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MUMBAI: With inflation fast approaching zero per cent, bankers have sought to allay fears that the country may be in the deflation mode on grounds that the consumer price index was still high and deflation was a statistical phenomenon due to base effect. Deflation happens in the economy if negative inflation sustains over a period of time.
"Deflation is unlikely to have any major impact on the economy. Negative inflation, if it happens, will occur mainly on account of declining oil prices, easing monetary policy. It is unlikely to stay long," IDBI bank chief financial officer RK Bansal said. Inflation, now at 0.27%, is unlikely to stay below zero for more than one-two weeks. This will not have any major impact on demand as the consumer price inflation is still high, Bansal said. "It (deflation) is unlikely to remain long and affect the common man," Bansal said. India's inflation started declining to historic lows after the Reserve Bank started to aggressively reduce its policy rates. Citibank chief financial officer Abhijit Sen echoed a similar view saying that a declining inflation was a reflection of slowing economic growth and easing of monetary policy.

NEW DELHI: Come April 1 and you need not have to sweat it out looking for an ATM of your own bank as you can use ATMs of your choice without shelling out any extra money.
Thanks to an RBI directive, much to the relief of common man, banks have been prevented from charging any fee for cash withdrawals using ATM and debit cards issued by other banks from April 1 onwards. However, banks can still charge extra for services like cash withdrawal with the use of credit cards and at ATMs located outside India. Last year on March 10, the RBI had come out with guidelines limiting the fee charged by banks for using their ATMs by clients of other lenders to Rs 20. It had also allowed the use of ATM for purposes like balance enquiry free of any charge.
This was to ensure greater transparency and to facilitate usage of any ATM installed within the country by customers without shelling out more, the central bank had said. At present, banks charge Rs 20 per transaction when a customer uses the cash machine of any bank other than the one in which he/she has an account with. At the end of December 2007, there were 32,342 ATMs in the country and various banks have entered into bilateral and multi-lateral arrangements with other banks to have inter-bank ATM networks.

A viral email is an online chain letter, which is sent from person to person, almost like
ancient talking drums. The term ‘viral’ comes from virus, meaning pass-along. Viral mails are generally humorous in nature. These mails are also used for commercial purposes — called viral marketing or advertising; these are used to spread awareness about products, services or concepts. Viral mail is different from spam, which is let loose on the net.

LONDON: Drinking mineral water from a plastic bottle may mean you are also drinking
a sex hormone that affects your reproductive system. Researchers have found evidence of chemicals containing the female sex hormone estrogen leaching out of the packaging into the water.
Estrogen is the main female sex hormone, and taking it unwittingly may interfere with the reproductive process. Besides interfering with the reproductive process, estrogens may reduce the flow of breast milk.
Martin Wagner and Jorg Oehlmann from Goethe University, in Frankfurt, analysed 20 brands of mineral water available in Germany — nine bottled in glass, nine bottled in plastic and two bottled in composite packaging (paperboard boxes coated with an inner plastic film).
They took samples from the bottles and tested them for the presence of estrogen-containing chemicals. They then carried out a reproduction test with the New Zealand mud snail to determine the source and potency of the hormones.
The researchers found that these chemicals are potent in living organisms and are causing an increased development of embryos in the snails.
They detected estrogen contamination in 60% of the samples (12 of the 20 brands) analysed. Mineral waters in glass bottles had less estrogen than waters in plastic bottles. Specifically, 33% of all mineral waters bottled in glass compared with 78% of waters in plastic bottles showed significant hormonal activity.
By breeding the New Zealand mud snail in both plastic and glass water bottles, the researchers found more than double the number of embryos in plastic bottles compared with glass bottles.

We no longer live in an age where women still have to remain faithful to their husbands, despite atrocities being committed against them.
Today’s woman has changed with the times, and so has her definition of a successful relationship as she is open to finding love
outside her marriage. Let’s get down to the statistics. A recent UK-based survey revealed that women are cheating more today than ever before. One in five married women has had a fling, the highest number ever recorded. Shocking, isn’t it? Well, it’s no longer just a man’s ‘prerogative’. While it’s not something to be condoned, women no longer embrace the likes of Hillary Clinton, who became the symbol of a long-suffering married woman everywhere when she stood by her man... twice. But these days, when a woman feels dissatisfied in her relationship, she doesn’t just suck it up and complain to her friends while shedding copious tears, she goes out and gets herself some! Is this because the woman of today is more independent financially and is far more educated and worldlywise than her counterpart of a generation ago? Psychologist and marriage counsellor Shymala Bhadran says that women need to feel loved and respected, otherwise, like men, they will look for it outside the relationship. “If there’s a failure to communicate – which is so reinforcing to women in terms of intimacy, emotional satisfaction and relationship satisfaction – then women look outside the relationship for that kind of connection. This is the most common reason women cheat. When you’re unhappy or dissatisfied in your relationship, you’re more likely to be tempted to look elsewhere,” says she. So, is this the only reason? Why are more women having affairs than ever before? One could argue that more women are in the workforce today and have social lives beyond the confines of the home. The job, gym, business meetings, work-related travel, and the internet are all breeding grounds for infidelity. Model Neeraj Anand agrees. Says he, “Today’s woman has a number of avenues where she can meet an interesting man. Earlier, women depended on their spouses for security of all kinds, financial or otherwise. Things have changed now. Many women make just as much or more than their spouses and don’t depend on them for survival. And, many women today are choosing to have children later, or not at all, and don’t have little ones to consider if they opt to test the waters outside an unfulfilling marriage. It’s not a matter of pride, but it’s no longer a man’s prerogative alone.” Says Minnie Menon, a socialite and columnist, “Today’s woman is more sexually liberated. It stems from the confidence that financial independence infuses. Open marriages are on the rise. As it is said in the popular sitcom Sex And The City , ‘Women must learn to have sex like a man’.”
Ahalya Menon did the unthinkable in her conservative family when she chose to look for satisfaction outside her marriage. “I do not regret what I did,” says Ahalya. Ask her why and she says, “My husband worked out of the country for the longest time and even his visits to India were short and infrequent. When he came here, we would be physical at best but there was no emotional connection. I spoke to him about this and even urged him to get counselling with me, but he said it was a figment of my imagination. I felt unloved, uncared for and totally strained by a dead marriage. Trust me though, it was not a physical void alone, he just couldn’t meet my emotional needs. I cheated on him with one of my colleagues, and then confessed to him. Initially, I felt miserable, but when I got to know that he was having his own fun on the side, we decided to part ways.” So, it seems that it’s not so much the independence and financial freedom, as much as the change in mindset. Women consider themselves at par with their male counterparts and have the same opportunities to cheat as guys always did – and are doing so.

