World AIDS Day: Understand the Impact, Get Involved

World's AIDS Day is Friday, December 1 -- a day commemorating the millions of lives lost to this deadly disease, reminding us of the millions suffering from HIV or AIDS, and the millions still at risk. AIDS has killed more than 25 million people, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 3.1 million (between 2.8 and 3.6 million) lives in 2005 of which, more than half a million (570,000) were children.

Let these numbers sink in. They are huge. As YouthAIDS (youthaids.org) National Yoga Ambassador, Seane Corn points out, "There is no vaccine and there is no cure and the life-extending drugs that are available to us in this country are far out of reach for most of the 40 million people who currently live with HIV." She also points out some other harsh stats:

• Two young people become infected with HIV every hour in the U.S.
• 50% of all new infections occur in young people between the ages of 15-24. Most of them don't know they carry the virus.
• 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS -- that is the equivalent to every American child under the age of 5.
• AIDS kills one child every minute.
  
  

What can you do? You can take action that shows you care:

• Wear a red ribbon
• Talk to people
• Go to an event
• Get involved
  
  

For further information about how to learn more and/or get involved go to youthaids.org or omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances. You can make a difference.

John Abraham to launch apparel brand !!!

The John Abraham Collection is being launched and the actor promises to wear only his brand once the clothes are out. This was an offer from international clothes brand Wrangler. "Like the Sean John collection in New York, we'll have the John Abraham Collection of clothes in Asia. The clothes are going to carry my name and signature," says John with some pride and much affection. "They'd reflect my personality and the kind of clothes that I feel comfortable wearing. I'd see no need to wear other brands because my collection would have everything that I aspire to wear." John's designers would be from Milan and London and are the same guys who design for Diesel. "This deal is being franchised through the biggest denim manufacturers in the world, who also manufacture some of the biggest jeans labels like Diesel, True Religion and Seven.” "The John Abraham Collection will come out of the same factory. The only difference is that the prices will be economised for the Asian market. A pair of jeans with my name will cost anything from Rs.2,500-4,000 in India." Women need not feel left out. "There's a ladies line-up of clothes that I went to inspect myself. They're lovely. I do know what women want," he chuckles. "This is the first time that Wrangler US has lent its name for a private clothes collection. And that's because their growth in India after I became their ambassador has been noticeable. That's why Wrangler decided to be gracious to me." John has obviously swung a very lucrative deal. "The John Abraham Collection is going to take care of a lot of things in my life in the next five years, including paying for my marriage and my honeymoon," he says. Is John sure he won't like to wear other brands once his own label comes in? "I'd be very upset with myself if I didn't find everything I want to wear within my brand.” “I want my fans to wear only John Abraham clothes. The line-up is very retro. This is one more way to connect with my fans," he adds.

30 minutes nahi toh... WTF!!!

Recently in The Times of India there was an article / advertisement about Pizza delivery Companies which guarantees you free pizza if they fail to deliver within the specified time (like 30 minutes). Have you ever wondered who pays for the free pizzas??

Well, the delivery boy is made to pay for the pizza. They are paid such low wages and the price of the pizza is deducted from their monthly
wages which can amount to up to 60% in some months (It becomes difficult to run their family). To deliver the pizzas the delivery boys take high traffic risks as delivery becomes their priority. Their life and safety risks are neither looked into by the Pizza Shop Management nor the Pizza Delivery Boy himself. (They are more concerned to avoid the deduction from their salary).

If this type of exploitation is carried on in your city's pizza logistics we should stop availing the home delivery system, because to deliver our pizza one person may be risking his life. Is the life of an Indian citizen so cheap and of no value?

In case he is late in delivering the pizza, we are enjoying the free pizza at the hard earned money of a poor delivery boy. Is it fair or right on our part to do it?

As a human, please think and if you feel that this is wrong, please spread the message and stop having the so called FREE pizzas delivered at home.

Wal-Mart to enter Indian market

US supermarket giant Wal-Mart is to enter the Indian retail market after announcing a joint agreement with India's Bharti Enterprises. The two companies said they had signed a deal to "jointly explore business opportunities" in India.

Bharti chairman Sunil Mittal said the two companies intended to open "several hundred" stores across India under the

Wal-Mart brand name.Wal-Mart's deal comes after Britain's Tesco ended talks with Bharti. Large overseas retailers such as Tesco and Wal-Mart are currently barred at the retail level in India, but not in the wholesale market.Bharti's agreement with Wal-Mart is likely to run into opposition from India's small shopkeepers, who currently account for the majority of retail sales, said BBC World Service economics correspondent Andrew Walker.

'They are often family businesses and they are worried that lowering the barriers to Wal-Mart and others might cost them dearly,' he said.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6186930.stm

Why Blog?

Why Blog?

Why Blog? A question that non-bloggers and bloggers alike ask. Jeremy Wright and Paul Scrivens replies...

Jeremy Wright replies to a non-blogger who says blogs are useless:

Blogging's something for anyone and everyone. I can't think of anyone who can't benefit from knowing more people, never forgetting a thought again and improving on their thoughts with little or no effort.

For some blogging will be like a diary: a historical record of their thoughts at a moment in time.
For others it'll be like speed-networking. You get to know people in a shallow way and then develop a relationship.

For still others it'll be something else entirely.

Paul Scrivens replies to a blogger who feels that he has nothing to add "to what is already being written about by the likes of Dan Cederholm, Didier Hilhorst, Shaun Inman, Dave Shea, Jeffrey Zeldman and other giants of usability, design, and the web":
The blogosphere has a funny habit of elevating people to certain statuses based on some basic assumptions. All the people in the list (for kicks I will call them the "Fab 5") above are well respected and rightfully so because they have done something to earn it. However, to think you cannot offer something new and possibly better than those guys is an unreasonable thing for anyone to think. Look at me for example....

People like to hear what you think. People like opinions. People like to learn....

Write with passion and everything else will fall into place.

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has been pronounced guilty in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has been pronounced guilty in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.Dutt has been found guilty under the Arms Act and not TADA.In a major relief, Justice Kode while announcing the judgement said Dutt was not a "terrorist".According to reports, Dutt is likely to seek bail on Tuesday.The famed actor of Munnabhai fame could get a maximum sentence of three years.Bollywood has come out in open support of Dutt with director Karan Johar and actor Boman Irani welcoming the verdict."Sanjay is like family to us and it's heartening to know that the verdict is finally out. Everyone knows that Sanju is an innocent man," said Johar.The main charges against Sanjay Dutt include receiving some of the weapons used in the blasts from underworld don Abu Salem and keeping them at his residence.Dutt had actually admitted to the charges in his confession, which he made shortly after his arrest, but he later retracted the same. Meanwhile, co-accused Yusuf Nulwala and Kersi Adajania have also been found guilty under the Arms Act.


