Chocolate is Yummy and Funny

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 1:51 PM

If you are feeling depressed, then reaching for a bar of chocolate will put the smile back on your face. There is now a definitive link between chocolate and your mood, say a group of US based researchers.

Scientific Proof Exists That Chocolate Is Good For You

Dr. Natalie Rose from the University of California along with her colleagues observed that depressed people ate about 8 servings of candy whereas cheerful people ate only about 5 servings of chocolate over a similar period of time. Severely depressed people ate about 11 servings. One serving equates to 1 ounce of chocolate or just a small bar.

The group of researchers said there was a definite link between chocolate and lifting your mood. While we knew this all along, now studies have conclusively proven the fact. Dr. Rose and her associates conducted a study with more than 900 men and women. In it, they kept a record of what the people in the study ate. Their moods were assessed using a depression scale. And a clear link was found; depressed men and women consumed more chocolate than their peers.

But We Still Don't Know Why!

The study did not mention why chocolate put a smile on people's faces and made their constitutions sunnier. But there are several theories about this. Depressed people undergo the same cravings as everyone else when we feel like eating a chocolate. Munching on sugary sweets can be a type of self treatment when feeling out of sorts. On the flip side, eating too much chocolate can also make a person feel down.

Benefits of Eating Chocolates and Candy

Chocolate is known to provide antioxidants and it also provides a psychological boost, like a "feel good" factor. According to some people, chocolate also works like alcohol; both give us a temporary lift. When their effects wear off, we are left feeling even more depressed than before. More studies will be required before it can be determined whether chocolate helps us overcome depression or if it is the culprit that makes us low in the first place.

Nestle Chocolate Chip Cookies

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 4:25 PM

Cookies are favored by kids and adults alike. Dipped in some milk and loaded with chunky chocolate chips, are guaranteed to elevate your mood almost instantly!!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (skip the nuts if you’re allergic)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 190c / 375 f

Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat the cup of butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake until golden brown (from 9-11 mins). Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

You’ll probably feel guilty after indulging in these treats but each cookie is 108 Calories, which contains 6.2g fat and 15mg cholesterol.

Chocolate Banana Pops

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 4:18 PM

Having a hard time feeding your kids their fruit? Well, here’s a quick and easy recipe to introduce your angels to bananas.

Ingredients:

3 large ripe bananas
115 grams (4 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

Garnish:

Chopped peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts or pistachios Colored Sprinkles

Preparation:

Cut the bananas into half. Insert a Popsicle stick, a thick shish tawook stick, or a chopstick into the pieces of banana. Place on a piece of foil and freeze for 20 minutes (do not cover the bananas though).
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and oil together (to thin down the chocolate) in a heatproof bowl placed over a water bath.

Remove the bananas from the freezer and, taking one piece of banana at a time, dip it in the melted chocolate, making sure the banana is completely covered with chocolate. If desired, roll (or sprinkle) the chocolate coated banana in your garnish. The chocolate covered bananas can be eaten right away or place them back in the freezer.

Once completely frozen, the bananas can be stored in a covered container, for about one week. To defrost the bananas, place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This recipe makes 6 servings in less than 30 minutes.

Parisian Hot Chocolate

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 4:10 PM


This hot chocolate drink recipe will keep you warm in those cold winter nights. It’s a bit high on the calories but that’s not a problem, use low fat alternatives whenever you can.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk
¼ cup of sugar
5 oz semi- sweet chopped premium chocolate chips
1/3 heavy cream

Preparation:

Place the milk, sugar, and cream in a pot, and whisk periodically on medium heat until just boiling. Add the chocolate chips in and stir till they melt. Do not let it boil, and serve warm. Sprinkle on some cocoa powder or cinnamon for garnish.
recipe serves 4 people

Tech Wizardry of 2010

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 10:30 PM

This year has been full of exciting tech gadgets and innovations that are so fantastic that they almost border on e-wizardry. We don't expect any more eye-popping products to come out before the end of the year so here is our list of favourite products and cool gadgets that left us reeling or drooling. Or both.

iPad

Obviously, it tops our list. A touchscreen, keyboard-less and finger friendly laptop, or tablet, or ebook reader, actually, all of the above. Even two years ago it would have sounded like magic. No wonder then, that as soon as it was launched Apple's iPad quickly became the fastest selling non-phone gizmo. Ever.

Hands Free Camera: Looxcie

When a dad kept fumbling with his video recorder while recording his kids' antics, he came up with a hands free camera. You wear the Looxcie on your ear and it rolls on, recording everything in sight for five hours. When you click one button, you can upload 30 seconds of your film to your favourite social networking site like Facebook or even to YouTube.

Arc Touch Mouse: An Unqualified Success

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 10:29 PM


Stylish, sturdy and tactile, the "Arc Touch Mouse" from Microsoft is not short of superlatives. From the very first glance its shape already surprises. Microsoft has got us used to avant-garde design and this time the Hardware development studios have come up with a bendable mouse. In addition, its velvety soft surface feels very pleasant in the palm of your hand.