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The Indian economy will log a growth of less than 7 percent this fiscal with 2009 turning 'significantly worse' as the current economic crisis was unlikely to end soon, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Friday.
'The world is going through the worst crisis in 60 years,' Ahluwalia told the national conference and annual session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the Taj Palace Hotel here.
'Is the problem going to end in 2009-10? I don't think so,' he said. 'Our latest assessment on a calendar basis is that 2009 is clearly going to be significantly worse than 2008.
'The growth rate for 2008-09 will be less than 7 percent, certainly.'
Ahluwalia said India's fiscal deficit for 2008-09 would also be significantly higher than the budgeted levels because of the stimulus packages announced by the government.
The government had budgeted the fiscal deficit at 2.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) when the national budget was presented last year, which was revised to 6 percent in the interim budget last month.
'The government has also not been holding back on expenditure and we have spent on various projects like Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and have got all the spending done,' Ahluwalia said.
He also asked the who's who of Indian industry assembled at the hotel's Durbar Hall to be patient, adding the impact of the stimulus packages announced by the government will begin to show from the first quarter of next fiscal.
The senior policymaker also ruled out India heading toward deflation, though the annual rate of inflation has dipped to 0.27 percent, with economists even predicting the rate would turn negative soon.
Deflation is a sharp decline in the general price level. It is caused by factors like low money supply and curb in government, corporate and household spending. The lower demand during deflation often leads to a rise in unemployment levels.
Ahluwalia said that there was still a wide gap between the inflation rates based on the official wholesale price index and the various retail price indices. Due to this the full benefit of lower inflation was not reaching the consumers.
The Oxford educated economist, who will accompany Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the G20 Summit in London April 2, said governments the world over had realised that the global slowdown should not be left for markets forces alone to tackle.

Did you know that the order you were born into a family can influence your personality and your relationships? Find out which marriage combinations work best - and how yours compares - in this extract from Dr Kevin Leman's book, The Birth Order Connection. This advice applies to all other intimate relationships too.Best Birth Order MarriagesOnly child and youngest; first-born and youngest; middle child and youngest: Gender plays a role here as well. If you want the absolute best match, it's female only or first-born marrying a male youngest child who has older sisters. The last born with older sisters is going to be the sort of person who brings out the maternal instinct in women, and the oldest sister is likely to have great maternal urges. He would have grown up with girls who have doted on him. This is similar to the treatment he seeks in a wife, and the best place he'll find it is with an oldest sister. The match works both ways. The first-born needs someone to show her pleasures of sunsets, rainbows, and to remind her that it can be fun to let her mind wander and do something mad or different. The last-born needs someone to show him that while having fun is a wonderful thing, it takes hard work and perseverance to make those daydreams into reality.
First-born married to a first-born: This relationship is likely to be high friction - either butting heads from day one, or falling into a controller-pleaser pattern. It can be difficult to make this pairing work.
First-born married to a middle child: The danger here is that the middle-born may alter his or her own behaviour to please the first-born. While the middle one makes a good match for anyone (except, perhaps, for another middle), she may find the first-born to be somewhat intimidating and thus will need drawing out. If you marry a hard-driving first-born, you may be inclined to give up your own desires and dreams to please your more dominant, first-born spouse. However, if you have last-born tendencies, this can be a very good match for you.
First-born married to the last-born: This relationship is an excellent combination. First-born can teach last-born how to be better organised and that there are times when life must be taken seriously. The last-born teaches the first-born that it's okay to have fun once in a while.
What are the worst combinations?Middle child married to a middle child: This relationship has the potential to go either way. If one of the middle-borns has first-born tendencies and one has last-born tendencies and traits, this can be a good match. On the other hand, if both partners share the solid and secretive characteristics of middle borns, communication is likely to suffer - though you'll do well compromising to get along and keep the peace. This match has the least chance of experiencing marital infidelity.
Middle child married to last born: Works best if the middle born has some first-born tendencies. If the middle is a true middle, she may find himself pulled into the last-born's more irresponsible lifestyle, creating the problems seen in a last-born to last-born marriage. If she has last-born tendencies, there could be trouble. If she has first-born traits, then a great match.
Last born married to a last born: Be careful here. You may have fun, but you'll also feel like life is getting a little out of control, with nobody in charge. Even last-borns can handle controlled chaos for only so long.
Worst birth order mixOnly-child female and an only-child male: Not only will the two butt heads, but neither will have much of a clue about the other gender.
Female last-born with no brothers and male last-born with no sisters: Not only are you compounding the problems of two last-borns, but neither really knows very much about the opposite sex - at least in a psychological sense - and so wouldn't be particularly understanding and supportive of each other.

