MulPituwa

Forget the gym, SEXERCISE is the best way to slim: Making love burns almost as many calories as a 30-minute jog

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 11:27:00 +0000

Scientists say making love to be considered significant exercise

An hour of romance between the sheets burns almost as many calories as a 30-minute job, they found

If you want to lose weight after the excesses of the Christmas period, you may be better off heading for the bedroom rather than the gym.

Making love really does count as significant exercise, scientists say.

They have found that an hour of romance between the sheets burns almost as many calories as a 30-minute jog and so should be taken into account when drawing up a fitness plan.

Men expend 120 calories during half an hour of sex and women use up 90, say researchers from the University of Quebec in Canada.

That is just under half the amount they would burn in a 30-minute jog. For brief periods during sex, some men used more energy than they did while on the treadmill.

The study, Energy Expenditure During Sexual Activity In Young Healthy Couples, found that, on average, men burned 4.2 calories a minute during sex compared to 9.2 on the treadmill. Women burned 3.1 calories a minute during sex and 7.1 jogging.

The scientists recruited 20 heterosexual couples, aged 18 to 35, to have sex once a week for a month and to jog on a treadmill for 30 minutes.

They were fitted with armbands to measure how much energy they were expending and filled in questionnaires to record their enjoyment.

'I wouldn't look too smug. You only just burned up one calorie'

The study, published by the Public Library of Science, concluded: ‘These results suggest that sexual activity may potentially be considered, at times, as a significant exercise.

‘Moreover, both men and women reported that sexual activity was highly enjoyable and more appreciated than the 30-minute exercise session on the treadmill.

‘Therefore, this study could have implications for the planning of intervention programs as part of a healthy lifestyle by health care professionals.’

The researchers recorded the number of calories each person burned and their metabolic equivalent of task (MET).

This compares an activity to sitting still, which is measured at 1-MET. The study recorded an average 6-MET for men and 5.6-MET for women during sex – which is roughly the equivalent of playing doubles tennis or walking uphill.

When on the treadmill, men recorded 8.5-MET and women 8.4-MET.

The scientists said: ‘Sexual activity is an important and relevant activity to human life and appears to impact on the mental, physical and social health as well as the quality of life of the individual.

‘Considering that sexual activity may be one of the most regularly practised activities throughout an individual’s lifetime, it seems important to conduct research on this topic.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2534869/Forget-gym-sexercise-best-way-slim-Making-love-burns-calories-30-minute-jog.html

Recipe: Moussaka on the beach at Constance Moofushi

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 06:44:00 +0000

Mediterranean food features highly on our menus at Constance Moofushi.

We’ve gathered recipes and influences from across Europe, put them in our basket and brought them over to our idyllic Maldivian island. Some of our favourites include our Asparagus salad, Baba Ghanoush salad, Moutabel salad, Bell pepper chakchouka, Hummus, marinated artichoke and this dish, our famous Moofushi Moussaka.

Potatoes
Minced meat – lamb, beef or a mixture of both
Tablespoons butter
Tinned tomatoes or 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Grated cheese – cheddar, parmesan or kefalotiri
Onion, chopped
Parsley, finely chopped
Oil for frying
Salt, pepper
French toast (friganies), or dried breadcrumbs

For the Bechamel Sauce

Butter
Plain flour
Milk, (warmed, but not boiling)
Egg yolks
Salt, pepper
Grated cheese, cheddar, parmesan or kefalotiri

Preparation

1. Peel the potatoes, wash well and slice into 1/4 inch round slices.

2. Fry the potatoes both sides.

3. Remove from pan and place on absorbent paper to soak up any excess oil.

4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion, fry the ground meat (lamb or beef) until browned.

5. Add the finely chopped tomatoes (or paste), salt, pepper and parsley.

6. Cover and simmer until most of the juices are dried up.

7. Remove from the heat.

8. In a greased baking tray, sprinkle the French toast on the bottom of the tray.

9. Place half the potatoes in a layer on the bottom of the baking tray.

10. Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese over the potatoes.

11. Pour all the mince meat sauce over the potatoes and spread evenly.

12. Finish with the rest of the potatoes in a layer over the meat sauce.

13. Prepare the béchamel sauce and pour evenly over the potatoes.

14. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sauce and then about 2 tablespoons of the ground French toast or breadcrumbs on top.

15. Bake in a medium oven (180C) for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until it reaches a nice golden colour.

16. Remove from the oven and leave it to stand for 5-10 minutes to set before cutting into portions.

Serve with fresh crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

Source: http://blog.constancehotels.com/recipe-moussaka-on-the-beach-at-constance-moofushi/

Why So Many People Have Tried Dating And Are Still Alone

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 06:16:00 +0000

Let's face it; we all want to find our special someone. Even on a "No Strings Attached" dating site, I am looking for a regular girlfriend.

