Italy's Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world

Italy's Milan is one of the fashion capitals of the world...

Italy's is the second city for population, with over 1,300,000 inhabitants in inner Milan, growing to about 4 million people in the Greater Milan (Grande Milano) with its suburbs, which is the largest urban area in Italy. It constitues an urban continuum of buildings, residences, squares, services and factories that goes well beyond the city limits, expanding mostly North and East for many kilometres.
Recent years have seen the introduction of the new concept of Milan's "Area Metropolitana", the fourth in the European Union for number of inhabitants after the Ruhr district in Germany, Paris and London. It comprises the provinces of Milan, Lodi, Monza e Brianza, Como, Lecco, Varese, Bergamo, Pavia and Novara, and is home to well over 7 million people on an area of about 12,000 km² which include Alpine zones and, common to many European cities, regional parks. a destination for study and work travels from all over the world. It is one of the globe's greatest fashion capitals and creative capitals.

A number of fashion graduates aspire to study fashion in Italy. The University of Milan and Istituto Marangoni offer scholarships covering tuition fees to fashion designing students. Istituto Marangoni is in fact already at the Indo-Italian Chamber looking to recruit students for their university.
The country offers specialised courses in arts, music, choreography, language mediation at polytechnics, academies, higher institutes, recognised music institutes and national academies. There are higher technical education institutions and institutions teaching few specific fields likearchiving, diplomatics, restoration, military studies, etc.
What you should know

Students should know that in Italy, the academic year is divided into two semesters. The duration of each semester is around 20 weeks which is divided into 14 weeks of lectures and 6 weeks of exams. The first semester begins in September-October and ends in January-February. The second semester begins in February and ends in July.
The average fee amounts to somewhere between 850 to 1,000euros (Rs56,546 to Rs66,525) per year. The fee amount varies from one university to another and also depends on the chosen course of study. Private universities are clearly much more expensive. Those doctoral students who have received a grant from the university do not have to pay fees, but non-grant holders are required to pay the fees, which will vary again according to the university chosen.
At present, there are 89 university institutions which are classified as-58 State universities, 17 non-State universities (legally recognised by the State), 2 universities for foreigners, 6 higher schools specialised in postgraduate university studies, 6 telematic universities.
Life in Italy

for a studentEvery foreign student who intends to study in Italy must obtain an Italian student visa before entering into Italy. Students must remember that getting a visa is a long drawn process and the whole procedure can take up to 60 days. To be sure that the visa is issued timely, students need to calculate the time required to obtain a visa and being at the university on the day of admission.
Students can apply at least three month's prior to the programme's initiation. Make sure the Italian institutions provide the necessary letter of acceptance, Letter of enrollment, insurance letter and course schedule to complete your visa application documents. A student visa is issued only for the time the program is valid.
Living costs

The living costs can amount up to 1,000 euros (Rs66,525) a month, inclusive of housing, which is not much, but will vary depending on one's lifestyle. Renting an apartment in cities and large towns will be more expensive and can range from 300 euros to 1000 euros a month, however students can opt for renting student apartments, which are generally cheaper.
Considering accommodation, food, telephone, local travel and leisure costs, students can look at a monthly budget of 1000-1500 euros depending on the location. Prices of groceries etc can vary considerably depending on where you live.
Working in Italy

Students do have the opportunity to work part-time, within as well as outside the university campus. Many Italian students have some form of part time employment to help support themselves while studying.
If you are a citizen of a EU member state you are eligible to work in Italy without a work permit. All other students from outside the EU will require a work permit which is quite difficult to obtain.

New lifestyle, office culture brings Smartphone

New lifestyle, office culture brings Smartphone...
The recent launch of the iPhone is bringing about remarkable changes in the local consumer market and offering challenges to related industries in the country. This is the first of a four-part series on the changes and challenges in the local smartphone market. - Ed.
Jung Hye-won, a 29-year-old PR manager for BK S&P, a local business solution provider, threw away her big, heavy suitcase after she bought an iPhone last week.

