World's Gloomiest Countries

No. 1 - JAPAN > Grade: minus-85
No. 2 - SPAIN > Grade: minus-65
No. 3 - THAILAND > Grade: minus-63
No. 4 - FRANCE > Grade: minus-60
No. 5 - BELGIUM > Grade: minus-58
No. 6 - ARGENTINA > Grade: minus-57
No. 7 - TAIWAN > Grade: minus-50
No. 8 - IRELAND > Grade: minus-50
No. 9 - HONG KONG > Grade: minus-49
No. 10 - BRITAIN > Grade: minus-47
No. 11 - ITALY > Grade: minus-45
No. 12 - SWEDEN > Grade: minus-40
No. 13 - FINLAND > Grade: minus-40
No. 14 - NETHERLANDS > Grade: minus-37
No. 15 - U.S. > Grade: minus-34
No. 16 - Greece > Grade: minus-34
No. 17 - DENMARK > Grade: minus-34
No. 18 - TURKEY > Grade: minus-24
No. 19 - CHILE > Grade: minus-24
No. 20 - NEW ZEALAND > Grade: minus-15

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/01/0126_business_expectations/index.htm

15 Hottest Products of 2008

1. The Acai Berry - Americans have always loved their miracle cures. Little wonder the Acai berry (pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE), from Brazil's tropical rainforests, has become the "it" food of 2008. (Sorry, pomegranates!) If the snake-oil salesmen are to be believed, that $7 Acai drink you're about to quaff will restore your youth AND do your laundry.

2. Twitter - Twitter allows users to write and send, via SMS or online, short (140 characters max) messages to a network of fellow Twitters, usually off-the-cuff updates describing what they are doing at the moment. Facebook offered $500 million in October for the service, but Twitter's CEO and co-founder Evan Williams turned him down.

3. Music Video Games - In 2008, gamers everywhere cranked the volume up to 11, rocking out to Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2. When this blogger's dad sat down at the drums and played through Gimme Shelter for the first time, he knew that music games had arrived.

4. Bud Light Lime - Earlier this year, Budweiser introduced Bud Light Lime, a citrus-flavored concoction, to compete with Miller Chill, a lime-flavored beer introduced by Bud's major competitor in 2007. Accompanying the release of this new beverage, Bud launched a $35 million ad campaign, a strategy that paid off with a 2% rise in sales in the first three quarters of 2008.

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/03/493d68a4-003b5-03c49-400cb8e1
5. BlackBerry Smart Phones - Swimming in the wake of the Apple iPhone is BlackBerry, with its army of addicted executives eager for the sexy features of touchscreen technology but unwilling to give up the workhorse dependability of RIM's network. This year it unveiled two new phones, the Bold and the Storm, to slake that thirst.

6. Speedo LZR Razor Swimsuit - Speedo spent three years and untold millions researching and designing a super swimsuit. It tested 100 different fabrics and suit designs, and conducted body scans of probably every top-level swimmer in the world (more than 400, the company claims) to come up with the Speedo LZR, the ultimate suit for hydro-propulsion.

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/03/493d68a8-000a5-03c49-400cb8e1
7. Smart Cars - The smart fortwo started selling in Europe in 1998, but a recent redesign has made it a hot commodity in America in 2008: 20,000 smart cars have been sold in America this year so far; worldwide, around 140,000. Americans eager for the mileage and attention that comes with the smart will have to be patient, however; waiting lists are long.

8. Amazon Kindle - Amazon's Kindle is the first electronic reader to give print media a run for its money. The Kindle's cutting-edge electronic paper technology provides crisp, clean print in any light conditions. The device is thin and light enough to carry anywhere, and can store hundreds of books at your fingertips. Another reason it's so hot? Oprah loves it and gave it a ringing endorsement, calling it her "new favorite thing."

9. Vibrating Mascara - Both Estee Lauder's TurboLash and Lancome's Oscillation debuted in 2008, with celebrity trendsetters test-driving the products and touting their benefits. At one point, Lancome's waiting list numbered 21,000 and NPD says it was the number one mascara in dollar sales in department stores and Sephora combined.

10. Wii Fit - Playing video games used to be a fun excuse for sitting on the couch, relaxing and doing much of nothing. Then came along the Nintendo Wii, and its healthy counterpart, the Wii Fit, and video games were sedentary no more.

