“Chicago’s going to find out that she’s a real engine to hotel rooms, flowers, limo drivers, you name it,” said Joel Nickson, who owns Wishbone restaurant just down the street. “Even when she’s not doing the show, we see people all the time taking cabs out here, taking pictures in front of the place.”

“She is part of the cultural infrastructure which provides a rich intellectual and cultural life to the city and that is absolutely critical for corporate decision making,” said O’Connor, who now works for the Chicago Metropolis 2020 civic group after leaving World Business Chicago, a not-for-profit economic development corporation that worked to attract and keep businesses in Chicago.

“Oprah and the sports and the 5,000 boats on the lake and the museums are all part of the rich mix to help (companies) bring talent here and make that transition.” O’Connor said. “You cannot underestimate that.”

The people are heart broken but they know, all good or bad things come to an end.

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“The range of the new Size Zero Sony Vaio is compact, classy, chic and sophisticated. Since Kareena Kapoor has the charismatic appeal, we’re sure she can carry the brand with panache,” said an official from the brand.

This is the first time Sony Vaio has chosen an Indian face to promote its notebook. Sony Vaio X series are considered as ‘Size Zero’ range of laptops therefore the actress has got more relevance to this concept of ‘Size Zero’; it would be a right brand to endorse for.

You can catch many television channels showing promos of Vaio X featuring Kareena Kapoor who shows off how sleek and compact the notebook is which can pass through from even the slightest of space.

Sony’s Managing Director informed “We are targeting to capture 20 percent share of the consumer notebook market by fiscal 2010”. And the marketing campaigns with Kareena Kapoor prove to be helpful in achieving company’s target.

Sony India spoke about their campaign that “Sony as a brand has evolved significantly and securing a global brand ambassador is a natural progression to take our brand to the next level in an increasingly competitive market place.”

Kudos to Sony! May they keep on bringing many more such wonderful products for all the geeks and gadgets freaks!

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Coming to Hollywood chicks recently Jennifer Aniston was seen with her bikini on which pictured her toned body on a vacation in Mexico. She was seen in a purple two piece. Some of the top bikini babes of Hollywood can be named as Britney Spears, Kourtney Kardashian, Victoria Silvstedt, Kristin Cavallari, Rihanna bikini, Carmen Electra, Fergie. Recently there was the world’s largest photo shoot.

The event was sponsored by Cosmopolitan magazine and Gillette Venus Breeze razors, and brought out so many sexy bod flaunting their assets!

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Stores like Wal-Mart, Target etc are dealing various gadgets like digicams, iPods, gaming consoles, HDTVs, notebooks, laptops, mobile phones and many more to name a few. Wal-Mart has declared many ads for Dell, Apple etc who claim to sell their products at a much cheap rate.

Dell’s Black Friday ad goes like this:

1. Dell Inspiron 15: The Inspiron 15 laptop will be on sale for $499, down from $833. Use coupon code: 00394-DNPHZE1. The offer ends November 27, 2009.
2. Dell Inspiron Mini 10v: The notebook has a starting price of $388, but you can get it for $249, saving you $139. Use coupon code 00394-DNPHFE1. The offer ends November 27, 2009.
3. Dell Studio 15: Originally $968, the Dell Studio 15 laptop is on sale for $699. Use coupon code 00394-DNPHBE1. The offer ends December 2, 2009.
4. Dell Studio 17: Originally $1,003, you can get it for $749 with coupon code 00394-DNPHTE1.The offer ends December 2, 2009.

Apart from these, there are some more leaked ads like Office Max featuring a $149.99 Acer Notebook; Toshiba laptop for $249.99; a 10.2” notebook, a carrying case, an optical mouse, external CD-ROM, printer, a flash drive, and an upgrade to Windows Anytime just for $358!

The Black Friday 2009 is surely going to be a success story for this year. A lot of gizmo freaks can benefit from the big sale because of the very reasonable price and rates that they can get from the giant stores like Wal-Mart and Target.

Happy shopping…

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Though bankruptcy in some ways has served GM and Chrysler well — especially since GM and Chrysler were able to write off much of their pre-bankruptcy debt but still its been tough time for them.

New CEO, Michael A. Carpenter, a GMAC board member is trying to put things back on line. He was appointed in May 09. The company recorded an improvement over a net loss of $2.5 billion in the year-ago quarter while Ford Credit was up by $95 million from last year.

“A renewed GMAC is crucial to business and public sector efforts to bolster the U.S. auto industry, and we have a special obligation to the public to do everything we can to ensure GMAC succeeds,” Carpenter said in a written statement. Carpenter succeeds Alvaro de Molina, who resigned.

Poor performance of GMAC made the GM to cut its stake in GMAC from 49 percent to 24.5 percent.

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Japanese company Honda surely made an impression.

Honda Element Jeep Patriot with optional side torso airbags won an award.

Honda Civic 4-door models (except Si) with optional electronic stability control won an award.

That’s not all of Honda’s achievements, U.S. government projections for 2009 showed on Friday that Honda produced the most fuel efficient and least polluting vehicles on American roads.

Honda and Toyota also lead the U.S. market in gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles, the most fuel efficient and cleanest cars sold.

These achievements ay it all, if you are looking for good clean fuel efficient safe cars, Honda might just be perfect for you.

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The 23 year old British star who got recognition after playing Cedric Diggory in the popular ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, rocketed to limelight with the portrayal of a vampire in the ‘Twilight’ series. Though, he is, indisputably, the most desirable man in the current breed of actors, he still craves for a perfect date. “Girls scream for Edward (his character in Twilight), not Robert.  I still can’t get a date,” he regrets. Seems like, his screen-character has completely overshadowed his real self. True enough, which girl would prefer an earthly, normal guy to a mystical, romantic, blood-drenched, red –lipped vampire who can freeze your blood, merely, with a piercing glance.

So, the hottest hunk is despondent for dearth of a lady in his life. Well..well, could his misfortune be attributed to his “small manhood” which he had admitted is “something more like a twig?” or is he, simply, unlucky in love. Hopefully, by the time you read this off, he may have sunk his teeth into the neck of his perfect date.

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Researchers from Kansas State University sought to determine actual food handling behaviour of both adults and adolescents and what could be done to enhance the safety of frozen foods.

Lead author Doug Powell, K-State associate professor of food safety, found that teenagers were also less likely than adults to wash their hands while cooking.

Casey Jacob, a food safety research assistant at K-State said: “While half of the adults we observed washed their hands after touching raw chicken, none of the adolescents did.

“The non-existent hand washing rate, combined with certain age-specific behaviors like hair flipping and scratching in a variety of areas, could lead directly to instances of cross-contamination compared to the adults.”

In addition to Jacob and Powell, other authors who contributed to the study were Sarah DeDonder, K-State doctoral student in pathobiology; Brae Surgeoner, Powell’s former graduate student; Benjamin Chapman, an assistant professor at North Carolina State University and Powell’s former graduate student; and Randall Phebus, K-State professor of animal science and industry.

The research was published in the November 2009 issue of the British Food Journal. (ANI)

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The green corset-style garment can be removed and unrolled to create a 1.5m-long putting mat.

When the user sinks a putt into one of the cups, a built-in speaker pumps out a congratulatory “Nice shot!”

The bra also features pockets for extra golf balls and tees, and a detachable flag pin that serves as a score pencil.

