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Tech engine chugs along…
Does this mean we would be sending the Lok Pal Bill to President Barack Obama for consultation! Until that time, we can talk about things that will actually make a difference in out life.
2012 is being touted as the year that will witness numerous technological advancements and changes. We bring you a list of things to look forward to this year. Well, wasn't it always about making life simpler!
Keep rolling There is a lot more happening on the 'laptop' front. Impressive looking laptops for 2012 will be lighter, thinner and sleeker. A split configuration for laptops is making rounds in the technological arena. Says Ajay Chauhan, who is working with Instant Technologies in Gurgaon, “Last year, my friends from IIT Kharagpur were working on designing laptops that can be used from an external device like a remote control, while they are still in the bag. The same thing has been picked up by well-known companies, and split laptop will be an addition to the 2012 technology calendar. Flex your horizon Technology definitely in on the move…imagine if it isn't? We would be stuck with slow speed broadband and dead expensive tablets! Samsung is expected to release a flexible mobile phone with an 'amoled' display, which will allow the phone to bend around a cylinder with a 1-inch diameter. Mobile phones are toying with graphene, a strong material to be used for mobile screens. All you women, this one is being definitely designed for you! In the clouds Technology is the air; it is even in the clouds now! As Ankit Fadia, ethical hacker whose book Ethical Hacking made him the youngest author to be published by Macmillan India, simplifies, “Technology will be moving to cloud computing that provides computation, software, data access and storage services, which does not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services.” Adds Ankit, “You don't need to buy software you can just rent it, which means in 2012 you would have software on demand.” Other than cloud computing, Ankit sees the prices of tablets going down and high-speed and cheap broadband services. “This will be the year of Internet speed revolution. The primary access of Internet will shift from laptops to tablets and television. IP TV, Internet Protocol TV will provide entertainment through the Internet, changing the security issues as well.” Light as feather Even though we are interested in the 'fast' technology, we expect it to be delivered through lighter mediums, light mobile phones and ultra-light laptops. This year the market will be flooded with Ultrabooks, all thanks to Intel. These laptops, which will be qualified as Ultrabooks, will be 0.83 inches thick, have five hours of battery life and special Intel features. Amrita Arora, who works with a leading technology firm as member of development and research unit, Chandigarh, says “There will be more focus on touch interfaces in Windows 8, together with the thinner and lighter design of Ultrabooks, will bring in a new generation of convertible laptops.” New look Twitter has decided to redesign itself by adding some new icons, Google+ is expected to grow and innovate, privacy settings on Facebook would change, there would be heavy censorship of YouTube, new online video channels….you can keep your expectations rolling! jasmine@tribunemail.com
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Not on sale!
Is it any fun when the entire town's out to shop? The worst thing about a dress is when people can tell its make and make out its range…still sale remains the four-letter word fancied by all womenfolk. A couple of conversations with shopaholics and we give you good reasons as to why you shouldn't go sale-shopping. This season, next season, next to next season!
Shares Alpa Sharma, student, University Institute of Fashion Technology, "One big negative of sale-shopping is that there's too much crowd; at times so much that it becomes difficult to shop." Mind it, there's too much crowd in more ways than one. Does the fear of bumping into random acquaintances top the list? Let's face it; it's only a notch better than being caught at a thrift store. That's not it. She adds, "There is also lack of variety and people end up buying the same stuff." Not to forget, the things you don't need. You may not need that ironing board ever, but if it's available at half the price who would resist grabbing it? It was about time before anyone came up with long queues. "The long queues outside the try rooms and the billing counters is what get to me. Then there are rules like you can't try more than three items at a time," shares Pallavi Singh, B.SC student, Panjab University. "Shopping needs to be an experience and not a task. During sales it's like any other chore that you need to finish off fast because there's no space to enjoy the experience." Many whisper and admit it, the sale buys aren't really ever dream buys! Is anyone belting out the pluses? Perhaps those from the school of economy. Adds Seerat, "It's best to decide what you need first and then go in for classic pieces. Prefer things that never go out of trend and can be altered." For instance, a classic white shirt? Remember, it is sale right? There are always two schools of thought. And like always — terms and conditions apply! manpriya@triobunemail.com
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success mantra
Although entrepreneurship had not been Yashovardhan Saboo's first choice for a career, once in it, he did everything with full gusto. An IIM Ahmedabad postgraduate, Yashovardhan took forward his father's established business of manufacturing needles to build India's leading watch components company.