"I frequently move around and I had to carry my laptop, camera, MP3 player, PDA, mobile phone and cables to connect them," she said.

The iPhone freed her from the chore of carrying the heavy load.

"I feel much lighter and my work-life seems to have become much easier than before. I also don't have to look for coffee houses that offer Wi-Fi networks anymore. With this smartphone, I can check e-mail and surf the Web anytime, anywhere," she said.

Jung is one of a growing number of iPhone users in Korea who enjoy new lifestyle benefits offered by the smartphone, which is developed and manufactured by U.S. IT giant Apple.

According to KT, Korean customers snapped up 250,000 iPhones as of Jan. 10, less than 50 days after the phone was released here. KT, the country's second-largest mobile carrier, is an official partner with Apple in charge of selling iPhone products and receiving after-sale service requests.

To date, no other mobile has reached more than 250,000 unit sales in less than 50 days, according to a KT official, even though the market has been dominated by popular phones manufactured by Samsung and LG.

Other smartphones have changed office culture as well, asking employees to be more time efficient.

"I am a slave to my smartphone because I have to check my e-mail 24 hours a day. Now I can't give the excuse to my boss that I couldn't check my e-mail because I was away from the office," said Chung Seong-jun, senior associate of the equity sales team at Daewoo Investment and Securities.

Chung added that it is better to send messages to his clients abroad with his Blackberry than talking on the phone.

Unchallengeable tenet of modernism in men's fashion

Unchallengeable tenet of modernism in men" fashion.....
The future of men's fashion ,It is an unchallengeable tenet of modernism that things should be practical: that means clean, simple clothes
Want to know the definition of a fashion victim? It’s someone who, when he is eased into the glowing white interior of a hospital MRI scanner and hears the beast hum into life, thinks about what his legs and feet must look like sticking out of the end, and chides himself that he could have chosen his outfit better.
A psychologist might argue that this was a classic example of displacement, worrying about your clothes instead of your health, but I disagree. You see, the man in the scanner was me — I was a bit poorly before Christmas — and I can tell you, having to spend almost half an hour in a piece of kit straight out of Stanley Kubrick does weird things to you. You can’t move and there’s nowhere to look apart from straight up, so it’s little wonder that your mind goes a-wandering — and mine ended up contemplating this conundrum: if hospital equipment has become so incredibly high-tech, why are we still dressing like our grandfathers (who, let’s face it, would have been impressed by a stethoscope)? And if our sartorial sense had kept pace with advancing technology, what kind of thing would go with your state-of-the-art MRI scanner, anyway?
It would have to be clean and simple. I say this not because I have seen the future and it dresses like the crew of the Starship Enterprise, but because I have seen the past and it is an unchallengeable tenet of modernism that things should be practical and easy to maintain. Take the earliest fitted kitchens, for example. The Frankfurt kitchens of the late Twenties were designed to be hygienic and efficient, just as future fashion will, I believe, be unfussy and ergonomic.
This is the kind of thing that you find at labels such as Jil Sander, Calvin Klein, Prada and Dior Homme, where the look is pared down and simple, eschewing fussy decoration for sleek design. It is a black, partially see-through single-breasted coat for spring by Prada (just in store, £850), made from what the company calls “perforated wool tech” and with matching trousers available; or a white (or black) C.P. Company goose-down quilted short jacket in chintzed cotton poplin, fully reversible with a contrasting colour on the opposite side (this is an autumn/winter style, currently on sale exclusively online at cpcompany.co.uk, down from £395 to £197.50).

Jessica Simpson is turning a designer ...

Jessica Simpson ready to her own Denim Line......
American singer, actress, and television personality Jessica Ann Simpson, who achieved seven Billboard Top 40 hits, and has three gold and two multi-platinum RIAA-certified albums is all set to unveil a her new line of denim in partnership with Camuto Group and Jones Apparel Group Inc.

