launched a lifestyle magazine by Vodafone

Vodafone Qatar has launched a lifestyle magazine, VOX.
VOX packs everything that’s hot in Qatar and beyond into 80 pages of lifestyle, travel, fashion and fun and is available in both English and Arabic.
Published bi-monthly beginning December 2010, VOX will have local and international writers, photographers and stylists mixing it up for each issue with local fashion and cover shots.
“VOX brings fun and excitement into peoples’ lives through a free bi-monthly magazine developed by Vodafone to make a world of difference for all people in Qatar,” says Vodafone business unit director Daniel Horan.
Packed with revealing interviews, real life stories, fashion features and the latest Vodafone product and service news, VOX is where Qatar discovers fun, excitement and everything that’s new from Vodafone.
The big difference between VOX and other magazines is that VOX shoots its cover and fashion editorials right here in Qatar using local models and photographers.
“The all-new VOX is proof of Vodafone’s commitment to the people of Qatar. VOX reflects the self-confidence of Qatar,” adds Daniel Horan.
“As a part of developing local talent in the country, we have been working with the local community including fashion students, photographers, and writers to give them an opportunity to personally contribute and grow their talent,” says VOX’s editor Kimberly Fisher Horan.
The magazine is available at coffee shops, shopping malls, hotels, bookshops and restaurants across Doha.

India's first 24-hour food lifestyle channel

India's first 24-hour food lifestyle channel
Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is all set to launch India's first 24-hour food lifestyle channel
The content will be produced and packaged in India, making the shows relevant to the Indian audience

The content will be produced and packaged in India, making the shows relevant to the Indian audience.

The channel in order to connect to their audience in India, will feature shows about food and food lifestyle like 'Sanjeev Kapoor's Kitchen', 'Firangi Tadka', 'Sirf 30 Minute' and 'Ready Steady Cook', he said.

Well-known chefs will also feature on the channel. 'FoodFood' will also feature in the online space and will be available at the touch of a button on mobile and web, Sanjeev said.

"Food is the new entertainment. Over recent times, content has started to reflect this with food playing central role in game, reality and, travel and lifestyle shows... Where viewers learn to cook or hone their culinary skills,experience new cultures and cuisines," said Raghvendra Madhav, Executive Director of India and South Asia for Media, Astro Group.

Madhav said the channels' core target was the middle class Indian in urban towns and cities. "With FoodFood we are set to redefine food content in India," he said.

Madhav said his company's association with Sanjeev was a value addition since the chef had over the years made a mark in the culinary world and carved a special place in every household.

"He is the perfect choice for the channel. We will have the support of his creativity and popularity, for the channel to connect with the core audience," he added.

About the channel, Sanjeev said, "Food in India is synonymous with entertainment; people meet and bond over food... The channel offers an ultimate lifestyle destination for Indian foodies who want to make some quick, easy, balanced meals as well learn about interesting world cuisines."

With food as the central element, the shows will offer a variety of lifestyle and entertainment content with different themes

Very essential Fashion for Men

Very essential Fashion for Men
Men over 40 have to realize that their body has changed including their hair and skin color, which also changes their color palate. It is important to make sure the colors they are wearing are still flattering.

How to Match Your Belt.....Essential 6 Important Men's Fashion Rules to Live By Fashion for Men.
Every man has asked themselves about matching their socks with their trousers and other assorted questions at some point in their lives. Here I have listed six important men's fashion rules to live by which should at least clear up some confusion about a few things.


1.Always match your belt with your shoes. This is a good rule to follow and it keeps things simple. It's best to stay with traditional colors such a black, dark brown or a rich tan. Other colors will be difficult to match, and generally speaking, should be avoided. If you wear sneakers every day that probably means you are wearing jeans in which case I suggest trying a belt made of fabric or something equally as casual, but please avoid dress belts with jeans and sneakers. If you wear suspenders, I am compelled to ask you why, but I digress. Just don't wear a belt and suspenders together, it's one or the other.


2.Matching Ties and Shirts. For while the solid-colored shirt with a tie of the same (or slightly-off) color was seen everywhere. This is now a somewhat dated look. Try mixing things up a little and experiment with colors. Ties are great way to express yourself, but keeping it tasteful is your best bet. You can't go wrong with diagonal stripes, modern polka-dots, plaids and subtle patterns. Just make sure your tie compliments your shirt, suit, sweater or what ever you will be wearing it with. Novelty ties are best avoided since the novelty is short lived.
Note: Ties should be tied in whatever style most strikes your fancy. You should know that there are many different ways to knot your tie, and different knots say different things. I prefer the Windsor or the four-in-hand, but I do suggest that you explore a little just for kicks. As for clip on ties--just say no.


3.Pleats vs. Flat-Front. Why so many men have avoided flat-front trousers has always been a mystery to me. Flat-front trousers look better than pleated pants, at least most of the time. Plus pleats make you look less slim. I have heard guys wear pleats because it’s more comfortable or because flat-fronts are more for athletic bodies. Truth is most men can wear a flat-front trouser. If you want more room then buy them a little big and have them brought in at the waist. This can be done at the store where you buy your clothes or by an independent tailor. And lastly, flat-font trousers are much more fashionable. How do you feel about pants with pleats? Take this poll.

4.Socks. The more official rule on socks is that they should match the color of your pants, though preferably not the exact same shade unless, of course, you are wearing black in which case it's okay. However, I personally like to wear socks with patterns, such as stripes in various colors. But I do try to match my socks with my pants and shoes. To quote Glenn O'Brien from GQ magazine, ". . .you will ultimately realize that beyond the valley of rules rises the mountain of aesthetics, the peak of which (if there is one) is always shrouded in beautiful clouds of various hues, many of them resembling certain of my more unusually hued socks."
Note: Although it should be obvious, white socks should be reserved for the gym.
5.Watches are the single most important accessory a man can own. I really suggest investing in one good watch that suits your lifestyle and taste. However, if you are someone who likes to own more than one watch, wear the appropriate timepiece for your outfit: black band with black shoes and belt; brown band with brown shoes and belt; and silver band for either. See my Men's Watch Guide for more in depth advice.

