Horoscope 1st Feb

Aries

Today the businesses, which would be connected to financial questions, should be extremely successful. You may even make bold to solve problems of other people, but you would have to be extremely careful.

Taurus

Whatever occurred, today you will be in the center of general attention. You wouldn't manage to hide from this honor, you will have to suffer.

Gemini

Today you should not undertake what you are unable to do. It is better to ask the expert, however insignificant the problem seems.

Cancer

What for to wait, while the glory will come to you? That way you would have to stay at home for rather long time. Crave for popularity - try to catch it more actively.

Leo

Today you will need the help of an expert. It will be rather expensive, but inevitable. Do not listen the internal voice, today it will be disposed to mistakes as never.

Virgo

Today you will feel lack of your own resources, so you will, probably, need help or stimulation. Do not be too keen on it.

Libra

Do not be too noisy, today you can meet something very rare and necessary, but very timid. Be kind and artful. Try to use any opportunity, even very improbable.

Scorpio

If today you will permit yourself to relax and to cease to supervise the situation, the price of similar levity can appear too high. You will have no opportunity to have a rest.

Sagittarius

Today you can feel yourself lost. Try to spend evening in the company of those people, who are happy to see you. It will help you to mend an unpleasant impression from this day.

Capricorn

Today you would be given the go-ahead in all businesses, which concern your personal problems. Moreover, this day would be successful in the financial sphere.

Aquarius

Nobody except you could answer a question, tormenting you. And the longer you will postpone a search of the answer, the more time it will require. Why no to begin just now?

Pisces

Today your ability to pay a compliment to the right man at the right moment will help you very much. It will be enough, everything else will go like clockwork.

For Your Beloved

How Do I Love Thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being an ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the Breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Valentine's Day History

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?

The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Horoscope Today 31st Jan

Aries

Today you would win far more than you may lose cooperating with others. Hence, it does not cost to hide in the corner and to try to make everything yourself. It would be better to concede in pair of questions, but to enlist someone's support.

Taurus

Relax and accept the world such as it is. Everything might be far worse, so what for to raise the entropy of universe, trying to change something?

Gemini

Today you can feel yourself as Alice, talking with March Hare. Picking out of an essential part from the conversation, which you will have to hold, will be too difficult task.

Cancer

Today the world will be such, what you would wish it to see, certainly within the limits of possible. Use it, the situation cannot remain such for a long time.

Leo

Today it is not worth to make any plans. This day is better to live as one moment, without thinking about the future. You won't have to pay for today's levity.

Virgo

If you are unable to fulfill your own obligations - do you have the right to require responsibility of another man? Show desire and ability to answer for your words and everything would become easier both for you and for your partner.

Libra

The process of taking of great and important decision sometimes is pleasant in itself. But even if you like it very much, it should be ended, otherwise there wouldn't be a decision at all.

Scorpio

Trying to make something useful, you will simply lose time today. Engage better in something pleasant. To combine both will be impossible.

Sagittarius

Today you should engage in something rather unpleasant. Do not complain of destiny aloud - it will take offence and tomorrow will make your life really unbearable.

Capricorn

Today only the patience, patience and once again calmness will rescue you. Pretend that the occurring does not concern you and you would live up to the end of day successfully.

Aquarius

This day is good for surprises and draws of different sorts. If there is no time or desires for similar entertainment, simply go to see somebody, it is a good pastime as well.

Pisces

Today the people unfamiliar to you or simply strongly removed from you will be rather kind to you. Those, who are close, won't bring a lot of pleasure.

TCS staff to lose 1.5% of total salary

Mumbai, Jan. 30 Employees of Tata Consultancy Services will lose about 1.5 per cent of the total cost to company (CTC) salary for the next two months, as the company failed to meet its internal economic value added (EVA) target of Rs 376 crore for the first time.

Though a company spokesperson said that the move will not have any relation to future wage hikes and that clarity on this front will emerge only by March end, the action has predictably jolted TCS staffers. In the third quarter, TCS fell short of meeting its internal EVA target of Rs 376 crore by about Rs 83 crore; this shortfall will be recovered from employees’ salaries in February and March, the spokesperson added.

The company believes that the cut is not a huge proportion of the overall CTC and hence it will not spike attrition. Moreover, the provision to adjust variable pay depending on the company’s performance and several other external factors is clearly articulated in the company HR policy. “The annual increment letter clearly states that the employees are given the variable pay in advance and that adjustments for the same will be made on an ongoing basis,” the company spokesperson said.

EVA calculation

EVA is calculated as net operating profit after taxes minus a charge of the opportunity cost of the capital invested. According to the income structure of most TCS employees, 30 per cent of their salary is variable in nature. This variable component is paid at the beginning of the quarter, in anticipation that the company will achieve a pre-set EVA target. In the third-quarter, however, the company was unable to achieve its goal owing to various factors such as higher onsite component of revenues, lower utilisation rates, rupee appreciation and several one-time taxation issues.

Even though employees are divided over whether the cut merits a job change, several TCS staffers told Business Line that they are watching the move with caution. “Though the official word is that the situation will be reviewed by March end, we are preparing for a regime where in we continue with a pruned salary,” a TCS employee told Business Line on the condition of anonymity.

If the dip is extended beyond the quarter, it could have a negative impact on employee sentiment and thereby spike attrition for the company, say industry insiders. Already the move has been condemned on various user-generated content such as blogs and forums.

Horoscope Today 30 Jan

Aries

Today can permit yourself to relax, to expel sensation of mistrust to anybody and to refuse unpleasant ideas. You would be able to repair an omission you tomorrow.

Taurus

Whatever happens today, nothing would be able to overshadow of your mood. It is necessary only to hope that the next day you wouldn't racked with a headache.

Gemini

Today you will be simply a huge fluctuation. Around of you there will be the most improbable events. Leaving the home it is necessary to take a videocamera, if you have it - you won't regret.

Cancer

The today is good for changes. For anyone. If you are unable to invent anything better - change a hair style.

Leo

Today you will receive great satisfaction, for you will have an opportunity to say "I have warned you". But it will be better to go through this joyful moment silent, in order to prevent the unpleasant situation.

Virgo

If you are a swindler - it is your day. The people will trust any your word today. However this day this will finish, and you will be beaten tomorrow.

Libra

If you were so careless to gossip about someone recently, today it is better to stay at home and avoid meeting with this man. He can raise his claims to you.

Scorpio

Today the habitual rhythm of your life will be broken by intrusion of something insignificant. Try to be maximum quiet, this event won't have other consequences besides spoiling of your mood.

Sagittarius

By evening today you become unusually fun loving. It isn't bad, but be careful, you risk to infringe solemnity of the moment - it will be awkward.

Capricorn

Your charm today will open to you an access in any spheres, it is necessary only to wish it. So, if you have urgent necessity to fascinate someone, this day is ideal for this purpose.

Aquarius

It is better to devote this day to the house and family, as far as it is possible. Do not make large purchases now - there is a risk that they will appear unsuccessful.

Pisces

Today it is better not to begin new business. The maximum, with what is possible to occupy hands (the head is better to let alone) is the housekeeping.

Sedentary Lifestyles Associated With Accelerated Aging Process

Regular exercisers have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, obesity and osteoporosis, according to background information in the article. "A sedentary lifestyle increases the propensity to aging-related disease and premature death," the authors write.

Inactivity may diminish life expectancy not only by predisposing to aging-related diseases but also because it may influence the aging process itself.