Unfortunately, too many people involved in the Dating Game are hurting their chances of success, before they even go on that first date.

I will give you an example or two.

One lady I knew a few years back had been single for years. Her older sister thought she and I would be a good match, so the older sister played matchmaker. I agreed to at least give the younger sister a chance, so I tried to set up our first date. But, I never actually got the chance to go out with my friend's little sister.

Why? You might be surprised.

The younger sister would only agree to go out on a first date with me, IF I promised to marry her!!!

I would not make that kind of promise. Sure, I was looking for a wife, but I was not going to commit to marriage with a woman with whom I had never been on a date!

I still see the younger sister's profile in Yahoo Personals every time I look in her hometown to see who is available. We are actually 15 years down the road. I have been in a few relationships, including one marriage, and yet she is still looking for her next husband.

There was another lady for whom I was very fond, and I really wanted to date. But her deal was that she would not agree to a date, unless I would agree to date her for several months.

I did not even know whether I would like her after our first date, let alone like her enough to date her for several months based on a commitment made before I got to know her. (She is also still looking for a boyfriend on Yahoo Personals, as well.)

Put yourself in my shoes. If you were to go out with me, you may decide after the first date that we are not compatible. So why would you want to commit to several months worth of dates or even marriage prior to your first date with me? You wouldn't, would you?

"No Strings Attached" is the only way to date, if you ask me. We should have the freedom to go on a date, without having to commit ourselves to anything beyond that first date. We should feel that we have the freedom to say no. If we don't work together as a couple, there should be no expectation to drag it out for months with no positive end in sight.

We should all have the freedom to choose if we want to go on a second date, a third date, or even a twentieth date.

We should only seek marriage because we both want to be married to each other. We should not ever feel obligated to marriage on a first date or third.

So here I am. I don't want to lie to you. My personal integrity will not allow me to lie to you.

But, if you want me to agree to multiple dates or marriage before we go on our first date, then the only way that you and I will ever go out is if I let my integrity fall by the wayside.

The only commitment I can make to you is that if I like you, we can go out twice. If we continue to mutually like one another, then maybe we can go out on a third date. And maybe some day, we will decide that we would be a good pair in marriage.

And if this is not acceptable to you, then I might have to throw my personal integrity out the window, and lie to you, just so I can go on that first date with you to see if we could be a good match.

If you don't want guys to lie to you about the future, then don't ask them to commit to something that no person in their right mind will commit to before the first date!

Lance Metzger writes about relationships, offline and online dating. Our no-strings-attached dating site has become a popular online adult dating destination, due to its large membership base of people looking for relationships of all kinds. Learn more at: http://www.nsadatingsite.com/ Consider Lance's new Kindle book, "Making Memories: Creative Dating Ideas": http://raintreepublishing.com/creative-dating-ideas/

Increase O/L paper evaluation fees - SLTSA

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 02:08:00 +0000

The Sri Lanka Teacher Services Association (SLTSA) has demanded the Education Ministry to increase the Ordinary Level exam paper evaluation fees.

General Secretary of the Association Mahinda Jayasinghe stated that the current fee is insufficient and that even though the Examinations department has increased the allowance of examination staff, they have failed to increase the evaluation fees.

The SLTSA further mentioned that the fee currently given is barely sufficient to carry out day to day tasks.

Adaderana.

Bad news for many - No More Free Google Apps for Businesses

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:04:00 +0000

Bad news for many - Google has killed off its free Apps suite for businesses, but luckily those that already have accounts set up are in the clear.

The new policy is only for new accounts. At a cost of US$ 50 per year the Google Apps suite may be too much for some so free individual accounts are still available — but those folks will simply have to use a gmail.com email account.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Google doesn't want to let this opportunity slip away, but we have to think that start-ups and young entrepreneurs will begin looking elsewhere for their business needs because of it. The reason is that US$ 50 per year is per user. Fifty dollars is no problem for one person — it's just that when things start to scale, it can become burdensome for small firms.

Additionally, for those who already have the free version, you can still create a new Apps account going through the App Engine Admin Console. The free Standard Apps accounts are still available, but you'll only be able to get one user per account rather than the 10 under the old version.

Perhaps none of this should be a surprise. Google is a big business — it recently cut the price of its cloud storage service to ensure it continues to be that way. We're not saying this price hike is directly in response to Google's price cut on cloud storage, but that move had to have assuaged any hand wringing over the bump on the Apps suite.

As the Google Apps service has grown, businesses that signed up for the free version quickly started demanding things like 24/7 support, according a blog post by Clay Bavor, director of product management for Google Apps.

Bavor cited the experience for both businesses and individuals as having become not quite right. While businesses were demanding new features, individuals had to wait for new features while they were made business ready. Anyone not dissuaded from setting up new Google Apps accounts can check out a free Webinar Monday, Dec 10 at 1 p.m. PST for an hour long overview of the system.