6.Eyeglasses are one of the few ways you can really express yourself. I have worn glasses for many years and I love having a few pair in different styles. They don't have to just serve a function, but can enhance your overall look. Do your best to find a pair of glasses that not only compliments the shape of your face, but also expresses your personality. Ask people who wear glasses for a place where you can get good advice about what shape and style looks best for your face shape and features.

American lifestyle brand Gilly Hicks now at London

American lifestyle brand Gilly Hicks now at London

American lifestyle brand Gilly Hicks poised to open first UK store ..
A women's lifestyle brand hailing from the US, Gilly Hicks is the 'cousin' label of cult retailer Abercombie & Fitch. Think Jack Wills on holiday in Sydney, Australia; Gilly Hicks specialises in pretty, patterned underwear, cute cotton pyjama separates, colourful swimwear and loungewear, as well as an extensive range of fragrances for bath and body.

To celebrate the opening of the first UK store in London's Westfield shopping centre on November 27, Gilly Hicks are organising a double decker bus from the Abercombie & Fitch store in Mayfair to make the jaunt over to Westfield. It will be no ordinary journey however, as male models from the A&F store will be on hand to 'chaperone' the trip, while generously gifting passers-by with a selection of Gilly Hicks briefs.

The new store will be getting into the Christmas spirit by offering its 'Ab-vent calendar' (essentially a ring-bound desk calendar adorned with the body of an ab-fabulous hunk for each day in December) to the first 500 customers.

Understanding about your weight

Understanding about your weight...
There's a common belief that people who are overweight have a slow metabolism (burn energy slowly), while thin people have a fast metabolism (burn energy quickly). This is a myth.
Sorting the facts, from the fictions when it comes to weight loss and metabolism.

•Myths about metabolism - How your metabolism really affects your weight.(The term 'metabolic rate' refers to the energy (calories) you expend over a day just keeping your body functioning - your heart beating and your lungs breathing, for example. This is often called the basal or resting metabolic rate.

Scientists have measured the exact amount of calories overweight and healthy weight people burn while sitting or lying quietly. This was done by measuring the amount of oxygen breathed in and the amount of carbon dioxide breathed out.

Results from these studies have consistently shown that overweight people use more energy to keep their bodies working. This is because they have larger bodies with bigger muscles and internal organs.

However, after taking into account differences in body size, lean and obese people have been shown to have similar metabolic rates.)

•Causes of weight gain - Overeating, obviously, but other factors can also affect weight.(An underlying tendency to obesity may be the result of our genes. People who generally have little problem controlling their weight seem to have a precisely tuned appetite.

People who gain weight, on the other hand, may be less sensitive to their body's signals of fullness.

Many genes have been identified that either increase or decrease appetite.

People who generally have little problem controlling their weight seem to have a precisely tuned appetite, while people who struggle to control their weight may be less sensitive to their body's signals of fullness.

Studies of twins who've been raised apart attribute almost two-thirds of the difference in body fatness to genetic factors. However, genetic factors don't make obesity inevitable.

Habits
Eating habits develop over many years, and are strongly influenced by our first tastes as babies and dietary patterns formed in early childhood.

These are then continuously reinforced as we grow up, which makes them difficult to change.)

•Children's weight - Why establishing good eating patterns in childhood is vital.(Establishing healthy eating habits early on will ensure your child doesn't gain any excess weight and stays a healthy weight as they grow.
In the UK, the number of obese children continues to rise. Currently, just under one in five children between the ages of two and ten is obese.

Obese children tend to become obese adults. This increases the risk of developing certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.

If you think your child might be overweight or obese, check with your GP. They'll be able to advise you on how to provide the right support for your child to help slow or halt their weight gain and allow them to grow into their weight.

Even if your child doesn't have a weight problem, it's important to establish healthy eating habits early on so they don't gain any excess weight.

Good nutrition in childhood is vital for growth and development. Establishing healthy eating and activity patterns while children are young can lead to life-long habits that will help to determine whether or not they're healthy as adults.)

•Eating disorders - The causes of eating disorders and help available.(
Living with an eating disorder is a miserable, lonely experience. For most people, food is one of life's pleasures and an important social event. So if your feelings about food aren't relaxed, an important part of life becomes extremely stressed. This stress may add to other enormous stresses that may have led to the eating disorder in the first place.

When someone you know and love develops an eating disorder, it's easy to feel confused about what to do, and even threatened or angry.

Unfortunately, many health professionals are just as much at sea. Although eating disorders are increasing, we still know very little about their causes. Worse still, there aren't any quick or easy treatments.

A few things are clear. People with eating disorders aren't:

•Bad or being defiant
•Going through a 'teenage phase'
•The result of poor or inadequate parenting
•The product of modern stresses and obsession with weight
•Able to snap out of it.)

Low Mortgage Rates found in the United States

Low Mortgage Rates found in the United States
Low mortgage rates currently found in the United States are at levels that haven’t been seen for many years. On top of that, homes in many parts of the country are currently selling for bargain prices. Despite those two factors, home sales are very sluggish. Many people don’t understand why these houses have been empty for so long and think that they should have been snapped up by buyers long before now.

In July, the sales of previously occupied homes in the US actually fell by 27 percent. This is the largest monthly drop in more than four decades, which goes back to when these records were first kept.