Charges
Section
Sentence
Verdict
Criminal conspiracy
Section 120(B) IPC
Minimum five years
Acquitted
Aiding and abetting terrorist acts by keeping weapons in his possesion
Section 3 (3) TADA
Minimum five years
Acquitted
Possession of arms and ammunition
Section 5 (TADA)
Minimum five years
Acquitted
Possession of arms and ammunition
Sections 3,7 and 25 of Arms Act
Three years
Convicted
Contravening provisions of Arms Act
Section 6 (TADA)
Five years
Acquitted


Dutt's confessionIn his confession recorded on April 22,1993, Sanjay Dutt had admitted that Salem had visited his Pali Hill residence in January 1993.The actor maintained that Salem was brought to his home by Samir Hingora and Hanif Kadawala - proprietors of Magnum Video, who are close associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.Salem, according to Dutt, had brought three AK 56 rifles, some magazines and 250 rounds. But Dutt said he kept only one and returned two AK 56s back to Samir and Hanif. Dutt said he needed the weapons to protect his family as they had received threatening calls during the 1992 Mumbai riots.Despite repeated complaints, he said the police did not give the family any protection. But when he heard about the blasts and the arrest of Samir and Hanif, he asked his friend Nulwala to destroy the gun.


Charges: Dutt & Company
Accused
Charges
Sanjay Dutt
Received weapons from Abu Salem from consignment of arms used in Mumbai blasts
Samir Hingora
Took Abu Salem to Dutt's residence
Ibrahim Moosa
Accompanied Abu Salem, Samir Hingora to deliver arms at Dutt's residence
Manzoor Ahmed
Convicted of carrying arms out of Dutt's residence
Zebunissa
Kept at home weapons earlier hidden in Dutt's residence
Yusuf Nulwala
Destroyed an AK 56 rifle on Dutt's instructions
Kersi Adajania
Helped Nulwala destroy the AK 56 rifle in his foundry
Rusi Mulla
Kept Dutt's pistol at his residence. Later gave it to Marwah
Ajay Marwah
Acquitted of storing Dutt's pistol at home

Believe the Hype: 3G Broadband Data Cards Rock!

Wi-Fi is great...when it works. Overall, Wi-Fi hotspots aren't universally reliable—in other words, I never know where I'm actually going to be able to get a signal. Thankfully, the cell phone carriers have been offering a solution that access-hungry users need to know about: 3G data cards.

For months, I have been praising—at the top of my lungs—the virtues of high-speed, 3G data cards from Verizon, Cingular, and Sprint. These cards go into the PC slot of your laptop and use the high-speed networks of cell carriers to give you broadband speeds anywhere there's a mobile signal. You can also use some PDA phones, such as the Treo 700, as an EVDO modem. If you live in a major urban area, you'll get about 10 times a dial-up connection. In more rural areas, you can still surf, but at slower speeds that are about three times a dial up connection. The easiest (though also the priciest) option is to just get one of the new laptops from Lenovo (the Thinkpad series) or Panasonic (the Toughbook 74 and the new W5, pictured), which have EVDO-capability built right in.

This means I no longer have to worry about whether there's Wi-Fi or not in the airport lounge where I'm trapped due to flight delays. I also don't have to spend the lousy $6.95 for one-hour's Wi-Fi network use, buy cards with codes on them, search around for a strong network, or any of the other countless little hassles and expenses that come with trying to get online with Wi-Fi.

It seems as though not a day goes by without a full-page newspaper ad by Sprint or Verizon advertising their Broadband Connection and BroadbandAccess services, respectively, and yet, I don't run into many people outside of tech circles who actually use these thing. And that's too bad, because they actually work. I can't say that about a lot of tech—that it actually works. My experiences with Sprint and Verizon have so far been seamless—nary a glitch and I've been using their cards for months (in fact, I'm using Sprint's card right now).

My limited experience with Cingular's card was a little less flawless. I wasn't able to get the fast speeds that I got with Sprint or Verizon during a recent airport lounge wait, but I'll follow up with a more extensive review in the future. What the Cingular cards—in particular the Option GlobeTrotter GT MAX LaptopConnect card—have over the Sprint and Verizon cards is the ability to get a signal in GSM zones with mid-speed GPRS and high-speed, 3G UMTS networks (essentially, using networks around the rest of the world except for South Korea and Japan, for those of you who want to use these cards when they travel internationally).

The next step for these cards is even more bandwidth. Good news for those who like down download video and load-up graphics-intensive sites—Verizon will be upgrading download speeds by up to 50 percent some time this fall, according to an earlier post by Chris Null. For an overview of the EVDO services, check out these posts from Becky Worley, Robin Raskin, and Dory Devlin.

Schumacher wins to tie Alonso

Title race all square with just two races to go.

It should have been Fernando Alonso’s race, but in the end Michael Schumacher’s 91st career victory earned him sufficient points to match the Spaniard’s score in the driver standings as they head for the penultimate round in Japan next weekend.

On a wet track Renault’s Alonso swept to a 25-second advantage over Schumacher in the Ferrari prior to the first set of pit stops. But then things began to go wrong for the champion. First Schumacher stayed on the same set of intermediate Bridgestones during his stop, whereas Alonso changed his Michelin front inters. The new ones did not give him anything like the performance of his originals. Then, to compound everything, a sticking right rear wheel nut in Alonso's second stop cost him at least seven seconds.

By that stage, lap 35, Giancarlo Fisichella in the second Renault was leading but under attack from Schumacher. The Italian made his second stop on lap 41 and was still leading when he left the pits, but then he ran wide and Schumacher, who had stopped on lap 40, pounced.

Alonso’s final set of dry tyres was back up to par, and he soon caught and passed his team mate and started to slash into Schumacher’s advantage. But that wheel-nut problem would prove decisive, and the German finished 3.1 seconds to the good, elated. Each now has 116 points, with two races left.

Nick Heidfeld should have been fourth for BMW Sauber after a great run. But the final corner proved his undoing. Jenson Button had been scrapping hard for fifth with Honda team mate Rubens Barrichello in the closing stages, when slight rain made the track treacherous. Button slid wide at one stage and fell behind McLaren’s Pedro de la Rosa. He eventually recovered and repassed the Spaniard when De la Rosa made a mistake of his own, and going into the final lap Button used traffic to go round the outside of Barrichello. Going down to Turn 16 he caught Heidfeld and trapped him behind Takuma Sato's lapped Super Aguri. As Button ducked down the inside, Barrichello hit the back of the BMW and spun it, damaging his own nose.

