What Gifts would you like?

If there are people in your life that should keep happy and get the right kind of gifts for it’s the women in your life.  Whether it’s a birthday present for your new girlfriend, a Christmas gift for your wife or a truly thoughtful gift for your mom on mothers day, you need to get it right.

Just like our Top 10 Gift Ideas for Men it’s most definitely the thought that counts. But more the thought you put into getting the right present so they don’t  disown for the rest of your life.  Sure they will smile awkwardly, hug you gently and say thank you but when you look into their eyes you will see they are a raging inferno of anger.

So let’s not make these wonderful ladies in our lives angry,  let’s put some thought into it and help you find the best possible gift ideas.   Now we have not looked for risky gift ideas that could go either way in terms of love or hate.  We have gone with ideas that most definitely offer a sense of uniqueness but are more focused on aspects which either directly reflect or at least relate to something we know most women would love.

Fashion Watch – Now we are not saying go out and buy the craziest watch out there just because you think it’s fashionable, oh no. Stick to the basics and the rest will follow. As examples we recommend the Akribos XXIV or the Michael Kors Quartz MK5165

Tablet – Everybody loves gadgets, especially gadgets like tablets that can keep women on the move connected and looking cool (sorry for the cheese but it’s true). We recommend the Apple iPad 2 or the Samsung Galaxy Tab

Clutch Bag – No women can resist a stylish, yet elegant clutch handbag. We recommend the Adriana Castro Python Annie Clutch or the Chloe cream creased leather clutch bag

Luxury Robe – The key thing here is to get a robe that is uses high quality fabric. If you go cheap then it will show and they will see through it straight away. We recommend the Hanro Delight Short Wrap Robe or the Etoile Fine French Egyptian Cotton Robe

Wireless Mobile Speaker – This is an absolute no brainer. Everybody loves music and if it’s compatible with their Smart phone, tablet or lap top then you can do no wrong. We recommend the Bose® SoundLink® Wireless or the Soundfreaq SFQ-1

Juicer – Probably one of the healthiest choices in our top ten list but an absolute great idea, especially for the busy women in our lives looking for quick and tasty nutrition. We recommend the Breville BJE200XL or the Breville 800JEXL

Retro Digital Camera – Add a little bit of retro style to their digital camera lives with something unique. We recommend the Leica D-LUX 3 or the Pentax Optio

Fragrance – A classic gift for the lovely women in your life but just make sure you research some of the fragrances to know what might suit them. We recommend Miss Dior Cherie L’Eau or Chloe

Karaoke Machine – Now the reason this is not at number 1 is because there is a element of potential pain for the purchaser. But if you can unleash the Jennifer Lopez in them or at least make them feel like it then you are on to a winner. We recommend the Emerson GM527 or the iSM-1028

Hair Straighter – No seriously, if you can be smart enough to find a top quality hair straighter you will be at the top of the present buying pecking order. We recommend the ghd Professional Advanced Ceramic Heat-Styler or the BabylissPRO Nano Titanium Ultra-Thin

An inspirational gift idea list below!

Are you struggling to find that special Christmas or birthday gift idea for those men in your lives? Sure they have a seemingly endless range of gadgets in their house but believe us when we say; “they want more”.   And if you do it right then you will also get the gift giving love back in return.

So what makes a great gift idea for men?  Well we have delved deep into this question before looking at the top 10 gift ideas for men and come up with the following key ingredient’s to ensure they will have a grin from ear to ear upon receiving it:

• The gift will make some part of their life easier or more pleasurable.
• It will make them look and feel cool when they are using it.
• It compliments their interests

Tablet – They are so much more than just an oversized iPhone or Android smartphone and will change their browsing and traveling experience. We recommend the Apple iPad 2 or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Sport Watch – Don’t worry about buying a designer watch as it’s really tough to get it right. However with a sports watch you can’t really go wrong. We recommend the Casio Protrek Quartz Black Dial Atomic or the G-Shock Big Combination Military

Digital Camera – Yes their new Smartphone has a camera but it really is no match for a quality digital camera. We recommend the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5Vor the waterproof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3

