World Hot Trends

Dabangg continues to perform well

2010-09-24T02:55:00.000-07:00

Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha starrer Dabangg creates history. Initially, Dabangg makers thought that the movie would appeal only to the masses, but much to their surprise, the movie even tapped the class audience.

Dabangg created history in Indian cinema collecting 106.24 crore in the 1st 10 days – that’s mind boggling. And not surprising if these numbers are for Salman Khan.

Till recently, Arbaaz Khan and Salman Khan extremely busy promoting Dabangg and now they’re starting to celebrate the success of Dabangg

Arbaaz Khan said, “We’ve going to celebrate and party soon for Dabangg success. It’s still unplanned and we would invite all out friends and colleagues to share our happiness”.

The film collected approx. Rs. 3.15 crore on Monday, taking the 10-day total to approximately Rs. 107.65 crore net.

With Anjaana Anjaani getting pushed ahead by one week, the Dabangg wave is expected to spill over to the third weekend as well.

Dabangg should stand at a total of Rs. 115 crore to Rs. 117 crore net at the end of Week 2, if it continues the momentum on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Superbus to be unveiled in Germany

2010-09-24T02:44:00.000-07:00

What we first believed to be just an engineering exercise is slowly gaining speed and turning into a project which just might change the world as we know it.

The Superbus project, an endeavor meant to create the perfect means of mass transportation, capable of traveling at speeds of 250 km/h (155 mph), is set to be officially presented by Delft University of Technology in Germany.

The vehicle is already being tested by Dutch inventor Wubbo Ockels and his team of engineers and students. The last test, conducted at Lelystad in the Netherlands, saw the vehicle reach a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).

The vehicle is being financially backed by the Dutch government which, according to The Telegraph, already invested a considerable amount of money into the development of the Superbus. The goal is to have the vehicle on the roads in the Netherlands as soon as possible.

Capable of traveling at speeds on dedicated stretches of road the Superbus can seat 23 people. It is built on an aluminum frame wrapped in carbon fiber and features an innovative, variable ground clearance, which allows it to lower itself to a distance of only 7 cm for better aerodynamics while speeding.

The Superbus uses 750 sensors to detect everything from passengers not wearing their seatbelts to objects on the road. It uses electric motors powered by lithium polymer batteries, which give the bus a range of 210 km (130 miles) and a peak output of 600 kW for one minute (804 hp).

The interior of the Superbus is expected to be similar to the comfort offered by the business class in an aircraft.

Fish talk to each other, researcher finds

2010-07-14T20:16:00.000-07:00

The undersea world isn't as quiet as we thought, according to a New Zealand researcher who found fish can "talk" to each other.

Fish communicate with noises including grunts, chirps and pops, University of Auckland marine scientist Shahriman Ghazali has discovered according to newspaper reports Wednesday.

"All fish can hear, but not all can make sound -- pops and other sounds made by vibrating their swim bladder, a muscle they can contract," Ghazali told the New Zealand Herald.

Fish are believed to communicate with each other for different reasons, including attracting mates, scaring off predators or orienting themselves.

The gurnard species has a wide vocal repertoire and keeps up a constant chatter, Ghazali found after studying different species of fish placed into tanks.

On the other hand, cod usually kept silent, except when they were spawning.

"The hyopothesis is that they are using sound as a synchronisation so that the male and female release their eggs at the same time for fertilisation," he said.

Some reef fish, such as the damselfish, made sounds to attempt to scare off threatening fish and even divers, he said.

But anyone hoping to strike up a conversation with their pet goldfish is out of luck.

"Goldfish have excellent hearing, but excellent hearing doesn't associate with vocalisation -- they don't make any sound whatsoever," Ghazali said.

He was to present his findings to the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society conference on Wednesday.

Amazing jellyfish lake in Philippines

2010-07-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

Philippines boasts of a lake full of jellyfish, offering to people from around the world a recreational spot.

With the sun’s first rays, Jellyfish Lake, located 550 miles east of the Philippines in the island nation of Palau, comes alive. As the sky brightens in the east, the golden jellies turn and swim toward a solar beacon.

Jellyfish Lake is one of the famous tourist attractions on the Pacific island of Eil Malk in Palau. This type of jellyfish is not dangerous for humans and tourists like to swim among them. Jellyfish Lake is one of Palau's most famous dive sites.

It is notable for the millions of golden jellyfish which migrate horizontally across the lake daily. Jellyfish lake is around 12,000 years old.

Women change 104 hairstyles during lifetime

2010-07-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

Researchers found the typical female will have her hair layered, shortened or coloured twice a year between the ages of 13 and 65 – or 104 times in her life.

The main reasons for a shift in style are "boredom'" with their current look or the end of a relationship.

It also emerged the average female tries out three different colours over the years, while one in four experiments with up to five shades.

The statistics were uncovered in a report commissioned by award-winning hairdresser Andrew Collinge.

He said: "Women have always used their hair as a way of altering their appearance as it often has the greatest impact visually.

"My feeling is that women are changing their looks little and often rather than dramatic changes.

"For example, you can add modern texture without altering the length just by adding some layers or by drying and styling differently – think Jennifer Aniston.

"Hopefully, with the help and advice of their hairdresser they are making these smaller changes to a style which already suits them – hence reaching almost 100 styles.

"This could also be the impact of trends from the catwalk or celebrities, inspiring women to change their hair in the same way they may adopt a fashion trend.

"In my salons we certainly see women bringing in pictures of the latest look which inspires them."

The study of 3,000 women revealed 44 per cent changed their hair style or colour simply because they were bored, while 61 per cent admit they 'just wanted a change'.

Another 25 per cent did it to "reinvent" themselves while 38 per cent did it to feel more confident.

Sixteen per cent opted for a new cut or colour to mark a milestone birthday while 15 per cent treated themselves to a new look before or after giving birth.

Almost a third of women change styles or dye their hair following a relationship break-up or divorce, while 17 per cent did it to conceal grey hairs.

But the change is not always for the better, with almost three quarters of women admitting they regretted at least one of their hairstyles in the past.

Twelve per cent said they changed styles because they were getting too old to carry off their old look.

The study also found long hair with a fringe is the most popular hairstyle with 69 per cent adopting this look at some point in their lives.

Two thirds have styled their hair into a bob while 61 per cent have gone with long layers.

Short hair with a fringe, long curls and a perm are also popular choice of cuts over the years.

Dark brown is the colour of choice for 56 per cent of women who have modelled this tint, followed by a dark honey blonde hue.

Fifty-eight per cent also admitted they were planning to change their current style in the near future while 56 per cent said they would seek the advice of their hairdresser before taking the plunge.

The study also found one in ten women have even sported ten or more hues over their adult life.

Andrew Collinge added: "With our modern, everyday stresses and hectic lifestyles, often a restyle or a new colour is an effective and easy way to boost a woman's confidence.

"Also a new hair style can help a woman through a life-changing event, either by making them feel better about themselves after breaking up with a partner, or to celebrate reaching a big birthday."

Oksana Grigorieva Said She Got Restraining Order Before Mel Gibson Did

2010-06-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

TMZ has learned it was Oksana Grigorieva who got a domestic violence restraining order against Mel Gibson, and not vice versa ... and she claims the actor was violent toward her.

We've learned Oksana's lawyers went to the family law court in downtown L.A. last Monday for an emergency hearing, and told the judge that Mel allegedly got violent with her -- two sources say Oksana claimed Mel was "extremely violent."

Sources tell TMZ the judge issued a restraining order prohibiting Mel from having any contact with Oksana. We're told the next day, Mel's lawyers went back to court and got the order modified so Mel could see their daughter.

We're told Mel also got a restraining order against Oksana, but only with respect to prohibiting her from releasing certain information.

A source connected with Mel Gibson scoffed at Oksana's allegations, claiming the alleged incidents occurred this past January and she traveled with him afterwards -- all over the world. As the source put it, "In these cases, when somebody cries wolf, the judge is mandated to assume there's a wolf, until a full hearing can be held."

A source connected with Oksana confirms the alleged violent incidents occurred in January, but added, "There were other acts after January that were not physical but still constituted domestic violence."

No more Mr. Nice Judges on 'So You Think You Can Dance'

2010-06-07T07:16:00.000-07:00

Just when we were starting to think they were the nicest people on reality TV, the "So You Think You Can Dance" judges got a little feisty on Thursday night.

In Dallas, they accused Haylee, a girl who was trying out in memory of her late father, of having a "stank face" when she dances. "Stank face" got one more chance to loosen up, but in the end, she didn't make the cut. But stank face was Baryshnikov compared to the guy who auditioned on skates, aka "Scooter Rocket." Scooter Rocket described his style as "scooter style" and called "scooter rocket" "a way of seeing the world." Huh? Were we the only ones who had no idea what he was talking about? The judges actually laughed in his face and did not back down when Scooter tried to draw a connection between his style and the economy.

"This has nothing to do with the economy," guest judge Tyce Diorio said. Our thoughts exactly! Nigel even compared Scooter to "Clay Aiken's younger brother" — ouch!