“Because I live in denim, the fit was the most important. A girl’s booty needs to look good,” she says. “I was inspired to create a great denim line that complements the entire Jessica Simpson lifestyle brand — a jean that becomes a girl’s best friend, that everyday go-to pair.”


Jessica Ann Simpson was born July 10, 1980, in Abilene Texas to Joe and Tina Simpson. She grew up in Richardson, Texas, living a normal childhood as the daughter of a youth minister. In church, she was able to shine, using her gifted voice to attract an independent record producer. This producer was the first of many to see the potential for greatness in Jessica. However, because of the lack of finances the independent label went bankrupt, preventing Jessica's album from reaching wider audiences.

Although heartbroken, Jessica's dream to be on the radio remained. With support from her family, and her father's managerial talents, Jessica's independent album managed to work its way to Tommy Mottola's desk, then President of Columbia Records. He was won over by her "pure heart" and strong voice. Jessica's singing career with Columbia would take her all over the world many times over and include three major albums reaching Gold, Platinum, and double Platinum.


Jessica Simpson is turning a designer ..
The Sweet Kisses star is doing it to help the butts of the girls look sexy, because she knows how much important it is to wear a well fitted denim.

“Because I live in denim, the fit was the most important. A girl’s booty needs to look good. I was inspired to create a great denim line that complements the entire Jessica Simpson lifestyle brand – jeans that becomes a girl’s best friend, that everyday go-to pair.” Said the 29 year old singer and TV star

She had to face a huge criticism for her sudden weight gain. But after that she has made a documentary ‘The Price of Beauty’ to inform the public that how much is it difficult to maintain a thin figure.

.She said: “I haven’t always had an inner confidence and I haven’t always looked at my reflection and loved it. There’s always something I’ve wanted to fix because there’s always somebody that looks better. And that’s what we always try to compare ourselves to.

“I think the journey really was finding what is beautiful inside of me and knowing that I own it and it’s unique. Rare.

Video game success may be in the mind

No matter what your brain size is it's what you do with it that counts
Timothy Bates
University of Edinburgh..

US researchers found they could predict how well an amateur player might perform on a game
US researchers found they could predict how well an amateur player might perform on a game by measuring the volume of key sections of the brain.

Writing in the journal Cerebral Cortex, they suggest their findings could have wider implications for understanding the differences in learning rates.

There is broad acceptance of a link between brain size and intelligence.

However it remains a complicated picture. Within the animal kingdom some smaller brains appear superior to many larger ones: the monkey's compared with the horse, for instance, or the human and the elephant.

But there are certain parts of the brain which can be disproportionately larger, and this may explain some differences in cognitive ability - between individuals as well as species.

A multi-disciplinary team from the University of Illinois, the University of Pittsburgh and Massachusetts Institute of Technology recruited 39 adults - 10 men, 29 women - who had spent less than three hours each week playing video games in the previous two years.

Playing power

MRI scans showed participants with a larger nucleus accumbens, which is part of the brain's reward centre, outperformed others in the first few hours, perhaps due to the "sense of achievement and the emotional reward" accompanying achievement in the earliest stages of learning, the team speculated.

But those players who ultimately performed best on the game in which priorities changed had larger sections deep in the centre of the brain, known as the caudate and putamen.
This makes sense, because these areas have been linked to learning procedures and new skills, as well as adapting to changing environments. These people could do a number of things at once. Think of it like driving a car, as well as looking at the road, you're tampering with your GPS, and talking to your passengers," says Prof Arthur Kramer of the University of Illinois.

"The great thing about using a video game rather than methodical cognitive tests is that it brings us a step closer to the real world and the challenges people face."

In total, the team calculated that nearly a quarter of the difference in performance could be predicted by measuring the volume of the brain.

Cat god found in Egypt

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered a 2,000-year-old temple in Alexandria
The temple, discovered in the Kom el-Dekkah neighbourhood of the city, is believed to belong to Queen Berenike II, wife of Ptolemy III who ruled Egypt in the third century BC, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities has said.

