The Blind Customer

A blind man walks into a restaurant and sits down. The waiter, who is also the owner, hands him a menu. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I am blind and can't read the menu. Just bring me a dirty fork from a previous customer, I'll smell it and order from there", says the customer.

A little curious, the owner walks over to a dirty pile and picks up a greasy fork.. He returns to the blind man's table and hands it to him.

The blind man puts the fork to his nose and takes in a deep breath. "Ah, yes, that's what I'll have, meatloaf and mashed potatoes."

"Unbelievable!" In the kitchen, the owner exclaims to his wife Theresa, who is also the cook, and tells her what has just happened.

A few days later the blind man returns, and the owner brings him a menu.

The customer says, "Sir, remember me? I'm the blind man."

"I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. I'll go get you a dirty fork." The owner again retrieves a dirty fork and brings it to the blind man.

After another deep breath, the blind man says, "That smells great, I'll take the macaroni and cheese with broccoli."

In disbelief, the owner tells his wife Theresa that the next time the blind man comes in he's going to test him..

The blind returns the following week, but this time the owner sees him coming and runs to the kitchen.

He tells his wife, "Theresa, rub this fork on your panties before I take it to the blind man." Theresa does it and hands her husband the fork..

As the blind man sits down, the owner is ready. "Good afternoon sir, this time I remembered you and I already have the fork ready for you."

The blind man puts the fork to his nose, takes a deep whiff and says,

"Hey, I didn't know that Theresa works here?

Romantic Love Really Can Last

A new research has supported the idea that long-term love is possible.

A new study, led by Bianca Acevedo and Arthur Aron of the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University and colleagues, compared the neural correlates of long-term married and in love individuals with individuals who had recently fallen in love.

They discovered highly similar brain activity in regions associated with reward, motivation and "wanting" in both sets of couples.

The research team used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to scan the brains of 10 women and 7 men who reported that they were still intensely in love with their spouse after an average of 21 years of marriage.

"We found many very clear similarities between those who were in love long term and those who had just fallen madly in love," said Aron, referring to key reward and motivation regions of the brain, largely parts of the dopamine-rich ventral tegmental area (VTA).

"In this latest study, the VTA showed greater response to images of a long-term partner when compared with images of a close friend or any of the other facial images," he said.

Acevedo and Aron explained that the brain imaging data on the long-term couples suggested that reward-value associated with a long-term partner may be sustained, similar to new love.

Additionally, the results supported theories proposing that there might be specific brain mechanisms by which romantic love is sustained in some long-term relationships.

The findings were published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience .

Know Your Girlfriend By Her Sunsign

Gift your girl an exotic spa session if she's a Taurean, an-autobiography is good enough to impress your Libran boss, but an organizer for your Arian beau will only end in a boo-boo.

Be it pampering your beloved, expressing affection to a dear friend or impressing your boss, nothing beats the magic of a 'well selected' gift. If a right gift, presented at the right time can assurance entry into the receiver's heart, an ill suited surprise may just be a spoil sport.

If the receiver's personality, his interests and likings are considered while finding a present, taking into account his/her 'Sun sign' is another sure-shot way to find an ideal gift for a person.

So, here's an Astro-guide on gifts that perfectly pamper every zodiac sign. With this at hand, your gift will never be a dud:

Aries
Fire sign Arians are usually aggressive, fiery and impulsive.Anything that saves time is a huge a hit with them. Since Arians are also playful and active, gifts related to sports, athletics and adventure are ideal for them. Also, presents that suit their face and head work well for them. But, make sure you don't pick up anything that' s overtly practical or too challenging for an Arian's organizational abilities.
Gift Tip: A golf set, games like chess/ monopoly/ poker, an adventure sports session, a gadget like a 'Swiss knife' that saves them from time consuming hassles, a hat, cool cap, a classy bandana or make-up kit are the best choices.


Taurus
Taureans are luxury lovers who don't mind showing-off. Suckers for everything good in life, Taureans love being pampered with luxury and opulence. As they make a physical sign, Taureans also like gifts related to their bodies. Ruled by Venus, sensuality and sensitivity is their main quality, so pamper their senses and you'll be loved back with equal gusto. Anything that adds to their wealth is welcomed by them.
Gift Tip: An exotic massage session, lavish jewelery especially  for the neck, tickets to a theater or a visit to an art gallery, a plush silk scarf, a wallet or even financial stocks and bonds make great options.