LONDON: Love at first sight? Only if you have got 8.2 secs' appeal, say researchers.

A new study has found that the time needed for a man to fall in love at first sight is 8.2 seconds -- in fact, the longer a man's gaze rests on a woman when they meet for the first time, the more interested he is. 

And, if it lasts just four seconds, he may not be all that impressed. But if can break the 8.2 second barrier, he could already be in love, it has found. 

However, the same is not true for women. They let their eyes linger on men for the same length of time whether they find them attractive or not, leading British newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph' reported. 

According to the researchers, men use eye contact to seek out fit and fertile mates but women are more wary of attracting unwanted attention because of the risks of unwanted pregnancy and single parenthood. 

In their study, the researchers used hidden cameras to secretly track the eye movements of 115 students as they spoke to actors and actresses. They were then asked to rate their conversation partner's attractiveness. 

The men looked into the eyes of actresses they considered beautiful for an average of 8.2 seconds, but that dropped to 4.5 seconds when gazing at those they rated less attractive, the study found. 

The female students, however, were looking at the actors for the same length of time, found the study published in the latest edition of the 'Archives of Sexual Behaviour' journal.

You know, this really is a great question.

One of the most important things to understand as a man is what to do when things are WORKING... so you don't SCREW IT UP!

If you use the materials that you're learning from me, you will start to have a magical thing happen more and more often... women will start to do and say things that clearly indicate that they LIKE you.

Sometimes is will be a touch, sometimes a compliment, and sometimes a smile. But these things WILL happen more and more as you get better and better. I always laugh to myself when I bust a woman's chops really hard, and she laughs and says "You're so funny!" or "You really are good!" etc.

I still shake my head and wonder why the hell it took me so long to figure this stuff out.

But I digress... you know, while I'm digressing, what's
with you ending your email with:

"From new hampshire, where men are men, women are few, and sheep are nervous."
...?!

This is probably the third or fourth time that I've seen this at the end of an email. Tell me the truth... do chicks dig this? You're making me nervous, man. Keep the sheep talk on the DL, OK?
Uncool.
Now, when a woman does something that signals "I like you", it is VITALLY important that you:
1) Know how to recognize it
2) DON'T do what MOST guy do
3) DO the right thing, and AMPLIFY it

So how can you tell if a woman is doing something that says "I like you"? Well, it's VERY important to remember that women are far more "subtle" than men (most of the time, that is).

If a man is interested in a woman, you can see it all over his face. It's usually very obvious. But women are different. Women do SMALL things.

A little touch. A sly smile. Sometimes a comment like "You're so cute" (as in your example above).

But then IT'S GONE.

Women always seem to act like they're not quite sure. They don't send consistent signals that most men can "read".

And when they DO send signals that are easy to see, most guys respond in a way that makes those signals stop...which makes things even MORE confusing. Again, women aren't as CONSISTENT as men. A woman can seem like she's interested one minute, then stand-offish the next.

So rule #1 is:
JUST BECAUSE SHE'S DOING SOMETHING THAT SAYS "I LIKE YOU", DON'T THINK THAT IT MEANS "I LIKE YOU NO MATTER WHAT".

Much better to interpret subtle "I like you" cues as "I like you for a second, but if you start acting like a Wuss Bag or Dumb Ass, it will all be over in an instant".

Unfortunately for most guys, they take "I like you" signals to mean "You've won my approval, now you can do whatever you want". And what do they do? Of course...

They turn into dorks, say or do a few stupid things, and destroy it all. Oh, how many times I've watched guys (myself included) screw up perfectly good situations because they just didn't get this concept.

Let me give you an example:
Let's say that you're out with a woman, and you've been teasing her, and she smiles and says "I like you". A typical "male" response is for a guy to think to himself "OK, I'm in... she digs me" and to get that rush in the head and chest.

Next thing you know, he's acting different. He's talking about different things. He's giving compliments. He's being "nicer".

And what's the woman thinking while this is all going on? Of course... she's thinking "Uh oh, his cool, calm, interesting personality was just a cover for the secret inner-Wuss that was hiding out, waiting for a little bit of approval from me... AHHHHHH!"

Women KNOW that they're in control of the situation. Or at least MOST of the time they are... and they THINK that they are even during the times when they're not.

They're constantly using different kinds of communication to test and "feel out" the situation.

Remember, MOST of the time when you're saying something that you think is nice, charming, and original, it's something that a woman has heard about 47 times that week from other guys.

Us guys act VERY predictably most of the time.

And women know how to tell if you're just another loser who's pretending to be cool... who will turn into an average Wuss at the first sign of attraction from a cute woman.

Think about what I just said. This is hard for a lot of guys to swallow... but it's the reality of the situation.

There's something that women call "Sexual Tension". It's also known as "Chemistry" or "Attraction" as well. But only WOMEN know it this way.

When you tease a woman, make her laugh, play hard to get with her, act unpredictably, etc. in the right way, you will create this tension. This is what usually leads to a woman saying something like "You're cute" or "I like you".