Things picked up a bit with Nicole — and by up, we mean way up. Nicole had her hair piled high in a Marge Simpson-style bun, which oddly enough became a liability for her in the competition. Tyce went so far as to say she had the kind of talent that "comes along every 100 years" — but later, they needed to her perform again WITHOUT the bun to make a decision. Who knew that hair had such an effect on a person's dancing? Nigel got in another good line at the expense of Deroccius, whose routine to Britney Spears' "Toxic" was straight out of our step aerobics class. "You might make the Dallas cowboy cheerleaders," but you're not right for this show, he reasoned. Please, Nigel — we really don't want to see Deroccius in a miniskirt. Next up, a real-life Mafia princess. Gorgeous Marcella, the daughter of a convicted mobster, revealed that guys were too scared to date her in high school, even though she's a dead ringer for Shakira. We actually loved her audition, but the judges sent her to choreography, saying she needed to find her "passion" or Fuggedaboutit (yes, there were mobster jokes aplenty). Guest judge Toni Redpath got pretty hot and heavy over Jordan, a former addict who is now five years' clean. "You're not traditionally handsome, but your energy is sexy. I want to crawl over the table," she cooed. Down, girl!

Unfortunately for Toni — who is Scarlett Johansson's lookalike — Jordan had no ballroom dancing ability whatsoever. On to Tennessee, where the judges got even snarkier. Two Amish-looking BFFs did a Flamenco dance right out of the fourth-grade talent show, leading Nigel to quip, "You make dead people seem like party animals." All in all, 122 contestants made it to Vegas, a number that will be boiled down to five guys and five girls. Sarah, the "big dancer" from last week, is already out. Another guy from Queens, N.Y., "danced for his life" and now he's in. Ida, whose mother wasn't allowed to dance in Iran, is still in, but looks like there's trouble ahead for her next week. And a guy with painful scoliosis didn't make the cut but will appear on the show with his "crew" at some point.

Brit girl, 7, has a granny's body

2010-06-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

A seven-year old Brit girl has the face and body of an old woman as she suffers from a rare genetic disorder called Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome.

The condition, shared by just another child in the UK, makes Ashanti Elliott-Smith age eight times faster than normal, reducing her life expectancy to 13.

She currently battles problems of ageing like arthritis and a weakening heart.

Ashanti's hair growth has stopped. She is now bald and plagued by wrinkles like any elderly person.

She currently stands at just under 3ft and is just 2st, the usual weight for a three-year-old.

She needs extra care and hygiene because illnesses like chicken pox and flu can kill her.

However, when Ashanti was born in May 2003, she weighed 5lb 10oz and looked like a healthy baby.

"I'd had a normal pregnancy and I thought she was perfect. Her dad Albi and I were thrilled," the News of the World quoted mum Phoebe, as saying.

The first symptoms of the disorder crept in at three weeks, when Ashanti's body started to convulse.

Doctors mistakenly thought the baby had been violently shaken by an adult.

But over the next few months her condition worsened.

Phoebe, 24, who lives near Brighton, said: "She was still jerking and she wasn't gaining weight and she was still bald - and my health visitor thought I was neglecting her."

Just before Ashanti's first birthday she was sent to London's Great Ormond Street children's hospital.

Phoebe said: "A doctor there took one look at her and knew straight away what it was.

"When he told us what Progeria was, I fainted in the room. Afterwards Albi explained to me it would be just like looking after a grandmother.

"He said we had to care for Ashanti as if she was an old person, as her body would age so fast. It was devastating but I knew I had to carry on and cope with it."

A defective gene causes progeria but the disorder not hereditary; Ashanti's little sister Brandy Lou does not have it.

Phoebe has taken Ashanti's illness in her stride.

She said: "We make the most of each day.

"Ashanti's such an easy-going lively little girl - she's so precious.

"I'm so proud of her. She doesn't let her condition bother her at all. She's such a big character and everyone knows when she is in the room."

Ashanti's dad Albi Elliott, 40, said: "I used to own a metal recycling company and I've given it up to spend as much time with Ashanti as I can.

"I'm so proud of her - she is a great daughter."

Like all kids her age, Ashanti goes to a mainstream school, loves playing with pup Samson and is a huge fan of Girls Aloud and JLS.

Jessica Biel Goes Glam

2010-06-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

Actress Jessica Biel may be the world's hottest tomboy.

In the July issue of Glamour magazine, the "A-Team" star admits that she spent most of her teen years in "No Fear" T-shirts.

These days, she is the portrait of Hollywood beauty, and everyone wants to know about her love life and how she stays in such great shape. Click through our exclusive sneak peek to see Jess' lovely pics, then pick up the issue, on newstands now.

Israel restricts access to Al-Aqsa mosque

2010-06-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

Israeli police on Friday restricted access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound amid tension over Israel's deadly commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld also said police "are on high alert across the country and particularly in Jerusalem," adding that hundreds of officers are deployed around the Old City.

Only women and men over 40 will be allowed to attend Friday prayers at the mosque compound, he said. The site is the third holiest in Islam and the holiest for Jews because their Second Temple stood there before Romans destroyed it in 70 AD. The area has often been the site of clashes in the past.

Tension has been high since Israeli commandos stormed an aid flotilla set up to break the Gaza embargo, killing nine of the activists on board on Monday.

Ankle-Monitored Lindsay Lohan Changes Drinking Habits

2010-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Lindsay Lohan has turned to caffeine for her latest kicks, and spent the holiday downing can after can of Red Bull.

The newly sober starlet -- who was banned from drinking alcohol by a judge and ordered to wear a Scram monitoring bracelet -- partied with pals including British actress and reality star Lady Victoria Hervey during Memorial Day weekend.

Friends say Lohan lives on eight cans of Red Bull a day, followed by Coca-Cola, and chain-smokes cigarettes. After spending Saturday sunbathing with Hervey at Pacific Palisades, she tweeted: "Red Bull and waters and work -- my new bff's hehe. Everyone should try it! It's more fun -- you'll see."

Lohan and aristocrat Hervey -- who is set to appear in the next season of Tinsley Mortimer's show "High Society"-- have become close friends after hanging out together at the Cannes Film Festival.

Sources tell us Lohan, who kept her alcohol-monitoring bracelet covered up under a pair of knee-high boots, is really trying hard to mend her ways. One told us, "Lindsay finally realizes the seriousness of the situation she faces. She doesn't want to go to jail and she wants her career back. She is trying to surround herself with people who are a good influence instead of the usual enablers."

Lady Victoria is said to be a good influence because she's seen the perils of drugs. Her half-brother John Hervey, the 7th Marquess of Bristol, was a heavy drug user and died in 1999 of AIDS-related illnesses.

But Lohan's new clean act has yet to open doors for her in Hollywood. She tried to check into the plush Sunset Tower Hotel for the weekend, but was refused. An onlooker told us, "The front desk manager told Lindsay they were full. But she wouldn't take no for an answer and kept insisting the Internet said there was room. She even insisted the front desk call the owner Jeff Klein, but he was not available, and was again told 'Sorry, no room.' So she stormed off."

Tallest waterfall kayaked by a woman

2010-06-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

Christie Glissmeyer, 31, of Hood River, Oregon, a student and part-time bar worker, who is part of Femme 45, a ladies' kayaking adventure team, plummeted 82 feet off Metlako Falls at Eagle Creek, Oregon - setting the new world record for the Tallest waterfall kayaked by a woman.

Speaking of her new world record, she said: "It was about double the size of any waterfall I had previously run.

"The horizon line was very intimidating and it looked like the river was dropping off the face of the earth. It took a lot of concentration to keep my nerves under control so that I wouldn't make a mistake.

"But halfway down I was enveloped by the veil of water around me and the landing was surprisingly soft. It was a very exciting day."

The incredible feat added to Christie's already impressive repertoire of extreme sports trophies collected around the world.

In 2009 and 2008 she was undefeated in the Western Whitewater Championship racing series, Western US.

In 2008 she was Women's Champion of the Himalayan Whitewater Festival in Nepal, and in 2007 she scooped first place in the Teva Extreme Games, Italy.

Brave kayakers Christie Glissmeyer, 31, (a student), Kate Wagner, 29, (a mental health therapist) and Melissa DeCarlo, 30, (a certified public accountant ) take life to the limit with their daring antics down some of America's fastest and most dangerous rivers.

Together they form ladies' adventure team Femme 45 and recruit other daredevil women who want more excitement from their lives.

The group's name comes from the signature 45-second video clips they shoot to document and share their extreme experiences.

All three of the girls are actively involved with volunteering at some of the camps. Christie is volunteering as a safety boater, Kate is volunteering as a photographer, and Melissa is volunteering as a camp counsellor.

The previous Guinness world record for the tallest waterfall kayaked by women was 78-foot, set by Shannon Carroll in 1998.

Golden Girl Rue McClanahan dies at 76

2010-06-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

The award-winning performer played feisty Southern belle Blanche in the popular series.

McClanahan, who underwent heart bypass surgery last year, is the third of the main cast members to pass away.

Only Betty White remains, following the deaths of Estelle Getty and Bea Arthur, who died in 2008 and 2009.

