Thursday, August 28, 2014

Shah Rukh Khan is Interpol’s Turn Back Crime ambassador



Internationally-renowned Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been roped in as an ambassador for Interpol’s “Turn Back Crime” campaign to promote awareness of how everyone can play a role in preventing crime.
SRK, said to be the first Indian to be made an ambassador for the global campaign, is lending his voice to help spread the message that all of society benefits when citizens respect law and fight crime. “It’s a very special honour to be a part of Interpol’s Turn Back Crime campaign as an ambassador,” said Shah Rukh.
“As Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘I shall not fear anyone on Earth. I shall fear only god. I shall not bear ill will toward anyone. I shall not submit to injustice from anyone. I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering, if I have to.
“We all should believe in this maxim and in whatever way possible resolve not to let unjust people who might threaten us with criminal activity make us fear them.
“Because I believe we can, we should, and we must stand together against the few who commit crimes against any human being, in whatever form or guise these crimes might take,” Shah Rukh said in a statement.
SRK joins actor Jackie Chan as an ambassador for the campaign, which has already garnered support from public figures including footballer Lionel Messi, Formula 1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in addition to law enforcement agencies around the world.
Interpol’s Turn Back Crime campaign is aimed at raising public awareness that organised crime is often involved in seemingly unrelated crimes. Drug trafficking, human trafficking, counterfeiting, cyber crime, kidnapping, crimes against children and corruption in sport are in fact often interconnected, with profits from one crime area used to fund another.
The Turn Back Crime campaign is aimed at helping the public better understand these issues and empowering them not to be duped by criminals when buying products or using the internet.
“Shah Rukh Khan has dedicated his life to making films which reflect the highest level of professionalism and commitment to bringing joy into the lives of hundreds of millions of filmgoers in India and around the world,” said Interpol secretary general Ronald K. Noble.
“We are honoured to have him as an ambassador for Interpol’s global Turn Back Crime campaign and we look forward to seeing how he puts his artistic talents behind this campaign,” the Interpol chief said.
The Turn Back Crime campaign is also reaching out to companies and policy—makers in a bid to form a united front against contemporary crime challenges, and to support the ongoing activities of the global law enforcement community.

The answer to lower smoking addiction: Low Nicotine Cigarettes


 

Do you find it nearly impossible to quit cigarettes? Well a new technique is soon coming in your hand that may help you get rid of such addiction. In a recent research it was found that cigarettes with low levels of nicotine may reduce addiction in smokers without increasing exposure to toxic chemicals. 
In this study, 72 adults were monitored who were made to switch between three types of cigarettes, each type with markedly reduced nicotine levels.
One of the researchers, David Hammond,  Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at University of Waterloo in Canada, said that ‘When the participants switched between conventional cigarette brands – which have similar nicotine content – there was no significant change in their puffing behaviour, number of cigarettes consumed or levels of toxic chemicals in their systems’. However, when these adults were introduced to consume the low-nicotine cigarettes, Quest 1, Quest 2 and Quest 3  which had a nicotine content of 8.9, 8.4 and 0.6 mg, respectively (as opposed to an average of 12 mg in a regular cigarette) they found that smokers were unable or unwilling to compensate due to a markedly less nicotine in the cigarette,” said David Hammond, from the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences at University of Waterloo in Canada. The study appeared in the journal Cancer Epidemiology.
Is quitting cigarettes getting very difficult?  Try some natural remedies that may help you out.
1. Cleanse the Body of Toxins
Cigarette smoke poisons the body with not just nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide but several other toxins whose numbers run into thousands. Products containing herbs such as ShatavariGotu Kola (Brahmi ), Ginseng and Ashwagandha and products such as Triphala and Sudarshana Choorna can also help detoxify tissues; it is best to use these under the supervision of a qualified Ayurvedic doctor.
2. Substitute Herbal Cigarettes for Nicotine-Containing Ones
Many Ayurvedic medical stores sell herbal cigarettes that are free from nicotine; these generally contain medicinal herbs such as turmeric, tulsi, cinnamon, gangalmulethi, clove and guggul. Ayurveda prescribes the use of such medicinal smoking as an initial step to overcome the craving for nicotine.
3. Get Sufficient Exercise
It is well-known that exercise causes the release of mood-enhancing endorphins and this can help you deal with the feelings of melancholy that sometimes accompanies the effort to give up cigarettes. Set up a regular routine for exercise and stick to it.
4. Make Changes to Your Diet
Quite a few people who quit smoking experience a peculiar bitter taste; changing the food you consume can help you adapt better to this. A vegetarian diet that is low in fat is the best when you first attempt to quit smoking. Increase your consumption of alkaline foods such as vegetables, fruits, dry nuts, sprouts, lima beans and raisins; cut down on the acidic content of your food by reducing foods such as bread, coffee, tea, dairy products and meat. 
Here are some of the ways which may help you to withdraw such an addiction. These are: nicotine replacement therapy, use of electronic cigarettes and other medical aids help one to quit the habit of smoking.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Get the perfect and healthy dishes for Ganesh Festival this year



