Microsoft, Google swap April Fools' barbs

Rankling each other is nothing new, but the two tech rivals clearly saved some special jabs for today.

 

Microsoft and Google have both gotten in some April Fools' Day zingers against each other.
The two competitors often trade insults about each other's respective search engines, online office suites, and other products. But April Fools' Day inspired them to create a couple of full-blown Web pages to make fun of each other.
Microsoft laid its prank at its Bing search engine.
Surf to Bing and type Google in the search field. A Bing page pops up spoofing Google's pure white and stark home page. Hovering over the small boxes that populate the Bing page displays tips that take a few more swipes at Google.
One tip asks if you're having trouble seeing this picture of an arctic fox eating marshmallows in a snowstorm. A second one says that when there's nothing else to look at, you may take drastic measures. Clicking on that tip brings up a Bing video results page of watching paint dry. And a third tip says that if blank space is your thing, you could go low tech. That tip displays a Bing images results page of plain white paper.
Even the familiar "I'm feeling lucky" button has been replaced by an "I'm feeling confused" button that takes you to a Bing blog touting the benefits of Microsoft's search engine.
And what fun Google is having at Microsoft's expense? The search giant has concocted a page about a product called Gmail Blue, a dig at Microsoft's upcoming Windows Blue update and Windows 8 in general.

 

A spoof video for Gmail Blue features a straight-faced "Gmail Blue project manager" who says that "in trying to bring e-mail into the 21st century, we are faced with a challenge: how we do completely redesign and recreate something while keeping it exactly the same? The answer is Gmail Blue."
Touting the new e-mail program's reliance on blue fonts, blue colors, and blue buttons, the project manager says that "it's Gmail, only bluer." The Gmail team claim that inspiration for Blue came from nature but is "better than what nature created."
Given the testy relationship between Microsoft and Google, their April Fools' pranks could have easily been more vicious. But in keeping with the spirit of the day, I think the companies poked a few holes in each other without doing any permanent damage.

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Today`s quotes

“The reason I talk to myself is because I’m the only one whose answers I accept.”

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Lack of entry-level talent worries IT companies like Infosys and Wipro

According to a research, only students from tier 1 engineering colleges, are fit to work in software products firms like Microsoft and Google.

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MUMBAI: Indian companies are increasingly complaining about the lack of quality talent at the entry level and more so in the IT/ITeS services space which recruits fresh graduates in huge numbers.

According to a research conducted by a consulting firm, the findings of which were exclusively shared with TOI, only students from tier 1 engineering colleges, like the IITs and NITs, which constitute 4.5% of the overall engineering graduates, are fit to work in software products firms like Microsoft and Google given the kind of skills these companies need.

On the other hand, 45% of students from tier 1, 2 and 3 colleges are employable by IT/ITeS services companies like Infosys and WiproBSE 0.31 %, reflecting the hiring challenges these technology firms grapple with in a fastchanging industry.

Overall in 2012, nearly 51 lakh students graduated in India, out of which 45.7% were from the arts stream, said Knowledgefaber, a Bangalore-based research & consulting firm.

Engineering and technology graduates made up 3.56 lakh of the overall talent pool at the graduate level. However, Knowlegefaber's research found that there are huge regional imbalances in the availability of engineering graduates. Four states ( Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra) together have more than 70% of these graduates. To add to this concern is the question raised on the quality of engineering schools in India and the quality of graduates coming out of these colleges, said the research.

"Customer needs are changing and technology developments are placing greater demand on the industry. Outstanding interface skills, deeper domain knowledge and awareness of the business context has become a 'must have' for today's professionals. Not all colleges that churn out students have been able to build these skills into their curriculum, thereby necessitating companies to bridge the skill gaps and bring about standardization of capability, among students hired from different parts of the country," said Hari T, chief people officer at IT services firm Mahindra SatyamBSE 1.39 %.

This is the reason why companies will have to hunt for talent beyond the IITs and NITs. "Across industries, companies are looking to hire from tier 1 engineering colleges but the competition is very high and it represents less than 5% of the overall talent pool. We feel it is best recommended to look at talent in tier 2 and 3 cities," said Amit Goel, CEO, Knowledgefaber.

Computer science and IT accounts for nearly 32.5% of the fresh engineering talent in India while electronics and mechanical stream comes in second and third with 21.8% and 17.7% of students opting for these streams, respectively.

Sangeeta Lala, senior VP & co-founder at TeamLease Services, said, "IT graduate freshers are not usually skilled with new technologies like cloud computing, making them a less preferred option for companies. These companies would then look to internal scaling or experienced candidates who are readily deployable with the knowledge of new technologies."

Many IT firms have set up huge training facilities to help these graduates scale up, which experts say is the way forward. Also, they have facilitated tailor-made courses to bring about the right talent on board.

"Through new hybrid models, corporates are sponsoring academic institutionspecific courses, selecting the students as per their needs, providing the content and course material related to their industries and business, which is actually increasing the possibilities of employment for students," said Sunil Goel, MD, GlobalHunt India, a recruitment firm.

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Smoking right after waking up raises cancer risk

WASHINGTON: Smoking a cigarette immediately after waking up in the morning may increase the risk of developing lung or oral cancer, a new study has warned.

