The United States of America is the land of opportunities, but it is also plagued by its own problems. All is not well in the land of opportunities; it has its share of problems. Crime is a multiple headed monster that keeps raising its ugly head in the various cities spread across America. This article is a listing of America’s most dangerous cities according to latest crime statistics.

How the Most Dangerous Cities Were Ranked
This listing of the most dangerous cities in America is based on the published crime statistics in 2009 and surveys conducted by national journals during last year. As some cities are renowned in the United States for being the safest, there are certain cities which have the notoriety of being America’s dangerous cities. While moving around in these cities and its certain neighborhoods, you need to really watch out for yourself and your family. With a high crime rate of every kind ranging from burglary, robbery, assault, murder, rape and motor vehicle theft, these are by far some of the most dangerous places to move around in the United States.

This article has no intention of spreading paranoia or unnecessary fear but is only meant to alert US citizens about these crime ridden areas. Another reason for making this list is to drive the US government’s attention towards these cities, hoping that the authorities may be able to do something about the conditions that lead a man to take the path of crime in such cities.

Top Ten of America’s Most Dangerous Cities

The reason for the spread of crimes is quite complex. There exist many sociological and psychological reasons for a person to take up crime. Ignorance, deprivation, poverty, misguided aggression, aimlessness of life are some of the reasons which give rise to crime. While surveying for the most dangerous cities, particular emphasis was given to violent crimes. Out of surveys made in 354 cities around the United States, these were the cities that turned out to have the notoriety of being America’s most dangerous. These 10 dangerous cities rank high on all kinds of violent crimes.

The Top Ten Most Dangerous Cities in America
America’s Most Dangerous Cities #1: Camden, New Jersey

Earning the crown of being the most dangerous city in America is Camden situated in the state of New Jersey. It is located right across the Delaware river from Philadelphia. In 2009, Camden recorded the highest crime rate in the country, which was 2,333 violent crimes per 100,000 people, when the national average crime rate was 455 violent crimes per 100,000. The economical condition has not been good as 20% of the population is below poverty line. It ranked high on all the six categories of murder, rape, robbery, burglary, assault and auto theft.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #2: St. Louis, Missouri

The city of St.Louis, the largest urban area in Missouri, has earned the title of being the second most dangerous city in United States due to the rampant crime cases it recorded in 2009. It ranks very high on all crime categories.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #3: Oakland, California

The eight largest city in the United States, Oakland in California has earned the third rank as its has been struggling with high unemployment and increasing rate of violent crimes in 2009.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #4: Detroit, Michigan

The world’s automotive hub, Detroit is also one of the most crime ridden cities in America. Although the crime rate in terms of violent crimes has dropped in recent years, it still remains one of the most dangerous cities in America.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #5: Flint, Michigan

The seventh largest city in Michigan, with a population of 112,900 in 2008, is the fifth dangerous city in America. Although there has been a significant drop in sexual assault, larceny and homicide cases, there still remains one of the most unsafe cities in the country.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #6: New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, situated in southeastern Louisiana, is the sixth worst city when it comes to crimes in USA, as of 2009. The city recorded the highest rate of homicide in 2002 and 2003. The low income neighborhoods in New Orleans are particularly notorious for their high crime rate.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #7: Birmingham, Alabama

The largest city in the state of Alabama, Birmingham records seventh on the list, due to the high homicide rate in this city over the years. It has seventh highest rank in homicide.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #8: Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland in Ohio has stayed in the listing of most dangerous cities in US for a while now. It ranks high on rape, robbery and and burglary cases.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #9: Jackson, Mississippi

The city of Jackson, Mississippi is the ninth most dangerous city in America. It ranks high in burglary cases, homicide, rape and auto theft cases.

America’s Most Dangerous Cities #10: Memphis, Tennessee

The city of Memphis ranks tenth in the listing of the most dangerous cities in America. It ranks high on burglary, assault, robbery and motor theft cases.

Los Angeles is the place to be in if you are looking for a fun filled weekend getaway. Well, there’s no way you can be content in just a weekend, you got to extend your holiday schedule for few more days as there is so much to see and do. When one thinks of Los Angeles, Hollywood crops up in the mind but believe me, there is so much more to Los Angeles than the Tinseltown and you would delightfully explore each and every corners of the tourist attractions in Los Angeles. Check out the places to go in Los Angeles which would give you the much needed break from your daily mundane life.