Lynn F. Cherkas, Ph.D., of King's College London, and colleagues studied 2,401 white twins, administering questionnaires on physical activity level, smoking habits and socioeconomic status. The participants also provided a blood sample from which DNA was extracted. The researchers examined the length of telomeres--repeated sequences at the end of chromosomes--in the twins' white blood cells (leukocytes). Leukocyte telomeres progressively shorten over time and may serve as a marker of biological age.



Telomere length decreased with age, with an average loss of 21 nucleotides (structural units) per year. Men and women who were less physically active in their leisure time had shorter leukocyte telomeres than those who were more active. "Such a relationship between leukocyte telomere length and physical activity level remained significant after adjustment for body mass index, smoking, socioeconomic status and physical activity at work," the authors write. "The mean difference in leukocyte telomere length between the most active [who performed an average of 199 minutes of physical activity per week] and least active [16 minutes of physical activity per week] subjects was 200 nucleotides, which means that the most active subjects had telomeres the same length as sedentary individuals up to 10 years younger, on average." A sub-analysis comparing pairs in which twins had different levels of physical activity showed similar results.
Oxidative stress--damage caused to cells by exposure to oxygen--and inflammation are likely mechanisms by which sedentary lifestyles shorten telomeres, the authors suggest. In addition, perceived stress levels have been linked to telomere length. Physical activity may reduce psychological stress, thus mitigating its effect on telomeres and the aging process.



The U.S. guidelines recommend that 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity at least five days a week can have significant health benefits," the authors write. "Our results underscore the vital importance of these guidelines. They show that adults who partake in regular physical activity are biologically younger than sedentary individuals. This conclusion provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potential anti-aging effect of regular exercise."



Journal reference: Arch Intern Med. 2008;168[2]:154-158.
This study was supported in part by a grant from the Welcome Trust, grants from the National Institutes of Health and a grant from The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey.
Editorial: More Research Needed to Verify Exercise-Aging Link
Additional work needs to be done to show a direct relationship between aging and physical activity, writes Jack M. Guralnik, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Md., in an accompanying editorial.



"Persons who exercise are different from sedentary persons in many ways, and although certain variables were adjusted for in this analysis, many additional factors could be responsible for the biological differences between active and sedentary persons, a situation referred to by epidemiologists as residual confounding," Dr. Guralnik writes. "Nevertheless, this article serves as one of many pieces of evidence that telomere length might be targeted in studying aging outcomes.

Are Men Really Smarter !

Are men smarter than women? No. But they sure think they are. An analysis of some 30 studies by British researcher Adrian Furnham, a professor of psychology at University College London, shows that men and women are fairly equal overall in terms of IQ. But women, it seems, underestimate their own candlepower (and that of women in general), while men overestimate theirs. Furnham talks to NEWSWEEK's Joan Raymond about his findings and why perceived IQ matters.

Excerpts:
Many studies show that men score slightly higher in IQ tests.

Is this significant?Adrian Furnham: Universally, men tend to score higher on certain specialized skills, such as spatial awareness. In the real world, that means they might be better at reading maps or navigating. Women score higher in terms of language development and emotional intelligence. But most experts agree there is no real, important overall difference when it comes to gender and intelligence.

But women think they aren't as smart as men? That's the conundrum. What I study is "perceived intelligence," essentially how smart people think they are. I analyzed 30 international studies, and what I found was that women, across the world, tend to underplay their intelligence, while men overstate it.

So do most men think they're Albert Einstein? There certainly is a greater male ego. It's what we call the male hubris and female humility effect. Men are more confident about their IQ. These studies show that on average, women underestimate their IQ scores by about five points while men overestimate their own IQs. Since these studies were international in scope, the results were essentially the same whether women were from Argentina, America, Britain, Japan or Zimbabwe. Another factor affecting perception may be distribution of IQ ... Although [men and women] are on average the same, the people at the very top and the very bottom of the IQ bell curve are more likely to be men. That is a pattern that we see in the university setting, with men either being at the very top of the class or at the bottom.

Do women tend to think that men are smarter than they are? Surprisingly, [both] men and women perceive men being smarter across generations. Both sexes believe that their fathers are smarter than their mothers and grandfathers are more intelligent than their grandmothers.

What about the kids? If there are children, [both] men and women think their sons are brighter than their daughters.

Did the data surprise you? Absolutely. And it is worrying in the sense that it may mean parents send inappropriate or misleading messages to their children about their abilities. It is also surprising since school results, at least in Great Britain, indicate quite clearly that girls are doing better than boys in nearly all subjects. What was interesting was that some groups of people, both men and women, got it so wrong. Men with average to below-average intelligence think that they are quite clever. And very smart women think their intelligence is low.
Does any of this matter in the real world? Men aren't more clever or smarter. But since they think they are, they are more confident about their abilities. These self-beliefs, however, may be highly adaptive. Who gets a job? A bright woman who doesn't think she's smart, or a not-so-bright man who believes he's capable of anything? Arrogance and hubris are not attractive qualities, but confident, self-belief may be. Certainly, underestimating abilities might hurt you. There's a good quote from one of your countrymen, Henry Ford. He says: "Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right." And that is what is troublesome. Beliefs may be more important than actual ability in certain settings.

So women have a self-esteem problem? I'm not advocating for self-esteem training and therapy. I think that many of the self-help gurus argue incorrectly that improved self-esteem increases performance. Helping people to perform better increases their self esteem. Giving a kind of carte blanche to self-esteem isn't a good idea in my mind. Rather, I think it should be that increased performance and feedback on the causes of that performance, ability or effort raises self-esteem. As I said, in primary and secondary schools, girls are outperforming boys. And where appropriate, their self-beliefs, hopefully, are increasing.

Do you get a lot of flack for this kind of gender research? I study perceived intelligence. I don't research whether gender differences in intelligence are innate. That always sparks controversy. But anytime you talk about intelligence and gender, people will have strong feelings about it. Look what happened to [Larry] Summers of Harvard [the former president of the university was lambasted for suggesting that women are underrepresented in the sciences at least partly due to inherent differences in intellectual ability between the sexes]. I just let the data speak for itself. Nonetheless, sometimes I think you have to be stupid, brave or just plain naive to work in this area.

Horoscope 29th Jan 07

Aries

The friends today will suggest to you the extremely interesting idea, you need only to understand it correctly and to realize immediately.

Taurus

That flow of energy, which carried you last time, almost not requiring your own efforts, seems begins to run low. You could take a rest, expecting the following wave. The today is good for silent and peace entertainment.

Gemini

You like to take on responsibilities. Your work though will be hard, but will bring a satisfaction, for you will have enough forces to finish it today.

Cancer

Be careful, undertaking one or another action. Today you should make some choice. Do not grudge time for meditations.

Leo

The today is extremely good for making a cozy nest with the person whom you love. If it is just the latter that you want, try to prevent him of knowing it.

Virgo

You can immortalize your point of view, by carving of the appropriate inscription at a stone, however it yet does not guarantee that it will be paid attention. It does not cost to be so persistent.

Libra

Sometimes it is so difficult to stop. Especially your speed is very high. But all the same it is necessary to give the opportunity to your interlocutors to express their opinion sometimes.

Scorpio

Certainly, it would be better to agree by a peace way, however, if they don't not wish to listen to you in any way, you would have to go ahead. Today you cannot allow to recede to yourself.

SagittariusThe shine of your mind today can remain unnoticed. The more forces you will spend for attracting attention to yourself, the smaller effect it would bring. Whether it is worth doing?

Capricorn

The today can seem to your active nature desperately boring. Don't begin moaning or, what is worse, complaining of malicious destiny. Think whether it is better to sit quietly, than to run as from one trouble to another.