It's the TENSION that makes her FEEL it and SAY it.

THE TENSION!

In these very special moments, you need to turn the tension UP. Dial it up. AMPLIFY it. Don't diffuse it all by saying "You're cute yourself" or "I like you, too". Or by smiling like a jackass wussy dork who has just seen his first rainbow.

This kind of thing RELEASES the tension, and it usually takes that wonderful electric attraction feeling that the woman is feeling and INSTANTLY kills it. Does this make logical sense?

Hell no. But it's what happens.

OK, so let's talk about the RIGHT way to handle this type of situation:

Remember when I said that it's the TENSION that makes a woman feel the feelings and make the comments?
And that you need to AMPLIFY it when you're getting a positive response?


Nice. Once upon a time, there was a scene in a movie that illustrated this concept PERFECTLY. In fact, it might be the all-time greatest example of this principle that has ever been recorded on film.

Remember the end of "The Empire Strikes Back" when they were about to put Han Solo into the deep freeze?
Remember when Leia said "I love you"...?
Remember what Han said?
Right, he said... "I know".
Perfect.

All of the sexual tension that built up in Star Wars and Empire culminated in Leia confessing her love. And Han says "I know".

Awesome!

Imagine being Leia. What could be going through her mind at this point? An answer like this isn't easy to understand. It has all kinds of implications. It's confusing.

It says "I know you love me, because it's been obvious for a long time...". But it doesn't let HER know how he feels exactly. It requires consideration. It dials up the tension. It's amazing.

By the way, I read that when they were filming that scene Han was supposed to answer "I love you too", but the director didn't like it. They tried all kinds of things, and in the end Harrison Ford made up that line on the spot in one of the takes... and they kept it. Nice.

By the way, one of the BIG reasons why the newer movies in the Star Wars series suck is because there is no character like Han... think about it. It's all boring, predictable stuff. There's no sexy, arrogant, funny, wildcard personality messing things up.

Like I pointed out after I saw "Attack Of The Clones", Anakin had to kill an ENTIRE VILLAGE of Sand People just to convince Princess A. that he wasn't a complete and total Wuss. Would have been so much easier and more entertaining if he would have just had a PERSONALITY.
Whatever.
Now where was I...?
Oh, yea... amplifying the sexual tension...
If you're out with a woman, and you tease her because she's wearing four inch heels by saying "What's the deal, are you four feet tall without those one?", and she opens her mouth with the classic "Oh no you didn't" look (smiling of course, with that surprised smile)... and you dial it up to the next level with "Oh, I'm sorry...Four foot three?"... and she hits you on the arm...
...and then she stops, puts her hand on your arm, and says "You know, you're funny"...
...what do you do?
YOU SAY "YEA, I KNOW" - in a serious tone.

Or "Don't try to use compliments to make me like you. It won't work. Go buy me a drink or something... I prefer gifts and money."

Or look down at her hand on your arm, lean back slightly, turn your head, and put your eyebrows together as if to say "Just WHAT do you think you're doing touching me?!".
TURN IT UP, my friend!
You TURN UP the tension.
AMPLIFY it.
Keep it going.

If you keep amplifying the tension and attraction at each of these wonderful moments, good things will happen. Good stuff.

Following are a few pointers for interested buyers of Nano:

* Nano on display at Tata Motors showrooms from April 1 

* 15 other banks/NBFCs to provide booking loan

* Online bookings can be submitted at: www.tatanano.com 

* Deliveries to commence from July 1 

* 100,000 cars to be price protected 

* Attractive range of accessories and Nano merchandise 

The three variants of Nano, which shall be available are: 

* Tata Nano Standard (BS-II and BS-III): The basic model or the standard version, in three colour options, single-tone seats, and fold-down rear seat 

* Tata Nano CX (BS-II and BS-III): In five colour options, with heating and air-conditioning (HVAC), two-tone seats, parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, fold-down rear seat with nap rest 

* Tata Nano LX: (BS-III) With the features of CX plus complete fabric seats, central locking, front power windows, body coloured exteriors in three premium colours, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, cup holder in front console, mobile charger point, and rear spoiler 

Many of these features are not available on current entry-level small cars in the country.

MELBOURNE: Red meat lovers have been warned of being at higher risk of cancer or heart attack, while those who consume white meat do not have the same effect, a study has said.

According to The Age, the study revealed that Barbeque red meat can cause the most cancer causing 'carcinogens'. 

The study looked at the diets of more than 500,000 people and a follow-up 10 years later and found those who ate the most red, or processed, meat had a higher incidence of death. 

Eating white meat - poultry or fish - did not have the same effect and was associated with a slightly decreased risk. 

Cancer Council Australia chief executive Ian Olver said that while the study could not be said to show that red meat caused cancer, the apparent link warranted further research.
"Such population studies demonstrate these relationships between red meat and cancer deaths but are not able to prove that one causes the other," he said adding "With red meat, for example, the method of cooking is important. 

"For example, more carcinogens would be expected to be produced from barbecue than by slow cooking (while) the other factor predisposing to cancer is the fat content of the meat," he said. 

