Fun & Entertainment

Body Builder Dog....................................!!!

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Miss Taliban.........................................!

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Shyamali Malakar - American Idol Sanjayas sister- Desi Faces

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:08:00 +0000

Free Adsense Secret 2009

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:06:00 +0000

Tips to Increase Google AdSense Earnings

a. Strictly follow the rules mentioned in Adsense policies. You will always earn more revenue from Adsense by playing it clean.

b. Never modify the Google Adsense HTML code. If have trouble embedding AdSense code in your WordPress or Blogger template, take help of the AdSense support forums or send an email to your AdSense account manager.

c. Never ask your friends or visitors to click on your Google ads. Google takes click fraud very seriously. Do not include incentives of any kind on your site for users to click on your ads. Don't label Google ads with text other than "sponsored links" or "advertisements.".

d. Don't click on your own ads - Google is much smarter than you think and can discover invalid clicks through IP addresses, site navigation patterns, etc. If you working on a new design for your site, avoid reloading your pages (with AdSense) excessively. You can turn off AdSense temporarily and avoid invalid CPM impressions. Or you can use the unofficial Google Adsense Sandbox Tool that is accessible from Firefox, IE and other browsers to see what kind of Google ads will be served based on content (website address URL) or keywords.

e. Don't place ads in pop-up windows, error pages or even empty pages. Update: With the new AdSense policy change, you can probably place ads on 404 pages. Check with the AdSense support team.

f. Don't start a "adsense asbestos" or "home equity loan rates" website merely to make money from accidental clicks. You will never make money out these Made for Adsense websites. Instead, write on topics what you are passionate about. Don't waste your money on high-paying adsense keywords lists. Stay away from AdSense Adwords arbitrage.

g. For short articles, CTR is best when ads are placed just above the content.

h. For long articles, CTR will improve if you place ads somewhere in middle of the content or just where the article ends - when visitors are done reading the article, they may be looking for related resources.

i. Use Text Ads instead of Image Ads as users get more options and the payout is often higher. If you still want to display image ads (for CPM), consider ad formats like the 300x250 medium rectangle or the 160x600 wide skyscraper as they support also support rich multimedia and the new gadget ads.

j. Google Ads with no background color and no borders will always perform better. Make the border color and background color same as your page background color.

k. Always put ads above the main fold. Make sure that the ad unit with the highest clickthrough rate is the first instance of the ad code that appears in your HTML source. Since the first ad unit is always filled before the rest, you want to make sure that ad unit is located in the best placement on your page.

l. Try setting the ad link URL color to a lighter shade. If your text is black, you may make the adlink as light gray or something like #666.

m. Go Wide - The large rectangle (336x280) is the best paying Adsense format especially for text ads. Try using the 336x280 large rectangle, 300x250 medium rectangle, or 160x600 wide skyscraper.

n. Don't places images next to Google ads as that will invite a permanent ban to your AdSense account.

o. Blend AdLinks with other navigation links or place horizontal adlinks at the top of your webpage. AdSense publishers are permitted to click on link unit topics on their web pages, provided that they do not click on any Google ads on the resulting page.

p. You should try adding a unit near the comments senction of your blog. See more AdSense tweaks.

q. You can put upto 3 adsense units on a page. Try putting a large skyscraper on the right navigation sidebar of your website. That area is close to the browser scrollbar. You can also add 2 AdSense for search boxes and 3 adlink units.

r. The first few lines of your content are an important factor for determining what Ads are served on your webpage. That's the right place to put keywords in bold (strong or tags) or header tags (h1, h2, etc).

s. Always select the setting to open Google Adsense search box results in a new browser window, so you won't lose your visitors. Click the Open search results in a new browser window checkbox and this add target="google_window" to your form tag.

t. Maximum people think the search box is on the top right corner. So you know where to put it.

u. Always syndicate full text RSS feeds and then monetize your feeds with a 468x60 ad in RSS feeds.

v. Monitor the AdSense performance of individual web pages with Google Analyticsw.

w.For low CTR pages, try changing titles or adding more relevant content to get better focused ads. Alse see: Get relevant Google Adsx. Block low paying advertisers with Filters. Why to loose a visitor for an ad that will only pay you a cent.

x.Use Overture or Google Adwords Keywords tool to discover keywords that are less popular with advertisers.

y. Learn how to implement AdSense Revenue sharing if you run a site with multiple authors and need to pay your writers based on advertising revenue generated from their articles.

z. Experiment with color schemes and layouts using split testing. You are the best judge when it comes to choosing ad formats for your own website.