Aquarius

This day will be very long and sad. The business won't be successful, so it would be better to have a rest a bit.

Pisces

Venus today will be favorable to you. However it is not necessary to wait that everything will be present to you on a platter of widely known color. It is necessary to undertake some actions personally.

a pakistani view of INDIA

The two Ambani brothers can buy 100 percent of every company listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) and would still be left with $30 billion to spare. The four richest Indians can buy up all goods and services produced over a year by 169 million Pakistanis and still be left with $60 billion to spare. The four richest Indians are now richer than the forty richest Chinese. In November, Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex flirted with 20,000 points. As a consequence, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries became a $100 billion company (the entire KSE is capitalized at $65 billion). Mukesh owns 48 percent of Reliance. In November, comes Neeta's birthday. Neeta turned forty-four three weeks ago. Look what she got from her husband as her birthday present: A sixty-million dollar jet with a custom fitted master bedroom, bathroom with mood lighting, a sky bar, entertainment cabins, satellite television, wireless communication and a separate cabin with game consoles. Neeta is Mukesh Ambani's wife, and Mukesh is not India's richest but the second richest. Mukesh is now building his new home, Residence Antillia (after a mythical, phantom island somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean). At a cost of $1 billion this would be the most expensive home on the face of the planet. At 173 meters tall Mukesh's new family residence, for a family of six, will be the equivalent of a 60-storeyed building. The first six floors are reserved for parking. The seventh floor is for car servicing and maintenance. The eighth floor houses a mini-theatre. Then there's a health club, a gym and a swimming pool. Two floors are reserved for Ambani family's guests. Four floors above the guest floors are family floors all with a superb view of the Arabian Sea. On top of everything are three helipads. A staff of 600 is expected to care for the family and their family home. In 2004, India became the 3rd most attractive foreign direct investment destination. Pakistan wasn't even in the top 25 countries. In 2004, the United Nations, the representative body of 192 sovereign member states, had requested the Election Commission of India to assist the UN in the holding elections in Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah and Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan. Why the Election Commission of India and not the Election Commission of Pakistan? After all, Islamabad is closer to Kabul than Delhi. Imagine, 12 percent of all American scientists are of Indian origin; 38 percent of doctors in America are Indian; 36 percent of NASA scientists are Indians; 34 percent of Microsoft employees are Indians; and 28 percent of IBM employees are Indians. For the record: Sabeer Bhatia created and founded Hotmail. Sun Microsystems was founded by Vinod Khosla. The Intel Pentium processor, that runs 90 percent of all computers, was fathered by Vinod Dham. Rajiv Gupta co-invented Hewlett Packard's E-speak project. Four out of ten Silicon Valley start-ups are run by Indians. Bollywood produces 800 movies per year and six Indian ladies have won Miss Universe/Miss World titles over the past 10 years. For the record: Azim Premji, the richest Muslim entrepreneur on the face of the planet, was born in Bombay and now lives in Bangalore.India now has more than three dozen billionaires; Pakistan has none (not a single dollar billionaire). The other amazing aspect is the rapid pace at which India is creating wealth. In 2002, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's father, left his two sons a fortune worth $2.8 billion. In 2007, their combined wealth stood at $94 billion. On 29 October 2007, as a result of the stock market rally and the appreciation of the Indian rupee, Mukesh became the richest person in the world, with net worth climbing to US$63.2 billion (Bill Gates, the richest American, stands at around $56 billion). Indians and Pakistanis have the same Y-chromosome haplogroup. We have the same genetic sequence and the same genetic marker (namely: M124). We have the same DNA molecule, the same DNA sequence. Our culture, our traditions and our cuisine are all the same. We watch the same movies and sing the same songs. What is it that Indians have and we don't?

Indians elect their leaders.

Your Day Today

Aries

Today you the ambivalent feelings will seize you. On the one hand you an opportunity to relax will tempt you, on the other - the call of duty will push you. Who will win?

Taurus

Today the high physical activity will be very health giving for you. For not being bore involve in this useful employment somebody else.

Gemini

Today you will get an opportunity to conclude a very favorable bargain. Its characteristic feature should be its simplicity. If somebody would offer you something complicated, do not agree it wouldn't be the right one.

Cancer

Try today to behave in such a way that there would be nothing to reproach you with. Today the environmental will be adjusted rather negatively in respect of you and will try to pin all accusations upon you.

Leo

Today you may forget about private life. Someone will ask you for help and you will be engaged in another's problems all the day.

Virgo

Today you will be charged by a double portion of energy. It wouldn't be necessary, even to catch up the bus - faster it would be compelled to catch you up. Try to use this energy in light time of the day, if you keep it till evening, it would be difficult to fall asleep.

Libra

Today you would be able to work only if you will be absolutely convinced of own correctness. Otherwise, you would be harassed by doubts.

Scorpio

The today will bring you problems of moral sense. It is, probably, necessary to you slightly to modify the politics of mutual relation with your family.

Sagittarius

If you today do not receive the desirable, blame yourself. Other obstacles are not probable.

Capricorn

You have given much in a due time and today, rather probably something will come back to you. It is necessary to tell that the result of this exchange can appear rather original.

Aquarius

Today you will have to do your utmost to find though a minute of rest for yourselves. Probably, you will even have to be rough.

Pisces

Today you will see and to hear only that would like to see and to hear. It is certainly good, but for evening it is better to return to the real world.

Horoscope Today

Aries
The today's events should suit you well, it is necessary only to think, how to use this advantage. But don't waste too much time for meditation - the situation changes too quickly.

Taurus
This day is certainly intended for the rest, but, for not to let your brains rust, choose some active variant of the rest. A chess... No, it is too difficult. Can you solve a crossword puzzle?

Gemini
Today in your house the great changes may happen, but there would be no of them, if you won't take part in the process. Therefore it is better to consult with your family before beginning something global.

Cancer
Do not reject compliments. You have deserved them. If will continue in the same way you will deserve more large ones, but you risk to get tired.

Leo
The intuition will help to you to clear up that wild amount of the information, which will come to you like a bolt from the blue. Be pleased to skepticism if that state is proper to you.

Virgo
Today your main task will be to force people around you to laugh. You will be capable to help the people to feel themselves as children as nobody another.

Libra
Rummaging in important, but small details, you risk not to understand the essence of a question. Look at it asquint and from some distance.

Scorpio
The more actively you try to force events, the more difficult to you the asserting of already won positions becomes. May be it is necessary to try to understand the current businesses before to begin something new?

Sagittarius
If someone does not wish to operate by your rules, he should not to be forced to do it. Try to kill authoritarian features in yourself, today they can reach full flower.

Capricorn
The present day is better to devote to the abstract reflections, rather than to concrete actions. If nevertheless it is necessary to work - enlist the support of your friends.

Aquarius
"Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes (I'm afraid of Danaos, even bringing the gifts! " - the man, who had told these words was wise and they have not lost the urgency till now. Remember it.

Pisces
Today you should meet with bright example of human imperfection. It is better not to allow it to catch you unawares. Don't rely on competence and common sense of environmental completely.

Horoscope Today

Aries
Finish today everything, what you were not in time to make earlier. Tomorrow you will be waited by other cares. If you wouldn't have time to finish - it would be necessary to move twice more actively.

Taurus
Today to go on any hazard, even the most minimum, will be for you practically equivalently to suicide. Walk across the road only in pedestrian crossing, please.

Gemini
Today the dense fog surrounding you the last time begins quietly to disperse. The opening field of action will astound you by its size. It is necessary to turn up your sleeves and to start plough it up actively.

