Around the World

Shah Rukh is always one step ahead of rival Aamir

2009-12-20T08:02:00.001-08:00

If Aamir Khan can go all out to promote 3 Idiots, will Shah Rukh Khan lag behind? Aamir's promotional strategy had floored everyone.

So, SRK went ahead and released the first look of My Name Is Khan (MNIK) at the premiere of the mega Hollywood flick, Avtaar, by James Cameron.

But King Khan insists he isn't copying Aamir for the promotion of his film that has been directed by his friend Karan Johar.

Talking about Aamir's promotional strategy and his own for MNIK, he said: "Everyone has their own ideas and plans. I wouldn't like to do so (what Aamir did) and reduce my film to anything (like a gimmick but he didn't exactly use the word). I don't really think about someone else's film. Aamir is a good- thinking person, so he must know what he is doing. And I guess the idea must be in sync with his film's plot too. I think everyone should market the film in the way the film speaks or is. Of course, the more innovative its promotions the better. MNIK is a love story at the core and we will market it that way. For rest, you will have to wait and watch."

20th Century Fox will showcase MNIK's trailer with all its prints worldwide and it will get a much wider exposure. "I am really thankful to them for doing so. It's a first for a Hindi film. Fox Star Studios' is distributing the film and they will be a big help in increasing our market by making bigger films," said Shah Rukh.

MNIK will also be showcased in the Berlin Film Festival and Karan is thrilled about it. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Karan will be present at the festival, which is from February 11 to February 21. Unconfirmed reports claimed Fox bought the film for Rs 100 crore and plans to release it with over 600 prints world over. It will guarantee the widest release ever for a Hindi film.

Shortest day of winter

2009-12-20T07:57:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the shortest day of winter.

It is a day when the Earth's axis tilts the farthest from the Sun and is called winter solstice, a term derived from Latin words 'sol' (sun) and 'sistere' (to stand still).

A solstice is an astronomical event which happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun's apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme, Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) president CB Devgun told reporters.

On the day of winter solstice, North Pole points directly away from the Sun and South Pole points directly towards the Sun, he said, adding the Sun shines at lowest heights in Northern skies and at maximum heights in Southern skies.

This results in the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere, but at the same time it's the longest day in Southern Hemisphere.

Devgun said winter solstice indicates peak of the cold season. After this, the length of the day starts increasing and it reaches a point where day and night become equal in length at Vernal or Spring Equinox. The day continues to grow longer till summer solstice, the longest day, he added.

Tomorrow the winter solstice will be at 23.17 pm. In Delhi, sunrise will be at 7.10 am and sunset at 5.29 pm making it a day which is about 10 hours in duration, Devgun said.

A Khagol Mela on winter solstice has been planned by SPACE in collaboration with Nehru Planetarium at Jantar Mantar in the city.

Students from various schools would be performing activities like measuring the sun's angle during noon and finding declination of the sun using Jai Prakash Yantra at Jantar Mantar on the day.

Teenage girls' weight affects sexual behavior

2009-11-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

A new study has revealed that teenage girls' weight or perception of their weight might play a role in their participation in risky sexual behaviors.

The research team from University of Pittsburgh showed that those girls who were both sexually active and overweight, or who thought they were overweight, were less likely to use condoms than normal-weight sexually active girls.

Moreover, underweight girls were also less likely to use condoms.

"This study will contribute to sexual health education prevention efforts, which can be tailored to address how cultural norms regarding body size may influence adolescent sexual decision making," said lead researcher Dr Aletha Akers, M.P.H., assistant professor of gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

"Knowing how a girl perceives her weight may be just as important as knowing her actual weight," Akers added.

The study involving nearly 7,200 high school girls from 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey, half reported ever having sex suggested variability in the girls'' sexual activity and sexual risk-taking behavior based on their ethnicity and actual or perceived weight.

The study results are published in the journal Pediatrics.

Wife posed as girl in online trap

2009-11-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

Cheryl Roberts, 61, pretended to be a 14-year-old girl and was asked by David Roberts, 68, to meet for sex.

Roberts admitted engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and making and possessing illegal images.

He was given a three-year community order and banned from having access in person or online to under 18s.

The couple have now split up and are getting divorced.

Different computer

The court heard that mother-of-two Mrs Roberts became suspicious about the amount of time her husband was spending in his study and of a message which popped up on their computer while he was out.

While Roberts was chatting online in his study, Mrs Roberts used a different computer in the living room at their home in Pantygog, Bridgend, and pretended to be a schoolgirl.

Roberts propositioned the "girl", unaware he was chatting to his wife, the court was told.

Prosecutor Martyn Kelly told the court that Roberts, a former pub landlord who used the nickname 'Corky' online, also used a webcam to film himself carrying out acts of indecency - which his wife could see on her PC just yards away.

Illegal images

Mrs Roberts was so shocked by the behaviour of her husband of almost 20 years she brought in police, who seized his computer and found dozens of illegal child porn images.

Roberts believed he had been caught through downloading the images and did not know until weeks later that it was his wife who had called the police.

The court heard that, when interviewed, Roberts denied having sex with any schoolgirls but admitted he was "prepared to do so".

Byron Broadstock, defending, said: "He's brought shame on himself and his family."

Psychiatrists' reports said Roberts might have a brain disorder which causes him to be an exhibitionist.

Mr Broadstock said Roberts had been going through a dark patch at the time, was anxious to know why he had behaved in that way and would welcome treatment.

Claude Knights, director of children's charity Kidscape, said: "The offences that he has committed are very serious indeed and his wife must be commended for the active part that she played in bringing him to justice."

sex scandals to have made news in public

2009-11-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

Let's begin with the lastest development in Madhur Bhandarkar's case wherein a magistrate's court on Wednesday said the FIR filed against him in July 2004 could not be dismissed.

Bhandarkar a National Award winning filmmaker was accused of rape and making false promises to an aspiring actress Priti Jain. She filed a case stating that she slept with him from 1999 to 2004 as he promised her a role in a movie and marriage. However, in 2005, Jain was arrested for hiring people from the underworld to have Madhur killed.

Later, the Versova police during investigation had found that the complaint filed against Bhandarkar was false, they asked a magistrate at Railway Mobile Court in Andheri to classify the case as 'B' summary and dismiss it.
The case came up for hearing on Wednesday and it seems the trouble involving the rape charges are not over. Rejecting the police contention that allegations against Bhandarkar were false, the magistrate court has said that the FIR filed against could not be dismissed.

Shakti Kapoor

Shakti Kapoor well known for playing comic and villainous roles has acted alongside comedian Kader Khan in over 100 films.

In March 2005, a television channel released a video, allegedly showing Shakti Kapoor asking for sexual favors from an undercover reporter posing as an aspiring actress, in return for entry into the film industry. This was a sting operation to expose the phenomenon of casting couch prevalent in Bollywood. This incident sparked a controversy in Bollywood and Kapoor was banned by the Film & Television Producers Guild of India. Association of Indian Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers decided not to ban him as no allegations against him were proven. The Film & Television Producers Guild also lifted the ban later.

Kapoor claimed that the video clip in question was doctored and he had been framed. He said that the undercover reporter met him several times and threatened to commit suicide if he did not come to the hotel room she had booked.

Aman Verma

Thank him for making the term 'sting operation' familiar to the Indian audience. Verma was undoubtedly the reigning star of the Indian telly, when a sting operation revealed that he molested a woman. His entire career was tarnished.

The bulky Salman came to his rescue. But that hardly helped. Seems like an episode right from a K serial.
The sting operation carried out by a TV channel filmed Aman Verma making advances towards the undercover reporter and also trying to examine her 'closely'.

Shiney Ahuja

Shiney Ahuja who won Filmfare Best Debut Award for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2006 has been accused of raping a household maid.

On June 14, 2009, a household maid working at Ahuja's house lodged a complaint with the Mumbai Police alleging that Ahuja had raped her that afternoon. She further claimed that he threatened her to kill her if the incident came to light. Ahuja was arrested the next day. After being in the Arthur Road Jail for over three months, he was granted bail from the Bombay High Court.

Michael Jackson

Despite Jackson's popularity and good works, he became the subject of a major scandal. In 1993 a thirteen-year-old boy accused Jackson of sexually abusing him at the star's home. Jackson settled the case out of court while insisting he was innocent. The scandal cost Jackson his endorsement contract with Pepsi and a film deal. His sexual preference was called into question, and his public image was severely damaged.

Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent.Jackson denied the allegations.

Anand Jon

Anand Jon Alexander a fashion designer was convicted for serial child molestation and sexual abuse. He appeared on America's Next Top Model and rose to fame in the fashion industry prior to being convicted.

Jon was arrested in March 2007 in Beverly Hills, California on rape and related charges, based on the allegations of numerous aspiring models, including committing lewd conduct upon a minor. He pled "not guilty" to all charges. His defence being that he was set up by aspiring models trying to get revenge after he rejected them for photo shoots and fashion shows.

Jon was convicted for 16 out of 23 counts of sexual abuse; charges included forcible rape of seven women and girls, aged 14 to 21.

At the end of the trial Jon was sentenced to 59 years to life. He is expected to be extradited to New York, where prosecutors will charge him with more than 40 counts, including first-degree forcible rape and rape of a minor, involving 12 additional women and children. Jon also faces pending charges in Texas and Massachusetts.

Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 was the third-youngest president.

The Lewinsky scandal was a political sex scandal emerged from a sexual relationship between United States President Bill Clinton and a 22-year-old White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The news of this extra-marital affair and the resulting investigation eventually led to the impeachment of President Clinton in 1998 by the U.S. House of Representatives and his subsequent acquittal on all impeachment charges in a 21-day Senate trial.

David Beckham

David Robert Joseph Beckham, the English footballer currently plays in midfield for American Major League Soccer club Los Angeles Galaxy and the England national team.

Many ladies claim that they have 'had' Becks! But this turned really nasty when, he was accused twice. First, he was accused of having a torrid affair with Rebecca Loos, his former personal assistant.

A week later, a model named Sarah Marbeck stated that she had slept with the soccer star. Of course, Beckham denied these charges. There has never been any proof of any of the allegations of Beckham's claimed infidelity.

Top 9 Terror persons of the world

2009-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Osama Bin Laden

The most wanted man in the world is accused of master minding the 1998 bombings of U.S Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, resulting in the deaths of over 200 people. He has also been charged with conspiring to kill Americans outside the U.S. and has claimed responsibility for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre towers in New York that resulted in an estimated 3,000 deaths.

He is believed to be hiding in Pakistan, perhaps in the Waziristan region. Former U.S. President, G.W. Bush authorized a $25 million bounty, but for the last seven years, the 51 year old Saudi Arabian has managed to evade the largest man hunt in history.

Joaquin Guzman

In the shady world of South American drug cartels, it takes a particular breed of nastiness to topple the Columbians, famed for their particular brand of ruthlessness that allowed them to dominate the drug trade into the United States. So when Guzman established himself as the head of the Sinaloa Cartel, it goes with out saying that he did so in a wave of bloodshed that has killed thousands, including priests and policemen.

Known as 'El Chapo' or 'Shorty', the Mexican kingpin specialized in importing cocaine from Columbia and smuggling it into the U.S through elaborate tunnels. He was arrested in 2001 and placed in a Mexican maximum security prison, and was due to be extradited to the States. However, so deep was his influence that he orchestrated his escape, allegedly in a laundry truck, with the help of no less than seventy eight people, including, it is rumored, the facility director.

Since then he has evaded capture, while being indicted by the United States and a five million bounty has been placed on his head.

Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov

Originally from Uzbekistan, Tokhtakhounov has established himself as the modern face of the Russian mafia. Known as 'Taiwanchik' for his Asiatic features, Tokhtakhounov is suspected to be a major player in the trafficking of drugs, illegal arms and stolen motor vehicles.

He is also rumored to be heavily involved in the fixing of high profile events, ranging from beauty pageants to Olympic events at the Utah Winter Games. In 2002, he was indicted by the U.S. government for bribing Olympic figure skating judges to favor the French team, robbing the Canadians of gold medals in the pair's competition. The U.S. tried to get him extradited from Italy after his arrest there, but he was released and has since disappeared into Russia.

Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar

Arguably the most wanted man in India's history; this son of an Indian policeman allegedly oversees a criminal empire that stretches across Mumbai, Pakistan and Dubai. His organized crime group, 'D-Company' is reportedly involved in drug trafficking, counterfeiting, weapons smuggling, and murder. Ibrahim has been accused of masterminding the 1993 Bombay Blasts that killed 257 people and wounded 713.

According to reports, the lone surviving gunman from the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, Ajmal Amir Kasab, has allegedly confessed to authorities that Ibrahim's organization provided the terrorists with the arms and explosives to carry out the attacks.

The Indian government has long suspected him of having ties with Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence agency and believes that the Pakistan government is sheltering him in Karachi. The United States government has declared him a 'global terrorist' and has associated him with Al Qaeda. The United Nations has attempted to freeze his assets and Interpol has placed him on their most wanted list, but as yet he remains protected in Pakistan. It's been rumored that the 52 year old has had significant plastic surgery to alter his appearance.

Matteo Messina Denaro

The 'playboy' of the Italian mafia, Denaro seen as the most powerful and influential member of the Costa Nostra, taking advantage of the vacuum in power left by the arrest of long time leaders like Bernardo Provenzano in 2006.

Denaro is known for his taste in expensive watches, fast cars and young women, but this is no mere playboy playing gangster, Denaro has been implicated in the deadly 1993 bomb attacks that forced the Italian government to stop its campaign to crack down on the mafia. He is also rumored to be heavily involved in the international drug trade and extortion rackets. Recently, "Diabolik" as he is also known, has been rumored to be involved in money laundering rings that allow him to circulated hundreds of millions of dollars. It has also been estimated that he has been involved in the murders of at least 50 people.

The Sicilian has since evaded arrest following the 1993 attacks and has been sentenced to life in prison (in absentia).

Félicien Kabuga

The most wanted man in Africa, Kabuga is held responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, having been the driving force behind the Rwandan genocide in 1994.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda issued an international arrest warrant for Kabuga, a rich businessman, and charged him with crimes including genocide, the conspiracy to commit genocide and the complicity in genocide. He has been accused of bankrolling the Hutu militias who carried out the massacres of over 800,000 Tutsi civilians over a period of 100 days in Rwanda. He allegedly provided arms, transportation and uniforms to the militias and purchased thousands of machetes and hoes, which were used as weapons to attack unarmed civilians. Kabuga's radio station was also heard to propagate extremist Hutu ideology and exhort the militias to wipe out the Tutsi population.

Following the conquest of Rwanda by the Tutsi dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front, Kabuga has fled the country and is currently a fugitive, having attempted to seek refuge in Switzerland and the Democratic Republic of Congo, before being admitted into Kenya, where he is rumored to be a resident in Nairobi.

Joseph Kony

The founder and head of The Lord's Resistance Army, a guerilla group that is conducting a violent and bloody campaign to establish a theocratic government in Uganda, using a system of governance based on the Bible and the Ten Commandments.

Kony has been issued with a warrant by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. It is believed that under his direction, the LRA has been responsible for the displacement of two million people, the abduction of approximately 60,000 people, including 30,000 children, who are used as soldiers in his campaign of murder, destruction, rape, sexual slavery and mutilation. Allegedly, Kony has been known force children to murder their own parents as part of their initiation into the LRA.

In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, the United States government placed Kony on their 'global terrorist' list, a move that carries severe financial and other penalties. It is unknown whether Kony has any assets that would be affected by this designation.

James 'Whitey' Bulger

The leader of an Irish-American crime family, Bulger controlled the drug trade and extortion rackets in South Boston, building up a fortune that is believed to be in excess of $50 million. He has been implicated in a number of murders, and has been known to associate with a number of major criminal enterprises across North America and Europe, including the Irish Republican Army.

According to sources, Bulger was a gangster of the old school, refusing to deal in heroin and to children, extracting violent retribution against dealers who disobeyed his edicts.

The FBI has tracked Bulger for more than a decade, placing him on their 'Ten Most Wanted' list and a $1 million bounty on his head. However, due to his wealth and extensive lists of contacts built up over the decades, the 80 year old mob boss has managed to evade capture, and is currently rumored to have relocated to Sicily, with last confirmed sighting of him being in London, 2002.

Omid Tahvili

The kingpin of an Iranian crime family, Tahvili is believed to be connected to various triads and global criminal groups. Known as "Nino", the Iranian is based in Canada and is suspected of heading up one of the major crime organizations operating of the Iranian community in Canada.

In 2005, Tahvili was arrested for the torture and sexual assault of a male relative of an associate he suspected of stealing $500,000 dollars from him. He was awaiting sentencing in a maximum security prison in British Columbia, but walked out after bribing a guard with $50,000.

The U.S. government is seeking his arrest in relation to an alleged operation of a fraudulent telemarketing business that scammed approximately three million dollars from elderly American victims. Tahvili is rumored to have contacts throughout the Middle East and Europe, and is believed to run operations in these areas. He remains at large.

Things you cannot buy with £45m

2009-11-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

Certain Masterpiece

Looking for something to brighten up the grand hall of your new country estate?

Work by Warhol or Rothko may be just about affordable, but if you are taken by Renoir's Le Moulin de la Galette or Van Gogh's Portrait of Dr Gachet, think again.

You will need to keep playing the lottery and hope for a second jackpot if you like Jackson Pollock's abstract No. 5, 1948, rumoured to have sold last year for a record-breaking $140m (£84m).

Super-Yacht

For lessons in how to spend millions, Russian billionaires are a good place to start.

It is considerably over budget at a reported $1.2bn (£722m) but Roman Abramovich's yacht is a fine example of how not to scrimp.

The Eclipse - which resembles the floating home of a James Bond villain - is almost the length of two football pitches.

It is said 70 crew members are needed to run the yacht. Security on board is so tight there are missile defence and intruder detection systems, as well as a system which can detect paparazzi cameras.

It also has two helipads, 11 guest cabins, two swimming pools (one of which can be drained and converted into a dance floor), three launch boats, an aquarium and a mini-submarine.

Large Caribbean Island

Buying an island is when you truly enter the super-rich bracket, so a relatively paltry £45m will not go far.

Admittedly, there are options in Scotland, Dorset and further afield in the British Virgin Islands - the 43-acre Buck Island advertised for $50m (£30m) comes just within budget.

But if you are looking for something with a bit more room then Ronde Island, in Grenada, gives you 2,000 acres of remote, untouched Caribbean paradise where the water is so clear you can see 100ft under the surface.

It was on the market two years ago for $100m (£60m).

Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese footballer, and reportedly soon-to-be Armani model, will be £35m over-budget.

Silky footwork and an eye for the back of the net made the 24-year-old the game's most expensive player when Real Madrid stumped up £80m for him this summer.

A recent ankle injury may mean, with some tough bargaining skills, you could get him for a knock-down price.

But given that you would need to buy another 10 men for a team, it may not be the best use of your jackpot win.

Blockbuster Movie

Harbouring an urge to step into Steven Spielberg's world? Then you may require a bank loan.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End came in at $300m (£181m) with the likes of Spider-Man 3, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and James Bond's Quantum of Solace not far behind.