Button thus grabbed an unexpected fourth, De la Rosa gratefully snatched fifth from Barrichello, and the unfortunate Heidfeld had to be content with seventh ahead of Mark Webber in the Williams, who earned the final point when Red Bull’s David Coulthard half spun out of eighth place on lap 49. Four laps earlier the Scot had collided with Felipe Massa there, eliminating the Ferrari driver who had been trading fastest laps with Alonso during a strong recovery drive from his back-of-the-grid start.

Behind Coulthard, a single-stop run brought Tonio Liuzzi 10th for Toro Rosso, with Nico Rosberg in the Williams right alongside and Robert Doornbos also in touch in the second Red Bull.

BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica had an up and down race, getting shoved down the order early on in the opening lap melees in heavy standing water and high spray; later he was the first to switch to dries, just before the track was ready. He headed home Super Aguri’s Sato, Scott Speed in the Toro Rosso, Spyker MF1's Christijan Albers (who was also involved in the final-corner incident), and Sakon Yamamoto in the Super Aguri (who received a drive-through penalty for ignoring blue flags when being lapped by Schumacher).

Neither of the Toyotas finished, their only high point being a spell towards the end when Ralf Schumacher set a couple of fastest laps, Spyker MF1's Tiago Monteiro spun in Turn 1 and stalled, Massa’s rear suspension was damaged, and McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen, having run as high as second early on after overtaking Fisichella, dropped out with a stuck throttle.

Thus the championship fight could not be better poised as we head to Suzuka. As he said goodbye to his legion of Chinese fans, Schumacher savoured his first decent race in Shanghai and said: “Today was a little present to myself."

આ તે કંઈ જિંદગી છે ?

આ તે કંઈ જિંદગી છે ? દોડમદોડ ને ભાગમભાગ ઘડિયાળ ના કાંટા ને પગની ચાલ આ તે કંઈ જિંદગી છે ? ન આવે આડ ટાઢ કે તાપ ન દિવસ કે ન રાત આડ આવે રૂપિયા ની માયાજાળ સવાર બપોર અને સાંજ આ તે કંઈ જિંદગી છે ? નથી પડી ખાવાની કે પીવાની ન સુવાની કે ન ઊઠવાની આ જિંદગી ની ઘટમાળમાં રહે કામકાજ ની હારમાળ આ તે કંઈ જિંદગી છે ? નથી સગુ કોઈ નથી વહાલું ન કુટુંબ કે ન પરિવાર આજ-કાલના સંસારમાં બસ ડોલર જ છે જીવન વ્યવહાર આ તે કંઈ જિંદગી છે ?

તમને જોઇન......

તમને જોઇને વળે ફૂલોને પસીનો
તેને ઝાકળનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

મુખડૂં ઢંકાય જો ફરફરતી લટોથી
તેને ચંદ્રગ્રહણનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

મીઠડી બે વાત કરી ભીંજાવો હૈયાને
તેને શ્રાવણનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

તમારા જ સ્વપ્નમાં વીતે રાતલડી
તેને જાગરણનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

હંમેશા ડૂબી જઉ નયનની ગહેરાઇમાં
તેને વમળનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

સાન-ભાન ભુલાવું તમારા ઇશારે
તેને વશીકરણનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

આપણા દિલમાં ઉગી લીલીછમ લાગણી
તેને કૂંપળનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

નજરથી નજર મળતાં શરમાય નજર
તેને પ્રણયનું નામ આપું તો કેવું?

ઢોલીડા !!

ઢોલીડા ઢોલ ધીમો, ધીમો વગાડ મા
ધીમો વગાડ મા, નોરતાની રાતનો,
જો જે રંગ જાયના…………(2)
ધ્રુજે ના ધરતી તો રમઝટ કહેવાય ના,
નોરતાની રાતનો જો જે રંગ જાયના…….ઢોલીડા
બજ્યો છે રાસને મચાવે શોર,
થનગનતાં હૈયામાં નાચે છે મોર,
પૂનમની રાતના દર્શન ભૂલાયના,
ઢોલે રમતાં માડી રાત વીતી જાય ના…….ઢોલીડા
વાઘની સવારી ને હાથ હજારનાં,
મોગરાની માળાને ફૂલડાંનો હાર,
સોળે શણગાર ને દર્શન ભૂલાય ના…….ઢોલીડા
ગરબે રમે છે માડી નર ને નાર,
રૂદિયો ખોલીને કરું છું પોકાર,
ઘાયલ રૂદિયાને રોક્યું રોકાય ના……..ઢોલીડા
ગાવું ગવરાવવું એવી આશમાં,
દાસ દોડીને આવે છે પાસમાં,
દર્શન દઈને મા પાછા જવાય ના,
ઢોલે રમતાં માડી રાત વીતી જાય ના……ઢોલીડા

ગઝલ - ઘૃણા

તુ ચાલી ગઇ જીવનમાંથી તો ક્યુ આભ ફાટ્યુ? થાય છે અસર ઢેફાને પાણીથી કાળમીંઢ પીગળતા નથી. એટલી સલાહ આપી શકું બચીને રહેજે અમારાથી છીએ એક ગ્રહણ, લાગી જાય તો પછી ટળતા નથી. ભુલથી પણ સામે ન આવતી આવતા જન્મે, નનામી સાથે કદી નફરતના બીજ બળતા નથી. થોડી મુશ્કેલી પડે અને ખરી પડે એ નાજુક સિતારા અમે એ સુર્ય છીએ જે સંધ્યા સમયે પણ ઢળતા નથી. આજે ખબર પડી પ્રેમમાં પણ લાયકાત જરૂરી છે. સરિતા જ સક્ષમ હોય, સરોવર સાગરમાં ભળતા નથી. હવે જ મારો જિંદગી સાથે સાચો ઘરોબો થયો ગાંઠ બંધાઇ હતી કે ખોવાયેલા રત્નો મળતા નથી.

તારી યાદમાં

મીઠું-મધુરુ મલકાયો તારી યાદમાં
આંસુઓથી છલકાયો તારી યાદમાં
નહોતુ જવુ ફરી તારી દુનિયામાં
અજાણી શક્તિથી સરકાયો તારી યાદમાં
ત્રસ્ત થયો હતો સંસારના તાપથી
ભર ગ્રીષ્મમાં ભીંજાયો તારી યાદમાં
યાદ આવે પણ તુ ન આવે એટલે
ભર વસંતમાં સુકાયો તારી યાદમાં
કોની હિંમત હતી મને અડકી પણ શકે
મરણતોલ ઘવાયો તારી યાદમાં
દિવાનાઓના પ્રદેશનો થયો શહેનશાહ
બન્યો સૌથી સવાયો તારી યાદમાં

Armstrong prepares for NYC marathon

Right around the corner from Trump Tower, Lance Armstrong jogged across Madison Avenue during rush hour, dodging a police motorcade speeding to the

United Nations, a bicyclist delivering Chinese takeout and two women in heels scrambling for the bus.

