Day of practical joking - 1st April Fool's Day

Experts shed light on origins of April Fools' Day

For an average person, April Fools' Day might be a date to play pranks, but for some experts the day has more to it than just the fun element.

April Fools' Day is believed to be several hundred years old. However, experts say that its origins are still shrouded in mystery.

According to the most popular theory, France changed its calendar in the 1500s so that the New Year would begin in January to match the Roman calendar instead of the start of spring in late March or early April.

However word of the change traveled slowly, and many people in rural areas continued to celebrate the New Year in the spring.

These country dwellers became known as 'April fools'.

Alex Boese, curator of the Museum of Hoaxes in San Diego, Californiaoese, who has studied the holiday's origin, however, disagrees with this interpretation.

"[The French] theory is completely wrong, because the day that the French celebrated the beginning of the year legally was Easter day, so it never really was associated with April first," National Geographic quoted him, as saying.

"Traditionally it was only a legal start to the year-people in France did actually celebrate [the New Year] on January first for as long as anybody could remember," he added.

Instead, Boese believes that April Fools' Day simply grew out of age-old European spring festivals of renewal, in which pranks and camouflaging one's identity are common.

Joseph Boskin, professor emeritus of American humor at Boston University, has offered his own interpretation of the holiday's roots -as a prank.

In 1983, Boskin said that the April Fools' Day idea came from Roman jesters during the time of Constantine I in the third and fourth centuries A.D. As the story goes, jesters successfully petitioned the ruler to allow one of their elected members to be king for a day.

So, on April first, Constantine handed over the reins of the Roman Empire for one day to King Kugel, his jester. Kugel decreed that the day forever would be a day of absurdity. Incidentally, Kugel is an Eastern European dish that one of Boskin's friends had been craving.

Source: Yahoo

Madonna talks about Britney, divorce rumors

Madonna on Britney: 'Let's go save her'

Madonna wants the media to leave Britney Spears alone. "They need to step off," she told the "Yo on E!" satellite radio show. "For real ... Let's go save her."

Madonna, 49, said her daughter, Lourdes, 11, feels the same way.

"She knows Britney, (but) she doesn't really watch TV or read gossip stuff," the pop star said in the interview. "I think she sort of gets the drift of what's going on, and I think she feels very protective of Britney."

Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie have a son, Rocco, 7, and are raising a Malawian boy they want to adopt.

"He's the life of the party," she said of David, who she brought home from Africa in 2006. "He loves music, he's an amazing dancer. ... He's a character."

She said caring for David is no different from her raising her biological children: "I thought it was gonna be, but it feels the same to tell you the truth."

As for speculation that her marriage is on the rocks, Madonna said: "It is ridiculous. ... I don't pay much attention to it."

The singer's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg recently dismissed media reports that the Ritchies have split up, saying they "remain happily married." Rosenberg said that Madonna and filmmaker Ritchie, 39, were "joyfully back together at home in London" after living in separate countries for work purposes.

Madonna, whose new album "Hard Candy" arrives April 29, told "Yo on E!" that she plans to spend the summer in New York, and that she might kick off a tour this fall.

Source: Yahoo

Step inside the amazing world of shoes

Shoes, only worn out of a necessity until recently, have in recent decades become a major fashion sector. Footwear that appeals to different tastes and suits different occasions is part of every major fashion show.

Whether heeled or flat, sporty or classic, shoes are important for the care of your feet and are a key factor in posture and image.

Undoubtedly, it is shoes that influence the way a person looks and walks. Until a decade ago people in Turkey had on average just two pairs of shoes. Now this figure has reached a half-dozen. Shoes underwent transformation not only in terms of the numbers owned but also in terms of color and style, just as has been the case with clothes. The choices of people who for years used to wear only black and brown shoes underwent radical change with fashion's touch. Shoes designed in different ways are available in various colors every season.

When one is talking about fashion, Camel Active, Dr. Martens, Fly London, Softinos, Land Rover, ModoNovo and Ed Hardy's 2008-2009 summer collections come to mind immediately. In addition, the Dema Group, which unites Turkish consumers with shoe brands known worldwide, has accompanied its excellence in manufacturing durable and quality shoes with designs of an equally high quality. Leather accessories and coordinating bags also dazzle.