Another of his ventures, Ethos, is India's largest chain of luxury watch boutiques that offers the joy of luxury watch shopping not only in metros but tier-I and tier-II cities. His has been a journey of vision and promise. Chief executive officer of KDDL Ltd and Ethos, Yashovardhan shares with us his fundamentals of success: Clear focus I have always been clear about my objective. Without clarity of the final purpose, very often we can get lost in mechanical actions where rules and procedures become more important than results. As a business grows, it becomes more bureaucratic. In such a situation, it is vital to keep one eye on what is our final goal. It is equally important to prioritise our activities. In India we like multi-tasking and handling many things simultaneously. This is often an asset. But from my working in Europe, I have also realised the great benefit that comes from focusing on one task at a time and saying a "no" when required. Passion with discipline I always try to combine passion and discipline. My greatest successes have been in areas that I have been passionate about. I can work endless hours without getting tired, if it is the work of my choice. Watch retail is one such project. There is so much new to learn every day. At the same time, passion should not mean wild and uncontrolled actions. Success in modern business and society requires discipline. As head of an organisation, every action I take gets noticed and has consequences. Even the smallest things matter; for example how I dress, what time I come to work, how I respond in my letters, how often I criticise, how often I praise, what language I use and so on. Building relationships Respect for people is probably the single most important belief with which I have tried to conduct my business and personal interactions. Whether employees, business partners, customers — I have tried to treat them with respect and this is the only reason I have got back respect and love in ample measure. Respect means not only saying "Thank you", "I am sorry", "Congratulations", "Well done", but also meaning it sincerely. Many times in my life, people have helped me for no reason just because of the respect they received decades ago from my father or grandfather. When we treat people with respect, we keep the thread of relationship intact, even in the face of serious disagreement. Respect is equally important in the family. A lot of my success arises out of the support I have got from my wife and parents, who are often my conscience-keepers. My children are adults now, with their own aspirations and opinions. Love and respect for them keeps our home a wonderful place to go back to every evening. Health is wealth Taking care of one's body is extremely important. I follow a regular fitness regime. I run half-marathons. Running long distance is a form of meditation for me and helps in keep tensions under control. A healthy body allows me to work long hours. I think it also helps me to feel young, energetic and to always think with hope as well as optimism. Positive approach The last but not the least important mantra for success is having a good-humoured approach to life. Everyday has its crisis and tensions. I have tried to develop the ability to take nothing too seriously because I know that the biggest problem will fade over time and even the most pleasurable moments will not be permanent. The ability to laugh and enjoy life to the fullest makes every success bigger. Enjoying the moment - whether on a holiday or with a nice dinner or a rare bottle of wine or the company of friends or a funny sms — forgetting everything else for it is a superb way of remaining mentally fit and prepared for any eventuality. mona@tribunemail.com
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Lead time
Young actor Kunal Karan Kapoor, last seen as the negative Angad in Star Plus' Pratigya, is back on telly. He has bagged the main lead in Sudhir Mishra's new show called Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuuch Kaha on Colors.
An Indya source explains, "The show is produced by makers who have given hit shows like Miley Jab Hum Tum and 12/24 Karol Bagh. Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuuch Kaha revolves around a married woman with two kids and her love story. The delightful promos are already on air and they look quite promising. They are currently shooting in Indore.