Bappa is finally on his way to enter our homes and hearts in a few days and preparations have begun in full swing to give him the best treatment this year. Just like any other festival, we celebrate it with yummy home-made treats many of which can be quite heavy. Being in a festive mood can often mean we throw caution to the wind and indulge in sweets and snacks without realising how many additional calories we are piling on just within a few days.
However with certain modifications, you can make your favourite dish healthy without missing out on taste or the fear of gaining too much weight. Nutritionist Naini Setalvad shares with us five deliciously healthy recipes of popular dishes made during Ganesh Chaturthi. Savour them without any regrets and enjoy this festival with a healthy spirit.

Urad Dal Karanjiya
Made using black lentil, this dish is quite healthy. It has various spices which not just add flavour but also have several health benefits as well. The dough is made using rice dough and the dish is savoury in taste.
Varan Bhaat
This dish too is made using lentils – tur dal which is tempered with spices. This is eaten with steamed rice. Varan is very healthy and light too.
Another healthy recipe, it is made using many vegetables. Most of the vegetables used are quite less in number of calories such as bottle gourd, cucumber, pumpkin, etc. This makes it extremely healthy.
A traditional Maharashtrian dish, this version is made using jaggery or gur which is healthier than sugar. This sweet dish is quite a popular dish amongst children and adults. But restrict the quantity and don’t go overboard as it is quite heavy.
Ukadiche Modak
Ganesh Chaturthi will be incomplete if there is no modak. This steamed modak has lesser calories and it is made with rice flour and skim milk. Make them fresh and eat 1-2 every day.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Selena Gomez struts her stuff, the new weave



Selena Gomez is proud of her look from her hair to her dress and she is not afraid to strut her stuff in her latest pictures.

Wearing a sheer black maxidress, the 21-year-old star was spotted yesterday getting her hair done, and she wants everyone to know that it isn't her real hair.

She posts, "Weave is back. :) hehe #901 #seatbelt #passengerselfie #hashtag."


With her new locks blowing in the wind and the button-up top strategically unbuttoned, the pop star struts in the flowing, pleated see-through maxi that matches perfectly with her killer black heels. We can't wait to see if she'll be working it like this at Sunday's vmas!

Selena will be in the upcoming film Rudderless as Kate, a girl who loses her boyfriend in a school shooting. The film tells the story of her boyfriend's father who stumbles upon his deceased son's demo tapes and lyrics and then forms a band of his own.

6.0 magnitude earthquake jolts California



A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted California early Sunday morning, the US Geological Survey said, though there were no immediate reports of deaths or serious damage.

The quake struck at 3:20 am (1020 GMT) northwest of American Canyon, California, USGS said, at a depth of just 6.7 miles (10.8 kilometers) below the surface.

The power was out in Napa, about six miles from the earthquake's epicenter, as well as in other towns and cities nearby, affecting more than 10,000 households, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company.


The California Highway Patrol in the San Francisco Bay Area tweeted that it was "checking over crossings and bridges for obvious signs of structural integrity," and asked residents to report any signs of problems.
Residents of the cities of San Francisco, some 40 miles southwest, and Davis, just over 40 miles northeast, quickly took to Twitter reporting also feeling the quake.