Alternate Services

For those who are thinking of setting up new systems like email hosting, but don't want to spend US$ 50 per user per year, there are lots of other options. Zoho, Rackspace and even Microsoft all offer similar services for less money.

We think one of the biggest losses of the free version will be for simply kicking off new ventures. The ability to paste together a small team, establish a workflow on no budget and get an early stage idea off the ground will likely be severely hampered by this move.

There is still a 30 day free trial, but that's a super fast gear up time, and it makes switching to a new system even harder if it has to be done because the team must learn a new system.

Tell us in the comments if you're surprised with the change or if you were still kind of shocked how much value could be derived from such an inexpensive service in the first place.

DoorBot: Smart Wi-Fi Doorbell that Lets you See your Visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 05:02:00 +0000

Two months after introducing Lockitron, the mobile key-less door locking system that made a sensation on KickStarter, DoorBot comes to impress our imagination once more. The project was first showcased on Christie Street and by the looks of it, this system will be a wireless smart doorbell that can transfer the video of your visitors directly on a mobile application, using a Wi-Fi antenna.

This can be the perfect set-up for those who wish to comfortably view the person currently sitting in the front of their porch or, for those who like to visualize who has knocked on the door, while they were away. As for those who wish to get even more out of the device, certain extensions can be applied and customers can even lock or unlock the premises for afar.

DoorBot is a project started by Edison Junior and can be simply described as an intelligent device that transmits an audio and video feed over Wi-Fi. In a few words, owners can view and communicate with the person found outside of the house, using the built-in microphone.

As a security advantage, the DoorBot has one way camera so visitors cannot see who is responding and best of all, if you are home or not. Moreover, the smart door bell allows owners to see who is at the door without actually responding and letting the outside world know.

NO Libyan scenario in Syria - Lavrov

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:27:00 +0000

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has expressed Moscow’s strong opposition to repetition of the Libyan scenario in the conflict-stricken Syria, stressing that the Kremlin will not allow such a thing happen again.

“We’ll not allow the Libyan experience to be reproduced in Syria. Unfortunately our Western partners have departed from the Geneva accords and are seeking the departure of [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad,” RIA Novosti news agency quoted Lavrov as saying on Sunday. He went on to note that Russia had not been involved in any talks on Assad’s future, dismissing speculation that Moscow was preparing for the Syrian leader’s departure.

“We are not holding any talks on the fate of Assad,” Lavrov said. “All attempts to present the situation differently are rather shady, even for the diplomacy of those countries that are known for striving to distort facts in their own favor.”

He stressed that the priority was to end the unrest in Syria, not to discuss the fate of one man.

The Russian foreign minister added that the Kremlin was not clinging to any individual leader in Syria, saying, “Our position on Syria is well-known. Moscow does not stick to Assad or to some other figure on the Syrian political scene.” Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of security forces, have been killed in the turmoil.

The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

PRESS TV

Dialog to acquire entry stake in DCL

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Dialog Axiata PLC (Dialog) is to acquire 26% entry stake of newly formed Digital Commerce Lanka Pvt Ltd, which owns Anything.lk, an e-commerce operator in Sri Lanka for a value of $ 1.59 million.

The company said in a stock exchange filing that it is hoping to expand its presence in the online commerce and trade segments with the investment in Digital Commerce Lanka. The remaining shareholding of DCL is held by the shareholders of the Anything Pvt Ltd.

The joint venture Company DCL will encompass and absorb the business operations and brand properties of Anything.lk and the e-commerce businesses of the Dialog Group. Accordingly, the joint venture will facilitate merger of daily deals category leader Anything.lk, most visited online mall iBuy.lk, B2B and C2C trading portal Tradenet.lk and recently launched online classified site myTrader.lk.

The merger of the category leading online businesses will yield an aggregated and unified e-commerce platform wow.lk which would present Sri Lankan consumers with an unparalleled digital commerce experience spanning daily deals, branded store offerings ,travel and leisure deals, B2B and C2C Trading and the opportunity to buy and sell via an online classified service supporting Web, SMS and USSD mediums.

The board of Directors of DCL will be chaired by Thilan Wijesinghe, Director and shareholder of Anything Pvt Ltd.

Dialog Axiata PLC will be represented on the board of Directors of DCL by Hans Wijayasuriya and Moksevi Prelis. The formation of the Joint Venture will also see the transitioning of CEO Reeza Zarook and his management team at Anything .lk to DCL. The leadership team at DCL lead by Zarook will be further strengthened with key technology and e-business domain specialist from the Dialog group.

Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya , Group Chief Executive for Dialog Axiata PLC said that Dialog has made significant improvements in the e-commerce business in Sri Lanka over the past years through its various online businesses including iBuy, Tradenet and myTrader.

We are confident that we can contribute to this partnership our experience and proficiency in innovation, connectivity and media technologies, service delivery and customer care.