Just within a £45m budget was Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Doctor Dolittle, according to The Numbers.com

Or you could make lots and lots of films like 1999's Blair Witch Project, which cost a mere $35,000 (£21,000) to make.

Ant and Dec for five years

TV presenters Ant and Dec do not come cheap.

ITV have just signed up the pair, who started out as teenage actors on BBC children's show Byker Grove, to a two-year exclusive deal.

Reports suggest the contract is worth a cool £20m to the duo, even though it represents a 10% pay cut on last year's deal.

That being the case, if you want them for five years, you will need to hit them with another pay cut, or make do with them for just four.

Private Jet

There should be no problem picking up a helicopter for around the £1m mark but if it is top-of-the-range you are after, you'll need three times your jackpot win.

The FA-22 Raptor is one of the world's most expensive jets, priced at $260m (£156m) five years ago.

It can fly at 1,500km/h and still remain undetected by radar.

It is able to fire precisely targeted smart bombs and can also engage hostile aircraft far beyond the pilot's vision.

Diamond Mine

Diamonds are no trouble on a £45m budget. In fact, you could stretch to a dozen flawless blue diamonds.

The gem is one of the rarest in the world and one was bought at auction in Hong Kong auction in 2007 for almost £4m.

But if that is not enough sparkle, there are diamond mines for sale in Israel, South Africa and Western Australia among other places.

One South African mine was bought by Petra Diamonds for one billion rand (£72m) two years ago - a little over-budget but with some wise investment, you could revisit your plans in a few years' time.

10 most Sexiest Singers of the world

2009-11-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

Beyonce Knowles is among those who have made it to a new list of the 'Sexiest Female Singers'.

A website has come up with its list of the top 10 sexy singers, reports the Daily Chilli. According to the TopSexyWomen.com website, these are the top 10 sexiest female singers:

1. Beyonce

The popstar doesn't have to try hard to sing or look sexy because she is both. The singer, who sizzled in this red-hot outfit during the recent MTV music awards, also has the pipes which won her the prestigious Billboard Woman of the Year Awar at a gala brunch in New York in October.

'She has not only influenced pop culture with her hit songs and her signature dance moves, but has inspired women everywhere with her unique style, business savvy and dedication to charitable causes,' Contactmusic quoted publication editorial director Bill Werde as saying.

2. Shakira

You know what they say, sexiness is all in the mind and this Latin pop princess is not 'insecure' or 'uncomfortable of her body' after hitting her 30s.

The 32-year-old singer, who donned a figure hugging, skin-coloured leotard for her latest She Wolf video, is now ready to tread the not-so-tried road of steamy onscreen appearances.

Contactmusic quoted her as saying: 'We all have our own insecurities but I used to have more of those days in my 20s. I found nothing satisfied me and I just wanted to hide from the world. You should always make the most of what you've got and I think I've tried my entire life to figure that out. Now I feel a lot more comfortable in my own body.'

3. Christina Aguilera

At third place is Christina Aguilera who said becoming a mother has made her feel sexier.

The singer, who delivered Max, her first child with husband Jordan Bratman, last January, insists that parenthood has harnessed her personality and also her sex appeal.

'Since becoming a mum, I feel I have more knowledge and that makes me feel beautiful. I feel more centred, which makes me feel confident and sexy,' the Daily Express quoted her as saying.

4. Mariah Carey

This popstar dazed all with her idyllic voice and to-die-for body.

Mariah, who got rid of a great amount of weight through a combination diet, has been branded hardworking by longtime trainer Patricia Gay.

'I feel great, it's hard work to stay in shape but the results are worth it,' the Mirror quoted Mariah as saying.

'She's been toned since the beginning, she is small. She has only muscle and no fat at all. She is a hard worker!' Patricia said.

Mariah makes no bones about the fact that her toned body has not been acquired easily, as she follows a 'bleak' 1,500 calorie-a-day diet, comprising few of her favourite comfort foods.

'It's mainly about the diet, so when my trainer leaves it's sooo hard to stick to it! For breakfast, Patricia will make some boring eggs and I don't really like eggs anyway, and she'll give me some probiotic yoghurt to help with digestion,' Mariah said.

5. Britney Spears

At number five is Britney Spears whose music video for new single 3 has been dubbed raunchier than ever. The singer was said to have flaunted her tiny frame with statement blonde locks and minimal clothes in the video. The pop princess was spotted in a series of cut-out leotards as she gyrated to the sound of raunchy sound effects, reports The Mirror. The 27-year-old is also seen taking to the pole while rubbing up against her barely clad female dancers.

6. Ciara

The popstar is one hot singer whose breathy voice and sexy videos keep fans panting for more 'Love, Sex and Magic'.

7. Jessica Simpson

She has got the voice and the body perfect for a pop princess. Now, if only she can break even with a great single.

8. Madonna

Rocking her way to the list is Madonna who explained why she likes younger men.

It appears that the Queen of Pop, 51, who's dating 22-year-old Brazilian model Jesus Luz, believes that blokes are 'more adventurous, open and fun.'

According to her, men her age are 'usually married, divorced, grumpy, fat and balding,' reports The Sun.

She also reckons that her body is part of her 'job'.

'If I'm not in good shape, then how can I dance around on stage with my butt hanging out, right?' she added.

9. Hilary Duff

Remember the sweet-faced star of Cinderella Story? Well, bid her innocent looks goodbye for the singer/actress shed her good girl image with a raunchy role in her upcoming film.

The 20-year-old star plays the role of a 'slutty' pop star in the John Cusack film, War, Inc, based on war profiteers.

'She played a pop idol from central Asia. So, she was like a Hilary but not Hilary, because Hilary is so classy, but like a real, and I won't name names, but a real slutty pop star... Hilary is the opposite of that, of course,' News.com.au quoted Cusack, as telling MTV.

10. Christina Milian

Christina Milian, who was once touted as the next Britney Spears, recently bared it all for a new magazine in a bid to save her plummeting music career.

And it seems the move paid off for the once fresh-faced singer rounds off the top 10 sexiest singers.

The sexy singer appears on the front cover of King magazine revealing a rather 'wild' avatar of her, to give a boost to her career, reports The Sun.

The 'AM to PM' singer's self-titled debut album was released in 2001, following collaboration with Ja Rule.

Tricks for a sex-essful marriage

2009-11-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

"Ladies, if you want to crush your man's soul, stop giving him oral sex. If you want to blow his mind, become skilled at it," Matt Titus advises people in Why Hasn't He Proposed, the book he co-authored with wife Tamsen Fadal. That's not all... he goes on to explain how you can become "proficient at this particular job" through videos, books and even "classes that teach you trusted techniques".

With a punch line that says 'Go from the First Date to Setting the Date,' this guide for women in dead-end relationships is entertaining, to say the least. The duo share experiences they've had with friends and clients. They take turns to present their cases -- the woman's perspective and the man's -- with little drawings of a boy and a girl so as to let the reader know which sex is talking.

Their advice is fun and even insightful at times: "folks who are willing to cohabit are often the same folks who are more divorce-prone to begin with" and "contrary to popular belief, men are not biologically wired to have sex with more than one woman".

Even more amusing than the insights/cases/research are chapter titles: 'Extinguish His Fear of Wedding Hell', 'Tricks for a Sex-cessful Marriage', 'I Take Thee to Be My Wife, Not My Warden'. The wording alone may be enough to do the trick.

The book is more fun if you read it alongside How To Create A Magical Relationship by husband-wife team Ariel and Shya Kane, who've been been married for 25 years.

Ariel and Shya offer more cases and examples of clients they've successfully helped. But they tend to over-generalise ("Many women have not discovered that they can be themselves and still include their femininity") and harp on stereotypes ("A 'relationship splitter' is a person who has a specific type of incompletion with his or her parents.") To their credit, the authors attempt to explain this through examples: Boy gets friendly with couple and eventually breaks them up because he grew up believing he was a better companion for his mother than his father had been. Huh?

The 10 hottest female sports uniforms

2009-11-06T13:08:00.001-08:00

Over the years, women have proven to be stellar athletes and, over time, some experts expect women to be able to compete and defeat male athletes. But that doesn’t mean they don’t look downright foxy in their different uniforms.

1.) The Beach Volleyball Bikini

By far, the Gold Medal of Sports Uniforms. You could put the ugliest professional beach volleyballer out there and every dude would be staring at her backside. That’s what you get for wearing a bikini and calling it a uniform.

2.) The Tennis Skirt

An oldie and a classic. Truly stands the test of time. Although, lately women have gone with the tight shorts and or suit look (Serena Williams anyone?), the skirt is still the consensus winner for tennis.

3.) The Gymnastics Leotard

Very underrated but very much appreciated. Just make sure you’re staring at someone who is of age. In fact, stick to the college competitions to avoid looking like a pedophile.

4.) Track and Field Shorts/Tank Top

Hard to ignore the popularity explosion of girls like Allison Stokke and other pole vaulters who flaunt their backside but you can’t ignore the runners who try to wear the flimsiest shorts possible in an effort to gain that extra advantage.

5.) Indoor Volleyball Shorts

There is a human being out there (probably a man) who decided that girls needed for some odd reason to wear these uncomfortable and extremely short shorts. I pray to that unknown person every day.

6.) Cheerleading Uniform

Debatable whether its a sport but they get the nod because as my friend said “they do have competitions”. I think that was code for, “they’re in short skirts, put them on the list or I kill you”.

7.) Field Hockey skirt

Not often seen unless you’re watching the Olympics or ESPNU for a random college game. Nonetheless, an extremely strong competitor in this category.

8.) Surfing wetsuit

Another one of those sports that we just don’t get to see enough. Probably because none of us know whats going on and what constitutes a good score. But if they could just focus on the bikini bottom and wetsuit, we could probably figure out everything from there.

9.) Golf Shorts

Fair to assume that us men hate women on the golf course. They’re slow and they often don’t advance the ball beyond 50 yards. But those outfits could make Bea Arthur look attractive….(ok, maybe not her…RIP Bea)

10.) Figure skating attire

Dresses, skirts, shorts….whatever these ladies put on seem to work well. Probably because most of them could fit into a suitcase but hey, I’m not complaining.

Wife allergic to husband's sperm

2009-11-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

The couple had been lovers for two years before they got married and decided to have unprotected sex for the first time on their wedding night.

Almost immediately the bride was in unbearable pain. She found out it was because of Mike's sperm.

Plans of conceiving a baby have had to be abandoned reluctantly as it seems Julie's own body destroys the sperm.

Mike, 27, and Julie, 26, from Ambridge, Pennsylvania, started going out while at university and became engaged two years later, finally having a dream wedding in 2005. They wanted to consummate their union on their wedding night.

"Before we were always very careful and used protection - this time we didn't,' said Julie, 26.

"We figured, "we're married, if we get pregnant, we get pregnant".

"Pretty much right after I knew something was not right because I was in a lot of pain.

"The pain that I was feeling was inside, like somebody sticking needles up inside of me like a real painful burning.

"It was really scary."

The pain, and at times blisters, would go on for weeks, she said.

"On a scale of one to ten, it's pretty much ten," she said, describing the pain.

After numerous medical tests, the couple were eventually told that Julie suffers from seminal plasma hypersensitivity, which affects thousands of women in Australia.

"It can be systemic and present anaphylaxis where individuals have not just localised discomfort. They actually can have hives, soft tissue swelling … and, in the severe situations … they can ... potentially die." said immunologist Jonathan Bernstein, of Cincinnati Medical Centre University.

In short, Julie's body attacks Mike's sperm and makes it inactive.

The couple have started adoption proceedings to start their family.

The couple are featured in a documentary, Strange Sex, on the ABC in the US.

First-time mom plans to give birth live on the internet

2009-11-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

Lynsee, a 23-year-old teacher in Minneapolis, is expecting her first child any day now. And she's decided to share the whole experience, from the first labor pain to that final awesome push, with the internet.

Like many mommy bloggers have before, she’s been documenting every detail of her first pregnancy; unlike any of them, she’s been sharing the highs and lows with more than 900 Watch Lynsee Grow! readers at the Twin Cities’ Moms Like Me website, which will broadcast the birth from the hospital as it happens. Only Moms Like Me members will be able to leave comments during the event, though anyone with an internet connection will be able to watch the live feed.

“We wanted to document the pregnancy and create a one-of-a-kind memento for our baby to have forever,” Lynsee told the website's partner KARE-TV 11, which is also following her pregnancy (she requested that I not publish her last name, for privacy reasons). "You'll be at some of the doctor's appointments... You'll be there in the delivery room, tastefully, but you will be there.’’

Fresh off of the Balloon Boy saga, one may wonder whether Lynsee or her 24-year-old husband, Anders, is in it for fame or fortune -- or reality TV. But they're not. Though there are a few corporate sponsors on board and KARE-TV helped throw her a baby shower at the famed Mall of America, all gifts were donated to charity and Lynsee is not being compensated for her participation in the project, according to Twin Cities Moms Like Me site manager Cindy Chapman.

Moms Like Me representatives say that the goal of the project was to get more members to share and interact on the site. Many members are fans of A Baby Story on TLC, Chapman says, and she was hoping to take the concept a step further. "We have the perfect vehicle on the internet with taking the birth live -- something A Baby Story doesn’t do." She sent a private message out to the members of the Twin Cities' site, asking if there were any pregnant women who were interested in participating. Lynsee was one of about 12 who responded. “I emailed her right away and she filled me in on the project,” Lynsee told me. “I talked with my husband and we were excited about it!”

Of course, you can't log off when you're the one in labor. And you certainly can't script a birth. Viewers won’t see any graphic details -- an experienced camera crew will be at the helm, Chapman says, and a team of people will be monitoring the shoot as well as the online chat. Chapman, who will be at the hospital with Lynsee, says that there is a "massive crisis plan" in place.

In October, MomsLikeMe.com asked their members for their thoughts on the couple's decision to share their child's birth with the world. About 60 percent of moms said that they do not want anyone besides their significant other in the delivery room but, in another poll, the same percentage responded that they would be interested in watching a broadcast of a live birth. "You never know when you start projects like this, how they’re going to go,” Chapman says. "The response has been overwhelming, very supportive, very positive for Lynsee."

I’m sure that every parent reading this right now is having a mini-flashback to their first birth experience -- I know I am -- and wondering how they'd cope with having a camera crew in the room. But that’s not how Lynsee, a family and consumer science teacher, sees the project. “It’s so miraculous and special because each birth is different. If I were in a classroom, I would be teaching about childhood development, so I feel that I’m using myself as a textbook to teach others about pregnancy and delivery."

"I will also have all the support from the mom’s on the site while I’m having the baby. Just knowing they are there during labor means a lot to me," she adds.

As the big day approaches -- she’s due Nov. 19 -- Lynsee says she’s not having any second thoughts about broadcasting the labor and delivery live. “No – it’s the final part of the journey,” she says. “It’s the one big moment and the special part and it’s what I’m looking forward to sharing with everyone the most.”

SRK gets moon on birthday

2009-11-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

Every year on his birthday, an ardent Shah Rukh Khan fan buys a piece of the moon (you heard that right!) and sends it to him.

SRK confirms, "Yes, an Australian lady buys a little land on the moon for me every year on my birthday. She has been buying it for a while now and I get these certificates from the Lunar Republic Society."

SRK adds that he has met his fan and she keeps in touch with him all year through mails, "She writes me colourful emails (in the sense one line is red, one is blue and so on). I feel blessed to have the love of so many people worldwide."

According to one online lunar real estate agency, http://www.lunarregistry.com/, the Sea of Tranquility is the most sought-after address on the moon. 1 acre (approximately 43,560 sq ft, or 4,047 sq mtrs) costs US $37.50 (Rs 1758.75) and the actor owns several acres there. An ownership package includes a beautifully engraved parchment deed, a satellite photograph of the property and an information sheet detailing the geography of your region. An interactive Full Moon Atlas on CD-ROM is available at an additional cost.

You are allowed to purchase up to 40 acres per transaction. The proceeds from the purchase of the plot on the moon, go toward the Lunar Republic Society's program for privatised human-based exploration, settlement and development of the Moon.

Now while there are many websites on the internet (based in the US, UK and Russia) that allows you to buy land on the moon, it doesn't mean you can charge NASA or other space agencies for trespassing when they land on your property.

Property ownership is permanently registered by the International Lunar Lands Registry in its annual publication, which is copyrighted and deposited in the United States Library of Congress and with international patent and trademark offices, including the United Kingdom (UK Patent Office), Japan (Japan Copyright Office), Russia (Rospatent) and with the United Nations (UN Depository Library), in compliance with the Berne Convention.

Top 10 Accidental Inventions

2009-10-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

No. 1 - Penicillin

As one of the most famous and fortunate accidents of the 20th century, penicillin belongs at No. 1 on this list.

If you've been living under a rock for the past 80 years or so, here's how the popular story goes:

Alexander Fleming didn't clean up his workstation before going on vacation one day in 1928. When he came back, Fleming noticed that there was a strange fungus on some of his cultures. Even stranger was that bacteria didn't seem to thrive near those cultures.

Penicillin became the first and is still one of the most widely used antibiotics.

No. 2 - Pacemaker

This list wouldn't be complete without at least one absent-minded professor. But it's not flubber clocking in at No. 2, it's a life saving medical device. That pacemaker sewn into a loved one's chest actually came about because American engineer Wilson Greatbatch reached into a box and pulled out the wrong thing.

It's true. Greatbatch was working on making a circuit to help record fast heart sounds. He reached into a box for a resistor in order to finish the circuit and pulled out a 1-megaohm resistor instead of a 10,000-ohm one.

The circuit pulsed for 1.8 milliseconds and then stopped for one second. Then it repeated. The sound was as old as man: a perfect heartbeat.

No. 3 - Mauve

Talk about strange connections - 18-year-old chemist William Perkin wanted to cure malaria; instead his scientific endeavors changed the face of fashion forever and, oh yeah, helped fight cancer.

Confused? Don't be. Here's how it happened.

In 1856 Perkin was trying to come up with an artificial quinine. Instead of a malaria treatment, his experiments produced a thick murky mess. But the more he looked at it, the more Perkin saw a beautiful color in his mess. Turns out he had made the first-ever synthetic dye.

His dye was far better than any dyes that came from nature; the color was brighter, more vibrant, and didn't fade or wash out. His discovery also turned chemistry into a money-generating science - making it attractive for a whole generation of curious-minded people.

But the story is not over yet. One of the people inspired by Perkin's work was German bacteriologist Paul Ehrlich, who used Perkin's dyes to pioneer immunology and chemotherapy.

No. 4 - Radioactivity

Two words that you don't ever want to hear said in the same sentence are "Whoops!" and "radioactive." But in the case of physicist Henri Becquerel's surprise discovery, it was an accident that brought radioactivity to light.

Back in 1896 Becquerel was fascinated by two things: natural fluorescence and the newfangled X-ray. He ran a series of experiments to see if naturally fluorescent minerals produced X-rays after they had been left out in the sun.

One problem - he was doing these experiments in the winter, and there was one week with a long stretch of overcast skies. He left his equipment wrapped up together in a drawer and waited for a sunny day.