On reason that that homes aren’t selling, even with the low mortgage rates, is the fact that buyers are holding out because they believe that the prices of homes still have further to fall. Sellers, however, are extremely reluctant to lowers prices any further on homes are already on the market for bargain prices.

Many analysts believe that despite the low mortgage rates, things could get much worse for the property market before they get better.
MORE..............

Mortgage rates have fallen lower every week for over a month and are looking to keep falling. This news has potential home buyers waiting in limbo for the chance to secure a mortgage rate of under 5 percent.

The average 30 year fixed loan mortgage rate has dropped to 5.22 percent which is the lowest rate American’s have seen since the beginning of May according to Bankrate.com. They explain the drop by pointing to the lackluster job numbers that were released which shows the recovery from the economic slowdown may not be as quick or strong as analysts might have thought.

In an effort to boost home sales, Congress is meeting to potentially extend the $8,000 tax credit to 1st time house purchasers. The current tax credit has a deadline of November 30th and congress hopes to extend the date as well as make the credit available to all people who purchase homes not just 1st time buyers. Some analysts believe that the combination of the tax credit and extremely low mortgage rates will increase the number of new homes purchased in the coming months.

The low mortgage rates have sparked an increase in mortgage applications for the month of June as last week alone the number of submitted applications rose 16.4 percent.

A Study Found the Aroma of Pumpkin Gets a Man's Blood Rushing More than Any Other

Pumpkin Is a Real Turn-On For Men

Research shows scent of pumpkin pie arouses men

If that someone is a man, those women might be better off wearing -- if it existed -- Eau de Pumpkin.

The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation of Chicago conducted a study "to investigate the impact of ambient olfactory stimuli upon sexual response in the human male." In other words, they wanted to know what smells turn a man on.

It turns out the aroma of pumpkin gets a man's blood rushing more than any other.

The foundation says it studied 31 volunteers, men between the ages of 18 and 64. Dr. Alan Hirsch, the foundation's director, selected 24 different odorants, or fragrances for the study.

The test subjects were attached to a plethysmograph, a machine that measures blood flow caused by sexual arousal. They then were asked to breathe through various masks, both odor-free and odorized with the different aromas researchers were testing.

The smell of pumpkin was the most powerful turn-on, especially when mixed with the fragrance of lavender. The study says 40 percent of the test subjects were aroused the most by that combination of smells. Pumpkin combined with doughnuts also had a big effect on 20 percent of the subjects.

Why pumpkin? Why not some exotic fragrance perfume makers spend years and millions of dollars to develop? Dr. Hirsch and his team say a multitude of factors could be at play. They conclude that "the odors could induce a Pavlovian conditioned response reminding partners of sexual partners or their favorite foods."

We decided to test that theory with a very unscientific survey in our newsroom. We asked a couple of men what their response would be to the wafting odor of a pumpkin pie in the oven. Their reaction was a sort of rolling of their eyes, a licking of their lips saying, "Ooooh…ummmmm." That's a direct quote. They did not indicate, however, whether it was food or some other life experience that elicited their response

Bon Jovi performs "What Do You Got?" at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute." Saturday & Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNN.

Six life Skills Every Teen Should Learn

Skills Every Teen Should Learn.....Prepare your kids for college by passing on these essential life lessons
Basic cleaning, cooking & money-management skills are just as important as education to college-bound teens.
Teens need more than educational training and a twin extra-long comforter to get them ready for college life. We love these tips, which can help you prepare your university-bound kids for life away from home.

Cleaning
Car Maintenance
Laundry
Making Appointments
Cooking
Managing Money

New UK music .....

New UK music...........

I won't beat around the bush. If you're a fan of electronic music at all then you really should check out young British producer Fantastic Mr Fox - aka Stephen Gomberg - who is quickly making a name for himself with his intricately programmed, hip-hop infused "post-dubstep".

This prodigiously talented producer / remixer / DJ isn't long out of Manchester Uni but can already count The XX amongst his rapidly growing fanbase (he recently got back from supporting them on their three week tour across the States) and now his new EP Evelyn (on Black Acre) is solidifying his reputation for beautifully constructed drums and vocal samples that are nimbly rearranged to suggest new meanings. The title track in particular sees him experimenting with the dark art of infectious crowd-pleasing which, should he pursue it, could see him explode next year. Get acquainted immediately.

The new Harry Potter movie enjoyed the biggest box office

The new Harry Potter movie enjoyed the biggest box office..

British actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint pose for the photographers as they attend the world premiere of their latest film ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows’, at a cinema in central London, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010.

The new Harry Potter movie enjoyed the biggest box office debut of the entire boy wizard series and the fifth largest ever, making 61 million dollars on its first day, estimates said Saturday.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One” made 24 million dollars in midnight Thursday screenings, followed by 37 million for the rest of the day Friday, according to Box Office Mojo.

If confirmed, the Potter movie will have had the fifth best opening day ever, behind the last two “Twilight” movies, “The Dark Knight,” and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” Entertainment Weekly reported online.

The Friday figure would also be the biggest opening the Potter franchise, beating “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” which made 58.2 million in its debut last year.

Entertainment Weekly forecast that “Deathly Hallows” could make up to 156 million dollars on its first weekend, although a more conservative estimate would put it at 130-140 million dollars.

“Which as Ron Weasley would say, is ‘bloody brilliant,’ its box office analyst commented.

In the new movie evil Lord Voldemort and his evil henchmen control huge swathes of the wizarding world and Harry is constantly in danger.

Harry, Hermione and Ron leave behind the safety of school and their families and set out alone to seek out horcruxes, items in which Voldemort has hidden pieces of his soul, so they can destroy them and ultimately bring him down.

Much of the film revolves around a road trip, as the trio travel around Britain to try to stay safe, and focuses on the close friendship between the main characters, in particular the budding romance between Hermione and Ron.