We also believe that this partnership will elevate e-commerce in Sri Lanka to main stream and will succeed in extending the benefits of online commerce to a wide and plural segment of Sri Lankan consumers.

Dailynews.lk

O/L exams begin today

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:19:00 +0000

The GCE Ordinary Level examination begins today at 8.30am in 4048 centres island-wide. 542,260 candidates are scheduled to sit for the exams and the Examination Department requested all candidates to be at their respective centres by at least 8 am.

Adaderana

Cartoon Of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:16:00 +0000

Sex workers shy away from condoms

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:13:00 +0000

Female sex workers dislike keeping condoms with them so as to avoid being arrested by the police, officials said yesterday.

Addressing an awareness propgramme at Galkiriyagama, Public Health Inspect U.G. Jayasundera said the possession of condoms made it easy for a woman to be suspected as a sex worker.

He said this was one of the main reasons why sex workers dislike carrying condoms with them.

Mr. Jayasundera said the use of condoms is recommended for the prevention of deadly diseases such as HIV and AID.

“There is prostitution in Sri Lanka. There are also foreign sex workers here. Once a sex worker is arrested, condoms seized from her are used as case productions. Therefore, they now avoid keeping condoms with them. This is a serious problem. This will lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases,” he said.

Mr. Jayasundera said health authorities are discussing these matters with police officials.

Dailymirror

India to take up car duty hike with Sri Lanka

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:10:00 +0000

India may take up with Sri Lanka the latter’s decision to hike import duty on cars at diplomatic level. Hiked duty on passenger cars and commercial vehicles by Sri Lanka will have large implication for Indian exporters.

“We believe very substantial rise in import tariff in Sri Lanka is going to adversely affect our car exports to that country. It is matter of concern for us, and the option available before the government is to take up the matter diplomatically,” Rajiv Kher, additional secretary in India’s commerce ministry, said. Kher, who is not directly involved in exports to Sri Lanka, was speaking on the sidelines of a curtain raiser for the second India-Asean business conclave held by Ficci.

According to Kher, bringing down tariffs on imports of cars from India could be a win-win situation for both the countries as India is very competitive in small cars, as well as commercial vehicles. “It makes lot of sense that they bring down the duties and Indian imports are allowed to move freely,” he added.

The import duty on cars in Sri Lanka has gone up from 120-291 per cent to 200-350 per cent, from 51-61 per cent to 100 per cent on three-wheelers, and from 61 per cent to 100 per cent on two-wheelers.

According to estimates by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, India exported vehicles worth $800 million to Sri Lanka out of the total automobile exports of $6 billion. However, this has become negligible this year as the revised import duty came into effect from April. Moreover, two weeks back even import duty on sports utility vehicle has gone up, thus creating further dent in exports to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, just ahead of the Asean-India Commemorative Summit, being held here from December 20 to 21, India is hopeful of concluding the India-Asean free trade agreement on services and investment, despite some issues still waiting to be resolved.

mydigitalfc.com

Lawlessness in Lanka: HR report

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:07:00 +0000

Intellectuals for Human Rights (IFHR) in its report for this year said the Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka has suffered a major setback in the first 10 months with the rule of law, individual liberty and the independence of the Judiciary having received an unprecedented beating.

According to the report issued yesterday to coincide with United Nations Human Rights Day, 148 females were murdered and 408 raped during the period under review, but only 10 cases had been filed in courts. The rise of the extrajudicial killings and inhuman torture clearly indicates the lack of respect of society for legal procedures and the rights of the citizens. It symbolizes the lawlessness in the country and indirect state approval for these illegal executions.

The report has reviewed the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka during the period December 11, 2011 to December 10, this year. The report briefly examines human rights violations in various domains highlighting prominent cases and examples to support the analysis and key arguments with reliable facts and figures.

This year’s report consists of thematic reviews of abductions and killings, Independence of the Judiciary, Media Freedom, Grievances of Resettled and Internally displaced people (IDPS) and the Violation Of the Right to Education where significant adverse developments could be observed during this period.

“Violent attacks on innocent unarmed civilians have become a common act in recent times though violence hand in hand with political rivalry is not of recent vintage. In recent past some areas of the country have converted into undeclared battlegrounds, as many powerful organized rival crime groups, fight for dominance. As a result the violence in Sri Lanka has gone off the charts with many killed during the period under scrutiny. Even though, in those cases the state is not responsible, the state is obligated to exercise due diligence in order to prevent such crimes. Further, the state must effectively investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators. If those mechanisms are ineffective or defunct, the state must take appropriate measures to make them effective. Abductions and killings, violation of independence of the judiciary, suppression of media freedom, continued unabated in 2012.