11. 3-Ply Toilet Paper - In September, 2008, Georgia-Pacific took toilet paper further than it has ever gone before. With the introduction of Quilted Northern Ultra Plush, the world's first premium three-ply toilet paper, it not only broke tissue boundaries, but may have changed the "face" of America's bathrooms forever.

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/03/493d73cb-000be-03c49-400cb8e1
12. Flip Mino - The Flip Mino, pronounced Minnow, weighing only 3 oz., is smaller than an iPhone and only slightly taller than a deck of playing cards, yet can capture an hour's worth of VGA quality video on the 2GB of internal memory.

13. Aloft & Element Hotels - Aloft, named because the rooms are like "a loft," have nine-foot ceilings, oversized windows and the wonderful beds for which Starwood is known. Aloft rooms also have high-tech office and entertainment areas with free wireless Internet access, one-stop "connectivity solution" for multiple electronic gadgets -- all linked to a 42-inch flat-panel, HDTV-ready TV.

http://www.aolcdn.com/channels/0d/03/493d73cd-001d7-03c49-400cb8e1
14. iPod Touch - In the beginning, there was the Apple iPhone, and users named it good. So good, in fact, that Apple quickly transformed its iPod into the same form, the iPod Touch, and it too has been deemed good. Very good, if sales are any indication.

http://www.walletpop.com/specials/hottest-products

The World's Billionaires

Rank	Name	Citizenship	Age	Net Worth ($bil)	Residence
1	Warren Buffett	United States	77	62.0	United States
2	Carlos Slim Helu & family	Mexico	68	60.0	Mexico
3	William Gates III	United States	52	58.0	United States
4	Lakshmi Mittal	India	57	45.0	United Kingdom
5	Mukesh Ambani	India	50	43.0	India
6	Anil Ambani	India	48	42.0	India
7	Ingvar Kamprad & family	Sweden	81	31.0	Switzerland
8	KP Singh	India	76	30.0	India
9	Oleg Deripaska	Russia	40	28.0	Russia
10	Karl Albrecht	Germany	88	27.0	Germany
11	Li Ka-shing	Hong Kong	79	26.5	Hong Kong
12	Sheldon Adelson	United States	74	26.0	United States
13	Bernard Arnault	France	59	25.5	France
14	Lawrence Ellison	United States	63	25.0	United States
15	Roman Abramovich	Russia	41	23.5	Russia
16	Theo Albrecht	Germany	85	23.0	Germany
17	Liliane Bettencourt	France	85	22.9	France
18	Alexei Mordashov	Russia	42	21.2	Russia
19	Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud	Saudi Arabia	51	21.0	Saudi Arabia
20	Mikhail Fridman	Russia	43	20.8	Russia
21	Vladimir Lisin	Russia	51	20.3	Russia
22	Amancio Ortega	Spain	72	20.2	Spain
23	Raymond, Thomas & Walter Kwok	Hong Kong	NA	19.9	Hong Kong
24	Mikhail Prokhorov	Russia	42	19.5	Russia
25	Vladimir Potanin	Russia	47	19.3	Russia

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_The-Worlds-Billionaires_Rank.html

Popular & Busiest Locations

1. McDonald's
The Busiest Location Is: Karlsplatz, Munich, Germany
Fun Facts: The U.S. has the most McDonald's with 12,804 restaurants. Germany is in fifth place with 1,091 restaurants. More than 1/3 of all French fries sold in the United States are by McDonald's.

2. Dairy Queen
The Busiest Location Is: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Fun Facts: Their busiest store generates $2.8 million in sales a year.

3. Outback Steakhouse
The Busiest Location Is: Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, Nev.
Fun Facts: The average size of an Outback Steakhouse is 6,000 square feet, featuring a dining room and an island bar. It seats approximately 200 guests. Outback was established in March 1988 and is now a member of OSI Partners Inc. Other members include Cheeseburger in Paradise, Carrabbas, and Bonefish Grill.

4. Domino's
The Busiest Location Is: Outside Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Fun Facts: As of 2006, Domino's Pizza operates in five countries, with over 600 stores and approximately 14,000 employees. Domino's makes more than 60 million pizzas a year.