Adsense Invalid Clicks

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:05:00 +0000

How Google can Trace Invalid Click ??

1. IP Address It is the easist and must be recognized by everyone. If those clicks on your ads are originated from the same IP Address as the one used for accessing your AdSense account, your account is flagged.

2. Click Through Rate (CTR)Normally, Click thru Rate should not excees 10%. Otherwise, Google will flag your account. For your information, normal CTR should ranges from 0.5% - 10%.

3. Physical LocationGoogle has good tracing software and technology.They can trace traffics origin down to the small town. So, using different computers with different IP address does not secure anything. So, don’t try to click your ads in various internet cafes. That will kill you.

4. Cookies Most home users do not use static IP Address for Internet connection. In most cases just disconnect and reconnect will give you a new IP Address. But don’t forget, Google has set cookies on your computer. They can trace these cookies and see whether they originate from the same computer.

5. Search Engine RankingYour website is not indexed on any search engine, not linked by any prominent website, but get consistently high traffic? How come people can access your website and click your ads? That will make Google to smell a rat.

Amazing bikes stunts

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:46:00 +0000

Hot sania Mirza

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:58:00 +0000

Death cannot be closer than that!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:51:00 +0000

See this series of Snaps...
The Photograpers suffered severe injuries or never SURVIVIVED to develop these pictures.

Shah Rukh Khan's rare iamages collection

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:13:00 +0000

SRK's during his unglory days

SRK looks like his dad WOW!
His parents passed away quite some time ago,
before he was a superstar and the girl is his elder sister.
She currently lives wid SRK and Gauri and their 2 kidz cuz she is unmarried and sufferz from depression (which SRK mentioned in an interview is mainly cuz of their parentz death).

SRK's dad

KING KHAN during his unglory days

With His Wife

Taliban beating girl

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:05:00 +0000

How to quit smoking

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:23:00 +0000

Asin still stunning

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Pictures on pencils

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Thunder Storm

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:57:00 +0000

10 amazing taxis from the world

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Town in the rock

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:39:00 +0000

What happens when your daddy is a graphic designer

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Bollywood News

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Koena Mitra On Cover Of Maxim India April 2009 Issue

Koena Mitra is being featured on the cover of April 2009 edition of Maxim India . The photos will be part of the Maxim India April 2009 edition. Koena has not had much success in Bollywood with her film, but has managed special appearances successful in films like Om Shanti Om (2007) and Heyy Babyy (2007) .

Milkshake Named After Bollywood Actress Mallika Sherawat

Mallika Sherawat has now joined league of Hollywood celebrities including Kim Kardashian , Miley Cyrus , Victoria Beckham, David Beckham and Paris Hilton , after a Hollywood milkshake was named after her that is made up of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream. Millika is in Hollywood to promote her upcoming horror film Hissss (Naagin The Snake Woman) (2009) .

Sonakshi Sinha To Debut Opposite Salman Khan

Sonakshi Sinha daughter of yesteryear's actor and today’s politician Shatrughan Sinha, is ready to make her debut in a Indian movie opposite none other than Salman Khan . The film will be directed by Abhinav Kashyap and roduced by Arbaaz Khan, under his new banner Arbaaz Khan Productions. Sonakshi has studied fashion designing and has not shown interest in acting like her twin brothers Luv and Kush. She read the script and decide to give Bollywood a try. We all welcome her and wish her the best.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan The Most Powerful Female Actor In India

In an recent survey by Hansa Research, Indian film actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan came out to be most powerful female actor in India, ahead of Priyanka Chopra , Katrina Kaif and even Madhuri Dixit . Aishwarya was at par with cinematic legends like Amitabh Bachchan and cricketing star Sachin Tendulkar and was the only female who is part of the top 10 recognized celebrities from all walks of life. The survey also pointed out that Aishwarya is one of the most popular faces among classes as well as the masses.