The research, produced as part of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, is published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

WASHINGTON: Financial security might not be enough to ensure happiness or satisfaction with one's life, according to a study of the mental state of the modern American woman. Women who concentrated much of their thinking on financial matters were much less likely to be happy with their lives, according to Talya Miron-Shatz, postdoctoral research fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.
Women who concentrated much of their thinking on financial matters were much less likely to be happy with their lives, according to Talya Miron-Shatz, postdoctoral research fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.
"Even if you are making a hundred grand a year, if you are constantly worried that you are going to get fired, that you are going to lose your health insurance or that you are simply not sure you are going to 'make it', you are not going to be happy," Miron-Shatz said. Such concerns, she found, affected a wide variety of women at all income levels.
Conversely, those who didn't fixate on finances like retirement savings, tuition for college or simply making ends meet, reported being the happiest of the group. Miron-Shatz conducted two separate studies of a representative sample of nearly 1,000 American women of various ages and incomes. In one study, she showed that considerations of financial security were as important to the study subjects as their monetary assets. She asked subjects in the second study to think about the future in an open-ended manner. Those who did so and mentioned financial concerns - retirement, college tuition, making ends meet and so on - were less satisfied with their lives, she found, than those who did not raise such concerns.
Psychologists have long sought to understand the connection between money and happiness. Though the popular conception has been that "money can't buy happiness", studies have shown that wealth can play a role in enhancing happiness. Contributing to this complicated relationship is what Princeton psychology professor Daniel Kahneman has called the "satisfaction treadmill". In pioneering studies of human happiness, Kahneman has found that satisfaction does not necessarily increase in a corresponding amount with an improved financial status, said a Princeton release.
Miron-Shatz is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Kahneman, who has pioneered the integration of research about decision-making into economics and won the 2002 Nobel Prize in economic sciences. Miron-Shatz's paper grew out of her work with Kahneman, who is her adviser. The study was published in Judgment and Decision Making.

NEW YORK: An Indian-born, Kolkata-educated scientist at Johns Hopkins University and his fellow researchers have found an answer to sudden death of healthy people, including athletes.
Describing it as sudden cardiac death, they say it is caused by abrupt stopping of the heart due to an abnormality in its electrical impulses. In a study published in Nature Genetics, Aravinda Chakravarti of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
and fellow scientists say that in such cases, the heartbeat becomes very irregular - either very fast or very slow - leading to fatal results. They say their research has linked sudden cardiac death to congenital problems with the heart. One such congenital problem is called 'long QT syndrome' (LQTS). People with this problem are prone to have either a prolonged or shortened QT interval - which is the time it takes for the heart to contract and then get ready for the next beat.
Scientists say when people with this syndrome suddenly become stressed or undertake strenuous physical activity, their heart simply snaps as it is not able to speed up properly. This results in sudden cardiac death, they say. In their ground-breaking research, Chakravarti and colleagues have identified 10 common variants of genes that modify the QT interval or heart beat. As part of their research, they used DNA samples previously collected for epidemiological studies to analyse the genomes of 15,842 individuals whose QT intervals had been measured by electrocardiogram. Calling it a major breakthrough in heart biology, Chakravarti said: "The reason people die from this cardiovascular disorder is because we know nothing about the antecedents." "It's like a truck barrelling down a slope: there's no way to stop it. The only way out is to understand the science of this in a deep, meaningful way. If we know, we can begin to intervene.
" The professor added: "I have no doubt, absolutely no doubt, that everything we discovered will have clinical benefit, but what I can't tell you is when, I can't tell you how." Till now, Chakravarti said, identifying who has "long QT syndrome" has been difficult because people exhibit no sign of the disorder till their heart suddenly stops beating.

Are you hot in bed or a hopeless wreck? Read on to get your act right...
What’s that?
It's surprising to note the number of people who don't know enough about sex. In fact, not knowing about how your partner's body works can cause a lot of embarrassment in the bedroom. And with the amount of information readily available, one has no excuse for not knowing about basic anatomy. Try the net, sex books and other options. Once you have the basic knowledge right, the rest is all a matter of 'trying and testing' to see what works and what doesn't with your partner.
Read my mind
We expect our lovers to be mind readers. Expecting your lover to second-guess your every desire is rubbish. Just because someone knows you well and wants to please you doesn't mean they suddenly have access to a magic wand or tarot cards. Many of us think that our lover comes equipped with an amazing radar that allows them to know exactly what mood we are in. Well it is upto you, speak up or forever lie back.
Loss of interest
We only seem to like sex at the beginning. But once the relationship is serious, we lose interest in it. This is a general concern. Your partner is all over you in the beginning but then you stop wanting it at all. There's a far less sinister and more logical reason to explain it. People get bored with sex if it becomes predictable. And if we're bored, it's hard for us to orgasm because we need a lot more mental and physical stimulation to topple over the edge. It may not be the healthiest of attitudes but it is understandable. Most people wouldn't dream of sitting down to the same meal every single night of their life yet most couples follow the same routine every single time they have sex. Vary just one thing every time you have sex. It might be a different position. A new room. Turn the lights on or off. Dress differently. Play some soft music. It just takes a little imagination but it works wonders.
A one-sided effort
We always leave sex up to the other person. We often tend to think it's not only our partner’s job to initiate sex, but it’s also their responsibility to do all the work while at it. Learn to take some responsibility in the bedroom. It is wrong to expect your lover to do everything while you just lie there. Take the lead by seducing your partner occasionally. Try and take control during foreplay. Make the right moves and show your interest rather than the other way around. If you want to really impress your partner, initiate sex when your lover is least expecting it, like in the middle of a meal or when at a crowded party.
Body conscious
Most of us are often paranoid about our body shape as we think they are imperfect. The truth is — and it's been proven over and over again — our idea of a perfect body isn't the same as our partner’s. If you think fat and lumpy, your partner might feel otherwise. If you're jumping into bed, worried about your body, there is no doubt that your sex life will suffer. Sex is all about what's happening inside, not outside. If you're desperately trying to suck your stomach in, you're not mentally tuning into being turned on. Being a good lover is about feeling confident and making your partner feel the same.