5. 7-Eleven
The Busiest Location Is: Samutprakarn, Thailand
Fun Facts: There are over 7,500 7-Eleven stores in North America and 33,700 globally. 7-Eleven's birthday is on July 11 (7-11), and the stores used to operate from 7 a.m. to 11.p.m.

6. Applebee's
The Busiest Location Is: 42nd St. between 7th & 8th Avenue, New York
Fun Facts: There are Applebee's operating in 49 states, one U.S. territory and 16 countries. Applebee's has 1,900 restaurants total and is the largest dining restaurant concept in the world.

7. Nordstrom
The Busiest Location Is: Southcoast Plaza, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Fun Facts: Nordstrom currently has 157 stores in the U.S., located in 28 states. Of those 157 stores, 103 are full-line retailers, 50 are Nordstrom Racks, and the rest are miscellaneous stores. The first Nordstrom was opened in 1901, as a shoe store.

8. Red Lobster
The Busiest Location Is: Times Square, New York
Fun Facts: The Times Square Red Lobster generates approximately $10 million in sales each year. The first Red Lobster opened in 1968.

9. Barnes & Noble
The Busiest Location Is: Union Square, New York
Fun Facts: Barnes & Noble, primarily a bookstore, is also the second-largest coffee house in the U.S. The first Barnes & Noble was created in 1873, by Charles M. Barnes, and based out of his home.

10. Whole Foods
The Busiest Location Is: Columbus Circle, New York
Fun Facts: Whole Foods currently has over 54,000 employees and has more than 270 locations in North America and the United Kingdom. The first Whole Foods opened in Austin, Tex. in 1980, and was staffed with only 19 employees.

http://money.aol.com/special/worlds-busiest-store-in-a-chain

Most Visitted Place of American

1. Mexico - 19,659,000 travelers
Certain forms of Mexican travel to the U.S. may be a source of high anxiety these days, but traffic flowed freely the other way: Nearly 20 million Americans headed south in 2006—and spent 9% more than they did the previous year.

2. Canada - 13,855,000 travelers
U.S. residents’ visits to their northern neighbor were down 4% compared with 2005, but Americans spent 15% more than they did in 2005. The strong Canadian dollar (it’s on par with the U.S. dollar) may present a new test for U.S. travel migration northward.

3. U.K. - 3,286,000 travelers
Even with a 14% decline compared to 2005, the U.K. remains the top overseas destination for U.S. travelers. Ten years ago, the U.K. also ranked third, but with 3.57 million visitors—nearly 8% more than 2006. The British government reports nearly inverse figures, with a 13% increase of American travel to the U.K. in 2006. By either measure Americans constitute the lion’s share of the kingdom’s visitors. “The U.S. is our biggest and most important market by far,” said Visit Britain’s Simon Bradley.

4. France - 2,231,000 travelers
American visitation to France was up 1% year to year. The French Government Tourist Office’s Patrice Doyon says “the depressed dollar” has slowed growth. Americans are still visiting, he adds—they’re just spending less. “They might go to a three-star hotel instead of a four-star hotel,” he said. “Or do less shopping.”

5. Italy - 2,201,000 travelers
The 2.2 million Americans who flocked to Italy last year represent an 8% jump over the previous year, while American travel and tourism spending was down 3% during the same period

6. Germany - 1,688,000 travelers (tie)
U.S. travel to Germany was up 1% in 2006 compared with 2005, but in 2000 American travelers to Deutschland numbered 2.3 million, 36% more than in 2006. Travel and tourism spending by Americans in 2006 was down 14%.

7. Jamaica - 1,688,000 travelers (tie)
“Jamaica keeps on trucking” said the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Basil Smith. With nearly 1.7 million U.S. visitors, Jamaica tied with Germany as a Top 10 American traveler destination in 2006. Compared with 2000, Jamaica’s U.S. visits increased a whopping 90%.

8. Bahamas - 1,538,000 travelers (tie)
OTTI records no data for 2005, but compared with 2000, the Bahamas visitation by American travelers is up 68%. An agreement between the governments of the U.S. and the Bahamas, which went into effect in January, 2006, may be partly responsible for the boom in group travel: It allows U.S. corporations a tax deduction for conventions and meetings held in the Bahamas.

