.
	Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE). Used predominately in film applications due to its toughness, flexibility and relative transparency, making it popular for use in applications where heat sealing is necessary. LDPE is also used to manufacture some flexible lids and bottles and it is used in wire and cable applications.	Ease of processing, strength, toughness, flexibility, ease of sealing, barrier to moisture.	Dry cleaning, bread and frozen food bags, squeezable bottles, e.g. honey, mustard.	Shipping envelopes, garbage can liners, floor tile, furniture, film and sheet, compost bins, paneling, trash cans, landscape timber, lumber
	Polypropylene (PP). Polypropylene has good chemical resistance, is strong, and has a high melting point making it good for hot-fill liquids. PP is found in flexible and rigid packaging to fibers and large molded parts for automotive and consumer products.	Strength, toughness, resistance to heat, chemicals, grease and oil, versatile, barrier to moisture.	Catsup bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles.	Automobile battery cases, signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, ice scrapers, oil funnels, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, sheeting, trays.
	Polystyrene (PS). Polystyrene is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard and brittle. It has a relatively low melting point. Typical applications include protective packaging, containers, lids, cups, bottles and trays.	Versatility, insulation, clarity, easily formed	Compact disc jackets, food service applications, grocery store meat trays, egg cartons, aspirin bottles, cups, plates, cutlery.	Thermometers, light switch plates, thermal insulation, egg cartons, vents, desk trays, rulers, license plate frames, foam packing, foam plates, cups, utensils
	Other. Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with a resin other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin listed above, and used in a multi-layer combination.	Dependent on resin or combination of resins	Three and five gallon reusable water bottles, some citrus juice and catsup bottles.	Bottles, plastic lumber applications.

Source: http://www.ides.com/resources/plastic-recycling-codes.asp

top 10 most popular buildings

Burj Khalifa Bin Zayed Dubai, United Arab Emirates Skyscraper The early 2000's was an exciting time in the skyscraper race. A number of monster projects were announced, each taller than the last. But of all the lofty promises made, {HumanName} was one of the very few completed. Because of the competition, it wasn't until the building officially opened in January, 2010 that the public learned its actual height: 2,717 feet. There had been rumor... (more)

Freedom Tower (New York) New York, United States Skyscraper When completed, this will be one of the most important buildings of the early 21st century. It is significant in stature, in design, in its politics, its symbolism, and for the reason it was built. The Freedom Tower is the replacement for what was once New York's World Trade Center. In September, 2001 terrorists destroyed several of the Center's buildings, including the massive 110 -s... (more)

Chicago Spire Chicago, United States Skyscraper The city where the skyscraper was born just can't get enough of these supertowers. The Chicago Spire is the latest in a series of super-tall projects proposed and erected since the mid 1990's. Some, like the Trump International Hotel and Tower, come to fruition. Others, like 7 South Dearborn, do not. The opposition from NIMBY residents in Streeterville and scoffs from other parts of ... (more)

John Hancock Center (Chicago) Chicago, United States Skyscraper An iconic presence in a city of architectural icons, the John Hancock Center rises boldly from the mid-American prairie to cast a cultural shadow much larger than the one it gets from the sun. It is a staple of movies, television newscasts, t-shirts, corporate logos and children's drawings. The John Hancock Center is photographed, idealized, and simplified into its various componen... (more)

Hydropolis Dubai, United Arab Emirates Hotel The early part of the 21st century quickly became known as The Age of Dubai. Many of the world's most spectacular, breathtaking, and startling architectural projects were erected in a city that was little more than a desert outpost a decade earlier. Its leaders had the foresight to know that that its primary natural resource, oil, was in limited supply and chose to embark on a program to ra... (more)

Dubai Mall Dubai, United Arab Emirates Retail A palace of excess in a city obsessed with excessiveness, the Dubai Mall is a colossus of spending, enticing people to stay, eat, shop, and leave with their wallets a lot lighter. Like most mega-malls, this one is carved into about a dozen different themed zones to make it a little more human scale and to group complementary retailers together. Emphasizing the mall's p... (more)

Willis Tower Chicago, United States Skyscraper The grandest tower in a city known for its great architecture, {HumanName} has served for decades as a mighty symbol of architectural prowess and the triumph of engineering. Just a few years after pioneering the trussed tube construction that allowed the 100-story John Hancock Center to be erected a couple of dozen blocks away, the same architects and engineers came up with another revolution... (more)

Trump International Hotel and Tower (Chicago) Chicago, United States Skyscraper Chicago's Trump International Hotel and Tower marked the end of a long drought in the city's super tower scene. The 1960's saw the Hancock Center rise into the sky. In the 1970's it was the Sears Tower and the Aon Center. Then... nothing. Several proposals, including ones for what would have been the world's tallest buildings, failed to come to fruition. The Chicago s... (more)

World Trade Center (New York) New York, United States Skyscraper The World Trade Center is a collection of buildings in lower Manhattan. Towers number one and two (the "Twin Towers") were considered the tallest in the world by some people. It depends on how you define "tallest." Including the antenna, tower number one was 521 meters tall. However, including the antenna may also bring building-less antennae and towers into the running, which ... (more)

AT&T Building (Nashville) Nashville, United States Skyscraper If you're looking for a warm, fuzzy image for your corporation -- this isn't it. This building was intended to look like a telephone at the top. And the decorative bridge that supports the company's logo does in some way resemble the receiver of a telephone in its cradle. But the addition of a pair of illuminated spires ruins the image. You can imagine bolts of electricity arcin... (more)

Source: http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/TopTen.php