Flat And Slim

Flat and slim when turned off, all you have to do is bend it to activate the Bluetooth connection and thus connect to your computer via the Bluetooth Dongle USB stick supplied. A blue light confirms that it is working correctly and away you go, skimming across the surface of your desk! Simple, appealing and precise, the "Arc Touch Mouse" also includes a virtual scroll strip located in the centre of the device which, when you slide it, produces a small audible click.

The only fly in the ointment, a few jerks in the event of fast movements... attributable to the Bluetooth technology rather than the quality of the mouse. However, this doesn't preclude intensive use!

X-Ray Camera

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 10:08 PM


Now, you will be able to look through walls and click images of everything you cannot see. Your camera will essentially have x-ray vision for it will be able to snap images around corners. A team of US scientists at the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Media Lab have created a prototype that collects tiny bits of light that bounce off objects that are located around corners. Then, laser light is used to illuminate a scene that we cannot see with the naked eye.

The camera can be used in search and rescue operations since "It's like having x-ray vision without the x-rays", said Professor Ramesh Raskar, one of the team members who helped developed this technology.

Top 5 Hotels in the World

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 9:48 PM

The world today is developing on a daily basis, and in every field, everyone is trying to out do the competition. The hotel field is no different. Each day we see more and more hotels coming up, and with tourism also on an equal rise, the hotels are coming up with innovative designs and offerings to keep up with the competition. It is estimated that there are around 50 million hotels of all kinds across the world, and this is no small number. And, hotels that have been consistent in terms of service and infrastructure have always ranked among the best in the world. Now selecting just 5 would be a mammoth task. However, based on various studies, and surveys taken across several countries regarding the facilities, we hereby compile a list of the top 5 hotels of the world, as of now:

1. Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore, India

Featuring rooms that are actually tents in the middle of the forest, the Oberoi Vanyavilas literally means “home in the forest”. Spanning across 20 acres, and situated right next to the world famous Ranthambhore National Park and Tiger Reserve, the hotel’s 25 deluxe tents feature their own private terrace, garden and teak flooring. A ride on one of the hotel’s two
elephants is a must!




2. Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana, USA

Located in Montana’s scenic Bitterroot Mountains, the Triple Creek Ranch spans over 600 acres and has got 23 world-class cabins, made of logs. Minute details like fireplaces with actual wood burning in them, hot tubs and woolen material that is locally woven add to the exclusiveness of the hotel Helicopter tours of the mountains arranged by the hotel are a definite plus, too.




3. Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Masai Mara, Kenya

The Fairmont Mara Safari Club is Kenya’s crown jewel of hotels, featuring at the third spot among the world’s best. Located right on the banks of the Mara River, the hotel has 50 plush tents, the premium ones with outdoor and indoor shower facilities. The pools
have private poolside massages, which is a must-have experience. The Mara River, incidentally, is also a great point for viewing hippos, so don’t be surprised if you wake up in the morning, looking at a hippo across the window!




4. San Ysidro Ranch, Santa Barbara, California,USA

The San Ysidro is a $150 million investment by Rosewood, and every inch of the 500-acre resort/hotel exudes the money. . The hotel has 27 rooms in the main property, and 14 additional cottages that are vine-covered. The entrance welcomes you warmly with a long line of olive trees and lavender. Wine tasting is one of the specialties of the hotel, and the on-site Stonehouse Restaurant features amazing dishes, which will only complement your trip.




5. Four Seasons Hotel México, Mexico City, Mexico

The Four Seasons Hotel Mexico is part of the Four Seasons Group, and features 240 plush and top-end rooms housed in an 8-story building, with papier-mâché Mexican sculptures on display in each room. Located at a strategic location, the hotel is within walking range of Chapultepec Park and the National Museum of Anthropology and History. A specialty of the hotel is the signature Punta Mita massage, that is performed using tequila and sage oil.

JINNAH’S LIFE STYLE

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 11:28 PM


England has greatly influenced his personal preferences, particularly when it came to dress. Jinnah donned
Western style clothing and he pursued the fashion with fevor. It is said he owned over 200 hand tailored suits which he wore with heavily starched shirts with detachable collars. It is also alleged that he never wore the same silk tie twice.

Tribute TO Quaid-e-Azam By Famous Personalities

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 11:19 PM



* STANELY WOLPERT said:

“Few individuals significantly alter the course of history; fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.”

* According to AGA KHAN:

"The greatest man I ever met.”

* NICHOLAS called him:

“The most important man in Asia.”

* KAILASH NATH KATJU (West Bengal Governor) said:

“An outstanding figure of this country not only in India But in the whole world.”

* ABDUL RAHMAN AZZAM PASHA (Secretary General of the Arab League) said:

" One of the greatest leaders in the Muslim world.”