Drag queen mother

White, 88, recently hosted Saturday Night Live, and fans are lobbying for her to present next year's Academy Awards.

"I treasured our relationship," she said. "It hurts more than I ever thought it would, if that's even possible."

McClanahan had a varied stage career before landing the role of Blanche Devereaux in 1985 when The Golden Girls hit the small screen.

The actress said of her seductive character: "She is in love with life and loves men.

"I think she has an attitude towards women that's competitive. I think basically she's insecure."

Blanche always referred to her father as "Big Daddy" and was the perpetual target of her housemates.

McClanahan won an Emmy for her role in 1987.

Five years later, after The Golden Girls ended, she co-starred alongside White and Getty in a short-lived spin-off called Golden Palace.

Earlier in her career, she had appeared with Arthur in the 1970s sitcom Maude as her best friend and sidekick.

In later years, she continued to appear on TV and on stage, playing the elderly mother of a drag queen in 2008 serial Sordid Lives, which included the filming of a sex scene.

The actress was recovering from knee surgery at the time, but still hung onto a window sill when the bed she was using broke.

McClanahan, who was born in Oklahoma, married six times and wrote a memoir in 2007 entitled My First Five Husbands... And The Ones Who Got Away.

Cyclone Phet takes new direction

2010-06-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

The eye of cyclone Phet is 200 kilometers away from Masirah, an eastern Island of Oman which has been hit by heavy rains and strong winds.

According to Arab TV, the authorities have completed evacuation of the people from Masirah Island and areas on the eastern coast of Oman.

Heavy rains lashed Oman's areas along its east coast particularly Masirah Island.

The cyclone, rated at a factor of 3.5 on a scale of five, was moving northwestwardly at a speed of eight kilometres (five miles) an hour. Winds were blowing at a 180 kilometres (112 miles) an hour.

The capital Muscat further north could be affected by Saturday, authorities said.

But Muscat airport was still open with no intention to suspend flights, Transport Minister Salem al-Nuaimi said.

Phet was expected to veer towards the Indian and Pakistani coasts, sparing Oman a devastating impact similar to that of cyclone Gonu. It tore through Oman in 2007, killing at least 49 people and causing damage worth 3.9 billion dollars.

The cyclone is expected to hit Pakistan’s coastal areas on Sunday at a medium pace. It’s speed could touch 34 to 47 nautical miles with tides up to 3 to 5 meter high.

Heavy rains with strong winds are expected in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan in the next 84 hours.

Fort Hood shooting suspect makes 1st court appearance as defense attorney seeks to delay case

2010-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

A military court hearing has begun for the Army psychiatrist accused of gunning down 13 people at Fort Hood, and his defense attorney is likely to seek a delay.

Maj. Nidal Hasan (nih-DAHL' hah-SAHN') made his first courtroom appearance Tuesday, but wasn't expected to speak at the hearing. Military prosecutors and defense attorneys instead were to discuss case preparations.Defense attorney John Galligan says he'll seek to delay Hasan's Article 32 hearing. That's similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding in which a judge hears witness testimony to determine whether the case should go to trial.The Army psychiatrist accused of opening fire at Fort Hood, killing 13 and wounding dozens more, was to make his first military courtroom appearance Tuesday as his attorney seeks to delay the case.

Neither Maj. Nidal Hasan nor any witnesses were expected to speak during the hearing, at which military prosecutors and defense attorneys planned to discuss case preparations and other basic matters.

Defense attorney John Galligan said he would seek to delay Hasan's Article 32 hearing, which is similar to a civilian grand jury proceeding in which a judge hears witness testimony to determine whether the case should go to trial. No date has been set, but authorities have said the trial could be held as early as July 1.

Galligan said the Article 32 hearing should not proceed before Oct. 1 because he still needs key documents, including some of Hasan's military records, FBI files on Hasan's alleged contact with a radical Islamic cleric in Yemen months before the shooting, and some government reviews of the shooting rampage.

Officials increased security at the court building Tuesday, blocking off the road to the Lawrence J. Williams Judicial Center, bomb-sniffing dogs searched the parking lot and visitors were screened with hand-held metal detectors. Usually none of those precautions are taken.

Hasan is awaiting a mental evaluation, which is to be conducted sometime after the Article 32 hearing. A panel of doctors will determine whether Hasan had a severe mental illness at the time of the shooting. If so, the doctors will offer a clinical psychological diagnosis and determine whether it prevented Hasan from knowing his alleged actions were wrong at the time, and if he is competent to stand trial, according to military law.

Prosecutors have not announced if they will seek the death penalty against Hasan, who faces 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the worst mass shooting on a U.S. military post.

If convicted, Hasan could be sentenced to death only if the military jurors determine there is an aggravating factor, according to military law. Last month, prosecutors sent a notice to Galligan listing one aggravating factor in the case: that more than one person was killed in the same incident.

Experts have said prosecutors would not send such a notice unless they planned to seek the death penalty.

While Tuesday's hearing is the second for Hasan, it is the first time he will appear in a Fort Hood courtroom. His initial hearing — two weeks after the Nov. 5 shootings — was held in his hospital room at San Antonio's Brooke Army Medical Center. He was paralyzed from the chest down after being wounded that day by military police officers.

8 Ways Faith Can Heal

2010-05-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

Here are 8 ways faith can heal.

1. Faith provides social support.

Not surprisingly, a major reason why regular churchgoers have half the risk of dying over the next eight years as people who skip religious services is due to the social support gained by a church community. One consistent happiness key is weaving a network of support for yourself. We all need a security net. If you go to church regularly, and especially if you get involved in your parish or church community, that social support is provided. Also, regular churchgoers are more likely to GIVE support to others, and this act of generosity--any altruistic activity, really--promotes better health.

2. Faith engages the senses.

I never thought about it this way until reading the quote by Ted Kaptchuk, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School . He says, "Religious belief is not just a mind question but involves the commitment of one's body as well. The sensory organs, tastes, smells, sounds, music, the architecture of religious buildings [are involved]."

He's so right. That's why, when I'm in a bad place, I often go sit in an empty church and find comfort there, looking at the stained-glass windows, the sapphire ceiling with stars, the wooden stations of the cross, and the statues of the saints. I will light a few votive candles, for all my intentions, and also for those whose intentions got accidentally blown out last Sunday by my kids. This sensory experience is also why I'm brought to tears at Christmas time when I hear a beautiful version of "O Holy Night."

3. Faith reinforces a belief system.

Did you know that you're happier and healthier when you think that you're right (regardless of whether or not you really are).

Think about the last fight you had with your family. If you and your sister "won" it (your brother got down on his knees ... "I was so very wrong"), you know that primal feeling of superiority that I'm talking about: the one that apes experience, and insecure people like myself. But the apes and immature folks are merely confirming a theory that positive psychologists have known for a long time: that people bond when they hold common opinions and beliefs, and this kind of bonding leads to happiness. It's like a positive gossip session.

Church is all about this kind of bonding. You believe that God sent his only son so that we might have life and have it more abundantly? ME TOO! Get out!

4. Faith provides good laws to live by.

Religion and spirituality do what a parent or supervisor at work does: give you 10 laws to abide by. And, although you may stick out your tongue at those regulations and try to break a few of them, you are actually glad that they exist, because, for the most part, your life runs more smoothly when you follow them. These expectations, or dogmas, keep you on track. In an interview with Beliefnet, Dr. Harold Koenig, co-director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health at Duke University Medical Center said this:

Some of the things we'd like to get rid of in religion--the dogma, the laws--may be the ingredients that result in better health. You should have only one spouse, you shouldn't cheat on your spouse, you shouldn't get involved in Internet pornography--all that's forbidden. We learned that if people get involved in doing those things they risk their health. Whether it's a sin in a spiritual sense or not, it's bad for them. So these rules and regulations and laws--love your neighbor and help your neighbor and give your neighbor--are good for us.

5. Faith attaches meaning to events.

Here's how scripture benefits my health: it offers me plenty of examples of how some very bad situations (think Job) were redeemed in the end, and that all the suffering actually had a purpose, that there was some greater good that came out of it. I cling to that very message on my darker days. I have to trust that my night won't last forever, that there will always be a light in the distance, and that God will carry me there if I get too weak to walk.

My faith gives me hope.

And hope, doctors say, is about the best thing you can do for your body. It's better than a placebo.

6. Faith inspires gratitude.

Doctors have always said the optimists fare better in surgery and combating any type of illness than pessimists. Gratitude, like humor, boosts your immune system, make you more resilient to stress, counters depression and anxiety, and helps to lower your production of cortisol, the hormone that is bad news all around.

Faith motivates gratitude in that it reminds a person to count her blessings and to thank God often for them. Spirituality and religion also encourage a broader perspective of the world--of global needs--and in doing so foster a deeper appreciation of our circumstances.

7. Faith encourages fasting.

Most religious traditions incorporate some cleansing fast as a ritual: Catholics have Lent, Jews have Yom Kippur, Muslims have Ramadan, and so forth. Fasting has spiritual benefits, of course--some believers can achieve a temporary state of clarity and peace by abstaining from certain foods or limiting their caloric intake--but the physiological impact is profound, as well, because these fasts are a way for the body to purge toxins.

