Merry Christmas Worldwide

Merry Christmas traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians too.
Popular modern customs of the Christmas holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of Christmas greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, Father Christmas (known as Santa Claus in some areas, including North America, Australia and Ireland) is a popular mythological figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of Christmas gifts for children.

Tallah tank | 100 years of snag-free service

Tallah tank , Asia's largest elevated water reservoir turns 100 on November 18, 2009 with a rare record of snag-free service to the city Kolkata ( formerly Calcutta ) without a single shutdown in all these years over 100 years. Built by the British, the foundation of Tallah was laid on November 18, 1909, by Sir Edward Baker, the then lieutenant governor of undivided Bengal.
Clayton Son & Company of Leeds, England, built the project and all the materials ,including anticorrosion plates were shipped to Calcutta from England.
The tank retains over nine-million-gallon of water, if were to store aviation fuel in its belly, it would be sufficient to fuel 158 jumbo jets.

Chronophage clock | The time eater clock of Paa

The Chronophage clock or Corpus Clock is a large sculptural clock at street level on the outside of the Taylor Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, England . The grasshopper (!) or 'chronophage', meaning 'time eater', advances around the 4ft-wide face, each step marking a second. Its movement triggers blue flashing lights which travel across the face eventually stopping at the correct hour and minute. But the clock is only accurate once every five minutes - the rest of the time, the pendulum may seem to catch or stop, and the lights may lag or, then, race to get ahead. According to Taylor, this erratic motion reflects life's "irregularity".

The clock will be shown in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer flick ' Paa ' as time as not on your side. The chronophage eats up every minute of your life. The charecter 'Auro' in the film also grows older than his age.

Its your turn to paint a fly-over

Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority ( KMDA ) formerly CMDA is building a fly-over ( Nabadiganta Fly-over) at Salt Lake . Now you have the opportunity to paint it with the colour of your imagination.
KMDA inviting people to paint a whole fly-over ( virtually ) and asking for a suggestion to decorate it.
Paint the Fly-over : Participate

Check IMEI number originality of your phone

India is selling more than one crore mobile handsets every month. Terrorists and dangerous elements may have taken cover under the illegal and fictitious IMEI mobile phones, which could have been used to hide criminal activities.
Disallowing the existence of illegal IMEI numbers in our telecom ecosystem we can play a greater role to strengthen our nation’s security requirements. Selling Handsets with non-genuine IMEI completely illegal it may endanger the public by arming, aiding and abetting criminal elements.There is already a ban on the import of mobile phones with wrong IMEI.
Mobile Operators not to process and reject calls from mobile handsets IMEI numbers not available in the updated GSMSA database or without IMEI Numbers or all Zeros from 30.11.2009.
HOW TO CHECK THE IMEI NUMBER AND IMEI GENUINENESS
The IMEI number will be displayed after you press *#06# on your mobile.
The genuine IMEI number is a 15 digit number.Whatever is the result of the above, genuineness of the IMEI can be checked by sending an SMS to 57886 with the following steps:

Type IMEI number you found
Send to 57886
The SMS reply will provide the brand name and the model number for which this IMEI number was originally allotted or not.
In case your mobile handset is not having genuine IMEI number, please change his mobile phone before 30.11.2009 to avoid disconnection.

More: ICA

Eating vegetables and fruits can make you look sexy

Sex appeal, glowing skin, sexiest complexion , thin waistline, sharp curves, healthy body and mind; yes, all you can achieve with a simple eating habit , eat vegetables and fruits.
A group of male and females were asked to manipulate the skin colour of their faces to make them look as healthy as possible. They prefer to increase the yellowness and brightness of the skin. The preference for more golden or ‘yellow-toned’ skin as healthier formed by the ‘pigments’ that we get from the fruit and vegetables in our diet.
What we eat and not just how much we eat appears to be important for a healthy appearance. The only natural way in which we can make our skin lighter and more yellow is to eat a more healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables.