Quaid-e-Azam was a 20th century lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. Father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam’s achievements as the founder of Pakistan, dominates everything else he did in his long and crowded public life spanning some 42 years. He was an ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity, a great constitutionalist, a distinguished parliamentarian, a top notch politician, an indefatigable freedom fighter, a dynamic Muslim leader. Pakistan, one of the largest Muslim states in the world is a living and exemplary movement of Quaid-e-Azam. With his untiring efforts and dauntless courage he united the Indian Muslim under the banner of the Muslim League and carved out a homeland for them where they could pursue their destiny according to their faith and ideology. He was a man of great integrity and character. He was a lover of freedom and a great patriot.

Jinnah said:

“We are a nation with our own distinctive culture and civilization, language and literature, art and architecture, names and nomenclature, sense of value proportion, laws and moral code, custom and calendar, history and tradition, in short, we have our own distinctive outlook on life and of life. By all canons of International law we are a nation.”

Jinnah was a great exponent of social justice. He always played the game of politics according to the established rules of democracy. Jinnah was the recipient of some of the greatest tributes paid to anyone in modern times. His birthday is a national holiday in Pakistan. Jinnah is depicted an all Pakistani rupee notes, and is the main sake of many Pakistani public institutions.

Let us Pray:

Aasman tere lehad par shabnam afshani kare

Sabza-e-naurasta tre ghar ki nigabhani kare.

Quaid-e-Azam Founder of Pakistan

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 10:42 PM


Great people observe death anniversary of the father of the nation not merely by pompous display of festivities but by
strictly following the precepts and guidelines left by their founding father in letter and spirit.

On December 25, 1876, a child was born in a
prominent mercantile family of Karachi, who was destined to change the course of history in South Asia



Early Life
Jinnah was born in Wazir Mansion, Karachi District of lower Sindh. His father name was Jinnah Poonjah.His father
Jinnah Poonja was a
prosperous merchant. Jinnah was the eldest of his seven siblings. Jinnah’s ancestors were Hindu Rajput’s who had converted to Islam. Jinnah’s mother language was Gujarati. From his very childhood, young Jinnah developed the habit of stem independence and self-reliance. Jinnah was a restless student. He studied at several schools, at the Sindh Madarasa-tul-Islam in Karachi. At the age of sixteen he passed his matriculation examination. He went to England for further studies in 1892 at the age of sixteen. In 1896, Jinnah qualified for the bar and was called to the bar in 1897.
In 1896, Jinnah joined the Indian National Congress, which was the largest Indian political organization. Jinnah formally entered in politics in 1905.In march 1913; Jinnah joined the All India Muslim League. As a member of the Muslim League, Jinnah began to work for Hindu Muslim unity. Jinnah served as the leader of the All India Muslim League from 1913 until Pakistan’s independence. On April, 19, 1918, Jinnah married Rutanbai, Their daughter Dina was
born a year later. Jinnah proposed a 14 points constitutional reform plan in 1929 to safeguard the political rights of Muslims in a self-governing India. The Muslim League held its annual session at Lahore in March 1940.This was presided over by Quaid-e-Azam. The demand for Pakistan was formally put forward here. The creation of Pakistan was due to the untiring labour and zeal of Quaid-e-Azam. He won Pakistan by his irrefutable arguments.
He is called the “Father of the Nation”. He became the first Governor General of Pakistan. Jinnah led efforts to lay the
foundation of the new state of Pakistan, frame national policies and rehabilitate millions of Muslim refugees who had migrated from India.

Through the 1940′s, Jinnah suffered from tuberculosis. In 1948 his health began to falter. He died on September 11, 1948, deeply mourned by a grateful nation but as one of the great immortals of history. He was buried in the heart of Karachi.

QUAID’S LAST MESSAGE:
On 14th August, 1948 he said:

” The foundation of your state have been laid and it is new for you to build and build as quickly and as well as u can.”




The Greatest Stars

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 7:35 PM

The small open star cluster Pismis 24 lies in the core of the NGC 6357 nebula in Scorpius, about 8,000 light-years away from Earth. The brightest object in the center of this image is designated Pismis 24-1 and was once thought to weigh as much as 200 to 300 solar masses. This would not only have made it by far the most massive known star in the galaxy, but would have put it considerably above the currently believed upper mass limit of about 150 solar masses for individual stars.

However, Hubble Space Telescope high-resolution images of the star show that it is really two stars orbiting one another that are each estimated to be 100 solar masses.

In addition, spectroscopic observations with ground-based telescopes further reveal that one of the stars is actually a tight binary that is too compact to be resolved even by Hubble. This divides the estimated mass for Pismis 24-1 among the three stars. Although the stars are still among the heaviest known, the mass limit has not been broken due to the multiplicity of the system.

The images of NGC 6357 were taken with Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 in April 2002.

Best Places You've Never Heard Of

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 1:40 AM

Five people lucky enough to travel for a living reveal their favorite recent discoveries—places they happened upon and still can't stop thinking about. Here are their stories.

