Pakistani singer-actor Ali Zafar , who has just delivered his second consecutive hit, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, after Tere Bin Laden (2010), is troubled by the to-kiss-or-not-to-kiss dilemma in films. Zafar, 31, is now set to star in romantic comedy, London Paris New York, and is said to have several kissing scenes with co-star Aditi Rao Hydari (above left).

Ali ZafarThe actor earlier was quoted as saying: “My wife has no issues with it (kissing).” However, soon after Zafar’s publicist in Pakistan Ammara Hikmat clarified to The Express Tribune, “By intimate, Ali didn’t mean obscene scenes... By intimate, he means a cozy and romantic film.”

Hikmat claimed Zafar was joking at the press conference in India when he said, “Well, I do make sure to brush my teeth as soon as I wake up because I’d be doing very intimate scenes.”

However Hikmat clarified, “He (Zafar) believes that everyone has the right to express their own freedom of speech and action in reasonably defined parameters. He tries his best to keep general values of his home country in mind and work in a way where he can fulfil his professional obligations and not
disappoint his fans at the same time. We have witnessed his choices to do this and make us proud.”

Earlier, Pakistani actor Meera was threatened by radical elements after she had a controversial kissing scene in filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s Nazar, five years ago.

More recently, Veena Malik, who was part of popular Indian reality TV show Bigg Boss, had her share of troubles on her return to Pakistan with
several clerics accusing her of having no character and of bringing a bad name to the country.

Bollywood is not only the hub where the controversies and cut-throat competitions are always brewing on; it also has such rooms of respite, such corners where one can breathe afresh. Every day, friendship too takes birth beyond the media glare!

Amidst the prying eyes of media hovering on the B-town celebs, you also get to see some brilliant examples of friendship. The industry has its share of best friends as well. There are some actors who may be as different as chalk or cheese, but get along famously.

It's time to talk friendship once again, and we bring you one of Bollywood's hit formulas - friendship between Bollywood celebs:

Shahrukh Khan & Karan Johar –SRK and Karan Johar's close friendship is no secret. The reel life friendship soon transformed to one in real life and has always been the talk of the town. They are known to be one of the best buddies in B-town. They have been together since the days of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge, where Karan Johar played Shahrukh’s close friend on-screen.

 

Kareena Kapoor & Amrita Arora – The sexy babes have stick to each other through think and thin, each offering support and being the shoulder to cry on when the chips are down. Kareena Kapoor was also the bridesmaid at her wedding with Shakeel Ladak.






Salman Khan & Aamir Khan – Aamir's friendship with Salman has come a long way. From the days of ‘Andaaz Apna Apna’ way back in 1994, they have grown quite fond of each other. And, the bond strengthened all the more, when Salman offered few tips on body building to Aamir during the Ghajini days. Aamir on the other hand is happy to reciprocate by giving tips to Salman about better scripts and better marketing of his films.

Kareena & Tusshar – Bebo & Tusshar Kapoor have been good friends for a long time. They have worked together in the 2001 film 'Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai' & the professional association continued when the two were seen in 'Golamaal 3'. Kareena also gifted Tusshar a Blackberry phone and he accepted the gift since Bebo wanted him to be part of the BB gang. Both seem amiable and amicable in holding onto the friendship chords.






Ameesha-Manayata – They both are known to be very close friends. Sometime back Ameesha threw a lavish baby shower for her best friend Manyata Dutt, when she was expecting her twins. The never ending relationship is still rolling on, slamming the rumours.

 

 The store looks every bit like Apple Stores found all over the world. PHOTO: REUTERS

SHANGHAI: Chinese counterfeiters have had a field-day pumping out knockoffs of Apple Inc’s best-selling iPhones and iPads but one appears to have gone a step further – a near flawless fake Apple Store that even employees believe is the real deal.

The store in Kunming was stumbled upon by a 27-year-old American blogger living in the city, the capital of China’s mountainous southwestern Yunnan province.

Complete with the white Apple logo, wooden tables and cheery staff claiming they work for the iPhone maker, the store looks every bit like Apple Stores found all over the world, according to the blogger, who goes by the name “BirdAbroad.”

But Apple has no stores in Kunming and only 13 authorized resellers in the city, who are not allowed to call themselves Apple Stores or claim to work for Apple.