"We found that smokers who consume cigarettes immediately after waking have higher levels of NNAL — a metabolite of the tobaccospecific carcinogen NNK — in their blood than smokers who refrain from smoking a half hour or more after waking , regardless of how many cigarettes they smoke per day," said Steven Branstetter, assistant professor of biobehavioural health in Pennsylvania State University.

According to Branstetter, other research has shown that NNK induces lung tumours in several rodent species . Levels of NNAL in the blood can therefore predict lung cancer risk in rodents as well as in humans. In addition , NNAL levels are stable in smokers over time, and a single measurement can accurately reflect an individual's exposure.

Branstetter and his colleague Joshua Muscat, professor of public health sciences , examined data on 1,945 smoking adult participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who had provided urine samples for analysis of NNAL. These participants also had provided information about their smoking behaviour, including how soon they typically smoked after waking.

The researchers found that around 32% of the participants they examined smoked their first cigarette of the day within 5 minutes of waking; 31% smoked within 6 to 30 minutes of waking; 18% smoked within 31 to 60 minutes of waking; and 19% smoked more than one hour after waking.

In addition, the researchers found that the NNAL level in the participants' blood was correlated with the participants' age, the age they started smoking and their gender. "Most importantly, we found that NNAL level was highest among people who smoked the soonest upon waking, regardless of the frequency of smoking and other factors that predict NNAL concentrations," Branstetter said.

"People who smoke sooner after waking inhale more deeply and more thoroughly, which could explain the higher levels of NNAL in their blood."

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5 Teas that make you slim!

Five teas that make you slim!

The brew that energises can also help you lose weight. Here's how...

It's widely known that just one cup of tea can prevent strokes, arthritis, tooth decay and even keep cancer at bay. While it's regarded as nature's tranquiliser for its soothing properties, the brew also has another great benefit - it helps shed weight. Scientists have shown that tea has high levels of compounds that battle the absorption of fat.

Here are 5 teas that can result in a slimmer you...

Star anise tea: promotes digestion
Star anise, the fruit of a small evergreen tree (Illicium verum) native to China, can be used in the treatment of digestive troubles such an upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea etc. One may drink a tea made from it by steeping a whole pod in one cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Strain this and sweeten it if required. Sip on this slowly when an upset stomach occurs.

Peppermint tea: controls what you eat
If you like peppermint tea then try and rotate that with a green tea drink as both speed up digestion and thus help you burn more calories. The peppermint leaves can be used to make a light, refreshing tea, which can be drunk either hot or chilled. To prepare the tea, take a tablespoon of fresh or dried leaves and add them to boiling water and let it steep for four to five minutes. Strain and add honey, if needed.

Green tea: builds metabolism
Research says the chemical EGCG found in green tea that speeds up the body's metabolism, is responsible for helping people lose the kilos - it can burn a whopping 70 calories a day! Green tea also raises the level of antioxidants. It's believed the antioxidant catechins in green tea boost metabolism and helps burn fat (can burn a whopping 70 calories a day!) Steeping time for the tea: two to three minutes at 85 Degrees Celsius.

Rose tea: prevents constipation
One of the oldest flavouring teas available, rose tea - made by mixing fresh roses and the bud of the tea - has a major therapeutic effect on the human body. Apart from clearing toxins and beautifying the skin, rose tea contains vitamins A, B3, C, D and E and is known to act against infections. It also prevents constipation and helps one lose weight.

Oolong tea: guards against obesity
Research reveals that oolong, a semi-fermented tea may have a stronger effect than even green tea. It promotes fat burning is said to help reduce cholesterol and the concentration of fat in the body. About two cups per day is recommended. Steep oolong tea anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes, for a more full-bodied cup.

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83 Chinese miners feared killed

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BEIJING: With rescuers finding 11 bodies more than two days after a goldmine subsided in Tibet, hopes of saving the remaining 72 miners receded with unnamed officials saying on Sunday they were feared dead. Hampering operations was the break-down of the excavator and severe damage to the narrow roads leading to the mine following the landslide.

The workers are buried 30 meters deep into the mine. Many rescuers were found digging into the debris with bare hands, state media said, adding that two of the buried workers are Tibetans, and that two are women. The administration said all the workers in the gold mine in Maizhokunggar County, 68 km from the regional capital of Lhasa, have been identified. The landslide covers an area of three sq km at the Jiama Copper Gold Polymetallic Mine.

The situation worsened at one pm on Saturday as snow began falling. The site is at a height of more than 4,600 metres, which is known to have caused altitude sickness to some of the rescuers working at minus three degree Celsius. Low temperature was also affecting the smell sense of sniffer dogs deployed for rescue work.

An army officer helping the rescue efforts said there were dangers of more landslides because the mountain surface had cracked. Until noon, more than 300,000 cubic meters of debris had been removed, he said.

In recent years, the Chinese government has been developing industries in Tibet which has large copper, chromium and bauxite reserves apart form other precious minerals and metals. But even as Tibet gets mined, the region remains one of China's poorest.

Wangchuktseten, a Tibetan scholar, was quoted by agencies as saying, "The Tibetan plateau is considered the lungs of Asia. Those short-sighted mining activities chase after quick benefits but ignore the environment for future generations."

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang ordered authorities to "spare no efforts" in their rescue work, the state-owned media reported.