The bra set comes with a skirt with the words “Be Quiet” printed on the backside, which can also be used as a flag on the course.

However, what remains unclear is how the user is supposed to do cover herself when she removes the underwear.

Triumph has claimed that the Nice Cup in Bra is a response to the growing popularity of golf among Japanese women. (ANI)

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Lara is one person who can carry off blacks and whites with as much confidence as that of any other colour. Her favourite choice is to go for pure shades of colours rather than floral or very dressy prints.
According to insiders she has a penchant for big chunky jewellery, that is to say she uses one large piece of jewellery to enhance her outfit and look.

Lara believes in going organic with her make up and has a penchant for a few do it your self remedies for skin problems. To cure any skin problem she uses sandalwood powder and rose water.

The confident Lara does not believe in keeping her hair long as is customary with most bollywood actresses, rather, she gets it cut in short styles that suit this stylish and confident actress to a perfect‘t’.

Lara is amongst those actresses who live by their own rules and she has gained name and fame only through hard work and determination.

We wish the best of luck to this talented and confident actress and hope she reaches the height of success that she so truly deserves.

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John Mayer reportedly declared to buy the luxury sports car and later repent for losing the huge amount on it. “You buy a Ferrari when there’s a piece missing inside of you. All of these things are absolute tickets out of the game: you have to enjoy your life without indulging so much that you lose it”, Mayer was quoted saying. He added, “Nobody stopped me the day I was real sad – because you don’t buy a Ferrari when you’re happy; you buy a Ferrari when you’re sad.”

As told to the Britain’s Guardian newspaper by John, “I bought a Ferrari and drove it to Las Vegas on the day I bought it. What’s more ridiculous – putting 600 miles on a black-on-black 599 Ferrari the day you get it, or having somebody call your best friend and ask if you’re still dating that girl?”

Interestingly, John who had an on-off relationship with Jennifer Aniston, said he doesn’t know which is more ridiculous – driving a sports car or getting endless speculations over his love life.

Well John…the former one we guess! Anyways, wish you a joy ride on your new Ferrari…oops, sorrow ride we mean!

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Dell’s Black Friday ad goes like this:
1. Dell Inspiron 15: The Inspiron 15 laptop will be on sale for $499, down from $833. Use coupon code: 00394-DNPHZE1. The offer ends November 27, 2009.

2. Dell Inspiron Mini 10v: The netbook has a starting price of $388, but you can get it for $249, saving you $139. Use coupon code 00394-DNPHFE1. The offer ends November 27, 2009.

3. Dell Studio 15: Originally $968, the Dell Studio 15 laptop is on sale for $699. Use coupon code 00394-DNPHBE1. The offer ends December 2, 2009.

4. Dell Studio 17: Originally $1,003, you can get it for $749 with coupon code 00394-DNPHTE1.The offer ends December 2, 2009.

Apple is rumored to have ads like – 30% off on all iPods and 25% off on all Macs. Also 15% off on all accessories including Apple software and hardware are there in the ad. The deal is applicable on 27th Nov’09 only and the Apple stores are scheduled to open at 6 am on the day.

Apart from these, there are some more leaked ads like Office Max featuring a $149.99 Acer Netbook; Toshiba laptop for $249.99; a 10.2” netbook, a carrying case, an optical mouse, external CD-ROM, printer, a flash drive, and an upgrade to Windows Anytime just for $358!

Sony Bravia 40″ LCD TV for $598.00, Samsung 32″ LCD TV for $398.00, Xbox 360 Arcade Bundle for $199.99, PlayStation 3 with Infamous, Arkham Asylum, and Dark Knight for $299.00, Sony BDP-S369 Blu-ray Player for $148.00, Western Digital 1TB 3.5″ External HDD for $78.00 and TomTom One GPS for $59.00… these are some other Black Friday deals to be noted.

The Black Friday 2009 is surely gonna be a success story for this year. A lot of gizmo freaks can benefit from the big sale because of the very reasonable price and rates that they can get from the giant stores like Walmart and Target.
Happy shopping…

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Women are never satisfied (no offense intended) and they are always in search of better things. They buy clothes every now and then for example, but that won’t quench their thirst, they would either customize the dress, or look for some new fashionable ones after few days.

There is one company that recognizes the creativity hidden inside ever woman, that’s why they have come up with TADA!! “Doodle Bras”

It’s for all those women who are just not satisfied with their undergarments and look for more and more designs. The search is over; there is a new canvas for your work: a bra! For $15, get a crisp white Doodle Bra (30 AA to 42 DD), six non-toxic markers, , bottle cap necklaces, snap caps necklaces and start drawing to your heart’s desire. The markers are washable so you can design over and over again. There are also three stencils in each pack and an idea booklet. The company’s purpose is to empower young girls to be comfortable with their sexuality while still having fun. What do you make of all of this — freaky or fabulous? You decide!!

Recently there have been talks of a strategic alliance with Global Jockey a subsidiary of P2M Infotech Private Limited located at 745 BDA Quarters, Domlur, Indiranagar, and Bangalore 560071. Now Indians are getting ready to get that inner artist out of them and paint the canvas ….ooops we mean Bras!

There is no doubt that the product has gained enormous popularity but there are women who think it’s absurd or childish.

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They then settle down and hand over the responsibilities to their girlfriends or wives and thereafter they are strangers to underwear departments.

“It is odd that even the most macho men delegate the duty of buying new underpants – the garment closest to their masculinity – to women as soon as they can,” the Telegraph quoted Rob Faucherand at Debenhams as saying.

“I’m sure Freudian analysis of this trait would give us all a clearer insight into human relationships,” he added.

Britain’s biggest pants retailer, Marks & Spencer, has for some time been aware this trend and ensures its male underwear section is targeted at its female shoppers.

Manufacturers like Armani have also appealed to female sensitivities by publishing erotic photographs of David Beckham modelling its men’s underwear range.

“We’ve noticed that the David Beckham-style hipster pants are bought predominantly by women, not men,” said a spokesman for M&S. (ANI)

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Most flowering plants form symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi. The plants produce food that the fungi need to survive, and the fungi provide several benefits to plants.

They may assist the plants in nutrient uptake, provide protection against fungal pathogens that would harm the plants’ roots, and improve the soil structure.

With the many benefits these mycorrhizal fungi provide to plants, they have the potential to play a significant role in shaping plant populations.
Interactions between the plant and the mycorrhizal fungi may be influenced by the genetic composition of the plant.

This raises the question: for species with separate male and female plants, do interactions with mycorrhizal fungi vary between the sexes and consequently play a role in the male/female structure of the population?

“We know that male and female plants often differ in physiology, but little is known about whether the sexes differ in their interactions with other organisms,” said Dr. Sarah Eppley at Portland State University.

“If males and females differ in how they interact with organisms in their community, such as with mycorrhizal fungi, then we expect a cascade of effects within a community,” Eppley added.

Eppley and colleagues analyzed mycorrhizal colonization of roots of male and female members of the marsh grass Distichlis spicata to determine whether the sex of the plant influences the interaction between the plant and mycorrhizal fungi.

In populations of D. spicata, males are found almost exclusively in habitats that have a low nutrient concentration and females are found almost exclusively in habitats with a higher nutrient concentration.

The relationship between D. spicata and mycorrhizal fungi is known to have a significant effect on the health and reproduction of the grass. If D. spicata exhibits sex-specific interactions with the mycorrhizal fungi, this distribution may be due to those interactions.