Havelock, New Zealand
The traveler: Leon Logothetis, a London broker who jumped ship at the chance to work for the Discovery Channel show Destination Future. The experience inspired his own show, Amazing Adventures of a Nobody, which cataloged his super-frugal adventures.

The place: Havelock sits at the head of the wide, startlingly clear Pelorus Sound, and a boat or kayak boarded at the marina leads to winding waterways where dolphins jump from the water and dark-green mountains jut steeply into the air around every turn. Havelock's tiny downtown is chockablock with cute two-story colonial buildings that house galleries and restaurants. "Both the North and South Islands of New Zealand are filled with dreamlike scenery and picturesque little towns," says Logothetis. "But of all of them, Havelock is my favorite. It's just this little slice of heaven, with great food, super-friendly people, and an amazing setting."


Tremolat
France
The tra
veler: Amie O'Shaughnessy, founder of ciaobambino.com, a website devoted to family-
friendly lodging. She travels at least twice a month to review family-friendly properties.

The place: Tremolat's fortresslike Romanesque church dates back to the 11th century, but the surrounding region boasts an even longer history. The valleys are dotted with prehistoric rock dwellings, Ston
ehenge-like megaliths, and caves painted with haunting images of bison, horses, and traced hum
an hands estimated to be an astounding 17,000 years old. O'Shaughnessy and her brood explored the area by bike, car, and on foot; their favorite experience was dining at Les Truffières, a working farm that serves the food it grows.


Lago Todos los Santos, Chile
The traveler: Rupert Barrington, who has spent 20 years traveling to far-flung places as a producer for BBC wildlife programs, including this spring's Life series.

The place: Lago Todos los Santos has steep wooded banks and, in the background, looming fantastically over the watery scene, a perfectly symmetrical, snowcapped, 8,730-foot volcano called Osorno that's drawn comparisons to Mount Fuji. Barrington's verdict on the landscape was nearly instantaneous: "I thought it was just the most beautiful place I'd ever been," he says. "I felt that I'd arrived at something quite special and wild."


Binn, Switzerland
The traveler: Greg Witt, operator of a hiking guide service, Alpenwild. He first tackled the Alps as an 18-year-old backpacker and continues to spend two months in Switzerland every summer.

The place: After decades of canvassing the Swiss countryside, Witt still gets excited about returning to Binn, in a small, secluded Alpine valley at the base of zigzagging peaks sporting countless shades of green. Local residents uphold a pact made more than 50 years ago to resist the kind of overdevelopment that's added posh ski resorts and multilane highways to much of southwestern Switzerland. "Even today, the 16th-century stone bridge leading into the village of Binn bears the load of goats and hikers, not cars and buses," says Witt.


Shangri-La, China
The traveler: Christian Pucher, development director for Six Senses Resorts & Spas, a Bangkok–based hotelier known for its high-end eco-resorts in pristine locales.

The place: Few places evoke paradise like the mythical Shangri-La, the mountainous valley depicted in James Hilton's 1933 novel, Lost Horizon. And that's just what Pucher found when he encountered the northwestern area of China's Yunnan province, which borders Tibet and was renamed Shangri-La in 2001 for its natural beauty. The snowcapped peaks, Alpine lakes, and deep gorges of the Tibetan Plateau were unlike anything the Swiss native had imagined. "I was in absolute awe," Pucher says. "Mountains of up to 22,000 feet would rise and drop into valleys of 6,000 feet or more. The roads crossed some of the most beautiful landscapes I had ever seen."

Future Technology

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 12:28 AM

The Robot Ice Sculptor

Clearly, advances in robotic engineering will soon adversely impact the careers of artists in all sorts of fields! We remember the robot able to draw portraits, recently developed by Goldsmiths University in London. A gadget endowed with equally impressive abilities has been built by McGill University in Canada.
Dreamt up within the framework of a computer assisted architectural programme, FAB@HOME has the ability to create beautiful ice sculptures in a variety of shapes and sizes. The system could ultimately be used to decorate ice hotels, a new concept in tourism for adventurous souls who aren't afraid of the cold!


The European Car of the Year runs on Electricity
Electric or hybrid cars have the wind in their sails at the moment. An encouraging development when we consider the extent to which urgent action is required to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, reduce atmospheric pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers continue to work towards these aims, even if politicians seem to be more lukewarm when it comes to their green commitments, particularly since the 2008 economic crisis...
In the field of automobiles, green technology is winning over more and more consumers. Many manufacturers have developed so-called "zero emission" vehicles.


A Camera faster than the Human Eye...
Progress in the field of robotics is reaching the stage that the paranoid amongst us could seriously qualify as worrying! In fact, you could quite easily be left with a nagging sensation that some prototypes could enable the implementation of devices and systems that wouldn't necessarily increase the overall happiness of humankind


Robot Rock
Robot enthusiasts sometimes come up with some surprising new ideas. Such is the case with the musician Greg Locke. The New Zealander has created a rock group formed entirely by robots using real instruments!
The Trons have existed for 3 years and have already toured their native New Zealand and Europe. The members of the group were built from scrap. They rely on modern technology to avoid synchronisation problems.