It ends on a cliffhanger, however, as the final resolution will not be known until Part Two, which is due out in July. That will cover a final, explosive battle between Potter and his allies and Voldemort’s dark forces.

The new Harry Potter movie enjoyed the biggest box office

The new Harry Potter movie enjoyed the biggest box office .

ritish actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint pose for the photographers as they attend the world premiere of their latest film ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows’, at a cinema in central London, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010. –

ritish actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint pose for the photographers as they attend the world premiere of their latest film ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows’, at a cinema in central London, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010. –

More sit cause, the higher risk of death,,,,,,,,,,,

More sit cause, the higher risk of death,,,,,,,,,,,

According to research by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the time people spend sitting down is associated with an increased risk of mortality – regardless of their physical activity level.
The findings – that have just been published in an early online edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology – suggest public health messages should promote both physical activity and less time on the couch.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 50 per cent of men and women in the UAE are overweight or obese.

In a recent report by The Bulletin, the WHO’s International Journal of Public Health, this worrying figure has been attributed to “high incomes and a taste for fast food and sugary drinks”, as well as “low levels of exercise and overeating the wrong foods”.

While previous studies have supported a link between sitting time and obesity, diabetes, risk factors for cardiovascular disease risk and unhealthy dietary patterns in children and adults, very few studies have examined time spent sitting in relation to total mortality.

Which is why public health guidelines focus largely on increasing physical activity with little or no reference to how much time should be spent sitting down or lounging on the couch at home.

Alpa Patel, a researcher at the ACS, and his colleagues analysed survey responses from 123,216 individuals (53,440 men and 69,776 women) who had no history of cancer, heart attack, stroke or emphysema that were enrolled in the ACS's Cancer Prevention II study in 1992.

Participants were followed from 1993 to 2006.

The researchers examined the participants' amount of time spent sitting and physical activity in relation to mortality over the 13-year period.

They found that more leisure time spent sitting was associated with higher risk of mortality, particularly in women.

Women who reported more than six hours per day of sitting (outside of work) were 37 per cent more likely to die during the time period studied than those who sat fewer than three hours a day.

Men who sat more than six hours a day (also outside of work) were 18 per cent more likely to die than those who sat fewer than three hours per day.

The association remained virtually unchanged after adjusting for physical activity level.

Associations were stronger for cardiovascular disease mortality than for cancer mortality.

When combined with a lack of physical activity, the association was even stronger.

Women and men who both sat more and were less physically active were 94 per cent and 48 per cent more likely to die during the study period, respectively, compared with those who reported sitting the least and being most active.

Patel said: “Several factors could explain the positive association between time spent sitting and higher all-cause death rates

Dubai roads gets back Gas-guzzlers, luxury cars

Saad Atta haggles with a salesman at a luxury car showroom near Dubai's busy thoroughfare to trade in his five-month-old Toyota for a $100,000 Porsche Cayenne.

"Every couple of months you have to change your car," said Atta, a general manager at a furniture trading company in Dubai.

"I want to buy this one because it's a new design and, of course, I want to impress girls," he said, trying to get rid of his Toyota FJ Cruiser sport utility vehicle (SUV).

The global financial crisis hit the car market in Dubai, whose expatriates were once famous for blowing their tax-free pay on luxury cars, designer clothes and large villas.

As Dubai begins to recover, gas-guzzling four-wheel drives once more choke its 12-lane Sheikh Zayed Road. Ferraris and Maseratis again line the entrance to the Mall of Emirates.

"People are buying expensive cars again because they want new options and they want to stand out," said Abdallah Muftah, 26, who owns four luxury cars. "I might buy another one this year," he said, standing outside a showroom.

Home to just five million people, the United Arab Emirates is the world's fourth-largest market for Rolls-Royce. The firm said sales more than doubled in the first nine months.

UAE new car sales could climb to 210,000 units this year and 240,000 in 2011, according to IHS Global Insight, up from estimated 180,000 last year but still short of 324,000 in 2008.

While the growth is slower than it was in the oil boom years, when the UAE elite was flush with petrodollars and access to credit was easy, the upturn suggests confidence is returning to the second-biggest Arab economy.

"In 2010, the customers' confidence started coming back," said Michel Ayat, general manager at Dubai-based Arabian Automobiles, one of the UAE's biggest dealerships.

Passenger car sales are estimated to have risen 7 per cent in the first nine months from a year ago, Ayat said. From January to August, some 146,000 cars were sold, a 6.6 per cent increase.

That compares well to Europe, where car sales fell for a sixth straight month in September as demand suffered from the end of scrappage schemes and uneven recovery.

"People are starting to adjust their lifestyles again, and believe the situation has bottomed out," said Anthony Silver, who recently bought a used car in Dubai.

PRICIER PETROL, TIGHTER CREDIT

Plans to phase out fuel subsidies in the UAE, the world's No. 3 oil exporter, may trim demand for powerful cars, but a 26 per cent jump in petrol prices this year has yet to hit sales.

"Fuel price remains still way below EU and US levels," said Stephanie Vigier, senior market analyst at IHS Global Insight in Paris.

But it is not just the market for luxury cars that is recovering. Japanese cars account for over 70 per cent of the UAE car market and their sales are outpacing the overall growth rate, dealers said. At a Nissan showroom in Dubai, 10 to 15 clients pick up new cars every day, a sales manager said.

Back in 2008, when record oil prices helped fuel ambitious projects such as palm-shaped residential islands in Dubai, UAE car sales booked a 22 per cent rise after a 37 per cent jump in the previous year, driven by easily accessible loans.

Banks now ask that borrowers have a monthly salary of at least Dh5,000 ($1,362), up from Dh3,000 before the global crisis, Vigier said, a rule that is slowing car sales.