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Don't want to burden Yuvraj Singh with captaincy: Allan Donald

I just felt I want Yuvi to win games first. I don't want to him to be burdened with the captaincy issue," said Allan Donald.

The Pune Warriors India's newly-appointed coach, Allan Donald talks about his team and the season ahead. He also looks forward to India's forthcoming tour of SA and, of course, his wish is to see Sachin Tendulkar in action, one last time. Excerpts from the interview:

How are you prepared for the new responsibility?

It is a new role and in a way it is quite intimidating. There is no running away from it, because this is something that I haven't done before. I actually started in 2005 and then there were some specific bowling coach's role I played, but I always said that someday I wanted to do team coaching. The responsibility doesn't come any bigger than being in-charge of an IPL team. When I got the call three months ago, I was like 'wow, this responsibility is fairly big'.

Did you get enough time on hand to get your team ready?

In IPL, the turnaround is so quick and some of the overseas guys are still arriving. One thing you do know is that they haven't stopped playing cricket, these guys have just finished either with their international or domestic duty. No one is really under-cooked. The good thing about this team is the depth we have. It is going to be a serious selection headache for us. Finding the right four overseas players and mixing them with the best Indian players is going to be tough.

How big is the impact of Michael Clarke's unavailability?

It is really big. I spoke to him the other day and he was upset about it. He was hoping to go home just to have an injection and to come back, but with the Ashes series coming up, it would have been the silliest thing in the world had Cricket Australia released him. With the Australian cricket being under so much pressure, he is their best player and they did the right thing by not letting him go.

IPL is all about setting trends. The most successful has been opening the bowling with spinners. Your take.

I think there are all sorts of strategies that go in IPL. I have seen them so many times not just in IPL, but all across the world in the T20s. I think the reason they open with spinners is to strategise their powerplays and limit the damage quickly. It is seen more in Indian conditions than in other parts of the world. Here, you have to respect the powerplays very much, especially when the ball is turning. And that is the reason Chennai Super Kings are so successful, as they don't take unnecessary risks in the powerplays.

Three skippers in two seasons say a lot about the inconsistency Pune has faced in the past.

I once asked myself, should Yuvraj be the man. But I just felt I want Yuvi to win games first. I don't want to him to be burdened with the captaincy issue. He can win matches on his own, it is for him to relax and enjoy his cricket. Angelo is the right man right now and he is available for the whole season. And if everything goes well, when we train for the next three years, following this, we could then appoint someone and say, 'now you captain for the next two years' and we can grow on our consistency.

Tamim Iqbal didn't play a single match last year. Will it be different for him this year?

He was a young player last year, always learning, always asking questions. Tamim is a quality cricketer and so are the nine other overseas players.

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Watch out for these rising stars in IPL 6

Having captained India Under-19 to the World Cup triumph by scoring an unbeaten hundred in the final in Australia, Chand became a national hero.

Glenn Maxwell, Mumbai Indians | He is the million-dollar man of the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League. Mumbai Indians paid through their noses to get this Victorian to don the blue jersey. Maxwell made his mark in Australia's domestic circuit with a 19-ball half century against Tasmania two seasons ago. That whirlwind knock remains the fastest half-century effort in Australia's domestic history. Sure he can bat and is a flexible option for a skipper. He has the ability to adapt and bat at any position and under trying situations. If flexibility is Maxwell's USP, his off-spinners need to be more potent. A brilliant fielder, he can be an intoxicating package if he shows better shot selection.

Sachithra Senanayake, KKR | More than his tall frame, Senanayake is known for his doosra. People who have watched him operate insist he is the best exponent of this lethal delivery. While he made his first-class debut as far back as 2006, Senanayake hasn't yet broken into the national team. T20, though, is very much his domain and Senanayake has been the top wicket-taker in the last two editions of Sri Lanka's premier domestic T20 tournament. Besides being a tricky off-spinner, Senanayake has also under his kitty four domestic half centuries. That he is also an athletic fielder is a bonus. No wonder King Khan and his partners shelled out $625,000 on this Sri Lankan. Watching Senanayake operate in tandem with West Indian offie Sunil Narine will be a treat.

Kane Richardson, Pune Warriors | Another shocking buy, purely in terms of the money involved. Pune Warriors paid this South Australian a mind-boggling $700,000. Surely, his performances in the Big Bash League didn't go unnoticed. He picked up 10 wickets for Adelaide Strikers. A tall medium pacer, Richardson uses his height to great advantage. He is a bowler who relies more on line and length and is a clever mover of the ball. He can get the ball to bounce from a disconcerting length. The one area that he needs to work on is his follow through. He repeatedly trudges on the danger area and was even barred from bowling in an ODI against Sri Lanka last month. He has the great Alan Donald to sort that problem out for him though.

Chris Morris, Chennai Super Kings | When the Highveld Lions defeated three Indian Premier League teams en route to the final of the Champions League in South Africa last year, Chris Morris played a critical role. He was the highest wicket-taker for the Lions. The Chennai Super Kings must have noticed him there and promptly decided to have him on board. Morris brings with him a lot on the table. He is not only a pacer who regularly clocks around 140kmph mark, he is also more than handy with the bat and can make mincemeat of attacks in a span of a few overs. These attributes should see him playing regularly for CSK this season.