Cancer
You should take into account a difference between the help to the man, who need help, and encouragement of irresponsible behavior. Somebody try to live at your expense, if don't do it yet.

Leo
It isn't necessary always to hide your problems inside yourself. Be not afraid of that someone suddenly will offer you the help. He will do it right from the heart.

Virgo
Today just that day, about which you sometimes will tell " there would be no happiness, but the misfortune has helped ". Whatever will happen today there will be the happy end.

Libra
This day will require of you to be ready to keep unperturbed expression of the face, not depending on emotions you would feel. Under any conditions it would be better to go on the compromise.

Scorpio
Try to keep calmness, today it will be necessary to you. Probably, you should hastily correct someone's mistakes, which would be ready to become catastrophic.

Sagittarius
Are you ready to this or not, but today something would certainly change. Let's hope that it would be the weather.

Capricorn
Today you will not only attract attention of the people to yourself, but also charm them. You will get a talent of animal-tamer - you will be able to override anyone simply by force of your own will.

Aquarius
Today the role public accuser could fall to your lot. Nether maid would they listen to you, or not - you will be right, and this is the main.

Pisces
There is an awakened animal in your soul. If you don't want to have troubles with health, it would be better to let it out, though it can entail a spoiling of an interior of that room, where it will be set free.

Good marital fight linked to longer life

The University of Michigan study studied 192 couples over 17 years and placed the couples into one of four categories: both partners communicate their anger; husband expresses while the wife suppresses; the wife expresses and the husband suppresses; and both the husband and wife suppress their anger and brood.

Ernest Harburg, a professor emeritus with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, said when both spouses suppress their anger at the other when unfairly attacked, earlier death was twice as likely than in all other types.
"When couples get together, one of their main jobs is reconciliation about conflict," Harburg said in a statement. "Usually nobody is trained to do this. If they have good parents, they can imitate, that's fine, but usually the couple is ignorant about the process of resolving conflict."
Those who bury anger, brood over it and resent the other person and don't try to resolve the problem, can be in trouble, Harburg said.

Daily Exercise Dramatically Lowers Men's Death Rates

The government-supported Veterans Affairs study included 15,660 participants and is the largest known to assess the link between fitness and mortality.
"It is important to emphasize that it takes relatively moderate levels of physical activity -- like brisk walking -- to attain the associated health benefits. Certainly, one does not need to be a marathon runner.

This is the message that we need to convey to the public," said Peter Kokkinos, Ph.D., lead author of the study and director of the Exercise Testing and Research Lab in the cardiology department at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Professor Kokkinos and colleagues investigated exercise capacity as an independent predictor of overall mortality for African-American men (6,749) and Caucasian men (8,911) and also examined whether racial differences in exercise capacity influence the risk of death. Veterans were tested by a standardized treadmill test to assess exercise capacity between May 1983 and December 2006 at Veterans Affairs medical centers in Washington, D.C., and Palo Alto, Calif. The men were encouraged to exercise until fatigued unless they developed symptoms or other indicators of ischemia. These individuals were then followed for an average of 7.5 years and death rates were recorded.
Researchers classified the subjects into fitness categories based on their treadmill performance, expressed as peak metabolic equivalents (METs) achieved. Technically, a MET is equivalent to oxygen consumption of 3.5 milliliters per kilograms of body weight per minute. One MET represents the amount of oxygen the person uses at rest. Anything above one MET represents work. The higher the MET level achieved, the more fit the individual.
Based on this concept, the researchers divided the participants into four categories:
3,170 men were "low fit," achieving less than 5 METs; 5,153 men were "moderately fit," achieving 5 to 7 METs; 5,075 were "highly fit," achieving 7.1 to 10 METs; and 2,261 were "very highly fit," achieving more than 10 METs. The study found that "highly fit" men had half the risk of death compared to "low fit" men. Men who achieved "very highly fit" levels had a 70 percent lower risk of death compared to those in the "low fit" category. For every 1-MET increase in exercise capacity (fitness), the risk for death from all causes was 13 percent for both African Americans and Caucasians.
Kokkinos said, "These findings are important for several reasons: First, we were able to quantify the health benefits per unit increase in exercise capacity. Second, this is the first study to provide information on physical activity and mortality in African Americans, information lacking until now. Keep in mind that death rates in African Americans are much higher when compared with Caucasians, in part because race and income negatively influence access to healthcare."
"The Veterans Affairs' health system is unique in that it ensures equal access to care regardless of a patient's financial status," he added. "Thus, it provides us with a unique opportunity to assess the impact of exercise or physical activity on death without the influence of healthcare differences."
According to Kokkinos, most middle-age and older individuals can attain fitness levels with a brisk walk, 30 minutes per day, five to six days each week. "I do not advocate that everyone can start with 30 minutes of physical activity. In fact, 30 minutes may be too much for some people. If this is the case, split the routine into 10-15 minutes in the morning and another 10-15 minutes in the evening. The benefits will be similar if the exercise volume accumulated is similar," he said.
"Our findings show that the risk of death is cut in half with an exercise capacity that can easily be achieved by a brisk walk of about 30 minutes per session 5-6 days per week," he added. "Physicians should encourage individuals to initiate and maintain a physically active lifestyle, which is likely to improve fitness and lower the risk of death. Individuals should also discuss exercise with their physician before embarking on an exercise program."

Stress At Work Is Linked To Heart Disease

The research is the first large-scale study to look at the cardiovascular mechanisms of work stress in the population and provides the strongest evidence yet of the way it can lead to coronary heart disease (CHD), either directly, by activating stress pathways controlled by the interaction between the nervous system, the endocrine glands and their hormones (neuroendocrine mechanisms), or indirectly via its association with unhealthy lifestyles.

The research is part of the long-running Whitehall II study, which has been following 10,308 London-based civil servants since 1985, and which is led by Sir Michael Marmot, professor of epidemiology and public health at University College London, UK.
Dr Tarani Chandola, a senior lecturer in UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, the first author of this EHJ study, said: "Stress at work is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease but the mechanisms underlying this association have remained unclear until now.
This study addressed three questions:
Is the accumulation of work stress associated with higher risks of incident CHD and risk factors? Is this association stronger among working-age populations? Does work stress affect CHD directly through neuroendocrine mechanisms, or indirectly through behavioural risk factors for CHD, or both? The researchers collected evidence on the incidence of CHD, deaths from CHD, non-fatal myocardial infarctions, angina, heart rate variability, morning rises in the levels of the "stress" hormone cortisol, the metabolic syndrome and behavioural risk factors such as diet, exercise, smoking and drinking. The metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Its components are high waist measurement, high fasting glucose, high triglycerides, high HDL cholesterol and hypertension.
"During 12 years of follow-up, we found that chronic work stress was associated with CHD and this association was stronger among both men and women aged under 50 -- their risk of CHD was an average of 68% more than for people who reported no stress at work. Among people of retirement age (and therefore less likely to be exposed to work stress), the effect on CHD was less strong."
Dr Chandola said the most important new finding was the evidence linking work stress with the biological mechanisms underlying CHD. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary actions, such as the action of the heart, and it has a central role in the neuroendocrine stress responses. The signals that are sent to the heart by the vagus nerve, telling it how to work and controlling the variability of the heart rate, are mediated by the ANS. The researchers found that workers who suffered from greater stress were more likely to have lowered heart rate variability and poor vagal tone. They also found that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) -- a major part of the neuroendocrine system -- was disturbed by greater stress, and this was shown by the fact that stressed workers had higher than normal morning levels of cortisol. These results were independent of the workers' health behaviours.
"Adjusting for health behaviours did not change the association between work stress and low heart rate variability, suggesting a direct effect on the ANS and neuroendocrine function, rather than indirect effects through health behaviours," said Dr Chandola. "The effect on the ANS and neuroendocrine function in turn affects the signals to the heart, leading to cardiac instability."
The researchers also found work stress was associated with poor health behaviours that could lead indirectly to CHD. "There have been relatively few studies that have found an association between work stress and unhealthy behaviours. Work stress is associated with a poorer diet in terms of eating less fruit and vegetables, and less exercise. It has also been linked to problem drinking, although not in this study. In this study, around 32% of the effect of work stress on CHD could be explained by its effect on health behaviours and the metabolic syndrome," he said.
He concluded: "This study demonstrates that cumulative stress at work can lead to CHD through direct activation of neuroendocrine stress pathways and indirectly through unhealthy behaviours."