Adidas shoes at one euro for poor people

Adidas, the gient in shoe making, normally produces trendy, expensive sportswear for people who want to project a sporty image; going to make one-euro shoes worldwide for the poor people. Addas starting their projet from Bangladesh next year. The man behind Adidas project is the Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus , who suggested the social business to the company.
Yunus advised Adidas that people in the poor world need products that are both affordable and manufactured locally, creating jobs.

No domain names by 2010

The Internet may not have enough domain names for users soon. That may happen in 2010 . We’ll be down to our last tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of web addresses by the end of next year.
A few companies have used the latest internet addressing technique called IPv6. New companies looking to establish a presence on the internet will have no option but to adopt the IPv6 address format.

Shilpa Shetty engagement with Raj

Bollywood's sexy siren Shilpa Shetty is finally getting engaged to the man she loves Raj Kundra. The engagement ceremony held at Raj's recidence in Juhu. It's very hush-hush and only close family and friends will attend. Shilpa and her family have decided to go ahead with engagement date after much deliberation and consultation with family astrologers, including her mother Sunanda.
Shilpa shetty engagement picture is with the outfit which is a Manish Malhotra designed saree and choli in soft onion pink chiffon reflecting Shilpa's grace and beauty.

Imagination can cure kids stress problems and stomach ache too

You may call it a psycho-cure. Kids with stress problems and stomach aches, who used guided imagery (Guided imagery is an effective stress management tool to reduce tension, manage stress) at home along with regular treatment, were three times more likely to ease their problem, compared to kids who were only undergoing medical treatment.
Children can clearly reduce their abdominal pain a lot on their own with guidance from audio recordings, and they get much better results that way than from medical care alone.

Irrfan Khan does not wants to carry Nehru role

Irrfan Khan, an intellectual actor in Bollywood, dose not wants to carry Nehru's role which has been offered to him in Joe Wright's 'Indian Summer'. Irrfan's latest release is ' Acid Factory '.
Earlier, oshan Seth had played Nehru in Ben Kingsley's Oscar winner 'Gandhi'. Though Irrfan was grateful to Danny Boyle for offering him such a role. The Film will have the important historical incidents during India's Independence. It will be shot in capital Delhi, Punjab, Jammu-Kashmir, and other parts of India.

Surprise : Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

US President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
This is a somewhat surprising move by the Nobel Committee, since Barack Obama simply hasn’t had enough time to do all that he had set out to accomplish. Still, Thorbjorn Jagland, the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, claims that the prize was awarded based on Obama’s work so far.

NTR University 2009 Results

Dr.NTR University of Health Science (NTRUHS), Andhra Pradesh has declared first & final year M.Sc Medical results 2009.
These Results are available on Dr.NTR University Website
Direct Link to First Results
Direct Link to Final Results

Rs 10 plastic notes in India

The advantage of the plastic note is that they are difficult to fake and are much more durable than the paper notes. Reserve Bank of India planning to introduce Rs 10 plastic currency notes. RBI has decided to introduce 100 crore pieces of Rs 10 plastic notes initially, and a global tender has been called. India's previous attempt was a Ten Rupee coin.
The currency notes in Australia are made of polymer, since 1988. Making a counterfeit note of Australian currency is an expensive proposition as it would end up costing you close to it's face value. All the countries are constantly making attempts to prevent fake notes with limited success. In India were we get a lot of fake currency from across the border, the notes are changed periodically , Australian currency is still the same .Changing the designs of paper notes prevent counterfeit but it definitely is not as effective as having plastic notes.

100 lyrics | 100 of Gulzars favourite lyrics in a book

100 Lyrics is a bi-lingual book that contains the original lyrics of legendary lyricist Gulzar in Hindi along with their English translations, featuring his old as well as new compositions.

The book is published by Penguin Books India, the yet-to-be released volume has 100 of his best works selected by Gulzar saab himself.