Unmukt Chand, Delhi Daredevils | For a 20-year-old, this lad from Delhi has already achieved a lot. Having captained India Under-19 to the World Cup triumph by scoring an unbeaten hundred in the final in Australia, Chand became a national hero. But he didn't stop there. He kept on scoring runs in the domestic circuit for Delhi. Chand has already scored two centuries in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament and looks in great shape. There are several young Indians who will ply their trade in the IPL this season, but Chand is the most sorted and certainly the best Indian on display. Delhi will have to use him tactfully to break their last-four jinx.

Harmeet Singh, Rajasthan Royals | A lot is expected from this 20-year-old left-arm-spinner from Mumbai. After all, he has been compared to the great Bishan Singh Bedi by some of the biggest names in Indian cricket. Aussie great Ian Chappell, in fact, had once said that he should be drafted into the Indian team immediately. But Harmeet has not let these comparisons deter him. He is focused on his trade and is slowly charting his way towards the ultimate dream: playing for the country. He was one among the youngsters picked up by the Royals for this year's IPL. Harmeet is a classical slow left arm spinner, who doesn't just possess a big heart, but is also technically sound. He has got an ideal leader in captain Rahul Dravid and a motivating senior in Australian allrounder Shane Watson. If he sticks to the basics, he will be a treat to watch and a threat to negotiate.

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Google declares end of YouTube in April Fool's prank

In an elaborate ruse, the world's most popular video site announces it's been nothing but a contest site this whole time and says it's going dark for the next decade.

Is the world's biggest video site about to go offline for a decade?

The best April Fool's pranks are absurd but also have a kernel of believability at their core just big enough to reel people in.
While the notion that YouTube has been a 8-year-long contest and Google is finally choosing a winner and shutting the site down tonight is pretty hard to swallow on its face, Google did shock many people by announcing the shutdown of Google Reader recently. Perhaps Larry and Sergey are beginning to go all Howard Hughes on us?
That's how the below video just put out by YouTube operates. The basic premise is that YouTube has been nothing but a contest to find the best video, and the 8-year-long submission period is finally closing tonight.
As YouTube's "competition director" Tim Liston -- a person who appears to be as fictional as his title -- tells us, YouTube will go dark for a decade to give thousands of judges 10 years to go through all the uploaded videos and declare one winner, which will be the only video on the site when YouTube relaunches in 2023.
What's even more hilarious in the video than the basic gag behind it is some great cameos by YouTube celebrities like Matt Harding, iJustine, the (now much older) kids from "Charlie Bit My Finger" and that "Evolution of Dance" guy.
"I encourage everybody to watch as many videos as possible before YouTube deletes everything tonight," Antoine Dodson warns.
Check the whole thing below, and hope along with me that this isn't the only April Fool's gag Google is pulling. Announcing the resurrection of Google Reader could be part of the joke, right? Right?

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Today`s quotes

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

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20 foods for healthy hair and scalp

20 best foods for healthy hair and scalp

Just as food filled with loads of oil and calories can cause acne flares and jeopardise your waistline, unhealthy food can also cause damage to your healthy hair and scalp.

Every individual craves for healthy and better looking hair, luscious locks, that won't diminish with age. Hence, be careful of what you eat, as the nutrients you consume are essential to fortify follicles, each strand of your hair and your scalp. Today, Priya Kathpal - Nutritionist, shares a list of super foods, to bring in bounce and luster back to your hair. If you want to get rid of dull, dry, or greasy hair, then pile up your plate with these foods and see the difference. Presenting 20 best foods for healthy hair and scalp.

Healthy hair food # 1: Salmon

The key ingredients for a healthy hair and scalp are protein and vitamin D. Salmon is a great source of protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. This omega-3 fatty acid is very much essential to keep your scalp and hair shaft very well hydrated. As healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp, get in more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.

Healthy hair food # 2: Beef

Dr. Sandeep Suttar - Hair Restoration and Skin Rejuvenation surgeon at HairRevive, Mumbai, says: "If you don't have cholesterol problems, then you must consume this meat at least twice a day. This food has all the possible nutrients that your hair needs for its up keep. The presence of protein, vitamin B, iron, zinc and other vital minerals will help to maintain the health of your scalp and hair." Lastly, Dr. Sandeep says, "Though it is rich in nutrients, the consumption of beef should be minimum to avoid other health problems."

Healthy hair food # 3: Prunes

Including prunes in your diet can help to improve your hair texture as well as proper bowl movements. As it is rich in iron, it helps prevent hair loss, dull hair, thin hair, and discoloration of your hair.

Healthy hair food # 4: Green tea

The presence of polyphenols helps in keeping your scalp healthy. If your scalp is healthy, then the overall health of your hair improves, as it helps to keep your hair shiny and dandruff free. Dr. Sandeep shares a quick fix to treat your dandruff problem with this miraculous tea. Washing your hair with green tea or applying it on your scalp will help to kill your dandruff worries.

Healthy hair food# 5: Carrots

Carrots not only help to sharpen your vision but also to maintain the health of your hair due to the presence of vitamin A. Existence of vitamin A helps in formation of sebum oil in the scalp - says Dr. Sandeep. Sebum is a very important element which helps to keep the scalp and hair very well moisturized. A moisturized scalp means healthy hair.

