In last week’s Year in Review we showcased our 10 Most Popular Questions answered. But we’re not done!  In addition to our questions and answers, we now present our 10 Most Read Blogs of 2010. A few highlights below.

This past summer, our Answers team took to the streets of New York City and San Francisco to find answers to some of YOUR questions. Watch our video series, especially Episode 1 and 8, which made the top list.

Becoming a parent is no easy task. Layla, our hands-on-mom, loves getting advice from the community. Her topics tend to focus on what every parent asks him or herself.

Our second annual Yamster Halloween Costume was once again very popular. Costumes ranged from the Joker to Super Mario, and even Paris Hilton! Oh yes — be afraid, be furry afraid…

Last but not least: Don’t forget our great blogger, Ask Mike! Mike does all the dirty work researching the most random topics buried in the back of our minds (for instance, why are some fuel tanks on the passenger side while others are on the driver’s?)

Below, check out the rest of our most read and commented-on blogs:

1. Choose a “Best of Answers” earn 100 pts

2. Answers Halloween Costume Contest

3. Yahoo! Answers hits the streets: Episode 8

4. Ask Mike: Nicknames

5. Ask Mike: The mysterious gas tank

6. Yahoo! Answers hits the streets: Episode 1

7. Ask Mike: Addicted to lip balm

8. Nanny or day care? That is the question

9. Ask Mike: Blondes have more fun

10. Changes to the Answers Homepage

These have been some great reads. Whether it’s another Answers on the Street question or Ask Mike topic, anything you’d like to see covered in 2011? We’d love to hear your suggestions!

‘Tis the time of year for saying “thank you”, giving gifts and rewarding hard work. Our way of saying “thank you” to you, the Yahoo! Answers community – for your hard work this year – comes in the form of this special bonus. Yes, it’s DOUBLE POINTS for every question you answer– four instead of two.

Why are we doing this?

We know you enjoy earning points on Yahoo! Answers, especially to move up through the levels. But we also know it can feel like slow progress at times, like a marathon… So, for a short while, we’re giving you the chance to sprint! With double points up for grabs, it’s a golden opportunity for you to make some big gains and go for the next level.

Has it started already? When does it end?

It’s live now from December 6^th and will last for a limited period of time. Want to know when it will end?  Well, we’re going to keep that a secret for now…

However, if you follow us on Twitter we’ll give regular updates of how long is left…

We’ll also notify you here, on the blog, as soon as it closes. In the meantime, make the most of it!

How do I get started?

It couldn’t be easier to get involved. Just sign-in (or sign-up if you’ve not visited before) and start answering questions. The browse categories page is a great place to start.

Tell us what you think about our Double Point bonus

We think offering double points is something you will appreciate… we hope it’s not like one of those terrible Christmas presents you just want to put back under the tree. But do let us know what you really think – we won’t be offended, promise.

Also, do let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

To join our friends on Facebook, you just need to process the following steps:
1. Sign in or up on Facebook
2. Go on our Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/yahooanswers
3. Once you’re on the official fan page, just click on the button ‘Like’ available at the top to become one of our fans
4. You’re now one of our Facebook friends

On this page, we’re going to show you the last blog updates; open questions from the team, partners and even some from the community. But be attentive because we’ll keep some original surprises for you…

Twitter too

If you’re not totally addicted to Facebook (it happens), you can still follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/YahooAnswers

Once you have started joining us on Facebook and Twitter, leave your comments here and tell us what you think!

Now here’s a question that can stump a lot of people. Geography guru? Well watch below and see how many people have a difficult time answering this one question.

Think you have a better answer? We definitely know our community has some great ideas. You’ve heard their answers, now we want to hear from you!

Give us a shout and tell us what you think. Just click the question below to submit your response.

Question: How far east can you go before you’re heading west?

Episode 8 Winner

Congrats to Mike for Episode 8’s Best Answer. Here’s his answer:

First step: assume it was a mistake. “Excuse me, there’s a line here.” Nice and polite and works around 80% of the time. Most time a cut in is a simple error where the person has made a mistake. And if it’s not a mistake, it gives the offender a way out before I destroy their dignity.
Second step, escalate. Louder voice: “I think you haven’t have heard me, so I’ll speak up. There’s a line here and we’ve all been waiting.”
Third step, humiliation. “Oh, so you think you’re more important than us! Your time is more valuable than the rest of us! If you’re so important, why are you standing in line like the rest of us, Mr El Presidente? Why don’t you have your own special line if you’re that important? Maybe you would like me to walk in front of you with a bell: Make way! Make way! Get out of the way, peasants! An important person is coming through!”

Normally halfway through this rant, he will leave or the rest of the line will start joining in or laughing at him. Either way, good result.