Law Keeps Couple Apart

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Two years ago, a knock on Fatima and Mansour al-Timani's door shattered the life they had built together.

It was the police, delivering news that a judge had annulled their marriage in absentia after some of Fatima's relatives sought the divorce on grounds she had married beneath her.

That was just the beginning of an ordeal for a couple who — under Saudi Arabia's strict segregation rules — can no longer live together. They sued to reverse the ruling, publicized their story and sought help from a Saudi human rights group.

But the two remain apart and Fatima said she is considering suicide if her recent appeal to King Abdullah does not reunite her with her husband.

"Only the king can resolve my case," Fatima told The Associated Press by telephone in a rare interview. "I want to return to my husband, but if that is not possible, I need to know so I can put an end to my life."

Fatima's case underscores shortcomings in the kingdom's Islamic legal system in which rules of evidence are shaky, lawyers are not always present and sentences often depend on the whim of judges.

The most frequent victims are women, who already suffer severe restrictions on daily life in Saudi Arabia: They cannot drive, appear before a judge without a male representative, or travel abroad without a male guardian's permission.

Recently, the king did intervene and pardon another high-profile defendant — a rape victim who was sentenced to lashes and jail time for being in a car with a man who was not her relative.

The two cases have brought Saudi human rights once again into the international spotlight, revealing not only the weakness of the kingdom's justice system, but the scant rights of Saudi women.

"When I heard that the (rape victim) was pardoned, I couldn't believe it. My case is so much simpler than hers, since my divorce is invalid," Fatima said.

Fatima said her husband, a hospital administrator, followed Saudi tradition in asking her father for permission to marry her in 2003.

"My brother reported good things about him, so my dad accepted his proposal," said Fatima, a computer specialist who was 29 when she married.

She said her father knew that Mansour came from a less prominent tribe than hers, but that he did not mind because he "cared about the man himself."

A few months after the wedding, several of Fatima's relatives, including a half brother, persuaded her father to give them power of attorney to file a lawsuit demanding an annulment, she said.

Then her father died, and Fatima said she had hoped the case would be dropped.

But on Feb. 25, 2006, police knocked on the couple's door to serve Mansour with divorce papers — which said his marriage had been annulled nine months earlier.

"We were shattered. How did this happen? Why?" Fatima asked.

Under Saudi law, a woman needs the permission of her family to marry.

Saudi lawyer Abdul-Rahman al-Lahem, who used to represent the couple, said local interpretations of Islamic law hold that relatives of a married couple have the right to seek an annulment if they feel the marriage lowers the extended family's status.

He said authorities are reluctant to overrule such annulment orders, believing they are private matters within extended families.

Fatima took the couple's 2-year-old daughter and 4-month-old son to live with her mother, who had persuaded her to let Mansour deal with the legal issues on his own.

But after three months without her husband, Fatima and the children sneaked out of her mother's house and flew with Mansour to the western seaside city of Jiddah, where they sought to live in anonymity.

Saudi police soon discovered them and imprisoned the family for living together illegally.

"The police told me I either return to my (mother's) family or go to jail," Fatima said. "I chose jail."

"My children and I were thrown in a cell with women sentenced for pushing drugs, practicing witchcraft and behaving immorally," Fatima said. Authorities allowed her to send her daughter back to live with her father, but the infant stayed with Fatima in jail.

"He learned to speak in jail, he learned to walk in jail and his teeth came out in jail," she said.

Meanwhile, Mansour went to court to appeal the divorce ruling, but a Riyadh appeals court upheld the decision in 2007.

Last September, the head of a prominent Saudi human rights group reportedly asked the kingdom's highest court to review the case.

Bandar al-Hajjar, head of the National Society of Human Rights, submitted two Islamic studies concluding that the divorce was invalid, according to the Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily.

The studies, conducted by Islamic researcher Adnan Al-Zahrani and Bassam Al-Bassam, a counselor at the Court of Cassation in Mecca, said that if a woman's legal guardian represented her at the original wedding, then other relatives have no right to object to the marriage based on compatibility.

Both studies concluded that Fatima married Mansour with her father's permission, and that only the wife can decide whether she wants her marriage annulled, the paper reported.

Despite their legal fight, Fatima and Mansour remain apart.

After nine months in jail, Fatima moved to an orphanage where she and her son share an apartment with several other women.

Fatima said she is holding out hope the king might pardon her, and recognize her as "married to Mansour, before God."

"I love him more than ever. He's the only one who has stood by me," she said.

Seven Career Killers

Avoiding these seven deadly sins will also help individuals balance their "whole life" and assure they are ready to take on new workplace challenges as they are presented -- and execute them well.
Peter Drucker, the famed management author, guru, and teacher said it best: "Lifting a person's vision to higher sights, is the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard." Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes.

Deadly Workplace Sins

At least seven "deadly workplace sins" detail key emotional offenses professionals should avoid at all costs to better assure upward career mobility. A few common sense tips will help aspiring pros get on the path to the ever-elusive paycheck promise land.

Pride
First, there's pride. Far too many who experience "workplace wins" take full credit for these achievements, regardless of any support or assistance received in the process. What often goes unrecognized is that people around, and especially below, the serially solo-successful resent the egocentricity, and may actually begin to actively undermine that person's efforts in the future. While one's pride wants all due recognition, a team philosophy can build the grass-roots support that can fast-track a career. Indeed, a dose of acknowledgment of and appreciation for one's peers and subordinates, so they may share in some of the glory, can go a long way to foster one's long-term success.

Envy
Moreover, while it's OK to recognize other individuals or organizations as they achieve, lamenting "what should have been yours" can be destructive and can adversely impact your own ability to focus on the job tasks at hand. Becoming envious of others in the workplace can sabotage your self esteem, which is one vital characteristic of every successful worker or executive. Rather than being envious, let the accomplishments of others become motivational fuel for your fire in working toward your own successes.

Anger
Anger is another motion that needs to be held in check. Begetting nothing but disagreement, dispute, tension or conflict, anger provides no benefit in the workplace. There is simply nothing productive about anger, which impairs one's objectivity, poise and self control. Don't let a bout of righteousness damage your reputation and image in the workplace. It's fine to feel passionately about your job or a project at hand and to disagree with others, but learn how to channel those emotions into actions that will work to your benefit in the eyes of others -- especially your superiors -- rather than against it. Those prone to angry outbursts rarely get promoted; they are seen as being poor leaders who cannot inspire or motivate others.

Short-sightedness
One's selfish desire for "more, sooner" is what motivates many in the Western culture to achieve their career goals. But taking this notion to the extreme can and will be self defeating as core values become misguided and life becomes unbalanced in the process. The road to success requires a long term approach in all aspects of one's job duties. Those laser-focused on quick, short-term gains may do well for the moment, but will be ill-prepared to take things to the next level.