Moon goddess

The Greek-speaking Ptolemaic dynasty ruled Egypt for almost 300 years, after the foundation of the city by Alexander the Great in 305BC until Queen Cleopatra was ousted by the Romans.


The temple is 60m (200ft) high and 15m (50ft) wide.

Archaeologists found statues of Bastet, worshipped by the Greek-speaking Egyptians as the moon goddess.

For thousands of years the Egyptian Pharaohs believed Bastet was a lion-headed goddess, a relative of the sun-god Ra and a ferocious protector.

But her influence waned as the Pharaohs declined, and the Hellenistic Egyptians resurrected her as the equivalent of the ancient Greek deity Artemis.

Other artefacts were also discovered in the dig, including pots, a Roman water cistern, and the granite statue of a senior official dating from between 205BC to 222BC.

Modern-day Alexandria was built directly on top of the ancient city, and archaeologists say ruins of whole cities, palaces and ships remain to be discovered.

The Ptolemaic kings of Egypt were descended from Ptolemy, one of Alexander the Great's most trusted generals during his conquests of Egypt, Persia and his attack on India.

After Alexander's death, Ptolemy returned to Alexandria to become king and his descendants ruled until the Roman leader Octavian - who later became Emperor Augustus - defeated Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemaic line.

Leading Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass said the temple may have been used as a quarry in later years, as there are a large number of missing blocks.

Information, resources, and ways you can help survivors of the Haiti earthquake.

http://www.google.com/relief/haitiearthquake/

New Year's resolutions about money talk..

New Year's resolutions Make your financial planning .
New Year's celebrations have always been a time for reminiscing about the past and looking forward with an optimistic eye toward the future.

Many of us reflect on changes we need to make in our lives and make commitments to follow through on those changes. Getting in shape, quitting smoking, spending more time with family and getting organized are all perpetual winners on annual tallies of most popular New Year's resolutions. The recession will likely put commitments to eliminate debt and save more money at the top this year's list, too.

These are all important goals. But, as anyone who has made and broken a New Year's resolution knows, achieving them takes more than just a midnight verbal commitment. Making lifestyle changes like these requires planning and a way to periodically assess your progress.

If your resolutions include improving your financial fitness, start by recognizing that all of your financial decisions are inter-related. Unless you have unlimited income, your financial goals all have to compete for the same resources. A decision to spend some of your income is also a decision about saving, and vice versa. This can make putting together a financial plan appear similar to assembling a jigsaw puzzle.

When you start working a jigsaw puzzle, the first task is always to turn over all of the pieces. The same holds true for solving your financial puzzle. So that you can see all the pieces and make sure they are all working together to help you achieve your financial goals, your plan should include a comprehensive review of your overall financial situation. This review should go beyond a mere assessment of your current investment portfolio. While investments are important for the success of your plan, making investment decisions without understanding the "big picture" can leave your plan vulnerable. If your current plan was put together piecemeal by purchasing financial products to meet specific needs without the big picture in mind, a comprehensive review will help ensure all the pieces fit together and identify any gaps that may keep you from achieving your goals.

Comprehensive planning means more than creating a retirement plan, actively managing your investments, and performing regular check-ups of your portfolio. True, for most of us, retirement is our most important financial goal. But comprehensive planning incorporates other life events, allowing you to plan for other goals and making sure you are prepared for potential events that can dramatically impact your long-term financial security. In addition to planning for retirement, college education, buying a new car or home, and making sure you are making the most of tax-savings opportunities, your comprehensive plan should include an insurance review to ensure your current assets are adequately protected. Because achieving your goals is wholly dependent on continued income, you need to make sure your life and disability insurance coverage is sufficient to keep your financial plan on course.