Some UAE banks have eased loan criteria since March, but often only when a large downpayment of the car value is made. Some banks have even doubled the maximum car finance credit limit, so borrowers can afford more expensive cars.

SSBCL 10th International Education

SSBCL 10th International Education (Summit & Exhibition-2010 )..
Date & Venue: 28-30 November & Dhaka Sheraton Hotel


>>Spot Admission >> Scholarship >> Awareness Seminar for Admission & Immigration >> Educational Loan>> Scope to verify cost effective subject, institute and country>> Get proper information for part time or full time job facilities>> Temporary/ long time legalize stay and residence permission>> The foreign consultants and representatives of the educational institutes remain present in the exhibition to provide information and answer of any enquiry asks by the students.


Seminar & Discussion SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Study in UK
Under Tire-4 Based System

Study in Germany
For Bangladeshi Students

Study in USA


Immigration
in 21st century €1000-5000-Germany
(1st 100 students)

€1000-4000-UK
(1st 100 students)

€1000-5000-USA
(1st 50 students)

€1000-75000-Canada
(1st 25 students)

Participating country Participating Institutions
AUSTRALIA

GERMANY

SPAIN

POLAND

China

NEW ZELAND

USA

CANADA

UK

Malaysia

India

HOT LINE
01727260790
01727260790
01727288451
EURASIA Institute, Germany
Lincoln University, USA
Montana State University, USA
Arkansas State University, USA
Johnson & Wales University, USA
Career Life College Pty.Ltd. Australia
University of Fresher Valley, Canada
The Daily Star
College of Technology London (CTL), UK
TASMAC India
TASMAC London School of Business UK
University of Derby UK
South London College UK
West London School of Management & Technology (WLSMT)-UK
Twin Group UK
Jian Jiaotong Liverpool University, China
SSBCL International Education City (IEC)
Study in Malaysia
Study in Poland
Whitecliffee College of Arts and Design, NZ Student Bank Loan
Study in Spain
SSBCL Medical Tourism
SSBCL Immigration.


http://ssbclgroup.com/image/IESE-2010/Internet_Broshure.pdf

Clever Son

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are bringing their celebrity style to Kohl's.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are bringing their celebrity style to Kohl's.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony launch $3 billion lifestyle brand partnership with Kohl's...


The couple is set to announce the estimated $3 billion lifestyle retail juggernaut.

The couple is planning to announce the estimated $3 billion lifestyle retail juggernaut partnership with the retailer at a London press conference on Thursday, reports Women's Wear Daily.

Expect men's and women's apparel as well as products for the home.

Lopez been a part of the world of fashion before.

She launched her JLo by Jennifer Lopez line of clothing under the umbrella of Sweetface fashions in 2001. The brand underwent many transformations over the decade and made a reported $400 million by 2004, reports WWD.

Lopez and Sweetface ceased operations in 2008.

Launching a lifestyle brand is a key move for many celebs who are looking to make big bucks but don't want to limit themselves to just clothing or shoes.

Singer Mariah Carey also announced last month that she will be launching her own 'lifestyle' line on the Home Shopping Network. The line will include perfume, jewelry and fur-lined boots.

Jane Lynch has not sealed a deal with Disney to star in "The Muppets" movie

Jane Lynch has not sealed a deal with Disney to star in "The Muppets" movie. In contrary to recent news which said that she will portray a prison guard, the 50-year-old "Glee" actress claims she has not been

approached for the project yet.




"I'm not doing the Muppets movie. They haven't asked me," Lynch tells The Hollywood Reporter at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's 39th annual gala fundraiser on Saturday night, November 13. She, however, will not turn down the offer if she is given the chance, stating "I would do it if they asked me."




Starting rumor of Lynch's casting in "The Muppets" was The Wrap. Beside unveiling her alleged role, the site reported that Danny Trejo has been cast as a prisoner with Donald Glover landing a small role in the movie.Zach Galifianakis additionally has been said to portray a new character called Hobo Jo.




"The Muppets" is currently in production and Slash Film got its hand on some set pictures of the movie. The exclusive shots show Jim Henson Studios on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood which has been transformed into Muppet Studios, a real life movie studio where the Muppets used to film shows.




Starring Jason Segel who also writes the script along with Nicholas Stoller, the family comedy will follow a man named Gary, his girlfriend Mary and his life-long brown puppet best friend Walter who must round up and convince the now retired entertainers from the original Muppet Show to help save the famous television studio that the original variety series was filmed in. Villainous Tex Richman is due to take over the property, and wants to destroy the theater and drill for oil underneath.

Modern lifestyle & Vitamin D

Every cell in the body has a vitamin D receptor protein. It's estimated that upwards of 2,000 genes are directly or indirectly regulated by vitamin D.

It’s known that vitamin D is necessary for proper bone formation and maintenance. But recent decades have seen a torrent of studies suggesting that vitamin D can also affect many other aspects of health; some scientists have come to consider the daily recommended intake of 400 international units of vitamin D far too low. Michael Holick is a biochemist and endocrinologist at Boston University who has spent a career researching the effects of vitamin D (which is actually not a vitamin but a hormone precursor).

How much vitamin D do we need?

Children should be taking at least 400 to 1,000 international units of vitamin D as a supplement every day, and adults should take 1,500 to 2,000 IU.

What about pregnant or breast-feeding women?

We tested pregnant women who were taking a prenatal vitamin containing 400 IU of vitamin D each day and drinking two glasses of fortified milk, and found that 76 percent of them — and 81 percent of their newborns — were still vitamin D deficient at the time of giving birth. We also estimate that most breast-feeding women are vitamin D deficient, and they pass along deficient milk to their infants.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risks of infectious diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, cognitive decline, Parkinson’s disease, asthma, mood disorders and even diabetes. Is there biological evidence to show how vitamin D could influence so many conditions?