Gaming Console – The gaming console is so much more these days, sure he will be playing games on it but the versatility it offers in the realms of entertainment are mind blowing. We recommend the PlayStation 3 or the Xbox 360 Console with Kinect

Chef Knife set – Even if they don’t like to cook you can always push them into it by getting them a great set of chef knives. We recommend the Global Knife Set or the Wüsthof Gourmet Knife Block Set

Power Drills – Appeal to the DIY tool man in them and get them an array of power tools that they can use around the home. We recommend the DEWALT 6 Tool Combo Kit or the Makita Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-Piece Kit

Noise Cancelling Headphones – Whether they are trying to concentrate at work or listen to their favorite music on the plane, every man needs a good set of noise cancelling headphones. We recommend the Sennheiser HD 598 Audiophile Headphonesor the AKG K702 Headphones

Classic sneakers – A man can never have enough classic sneakers to line is wardrobe but don’t stray to far away from the normal designs. We recommend the Converse All Star or the Onitsuka Tiger Mex 66

Coffee Machine – Sure one of the best things about coffee is the process of going down to see you local barrista and getting you daily fix. But many an man loves the thought of being that barrista at home. We recommend the Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine or the Casa Bugatti Diva

Messenger Bag – Every woman loves a good bag and if there is something that men are secretly jealous of it’s a choice of some cool bags to take to work. It’s true therefore we recommend the David King & Co Distressed Leather Messenger or the Ben Sherman Messenger

Yes, there are no controllers

Yes we know Christmas and Birthdays are not just about the wonderful presents that people receive as part and parcel (excuse the pun) of the celebration. Oh yes, we are well aware of the love and sharing attitude that should come naturally to these situations.  But sometimes, we also have to be a tad realistic and try get our little loved ones a special little something.

So take a deep breath, sit down and focus, everything is going to be OK.  Finding that next toy for the kids is one of the toughest things leading into their birthday or Christmas celebration.  But we are here to help take the stress away from you.  

We have taken the effort away from you having to make a decision and collated a top ten list of toys that will not only please the children, stand the test of time but be cost effective(ish).  That’s right we are not looking to break the bank here, we have found the toys that will offer your kids (and sometimes the parents) a truckload of entertainment but without the hefty price tag to match.

LEGO Hogwarts Game – Let’s face it, all kids (and some adults) are crazy for the sheek geek in a cape and his merry little magical friends. It’s a fact, Harry Potter is one of the all time fantasy phenomenon’s that has generated billions in merchandising.  We are not afraid to say that this game appeals to all facets of a good kids present, it has the classical goodness of Lego combined with the appeal of Potter.  We recommend LEGO Hogwarts Game

Kinect - Yes so this is the most expensive of the toys in the list but not only is it fun for a multitude of different ages but you can incorporate the whole family in the game and let’s face it if the kids are going to be playing games (that don’t require controllers)then they might as well be standing up and moving whilst doing it….The Xbox system is also much, much more than just a games console so the big boys can have some fun as well:) We recommend the Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect

Angry Birds: Knock On Wood Game - This brand originally started as a simple game on mobile phones and now has become a phenomenon with it even getting it’s own movie! We recommend Angry Birds: Knock On Wood Game

Razor A3 Kick Scooter – Yes this toy has been in the market for a number of years now but it is one of those toys that kids do not need a heck of a lot of skill to learn. The best thing is that the scooter is getting them outside and keeping them healthy.  Just remember to get them a few safety measures as well.  We recommend the Razor A3 Kick Scooter

Mindflex Duel Game – Focus the mind, no really, focus the mind to play this game with your kids.  It’s an absolute unique toy that we loved when we tried it out.  A strange concept but brilliant at the same time by using your mind to move a ball through a series of obstacles. We recommend the Mindflex Duel Game

Radio Flyer Pathfinder Wagon® - Bringing back the updated classic so that the kids can have endless amount of fun.  It’s so simple and yet let’s their imagination go a little bit crazy which is a great thing.  We recommend the Radio Flyer Pathfinder Wagon®