“This was a total Apple store rip-off. A beautiful rip-off – a brilliant one – the best rip-off store we had ever seen,” the anonymous blogger posted Wednesday. “Being the curious types that we are, we struck up some conversation with these salespeople who, hand to God, all genuinely think they work for Apple.”

It was unclear whether the store was selling fake or genuine Apple products – there are countless unauthorized resellers of Apple and other brands’ electronic products throughout the country who sell the real thing but obtain their goods by buying them overseas and smuggling them into the country to skip tax.

The store had sections devoted to different Apple products, similar to real Apple stores, and large posters advertising the iPhone 4 and MacBook Pro, according to photos on the blog. (http://birdabroad.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/are-you-listening-st

eve-jobs/)

Apple declined to comment. The Cupertino, California-based firm reported forecast-smashing results Tuesday, helped by massive growth in Asia, and China in particular.

Shady Origins

Apple, which was slow to establish its brand in China, currently has four retail outlets in Beijing and Shanghai. The firm plans another two more this year, including one in Shanghai and another in Hong Kong.

But the immense popularity of Apple’s iPads, iPhones and Macbook computers has spurred a bumper crop of resellers with dubious credentials.

At one unauthorized Apple reseller in Shanghai visited on Thursday, the shop was decorated in much the same way as Apple stores, with wooden tables and chairs with iPads laid out for customers to try out.

The shop was not contained on a list of authorized Apple resellers in Shanghai.

But the proprietors fell short on the attention to detail displayed by their counterparts in Kunming. For one, the store also sold some other products, like chocolate jigsaw puzzles, that would never see the light of day at a real Apple Store.

“Do you have a web camera for my Macbook?,” asked one customer.

“No, but our other store in Lujiazui should have it,” said the sales representative, referring to Apple’s genuine retail store in the heart of Shanghai’s financial district.

When approached, none of the staff claimed to work for Apple or that the store was an actual Apple Store. Customers appeared unfazed.

“I prefer to get my Apple products fixed here. It’s very troublesome going to the real Apple store in Lujiazui because not only do you have to pay to get repairs, but you have to make an appointment to see the sales specialist,” said Xavier, a 30-something expatriate who declined to give his last name.

“The prices are the same as the real store but the service is better here,” he added, before whipping out his two iPads to tinker with.

One of the most frustrating things in life is a slow computer.
Every few years, we buy an expensive new PC and love how fast it starts up, runs programs, and loads websites.  Inevitably though, it starts to slow down until eventually we are pulling our hair out waiting for it to do routine tasks.

Why is this?  It turns out the answer is actually quite simple and you don't even need to be "technical" to understand the causes and solutions.

The good news: It's not the computer hardware that's the problem.  In most cases, the hardware you have is perfectly capable of being restored to its original glory and kept in fast running condition with minimal effort.

Rather, the problem lies with changes that occur to the PC's software.  The two most common causes of slowdown (along with easy solutions) are:

1. The most common problem: registery errors

Every time you (or your kids) load a program, game, or file, your PC's software registery is updated with new instructions needed to operate that item.  However, when the item is removed, these instructions usually remain on your PC.  Every time you run your computer it tries to execute these instructions but, because the related program can't be found, it causes a registry error.  Your PC is doing a lot more work than it should be and the result is a significantly slower computer.

One of the best ways to manage this is with a neat little tool from Support.com, a Silicon Valley based company.  It's called ARO 2011 and it scans, identifies, and fixes registry errors--resulting in a computer that's a lot more like it was when you first bought it.  On top of the amazing results it offers, it's so easy to install and use that it was recently awarded a coveted 4.5 star rating (out of 5) by CNET's editorial staff and has been downloaded more than 30 million times.

You can now get a free working version of the software which will quickly scan your entire PC and identify all of the registry errors that may be bogging it down.  The free version also scans for junk and checks your PC's baseline security status.  It will eliminate the first 100 errors for free, and if you have more errors that you want to clean up or want to set the program to run on a regular basis (which is recommended), you can easily upgrade to the full version for just $29.95.  After that, registry errors will no longer be a problem.

To get the free version simply click here.

2. Spyware and viruses

Spyware and viruses are software programs that are loaded on your computer without your knowledge or permission.  They have various purposes, including:

• Changing the default search engine in your browser.
• Tracking your Web surfing habits and showing you targeted advertising.
• Using your email program to send out spam to other email addresses.
• Stealing your personal information.

Most spyware and viruses get onto our computers through files that we download from the Internet or as attachments to emails.  They tend to take up a lot of computing power and, as a result, will significantly slow down your computer.