Worlds hottest chilli | Bhut jolokia

World's hottest chilli, bhut jolokia, meaning ghostly chilli, gets its name from its deadly bite. It is more than 1,000 times hotter than the ordinary kitchen chilli. Guinness Book of World Records recognized the bhut jolokia chilli as the hottest in the world. It has more than 800,000 Scoville heat units (SHU), which indicate the amount of capsaicin it contains. Capsaicin, an active compound of chilli peppers, is an irritant that produces a burning sensation on tissue that comes in contact with it.

Chilli powder can be used to tackle mobs and criminals.

With a new series of mobile numbers, companies would earn crores

As the mobile phone numbers beginning with 9 are exhausted with a jet-speed, mobile phone companies are expected to issue numbers beginning with 8.
With the new numbering series being available, mobile companies are going to get crores by sell special mobile numbers through auction . All companies invite customers to bid for such premium numbers, either through their websites or through customer service outlets or through salesperson.
How much they get for a premium mobile number ?
BSNL, Idea, Tata Teleservices , Vodafone, Airtel etc have auctioned premium numbers and earn huge money, particularly from politicians and businessmen. In August '08 alone, state-owned BSNL earned Rs 1.15 crore from the auction of 2000 numbers. Vodafone sold the most expensive number so far at Rs 15 lakh in 2007 to a businessman. Tata Teleservices routinely auctions cellular numbers on its website, with prices ranging from Rs 10,000 to over Rs 1 lakh.

source

A new Secure Code is a must for online shopping

A recent directive by the Reserve Bank of India makes it mandatory to have an additional authentication passcode verified by Visa or MSC (Mastercard Secure Code). This is in addition to the other information already there on the credit card or debit card like name, card number, expiry date and CVV (card verification value) number to be effective from 1 August, 2009.
How do you get this new password
Credit card or debit card users have to register online with their respective banks, giving their personal and card details. They will then be given a PIN or a password that can be used as an additional layer of security at the checkout point before the completion of the transaction.
In fact, the additional security will be known to the card holder only. So, even if somebody notes your card number, he cant misuse it for online shopping as he will need to supply the PIN or password to complete the transaction.

Some banks are allowing customers to create passwords on their websites while others are busy sending fresh user IDs and passwords to customers via post. Citibank is allowing customers to use the net banking password as their password for e-commerce transactions.

Credit Card Securecode Online Registration Websites

Want to attract eligible bachelors for marriage, Wear pink

Want to attract eligible bachelors and marry ? Wear pink color and things will turn your way!

A woman dressed in pink makes a man fall in love and want to marry her. The color pink itself symbolizes romance, intimacy and utter love. In case marriage is something you've been longing for, include some pink things in your daily attire including undergarments and wait for that enchanting someone to propose to you on his knees.

Men in love mostly dreams the object of their affection in pink!

Braille coins worldwide | Coins for the blind

Indian Braille Coin

Louis Braille commemorative coins are published and circulate to show respect for the man for his revoluionary invention of 'Braille', a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write the alphabets.

Braille Euro Coin

Braille coin usa

The braille coins are for the blind people and to not get mistaken on giving the wrong amount of money .

Feng Shui for websites and images

Feng Gui is the feng shui for websites and images!
Feng shui is an array or system ( Chinese fengshui is most popular ) of aesthetics believed to utilize astronomical and geographical laws to help one improve life by receiving positive qi or energy. Feng shui products are very widely popular now days in design and architecture of new homes and buildings as office fengshui, bedroom feng shui etc. Feng-Gui is assumed as a scientific art or placement rules in website and image design.

As per the Feng GUI website : Feng-GUI empower designers, advertisers and photographers to effectively analyze attention and attraction in visuals and thus generates more revenue.
You can find out how people see your website, website image location or ad placement and which areas are getting most of the attention of the visitor.
This artificial intelligence service ( feng GUI ) simulates human vision during the first 5 seconds of exposure to visuals.

Interesting ?