Akshay Kumar and Wife Twinkle Khanna Could Be Arrested Soon

Akshay Kumar and his wife Twinkle Khanna and the organizers of Lakme Fashion Week could be arrested soon in response to the complained registered by social activist, Anil Nair. The event in question is the unbuttoning of Akshay's pants buttons by Twinkle at the Lakme Fashion Week last week. Akshay, is the brand ambassador for Levi’s unbuttoned jeans, and walking the ramp at the fashion show for designer Tarun Tahiliani and approached wife Twinkle and asked her to unbutton his jeans. Given the major box office successes given by Akshay in the past year, has not held on this year. Akshay's first two releases of the year 2009, Chandni Chowk To China, Made In China, CC2C (2009) and Tasveer (2009) , have not done well at the box office and now must wait to see what happens to his upcoming movie, with some high potentinal, movie release of Blue (2009) and Kambakth Ishq (2009) in the coming months.

Rakhi Sawant In Reality TV Show, Swayamvara

Rakhi Sawant is all set to get married? But she does not have a groom picked out yet. The item girl of Indian cinema will be starting in NDTV Imagine's new reality TV show called Rakhi Ka Swayamvara in which with the help from the viewer she will pick the perfect man to marry. Rakhi was also on reality show Bigg Boss 2 , and was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The format of the show is very similar to the American show The Bachelorette. During the show, 15 grooms of her choice will be brought together under one roof along with her, and will have to go thru a series of challenges that will test their personality, character, physical fitness, talent and their compatibility with Rakhi.

Saif Ali Khan And Kareena Kapoor Smouldering Hot In Agent Vinod

Forthcoming hindi movie, Agent Vinod (2009) will feature Bollywood's hottest pair Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor in a on screen romance to go along with their off screen romance. The movie is a also special for Saif, becuase it's his home production that is producing the movie. The movie is a spy drama, and is being directed by Sriram Raghavan.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan And Akshay Kumar Receive Padma Shri Award

Indian film stars Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan along with other from the India's industries were given the Padma Shri awards 2009 by President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday March 31, 2009 in New Delhi. The actors were among the 62 personalities who received the Padma awards. Bollywood dancing queen of yesteryears, Helen, was also given with the Padma Shri for her contribution to art and cinema.
We wish all the receipts the best wishes on their continues success.

Barbie Doll To Be Modelled After Katrina Kaif

Initially Mattel Toys (India) wanted Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to be the face of Barbie Doll for India, but due to lack of available time for Aishwarya, Katrina Kaif is now all set to be the face of Barbie Doll in India. This will be the first time a Barbie inspired from an Indian actress would hit the market shelves and put Katrina in the league of Hollywood celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, Beyonce Knowles and Cher for whom such a Barbie has already be designed. Katrina was recently seen walking the ramp, at the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai, dolled up as a Barbie. The rumor is that a new series of ‘Katrina Barbie’ in a small pink dress will reportedly hit the market in September 2009.
I guess one loss is someone gain.

Barbie Doll To Be Modelled On Miss World, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Mattel Toys (India) and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are in the initial negotiating stages for having a series of Barbie Dolls designed on Aishwarya. If the deal is signed, then it would be the first time a Barbie inspired from an Indian actress would hit the market shelves and put Aishwarya in the league of Hollywood celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, Beyonce Knowles and Cher for whom such a Barbie has already be designed.

Nandita Das's Firaaq Not To Be Screened For Modi

Nandita Das has refused the request of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for a special screeening of her directorial debut movie Firaaq. The screening was demanded by CM Modi becuase of the portrayal of certain facts of the Gujarat riots in the film.
The movie stars Tisca Chopra, Shahana Goswami, Deepti Naval, Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah, Sanjay Suri, and Raghuvir Yadav. The movie has already been released in the international market and is due to release on March 20, 2009 in India. The movie has already won awards like Best Film and Best Screenplay at Asian Festival of First Films and Special Jury Award at International Film Festival of Kerala.

Tamil and Malayalam Film Actress Priyamani Now In Kannada Film

Priyamani a popular actress in Tamil and Malayalam films will now be working in a Kannada film. Many in the past have tried to bring Priyamani into Kannada films and now producer Aditya Babu has made that happen by signing her in the movie Ram starring opposite Puneet Rajkumar. The movie has already started to shoot with the next shooting scheduled for Bangalore.

Preity Zinta Meets New Zealand’s PM

Preity Zinta was last seen in the movie Heroes (2008) and recently has been in the new regrads to her involvement in IPL team Kings XI Punjab which is partly ownes alongs with her boyfreind Ness Wadia. She is currently in New Zealand by invitation from New Zealand Tourism Board and New Zealand Cricket and during her visit she met up with Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key. During her visit she plans to watch the cricket one day series between India and New Zealand. Preity will next been seen in Har Pall (2009) which is planned for release later this year.