Healthy hair food # 6: Eggs

Eggs are rich in biotin and vitamin B. These two nutrients are very important for the health and maintenance of your hair. Biotin is a star element, which helps to keep your hair shiny and lustrous. Biotin is also present in many shampoos and conditioners and is one of the important elements needed for hair health.

Healthy hair food # 7: Dark green leafy vegetables

Include lots of dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli and lettuces in your diet. All these dark green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin A and Vitamin C. Both these vitamins help in the formation of sebum, which is a natural hair conditioner and hence moisturizes your skin and scalp.

Healthy hair food # 8: Brown rice

Brown rice has some protein, vitamins and fiber. Besides giving you healthy hair and scalp, it also keeps you from over eating as it keeps you full for a longer time. Hence, switch to brown rice now to maintain your hair as well as your body.

Healthy hair food # 9: Oysters

Hair loss or dandruff is due to low level of hormone androgen production. Include oysters in your diet as they are rich in zinc, which further helps in the production of androgen and hence fights against hair fall and dandruff. Besides, it also helps your locks retain shine and health.

Healthy hair food # 10: Walnuts

Walnuts are one of the best nuts for your hair nourishment and maintenance. As they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, vitamin E and copper they protect your hair against damage from the sun by being a shield when you venture out; they also prevent hair loss and help keep your hair lustrous and rich in color.

Healthy hair food# 11: Cottage cheese

Besides it being low-fat, cottage cheese is also rich in calcium and protein. Include this healthy cheese for breakfast if your goal is to get rid of dull hair and shed some extra kilos at the same time.

Healthy hair food # 12: Green peas

Green peas are a well balanced food available for healthy hair. They are loaded with all types of minerals and vitamins like zinc, iron and vitamin B, which help in maintaining the health of your hair and scalp.

Healthy hair food # 12: Green peas

Green peas are a well balanced food available for healthy hair. They are loaded with all types of minerals and vitamins like zinc, iron and vitamin B, which help in maintaining the health of your hair and scalp.

Healthy hair food# 13: Lentils

"If you really want healthy hair and scalp, then include lentils in your diet at least 3-4 times a week," says Priya. Lentils are rich in folic acid. Presence of folic acid helps in providing the requisite amount of oxygen to your scalp and skin, which further promotes hair growth and cell renewal.

Healthy hair food # 14: Bell peppers

Include all colors of bell peppers in your diet as they are a great source of vitamin C. Vitamin C guarantees efficient transition of oxygen to hair follicles. Besides, it also helps in the formation of collagen and promotes hair growth and prevents hair breakage.

Healthy hair food # 15: Whole grains

Whole grains are rich in nutrients and fibers. This promotes hair growth and makes it a super food for healthy hair. Besides, it also aids good digestion and prevents ailments like diabetes, obesity and constipation.

Healthy hair food # 16: Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotene, which when consumed gets converted to vitamin A. Vitamin A prevents dull scalp and hair and promotes growth and proper circulation of oxygen to the hair follicle.

Healthy hair food # 17: Blueberries

This super fruit is loaded with vitamin C, which helps in oxygen circulation to the scalp and hair follicles, and prevents hair breakage.

Healthy hair food # 18: Bacon

Though it is an enemy if you want to kick some calories, but if you want healthy hair then you should consume not more than 4 ounces - says Priya. It is loaded with all healthy hair promoting nutrients like vitamin B, zinc and protein.

Healthy hair food # 19: Shrimps

Shrimps are not only delicious but also a great doctor for your dull hair and scalp. Shrimps are loaded with vitamin B12, iron and zinc, all of which prevent hair loss and promote growth and maintenance.

Healthy hair food # 20: Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a perfect hair rejuvenating snack. They're good for overall health, as they are loaded with protein, omega-6 fatty acids, zinc and iron.

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Try turmeric for supple skin

Turmeric as a beauty aid

Turmeric is a staple ingredient in most Indian cuisines. It has many therapeutic effects.

While you might not think beyond sprinkling a little in a glass of warm milk to battle a cold, there's much more to the innocuous turmeric than that. Indians have been using turmeric to beautify themselves since ages now. Here are just some reasons why you should be using turmeric as well:

If you have an uneven skin tone and would do anything to get that perfect peaches and cream complexion, then turmeric's what you need. Turmeric evens out the skin tone by reducing the traces of pigmentation. Mix a little turmeric powder alongwith cucumber juice or lemon juice and apply on skin. Wash it off after 15 minutes. But remember to do this everyday to notice a significant change in your skin colour.

Turmeric makes for an awesome body scrub. This is why most Indian brides used to smear a paste of turmeric and besan on their bodies before their wedding to get skin that is super smooth, baby soft and glowing.

Application of turmeric and a little milk cream also makes the skin supple and improves its elasticity.

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Social networks older than internet: Study

A new study has found that such long-distance networks existed even before the advent of internet.

WASHINGTON: Modern-day social networks like Facebook and Twitter may help you stay more connected, but a new study has found that such long-distance networks existed even before the advent of internet.

Researchers studied thousands of ceramic and obsidian artifacts from 1200-1450AD to learn about the growth, collapse and change of social networks in the late pre-Hispanic Southwest.

The study led by University of Arizona anthropologist Barbara Mills, sheds light on the transformation of social networks and shows that people of that period were able to maintain surprisingly long-distance relationships with nothing more than their feet to connect them.