Complacency
At the other end of the spectrum, sloth, or simply put, complacency and laziness have no place whatsoever in the workplace -- especially for those with high aspirations. Expecting one's past achievements and successes to carry them forward in their long-term career is imprudent. Today's uber-competitive global marketplace ensures that only those who continue to grow, evolve and make fresh contributions of value will succeed. In a global environment where outsourcing is becoming a norm, everyone at all levels of the employment "food chain" is now replaceable. So treat every work day and every project as if your job, and your future at large, depends on it. It very well may.

Imbalance
Many individuals move up the corporate ladder so fast that they actually end up failing as a consequence. More isn't always better -- especially if you're not ready for the challenge at hand. It's important to ensure that you are not only professionally ready to take on a new and bigger challenge, for which expectations are equally bigger, but also that your personal life is ready for the new demands and strains to be placed upon it. Achieving career success also includes maintaining a life balance, and a misplaced professional desire can create a backlash both at home as well as amid peers for your perceived obsessiveness.

Lust
At times this can spill over to lust. An overly intense desire for what others have achieved at work, or being chronically dissatisfied with one's own status, is a surefire career killer. Spending an inordinate amount of time fixated on what you don't have rather than what you do will foster a bad attitude and negative overall demeanor.

Above all, one's overall "presence" in the office plays a big part in who gets promoted and who doesn't. No matter how ambitious, it's prudent to be present and make the most out of your current position at this moment in time. Organizations recognize and reward those with a good attitude who make the most of a situation. Winners recognize other's success with sportsmanlike conduct, while at the same time exhibiting an air of confidence that they, and their team, will realize their own great achievements.

Short Sleep Duration Linked To Overweight Condition

The study, authored by Professor Ed Mitchell, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, focused on 591 seven-year-old children whose sleep duration was assessed by actigraphy (a non-invasive method used to study sleep-wake patterns and circadian rhythms by assessing movement) at four different stages of their young lives: at birth, at one year, at three-and-a-half years and at seven years.
According to the results, the average time spent in bed was 10.1 hours. Sleep duration was shorter:
On weekends than on weekdays. In the summer, compared with spring, autumn and winter. In those with no younger siblings. When bedtime was after 9:00 p.m. Children who slept less than nine hours were more likely to be overweight or obese and to have a 3.34 percent increase in body fat than those who slept for more than nine hours. Short sleep duration was also associated with higher emotional liability scores.
"Sleep is important for health and well-being throughout life," said Professor Mitchell. "Few studies have objectively measured sleep duration. In this large study of sleep in seven-year-olds, there was considerable variation in duration of sleep. Sleep duration was 40 minutes longer in winter than summer and was 31 minutes longer on weekdays than on the weekend. Short sleep duration was associated with a three-fold increased risk of the child being overweight or obese. This effect was independent of physical activity or television watching. Attention to sleep in childhood may be an important strategy to reduce the obesity epidemic."
It is recommended that children in pre-school sleep between 11-13 hours a night and school-aged children between 10-11 hours of sleep a night.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine offers some tips to help your child sleep better:
Follow a consistent bedtime routine. Set aside 10 to 30 minutes to get your child ready to go to sleep each night. Establish a relaxing setting at bedtime. Interact with your child at bedtime. Don't let the TV, computer or video games take your place. Keep your children from TV programs, movies, and video games that are not right for their age. Do not let your child fall asleep while being held, rocked, fed a bottle, or while nursing. At bedtime, do not allow your child to have foods or drinks that contain caffeine. This includes chocolate and sodas. Try not to give him or her any medicine that has a stimulant at bedtime. This includes cough medicines and decongestants. It is important to make sure that your child gets enough sleep and sleeps well. The value of sleep can be measured by your child's smiling face, happy nature and natural energy. A tired child may have development or behavior problems. A child's sleep problems can also cause unnecessary stress for you and the other members of your family.
Parents who suspect that their child might be suffering from a sleep disorder are encouraged to consult with their child's pediatrician or a sleep specialist.
The article entitled, "Short Sleep Duration in Middle Childhood: Risk Factors and Consequences," was published in the January 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

Why Men Report More Partners than Women

Most surveys about sex find impossibly that men have had far more partners than women, typically two to four times as many.

Either there are a bunch of phantom females out there, or somebody is lying.

Or perhaps people just have lousy memories about these things.

Psychologist Norman R. Brown at the University of Michigan has done several studies on the apparent flaw in these surveys. The latest was a web-based survey of 2,065 heterosexual non-virgins with a median age in their late 40s.

The women reported on average 8.6 lifetime sexual partners. The men claimed 31.9.

Rather than let it go at that, Brown and his colleagues later in the survey asked the participants to rate the truthfulness of their response. About 5 percent—both men and women—said they lied. In addition, more than 10 percent said they knew their answer wasn't accurate.

"They gave an answer and then two minutes later admitted they had lied about the answer," Brown said.

But there's more to the discrepancy. Men and women use different methods to calculate their past dalliances.

Women rely on a raw count, a method Brown says is known to result in underestimation.

"They tend to say, 'I just know,' and if you ask them to explain how they know, they say, 'Well, there was John, Tom, etc.'"

Men also rely on a flawed strategy.

"Men are twice as likely to use rough approximation to answer the question," Brown said. "And rough approximation is a strategy known to produce over-estimation."

Then again, maybe Brown's study is flawed, too.

His next survey will be done by telephone, to find out if people lie and fudge as much in that medium, or if the Web-based surveys invite such behavior. The self-proclaimed liars "could be liars who lie about lying," he said.

Love Horror Movies..Enjoy Being Scared !

Why Do People Love Horror Movies? They Enjoy Being Scared






A bedrock assumption in theories that explain and predict human behavior is people's motivation to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. How can this be reconciled with the decision to engage in experiences known to elicit negative feelings, such as horror movies" It certainly seems counterintuitive that so many people would voluntarily immerse themselves in almost two hours of fear, disgust and terror. "Why do people pay for this?" "How is this enjoyable?"
Investigators generally use one of two theories to explain why people like horror movies. The first is that the person is not actually afraid, but excited by the movie. The second explanation is that they are willing to endure the terror in order to enjoy a euphoric sense of relief at the end. But, a new study by Eduardo Andrade (University of California, Berkeley) and Joel B. Cohen (University of Florida) appearing in the August issue of the Journal of Consumer Research argues that neither of these theories is correct.



"We believe that a reevaluation of the two dominant explanations for people's willingness to consume "negative" experiences (both of which assume that people can not experience negative and positive emotions simultaneously) is in order," explain Andrade and Cohen in their study.
They continue: "The assumption of people's inability to experience positive and negative affect at the same time is incorrect."



In other words, the authors argue that horror movie viewers are happy to be unhappy. This novel approach to emotion reveals that people experience both negative and positive emotions simultaneously -- people may actually enjoy being scared, not just relief when the threat is removed. As the authors put it, "the most pleasant moments of a particular event may also be the most fearful."



Andrade and Cohen developed and utilize a new methodology to track negative and positive feelings at the same time. Their method could apply to other experiences that seem to elicit terror, risk, or disgust, such as extreme sports.
"When individuals who typically choose to avoid the stimuli were embedded in a protective frame of mind, such that there was sufficient psychological disengagement or detachment, they experienced positive feelings while still experiencing fearfulness," .