The researchers found differences in mycorrhizal colonization between males and females. Female plants were more likely to be colonized by the mycorrhizal fungi than male plants.

Although some of the plants they studied had not yet reached reproductive maturity, these immature plants also showed the same pattern of sex-specific colonization.

Intersexual competition has been hypothesized to be a likely cause of the spatial segregation of the sexes in D. spicata populations.

It may be that the female plants, with the assistance of mycorrhizal fungi, are able to out-compete the male plants for the coveted phosphorous-rich sites within the marsh.

“Although intersexual competition in plants has rarely been studied, understanding the differences in how males and females compete is important because it is likely to play a role in the evolution of population sex ratios,” Eppley said.

The study has been published in the November issue of the American Journal of Botany. (ANI)

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In their study, boffins have shown how you can improve your second-language listening ability by watching movies with subtitles- but the subtitles have to be in the same language as the films.

Subtitles in one’s native language, the default in some European countries, may actually be counter-productive to learning to understand foreign speech.

Holger Mitterer (Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics) and James McQueen (MPI and Radboud University Nijmegen) show that listeners can tune in to an unfamiliar regional accent in a foreign language.

Dutch students showed improvements in their ability to recognise Scottish or Australian English after only 25 minutes of exposure to video material. English subtitling during exposure enhanced this learning effect; Dutch subtitling reduced it.

In the study, Dutch students who were unfamiliar with Scottish and Australian English watched either an episode of the Australian sitcom Kath & Kim or a shortened version of Trainspotting, which depicts a Scottish drug addict, Renton, and his friends-with English subtitles, Dutch subtitles or no subtitles.

After this exposure, participants were asked to repeat back as many words as they could from 80 audio excerpts taken from each source spoken by the main characters, half of which had already been heard by the participants in the extracts and half were new to the participants.

The researchers found that English subtitles were associated with the best performance on both previously heard and new material but although Dutch subtitles also enhanced performance on the old items, they led to a worse performance on the new materials.

The participants seemed to be using the semantic (meaning-based) information in the Dutch subtitles when listening to the English speech and so the Dutch subtitles appear to have helped the participants to decipher which English words had been uttered, as seen in the improved recognition of previously heard materials.

This did not, however, allow participants to retune their phonetic categories so as to improve their understanding of new utterances from the same speaker.

Listeners can use their knowledge about how words normally sound to adjust the way they perceive speech that is spoken in an unfamiliar way. This seems to happen with subtitles too.

If an English word was spoken with a Scottish accent, English subtitles usually told the perceiver what that word was, and hence what its sounds were. This made it easier for the students to tune in to the accent.

On the other hand, the Dutch subtitles did not provide this teaching function, and, because they told the viewer what the characters in the film meant to say, the Dutch subtitles may have drawn the students’ attention away from the unfamiliar speech.

The study has been published in the open-access journal PLoS ONE. (ANI)

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They claim that their stand-up routines are being pilfered by viewers who then reproduce their work online.
 
Legal experts have suggested that comedians should save their jokes on computer as soon as they write them and record the date to provide evidence to fight potential copyright cases.

An up-and-coming British comedian has raised the issue after becoming embroiled in a row with a comedy website.

Gary Delaney noticed that a number of his one-liners had been posted without attribution on Sickipedia.org, a huge online joke compendium.

When he contacted the site and requested that they be taken down, he was subjected to a torrent of abuse at the hands of its users.

The comedian was first alerted to the situation when he noticed that crowds seemed to know what he was about to say, even while he was performing relatively recent material.

Delaney told the comedy website Chortle: “A couple of jokes, I can tell from the audience reaction, have very quickly started to get around.

“A joke I had… I could tell that sometimes the audience knew it before I did the punchline, when I hadn’t even been doing it that long.”

Delaney also said that his work was being devalued by people posting his jokes on the microblogging site Twitter.

“If I post a joke on Twitter, I can’t get annoyed if people post that round because I’ve already done it on a public forum,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“But the jokes from my club set are how I make my living, my best and biggest jokes. It used to be the case that a comic’s set would last decades. But now I’ve got jokes I wrote in May, June and July that aren’t working by October because they’ve been absolutely trashed around the Internet,” he added. (ANI)

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This brings us to the discussion of why and what is so intensifying that forces these models to bid goodbye to the world! If we track records than we can find gruesome facts like the fear of losing the No 1 position and when you find out that you being the showstopper for years and suddenly you are being replaced by a newcomer who has just join the industry makes you feel neglected and you get a setback as a result of which depression encroaches you. You tend to take drugs, not only drugs but you try to inject them inside your body. A time comes when you become accustomed to it and can’t think your life without it! It becomes a part and parcel of your life.

Trouble with your family or beloved often leads to serious circumstances or to fulfill the whims and fancies of the casting couch hits the mind to take such wrathful steps! The work pressure and not following the normal biological clock is a reason quite certain.

In many cases the actual reason is still under the veil but we can see some of the models who took the shortcut like Brian Bianchini, Isabella Blow, Lilya Blik, lucy Gordon, Louis Hamilton, Margaux Hamingway, Nafisa Joseph, Ruslana Kurshunova, Marilyn Monroe, Yukiko Yukada, Kuljeet Randhawa, Willy Ray, Sue Williams, Woo-Seung yeon and many others.
This is a real shocker for the fashion industry to lose such great personas. But still we have a very vital m question to ask. When will it end?

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As per the study by IBISWorld, metrosexuals will reap more than 1 billion dollars for the hair and beauty salon industry in the 2009-2010 financial year, reports The Courier Mail.

Toni&Guy senior stylist Lyndsay Smith said men accounted for 40 per cent of its clientele.

Smith added that males paid 100 dollars every four to six weeks to keep their hairdos fresh.

“It’s quite a clean haircut and quite tight. Rather than going for the longer and shaggy look, they’re keeping it tighter,” Smith said.

Toni&Guy apprentice Nicolas Tardiota admitted that he spent about 100 dollars a month on skincare products.

“Presentation is everything. (Hair) is number two after skincare,” the 18-year-old said.

Studies have shown that men’s spending on cosmetics had skyrocketed to 48.4 million dollars a year from 5 million dollars two decades ago.

Ella Bache spokeswoman Francesca Caleffi said: “(Men) are definitely more informed now than five years ago.” (ANI)

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Professor Nick Martin and Dr Sarah Medland from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) have discovered trichohyalin gene that plays a vital role in development of the hair follicle.

They said that it is variation in this gene that determines the straightness or curliness of hair.

A group of Japanese researchers had previously found the genetic variations for the thick, straight hair that is predominant in Asian populations.

The differences in the EDAR and FGFR2 genes were identified last year and are thought to have occurred as part of the evolution of Asian populations following their prehistoric divergence from Europeans.

In the new study, the research team sought to determine a similar variation responsible for curly hair in those of European descent.

It is known that 45pct of European people have straight hair, 40pct have wavy hair and 15pct have curly hair.

They analysed data collected from a study of 5000 twins in Australia over a 30-year period. The twins had previously been asked if their hair was straight, wavy or curly and the lab then sought to match the reports with the 2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) they had mapped on the twins’ genomes.

Martin says it was a “Bingo!” moment when the results showed a big hit on chromosome one, right over the trichohyalin gene.