Adaptive Solid State Lighting: MIT
LEDs are already energy-efficient but a team at MIT is working on a new type of LED that will save a further 90 percent more energy than current ones. These LED lights will emit as much light as is required. For example, in daylight hours then these lights will automatically dim and during the night, they will brighten automatically. As a result, you will get a constant and steady light intensity throughout the day irrespective of whether it is sunny or cloudy outside the window.

New Year Quotes

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 10:08 PM

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. ~Bill Vaughn

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan

Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits. ~Author Unknown

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.~Author Unknown

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~Benjamin Franklin

No one ever regarded the First of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam. ~Charles Lamb

New Year's Day is every man's birthday. ~Charles Lamb

Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as onerous a duty. ~John Selden

New Years Are a Chance for a Beginning

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 9:47 PM

New years are a chance for a Beginning
Even when there hasn't been an End.
Wheels turn in an interminable Bend,
Yet, marked in one spot, seem to Wobble Spinning.
Each year we hope to do a little Better
Although we know that really nothing's Changed.
Reason thinks that everything's Arranged,
So we must dream if we would Fate Unfetter.

How Sad, the Year just Passed!!

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 9:38 PM


How sad, the year just passed! A year the Past
Arose like smoke from deep beneath the Rubble,
Pouring up through fissures in the Heart,
Perhaps our own as much as those of Others.
Year of hatred writhing in raw Pain,
Near mad with certainty arrayed in Faith,
Each aggrieved alight with righteous Fnger,
Whirlwinds swirling through their swathes of Rage
Yet let us in the new year look for Justice,
Ever the rock on which to live in Peace,
Administered with love for every Soul,
Regarding every evil as our Own.

How Sad,The Year just Passed!!!

Happiness depends on more than Years

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 9:19 PM

Happiness depends on more than years.
All one's moments gather to a wave
Passing in a rolling swell of tears,
Passions too immense to name or save.
Yet New Year's is a crest on which to sing,
Now poised between the future and the past.
Each awaits what course the fates may bring,
Winds that never touch the things that last.
ears turn and turn with an hypnotic grace
Even as the depths of life lie still.
Although above one cannot silence face,
Remember that below the divers will.

New Year Clock

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 9:11 PM

When the clock strikes twelve on December 31st, people all over the world cheer and wish each other a very Happy New Year. For some, this event is no more than a change of a calendar. For others, the New Year symbolizes the beginning of a better tomorrow. So, if you look forward to a good year ahead, spread happiness with these wonderful New Year wishes.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 8:58 PM


“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

6 Ways to live like a Billionaire

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 4:21 PM


Granted, the world's billionaires (all 1,011 of them) are in the position of having, quite literally, more money than they can possibly spend, yet some still live well below their means and save money in surprising places. Even nonbillionaires can partake in these spending tips from frugal billionaires.

1. Keep your home Simple. Billionaires can afford to live in the most exclusive mansions imaginable -- such as Bill Gates' sprawling 66,000-square-foot, $147.5 million mansion in Medina, Wash. -- yet frugal billionaires like Warren Buffett choose to keep it simple. Buffett lives in the five-bedroom house in Omaha, Neb., that he purchased in 1957 for $31,500. Likewise, Slim has lived in the same house for more than 40 years.

2. Use self-powered or public Transportation. Thrifty billionaires including John Caudwell, David Cheriton and Chuck Feeney prefer to walk, bike or use public transportation when getting around town.

Certainly these wealthy individuals could afford to take a helicopter to their lunch meetings, or ride in chauffeur-driven Bentleys, but they choose to get a little exercise or take advantage of public transportation instead. Good for the bank account and great for the environment.

3. Buy your clothes off the Rack. While some people, regardless of their net worth, place a huge emphasis on wearing designer clothes and shoes, some frugal billionaires decide it's simply not worth the effort or expense.

4. Keep your scissors Sharp. The average haircut costs about $45, but people can and do spend up to $800 per cut and style. Multiply that by 8.6 (to account for a cut every six weeks) and it adds up to $7,200 per year, not including tips.

5. Drive a regular Car. While billionaires like Larry Ellison (co-founder and CEO of Oracle) enjoy spending millions on cars, boats and planes, others remain low key with their vehicles of choice. Jim Walton (of the Wal-Mart clan) drives a 15-year-old pickup truck. Azim Premji, an Indian business tycoon, reportedly drives a Toyota Corolla. And Kamprad of Ikea drives a 10-year-old Volvo. The idea is to buy a dependable car and drive it into the ground. No need for a different car each day of the week for these frugal billionaires.

6. Skip luxury Items. It may surprise some of us, but the world's wealthiest person, Slim -- the one who could spend more than a thousand dollars a minute and not run out of money for 100 years -- does not own a yacht or a plane.
Many other billionaires have chosen to skip these luxury items. Buffett also avoids these lavish material items, stating "Most toys are just a pain in the neck."