Putting together a financial plan can be a daunting task but commitment to the process can provide peace of mind and the tools to make better financial decisions. Using a process can help break the task into manageable pieces. Start by writing down your short and long-term financial goals, attaching a value and target date to each of them. Next, take an inventory of your current resources by writing down all of your assets and liabilities. This will tell you where you stand and give you a sense of whether your goals are achievable. Finally, put together a budget for the year identifying all sources of income and all non-discretionary and discretionary expenses. This will allow you to prioritize your spending, making adjustments to your discretionary expenses as needed to achieve your goals. Stay in charge of your plan by tracking your income and expenses monthly.

If your New Year's resolutions include taking charge of your financial future, start your comprehensive plan by completing these three steps in January and look forward to a more prosperous year in 2010.

ESPN and Discovery TV’s planning to push 3-D viewing

Two major cable networks, ESPN and Discovery planning to push 3-D viewing.
ESPN and Discovery, said yesterday that they plan to start beaming 3-D entertainment into peoples’ homes for the first time.
Riding what could be one of the next big waves in consumer electronics, ESPN said it will have a 3-D channel for broadcasting live sports events in time for the June 11 FIFA World Cup soccer match. The channel will not operate 24 hours a day but plans at least 85 live events in its first year.

Separately, Discovery Communications Inc., which owns Discovery, TLC, and other cable channels, said it will partner with Imax Corp. and Sony Corp. to bring out its own full-time 3-D network in 2011.

It is yet to be seen whether 3-D can make inroads in the home. For viewers, it will probably mean buying new TV sets and wearing 3-D glasses.

But enthusiasm for the new technology has been building across the industry, with electronics makers, cable and satellite companies, and content providers betting they can get consumers to shell out money for new TVs and channels. They hope 3-D blockbusters such as James Cameron’s “Avatar,’’ still strong in its third week in theaters, can get enough people excited about characters popping off the screen.

Last year, 3-D films took in more than $1 billion at box offices worldwide. And major electronics makers such as Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. are planning to market 3-D-capable TVs this year.

“The trouble is going to be how do you take the enthusiasm about what’s happening in movie theaters and bring it into the home,’’ said Greg Ireland, an analyst with the market research firm IDC.

Aside from getting people to wear funny-looking glasses in their living rooms, Ireland said, the big challenge will be providing enough 3-D material to justify consumers’ buying new sets.

Another hurdle could be the inevitable wrangling over the fees that cable networks such as Discovery charge the cable TV and satellite operators that pipe their shows into peoples’ homes. Such disputes have already led Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. to pull its HGTV and the Food Network from Cablevision Systems Corp. lineups.

Neither ESPN, owned by Walt Disney Co., nor Discovery had any deals with cable or satellite operators lined up.

First Armani hotel at Burj Dubai

Armani Hotel Dubai, marking ace fashion designer Giorgio Armani's foray into the hospitality sector, will throw open its door to public from
this March.
Dubai tower, the hotel will be officially inaugurated on March 18, while online booking will begin later this month, an announcement in this regard was made today.

Armani Hotel Dubai is the first hotel built in collaboration Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties, the leading developers of Gulf and is the first in the series of hotels, resorts and residences designed by Armani.

The opening of the Armani Hotel in Dubai will be followed by Armani Hotel Milano as the group has plans to open at least ten hotels and resorts in next ten years.

Other developments underway include a resort in Marrakech, Morocco and Residence villas in Marassi, Egypt.

Armani has plans to build hotels, resorts and residences in key international destinations such as New York, Tokyo,Shanghai and London under an agreement between Giorgio Armani S.p.A. and Emaar Properties.

Giorgio Armani Group is one of the leading fashion and luxury goods groups in the world and designs, manufactures, distributes and retails fashion and lifestyle products including apparel, accessories, eyewear, watches, jewellery, home furnishings, fragrances and cosmetics.

"The Burj Dubai opening would have a positive impact on the first three quarters of 2010," said Chairman Emaar Properties, Mohamed Alabbar, who held a media briefing for the opening of the skyscraper.