Of course, it helps to be big, tall and just a little bit crazy looking.

Get Featured

You can be the next winner and get 200 EXTRA POINTS and get recognized on our Answers Blog. Heck, if you have a webcam and we like your video, we may even feature a video of you on our Answers Blog! We’re not the only ones that can make videos. Simply upload your video here. In submitting your video keep in mind your obligations under the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Also, you must be at least 18 years old to submit a video.

Once again, it’s time for our annual Answers Halloween Costume Contest. Last year, we had awesome winners and we can’t wait to see what you come up with this year!

Download the Yamster avatar and dress him up for Halloween!

Picnik which is built directly into Yahoo’s own Flickr, offers a plethora of accessories that you can use to deck out Yamster. You can also use something like Microsoft Paint, Photoshop, SumoPaint, or any other paint program on the market to edit or enhance an image.

Once you’re through dressing up your Yamster, save the image (right click and “save as”) and upload it to your Flickr account. Then, add the image to the Answers Halloween pool—found here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/yahooanswershalloween2010/.

In order to see all the fun dressed-up Yamsters, please make sure to join the Answers Halloween 2010 group.

Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. PST on Monday, November 1st. Winner(s) will be posted on the Yahoo! Answers Blog and will receive 200 bonus points on Yahoo! Answers.

Rules:

• Yamsters must be submitted to Flickr by 5 p.m. PST on November 1st

• All images must be in compliance with Yahoo’s TOS, Yahoo! Answers Community Guidelines, Flickr’s Community Guidelines, and must not contain mature or adult content

• Submitted images may only be that of the Yamster—no actual photographs will be accepted or considered

• No real value is given to this prize: winner(s) will receive 200 bonus points on Yahoo! Answers

• Join the Answers Halloween 2010 group in order to see everyone’s entries

You are standing in line for 20 minutes, when suddenly someone cuts in front of you. What do you do? Do you say anything? Check out some of the responses below and see if you’d react differently.

Think you have a better answer? We definitely know our community has some great ideas. You’ve heard their answers, now we want to hear from you! Give us a shout and tell us what you think. Just click the question below to submit your response.

Question: What do you do when someone cuts in line?

Episode 7 Winner

Congrats to Joey for Episode 7’s Best Answer. Here’s his answer:

The best way to get over a cold is to prevent it in the first place. Wash your hands frequently using soap and water, or alcohol based sanitizers! Eating healthy foods give your Immune System a boost in fighting the germs that invade your body. In colder months, it’s a good idea to wear layers to stay warm. If your body is cold, it’ll have a harder time fighting the germs. If you know anyone who has a cold, ask them to wear a mask so when they cough of sneeze, they won’t spread the germs to you! You should also exercise frequently for a healthy working body!

Always get the flue shot regularly each year! The flu virus changes every year so scientist keep working on developing a new vaccine for that particular virus!

Now what happens if you do get a cold? Drinking lots of fluids helps flush out the toxins in your body. Orange Juice has high amounts of Vitamin C which can help boost your immune system! Getting lots of sleep really helps your body in fighting off those nasty germs!

During colder days, your body will traps in a lot of moisture from the air. What my parents usually do when i’m out in a cold rainy day, is that they boil coke and add some ginger to it! It doesn’t have the best taste to it, but you’ll feel a lot better after drinking it! Another remedy is hot spicy foods since they can clear your nose out of annoying mucus.

Overall, you just have to be smart in fighting the cold. Always keep a positive attitude and you should be cured within a few days!

Get Featured

You can be the next winner and get 200 EXTRA POINTS and get recognized on our Answers Blog. Heck, if you have a webcam and we like your video, we may even feature a video of you on our Answers Blog! We’re not the only ones that can make videos. Simply upload your video here. In submitting your video keep in mind your obligations under the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Also, you must be at least 18 years old to submit a video.

Will there ever be a cure for the common cold? Until then, is drinking fluids, resting, and getting plenty of vitamin C enough? Share any remedies you have for getting over a cold — the cold season is fast approaching!

Think you have a better answer? We definitely know our community has some clever ideas. You’ve heard their answers, now we want to hear from you!

Give us a shout and tell us what you think. Just click the question below to submit your response.

Question: What’s the best way to get over a cold?

Get Featured

You can be the next winner and get 200 EXTRA POINTS and get recognized on our Answers Blog. Heck, if you have a webcam and we like your video, we may even feature a video of you on our Answers Blog! We’re not the only ones that can make videos. Simply upload your video here. In submitting your video keep in mind your obligations under the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Also, you must be at least 18 years old to submit a video.