Top 10 Places to Go in Los Angeles
Top 10 Places to Go in Los Angeles

Griffith Observatory

Situated south to downtown Los Angles, this is one of the iconic places which attracts thousands of people every year. Being around 1134 feet above sea level, it is visible from most parts of Los Angeles. The given name of the observatory is because, it is built on the land denoted by Col. Griffith J. Griffith. It was opened for public viewing on May 14, 1935. As the true traditions of Los Angeles, this landmark had its fair share of film shootings and cinematic stars. Movies like Terminator, The Rocketeer, Transformers, Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle, House on Haunted Hill, etc. featured Griffith observatory in many of the scenes. If you are going to Los Angeles with kids, then this is a place to visit in Los Angeles as kids would not only go through a cinematic experience but also get some educational insights too.

Olvera Street

Call it Olvera street or La Placita Olvera, this street is in fact a vividly colorful village having around 27 historically important buildings including a Mexican plaza area. This place is accredited to be the birthplace of Los Angeles and it offers some truly authentic Mexican cuisines, Mexican shops along with some great Mexican music and dancing, fiestas and celebrations. It is one of the fun places to go in Los Angeles to which you definitely don’t wanna give a miss.

Santa Catalina Island

This magical place is situated in the Los Angeles county, just 22 miles away from south west of Los Angeles. Also known as Catalina island or Catalina, this island boasts of a rich history and culture. Even though, the island was first occupied by Tongva; but in the 15th century, Spanish explorers laid claim on it and from there on, it held on its Spanish roots even through Russian hunters, barbarous Yankee pirates and wandering fishermen. Catalina island is known for its scenic beauty, and robust culture and if you have come all the way to Los Angeles, you have to visit such a marvelous place.

Chinatown Los Angeles

Since you are going to Los Angeles city, you would be hunting for good dining and wining places. Your search ends at Chinatown as your olfactory, visual, auditory senses would delight in the aroma and sight of this place. Great food, with remarkably good souvenirs to take home is what you need to make this trip truly memorable. You are going to find there ‘everything you need’ and ‘everything you don’t need but still wanna buy’ things. From porcelain craft items, jade and wood paintings, herbs, tea, books, art supplies, book stores to fancy restaurants and even banking institutions, this Chinese dragon has everything to beckon the tourist to its lair.

Santa Monica

Santa Monica is a seaside bustling town which is surrounded by the city of Los Angeles from three sides. Situated in the Los Angeles county, this town offers a unique and breathtaking California beach experience. A day tour of the town visiting the art galleries and museum, and a night life including live music bars and discos are not the only things the city offers its visitors, there’s plenty more! You can enjoy a whole lot more in this place if you are the outdoorsy type especially when there is an array of outdoor activities like swimming, surfing, biking, beach volleyball to old fashioned agile gymnastics.

Hollywood One place you would be craving to visit ever since you set foot in Los Angeles is Hollywood. Pay homage to the stars whom you dreamt about and if you are lucky, you can even get a glimpse of some of the celebrities you read about in the tabloids. The trip to Hollywood begins with Grauman’s Chinese theater and goes on to Madame Tussuads, Hollywood wax museum, etc. Buying a Hollywood city pass would be an expensive way to revel the sights and sounds of the Tinseltown. Read more on interesting facts about hollywood

.

Beverly Hills

Since you are in Los Angeles, visiting the upmarket and starstudded neighborhood called Beverly Hills is a must. Situated in the western side of Los Angeles, it is surrounded by Bel-Air, equally affluent Holmby Hills and Santa Monica mountains.

Universal Studios

Hailed as the entertainment capital of Los Angeles, Universal Studios Hollywood comprises a studio and a theme park. It is one of the fun places to go in Los Angeles with kids, as you would be getting a studio tour, many rides and shows, photos ops with your favorite stars (like Shrek, Simpsons, Scooby Doo and many more) along with fine dining and shopping extravaganza.

Queen Mary Long Beach The Queen Mary in the Long Beach is a retired oceanliner which is permanently anchored at the Long Beach. Nowadays, it is operated as a museum ship and hotel. The ship is enlisted in the National Register of historical places and is a major tourist attraction. Read more on things to do in Los Angeles

.