Gemini
Intellectual to the core, Geminis appreciate gifts that stimulate their intellectual needs. Known as talkers, gift them anything related to communication and expression and they'll be all yours forever.Since, Geminis are versatile souls, doing a mix-n-match of two three gifts can please them immensely.
Gift Tip: A magazine subscription, informative videos or books,communication -related things like cell phones, address books, stylish letterheads or even a pen would suffice. Gloves, rings or watches too work for them.


Cancer
Ruled by home and home-related matters, gifting something that brings Cancerians closer to their family and home
is likely to be loved by them. Being touchy and
emotional they'll really appreciate your effort if you gift them something hand-made. As Cancer rules the stomach and the ruler Moon controls the digestive system, they may also like gifts related to cooking.
Gift Tip: Photo albums, photo frames, decorative artifacts for their home, hand-made cards or anything that you can put your creativity into, cook books or a cooking gadget.


Leo
Leos enjoy performing arts and creativity, so an easy way to win them is with an 'entertaining gift'. Gold and crystals are also high on their wish list. Dramatic and extravagant that Leos are, finding something well-suited to their core personality does the trick for them. They also love dressing up, so clothes are again a good option.They love to gamble so a casino trip is a viable option. Make them feel like a king or a queen and they will be the happiest people on Earth.
Gift Tip: A home theater, LCD TV, tickets for the movies or a dance performance, lottery tickets, a game of poker, a trip to a casino, a lavish lunch/dinner, attires in bold colors such as red,gold, purple are what their heart desires.


Virgo
Virgos are very hard-working and involved in day to day activities,so anything that helps them keeping pace with their routine will beloved by them. Usually business minded-people, they'll appreciate a gift that makes them wealthier. Gifts related to their health can also work for them. Pets also make a fine option for a Virgo.
Gift Tip: An organizer, calendar, personal digital assistant,briefcase , stocks and bonds, jewelery, health club membership, a pet pooch or gold fish are a few gift options to make a Virgo feel on top of the world.


Libra
Librans value relationships. So, anything that reminds them of your bonding with them is likely to score well. They are great appreciators  of beauty and sensuality, so beautiful and artistic things make good gift options for them. Being in the seventh house, which is governed by a 'reflection of self', Libran girls appreciate make-up related items.
Gift Tip: A photo of yourself with him/her, a self composed poem,biographies of famous people, beautiful paintings, flowers, make-up,mirrors are preferred choices.


Scorpio
Mystery loving Scorpions enjoy a suspense thriller book or a movie. They love to explore the unexplored, so they
love a telescope or a binocular. You can please them with a sporty gift and even jewelery. Last, but not the least, tease their sensual side with a personal gift and they're bound to love it.
Gift Tip: How about getting them the latest suspense book or a DVD of a thrilling movie, sports equipment, a membership at a sports club,cuff links, jewelery, since intimate and personal gifts also work for them, try playing naughty with your guy/girl.


Sagittarius
Born with a scholastic bent of mind, Sagittarians
Gift Tip: An impressive coffee-table book or a huge encyclopedia, anything that adds to the Sagittarian' s knowledge would be appreciated. A trip to a pilgrimage or a meditation session at a spiritual guru's abode impresses them, trips far and wide or a lunch or dinner voucher at a multi-cuisine hotel is a great options to impress Sagittarians


Capricorn
Capricorns are known to be ambitious and disciplined. A gift that helps them in their career and profession is loved by them. They also love to be pampered with luxury...so if you have the moolah, the sky is your limit.
Gift Tip: A self help book, business card holder, CD on personal grooming, a purse, bag, a classy wall clock, a stylish watch, and anything that shouts luxury is their dream choice.