8. Faith changes the brain.

Engaging in prayer and meditation can actually change your brain.

Long-term meditators--those with 15 years of practice or more--appear to have thicker frontal lobes than nonmeditators. People who describe themselves as highly spiritual tend to exhibit an asymmetry in the thalamus--a feature that other people can develop after just eight weeks of training in meditation skills.

Government Scientists Are Consulting But Unable to Stop BP Oil Spill

2010-05-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

In what is measuring up to be the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history, the government is nearly helpless to stop the oil flowing from the Deepwater Horizon well that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20.The White House said Sunday that it expects the spill to grow by 20 percent after BP gets started with its latest effort to contain the spill, beginning Monday or Tuesday. The White House also said it is tripling its environmental cleanup crew.

But the additional spillage is opposite what BP Managing Director Bob Dudley said on "Fox News Sunday" -- that the decision to cut open the pipes in order to put a cap on the well will likely not add to the amount of oil flowing into the water.

"What we need is a clean cut across the top of that riser package at the bottom of the sea. The amount of oil will not change. The oil was coming out anyway from just above it at a broken area of the pipe at the end of the pipe. So that is not going to change the flow," he said.

President Obama's top environmental adviser Carol Browner said Sunday the government is responding with what she called the largest environmental mobilization effort ever, but it looks like it could be up to BP to dig a new well before the gushing spill stops pouring into the Gulf of Mexico.There's not just one being dug, there are two. Because we insisted -- the government insisted that there be a second one in case something went wrong with the first one," Browner said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

That's after BP's "top kill" effort to plug the hole with hundreds of thousands of pounds of mud failed. BP is looking at the next alternative -- trying to grab the oil that's spilling into the water and move it onto a vessel that will pull the oil onshore.

"Obviously that's not the preferred scenario. We always knew that the relief well was the permanent way to close this, to get it killed so there wasn't oil coming up while the relief well was being drilled was the second option. Now we move to the third option which is to contain it," Browner said.

The federal government has placed 150 scientists on the case, and concerns have been raised to BP about putting additional pressure on the leaking well that could make the spill worse.

The government estimates that 12,000-19,000 barrels of oil are being released daily from 5,000 feet below the sea. Estimates are at about 18 million to 40 million gallons have been dumped into the Gulf since the explosion.

Dudley said after the last containment dome failed because ice crystals formed in the pipe, scientists learned to pump warm sea water down the column of the pipe to prevent the same kind of problems while trying to get the oil up into the vessel.

Dudley said he was hopeful the odds of success are greater than the 60 to 70 percent odds put on the top kill method.

"We feel like the percentages are better that we'll be able to contain the oil. The question is how much of the oil we'll be able to contain, and the objective is to try to collect the majority of it through this vessel," he said.David Vitter and other lawmakers and state officials have complained that not enough booms have been put up to shield Louisiana's shores, where 150 miles of coastline are already affected. He said he is very dissatisfied with the administration's response.

"The state and locals came up with a plan on emergency dredging barrier islands well over two weeks ago. For over two weeks, the corps and other federal agencies dragged their feet. 9:16:49 Then, they approved moving forward with 2 percent of that plan," he told CNN.

Vitter said the disaster has not turned him against offshore drilling -- that would be like saying he's opposed to air travel after a plane crash. More importantly, Vitter said, the key is to finding out what went wrong and making sure it doesn't happen again.

To that extent the Republican senator is on the same page as the administration, though Vitter and Browner part ways on stopping deep water drilling until that investigation is complete, a situation Browner acknowledged only compounds economic troubles for the region and the country.

"In the Arctic they've been shut down. In the Gulf of Mexico they've been shut down, including 33 rigs that were out there drilling right now, which we understand is going to be hard on those people," she said. "We have to learn from this accident. In the interim we have shut down all deep water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico until we have an answer to, one, how can you make sure that these operations are safe, that there are redundancies in place? ... Secondly, what happens when those redundancies don't work?"

In the meantime, the nation's top environmental advocate acknowledged that the devastation is beyond any scope the U.S. has ever seen.

"More oil is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico than as any other time in our history. It means there's more and more -- more oil than the Exxon Valdez," she said.

Brush teeth to 'prevent' heart disease

2010-05-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

People who fail to brush their teeth twice a day are putting themselves at risk of heart disease, research suggests.

The Scottish study of more than 11,000 adults backs previous research linking gum disease with heart problems.

The researchers said more work is needed to confirm if poor oral health directly causes heart disease or is a marker of risk.

A charity added that oral hygiene was just one factor in good heart health.

It is known that inflammation in the body, including in the mouth and gums, has an important role in the build up of clogged arteries, which can lead to a heart attack.

But this is the first time that researchers have looked at whether the frequency of teeth brushing has any bearing on the risk of developing heart disease.

Then nurses collected information on medical history and family history of heart disease, took blood pressure and blood samples.

Overall, six out of 10 people said they visited the dentist every six months and seven out 10 reported brushing their teeth twice a day.

Over the eight-year study there were 555 "cardiovascular events" such as heart attacks, 170 of which were fatal.

Cause and effect

Study leader Professor Richard Watt, from University College London, said future studies will be needed to confirm whether the link between oral health behaviour and cardiovascular disease "is in fact causal or merely a risk marker".

Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at British Heart Foundation, said: "If you don't brush your teeth, your mouth can become infected with bacteria which can cause inflammation.

"However, it is complicated by the fact that poor oral hygiene is often associated with other well known risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking and poor diet."

She added: "Good personal hygiene is a basic element of a healthy lifestyle.

"But if you want to help your heart, you should eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking and take part in regular physical activity."

Professor Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, added it was still unclear whether there was a definite cause and effect between oral hygiene and heart disease.

"Whatever the true position is, we can say with certainty that if people brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, visit the dentist regularly and restrict sugary snacks to mealtimes; that this will go a long way towards keeping the teeth and gums in a healthy state for life."

Bee stripes may not keep predators away

2010-05-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Bumblebees' distinctive bright yellow and black stripes may not be what keeps them safe from their enemies, scientists say.

A UK study has shown that other aspects of bees' behaviour may matter more than the classic bee colour to keep predators away.

This could be the way bumblebees fly or perhaps the buzzing sound they make, say the scientists.

The results of the study were published in the Journal of Zoology.

Scientists have long believed that once flying predators get stung by a bee, they remember their experience and in the future rely strongly on colour cues to identify their prey.

"The first time a bird eats a brightly coloured bumblebee it gets a nasty surprise. Remembering the bee's bright colours may help the bird to avoid making the same mistake again," said Dr Nigel Raine from the School of Biological Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London, a researcher on the study.

Birds perceive the world differently to humans, being able to see light in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum. But they can still distinguish between different species of bees, explained the scientist.

So the researchers wanted to check if bees' colours were the only thing that helped to warn off predators.

'Unexpected' results Dr Raine and his colleagues from the University of London set up a number of colonies from different populations of bumblebees in the UK, Germany and Sardinia.

Though some insects had similar colour patterns - bands of bright yellow, white, orange or red and regions of black, others looked quite different from one another.

"In the UK, they are yellow-and-black-striped with a white tip on the abdomen, but in the Canary Islands for example they don't have any yellow bands at all - they're just black and white," said Dr Raine.

The scientists expected birds to rely on visual clues, meaning they would be more likely to attack bees that looked different from the ones they were used to.

"All our bees were individually numbered with tags on the back of the thorax, so that we could keep track of each individual that left and entered the nest," said the researcher.

The scientists then counted how many bees did not return to their nest and compared the loss rate of different Bombus terrestris populations with different colour patterns in the same environment.

They got some rather unexpected results, said Dr Raine.

"Predators didn't seem to target the unusually coloured bees more than the native populations we tested. Perhaps the bumbling way in which all bumblebees fly or their distinctive deep buzzing are more important clues to help would-be predators avoid a nasty sting," he said.

His colleague Ralph Stelzer, the main author of the study and a PhD student at Queen Mary, University of London, called the findings surprising.

"The results mean that the explanation for the bumblebees' colouration patterns is not as simple as previously thought,"

Seven atom transistor sets the pace for future PCs

2010-05-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

Researchers have shown off a transistor made from just seven atoms that could be used to create smaller, more powerful computers.

Transistors are tiny switches used as the building blocks of silicon chips.

If the new atomic transistor can be made in large numbers it could mean chips with components up to 100 times smaller than on existing processors.

The Australian creators of the transistor hope it is also a step towards a solid-state quantum computer.

The transistor is not the smallest ever created as two research groups have previously managed to produce working single-atom transistors.

However, the device is many times smaller than the components found in chips in contemporary computers. On chips where components are 22 nanometres in size, transistor gates are about 42 atoms across.

The working transistor was created by replacing seven atoms in a silicon crystal with phosphorus atoms.

"Now we have just demonstrated the world's first electronic device in silicon systematically created on the scale of individual atoms," said Professor Michelle Simmons, lead researcher on the project at the University of New South Wales.