Girls Will Be Girls Longer When Home Life Is Stable

For many young girls, a stable family life is one key factor to avoiding a number of serious health problems. New research by researchers at The University of Arizona and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, indicates that girls who grow up with supportive parents who themselves have a strong relationship are more likely to delay the onset of puberty.
Early puberty in girls is already known as a risk factor for a variety of health problems, including mood disorders, substance abuse, adolescent pregnancy and cancers of the reproductive system. Understanding these risks are also essential as a means to develop effective early intervention and prevention strategies.
Ellis and Essex based their study on a 1991 model developed by noted psychologist Jay Belsky and his colleagues of the role of family ecology in speeding up or slowing down puberty in girls. Belsky's theory is that children's early experiences affect how they mature. Certain stressors in and around the family create conditions that speed puberty as well as sexual activity. These stressors include poverty, marital conflict, negativity and coercion in parent-child relationships, and lack of support between parents and children. According to Belsky's theory, children adaptively adjust their sexual development in response to the conditions in which they live.
To test this, Ellis and Essex investigated how stressors affect children's development by examining families of 227 preschool children in Wisconsin. They measured socioeconomic conditions, marital conflict, parental depression and supportive versus coercive parenting through interviews with mothers and fathers. The study followed the children through middle school, testing the first hormonal changes of puberty, the awakening of the adrenal glands, in 120 of the children (73 of whom were girls) when they were in first grade, and the development of secondary sexual characteristics, such as breast budding and the growth of body hair, in 180 girls in fifth grade. Ellis said the data on puberty were obtained from "mother-and-daughter reports."
"Essentially, the mothers and daughters were independently shown a series of diagrams depicting different levels of physical development and then selected the diagram that most closely resembled the daughter," Ellis said.
The results of the study show that children living in families with greater parental supportiveness, from both mothers and fathers, less marital conflict and less depression reported by the fathers experienced the first hormonal changes of puberty later than other children. In addition, children whose mothers had started puberty later (a genetic factor), whose families were better off when the children were in preschool, whose mothers gave them more support when they were in preschool and who had lower Body Mass Index when they were in third grade developed secondary sexual characteristics later than their peers.
"Consistent with the theory, quality of parental investment emerged as a central feature of the proximal family environment in relation to the timing of puberty," Ellis said.
"These results replicate and extend previous longitudinal research indicating that higher levels of positive investment and support in family relationships in preschool predict lower levels of pubertal maturation in daughters in the seventh grade," he said.
The article, "Family Environments, Adrenarche, and Sexual Maturation: A Longitudinal Test of a Life History Model" was published in the November/December issue of "Child Development," the journal of the Society for Research in Child Development.

Early Teen Sex May Not Be A Path To Delinquency

The finding is published in the current online edition of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and runs counter to most assumptions that relate early teen sex to later drug use, criminality, antisocial behavior and emotional problems. The finding also contradicts parts of a study published earlier this year in the same journal that found a connection between early teen sex and later behavioral problems.
The researchers analyzed data on 534 same-sex twin pairs in the United States gathered at three time points over a seven-year period. By examining surveys of twins, the investigators were able to eliminate the genetic and socio-economic variables that otherwise might influence the behaviors of adolescents.
"We got a very surprising finding, particularly that early sex seems to forecast less antisocial behavior a few years later, rather than more," said Kathryn Paige Harden, the study's lead author and a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Virginia.
"There is a cultural assumption in the United States that if teens have sex early it is somehow bad for their psychological health," Harden said. "But we actually found that teens who had sex earlier seem to have better relationships later. Now we want to find out why."
Harden says she plans further investigations that will look closely at the contexts of early teen sexual activity, such as the types of relationships, whether they were casual or intimate, how old the partners were, where the sex occurred and why, and how long the relationships lasted. She and her colleagues will then try to relate that to later behaviors and attitudes.
"Our hypothesis as a result of this finding is that teens who become involved in intimate romantic relationships early are having sex early and more often, but that those intimate relationships might later protect them from becoming involved in delinquent acts later," Harden said. "People assume there is an association between early sex and later delinquency. It could be because teen sex transgresses parental expectations and is seen as impulsive or influenced by peer pressure. But people's concerns about early sex leading to delinquency may not be warranted."
Harden does acknowledge that early adolescent sexuality is linked to early pregnancy and disease, but these risks are not inevitable. She notes that in other Western countries, such as Australia, there are similar rates and patterns of teen sexual activity as in the United States, but drastically lower rates of teen pregnancy. She attributes this to a poor level of sexual health knowledge in the United States, ineffective contraceptive use and lower abortion rates.
"What we may have found is that strong relationships encourage pro-social instead of antisocial behavior," said Harden's advisor and co-author, Robert Emory, a U.Va. professor of psychology. "A thought experiment on this point is, if teens got married early, they would be sexually active early, but likely would engage in less antisocial behavior later."

Five Signs Of BreakUp

One day, you are madly in love. You're cuddling on the couch, reading love poems and feeding each other sushi. And that's when it happens: Your partner sits you down for the "It's-Not-You, It's-Me" talk. You're confused and left wondering, "How could I have missed the signs?"
Breaking up is never easy. Your ego and heart are bound to get bruised. But if you could just see the breakup coming, it might make the whole business easier to stomach.

Top five signs you're about to get dumped

1. Picking fights. No one is saying you have to get along 24/7. Constructive conflict can actually be good for your relationship. But if you find that your partner has become argumentative over petty issues like your clothes or choice of restaurant, that should serve as a warning sign that he/she may be looking for an excuse to bail.

2. Forgetting to call. Used to be that your phone would ring all day long with your sweetie wanting to make plans or calling just to say, "I love you." Now your significant other doesn't even call when he/she is running three hours late. It may seem obvious, but going from speed dial to a blocked number is a sure sign that your relationship may be nearing its expiration date.

3. Changing their stripes. A major change in appearance can be a sign that your partner is looking toward greener pastures. Whether they've chopped off their hair, lost 40 pounds or gone from a bold brunette to a sultry blonde, major cosmetic changes should be noted. Of course, there's nothing wrong with being a little vain, but if the change is accompanied by any of the other signs listed here, you may need to get ready to go solo.

4. Criticizing. If your sweetie isn't feeling you anymore, don't be surprised if he/she becomes less tolerant of everything, from how you brush your teeth to how you tie your shoes. Constant criticism is a telltale sign that your days as a twosome are numbered.

5. Losing sexual interest. A healthy sex life can make or break a relationship. If you find that your partner is becoming more sexually aloof, you need to get to the root of the issue. While it's natural to have less sex as you settle into a comfortable groove together, waiting weeks or months to have sexual contact is a sign that something is amiss.

Now that you know the warning signs, don't panic. Just because your partner exhibits some of these behaviors, that doesn't necessarily mean the relationship is over. In fact, it's usually a combination of signs and not one isolated incident that foreshadows a breakup.
If you're worried that your partner is itching to get out, the most important thing you can do is sit down and discuss your issues in an honest and open manner. If you take these signs as your cue to improve communication, your relationship may just have a fighting chance.

Sweet..Cute...Deadly Combination

Boss fires staff for not smoking.

BERLIN - The owner of a small German computer company has fired three non-smoking workers because they were threatening to disturb the peace after they requested a smoke-free environment.
The manager of the 10-person IT company in Buesum, named Thomas J., told the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper he had fired the trio because their non-smoking was causing disruptions.
Germany introduced non-smoking rules in pubs and restaurants on January 1, but Germans working in small offices are still allowed to smoke.
"I can't be bothered with trouble-makers," Thomas was quoted saying. "We're on the phone all the time and it's just easier to work while smoking. Everyone picks on smokers these days. It's time for revenge. I'm only going to hire smokers from now on."