Freida Pinto On Cover Of Maxim India March 2009 Issue

Freida Pinto is being featured on the cover of March 2009 edition of Maxim India . The photos will be part of the Maxim India March 2009 edition. Freida has resien to stardom quickly after her role in world famous and Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire (2008) . Freida has appeared on many magazine covers (Vanity Fair, Vogue India), on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, offered role in Hollywood film by Woody Allen, and more in just a short time after the success of Slumdog Millionaire.

Kylie Minogue To Dance With Akshay Kumar

Kylie Minogue is currently in Mumbai , India to shot a song for the movie Blue (2009) . The song will be choreographed by Farah Khan with music by Oscar winning music director AR Rahman . The movie stars Akshay Kumar in the lead role with Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif .

AR Rahman and Slumdog Millionaire Rock At The Oscars

AR Rahman performed "O Saya" and "Jai Ho" and then was given the award for Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" from the movie Slumdog Millionaire (2008) . He had earlier received the Oscar for Best Orginal Score. This is a great step for movies from India. AR Rahman has brought India into the next stage in world cinema and music. Slumdog Millionaire also received Oscars for Best Sound Mixing, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and closed out the night by winning the Academy Award for Best Picture for 2008. AR Rahman Performs On Tonight Show with Jay Leno Feb 19, 2009

AR Rahman who has already won the Golden Globe for his music in Slumdog Millionaire (2008) , has also been nominated fr 3 Oscars recently performed the now famous Jai Ho songs from the movie on Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Watch the performance of AR Rahman Performs On Tonight Show with Jay Leno Feb 19, 2009 . Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Awarded French Award

The French government has announced that they will give Aishwarya Rai Bachchan the Officer Dan Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres (officer of the order of arts and letters), which is the second highest civilian honour given by the French government. But unfortunately, Ash has refused to accept the award at the date and time set by the French government because currently her father's health is not well. Ash would like all of her family to be there when she receives the award. This will also be the second person from Bollywood to receive such an honour. The first person to receive the honour was non other then the King Of Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan .

Mugdha Godse On Cover Of Stuff India February 2009 Issue

Mugdha Godse is being featured on the cover of February 2009 edition of Stuff India . The photos will be part of the Stuff India February 2009 edition. Mugdha was last seen in the movie Fashion (2008) .

Khan Vs Khan Round 3

For the last two years, two of Bollywood's biggest Khan's Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan have had movie releases in late in the year close to each other. In 2007, it was SRK in Om Shanti Om (2007) and Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par (2007) , then in 2008 it was SRK with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ) (2008) with Aamir following with biggest box office hit of the year Ghajini Remake (2008) , now in 2009 the two stars will have releases close to each other, SRK's My Name Is Khan (MNIK) (2009) is scheduled to release in november 2009, while 3 Idiots (2009) starring Ammir will release on December 25, 2009. We will have to wait and see which film hits box office success this time.
Will Shahrukh be able to overcome Ammir last two success and come out on top in 2009?

Nayathara has been banned from working in Tamil films?

The Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) and South Indian Artists Association, have jointly issued a statement asking the film producers to not sign the popular south Indian film actress Nayantara (Nayanthara) to any films. Nayanthara was recenlty signed for the film, Paiyya, opposite Paruthiveeran Karthi for a record salary of Rs one crore, and had received an advance of Rs 20 lakhs from them for film. Given the current market condition not so good over all, the producers asked her to take a paycut, which she did not take well and words were exchanged between her and the producers, and in the end she was replaced by Tamannaah for the film. Nayathara reason for not returning the funds was that she was had to stay home while the film for being prepared for and lost out on other assignments.

Lara Dutta On Cover Of Maxim India February 2009 Issue

Lara Dutta is being featured on the cover of February 2009 edition of Maxim India . The photos will be part of the Maxim India February 2009 edition. Lara also has a major movie, Billo Barber (2009) releasing in February. The movie also stars Irrfan Khan in the lead role with many other big Bollywood stars making a guest appearances.

Priyanka Chopra To Play 12 Different Characters

Former Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra had lots of film releases in 2008 with some flops and some hits. Now she hope to have more hits in 2009. Currently Priyanka is shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker 's Whats Your Raashee (2009) in which she will play 12 different characters. This will also make her the only actor in the world to play so many characters in a given movie. She recently filmed the song from the movie with choreographer Raju Khan in which all 12 characters were together in all their varying moods and personalities. The movie also stars Harman Baweja .