Moore's Law predicts that the amount of memory that can fit on a given area of silicon, for a fixed cost doubles every 12-18 months. The limit of this prediction is being tested as components get ever smaller and their computationally useful properties become less reliable.

If an entire chip could be made with every one of its billions of transistors made from the silicon crystals, it could mean an "exponential" leap in processing power, said Professor Simmons.

The researchers are a long way from a commercial process because the tiny transistor they created was handmade. The team used a scanning tunnelling microscope to move the phosphorus atoms into place.

The work on the tiny transistor is being carried out as part of a larger project to create a quantum computer.

The research team revealed their results in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Oil leaks from tanker collision off Singapore

2010-05-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Emergency teams are working to contain a crude oil spill after two ships - a tanker and a bulk carrier - collided in waters off Singapore.

Port officials said no injuries had been reported but the Malaysian-registered tanker had ruptured one of its tanks.

An estimated 2,000 tonnes of crude oil are leaking into the sea.

The collision happened in the Strait of Singapore, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said the Malaysian-registered tanker Bunga Kelana 3 was damaged in a collision with the MV Wally, registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Bunga Kelana 3 was carrying light crude oil and condensate.

"The collision caused a 10-metre (yard) tear in the left side of the tanker and 2,000 metric tonnes of crude oil has spilled into the sea where the collision occurred," Cmdr Abdul Hadib bin Abdul Wahab of the Malaysian Coastguard told Reuters.

Both ships are anchored off Singapore as work continues to contain and clean up the oil spill.

The Malaysia-based operators of the tanker, AET, said booms were being placed around the vessel to contain the spill.

Salvage operators said the oil could damage the local environment but that the speed of the response had reduced the impact.

"I think it can be controlled - 2,00r who asked not to be named told the AFP news agency.

There was no reported effect on shipping traffic in the Strait of Singapore, one of the world's busiest sea lanes, connecting trade routes from Asia to Africa and Europe.

Jamaica security forces storm 'drugs lord' stronghold

2010-05-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

Jamaican security forces are fighting with gunmen as the government attempts to take control of an alleged drug lord's stronghold in the capital.

Gunfire erupted as troops and police stormed the Tivoli Gardens area to search for Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who is wanted in the US.

A soldier was killed. It follows two police deaths on Sunday.

Supporters of Mr Coke are fighting to stop his extradition to the US on drug and gun-running charges.

So far there is no indication that the security forces have been successful in tracking down their target in the warren-like slum.

Gunmen in the area are reported to be heavily armed. There are unconfirmed reports of civilian victims.

Mr Coke, who insists he is a legitimate businessman, enjoys the support of many impoverished Kingston residents who see him as a benefactor and have vowed to protect him at any cost.

There are also reports of violence in other parts of the capital, raising fears that the unrest is spreading.

A state of emergency remains in place in parts of Kingston.

The restrictions were imposed on Friday after several police stations were attacked following an announcement by the prime minister agreeing to the extradition of Mr Coke.

Heavy resistance

The BBC's Nick Davis in Kingston says the operation started about noon on Monday, when large numbers of soldiers were seen heading to the poor Tivoli Gardens area.

Security Minister Dwight Nelson said the soldiers, in a joint operation with police, had broken down the barricades around Tivoli Gardens and were conducting a house-to-house search for Mr Coke.

"The purpose of the operation is to execute the warrant for extradition and to detain [Coke] so he can appear in court," he told the BBC.

He insisted the police were "doing everything in their power to ensure the city remains safe".

But some reports said police had met heavy resistance from gunmen as they tried to enter Tivoli Gardens.

Residents in the area were advised to remain indoors but the streets were already quiet as Jamaica observed its Labour Day holiday.

The US State Department said the fighting had intermittently blocked the road to Kingston's international airport and forced the cancellation of some flights.

Web-enabled TVs sweeping CES

2010-05-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

After the full day of press conferences preceding the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), there's one big trend that keeps coming up from every electronics company hawking their wares to the press corps. They all are cranking out TVs that can easily link up to the web.

While we've seen a trickle of attempts, plans and half-hearted hookups to the internet in the past couple of years, this year at CES, that trickle has turned into a torrent. Web connectivity is at the top of the hype list for Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, and Toshiba. Why are they all so eager to make it easy for TV viewers to access online content from their living rooms?

That's easy: because viewers want it. A Toshiba executive told us that of all the consumers able to connect to RSS services using Toshiba's Internet-connected TVs, an astonishing 25% of them connected and began receiving feeds. That's a remarkable acceptance rate for technology that didn't even exist a couple of years ago. Because of such heightened interest, we think in a matter of two to three years, it'll be hard to find a TV that doesn't have these web-enabled features.

Sure, people could go to websites using their computers in what's commonly called a "lean forward" experience, but what about going to many of those same web destinations in the living room, when they're kicking back in "lean back" mode? People are changing, and so are websites. Web content is not all "lean forward" content any more. Examples? Think YouTube videos, websites offering full TV episodes in HD, and Netflix replacing truckloads of red envelopes with reliable electronic bandwidth and a website.

Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Sharp are becoming increasingly interested in that sweet concept, which reflects a larger trend: all television is headed this way. Why settle for 500 channels of cable TV when you can have 5 million channels on the web? Manufacturers such as Sony, LG, Samsung and the other giants know this, and they're making it easy for users to snag this content right from a TV set with no computer in sigh

WHAT’S NEW IN FLOWER ARRANGING TRENDS?

2010-05-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Flower trends can come and go almost as fast as trends in the fashion world. Different "looks" go in and out of style. Particular colors get hot - while others just cool down.

To find out what’s new in floral and flower arranging trends, the Dutch are a good place to start. More flowers come from - or pass through - Holland than any other country in the world.

"Trends start in many pockets of the world - but the best ones tend to sweep the globe," says Mieke Stap, a floral design expert at the International Flower Bulb Center in Hillegom, the Netherlands, who stages international photo shoots year-round. Following is Ms. Stap’s list of top floral style trends to watch for during the spring-blooming season when bulb flowers such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, lilies, Star of Bethlehem (ornithagalum), Persian buttercups (ranunculus), and grape hyacinths (muscari) are at peak availability.

ingle Color Concepts - A hot trend in Europe and espoused here by such lifestyle arbiters as Martha Stewart: the monochromatic look achieves a special lushness by repeating one color in mixes of all-the-same kind of flowers, or various types of flowers in closely-related hues. Arrangements are often densely packed with flowers.

Outside-In Arrangements - Here, both the stems and the flowers appear totally INSIDE clear vases so the flowers appear "under glass" as if in a jeweler’s or museum case. The vase envelopes the flowers completely, with the flower tops aligned near the upper rim of the vase. Water is kept low, and topped off regularly.

Repeat Performances - This is a style designed to show off the singular shapes of particular flowers. Groups of identical containers are featured, each holding one perfect flower. How many containers? Anything goes - more than three and as many as you choose. Continuity creates unity.

Low-Slung & Topsy-Turvy - With appealing results, trend-setting designers are choosing to flip-flop the traditional design formula of 1/3 vase topped by 2/3 stems and flowers. The new topsy-turvy look is bottom heavy, with the vase occupying the lower 2/3 of the arrangement, and the flowers just cresting over the top.

A Different Twist - Designers with deft hands have adapted hand-tied bouquets, in which stems are carefully angled in a spiraling fashion, to create free-standing arrangements that stand on their stems in plates or bowls of water. While it appears that the flowers are standing upright without support, the water and tied stems provide just enough oomph to hold the flowers up.

Sunglasses for 2010

2010-05-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Don't wait for summer to buy a new pair of sunglasses. It's almost here, so it’s the perfect time to get in the mood. Find latest trends in Sunglasses for 2010 and choose your new style.

We all know that sunglasses were designed to protect eyes from sun, but we also know, many of us wear them as an accessory with our clothing. You can choose a cheap sunglasses, but we often prefer to wear stylish designer sunglasses.

Oakley, Ray-Ban, Aviator, Dior, Armani or Gucci are some of the most popular sunglasses that we obsessed with wearing them. Although we all know that sunglasses are primarily for providing protection to the eyes, we also know that provide us with a fabulous look!

Every year there are different styles of sunglasses and 2010 has plenty of new styles for everyone. Here you will find the hottest sunglasses for 2010.

Hot food trends for 2010

2010-05-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to 2010 thefoodpeople expect to see all of the main macro factors including economic, political, technological and environmental to be equally influencing food trends over the next year. As such, the trends that are expected to grow or emerge in 2010 are an evolution compared to 2009.

The trends they expect to see in 2010 include food cocooning, global comfort food and “like our previous generations”. Consumers will attempt to reestablish the heart of the home in the kitchen through more home cooking or at least greater interaction with food, Sunday lunches and informal dinner parties. Why? To make themselves feel good by providing for their families.

In a time when many consumers have changed their shopping status quo’s we expect to see consumers demanding more opportunities to personalize their food products, we’ve seen examples of this in niche areas but expect to see more mainstream customization in 2010.

With in excess of 1.8 billion people now online the researchers expect to see more ifood with web based food products and services. This could include more food by mail, food personalization, more online ordering and reservation, digital people power and perhaps new players in food distribution.