The simple rule of thumb to follow is to never download any free software programs from companies you do not know and trust, especially screensavers, emoticons, and the like.  In addition, you should never open any attachment to an email unless you are 100 percent certain you know and trust the sender.  In addition, make sure you have a good anti-virus/spyware removal software running at all times.

Follow the above advice and your PC should stay fast and safe.

A study published in 2008 revealed that there is a link between heavy hookah smoking and incidence of cancer. And yet, the Sindh Assembly’s decision to outlaw the smoking of shisha has been met with much skepticism.

Twenty year old Hassan* says:

• “It is rubbish. They should ban cigarette smoking first!”

But will arresting the frequency of cigarette smoking make the ban on shisha more acceptable?

“Banning cigarette smoking will show that the government has a clear policy against smoking,” Hassan asserts. “Prohibiting shisha will only affect a small portion of the general population.”

The question of acceptability looms like a specter, putting a match to numerous contentious – and somewhat unsolvable –debates. Zahra*, a student in Karachi says:

• “I find Bachal Shah’s statement – ‘not only boys, but teenaged girls also go to restaurants to smoke shisha’ – to be extremely derogatory and sexist. It takes the stereotyped image of woman and distorts it even more. I feel it could have been phrased better. It would have had a stronger impact.”

Hookah smoking has been deemed a popular activity in most South Asian countries and in the Arab world. Is it then apt to consider a ban of this nature as an assault on human liberties? Afsar*, a Lahore-based business student says:

• “I think it should only be enforced in public places. This way, people who want to smoke shisha – in spite of the health risks involved – will have the freedom to do in the privacy of their own homes.”

Hookah smoking is also perceived as a predominantly elitist activity. It has become a fixture for various social gatherings and events.

Will this interdiction on shisha significantly alter people’s mindsets?

Fine arts student in Karachi, Farima* says:

• “The shisha ban is rather absurd. There are countless other issues that are in need of potent attention and consequent action. The hazards created by shisha are insignificant in comparison.”

It is vital to analyze the impact this will generate in society. Rahman*, a twenty-one year old argues:

• “I feel this ban will curb opportunities youngsters have to hang out and chill out. The youth in particular will feel deprived and may start using shisha underground. On the other hand, it’s good to see people taking such initiatives to promote health concerns.”

Although the ban on shisha is a stepping stone for change, there is still an inkling of resistance for it. Perhaps this can only be remedied if a tangible change in mindsets is propagated. But exactly how can this change be initiated? Zain* says:

• “I don’t think the tactful use of advertising helps. There is no guarantee that it will work. I remember when cigarette ads were followed by public services. Did that stop people from smoking?”

Perhaps the government should consider marketing this new policy. Most people who smoke shisha – which comprises a large section of the youth – are unaware of the health risks it entails. They only perceive it as a pleasurable pastime and thus find the ban to be a violation of inalienable human rights.

It is only through an innovative awareness campaign that the government can convey its standpoint to the naively unacquainted youth.

*Names have been changed to preserve the identity of the respondents.

Of the 80 member team that was deployed to take down bin Laden, few draw more speculation than the one on four legs.

Most likely a Belgian Malinois (though officials say it could also have been a German Shepherd), there was one non-human member of the SEAL team that raided Osama bin Laden's compound, according to the New York Times. The heroic pooch was strapped to a Navy SEAL as they were lowered from a hovering helicopter.

Belgian Malinois

The news of the dog's use in the raid broke Wednesday, but like the other members of the team that was deployed, its identity remains unknown.

While the dog is known for its bomb-sniffing prowess, it has other capabilities that make it a wonderful dog-of-war. According to the Atlantic, the dog may have been trained to "sniff out enemy troops from up to 2 miles away."

The sensory perception brought by these dogs in a wartime situation is unparalleled. “The capability they bring to the fight cannot be replicated by man or machine,” General David H. Petraeus said last year, calling for more use of dogs.

But the coolest thing about these guys? Many SEAL dogs come equipped with "titanium fangs capable of ripping through enemy protective armor," at a cost of "about $2,000 a tooth," according to the Daily. That'll get the job done.

Flexible future: Forget the iPhone, here's the smartphone made out of 'paper' that will shape with your pocket

The PaperPhone's flexible display makes it more portable that any current mobile computer

In an industry where unbreakable and smaller are best, the world's first interactive paper computer looks set to dominate for years to come.