“This is a gene that has been known for well over twenty years as being involved in hair production and it’s a gene that sits in the sheath that’s around hair root bulbs,” ABC Online quoted Martin as saying.

The study appears in the latest edition of the American Journal of Human Genetics. (ANI)

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Experts from the Colorado State University have found that drivers who personalise their vehicles, thereby marking their territory, tend to guard “their” road space against incursions.

“Both the number of territory markers and attachment to the vehicle were significant predictors of aggressive driving,” the Scotsman quoted the researchers as saying.

“The mere presence of a territory marker predicts increased use of the vehicle to express anger. The number of territory markers predicted road rage better than vehicle value, condition, or any of the things that we normally associate with aggressive driving,” they added.

Dr Mark Sullman, a driver anger expert at Hertfordshire University, said: “Drivers who are more territorial in nature are more likely to indicate this by personalising their vehicles. In addition, they are more likely to respond in an aggressive manner when they experience anger on the road.”

Dr Nick Reed, a senior human factors researcher at TRL, the former Transport Research Laboratory, added: “Most drivers feel territorial about not only their vehicle but the space around them as indicated by the phrases: ‘He’s right on my bumper’ and ‘That car cut right into my lane’.

“It is therefore believable that anyone who has taken the trouble to adorn or ‘enhance’ their car in some way may feel more attached to it and therefore more protective if feeling threatened or obstructed.”

But, the Royal Automobile Club Foundation said not all drivers who customised their vehicles would succumb to road-induced anger.

Phil Gomm, its spokesman, said: “Our cars are our own personal space. They are an extension of us. Why not decorate and adorn them as we wish? I am sure the tens of thousands of respectable motorists displaying National Trust for Scotland stickers, for example, will take great exception at any suggestion they have road-rage tendencies.”

The research, ‘Territorial Markings as a Predictor of Driver Aggression and Road Rage’, was published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology.

Top Ten Stickers

Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.
Rehab is for quitters.
I get enough exercise pushing my luck.
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.
Apathy: I could take it or leave it.
That’s not a haircut, it’s a cry for help.
Excess is never too much in moderation.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
Being “over the hill” is much better than being under it.
Errors have been made. Others will be blamed. (ANI)

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Chernae Silk, called the “brow whisperer”, learnt the art of face-reading in Europe and claims she can reveal insight into a person’s character.

The 31-year-old crowned Australian model Jennifer Hawkins for having the most fashionable brow shape at the moment.

“Jennifer’s shape is the new celebrity brow, which I’ve named `the oracle’. It starts full and thick, then tapers towards the temple”, the Daily Telegraph quoted her as saying.

“Jennifer has a brow shape that has changed since her cheerleading days, and the new style she is sporting will help her with her business pursuits,” she added.

The beauty therapist further said those with naturally low-set brows, for example Arnold Schwarzenegger, were good at controlling their feelings but often had a restricted point of view.

Speaking about people with upward-growing brow hair, such as cricketer Shane Warne, she added: “Those who have stand-up growth at the front of the brow like Shane don’t like to live a quiet life; they love to be entertained. He enjoys a challenge and has a brave heart.” (ANI)

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Barbara and Allan Pease’s new book may come handy in making love life even sexier, reports the Daily Telegraph.

According to the book, five rules for better sex and romance are:

1. Women should initiate sex- The custom of a male approaching a female may not always work out, as men are often apprehensive of being rejected.
Hence, the authors believe sometimes it’s better off that women initiate kinky things.

2. Washing up can be an aphrodisiac- Men who do household chores seem sexier to women, according to the authors.

3. Men need to dress to impress – A survey conducted by anthropologist John Townsend and Gary Levy from Syracuse University showed that expensive clothing can lure women.

The polled women said they preferred having sex with men wearing smart suits, white shirts with designer ties and expensive watches to those dressed in low status clothing, such as Tshirts and jeans, vests, baseball caps and a fast-food restaurant uniform.

4. Smart women often make bad love choices- Lot of studies have shown that smarter women make wrong choices when it comes to matters of the heart.

Author of Success Intelligence, Dr Robert Holden insists that intelligent women waste their time analysing the true meaning of their relationships, instead of being open.

5 Humour is an aphrodisiac- Good sense of humour always gives an edge to men when they hit on a woman. (ANI)

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The new study was published in Journal of Consumer Research by authors Dirk Smeesters (Erasmus University, the Netherlands), Thomas Mussweiler (University of Cologne, Germany), and Naomi Mandel (Arizona State University).

The three researched the ways individuals with different body mass indexes (BMIs) felt when they were exposed to thin or heavy media models.

“Our research confirms earlier research that found that normal body mass index (BMI) females’ self-esteem can shift upwards or downwards depending on the model they are exposed to,” the authors wrote.

“Normal BMI females (with BMIs between 18.5 and 25) have higher levels of self-esteem when exposed to moderately thin models (because they feel similar to these models) and extremely heavy models (because they feel dissimilar to these models).

“However, they have lower levels of self-esteem when exposed to moderately heavy models (because they feel similar) and extremely thin models (because they feel dissimilar),” they stated.

This research provides important new insights into how media exposure affects the self-esteem of overweight and underweight women.

“Underweight women’s self-esteem always increases, regardless of the model they look at,” the authors explained.

“On the other hand, overweight women’s self-esteem always decreases, regardless of the model they look at,” they said.

Perhaps surprisingly, overweight and underweight women showed comparable levels of self-esteem when they weren’t looking at models.

Advertisements also affected participants’ eating behaviour and intentions to diet and exercise.

For example, overweight participants ate fewer cookies and had higher intentions to diet and exercise when exposed to heavy models than when exposed to thin models.

“We recommend that overweight consumers attempt to avoid looking at ads with any models, thin or heavy (perhaps by avoiding women’s magazines),” the authors concluded. (ANI)

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In the study, researcher Juliano Laran from the University of Miami tested subjects to determine how certain words and concepts affected consumers’ decisions for self-control or indulgence.

He found that consumer choices were affected by the actions most recently suggested to them by certain key words.

The tests involved a word-scramble containing words that suggested either indulgence (weight) or self-control (delicious).

“Participants who unscrambled sentences associated with self-control were more likely to choose a healthy snack (a granola bar) to be consumed right now, but an indulgent snack (a chocolate bar) to be consumed in the future,” Laran said.

“Participants who unscrambled sentences associated with indulgence were more likely to choose an indulgent snack to be consumed right now but a healthy snack to be consumed in the future,” Laran added.

A second study examined the same phenomenon, but it involved information associated with saving versus spending money.

Again, when information about saving money was active (participants had been exposed to words associated with saving money), participants said that they imagined themselves trying to save money while shopping in the present, but spending a lot of money while shopping in the future.

When words about spending money were suggested, the study showed the opposite result.

“The type of information (self-control or indulgence) that is currently active may influence a decision for the future. When information about self-control (indulgence) is currently active, decisions for the present will be virtuous (indulgent), while decisions for the future will be indulgent (virtuous). This result arises from people’s need to balance behaviours performed in the present with behaviours that will be performed in the future,” Laran said.

Laran concluded that both marketers and consumers could benefit from being aware of these effects.

The study has been published in in the Journal of Consumer Research. (ANI)

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The study conducted by Todd Gureckis, an assistant professor of psychology at NYU, and Robert Goldstone, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, has been published the journal Topics in Cognitive Science (Wiley-Blackwell).