Smoke or be punished : Silly step to boost economy

Believe it or not, Chinese civil servants who refuse or fail to consume a sufficient amount of locally made cigarettes, will be fined. All local government agencies and institutions should aim to consume 230,000 packs of Hubei Province-produced cigarettes a year, or about 4 million Yuan ($588,235). Departments that fail to consume sufficient cigarettes or consumed non-local brand cigarettes would be fined, according to Hubei-based Chutian Metropolis Daily newspaper.
The regulation will boost the local economy via cigarette tax. The regulation included punishments but not that strict. The regulation is just a general guideline and does not target specific tobacco brands.
China has 350 million smokers, of whom a million die of smoking-related diseases every year. In such situation, this step is completely not only a silly one but also disastrous.

New Ten rupee coin of India

Its released and now you can have it on your pocket!
RBI is ready to issue a new bimetallic 10 Rupee coin for circulation.

The look: The obverse side has the lion capitol with numeral 10 and year of manufacture. On reverse side, a double line cross with a dot in each pellet of cross and denomination written in Hindi and English around. This design has been prepaed by National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad with the theme of Unity in Diversity. The outer side metal is Nickel-Bronze and the inner side metal is Ferrous Steel. The weight of the coin would be 8 grams and the diameter would be 28 mm.
The coins are being minted at mainly Noida and Mumbai mint. The coins worth Rs.70 million was already stored in its stock till August 2008.
world coin

Only for Girls schools are better than Co-education schools

According to a study, girls studying in single sex ( girls only ) schools show better academic performance and progress off than their co-ed counterparts. Over the period of the study conducted, the researchers found all the girls studying in girls-only school did better than predicted, specially in science and math , while those in mixed-sex schools 20 % did worse than expected.

A lot of parents will look at the benefits of co-ed schools, like the fact that girls and boys are educated side-by-side preparing them for the world of work and life, but , its not a truth. Educationally aspirant parents could seek out girls-only schools, which could also make a difference.

Rudraksha : A symbol of spirituality and mystic power

A rare Ekmukhi Rudraksha

Rudraksha is formed by association of two words, 'Rudra'and 'Aksha'. Rudra is the name of Lord Shiva. Aksha means 'tear'. It is said that the plant of Rudraksha is originated from the tear drops of Lord Shiva. As per the vedic scriptures Rudraksha can nullify the effects of malefic planets to a great extent. Shastras say Rudraksha of any mukhis (faces)can never do any harm to the wearer unlike Navratnas, which have to be carefully chosen. No other necklace or bead is so auspicious and powerful as Rudraksha.

Botanically it is known as Elaeocarpus Ganitrus Roxb. It is nearly spherical in shape. The clefts on the surface of the beads are called faces. Faces vary from 1 to 38. Rudraksha trees are mainly found in South Asian Islands, Nepal, India and Other parts.

Rudraksha come in different mukhis or the clefts or furrows on the surface. Shastras speak of 1 to 38 mukhis but normally 1 to 14 mukhis are used for astrological benefits. Each bead has a different effect on you, depending on the number of mukhis it has. Each Rudraksha is very individualistic and has to be carefully matched with one's horoscope for it to be beneficial.

The very feel of One Mukhi Rudraksha takes one away from worldly affairs towards the God. His mind begins to concentrate on the Supreme Element .

Why lemon juice ?

Why lemon? Check out the following benifits

*Great source of Vitamin C.
* Drinking lemon juice regularly eliminates the need for deodorant.
*Lemon juice is a great astringent and hair rinse.
*Cleanses the digestive system.
*Relieves symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching.
*Controls constipation and diarrhea by eliminating waste more efficiently.
*Enhances the beauty of your skin, rejuvenating it from within.
*Cleanses and aids in eliminating waste in the liver.

How to make up when you have forgotten your wife’s birthday?

* First, forget about making excuses. You need to agree with her that you screwed up big-time, and you need to admit it. Sincerely, contritely, loudly and often. Sincerely apologise and say sorry.

* Next, get ready to make a gigantic concession of some sort. Maybe, you could consider a vacation with your in laws that you have been avoiding for quite a while or do something that she has been asking you to do.