A lot of friendships do get transformed after marriage.
Once you take the vows, it’s obvious that your friendships will change. It could be your guy friends who start getting more protective or your single girl friends who start to distance themselves from you. Whatever the case may be, post marriage, friendships are viewed in a different light. You are not the same person who can attend calls at any hour of the day or slip out for a sip of coffee when your friend is down and out. All because marriage is definitely a lifestyle change.

And it is not only married couples who try to adjust to the new environment, but even friends find it difficult to adjust to the new you. Stuti and Sangeeta were thickest of pals right from their college years. But when Stuti got married, their friendship started losing its charm. Says Sangeeta, “After my best friend got married, I felt insecure. I started to distance myself from her because every time we would talk, she would constantly bring up her husbands’ topic. I started missing our good old girlie talk. Now we meet once a month. It doesn’t matter to me much now.” Stuti adds, "I was dealing not only with a different social status, but also a plethora of other issues that a newly wed couple faces. Since I was closest to Sangeeta I shared everything with her without realising that she was facing her own difficulties in accepting the new me. But I didn’t let her go. We still talk." Psychologist Sameer Parikh explains, “People need company and when they see their company drifting apart, it is obvious that a feeling of rejection sets in. This is especially difficult for single friends who do not have a huge friends circle or seek a lot of comfort in you.” But some have a positive story to narrate. 27-year-old call centre executive Vaibhav Sharma says, “When my friend got married, I initially found it difficult. I was pretty much dependent on him for my outings and then I saw him going out with his wife for every movie or social outings. We never got ‘our’ time.” He goes on to add, “But I later realised it happens and didn’t let these new changes affect our friendship. Today I am good friends with his wife. We three are company today.”

And mind you, this is not the case only with your same sex friends. It gets even trickier with friends of the opposite sex. Read this. Call centre executive Prachi Kapoor had few close guy friends prior to her marriage. But things changed once she got married. “I ended up always fighting with them. They complained of not getting enough time with me and didn’t even try to mingle with my husband. It made our friendship really awkward. Then gradually they started ignoring me and found other girl friends. It used to hurt me initially but then I moved on.”
But the brighter side to a ‘mature’ opposite-sex friendship is actually a blessing. Says marketing officer Kanchan Verma, “I feel my friendship with my guy friends have evolved with time. Like any relationship, I do face tough times with my spouse, but I can always fall back on my guy friends for emotional comfort. They have become more protective for me.”

“First of all a partner needs to ensure that his/her friendship with the opposite sex isn’t hampering their married life. They should meet in their partners’ presence too often so as to build trust. And also, it should be ensured that it’s a platonic relationship. If not, such relationships should be left back in time,” advises phsycologist Dr Neelam Kapoor. Also, both partners must realise that they have had a different set of friends before marriage. Psychiatrist Pankaj Vohra opines, “Neither of the partners feels close to the other set of friends unless both of them actually make an effort to feel welcomed. If this is not dealt with on time, people usually end up losing close friends.”

 NEW DELHI: Tata Motors on Thursday said it will launch Nano, touted as the world's cheapest family car, on March 23 in Mumbai and bookings will  start from April this year.

The car was unveiled at the auto expo in Delhi in January 2008 and a function on March 23 would mark the car's commercial launch.

 SINGUR: Indian automobile maker Tata Motors Ltd will roll out its ultra-cheap Nano car on schedule by October, a top official said on Wednesday. 

"We are maintaining the schedule of car launch in the second half of next fiscal," Managing Director Ravi Kant told mediapersons after surveying the construction work at its new unit about 40 km from the eastern city of Kolkata in West Bengal. 

Tata Motors unveiled the $2,500 Nano, the world's cheapest car, in January and said the new four-seater would roll out later in the year from its West Bengal factory. "Plant equipment will arrive shortly," he said. 

Tata has said it will initially produce about 250,000 Nanos and expects eventual annual demand of one million units. The company's financial year runs from April to March. 

If there's any small solace when starting a job search in this recession, it's the proliferation of digital technology to help you re-enter the working world. Web sites like Indeed.com and LinkedIn.com have multiplied the number of job openings you can track and the professional contacts you can make. E-mail and smart phones make it easier to pitch yourself and set up appointments.
But think twice before picking up that BlackBerry and thumb-typing a message to the hiring manager whose e-mail address you so slyly uncovered online. In the end, landing the right job hinges on old-world skills.
"The electronic piece usually just gets your foot in the door," said Dave Willmer, executive director of Robert Half Technology, a tech industry recruiting division of Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing consultant Robert Half International. "But you still have to present yourself well face-to-face in an interview, and you have to have good references," he said. "I think some job candidates lose sight of that because of all the technology options and capabilities that get your name out there."

Here are eight technology etiquette tips to help job seekers.

Resist the temptation to respond to each online job listing in your field, and focus on those that fit the best. Only about 6 percent of jobs are filled by candidates recruited through advertisements, said Wendleton, whose firm also conducts career research. If you can use personal contacts to learn about an opening that's not widely publicized, your chances of landing the job increase because you've got fewer rivals.
Instead of blast e-mailing, use the Web to research potential employers and put yourself in position to recite key facts about that company should you land an interview.
"Too many people are sitting there all day hitting that send button on their computer, answering ads, answering ads," Wendleton said.