In many countries consumers have spent less in restaurants (with the exception of quick service restaurants) and this might not change noticeably until 2011. As such restaurants will continue to evolve with initiatives such as no reservations, happy hours, main stream pricing and a move towards more local ingredients and recipes. On the subject of local, local food has been around for many years but thefoodpeople expect to see local in every area of food from the farmers market to the global mega brands.

On the back of value and an anti restaurant movement more street food is likely including pop up dining, food trucks and street vendors selling fresh tasty and authentic food without what some believe are the unnecessary overheads of the restaurant environment. Simplicity will have a greater voice in food over the coming year with brands and restaurants alike cutting waffle and selling fewer ingredients for a greater taste delivery.

Despite being hugely dependant in individual consumers ethical values, a surge in planet conscious eating as well as an increase in the backlash against industrialised food is forecast.

The researchers also expect to see a trend towards frozen foods, with the category shaking the cheap and cheerful image of the past, evolving towards freshness locked in, extension of the pantry and total convenience. Another trend involving the re-positioning of a current channel is that of vending, so expect vending to go premium, go hot and go interactive in 2010.

Despite the many counter trends, thefoodpeople expect eating habits and meal times to evolve in the face the 24/7/365 lifestyle with a blurring of meal times, greater reliance on fast food not just for food but also for coffee as well, solo dining and breakfast on the move.

Health will continue to drive food trends in 2010, with a rise in the numbers of products, initiatives and services driving improved national health such as diabetes and heart disease through balance, calories and exercise, even moving towards enforceable limits in some countries. In addition, the UK-based monitors of global food trends expect to see the evolution of products targeted at the health self starters with condition and aliment foods, kid’s health, positive nutrition, DIY doctoring and health mood foods.

As eating habits evolve, drinking habits should follow suit with products targeted at specific target groups with a rise in low / no alcohol beers and wines, micro beers and spirits, in home consumption, demystified wine and cocktails.

Each year certain cuisines have a lesser or greater influence on the food that we eat through TV, magazines, books, chefs, restaurants, products and services. The cuisines that we can expect to be inspired by in 2010 include the Americas (including US, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Peru), French Bistro, Scandinavia, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.

“In summary we expect 2010 to be about - Simplicity; Comfort and feel good; Some scope for customization; Degree’s of planet conciseness; Food cocooning at home; Local across all sectors; Need for treats; A little trade up; Being squeaky clean to gain trust and i-food,” thefoodpeople concluded.

Earth may be too hot for humans by 2200

2010-05-19T04:06:00.000-07:00

Climate change could make much of the world too hot for human habitation within just three centuries, research released Tuesday showed.

Scientists from Australia's University of New South Wales and Purdue University in the United States found that rising temperatures in some places could mean humans would be unable to adapt or survive.

"It would begin to occur with global-mean warming of about seven degrees Celsius (13 Fahrenheit), calling the habitability of some regions into question," the researchers said in a paper.

"With 11-12 degrees Celsius warming, such regions would spread to encompass the majority of the human population as currently distributed."

Researcher Professor Steven Sherwood said there was no chance of the earth heating up to seven degrees this century, but there was a serious risk that the continued burning of fossil fuels could create the problem by 2300.

Sherwood said climate change research had been "short-sighted" not to probe the long-term consequences of the impact of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

"It needs to be looked at," he told AFP. "There's not much we can do about climate change over the next two decades but there's still a lot we can do about the longer term changes."

In a commentary on the paper, published in the US-based Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Australian National University academics said climate change would not stop in 2100.

"And under realistic scenarios out to 2300, we may be faced with temperature increases of 12 degrees (Celsius) or even more," Professor Tony McMichael said.

"If this happens, our current worries about sea level rise, occasional heatwaves and bushfires, biodiversity loss and agricultural difficulties will pale into insignificance beside a major threat -- as much as half the currently inhabited globe may simply become too hot for people to live there."

Three Multifamily Stories to Watch in 2010

2010-05-19T03:56:00.000-07:00

1. THERE WILL BE AN IPO… OR TWO.
2010 could be the year of the IPO. Look at the trends. A number of private apartment owners bought at the wrong time and wrong price and are now carrying debt-laden portfolios. Non-existent job growth is putting even more pressure on those portfolios, especially those with near-term maturities. And in the past year, the public markets have been rewarding REITs. Add it all up, and it makes sense that we’ll see some of the much-awaited IPOs to recapitalize those properties in 2010.

"It's a way to take advantage of the fact that public values are at a premium to private values," says Alexander Goldfarb, associate director of equity research of REITs for New York-based Sandler O'Neill + Partners. "I think we'll start to see the IPOs of some of these privatized REITs, which offer investors existing platforms."

2. MORE DISTRESS WILL HIT THE MARKET. (AND NO, IT WON'T BE A FLOOD.)
The numbers indicate that more of the distressed assets sitting on bank books will trickle out in 2010. For instance, credit rating agency Realpoint just reported that multifamily has become the largest contributor to overall CMBS delinquency. While accounting for 1.23 percent of the CMBS universe, multifamily accounts for 26 percent of total delinquencies. And it could get worse: Realpoint expects delinquent CMBS to grow as much as 31 percent to 58 percent by mid-2010.

The question is, will the banks and special servicers continue to “extend and pretend” with these troubled borrowers or will they begin taking product back and looking for short sales? Even if the extension policies continue, some think that more of these problem assets will make it to market this year. “With a lot more assets on their balance sheet, will they continue to kick the can or will they take them over?” asks Doug Bibby, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Multi Housing Council.

The answer to that question will, without a doubt, be one of the biggest stories in the apartment industry this year.

. THE INDUSTRY WILL FINALLY HIT THE BOTTOM.
After a horrid first quarter, 2009 saw some recovery in occupancies. The question for 2010 is this: Have we seen the bottom, or will we hit that point sometime in the next 12 months?

Right now, it seems most analysts feel safe projecting 2010 as “the bottom.” In a recent report, Green Street Advisors, a Newport Beach, Calif.-based consulting and research firm, projected that rents should bottom out at where they were a decade ago and then begin improving in the third quarter before gaining “steam” in 2011 through 2015. Even with job growth remaining sluggish for the next couple of years, pent up demand could lead to more household formation, which would be great news for rental owners.

But that doesn’t guarantee that a recovery will also begin in 2010. For one thing, declining home prices could pull renters out of apartments in some cities. What's more, there’s no guarantee against further job losses, which would ultimately hurt rents

Kate Snow to break the ABC become NBC

2010-05-19T03:52:00.000-07:00

ABC News anchor Kate Snow has been abandoned for NBC News, where he is correspondent for “NBC dateline” announced on Friday. Since 2004, the snow is co-anchored the weekly publication “Good Morning America, ABC, as the springboard for the transfer of weekdays in the morning edition to appear. But when” GMA set up the equipment end of last year after the departure of Diane Sawyer, reference work was a taboo Change.

“He has the whole package,” dateline “executive producer David Corvo, said snow in a statement.” He can cover breaking news, you can interview, that he can write, and I’m happy that I will do everything they can to “dateline.” Snow joined ABC in 2003 and includes CNN in 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns in the network.

Ex-model says she is shocked by his almost ten years old bikini photos was noisy near the movie “Couples Retreat.” Irina Krupnik picture of $ 10 billion libel suit on Thursday in New York court against NBC Universal. It was distributed between 2009 Vince Vaughn comedy. Krupnik admitted that he had video recordings in 2001 the rights body, of course, sell it to filmmakers. Case says; use it as a sign of the film image and sexual aid. 30-year-old makeup artist says he’s hurting his reputation. NBC Universal announced that they had the right to use the picture.

Hot Trends in the Business World

2010-05-19T00:28:00.000-07:00

Many stores used to operate under the premise of closeout deals or 'going out of business' sales. However, the sad truth of today's economy is that many businesses ARE going out of business and needing to get rid of their inventory and employees. The business world isn't doing anything notable as of late, or at least nothing that is more notable than the number of people who are losing their jobs and finding that they are unable to get another one. It's really tough for many people to deal with, and definitely the main cause of all the stress-related accidents and violent crimes that have been going on for the past year.
It takes a toll on many people in ways that you might not imagine. Some people are so defined by their careers and their positions that they simply fall apart when their job is lost, leaving them with nothing more than a depressed life of despair. Some are much easier able to pick themselves up and get back on the horse, but the economy is running out of horses for people to get back on.
Going out of business used to be uncommon in the world, and only for small stores and businesses that didn't set themselves up right. Now you hear and see stories about big-name companies going out of business, companies like GM filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy, and the banks of the U.S. asking for government money so that they don't fall apart, either. It's all very disheartening, but it can get better, and eventually it will. It's easier said than done, but ultimately you need to try to keep a positive attitude about things as best you can so that you don't become another person with a pessimistic attitude about the economy.
All that people can do is trust that eventually things will get better, and hope that this happens sooner rather than later. People don't need to lose any more jobs, and the U.S. doesn't need to lose anymore businesses. There are so many great companies out there hanging on by a thread, and it's a constant fear for employees not knowing who's going to be next on the chopping block. If you are working for a company that is on the edge, or have already been a victim of the economy, you can trust that in time, things will work out. There are a few jobs out there to be found for those who are looking, but only if they are willing to accept whatever they can get.