9. Japan - 1,538,000 travelers (tie)
U.S. travel to Japan increased 3% in 2006 compared with the previous year, and 22% compared with 2000. Americans’ travel and tourism spending in Japan was down 12% in 2006 year to year.

10. People’s Republic of China - 1,327,000 travelers
“Asia is where the growth is,” said the OTTI’s Erdmann. The number of American travelers to the PRC increased 2% in 2006, year over year, and their travel and tourism spending in China jumped 35% during the same period. U.S. visitation to China increased more than 100% compared with 2000, when only 644,000 Americans paid a call to the Sleeping Dragon.

11. Spain - 995,000 travelers
Almost a million Americans—2% more than the previous year—flocked to Spain, where cities like Barcelona, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s president Jean-Claude Baumgarten, have “over the past 10 years developed a reputation as a place that’s fun to go to.”

12. Netherlands - 904,000 travelers (tie)
The land of storied art, windmills, and tulips drew 5% more U.S. travelers in 2006 than 2005. Compared with 2000, though, American travel to the Netherlands was down 18%.

13. Hong Kong - 904,000 travelers (tie)
Hong Kong Disneyland, and the Symphony of Lights (the world’s largest permanent light and sound show), among other attractions, drew 25.25 million total visitors to the island, according the Hong Kong Tourism Commission. Nearly 1 million of those were Americans, a 2% decrease compared with 2005.

14. India - 904,000 travelers (tie)
U.S. Tourism to India was up 8% in 2006 year to year, but compared with 2000, American visitation nearly doubled, from 457,000.

15. Ireland - 844,000 travelers
Americans visited the Emerald Isle in far greater numbers in 2006 than the previous year—a 22% increase compared with 2005. American travel to Ireland was up 16% in 2006 compared with 2000.

16. Republic of China (Taiwan) - 693,000 travelers
This 36,000 square kilometer island welcomed 693,000 U.S. travelers last year, a 5% increase from the year before and a 3% increase from 2000.

17. Switzerland - 633, 000 Travelers
The Swiss were anything but neutral when it came to welcoming Americans in 2006. U.S. visitation was up 22% compared with the previous year. However, 2006 compared with 2000 showed U.S. travel down 36%.

18. Republic of Korea - 633,000 travelers
Korea attracted as many American voyagers as Switzerland but, like Switzerland, showed a marked year-to-year decrease—nearly 19%—in 2006 visitation by Americans.

19. Australia - 603,000 travelers
In 2000, Australia placed 12th on the OTTI’s list of international destinations for U.S. travelers. In 2006, this land went way down under—to number 19—and the 600,000 Americans represented flat growth compared with the previous year.

20. Greece / Thailand - 482,000 Travelers Each
Both Greece and Thailand welcomed 482,000 Americans in 2006, which represented a 1% year-to-year decline for both countries.

http://www.forbestraveler.com/best-lists/countries-americans-visit-story.html

Fastest-Growing Metros in USA

No. 1: Austin, Texas
Why It's Booming: The self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World" is booming, thanks in large part to Austin's high-tech industry (key employers include Dell, IBM and Apple) and the University of Texas, which provides the area with a steady stream of engineering talent. Its' population is expected to grow nearly 15% by 2012.

No. 2: Cape Coral - Ft. Myers, Fla.
Why It's Booming: According to the most recent U.S. Census information, Cape Coral was the fourth fastest growing U.S. city with a population of more than 100,000. By 2012, average personal income of its residents is expected to grow by 6.9% annually.

No. 3: Atlanta, Ga.
Why It's Booming: The Atlanta metro area is a job magnet that epitomizes the economic boom of the Southeast. Companies with headquarters there include Coca-Cola, CNN and UPS. It's also got the country's busiest airport for passenger traffic. Atlanta's population has doubled in the last 20 years; by 2012, it's expected to grow another 11%.

No. 4: Seattle, Wash.
Why It's Booming: Two words: Boeing and Microsoft. With employers like these in the metro area, it's difficult not to grow. The area also has the fifth largest concentration of biotech companies in the U.S.