The authors write: “Our results give support to the idea that individual naming choices are in a large part determined by the social environment that expecting parents experience.

“Like the stock market, cycles of boom and bust appear arise out of the interactions of a large set of agents who are continually influencing one another.”

The researchers also point out that this trend is moderately new and has taken shape from biases in how the public rates the overall appeal for cultural signs like names.

The psychologists came out with their conclusions after reviewing historical records on the frequency of names given to children in the US over the last 127 years.

The U.S. Social Security Administration provided the data.

The authors say: “Parents in the United States are increasingly sensitive to the change in frequency of a name in recent time, such that names that are gaining in popularity are seen as more desirable than those that have fallen in popularity in the recent past.

“This bias then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: names that are falling continue to fall while names on the rise reach new heights of popularity, in turn influencing a new generation of parents.” (ANI)

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The Lonergan Research survey revealed majority of Aussies overspent while shopping, with three in five Aussie females confessing to losing control over purchasing.

Experts found that not giving enough time to shop for a better deal, being worn out for shopping, taking a shop assistant’s recommendation, or pressure selling from staff were some of the reasons big bucks were shelled out, reports the Daily Telegraph.

RMIT University marketing expert Dr Con Stavros explained most people do not stick to particular companies or products and want no excuse to step into a mall.

Dr Stavros said: “We are much more promiscuous when it comes to brands.”

The poll was carried out for online department store DealsDirect.com.au (ANI)

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According to Cristina Odone, who wrote the book The Perfect Wife and is an outspoken critic of some feminist attitudes, today’s women are raising voices against pressures that have made them take jobs they don’t really want to do.

“We need to break the stranglehold that the small coterie of women, who work full time and buy into the macho way of life, enjoy on our public life,” Odone said.

“They have for years misrepresented real women who reject the masculine value system for one that rates caring above a career and interdependence above independence.

“Real women do not want to commit full-time to a job. The future belongs to the real woman, who points to a lifestyle embracing feminine values,” she added.

Supporting her viewpoint, a recent poll in Britain showed fewer than one in eight mothers want to work full time, reports The Courier Mail.

The shocking study also found that one in every 100 mothers in two-parent working families with young children think it is right to have a full-time job.

According to the poll’s results, many females just want to be stay-at-home mothers with their husband’s taking on the role of breadwinner. (ANI)

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Now, chef Praveen Anand has revealed that he mastered new flavours by learning recipes from locals of South India.

Studying different styles of cooking from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, Anand has created his own dishes.

”If you travel 100 kilometres in India, you’ll find 70 different ways to make a chicken curry,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Anand, from Chennai, as saying.

”I am still travelling widely in the south of India and I am still learning, [It] could last a lifetime. It is impossible to exhaust Indian food,” he added.

He spends time with locals or joins village communities at marriage or another celebration and tries to learn family recipes and understand the traditions, culture and unique caste system that influences the different types of cooking.

”I eat the food first, then sit and work with the people who cooked it, then I make my own recipe. It’s a tedious but fruitful study,” he added.

Meanwhile, Anand also interprets and translates manuscripts and records of ancient Indian recipes for University of Chicago, which has a research library in Chennai.

He helps translate local recipes written in regional languages and scripts.

”I think, if you are a chef, it is easier to translate a recipe and understand the traditions than someone who is just a translator,” he added.

Anand will be seen at the World Chef Showcase with his good friend and fellow restaurateur, Kumar Mahadevan of Abhi’s and Aki’s restaurants.

He will cook showcase dinners together at Aki’s and Abhi’s next week as part of the Sydney International Food Festival. (ANI)

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Authored by Claire Damken Brown and Audrey Nelson, the book, titled ‘Code Switching: How to Talk So Men Will Listen’, examines different email styles adopted by men and women in the workplace.

But, that’s not where the differences in sexes end- women are also more likely to stand by while a workmate takes credit for her ideas, get accused of being emotional and allow herself to be interrupted.

On the other hand, men like to hold court in the workplace, initiating banter and offering solutions to problems rather than understanding.

They will act in a more challenging manner, playing devil’s advocate in tense situations, while women will try to help everyone to agree.

The authors of the book said that men and women act in ingrained styles learned from birth and deeply embedded in the workplace structure.

And they suggested that in order to rub along together more effectively, men and women should go for “code switching,” which they describe as using knowledge of more than one culture and language to communicate.

“It’s a travel guide, in a way, to another country with another culture,” the Telegraph quoted Nelson as saying.

They said that the differences in men’s and women’s styles create a persistent “credibility gap,” where women are credited with less authority and power than men.

“There are a number of women out there that are still happy to accommodate men, that do not want to rock the boat, that have no assertive skills and don’t want them,” said Nelson.

“But the biggest complaint I have had for 30 years from all levels, all professions of women, is, ‘How can I get men to take me seriously?’” Miss Nelson said. “This book is to build a bridge in that credibility gap,” Nelson added.

In fact, their book teaches how women should respond to interruptions with certain phrases and body language.

“Part of our goal in this book is to make women more self-conscious. Step up to the plate. Do something about it,” said Nelson. (ANI)

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These guys seem to spend their free time at the kitchen inspired by male cooks like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver.

And about the dinner – they do it everything on their own, right from sending out invites to planning the recipes and doing the cooking.

The Glenfiddich survey of 1,000 adults has found that more than a quarter of men believe they are better cooks than their partners, reports the Daily Express.

However, the study noted that two-thirds of women found men who cook more attractive.

Also, these men apparently spend more money on kitchen gadgets than DIY tools and host an average of 29 get together events every year. (ANI)

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In the study of 3,000 women, boffins discovered that blondes will take 72 minutes a day on their beauty routine compared to 66 minutes for brunettes.

This comes down to blondes spending 22 days a year getting ready, compared to 19 for brunettes, reports The Telegraph.

Also, an average blonde has a better social life, going out with friends three times a month, compared to twice for darker haired ladies.

Rose-Marie Jarvis, of Goody hair care, who conducted the survey, said: “Traditionally, blondes have to work a little harder than brunettes to achieve the same standard of shine, as fair hair doesn’t reflect light to the same extent.

“Interestingly, we found that often it’s the time spent on getting ready that gives women a confidence boost – which would explain why blondes are thought to have more fun.

“This research formed the thinking behind our range of hair accessories and styling tools in Morrisons, as we recognise the effect that a good hair day can have in boosting women’s confidence.”

The survey found the average daily routine for blondes is: shower for 16 minutes; teeth eight minutes; hair 14 minutes; make-up 11 minutes; picking the right outfit 11 minutes; 12 minutes on other preening like shaving and waxing.

In addition, 11 minutes a week are dedicated to nail care.

On a night out the blonde beauty regime goes into overdrive with a couple of extra minutes spent on each activity.

Brunettes on the other hand take just over an hour each day getting ready while their night out routines last an average of one hour 51 minutes.

Brunettes are more likely to leave home without any of their hair and make up being done with 80 per cent saying they wouldn’t be ashamed of going ‘au natural’. (ANI)

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The UniSA study, which compared word-of-mouth discussions about entertainment with chatting about them online, found most prefer to exchange views in person or over the phone.

Deakin University communications and social media lecturer Ross Monaghan said the preference stretched beyond these topics, reports The Courier Mail.

“Online technology involves a lot of time shifting,” he said.

“You can write someone a message, but if they’re busy they can just come back to it later,” the expert added.