They found that early social networks do not appear to have been as restricted as expected by settlements' physical distance from one another.

Researchers found that similar types of painted pottery were being created and used in villages as far as 250 kilometres apart, suggesting people were maintaining relationships across relatively large geographic expanses.

"They were making, using and discarding very similar kinds of assemblages over these very large spaces, which means that a lot of their daily practises were the same," Mills said.

"That doesn't come about by chance, it has to come about by interaction - the kind of interaction where it's not just a simple exchange but where people are learning how to make and how to use and ultimately discard different kinds of pottery," she said in a statement.

"That really shocked us, this idea that you can have such long distance connections. In the pre-Hispanic Southwest they had no real vehicles, they had no beasts of burden, so they had to share information by walking," she said.

The study is based on analysis of more than 8,00,000 painted ceramic and more than 4,800 obsidian artifacts dating from 1200-1450 AD, uncovered from more than 700 sites in what is now Arizona and western New Mexico.

Researchers found that while a large social network in the southern part of the Southwest grew very large and then collapsed, networks in the northern part of the Southwest became more fragmented but persisted over time.

"Network scientists often talk about how increasingly connected networks become, or the 'small world' effect, but our study shows that this isn't always the case," said Mills.

"Our long-term study shows that there are cycles of growth and collapse in social networks when we look at them over centuries. Highly connected worlds can become highly fragmented," Mills said.

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World's Fastest Internet at 40 Gbps?

Bangalore: Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a hollow-core fibre optic cable that has transmitted wavelength division, multiplexed data at 99.7 percent the speed of light in vacuum.

They claim to have increased the speed at which data can be transmitted over fibre optic cables, a link that forms the backbone of the internet.

If faster light can travel through a fibre, the potential latency of data transmission is lower. To compare, the solid silica glass fibre optic cables that are used today propagate light at some 69 percent the speed of light in a vacuum.

The trouble that is found with hollow-core fibers to transmit data is that these cables have struggled to keep up the combination of low loss, wide bandwidth and mode-coupling characteristics that is required for high capacity data transmission.

The researchers have claimed to achieve a required balance of these factors, with a recorded loss of 3.5dB per km, and using a 160nm bandwidth channel to transmit 37 WDM (wavelength division multiplexing) channels at 40Gbps which according to them is 1.54 microseconds/km faster than over conventional fibre.

Besides general benefit in faster transmission, wide bandwidth, low latency signal transmission links are in demand to increase the rate at which algorithmic financial trading can take place and as fast interconnects between components inside future exaflop-scale supercomputers.

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Tracking the rumor that just won't die: The Facebook phone

This urban legend is alive and well, despite regular denials. Here, we've rounded up the rumors from the past two-and-a-half years.

 

Facebook executives love to do verbal tap dances around the idea of a phone. It's been going on for years: reports, denials, reports, denials. And now, just two months after a categorical denial from CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself, it seems that at its event next week, Facebook may well go ahead and release what arguably amounts to a Facebook phone.
OK, it's not really a Facebook phone that Facebook watchers are expecting. But this time, it's undeniably something phone related. The social network on Thursday sent out media invitations to "Come See Our New Home on Android." And so the speculation has begun anew.
So what will we see? Probably something far more practical than an actual Facebook phone, at least the kind Zuckerberg has so often denied. Facebook will likely announce a way for handset makers, starting with HTC, to tweak the Android operating system to make the social network a deeper part of the experience. Think Facebook integration to the core, with the social network's collection of apps -- Camera, Poke, Messenger -- featured front and center. At the very least, we should get iOS-like Android integration features for logging in once, syncing contacts, sharing seamlessly, and so on.
This device-to-be has been a long time coming, whatever it turns how to be, and it's made for lots of juicy speculation. Which is why we put together this timeline of reports, rumors, and denials surrounding the mythical Facebook phone.
September 19, 2010: The Facebook Phone is born. Michael Arrington reports for TechCrunch that the social network is working on a top secret project to build software that powers a smartphone. The same day, Facebook says: no way, Jose (or Michael, rather). "Building phones is just not what we do."
November 3, 2010: Zuckerberg officially bursts the phone bubble -- but just the hardware part. He leaves the door open for a software play. "First of all, we're not a hardware company," he says. "Second of all, our goal is not to sell anything physical; our goal is to make it so that everything can be social."
January 26, 2011: A partner surfaces. Rumor has it that HTC is making two Facebook-branded smartphones.

The HTC Status is the country's first-ever "Facebook phone." A dedicated Facebook button makes it easier to post status updates.

February 15, 2011: HTC unveils the ChaCha and Salsa, both have Facebook buttons for easy access to the social network. So this is the "Facebook phone"? What a letdown. A few months later, ChaCha rebrands as the HTC Status in the U.S. But where, oh where, is Update?
November 21, 2011: Forget that stupid Facebook button, a real phone, made by HTC, running a Facebook-modified version of Android, is 12 to 18 phones away from hitting the market, AllThingsD's Liz Gannes and Ina Fried report. The project is code-named Buffy, after the sexy vampire slayer.
April 25, 2012: Buffy lives, despite reports to the contrary.
May 27, 2012: The New York Times says Facebook is recruiting heavily from Apple and stocking up on hardware engineers to prepare for the release of its own smartphone in the next year.
July 25, 2012: What do you know? HTC's name comes up again, but this time Facebook and the handset manufacturer are said to be targeting a mid-2013 release for a phone.
July 26, 2012: Phone? What Phone? There's no phone, Zuckerberg insists, because it wouldn't make any sense.
September 11, 2012: Zuckerberg sucks the life out of the phone rumors -- again. This phone stuff is all a bunch of nonsense.
November 2, 2012: Not so fast! More HTC-Facebook-Android rumors surface. This time, though, Pocket-lint says the "official" device has a code name of Opera UL.
January 12, 2013: MG Siegler is the boy who cried wolf. He reports that some type of Facebook Phone will be on display at a January 15 press event. Instead, Facebook announces Graph Search.