No.5: San Francisco, Calif.
Why It's Booming: San Francisco's growth factors are obvious: It's the financial capital of the West, it's a major U.S. tourist destination, it has a thriving downtown area and its proximity to major universities ensures that it has a steady stream of sharp young minds.

http://money.aol.com/forbes/realestate/fastest-growing-metros

World's Top Executive Recruiters

The Most Influential Headhunters

Ulrich F. Ackermann [Managing partner, board member - 11 Years]
Transearch International Deutschland
Sector specialization: Consumer goods, financial services, IT and professional services, auto industry, board services
Job function specialization: C-suite, consulting firm partners
Companies I often recruit for: Adidas; JPMorgan Chase; IBM; PricewaterhouseCoopers
Languages: German, English, French, Italian

Ignacio Bao [Chairman, Signium International - 12 Years]
Signium International
Sector specialization: Investment banking, private banking, private equity, law practice, consulting
Job function specialization: Board directors, CEOs, law/consulting senior partners, CFOs, senior bankers
Companies I often recruit for: BBVA; Santander; PricewaterhouseCoopers; A.T. Kearney; Ernst & Young
Languages: Spanish, English, Portuguese

Robert L. Benson [Chairman, Slayton Search Partners - 25 Years]
Slayton Search Partners
Sector specialization: Board consulting; Financial services: insurance, banking, investment management; Industrial: power generation
Job function specialization: Board directors, CEOs, marketing, HR, business development/strategy
Companies I often recruit for: General Electric; ACE Ltd.; UNUM; Shawmut Bank; Prudential Life
Languages: English, Survival German, French

Dennis Carey [Senior client partner, Korn/Ferry International - 20 Years]
Korn/Ferry International
Sector specialization: All industries and sectors
Job function specialization: Board directors, CEOs, senior executives
Companies I often recruit for: Tyco; 3M; Northrop Grumman; GlaxoSmithKline; Sprint Nextel/Embarq
Languages: English
The global business trend: Public policy on trade issues and the global flow and cost of capital.

Jim Citrin [Senior director, Spencer Stuart - 14 Years]
Spencer Stuart
Sector specialization: Technology, communications and media; hotels; private equity, financial services
Job function specialization: CEOs, CFOs, board directors
Companies I often recruit for: Yahoo!, Microsoft, Eastman Kodak, Starwood Hotels
Languages: English

Christopher John Clarke [President, CEO, Boyden World]
Boyden World
Sector specialization: Executive search
Job function specialization: Board effectiveness, executive search
Companies I often recruit for: Boyden World
Languages: English
The global business trend: The rise of China and India. They have one-third of the world’s population and are growing to dominance in the world economy over the next 50 years.

Michael James "Jim" Conroy [Chairman, founding partner, Conroy Ross Partners]
Conroy Ross Partners
Sector specialization: Energy, nonprofit, financial
Job function specialization: Board directors, executives, CFOs, marketing, business development
Companies I often recruit for: Nexen; Burlington/ConocoPhillips; Western Oil Sands; Plains Marketing; Verenex
Languages: English
The global business trend: The overall globalization of all streams of business will continue to present many different challenges. The increasing cost of diminishing energy sources and the increasing focus on the environment will be major influencers of future corporate performance.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/02/0204_headhunters/index_01.htm?chan=rss_topSlideShows_ssi_5

Highest valued currency unit

1. Kuwait - dinar - KWD
2. Bahrain - dinar - BHD
3. Oman - rial - OMR
4. Latvia - lats - LVL
5.1 United Kingdom - pound - GBP
5.2 Falkland Islands - pound - FKP
5.3 Gibraltar - pound - GIP
5.4 Guernsey - - pound - GGP
5.5 Jersey - pound [4] - JEP
5.6 Isle of Man - pound - IMP
5.7 Saint Helena - pound - SHP
6. European Union (Eurozone) - euro - EUR
7. Jordan - dinar - JOD
8. Cayman Islands - dollar - KYD
9. Azerbaijan - manat - AZN
10. Cuba - convertible peso - CUC
11. Ghana - cedi - GHS
12.1 United States - dollar - USD
12.2 Bahamas - dollar - BSD
12.3 Bermuda - dollar - BMD
12.4 Panama - balboa - PAB

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest_valued_currency_unit

America's Best-Paying Jobs

1. Surgeons : Treat diseases, injuries and deformities by invasive methods, such as manual manipulation or by using instruments and appliances.
Mean Annual Salary: $181,850
Top Paying Industry: Medical and diagnostic laboratories (NA)
Top Paying State: Maine ($196,960)
Top Paying Metro: St. Cloud, Minn. (NA)