A crowded, hectic setting in midtown Manhattan, much like what he'll see in 6 1/2 weeks when he runs his first New York City Marathon. He thinks he can finish within one hour of the winner, and has done 6 1/2-minute miles in training.

But for all 26.2 miles?

"It's been harder physically than I expected," the seven-time Tour de France winner said Wednesday. "Just the pounding. The aches and pains associated with running. My hips, joints. Running is an impact sport, certainly as opposed to cycling."

"The longest run I've done, I think is 13," he said. "I better do a longer one soon. Probably not a bad idea."

The Nov. 5 race will certainly help Armstrong raise awareness and money for his foundation and cancer research. It will come a month after an important date in his life: Oct. 2 will mark 10 years since he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Armstrong is ready for something that will last well past the marathon — questions about whether he ever used performance-enhancing drugs.

"I've sort of prepared myself to deal with it for a long time," he said.

And could he envision a time when people will stop asking?

"Probably not," he said.

Drug use has been a hot-button issue in all sports, especially cycling of late. Recent Tour de France winner Floyd Landis tested positive for elevated testosterone and suspended American cyclist Tyler Hamilton is facing a new doping investigation.

Last week, Frankie Andreu and another former Armstrong teammate who spoke on condition of anonymity told The New York Times they used an endurance-booster before the 1999 Tour de France, the first of Armstrong's seven victories. Neither rider tested positive and both said they never saw Armstrong take any illegal substance.

Armstrong, who's often said he's the most tested athlete in the world, has never tested positive for drugs. Before he retired from cycling, he was subject to tests at any time — his manager said testing officials once showed up at the home of Armstrong's then-girlfriend, Sheryl Crow.

"I get lumped in with all of the stuff that happened," Armstrong said. "I mean, if something happens with.

Marion Jones or Barry Bonds or Floyd Landis or Tyler Hamilton, I get lumped into that."

Bonds, closing in on Hank Aaron's career home run record, has repeatedly denied taking steroids. A federal grand jury is looking into whether Bonds lied to another grand jury that was investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.

"I have to say I understand what he's going through," Armstrong said. "I think there's probably more of an association just because of the BALCO stuff and the grand jury testimony.

"Barry is more — it seems from the outside — he's a tough character," he said. "He's not gone out of his way to try to fix the situation or make friends there."

Armstrong, instead, has vehemently refuted each allegation, either in the press or the courts.

"My impression is that people, or fans, or people potentially on the fence, they like it when you come out and fight. They like it when you say, 'No, no, no, you got it wrong, this is what is right' and you lay out the facts, again," he said.

"It's like our approach has been with these bozos that try to get sideways. We sue 'em," he said. "And we win every time."

Rang De Basanti is India's entry to the Oscars

Aamir Khan's LAGAAN directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar had reached the nominations for the best foreign film at the Oscars earlier. Now it seems again an Aamir Khan film but produced by UTV and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's RANG DE BASANTI has begun its journey towards the Oscars. Yes, RDB will be India's entry to Oscars next year

This year it was only a few films that were submitted to the Film Federation of India. Barring the Marathi BHOOK and Telugu AMMA CHEPINDI, the submission was dominated by mainstream Bollywood films.

Besides Rakeysh Mehra's RDB, the other contenders from Hindi films were Rakesh Roshan's KRRISH, Karan Johar's KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA, Naseeruddin Shah's YUN HOTA TO KYA HOTA, Rajkumar Hirani's LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI, Vishal Bhardwaj's OMKARA, and Madhur Bhandarkar's CORPORATE.

So, Aamir Khan heads to the Oscars yet again. We wish the entire team of RDB for the grand success.

B-R-O-W-N

A Texan went up to the airline check-in counter and boomed, "Howdy, ma'am. My name's Brown, spelled B-R-O-W-N. Ah'm from Dallas, Texas. Ah'm 6-foot 3-inches tall. Ah'm white from th' top of mah head to th' tip of mah toes, and I hate the Irish."

Well, she didn't know what else to do, so she took his ticket and showed him onto the plane.

He sat down in his seat, and turned to the fellow next to him, "Howdy, suh. My name's Brown, spelled B-R-O-W-N. Ah'm from Dallas, Texas. Ah'm 6-foot 3-inches tall. Ah'm white from th' top of mah head to th' tip of mah toes, and I hate the Irish."

The little fellow turned to him, "Well now, how d'ye do. My name is Patrick Michael O'Donnell. I'm from Dublin, Ireland. I'm 5-foot 6- inches tall, and I'm white from the top o' me head to the tip o' me toes, except for my rectum, which is brown. Spelled B-R-O-W-N."

Sinking Titanic

Titanic was about to sink. People on the ship were shouting, crying, running and praying to God - just then a passenger had the following conversation with the captain.

Passenger: How far is land, from here?

Captain: Two miles...

Passenger: Only two miles, then why these fools are making noise. I have the experience of swimming even more.

Captain: .....????

Passenger: Just tell me in which direction, land is two miles from here?

Captain: Downward...

Change of Mind

A man once spent days looking for his new hat. Finally, he decided that he'd go to church on Sunday and sit at the back. During the service he would sneak out and grab a hat from the rack at the front door.

On Sunday, he went to church and sat at the back. The sermon was about the 10 commandments. He sat through the whole sermon and instead of sneaking out he waited until the sermon was over and went to talk to the minister.

"Father, I came here today to steal a hat to replace the one I lost. But after hearing your sermon on the 10 Commandments, I changed my mind."

The minister said, "Bless you my son. Was it when I started to preach 'Thou shall not steal,' that changed your heart?"

The man responded, "No, it was the one on adultery. When you started to preach on that, I remembered where I left my hat."

Abhishek Bachchan is sexiest Asian male

Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan tops a list of 50 Sexiest Asian Men in a survey conducted by Eastern Eye, an Asian newspaper published in Britain.

Abhishek, who was on number three last year, was shocked to hear he had topped the ranking in Eastern Eye's Sexiest Asian Men of 2006.

"Oh God really? That's interesting. Shocking actually. Are people blind? But wow, I would like to thank everyone. I don't agree with them but it is sweet," said Abhishek in a press statement.