When he got back to work, Becquerel realized that the uranium rock he had left in the drawer had imprinted itself on a photographic plate without being exposed to sunlight first. There was something very special about that rock. Working with Marie and Pierre Curie, he discovered that that something was radioactivity.

No. 5 - Plastic

In 1907 shellac was used as insulation in electronics. It was costing the industry a pretty penny to import shellac, which was made from Southeast Asian beetles, and at home chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland thought he might turn a profit if he could produce a shellac alternative.

Instead his experiments yielded a moldable material that could take high temperatures without distorting.

Baekeland thought his "Bakelite" might be used for phonograph records, but it was soon clear that the product had thousands of uses. Today plastic, which was derived from Bakelite, is used for everything from telephones to iconic movie punch lines.

No. 6 - Vulcanized Rubber

Charles Goodyear had been waiting years for a happy accident when it finally occurred.

Goodyear spent a decade finding ways to make rubber easier to work with while being resistant to heat and cold.

Nothing was having the effect he wanted.

One day he spilled a mixture of rubber, sulfur and lead onto a hot stove. The heat charred the mixture, but didn't ruin it. When Goodyear picked up the accident, he noticed that the mixture had hardened but was still quite usable.

At last! The breakthrough he had been waiting for! His vulcanized rubber is used in everything from tires, to shoes, to hockey pucks.

No. 7- Teflon

After all the damage they've done to the ozone layer, chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are persona non grata. Back in the 1930s, however, they were (pardon the pun) the hot new thing in the science of refrigeration.

Young DuPont chemist Roy Plunkett was working to make a new a new kind of CFC. He had a theory that if he could get a compound called TFE to react with hydrochloric acid, he could produce the refrigerant he wanted.

So, to start his experiment Plunkett got a whole bunch of TFE gas, cooled it and pressured it in canisters so it could be stored until he was ready to use it. When the time came to open the container and put the TFE and hydrochloric acid together so they could react, nothing came out of the canister. The gas had disappeared.

Only it hadn't. Frustrated and angry, Plunkett took off the top of the canister and shook it. Out came some fine white flakes. Luckily for everyone who's ever made an omelet, he was intrigued by the flakes and handed them off to other scientists at DuPont.

No. 8 - Coke

There are many stories of accidentally invented food: the potato chip was born when cook George Crum (yes, really his name!) tried to silence a persnickety customer who kept sending french fries back to the kitchen for being soggy; Popsicles were invented when Frank Epperson left a drink outside in the cold overnight; and ice cream cones were invented at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.

But no food-vention has had as much success as Coke.

Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton was trying to make a cure for headaches. He mixed together a bunch of ingredients -- and don't ask, because we don't know; The recipe is still a closely guarded secret. It only took eight years of being sold in a drug store before the drink was popular enough to be sold in bottles.

No. 9 - Smart Dust

Most people would be pretty upset if their homework blew up in their faces and crumbled into a bunch of tiny pieces.

Not so student Jamie Link. When Link was doing her doctoral work in chemistry at the University of California, San Diego, one of the silicon chips she was working on burst. She discovered afterward, however, that the tiny pieces still functioned as sensors.

The resulting "smart dust" won her the top prize at the Collegiate Inventors Competition in 2003. These teensy sensors can also be used to monitor the purity of drinking or seawater, to detect hazardous chemical or biological agents in the air, or even to locate and destroy tumor cells in the body.

No. 10 - Saccharin

Saccharin, the sweetener in the pink packet, was discovered because chemist Constantin Fahlberg didn't wash his hands after a day at the office.

Prepare to get icked.

The year was 1879 and Fahlberg was trying to come up with new and interesting uses for coal tar. After a productive day at the office, he went home and something strange happened.

He noticed the rolls he was eating tasted particularly sweet. He asked his wife if she had done anything interesting to the rolls, but she hadn't. They tasted normal to her. Fahlberg realized the taste must have been coming from his hands -- which he hadn't washed.

The next day he went back to the lab and started tasting his work until he found the sweet spot.

Two-year-old with same IQ as Einstein

2009-10-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

Oscar Wrigley, a two-year-old with the same IQ as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, has become the youngest boy in Britain to be accepted into Mensa.

Assessors at the Gifted Children's Information Centre in Solihull said Oscar, with an IQ of at least 160, is one of the brightest children they have every come across.

He has been ranked in the 99.99th percentile of the population and has been ranked off the scale as the Stanford-Binet test cannot measure higher than 160.

Oscar's father Joe, 29, an IT specialist from Reading in Berkshire, said: "Oscar was recently telling my wife about the reproductive cycle of penguins.

"He is always asking questions. Every parent likes to think their child was special but we knew there was something particularly remarkable about Oscar.

"I'm fully expecting the day to come when he turns around and tells me I'm an idiot."

Mother Hannah, 26, told The Daily Mail: "He amazes everyone. We knew at 12 weeks he was extremely bright. He was unusually alert."

Mrs Wrigley, a housewife, added: "His vocabulary is amazing. He's able to construct complex sentences.

"The other day he said to me, 'Mummy, sausages are like a party in my mouth'."

Dr Peter Congdon, who assessed Oscar, said he was a "child of very superior intelligence".

"His abilities fall well within the range sometimes referred to as intellectually gifted. He demonstrated outstanding ability," he said.

John Stevenage, Mensa's Chief Executive confirmed Oscar had been accepted aged two years, five months and 11 days.

"Oscar shows great potential. Converting that potential to achievement is the challenge for his parents and we are delighted that they have chosen to join the Mensa network for support", he said.

The youngest British child to join Mensa is Elise Tan Roberts, from Edmonton, North London, at two years, four months and 14 days, with an IQ of 156.

Ideas for surprise wedding proposals

2009-10-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

When two people have been together for quite some time, questions about marriage and proposals start popping up from every corner. Parents and friends have begun to badger you about when you are planning on proposing. Maybe your partner has even started asking if the relationship will be taken to the next level anytime soon. Sure, you can grab your partner and start looking at rings together which would unofficially mark your engagement, but what fun is that? If you want to surprise your partner with a wedding proposal they will talk about for years to come, here are some ideas that might inspire you. If you suddenly take your honey out for a weekend getaway to an exotic location, she may figure out that something marital is amiss. This is why you want to aim for total and complete unexpectedness. Maybe you order out pizza and watch movies on Friday nights. Offer to pick up the movies alone. Get some wedding-inspired movies that she loves like “Steel Magnolias” or “Betsy’s Wedding.” Hide the ring box in the pizza box. When you get home, pop the first movie in and set the pizza down in front of you. When she sees which movie you have picked, she will be wondering why you picked it. For a slightly comedic touch, get down on your knee and open the pizza box as if it were the ring box.
Maybe you and your girlfriend love to see new movie releases. Speak to the theater manager beforehand and find out how much it would be to rent one of the slides from the slide show that usually comes on before the feature presentation. Seeing what the reason is for, they may even let you do it for free. With the help of the theater staff, come up with a design for the slide that will get the point across. Maybe you can have the slide read, “Sarah, will you marry me?” If you want to get a little more creative, have the sign read something like, “Sarah Goodman, report to the concession stand immediately.” You can be by the concession stand ready to propose. One romantic way to propose to your girlfriend is to send her on a scavenger hunt. Naturally, she might sense something is going on if you send her on a random scavenger hunt in the middle of the year, so try to schedule it on an important holiday like Valentine’s Day, your anniversary day or her birthday. This way, she will think the scavenger hunt has nothing to do with a possible proposal. The final clue will send her to you (pick a romantic destination like the site of your first date, a favorite restaurant or a special spot in a park) where you will be waiting ready to propose. If your girlfriend has a group of good friends where she works, get them in on the fun. Have her manager or boss call a group meeting that she must attend with the rest of her colleagues. The meeting can begin as most do with talks of new projects or the statuses of old projects. Once the meeting has truly become boring, the manager or boss can open up a Power Point presentation. One of the slides within should be a proposal from you to her. When she reads it and looks utterly confused, walk in and propose to her.

Must-Know Techniques for Faster Web Browsing with Leading Browsers; Mozilla Firefox & IE

2009-10-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Though all the browsers are designed to provide users a fast browsing experience; little tweaks here and there can go a long way in increasing the speed of browsers. As attractive an option as it seems, truth be told, in order to make whatever changes we need to improve the speeds of our browsers, we will have to compromise with original registry and browser settings.

Now, this may not be everyone’s cup of tea because modifying the windows registry without proper knowledge may lead on damaging your registry setting, which in turn would seriously affect your Windows Operating System. So, we strongly recommend our readers to backup your Windows registry data before going through any registry changes.

Let’s have a look at some of the leading web browsers regarding how we can optimize their speeds.

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox is generally considered to be the fastest of the browsers available in the market today. If you get to searching, you will find innumerable techniques, many of which can be quite complicated and may lead to data loss. Also most techniques available are for the broadband users. Here, we have not only kept the broadband users in mind but also those who use slower connections like a dialup. In saying so, we have tried to come up with most combinations of computers and the types of connections.

1. Reduce the amount of RAM Firefox uses for it’s cache feature
* Type about:config in the address bar in the browser.
* Click button I’ll be Careful, I promise!
* Enter browser.sessionhistory.max_total_viewer in filter box
* Set it’s value to 0.
2. Increase the Speed in Which Firefox loads pages
* Type about:config in the address bar in the browser.
* Click button I’ll be Careful, I promise!
* Modify the values for following entries
o Set network.http.pipelining to true
o Set network.http.proxy.pipelining to true
o Set network.http.pipelining.maxrequests to 12 or more depending upon your internet connection speed
* At last, right-click anywhere and select New > Integer. Name it nglayout.initialpaint.delay and set its value to 0.
3. Reduce RAM usage to 10mb when Firefox is minimized
* Type in about:config and then press Enter.
* Click button I’ll be Careful, I promise!
* Right Click in the page and select New > Boolean.
* In the box that pops up enter config.trim_on_minimize and Press Enter.
* Now select True and then press Enter.
* Restart Firefox.
4. Optional Configurations

Optionally here are some more options for your about:config (you might have to create some of these entries by Right Click –> New– > Integer (value 0 & 5) or String (for true & false)
* Create network.dns.disableIPv6 and set it to false
* Create content.notify.backoffcount and set it to 5
* Create plugin.expose_full_path and set it to true
* Create ui.submenuDelay and set it to 0

Internet Explorer

1. Increase the number of simultaneous HTTP connections & downloads that IE makes to a Web server

Internet Explorer 8 limits you to download one to six simultaneous downloads depending upon your internet connection speeds and Internet Explorer 7 and it’s earlier versions limits that number to one to two simultaneous downloads. If you have broadband internet connectivity, changing these setting will increase your Internet Explorer speed and browsing experience. Those setting for simultaneous downloads can be increased maximum of 16 connections by making changes on registry settings.

There is a “Microsoft Fix It” tool that will automatically fix this issue and increase the number of files that you can download at one time to 10.

2. Turn off Phishing Filter

Phishing filter is a feature that supposedly avoids tour system from accessing a website that disguises as an original website but isn’t so. This feature of Internet Explorer 7 will help you to protect from online phishing scams but this feature while enabled will slow down the loading time and speed of the web pages.

This feature can be disabled on IE7 from:

Tools > Phishing Filter > Turn off automatic website checking, there turn it off.
3. Turn off automatic checking for RSS feeds

Usually happens with IE7 and is known to reduce the speed of browser. This feature can be disabled on IE7 from if you really don’t use it:

Tools > Internet Options > Content > Feeds > Settings > Uncheck all the boxes shown there.
4. Turn Off Clear Type

“Clear Type” will render your texts in browser smoothly but there were a lot of people who doesn’t like this kind of font smoothing and using this feature obviously will use your system memory more than that of normal. So if you want to disable it:
* Open IE7
* Open Tool Menu
* Click Internet Options
* Click Advanced Tabs
* Under Multimedia, clear the Use ClearType or Always use ClearType for HTML checkbox
* Click Ok

Little girls are the new sex objects

2009-10-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

PRESCHOOLERS turning themselves into sexualised "mini-adults" by wearing bras, nail polish and lipstick are requiring psychological help in increasing numbers.

Child development experts said young girls were now entering their "tween" years between being a child and a teenager at the tender age of six - five years earlier than previously.

Experts said that by age six, girls needed branded clothes, at seven they wanted styled hair, by eight they were beginning diets, at nine they were styling their hair and by early teens were engaging in sex or sending sexually explicit text messages.

The Daily Telegraph yesterday found crop-top style bras for toddlers aged two to three on sale at a major department store, sparking outrage from parents.

The alarming trend is taking a heavy psychological toll, Professor of Developmental Psychiatry at Monash University Louise Newman said.

"I've seen children suffering from clinical depression in primary school because they don't feel they are pretty enough or thin enough or able to be popular," Dr Newman said.

"The girls are worried they won't get boyfriends, girls have started defining their self worth in terms of themselves as a sex object."

Dr Newman said young girls had always played dress ups in their mothers' clothes but that this trend was different.

Dr Joe Tucci, the CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation, said unprecedented numbers of young children needed psychological help.

"In an unprecedented way this generation of children are being exposed to adult concepts far earlier than they are ready to understand," he said. "Kids as young as seven are worried about the way they look, whether they're attractive to boys.

"They lack self esteem and confidence. If they don't feel like they fit into those messages, they feel like they are not as good as other kids.

"An impact is depression and anxiety which we are seeing an increase of in unprecedented levels."

Child advocate Julie Gale was outraged to find bras for toddlers on sale at stores including Target.

Target defended the sale yesterday, arguing it was up to parents to choose whether they buy the baby bras. "It is totally unnecessary. A two-year-old doesn't need that," Ms Gale said. "They are tactically marketing eye shadows, make-up, nail polish and little bras. It is mini me."

Parents yesterday were horrified by a display of the crop-top style bras clearly marked for toddlers.

Mother of three young girls Luisa Franco said it was "shocking" how children were being targeted as sex objects from such a tender age.

Ms Franco's six-year-old Sienna showed the tiny bras to her mother and asked to have a "kids bra".

"There is no way I would let one of my little girls wear a bra," Ms Franco said. Her husband John Valastro said he was incensed by children being homed in on as the "newest consumers".

He believed it was robbing them of their innocence.

He said children were growing up before their time because there was so much available to them to turn them into "mini-adults".

"It horrifies us what is available to kids these days, bras, makeup," Mr Valastro said. "They hear about things at school and come home and tell 'such and such wears this or has that' . . . they are only kids."

Ten Most Populated Cities in the World

2009-10-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

We live in a big world with a lot of people. With global population racing upwards of 6.8 billion and environmental issues taking the lime light, overpopulation is a growing concern. Even though no city in the United States ranks among the ten most populated cities in the world, it is the number one contributor of carbon emissions.

1. Shanghai, China
Population: 14,348,535

2. Mumbai, India
Population: 11,914,398

3. Beijing, China
Population: 11,509,595

4. São Paulo, Brazil
Population: 11,016,703

5. Seoul, Korea
Population: 9,895,217

6. Moscow, Russia
Population: 10,433,869

7. Dehli, India
Population: 9,817,439

8. Chongqing, China
Population: 9,691,901

9. Istanbul, Turkey
Population: 9,555,719

10. Karachi, Pakistan
Population: 9,339,023

A train ride worth Rs 1 lakh to be flagged off in January

2009-10-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Maharajas’ Express, the country’s first pan-India super-luxury train, in which a tourist has to shell out more than Rs 1 lakh per day, is all set to be flagged off from Mumbai next year.

The luxury train with 23 AC coaches will start its seven-day and six-night maiden journey, carrying 88 tourists to Delhi, covering Vadodara, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore and Agra on the way from CST station on January 9. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, the train will return to Mumbai via the same route from Delhi on January 17.

While the minimum rate is being kept at $800, the maximum is $2500 per day, per person in the Maharajas' Express. All coaches of the train will have an individual temperature control system and environment-friendly toilet, a first in a luxury train. Besides, live TV, internet, in-house movies and direct dialling facilities are being provided in the train.

The bookings for the inaugural run from Delhi and Mumbai are overwhelming, a senior IRCTC official said, adding "the trial run of the train will be held in December."

There are four different categories of carriages in the train -- presidential suite ($2500), suite ($1400) deluxe cabin ($900) and junior suite ($800).
A joint venture between IRCTC and Cox & Kings, the super-luxury Maharajas' Express will travel Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi. The Delhi-Kolkata route will cover Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh, Varanasi and Gaya.

Tourists on both routes -- Kolkata and Mumbai -- may also have the opportunity to have a glimpse of tigers in forests. While Ranthambore falls on the Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai route, Bandhavgarh national park is on the Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi segment.

"Maharajas' Express Kolkata journey is likely to be be in the last week of January or first week of February next year. The train will also return to Delhi on the same route," said the official.

There will be two restaurants -- Haveli and Peacock -- and a bar named Machan inside the train. "We have given the onboard hospitality service to a leading hotel group, so that five-star catering is maintained in the train," he said.

The trip from the western metropolis to the national capital will be christened as a "Princely India journey", while the return journey will be called "Royal India tour".

The Delhi-Kolkata route will be named the "Classical India journey", while the Kolkata-Delhi trip will be the "Celestial India tour".

The train will be operational from October to March and the rest of the year it will be used for chartered service, said the official.

6 Signs She Wants to be More Than Friends

2009-10-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

1.) She’s wearing more makeup and/or dressing better than she used to around you.

I find it rather humorous that male animals have all the fancy plumage and whatnot in the animal world, because in the human world it’s the females who prance around in their finest finery upon identifying a desirable mate. Thusly, if your female friend has suddenly upped the wardrobe ante – that is, if she always looks like she has a hot date to get to or a cocktail party to attend – on nights she’s only hanging out with you, then it’s pretty safe to assume that she’s angling to reduce the distance between the two of you on the couch during your reality tv-a-thon. Think about it: if she didn’t want you to want her, then she wouldn’t get dressed up just to hang out at your apartment, she’d wear sweatpants and talk about farts with you. Ewwwww. But, yes.

2.) She no longer talks about other guys in front of you.

A sudden drop-off in your bff’s tendency to over-share about her romantic exploits is a pretty tell-tale sign that this particular girl friend wants to be your legit girlfriend. Most girls crave a reliable male perspective on all of their emotional entanglements, so a girl who views you as nothing more than a trusted friend will be quick to ask your opinion about every guy she ever meets, even if it’s just a dude who glances at her on the street. If she unexpectedly stops doing this, then it’s probably because she can’t ask you about the guy she’s currently sweating. Because it’s you. Haha! See how that works?! Magic.

3.) She texts back right away.

Infuriatingly, most people don’t respond to texts right away. They could be busy, or in jail, or trying to fish their phones out of the toilet. It happens. So when a friend who happens to be a girl suddenly happens to start responding to your texts immediately – and when she attempts to keep the textversation going – then there’s a good chance she’s been thinking about you and waiting for you to initiate contact. Texting alone isn’t a reliable indicator of interest (some people are just natural-born text fiends who really hate it that other people take their sweet-ass time to write a two-word response), but a sudden increase in her textability could mean a sudden increase in her desire to get naked with you. Proceed with caution, but proceed nonetheless.

4.) She gets super sensitive about things that used to be No Big Deal.