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Book worthy
Being a man of many facets is only possible for a very few in life. One of those is Rajbir Deswal, an IPS officer of the Haryana cadre. Apart from flawlessly executing his duties on a day-to-day basis, he has just finished penning down his thoughts on nature, human emotions and satire.
Aptly called ‘My Own Khajuraho’, the book mirrors the thoughts on nature, satire and human relationships. “I don’t want to convey philosophy through my writings. I write what I think and strangely bizarre, ironic and weird thoughts provoke me,” he says. His earlier stint in the field of journalism has helped him groom his skills in the field of writing. Writing, for this multi-faceted man, was a result of pure indulgence in creativity. It has been this pursuit, which has led to the completion of his eighth book. “My first book, Taron ke Jungle, was an anthology in Hindi,” he says. Another book, Haryana Culture, came about only as a by product of his association with Haryana. Talking about his current book, dedicated to Yusuf Khan, aka Dilip Kumar, he says, “He is my favourite star. The book is basically reflective of a conversation between a tendril and a star,” he says. Running into four conversations, the poem begins on the author’s conversation with the sprout and eventually moves to a point of understanding between the star and the tendril. Already ready with two more books, Rajbir is nothing less than equally excited about them. “One is a short story book and the other is compilation of quotes on the various social networking sites,” he says. Active on Twitter, Facebook and in the world of blogging, Rajbir is still closely associated with newspapers “Middles, short stories, travelogues and book reviews have always helped me give shape to my thoughts and ideas,” he smiles. Apart from being an ardent writer, Rajbir has been a recipient of the President of India’s police medal for meritorious services. He has also received the prestigious Haryana Sahitya Akademi Pandit Lakmi Chand Award for the promotion of Haryanvi culture through his writings. vasudha@tribunemail.com
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Junking the brain
Researchers have found that junk food actually hurts one’s brain, in fact the chemicals, found often in fried or processed food, send mixed and damaging signals to the mind and lessens its ability to control appetite.
Essentially, by eating junk food, one’s brain becomes less and less able to tell what one has eaten and continues to make one feed as if one is hungry so that one proceeds to eat more, says the team at Oregon Health and Science University “It’s clear that trans fats are bad both for your heart and now, we see, for your brain,” a publication quoted Dr Gene Bowman as saying. Given the somewhat complicated nature of trans fats, it is harder for shoppers to spot goods that contain loads of the molecule. — PTI
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Plan the diet
After the Christmas and New Year bash, its time for a health check; here are some useful tips to overcome the “enjoy yet be fit” challenge! Says ex-DMC dietician Pallavi Agarwal, “Intersperse the rich food in your diet with fibre-rich salads as well as fruits for roughage and neutralisation of the fat. These days, one should have plenty of Vitamin C-loaded fruits like kinnows, oranges and guavas.” She advocates the use of warm water with drops of lemon to detox the body. Fitness expert and dietician Indrani Saggar tells us about the famous “General Motors Diet”, which is time-tested for detoxification and made for employees who have a sedentary lifestyle. It is a week-long diet course and if followed religiously, can help shed 4-5 kilos
Day 1: Unlimited Fruits except chikoos, mangoes and grapes. Day 2: Unlimited boiled vegetables. Day 3: Alternate fruits and vegetables. Day 4: Only bananas and milk. Day 5-6: Chicken/paneer boiled or sauted in non-stick pan. Day 7: Dal and boiled rice Clear soups unlimited on all days, at all times but no tea and coffee Along with all this, one must not forgot to walk outside when it is not that cold or do some spot-jogging as and when possible.
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Par Excellence
Rotation of the body is the primary source of power. Power in golf is the combination of strength and speed. The strength needed is created by the bigger muscles of the body and the speed comes from the arms and hands. To improve the work of the bigger muscles we need to make them work in an isolated manner by stopping other sources of power which are the arms and hands.