Fort MacArthur Museum

This former army installation in San Pedro was converted into a museum in 1985 as a dedication to the Fort MacArthur, a US Army post which defended the harbor of Los Angeles from the year 1914 to 1974. Displays and exhibits of the World War era, military campaigns, Los Angeles harbor defenses are showcased in the rooms, corridors, galleries of this museum. It has also become a subject of speculation after rumors spread that ghosts of World War heroes are haunting the place.

Romantic Places to Go in Los Angeles
Romantic Places to Go in Los Angeles

Naples Island Gondolas
Huntington Botanical Garden
Mulholland Drive
Echo Park
Sunset Strip
Hollywood Bowl
L A Live
Hollyhock House
Venice Beach
San Fransisco Bay
Descanso Garden
Aqurium of the Pacific
Sunset Ranch Hollywood
The aforementioned locations are some of the good places to go in Los Angeles at night, and in the daytime. I hope, this article gave you some ideas where to go while you are in Los Angeles. Have fun!

Over the last few decades, the number of vehicles on road has increased manifolds all over the world. This has, in turn, evoked the need for putting in more efforts to promote road safety, and the development of roads which are WIDE enough to support the ever growing road traffic in the world is a part of this very road safety initiative. Roads with 8 and 10 lanes are no more rare occurrences, but what about roads with 20 lanes – they surely deserve to be called engineering marvels of the modern world. With quite a few claims about ‘world’s widest road’ making the rounds, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what is the widest road in the world. With all this confusion, the only way out seems to be to get more information on all these roads which are allegedly claimed to be widest – and see whether they are really wide or are mere boastful claims.

Which Road Is the Widest in the World?
Which is the Widest Road in the World?

At its widest point the Ontario Highway 401 in Canada has 18 lanes in the mainline and additional 4 lanes as connecting ramps. If all these lanes are taken into consideration the total amounts to 22 lanes – thus making the Ontario Highway 401 the widest road in the world. This highway is also known as the King’s Highway 401 or Macdonald-Cartier Freeway. You need not be surprised if you come across people referring to it as the four-oh-one that it is widely known as in Canada. It stretches from Windsor, in southwestern Ontario, to Quebec, in east-central Canada. Yet another interesting attribute of this road is the fact that the segment of this road which passes through Toronto – which is the largest city in Canada, is the busiest road in North America.

Is the Monumental Axis the Widest Road?
Isn’t it the Monumental Axis in Brazil?

Many people believe that the Monumental Axis – a central avenue in Brazil’s capital city Brasilia is the widest road in the world. Some people even claim that as many as 160 cars can be driven on this road – side by side. A closer inspection suggests that the Monumental Axis is actually made up of two avenues which has six lanes on either sides bringing the total number of lanes to 12. The claim that as many as 160 cars can be driven side by side doesn’t quite hold ground as there is no concrete evidence to support the same. Simply put, Monumental Axis in not the widest road in the world.

Monumental Axis Trivia
Monumental Axis Trivia

: What the Monumental Axis does boast of is the fact that it has the widest median when it comes to divided highways in the world – and this fact has been validated by the Guinness Book of World Records as well.

What About the 9 de Julio Avenue?
And What About 9 de Julio Avenue in Argentina?

As in case of the Monumental Axis, many people also believe that 9 de Julio Avenue in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the widest road in the world. With a total of 16 lanes, it doesn’t quite qualify to be the world’s widest road – but these 16 lanes do make it the widest street in the world. In order to understand this, you need to understand the difference between a road and street. A road is defined as an open way which facilitates travel or transportation. A street, on the other hand, is a thoroughfare – usually including pavements, that has buildings on either sides. And lastly, a highway is a major public road which connects two or more destinations. While both the terms are used to refer to the same thing in general – the use of street is most often seen in context of urban areas. That explains the characteristics such as pavements and buildings lined up on either sides. That being said, 9 de Julio Avenue is indeed the widest street in the world – and you are likely to come across two to three green lights on your few minute journey across the road.

That must have cleared all your confusion about the widest road in the world, as well as the world’s widest street (and the difference between the two.) Interestingly, the Katy Freeway – a part of the Interstate 10 in southern United States is being widened to support the increasing traffic on this route. When the widening work will be complete, the Katy Freeway will have 12 main lanes, 8 access road lanes, and 6 mid-freeway lanes – all of which will amount to 26 lanes in total making it the world’s widest road.

History of the Dominican Republic
“ C’mo e’tamo’? This means ‘how are you doing today?’ in the Dominican Republic! Also known as Dominicana Republica, it is the second largest Caribbean nation after Cuba. The Dominican Republic is situated on the island of Hispaniola. It also shares the Caribbean island with Haiti, making the Caribbean island one among the 2 islands that is shared by two different countries!