Every shoe brand has its own style. When we select our shoes, some of us want to look sporty, some of us want a classic style and some of us pay more heed to comfort. When products of a certain brand are united with individual choices, the result can be a serious addiction! Camel Active is among the brands most popular with those seeking a sporty look. With great new designs the brand's 2008 collection is categorized into three sections. In its urbanity collection the shoes own the elegance required by city life as well as the durability required by nature. Light but hard-wearing soles make up a different style with the use of leather. In female collections, there are sandals, slippers and wedge-heeled shoes. In addition to this, there is also the loafer group which will continue to be used next winter. In the outback theme, it is easy to see the dominance of beige, olive and light gray tones. In the beach group, pastel tones predominate.

What would you say if I told you that Land Rover also makes shoes? New for 2008, the Land Rover brand offers shoes, bags and leather accessories. The brand thrills one with the quality of leather used in its products as well as with their comfort and elegance. Extra-light soles were used in its shoe collections, which merge classical handwork with modern manufacturing techniques.

Those for whom the masculinity of Land Rover doesn't hit the spot may be fascinated by Fly London. With brave styling and innovative accessories, including buckles, flowers and buttons, these come in a rainbow of colors. In the female collection on can see lively colors such as red, green and yellow that make one feel the arrival of spring.

The era-defining Dr. Martens has been revised with the use of lively colors. The shoes are reminiscent of an art gallery with the use of flowers, illustrations and even skull motifs. Some of this teen-essential brand's products are still manufactured using traditional methods. Ed Hardy breathes new life into the world of the eternal classic, the sneaker. The tattoo artist's collection, a favorite with celebrities including Madonna, Jessica Alba, Heidi Klum, Eddie Murphy and Shakira, includes his own designs.

If you want to be serious in the office, comfortable on the street and fun in between, you absolutely must check out ModoNovo, which merges chic with reasonable prices. Sore feet are a problem for many business people, but the high-quality materials used, supported by Italian design, mean this brand can offer you pain-free chic. In this season's collection, ModoNovo presents classic business-style shoes and chic models. In addition to the timeless brown, black and beige, the new season's collection offers vivid colors, just as is appropriate for spring, that most lively of seasons.

Shoes speak volumes about one's personal style, and there is always a brand available that fits your style. However, if by chance you still fail to find the exact model that you just can't live without, be sure to read my future article on custom and haute couture shoe design.

Source: Todayszaman

'Dead' man talking - Man declared dead feels 'pretty good'

Four months after he was declared brain dead and doctors were about to remove his organs for transplant, Zach Dunlap says he feels "pretty good."

Dunlap was pronounced dead Nov. 19 at United Regional Healthcare System in Wichita Falls, Texas, after he was injured in an all-terrain vehicle accident. His family approved having his organs harvested.

As family members were paying their last respects, he moved his foot and hand. He reacted to a pocketknife scraped across his foot and to pressure applied under a fingernail. After 48 days in the hospital, he was allowed to return home, where he continues to work on his recovery.

On Monday, he and his family were in New York, appearing on NBC's "Today."

"I feel pretty good. but it's just hard ... just ain't got the patience," Dunlap told NBC.

Dunlap, 21, of Frederick, said he has no recollection of the crash.

"I remember a little bit that was about an hour before the accident happened. But then about six hours before that, I remember," he said.

Dunlap said one thing he does remember is hearing the doctors pronounce him dead.

"I'm glad I couldn't get up and do what I wanted to do," he said.

Asked if he would have wanted to get up and shake them and say he's alive, Dunlap responded: "Probably would have been a broken window that went out."

His father, Doug, said he saw the results of the brain scan.

"There was no activity at all, no blood flow at all."

Zach's mother, Pam, said that when she discovered he was still alive, "That was the most miraculous feeling."

"We had gone, like I said, from the lowest possible emotion that a parent could feel to the top of the mountains again," she said.

She said her son is doing "amazingly well," but still has problems with his memory as his brain heals from the traumatic injury.

"It may take a year or more ... before he completely recovers," she said. "But that's OK. It doesn't matter how long it takes. We're just all so thankful and blessed that we have him here."

Dunlap now has the pocketknife that was scraped across his foot, causing the first reaction.

"Just makes me thankful, makes me thankful that they didn't give up," he said. "Only the good die young, so I didn't go."
Source: Yahoo

The Airbus A380 super-jumbo Makes First Commercial Flight to Heathrow, London

Airbus SAS's A380 superjumbo made its first commercial landing in London today, making Heathrow airport the third location to be served by the plane.

The Singapore Airlines Ltd. flight arrived in the U.K. capital at about 2:50 p.m. The A380's first customer has been flying two of the 471-seat planes between the southeast Asian city-state and Sydney since October and added the London route after taking delivery of a third.

Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, will be the biggest A380 hub, according to Toulouse, France-based Airbus, with an estimated 90 of the double-decker aircraft operating regularly there by 2020. Other Heathrow carriers with A380s on order include Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., Emirates and British Airways Plc, the biggest user of the airport.

"The A380 is an important aircraft for Heathrow," airport owner BAA Ltd. said in a statement. "Its extra capacity will allow us to make efficient use of our two busy runways. It will enable traffic growth without a corresponding increase in flights, which will benefit the airport, airlines and the environment."

BAA, a unit of Spanish builder Grupo Ferrovial SA, spent 450 million pounds ($903 million) preparing for the A380 by adding a new pier at Terminal 3 and A380-sized stands at Terminal 5, which opens to the public on March 27, together with a longer baggage-claim carousel for the extra passengers and wider taxiways for the longer wingspan.

Heathrow-Friendly Design

The A380's design itself was modified to make it compliant with Heathrow's most-stringent noise requirement, known as QC2, with the engines equipped with bigger fan blades to reduce noise upon landing and takeoff.

Singapore Airlines has 19 A380s on order, powered by Rolls- Royce Group Plc Trent engines. The carrier will be the only one flying the aircraft until summer, when Qantas and Emirates get their first planes. British Airways has ordered 12 due to be delivered from 2012.

The A380 is certified to carry 873 people, including crew, but has capacity for 525 in a standard layout -- 54 more than the Singapore Airlines planes, which include 12 "suites'' for premium passengers, with a full-length bed and sliding doors.

"Seats on both legs of the inaugural flight to London were snapped up soon after flight details were announced in late January this year,'' said Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines executive vice president for marketing and regions, in an e-mailed statement. "Forward bookings for A380 scheduled services there are strong."

Daily London Service

Singapore Airlines will fly the plane from London to Singapore daily from today. The A380 made its Heathrow debut in May 2006, when a non-commercial flight arrived to test the airport's facilities.

Airbus says the A380 burns 17 percent less fuel per seat than today's biggest jetliners and U.K. Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick, at Heathrow for the landing, said by e-mail that the aircraft was ", cleaner, smarter and greener than existing commercial planes."

Still, Heathrow, located in the heavily populated suburbs of west London, has become a target of criticism from environmental campaigners, many of whom say the A380's green credentials are undermined by the extra passengers it carries.

"Cleaner aircraft are certainly needed, but they are not the solution to the rising impact of aviation emissions on our climate," said Richard Dyer, a campaigner for Friends of the Earth. "Any benefits gained by building more fuel efficient aircraft will be swamped by the rapid growth in air travel."

Source: BloomBerg

E-mails join cigarette, coffee runs as office 'timewasters'

E-mails have joined the cigarette and the humble coffee runs as the latest threat to workplace productivity.

Researchers have carried out a study and found that e-mails have gone from being a useful office tool to a curse that actually takes up huge amounts of work time, The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday.

According to the researchers, the average employee now spends an estimated 90 minutes to two hours a day wading through hundreds of messages, much of which is basically spam and junk mail.

The study by the Radicati Group has found that worldwide email traffic has hit 196 billion messages a day. It is predicted to reach 374 billion per day by 2011.

"Employees're now so deluged with messages that emails have become a broken business tool in urgent need of fixing. There's been no innovation to separate the junk letters from the real ones," Jason Preston of the Parnassus Group, a social media consultancy, was quoted as saying.

A related study by another research firm Telewest Business recently found that emails and telephone habits could reduce productivity rather than increase it and "men are the biggest timewasters at work".

According to the research, the misuse of telephones and emails at work was hindering office workers from doing their jobs, increasing bad habits at work and lengthening the working day.

Out Of 1,468 people questioned, the average time spent each day waiting for or chasing responses to urgent emails and on unnecessary emails was 42 minutes. An average of 27 minutes was wasted responding to voicemails or managing phone calls and 12 minutes was lost trying to locate colleagues, the study found.

Source: FINANCIAL EXPRESS

VAZHACHAAL IN KERALA - INDIAN NIAGARA FALLS!

Meet Aditya, World's Smallest Bodybuilder!

At just 2ft 9in, Indian muscleman Adiya "Romeo" Dev is the world's smallest bodybuilder.

Pint-sized Romeo is well-known in his hometown of Phagwara, India - for his ability to lift 1.5kg dumbbells - despite his overall 9kg body weight. Every day, crowds flock to the local gym to the see the mini-muscleman in training.

Unlike many dwarfs, Romeo is well proportioned, with a head circumference of 15in and a chest measurement of 20in.