The PaperPhone has a flexible electronic display that is set to herald a new generation of computers.

Extremely lightweight and made out of a thin-film, the prototype device can do everything a smartphone currently does.

Scroll down for video.

Inventor Roel Vertegaal, the director of Queen's University Human Media Lab in Kingston, Ontario, said: 'This is the future. Everything is going to look and feel like this within five years.

'This computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper, meaning that when users are reading they don't feel like they are holding a sheet of glass or metal.

'You interact with it by bending it into a cell phone, flipping the corner to turn pages, or writing on it with a pen.'

Its display consists of a 9.5cm diagonal, thin-film flexible E Ink display.

The flexible form of the display makes it much more portable that any current mobile computer - it will shape with your pocket.

Being able to store and interact with documents on larger versions of these light, flexible computers means offices will no longer require paper or printers.

'The paperless office is here,' said Dr Vertegaal. 'Everything can be stored digitally and you can place these computers on top of each other just like a stack of paper, or throw them around the desk.'

Dr Vertegaal will officially unveil his paper computer on Tuesday at the Association of Computing Machinery's Computer Human Interaction 2011 conference in Vancouver.

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Japanese researchers have developed technology to let you "kiss" over the Internet. A machine is affixed with a straw that you can move with your tongue, and someone across the world can own a similar unit across the world and "feel" that kiss.

Kissing Transmission

Yet unnamed, the device looks like a box with a straw sticking out its top. It lets you move the straw with the tongue, and via a PC it can translate that same movement to a similar unit anywhere in the world, as long as it's connected online.

Researchers at the Kajimoto Laboratory at the University of Electro-Communications in Japan say the two users, no matter where they are in the world, can feel each other straw movements, which can replicate a kiss.

Fast Company writes the researchers plan to fine-tune other elements of a liplock, including "sense of taste, the manner of breathing, and the moistness of the tongue."

One of the researchers, Nobuhiru Takahashi, notes in a promotional video how the technology can be used by celebrities to give fans "virtual kisses", an idea that has not been proposed before.

He also adds, "Right now the values are handled by one PC, but if a system is put together to handle the values over a network, then it would be easy for this operation to be conducted remotely."

There aren't any details on when this device would be mass-produced and released.

NO ONE LIKE SALLU

Age is just a number and beauty not just skin deep. The maxim holds true for a number of stars in their 40s in Bollywood. Of them, Salman Khan has been voted the handsomest in the new poll by ApunKaChoice. 

Even as the young turks cement their toehold in B-Town, there are a number of actors who, though yet not over the hill, are certainly not in the prime of their youth. The likes of Shahrukh Khan (45), Salman Khan (45), Aamir Khan (46), Akshay Kumar (43) and Saif Ali Khan (40) still continue to romance PYTs on screen and pass themselves off as much younger than their birth certificates would reveal. 

So we decided to ask our readers to vote for the handsomest in the 40s brigade, and it was a close fight between Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan. 6853 votes were cast and the two Khans pretty much hogged all the votes, while the others were unceremoniously shunted to the sidelines. 

After an almost neck-to-neck fight, Salman Khan emerged the handsomest with 49 percent votes. 

Pakistan’s dashing all-rounder Shahid Afridi and former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori have been named to lead two provincial sides in Sri Lanka’s Premier League Twenty20 competition (SLPL).

Afridi will lead Nagenahira while left arm spinner Vettori has been chosen to captain Uthuru, representing the North Eastern provinces which were isolated from the sport because of the three-decade old war.

Vettori is captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL tournament which also features Sri Lankan stars Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena and Tillekeratne Dilshan.

The event organisers, Somerert Entertainment Ventures (SEV) have found a window for the IPL-style tournament between Sri Lanka’s tour of England and Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka, according to the ‘Daily Mirror’.

Six national captains, including four from Sri Lanka - Sanath Jayasuriya, Jayawardena, Sangakkara and Dilshan - will lead seven Provincial teams in the upcoming tournament.

The seventh will be former Sri Lanka vice-captain, Chaminda Vaas. The Sri Lanka T20 Premier League will feature almost 35 international cricketing stars and will be the first of its kind in Sri Lanka.

The 18-day event will kick off on July and will feature 24 matches, including the semifinals and final, at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Dilshan will lead Basnahira, Sangakkara (Kandurata), Jayawardane (Wayamba), Jayasuriya (Ruhuna) and Vaas (Uva).