“Rights of prisoners and plight of the political prisoners including ex-LTTE cardres, continuing anguish of women and children are serious concerns. The HR situation in most of these sectors, seem to have worsened. The IFHR believes that the government is directly or indirectly responsible for all most all HR violations. Further the government continues to exercise the power of executive presidency and other forms of state power, the two-third majority in the parliament that was secured by unethical means. For example, the government has acted not only to cover up its HR violations and curtailing of the democratic freedom of people, but even to legitimize those violations,” the IFHR said in its report

“This is an alarming trend. The country is ostensibly heading towards a totalitarian regime. The allegations that have been made are mainly against the executive president and his family members, those who hold most important and powerful positions in the government. The IFHR believes that they cannot escape the allegations as they administer core elements of the government. Also, it seems that they tend to consolidate limitless extraordinary powers surpassing the law of the country. The two-third majority in parliament seems to be using to pass or amend the laws for these purposes.

“The assault on JSC secretary was followed by series of protests demanding the government to ensure the independence of the judiciary and they were organized by political parties, lawyers, judges unions and civil society organisations. Judges, lawyers and staff of the courts carried out one day strike protesting the attack and failure of the police to arrest respondents. The statements issued by the president and senior government ministers at different occasions on this assault further aggravated the violation of the independence of the judiciary.

They used baseless defamatory charges against the JSC officials, appointment of the JSC secretary and his seniority etc., and some baseless defamatory charges. It seems that all these statements of the ministers were an attempt to justify the assault on JSC secretary. It is also clear that the president or the ministers do not have genuine desire to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

This dispute continued and the government had decided to impeach the Chief Justice.

“On the 1st of November, the ruling party, United People’s Freedom Alliance presented an impeachment motion to initiate proceedings in Parliament with 113 signatures of its MPs. The time at which the impeachment motion brought, in the middle of increasing tensions between the judiciary and the executive, raised some eyebrows and the process.

On media freedom, the report says that the suppression of the freedom of expression in every means has been continuing over last few years and a large number of incidents have been reported in the year under review. Massive media campaign is obviously underway to build the image of ruling regime using all media institutions, both state and private, suppressing them, threatening them or taming them up,” the IFHR said.

Dailymirror

7 OUT OF 8 STUDENTS RELEASED – IUSF CONVENER

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 02:52:00 +0000

Convener of the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Sanjeewa Bandara stated that 7 of the 8 students arrested from the University of Jaffna have been released.

The students were released last night (09).

Several of the students were arrested on the November 26 inside the university premises for commemorating Remembrance Day while the rest were arrested during a protest held the following day.

The IUSF convener stated that one of these students was previously released on bail.

Meanwhile eight more students were arrested on October 7 out of which seven students were released last night.

Bandara further stated that four students are still being held under detention orders.

Ada derana

Bharatha Lakshman's doughter Hirunika says Kolonnawa could turn into a battlefield

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 02:42:00 +0000

The entire Kolonnawara area would be turned into a battlefield unless MP Duminda Silva is arrested at the airport upon arrival his in the country, said Hirunika Premachandra, daughter of the late Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, yesterday.

Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was killed in a shooting incident in October last year. Mr. Silva is an accused in the case. At present he is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore.

Miss Premachandra said that Mr. Silva should be arrested at the airport if he arrives. Otherwise, she said, it would set off yet another war in Kolonnawa.

Referring to a recent Bodhi Pooja conducted to invoke blessings on MP Duminda Silva, she said that it was possibly the first instance of an accused in a criminal case being blessed.

Dailymirror

Sri Lanka tourism authorities to promote the island’s unseen attractions

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:28:00 +0000

Sri Lanka’s tourism promotion bureau says it is collecting information on a number of sites and locations less frequented by foreigners but have potential to become popular tourist attractions.

The bureau, which spearheads all marketing and promotional functions says, it has identified 200 such scenic locations across the country which are popular among domestic travelers but are not in the international tourist trail.

Rumy Jauffer, managing director of the tourism promotion bureau speaking at a cabinet briefing yesterday said the on-going project will actively collect information on these locations, document it and make it available on the internet by end October 2011.

The bureau will also put electronic tourist information kiosks at key hotels and other locations to disseminate this information to tourists.

The island nation, emerging after the end of a three decade long ethnic conflict is aggressively pushing its tourism industry to be among the top five foreign exchange earners by 2015.

Foreign visitors have been flocking to the country since the end of war in 2009 and room rates have also moved up.

The economic development ministry in a recent statement said the government is planning to convert the colonial-era fort in the north that was also fought over during the recent ethnic war into a tourist attraction.

"The Fort of Jaffna is to be converted into a tourist centre soon when the phase one of the ongoing renovation projects costing 104 million rupees is completed shortly." it said.

The government is also in discussions to permit eco-friendly hotels in buffer zones adjacent to nature reserves to cater to increased local and international interest in the island's wildlife assets.