Syma Helicopter – Sure this is a little “boy” orientated toy but it is seriously an addictive amount of fun for the kids trying to keep this little sucker flying round the room.  It will keep the kids glued to this toy until the batteries run out by which time they will be tired and in need of sleep:) Warning, Dads may play this too much and steal it from the kids.  We recommend the Syma S107/S107G R/C Helicopter

Razor Rip-Rider 360 Drifting Ride-On – This has been made famous of late by some of the older dare devils on various MTV shows. But it still has mass appeal to the youngsters and is one of the more stable and safer activity focused toys out there.  Loads of fun and again a great toy to get the kids outside. We recommend the Razor Rip-Rider 360 Drifting Ride-On

WeeRide Pro-Pilot Bicycle Tandem Trailer – Another great toy that gets them more experience on the road but also let’s you encourage a healthy lifestyle.  Even for kids that already ride bikes this is a cracker of a present. We recommend the WeeRide Pro-Pilot Bicycle Tandem Trailer

Rory’s Story Cubes – This is a great educational game that get’s the imagination going for kids aged from 8 to 15.  Whilst not as much broad appeal as some of the other toys it’s one of the best sellers in the market place at the moment.  We recommend buying the Rory’s Story Cubes bundle of 6 Games

The beginning of the phenomenon circa 2006

Lady Gaga is more influential than Opera, has a massed millions upon millions of followers on Twitter and ‘likes’ on Facebook and keeps producing more hits than Madonna at her peak.

But what makes this global sensation so appealling? Her music is obviously ground breaking in the pop culture industry but Lady Gaga’s fashion ‘ambushing’ of music videos and award ceremonies has won her a cult like following with her fans and admiration amongst her peers.

The outfits have truly captivated the imagination of a generation and provided her with a self perpetuating PR machine.  Trying to guess what she is going to come out with next is like being able to predict an earthquake…..although to be honest predicting an earthquake might actually be easier. 

But what has been the most captivating and controversial out fit to date? There have been many so crunching down this list into the Top Ten has been a little bit of a battle but we think we might have cracked it.

The meat suit worn at the MTV awards: 

The Lobster outfit that was worn at Mr Chow’s in London:

Lady Gaga stepped it up with this out fit within a shell at the Grammy’s:

The Bubble dress from the Fame Ball tour: 

The full body Red Lace dress from the VMA’s: 

The Living dress from the Monsters Ball tour:

The tiered white dress from the Brit Awards:

Lady Gaga wearing pearls at the beginning of Fashion week:

The see through Nun dress from her Monsters Ball tour:

Lady Gaga got a bit cheeky with this as our number ten:

The very iconic All Star

Sneakers have been part of pop culture for years, made famous by rappers, athletes and actors.  But it was not always famous feet making sneakers part of pop culture, oh no, they had very humble beginnings.  It is believed that sneakers were invented by a London Police officer who developed a rubber soled shoe to “sneak” quietly up on criminals.

There are so many sneakers in the market these days that it can sometimes be tough choosing your next favorite pair of sneakers.  And we know that getting the right kind of sneaker is nearly as important as getting the right kind of bed so we have taken our time in selecting the most iconic sneakers.

So let’s get cracking and look at the best sneaker’s this world has ever seen:

1. Converse – Chuck Taylor All Star
2. Adidas -  Superstar
3. Nike – Air Jordan
4. Reebok – Pump
5. Puma – Roma
6. Nike – Cortez
7. Adidas – Stan smith
8. Vans – Authentic
9. New Balance - 574
10. Onitsuka - California 78™ OG Vintage

1 Device, Million's of Options

The Kindle has become a phenomenon since launching back in November 19th 2007.  Initially written off as a fad that would never last it has grown from strength to strength every year.  In an attempt to fight off it’s competitors (Apple’s Ipad etc), Amazon has even starting signing up Authors for exclusive Kindle Deals via their attractive and every increasing royalty rates.