  • Twitter user Tyson Winter wrote: "Shook violently here in Napa. Power's out." 
  • Ann Marie Christy,wrote that her mother, also in Napa, said the shaking "was very violent with a lot of broken glass." 
  • And in San Francisco, Om Malik posted "Damn, woke me up. Was super long. #quake #sf."
  • Further north, Tim Kerbavaz tweeted: "Felt it in Davis too. Quite long."

Friday, August 22, 2014

Top 5 richest Indians have half of nation's billionaire wealth




There seems to be a huge disparity in distribution of wealth among Indian billionaires.
India’s top five richest, led by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani, collectively control $85.5 billion (about Rs. 5,21,550 crore) in personal wealth, accounting for 47.5% of the country’s total billionaire wealth of $180 billion, a recent report by wealth research firm Wealth-X has found.
Mukesh Ambani tops the rich list with an estimated net worth of $24.4 billion (about Rs. 1,48,840 crore) followed by ArcelorMittal chairman Lakshmi Mittal, Sun Pharma’s Dilip Shanghvi, Wipro’s Azim Premji and Tata Sons’ shareholder Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry.
In comparison, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan is worth $600 million, while cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who retired in November 2013, boasted of a personal fortune of at least $160 million, the survey said.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Exclusive: Happy New Year Trailer




Happy New Year is an upcoming 2014 Bollywood action comedy-drama film directed by Farah Khan and produced by Gauri Khan under the banner of Red Chillies Entertainment. The film has an ensemble cast which includes, Shahrukh KhanDeepika PadukoneAbhishek BachchanBoman IraniVivaan ShahSonu SoodSarah-Jane Dias and Jackie Shroff. The film will be distributed worldwide by Yash Raj Films.

Here is the offical happy new year Trailer.

Supreme Court Rejects Plea to Ban Aamir Khan's 'PK'



Aamir Khan's much-awaited movie PK will not be banned, the Supreme Court ruled today, rejecting a petition that said some scenes in the film hurt religious sentiment and showed nudity. 

"If you don't like it, don't watch the film. Don't bring religious facets here," Chief Justice of India, RM Lodha, said, adding, "These are matters of entertainment.  If you restrict it, it will affect others' rights. Everything is on the internet.  What will you hide?"

The petitioner, an NGO called "All India Human Rights and Social Justice Front", argued that some scenes in the film would hurt religious sentiment and also disturb public order. 

The court said, "Indian society is very mature and knows the difference between entertainment and other things."

The film's first-look poster released recently caused a sensation. It featured Aamir, 49, posing nude with a strategically placed boom-box. Critics called it one more in the perfectionist actor's list of innovative publicity stunts, and the buzz on social media has been unrelenting. 

Even before the Supreme Court verdict, Aamir said at an event, "I promise you, when I release the second poster, there will not even be a transistor."

Some politicians have objected strongly to the posters. "An actor who claims to do social work...today his posters are everywhere without clothes. It is an offence. Obscene posters should not be allowed," said Uttar Pradesh politician Satish Mishra, a member of Mayawati's BSP.

PK, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, is set to release on December 19.

Jose Mourinho: Chelsea can dominate the Premier league for a decade



The Portuguese is content with the squad he has assembled at Stamford Bridge, having splashed the cash this summer, and is confident he can build a dynasty in west London
Jose Mourinho has warned his title rivals that Chelsea can dominate the Premier League for the next decade.

The Blues have acted swiftly and decisively in the summer transfer window, recruiting Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Filipe Luis and Didier Drogba for nearly €90 million ahead of the new season, leading Mourinho to claim that he is finally content with the personnel at his disposal.

And, having repeatedly written off his “little horses” in 2013-14, he has now insisted that he can build a dynasty at Stamford Bridge, given the potential in his squad.

“We have the squad that we want to have,’ he told reporters. “It is a squad for tomorrow, for next season and also a squad with big possibilities for the next five or 10 years with so many young people.

"So, I like my squad very much. There is no manager in the world that has the perfect squad. No manager that says 'My squad is perfect' or couldn't improve in certain positions.