* Take her out shopping, plan on watching a movie together and finally take her for a nice and cosy dinner. Spring a surprise on her, maybe get her some flowers, buy a perfume or something like that without being asked to.

* Take a good look at her and compliment her on how nice she looks in the lovely dress that she is wearing.

Photo credit : http://www.fotolia.com/

Women are better in concealing illicit relationships

According to a new research, men are better at detecting a cheating partner than females, and they’re more likely to suspect infidelities that don’t exist. Scientists found that men were able to spot a cheating heart in more than nine out of ten cases. They were also more likely to catch their partner’s lies than women do.
Women may be better than men at concealing illicit liaisons. Scientists recently conducted a survey and they gave 203 young meterosexual couples confidential questionnaires asking them whether they have ever strayed, and whether they suspected or knew their partner had strayed. In this, 29 per cent of men said they had cheated, compared with 18.5 per cent of women. The men were better than women at judging fidelity. Eighty per cent of women’s inferences about infidelity were correct, but men were even better, accurate 94 per cent of the time. They were also more likely to catch out a cheating partner, detecting 75 per cent of the reported infidelities compared with 41 per cent discovered by women. However, men were also more likely to suspect infidelity when there was none.

Women have countered this by becoming better at covering up affairs. Complex statistical analysis of the data hinted that a further 10 per cent of the women in the study had cheated on top of the 18.5 per cent who admitted to it in the questionnaires, whereas the men had been honest about their philandering.

Good hair day

Your hair is a surefire indicator of just how healthy you are. And chances are, if you're facing a hair problem, you also have a health problem. Here are simple rules to get that gorgeous crown and to make all your days as good hair day !

1. Clean Hair

First hair care starts with clean hair. Too much cleansing, however, can be damaging.The scalp produces an oily substance called sebum which coats each hair and keeps it looking shiny and soft. Shampoos are designed to remove excess oil, grease and dirt and to exfoliate the skin cells which clog and suffocate the hair follicles. It is important to choose a shampoo according to your hair type.

2. Combing the hair

Never comb or brush wet hair, as it is more susceptible to stretching and breaking when wet. Finger comb it in gentle massage-like movements.Wait until it is damp before styling. A two minute brushing, stroking and combing routine is sufficient massage exercise for the scalp.This will help distribute natural hair oils and improve blood circulation. Never use force while brushing, always brush with gentle outward strokes.

3. Hair and general health

It is very important to get a regular hair check up done as it is the body’s barometer indicating good health or the lack of it. It can be an early indicator of many diseases such as: Thyroid , Parathyroid, Addisons diseases , Cushing's syndrome , Anemia , Dietary and mineral deficiency , Hormonal imbalance , Ovarian cyst disease, Tooth problems .

5 things you hate can boost your health

The so called 'bad' things can help you to live longer :

Sunlight

Exposure to the sun’s rays is necessary to survive, but don’t stay out too long. It can also cause a lot of skin problems. Sunlight is good for asthmatics who benefit from the ultraviolet rays.

Beer

Drinking moderate amounts of beer can actually help improve cardiovascular functions. The trick is to drink, as we said earlier, in moderate amounts.

Marijuana

It’s medicinal, strictly! Marijuana, often associated with memory loss, is ironically now being hyped as a way to stave off the ultimate form of memory loss: Alzheimer’s. It has been found that the anti-inflammatories found in the drug prevent the clumping of brain proteins.

Anger

Occasional bursts of anger are good for your health. Anger can be an even more effective coping mechanism than becoming afraid, irritated or disgusted.

Magggots

Maggots are creepy and slimy and eeky, but they can actually save your life. Certain maggots placed on serious wounds, bite away on bacteria and dead tissue, stimulating healing and helping to prevent infection.