Earnings boost

The industry earned USD 370.1 million in revenues in the first half of 2011, up 50.9 percent from a year earlier, amid a strong increase in arrivals, official data showed.

Data by the state tourism promotion agency showed that in the six months to June arrivals had grown to 381,538, up 36.9 percent from a year earlier.

Speaking at the press briefing deputy economic development minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene said, the government also wants to ensure Samurdhi recipient families will benefit from Sri Lanka’s fast growing tourism sector.

It is estimated that the sector can create 500,000 direct and indirect job opportunities by 2016.

Post war Sri Lankan tourism sector is attracting big leisure brands like Canadian based Four Seasons and Hong Kong’s Shangri-La.

Maria Alkansas wins first ever online beauty pageant

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:24:00 +0000

The maiden virtual beauty queen of Sri Lanka was crowned today following what is largely considered a pioneering digital revolution in beauty pageants and probably a global first for any beauty pageant. Seri Miss Sri Lanka Online successfully concluded its grand finale crowning Maria Alkansas as the winner of the much coveted Seri Miss Sri Lanka Online 2012 title.

Two persons arrested with over Rs.1 lakh worth of illegal alcohol

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:12:00 +0000

Two persons were arrested in the Madinnagoda area of Welikada for possessing illegal alcohol, police stated. The value of the illegal alcohol in their possession amounted to more than Rs.100,000 police reported.

The raid was carried out by group of officers attached to the Police STF of the Rajagiriya camp.

The suspects were both residents of the Rajagiriya area while they were handed over to the Welikada Police for further investigations.

adaderana

Beyond quad-core: What's next for mobile processing power

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:05:00 +0000

With quad-core chips quickly losing their novelty, the industry will start pushing benefits like better graphics and power efficiency.

Remember when a quad-core processor was the ultimate indicator of a super-smartphone? Well its 15 minutes are almost up.

Just as the current run of super-smartphones are destined for the bargain bin in a few months, so too will the novelty and obsession with the number of cores powering a phone begin to fade. Sure, smartphones with the latest quad-core chips still rule now, but companies are already preparing to change the conversation.

In its place, expect chip companies, handset manufacturers, and wireless carriers to shift their marketing away from an emphasis cores and more toward tangible benefits such as a smoother experience, bigger displays with higher-resolution graphics, and better battery life.

"That's the end game for a lot of these semiconductor companies: connect great experiences and long battery life with their chip," said Francis Sideco, an analyst at IHS.

The mobile industry has been making steady progress on the brains found in smartphones. It wasn't that long ago that a 1-gigahertz processor was the high benchmark for a mobile device. Then came the advent of dual-core processors, and this year brought quad-core chips to the mainstream.

The progression made for an easy marketing message to consumers and specification geeks: if two cores are better than one, four has got to be even better. Of course, the truth isn't really that simple, but that doesn't stop everyone in the mobile devices industry, right down to the sales staff, from repeating it as gospel.

The obsession with mobile processors has been a boon to the chip makers, giving added visibility to companies such as Qualcomm and Nvidia. These aren't exactly household names, but they are brands that mean something to gadget enthusiasts, and are often associated with quality. It's no wonder companies such as Qualcomm have spent millions of dollars marketing the Snapdragon processor brand, similar to Intel's own "Intel Inside" campaign for PCs.

But the chip industry is getting to the point where more cores will result in diminishing returns, with most companies agreeing that four will be the limit for a while. That's because few applications and tasks on the phone (or computer) can take advantage of multiple cores and actually get a benefit.

"Quad-core CPUs will have become the standard for mobile devices," said Matt Wuebbling, director of Nvidia's Tegra marketing. "While some may try to move beyond quad-core, we don't believe there will be a perceptible user benefit."

So don't hold your breath for a five or six-core smartphone.

Without the easy sales pitch of more cores, these companies have their work cut out for them when it comes to talking about their chips.

"It's what's keeping their chief marketing officers up at night," Sideco said.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57557548-94/beyond-quad-core-whats-next-for-mobile-processing-power/

Too busy for Love Making?

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:54:00 +0000

With all the demands of modern life many couples can find it hard to schedule in time for Love Making. To nurture this vital part of your relationship, says psychosexual therapist Paula Hall, you need to dispense with a few bedroom myths and make time to make love.

Love Making in the early days

When you meet someone and fall in love, your whole life revolves around getting to know them better, particularly their body. After a while, however, you realise love won't pay the bills and you settle down to 'normal' life.

This is generally when Love Making becomes something you do at night in bed - preferably before you fall asleep. But, after a hard day's graft, sometimes there just isn't enough energy left.

Quality not quantity
At this stage, quality becomes more important than quantity. When you MakeLove as often as you like, it doesn't really matter if you have the odd unsatisfactory encounter. But if you're only managing it once a week - if you're lucky - you need make the most of it. Which means making sure you're not hanging on to any unrealistic expectations.