Pakistan frontier a haven for militants

2010-05-05T00:43:00.000-07:00

Faisal Shahzad, the suspect in the attempted bombing of Times Square, was heading for Pakistan -- where he was born -- when he was arrested late Monday night.

His family originally comes from a village near Peshawar in Pakistan.

Pakistan's western areas, along the border with Afghanistan, have been a haven for Islamist radicals for years, despite efforts to bring it under control.

Shahzad told the FBI he trained at a terrorism camp in the Waziristan region of Pakistan, a U.S. administration official told CNN. However, the official said investigators have nothing to corroborate his account.

It was not clear whether Shahzad was referring to North or South Waziristan.

Hours after authorities arrested Shahzad, security forces in Pakistan seized two or three people in a raid connected with the failed bombing, a Pakistani intelligence source said.

The Pakistan raid took place in a house in Karachi's Nazimabad district, where Shahzad was believed to have stayed during his last visit to the country.

Shahzad is a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Both U.S. and Pakistani officials warned against jumping to the conclusion that Islamists in Pakistan played a role in the attempted bombing.

"We are seeing cases of individuals who have links to a range of countries around the world who for whatever reason have become involved in extremist movements," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Tuesday, before Shahzad's claim he trained in Pakistan.

"I would be very careful about making a broad-brush statement. We value our relationship with Pakistan. We value the fact that there are many Pakistanis who have come to this country, have links to Pakistan and have become citizens of this country. We are very proud of them," he said.

A top Pakistani government minister said Shahzad had traveled back and forth from Pakistan to the United States regularly, but also said he had visited the Middle East as well.

"Faisal Shahzad first went to the United States in 2003 on a student visa. He has been going back and forth between Pakistan and the United States many times since then," Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik told CNN.

"Shahzad has been visiting Middle Eastern countries," he added, but would not elaborate where and when.

When asked if Shahzad had received training by militants in Pakistan -- before Shahzad's claim was revealed -- Malik said "We don't have such information at this point."

Pakistan's military last year launched offensives against militants in the west of the country -- along the border with Afghanistan -- to try to wrest back control of its territory.

The offensives forced many residents from their homes.

But the attacks on the Pakistani Taliban in the Swat Valley and South Waziristan were inconclusive, U.S. officials suggested late last year.

In Pakistan, al Qaeda and other militants persist in planning strikes against U.S. interests in the region, a U.S. counter-terrorism official said in December.

"They've suffered some major losses, but no one should think for a second that they're down and out for good. They remain intent on harming the United States and our allies, including Pakistan, so keeping up the pressure on them is critical. That's exactly what we're doing," the official said, referring to the militants.

The Pakistani Taliban are distinct from the Afghan Taliban, although they are aligned.

The United States plans to send tens of millions of dollars to Pakistan for roads and power plants -- some of it to the Swat Valley -- the Obama administration announced in March.

source: geo news

Economic Turmoil

2010-04-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

It's not the $700 billion bank bailout. And no, it's not the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The real economic stimulus is ... wait for it ... the recession. That's right, the Great Recession. This upside-down economy is creating entrepreneurial opportunities aplenty, so long as you can deal with a situation about as stable as a lava flow.

Results from Challenger, Gray & Christmas' job market index revealed that 8.7 percent of job seekers gained employment by starting their own businesses in second quarter 2009--way, way up from the record low of 2.7 percent during the last quarter of 2008.

Even in finance, confidence and risk tolerance are on the rise. IbisWorld, an industry market research firm, expects that after a great purge, loan brokerage services will see 40 percent growth in 2010.
Sunwest Bank, a community bank that caters to entrepreneurs, upped its total assets by more than $150 million during the worst of the financial crisis--and that was before acquiring two failing banks in July and September. "We were picking up good clients left and right," says CEO Glenn Gray. "Business owners are still seeing opportunity."

Delve further into the numbers. It appears startup rates remain steady through recessions. "Ten, 15 years from now, there will be a slew of companies that we'll point to and say they started in the recession," Kauffman Foundation senior analyst Dane Stangler says. "You don't see them yet, but you can be sure they're out there." In fact, more than half of today's Fortune 500 companies were founded during a recession or bear market.

Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter once described entrepreneurial innovation as a "perennial gale of creative destruction," forcing existing companies to adapt or fail. "Economic progress in capitalist society," he declared, "means turmoil."

How to pick the perfect European Cruise Ship

2010-04-16T03:44:00.000-07:00

Lates News About Up Date Given how well the European Cruise market has held up in 2009, even with the recent credit crunch, it probably well worth your while to start looking into cruises scheduled for the summer of 2010, that’s if you want to make sure that you get the date, cabins and ships of you choice before all the best bargains are snapped up.

If you’ve previously this summer, been cruising the Caribbean, then choosing a ship for European waters is a whole different kettle of fish!

On a European cruise, you will find that spending time aboard ship is not one of the main activities, its the shore excursions that count. This is totally different from a Caribbean cruise experience. For example, if you have been on the atypical Caribbean cruise you will remember that you will have spent far more days at sea, so therefore the crux of you enjoyment aboard ship is what facilities and entertainments it has to offer. This differs somewhat to the European Cruise where passengers can expect to spend much less time at sea and more time travelling and touring the ports of call.

This, of course means that the criteria for picking the ideal European cruise, in my opinion should be as follows; The Itinerary, Your stay in Port and finally the expected Dress Code.

When it comes to ships, try and compare the length of time that each will be docked at port, especially if you are visiting a destinations that’s got lots too see and do, for example Venice in Italy. That way you will make the most of the time you have ashore.

Check the dress code of the ships you are looking at too, make sure that you don’t end up packing loads of formal wear and suites when the expected attire is casual, equally the opposite is true, if there lots of evening functions you will need to have enough suitable outfits for the entire cruise.

Another good tip is to not bother with getting a cabin with a sea view, since most of your travelling is overnight and you spend each day in port, there’s not much point really. Much better to save some money and get and internal cabin leaving more money to spend on the critical shore excursions and day tours. After all there not alot of point having a room with a view that you are not spending a great deal of time in.

If you are looking for casual dining options then Norwegian cruise line, Princess and Oceania are you best bets, this is a great option if you intend to spend all your time out and about each day, after all who wants to get dressed up every night when your all worn out for having some much fun exploring those European destinations!

Hot Trends in Coffee Franchises

2010-04-16T03:40:00.000-07:00

Food Franchise Trends

Coffee is the second largest trade commodity in world, second only to the oil trade. Millions of people, located in every country in the world, consume coffee. Unlike oil, coffee is produced, primarily, by some of the poorest people in underdeveloped nations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's preliminary list of the top five coffee producing nations, during the 2003 through 2004 crop year, lists Brazil, Columbia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico. These five nations produced more than 60% of the 106.86 million, industry standard, 60 kg bags of coffee.

In contrast, the Department of Agriculture lists the top five coffee consuming nations as the United States, Germany, Japan, France and Italy. These five nations consumed 55% of the world's supply of coffee in 2002. The U.S. has, historically, been the biggest coffee consumer and continues to lead all other nations, consuming 23% of the world supply of coffee in 2002.

If you are considering a coffee franchise opportunity, understand that methods to produce different varieties of coffee are well established. The bigger considerations for the coffee trade include the impact that environmentalist, social organizations and international groups will have on your business venture and the stability of coffee production.

Environmental Effects: The traditional business model for coffee growth, production and distribution is buy-low and sell-high. Much of the profit secured in the coffee trade is awarded those who market and package the product. Meanwhile, the top coffee producing nations, particularly Latin American nations, which are reliant upon coffee production to sustain its economy, realize small profits. Coffee production requires labor intense farming to grow and cultivate the crop. In an effort to meet the demands for coffee over past 30 years, some coffee growers have shifted to high yielding crops, grown outside of the natural and traditional habitat, cultivated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This transition has had negative effects on the environment, including soil erosion and pollution as well as negative impacts on the natural ecology for wildlife and bird migrations.

The tradition of coffee growing provided that the crop be mixed among trees to create a natural forest-like environment to shade the crop. This is what is termed, shade coffee. Shade coffee farms provide the benefit of two income sources. The first source is from the sale of the coffee crop, the second source of income is provided by the shading trees. Dependant upon the particular type of trees used, the trees may offer a source of fruit, lumber and other wood products that can sell for profit. In an effort to maximize profits from the sale of coffee, some growers have transitioned to high yielding crops, which provide for coffee to be grown without the ecological benefit of shading trees. Coffee produced in this environment is known as sun coffee.

The transition to sun coffee production has produced profits for those growers that were capable to implement the system. In contrast, this type of crop production has proven to have harmful effects on the environment as well as those growers that are consistently introduced to the environment. Like with most modernization efforts, the cost of the transition has been unattainable for some small farmers, even when subsidized with aid and assistance. In addition, growers forfeit the additional income associated with the tree and hardwood harvest by transitioning to sun coffee production.