Try this simple drill. Place a wood cover under each of your armpits. This creates a connection between the arms and the body and both now work in tandem. The backswing will be created by the rotation of the shoulders as the arms cannot move independently. The forward swing should be with the pivot of the hips and active legs with minimum work of your hands. The backswing and follow through will be short and only up to shoulder height. This drill is great for both the short game and the long game. For the longer shots place the ball on a tee as it is difficult to hit the ball from the ground as the arms cannot extend away from the body to hit the ball. You should be able to generate 75 per cent of your distance with just the body’s rotation. If you hit a club 150 yards you should be able to hit it around 110 yards with this drill. In short game it helps reduce the excessive work of the hands. It is a great warm up drill too as it pushes the body to work harder. (Grewal has coached several national champions and professionals apart from being coach of the Indian golf team for the Eisenhower Cup (World Cup) in 2008. He is currently Director, National Golf Academy of India and CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy. If you have any queries get in touch with him at parexcellence@tribunemail.com)
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I, me & myself
Psychologist Barbora Nevicka, who led the study, said: “There’s no doubt narcissism can sometimes be useful in a leader. “But... good leaders facilitate communication by asking questions and summarising the conversation - something narcissists are too self-involved to do.” The findings are to be published in the journal Psychological Science. —IANS
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HEART talk
Harpreet, Chandigarh All you have to do is, do your work and don’t be carried away by useless gossip. There are many organisations where women function amidst men. There is no need to pay attention to unmindful things that your friends have to say. If you are sincere with your work, you wouldn’t have any trouble. I am an 18-year-old girl and I share a room with my cousin. She invites her male friends to our place. This makes me uncomfortable as some of her friends behave weirdly with me. What should I do? Rosy,
Chandigarh Tell your cousin that you are disturbed by her behaviour. If you don’t like something say it on her face rather than cribbing about it. This is not actually a problem, just talk it out. ( Rana is a Bollywood actor and television
anchor)
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Brad’s film wisdom
Actor Brad Pitt says that the most important thing to consider in a movie project is “longevity". The 48-year-old believes it doesn’t matter if a film doesn’t win top awards, as the key to a good project is one that lasts longer. “Filmmaking is about longevity. Is it a quality picture? A quality story? Is there something original about it? The thing we miss the most is the degree of difficulty, like in The Tree Of Life," said Pitt as saying. “Just to aim for something like that - I think there’s a quiet victory in the degree of difficulty there beyond what’s going to be in the record books as the best picture of the year. Films that I’ve loved doing like Jesse James and The Tree of Life, they’re ‘fine wine’ pictures - they’ll age well. They’ve got legs," he added. — IANS
Divorce dilemma
Pop star Katy Perry reportedly wanted Russell Brand, to file for divorce as she did not wish to disappoint her evangelical Christian parents, by being the one to end her marriage. The 36-year-old’s lawyers filed papers in Los Angeles this week ending the A-list couple’s 14-month marriage.
According to celebrity website TMZ, the 27-year-old singer, did not want to officially file for divorce herself as divorce goes against her religious upbringing. Her parents, Keith and Mary Hudson, had publicly given their approval to their daughter’s love before their marriage, despite Brand’s controversial background. Keith, a pastor, had at the time said that everyone had a past and he also “used to take LSD". “We all have a past. I was in the Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin era, and I used to take LSD," he had said. TMZ alleges that, contrary to earlier reports, the couple had agreed to split a few weeks ago, but waited to file papers until they were both out of the country. Brand is currently in England, while Hot and Cold singer Perry is on
holiday in Hawaii. Russell released a statement yesterday that said he still ‘adores’ his wife and hoped they would remain friends. “Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I’ll always adore her and I know we’ll remain friends," he had said. His legal team filed court documents at the Superior Court in Los Angeles yesterday citing ‘irreconcilable differences.' — ANI
Lovato is inspired!
Singer Demi Lovato has tried her hand at country music and says she currently is penning a country song. Lovato, 19, who is critically acclaimed for her ballad pop Skyscraper, sparked such rumour after taking to Twitter to tease what supposed to be a new project.