Five overseas players could be registered to a provincial team but only four will be allowed to play in a match. Sri Lankan national selectors and cricket authorities have agreed to blood as many youngsters and almost 70 Sri Lankan cricketers will be registered in the seven team tournament.

Almost all Pakistani national cricketers will be invited to play in the SLPL.

In addition to that, Chris Gayle and the Bravo cousins (Dwayne and Darren) from West Indies, Pathan brothers (Irfan and Yousuf) from India, Herschelle Gibbs, David Warner and Shaun Tait will be seen in action on Sri Lankan soil.

The availability of retired great Muttiah Muralitharan is not yet confirmed but some unconfirmed sources revealed that he is eager to play in the series.

Milind Rege, the tournament manager of the 2011 cricket World Cup will be in charge of all cricketing matters of the tournament. Rege is a former Ranji Trophy captain for Mumbai and recently retired from TATA corporation as a managing committee member.

IPL Twenty 20 Hot and Sexy Cheerleader Girls Pictures 2011, Latest ipl cheerleaders wallpapers.

Your wristwatch is no more just a time reminder; you can now update your Facebook pages through it.

A Canadian company called inPulse has created a watch that connects to your smartphone (or PC) and can be programmed to relay instant notifications and alerts, reports News.com.au.

Marketed as the “perfect hacker accessory,” the inPulse watch is fully programmable and can be customised using the company’s SDK.

Developers can take full control over the device’s 1.3″ OLED display, vibrating motor, button, timers and alerts.

inPulse users can also download one of the many apps that have been built for the device including an iTunes controller, PowerPoint Controller, a create-your-own analog clock app, and the FBCheckin app that lets you check into Facebook Places without getting your phone out of your pocket.

The inPulse watch has been in development since 2009 but first appeared on the market in February 2011.

And you thought men do all the "goofing around" when the topic of long-term relationships arises -- a new shocking UK poll has found that women are more likely to cheat on their partners than men.

Four out of 10 admitted they had been unfaithful compared to just three out of 10 men, the surprising study found.

The poll of 3,000 adults discovered that two fifths of cheats ended up kissing someone while out clubbing while almost one in four cheated with a colleague at a work event.

Fifty five per cent of the ladies confessed that they loved attention from men -- and more than a third said men often get the wrong idea because they were so flirtatious.

More than a third also claim their minor indiscretion' happened by accident because their flirting got out of hand.

The study was conducted by Opera North to open their new season with the Mozart opera Cosi fan tutte, translated as 'All Women Are Like That' -- a light-hearted comedy that looks at the very nature of infidelity, reports The Daily Express.

More than one in 10 women say they will never be completely monogamous in a relationship because life is too short.

A fifth of women admit they get a thrill from cheating on their partner, and despite knowing it is wrong want to do it again.

The poll also showed one in four women find complete strangers attractive and love the thrill of chasing them on a night out.

A further one in four said they could not resist the temptation of a man in uniform.

Energy saving bulbs can cause cancer

Their report advises that the bulbs should not be left on for extended periods, particularly near someone’s head, as they emit poisonous materials when switched on.

Peter Braun, who carried out the tests at the Berlin's Alab Laboratory, said: “For such carcinogenic substances it is important they are kept as far away as possible from the human environment.”

The bulbs are already widely used in the UK following EU direction to phase out traditional incandescent lighting by the end of this year.

But the German scientists claimed that several carcinogenic chemicals and toxins were released when the environmentally-friendly compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were switched on, including phenol, naphthalene and styrene.

Andreas Kirchner, of the Federation of German Engineers, said: “Electrical smog develops around these lamps.

“I, therefore, use them only very economically. They should not be used in unventilated areas and definitely not in the proximity of the head.”

British experts insisted that more research was needed and urged consumers not to panic.

Dr Michelle Bloor, senior lecturer in Environmental Science at Portsmouth University, told the Daily Express: “Further independent studies would need to be undertaken to back up the presented German research.”

The Department for the Environment insists the bulbs are safe, despite the fact that they contain small amounts of mercury which would leak out if the glass was broken.

Advice on its website states: “Energy efficient light bulbs are not a danger to the public.

“Although they contain mercury, limited at 5mg per lamp, it cannot escape from a lamp that is intact.

“In any case, the very small amount contained in an energy efficient bulb is unlikely to cause harm even if the lamp should be broken.”