UniSA’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute research associate Cathy Nguyen said the study, which surveyed 383 people, found 85 per cent preferred speaking to someone using “traditional” communication methods. (ANI)

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According to an audit from the country’s first NHS gambling centre, such men have one or even two jobs to help fuel their addiction.

Psychiatrists say that that there exists a surprising number of City workers and graduates who keep their gambling entirely hidden from colleagues.

They say that some of these people are those who picked up the habit while at university.

They described the findings as highly unusual, compared with normal sociological patterns of gambling addiction, which tended to be greater among the working classes.

They added that the economic downturn might have exacerbated money pressures and psychiatric problems, but it also increased the likelihood of patients seeking help.

The audit covered 260 patients with an average age of 36. Two thirds were employed, with many described as “highly functioning”. Only 3 per cent were women.

“It is very unusual because we are looking at a highly functioning group of individuals overall. These are people who are skilled at what they do and are respected and trusted by their employers,” Times Online quoted Henrietta Bowden-Jones, a consultant psychiatrist who set up the clinic, as saying.

Calling the flood of referrals was “worrying and fascinating”, Dr. Bowden-Jones stressed the importance of NHS involvement.

So far, gambling treatment has been offered by self-help groups, charities and private clinics that are beyond the budgets of most problem gamblers. (ANI)

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Keep Britain Tidy found over 1,000 instances of people, especially those in the South East, creating litter from a Ford followed by just over 300 sightings from a BMW.

Phil Barton, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, thinks that littering from a car should be treated as a motoring offence.

“Car littering is disgusting, detrimental to the environment and dangerous,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“Through campaigning on this issue, we now have information that is valuable and important to our goal of influencing the law makers and the manufacturers to make a positive change towards ending this problem,” he added. (ANI)

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Dr. Paul McGreevy insists that people often do not pay attention to the impact of modern life on their cherished pets.

He says that even though dogs have shared a long and unique relationship with humans, the modern human world can be confusing and frustrating for them.

He has written in his new book ‘A Modern Dog’s Life’ that most people expect their pets to be “human”, when dogs in reality are animals that see the world very differently to humans.

“Our chief challenge is to think like dogs rather than expect them  to have the same sensitivities we have,” the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“Let’s not forget that they have only recently begun to adapt to life in this foreign world filled with man-made design and technology.

“How baffling must it be to experience moving vehicles, fire, electricity and chemistry with no knowledge of the relationship between cause and effect. And what about the unnatural smells that assault their hypersensitive nostrils: our cleaners, colognes, cigarettes?

“This is a world far removed from the natural one dogs evolved to inhabit,” he added.

Dr McGreevy, an Associate Professor at Sydney University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science and winner of several top awards for his work on animal behaviour, said that properly trained dogs felt they had more control of their world.

“Well-trained dogs get the most out of life,” he said.

“The best owners ‘pay’ their dogs for acceptable behaviour with rewards the dogs value.

“It’s a win/win for both parties. And dogs thrive on learning because it helps to make their world more predictable and controllable. The more control an animal has over its world, the better its quality of life,” he added. (ANI)

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“This study helps resolve the long-standing debate about whether guns are protective or perilous. Will possessing a firearm always safeguard against harm or will it promote a false sense of security?” notes study author Dr. Charles C. Branas, Associate Professor of Epidemiology

The researchers have observed that almost five Philadelphians were shot every day over the course of the study, and about 1 of those 5 people died. 

They say that their observations suggest that defensive gun uses, though possible and do occur each year, are less likely to be successful.

The authors suggest that people rethink their possession of guns, and understand that regular possession necessitates careful safety countermeasures.

According to them, urban residents who may see gun possession as a defence against a dangerous environment should, in particular, be discussed and thoughtfully reconsidered.

The researchers studied the link between being shot in an assault and a person’s possession of a gun at the time of the shooting. 

As identified by police and medical examiners, they randomly selected 677 cases of Philadelphia residents who were shot in an assault from 2003 to 2006.

In six percent of the cases, those who were shot were in possession of a gun.

The shooting cases were matched to Philadelphia residents who acted as the study’s controls.

To identify the controls, trained phone canvassers called random Philadelphians soon after a reported shooting, and asked about their possession of a gun at the time of the shooting. 

These random Philadelphians had not been shot and had nothing to do with the shooting.

This is the same approach that epidemiologists have historically used to establish links between such things as smoking and lung cancer or drinking and car crashes.

“The US has at least one gun for every adult. Learning how to live healthy lives alongside guns will require more studies such as this one.  This study should be the beginning of a better investment in gun injury research through various government and private agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control, which in the past have not been legally permitted to fund research ‘designed to affect the passage of specific Federal, State, or local legislation intended to restrict or control the purchase or use of firearms,’” notes Branas.

The study has been released online in the American Journal of Public Health, in advance of print publication in November 2009. (ANI)

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The Sky News panel survey was conducted as part of Older People’s Day, which recognises the contributions made to society by its elderly citizens.

Almost two thirds of those interviewed believe the BBC was wrong when the channel replaced Arlene Phillips as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing with Alesha Dixon.

In fact, a larger number of people felt that Phillips was the victim of ageism.

Almost 81 percent of Britons do not support the notion that television needs to be glamorous and exciting, therefore presenters need to be young attractive.

For nearly three quarters of Britons, the age of a TV newsreader does not make a difference, as long as they are good enough to do their jobs.

Dame Joan Bakewell has recently pointed out that there seems to be a gender bias on television, with far more elderly males than females.

And the survey has supported the statement, with more than two-thirds feeling older women are under-represented.

Nearly half of those asked feel there should be more elderly people on our screens.

The survey found that 37 percent of people think the British treat older people as a nuisance or a burden, and nearly 25 percent say they are ignored. (ANI)

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The average owner of a blue home earns 38,000 pounds a year, and takes at least two holidays abroad. He or she will have achieved two significant promotions, and half describe themselves as a director or manager. Most have at least three people working below them, according to the survey for Sandtex paints, in which 3,000 homeowners took part.

What’s more, the average professional living in a blue-painted pad drives an Audi TT to work, the study found.

In addition, the average “blue” homeowner is in a long-term relationship and has two children and four close friends.

Fourteen per cent use some of their hard earned cash to pay for a cook to help out when guests are round, 11 per cent have a regular cleaner, and eight per cent have a nanny to help with the children, reports The Telegraph.

Victoria Jones, spokesperson for Sandtex Paints, said: “It is incredible to think that the colour of your house could have any bearing on how successful you are in your career or at home.

“This poll certainly demonstrates that people decorate their houses differently depending on how they are doing in their professional and personal life.”

However, life is not so bright for people living in green houses – as they earn just 13,100 pounds annually.

They are likely to work in retail or wholesale, drive around in a second hand Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Golf, and have left school after completing their A-levels.

Annual Earnings By House Colour:

Blue 38,000 pounds
Red 23,500 pounds
White 23,400 pounds
Magnolia 23,100 pounds
Beige 20,800 pounds
Orange 20,000 pounds
Purple 19,600 pounds
Grey 19,000 pounds
Yellow 18,500 pounds
Brown 18,400 pounds
Pink 14,500 pounds
Green 13,100 pounds (ANI)

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The Sky News panel survey was conducted as part of Older People’s Day, which recognises the contributions made to society by its elderly citizens.