IPL Match Schedule for 2009

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Here is the list of the matches scheduled to take place in South Africa:

April 18: Opening ceremony followed by Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings (Newlands, Cape Town).

April 19: Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers (Newlands, Cape Town); Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab (Newlands, Cape Town).

April 20: Royal Challengers v Chennai Super Kings (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth)

April 21: Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians (Kingsmead, Durban); Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab (Kingsmead, Durban).

April 22: Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings (Kingsmead, Durban); Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers (Newlands, Cape Town).

April 23: Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth).

April 24: Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers (Wanderers, Johannesburg).

April 25: Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings (Newlands, Cape Town); Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians (Kingsmead, Durban).

April 26: Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab (Newlands, Cape Town); Royal Challengers v Delhi Daredevils (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth).

April 27: Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians (Newlands, Cape Town); Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers (Kingsmead, Durban).

April 28: Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria).

April 29: Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab (Kingsmead, Durban); Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers (Kingsmead, Durban).

April 30: Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria); Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria);

May 1: Royal Challengers v Kings XI Punjab (Buffalo Park, East London); Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders (Kingsmead, Durban).

May 2: Rajasthan Royals v Deccan Chargers (Wanderers, Johannesburg); Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth).

May 3: Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers (Kingsmead, Durban); Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders (Buffalo Park, East London).

May 4: Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth).

May 5: Delhi Daredevils v Kolkata Knight Riders (Kingsmead, Durban); Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals (Kingsmead, Durban).

May 6: Mumbai Indians v Deccan Chargers (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria).

May 7: Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria); Royal Challengers v Rajasthan Royals (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria).

May 8: Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians (Buffalo Park, East London).

May 9: Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab (Outsurance Park, Bloemfontein); Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth).

May 10: Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils (Buffalo Park, East London); Royal Challengers v Mumbai Indians (Wanderers, Johannesburg).

May 11: Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals (Outsurance Park, Bloemfontein).

May 12: Royal Challengers vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria); Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria).

May 13: Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils (Kingsmead, Durban).

May 14: Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals (Kingsmead, Durban); Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers (Kingsmead, Durban).

May 15: Kings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils (De Beers Diamond, Oval, Kimberley).

May 16: Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians (Wanderers, Johannesburg); Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth).

May 17: Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils (De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley); Kings XI Punjab v Deccan Chargers (Wanderers, Johannesburg).

May 18: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria).

May 19: Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers (Wanderers, Johannesburg).

May 20: Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab (Kingsmead, Durban); Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders (Kingsmead, Durban).

May 21: Deccan Chargers v Royal Challengers (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria); Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria).

May 22: Semifinal 1 at Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria.

May 23: Semifinal 2 at Wanderers, Johannesburg.

May 24: Closing ceremony followed by final (Wanderers, Johannesburg).

18 Tricks to Teach your Body

noreply@blogger.com (fulltunnfun) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:04:00 +0000

1. If your throat tickles, scratch your ear!

When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, but you're more discriminating. Take that tickle in your throat; it's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose, and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This spasm relieves the tickle."

2. Experience supersonic hearing!

If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.

3. Overcome your most primal urge!

Need to pee? No bathroom nearby? Fantasize about Jessica Simpson. Thinking about sex preoccupies your brain, so you won't feel as much discomfort, says Larry Lipshultz, M.D., chief of male reproductive medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. For best results, try Simpson's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" video.

4. Feel no pain!

German researchers have discovered that coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick. According to Taras Usichenko, author of a study on the phenomenon, the trick causes a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord.

5. Clear your stuffed nose!

Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine. The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you'll feel your sinuses start to drain.

6. Fight fire without water!

Worried those wings will repeat on you tonight? "Sleep on your left side," says Anthony A. Starpoli, M.D., a New York City gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College. Studies have shown that patients who sleep on their left sides are less likely to suffer from acid reflux. The esophagus and stomach connect at an angle. When you sleep on your right, the stomach is higher than the esophagus, allowing food and stomach acid to slide up your throat. When you're on your left, the stomach is lower than the esophagus, so gravity's in your favor.

7. Cure your toothache without opening your mouth!

Just rub ice on the back of your hand, on the V-shaped webbed area between your thumb and index finger. A Canadian study found that this technique reduces toothache pain by as much as 50 percent compared with using no ice. The nerve pathways at the base of that V stimulate an area of the brain that blocks pain signals from the face and hands.