“Wrote my first country song today," she tweeted. The former leading star of Disney’s Sonny with a Chance shared no other details about the song, but she revealed she took inspiration from Eli Young Band’s Crazy Girl and Kenny Chesney’s The Good Stuff. —
PTI Country music: Demi Lovato
Challenging role
Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock, who recently teamed up with Tom Hanks in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, says she had to do tougher parts than her co-star.
The 47-year-old actress said Hanks missed the intense parts since the Larry Crowne actor was mostly seen in sweet moments with Thomas Horn. “I mean he [Horn] and Tom got to play, and really connect and bond and show that similarity," she said. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close revolves around Horn’s character who tries to make sense of his father’s death during the September 11 attacks and goes in search to find a lock that fits a mysterious key. Bullock previously said that she had to hold back her maternal instincts when filming the post 9/11 movie. “When you have maternal instincts towards a child the first thing you want to do is go to that child and just protect - and that was exactly what I was not gonna do. It was hard," she said. —
PTI
My best is yet to come…
Kamal Hassan candidly admits that he couldn’t have made it big in Bollywood without his mentor K. Balachander, that Hindi movies still enthuse him and that he loves the kind of films Aamir Khan is making. He is also proud of his daughter Shruti Haasan’s career in Tamil and Hindi movies as she has made a place for herself without his banner’s support.
Are you enthused by Hindi cinema? Yes, some of it. I am very happy Aamir Khan is now attempting films that should’ve been done 10 years ago in Hindi. People attribute this new cinema to the entry of corporate houses in Hindi cinema. But where were these corporate houses when Hrishida (Hrishikesh Mukeherjee) made his films and Gulzar bhai made Achanak? Brilliant films are possible in every corner of India and at any time. Your elder daughter Shruti has made a career in both Tamil and Hindi? I’m proud of her because she isn’t doing a product of our home banner Rajkamal Films. The only thing Rajkamal did for her was to give her a chance to do the background score in Unnaipol Oruvan. It wouldn’t matter to me if she failed as a movie actress. But right now it looks like a winning streak. Do you advise her on her choice of films? No. When we talk career, we get into an argument. In Hindi films, she is facing the same problems I did. If a K Balachander hadn’t come along to do Ek Duuje Ke Liye with me in Hindi, I wonder what would’ve happened to me! I would have suffered much worse because Shruti is far more savvy than me. Don’t you want to act in a film with her? Shruti has been telling me that we should. But I don’t want her to do it just for the heck of it. She is a star now. I want her to act in one of our home productions for the glory of our banner. By the way, for the Tamil version of Dasavatharam, she was my coach for my American accent. She had just returned from the US and was the perfect medium to help her father’s Madrasi accent to be transformed into a yankee accent. She was a bully. She made me do many retakes in the dubbing. And after dubbing, she wanted me to correct some more of my accent. Eveyone thought that was taking it a little too far (laughs). And your younger daughter? Every time Akshara stands behind the camera and says, ‘This is where I want to be I am reminded of myself.' I started behind the camera and gradually moved to the front. You are often forced to take over troubled projects. Wouldn’t you just like to focus on acting? But I was always a reluctant actor! I continue to be that. I announce a project, the camera rolls and I’m happy. I’m fortunate to be doing leading parts even now. Except for my mentor K. Balachander, for whom I can do even a walk-on part. When he directed his 100th film, I just walked in to do a small role. I just clowned around on camera. Your brother-in-law Mani Ratnam too had a heart scare recently? He is a cool cat. I was surprised when he had a heart problem...People think my film with Mani, Nayakan, is my best work. To an extent it’s true. But I’d like to think my best is yet to come. Another film with Mani
Ratnam? We keep discussing ideas...We spoke again on my birthday when he came visiting. He wanted to know what it felt like acting, producing and directing (Viswaroopam) all at once. What does it feel like? Direction is a lot of responsibility. But if you’ve been trained under Balachander as I have, it’s a lot easier. You have everything down on paper before you start shooting. By now while directing I am experienced enough to know my moves. What next? I am returning to comedy. Then someone wants me to play Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan is now being researched and written. My hibernating historical Marudanayagam is still talked about. People ask, ‘When are we releasing it?' They talk of it as their own. —
IANS
Promoting Players
His blog is read by thousands every day and megastar Amitabh Bachchan is now using the platform to promote his son Abhishek’s upcoming film Players.