Greetings

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 4:09 PM

The World's Highest Hotel

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 11:27 PM

In Pictures: The World's Skyscraper Hotels

HONG KONG -- At street level Hong Kong is a teeming cacophony. Double-decker buses weave around bicyclists toting chunks of meat from market butchers, while narrow sidewalks, inconvenient crosswalks and crowded luxury shops make walking a task best suited for the nimble and patient. But 1,600 feet above the hoi-polloi, the city seems different. It's bustling but serene, with boats criss-crossing the harbor against the topography of the glittering skyline, and green mountains rising up behind it all.

That's the view from the new Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong. When completed, it will be the highest hotel in the world. Set to open in December, it occupies the top floors of the International Commerce Centre, a skyscraper that is home to financial giants like Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank.

Declare War on Blackheads and Whiteheads

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 11:18 PM


They have a bad habit of sneaking up on us without warning. Just as we are about to enter a grand party we realise that we have something that is worse than a zit: a blackhead! And we always get a new one before an important meeting or a hot new date, don't we?

Blackheads vs. Whiteheads
It's enough to drive anyone up a wall, but wait. There are some emergency measures you can take to get the upper hand over blackheads. Whiteheads are not so prominently visible but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. Usually, blackheads are given more attention and we try our best to treat them but don't ignore the whiteheads either. They are just waiting to accumulate dust, dirt or grime to turn into blackheads, that's all!

Tried and Tested Tricks
First, keep your face clean. Not just soap and water but a regular regime of cleanser, toner and moisturisers works wonders on keeping blackheads and whiteheads at bay.

Next, schedule a weekly steam and sauna session as that is one of the best ways of melting the ugly blackheads and whiteheads. Pores open up, and the accumulated gunk just slips out.
Tried and Tested Tricks
First, keep your face clean. Not just soap and water but a regular regime of cleanser, toner and moisturisers works wonders on keeping blackheads and whiteheads at bay.

Next, schedule a weekly steam and sauna session as that is one of the best ways of melting the ugly blackheads and whiteheads. Pores open up, and the accumulated gunk just slips out.

Don't Disrespect Blackheads or Whiteheads
Under no circumstances should you pick them off with your nails or any other sharp object. This will irritate your skin and leave scars and might even lead to infection. Don't ignore them either for they end up making your skin look ugly and pockmarked.

Going to a party? Then feel free to apply a concealer to those blackheads and whiteheads but remember this is not a solution to the problem; it is merely a trick which you use to sweep them under the carpet.

Cameras

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 4:07 PM

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T33 - digital camera
You can be sure of a perfect picture with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T33 series. Though amazingly slim (about the size of a pack of cards) it's packed with features to make life easier for both basic and advanced users. With a 5.1 effective Megapixel CCD and the special Sony Real Imaging Processor providing the quality control, your colors will be richer, the detail finer and your resulting prints larger than ever. It's easier to shoot photos as well


Nikon D5000 - digital camera with Nikon AF-S DX 18-55mm and 55
Meet the D5000, a breed of Nikon digital SLR camera. A wonderful blend of fun, simplicity, and beautiful image quality, the D5000 features an innovative Vari-angle monitor for an exciting new take on photographic expression. Combined with Live View shooting, this monitor gives you the ability to shoot from nearly any angle. And your creativity is not limited to still images

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H1 - digital camera
A five megapixel, Super HAD CCD imager, 12X optical zoom lens and a large 2.5-inch LCD are just a few of the features on this model that are sure to please even the choosiest photo buff.With a focal length range of 36 - 432 millimeters (a 35mm equivalence) the DSC-H1 camera lets you frame distant objects with ease. Making the most of this telephoto reach, Sony's Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization feature counteracts camera-shake to ensure sharp images. This feature also benefits low-light photography by allowing the use of longer shutter speeds with reduced risk of image blur from camera-shake.

Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z150 - digital camera
Whether you're on holiday, at a party or spending time with your family - people are particularly popular subjects for a photo. It's always a pity when faces turn out blurred on a picture. The face detection function offers the perfect solution, recognizing the individual faces or even entire groups, and automatically applying the best possible setting.It has never been easier to upload your own videos to YouTube: with the EX-Z150, you can film your most memorable moments directly in a video size and quality optimized for YouTube!The combination of the 28 mm wide-angle design and 4x optical zoom makes the EX-Z150 the perfect companion for every occasion - you have plenty of scope to take photos, be it of your loved ones, beautiful sights or romantic sunsets


Canon Power Shot SX120 IS - digital camera
Ideal for family days out, the 10.0-megapixel PowerShot SX120 IS brings distant subjects into view with a 10x image-stabilized lens. Smart Auto and Easy modes allow all the family to take great shots.