For a woman, one of the worst things about discovering Feelings for a certain guy is the tendency to become hyper-aware of every little thing he does and what it might mean for The Potential Relationship. I capitalize to signify importance, men, so pay attention. It’s like there’s a magic freak-out switch that gets flipped in the girl brain when emotions become involved. For example, your friend probably used to joke right along with you about her fugly man toes, but that was when you were Just a Friend. When you become a Crush and/or Potential Relationship Partner, she begins to worry that your innocent jokes about said fugly man toes mean you’ll never EVER be interested in dating her, and in fact think she’s a lot like Cameron Diaz’s character in Shrek. She might even go home and cry about it to her roommate.

5.) Her friends give you knowing looks.

This is like a subtler form of lionesses hunting, in which the prey, once identified, must be scrutinized by the entire pack to determine whether or not it is suitable for consumption (and weak enough to be slaughtered). That is to say, once a girl tells her girlfriends that she’s into a guy, they can’t help but stare knowingly at that guy (especially if they know him) both to size him up and, I think, to clue the poor bastard into what’s actually going on. I think it arises from the female desire to see happy couples have happy endings all the time, which brings me right back to where I started, stuck in a pit of despair because Dawson never got his crap together.

6.) She’s always making excuses to hang out with you alone.

Girls aren’t so different from you (aside from the extra anatomical features and slightly better smell). We don’t love hanging out in groups any less than you do, and we don’t want to waste time on people we don’t care about any more than you do. Just like you (probably) wouldn’t make a move on a girl until you got her alone, a girl who’s into you (especially one who knows you well) won’t even try to act on her feelings until she’s alone with you (and even then she’ll probably be wishing you’d just make the first move anyway). If the same female friend who’s exhibiting most or all of the above behaviors repeatedly looks for ways to hang out with you alone (as in, you suggest meeting up with other friends at a bar, while she offers to come to your place with a bottle of Jack and your fave stupid movie), then it’s time to make a move. Either that, or risk watching her drunkenly and awkwardly throw herself at you, or worse, miss a golden opportunity to get it on with your hot female friend. I shouldn’t have to say it, but neither of these are desirable options.

Getting pregnant in style (pics of celebs)

2009-10-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a look at some of the Bollywood and Hollywood divas who have stylishly flaunted their baby bump.

Put the Power button on and your computer will start immediately

2009-10-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

In the time it takes your computer to boot up, you can probably make some toast or a cup of tea before the thing is ready to use. In the near future, you might only have enough time to take a sip of that tea or check your watch.

Mindful of how frustrating the wait is, makers of PCs’ basic input/output systems (BIOS) are working on bringing instant-on computing closer to reality with promises of significantly faster boot time.

“People want PCs to be like their toaster. Push a button and it is ready,” says Steve Jones, vice-president and chief scientist of core systems at Phoenix Technologies, one of the biggest BIOS makers.

The BIOS is the first piece of code that a computer runs when it is powered on. Before Windows or Linux can start, the BIOS identifies, tests and gets system devices such as the video display card, the hard disk and other hardware up and running. But running the tests every time the machine powers on can be time consuming.

At Intel’s developer conference last week, Phoenix announced that the latest version of its BIOS could boot in just about a second by cutting out redundant checks and creating a smarter version of the firmware . Of course, that still leaves the time that it takes Windows to start up, but Microsoft has been working on that, too, and claims that Windows 7 starts up in about 20 seconds, compared to the 50 seconds or so for Vista.

The faster boot time will help users, says Nathan Brookwood, a research fellow at market research and consulting company Insight 64. But even with Microsoft’s improvements, he says, it is still nearly a minute before the user is completely up and running. “Every software application today wants to go out there and check for the latest version on boot up, which just gets in the way of what you really want to do And that is check e-mail,” he says.

Shrinking this digital annoyance is the new quest for PC makers. For most people, computers today have become as much a consumer electronics product as TVs, cellphones and DVD players. That means, consumers expect the same kind of instant response from their computers are they get from other electronics devices.

“If you pick up a phone, you expect to instantly hear a tone,” says Jones. “That’s the future for computers, too.”

Jones says the ‘I am ready for use’ signaling is an important psychological factor for consumers. “Bell Labs worked hard on this. They figured if you pick up the phone and didn’t hear something within 250 milliseconds, then you would be pretty uncomfortable with the device,” he says.

On PCs, that signaling time has been much longer. Boot-up on PCs is split into two chunks: the BIOS boot up, which is the time taken from pressing the power on button to the time BIOS finishes booting, also known as pre-boot, and the time taken for the operating system to load. Today, this can take anywhere from a minute to nearly three minutes. And that can feel like eternity for users.

“Lots of users today just press the power button and then grab a cup of coffee,” says Brookwood. “If the line at Starbucks isn’t too long, the system will be ready by the time they’re back.”

The BIOS has been part of PCs since the first IBM PC in 1981. The firmware initializes every computer to a point where an operating system can come along and with no knowledge of the machine start running.

“The BIOS is doing a lot more than waking up the machine and handing it a cup of coffee in the morning,” says Brian Richardson, senior technical marketing engineer, for American Megatrends Inc., a major BIOS maker.”It provides a layer so you can buy a PC take it home, wipe the configuration clean, change it and do it 100 times a day and your OS will still start up.”

Running the hardware checks takes time. About 15 years ago, the BIOS firmware in PCs would take up to two minutes to boot. Finding that customers were becoming impatient with the boot times, PC makers started pressing for PCs to be more like appliances with their ability to be switched on instantly.

“Electronics is not supposed to warm up anymore,” says Richardson. “So we have been trying to shrink the time it takes to get the machine ready.”

BIOS boot times can vary depending on configuration of the PC: More memory and more cards mean it will take longer. Increasingly, operating systems, such as Microsoft’s Windows, run initial checkups on boot to verify system details and ensure the most updated versions of the software is loaded. In other words, the OS is doing some of the work that the BIOS traditionally has done.

“Effectively what BIOS makers are saying is that if the OS is not going to believe us anyway, why bother?” says Brookwood.

That’s why PC makers are pinning their hopes on a new standard called Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. UEFI hopes to improve the intelligence of the BIOS so it doesn’t have to perform all checks every time the computer is powered on. Ultimately, the idea is to run fewer initializations as the computer boots.

Phoenix and AMI say there are some machines already whose BIOS is based on the UEFI standard for quicker boot but it will be late next year before a majority of PCs have it. And unlike the BIOS, which is tied to Intel’s x86 processor architecture, UEFI will not be specific to any processor architecture.

Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 7 operating system has also laid out some criteria for PC manufacturers to get hardware aligned in a way that they can meet the company’s standards. Microsoft has set a criteria of five seconds for BIOS boot time and 20 seconds for the operating system to boot.

That’s still nowhere near the instant-on computing dream and promises of faster BIOS risks setting unrealistic expectations among consumers, says Brookwood.

There’s a way to get instant-on. It’s called the sleep mode.

“People assume they get instant-on with their cellphones but no one reboots their cellphone everyday,” says Richardson. “So one form of instant-on is never to turn it off.”

Another route to quick boot is to do what Dell has done with its latest notebook. Dell’s newly launched Latitude Z offers instant boot to check e-mail, calendar, contacts and the web as part of a mode called ‘Latitude On.’ In it the PC boots from a special chipset running an ARM processor, the same kind of CPU that powers most cellphones, and a slimmed down version of the Linux operating system.

The Latitude On mode comes with its own power on/off button. Users can click on an adjacent power button to switch to Windows OS. That gives consumers options, says Robert Thomson, product manager for Latitude Z at Dell. “When you directly go to the Latitude On mode, you never bring up the main operating system,” he says “And when you turn it off, it goes into the suspend mode, which is not like that of Vista or XP but more like what you see in cellphones.”

At $2000, the Latitude Z laptop is a pricey answer to the problem of a two-minute boot up time for PCs. And it doesn’t give users access to all features and programs that run on Windows OS such as Microsoft Word or Power Point.

That’s why, Brookwood advocates just staying away from the power off button as much as you can.

“Most systems today have the ability to go to sleep as opposed to being turned off,” says Brookwood. “Too many users don’t understand that.”

ICC Awards 2008-09

2009-10-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mitchell Johnson capped a tumultuous year by becoming the sixth winner of the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, after being named as the ICC World Player of the Year at cricket's annual awards ceremony in Johannesburg. Johnson, who shot to prominence during Australia's memorable series win in South Africa in February and March, claimed the title ahead of his fellow nominees, Gautam Gambhir, Andrew Strauss and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

India's star opener, Gambhir, was named as Test Player of the Year, after an impressive haul of 1269 runs at 84.60 in the eight Tests during the qualification period. "It's been a dream run for me. I never thought it could be like this but life has changed for me and I am very happy," said Gambhir. "As a unit we have played very well and I am just glad to contribute to the overall success of the team."

Mahendra Singh Dhoni retained his title of ODI Player of the Year, seeing off competition from his team-mates, Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag, as well as West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Dhoni played 24 ODIs during the voting period, scoring 967 runs at an average of 60.43 and strike-rate of 86.63, and also claimed 26 dismissals as he led India to 17 victories including a 5-0 demolition of England.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was a worthy winner of the Twenty20 International Performance of the Year award, after capping a sensational World Twenty20 tournament in England in June with a show-stealing 96 off 57 balls against West Indies in the semi-final. His performance at The Oval, in which no other Sri Lanka batsman managed more than 24, included two sixes and 12 fours, and though Sri Lanka went on to lose the final to Pakistan, Dilshan was nevertheless named as the Man of the Tournament, with a total of 317 runs at 52.83.

Australia's fast bowler, Peter Siddle, was named as the Emerging Player of the Year, after claiming 49 wickets at 28.93 in the 12 matches since his debut at Mohali in October 2008, including five-wicket hauls against South Africa at Sydney and England at Headingley, both of which led to memorable victories. Siddle beat his fellow Australia seamer, Ben Hilfenhaus, to the award, as well as England's Graham Onions and New Zealand's Jesse Ryder.

New Zealand's cricketers were considered to have conducted themselves better on the field than any other nation in 2008-09, as they claimed the Spirit of Cricket award for the second time, having also won during the inaugural Awards ceremony at Alexandra Palace in London in 2004. The judgement was made by the ICC's umpires and match referees, in conjunction with the ten full-member captains, and Daniel Vettori accepted the accolade on behalf of his colleagues, only 48 hours after reversing a run-out appeal against Paul Collingwood in their must-win group match against England.

World Test Team of the Year: Gautam Gambhir (India), Andrew Strauss (England), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Thilan Samaraweera (Sri Lanka), Michael Clarke (Australia), MS Dhoni (India, capt & wk), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Stuart Broad (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Harbhajan Singh (India, 12th man)

World ODI team of the year: Virender Sehwag (Ind), Chris Gayle (WI), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL), Yuvraj Singh (Ind), Martin Guptill (NZ), MS Dhoni (Ind, captain, WK), Andrew Flintoff (Eng), Nuwan Kulasekara (SL), Ajantha Mendis (SL), Umar Gul (Pak), 12th man: Thilan Thushara (SL)

Umpire of the Year: Pakistan's Aleem Dar.

Women's Player of the Year: England's Clare Taylor.

Associate Player of the Year: Ireland's captain, Will Porterfield.

Why Beer is Better Than Women ?

2009-09-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

15 irrefutable reasons why I think beer is so much better than women:

1. Beer can be enjoyed all month long.

2. Beer doesn’t expect to be wined and dined.

3. A beer will never tell you “not tonight darling. I have a headache.”

4. You can always toss out your beer when it goes flat.

5. Beer never makes you wait for hours.

6. Your beer will never whine if you grab another beer.

7. Irrespective of your looks, money or confidence, you know you can always go to a bar and pick up a beer.

8. A beer always gives a good head.

9. You can enjoy a different beer every day of the week without feeling guilty.

10. Friends are willing to share their beer with you.

11. You always know that you were the first one to pop your beer.

12. Beer doesn’t believe in equality of the sexes.

13. A beer is always wet and ready to be had.

14. You can enjoy a beer in public. In fact you can enjoy an entire six pack in public.

15. A frigid beer is a good beer.

What really happens when you die?

2009-09-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

People often talk about seeing their lives flash before their eyes, but a select few — some of those who have been resuscitated after nearly dying — have reported on the experience of death, or at least coming very close to it. It’s a rarer phenomenon, and one that has captured the interest of scientists who are trying to answer the question of just what constitutes death, and when death actually occurs. A new international study is endeavoring to apply hard science to one of life’s biggest mysteries — its end.

“When you think about it, most people out there think of death as a moment; you’re either dead or you’re not,” Dr. Sam Parnia of Weill Cornell Medical Center told Meredith Vieira live on TODAY Monday. “But what we’ve found is there is no moment of death; it begins when your heart stops, and it goes on for a period of time.”

Parnia is the author of the book “What Happens When We Die” and the driving force behind the AWARE (Awareness During Resuscitation) study, which tries to add some medical weight to stories of people who say they were conscious as doctors tried to restart their bodies after death. By learning from people who have been brought back from the dead, doctors might actually learn how to better save lives, he believes.

Water on the Moon: What Does It Mean for the Human Species?

2009-09-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

We've found water on the moon! This is one of the most important things ever, it could change the course of the next stage of humanity, and it makes the fact that "Dancing With The Stars" still has fifteen times the Google search volume is almost terminally depressing factor. Until you realize it's just another reason to get off-world as soon as possible.

The extraplanetary oasis-ness was triple-confirmed by Cassini, the Chandrayaan-1 probe, and a few special guest scans by the Deep Impact system on its way to slam into a moving comet - if satellites could be superstars, this would have been a red-carpet event. Each detected the unmistakable spectroscopic signatures of oxygen and hydrogen combinations, meaning that water (H20) or hydroxyl (OH) is definitely up there. Even more interesting it has "weather" variations - more of it near the poles, and it moves around depending on daylight.

This is major moonbase news, as water is the single most difficult component of any manned space mission. The life-giving liquid has a thousand and one applications other than simply "preventing astronauts dying of thirst" - it's just as essential for machinery as for mankind. Air can be compressed, and we require far less food (by volume), so the crippling cost of any off-Earth endeavour is carrying the liquids - fuel and water. The more of either stuff we can find anywhere the better. Plans for lunar living have so far been based on polar craters, where we suspect deposits of ice remain frozen in shadow (and we'll know for sure shortly when the LCROSS mission blows one of them up to check - informative and awesome) and the idea of endless fields of fluid-harvesting are the stuff of science-fiction. Which now happen to be true.

The polar plan won't be changed by the news that there's water all over because it's spread out very thinly - about one kilo of water per tonne of lunar topsoil. But there are many, many tonnes of topsoil, an unimaginable bounty of H20 just waiting to be farmed once we work out how. Mark your calendars: that's when you'll hear the most idiotic conservation protesters ever to exist.

You heard it here first: People will protest our evil mining of a dead dusty rock to expand the frontiers of human knowledge, in fact the actual frontiers of where humans are, and it will be hilarious, and they will fail because the sort of people who grow dreadlocks and protest progress are very rarely in a position to influence the space program. Besides, astronauts have gone far further in the field of water conservation than any whining hippie. When you can piss into a machine, watch it for a while and drink the result you automatically win any environmental argument.

We'd like to conclude our discussion of this breakthrough with one final statement: Water on the moon, for god's sake!

The images above show a very young lunar crater on the side of the moon that faces away from Earth, as viewed by NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper on the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft.

Microsoft's free anti-virus software arrives

2009-09-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has officially announced the arrival of its eagerly awaited free anti-virus software, Microsoft Security Essentials.

The software giant is keen to ensure that computers are better protected worldwide, and its solution is to release a free application that will be available for everyone.

"Consumers have told us that they want the protection of real-time security software, but that they are confused by trials and renewals and concerned about performance and as a result, too many are unprotected" said Amy Barzdukas, general manager for consumer security at Microsoft.

Won't get in the way

"With Microsoft Security Essentials, consumers can get high quality protection that is easy-to-get, easy-to-use, and won't get in their way."

Available from http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials the package protects against viruses, spyware and other malware, but Microsoft will continue to offer its paid-for Forefront Client Security for businesses.

TechRadar has already had a hands on review of Microsoft Security Essentials, which has already had a beta release, and it certainly looks well worth installing.

Microsoft Security Essentials is available now.

DNA test shows Hitler skull is that of a woman

2009-09-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

ADOLF Hitler may not have died in a bunker after fresh research suggests the skull thought to be the tyrant's was from a woman.

US archaeologist Nick Bellantoni found fragments from the skull believed to be Hitler's were too thin to be from a male, and suspected it was the remains of a much younger woman, The Sun reports.

"The bone seemed very thin - male bone tends to be more robust. It corresponds to a woman between the ages of 20 and 40," Dr Bellantoni said.

DNA tests performed in a US laboratory confirmed the remains could not have belonged to the Nazi leader.

The discovery casts doubt on the exact circumstances of Hitler’s death and could force history books to be rewritten.

Original accounts of Hitler’s death said he shot himself in the head in a bunker after taking a cyanide tablet on April 30, 1945 as the Russian army attacked Berlin.

His remains, along with those of his wife Eva Braun, were taken from the bunker, doused in petrol and set ablaze.

A year later, skull fragments were dug up by Russian forces which seemed to confirm Hitler had shot himself in the bunker.

In 1970, the KGB cremated Hitler’s remains except for the skull fragment.

Dr Bellantoni was sceptical about the theory the skull fragments belong to Eva Braun, who was with Hitler in the bunker where he supposedly died.

"There is no report of Eva Braun having shot herself or having been shot afterwards. It could be anyone. Many people were killed around the bunker area," he said.

The rise of sex robots and pleasure machines

2009-09-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

HOLLYWOOD was right, robots are going to take over the world.

But we might as well lie back and think of the invasion because it's going to be pleasurable, says a leading robot scientist.

Ever since Gort clomped down those alien stairs in The Day The Earth Stood Still in 1951, cinemas have been overrun by robots – sometimes cute, but mostly evil and mostly intent on taking over the world.

In the Bruce Willis film Surrogates, which opens this week, a futuristic world operates by surrogate robots. Humans live in isolation while their "robot realities" interact.

And in the children's fantasy film Shorts, currently screening, Mr Black's Black Box also has a rather evil agenda.

But if you listen to US robotics scientist Professor Rodney Brooks, robots of the future are more likely to be dominatrix than dominating.

He says the scientific pursuit of socially-aware robots – ones that operate according to senses in almost human-like form, as opposed to industrial and military robots – has been sidetracked by the hot button (so to speak) topic of sex with machines.

Australian-born Prof Brooks, former head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, said it was inevitable, and there was precedent, that such technology would be used for sexual purposes.

"Every technology that we've had, there has been a sexual driver of it," he said.

"I mean, that's certainly true of photographs in the 19th century; and home video players were really driven by sex; and of course the web has been a major source of sex.

"Yeah, there will be (sexbots) but it is not specific to robots per se."

Prof Brooks doesn't see the sexbots arriving any time soon.

"There are two versions of it, I suppose," he said.

"We accept that, yes, there will be robotic sex toys, remote presence sex where someone is controlling a robot and stuff.

"But there's also been some more outrageous stuff (predicted) – where people marry robots."