We know you dread, the “talk.” Parents, moms, dads — we want to know how you told (or plan to tell) your kids about well…the birds and the bees. No kids? That’s OK! We’d love to hear your clever ideas and future tips, too.

Think you have a better answer? We definitely know our community has some great answers. You’ve heard their answers, now we want to hear from you! Give us a shout and tell us what you think. Just click the question below to submit your response.

Question: How do you tell kids about the “birds and the bees?”

Episode 5 Winner

Congrats to Chris Chan for Episode 5’s Best Answer. Here’s his answer:

The etymology behind “The Big Apple” actually goes far beyond the Jazz era. Keep Asking was on the right track. The phrase does come from literal apples. However, it can be speculated that the term actually comes from the “original” settlers of New York. That’s right, the Dutch! Think about it. Dutch Apple Pie? The Dutch settled New York or New Amsterdam as they called it in the early 1600′s. One of the things they brought over from Holland were apples and apple seeds. They then began to cultivate the land. A good portion of this land became occupied by apple trees. After New Amsterdam was seized by the British in 1664 the area became New York, after the Duke of York. The Dutch briefly regained control over the region and renamed it after a very delicious fruit. They called it “New Orange”. But after realizing they couldn’t really compare The Big Apple to the New Orange they permanently ceded the land back to the Brits. So, in conclusion the “Big Apple” was born from the love of the Dutch for apples and their longing to maintain and retain the area of New York City.

Get Featured

You can be the next winner and get 200 EXTRA POINTS and get recognized on our Answers Blog. Heck, if you have a webcam and we like your video, we may even feature a video of you on our Answers Blog! We’re not the only ones that can make videos. Simply upload your video here. In submitting your video keep in mind your obligations under the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Also, you must be at least 18 years old to submit a video.

Spread over four weeks, with each week catering to one particular theme, this initiative will showcase the best holiday destinations and the most awesome travel stories that come from you! So start working on that travelogue of yours and include details like places to stay, things to see, best shopping deals and the like. And don’t forget to tell us why it is among your favorite holiday destinations! We’ll be awarding 50 bonus points for the best story each week.

Not only that, we invite you to share your favorite photograph of the vacation on one of these Flickr groups:

Landscape group -  http://www.flickr.com/groups/100naturallandscapes/

Photo by Ian BC North

Cityscape group -  http://www.flickr.com/groups/26328425@N00/

Photo by aufmkolk (hafoto.de)

Seascape group -  http://www.flickr.com/groups/seascape/

Photo by S John Davey

Skyscape group - http://www.flickr.com/groups/98509261@N00/

Photo by Cobalt123

Once you post your picture there, remember to leave us a comment with the Flickr link on the blog, or add the link in your answer. At the end of four weeks, your story and photograph could be featured on our blog.

And here are 5 steps to ensure your Flickr photo makes it to the contest:

1. Log in to http://www.flickr.com/
2. Sign up for Flickr with your Yahoo! id if you don’t have a Flickr account already
3. Join the Groups (whose links are mentioned above)
4. Upload your Travel photos there
5. Copy the link of your photo and use that in your answer!

This week’s question is about dreamy landscapes. Meadows full of flowers and green grass, a winding river, a roaring waterfall, awe-inspiring mountains, or endless deserts – what landscape inspired you the most and made for an unforgettable holiday? What was your most picturesque and idyllic holiday in the countryside?

And now, this week’s question…

Throughout your life, the chance of having a bad roommate is big. We’re pretty sure you’ve experienced at least one messy, loud, or annoying roommate. So please tell us — or anyone having this problem — how do you get rid of them?

Think you know the answer? We know our community can do better. You’ve heard their answers, now we want to hear from you! Give us a shout and tell us what you think. Just click on the question below to submit your response.

Question: How do you get rid of a bad roommate?

Episode 2 Winner

Congrats to Beauty Killer Jeffree Star for Episode 2’s Best Answer. Here’s their answer:

“Just say something like, ‘Hey, sorry, but would you mind if we talked about this later, I have to finish this [current project] by [due date] and I’m not very far on it.’ And, just to lighten things up, you could add a joke or smile, or an ‘Oh goodness, I had better get started or I’m dead meat’ -expression. No need to be rude, just honest. If they still can’t shut up, then you need to be a bit harsh. (:”

Get Featured

You can be the next winner and get 200 EXTRA POINTS and get recognized on our Answers Blog.  Heck, if you have a webcam and we like your video, we may even feature a video of you on our Answers Blog! We’re not the only ones that can make videos. Simply upload your video here. In submitting your video keep in mind your obligations under the Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Also, you must be 18 in order to submit a video.

So far we are really loving the responses from our community. Please keep them coming and if you have a few minutes, suggest a few questions for future videos.