9 ways to sex up your look

Adding unexpected and unusual touches and glamourous essentials and it’s about choosing more original ways to express your sensuality than by merely donning a micromini. Here’s how to add sizzle without sacrificing your modesty and culture.
1.Wear Unexpectedly : Subtle alterations pack the choicest punch. For example, take a basic man’s white shirt (slightly oversized), unbutton it, wrap it so that one side overlaps the over and tuck in).
2. Red your lips : Nothing does the job like red. Use lipliner for a perfect appearance ans be sensuous .
3. Earring touching the bare shoulder : Skip every other piece of jewellry, pull your hair back and make sure your makeup stays soft. This look goes great with bare shoulders and up dos, too. Definitely an after-dark look.
4. Make it Mettalic : Black may be supersexy, but gold, silver, copper are especially luminous when you’re going for vavoom. Look for simple shapes (the fabric and colour) and tones that flatter your skin colour. Go minimal to let the dress shine.
5. Adopt an exotic look : Harem pants, sarongs and embroidered items are all borrowed ethnic looks with tons of feminine charm. The mandarin-collar dress from China is flattering, chic and always intriguing.
6. Wear sunglasses : Perhaps the single sexiest item you can own are a great pair of sunglasses. They add tons of mystery, look cute even on top of your head and actually serve the practical purpose of protecting your eyes.
7. A sexiest exit scene : Sexy is all about surprises, so a deceptively simple dress from the front can be a showstopper in the back. Open backs, lace-up backs, dress trains make for dramatic effects.
8. Stay soft with clothes : Cashmere, silky satin, buttery soft suede’s are the real scene-stealers. Touchable fabrics have the added bonus of feeling great against your skin.
9. No No : No need to bear assets . Just show the hints !

10 Myths about your skin

CHOCOLATE Aggravates Acne : Acne occurs when a gland sheds cells that stick together and while plugging the gland and blowing up the skin bacteria forms which feasts on the skin and chocolate has no role in it .

SUNLIGHT Tans clear up dull complexion and acne : While suntan might temporarily mask your acne, continued exposure to sunlight worsens the condition leading to premature aging in the form of wrinkles and fine lines.

ACNE occous due to dust: The dust is not the problem, neither the surface oil. The main cause is the combination of skin scales of oil and bacteria residing inside the follicle and sebaceous glands. The sebum dead skin cells and bacteria clog pores and form acne.

CUCUMBER reduces eye bags: Cucumber may help in relaxing and hydrating your skin but there is no such ingredient that reduces bags.

SKIN breathes: Heavy cream or foundation can hinder elimination and absorption functions of the skin to a degree. They do not inhibit actual oxygen nourishing the skin. The best advice in this regard is to have a cleansing regime. Use natural products and try not to sleep with your make-up on.

FAIRNESS creams make you fair: No cream can make you fair. Only ingredients like glycolic or salic acid can lighten skin tone bringing changes in the skin shade.

BLACKHEADS develops due to dirt: Blackheads are not caused by dirt. When the pores become dilated, cellular debris build up and the air hitting these cells oxidize and turn black.

SOAP is a great cleanser: The alkaline balance of a healthy skin has a Ph value of <>Using a particuler BRAND is better: It’s the ingredients and not the mixing of brands that may cause skin reactions. The best is to find an item that works for you.

HYPOALLERGENIC PRODUCTS CAN NEVER CAUSE A SKIN ERUPTION: Even if a formula is tested thoroughly, your skin could have a reaction. So hypoallergenic is a great marketing tool but not necessarily a guarantee.

The holy lake : Nako

It’s a bit of paradise ! The scenic lake and the twittering birds are for company. And the holy sky too ! Breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful, this holy lake in the upper reaches of Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh, India) is simply addictive. In winter, the frozen Nako lake becomes a skiing hot spot for tourists.
Nako is 117 kms from Kalpa and Shimla is 244 kms from Kalpa. It’s almost a day’s journey from Shimla by road and you can take breaks at Kalpa or Sarahan . The mainhot spots are the Nako lake and Buddhist temples. At Tabo the monastery is highly revered as one of the best in the Himalayas, after the Tholing Gompa in Tibet. Except for the main temple, most of the paintings belong to the Gelupa ascendancy. Thousands of years ago, Tabo was the meeting place of Indians and Tibetans .