However not everyone thinks the idea of human-robot relations is so outrageous.

"At first, sex with robots might be considered geeky, but once you have a story like 'I had sex with a robot and it was great!' appear in a magazine like Cosmo, I'd expect many people to jump on the bandwagon," artificial intelligence researcher David Levy, who completed his PhD on the subject of human-robot relationships, told LiveScience.

I sold sex for $23,907 an hour: Sophie Anderton

2009-09-27T03:21:00.000-07:00

Supermodel Sophie Anderton has revealed that she was into prostitution earlier and that she used to charge $23,907 (15,000 pounds) an hour, but says she is not proud of her past.

Sophie, 32, also said that she bedded a string of super rich businessmen to pay soaring drug debts, thesun.co.uk reports. And she claimed the British TV and fashion industry is "awash" with girls who have fallen into vice including two household name models.

Recalling the first time she had sex for money, Anderton said: "It was all over in two minutes. I lay there thinking, `Is that it? For ?15k, is that it?`"

The former "I`m A Celebrity" star, who made her name modelling Gossard underwear, has never before fully discussed her time working as a hooker.

"This is the truth, warts and all. For a short while I sold my body for a lot of money. I am not proud of it," she said.

20 Tattoos You Don’t Want To Get (If You’re A Girl)

2009-09-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

We all make mistakes. But sometimes people make them with permanent ink. If you’re female, we recommend you not make the following tattoo errors. Something tells us you’ll live to regret it. Check out the 20 Tattoos You Don’t Want To Get Especially If You’re A Lady.

Crash Incredible Bus Accident Crashes Runs Into Cameramen Jumps Guardrail Man Escapes

2009-09-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

Flowchart To Determine If Your Girlfriend Is Cheating On You

2009-09-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Girlfriends are a lot like volcanoes: they're fascinating and mysterious, and at any time they can explode and completely blow your head off. I might be confusing volcanoes with those collars from the movie Scanners. Anyway, here's a flowchart to help you determine if your girlfriend is cheating on you:

Worlds Stupidest Tattoo!!!

2009-09-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Women can’t keep secrets for more than 47 hours!

2009-09-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Most women cannot keep a secret for more than 47 hours, a new survey has revealed

In the survey involving 3,000 women aged 18 to 65, four in 10 respondents admitted that they cannot keep a secret, no matter how personal or embarrassing.

While 83 per cent of women believe they are "completely trustworthy" and three in four claim they would never betray a confidence, it is unlikely they keep their lips sealed.

And their likely confidante is their husband, boyfriend, mother or best friend. Nearly 45 per cent said they blurt out secrets just to get it off their chests and then most of them feel guilty. More than half blamed alcohol for blurting out the secrets.

"It's official - women can't keep secrets," the Daily Express quoted Michael Cox, UK director of Wines of Chile, which commissioned the research, as saying.

"What we didn't bank on was how quickly these are passed on. Every Brit who has confided in a friend should be worried," he added.

Women hear at least three nuggets of gossip a week - about sex, affairs, or how much so-and-so really spent on that handbag.

The Evolution of a Programmer

2009-09-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

High School/Jr.High

  10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
 20 END

First year in College

  program Hello(input, output)
   begin
     writeln('Hello World')
   end.

Senior year in College

  (defun hello
   (print
     (cons 'Hello (list 'World))))

New professional

  #include 
 void main(void)
 {
   char *message[] = {"Hello ", "World"};
   int i;

   for(i = 0; i < 2; ++i)
     printf("%s", message[i]);
   printf("\n");
 }

Seasoned professional

  #include 
 #include 

 class string
 {
 private:
   int size;
   char *ptr;

 string() : size(0), ptr(new char[1]) { ptr[0] = 0; }

   string(const string &s) : size(s.size)
   {
     ptr = new char[size + 1];
     strcpy(ptr, s.ptr);
   }

   ~string()
   {
     delete [] ptr;
   }

   friend ostream &operator <<(ostream &, const string &);
   string &operator=(const char *);
 };

 ostream &operator<<(ostream &stream, const string &s)
 {
   return(stream << s.ptr);
 }

 string &string::operator=(const char *chrs)
 {
   if (this != &chrs)
   {
     delete [] ptr;
    size = strlen(chrs);
     ptr = new char[size + 1];
     strcpy(ptr, chrs);
   }
   return(*this);
 }

 int main()
 {
   string str;

   str = "Hello World";
   cout << str << endl;

   return(0);
 }

Master Programmer

  [
 uuid(2573F8F4-CFEE-101A-9A9F-00AA00342820)
 ]
 library LHello
 {
     // bring in the master library
     importlib("actimp.tlb");
     importlib("actexp.tlb");

     // bring in my interfaces
     #include "pshlo.idl"

     [
     uuid(2573F8F5-CFEE-101A-9A9F-00AA00342820)
     ]
     cotype THello
  {
  interface IHello;
  interface IPersistFile;
  };
 };

 [
 exe,
 uuid(2573F890-CFEE-101A-9A9F-00AA00342820)
 ]
 module CHelloLib
 {

     // some code related header files
     importheader();
     importheader();
     importheader();
     importheader("pshlo.h");
     importheader("shlo.hxx");
     importheader("mycls.hxx");

     // needed typelibs
     importlib("actimp.tlb");
     importlib("actexp.tlb");
     importlib("thlo.tlb");

     [
     uuid(2573F891-CFEE-101A-9A9F-00AA00342820),
     aggregatable
     ]
     coclass CHello
  {
  cotype THello;
  };
 };


 #include "ipfix.hxx"

 extern HANDLE hEvent;

 class CHello : public CHelloBase
 {
 public:
     IPFIX(CLSID_CHello);

     CHello(IUnknown *pUnk);
     ~CHello();

     HRESULT  __stdcall PrintSz(LPWSTR pwszString);

 private:
     static int cObjRef;
 };


 #include 
 #include 
 #include 
 #include 
 #include "thlo.h"
 #include "pshlo.h"
 #include "shlo.hxx"
 #include "mycls.hxx"

 int CHello::cObjRef = 0;

 CHello::CHello(IUnknown *pUnk) : CHelloBase(pUnk)
 {
     cObjRef++;
     return;
 }

 HRESULT  __stdcall  CHello::PrintSz(LPWSTR pwszString)
 {
     printf("%ws
", pwszString);
     return(ResultFromScode(S_OK));
 }


 CHello::~CHello(void)
 {

 // when the object count goes to zero, stop the server
 cObjRef--;
 if( cObjRef == 0 )
     PulseEvent(hEvent);

 return;
 }

 #include 
 #include 
 #include "pshlo.h"
 #include "shlo.hxx"
 #include "mycls.hxx"

 HANDLE hEvent;

  int _cdecl main(
 int argc,
 char * argv[]
 ) {
 ULONG ulRef;
 DWORD dwRegistration;
 CHelloCF *pCF = new CHelloCF();

 hEvent = CreateEvent(NULL, FALSE, FALSE, NULL);

 // Initialize the OLE libraries
 CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);

 CoRegisterClassObject(CLSID_CHello, pCF, CLSCTX_LOCAL_SERVER,
     REGCLS_MULTIPLEUSE, &dwRegistration);

 // wait on an event to stop
 WaitForSingleObject(hEvent, INFINITE);

 // revoke and release the class object
 CoRevokeClassObject(dwRegistration);
 ulRef = pCF->Release();

 // Tell OLE we are going away.
 CoUninitialize();

 return(0); }

 extern CLSID CLSID_CHello;
 extern UUID LIBID_CHelloLib;

 CLSID CLSID_CHello = { /* 2573F891-CFEE-101A-9A9F-00AA00342820 */
     0x2573F891,
     0xCFEE,
     0x101A,
     { 0x9A, 0x9F, 0x00, 0xAA, 0x00, 0x34, 0x28, 0x20 }
 };

 UUID LIBID_CHelloLib = { /* 2573F890-CFEE-101A-9A9F-00AA00342820 */
     0x2573F890,
     0xCFEE,
     0x101A,
     { 0x9A, 0x9F, 0x00, 0xAA, 0x00, 0x34, 0x28, 0x20 }
 };

 #include 
 #include 
 #include 
 #include 
 #include 
 #include "pshlo.h"
 #include "shlo.hxx"
 #include "clsid.h"

 int _cdecl main(
 int argc,
 char * argv[]
 ) {
 HRESULT  hRslt;
 IHello        *pHello;
 ULONG  ulCnt;
 IMoniker * pmk;
 WCHAR  wcsT[_MAX_PATH];
 WCHAR  wcsPath[2 * _MAX_PATH];

 // get object path
 wcsPath[0] = '\0';
 wcsT[0] = '\0';
 if( argc > 1) {
     mbstowcs(wcsPath, argv[1], strlen(argv[1]) + 1);
     wcsupr(wcsPath);
     }
 else {
     fprintf(stderr, "Object path must be specified\n");
     return(1);
     }

 // get print string
 if(argc > 2)
     mbstowcs(wcsT, argv[2], strlen(argv[2]) + 1);
 else
     wcscpy(wcsT, L"Hello World");

 printf("Linking to object %ws\n", wcsPath);
 printf("Text String %ws\n", wcsT);

 // Initialize the OLE libraries
 hRslt = CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);

 if(SUCCEEDED(hRslt)) {


     hRslt = CreateFileMoniker(wcsPath, &pmk);
     if(SUCCEEDED(hRslt))
  hRslt = BindMoniker(pmk, 0, IID_IHello, (void **)&pHello);

     if(SUCCEEDED(hRslt)) {

  // print a string out
  pHello->PrintSz(wcsT);

  Sleep(2000);
  ulCnt = pHello->Release();
  }
     else
  printf("Failure to connect, status: %lx", hRslt);

     // Tell OLE we are going away.
     CoUninitialize();
     }

 return(0);
 }

Apprentice Hacker

  #!/usr/local/bin/perl
 $msg="Hello, world.\n";
 if ($#ARGV >= 0) {
   while(defined($arg=shift(@ARGV))) {
     $outfilename = $arg;
     open(FILE, ">" . $outfilename) || die "Can't write $arg: $!\n";
     print (FILE $msg);
     close(FILE) || die "Can't close $arg: $!\n";
   }
 } else {
   print ($msg);
 }
 1;

Experienced Hacker

  #include 
 #define S "Hello, World\n"
 main(){exit(printf(S) == strlen(S) ? 0 : 1);}

Seasoned Hacker

  % cc -o a.out ~/src/misc/hw/hw.c
 % a.out

Guru Hacker

  % echo "Hello, world."

New Manager

  10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
 20 END

Middle Manager

  mail -s "Hello, world." bob@b12
 Bob, could you please write me a program that prints "Hello, world."?
 I need it by tomorrow.
 ^D

Senior Manager

  % zmail jim
 I need a "Hello, world." program by this afternoon.

Chief Executive

  % letter
 letter: Command not found.
 % mail
 To: ^X ^F ^C
 % help mail
 help: Command not found.
 % damn!
 !: Event unrecognized
 % logout

10 Ways to Beat Back Pain

2009-09-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Eighty percent of all men suffer from back pain. Feel better faster with our guide to preventing injury, standing taller, and looking leaner—instantly.

1. Aim for a Dozen Crunches Every Day
Seventy-five percent of all lower-back problems can be prevented by building your abs muscles. When your abs are weak, the muscles of your butt and the backs of your legs have to work harder to keep your spine stable.

2. Change Posture Frequently
This varies the location of the stress on your spine, instead of focusing all of it on the same area. Try putting your feet up or leaning your chair back, while maintaining the natural arch in your back.

3. Squeeze Your Butt Muscles When You Lift Weights over Your Head
You'll force your body into a position that automatically stabilizes your spine, which lowers your risk of back injuries.

4. Leave Work at 5 p.m.
A University of Massachusetts study found that men who worked overtime had a 61 percent higher risk of an on-the-job injury than those who punched out after 8 straight hours, with back pain topping the list of complaints.

5. Trade Your Office Chair for a Swiss Ball
Use it instead of a desk chair for 15 to 20 minutes every hour. Not only will the ball keep you in perpetual motion, but it'll also strengthen your core muscles, alleviating another side effect of too much sitting: back pain.

6. Drink a Glass of Milk
Not only does research show that low levels of D can increase your risk of osteoporosis by as much as 300 percent, but a recent study found that 80 percent of back-pain sufferers were light on vitamin D.

7. Adjust Your Car Seat
If you recline the seat so far back that you have to crane your neck to see in front of you, you're putting a dangerous strain on the lower neck. You should be able to see a full view of the road with your head against the headrest.

8. Readjust Your Pillows
If you're a side sleeper, draw your legs up toward your chest and place a pillow between your knees. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees to save 8 hours of back stress. And if you like sleeping on your gut, stuff a small pillow under your abdomen to keep your lower back from sagging.

9. Lose the Wallet
Sitting on a thick billfold can put pressure on your sciatic nerve, the major nerve running through the buttocks.

10. See Your Tailor
Your aching back may be due to one of your legs being shorter than the other. Even a short imbalance can cause the spine to curve to the short side when you walk or run. Ask your tailor for a quick measurement, and if necessary, see your doctor.

Intel Plans Even Tinier Circuits in 2011

2009-09-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Moore’s Law coming to an end? Not if you ask Intel, which announced Tuesday that it plans to offer chips based on a 22 nanometer process technology in the second half of 2011.

The 22nm chip packs in more than 2.9 billion transistors into an area the size of a fingernail. That’s double the density of the 32nm chips that are currently the cutting edge; most of Intel’s CPUs today are still based on a 45nm process.

Generally, the smaller the circuits in a computer chip, the more complex features the chipmaker can integrate into that chip. Small circuits also have the potential to increase the computing speed, but the tradeoff is increased power consumption, heat production, and — with very small circuits — increasingly large challenges in keeping the circuits electrically isolated from one another. At the company’s developer conference here Tuesday, Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini showed a silicon wafer containing the first working chips built on the technology. The 22nm test circuits include both SRAM memory as well as logic circuits that will be used in future Intel microprocessors.

Moore’s Law, first introduced by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965, postulates that the number of transistors on a cost-effective integrated circuit will double every two years. One way to describe how well transistors are packed is the smallest geometric feature that can be produced on a chip, usually designated in nanometers (billionths of a meter).In late 2007, Intel started mass production of chips based on the 45nm technology. The company has said it plans to introduce 32nm processors early next year. By comparison, the Intel 4004 microprocessor introduced in 1971 was based on 10,000nm process. A human hair is approximately 100,000 nanometers. The 22nm wafer is made up of individual die containing 364 million bits of SRAM memory. SRAMs are used as test vehicles to demonstrate technology performance, yield and chip reliability. Once the technology works on SRAMs, Intel will move to utilize it in CPU production. At 0.092 square microns, the 22nm process based chips contain the smallest SRAM cell used in working circuits ever reported, said Intel.

Genetics Linked to Early Sexual Activity in Kids

2009-09-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Children who grow up in a home without a biological father have sex at a younger age than children raised with their Dad in the picture, and a study now offers a new explanation for why this is true. While previous research focused on environmental factors, researchers in this study, published in the September/October issue of Child Development, focused on genetic influences instead. “Our study found that the association between fathers’ absence and children’s sexuality is best explained by genetic influences, rather than by environmental theories alone,” study author Jane Mendle, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, said in a news release from the Society for Research in Child Development.

Mendle and her colleagues looked at more than 1,000 cousins aged 14 and older who took part in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

The more genes the children shared, the more similar their ages at first intercourse — regardless of whether or not the children had an absent father, the study authors found.

This finding, the researchers explained, suggests that environmental factors, such as childhood stress caused by having a single parent or watching their mom date, are not the only ones that carry an influence. Instead, genetic influence also can help explain the tie between absent fathers and early sex.

“While there’s clearly no such thing as a ‘father absence gene,’ there are genetic contributions to traits in both moms and dads that increase the likelihood of earlier sexual behavior in their children. These include impulsivity, substance use and abuse, argumentativeness and sensation-seeking,” Mendle said in the news release.

“The same genetic factors that influence when children first have intercourse also affect the likelihood of their growing up in a home without a dad,” Mendle added.

The Most Expansive Movies of Last Decade

2009-09-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

The 2009 summer movie season ended, with a record-breaking box office. But 2009 will also go down as the year with the most movies that cost $200 million or more. We've compiled the most expensive movies of the past decade. Here's a list of all the movies with production budgets of $170 million and over, for the past ten years. (We chose the threshold of $170 million because there were a ton of movies clustered around the $150 million-$160 million mark.) Movies that failed to make back their budget at the U.S. box office are underlined.

2009:
Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince: $250 million Avatar: $237 million (according to AP)
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen: $225 million (according to NY Post)
Terminator Salvation: $200 million
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of COBRA: $175 million Up: $175 million

2008:
Quantum Of Solace: $230.6 million
Prince Caspian: $225.6 million
Iron Man: 186.5 million
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull: $185.5 million
The Dark Knight: $185.5 million
Wall-E: $180.5 million

2007:
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End: $317.4 million
Spider-Man 3: $272.9 million
The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials: $213.4 million
Rush Hour 3: $187.4 million

2006:
Superman Returns: $295.3 million
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: $223.1 million
X-Men: The Last Stand: $209.3 million Poseidon: $171.3 million

2005:
King Kong: $232.5 million
Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe: $197.6 million
Sahara: $176.8 million
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire: $150 million (2005 dollars)

2004:
Spider-Man 2: $232.2 million
Troy: $199.9 million
Van Helsing: $182.8 million
The Polar Express: $186.6 million
Alexander: $175.4 million

2003:
Terminator 3: $238.4 million
The Matrix: Reloaded: $176.7 million
Master And Commander: $175.6 million
The Matrix: Revolutions: $175.6 million

2000:
The Perfect Storm: $175.6 million

1999:
Wild Wild West: $221 million
The World Is Not Enough: $173.3 million
The 13th Warrior: $206.8 million

22 thoughts we have every single working day

2009-09-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

6.30am 'Go to the gym? I'd rather die.' *Hit snooze*

7.30am 'I really should have gone to the gym, Tomorrow I will go.'

8.15am 'Uh-oh, did I wear this outfit two days ago?'

8.16am 'Oh no, I've run out of Febreze!'

8.25am 'Right, so your bag needs to sit down more than me? Not my death stare.'

8.29am 'I'm so digging my Bus Crush's tie/shows/bum today.'

8.31am 'Damn, he's caught me looking again.'

8.45am 'I just want a latte. Stop confusing me with the choices of sizes, flavoured shots and variations of foam...'

8.55am 'Oh no, it's the old "trapped in the lift with the boss" trauma. Proceed to boring chat about the weather.'

8.57am 'Must master the art of small talk. Career depends on it.'

9.03am 'Morning papers. Same thing every day, wait - red wine is definitely good for you? Result!'

10.30am 'I want lunch now.'

11.15am 'Shit, shit, shit, totally forgot the boss wanted that report by 12. I'll tell her it's totally ready.'

11.45am 'I suppose I better get off Facebook and write the damn report.'

1pm 'Seriously, is there anything better in life than a cheese toasty?'

4.40pm 'Gah. Afternoon slump. Injection of chocolate urgently needed.'