Romeo said: "I've been training as a bodybuilder for the last two years and by now I think I must be the strongest dwarf in the world.

World's Slimmest Digital SLR Camera from Olympus

Olympus has unveiled what it claims is the world’s thinnest, smallest digital SLR – the E-420.

Due in May, the 10 megapixel E-420 weighs 380 grams for the body and is only 53mm in depth. Width is 129.5 mm, while height is 91 mm.

The E-420 comes with a live view sensor, 2.7-inch screen and can take photos up to ISO1600. It also features ‘shadow adjust’ technology to deal with high contrast situations, face detection and also has buttons coloured to be visible to colour blind people.

Retail price has yet to be confirmed.

Despite the lack of an industry-wide trend to shrink their DSLR’s, Olympus Imaging Australia professional photography manager Lucas Tan said the company had taken the decision to slim down their consumer-focused models after conducting market research.

“We had a good look at the market some years ago, as to where the consumer digital market would go, and we realised that a lot of consumer digital camera users were actually upgrading into digital SLR-type cameras. And we’ve also … discovered that a lot of these users were not exactly very thrilled that single lens reflex cameras tend to be a little bit on the thick and chunky side,” said Tan

Tan also confirmed the size-reduction regime would also continue with new E-400 series cameras in the future, but would not flow on to higher-end models.

“For Olympus, we feel the initial single lens market is very clearly segmented into a category where the E-400 series sits, where the consumers demand the smallest and lightest cameras. But I think as you go into the other categories, like the enthusiasts and professional categories, users will be more likely inclined the buy cameras that are a little bit larger.”

In addition to the E-420, Olympus has also launched the Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm f2.8 lens. A lightweight single-focus standard focal-length snapshot lens, 25mm lens is fully compliant with the company’s Four Thirds System DSLR design standard. It is due for local release in May, for RRP $349.

Source : Current.com.au

Self Confidence or Over Confidence ?

"One-Man-Army" Sachin Tendulkar inspire India to series triumph

Tendulkar and Praveen inspire India to series triumph

India 9 for 258 (Tendulkar 91, Bracken 3-31, Clarke 3-52) beat Australia 249 (Hopes 61, Hayden 55, Praveen 4-46) by 9 runs.

In the final installment of its 29-year existence, a series that has become a part of Australia's summer culture came to a climactic end with a fitting humdinger at the Gabba.

Twenty three years after India's last significant limited-overs title in Australia, Sachin Tendulkar helped script another memorable chapter with an innings of skill and determination. There was to be no repeat of his twin centuries against Australia in 1998, but his 91 set up a total which, backed by Praveen Kumar's subtle-swinging accuracy, proved nine runs too much for Australia.

In a game that ebbed and flowed wonderfully, James Hopes took Australia agonisingly close to victory with his maiden fifty after Praveen returned from an 11-run 45th over to snap a threatening eight-wicket stand. Back when Australia dominated this tournament regularly Steve Waugh earned the moniker 'Ice Man' and under starry skies Hopes and Praveen gave it a modern context.

Hopes battled on with comfortable sweeps against the spinners and some deft placement down the ground. There was not a trace of emotion on face as he raised his fifty. Similarly, having given up 11 runs in his penultimate over, Praveen displayed awesome composure to bowl a three-run 47th, cleaning up Brett Lee.

That left Australia needing 29 from 18 balls. Sreesanth picked up a second wicket but Hopes refused to bow down, flat-batting a six over wide long-on to ratchet up the tension. With 13 required off the final over, Pathan came back on. A single to third man exposed Nathan Bracken, who chipped a slower ball to midwicket. Hopes crossed and drove a manic couple to long-off but could only drive the fourth ball into midwicket's diving lap. Sinking to the ground as India whooped and cried around him, Hopes cut an endearing figure, a hero on a losing side, but the entire Brisbane crowd stood to applaud a pulse-setting, nerve-wracking game - and the deserving winners.

The contest was set up by yet another masterclass from Tendulkar. In nearly three hours of nimble-footed driving, mainly to the off side, interspersed with soft on-side strokes, Tendulkar treated an appreciative crowd to a fine innings. India were steady during the Powerplays, scoring 36, 30 and 26 in three blocks, but made their best opening of the tournament. The ball didn't speed away to the ropes when the openers leaned into their drives and so they smartly adjusted gears, keeping the outfielders busy through a mixture of full-faced dabs to third man and flicks to deep square leg.