Sure.
For example, we know that immune cells called macrophages activate vitamin D, which causes cells to make defensin proteins that specifically kill infective agents like tuberculosis bacteria. A Japanese study recently found that children receiving 1,200 IU of vitamin D each day reduced their risk of getting the flu by almost 50 percent. Every tissue and every cell in the body has a vitamin D receptor protein. It’s estimated that upwards of 2,000 genes are directly or indirectly regulated by vitamin D.

Have there been clinical trials showing the utility of vitamin D?

Absolutely. For instance, a trial of postmenopausal women showed that taking vitamin D over four years reduced their risk of cancer by 60 percent.




Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids, the two major physiologically relevant forms of which are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D without a subscript refers to either D2 or D3 or both. Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin of vertebrates after exposure to ultraviolet B light from the sun or artificial sources, and occurs naturally in a small range of foods. In some countries, staple foods such as milk, flour and margarine are artificially fortified with vitamin D, and it is also available as a supplement in pill form.
Food sources such as fatty fish, mushrooms, eggs, and meat are rich in vitamin D and are often recommended for consumption to those suffering vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D is carried in the bloodstream to the liver, where it is converted into the prohormone calcidiol. Circulating calcidiol may then be converted into calcitriol, the biologically active form of vitamin D, either in the kidneys or by monocyte-macrophages in the immune system. When synthesized by monocyte-macrophages, calcitriol acts locally as a cytokine, defending the body against microbial invaders.
When synthesized in the kidneys, calcitriol circulates as a hormone, regulating, among other things, the concentration of calcium and phosphate in the bloodstream, promoting the healthy mineralization, growth and remodeling of bone, and the prevention of hypocalcemic tetany. Vitamin D insufficiency can result in thin, brittle, or misshapen bones, while sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and, together with calcium, helps to protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D also modulates neuromuscular function, reduces inflammation, and influences the action of many genes that regulate the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of cells..

Dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantity in a person's diet. Some countries define dietary supplements as foods, while in others they are defined as drugs or natural health products.
Supplements containing vitamins or dietary minerals are included as a category of food in the Codex Alimentarius, a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, food production and food safety. These texts are drawn up by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an organization that is sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).


'17th century diseases' caused by low levels of vitamin D, is rearing its ugly head in Britain after 80 years, and modern lifestyle is to blame.

It is thought that extensive use of sunscreens, children playing computer games and watching TV rather than being outdoors and a poor diet are to blame.

Children from all backgrounds are being affected now and the disease is not limited to the poor as it was in Victorian times, reports the Telegraph.

Nicholas Clarke, professor of paediatric orthopaedic surgery at the University of Southampton in UK, and colleague Justin Davies, paediatric endocrinologist, have checked over 200 children for bone problems.

More than 20 percent of them have significant deficiencies. "A lot of the children we've seen have got low vitamin D and require treatment," said Clarke.

"This is almost certainly a combination of the modern lifestyle, which involves a lack of exposure to sunlight, but also covering up in sunshine, and we're seeing cases that are very reminiscent of 17th century England."

Prof Clarke says vitamin D supplements should be more widely adopted to halt the rise in cases. Vitamin D is found in oily fish and eggs and margarine, cereals and milk can be fortified with it.

The vitamin is vital for the absorption of calcium needed for strong bones and teeth.

Some 59.1 million people in the United States reported having no health insurance

US lack health insurance
In the first quarter of 2010, some 59.1 million people in the United States reported having no health insurance for at least part of the preceding 12 months, a study published Wednesday says.

That was up 400,000 compared to the whole of 2009 and up nearly three million from 2008, when 56.4 million Americans were uninsured for at least part of the year, the study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

The uninsured in the United States are seven times as likely as those with health coverage to forgo health care due to the high cost, and that can lead to poorer health and greater medical expenditures in the long term, the study said.

President Barack Obama's signature health care reforms became law at the beginning of 2010, when interviews to gather data used in the study were conducted.

Under the health care reform law, coverage will be expanded for millions of uninsured Americans and insurance companies are barred from refusing coverage to Americans with pre-existing medical conditions.

But many provisions of the law do not kick in until several years from now.

Health insurance in the United States is usually provided by employers, and unemployment has risen from 8.5 percent of the workforce in March last year nearly 10 percent this year.

The government-funded Medicare program provides near-universal coverage for senior citizens, and expansions to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program have increased coverage for under-18s.

But 8.7 million children in the United States spent part of the year prior to the study uninsured, and 3.4 million had been without health coverage for more than a year at the time of the interview for the study.

Nearly 10 times as many adults -- 30.4 million -- went without coverage for more than 12 months in the first quarter of this year, pushing the number of long-term uninsured adults in the United States up by 1.1 million at the beginning of this year compared to all of 2009.

How to Choose a Health Insurance Plan: 12 Helpful Tips
Choosing the right health coverage has never been easy, and the health reform law has made things more complicated—especially for those choosing among plans provided by their employer. Besides sorting through differences in premiums, deductibles, and copayments, you need to consider new provisions in the law that have recently kicked in and could impact your coverage for the coming year. The following tips can help clear away the confusion, and help you choose the right plan during the open enrollment season.


1. Check for grandfather exemptions. If your employer makes no substantial changes to your insurance plan, it may be "grandfathered in" and not subject to certain required provisions in the health reform law. These include free coverage (with no copay) for preventive services like blood pressure or depression screening, smoking cessation programs, and immunizations. Plan materials will indicate whether or not the plan is grandfathered, along with the benefits it provides.