Almost two thirds of those interviewed believe the BBC was wrong when the channel replaced Arlene Phillips as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing with Alesha Dixon.

In fact, a larger number of people felt that Phillips was the victim of ageism.

Almost 81 percent of Britons do not support the notion that television needs to be glamorous and exciting, therefore presenters need to be young attractive.

For nearly three quarters of Britons, the age of a TV newsreader does not make a difference, as long as they are good enough to do their jobs.

Dame Joan Bakewell has recently pointed out that there seems to be a gender bias on television, with far more elderly males than females.

And the survey has supported the statement, with more than two-thirds feeling older women are under-represented.

Nearly half of those asked feel there should be more elderly people on our screens.

The survey found that 37 percent of people think the British treat older people as a nuisance or a burden, and nearly 25 percent say they are ignored. (ANI)

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The average owner of a blue home earns 38,000 pounds a year, and takes at least two holidays abroad. He or she will have achieved two significant promotions, and half describe themselves as a director or manager. Most have at least three people working below them, according to the survey for Sandtex paints, in which 3,000 homeowners took part.

What’s more, the average professional living in a blue-painted pad drives an Audi TT to work, the study found.

In addition, the average “blue” homeowner is in a long-term relationship and has two children and four close friends.

Fourteen per cent use some of their hard earned cash to pay for a cook to help out when guests are round, 11 per cent have a regular cleaner, and eight per cent have a nanny to help with the children, reports The Telegraph.

Victoria Jones, spokesperson for Sandtex Paints, said: “It is incredible to think that the colour of your house could have any bearing on how successful you are in your career or at home.

“This poll certainly demonstrates that people decorate their houses differently depending on how they are doing in their professional and personal life.”

However, life is not so bright for people living in green houses – as they earn just 13,100 pounds annually.

They are likely to work in retail or wholesale, drive around in a second hand Ford Mondeo or Volkswagen Golf, and have left school after completing their A-levels.

Annual Earnings By House Colour:

Blue 38,000 pounds
Red 23,500 pounds
White 23,400 pounds
Magnolia 23,100 pounds
Beige 20,800 pounds
Orange 20,000 pounds
Purple 19,600 pounds
Grey 19,000 pounds
Yellow 18,500 pounds
Brown 18,400 pounds
Pink 14,500 pounds
Green 13,100 pounds (ANI)

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Published in the journal Family Relations, a report on the study says that social support mechanisms like community groups, churches, and school or sports-related activities, can act as a barrier against negative thinking, and allow parents who are prone to depression to make better, more positive choices and engage in healthy parental practices.

The findings support a holistic care plan for families in need, combining skill-based interventions with social recommendations.

These measures may help to decrease the detrimental effects of economic stress on individual and family functioning. (ANI)

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When male gamers beat friends in a shoot-em-up video game, levels of the potent sex hormone testosterone plummeted, indicating that multiplayer video games tap into the same mechanisms as warfare, where testosterone’s effect on aggression is advantageous.

However, against a group of strangers, the players do not hold back and thus testosterone’s effects on aggression offer an advantage.

“In a serious out-group competition you can kill all your rivals and you’re better for it,” New Scientist quoted David Geary, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Missouri in Columbia, who led the study, as saying.

But when competing against friends or relatives to establish social hierarchy, annihilation didn’t really make sense.

“You can’t alienate your in-group partners, because you need them,” he said.

For the study, the researchers turned to a video game, called Unreal Tournament 2004, in which players armed with machine guns, rocket launchers and other weapons roam a post-apocalyptic world.

Unreal Tournament has a network-based multiplayer version called Onslaught where two bands of three players face each other in a “capture the flag”-type mission.

In another – Death Match – players battle each other to the death.

The researchers divided 42 male university students, who were strangers to each other, into 14 groups of three and they all were then made to spend 6 hours practising together over the course of a week.

After this practice, half the teams faced off in 30-minute Onslaught matches. The teams played in different rooms, but they could hear each other.

A week later, individual team members played one another in the death match. The researchers switched the order of these competitions for the other teams.

After the Onslaught matches, the researchers found that testosterone levels of the winning team members spiked immediately after the tournament, particularly among players who had contributed most to their team’s victory.

However, when team members played one another, the highest-ranking males tended to produce less testosterone than their defeated teammates. (ANI)

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Available for just 1 pound on any High Street, the shag bands have become the latest craze among students, and horrified parents across the country.

The different colours – black, blue, red, pink, purple, orange, yellow, green and gold – show how far the little pupils will “go” if propositioned, from a kiss to full sex.

Kids chase each other around schools, and, if they break the band off the wearer’s wrist, the wearer has to offer the physical act that corresponds to the colour of the band.

“A yellow band is the best because all it means is you have to hug a boy. An orange means a love bite and purple is a full-on snog,” the Sun quoted a 12-year-old girl as saying.

“If a boy breaks a pink band, a girl has to flash her boobs, a red band means you have to give him a lap dance and a blue is some sort of oral sex. The black means you have to go all the way with a boy.

“A gold band is the most important and means you have to do all of the above. They are pretty rare, so if you find a gold band in a shop, you have to get your mum to buy it.

“I don’t think parents have any idea what the bracelets mean because all the kids at my school wear them and don’t get told off,” she added.

And if this is not enough, those who do not wear a bracelet are looked down by their peers, while they get respect for wearing the more daring black and gold ones.

Parents, who happen to know about the trend, are disgusted with the promiscuous behaviour their kids are indulging in.

While some schools and parents have confiscated the bands, many are still unaware of the meaning behind the bracelets.

Another shocking craze many parents are oblivious to is “rainbow parties” – booze and drug-fuelled gatherings where girls wear bright lipstick of different colours to leave their “mark” on boys while giving them oral sex. (ANI)

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Nada Kakabadse, a professor at Northampton University, says that these technologies are leading to anxiety, reduced productivity and a generation of smartphone orphans.
 
She points out that people these days are increasingly becoming obsessed with information from an ever growing number of sources.

“One third of our sample suffer from technological addiction. They are addicted to their gadgets – phones, BlackBerries, laptops. It is a problem. It has negative consequences on their family life, their health and their social life,” Sky News quoted her as saying.

Nada says that “pop-up alerts” often interrupt netizens from their primary task in favour of reading emails, and then direct them to other online links.

She says that people then suddenly feel low energy, become clumsy and have a spatial disorder.

The expert says that even though people become exhausted, they may check other stacked up behind the new one, have a quick look on Facebook, Twitter or something else, and it may be half an hour before we’re back to that primary task.

“You can not any more do effectively the task you were originally doing, even if it was routine. You will suddenly feel low energy, you become clumsy and you have a spatial disorder. You become exhausted,” Nada said.

In a survey of 4,000 email users that the US firm AOL recently conducted in America, 46 per cent described themselves as being “hooked” on email.

Nearly 60 per cent had checked email in the bathroom, 15 per cent checked it in church, and 11 per cent had hidden the fact that they were checking it from those around them.

And this is said to have given rise to the phenomenon of BlackBerry orphans, children who desperately fight to regain their parents’ attention from the devices.

Susan Bailey, a principal lecturer at Northampton University, says that she need look no further for a techno-addict than herself.

“I probably only sleep four hours a night. And immediately when I wake up I feel that I have to connect. My family would say it is a problem. I am trying to manage it,” she said.