"The only thing I can say is that I like very much the squad. The club was fantastic because it gave me the three targets I was asking, in the left-back, a midfield player and a striker.

"In fact, it gave me two strikers because Didier is also back. So we have the squad that we want to have, we don't say it's perfect, we don't say it's the best, we say we like very much our squad."

Chelsea finished third in 2013-14 and kick off the new season with a trip to newly-promoted Burnley on Monday.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Tata Motors launches Zest, starting at 4.64 lakhs



Tata Motors on Tuesday launched its sedan car - Tata Zest - amid all the hype with a starting price of Rs 4.64 lakh. 

Tata Motors new offering comes after a period of four years. The company aims to capture its lost position in the domestic car market with this new launch.

Tata Zest is a compact sedan and its petrol base model will be available at Rs 4.64 lakhs onwards and the diesel base model will be available at Rs 5.64 lakh onwards.



Zest boasts of user-friendly features such as touch-screen control panels. The car offers projector head-lamps with chrome accents, LED lamps at the rear and a new set of 15-inch alloy wheels.


Tata has offered the new car with two engine options: a 1.2-litre MPFi turbocharged Revotron petrol engine and a 1.3-litre multijet diesel units.
The company has also come up with attractive offers such as 3 year/1,00,000km warranty, along with a 3 year/45,000 km maintenance package and free 3 year 24x7 roadside assistance. 

The car comes in 6 colour options- silver, grey, blue, beige,white and red. 
The car has been designed with inputs from the three design studios of Tata Motors - Pune, Conventry (UK) and Turin (Italy).

Monday, August 11, 2014

Amazing Earth!


Earth is such a beautiful place, we all know. But not everyone looks at the sea, the mountains, the trees and get awe-struck everyday. But these places and very very strange oddities are sure to make you go crazy and look at the world in a completely new way. Time to find out how crazy Planet Earth is?

1. Volcanic Lightning - Sometimes, when a volcano explodes, it releases a powerful amount of energy into the atmosphere. This sudden jolt can result in strong reactions that ultimately produce lightning from within an eruption!

2. Steam Towers - This geothermal phenomena is Northern Lights adjacent and has the ability to transform the night sky into an eerie green hue.

3. Bioluminescent Waves - You can thank phytoplankton for creating this amazingly beautiful neon shore.

4. Morning Glory Clouds - Not even scientists can figure out what causes this wonder of the world. So, when you see one, just appreciate it for its overall awesomeness! Unreal.

5. Red Crabs of Christmas Island - There are over 120 million crabs on the island. During the late fall/early winter months, this massive onslaught of pinching-sea creatures collectively makes its way to the ocean to mate.


6. The 'Door To Hell' - Now this is scary! This natural gas vent in Turkmenistan has been a popular tourist attraction because its flame hasn't gone out since it was initially lit in 1971!



7. Auroras - This breathtaking phenomenon happens when wind particles pick up speed as they travel along magnetic fields and head skyward to the atmosphere - where they abruptly smash into gas atoms and result in a multicolored horizon.

8. Sailing Stones - These 700+ lb. stones move all over Death Valley in California, without the aid of man nor machine. It was recently discovered that, in the winter months, these big rocks move when layers of water and ice begin to melt under them - sending them on a slow slide to a new, sandy destination.

9. Rainbow Eucalyptus - This multicolored tree sports such a variety of hues because its bark breaks away at different times, thus allowing the tree to age (color) differently.


10. Spiderweb Trees - When their usual home (the ground) is ruined by floods, these Middle Eastern spiders tend to takeover trees in Pakistan.


11. Blue Lava - This Indonesian volcano, thanks to high sulfuric temperatures, is able to produce breathtakingly vibrant blue lava.

12. Danxia Landforms - What happens when million-year-old minerals combine with red sandstone? The Danxia Landforms in China, that's what! This will surely remind you of one of Disney's animated motion pictures.

13. Supercell - Not only are these the most powerful, most lethal storm clouds around, they're also the most rare.

14. Calcifying Lake - If a small body of water, say a pond or a lake, had enough salt elements within itself, animals who go for a swim in it will turn to stone!