The Myst-erious Facebook Phone?

January 30, 2013: Zuckerberg is adamant: Facebook is not building a phone. But when Zuck closes a door, he opens a window. "Rather than just building an app that's a version of the functionality that you have today, I think making it so that we can...go deeper and deeper...is going to be a big focus for us." OK dude, I think we get it now. You're starting to sound like a broken record.
March 8, 2013: Wait. Never mind. Meet the real "Facebook phone": The HTC Myst, Unwired View tells us, while also leaking the device's specs. The Myst-erious smartphone is apparently getting pre-installed Facebook apps. Sounds so much cooler than a button. Or does it?

A Facebook-driven smartphone like this may just be urban legend.

March 28 and 29, 2013: Facebook says, "Come See Our New Home on Android," and a variety of reports pop up. The New York Times says the social network will show off an HTC phone running a version of Android tweaked to make Facebook's camera and messaging apps core to the experience. The Wall Street Journal reports that the software in question can run on other handsets and that Facebook is talking with other device makers.

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Todays quotes

“You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”

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Pick top-quality leaders for our schools to build India's future: Azim Premji, Chairman, Wipro

Where the school leadership (principal, head teacher, etc) is good, the school is often good. I am sure this conclusion doesn’t surprise most of us.

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Azim Premji

There are multiple research studies across the world, including India, which attempt to identify schools where learning is genuinely happening, and to understand the factors that influence these outcomes. There are usually a few common factors that are characteristic of those schools where learning really happens. One of the most significant and consistent of these factors is the quality of school leadership.

Where the school leadership ( principal, head teacher, etc) is good, the school is often good. I am sure this conclusion doesn't surprise most of us.

Before we go any further, let me briefly touch upon what I think is good education.

In my view, good education is one that enables the growth and development of the child in multiple dimensions, so that she is able to fulfill and expand her potential, as also to become an active, contributing and concerned citizen of the world.

These multiple dimensions of development of the child that I referred to are cognitive, social, emotional, physical and ethical.

Humans, not just Students

While it's implicit in what I have stated, let me still point out that good education is not rote memorisation and getting good grades, it's about developing a good human being and an active citizen, so that we have a better society.

This understanding of good education that I have shared is certainly not new. It's there in our national policy documents, in the writings of scores of educationists and in our curricular goals.

In the context of this broader and deeper purpose of education, the role of a school leader becomes even more important. Let me share a few thoughts in this regard.

First, I think it's important that the school leader be the visible custodian of the purpose of education in her school. Else, it is very easy for us to slip into the ritualistic, rote-based, marks-driven education that we see all around us. Being a custodian is not easy — it will require battling many forces and continually convincing many people — but that I think is the natural task of any leader.

Second, education of this nature requires capable and confident teachers. For this, school leaders need to create an enabling environment where teachers can grow and develop. This requires a culture of trust, experimentation and openness.

Lead from the Front

Third, the kind of education that we have talked about is not merely an outcome of classroom instruction. It's significantly driven by school culture. And the school leader has the most determining role in shaping the school culture. Let's discuss five specific examples in this regard.

If we want our children to grow up with democratic values, then our schools must have democratic values. This means that the school leader must be able to foster a culture where there is reasoned discussion about everything, and things are not determined by hierarchy. In such a culture, the merit of each view and argument is the important factor, not who has expressed that view.

If we want our children to grow up with a scientific temper and intense curiosity, then the school culture must be that of rigorous inquiry and debate. Questioning must be encouraged, along with coaching for reasoning.

If we want our children to grow up emotionally stable and in a state of well-being, then the school culture must be supportive, encouraging and accepting of the child. The school culture must not be that of fear and punishment. It must help the child discover her interests and abilities, not label them as "good" or "bad".

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Lights, camera… career!

As much as a career in film making seems attractive, young aspirants should be well prepared for the risks

