“When you embark on a journey with a group of people from different walks of life, you’re bound to encounter drama, conflict, and frustration. If you keep your eyes, ears, and mind open, however, you’re also likely to encounter a life lesson… The same goes for Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek crew. Co-mingling with different species while en route to far-off places, the crew of the Enterprise is forced to learn from their adventures (and misadventures) or face the consequences. Lucky for them, every mission has a moral takeaway.” w/ photos

“Academic books and essays about movies use lofty phrases and multi-layered interpretations to make the fact the authors have watched movies too many times seem like an insightful and meaningful practice. Anyone who has spent much time on a movie set realizes that’s usually giving filmmakers a bit too much credit. In fact, as we’ll be able to see with today’s list, many important moments brought to us by movies have been the result of blind luck or unintended consequences.” w/ photos

“The United States boasts countless defined city centers; some of which are small and derelict, while others are among the most impressive in the world. To further examine those commercial cores that tend towards the latter, here is a list of the top ten American downtowns. This list is based on size, vibrancy, architecture, businesses, and general aesthetics. While many smaller cities may boast impressive downtowns, this ranking focuses only on major metropolitan areas.” w/ photos

“H.G Wells wrote The Time Machine in 1895 as an analogy of his fears of the industrial revolution, but his story of a time traveler who visited a troubled future inspired millions to dream about traveling to times before and after now. Many arguments end with someone saying, ‘How would you know? You weren’t there.’ To end an argument about who owns a Bear Suit, Mark and Tom, of the popular Internet comedy TV series The Future Machine, set out to build a time machine from a microwave oven. However, like so many before them, Mark and Tom realize that time travel with a household appliance comes with dire consequences. Nonetheless, individuals will continue to use many other everyday items that may have the potential to spiral an individual through time and space, whether that trip is figurative or real.” w/ photos

“If the one you love isn’t gifted in the making out department, however, it can be less of a treat and more of a trick. Check out this list of notoriously bad kisses, gropes and WTF makeout moments and maybe you’ll feel a little better about your sub-par snogging.” w/ videos

“In the last century, entertainment has taken huge leaps forward with the advent of first radio, then television, movies and the Internet. However, one form of entertainment has evolved – writing, specifically novels and the long form of fiction. Funny thing about that evolution is that the fiction genre of fantasy has only just started growing in popularity over the last 30 years or so, despite the best efforts of authors like J.R.R. Tolkien. The history and fascination with fantasy has been around for centuries (think fairy tales and the Brothers Grimm), but only with modern publication and the acceptance of the geek culture has fantasy really surged in popularity. In that time, there have been at least 10 really excellent wizards and sorcerers to strut their stuff across the literary landscape – and here they are in no particular order.” w/ photos

“Noted science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov predicted that one day, we’d ‘have computer outlets in every home, each of them hooked up to enormous libraries where anyone can ask any question and be given answers, be given reference materials, be something you’re interested in knowing, from an early age, however silly it might seem to someone else,’ and with this appliance, be able to truly enjoy learning instead of being forced to learn mundane facts and figures. His insight has proven to be amazingly accurate, as we now live in a world with the Internet, where nearly the entire wealth of human knowledge can live at our fingertips or even in our pockets. Such an amazing feat, of course, doesn’t happen without impacting our lives, and scientists have begun to note that the Internet has not only served to fulfill our brains’ curiosities, but also rewired them. So what exactly is the Internet doing to our brains? Read on to find out.” w/ photos

“Sometimes, the TV character that you remember long after the show went off the air was not the one originally intended to be the star. Here are the ten greatest rises from TV sidekickdom to stardom characters who were originally intended as side characters (sometimes even as one-episode guest stars) gradually outshining the star of the TV show.” w/ videos

“These super heroes – often relegated to a second tier status relative to the preponderance of characters that are Euro-centric in nature – reflect the diversity that is part and parcel of the American landscape. These are the superheroes of color, many of whom inspired a generation of readers emerging out of the throes of the civil rights movement. These groundbreaking characters had (and continue to have) a significant impact on the portrayal and utilization of minorities within the comic genre. Gone are the days when characters of color were no more than a convenient backdrop in a splash panel. Their stories are our stories… So get ready for a trip down memory lane, because here are the top ten comic book superheroes of color.” w/ photos

“The following is a list of the top 10 screen legend high school dropouts, along with the circumstances surrounding their departure from school and later endeavors. Individuals were ranked in terms of their accomplishments, on-screen and off, along with adversities overcome.” w/ photos