5.45pm 'Thank heavens for make-up. Otherwise I'd be a right minger. Argh, I'm going to be late.'

7.30pm 'A starter, pasta, garlic bread and an enormous dessert? Ah well, I'll go to the gym first thing tomorrow. Definitely.'

9pm 'I will leave the pub now.'

10pm 'I will actually leave the pub now.'

10.30pm 'Can't they invent a gadget that wipes off your make-up for you while you sleep? And brushes your teeth, perhaps?'

11pm 'Wish tomorrow was Saturday.'

Elevator - Kissing Intern Jane

2009-09-21T13:00:00.001-07:00

Extreme Cleavage: Stylish or Trashy? [Pics]

2009-09-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

In the eye of a billion dreams

2009-09-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

High on confidence after a tri-nation series victory in Sri Lanka, a week before the start of ICC Champions Trophy, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows what it takes to compete with some of the world’s best ODI sides.

In terms of variety and team composition, India seem to have almost every thing to give them a chance to win back the Champions Trophy which they jointly shared with Sri Lanka in rain-drenched Colombo in 2002.

India’s biggest strength lies in their batting and Sachin Tendulkar is back to his best after a masterful century in the tri-series final against Lanka on September 14. Rahul Dravid, back in the side after two years, has already displayed how technique and defence play key roles in the 50-over game. Both Tendulkar and Dravid add a cooling effect on the team as well.

And, there is no shortage of firework, even if Virender Sehwag is missing from the squad due to injury. Gautam Gambhir should be fit enough to give India a blitzkrieg start while India have in Yuvraj Singh and skipper MS Dhoni to consolidate in the middle overs.

In the absence of Zakeer Khan, senior offie Harbhajan Singh is all eager to spearhead India’s attack. Bhajji showed his intensity while grabbing a 5-wicket haul against the Sri Lankans in the Compaq Cup final. However, on South African tracks, the tall and lanky Ishant Sharma should be able to bowl in the right areas and Dhoni will expect Ashish Nehra, RP Singh and Praveen Kumar to play ideal foils.

STRENGTHS

BATTING: Gambhir, Tendulkar, Dravid (highest scorer for India in Champions Trophy after Sourav Ganguly with 547 runs at 49.72), Yuvraj, Dhoni and not to forget the hitting abilities of young Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan make for a complete line-up. If this line-up acclimatizes itself with the playing and weather conditions in Johannesburg and Centurion, batting should not be a concern even though at this time of the year, fresh pitches in South Africa offer more assistance to the faster bowlers, generally a nemesis for Indian batsmen.

SPIN BOWLING: One of the good byproducts of T20 cricket or the IPL is the rise of part-time slow bowlers like Yuvraj, Raina and Pathan in the current limited overs setup. Not only can they bowl economically and go through their overs quickly, they can entice settled batsmen to throw their wickets. Together with the wicket-taking ability of Harbhajan, the Indian slow bowling department looks quite a handful.

WEAKNESSES

FIELDING: "Our fielding standards, compared to the ones we had in Australia in 2007, is now very different...” -- Dhoni’s statement in a pre-tournament press conference is testimony to the fact that the fielding of Team India has gone down tremendously in recent times.This calls for upping the ante by the younger blokes like Raina, Gambhir and RP Singh and the likes Yuvraj, who now fields at mid-on or mid-off and not the customary backward point position owing to his knee concerns.

PACE BOWLING: Usually a facet which remains a strength for many of the participating teams like Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, the pace bowing department is arguably weaker than it looks. Ishant, aiming to test the opposition batsmen with timely bouncers in this series, does not have an impressive economy rate (5.66) while Nehra, RP and Praveen can be very erratic at times.

KEY PLAYERS:
Sachin Tendulkar: His hunger for runs never ceases. The in-form master blaster will again cherish the job of giving flying starts in the absence of Virender Sehwag. In 14 Champions Trophy matches, Tendulkar has scored 433 runs at 39.96 with a best of 141 against Australia in Dhaka in 1998.

Yuvraj Singh: When in good form, his sheer presence at the crease can torment the opposition captain, as he makes batting looks smooth and easy with free flowing drives and lofted shots that easily clear the ground. And don’t forget his six 6s in South Africa during the inaugural T20 World Cup.
MS Dhoni: Not the best of starters, Dhoni tries to bat through the innings and score quick runs in the slog overs after accumulating them through ones and twos during the middle overs.

Harbhajan Singh: Indian’s main bowling weapon in the middle overs enjoys a great economy rate in Champions Trophy (3.64) along with 11 wickets in 10 matches at a bowling average of 32.45.

Champions Trophy record

Altogether with nine wins and five losses, India, in the 16 matches (including the 2 no-results final of the 2002 edition) of the Champions Trophy, enjoy a success rate of 64.28 in this 50-over tournament.

FULL SQUAD: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Dinesh Kartik, Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, RP Singh.

Who Are the Hardest Workers in the Zodiac?

2009-09-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

Capricorn
Goats pride themselves on being highly productive and will thrive best in work environments that challenge them. They tend to get antsy if they’re not multitasking and they will focus on succeeding in their careers above cultivating friendly work relationships. However, that unyielding focus can also make them prone to narrow-mindedness and an aversion to change, and their eager-beaver moods will quickly sour if they feel their hard work isn’t paying off or being properly rewarded.

Aquarius
Aquarians enjoy trying new things and appreciate being given a variety of responsibilities. They’re hard workers who march to the beat of their own drums, but easily form friendships by being loyal and considerate of others. Their classic air sign flightiness means that they also get bored easily and are always on the lookout for better and brighter things if their jobs feel stagnant.

Pisces
I’m surprised Pisces didn’t make that Australian company’s list as they’re known for their extreme loyalty and diligence—well, when the job’s right. A content Piscean worker commits herself to the company and truly believes in the work she is doing, ditching the daydreams for discipline. If they hate their jobs, these fishes make it obvious and spend their time imagining a better life (and everywhere else they could be besides the office) instead of improving conditions at work.

Aries
People under this sign are ambitious and goal-oriented, working best by themselves or by directing others—basically, they lead or go it alone. They perform each task carefully and diligently. Not giving an Aries enough responsibility ensures an unhappy, lackluster employee; a potential promotion is a good way to motivate them and placate their competitive, driven nature.

Taurus
Bulls make excellent worker bees. They are steadfast, focused, methodical, and have no problem with repetition. In fact, job environments that are too erratic or change often make them stressed and grumpy. Their stubbornness is often the only impediment to them being ideal employees. As long as they feel useful and see advancement in their positions, Taureans will continue being patient and productive.

Gemini
Geminis are known for their superior communication skills and can adeptly performing twenty tasks at once. However, like their fellow airy Aquarians, they have quick-moving minds that require constant stimulation. The dual personalities of the twins also mean they can be moody, which affects everything from social interaction to getting work done. Generally, they enjoy being around others and seek out friends in the work place. As long as their workload is kept interesting, they can get a lot done quickly.

Cancer
Crabs are more likely to take care of everyone else in the office rather than work to get promoted. They put sufficient effort into finishing assignments, but they see their primary role as keeping the office environment emotionally stable by being supportive and always lending an ear to troubled employees. In fact, stability is what they constantly crave, and chaos and risk might make them temperamental.

Leo
Arrogant and confident, sometimes Leos come off as being full of themselves. What they want are positions of power, so they often boast of their best qualities in an attempt to be leaders, mentors, or any role that people look up to. However, they really are the best at taking charge, motivating, and keeping a cool head during stressful times. They just need to let go of competitive feelings when working with others.

Virgo
Virgos have a meticulous, analytical nature that makes them productive powerhouses. They’ll work long hours and take on any job given to them. They’re also chronic (and vocal) worriers and complainers—attempts to quell their misgivings are usually in vain. But those negatives also keep them detail-oriented and vigilant when it comes to doing things right.

Libra
Those belonging to this sign are often the most popular in the office due to their charm and effervescence. Because they’re always seeking balance, they transfer that energy into creating a fair workplace. They make excellent conflict managers when they’re able to shake off their indecisiveness. The tendency to over think may lead to a slower work output, but overall it will be more detailed and thorough.

Scorpio
Scorpios are generally reliable and keep to themselves, but will speak up if they feel like something’s wrong. They work best in professional environments that allow them to focus on their responsibilities. Office drama is of little interest to them, but they can get resentful and reactive if treated disrespectfully. Their intensity might be intimidating, but their diligence and focus is admirable.

Sagittarius
Sagittarians have great personalities that make them fun to work with. They exude confidence and enthusiasm, but that also leads to them taking on more than they can handle. When too many responsibilities turn into unfinished assignments, they tend not to worry too much about it, which can be off-putting to employers. They’re smart and capable, but they need to find a balance between their easy-goingness and over-eagerness.

Best Coworker Matches

Aries and Capricorn
Gemini and Sagittarius
Cancer and Virgo
Leo and Leo
Taurus and Virgo

Worst Coworker Matches

Gemini and Capricorn
Leo and Virgo
Scorpio and Scorpio
Aries and Aquarius
Cancer and Sagittarius

Granted, our personalities aren’t written in the stars, and when we were born doesn’t (and shouldn’t) determine whether we make good employees or not. But it is interesting when we recognize a few of our less-than-desirable traits. (Gemini moodiness and flightiness ring eerily true with me.) Perhaps knowing and conquering some of these “predetermined” faults could ultimately make us more employable—and in this flailing, competitive economy, we need all the help we can get.

Ronaldo At The double (Champions League)

2009-09-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hottest Maneaters

2009-09-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Jennifer (Megan Fox) in "Jennifer's Body" (2009)
Megan Fox as a possessed, cannibalistic babe from Hell? We'll take two, thank you...especially if it means twice as much of that girl-on-girl lip-locking, and no jive-talking robots. After watching her in action, we'll never look at a high school flag team the same way.

Sil (Natasha Henstridge) in "Species" (1995)
While this alien succubus technically doesn't eat a dude, we consider a make-out session that ends with her tongue coming out of the back of a guy's head close enough. The attraction to Michael Madsen's character, however, we cannot abide.

Serafine Pigot (Julie Delpy) in "An American Werewolf in Paris" (1997)
We've heard that French chicks don't shave their pits, but this is ridiculous. Nonetheless, this werewolf with a heart of gold won us over with her willingness to hop in the sack with a dopey American tourist. We should all be so lucky...

Lilith (Angie Everhart) in "Bordello of Blood" (1996)
It's tough to pick just one traditional vampire from all of the hotties who have portrayed them onscreen, but Angie wins out based on three things: She's a redhead (always a plus), she feels up Erika Eleniak, and she's running a bordello full of top-heavy bloodsuckers. Triple win.

Julie Walker (Melinda Clarke) in "Return of the Living Dead 3" (1993)
Years before her breakout role as Mischa Barton's cougar mom on "The O.C.," Melinda Clarke got her brain-eatin' on after she dies in a motorcycle crash and is reanimated by her grieving boyfriend. This entry is best known for entering "S&M zombie" into the lexicon, as Julie can only calm her flesh cravings with extreme pain.

Dawn O'Keefe (Jess Weixler) in "Teeth" (2007)
Before this indie black comedy came around, "vagina dentata" was probably thought of as some sort of play an artsy girlfriend would drag us to. Turns out it's an old folk saying for "vagina with teeth" ... and in this film, Dawn becomes cinema's most unlikely "manhood eater."

"She" (Anna Falchi) in "Cemetary Man" (1994)
Playing three separate roles - all of whom are unnamed characters - Falchi makes the cut based on her primary character's sex addiction moreso than her zombified look in this cult-classic Italian flick. She may have wanted to eat Rupert Everett's brains, but that only makes us like her more.

Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) in "Sweeney Todd" (2007)
How to best dispose of the dead bodies of your serial killer accomplice's victims? If "bake them into meat pies and serve them to customers" wasn't your first guess, don't feel bad. This flick is pretty messed up. But Helena B.C. makes for one hot man-server, nonetheless.

Alien Queen from "Aliens" (1986)
This one's for all of you out here who like big-boned females. Or those of who can appreciate a woman who'll throw you around the room a bit. With apologies to Ripley and Vasquez, the Queen still managed to be the hottest chick in the movie...despite a disturbingly slimy egg-laying sequence.

Irena Gallier (Natassja Kinski) in "Cat People" (1982)
Panther lovin' at its finest! Natassja Kinski stars as a werecat who has to dodge her murderous, incestuous brother while fending off the advances of a zoologist; if she sleeps with a human, she turns into a panther, and can only regain human form if she kills a human. Got all that? Trust us...this kitten has claws.

Satanico Pandemonium (Salma Hayek) in "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1995)
Her feet may taste like Quentin Tarantino, but we won't hold that against our favorite sexpot vampire/reptile hybrid. (Hey, she does take a huge bite outta the guy, after all.) Never have Satan, Salma, skimpy clothes, snakes and an aversion to sunlight meshed so well.

Angela Franklin (Amelia Kinkade) from "Night of the Demons" (1988)
One minute she's a hot goth chick performing an alluring erotic dance, the next she's a yellowed-eyed demon with jagged teeth and a deep, maniacal voice. Reminds us of many of ex-girlfriend, actually. Kinkade made her last "Demons" appearance in 1997, and these days makes a living as - no shit - a pet psychic.

Martian Girl (Lisa Marie) in "Mars Attacks" (1996)
Another "fine line" entry, the incognito Martian Girl may not have snacked on actual human flesh, but when Martin Short plants an unwanted kiss on her, she nearly devours his face. (A typical reaction for most women, we imagine.) Fun fact: Former Tim Burton squeeze Lisa Marie had to be sewn into that dress.

Stirba (Sybil Danning) in "Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf" (1985)
Known in other regions by the far more entertaining title "Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch," this horror sequel starred frequently nude Sybil Danning as an immortal werewolf queen who has lots of werewolf sex in her castle. Christopher Lee and our main man Reb Brown co-star, failing to redirect their eyes from her cleavage for an hour and a half.

Top 10 Teamwork Plays of 2009

2009-09-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

15 Bizarre Human Activities

2009-09-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Travel broadens the mind. At least that’s what they say. And with the holidays approaching, one’s mind inevitably turns to travel. For many, this means the annual pilgrimage home for big, turkey-laced family gatherings. For others, as witnessed by the film Four Christmases, others take advantage of the opportunity to skip the predictable fights and family drama, and opt instead for a spot of globe trotting. Depending on where and when you go, you‘re sure to discover stranger things than kissing under the mistletoe. Take a look at some of the bizarre things you‘ll find.

1. Thailand - You think your family’s complicated? Try being a member of the royal family of Thailand. Deeply revered by the Thai people, the royal family speak a private and ancient language known only to themselves and a privileged few.

2. Scotland - Ever wonder why you sing ‘Auld Land Syne’ on New Years Eve? The poem was written by Scottish poet Robbie Burns, and is sung at the time of year when Scots go wild. The Scottish New Year celebration, called Hogmanay, includes some of the most unique traditions you’ll ever come across, such as settling debts, ‘first footing,’ and the ‘Burning of the Clavie.’ The Clavie, a barrel of tar and wood shavings, is nailed to a post, set alight, then carried clockwise around the town, until set to burn on a hillside stone alter.

3. Botswana - New Years is also important to the Tswana People , who believe that married couples must have sex at midnight on New Years Day to ensure a prosperous year. And many divorces soon follow, if one of them fails to report for the ceremony.

4. Czech Republic - Have you ever wanted to bathe in beer? Now you can. In the Czech Republic, beer baths are becoming a very popular restorative cure at spas and other health facilities. Rejuvenating for the nerves and skin, patrons relax and soak in barrel-shaped tubs filled with a special dark brew. So now you can take a bath and come out smelling like a drunk! Sounds great.

5. China - You expect to eat strange and exotic foods when you travel, but in southern Hunan you can enjoy something you haven’t had since you were a baby: Breast Milk. Supplied by local women nursing babies, restaurants prepare distinctive cuisine dishes made with human milk, full of flavor and maternal love.

6. Spain - On the last Wednesday of August, the streets of Buñol in the Valencia region of Spain run red…with tomatoes. The celebration of La Tomatina is a week long tomato festival, culminating in the ultimate food fight: Tens of thousands of people and more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets.

7. Italy - From Italian cuisine we’ve come to expect pasta and wine. But the Friday before Lent, the citizens of Ponti will be eating an omelet made from 1000 eggs. This notorious pre-Lent bender allows everyone to enjoy rich foods before the Lenten fast. Makes you wonder how they find a big enough frying pan.

8. Mauritania - Obesity is so revered in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, that young girls are routinely force-fed as part of a severe beauty regime. Mauritanian girls cannot hope to catch husbands unless they weigh as much as 60 to 100 kg, and are punished if they do not eat. Wife-fattening farms and appetite stimulating drugs are not uncommon.

9. France - November 25th is the feast day of St. Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of unmarried ladies. In France, women pray at the statue of St. Catherine for husbands, and honor ‘Catherinettes,’ unmarried women over 25, with cards and gifts of hats or crowns. The tradition of the St. Catherine bonnet has led fashion houses to display their hats in big parades.

10. North Korea - The Catherinettes would have nothing to worry about in North Korea, as marriage is forbidden by law until the age of 25 for women and 27 for men. The prohibition allows citizens to complete compulsory military service and other civic duties.

11. South Africa - Polygamy, an outrage in Western culture, is widely practiced throughout Africa. Among the Zulus, three isn’t a crowd, and a chief is permitted to have as many wives as he can afford.

12. England - If you’re thinking of taking up a new sport, try England, where in addition to cricket and rugby, you’ll discover a sport unlike any other: Cheese Rolling. In Brockworth, Gloucestershire, crowds gather to the top of the famous Cooper’s Hill. A round of Double Gloucester cheese is rolled, and competitors race down the hill after it. The first person over the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese. But cheese rolling can even be dangerous, as speeds increase to 70 mph, enough to knock over and injure spectators.

13. Paraguay - Anyone who’s seen the Shrek sequels has fallen in love with the swashbuckling Puss n’ Boots. But today we tend to think of dueling as silly and archaic. Not to mention dangerous. Surprisingly enough, dueling is still legal in Paraguay, provided that the participants are registered blood donors.

14. Iceland - Beware of the Dog, or rather, the Dog ban. In the capital city of Reykjavik, it is illegal to own a dog. Probably not an issue unless you travel with one as an accessory, like Paris Hilton. But it’s well worth leaving it at home, for the beauty Iceland has to offer.

15. India - The celebration of Holi, a thanksgiving festival in India, is a time a fraternity and levity. Known as the Festival of Colors, people dress in white clothing and stain each other with colored powders and tinted water throughout the streets.

KANYE WEST VS. TAYLOR SWIFT - 2009 MTV VMA

2009-09-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Famous cases of cheating in sport

2009-09-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Renault parted company with flamboyant team boss Flavio Briatore on Wednesday and said they would not contest charges they had fixed last year's Singapore Grand Prix by ordering a driver to crash.

Here are some famous cases of cheating in sport:

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

After the heavily favored Chicago White Sox lost the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, eight players were charged with being paid by gamblers to throw the championship. The scandal led to the creation of the autonomous post of commissioner of baseball, who banned the players for life including the famous Shoeless Joe Jackson.