The latest report follows claims by Abraham Haim, a professor of biology at Haifa University in Israel, that the bulbs could result in higher breast cancer rates if used late at night.

He said that the bluer light that CFLs emitted closely mimicked daylight, disrupting the body's production of the hormone melatonin more than older-style filament bulbs, which cast a yellower light.

The Migraine Action Association has warned that they could trigger migraines and skin care specialists have claimed that their intense light could exacerbate a range of existing skin problems.

KARACHI: Renowned film, stage and television actor Moin Akhtar died on Friday from a heart attack at the age of 61.

He was under treatment at Combined Military Hospital in Malir Cantonment.

He leaves behind a widow, three daughters and two sons.

Moin Akhtar (Moeen Akhtar, Pride of Performance, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, 24 December 1950 - 22 April 2011) was a Pakistani television, film and stage actor, as well as a comedian, impersonator, and a host. He was also a play writer, singer, film director and a producer.

Moin Akhtar

Comedian, Umar Sharif said Akhtar had been like an elder brother to him and his advice had helped Sharif improve.

“I was planning to gather all the comedians in Pakistan to give a tribute to him, God had planned otherwise,” said Sharif.

Actress, Bushra Ansari said she always felt tremendous pride being compared to Akhtar, and the actor’s death has come as a great shock.

“All he did was work, to the point of illness” said Ansari.

Akhtar had recently been working on a new show Dolly ki Baraat with Ansari.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and Sindh Governor Ishrtaul Ibad condoled his death.

Akhtar who was born in December 24 1950, was a skillful comedian, impersonator and host, and worked on hundreds of Pakistani TV dramas, films and stage shows.

Fluent in several languages including English, Moin Akhtar performed dozens of stage shows for urdu-speaking communities all over the world.

In recognition of his services in the field of performing art, he was awarded the President’s pride of performance and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest national awards.

Some of Akhtar’s famed TV series included:

Rozee

Dollar Man

Makaan no 47

Half Plate

Family-93

Eid Train

Bandar road se Kemari

1. She hates most of her friends

Girls always find plenty of emotional support, and friends for dance practises for weddings which gives the impression they are friends for life, but most will always confess to having some sort of beef with every girl they know or are friends with. I have seen the fluff of hugs, kisses and exaggerated pleasantries wear off as soon as one of them fails to call back in a day’s time. Most girls will judge everything their friends do.

College girls

“XYZ (close friend) was wearing such skimpy clothes that night!”

“Oh really!? Do you have pictures?! Wait – isn’t she your friend?

2. She loves to pretend she is the most Shareef girl you’ll ever meet

Yes, they all perform namaz and they all do parda when the need arises.  Many will even swing their dupata over the head ever so gracefully when they hear the azaan. But, they also don’t mind going on an iftari dates during Ramadan.  They will not miss any opportunity to praise their father and brothers in this regard either, making us mere mortals wonder if we can ever become similar paragons of virtue and civility.

3. She is always right

It doesn’t matter if you’re intelligent, if you have a thinking mind, or if you know your sports. You are wrong and your opinion is flawed, Afridi is the best cricketer in the world, and long hair beats short hair any day.

Don’t say you have to study when she wants to talk. It’s really hard to argue when most women are seemingly genetically predisposed to believing they are always right.

4. She expects you to understand all sorts of hints

Yes, even hand signals and eye blinks. A wave may mean goodbye, but it could also mean don’t-come-near-me-my-aunt-is-here. The innocent shrug of the shoulder doesn’t necessarily mean she is being indifferent about your friend third-wheeling tonight – it means “NO.”

The confusion created by girls to keep the average guys on their toes is ridonculous. Don’t fall for it. Pretend you don’t understand sign language or hints. Pretend, when she writes “k” in a text message that it really means everything is okay and that she isn’t really in a bad mood. If you dare pretend to understand even a single hint, be ready for the weight of understanding all of them.

5. She likes money

That’s right. They didn’t make that Bollywood song “Pesa Pesa Karti Hai” for a movie. They were trying to sing the reality of today’s world.

Girl’s love pretending they are not materialistic. But, most of them will flaunt their new hand bags and other accessories the minute they get the chance. They will notice the diamond in your watch from across the table, but your literary sense and general awareness of the world will generally fly over their head. They watch with great interest what other girls are wearing and may pass admiring remarks, but don’t expect the feeling to be mutual if you are found agreeing. In fact, be ready to give lengthy explanations if you are caught in that trap.