2. Anesthesiologists : Administer anesthetics during surgery or other medical procedures.
Mean Annual Salary: $174,610
Top Paying Industry: Offices of physicians ($182,360)
Top Paying State: New Jersey ($197,780)
Top Paying Metro: Savannah, Ga. (NA)

3. Obstetricians and Gynecologists : Diagnose, treat and help prevent diseases of women, especially those affecting the reproductive system and the process of childbirth.
Mean Annual Salary: $174,490
Top Paying Industry: Insurance carriers ($189,640)
Top Paying State: South Dakota ($197,090)
Top Paying Metro: Tallahassee, Fla. (NA)

4. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons : Perform surgery on mouths and jaws.
Mean Annual Salary: $169,600
Top Paying Industry: Offices of physicians ($184,760)
Top Paying State: North Carolina (NA)
Top Paying Metro: Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wisconsin (NA)

5. Internists, General : Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems.
Mean Annual Salary: $156,790
Top Paying Industry: Medical and diagnostic laboratories ($179,310)
Top Paying State: South Dakota ($186,000)
Top Paying Metro: Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, Fla. (NA)

6. Prosthodontists : Construct oral prostheses to replace missing teeth and other oral structures.
Mean Annual Salary: $156,710
Top Paying Industry: Offices of dentists ($182,640)
Top Paying State: Virginia (NA)
Top Paying Metro: Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia-West Virginia ($191,090)

7. Orthodontists : Examine, diagnose and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws.
Mean Annual Salary: $153,240
Top Paying Industry: Offices of dentists ($156,050)
Top Paying State: Washington (NA)
Top Paying Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif. ($188,610)

8. Psychiatrists : Diagnose, treat and help prevent disorders of the mind.
Mean Annual Salary: $151,380
Top Paying Industry: Social advocacy organizations ($192,910)
Top Paying State: Colorado ($190,180)
Top Paying Metro: Springfield, Mo. ($195,450)

9. Chief Executives : Determine and formulate policies and provide the overall direction of companies or private and public sector organizations within the guidelines set up by a board of directors.
Mean Annual Salary: $140,880
Top Paying Industry: Securities and commodity exchanges ($189,950)
Top Paying State: New Jersey ($172,960)
Top Paying Metro: Jersey City, N.J. ($188,070)

10. Pediatricians, General : Diagnose, treat and help prevent children's diseases and injuries.
Mean Annual Salary: $140,000
Top Paying Industry: Elementary and secondary schools ($145,240)
Top Paying State: Louisiana ($176,810)
Top Paying Metro: Columbus, Ga.-Alabama ($193,640)

11. Family and General Practitioners : Diagnose, treat and help prevent diseases and injuries that commonly occur in the general population.
Mean Annual Salary: $137,980
Top Paying Industry: Medical and diagnostic laboratories ($170,500)
Top Paying State: Nevada ($173,660)
Top Paying Metro: Victoria, Texas (NA)

12. Physicians and Surgeons, All Other : All physicians and surgeons outside main specialties.
Mean Annual Salary: $137,100
Top Paying Industry: Medical and diagnostic laboratories ($177,500)
Top Paying State: Wisconsin ($174,370)
Top Paying Metro: Owensboro, Ky. (NA)

13. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers : Pilot and navigate the flight of multi-engine aircraft in regularly scheduled service for the transport of passengers and cargo.
Mean Annual Salary: $134,090
Top Paying Industry: Scheduled air transportation ($144,140)
Top Paying State: New York ($159,010)
Top Paying Metro: New York City ($175,130)

14. Dentists, General : Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries and malformations of teeth and gums and related oral structures.
Mean Annual Salary: $132,660
Top Paying Industry: Offices of dentists ($135,560)
Top Paying State: Alaska ($184,460)
Top Paying Metro: Colorado Springs, Colo. ($198,650)

15. Podiatrists : Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.
Mean Annual Salary: $111,130
Top Paying Industry: Offices of other health practitioners ($116,820)
Top Paying State: Kentucky ($170,740)
Top Paying Metro: Birmingham, Ala. ($185,230)

http://www.forbes.com/2006/05/20/06work_bestpayjobs_slide.html?thisSpeed=35000