In your first contact with a prospective employer, you're unlikely to stand out if you join the legions of job seekers sending 'hire me' pitches via e-mail with resumes attached. E-mails also are too easy for a hiring manager to delete. With snail mail, you control the appearance of your carefully crafted cover letter and resume.
With e-mail, the user's machine can control settings for fonts and spacing. And managers can be wary of opening attached resumes for fear of unleashing a computer virus.

If you land an interview, pay close attention if the hiring manager specifies how to make any follow-up contacts. Email can be a good option because of its speed; if you send a follow-up note via snail mail, it may arrive too late in the hiring process to make a difference.
If the hiring manager is OK with email, send a message that addresses any unanswered questions from the interview and state that you're also mailing a hardcopy. In the snail mail message, do refer that you have also sent an email.
Whatever you do, don't follow up on an interview with an email sent via a handheld gadget - there's too great a chance you'll thumb-type a typo-ridden message. Only use handhelds to send brief, timely emails confirming an appointment or advising you're running late for a meeting. Don't type without regard to grammar and capitalization, and resist including smiley faces or other emoticons in electronic messages. "There is no circumstance where that is appropriate," Wendleton said.

Even if you managed to track down a hiring manager's cell phone number, don't call it unless given permission. "Cell phones are considered private," Wendleton said.
Willmer and Kate Wendleton, president of The Five O'Clock Club, a New York-based career counseling company, advise that job seekers - especially the young and tech-savvy - frequently misuse electronic gadgets and the Web and run roughshod over professional etiquette.

For any phone contact with a prospective employer, try to use a land line. With cell phones, there's too great a risk that you'll get a spotty connection, lose it altogether, or end up with excessive background noise if you're in a public place.
If you lack a land line, call from a quiet place like a hotel lobby. Have a pen and pad ready so you can jot down information.

If you identify a hiring manager or other professional you'd like to connect with on an online networking site, don't merely send an electronic invitation without explaining why you want to get in touch. An out-of-the-blue request will likely be ignored.
"Write something like, "I was intrigued by your LinkedIn posting. I see you have 10 years of international experience. I too have 10 years of international experience,'" Wendleton said.

Hiring managers can be expected to go beyond your resume and references, and perform a background check online. So be judicious about what you post on social networking sites such as Facebook, and limit access to friends and family if it's something you wouldn't want an employer to see.
Likewise, think before posting political opinions or personal information in blogs or other online forums. Consider posting under a pseudonym rather than your name. "As a job candidate, I would encourage people to be conservative," said Willmer. "Assume that anybody has access to anything." If you resort to e-mail pitches, make them personal. If you're introducing yourself to a hiring manager you've identified via a professional colleague, type that colleague's name in the e-mail's subject line and succinctly explain the link (example "John Doe referred me") so the manager is less likely to hit delete.

Going for a date tonight? Well, make sure that you don’t treat the waiter at the Biggest first date faux pas revealed (Getty images)
restaurant badly, for a new study has found that clicking Biggest first date faux pas revealed (Getty images)fingers at a waiter is the biggest first date faux pas.

A poll of 3,000 people found 63 per cent of people could not bear to see the waiter being treated badly. The rude, attention-grabbing gesture pipped drowning a dish in salt before even tasting it and getting drunk at the table to land the first spot.

Other inappropriate acts which will insure the first date is the only date were licking the plate clean, burping, picking teeth with fingers, the study conducted by an internet market research company found.

"There are basic rules of etiquette which should be adhered to when eating out - and they're not hard to remember. The majority of respondents only expect basic good manners from their dining companions - so burping, coughing, breaking wind and obscenities are definitely off the menu,” The Telegraph quoted a representative, as saying.

Around 46 per cent of the participants did not like watching someone nearby licking the knife instead of using their fork. And 38 per cent said someone slurping soup was not on.

Top 10 first date faux pas:
1. Clicking fingers at the waiter 2. Adding salt to the meal before tasting it 3. Getting drunk 4. Licking the plate clean 5. Burping 6. Picking teeth with fingers 7. Licking the knife 8. Slurping soup 9. Talking about sex or bodily functions 10. Not leaving a tip

Money can often be a sensitive subject to handle in a relationship. Though, money can't buy you love but it can surely bring a roof over your head, food to eat and other basic necessities of life. No wonder then that a lot of heated arguments between couples happen over money. Partners might share their intimate sexual desires, but when it comes to money, it becomes a taboo subject. A lot of couples don't clearly spell out their expectations about investing, spending or saving. Instead, they simply assume their partner's views to coincide with theirs on the subject and thus begin the problems. "To keep relationships financially sound, it's important to bring your 'money' feelings and views out in the open. Talking frankly about your differences can keep disagreements from turning into major battles," advices relationship expert Mahim Mathur.

 Greater responsibility on universities and colleges from March 31, UK is introducing a new student visa system, in an attempt to weed out bogus students and facilitate genuine applications. It is called Tier 4 of the Points Based System (PBS), wherein applicants need to score 40 points in order to qualify for a student visa - 30 points for a visa letter issued by a licensed sponsor and 10 points for showing you have enough money to cover your course fees and living costs (maintenance). 