6. She doesn’t mind dating, but let’s talk marriage

Dating is totally kosher as long as there is a road map leading the two of you towards holy matrimony. Pressurising a guy into marital commitments is part and parcel of every Pakistani girl’s relationship. I mean, why else would they want to date!? For the fun of it?

Don’t be silly.

You might still be in high school and yet she would be planning that perfect wedding. What can you do? You’re not a heart breaker like all those other guys she keeps telling you about. If, God forbid, you fall short of delivering on those sacred plans, you are forever shunned as the most atrocious villain to have ever lived.

7. She has unrealistic expectations from watching romantic movies

They love putting guys in place of men from romantic movie’s and novels.

If she was crying at the end of Titanic because Di Caprio froze to death after safely placing Kate Winslet on that piece of plywood, she probably expects the same from you if the situation ever arises. Be sure to remind her that the plywood was big enough for at least three people.

Unrealistic expectations lead to great disappointments – letting them build over time by constantly trying to live up to them will only land you in icy waters.

Don’t be shy to fall asleep with the speaker phone on while she’s rambling on about her latest shopping trip. You may pull off being ‘sweet’ once, or even a few times, but will you be able to sustain forever? Be realistic.

The classified ad might read: "Sports car seeks permanent home, very good condition, one lady owner."

Oh, and another important point: "Made of wool."

After traveling the world for the past five years, British artist Lauren Porter is seeking a permanent home for her knitted red Ferrari sports car.

The arty auto sculpture is named "12 Miles of Yarn" because, well, it took that much wool to knit.

Porter told AOL News the inspiration for her work was the mix of macho high-tech sports car with delicate ladylike handcraft.

"The sculpture is more or less to scale and took about 10 months to build," said Porter, who shuns more traditional knitting projects such as scarves and socks.

"I involved family and friends knitting squares," she explained. "I made a frame out of metal poles which are welded together in sections. The whole piece is flat packable. Being a sculptor, this was the interesting part for me, designing and building the piece.

"The knitting is made up mostly of squares, around 250. I made paper patterns from the frame and knitted and crocheted the other shapes and details by eye. I have never followed a pattern and would be lost if I had to knit a pair of socks!"

"12 Miles of Yarn" has been exhibited in London, Paris and Amsterdam and at both car shows and fine-art galleries. The time has probably come, however, for this particular Ferrari to go up on the blocks.

"It has traveled around over the last five or so years [and] I am now ready to find it a permanent home," Porter said. "I would ideally like it to be on display and enjoyed by the public but am open to any ideas."

Knitting is a central theme in much of Porter's work. Her wool Ferrari was inspired by an earlier series titled "Home Comfort" that featured a knitted chair, woolen toilet and sink.

"I was originally inspired to knit the chair after working with an elderly lady who sat and knitted all day," Porter said.

"Developing that, the toilet and sink were a take on the decoration of covers in the home and the way in which people cover their spare toilet papers with knitted doilies with dolls in them."

What's next?

After a series of sculptures based on hunting trophies -- inspired by a trip across Canada -- Porter is working on a series of quilted British birds.

Riya Sen dating Sreesanth?

Built in 2007, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque can accommodate up to 40,000 worshippers under its 57 domes. The breathtaking architecture is the result of a deliberate attempt to represent the many cultures within the Islamic world by incorporating Arab, Mughal, Moorish, and Turkish designs.  The interior boasts the largest chandelier and hand-woven carpet in the world.  Beautiful?  Absolutely.  Worth it?  Not so sure.

In a region where we’ve recently seen people take to the streets due to economic, financial, and social hardships, it makes me a little uncomfortable that such a structure should exist – and a religious structure, at that.  One of the tenets of Islam is Zakat, or charity. Every Muslim is required to give 2.5 per cent of his/her annual savings to charity every year, assuming such a donation would not put the individual in financial hardship.

There’s a level of irony there when so much would be spent on the building of a grand mosque but not on the worshippers inside of it.

Abu Dhabi is not the only instance there’s been such a disconnect from what we need and what we’ve chosen.  The same could be said about the giant clock built in Mecca across from the Holy Kaaba last year. The $800 million project boasts a clock that rivals Big Ben. Yet, if you speak to returning Hajjis, complaints about cleanliness and availability of facilities were common. No one was complaining about not knowing the time. The AlSaleh mosque in Yemen, built in 2008, cost $60 million to build, when approximately 40 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.