The 69-year-old actor is all praises for the new action thriller, saying that the latest Abbas-Mustan offering is a fast paced slick film. “Abhishek has been able to spend an entire day with us after ages - he being flown in every day to different locations for his promotions for Players releasing in a few days on the Friday - a fast paced slick film with some rather picturesque and daring stunts in some of the more remote regions of the world - New Zealand to the North Pole via Russia, well almost," Bachchan wrote on his blog. “It would be welcome if the Ef (extended family) could spread the word around on the film," he added. The film also stars Sonam Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Sikander Kher and is the official remake of the 2003 Hollywood blockbuster, The Italian Job. The film will hit the theatres on January 6. — PTI
Sporty Khan
While most of the B-town celebs partied on New Year’s eve, Shah Rukh chose to bring in 2012 by playing a soccer match with daughter Suhana. “A different bringing in the new year..near midnite soccer with my daughter...she is leading 2 to 1. Lemme show her the stuff I am made up of," Shah Rukh wrote on Twitter. The actor is currently holidaying in Dubai with wife Gauri and children Aryan and Suhana.
Accepting age
Actor Jeff Bridges says he no longer cares about his looks and isn’t worried about aging. The 62-year-old believes getting older helps him feel better about his looks and he has learned to “let go” and not be concerned about age.
“As you get older, there’s maybe something like a reverse vanity, where you just let your age go and not be concerned about it," says Bridges. — IANS
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2012: Stars and their desires
The year 2012 has begun and while most stars are busy acting and working on their resolutions, there are many listing their wishes for this year. Better future, more happiness, love and laughter. So check out what do the telly stars wish personally and professionally in 2012 Numero Uno Anas Rashid Professionally my wish for 2012 is to see my show Diya Aur Bati Hum as the number one show. I want our show to be such a success, that it remains at the top position for three years. Personally, I want to take my parents on pilgrimage to Hajj this year. I am hopeful that both will happen.
Friendly loop Ragini Khanna Professionally, I want to do better work this year. Something different from what I have been doing or done in the past. Personally, I want to meet new people. I find it really interesting to interact with new people. So I hope to make more friends this year. Last but not the least; I want to continue living my life cheerfully. Bollywood wish Pratyusha Banerjee I want to get a big break in Bollywood. Professionally my wish is to do a film this year. I take too much stress about things and worry too much. Therefore, I wish for less stress and more joy for myself in 2012. Success all the way Karan Mehra My wish for this year is more success to our show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. I hope the audiences will continue loving and watching our show. As an actor, I have just achieved one landmark and I want many great experiences to come. Personally, I wish a peaceful life for everyone.
Looking for more Arjun Bijlani I wish for better and good things to come my way this year. I want to achieve more as an actor. Henceforth, I hope something challenging will come my way in 2012. Personally, I wish more happiness for my family, friends and myself. Show me money! Sanjeeda Sheikh Professionally, I guess I would want to make more money. I am a very content person when it comes to money. Truthfully, I wish to continue working the way I have been with utmost sincerity. For myself, I wish for a healthy and trouble-free life.
Work comes first
Hina Khan Professionally, I wish many more accomplishments for Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. \Personally, I have wanted a big apartment in Mumbai for a long time. So I wish to have a four bedroom flat this year.