Aquarius
Aquarius is the sign indicating progress and networking.Technological items or anything that's radical makes a good gift for Aquarians. If you know that they are working on a specific project, you can gift them books related with their project or something that may interest them the most! They like novelty in ideas, so anything unique,no matter how simple would be loved by them. Since the sign is ruled by ankles, you can give them the right accessories for their ankles as well.
Gift Tip: Innovation is the key, give them a new herbal tea or an invigorating yoga session. Also, books and Cd's to help them or a pretty anklet or cool socks are gifts for an Aquarian.


Pisces
Pisceans love fantasy and illusion. They have a special interest in art and spirituality. Give them something that challenges or pampers their creativity and they'll be impressed. Water babies, that Pisceans are, they can be easily won over with anything related to water. Sports are also another area of interest for a Piscean. Being the last sun-sign, Pisceans rule the feet, so anything related to their feet is a good option for a Piscean.
Gift Tip: Oil paints, tickets to a drama show or a movie, a book -specifically of sentimental poems, membership at an elite swimming pool, an exotic cruise, sailing lessons, or even a new swimsuit are likely to be appreciated. Pisceans also love scented bath oils or floating candles. Things as simple as nice footwear, socks or even a soothing pedicure session or foot massage can help you win over a Piscean.

Conceiving Again Trebles Autism Risk

Women who conceive within a year after giving birth could be putting their next child at increased risk of autism.

Such babies are three times more likely to have the developmental disorder, says a study.

Researchers say that a woman's body needs time to recover from a pregnancy and that a baby conceived too quickly after childbirth may be deprived of vital nutrients, the journal Pediatrics reports.

The findings, based on a study of more than 600,000 California families, add to the growing evidence that closely spaced pregnancies can be harmful, according to the Daily Mail .

Previous studies have shown that women with two closely spaced pregnancies are at risk of delivering babies who are premature and of low birth weight.

The research looked at the incidence of autism among 663,000 second-born children in California born between 1992 and 2002.

Study author Keely Cheslack-Postava of Columbia University, New York, said: "These results suggest that children born after shorter intervals between pregnancies are at increased risk of developing autism.

The highest risk was associated with pregnancies spaced less than one year."

Second-child conceived within a year of an elder sibling's birth were 3.4 times more likely to have autism than a typical child of the same age.

Babies conceived 12 to 23 months after the first child's birth were 1.9 times more likely to have autism, while the risk was lowered to 1.2 times after a gap of two to three years between pregnancies.

Five Exercises For Better Sex

Sex is a physical activity, as we already know. Therefore, getting in shape, being fit and having a fabulous body will definitely improve your sex-life. Not only this, working out regularly will help increase your stamina and strength to perform.

People who regularly exercise are more healthier, fitter and tend to have more attractive bodies. This should be enough motivation for folks who think that their weight is normal and hence, do not need to exercise. If the prospects of better health doesn't motivate you, perhaps exercising for the sake of better sex might. Here are some exercises that will help you to enhance your prowess in bed:

Push-ups:
Push-ups are great for obvious reasons. They help to strengthen the arms, shoulders and stomach muscles. Sporting a paunch might be a major turn off for quite a lot of people. Having firm, sexy abs is very attractive physical attribute. Having strong abs is very useful for males especially when it comes to the man-on-top position.

Squats:
Doing squats, a lot of muscles are put to work producing greater amount of hormones, which in turn will boost your sex drive. They improve one's strength and stamina of gluteus muscles and the upper legs thereby helping to improve one's performance. Doing squats also helps one achieve a firm and attractive bottom.

Bench press:
Doing bench presses, helps to strengthen the chest and shoulder muscles. Women find chest muscles sexually appealing and it will help men to support themselves longer without getting exhausted easily. As for women, doing bench presses will make the breasts firm and seem full.

Cardio:
Whether it is doing aerobics, running or swimming, doing cardio-vascular exercises help increase blood circulation in the body. Having a good blood flow and circulation helps in the process of arousal, which is especially essential for men performance-wise. Also, doing cardio helps release of endorphins in the brain, which are known as the happy hormones.

Kegel's exercise:
Last but not the least, Doing Kegel's exercise can help make a remarkable difference in your sex life. Pubococcygeal muscles also known as PC muscles are the muscles used to stop urinating midstream. That's because, for men, regularly doing Kegel's exercises will help them to control the muscles that contract during ejaculation and therefore prolong ejaculation. As for women, doing Kegel's exercises will help you gain gain control over the vaginal muscles, thereby getting greater sexual satisfaction.