Christopher Columbus

explored the Dominican Republic in 1492. The country was taken over by the French, and even the land of Haiti, but after the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, the country was victorious over the enemy. This article further discusses about the Dominican Republic facts and information that will help you to understand the country even more. Have a look“

Interesting Dominican Republic Facts

The Dominican Republic facts and history are very much inter related, this is because the Dominican Republic History is very interesting one. After Christopher Columbus explored the country, it was ruled by Spanish domain for a long period of time. However, it was in 1697, French dominion was established on the western third of the island, which began to be known as Haiti in 1804. Have a look at the facts below and know more.

Key Facts About the Dominican Republic
Apart from the island of Haiti, the rest was known as Santo Domingo, which is now the name of the capital of the Dominican Republic.
It was only when the country gained independence in 1844 that it was called Dominican Republic.
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930-61, followed by Juan Bosch.
The current president of Dominican Republic is Leonel Fernandez who was elected in 2004.
There are 3 dates of independence in the country, first; December 1, 1821, when it got independence from Spain, Second; February 27, 1844, when it got independence from Haiti, and third; August 16, 1865, when it again got independence from Spain.
However, February 27 is considered to be the national holiday, as it is the independence day of the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic is known for its sugar processing, which is one of the main industries in the country. Apart from that, other main industries in the Dominican Republic are tourism, tobacco, ferro-nickel and gold mining, cement, textiles etc.
The main holidays in the Dominican Republic are Feb 27; independence day, Jan 26, Duarte’s Day as Juan Pablo Duarte was one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic, and May 1; labor day.
A great festival known as the Las Navidades is celebrated from Dec 15 – Jan 6, wherein all people celebrate Christmas season.
Los Bufones is one of the most sought after and famous carnivals in the country.
In 2006, Bajos De Haina, which is a city almost 12 miles away from Santo Domingo, was included in the list of the top 10 most polluted places in the world due to lead poisoning. Although the cleaning began in 2008, even now many children are born with high levels of lead in the body which leads to impaired physical growth, learning disabilities and kidney failure.
The Cibao Valley is the most fertile valley in the Dominican Republic which is also where most of the farming takes place. Santiago is also situated in the same valley.
The Caribbean Coastal Plain, which is also known as the Llano Costero del Caribe is the largest plain in the country.
The longest river in the Dominican Republic is the Yaque del Norte, which is also considered to be the most important river in the nation.
The national flower of the country is the West Indian Mahogany and the national bird is the Palmchat or Cigua Palmera
The national anthem of Dominican Republic is Himno Nacional, although, the term ‘dominican’ never appears in the national anthem.
The Dominican Republic is also called as La Rep’blica Dominicana and is one of only two countries that has a demonym-based name. The other country is the Central African Republic.
Additional Facts about the Dominican Republic

In addition to the Dominican Republic facts above, below mentioned is some factual information that you might be interested in.

Dominican Republic Facts and Figures
Dominican Republic Facts and Figures

Details

Fact Information

Capital

Santo Domingo

Area

48,442 square kilometres

Government

Representative Democracy

Constitution

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Official Language

Spanish

Ethnic Groups

White 16%, Black 11%, Mixed 73%

Population

2009 estimate: 10,090,000

Religion

Roman Catholic (95%)

Motto

“

Dios, Patria, Libertad

“(Spanish), which means “God, Fatherland, Liberty”.

Currency

Peso

Climate

Mostly tropical climate. A lot of variation in seasonal temperature, there is noticeable seasonal variation in the rainfall as well.

Culture and Hospitality
Apart from the aforementioned facts about the Dominican Republic do you know about the hospitality of the country? The people of Dominican republic are known for their hospitality and welcoming nature. They take pride in going out of their way to make the guest feel comfortable. Food is also an important part of the culture of the Dominican Republic, ’ Bandera Nacional or ‘the flag of the nation’ is the main dish of the country which is made of beans and rice. They are also big baseball fans, which is why many professional baseball players of the United States come from this country. An example for the same would be Albert Pujols, who is among the famous people in the Dominican Republic. There are many famous Dominicans involved in creative field like music, poetry, writing etc. The Dominicans usually stay in joint families, and family values and traditions are very important to them. I am sure after reading these interesting Dominican Republic facts, you would want to explore the hospitality of this tropical island in the Caribbean and its people. As a matter of fact, the Dominican Republic is known for its tourism and communications which are the upcoming areas in the country. So don’t wait to explore the Dominicana Republica!! Don’t forget to say Hola, “c’mo est’s? (Hi, how are you?) when you reach there!