Game for the spoilt
The eight spoilt brats on Big Switch 3 are having a tough time coping up with the tasks given by Godfather Rohit Shetty. Amidst all the hard work, lightening the atmosphere is the gorgeous host Natasha Suri, who gives the brats their first luxury that they have earned with their very first salary. The atmosphere changes quickly as the brats get ready for their upcoming job as they have to give it their best shot to buy the much required AC.
The brats are in for a big surprise as they get to the location of their task. Awaiting them is Rohit Shetty who introduces them to the job and the rich spoilt brats who always go to malls to splurge their Daddy Ka Paisa today have to run behind customers and get them to sample various products. The job is simple that the larger number of feedback forms they get filled from customers, the more money the brats earn! Do the brats manage to impress Rohit Shetty with their performance at the job?
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Smart choice
Your sense of style For me being stylish is to be simply smart. We should know what suits us the best. Collared t- shirts and a good pair of jeans do the trick for me and of course, a long coat too these days. Latest addition to your treasure of clothing or accessories… A pair of shorts and a T-shirt from Tony Hawks which I got from my trip to Australia. Brand crazy or street pick ups? Brands out and out Your style icon would be… Kristen Ballie is one guy who never fails to impress. Who do you think is the worst dressed celebrity? Rakhi Sawant for she tries to be what she is actually not. Which look would your prefer–sporty, chic or glamorous Sporty and crisp for me! One fashion trend that goes beyond your comprehension… Coloured shoes which are quite a mismatch with the rest of the attire. It seems to be quite common in our campus these days. Your take on accessories? Accessories should be minimal. A good belt and watch is what is needed. No fancy chains and belts with fancy buckles please! What gives you a high on the confidence level? When I follow the footsteps of my successful seniors, it sure makes me feel confident and of course being well dressed too. (As told to Poonam Bindra)
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Astro turf
ARIES: Hasty actions can lead to bad situations. Keep your wits about you and try to pause if agitated. This will allow your mind to catch up with your emotions and stay on track. Tarot message: Be articulate to prevent people from making their own conclusions. TAURUS: There will be good opportunities to show off your artistic flair. Loved ones will do, what they can, to help solve financial problems. You can expect to have people trying to influence you, so stay focused. GEMINI: The card ‘Six of Wands’ emphasises on fun. Your effort will not go unnoticed by superiors. Talk with your lover about your future plans. Enjoy fantasising over the countless possibilities. CANCER: Today love and travel figure prominently. You can put yourself in line for a promotion. The accent is on pleasure and entertainment. Strong feelings can overwhelm you and distort your sense of perspective. Tarot message: Don’t reveal your plan of action to anyone. LEO: Make more of an effort to attain and maintain harmony. Communication on the job can assume greater importance. But you do need to be careful that you do not get caught up in red tape. VIRGO: New people whom you meet will be rather exciting. Travel is not favoured. Take it easy this morning. Some of you might be relaxing with your lovers and be reluctant to make any changes all day long. Tarot message: Make all compromises. LIBRA: Love life is sparklingly beautiful. Enjoy the pleasurable vibes and plan a relaxing day. Get into your hobbies or a favourite sport for mental and physical stimulation. A friend might try to talk you into doing something.Tarot message: Do not expect too much from others. SCORPIO: A piece of good news arriving by mail or phone will cheer you up. A romantic feel to the day is more conductive to artistic and healing pursuits. SAGITTARIUS: Not a good day for shopping. There can be a small get together at home. A level of anxiety could interfere with your sense of well-being. CAPRICORN: Take things step-by-step. Club and group activities occupy you. Speculate only if you are ready to lose money. Focus on your hobbies. Anything you have done wrong can be exposed now. Tarot message: Don’t waste an opportunity by being impulsive. AQUARIUS: Be logical in your thoughts. A change of plan can throw you into turmoil. Don’t expect people to make compromises and you won’t be let down. Tarot message: Learn from past experience and desist from making a similar mistake again. PISCES: Push routine to one side. Your marital status figures prominently. You might fall madly in love during travel or attendance at a conference.