But whether you have received the Kindle as a Christmas gift, birthday present or gone out and treated yourself to one, you need to get some books on it. But what are the best books to download? Well, we have compiled a list of the Top Ten bestsellers on the Kindle device.  This should hopefully give you a head start in building your library of classic’s old and new.

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
2. The Confession: A Novel
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
4. Cross Fire
5. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
6. Decision Points
7. The Girl Who Played with Fire
8. The Hunger Games
9. Room: A Novel
10. The Help

This one is going on the fire.

Have you been the victim of cheap, crappy and completely unwanted Christmas gifts or are you that tight ass little son of a gun who takes pleasure in dealing them out?  Well there has been a concerning trend over the past few years in crappy gifts and this post aims to expose those shitty presents that make your Christmas a little more shitter.  That sentence might not make any sense but I don’t care, it was written in the pure rage left over from last years round of gifts.

Also if anyone viewing this post thinks that Christmas is more than just presents and eating your weight in food then please do not continue to read any further.

Don’t Get a Crappy Christmas Present This Year – Buy The Latest Kindle
1. Homemade Christmas gifts – If  someone gives you a paper mache  model of their own face because it “comes from the heart”.  You should burn it, take the ashes, combine it with plaster of paris and give it back t0 them for their birthday as a faux pet rock called “Bob”.
2. Milli Vanilli Tape – I’m not talking about receiving this in 1988 when those crazy German “singers” were hot, I’m talking about getting a tap of these guys in 2005. True story.
3. Free items as a Gift – Oh what do you know it’s the “Budweiser” t-shirt I always wanted.
4. Soap On A Rope – The 1970′s called, they want their present back.  This gift did however see a sharp decline in shower related ”incidents” at jails across the world.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Drink Bottle – Pretty self explanatory really.
6. Last Years Calendar – Unless you are Marty McFly living next to a mad professor this is really not going to come in handy and I don’t give a shit about the pretty pictures of the Yorkshire Dales.
7. Deodorant – Either they think you smell or believe you are partially retarded and have never heard of a supermarket before.
8. Tony Robbins Personal Coaching DVD Box Set – I could think of no other way I would want to spend the holidays, no hang on, I have a spare fork and an eye wanting to be stabbed.
9. Neon Green Fanny Pack – This screams of a 1990′s drug dealer mixed in with a heady brew of lost German tourists  looking for “und Elvis Presley”.
10. Fuzzy Dice – If this has to do with making your car lucky then I would rather take the risk of not having them.  Even Wikipedia does not really no why.

Don’t Get a Crappy Christmas Present This Year – Buy The Latest Kindle

It's open plan by the beach.

A couple of the team at The Quick Ten have just recently gone through the process of buying a house.   During this process it seemed they had dealt with some interesting real estate agents whom they entered into a seemingly ongoing psychological battle with.  Therefore we have used their experience as inspiration for this Top Ten as on so many occasions they felt like they were being spoon fed the same malarkey or commonly known as “bull shit”.

So hopefully the below list will help you spot the most common lies and avoid some of the pitfalls that comes with home buying.   Combine this with a decent level of research and you will be on your way to negotiating a great deal on a house.

1. “Trust me” – They are there for the seller not you, so it’s in their interest to shaft you sideways for as much money as possible.
2. “We have a lot of interest in the house” – Trying to create urgency is a classic lie that you should ignore.
3. “Houses like this don’t come up very often” – Yeah they do! Don’t fall for this little lie which is focused on making you feel like you will miss out.
4. “Tomorrow maybe be too late” – Again another FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) tactic by the agents.
5. “That’s not a damp smell we just shampooed the carpet” – If it’s smell’s damp chances are it is damp and that means trouble.
6. “The sellers are really sad to leave” – I’m sure they are but you really should not give a shit.  This first and most obvious ploy is they are trying to create a sense of value.  The second is the agent trying to make an emotional connection between you and the seller so you will accept a higher price.
7. “I have meet the neighbours and they are lovely” – They are an agent, not a love connection master.  This is to give you a sense of comfort about the neighbourhood.
8. “There are no structural issues” – Until the building inspector says so then don’t believe this one for a second.  They are a salesperson not a builder.
9. “Not only is this a great home but a great investment” – So I get to have my cake and eat it to? Oh rejoice, I can’t lose! Well yes you can, follow your gut and the raft of information available to you.
10. “It wont cost much to add a lot of value to this house” – If it’s to good to be true it usually is.