Love Making and spontaneity
It's a myth that Love Making is better when it's spontaneous. That holiday you've been looking forward to for the past six months - would it have been more enjoyable without any planning? Not necessarily. In fact, on the contrary, it might have been a disaster. Although a surprise Love Making session can be fantastic, planning builds anticipation. And anticipation builds arousal.

If you have kids or you work long hours, you'll probably need to schedule in time for Love Making. This means you can make sure you feel your Love Making by planning what to wear and taking a relaxing bath or shower. You can also spend days teasing each other with what you've got planned for when the time comes.

Taking turns
Another myth is that Love Making should be entirely mutual at all times. Apparently, you should caress one another at exactly the same moment, fuelling passion in perfect synch. But that's a bit like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. Yes, it's possible, but it means you can't concentrate properly on either activity. How can you focus your attention fully on giving pleasure at the same time as luxuriating in the sensation of being touched? It's not possible. Someone will miss out.

So take it in turns. Enjoy the look on your partner's face as you build them into a frenzy of
Love Making excitement. Then relax and enjoy when it's your turn. Mutual Love Making is great for a quick one. But if you have to plan the time together, use it to the full.

Start talking
Some people believe good Love Making should be instinctive. If you really love your partner, they say, and if you're really in tune with them, you'll know exactly how they like to be touched. Your bodies will writhe in mutual passion without a word being uttered.

For some reason, Love Making is the one arena where we expect our partners to read our minds. Rather than simply saying a word or two about what we like or don't, we go to extraordinary lengths to give encouragement by groaning and moaning at exactly the right moment. The opportunity for miscommunication with this method is huge.

Rather than gambling with your Love Making satisfaction, start talking. You'll find it builds far more intimacy than a silent romantic failure. And it's not just in the midst of an ecstactic encounter that it's good to talk. Next time you realise you haven't Made Love for weeks, get your diaries out and make a date. And as the date gets nearer, talk about what you're going to do to each other and how you're going to make sure it's a night (or day) to remember.

Tips for talking
Whoever is doing the touching should do most of the talking
Next time you're caressing your partner, ask for feedback. Would they like it harder or softer? Longer or shorter strokes? Up a bit or down a bit?

Reasons to make time for Love Making
Still not convinced it's worth pencilling in a bedroom session? Research shows that regular Love Making can make you feel and look healthier. When you make love, your body releases substances in the brain that reduce stress and anxiety. It also produces chemicals that create stronger feelings of affection between couples; stimulates growth hormones that reduce fatty tissue and increase lean muscle; and burns off more than 100 calories per hour.

Source: BBC

Alcohol makes men BETTER in the bedroom, scientists claim

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:53:00 +0000

Men who worry about the effect drinking has on their sex life should raise a glass to the latest research.

Alcohol actually improves rather than damages male performance in the bedroom, it is claimed.

Until now it has been widely believed that alcohol consumption can cause erectile dysfunction, or 'brewer's droop'.

But a study of 1,580 Australian men found drinkers reporting up to 30 per cent fewer problems than teetotallers.

Even binge drinkers had lower rates of erectile dysfunction than those who never drank.

So-called low-risk drinkers, those who have four drinks a day for up to five days a week, fared best.

Worst were former drinkers who had given up the booze, along with smokers and victims of heart disease.

Weekend drinkers, high-risk drinkers and those who exceeded alcohol intake guidelines had lower rates of erectile dysfunction than those who drank one day a week or less.

The study concludes that if a moderate drinker suffers from such problems, there is no justification in advising him to stop or reduce his intake.

'These findings suggest a favourable association between low-risk drinking and positive erectile function,' it says.

Source: DailyMail

Are You Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:51:00 +0000

The first key to your happiness is believing that happiness is possible for you, and this will open doors to healthy relationships. Unfortunately, most of us are waiting for something or someone to make us happy.

Happiness starts from the inside and works its way out. Expect to be happy and you will be. Expect to be unhappy and that too, will come to you.

You choose your thoughts and your feelings. You choose to be happy or not.

Here are some changes to help you obtain happiness:

Look at your present, not your past.
Focus on positives not negatives.
Appreciate who you are and what you have.
Work hard & manage your time.
Love life.
Be thankful.

There are many ways of viewing happiness, some say it’s a human basic emotion, which fluctuates depending on the circumstance, some say happiness is based on your current feelings and thoughts; or some believe it’s a fundamental way of life.

Either way, happiness is a perusal which needs to be prepared, cultivated, nurtured, defended and protected so that it has longevity throughout difficult times and during self gratifying times.

Remember! To make healthy relationships - be happy first with yourself then your loved ones will feel happy too.