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra was voted Sexiest Asian Woman of 2006 in last week's edition of the Asian tabloid.

Actor John Abraham, who won the Eastern Eye's title last year, is at number two. British Asian boxer Amir Khan is at third place, making him the sexiest male of the community in 2006 - a stunning rise from 44th place last year that reflects his boxing achievements this year.

"I am regularly informed by our female readers and staff about how 'fit' Abhishek is. He should be overjoyed. At least he can now claim to have won an honour that his legendary father has not," said Hamant Verma, editor of Eastern Eye.

Amitabh Bachchan was ranked at number 16. Other British Asians in the list include singer Jay Sean and actor Naveen Andrews.

The list was compiled by the staff at Eastern Eye, Britain's most popular Asian newspaper, and published in its Sep 22 edition.

"Abhishek was on top because of his appeal to the thinking woman. Having successfully stepped out of his father's shadows as an actor in his own right, he will surely build on that with roles in 'Umrao Jaan', 'Dhoom 2' and 'Guru' this year," said reporter Gouri Sharma, who compiled the list with colleague Anjali Mehta.

"No doubt his famous stubble will become fashionable with young Asian men across the country," added Gouri.

The top 10 sexiest Asian men are:

Abhishek Bachchan
John Abraham
Amir Khan
Hrithik Roshan/ Dino Morea
Yatin Sonic
Upen Patel
Arjun Rampal
Saif Ali Khan
Jay Sean

Mush confesses to Kargil in book

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has for the first time said that Pakistan's army was involved in the Kargil conflict. Pakistan has till now maintained that it's army was not involved, even though India had insisted to the contrary.

General Musharraf claims the conflict occurred because of India's attempts to find a casus belli (an event or political occurrence that brings about a declaration of war) by reporting 'make-belief attacks' from the Pakistani side.

"The Indian forces have been creeping forward since and despite the Shimla Agreement and it was because of this that the Pakistan Army decided to reinforce Pakistan’s forward positions along the Line of Control," he says in his forthcoming autobiography In Line of Fire, which will be launched by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York on Monday, September 25.

"Pakistani maneuvers were conducted flawlessly with the Indians being completely oblivious of Pakistan’s new strength," he says, adding that "India’s response was a steady build-up throughout the month of May 1998."

"In international fora, India exploited the situation, which had a demoralising effect on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," the General states. According to The Hindu newspaper, copies of the book have been leaked and that the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi has got access to excerpts of the book on chapters dealing with Kashmir, including the Kargil standoff.

Gen Musharraf has also revealed that Pakistan's nuclear capabilities were not ready in 1999, at the time of the Kargil conflict. He describes Kargil as "a landmark in the history of the Pakistan Army" as just five units “in support of freedom fighters” compelled the Indians to employ more than four divisions.

He said the withdrawal 'as no negotiation at all', but a capitulation by Sharif to demands made by US President Bill Clinton.

In a startling revelation, Musharraf claims not only was then prime minister Nawaz Sharif aware of the Pakistan army's plans and they even had a dry run before the incursions. Sharif was, in fact, involved throughout the planning and execution of the plan, adding that it was because of his (Musharraf's) personal foresight that the 'Indian plan of an offensive was pre-empted'. “He (Sharif) knew them much before he hosted Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lahore,” Musharraf claims in the book.

"I would like to state emphatically that whatever movement has taken place so far in the direction of finding a solution to Kashmir is owed considerably to the Kargil conflict,” Gen Musharraf claims.

AGRA SUMMIT

On the Agra Summit, Gen Musharraf squarely blames Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s advisers for the failure of the talks.

"I met Prime Minister Vajpayee at 11 o’clock that night in an extremely sombre mood. I told him very bluntly that there seemed to be someone above the two of us who had the power to overrule us. I also said that both of us had been humiliated. He just sat there speechless ..." Gen Musharraf claims.

He, however, describes Vajpayee as “positive and genuine,” adding that the initial flexibility displayed by Vajpayee has diminished later. "I think the Indian establishment — the bureaucrats, diplomats and the intelligence agencies and perhaps even the military -— has had the better of him."

In another chapter, Gen Musharraf conceded that it has become difficult for Pakistan to sustain its position on Kashmir when the Mujahideen in 'Held Kashmir are found guilty of terrorist activities in other parts of India and around the world... My efforts towards rapprochement with India and the significant thaw in our relations have saved Pakistan to a large extent from the blame of abetting what the world calls terrorism and what we call freedom struggle in Indian-held Kashmir,” he states.


WAR ON TERROR

On lines of his claim of a US threat to bomb Pakistan after the 9/11 attacks, the military President says "had Pakistan not joined the US in the war on terrorism, it would have meant a bleak future for the country."

Pakistan took the decision to side with the US after it 'war-gamed the US as an adversary'. "Could Pakistan withstand a US onslaught? The answer was no, on three counts.

Firstly, it would have destroyed Pakistan militarily, thus wiping out the military parity it had achieved with India, the General argues.

Secondly, India would have exploited the standoff to gain 'a golden opportunity vis-à-vis Kashmir. "They might be tempted to undertake a limited offensive there; or more likely, they would work with the US and the UN to turn the present situation into a permanent status quo. The US would certainly have obliged... and India needless to say would have loved to assist the US to the hilt (in destroying Pakistan’s nuclear installations)."

Thirdly, Pakistan's unwillingness to cooperate with US would have destroyed Pakistan’s economic infrastructure.


US THREAT TO BOMB PAKISTAN

Dwelling on the post-9/11 scenario, Gen Musharraf says: "In what has to be the most undiplomatic statement ever made, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage added to what Colin Powell had said to me ("You are either with us or against us") and told the (ISI) Director-General that not only had we to decide whether we were with America or with the terrorists, but if we chose the terrorists, then we should be prepared to be bombed back to the Stone Age. It was a shockingly barefaced threat, but it was obvious that the US had made up its mind to hit back and to hit back hard," he recalls.

In his book, divided into six sections, Gen Musharraf also dwells on the December 2003 attack on him, on the former PMs of Pakistan, his childhood, his family’s move from Delhi to Karachi and the future General's antics as a naughty and irrepressible schoolboy. Through much of the book Gen Musharraf is strongly critical of former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. He believes that Sharif’s personality was thoroughly crushed by his autocratic father Abbaji.

Australia lift DLF Cup

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 24 (IANS) Australia proved their world supremacy once again as they slapped a stunning 127-run defeat on the West Indies to win the DLF Cup triangular series here Sunday.

Chasing a target of 241, West Indies got off to a very poor start and could not recover from it. They were eventually bowled out for 113 in 34.2 overs in the day-night encounter at the Kinrara Academy Oval.

Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Runako Morton and Ian Bradshaw were back in the pavilion without opening their account. Ramnaresh Sarwan (36), Dwayne Smith (30) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (12) were the only West Indies batsmen to reach the double figures with extras contributing 19.

Man of the Match Brett Lee wrecked the West Indies batting with his four for 24 and Nathan Bracken took three wickets for 16 in seven overs. Glenn McGrath was the most economical bowler as he gave only six runs in as many overs.

Lee, who was also adjudged Man of the Series, struck with the very first ball as he trapped Gayle leg before the wicket.

Left-arm fast bowler Bracken then struck to remove Chanderpaul and Runako Morton (0). At one point West Indies were struggling at 56 for the loss of six wickets.

But it was the 50-run seventh wicket partnership between Sarwan and Smith, which saved the West Indies from suffering the ignominy of being bundled out under 100 runs.

The partnership was broken by Australia captain Ricky Ponting whose brilliant direct throw from the mid-on found Sarwan short of crease by miles.

Skipper Brian Lara failed to rise to the occasion and was out for five runs. The left-hander edged Bracken's away-going delivery to wicketkeeper Haddin.

Opting to bat first, Australia scored 240 for six in 50 overs. Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds made identical 52 while Mike Hussey made an unbeaten 30 and Simon Katich scored 25.

The Australians didn't get off to a good start either as they lost two wickets for just 37 runs on board. Shane Watson (18) was the first to depart as he edged a Bradshaw delivery to Gayle in the first slip. Ponting (6) followed him as he was trapped leg before the wicket by Jerome Taylor.

With the score at 80 for the loss of three, it was then Symonds and Martyn who started the recovery work with their 73-runs partnership that eventually saw Australia put up a decent total.

Hussey's quick-fire 30 came in 24 balls and included two boundaries and a towering six. Michael Clarke also contributed with a brisk 23 off 24 deliveries.

For the West Indies, Bradshaw and Sarwan picked up two wickets each.

SCORECARD

Seventh match/Final, Australia vs West Indies (Day-Night), DLF Cup, Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur, Sep 24

Australia:

Shane Watson c Gayle b Bradshaw 18

Simon Katich c sub (Samuels) b Gayle 25

Ricky Ponting lbw Taylor 6

Damien Martyn c Morton b Bradshaw 52

Andrew Symonds c Morton b Sarwan 52

Matthew Clarke c Gayle b Sarwan 23

Mike Hussey not out 30

Brad Haddin not out 17

Extras (lb 7, w 9, nb 1) 17

Total (for 6 wickets in 50 overs) 240

Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Watson, 6.6 overs), 2-37 (Ponting, 13.2), 3-80 (Katich, 23.4), 4-153 (Martyn, 38.2), 5-173 (Symonds, 41.3), 6-200 (Clarke, 46.1)

Bowling:

Ian Bradshaw 10-2-30-2 (1w), Dwayne Smith 8-1-35-0 (1nb, 1w), Jerome Taylor 10-1-36-1, Dwayne Bravo 9-1-65-0 (3w), Chris Gayle 9-0-46-1 (3w), Ramnaresh Sarwan 4-0-21-2

West Indies

Chris Gayle lbw Lee 0

Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Katich b Bracken 12

Runako Morton lbw Bracken 0

Ramnaresh Sarwan run out (Ponting) 36

Brian Lara c Haddin b Bracken 5

Dwayne Bravo c Ponting b Watson 8

Wavell Hinds b Watson 0

Dwayne Smith c Ponting b Lee 30

Carlton Baugh c Haddin b Lee 3

Ian Bradshaw c Haddin b Lee 0

Jerome Taylor not out 0

Extras (b 2, lb 7, w 3, nb 7) 19

Total (all out in 34.2 overs) 113

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Gayle, 0.1 overs), 2-16 (Chanderpaul, 7.2), 3-20 (Morton, 9.6), 4-32 (Lara, 15.3), 5-55 (Bravo, 22.1), 6-56 (Hinds, 22.5), 7-106 (Sarwan, 30.3), 8-112 (Smith, 32.1), 9-112 (Bradshaw, 32.4), 10-113 (Baugh, 34.2)

Bowling

Brett Lee 8.2-1-24-4 (3nb)

Glenn McGrath 6-2-6-0 (1nb, 1w)

Nathan Bracken 7-0-16-3 (1w)

Shane Watson 6-0-30-2 (3nb, 1w)

Andrew Symonds 3-0-15-0

Michael Clarke 4-0-13-0

Result: Australia won by 127 runs

Man of the Match: Brett Lee

Man of the series: Brett Lee

Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and Mark Benson (England)

TV umpire: Anthony Hill (New Zealand)

Match referee: B.C. Broad (England)

Movie Review : Dor

Nagesh Kukunoor's latest movie 'Dor' is a compelling watch. It is a moving tale of two women : one who undertakes a long journey to save her love, and another who dares to break the shackles of tradition and choose life as her heart wants it.

Like Kukunoor's previous movie 'Iqbal', 'Dor' too is a film on the empowerment of the weak and the oppressed. It is a beautiful tale of love, loss, friendship, and courage to live anew. The film is raw and realistic in essence. And this is the reason why its story is so believable and deeply touching.

Those who have the appetite for big-budgeted, opulent, star-studded, melodramatic Bollywood movies may not be enthused at the prospect of watching a relatively small-budget, realistic film with Ayesha Takia, Gul Panag and Shreyas Talpade in the lead roles. But mark my words dear friend, the acting performances and the direction in 'Dor' can put many self-proclaimed big shots of Bollywood to shame.

'Dor' is the story of two women, Zeenat (Gul Panag) and Meera (Ayesha Takia), both living in different parts of India. Their fate is invariably strung together by one incident that changes both their lives forever.

In the hills of Himachal Pradesh, Zeenat marries her lover Aamir just a day before he leaves for Saudi Arabia. In a Rajasthan village, the happily married Meera spends the few cherished moments with her husband Shankar before he too leaves for Saudi Arabia.

Zeenat is an independent woman who has struggled at every step in her life. She takes the financial responsibility of her in-laws after her husband's departure. Meera, on the other hand, is domesticated into the strict traditions of a Rajput household.

The worlds of the two women collapse when Shankar is killed in Saudi Arabia, and Aamir, his roommate, is accused of the murder. Aamir is slated to get a death penalty.

According to the Saudi law, there is only one condition in which Aamir's life can be spared : if Shankar's widow Meera forgives him.