[Healthcare Reform Alters Choices for 2011]

2. Decide which plan type best meets your needs. There are generally three types of plans: health maintenance organizations (HMO), preferred provider organizations (PPO) and point-of-service plans (POS). An HMO requires that you use physicians within a specific network, giving you less flexibility but a more affordable cost. A PPO allows you to stay in-network or go out of network for a heftier fee; out-of-pocket costs are usually higher for PPO's than for HMO's. POS plans combine elements of HMO's and PPO's. They give you the option to pay more for venturing out of network, but usually require you to choose a primary care physician within the network and get a referral from that physician before seeing any specialist.

[Best Insurance Plans: The Honor Roll]

3. Identify changes before re-enrolling. That could save you from dealing with unexpected costs if your benefits have changed. Coverage for a particular service such as chiropractic care may have disappeared, or the cost of covering your spouse may have increased. So it could pay to change plans. More likely, your monthly premiums have gone up, due to rising healthcare costs.

[Danger: Health Insurance Scams on the Rise]

4. Make adjustments to your current plan or consider switching. Take into account whether your needs have changed. If you're planning a family, you might need maternity coverage, for example, or perhaps you'd like to add an adult child back onto your insurance. All plans are now required to cover children up to age 26, though grandfathered plans may exclude these young adults if they have access to health benefits through an employer. Adult children, like those under 18, can no longer be rejected for having pre-existing conditions like asthma or cancer.

5. Factor in your favorite doctors. Before electing a different plan, check to see that your primary care physician and specialists are in its provider network. Women in non-grandfathered plans now have the freedom to see an obstetrician-gynecologist without a referral, but they still need to make sure any doctor they choose participates in their plan's network if they have an HMO or don't want to face extra fees if their plan is a POS.

6. Size up the cost. Compare the total cost of various plans using an online calculator, a tool offered by many employers. If you are young and healthy, you may want to trade pricey monthly premiums for a higher deductible (paying more out-of-pocket before coverage starts). Be sure to factor in copays (the physicians' fees) and coinsurance (your share of the cost for prescriptions or hospitalization).

7. Don't get lured by those new freebies. While new plans now require you to pay nothing for certain routine preventive care, you might not need to switch off your old plan to reap this benefit. Many plans were already offering preventive services at minimal or even no cost prior to the passage of health reform, says Randall Abbott, a senior healthcare consultant with Towers Watson, a global consulting firm based in New York.

Solar Powered Blood Pressure Measuring Device Promises To Improve Health Care

Solar Powered Blood Pressure Measuring Device.....
a solar powered blood pressure measuring device that can be functional even in the absence of proper power or fully trained medical personnel. The two main points are those — easy to use and operable almost anywhere. This device promises to be a blessing for health workers everywhere. The existing measures actually use no power at all but they do use mercury. So they are being phased out for environmental reasons. Also, they are relatively harder to master and read.

This solar powered blood pressure measuring device called Hem-Solar is electronic and it measures systolic BP with a 94% accuracy and even though it measures diastolic pressure with less accuracy — people conducting a study on it have noted that it can be improved. It has been tested with 716 participants in Uganda and Zambia and the results have been very encouraging. The training took about 15 minutes with each user. About 85% of the medical professionals rated the device good or very good and 97% recommended its use.

The device uses a solar panel generate the energy that it needs to run. But it can also run on battery when need be.

The next phase of the study involves a study of blood pressure measuring in pregnant women. Hypertension in pregnancy is one of the main reasons of high death rates amongst mothers.

Everyone is hoping that this device will be a major boost to healthcare providers who work in remote areas with underprivileged who do not have access to a proper facility. This may be because they are too poor or because they are located a place that is too remote or may be even both.

U.S. adults may become obese by 2050.

Obesity Rates Will Hit 42% IN US..........
Study suggests the obesity rate in the U.S. may climb up to 42% in the next forty years.
In spite of actions for health and nutrition, a study reports that more U.S. adults may become obese by 2050.

Harvard University researchers predict that adult obesity rates in the country will increase continually at 42% until forty years later.

“It’s definitely true that the percent of obese people has slowed down,” said study author Alison Hill, a graduate student in Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Biophysics Program. “But our results suggest it is not the end.”

The study was done through “social networks,” wherein it views the social network of a person as a crucial factor to the rise and spread of obesity. While this “social contagion” theory of obesity was initially found out to be untrue, as weight loss didn’t have much to do with social contacts, it has stemmed into another theory: “the more obese friends one has, the more he or she is likely to gain.”

“[So] One good take-home point is it’s actually in your best interest to help your friends lose weight,” Hill added.

115th Anniversary of the discovery of X-rays

Google celebrates the 115th anniversary of the discovery of x-rays...
Google has released a new doodle today on the Australian site celebrating the 115th anniversary of the x-ray which depicts an x-ray image of Google’s world famous logo.

X-Rays are a form of x-radiation composed of rays and their discovery was credited to the German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895. Their most common use is in crystallography and diagnostic radiography where hard x-rays are used to penetrate solid objects in order to view their insides.

Hospitals, dentists and vets use x-rays regularly to study things such as breaks in bones and damage to tooth structure by decay or other means.
X-rays have a longer wavelength than the more commonly known Gamma rays, a form of radiation given a wider audience thanks to the Incredible Hulk’s alter-ego Bruce Banner. In the comic book Banner believed gamma radiation would imbue him with greater strength but the experiment went horribly wrong and he became a rampaging green beast (with stretchy pants).

All forms of radiation can be dangerous and extreme exposure can lead to death, skin cancer and organ failure, sickness and internal bleeding. X-Rays are however a relatively minor dose and are as such not a significant threat to the subject’s health.

It is stated that exposure to radiation by a father closely prior to the time of conception can cause his child to be born with leukaemia, whereas x-ray investigation in pregnant women is more likely to increase the risk to the unborn child than the mother.