The answer, according to digital strategist Andrew Grill, is techno-management.

“I think it wouldn’t hurt to have people to help us understand how to relax with all this digital information,” he said.

“I read an interesting tweet the other day about someone who learnt how to turn off the flashing light on their BlackBerry and it had apparently changed their life. They are now regulating their usage because they don’t feel the need to pick it up every time it flashes,” he added.

He says that it is about simple management and a little self control. (ANI)

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For the new study published in a recent edition of The Leadership Quarterly, researchers used data from a long-term Minnesota study of twins.

Apparently children raised by “authoritative” but supportive parents assumed more leadership roles at work and in their communities later in life.

While these children were also less likely to engage in serious rule-breaking, children who did engage in serious rule-breaking were less likely to assume leadership roles.

Children challenging the boundaries set out by their parents learn why the rules are in place and then learn from their parents how to achieve their goals without breaking the rules.

Maria Rotundo, a professor at the Rotman School of Management said: “Some of these early examples of rule-breaking behaviour, more the modest type, don’t necessarily produce negative outcomes later in life – that was fairly intriguing.

“It doesn’t mean all children of authoritative parents are going to become leaders, but they are more likely to.”

The study seems to suggest the saying that leaders are raised more than they are born.

Also, behavioural genetics has shown that innate factors account for only 30percent of who will end up in leadership positions and people’s leadership styles. (ANI)

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Writing in the Emergency Medicine Journal, they have stressed the need for greater awareness among parents about the dangers.

They say that over 50 per cent of the 131 children treated at the hospital’s emergency department last summer had no nets on their trampoline, and no adult supervision.

They add that the commonest injury was a soft tissue sprain followed by fractures, head injury, and cuts.

According to the doctors, most of the children they treated had been playing on the trampoline with other people at the time of their accident.

They revealed that 18 children were operated, and 28 referred to a fracture or ear nose and throat clinic.

They also said that the average age of the children was 8.8 years, and 92 (70 per cent) were boys.

Lead researcher Dr. Dan Harris said that he had been surprised by how significant some of the injuries were.

“It’s difficult because I can see lots of trampolines in gardens in the Kingston area and clearly only a small percentage of the children are getting injured but some of those injuries are life-changing fractures which will cause continual joint problems,” the BBC quoted him as saying.

About 20 per cent of the injuries were sustained by children under five, who had been playing on large trampolines of more than 10 feet in diameter.

The Kingston doctors also revealed that about a third of the children (42) were injured after purposely jumping from the trampoline or accidentally falling off it.

Taking careful records of how the accidents occurred, they observed that where netting and padding was in place on the trampoline, adults were often lured into a false sense of security and left the children unsupervised, which in turn led to more risk-taking activities and more injuries.

Upon following up 90 per cent of the patients with a call, the doctors found that 115 had continued to use the trampoline after or, in some cases, during their recovery phase.

However, all 119 parents reported that their own attitude to supervision and allowing several children on at the same time had changed.

Dr. Harris said: “Unfortunately, for all them it took an injury to their child to initiate such change.”

Dr. John Heyworth, of the College of Emergency Medicine, said the numbers of trampolines seemed to have exploded in recent years and the number of injuries from them around the UK was continuing to rise.

He said: “Parents need to make sure the fun is harmless – it’s common sense – follow the recommended guidelines and children can still let off steam safely.” (ANI)

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A report on the study describes subliminal images  as those shown so briefly that the viewer does not consciously ’see’ them.

Such images have long been the subject of controversy, particularly in the area of advertising.

Studies conducted in the past have already hinted that people can unconsciously pick up on subliminal information intended to provoke an emotional response, but limitations in the design of the studies have meant that the conclusions were ambiguous.

In the latest study, a UCL team led by Professor Nilli Lavie have found evidence that people are able to process emotional information from subliminal images.

The researchers have demonstrated conclusively that even under such conditions, information of negative value is better detected than information of positive value.

During the study, Lavie’s team showed fifty participants a series of words on a computer screen. Each word appeared on-screen for only a fraction of second – at times only a fiftieth of a second, much too fast for the participants to consciously read the word.

The researchers have revealed that the words were either positive (e.g. cheerful, flower and peace), negative (e.g. agony, despair and murder) or neutral (e.g. box, ear or kettle).

After each word, participants were asked to choose whether the word was neutral or ‘emotional’ (i.e. positive or negative), and how confident they were of their decision.

It was observed that the participants answered most accurately when responding to negative words – even when they believed they were merely guessing the answer.

“There has been much speculation about whether people can process emotional information unconsciously, for example pictures, faces and words. We have shown that people can perceive the emotional value of subliminal messages and have demonstrated conclusively that people are much more attuned to negative words,” says Lavie.

“Clearly, there are evolutionary advantages to responding rapidly to emotional information. We can’t wait for our consciousness to kick in if we see someone running towards us with a knife or if we drive under rainy or foggy weather conditions and see a sign warning ‘danger’,” the researcher adds.

Lavie believes that her team’s findings may have implications for the use of subliminal marketing to convey messages, both for advertising and public service announcements such as safety campaigns.

“Negative words may have more of a rapid impact. ‘Kill your speed’ should be more noticeable than ‘Slow down’. More controversially, highlighting a competitor’s negative qualities may work on a subliminal level much more effectively than shouting about your own selling points,” she says.

A research article describing the study has been published in the journal Emotion. (ANI)

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According to a study, six out of 10 ladies are more likely to fall for a man if he breaks the ice with a light-hearted one-liner.

Conducted by www.OnePoll.com, the survey, which questioned 4,000 adults, revealed that four out of 10 women were still dating or were married to a man who first approached them with a funny quip.

However, not every line can do the trick for you-it was found that there are do’s and don’ts in the dating game as well.

Lines such as “Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?”, and “Apart from being beautiful, what do you do for a living?” worked “most of the time”.

But “Do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your eyes” and “Is there a rainbow, because you’re the treasure I’ve been searching for,” were likely to end up in red-faced failure for being “too over the top”.

The study found that seven out of 10 women like being chatted up while out with friends as it gives their confidence a boost – as long as the potential suitor is good looking.

“Women like a guy with a sense of humour and a cheesy chat-up line is a good way of displaying that,” the Daily Express quoted a spokesman for www.OnePoll.com, as saying

“To fire off a good chat-up line at a pretty girl the man will have to be pretty confident too, and women like confident men.

“At the very worst you’re probably going to get a smile and a polite ’sorry, I’m not interested’, but it seems there are some lines which actually work very well indeed.

“These are the ones which are light-hearted and quite clever and well thought out. It’s the really awful ones which are going to end up with a bloke having egg on his face in front of his mates,” he added. (ANI)

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Those who are struggling to lose weight are subscribing to weightnags.com in a bid reduce their waistlines.

The creators of the websites say that it ‘inspires’ its users through a mixture of personal abuse and insults.

And the messages sent to dieters include “face it fatty, you need someone to bug you every 15 minutes don’t you?” and “You oughta lay off the buffet”.

Besides, the site also offers a text service for the more masochistic with fat alerts sent to mobile phones.

More than 250 people signed up for the rude site in just the first two hours of its launch this week.

“If you haven’t heard, people spend billions of dollars to look prettier, feel younger and lose weight,” the Telegraph quoted owner and creator of weightnags, Talmadge Boyd, as saying.

He added: “All people really need is to be nagged.” (ANI)

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