To save her husband's life, Zeenat undertakes an impossible journey to Rajasthan to find Meera. On her way, she meets a Behroopiya (Shreyas Talpade) who adopts different guises to con people. Behroopiya first dupes Zeenat also, but later helps her find Meera.

As the two women come together, they become friends. They also learn from each other. The tamed and widowed Meera learns to live her life anew, while the hardened Zeenat learns mellowness.

What happens when Zeenat reveals the truth to Meera? Does she agree to forgive the killer of her husband? Will Meera resign to her fate and live a stifled life in her in-laws' house?

The conclusion Nagesh Kukunoor gives to the story could not have been better. The movie's climax takes the story's emotive appeal to a crescendo and leaves a viewer overwhelmed.

Ayesha Takia has given the best performance of her acting career so far in 'Dor'. In the first half, she is the meek, submissive housewife with dreamy eyes and many a muffled desires. In the second half, she becomes a woman who learns to defy the cruel tradition, who learns to listen to her heart and live the way she wants to. And Ayesha carries all these myriad emotions with the skill of a polished actress.

Gul Panag stands in equal stead, even though her character is shown mentally and emotionally strong and offers less challenge in the terms of histrionics.

Shreyas Talpade is a complete delight to watch. His comic imitations of the actors from Hindi film industry and the quicksilver changes in his appearances provide a welcome humorous relief in an otherwise serious movie.

To sum it up, 'Dor' is a film that definitely ought to be seen once. The movie's theme is most relevant and the way it has been brought forth, without any melodrama and overblown emotions, is what makes the movie truly compelling. The dialogues are earthy and partly rooted in the local parlance. The background score ('Padharo Maare Des') is just too good. The direction and acting performances are almost flawless.

A Must Watch.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Does your name begin with: A

U are not particularly romantic, but you are interested in action.You mean business. With you, what you see is what you get.You have no patience for flirting and can't be bothered with someone who is trying to be coy, cute, demure, and subtly enticing. You are an up-front person. You often don't get hints & you ever pass any. Brains turn you on. You must feel that your partner is! intellectually stimulating, otherwise you will find it difficult to sustain the relationship. You require loving, cuddling, wining, and dining to know that you're being appreciated. Your mate's physical attractiveness is important for you. You tend to be very Practical, & not very emotional Your choices are very good & can only lead to trouble. You are very self satisfied & egoistic.

Does your name begin with: B

You give off vibes of lazy sensuality. You enjoy being romanced, wined, and dined. You are very happy to receive gifts as an __________expression of the affection of your lover. You want to be pampered and know how to pamper your mate. You are private in your __________expression of endearments, and particular when it comes to love. You will hold off until everything meets with your approval. You can control your appetite & feelings. You require new sensations and experiences. You are willing to experiment.

Does your name begin with: C

You are a very social individual, and it is important to you to have a relationship. You require closeness and togetherness . You want the object of your affection to be socially acceptable and good-looking. You see your lover as a friend and companion. You are very sensual, Needing someone to appreciate and almost worship you. When this cannot be achieved, you have the ability to hold out on affection until you receive this.. You are an expert at controlling your desires and doing without.

Does your name begin with: D

Once you get it into your head that you want someone, you move full Steam ahead in your suit. You do not give up your quest easily. You are nurturing and caring. If someone has a problem, this turns you on . You are highly passionate, loyal, and intense in your involvement's, sometimes possessive and jealous. You are very sharp & talented often with sense of humour. When people bother to look deep inside they cannot resist what they see. You are stimulated by the eccentric and unusual, having a free and open attitude. You get jealous of other people and lose your temper .

Does your name begin with: E

Your greatest need is to talk . If your date is not a good listener, you have trouble relating. A person must be intellectually stimulating or you are not interested sexually. You need a friend for a lover and a companion You hate disharmony and disruption, but you do enjoy a good argument once in a while-it seems to stir things up. You flirt a lot, for the challenge is more important. But once you give your heart away, you are uncompromisingly loyal. You will fall asleep with a good book. sometimes, in fact, you prefer a good book to a lover)

Does your name begin with: F

You are idealistic and romantic, putting your lover on a pedestal. You look for the very best mate you can find . You are a flirt, yet once committed, you are very loyal. You are sensuous and privately passionate. Publicly, you can be showy, extravagant, and gallant. You are a born romantic. Dramatic love scenes are a favourite fantasy past time. You can be a very generous lover.

Does your name begin with: G

You are fastidious, seeking perfection within yourself and your lover. You respond to a lover who is yourintellectual equal or superior, and one who can enhance your status. You are sensuous and know how to reach the peak of stimulation, because you work at it meticulously. You can be extremely active-never tiring out. Your duties and responsibilities take precedence over everything else. You may have difficulty getting emotionally close to people.

Does your name begin with: H

You seek a mate who can enhance your zest for life ,fun & everything You seek for. You will be very generous to your lover once you have Attained a commitment. You are very affectionate & very strong. Your gifts are actually an investment in your partner. Before the commitment, though, you tend to be very careful with your every move and equally cautious in your involvement's often as you believe that you have to look out for yourself. You are a sensual and patient lover. You will hold off till everything meets your full approval. Yo! u are a perfectionist , hard to satisfy and strong in your beliefs. Not influential, you always stand your ground. People can always count on you to stand by them in a crisis. You are a dreamer with/ a passion for life.

Does your name begin with: I

You have a great need to be loved, appreciated... even worshiped . You enjoy luxury, sensuality, and pleasures of the flesh. You like necking spend hours just touching feeling & exploring. You look for lovers who know what they are doing. You are not interested in an amateur, unless that amateur wants a tutor. You are fussy and exacting about having your desires satisfied. You are willing to experiment and try new modes of __________expression . You bore easily and thus require adventure and change. Your commitments don't last very long & you often tend to stray. Loyalty is not one of! your strong points. You are more sensual than sexual, but you are sometimes downright lustful.

Does your name begin with: J

You are blessed with a great deal of physical energy. When used for a good cause there is nothing to stop you, except maybe that they aren't always used for the good. (you could dance all night.) You respond to the thrill of the chase and the challenge of the mating game.You can carry on great romances in your head. At heart you are a roamer and need to set out on your own every so often. You will carry on long- distance relationships with ease. You are idealistic and need to believe in love. You have a need to be nurtured deep within.

Does your name begin with: K

You are secretive , self-contained, and shy. You are very sexy, sensual, and passionate, but you do not let on to this. Only in intimate privacy will this part of your nature reveal itself. When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, you are an expert. You know all the little tricks of the trade, can play any role or any game , and take your love life very seriously. You don't fool around. You have the patience to wait for the right person to come along. You are very generous & giving, often selfless. You are kind-natured & sweet, which is found to be attractive by many. You are a good friend.