Charity: It’s Not What You Think

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 11:01 PM


In these twisted times we live in, the word “charity” usually conjures an image in our minds that is - in reality - as far as can possibly be from the truth. After decades of distorted media messages and even more years of stereotyping, charity is now associated with fancy events, shimmery gowns and tuxedos, television coverage and thousands - if not millions - in donations. In many cases, an immediate image of a charity ball, with all its glitz and glamour, pops into our heads. How sad...

Truth be said, now-a-days we relate charity to money.

If it’s not in the form of money, we hardly ever call it charity or philanthropy. But, in reality, monetary donations are merely one of millions of ways for humans to be charitable.

Whatever happened to acts of kindness?

It is taught in all religions under the sun that acts of charity and kindness are the road to Heaven. We are encouraged to make charity a part of our daily lives and to endorse it as an integral part of our children’s upbringing. It is also taught in all religions that charity may be in the form of money, but is not necessarily so.

In Islam, a well-known hadeeth portrays that smiling at your fellow Muslim is an act of charity. This natural human gesture is an act of kindness that can be a step towards our pursuit of Heaven in the hereafter.

Very simple actions are charitable ones. Treating the less fortunate nicely, slowing down your car to allow people to cross the street or removing debris from the road that might harm passersby are all acts of charity. They are acts of charity that you will be rewarded for and that do not involve you having to reach for your wallet.

These days, we hear a lot about karma and about how “what goes around comes around.” Let’s say that, one day, you chose to ignore an old lady who needed a ride when you were completely capable of helping her. When the day comes, you will find yourself in a situation where you need help with a flat tire or something, and you will also be ignored by someone who is perfectly capable of helping you.

The balance of this Earth is divine. Give good and you shall receive good in return. It doesn’t have to be in the form of money. If you can spare the time, contribute to the eradication of illiteracy. If you like to read, donate time by reading to the elderly in a home or hospital. If you like children, babysit and give an exhausted mother a few hours to herself.

These are all acts of kindness and, thus, acts of charity.

It Was Never About The Money!!!

Raising A Responsible Child

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 10:54 PM



For some, getting married and having kids is the last and ultimate attainment, but actually it’s the beginning of a different set of achievements. Once you have kids, you have to raise them properly, you don’t just support them financially and provide food and clothes, but you need to look closer and monitor their actions to guide them so that they can one day be good parents themselves. Every action we make leaves an imprint on our kids; every word we say is processed in their minds and is translated into one thing or another. So we have to be extra careful because we shape them and it’s scary to shape them into something ugly when we have the chance to mold them into something beautiful.

Responsibility is one of the major things which make kids beautiful as they grow. Wanting the kids to be responsible is a universal parental demand, but there is a huge difference between wanting and doing. It needs awareness, perseverance and monitoring around the clock.

Most of us are too tired to monitor the kids 24/7, we are not ready to answer questions, follow psychological changes or a behavioral trend all the time. So we opt for the easiest way out, we ask them to go to play somewhere else, we let them watch more TV or we ask them to wait while we finish a phone call or do something else. The truth is that we are too busy and tired to be witty and respond with the right answer. We honestly do want our kids to shape up beautifully into responsible kids. We do know the importance of raising responsible kids and we sure don’t want our children to stay dependent or be reckless but acknowledging this fact and actually doing it is totally different. And you would probably say "of course every parent wants their kids to be responsible!" and I would answer, "NO".

Some parents depend on their kids to feel wanted, so they don’t want them to be responsible, they don’t want them to leave the nest or go find their own path. Some parents don’t want their kids to have their own dreams and try to choke them with their dreams. Some parents don’t let their kids be responsible for anything for fear that they might be burdening their kids. So they think for them, choose for them and even worry on their behalf! We hear a lot of stories about these types of parents, maybe they are scarce, but they exist. The majority however are stuck somewhere between wanting their kids to be responsible and actually doing something about it.


What do we do then? First of all we have to assign chores starting at an early age; the chore has to be age appropriate of course. Children may need to be reminded at first but as they begin to complete their task on their own. Secondly, let them know you are proud of their responsible behavior once they accomplished it. The older the child becomes the more responsibilities you can give. Take into consideration that the chore has to be in agreement with the other chores the kids have like homework, sports practice or music lessons.

Next, reward them when they accomplish their responsibility, the reward has to be reasonable to their age too. If they don’t do what they were asked then you could take away some of their play time until they have taken care of their responsibility. Punish them if they didn’t finish their task, for example, let them prepare their swim bag, if they forget, then they should be deprived of swimming for the day, so next time they will sure remember to put in everything they need. Don’t threaten and take back your threat, this will only diminish the lesson you are trying to teach, they will know that next time you are going to let them go swimming anyway. Last, be a good role model for responsible behavior, children learn from teachers and there is no better teacher than parents.

The most important thing is to talk to your kids about values in life, the value of time, honesty, putting in hard work and of being cooperative in one’s family. Their lives should be deeper than just obtaining valuable things, it should be about giving.

No matter what age your kids are, you could still teach them, just don’t give up!!!