Love Vs. Marriage

Love is holding hands in the street.

Marriage is holding arguments in the street.

Love is dinner for 2 in your favorite restaurant.

Marriage is a take home packet.

Love is cuddling on a sofa.

Marriage is one of them sleeping on a sofa.

Love is talking about having children.

Marriage is talking about getting away from children.

Love is going to bed early.

Marriage is going to sleep early.

Love is a romantic drive.

Marriage is arrive on tops curvy tarmac.

Love is losing your appetite.

Marriage is losing your figure.

Love is sweet nothing in the ear.

Marriage is sweet nothing in the bank.

Tv has no place in love.

Marriage is a fight for remote control.

Love is 1 drink and 2 straws.

Marriage is "Don't you think you've had enough!".

Conclusion: "Love is blind, Marriage is an eye opener!"

Nice Excuse

 fellow bought a new Mercedes on the Christmas eve and was out on the highway for a nice evening drive. The top was down, the breeze was blowing through what was left of his hair and he decided to open her up.

As the needle jumped up to 80 mph, he suddenly saw flashing red and blue lights behind him.

"There's no way they can catch a Mercedes," he thought to himself and opened her up further.

The needle hit 90, 100.... Then the reality of the situation hit him.

"What in the heck am I doing?" he thought and pulled over.

The cop came up to him, took his license without a word and examined it and the car. "It's been a long day, this is the end of my shift and it's Christmas eve. I don't feel like more paperwork, so if you can give me an excuse for your driving that I haven't heard before, you can go."

The guy thinks for a second and says, "Last week my wife ran off with a cop. I was afraid you were trying to give her back!" "Have a nice Christmas," said the officer.

10 Things Women Should Know About Men's Brains

Having a tough time understanding what's going on in your man's mind? Things might just get easier for you, as experts have revealed ten things you should know about a man's brain.

A man's brain varies tremendously over his lifetime. From his wandering eye to his desire to mate for life, there are some things every woman need to know about a man. According to Live Science, here's are the things you need to know about guys' minds.

10. More emotional
While females are generally considered the more emotional, infant boys are more emotionally reactive and expressive than infant girls, researchers have found.

Adult men have slightly stronger emotional reactions, too-but only before they are aware of their feelings, found a 2008 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology .

9. More vulnerable to loneliness
While loneliness can take a toll on everyone's health and brain, older men seem particularly vulnerable, said Louann Brizendine, of the University of California, San Francisco, and author of ''The Male Brain.''

Men tend to reach out less than women, which exacerbates loneliness and the toll it takes on their brains'' social circuits, she said.

8. Focused on solutions
While many studies suggest that women are more empathetic than men, Brizendine stressed this is not entirely true. The empathy system of the male brain does respond when someone is stressed or expressing a problem. But the "fix-it" region quickly takes over.

7. Hard-wired to check out women
While often linked to aggression and hostility, testosterone is also the hormone of the libido. And guys have six times the amount surging through their veins as women, said Pranjal Mehta, of the Columbia University in New York.

Mehta and colleagues found that testosterone impairs the impulse-control region of the brain. While it has yet to be studied, this may explain why, as Brizendine says, men ogle women as if on "auto-pilot."

They often forget about the woman once she is out of their visual field, said Brizendine.

6. Must defend turf
"Part of the male job, evolutionarily-speaking, is to defend turf," said Brizendine. More research is needed in humans but in other male mammals, the "defend my turf" brain area is larger than their female counterparts,'' she said.

While women too have fits of possessiveness, men are much more likely to become violent when faced with a threat to their love life or territory, she said.

5. Embraces chain of command
An unstable hierarchy can cause men considerable anxiety, said Brizendine. But an established chain of command, such as that practiced by the military and many work places, reduces testosterone and curbs male aggression, she said.

4. Matures over time, really
Pre-occupation with establishing pecking order, which starts as early as age 6, motivates the "male dance, where they are always putting each other down," added Brizendine.