Tendulkar had a life on 7 when Ricky Ponting dropped a hard reflex catch at short cover, and he made it count. An utterly mistimed pull attempt off Nathan Bracken was the first sign of frustration but he quickly regained composure and decided to target Stuart Clark. His fifty came up from his 70th delivery and India had successfully chipped out a good start.

Some needless shots, however, allowed Australia back in. India would have preferred even 280 after this but having seized the initiative they allowed it to slip in a flurry of impetuous shots. Hopes allowed just one run in the 45th over, Bracken was accurate with his crafty mix of yorkers and slower deliveries, taking two wickets in the 48th over, and Lee kept it full as well.

At the SCG Tendulkar backed the bowlers' efforts with a sublime century and today they returned the favour. Especially Praveen, who for the second time in two high-pressure matches justified his new-ball promotion with the wickets of Australia's three most dangerous batsmen. Adam Gilchrist's final innings came to end with an edge and a walk but it was Ponting's horrendous attempt at a pull shot that really set off the alarm bells.

Michael Clarke's ability to judge length has been his strength in the tournament but he lost his off stump, playing a crude swipe across the line, to one that stayed low. Hayden made the most of mess-up between Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Tendulkar, at first slip, when he was on 5, to keep the asking rate in control. Irfan Pathan was again the target of Hayden's ire and went for 37 from his first five overs. Hayden put on 89 with Andrew Symonds, whose eventful season continued with him shoulder charging, and Australia looked to be in the game.

At this stage Australia required another 138 and Michael Hussey showed there was fire in Australia's belly. Paddling and sweeping his way energetically in a 76-run stand with Hopes, he threatened to take the series to Adelaide. Hunting a target at over eight an over finally got to him, and he under-edged Sreesanth for a cool 44 in the 42nd over.

The rest turned into a tension-filled rollercoaster ride, during which India held their nerve to triumph. After a long and controversial tour Down Under, India now head home with their heads held high. For Australia, the last time they surrendered back-to-back series was 1983-84 and 1984-85, against West Indies, and 23 years later this loss would come as a chastening blow.

Source: Cricinfo

"Little Master" Sachin Tenduldar draws first blood in Australia

Sachin Tendulkar's first limited overs century on Australian soil has underpinned India's comfortable six-wicket victory in the first of the Commonwealth Bank Series finals at the SCG.

The master batsman crafted an unbeaten 117, reaching the boundary 10 times, as India easily overhauled Australia's 8-239. It gives the tourists a 1-0 lead over Australia in the best-of-three finals.

The hosts must now win in Brisbane on Tuesday to send the series to a decider.

Tendulkar was struck on the shoulder by a Brett Lee beam ball on 98 before two singles took him to three figures.

The veteran batsman punched the air in delight as the capacity crowd rose to its feet to acknowledge Tendulkar's breakthrough ton in his 39th one-day appearance in Australia.

The very next ball Rohit Sharma's magnificent knock came to an end on 66 when his off stump was rocked back by James Hopes (2-42)

Skipper MS Dhoni (15 not out) joined Tendulkar and saw India home with more than four overs to spare.

It was the 123-run fourth wicket alliance between Sharma and his boyhood hero Tendulkar which veered the match India's way.

The visitors lost early wickets, slumping to 3-87, before Tendulkar and Sharma slowly loosened Australia's grip on the game.

The pair didn't resort to big hitting, patiently picking the bowling off and staying ahead of the run rate.

Tendulkar's greatest concern early in the innings was the lack of fight at the other end, with wickets falling at regular intervals.

Opener Robin Uthappa (17) helped put on 50 for the first wicket before he was out to a terrific Michael Hussey catch from the bowling of Hopes.

Running at full pace and diving forward from deep square leg, Hussey picked up the ball centimetres from the ground, jumping to his feet and celebrating as if he'd scored the winning goal in an FA Cup final.

India slid further when the in-form Gautam Gambhir (three) was run out after going to sleep just six runs later.

Tendulkar called his team-mate through for a second run but Mitchell Johnson at third man, sensing Gambhir was slow to react, threw brilliantly to the non-striker's end.

Hopes gathered and threw down the stumps from a few metres away with the Indian No.3 well short of his ground.

Yuvraj Singh again looked in no man's land, limping to 10 before Brad Hogg (1-38) went right through him with a flat, quick delivery which crashed into off stump.

But Tendulkar found an ally in Sharma and their partnership proved the match winner.

Earlier, a Matthew Hayden half-century and cameos from Andrew Symonds (31), Hussey (45), Hogg (23 not out) and Brett Lee (17) lifted the home side to a respectable tally after it had been 3-24 early.

Source: Sportal