Woman lived for months with dead partner


A 66-year-old Austrian woman lived for almost a year with the corpse of her 85-year-old partner.
Police found the remains of the man in the couple's small vacation cottage in the eastern village of St Andrae am Zicksee Tuesday, swaddled in blankets with the dwelling reeking of decomposition odors.
The woman had told a local doctor and neighbors who tried to contact the man since last March that he was abroad. Police were looking into whether the woman concealed his death in order to collect his pension payments.
The dead man was separated from his wife, who had also tried to contact him

US strikes iraq again !!

BAGHDAD - U.S. bombers and jet fighters unleashed 40,000 pounds of explosives during a 10-minute airstrike Thursday, flattening what the military called al-Qaida in Iraq safe havens on the southern outskirts of the capital.
Email: ZIP / Postal Code: Privacy Policy The strikes, carried out above approaching troops, was part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, a nationwide campaign launched Tuesday against al-Qaida in Iraq.
A military statement said two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighters dropped the bombs on 40 targets in Arab Jabour in 10 strikes. Al-Qaida fighters are believed to control Arab Jabour, a Sunni district lined with citrus groves and scarred by daily violence.
"Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds," the statement said.
The attack came a day after the U.S. military reported that nine American soldiers were killed north of the capital in the first two days of a new offensive.
Many militants have fled U.S. and Iraqi forces massing north of Baghdad in Diyala province. Like Arab Jabour, Diyala is an agricultural area of palm and citrus groves that has defied the trend toward lower violence.
The campaign's scope is nationwide but is mainly focused on gaining control of Diyala and its most important city, Baqouba, which al-Qaida has declared the capital of its self-styled Islamic caliphate.
Six soldiers were killed and four were wounded Wednesday in a booby-trapped house in Diyala, the U.S. command said. It also announced that three U.S. soldiers were killed and two wounded in an attack Tuesday in Salahuddin province, north of Diyala.
The toll marked some of the deadliest days for U.S. forces in Iraq since last fall. For all December, 23 U.S. soldiers died in Iraq.
The blows against U.S. troops came as extremists tried to stay ahead of the military advance. Al-Qaida fighters retreated north from Diyala, presumably to Salahuddin, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq, Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, told reporters in Baghdad on Wednesday.
"Operational security in Iraq is a problem," he said, noting that the Iraqi army uses unsecured cell phones and radios. "I'm sure there is active leaking of communication."
Hertling said his troops had killed 20 to 30 insurgents in the first two days of the operation. It was unknown how many were killed in Thursday's strike.
Only Baghdad province has been deadlier than Diyala the past two years, according to an Associated Press count.
And while violence has declined over the past six months in Baghdad and many other places in Iraq, much of Diyala has remained a killing field. At least 273 civilians were slain in Diyala last month, compared to 213 in June. Over the same span, monthly civilian deaths in Baghdad dropped from 838 to 182.
The reason for the surge of bloodshed is that insurgents who were pushed out of the western province of Anbar and out of Baghdad shifted their operations into Diyala, U.S. commanders say.
The tree-lined farm region is more difficult terrain for fighting insurgents than the desert of Anbar, suggesting Diyala may not have seen the last of al-Qaida in Iraq. Compounding the difficulty for the military is the checkerboard pattern of Shiite and Sunni communities adjacent to one another.
The military will need a period of peace and stability to meet its goal of speeding up work on basic services and other civic projects that commanders believe will win more allies for the American effort.
In central Baghdad early Thursday, two bombs exploded nearly simultaneously close to a military checkpoint, killing two policemen and one soldier, police said. Eleven others were wounded in the attack, including four civilians.

Drinking is Healthy !

Drinking is healthy, exercise is healthy, and doing a little of both is even healthier, Danish researchers reported on Wednesday.

People who neither drink nor exercise have a 30 to 49 percent higher risk of heart disease than people who do one or both of the activities, the researchers said in the European Heart Journal.

"The main finding is there seems to be an additional beneficial effect of drinking one to two drinks per day and doing at least moderate physical activity," said Morten Gronbaek of the University of Southern Denmark, who led the study.

Several major studies have found that light to moderate drinking -- up to two drinks a day on a regular basis -- is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, and some have also found this leads to a lower risk of some cancers.

But the Danish study, one of the largest of its kind to examine the combined effect of drinking and exercise, found there were additional protective effects gained from doing both.

The researchers collected information on the drinking and exercise habits of nearly 12,000 men and women aged 20 years or older between 1981 and 1983.

Over the next 20 years, some 1,200 of the participants died from heart disease and about 5,900 died from other causes.

Non-drinkers had a 30 percent to 31 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to moderate drinkers, no matter the amount of physical activity they undertook. Moderate consumption was defined as between 1 to 14 drinks per week.

But teetotallers who exercised at least moderately were able to reduce their risk of heart disease, an important finding for people who abstain because of religious beliefs or other health issues such as pregnancy, the researchers said.

People who had the lowest risk of dying from any cause were physically active, moderate drinkers while those at highest risk were the physically inactive, heavy drinkers, the study found.

Girls feeling unpopular may gain wait

Where a teenage girl sees herself on her school's social ladder may sway her future weight, a study of more than 4,000 girls finds. Those who believed they were unpopular gained more weight over a two-year period than girls who viewed themselves as more popular. Researchers said the study showed how a girl's view of her social status has broader health consequences.

The girls in the study were still growing — their average age was 15 — and all of them gained some weight. However, those who rated themselves low in popularity were 69 percent more likely than other girls to increase their body mass index by two units, the equivalent of gaining about 11 excess pounds. (The body mass index, or BMI, is a calculation based on height and weight.)
Girls who put themselves on the higher rungs of popularity also gained some excess weight, but less — about 6 1/2 pounds.
Both groups, on average, fell within ranges considered normal. But a gain of two BMI units over two years is more than the typical weight gain for adolescent girls, the researchers said.
"How girls feel about themselves should be part of all obesity prevention strategies," said the study's lead author, Adina Lemeshow, who began the study as a Harvard School of Public Health graduate student. She now works at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The research, appearing in January's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, used data from an ongoing study used frequently by scientists studying childhood obesity.
Weight and height data were reported by the girls themselves rather than getting weighed and measured by doctors; that's a weakness in the study that the researchers acknowledged.
The researchers took into account the girls' weight and BMI at the start of the study, along with their diet, household income, race/ethnicity and whether they'd reached puberty — and still found the link.
In the study, perceived popularity was measured in 1999 by how the girls reacted to a question next to a picture of a 10-rung ladder: "At the top of the ladder are the people in your school with the most respect and the highest standing. At the bottom are the people who no one respects and no one wants to hang around with. Where would you place yourself on the ladder?"
The researchers put the girls into two groups: the 4,264 who said they were on rung 5 or above, and the 182 who said they were on rung 4 or below. The weight gain link was based on those two groups.
Clea McNeely of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health called the study strong. She said she wanted to know more about the 4 percent of girls who rated themselves below average in popularity, particularly whether they already were gaining weight faster before they rated themselves as unpopular.
"The reason this paper is so important is it has broader implications beyond weight gain," said McNeely, who was not involved in the research but wrote an accompanying editorial. "Subjective social status is not just an uncomfortable experience you grow out of, but can have important health consequences."
Experts know little about how to intervene in teenagers' peer groups to improve health, McNeely said, but when adults set standards in schools, students treat one another with more respect.
Teenagers may give grown-ups "bored looks," she said, but "adults are still the most important influential figures in their lives."
The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.