"It is better to be aggressive in a verbal jab than to duke it out," she said.

Psychological studies have shown that one-upmanship holds less appeal for older men. Instead, they pay more attention to relationships and bettering the community, said Brizendine.

The change is likely aided by the slow natural decline in testosterone as a man ages.

3. Primed for fatherhood
The male brain becomes especially primed for cooperation in the months before becoming a father. Fathers-to-be go through hormone changes-prolactin goes up, testosterone goes down-which likely encourage paternal behavior, found a 2000 study in Evolution and Human Behavior.

2. Daddy-play
Daddy-specific ways of playing with their kids-more rough-housing, more spontaneity, more teasing-can help kids learn better, be more confidant, and prepare them for the real world, studies have shown. Also, involved dads lessen risky kids'' sexual behavior.

1. Covets wedding bells, too
Women want to settle down, and men want to sow their wild oats forever, the refrain usually goes. But this might be one of the largest misconceptions stemming from the U.S. tendency of using undergrads as test subjects.

Infidelities are most likely to occur before men hit 30, found a study of Bolivian men published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society in 2007. After that, men primarily focus on providing for their families, the study found.

Perfect Girlfriend Has A Big Sex Drive!

Men believe that the perfect girlfriend is the one who has a high sex drive, enjoys a hearty meal and gets ready to go out in 10 minutes.

Apart from this, the perfect girlfriend is a career-minded woman who earns more than their partner but at the same time wants to stay at home and bring up the children.

The clue to these seemingly contradictory demands lies in the men polled, 3,000 bachelors.

Near the top of their girlfriend checklist is the requirement that she should have a "pert bottom" – which may explain why they are still single.

And while three-quarters of the men polled said their ideal woman would keep her weight in check, 89 per cent also wanted her to tuck into a big meal without worrying. These perfect ladies will have luscious long hair, be skinny and trim and confident enough to go out without make-up.

"While many women might find these standards hard to live up to, six in 10 men firmly believe their perfect girlfriend is out there somewhere. However, there are a few contradictions which might make it hard for them to get their ideal date," the Daily Express quoted Nicole Clowes, spokeswoman for UKDating , which carried out the poll, as saying.

"There aren't many women who can tuck into a mountain of food every day and stay skinny. And there is some confusion about whether men would like to date a high earner or someone who stays at home with the children."

The ability to hold an intelligent conversation isn't a big concern for men – 61 per cent prefer someone who likes a laugh and a joke.

13th Sign Of The Zodiac - Ophiuchus

The 13th sign of the zodiac, unlike the other 12 signs is actually associated with a real person. In the 27th Century BCE in Ancient Egypt lived a man known as Imhotep. Imhotep was known as ‘Aesclepius’ by the Ancient Greeks, however the attributes are the same under either name.


The Rod of Asclepius is often used as a symbol for Ophiuchus.

One of Imhoteps abilities was healing and it is said that it was he who introduced it to mankind. His accomplishments also included a wide knowledge of medicine. The serpent or snake symbol which is still used today to symbolize the medical profession was also used to represent Imhotep. Below is a list of attributes associated with the Serpent Holder, Imhotep i.e Aesclepius. The descriptions below are associated with the 13th sign - Ophiuchus.


The Ophiuchus symbol used in Japanese astrology.

Many people are envious of this subject as he progresses well throughout life.
A seeker of wisdom and knowledge
Many people are jealous of this person
Tends to go for the more flamboyant in dress sense, favouring bright colours.
Authority looks upon him well.
Would make a great architect or builder.
Number 12 is this persons lucky number.
This person will have a big family but leave home at an early age.
This is the Zodiac as some astrologers believe it should be:

ARIES = APRIL 19 - MAY 13
TAURUS = MAY 14 - JUNE 19
GEMINI = JUNE 20 - JULY 20
CANCER = JULY 21 - AUG 9
LEO = AUGUST 10 - SEPTEMBER 15
VIRGO = SEPTEMBER 16 - OCTOBER 30
LIBRA = OCTOBER 31 - NOVEMBER 22
SCORPIO = NOVEMBER 23 - NOVEMBER 29
OPHIUCHUS = NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 17
SAGITTARIUS = DECEMBER 18 - JANUARY 18
CAPRICORN = JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 15
AQUARIUS = FEBRUARY 16 - MARCH 11
PISCES = MARCH 12 - APRIL 18

I’m not sure myself about the qualities of that of Ophiucus, but perhaps if you mix Scorpio with Sagittarius you may come up with something along the right lines.