Source: 2as1

How to live a happy and satisfied Life

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:48:00 +0000

In each day that passes by, we stand by and witness how our lives are being lived without the full happiness and satisfaction we crave and need. Most people spend their time stressed out, worried and on a constant panic about what needs to be done for their futures, raising their children, wired up over work, school, along with everything else. Does this sound familiar? Well if it does, it is because so many people live with this style and pattern. When you can start living that fully happy and satisfied life?

The only way you can live a happy and satisfied life, is when you start doing things that make you happy and satisfied. Sure, it sounds easy, and can be easy if you just remember to make yourself one of your top priorities. Too many people neglect themselves, feeling that it would be selfish if they took any time out to focus on their own being. While it is good to take care of others and other important things going on in your life, it is mandatory that you never forget about yourself. Discover who you really are and what matters most to you. Living a great life does not just happen. It requires, planning and following those plans to a life that reflects who you truly are.

Most people avoid planning goals and dreams in their lives because they may have a fear of committing to it or failing. They feel that by officially writing it down, they would actually have to go through with pursuing it. This is where you need to rate the importance of your life missions. What is most important to you? Is it losing a certain amount of weight? Getting your degree? Spending more time with your spouse or children? Whatever the reason or reasons may be, just write all of them down. You may feel that making a mental note of your goals and dreams is enough, but you could very well be setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. By writing it down, you will become a visual witness of those goals. Try writing them in an organizer, with a little reminder written in each day.

Setting deadlines for these goals would be a great way to assure they will be accomplished. Avoid disappointment by setting realistic deadlines. For example, if you wanted to lose 10 pounds, do not give yourself a week to do so. You will only torture yourself and become depressed when the week is over and see that you did not come even close to losing the 10 pounds. In fact, you may give up losing weight altogether because of the failure you experienced, simply because your deadline was unrealistic. Take some time everyday to look over your goals and remind yourself of how important they really are to you. Ask yourself why they are important to you too. Knowing that something is important is not enough. You must know the reasons behind the importance of the dreams and goals you have, so that your mind can see it more clearly and understand exactly why it is so necessary to go through with your missions.

10 Commandments for good wives

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 22:47:00 +0000

Even in the distant 17 th century Rabbi Yitzhak ben communities Poznan Elyakim especially for his daughter created a whole product in the format of the book, which is called a "good heart". There also have been described and these commandments for good wives after the break...

1. Be careful when your husband is angry. At this point, do not be no fun, no grumpy - smiled and said softly.

2. Do not make your husband wait for food. Hunger - the father of anger.

3. Do not wake him when he sleeps.

4. Be careful with his money. Do not hide from him his financial affairs.

5. Keep it secret. If he brags, and keep it a secret.

6. I do not approve of his enemies and not hate his friends.

7. I do not mind him and do not claim that your advice is better than him.

8. Do not expect the impossible.

9. If you will be attentive to his request, he will be your slave.

10. Do not say anything that would hurt him. If you're going to treat him like a king, he will treat you like a queen.

Sri Lanka cricket team leader Mahela says - We need to groom another leader

noreply@blogger.com (Writer) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:20:00 +0000

Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene who is in Australia, Wednesday said that Sri Lanka should groom another captain to lead the Sri Lankan cricket team.

"We need to groom another leader as well. It's very important to have that changeover done smoothly while the senior players are still in the side,” the AFP reported quoting Jayawardana, ahead of a three-day tour match against a Chairman's XI in Canberra.

"That's something that I will speak with the selectors (about) and see what's best for them and then make a call," he said.

He also said he will consider his future as captain after the Australia tour which includes three Tests, five one day internationals and two Twenty20 matches.

"After this, we get a well-deserved four weeks off, after about three years, so it gives me a bit of time to think what I need to do," he told reporters.

Jayawardene said he expected Australia to attack his men like "wounded soldiers" after their hard-fought loss to South Africa and the retirement of Ricky Ponting.

Australia suffered a 309-run defeat in the third and deciding Test against South Africa which ended Monday, losing the series 1-0.

It allowed the Proteas to retain the number one world ranking and meant 17-year veteran Ponting was not given the send-off the team wanted.

"I see them as wounded soldiers -- they could come back stronger against us," he told reporters, adding that even without Ponting Australia were still a "decent lineup".

"Australia will come hard at us, especially after the (last South Africa) Test because of what happened to them. We need to brace for that and make sure we handle those tough situations."

Sri Lanka begin their tour just days after being beaten by New Zealand in Colombo in the second of a two-Test series which ended 1-1.

Prolific batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who earlier this year won the International Cricket Council's Cricketer of the Year award, disappointed against the Black Caps, scoring only 21 runs over three innings.

Jayawardene said the 35-year-old batsman-wicketkeeper would be out to prove something in Australia.

"I am happy that he went through a lean phase because he'll be really hungry for runs -- that's Kumar for you," he said.

Sri Lanka and Australia begin their first Test in Hobart on December 14, the subsequent Tests beginning on December 26 in Melbourne and January 3 in Sydney.

DailyMirror