You might be surprised to know that about one third of the earth’s surface is covered by deserts. The Sahara, the Gobi and the Atacama deserts top the list of the largest deserts of the world. Before taking a look at the Atacama desert plants, let us first take a look at the Atacama desert facts.

Atacama Desert Facts and Climate
Atacama Desert Facts Atacama is the driest desert

in the world, as it consists of almost rainless plateau. It is situated to the west of the Andes mountains. It is a coastal desert, running from the Pacific coast to the Andes mountains. The Pan American highway runs across the desert but the desert is sparsely inhabited. Some areas in Atacama desert have never received rain. The average rainfall in the Chilean desert region is about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) per year. With these extreme weather conditions, there is hardly any desert vegetation as such. There aren’t any favorable conditions for plants.

What Plants Grow in the Atacama Desert
Atacama Desert Plants Atacama is so dry that there are absolutely no glaciers on mountains reaching a height of 6,885 meters (22,589 ft). Some of the riverbeds in Atacama have been dry for about 120,000 years. Some algae, lichens or cacti grow in the areas that receive some moisture from marine fog (locally referred to as camanchaca). The region which falls under the fog shadow, has a soil similar to that of Mars. Most Mars scenes are filmed over here! Atacama desert climate is very dry and extreme; with daytime temperature around 25 degree Celsius and the night time temperature around -2 degree Celsius. The desert plant life includes small, deep rooted, thorny plants. Long roots help them get moisture from under-ground layers of the earth. Fleshy leaves contain aqueous tissue which help retain moisture. Like other deserts, cacti are not common in Atacama. Instead, mesquite trees that have very long roots are seen at some places. Salt bush, tufted grass, buckwheat bush, black bush, ‘tola’ shrubs, rice grass, ferns, little leaf horsebrush, black sage and chrysothamnus are some varieties of plants that are found in this desert. Most plants are small with little or no leaves. Interior part of the desert consists of craters, rocks and loose sand where vegetation is not possible. Even bacteria, insects, and fungi cannot thrive there! I am sure, you would like to read more on desert biome facts

.

Atacama desert facts

Farming and Water Collection in the Desert
inform us that you won’t notice a single blade of grass or cactus stump, or a lizard or a gnat for thousands of miles, during your journey through virtually lifeless plains of Atacama. Still, more than a million people live near the coast line or in the oasis. Successfully fighting with the extreme conditions, there live determined farmers in the northern region. They grow olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers with drip-irrigation systems!

With the help of Canada’s International Development Research Center and the Canadian Embassy in Santiago, people living in Atacama desert have learned to collect water using a skillfully developed system of nets. The nets catch the fog as it rolls over the mountains above the homes of the villagers and provide the villagers about 2,600 gallons (10,000 liters) of water every day. The villagers are thus able to water their gardens everyday. They feel proud of themselves when they see flowers in the desert.

Atacama Desert Flowers
Atacama Desert Flowers When the El Nino current brings rain, a number of herbs and wild flowers bloom. The species which survive in the form of seeds, bloom when they receive rain water. Atacama desert flowers are rare but when they emerge from the dry grounds, they completely change the looks of the dry plateau. Here is a small list of flowering plants

in the Atacama desert.

Alstroemerias (the multicolored irises)
Argylias (velvet and cartuchos)
Ananucas (rhodophialas)
Calandrinias (guanaco foot)
Don Diego de la noche (oenothera coquimbensis)
Flor de Pajarito (Corola violacea)
Garra de Leon (Leonthochir ovallei)
La flor del minero (centauria chilensis)
Los cuernos de cabra (skytanthus acutus)
Leucocorymnes (spring onions, huilles)
Nolanas (three colored pansies)
Pata de guanaco (calandrinia logiscapa)
Retamo, San Alatodo(Caesalpinia Angulicaules)
Rhodophilias (the red and yellow; ananuncas)
You may like to read more on Gobi desert plants and Sahara desert plants. This was an overview of Atacama desert plants. I hope you found the above information helpful. It is really astonishing to see that plants, animals and human beings do live in such extreme conditions.