Google To Fix Phone Bug That Misdirects Text Messages

Google says it will fix a mobile phone bug that mistakenly sends text messages to the wrong people.

The glitch, which has hit a small portion of the company's Android mobile phones, first emerged last year.

Those affected say some of their texts have ended up in the hands of random recipients.

After investigating the issue, Google said it had "developed a fix" and would be rolling it out soon.

It is nearly a year since the problem was first reported, although the number of incidents appeared to increase last summer.

Initial examinations confused the problem with another, similar bug - but the company admitted yesterday that some users have seen their messages delivered to the incorrect recipient.

"It took us some time to reproduce this issue, as it appears that it's only occurring very rarely," said Nik Kralevich, an engineer on the Android security team.

"Even so, we've now managed to both reproduce it and develop a fix that we will deploy."

It is not clear, however, when users will actually receive the fix - or how it would happen.

Some mobile bugs require a complete software update - which would require plugging affected handsets into a computer - while others can be fixed remotely.

Potentially embarrassing

Although the company was keen to stress that only a tiny fraction of users have reported problems, some users say it has proven embarrassing and potentially costly.

"Today I sent a text asking about a contract from a potential employer - and it went to my current boss," wrote one user on Google's bug forum.

"If this hurts my career, I will be looking into legal action."

Tracking down the bug has become increasingly important for Google since Android - its system to power smartphones - has grown massively in popularity over the past year.

It has rocketed from having a share of just 3% of the worldwide smart phone market in 2009 to more than 25% today.

Most users affected suggested it is an inconvenient, rather than crippling, problem - but those who have experienced the glitch say that it has been troubling.

"I don't know where the SMS messages are going," Christina Bunce, a university program leader from Falmouth, told the BBC.

"But I can see they have been sent and never arrived."

Socialism - A Bitter Truth

SOCIALISM-Simple analogy

but

a profound truth...worth reading

The meaning of Socialism is nicely put , its true,

Simple Analogy


An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class.

That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism. All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.

The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.

The second test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Could not be any simpler than that.


What a profound short little paragraph that says it all


"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

Ferrari vs. Dog

A farmer has to go out to plow his rental field about 5-6 miles from his farm. To get there he must drive his tractor, and his dog old Joe trots along beside him. Halfway through the plowing, the tractor runs out of fuel.

He wanders out to the road and flags down a ride, which just happens to be a Ferrari.

The driver says, "You can have a ride, but that dog can't get in my car."

The farmer says, "Don't worry. Old Joe will keep up."

The driver figures he'll show the farmer just what his car can do and lets it rip. Just as he is going into 5th gear, he looks out the window and sure enough Old Joe is right beside him. He can't wait to have a look at the amazing dog, so he slams on the brakes, and the car stops rather abruptly.

The driver jumps out exclaiming, "He's the most incredible dog I've ever seen! But what kind of collar is that he's wearing?"

The farmer shook his head and said, "That's not a collar. That's his asshole. He's not used to stopping that fast."

How to get vacation approved?

Jack and Max are walking from religious service. Jack wonders whether it would be all right to smoke while praying.
Max replies, "Why don't you ask the Priest?"
So Jack goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I smoke while I pray?"
But the Priest says, "No, my son, you may not. That's utter disrespect to our religion."

Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Priest told him.
Max says, "I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try."And
so Max goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I pray while I smoke?"
To which the Priest eagerly replies, "By all means, my son.by all means."

Moral of the story: The reply you get depends on the way you ask the question.

Example: Can I work on this project while I'm on vacation??

Cholesterol Busting Drugs Bad For Health

Millions of people worldwide take cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins to prevent heart attacks and strokes but a new study questions whether they actually work.

Hailed as 'wonder pills' by doctors and drug companies, other new evidence has linked statins with severe depression and suicide.