The misuse of funds across the Muslim world is shocking when you take into account the unequal access to education, jobs, and basic healthcare within the region.  Kuwait’s GDP per capita is $54,152, compared to Jordan’s $3,466.  The UAE has an adult literacy rate of 90 per cent, whereas half of Pakistan’s adult population is illiterate. The infant mortality rate of Qatar is eight per 1,000 live births, and Afghanistan’s is 147 per 1,000 live births. The list goes on and on.

I understand that it isn’t practical to expect constant handouts from others and a government should be expected to take care of its own. But one has to wonder if there can’t be more social and economic cooperation between regional neighbors, at least.

Clearly, there are some who have more than what is needed for their population. Why rely on “the West”, which always seems to raise about a thousand other issues, when you could be relying on those closer to you?  It would potentially give the region greater autonomy.

It’s not an easy solution.  I don’t deny that. And I may be oversimplifying it.  But the idea that such an opulent mosque can exist when so many who could be praying there are affected by hunger and poverty, seems a little wrong to me. Though it may be absolutely necessary for a religious structure to be that big, I wonder if some humility couldn’t be built into it either.

I recently read a blog post about sharing personal e-mail accounts with your partners or spouse. The blog said about 33 per cent of women and 30 per cent of men share their online information with their partners.

It also said that among unmarried couples, 10 per cent of the time, this led to a discovery of their partner’s infidelity. The figure was lower for married couples – about three per cent.

The identity theft expert who gave these stats, Robert Siciliano, went on to warn that this figure was among those who had admitted to account sharing and discovering the infidelity of their partners. Those who did not own up (and the number of hearts broken) are unknown. It struck a chord somewhere deep inside me.

This brings me to my own little story. Shortly before I broke up with the girl I intended to marry, I almost shared my email/ Facebook information with her. I stopped short of voluntarily giving her access.

I felt that I trusted her enough to share it. However, I believe in respecting one’s privacy even if you are married. Though, I confess I would not have minded if she had given me access to her passwords.

Soon after, a series of events led to the cessation of all ties and I pushed all memories of her to the darkest corners of my mind.

A few weeks later, among the company of friends, an acquaintance who had had a recent break-up of his own, revealed the reality of his girlfriend leaving him was too much to bear.

“I had her Facebook account hacked” he confessed.

“And?” I prodded.

“It was what I had suspected,” he rasped.

“Another guy?” I dared.

A leaden nod followed by a hiss through clenched teeth confirmed that it was true.

Information is indeed a dangerous thing.

I never had anything to hide from my ex. My past exploits were known to her. And even if she had access to my personal accounts, I doubt she could keep up with four of my regularly used accounts and social media, much less my full arsenal of online access points and aliases. But would she want to? More importantly, for what purpose would she use them other than just information?

Looking back, I do find some comfort in the fact that I never shared my information with her, for fear of what use she would put all that information to now that she has no moral or emotional bond with me. Would she discard it or spread it? Would she blackmail me or indulge in cyber-stalking?

I believe that in such a position, one would do what most people usually do when their ex moves out – change the locks.

According to Siciliano, a Michigan man was charged with a felony after he logged into his (now ex) wife’s gmail account to discover she was having an affair.  The charge is computer misuse and he could serve up to five years in prison. He used her password and their shared laptop to gain access to her account. Apparently, marriage does not mean you give up your privacy electronically.

Do you share your e-mail or Facebook passwords or allow your partner to go through your cell phone? Maybe you should think again.

Live turtles and fish to carry around on your key ring is a cute idea. Not so cute, though, for said turtles and fish.
According to Chinese media, the hottest new fad in China involves selling small live-animal key chains. The little turtles and fishes are sealed up in airtight plastic key rings, and sold as trinkets.

Live Turtles Sold as Keychains in China

So how do you feed an animal in an airtight container? The answer: You don't. Vendors reportedly spew off some hodge podge about the water being nutrient rich, but it's not true. The animals, if they're lucky, get to live for a few days. Unfortunately, the whole shebang is legal.

Live Fish and Turtles Sold as Keychains in China

It's sad but true — animal cruelty laws barely exist in China. It was only just recently that the country banned animal circuses, which was a fairly unusual step. Zoos would often make animals perform unimaginable tricks, while dishing up their flesh as exotic entrees at the zoo restaurant.

Man arrested for Eating Dead Bodies of People Bhakkar