A night to remember? Maybe not.

The most enjoyable responsibility of a groom’s best man is to ensure that the stag night or weekend, is one to be recounted for years to come; perhaps even made into folk songs. No stag ‘do’ is complete without capers and pranks. The sole purpose of these often juvenile stunts is to embarrass the groom for the amusement of the rest of the group as you celebrate them leaving bachelorhood.

Here is a collection of tame and not so tame ideas. Key to success is that the entire group (except the groom) pitch into a kitty to pay for the night AND that everyone takes an active part in stitching up the groom.

1. ‘Get into position’. Buy a bag of toy soldiers, each member of the group is given a soldier and on exit of each establishment they have to mimic the stance of their soldier. Funny as the evening progresses.
2. Kidnap the groom by surprise in public – or pay someone they don’t know to do it. The police frown on this one though so be careful.
3. Dress up. Make the groom dress up, for the whole night. Homemade or bought costumes ensure no costly dry cleaning bills at the end of the night, here’s some ideas: Chick, wrestler, Borat style mankini.
4. ‘Fake a break’ after the groom passes out put one of their limbs in plaster. When they wake the next day make up a befitting story to explain the break.
5. Dude that looks like a lady. Female strippers are passé, so get them a male stripper. Be ready to run when they discover the gender after they have got ‘excited’.
6. Organise a ‘Stag Quest‘. Prepare a list of items they have to obtain and tasks to perform. E.g. talk a girl into removing her bra, they have to get spanked by a copper, get a tattoo.
7. “Your vessel sir” Chain a tankard to the stag’s wrist for the whole night from which they have to drink.
8. Homemade fake beard. Make a beard from the groups hair (use your imagination) and paste it on the groom, (don’t tell him the source until after though). Disgusting, but still has laughter factor.
9. Mars bar trick. Wait until the groom is asleep, unwrap a mars bar and stick it between his arse cheeks in his undies. Next morning, is that melted chocolate or not?
10. Naked homing groom. Whilst still out strip the groom of all personal possessions, including clothes and let them navigate their way back. Don’t do this if it’s a freezing cold night, hyperthermia isn’t funny.

And remember it’s not amusing if there are permanent mental or physical scars so plan responsibly-ish.

3D Movie Experience

With all the 3D movies coming out these days it does make us think about some of the great movies that could have been done (and maybe still can be done) in 3D.   Whilst this list might be slightly bias to our own tastes it could be the start of something big….maybe the movie producers will listen to The Quick Ten and start re-producing some of the below movies.  Or maybe they will stick to what they know best, making bucket loads of cash.

However if the producers of Street Dance 3D are listening, please, please, please never ever make this shit again.  It’s bad enough in 2D let alone some angry teenager “battling” in 3D.  I mean come on people!

1. The Matrix – the first and original one only please.
2. Alien – I remember weeing my pants slightly to this when watching it in 1990 via VCR  11 years after it’s release so I’m sure in 3D I might actually shit my pants.
3. Top Gun – Goose dying in 3D, bad but Maverick taking down some Mig’s, good.
4. Die Hard – this is where our bias comes in but I mean you would have to be crazy not to want to see Bruce Willis bleeding and shooting in 3D?
5. Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back – The best one of them all and no Hayden Christensen in site to ruin a franchise with lines such as; “Hold me, like you did by the lake on Naboo.”
6. Saving Private Ryan – It would be a brutal watch but a memorable one.
7. Gladiator – We know Russel Crowe is a bit of a knob but Gladiator in 3D? Where is the popcorn and beer please.
8. Ghost Busters – Not crossing the beams would take on a whole new experience.
9. District 9 – This standout movie of 2009 would be amazing in 3D.
10. The Bourne Ultimatum – Bit of a wild card we know but for the raw fight scenes alone this would be brilliant .