Apeksha Kaushik, TimesJobs.com Bureau

Films are an important media, not only for entertainment and information, but also for communication. As a job, film making encompasses an assortment of tasks, roles, skills and talent. It is an art and science, wherein a film maker is required to have a knack for technology and creativity.
To be or not to be…
Though, film making as a profession is highly lucrative, it is also extremely competitive and uncertain. Where there is scope and opportunities for everybody who has a desire to be a film maker, not everyone can become one. “To be a film maker one has to have an absolute love for the art and every aspect of filmmaking, be it story, music, art, acting or any other thing, which is part of a film. Believe in yourself and your choices search your soul to know if this is your calling. It requires a lot of mental and physical strength to put together a film,” said Abhishek Chauhan, Strategy, Creative Planning Head, Pixel Party, a Delhi based studio involved in TV Channel packaging, promo design, TVCs corporate and motion graphics.
Honing those skills…
Apart from being creative, imaginative and innovative, a film maker has to be ingenious. “The ability to get a film made with minimum resources either by begging, borrowing or even conning is the most essential thing. The independent filmmaker has to be resourceful, fast and driven,” articulated Neeraj Udhwani, bollywood script writer of films like ‘Dil toh baccha hai ji’ and the recently released ‘Mere dad ki maruti’.
“To be an independent filmmaker you must have the entrepreneurial spirit. Marketing, planning, finance, sales, distribution will all be a part of their daily job role. They should also cultivate a strong network, meet people and make the most of opportunities given,” added Chaitanya Chinchlikar, Vice-President – Business Development & Chief Technology Officer, Whistling Woods International.
Lending support…
Though educational qualifications are not deemed essential to be a successful film maker, it helps in better understanding of the fundamentals of film making, as a profession. “Educational qualification is not mandatory but it definitely helps you to understand concepts and various aspects of film making,” stated Nandini Hegde, who teaches film making at Jain Animation School. “It is best to take up a course that requires you to do internships as it helps you to test the waters before jumping into it,” she added.
Highlighting the importance of film schools, Chaitanya said that film school is as important to a filmmaker as going to medical school is for a doctor. “The key aspect of film education is to understand the craft, learn the techniques and enable yourself with the skills to create great pieces of audio-visual content and turn a profit while doing so,” he asserted.
Many aspirants leave their settled careers to pursue their dream of film making. However, there are opportunities, today, where a working professional can learn the basics of film making at their convenience. Corporate Online Institute of Professional Learning (COIPL) is one such institution which provides a platform to working professionals to study the nuances of film making at their comfort. “For professionals who are interested to make a career in film making, we offer online courses like audio engineering, graphic designing and publishing and multimedia and video,” divulged Rahul Walia, Founder & Director, COIPL. This also helps as a self-assessment tool in analyzing whether a career in film maker is right for them.
Light at the end of tunnel…
As much as a career in film making seems attractive there are risks. Young aspirants should be prepared to face the ground realities with dignity and endurance.
“Be prepared for heartbreaks at every stage. Be prepared to see your school mates or college mates earn more money, be more financially secure as compared to you. However, you will be waking up every morning looking forward to the day’s work and that’s what makes everything worthwhile,” sums up Neeraj on this encouraging note

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Foods you shouldn't eat daily

Foods you shouldn't eat daily (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

While you may be making the utmost effort to eat healthy for the majority of your day, it is possible that there are the small daily mistakes you maybe making in your diet, which make weight loss, or weight management more difficult and a slower process than it should be.

Sometimes it is these innocuous morsels of food that make a big difference when it comes to proper weight management. So what are these foods in your daily diet that you should avoid?

1. Glass of milk - While milk is a healthy addition to your meals, it could possibly be the one food that is hindering your progress. If you are used to having a glass of milk before you sleep, at breakfast, or even for a snack in the evening, take a break from drinking milk for a month. If you feel that its making a difference - making you less sluggish, helping you lose weight, clearing up your skin etc - this maybe the solution to your problems. Give it a go.

2. Something sweet after meals - Many people have this habit of wanting just a little something sweet after every meal. This is absolutely unnecessary and you probably know it. Just that addition of sugar after your meals is worth cutting down on if you have it on a daily basis. Let dessert be a treat you save for the weekends and you will probably savour it more.

3. Heavy carbs for your evening snack - How often have you felt so hungry in the time between your lunch and dinner, that you can eat anything without giving a thought as to whether it is right for you or not? You may land up knocking off a sandwich or a samosa. This may be the only unhealthy addition to your diet in the entire day, but consumed daily, this evening snack could be hindering your efforts. Therefore, carry something that has healthy proteins and fats like nuts, with you so that you don't succumb to hunger.

4. Potatoes - Recently dubbed by a study conducted by Harvard, as one of the foods that definitely makes you gain weight over time, potatoes have a way of turning up in our daily food unannounced. You maybe eating a healthy sabzi but a whole potato may have been added in there to improve the flavour. Fresh veggies taste good on their own if you try, so give it a shot.

5. So called 'healthy snacks' - Baked chakris and chips, all of these so called healthy snacks, should be substituted with real nutritious food. Many people eat these unaccounted, thinking they are healthy and will not make a big difference to their health and weight. This is a misconception and you are better off without these highly processed snacks.

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Green tea helps fight against obesity

Green tea helps fight against obesity (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Penn State food scientists have found that green tea may slow down weight gain and serve as another tool in the fight against obesity.

Mice that were fed Epigallocatechin-3-gallate -- EGCG -- a compound found in most green teas, along with a high-fat diet, gained weight 45 per cent more slowly than the control group of mice eating the same diet without EGCG.

"Our results suggest that if you supplement with EGCG or green tea you gain weight more slowly," said Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences.

In addition to lower weight gain, the mice fed the green tea supplement showed a nearly 30 percent increase in fecal lipids, suggesting that the EGCG was limiting fat absorption, according to Lambert.

"There seems to be two prongs to this, first, EGCG reduces the ability to absorb fat and, second, it enhances the ability to use fat," he said.

The findings were reported in the current online version of Obesity.

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