The visa letter is an 'unconditional offer' from an education provider (university/college). It shows that the education provider will act as the student's 'immigration sponsor,' is confident that he/she is capable of doing the course of study for which he/she has applied, and accepts responsibility for the student while he/she is in the UK. "Under Tier 4, we will see education providers taking the onus of ensuring a prospective student's ability and English language proficiency," said Chris Dix, regional director, South Asia and Gulf, UK Border Agency (UKBA). 

He added that with the university/college acting as the 'immigration sponsor,' the visa officer will mainly be responsible for checking whether the student is capable of financing his/her study and stay in the UK. However, another change resulting from the inclusion of a visa letter is that students will now be tied to one education provider. 

Further elaborating, Dix said, "Many students receive multiple 'offer letters,' which makes it increasingly difficult to keep track of which university/college they eventually enrol in. But, with the new visa tying a student down to a specific university/college, this will no longer be the case. This will further ensure that those going to the UK on a student visa are, in fact, there to study." So, while students may still receive multiple visa letters, they can use only one to apply for the visa. If the student wants to change institutions after obtaining the visa, he/she would need to take permission from the UKBA. 

Dix said the objective of such a move is to help students be more confident of the education they are paying for, as only education providers approved by UKBA will be able to provide visa letters. So far, he added, "1,200 education providers have signed up." Highlighting other aspects of the new system, Dix said, "Students who successfully complete a Bachelor's programme or higher can apply for a work visa under Tier 1 (post-study and highly skilled workers) within a year of graduating. This allows them to stay and work in the UK for another two years." Also, it is not necessary for the student to return to India as the application for switching from a 'student visa' to a 'work visa' can be made while in the UK itself. 

The recent untimely death of Baron Shrowdy von Kiefer has left Draxsylvania abuzz: What will become of his companion, Mona de Lafitte? I braved the lake surrounding the Baron’s castle, evading the resident monster by literally throwing a sacrificial lamb its way, and paid Mona a visit. As I stood at the front door, I could hear a woman’s soaring voice from deep within Castle Warg, singing an opera as if she was born to do nothing else.

Eventually, the source of that beautiful music opened the door and greeted me with a dour look. Was Mona still in mourning over her partner’s demise at the hands of two vampire hunters?

“No,” she replied in her lilting French accent. “I am having trouble with Rufus.”

A servant so distraught over his master’s death that he can’t do his job?

“Of course not, silly,” was the response. “He is a gargoyle statue who keeps the boathouse key in his mouth. I cannot figure out how to make him — how you say — cough it up.”

A flutter of wings interrupted her as a bat entered the room and circled us. “And we’re not making progress while you sit here yapping with this guy,” it said.

“Oh, Froderick,” Mona said in a melancholy tone. “I am afraid we may never solve this puzzle and leave the island. How I long to return to Paris.”

Escaping the Trap

I soon learned that the Baron had kidnapped Mona just as her career as an opera singer was beginning to show promise. Kept against her will, Mona was turned into a vampire. Unfortunately, she hasn’t quite accepted the transformation, despite her newfound ability to turn into a bat and her love of what she calls “wine.”

“One thing at a time,” Froderick remarked under his breath as Mona showed me around the castle. “We need to get outta here first.” He then answered the obvious question: Mona can’t fly over water, thanks to the curse placed on her by the Baron.

And, no, I couldn’t take them back with me, because that would ruin my journalistic integrity as an independent observer. “Fair enough,” was Mona’s response. Her soft sigh pulled at my heart strings, but I felt I had to draw the line somewhere.

Solving the Puzzles

During the tour, I learned much about Mona’s attempts to flee the castle. With Froderick at her side, she had begun collecting things that might come in handy: a flask of body oil, a bottle of perfume, bags of the bat’s fruits and nuts, one of his old toys, and more. She has even noted things too heavy to carry but which might prove useful later, such as a rusty sword.

Mona has figured out how to use those items in combination with each other and her environment to solve puzzles. For example, the flask of body oil helped her loosen a stuck hinge on a trap door in the torture chamber. She didn’t have enough oil for the other hinge, but she was able to use a crushing device to extract more of it from the fruits and nuts. Unfortunately, once she had the trap door open, the stench emanating from the pit below was too much for her and Rufus.

That pit is just one of several mysteries in Castle Warg, which was once controlled by the Baroness von Kiefer. She enchanted many of the things found there, so Mona hasn’t lacked for conversation partners. Ozzy the Fountain, Barb the iron maiden, and even some local rats gave her crucial information that eventually led to the identity of the gargoyle who keeps the boathouse key. Rufus, however, has proven obstinate. A statue that sits far above, next to Edgar the raven’s roost, could persuade him to spit out his prized possession if it landed on his head, but Mona has been unable to budge it.

The Setup for Act Two

With darkness beginning to fall, I bade Mona and Froderick farewell. “If you find yourself in Paris, make sure my spot at the opera has not been filled,” she said. “Forget Paris,” Froderick interjected. “Just get someone to send us a boat!” The exchange set off a round of bickering and I decided it was time to leave.

After I landed on the far shore, a gypsy woman with a thick accent approached. Her name was Madame Strigoi, and she wanted to know how Mona was faring. After I related the story, she smiled. “She will figure out the solution soon enough,” Madame Strigoi remarked. “She is a smart young woman. And when she leaves Castle Warg, I will be waiting for her. As I’ve already told her, things are about to get interesting.”

Before I could ask the woman what she meant, she was gone. I looked back across the frigid water and the castle looming above it. I realized that even once she escapes, more adventures will be in store for Mona before she can hope to reach Paris. On the chilly evening breeze, I could hear her singing once more.