INTERNET DEVICES

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 5:55 PM

Internet devices powered by the Intel® Atom™ processor are the ideal companions to everyday business PCs. Ultra-portable basic Internet devices, like netbooks, MIDs, and smartphones, provide easy access to the Internet and Internet-hosted applications, email, and documents. Intel Atom processor-based Internet devices keep your users connected and productive and are an affordable option for times when users don't need the power of a full featured laptop or desktop

INTEL® ATOM™ PROCESSOR

Affordable, convenient devices powered by the Intel® Atom™ proc
essor make ideal companions to your everyday business PC. Bringing you bas
ic computing such as Internet on the go, e-mail and document viewing, Intel Atom processor-based netbooks, smartphones, Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), and entry-level desktops are an easy, light, and affordable way to keep in touch.




Primary Work Devices Built for Business

THE INTEL® CORE™ VPRO™ PROCESSOR FAMILY

PCs built with Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors are specifically designed for business, delivering cost savings and control while improving security and remote manageability. Not only will businesses reduce power consumption costs, thanks to energy-saving features that help PCs meet ENERGY STAR1 requirements, but IT can also reduce maintenance costs by enabling remote configuration, diagnosis, isolation, and repair of infected PCs even when the operating system is unresponsive or the PC is turned off.

Smart security and remote manageability are built right in.

When it comes to security, programmable defense filters automatically guard against malicious attacks to help safeguard laptop and desktop PCs from malware. Intel's built-in Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT) provides greater flexibility and maximum system utilization by consolidating multiple environments into a single workstation or PC, giving you more agility to meet the demands of your business.

THE INTEL® CORE™ PROCESSOR FAMILY

A sound investment for today’s challenging business environment, the Intel® Core™ i7 processor and Intel® Core™ i5 processor deliver intelligent performance and cost savings for desktop and laptop PCs.

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology maximizes speed to match workloads so you have the power you need when you need it and automatically reduces power consumption when you don’t. With the ability of each core to work on two tasks simultaneously, enabled by Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology), these processors are ideal for graphic and compute-intensive applications.



Universal Serial Bus (USB)

Filed under by Nahal Ahmed on 5:27 PM

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a set of connectivity specifications developed by Intel in collaboration with industry leaders. USB allows high-speed, easy connection of peripherals to a PC. When plugged in, everything configures automatically. USB is the most successful interconnect in the history of personal computing and has migrated into consumer electronics (CE) and mobile products.

The USB Standard

Providing an industry standard, USB was originally released in 1995 at 12 Mbps. Today, USB operates at 480 Mbps and is found in over six billion PC, consumer electronics (CE), and mobile devices with a run rate of 2 billion USB products being shipped into the growing market every year. In addition to high performance and ubiquity, USB enjoys strong consumer brand recognition and a reputation for ease-of-use.

USB Today

Today, Hi-Speed USB 2.0, provides greater enhancement in performance-up to 40 times faster than USB 1.0, with a design data rate of up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps). In addition, USB On-The-Go (OTG), a supplement to the USB 2.0 specification, was created in 2002. USB OTG defines a dual-role device, which can act as either a host or peripheral, and can connect to a PC or other portable devices through the same connector.

Portable computing devices such as handhelds, cell phones and digital cameras that connect to the PC as a USB peripheral benefit from having additional capability to connect to other USB devices directly. For instance, users can perform functions such as sending photos from a digital camera to a printer, PDA, cell phone, or sending music files from an MP3 player to another portable player, PDA or cell phone.

The Move to Wireless USB

Wireless USB is the new wireless extension to USB that combines the speed and security of wired technology with the ease-of-use of wireless technology. Wireless connectivity has enabled a mobile lifestyle filled with conveniences for mobile computing users. Supporting robust high-speed wireless connectivity, wireless USB utilizes the common WiMedia* Ultra-wideband (UWB) radio platform developed by the WiMedia Alliance.

USB in the Future

The next advancement in ubiquitous technology is SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) that will deliver over targeted 10x the speed of today's Hi-Speed USB connections. The technology targets fast PC sync-and-go transfer of applications, to meet the demands of CE and mobile segments focused on high density digital content and media.

USB 3.0 will create a backward-compatible standard with the same ease-of-use and plug and play capabilities of previous USB technologies. Targeting over 10x performance increase at 5Gbps data rates, the technology will draw from the same architecture of wired USB. In addition, the USB 3.0 specification will be optimized for low power and improved protocol efficiency.

Industry Collaboration

Intel formed the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) in 1995 with other industry players to support and accelerate market and consumer adoption of USB-compliant peripherals. Today, the USB-IF has over 700 member companies worldwide, and the board of directors is comprised of representatives from Hewlett-Packard, Intel Corporation, LSI Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, NEC Corporation, and ST-NXP Wireless.

The USB-IF is a non-profit corporation formed to provide a support organization and forum for the advancement and adoption of Universal Serial Bus technologies. The forum facilitates the development of high-quality compatible USB peripherals (devices), and promotes the benefits of USB products that have passed compliance testing.