15. The Everlasting Storm - Most tremble at the sights and sounds of lightning & thunder. But imagine if you had to endure an epic storm that LITERALLY lasted for 10 hours a day, 280 times an hour, for 160 days a year! That's what the people of this Venezuelan town have to put up with on a daily basis.

16. Light Pillars - You're only going to find sky art like this in frigid climates like Russia. This is caused when bright lights from the Earth reflect off ice crystals.

17. Lake Retba - This salt-heavy body of water is the home to TONS of algae, which is why the lake gives off such a Pepto-Bismol vibe.

18.  Lenticular Clouds - These aerial masterpieces only occur when air strategically flows over a mountain and into bigger, more dense clouds. What an amazing site!

19. Great Blue Hole - Under this dark blue circle is a litany of underwater caves that have been there for ages!

20. Fallstreak Holes - When crystals of frozen water start to melt into vapor, these kinds of holes in cloud formations tend to occur.

21. Frost Flowers - These frigid floral arrangements happen when the temperature of the water & the atmosphere is different.

22. Hair Ice - It looks and feels just like strands of hair, yet its ice that's been affected by pseudomonas syringae, a specific bacteria that results in locks of frozen goodness!


Many more of our Earth wonders are still left to be explored, these are just a few to bring to our notice. Guys leave your comments below on what you think of these places and these unusual Earth's phenomenon.


Saturday, August 9, 2014

New App That Alerts People to Avoid Unsafe Areas


A new app is here that alerts users to avoid "sketchy" areas and provides safe walking directions in the neighbourhood.

The app has also invited some sharp reactions from people who think it will fuel racism.

Launching it on the itunes app store for new york city users, the app will provide walking directions on a map based on user feedback and allow people to "share pro tips about what routes you take and why".

"sketchfactor is a tool for anyone, anywhere, at any time. We have a reporting mechanism for racial profiling, harassment, low lighting, desolate areas, weird stuff, you name it," its developers allison mcguire and daniel herrington said.

According to mcguire, she was inspired to create the app after living in washington, dc, as a young non-profit worker.

In addition to user data, the app also incorporates public crime data and trusted sources.

Inspired by Salman Khan, Sooraj Pancholi crops off his hair for Hero



For a scene, showing his torture in police custody in Nikhil Advani's Hero, Sooraj Pancholi will crop his hair exactly the way Salman Khan had done in his scenes of confinement in a mental asylum in Satish Kaushik's Tere Naam.

This will be Advani's and Pancholi's homage to Salman Khan who is the producer of Hero re-make. 

Apparently, Nikhil Advani was keen to have Salman do a guest appearance in this film. But there was no role for the superstar. 

The Tere Naam asylum look is the director and Sooraj's way of getting Salman into the picture. Says the source close to the project, "Sooraj was made to wait until the entire shooting was over, so he could crop off his hair for the jail sequence. The earlier plan was to shave off his head completely. But now Sooraj will sport Salman's look from Tere Naam for the scene of police torture."

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Which Premier League Team will miss Howard Webb the most?





Howard Webb retires as referee after 25 years to become match officials technical director
Many fans shed a tear when Howard Webb retired from refereeing just 10 days before the start of the 2014/15 Premier League season, with many even going as far as saying this will hit Manchester United the most.
Webb has been targeted many a time for being a little “partial” toward the Red Devils. But have they benefited the most from his decisions?
While we don’t want to go into an in-depth analysis of all his decisions, we have some stats which show that Man City have actually benefited the most when Webb was in charge of the game.
City have won more points (in lesser games) than their derby rivals, averaging almost 2.5 points per game. North London side Arsenal are another team who will be sad to see him go as they have enjoyed more than 2 points per game with him in charge. 
Liverpool, however, will be happy to see the back of him as they average less than one point per game when Webb takes the field. 
TOP EPL CLUBS' RECORD WITH HOWARD WEBB AS REFEREE
#CLUBMATCHESWDLGDPOINTSPTS PER GAME
1Man City17132228412.41
2Man United20121712371.85
3Arsenal1511228352.33
4Chelsea1683510271.69
5Everton166645241.50
6Tottenham15735-3241.60
7Liverpool195212-1170.89