Statins are prescribed to anyone who is believed to have more than a 20 per cent chance of a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years, reports the Daily Mail .

It is hoped that, by lowering their cholesterol, the patients' death risk will drop significantly.

A new study by the Johns Hopkins University, US, however, suggests a great many people may not benefit from statins - that's because it's our calcium levels, not cholesterol, that really matter.

Their study of 950 men and women found that statins may only help patients if they have a calcium build-up or calcification in their blood vessels, according to a Hopkins's statement.

Calcium makes arteries harden and increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Scientists believe calcification is primarily caused by a combination of genes and ageing, along with poor lifestyle such as lack of exercise, bad diet and smoking.

Michael Blaha of Hopkins, who led the study, said: "Our results tell us that only those with calcium build-up in their arteries have a clear benefit from statin therapy."

These findings were presented at the American Heart Association earlier this month.

Instant Cure For Menstrual Cramps

It's that time of the month and you are not pleased, simply because of menstrual cramps.

Women experience menstrual cramps in varying degrees. Medically menstrual cramps are known as dysmenorrhea. These cramps usually occur in the lower abdomen and sometimes the pain can be felt in the thigh or lower back area. Here are some remedies for menstrual cramps:

- Increase your liquid intake to preventing dehydration as dehydration aggravates menstrual cramps.

- Ginger is a wonder herb and has tremendous health benefits that even extend to easing menstrual cramps. - Boil some ginger slices in water. Keep sipping this throughout the day.

- Placing a hot water bag on the stomach will help in easing the pain or a better option is to squeeze a towel in hot water and place it on the stomach.

- Avoid drinking caffeinated products whether its coffee and aerated drinks as they tend to cause irritation in the intestines.

- Sipping mint or peppermint flavoured tea throughout the day is known to ease the discomfort caused by menstrual cramps.

- During menstruation, the pelvic area tends to get congested. Therefore, drinking more hot liquids promotes blood flow to the pelvic area and helps in relaxing the pelvic muscles. Consume green tea and herbal teas throughout the day.

- Women whose bodies are weak, tend to suffer menstrual cramps in greater severity. Therefore, you need to curb the lack of vitamins and minerals in the body. There are various vitamin supplements available in the market today, but it is best to consult a doctor before opting for the choice of vitamin supplements.

- Stretching your arms and legs will help easing out menstrual cramps.

- Drinking a glass of the juice of carrot, beetroot, cucumber along with parsley.

Microsoft Warns of New Windows Bug

BOSTON: Some versions of Microsoft Corp's Windows operating system are vulnerable to attack from hackers exploiting a flaw in the software that could allow them to remotely take control of a personal computer.

The software giant warned of the problem on Tuesday in a special alert. It said it has yet to develop software to plug the hole in Windows or to figure out a workaround to the problem.

Microsoft said it is not aware of any attacks that tried to use the vulnerability, which involves the way Windows renders graphics on versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008.

The problem does not affect Microsoft's most-recent PC operating system, Windows 7, and its newest operating system for servers, Windows Server 2008 R2.

How To Tone Your Hip and Butt

A lot of traditional body toning and sculpting exercises work better when done on a stability ball. A 55-inch stability ball should be appropriate for you. Try out the following exercises for a toned hip and butt.

PELVIC LIFTS
Lie down on the floor with only the heels and the ankles resting on the stability ball. Place both arms straight by the side of the body with palms resting on the floor. Inhale and lift your whole body, leaving just your shoulders resting on the floor and the feet on the ball. Your body weight should be distributed between the shoulders and the lower leg. In this position, the abdomen should be tucked in and the hips lifted high with the buttocks tight. Make sure your knees are NOT in a locked position. With the body properly positioned, release the hips slightly and lift them up again. Do this at least 24 times.

INNER THIGH PRESS
Lie down on the floor with both knees flexed and feet firmly planted on the floor. Place both hands close to the body. Hold the stability ball between the knees and feel the contraction in the muscles of the inner thighs. Hold each contraction for 10 seconds and repeat at least 12 times. This exercise can be done in a sitting position too.