8. Make burns disappear!

When you accidentally singe your finger on the stove, clean the skin and apply light pressure with the finger pads of your unmarred hand. Ice will relieve your pain more quickly, Dr. DeStefano says, but since the natual method brings the burned skin back to a normal temperature, the skin is less likely to blister.

9. Stop the world from spinning!

One too many drinks left you dizzy? Put your hand on something stable. The part of your ear responsible for balance -- the cupula -- floats in a fluid of the same density as blood. "As alcohol dilutes blood in the cupula, the cupula becomes less dense and rises," says Dr. Schaffer. This confuses your brain. The tactile input from a stable object gives the brain a second opinion, and you feel more in balance. Because the nerves in the hand are so sensitive, this works better than the conventional foot-on-the-floor wisdom.

10. Unstitch your side!

If you're like most people, when you run, you exhale as your right foot hits the ground. This puts downward pressure on your liver (which lives on your right side), which then tugs at the diaphragm and creates a side stitch, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Men. The fix: Exhale as your left foot strikes the ground.

11. Stanch blood with a single finger!

Pinching your nose and leaning back is a great way to stop a nosebleed -- if you don't mind choking on your own O positive. A more civil approach: Put some cotton on your upper gums -- just behind that small dent below your nose -- and press against it, hard. "Most bleeds come from the front of the septum, the cartilage wall that divides the nose," says Peter Desmarais, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Entabeni Hospital, in Durban, South Africa. "Pressing here helps stop them."

12. Make your heart stand still!

Trying to quell first-date jitters? Blow on your thumb. The vagus nerve, which governs heart rate, can be controlled through breathing, says Ben Abo, an emergency medical- services specialist at the University of Pittsburgh. It'll get your heart rate back to normal.

13. Thaw your brain!

Too much Chipwich too fast will freeze the brains of lesser men. As for you, press your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, covering as much as you can. "Since the nerves in the roof of your mouth get extremely cold, your body thinks your brain is freezing, too," says Abo. "In compensating, it overheats, causing an ice-cream headache." The more pressure you apply to the roof of your mouth, the faster your headache will subside.

14. Prevent near-sightedness!

Poor distance vision is rarely caused by genetics, says Anne Barber, O.D., an optometrist in Tacoma, Washington. "It's usually caused by near-point stress." In other words, staring at your computer screen for too long. So flex your way to 20/20 vision. Every few hours during the day, close your eyes, tense your body, take a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, release your breath and muscles at the same time. Tightening and releasing muscles such as the biceps and glutes can trick involuntary muscles -- like the eyes -- into relaxing as well.

15. Wake the dead!

If your hand falls asleep while you're driving or sitting in an odd position, rock your head from side to side. It'll painlessly banish your pins and needles in less than a minute, says Dr. DeStefano. A tingly hand or arm is often the result of compression in the bundle of nerves in your neck; loosening your neck muscles releases the pressure. Compressed nerves lower in the body govern the feet, so don't let your sleeping dogs lie. Stand up and walk around.

16. Impress your friends!

Next time you're at a party, try this trick: Have a person hold one arm straight out to the side, palm down, and instruct him to maintain this position. Then place two fingers on his wrist and push down. He'll resist. Now have him put one foot on a surface that's a half inch higher (a few magazines) and repeat. This time his arm will cave like the French. By misaligning his hips, you've offset his spine, says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness, in Santa Clarita, California. Your brain senses that the spine is vulnerable, so it shuts down the body's ability to resist.

17. Breathe underwater!

If you're dying to retrieve that quarter from the bottom of the pool, take several short breaths first -- essentially, hyperventilate. When you're underwater, it's not a lack of oxygen that makes you desperate for a breath; it's the buildup of carbon dioxide, which makes your blood acidic, which signals your brain that somethin' ain't right. "When you hyperventilate, the influx of oxygen lowers blood acidity," says Jonathan Armbruster, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology at Auburn University. "This tricks your brain into thinking it has more oxygen." It'll buy you up to 10 seconds.

18. Read minds!

Your own! "If you're giving a speech the next day, review it before falling asleep," says Candi Heimgartner, an instructor of biological sciences at the University of Idaho. Since most memory consolidation happens during sleep, anything you read right before bed is more likely to be encoded as long-term memory.