The year ahead
If your birthday is January 3...
This is not a year for the weak and only the strong and resourceful will survive. Resourcefulness is the key and there will be plenty of power trips to go around. Also, avoid masochistic tendencies at all costs as there are other ways to gain besides needless, self-inflicted pain. You tend to be in a relationship, or if you’re single for a period of time, you are quite conscious of that fact and spend a significant amount of time looking for a mate. You do not like to be alone; you prefer to spend time with people, and yet you can grow irritated easily when you feel overwhelmed by the attentions of a lover. Spend part of January discussing the big picture, especially what you want to see happening in the future. You need to buckle down and really get to work for a few days after that and should try to avoid the impulse to gossip and socialise. Just remember that the stars simply suggest you go to beyond what you already know. Look for new professional outlets and contracts and show how much drive and originality you have. Dissatisfied employees should look at offers which could up-date their professionalism, thus obtaining more satisfaction. What you think is permanent may soon disappear like the morning mist. Enjoy what you have while you can. You will be sorry if you do not have a backup plan. Do not put too much value on prizes won in contests. A busy and active 2012 appears filled with the necessity to make good, fast and foresighted decisions. A wide variety of demands may be placed upon your time, wallet and patience especially with elder members. Be subtle and not forceful. It may be necessary to limit contact during work hours to prevent mistakes from distraction. Good health and energy, vitality will be quite helpful and you may concentrate on working out a better posture. You may have nice physical and mental health. Health consciousness will prevail. Keep your head cool when your feelings heat up since serious negotiations and complex discussions require clear thinking. Mood: Delicate Compatible signs: Libra, Scorpio. Lucky colours: Fire brick, cyan. Lucky days: Tuesday and Sunday. Lucky numbers: 2, 5, 17, 27, 75. Lucky gem: Emerald. Lucky flower: Blue bell.
Gul Panag (January 3, 1979, Chandigrah) is an actor and former beauty queen who has competed in the Miss Universe pageant. Her notable films are Dhoop, Dor and Manorama Six Feet Under. Gul appeared on the front page and a photo shoot for Maxim (magazine) in September 2008. She has a combination of double 3 in her date which shows a good career in celluloid world in coming years.
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2012…the line-up for new possibilities, new things and innovations that can put India on the global map are already on the runway.
Technology rolls on this year and we mean literally! Roll on laptops and mobile phones, some interesting innovations are in the pipeline for the year. "The YouTube is flooded with videos on roll-on laptops," shares Manish Jain, a software developer in Chandigarh, who along with a team of four is working on this idea for a national mobile company. "In the roll-on laptop, the entire laptop is rolled into a thin tube and you can carry it in your pocket. The device is in developing stages, it might take sometime for it to hit the market, but this is definitely going to be a new addition in technology,” he adds. 
And buying clothes two seasons old is never a wise investment. "With all the clothes dumped in, even the best of stores look like a warehouse during this season. That's the worst part about a sale," opines Seerat Singh, fashion designing student, Panjab Technical University. She adds, "With all the comparatively mindless shopping going on, add to it the no exchange, no return policy." Laughs Pallavi, "There's yet another negative of saving that odd ten-twenty per cent on your garment - you don't have much time to try, you don't have space to think and there's no way they are taking it back." 
In a study conducted by University of Amsterdam researchers, group members rated the most narcissistic leaders as most effective, but in fact the groups led by the greatest egotists never chose the best candidate.
I am the only female employee in my group, which is why I get a lot of attention from my male colleagues. But my friends say this will land me in some kind of trouble. I try to maintain my distance, but I have to interact with them. Please suggest what should I do?
In the world of fashion we all are looking for the style icon whom we would like to emulate. We all admire those whose sense of style attracts us. A sense of style which may not be governed by set rules or regulations or brands for that matter. It is more of what makes them stand apart from the rest. A student of architecture and a state-level cricketer Gundeep Singh Ahuja shares his sense of style.