BORIS ONISHCHENKO

Russian pentathlete Boris Onishchenko was sent home in disgrace from the 1976 Montreal Olympics. The Soviet Army Major was disqualified for hiding an electrical switch in his fencing sword which awarded him points when he had not in fact scored.

DIEGO MARADONA

Argentina won a 1986 World Cup soccer quarter-final against England in Mexico 2-1, Maradona scoring the first with his hand, the infamous 'Hand of God' goal.

BEN JOHNSON

The Canadian sprinter made headlines for his world-record 100 metres victory at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. After the race, however, he tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol and was stripped of his gold medal.

TONYA HARDING

American Harding was banned for life from ice skating for trying to cover up a 1994 incident in which her husband and an associate deliberately injured her rival Nancy Kerrigan.

HANSIE CRONJE

Former South Africa captain Cronje stunned the cricket world in 2000 after admitting he had accepted about $130,000 from bookmakers to influence the course of matches. He was subsequently banned for life. Cronje died in a plane crash in 2002 aged just 32.

PARALYMPICS

In 2000 Spain's Paralympic basketball team were ordered to hand back gold medals won at the Sydney Games after 10 of their players were found to have no disability.

FLOYD LANDIS

The American cyclist became the first Tour de France winner to fail a drugs test during the race after testing positive for the male sex hormone testosterone. Landis, who denied using performance-enhancing drugs, was stripped of the title he won in 2006 and given a two-year ban which ended in 2009.

HARLEQUINS

Dean Richards resigned as director of rugby at English club Harlequins and was suspended from world rugby for three years for his role in a fake blood injury to winger Tom Williams during a 2009 Heineken Cup game against Leinster.

PETE ROSE

Rose, baseball's record-holder for hits, games played and at-bats accepted a lifetime ban in 1989 when, as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, he was accused of gambling on games in which his team was playing. He denied betting on baseball games for the next 15 years, then admitted doing so in his 2004 autobiography "My Prison Without Bars."

Michael Jordan Hall Of Fame Speech

2009-09-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Sharp

2009-09-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

1.) Do something :

Scientists are starting to think that regular aerobic exercise may be the single most important thing you can do for the long-term health of your brain. While the heart and lungs respond loudly to a sprint on the treadmill, the brain is quietly getting fitter with each step, too. For mental fitness, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every other day.

2.) Eat, eat, eat :

Too much or too little energy throws a kink in the brain's delicate machinery. A low glycemic diet -- high fiber, with moderate amounts of fat and protein -- is broken down more slowly in the body than high glycemic foods, such as sweets and white starches. A steady pace of digestion in the gut gives a more reliable flow of energy to the brain, likely optimizing the organ's long-term health and performance.

3.) Watch that diet:

While overindulging can make the brain sluggish and lead to long-term detriments to your brain, too few calories can also impair brain function. Extreme dieting can cause some diehards to feel stretches of calm -- a feeling that may underlie the addiction of anorexia -- but many studies have also linked dieting with distraction, confusion and memory impairment.

4.) Take care of your body:

Largely preventable diseases -- such as Type II diabetes, obesity and hypertension -- all affect your brain, too. System-wide health concerns have been linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and memory impairments. Keeping your circulatory system in working order, by, say, avoiding cigarettes and saturated fat, lessens the onslaught of age-related damage to the brain.

5.) Get your beauty rest:

When we rest and dream, memories are sifted through, some discarded, others consolidated and saved. When we don't sleep, a recent study found, proteins build up on synapses, possibly making it hard to think and learn new things. Furthermore, chronically sleeping poorly (in contrast to not enough) is linked to cognitive decline in old age, although the relationship may not be causal.

6.) Enjoy your coffee:

Growing evidence suggests a caffeine habit may protect the brain. According to large longitudinal studies, two to four perk-me-ups a day may stave off normal cognitive decline and decrease the incidence of Alzheimer's by 30 to 60 percent. It is unclear whether the benefits come from caffeine or the antioxidants found in coffee and tea, but that latte may improve cognition this afternoon and several decades from now.

7.) Eat fish:

Some theories credit the introduction of fish into the human diet with the evolution of our tremendous cognitive prowess. Essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3s, are critical to brain function and are proving beneficial for treating such brain-sapping ailments as depression. Studies on the efficacy of Omega 3 supplements, however, have had mixed results, so get doses from food sources, such as flax seeds, fatty fish and grass-fed animals.

8.) Chill out:

Stress takes a toll on the brain by washing harmful chemicals over the hippocampus and other brain areas involved in memory. Some scientists suspect that living a balanced lifestyle and pursuing relaxing activities such as yoga, socializing and crafting may delay memory impairment by reducing stress.

9.) Skip the supplements:

Supplements have been getting a bad rap recently, with even the familiar multivitamin now looking like a waste of money -- or worse. Brain pills, such as ginkgo and melatonin, likely belong in the trash as well. Despite their "natural" origins, they are not free of potential side effects, such as high blood pressure, digestion trouble, fertility problems and depression. And among healthy individuals, ginkgo offers no brain benefits beyond that of a placebo. (In some cases, the placebo worked better.)

10) Tease your brain:

Whether crossword puzzles, sudokus and other brain teasers actually keep your brain in shape, has not been well-established. However, lack of education is a strong predictor of cognitive decline. The more you've tried to learn, the better you'll be at mental sit-ups in old age. The key may be tackling something new; the challenge of the unknown is likely more beneficial than putting together the same jigsaw puzzle over and over again.

Sony introduces thinnest-ever Walkman

2009-09-16T09:31:00.001-07:00

Sleek, stylish and not a cheap video camera in sight

Sony has shown off its latest additions to its A-series Walkman range – the NW-A845, NW-A846 and NW-A847.

Available in both black and brown, the players sport a 2.8-inch WQVGA OLED screen, TV-out function and audio niceties which include DSEE, Clear Stereo, Clear bass, and lyric display.

Both the NW-A846 and NW-A847 support MP3, WMA, AAC, HE-AAC, ATRAC, ATRAC AL, PCM/wav audio codecs.

When it comes to video, AVC (H.264), MPEG4 and WMV are supported.

That's quite enough of the acronyms, though, as at just 7.2mm, Sony's latest Walkman series is its thinnest yet. And you only have to look at the photos to see they are definitely its most stylish range.

While UK-centric information is thin on the ground, the latest A-Series range has a Japanese release date of October, with the 6GB A845 costing Y24,000 (£160); 16GB A846 priced at Y30,000 (£200); and the 32GB A847 retailing for Y40,000 (£266).

Roger Federer vs Del Potro US Open Final 2009

2009-09-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ladies Night At VMA'S

2009-09-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

Taylor Swift Video Music Awards Kanye West HD You Belong With Me

2009-09-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Bermuda Triangle plane mystery 'solved'

2009-09-14T11:08:00.001-07:00

Two of the so-called Bermuda Triangle's most mysterious disappearances in the late 1940s may have been solved.

Scores of ships and planes are said to have vanished without trace over the decades in a vast triangular area of ocean with imaginary points in Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico.

But journalist Tom Mangold's new examination for the BBC provides plausible explanations for the disappearance of two British commercial planes in the area, with the loss of 51 passengers and crew.

One plane probably suffered from catastrophic technical failure as a result of poor design, while the other is likely to have run out of fuel.

Sixty years ago, commercial flights from London to Bermuda were new and perilous. It would require a refuelling stop on the Azores before the 2,000-mile flight to Bermuda, which at that time was the longest non-stop commercial overseas flight in the world.

The planes would have been operating at the limit of their range. Today planes arriving at the tiny Atlantic island have sufficient reserve fuel to divert to the US East Coast 700 miles away, in case of emergency.

And the planes of the post-war era were far less reliable than today's airliners.

British South American Airways (BSAA), which operated the route, had a grim safety record. In three years it had had 11 serious accidents and lost five planes with 73 passengers and 22 crew members killed.

Unsolved mystery

On 30 January 1948, a BSAA Avro Tudor IV plane disappeared without trace. Twenty-five passengers and a crew of six were on board The Star Tiger. No bodies or wreckage were found.

The official investigation into the disappearance concluded: "It may truly be said that no more baffling problem has ever been presented.

"What happened in this case will never be known and the fate of Star Tiger must remain an unsolved mystery."

At 2,000 feet you'd be leaving very little altitude for manoeuvre - in any serious in-flight emergency the plane could have lost its height in seconds and gone into the sea
Eric Newton
Air accident investigator

But there are a number of clues in the official accident report that reveal the Star Tiger had encountered problems before it reached the Azores.

The aircraft's heater was notoriously unreliable and had failed en route, and one of the compasses was found to be faulty.

Probably to keep the plane warmer, the pilot had decided to fly the whole transatlantic route very low, at 2,000 feet, burning fuel at a faster rate.

On approaching Bermuda, Star Tiger was a little off course and had been flying an hour later than planned.

In addition, the official Ministry of Civil Aviation report considered that the headwinds faced by Star Tiger may have been much stronger than those forecast. This would have caused the fuel to burn more quickly.

"Flying at 2,000 feet they would have used up much more fuel," said Eric Newton, one of the Ministry of Civil Aviation's most senior air accident investigators, who reviewed the scenario for the BBC.

"At 2,000 feet you'd be leaving very little altitude for manoeuvre. In any serious in-flight emergency they could have lost their height in seconds and gone into the sea."

Whatever happened to the plane, it was sudden and catastrophic - there was no time to send an emergency signal.

American Navy Avenger planes - similar to the ones that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle
Five US Navy planes disappeared in the triangle area in 1945

The Avro Tudor IV was a converted warplane that was eventually taken out of passenger service because of its poor safety record. Only BSAA continued to fly the aircraft.

Gordon Store was chief pilot and manager of operations at BSAA. In an interview with his local newspaper last November, he said he had no confidence in the Tudor's engines.

"Its systems were hopeless… all the hydraulics, the air-conditioning equipment and the recycling fans were crammed together underneath the floor without any thought. There were fuel-burning heaters that would never work," he said.

Second accident

Almost a year to the day after the disappearance of the Star Tiger, another Avro Tudor IV belonging to BSAA vanished between Bermuda and Jamaica.

Exactly one hour after departure from Bermuda on 17 January 1949, the pilot of the Star Ariel sent a routine communication of his position. But then the plane vanished without trace at 18,000 feet.

According to experts, this would have required a sudden catastrophe.

Again, no wreckage, debris or bodies were ever found.

Fuel starvation at that height was not plausible, the weather report had been good, and pilot error was ruled out.

The plane's poor design may well have been to blame, according to Don Mackintosh, a former BSAA Tudor IV pilot. The cabin heater mounted underneath the floor where the co-pilot sat is his prime suspect.

My theory is that hydraulic vapour escaped from a leak, which got on to a hot heater and caused an explosion
Captain Peter Duffey

At the time, aircraft heater technology was still in its infancy.

"The heater bled aviation fuel on to a hot tube - and was also fairly close to the hydraulic pipes," he says.

A pressure switch should have allowed the heater to operate when it was in the air but it was unreliable and was often deliberately short-circuited by staff, allowing the pilot manual control.

The switch prevented inflammable fuel from flowing, but if the heater was switched on manually, gas that may have collected could have ignited.

Captain Peter Duffey, a former BSAA pilot who went on to become a captain of British Airways Concorde, also believes that the proximity of the heater and the hydraulic pipes was significant.

"My theory is that hydraulic vapour escaped from a leak, which got on to a hot heater and caused an explosion," he says.

Mr Newton's report came to a similar conclusion: "If the heater had caught fire down below the floorboards then it could have developed to a catastrophic state before the crew knew anything about it.

"There was no automatic fire extinguisher to put it out like there is nowadays. There was no alarm where the heater was stored… so no-one would know, possibly until it was too late."

The official accident investigation discovered that because of a communications error, search and rescue teams were not despatched until seven and a half hours later.

By then what was left of the plane and the bodies would have sunk.

The report on the disappearance of the first plane, the Star Tiger, said something which, because it could be easily misinterpreted, helped the accident achieve notoriety.

In a moment of philosophical conjecture, the investigators mused that maybe "some external cause may (have) overwhelm(ed) both man and machine".

Those comments from sober-suited British civil servants opened the floodgates for conspiracy theorists, hack journalists and mischief makers, adding to the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle.

US OPEN 2009- Serena Williams Disqualified from Semi Finals! Against Kim Clijsters!! MUST WATCH!!

2009-09-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

World's top 10 brands

2009-09-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

The business of building brands is a tough one. And it takes years of hard work, great service, great product, sustained socially responsible work and a lot more to create a brand that people hold store by. In today's ever-changing economy, entrepreneurs seek specialists' help to launch their products and create brands.

Often big corporate houses cough up millions to help bolster their brands so that consumers remember who they are. Once a brand succeeds in striking a chord with the consumers, half the marketing battle is won.

Here are the world's top 10 corporate brands:

1. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognised brands and logos in the world. Its brand value is worth $66,667 million. Its parent company is Coca-Cola.

It was created in Atlanta, Georgia by Dr John S Pemberton. The bottle is among the most recognisable icons in the world, its design standing for the youthful exuberance of United States of America.

Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water.

The Coca-Cola script was designed by an amateur, Frank Robinson. Coca-Cola was registered as a trademark in 1887 and by 1895 Coca-Cola was being sold in every state and territory in the US. In 1899, the company began franchised bottling operations in the US.

2. IBM

The company's brand value is worth $59,031 million. Its parent company is International Business Machines.

In 1972, the company logo, designed by Paul Rand had horizontal stripes replacing the solid letters to suggest 'speed and dynamism.'

A resurgent tech-services business together with highly profitable software edges Big Blue ahead of rival Microsoft.

3. Microsoft

Its brand value is worth $59,007 million. Its parent company is Microsoft.

Microsoft Corporation is an US multinational computer technology corporation with over 79,000 employees in 102 countries. It develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, its best selling products are the Microsoft Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software.

Windows Vista bugs and Apple's withering 'I'm a Mac' ads challenge the software giant despite its monopoly. It is now rolling out a new ad campaign.

4. GE

GE is the fourth most recognised brand in the world, worth $53,086 million. Its parent company is General Electric.

The group CEO Jeffrey Immelt introduced a set of changes in the presentation of the brand commissioned in 2004, after he took the reins as chairman.

The modifications included a new corporate colour palette, small modifications to the GE logo, a new customised font (GE Inspira), and a new slogan, 'imagination at work' replacing the longtime slogan 'we bring good things to life', composed by David Lucas.

The changes were designed by Wolff Olins.

5. Nokia

Its brand value is $35,942 million. Its parent company is Nokia.

Though iPhone has the buzz, Nokia phones sell eight times more.

Nokia Corporation has been in the telecommunications business since the 1960s and has become a global leader of the industry.

The original Nokia logo was designed in Tampere in 1865. It went through many modifications since then.

Therefore, when it came to designing their logo, Nokia Co. made every effort to make its logo represent the company's mission. And thus, 'Nokia Connecting People' logo came into being.

6. Toyota

Its brand value is $34,050 million. Its parent company is Toyota Motor.

The current Toyota mark consists of three ovals: the two perpendicular center ovals represent a relationship of mutual trust between the customer and Toyota.

These ovals combine to symbolise the letter 'T' for Toyota.The space in the background implies a global expansion of Toyota's technology and unlimited potential for the future.

Back in 1936, to coincide with the launch of its eagerly awaited first passenger car, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd. held a public competition to establish a new symbol mark to promote its vehicles.

The company indicated that the new design should convey the feeling of speed. Twenty-seven thousand entrants answered the call and submitted their ideas to Toyoda.

The winning design led to a change in the name of the automobiles and plants from 'Toyoda' to 'Toyota.' The changed name was chosen because the number of strokes to write Toyota in Japanese (eight) was thought to bring luck and prosperity.

The Model AA, Toyota's first passenger car, became the first automobile to use the new name.

7. Intel

Its brand value is worth $31,261 million. Its parent company is Intel.

The original Intel logo with a 'dropped-e' in it was created by Silicon Valley pioneers Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore, 39 years ago as they were forming their new 'integrated electronics' company.

In 1991, the company introduced the 'Intel Inside' slogan with the Intel logo.

The company's sales are strong and Intel still pays to place its logo in the ads of customers like Apple and Dell, but the Federal Trade Commission is investigating the practice.

8. McDonald's

Its brand value is worth $31,049 million. Its parent company is McDonald's.

McDonald's Corporation is one of the largest chains of fast food in the world.

It mostly sells burgers and fries but has recently introduced fancy coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and wraps.

The McDonald's Golden Arches logo was introduced in 1962. It was created by Jim Schindler to resemble new arch shaped signs on the sides of the restaurants. He merged the two golden arches together to form the famous 'M' now recognised throughout the world.

The McDonald's name was added to the logo in 1968.

While the physical arches were dropped out from all the restaurants' building design, the Golden Arches have remained in the McDonald's logo.

9. Disney

Its brand value is worth 29,251 million. Its parent company is Walt Disney.

Co-founded by Walter Elias Disney, the Walt Disney Company today has branched out to various entertainment studios, theme parks, products and other media productions with an annual revenue of approximately $30 billion.

The Walt Disney logo is a 'stylised version of the founder's signature' that signifies the brand name and promises secure, cheerful and quality American mainstream entertainment.

Other than the regular logo, the company uses different logos on its different products. A castle on a blue background version of the Walt Disney logo is used for the movie releases and as the curtain-raiser to its films.

10. Google

Its brand value is worth $25,590 million. Its parent company is Google.

Google Inc, a technology company, maintains index of web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, Google network members, and other content providers.

Its automated search technology helps users to obtain instant access to relevant information from its online index.

The company provides targeted advertising and Internet search solutions, as well as intranet solutions via an enterprise search appliance.

Secret celebrity weddings

2009-09-12T10:52:00.001-07:00

Celebrities may thank god for their popularity, but there are occasions when they like to be left alone. Their wedding would be one such. As a result, some celeb couples decide to hide from the public glare and tie the knot in complete secrecy, with barely family present. Singer Britney Spears married dancer Kevin Federline in 2004 in a private home in L.A. Reports say that between the bride and the groom, there was a total of 27 guests.

Pop singer Beyonce and rapper Jay-Z have been a couple for a while, and rumour has it that the two tied the knot in April 2008, though they have still not made any official statement.

Latino singers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony got married in the ultimate hush hush way, surprising even the closest family members. The couple, who got married in 2004, have recently had twins.

Oscar winning actress Julia Roberts married Danny Moder in a quiet midnight wedding in a ranch in New Mexico.

Soon after his broken engagement with Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck tied the knot with Jennifer Garner in a very small, very secret ceremony.

Singer Mariah Carey broke all norms and married Nick Cannon at home. The couple got married in April 2008, apparently after mere weeks of seeing each other.

Acclaimed actress Scarlett Johansson married Ryan Reynolds in a quiet ceremony in Canada. Unfortunately the media got wind of the impending marriage and were all over the villa. The couple just about managed to keep them out of the ceremony.

Chicago star Renee Zellweger married Kenny Chesney in what is referred to as 'a top secret' ceremony in 2005.

Actress Jessica Alba married long-time boyfriend Cash Warren in a courthouse. How they managed to keep this under the wraps is anyone's guess.