Does your name begin with: L

You can be very romantic, attached to the glamour of love. Having a partner is of paramount importance to you. You are free in your __________expression of love and are willing to take chances, try new sexual experiences and partners, provided it's all in good taste. Brains turn you on . You must feel that your partner is intellectually stimulating, otherwise you will find it difficult to sustain the relationship. You require loving, cuddling, wining, and dining to know that you're being appreciated. "You require loving, cuddling, wining, and dining to know that you're being appreciated ".

Does your name begin with: M

You may appear innocent, unassuming and shy; but we know that Appearances can lie. When it comes to sex, you are no novice but something of a skilled technician. You can easily go to extremes, though, running the gamut from insatiability to boredom with the whole idea of love. You can be highly critical of you mate, seeking perfection in both of you. It is not easy to find someone who can meet your standards. You have difficulty expressing emotions and drawing close to lovers. You are often selfish, thinking you are always right no matter what. You never give in. Winning is your prime desire- at any cost. You often forget friends and family and you live for the moment.

Does your name begin with: N

You are emotional and intense . When involved in a relationship, you Throw your entire being into it. Nothing stops you; there are no holds barred. You are all-consuming and crave someone who is equally passionate and intense. You believe in total freedom . You are willing to try anything and everything. Your supply of energy is inexhaustible. You want to be pampered and know how to pamper your mate. You also enjoy mothering your mate. You often have the greatest love affairs all by yourself, in your head. You are very imaginative.

Does your name begin with: O

You are very interested in fun activities yet secretive and shy about your desires. You can re-channel much of your energy into making money and/or seeking we. You can easily have extended periods of celibacy. You are a passionate, compassionate lover, requiring the same qualities From your mate. Love is serious business; thus you demand intensity, diversity and is willing to try anything or anyone. Sometimes your passions turn to possessiveness , which must be kept in check.

Does your name begin with: P

You are very conscious of social proprieties. You wouldn't think of Doing anything that might harm your image or Reputation. Appearances count . Therefore, you require a good-looking partner. You also require an intelligent partner. Oddly enough, you may view your partner as your enemy...a good fight stimulates those vibes . You are relatively free of hang- ups.You are willing to experiment and try new ways of doing things.You are very social and sensual; you enjoy flirting and need a good deal of physical gratification.

Does your name begin with: Q

You require constant activity and stimulation. You have tremendous physical energy . It is not easy for a partner to keep up with you. You are an enthusiastic lover and tend to be attracted to people because of their ethnic groups. You need romance, hearts and flowers, and conversation to turn you on and keep you going.

Does your name begin with: R

You are a no-nonsense, action-oriented individual . You need someone who can keep pace with you and who is your intellectual equal-the smarter the better. You are turned on more quickly by a great mind than by a great body. However, physical attractiveness is not very important to you. You have to be proved to be worthy for a partner. You have a need to prove yourself the best . You want feedback on your performance. You are open, stimulating & romantic.

Does your name begin with: S

For you, it is pleasure before business. You can be romantically idealistic to a fault and is capable of much sensuality. But you never loose control of your emotions. Once you make the commitment you stick like glue . You could get jealous and possessive. You like being the centre of attention. You are very caring sensitive, private & sometimes very passive. Turned on by soft lights, romantic thoughts. When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, you are an expert . You know all the little tricks of the trade, can play any role, or any game, and take your love life very seriously. You don't fool around. You have the patience to wait for the rightperson to come along. You are very generous &am! p; giving, often selfless. You are kind nature & sweet which is found to be attractive by many. You are a good friend.

Does your name begin with: T

You are very sensitive, private & sometimes very passive. You like someone who takes the lead. You get turned on by music , soft lights & romantic thoughts. You fantasize & tend to fall in & out of love soon. When in love you are romantic, idealistic, mushy & extremely. You enjoy having your senses & your feelings stimulated, titillated & teased. You are a great flirt . You can make your relationships fit your dreams, all in your own head. Once you put your mind to something you manage to stand by it and see your dreams through. You aren't very good at expressing your feelings. You like things your own way. You do not like change, you like to hold on to things. This may not always be good because if given an opportunity things may develop into great thing! s. You work your way to the top. Attention must be given to what others say because even though you don't want to hear it their advice may turn out to save your life. !

Does your name begin with: U

You are enthusiastic & at your happiest when in love . When not in love you're in love with love and always looking for someone to adore. You see romance as challenge. You are a roamer & needs adventure, excitement freedom. You enjoy giving gifts & looking good. You are willing to put others feelings above yours.

Does your name begin with: V

You are individualistic & you need freedom, space & excitement. You wait till you know someone well before committing yourself. Knowing someone means psyching her/him out. You feel a need to get into his/her head to see what makes him tick. You are attracted to eccentric types. You believe that age is no barrier. You are good at responding to danger, fear & suspense.

Does your name begin with: W

You are very proud , determined & refuses to take no for an answer when it come to love. Your ego is at stake all the time. You are romantic, idealistic, often in love with love itself, not seeing your partner for who she or he really is. You feel deeply about love & tends to throw all of your self into a relationship. Nothing is too good for your lover. You like playing love games.

Does your name begin with: X

You need constant stimulation because you get bored quickly . You can handle more than 1 relationship at a time with ease. You can't shut off your mind. You can do 2 things at once. You are very talented.

Does your name begin with: Y

You are sensual & very independent. If you can't have it your way, you will forget the whole thing . You want to control your relationships which doesn't work out too well. You respond to physical stimulation. However if you can make money you will give up the pleasures of the flesh for the moment. You have a need to prove yourself the best. You want feedback on your performance. You are open, stimulating & romantic.

Does your name begin with: Z

You are very romantic but show feels that to love means to suffer.

A LOVE Story!!!

FRIENDS, AS FAR AS MY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE REACHES * IT'S EMOTION WHICH IS THE GREATEST WEALTH A HUMAN BEING POSSESS * LOVE, LAMENTATION ETC GIVES US SOME MOMENTOUS INCIDENCE IN LIFE * HERE THERE IS A STORY WHICH TOUCH THE PEOPLE HAVING A HEART WITH A TRACE OF EMOTION * AND AS U R MY FRIENDS SO I'M SURE ALL OF U WILL BE HAPPY WITH THIS STORY * SO ENJOY.......

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised.

They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home..suddenly he asked the waiter: "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously: why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea , just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.

That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home.. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.

They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".

Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?
It's sweet. She replied.

Love is not 2 forget.

but 2 forgive
not 2 c but understand
not 2 hear but 2 listen
not 2 let go but HOLD ON !!!!