WALL SQUATS
Do this in a standing position. Place the ball between the middle of the back and the wall. Your legs should be shoulder width apart. Slowly lower the hips towards the floor and lift up again. Repeat at least 24 times. This exercise will give you a complete lower body workout.

Bedtime Football

An old man and his wife had just gone to bed. After laying in bed for a few minutes the old man cut a fart and says, "Seven Points."

His wife rolls over and asks, "What in the world was that?"

The old man says, "Touchdown, I'm ahead 7 to nothing."

A few minutes later the wife lets one go and says, "Touchdown, Tie score."

After about ten minutes later the old man farts again and says, "Touchdown I'm ahead 14-7."

Now starting to get into this, the wife quickly farts again and says, "Touchdown tie score."

The old man strains really hard but to no avail; he can't fart, so not to be outdone by his wife, he gives it everything he has and poops in the bed.

The wife asks, "Now what in the world was that?"

The old man replies, "Half-Time, Switch-Sides"

New, Anti-AIDS Drug Goes After Virus

German scientists have discovered a substance known as a peptide that thwarts the AIDS virus and causes far fewer side-effects than existing anti-HIV drugs, they said Wednesday.

The breakthrough was reported in the science journal Science Translational Medicine after it had been tested on 18 AIDS patients.

But the scientists at Hanover university hospital or MHH in northern Germany said they have yet to find a way to put the substance, VIR-576, in a pill. All the test patients received it as an intravenous drip.

Variants of the new therapy could also be devised to fight measles, hepatitis C and Ebola disease, they said.

VIR-576 is a protein that smothers human immunodeficiency virus, stopping it docking with cells in the human body.

"It is a completely new therapy approach which we hope will reduce side effects," said Reinhold E Schmidt of MHH. Other existing medicines offered since the mid-1990s work by proofing cells of the body against the virus.

"Our peptide works on the virus, not on the cells, so some of the side-effects won't happen at all," he said.

Current anti-AIDS medications ensure an almost normal life span for HIV-infected people but raise the risk of strokes and liver damage. VIR-576 caused some diarrhea, but no other major side effects, the tests suggested.

Schmidt cautioned that it could take years before VIR-576 was available from pharmacies as a medicine.

Hotmail E-Mails 'Missing' From Accounts

A number of people with Hotmail accounts have posted complaints on Microsoft forums complaining that their e-mails have been deleted.

Users around the world say e-mails are missing from their inbox and from other folders within their Hotmail accounts.

A spokeswoman for Microsoft said that the issue of missing e-mails was not a widespread problem.

The company said it is working to rectify the problem and apologized to customers for any inconvenience.

Echinacea Does Not Ward Off Common Cold

Echinacea has been used by many as a common cold remedy for years, but a new study has revealed that the herbal treatment has minimal effect in relieving the symptoms or shortening the duration of the illness.

Echinacea, a wild flower (also known as the purple coneflower), is sold in capsule form in drug and retail stores. Dried echinacea root has been used in homemade remedies such as teas, dried herb and liquid extracts.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health tested more than 700 patients, aged 12 to 80 years - all with an early symptom of cold, to see whether echinacea was effective in curing their symptoms.

One group received no pills, a second group received what they knew was echinacea and a third group was given either echinacea or a placebo, but they did not know which Participants recorded their symptoms twice a day for the duration of the cold, up to two weeks.

Bruce Barrett, the lead researcher and an associate professor of family medicine, found that the patients receiving echinacea saw the duration of their cold reduced by seven to 10 hours - not considered a significant decrease.

"Trends were in the direction of benefit, amounting to an average half-day reduction in the duration of a weeklong cold or an approximate 10 percent reduction in overall severity," he said.

"However, this dose regimen did not make a large impact on the course of the common cold, compared either to blinded placebo or to no pills," he added.

Barrett said a larger trial involving people who have found echinacea useful may help provide more answers.
He added that there were no side effects seen, so there is no reason that cold sufferers should stop using echinacea if they think it helps them.

"Adults who have found echinacea to be beneficial should not discontinue use based on the results of this trial, as there are no proven effective treatments and no side effects were seen," said Barrett.

The study is published in this month's Annals of Internal Medicine .