Consumer Awareness: Consumers, aware of the environmental effects of the transition to sun coffee as well as its effect on wildlife and small coffee growers, have begun to reverse the damage by shifting demand to that of organically grown varieties. (World Resources Institute, EarthTrends portal, May 2001) In particular, the consumer demand for certified organic and shade coffees have escalated in recent years. The certified, organic coffee varieties sell for substantially more than gourmet and other coffee varieties, producing higher returns for growers. The time frame to re-transition from sun coffee to organic coffee crops is very labor intensive requiring an investment in new methods to fertilize and cultivate the crop, shading tress and other hardwood.

Like the transition to high yielding crops, the re-transition to shade and organic crops, often times, is attainable for small growers only with the aid of government and/or international aid. Consumer demand substantiates the actual need for such re-transitioning assistance. Continual consumer demands will necessitate the need for shade grown crops to protect the environment. The additional cost for the certification of crops, however, may not be attainable by some small farmers. Without consumer demand, growers may be forced to transition into the certified crop variety, primarily, at their own expense.

Growers producing the high yielding, sun coffee, at the expense of the environment, will continue to be looked at negatively as more consumers become aware of the damage being introduced. Likewise, as more consumers become aware of the unfair advantage that small growers experience, more consumers will become engaged in movements to bring fair compensation to small, disadvantaged growers. A "fair trade movement" has been undertaken by national and international organizations around the globe. The movement seeks to establish a fair price for small growers, distributed through cooperatives, which eliminate the middleman in bringing the crop to market. National and international groups are actively working with the major coffee companies to make them responsible to establish business practices that would increase the market for fair trade coffee.

Production Stability: As a final consideration to franchising with coffee production companies, the consumption of coffee in the US and other nations is on the decrease. Interesting, the coffee trade still continues to grow and expand. While the numbers for per-person consumption continue to decrease, the overall world population continues to grow and introduce more and more people into the tradition of coffee drinking. (The Economics of Coffee, FirstScience.com, 2003)

Between the years, 1998 and 2001, coffee prices saw a decline. Since 2001, coffee prices have steadily increased, reaching and exceeding year 2000 levels in 2004. The World Bank attributes the four year decline in coffee prices with an over abundance of coffee in the market. The decline has had devastating effects on small growers across the globe. In 2005, coffee prices soared with decreased coffee production being one of several reasons for the fluctuation. In addition to the loss of coffee production from small growers, ousted by the previous years' low prices, one of the top-five, coffee producing nations, Vietnam, has suffered adverse weather conditions that have reduced coffee production.

Sania Mirza and Shoaib's Marriage

2010-04-16T03:27:00.000-07:00

The famous Indian tennis player Shania Mirza wedding with Shoaib Malik, famous Pakistani cricket player. As Shoaib Shania Saga grows, the Internet bombarded with fake stuff. Recently I found the following fake pictures of Shoaib and Shania's Nikkah.
People claiming Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik nikah wedding photo or pic, held in Dubai in March 2010. people viewing images online, but until now real picture is not published on the web.

The Shania home also has sought security for the three-day marriage ceremonies in the house, begins April 13 Sources in 'Qazat', or a part of the Warf board is working with Muslim marriage was interviewed by IANS that nikahnama or marriage document to be signed by Sania and Shoaib will definitely say that this is Shoaib's second marriage.

After his divorce from Shoaib Wednesday 'talaqnama "and after Shoaib signed papers and paid Rs.15, 000 for Ayesha to keep her for three months by Islamic Sharia.

BBC Bucks Iran, Enlists New Satellites to Broadcast News to Iranian People

2010-04-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

BRITAIN — The BBC is using two extra satellites to broadcast its Farsi-language service after days of jamming it blamed on Iran.

The British state-run news organization said the move was meant to help it reach its Iranian audience as the crisis over their country's disputed election deepens. It is also a challenge to Iran's religious government, which has accused foreign broadcasters of stirring unrest, singling out the BBC in particular.

"This is an important time for Iran," BBC World Service Director Peter Horrocks said in a statement. "We hope that by adding more ways to access BBC Persian television, Farsi-speaking audiences can get the high quality news, analysis and debate they clearly desire."

As huge protests have followed the re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran has moved to deprive people of independent sources of news.

BBC Farsi, Facebook, Twitter and other sites have been blocked. Text messaging has been cut off for the past week, and cell phone service in Tehran is frequently down. The BBC said the Hot Bird 6 satellite — which it and other broadcasters use to broadcast to the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe — has been subject to aggressive interference.

Even before the presidential election, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blasted foreign broadcasters for their coverage of the campaign, accusing them of demoralizing voters and trying to drive down turnout. Shortly after Ahmadinejad's victory, he accused international media of waging a "psychological war" against the country.

The BBC has covered the protests extensively. Its Farsi service, like that of U.S. broadcaster Voice of America, is followed by many Iranians and has often carried news of clashes with police, attacks on demonstrators and arrests of opposition activists.

Ahmadinejad has bristled at the coverage: His supporters were shown earlier this week wielding signs with "BBC" crossed out in red. The U.K.'s ambassador was summoned to hear complaints from Iranian officials. In a nationally broadcast speech Friday, Khamenei accused Western broadcasters stirring up chaos.

"Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory," Khamenei said. "It is your victory. They cannot manipulate it."

The BBC said it was making its Farsi-language service available on satellite Eutelsat W2M, which it said Iranians could tune into by making a small adjustment to their satellite dishes. The BBC also said the service would soon be available on Egyptian satellite Nilesat and it was increasing the length of its Farsi radio program.

U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based in central Europe, is also working to step up its satellite program, according to spokesman Julian Knapp. He said interference had increased "on all fronts" but said the service used a variety of ways to stream content into the country, including stepping up shortwave broadcasting.

The Voice of America, based in the Washington, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Lateralization

2010-04-15T02:41:00.000-07:00

Lateralization
The realignment of both the cerebral hemispheres is also urgently required with the next automobile tune-up. Many exhausted and stressed out individuals throughout the world have suffered tremendously over the last few years, intensifying with the economic collapse. This raises serious question about the functionalities of senior executives, their basic business logic, financial literacy and the right-left-brain balance. Why did the business systems and financial services fail so badly? Despite all the high level education, was their vision got blurred, or capital risk management was insufficient so the real world imploded. Was it the lack of lateralization which fogged the reality? Is it time to re-discover new types and styles of educational agendas, new methods and new formats of operation? A new wave of educational programs will sweep the executive corridors. Are you newly trained and outfitted as a gladiator or you are just an old time spectator?

Palin, Tea Party Express hit chord in Hub

2010-04-15T02:22:00.000-07:00

Waving stars and stripes and Gadsden flags warning “Don’t Tread on Me,’’ a crowd of some 6,000 gathered on Boston Common amid patriotic tunes, heated antitax rhetoric, and much-anticipated exhortations from the tea party movement’s adopted standard bearer, Sarah Palin.

The Tea Party Express — which landed in Boston on the eve of the federal tax deadline, a stone’s throw from the site of the original Tea Party on Boston Harbor — was a noisy and festive assault against Washington’s political establishment that reveled in Republican US Senator Scott Brown’s surprise victory on liberal turf.

“Bostonians have never been afraid to stand up and speak out for principles that they believe in,’’ Palin said. “And look what Massachusetts did in January and shook up the US Senate. Boston, if anyone knows how to throw a Tea Party, it is you.’’

The event drew three busloads of performers from the national Tea Party Express as well as activists from around the region and as far away as Texas. Many toted signs reading, “I am not a racist. I just disagree politically,’’ and, evoking the former Alaska governor’s quote about her state’s proximity to Russia, “We can see November from our House.’’

As one speaker onstage railed on illegal immigration and urged the president to shut down the southern borders, Nina Clay of Salem applauded and shouted, “Yes!’’

“We’ve had enough,’’ she said. “I’m just tired. They’re violating our rights. They’re just flushing the Constitution right down the toilet.’’

Asked to cite a Constitutional violation, the Democrat-turned-Republican cited “Obamacare,’’ and said that although she believes everyone is entitled to have health care, “not at others’ expense.’’

“Why don’t we do away with the government’’ Clay asked, “and just adopt a bum?’’

The polarizing but popular Palin drew wild applause from the crowd with her 22-minute speech, in which she said the government has been on a “spending spree’’ and warned of future tax increases.

“We believe in expanding freedom and opportunity for all, not the intrusive reach of government into our lives and businesses,’’ she said.

The rally included tributes to the military and digs at prominent Democrats, including President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate majority leader Harry Reid, and US Representative Barney Frank.

The traveling Tea Party Express road show started in Searchlight, Nev., Reid’s hometown, and officially ends in Washington, D.C., today, to commemorate Tax Day.

For some activists, it held particular resonance in Boston, home of the 1773 Tea Party protesting British taxes and hub of a famously liberal state.

“Massachusetts is a blue-collar working-stiff state, and we’re reclaiming it for America,’’ Mark Williams, Tea Party Express chairman, told the crowd.