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz exchanged wows in the bride's parents house.

Another wedding on a ranch was that of Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. Given the name of the groom, it sort of figures!

Brooke Shields and Chris Henchy did the ultimate marriage surprise act. They decided to get married, with guests who were told they were at a dinner party.

World's top 10 currencies

2009-09-12T10:09:00.000-07:00

In the world of foreign exchange, currency trading is the name of the game. The term 'top currencies' is subjective and depends on the method used to trade and the investor's risk tolerance. Strictly speaking, there is no 'best' or 'top' currency, but there certainly are currencies that are the most profitable to trade in.

1. US dollar

The US dollar is the most dominant currency unit today, despite its decline and shakiness in the recent past. In fact, all currencies are measured using the US dollar as the standard. In quantified terms, about 90 per cent of transactions worldwide involve the US dollar.

At present, the US dollar remains the world's foremost reserve currency.

The US dollar has been adopted and in some cases used as the official currency in many different territories and countries.

This process of using one country currency in a different economy is called 'dollarization'.

Dollarization occurred in the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Pitcairn Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

2. Euro

The euro is the official currency of 16 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It accounts for almost 37 per cent of the daily transactions in the Forex market, according to a report.

The states, known collectively as the Eurozone, are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

The currency is also used in five European countries whereas over 175 million people across the globe use currencies which are pegged to the euro, including more than 150 million people in Africa.

Based on 2008 figures, the Eurozone is the world's second largest economy.

3. Japanese Yen

The Japanese Yen takes the third spot among the most heavily traded currencies. About 20 per cent of the daily transactions in the forex market involve the Japanese Yen.

The word yen stands for 'round object' in Japanese.

The yen was officially adopted by Japan's Meiji government in an Act signed on May 10, 1871. The new currency was introduced in July of that year.

4. British Pound

The British pound, on most occasions, is measured up against the US dollar. It accounts for 17 per cent of the daily Forex transactions.

The official name of the currency is pound sterling. It is used mainly in formal contexts and also when necessary to distinguish the United Kingdom currency from other currencies bearing the same name.

5. Swiss Franc

The Swiss Franc makes in to the round of top 5 most heavily traded currencies in the forex market.

About 6 per cent of the daily transactions in the forex market involve the Swiss franc.

The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein as also in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia.

The Swiss franc is the only version of the franc still issued in Europe.

In the first half of the 19th century, the Swiss Franc was unregulated and considered a highly complicated currency.

Before regulations were imposed in 1850 by the Swiss Federal Constitution, the country had 75 entities and 25 cantons, all producing their own coins.

6. Australian dollar

The Australian dollar takes the number 6 spot in the list accounting for over 4 per cent of all transactions done in the Forex market.

The Australian dollar was popular with currency traders because of high interest rates in Australia.

In 1965, then Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies wished to name the currency 'royal'.

The prime minister came up with various other suggestions -- austral, oz, boomer, roo, kanga, emu, digger, kwid, dinkum and the ming (after his nickname).

The name 'royal' got almost finalised and trial designs were prepared and printed by the Reserve Bank of Australia. But the prime minister's choice of currency name was not approved by the people and was later dropped in favour of the dollar.

7. Canadian dollar

The Canadian dollar is at no. 7 spot for the list of the most heavily traded currencies globally. The Canadian dollar accounts for over 4 per cent of all transaction in the Forex markets.

Symbol of C$ is used to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies.

Following the war of 1812, first paper money, the British Army Bills, were issued in Canada in dollar denominations.

In 1817, the Montreal Bank issued the first banknotes.

In 2000, the Bank of Canada stopped issuing $1,000 notes and began to withdraw them from circulation, to counter money laundering.

8. Swedish Krone

The Swedish Krone makes it in the top 10 list of the most active currencies in the Forex market. It accounts for more than 2 per cent of all the transactions that happen in the Forex market on a daily basis.

The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. The word 'Krone' means crown in English.

It is locally abbreviated kr. The plural form is krono.

The krona replaced the riksdaler riksmynt after the formation of the Scandinavian Monetary Union. The parties to the union were the Scandinavian countries.

9. Hong Kong dollar

The Hong Kong dollar takes the 9th spot of the most heavily traded currency in the Forex market. It accounts for almost 2 per cent of the daily transactions in the Forex market.

In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar currencies.

When Hong Kong was established as a free trading port in 1841, there was no local currency in everyday circulation. Various foreign currencies, including Indian rupees, used to be the popular means of transaction.

10. Norwegian Krone

The Norwegian Krone (kr) completes our list of the 10 most heavily traded currencies in the Forex market. About 1.5 per cent of the daily transactions in the forex market involve the Norwegian Krone.
The plural form is kroner.

The krone was introduced in 1875, replacing the Norwegian speciedaler at a rate of 4 kroner = 1 speciedaler. In doing so, Norway joined the Scandinavian Monetary Union, established in 1873.

Victoria Beckham storms New York Fashion Week in high leather boots

2009-09-12T03:14:00.000-07:00

Facebook Lite Goes Live

2009-09-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Facebook has rolled out a slimmed down version of its Web site in an effort to appeal to users who want access only to the social networking site's most basic features.

Facebook described its lighter cousin as an attempt to create a version that loads certain tools quickly and easily. "Facebook Lite is a faster, simpler way to keep in touch with your friends. If you like it, you may choose to use it instead of the regular Facebook," the company said in an introductory note on the site.

Facebook added it plans to introduce additional features to Facebook Lite in the coming weeks and asked users for their reactions. "We still have work to do before it's done, but we'd love to get your feedback on what we've built so far," Facebook said.

The truncated features could make Facebook a better fit for mobile devices, while some commentators have described the project as part of a plan to add a microblogging service that could eventually challenge reigning champ Twitter.

Officials said the company plans to introduce Facebook Lite "in countries where we are seeing lots of new users coming to Facebook for the first time and are looking to start off with a more simple experience." As of Friday, Facebook Lite was available in the U.S. and India.

Some observers suspect Facebook is looking to add a bevy of new features in order to position itself as a one-stop site for social networking, blogging, and search—perhaps even taking onGoogle .

Facebook last month introduced beefed up search features that allow users to search for 30 days worth of news feeds, status updates, photos, links, and videos. Also in August, Facebook announced the acquisition of Friendfeed, which aggregates posts from a variety of social networking sites.

10 questions to ask in an interview

2009-09-11T10:33:00.001-07:00

When you are called for an interview, remember not to appear too focused on yourself, money or the TA/DA that you would need to be reimbursed. Honesty and frankness is appreciated, in the right dosage. Be prepared to ask your own set of questions during the interview to help decide whether you want to join or not.

What will my scope of work, roles and responsibilities be?
It's important to have an idea of the requirements as an employee. Nivedita Ghosh, consultant and client manager, ABC Consultants advises, "Seek clarity on the duties and responsibilities for that position so that it does not come as a surprise package to you."

What are the skill sets required for effective performance in the given role?
Understand what is required of you, if analytic ability or thinking out of the box are needed, you need to be able to deliver on the same count. According to Nishant Mohan, director, VentureBaron Technology, a Mumbai-based company, "This helps in understanding if the company is aligned similarly or if you will find it difficult aligning yourself to the organisation's goals and objectives."

What is the guidance offered in the initial stages in the organisation?
This will decide how smooth your transition will be into the company. If efforts are made to help you fit in, chances are the
effort will reflect in other aspects as well. The more willing the organisation is to train you during the initial period, the better your reults and the more the intention of the company to make the relationship work. It is like the company is investing in you.

Is there an acclimatising camp to get used to the systems, work culture of the organisation?
Many companies place high importance on this, reflecting the organisation's ability to deliver on its promises and investment
in human resources. Srinivasan, HR director, HCL Technologies, says, "It's important to know this so that you have a clearer idea about whether you will find the right fit, whether the atmosphere is formal or informal."

What are the KRAs on which I would be assessed?
All employees are evaluated based on key result areas. Know how your contributions will be rated, be prepared and be willing to deliver.

Is there an annual appraisal system where my deficiencies would be discussed for self improvement?
Be open to appraisal and always strive towards self improvement. Remember that this is not personal and a process,
be willing to change and mould yourself into your job.

What is the salary structure and other benefits?
Most employers will make an offer, so you rarely have to broach the topic. Be careful in your negotiation process, don't appear to be too money-minded. Mohan warns, "Try and understand the salary break-up because an unfavourable break-up may result in lower income and more taxes."

How much does the company invest in their employees through learning and development programmes?
Srinivasan feels that your career landscape is also determined by the kind of career development programmes that are offered. Know what you can expect, be aware of whether you will get it or not if you join.

What is the reporting structure?

It's important to understand this process early so that you avoid making any blunders as part of the company. Many companies state there is no hierarchy, but it is better to understand that it does exist in some manner. Openness should not be taken as a given, be sure to maintain a certain decorum and ethical approach at work.

What does the organisation think about work-life balance?

At a personal level this is important to be kept in mind. Srinivasan shared, "It will not be a question that puts to rest your doubt in terms of deliverables but it will give you a sense of how flexible the company is in terms of other needs."

An interview is a two-way process, be prepared to be able to respond to an opportunity to ask questions. Remember, each work space is a learning experience, be open to change and handling challenges as part of your work. Give it your best shot and don't be scared to accept your limitations, work hard to learn at work and achieve success.

First Look: Michael Jackson's This Is It poster

2009-09-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

We may have missed out on the Greatest Concert Ever but here's a chance to catch the late Michael Jackson rehearsing for his last concert, This Is It.

Fans and music lover will get a chance to watch rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer, as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts in London.

Chronicling the months from April through his death on June 25, the film will be released on October 28 worldwide.

It is produced with the support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage.

Here's the the first poster of the film.

America remembers victims of 9/11

2009-09-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama on Friday led Americans in remembering the 2,752 people, who perished in the world's deadliest terror strike by Al Qaeda eight years ago, saying the United States will 'never falter' in its struggle against the terrorist organisation.

At exactly 8:46 am, when the first plane hijacked by the terrorists hit the first twin tower of the World Trade Centre in downtown Manhattan, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama gathered with the White House staff on the South Lawn and observed a minute of silence to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

7 search engines for people search

2009-09-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of some search engines that specialize in people search and help users find someone on the internet:

1. Pipl

Pipl lets you search for people by entering their first name, last name, city and country. The user can also search for information with the help email addresses, user names, and phone number. Pipl searches something which they call the “deep web” where traditional search engines cannot go so effectively.

2. Whozat

Whozat is a semantic search engine for people search. Whozat covers several information sources including professional and social networks. After you enter your query and hit search, you will see a summary of the person’s online presence, related queries, concept tags and other useful information. You can refine results by age, gender, place and concept.

3. Spock

Spock helps you find people by the name, email, location or keywords. Spock searches a number of information sources such as blogs, photos, social networks and videos. Members can also get updates through RSS and email alerts.

4. Wink

Wink lets you find people by typing in the name, location and interests. You can also create a profile so for improving your online visability. The service also lets you get the updates of the activities of your friends.

5. 123People

123people is another popular people search engine. The search engine has a well presented results page. The results include photos, videos, blogs, news, tag cloud, email address, phone no, social networking information, web links and premium public records.

6. Yasni

Yasni people search engine displays results from sources including social networks and web pages. You can set up a profile to manage and control information, distinguish from people having the same name and access useful personal functions. The search agent functionality notifies and keeps you updated on new search results for your name.

7. People Jar

People Jar is different from the above mentioned services. It does not focus on finding people by name. It rather helps you search for new people by interest, occupation and characteristics. People Jar helps you make new connections. Eg helps in finding potential collaborators or patrners for some project. It is not a social networking site.

Most Expensive Cars In The World: Top 10 List 2009-2010

2009-09-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

World's Most Expensive Cars

What is the most expensive car in the world? The 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold for $8,700,000 in 1987. However, that car and many alike will not be included in this list because it is not available on the market today. It is hard to imagine someone would actually spend 8 million dollars on a car instead of using it for something more productive. However, if you have the money and the opportunity, you will definitely spend a small fraction of it to place a few of these supercars in your garage. Here is the 10 most expensive production cars on the market.

1. Bugatti Veyron $1,700,000. This is by far the most expensive street legal car available on the market today. It is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.6 seconds. It claims to be the fastest car with a top speed of 253 mph+. However, the title for the fastest car goes to the SSC Ultimate Aero which exceed 253 mph pushing this car to 2nd place for the fastest car.

2. Lamborghini Reventon $1,600,000. The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built is the second on the list. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own.

3. McLaren F1 $970,000. In 1994, the McLaren F1 was the fastest and most expensive car. Even though it was built 15 years ago, it has an unbelievable top speed of 240 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Even as of today, the McLaren F1 is still top on the list and it outperformed many other supercars.

4. Ferrari Enzo $670,000. The most known supercar ever built. The Enzo has a top speed of 217 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only 400 units were produced and it is currently being sold for over $1,000,000 at auctions.

5. Pagani Zonda C12 F $667,321. Produced by a small independent company in Italy, the Pagani Zonda C12 F is the 5th fastest car in the world. It promises to delivery a top speed of 215 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

6. SSC Ultimate Aero $654,400. Don't let the price tag fool you, the 6th most expensive car is actually the fastest street legal car in the world with a top speed of 257 mph+ and reaching 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. This baby cost nearly half as much as the Bugatti Veyron, yet has enough power to top the most expensive car in a speed race. It is estimated that only 25 of this exact model will ever be produced.

7. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo $555,000. The first true American production certified supercar, this cowboy is also rank 3rd for the fastest car in the world. It has a top speed of 248 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. If you are a true American patriot, you can be proud to show off this car.

8. Koenigsegg CCX $545,568. Swedish made, the Koenigsegg is fighting hard to become the fastest car in the world. Currently, it is the 4th fastest car in the world with a top speed of 245 mph+, the car manufacture Koenigsegg is not giving up and will continue to try and produce the fastest car. Good luck with that!

9. Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster $495,000. A GT supercar, the SLR McLaren is the fastest automatic transmission car in the world with a top speed of 206 mph+ and reaching 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. It is a luxurious convertible with a really powerful engine, which results in outstanding performances and style.

10. Porsche Carrera GT $440,000. A supercar with dynamic stability control and a top speed of 205 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. The Porsche Carrera GT applies the absolute calibers of a true racing car to offer an unprecedented driving feeling on the road.

RBI to introduce 100 crore Rs 10 plastic notes

2009-09-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Soiled notes may soon be a thing of past with the Reserve Bank planning to introduce Rs 10 polymer banknotes whose life span would be
4 times the normal currency notes and would be difficult to imitate.

The apex bank has initially decided to introduce 100 crore pieces of Rs 10 polymer notes, for which it has floated a global tender, a senior central bank official said.

Explaining the rationale for introduction of polymer notes, the official said, these notes would have an average life span of 5 years compared to one year for the currency notes.

Besides, the official said, these notes are cleaner than paper notes and it would be difficult to counterfeit the currency.

The polymer notes were first introduced in Australia to safeguard against counterfeiting of currency.

Besides Australia, other countries which have introduced plastic notes include New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Bermuda, Brunei and Vietnam.

The 10 Most Seductive Movie Scenes

2009-09-08T11:26:00.001-07:00

1. Out of Sight

After J.Lo's Karen Sisco shoots down a couple of douche-bag admen (which is itself hot), George Clooney's Jack Foley swoops in. Intercut with their cool-as-ice banter are shots of them—presumably only moments later—disrobing on opposite sides of a hotel room. See? Talking and sex can go together!

2. The Mask of Zorro

You can use rapier wit to disrobe a woman or you can, like Antonio Banderas' Zorro, just use a rapier. His flirtatious sword fight with Catherine Zeta-Jones upped the steamy Latin heat of this movie to ridiculous levels, and you could cut the sexual tension with a...well...

3. Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Sometimes a love story can start in the simplest of ways: A steamy Colombian locale, some tequila, a well-timed rain shower, and two spies posing as a couple in order to evade the authorities. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie—we hear they're a couple in real life!—do the Perfect Genes Tango, but we were the ones getting sweaty.

4. From Dusk Till Dawn

Even if we knew in advance that the bikini-clad Salma Hayek with the albino boa constrictor wrapped around her mind-blowing curves was going to turn into a vampire and kill us, we'd still be just as riveted. If "sex appeal" ever decides to take human form, it need not look any further.

5. National Lampoon's Vacation

"This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy..." It's also hot as hell. Every male of sperm-producing age in the '80s dreamed of finding a nude Christie Brinkley in a hotel pool. And, like Chevy Chase, we too would think about jumping in first, and our wives and kids second.

6. Death Proof

If you were one of the two people who saw this in theaters, you missed the infamous lap dance that Vanessa Ferlito and Sydney Poitier talked about (endlessly) for the first 2/3's of the movie. DVD made it worth the wait, as Ferlito's barroom wigglin' marked instance number 45 where we wished we could be Kurt Russell.

7. True Lies

Normally, when your wife performs a striptease for you, it's suppose to end in torn sweatpants, tears, and booze-soaked apologies—it's not suppose to be this hot. Jamie Lee Curtis unwittingly awakens Lil' Arnie with her back-arching attempt at spy games.

8. Wild Things

Not since Phoebe Cates slinked out of a pool in Fast Times at Ridgemont High have chlorine water and spandex been put to such alluring use. Kevin Bacon's cop makes the point for us when he steps up to Denise Richards slowly toweling off with the line "nice stroke."

9. Cruel Intentions

If knowing something is wrong only makes the temptation stronger, then nothing beats this incest-tinged grindfest. Sarah Michelle Gellar rubs up on stepbrother Ryan Phillippe's lap, teasing her horndog sibling by telling him he can "put it anywhere" if she loses their bet. His wasn't the only lap feeling constricted.

10. The Girl Next Door

Even though it's relatively tame—Elisha Cuthbert's ex–porn star teasingly seduces schoolboy Emile Hirsch—there's something about her panther crawl across the bed that makes this entire scene unbelievably palm-moistening. We, like Hirsch, are instantly reduced to a puddle of nervous sweat.

Top 10 Scientific Discovery of 2008

2009-09-07T13:11:00.000-07:00

Creating Life

Can You Spell Science?

First Family

The North Pole of Mars

Cenozoic Park

More Gorillas in the Mist

Brave New Worlds

Large Hadron Collider

The Power of Ivisibility

China Soars into Space

Abhishek and Aishwarya to be on Oprah Winfrey Show

2009-09-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

THE Bollywood couple Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan are going to be on THE biggest talk show in America, The Oprah Winfrey Show it has been confirmed. Aishwarya's International manager said, "They did do the show in Chicago last week. It will air perhaps in late September, early October, but final dates have not been given. Aishwarya and AB did a great job and had fun."

Apparently Abhishek has confirmed the story as well in a message to a fan, "Ash and I were invited to the Oprah Winfrey show. Cool huh? The topic was the Most Famous People Outside America. It was us, a Chinese lady and a sportsman from South America. Will let you guys know when its airing. Love, AB."

This will be the second time Aishwayra has been on Oprah's show. Her first appearance was in April of 2005 and on that episode she dressed Oprah in a gorgeous pink sari.

We know we want to see the two on Oprah's couch and will be sure to report when the show is airing so check back here soon!