US Gov't Revising Nutritional Guidelines

Tennessee has 3rd-highest obesity rate in US
Food Industry Marketing a Factor in Rising Childhood Obesity
According to a 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, approximately 17% of American children and adolescents between the ages of two and nineteen years old are clinically obese. Between the ages of two and five, obesity is prevalent in 19.6%. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that obesity in children and adolescents makes them prone to other health problems. Obese children are more at risk for cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes. A new CDC study released last week finds that incidence of Type 2 diabetes could grow from 1 in 10 people today to an astounding 1 in 3 by 2050. Obesity has also been linked to asthma, sleep apnea, and liver problems.

How much does food industry marketing contribute to this problem? Research indicates that it can play a significant role. In a study conducted by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University in October 2009, researchers found that cereal was the packaged food most frequently marketed to children – and the cereals directed at children were "junkier" than those sold to adults.

According to the study, compared to the types of cereal advertised to adults, those marketed to children had 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber, and 60% more sodium. Some examples included cereals produced by Kellogg Company and General Mills, Inc. such as Reese’s Puffs, Corn Pops, Lucky Charms, and Golden Grahams, all of which received poor nutritional scores.

Another study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine in July 2010 concluded that children and teens see substantially more advertising for fast food than adults do. This exposure builds brand loyalty to unhealthy foods at an early age.

Terrariums are flourishing again

The glass-encased universes called terrariums are back on the scene from the 1970s. Whether they were giant brandy snifters or dangled from macramé hangers, those ’70s versions definitely tended to the kitschy and kooky side. Today’s terrariums are part modern chic, part science lab and — best of all — a good way to keep plants indoors with minimal care.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/living/home/#ixzz14ZPpZsiO

White House Health Advisor Emanuel Visits U.S. Government-Funded Health Programs

In the last decade, health policy has gained a prominent position internationally and health aid has quadrupled amounting to over 16 billion euros. There are good stories to tell and concrete achievements on which to build. Yet, the lack of progress on health MDGs in the poorest countries and the growing challenges of globalization call for a strong EU global health vision, voice and action. In its recently adopted Communication on Global Health the Commission proposed areas for action, based on EU principles of solidarity, towards equitable and universal coverage of quality health services. The Commission highlighted the main challenges that the EU needs to address: leadership, universal coverage, coherence of EU policies and knowledge. This new policy framework aims to be a turning point in promoting the right to health and better addressing global health challenges.



Currently, malaria "is the cause of nearly half of all clinically reported fevers on the continent," the news service notes. "Cases of malaria may decline as bed nets, rapid-test kits and health workers reach Africa's more remote areas, Emanuel said," the news service reports.

"One-third of the world's 108 countries where malaria is endemic, including nine African nations, reduced cases of malaria by at least 50 percent over the past decade, according to the WHO. In Senegal, where Emanuel toured villages and met with the country's health minister last weekend, malaria deaths have fallen by about 70 percent since 2006, he said," according to Bloomberg.

Emanuel discussed the Obama administration's efforts to combat malaria as well as its proposed expansion of funding for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), noting that Obama's budget requests nearly $100 million to fight the diseases. "Combined with global efforts, the U.S. campaign may see as much as half of Africa's at-risk population tested for the 15 diseases the WHO lists as neglected tropical diseases, he said," Bloomberg writes.

Emanuel also said that the administration plans next month to create a strategy to support the distribution of a microbicide-based product to stop the spread of HIV.

"The tone you see in the administration's statements is one of greater discipline and selectivity and greater emphasis on efficiency and partner governance performance," J. Stephen Morrison, director of the CSIS Center on Global Health Policy, said as part of a series of remarks reacting to Emanuel's comments. WHO spokesman Francesco Rio and McGill University AIDS Center Director Mark Wainberg also commented (Hinshaw, 10/29).

Later, Emanuel traveled to Ethiopia where he noted the country's success in fighting malaria and highlighted challenges still faced by the country's health system despite recent improvements, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.

The healthcare rollout is good but now, we need to focus on the quality of the facilities, which include trained personnel, midwives and trained doctors and other physicians," Emanuel said. He "said Ethiopia needed to improve the welfare of the women and the health facilities so that many women in the rural areas could easily access the services of trained medical personnel during childbirth," according to the news service (10/29).

Emanuel also said the U.S. had increased health funding for Africa and that the number of people receiving antiretrovirals had increased from 700,000 to 2.5 million, according to a second PANA/Afrique en ligne article. "There have been substantial attacks against President Obama. But those spreading these negative comments are mostly non-governmental organizations. He is unwavering in his commitment to increase U.S. health care funding to Africa," Emanuel said
African Malaria May Ease as Remote Areas Accessed, Emanuel Says
Global efforts to control malaria, the most deadly infectious disease in Africa, may cut prevalence rates to one in 20 fevers by 2017, said Zeke Emanuel, special health adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama.

The mosquito borne-disease, which slows Africa’s economic growth by 1.3 percentage points and kills 900,000 people a year, according to the World Health Organization, is the cause of nearly half of all clinically reported fevers on the continent.

Cases of malaria may decline as bed nets, rapid-test kits and health workers reach Africa’s more remote areas, Emanuel said in an interview in Dakar, the Senegalese capital.

“It’s not going to be a has-been disease, but by 2017 we are going to have within our sight getting it down to 5 percent of what it was,” he said on Oct. 23.

One-third of the world’s 108 countries where malaria is endemic, including nine African nations, reduced cases of malaria by at least 50 percent over the past decade, according to the WHO. In Senegal, where Emanuel toured villages and met with the country’s health minister last weekend, malaria deaths have fallen by about 70 percent since 2006, he said.